49: Chapter 49 Power Upgrade and Member Expansion

Xue Kuang's saber descended like a landslide and tsunami!

A full-power strike from a Dao Palace Fourth Layer Cultivator, combined with that door-sized giant saber, had such overwhelming power that the surrounding space distorted.

Before the saber light even arrived, the sharp Saber Qi had already plowed a deep trench into the ground, and the debris from the shattered teleportation array was swept up, transforming into countless hidden weapons flying in all directions.

Lin Ye's pupils constricted sharply.

He could not take this strike!

It wasn't a gap in strength, but a gap in condition—the wound on his left shoulder had ruptured, and his Divine Power had been nearly halved during his previous cultivation, meaning he could only mobilize at most seventy percent of his strength in his current hurried state.

Taking this strike head-on would result in, at best, a severe injury.

In the blink of an eye, he made a decision.

"Void Step!"

His figure blurred instantly, leaving an afterimage in place.

The giant saber slashed down, tearing the afterimage to shreds, and a crack three zhang long and over a chi deep was cleaved into the ground.

Thirty zhang away, Lin Ye's figure appeared, his face slightly pale.

Forcing a Void Step had agitated his wound again, and blood had already soaked through the bandages.

"You dodge fast." Xue Kuang snorted coldly, pointing his giant saber diagonally. "But how many times can you dodge?"

He moved again, even faster this time!

The blood-colored saber light followed like a maggot on a rotting bone, relentless.

Lin Ye used Void Step three times in succession, dodging at the last possible moment each time, but the consumption was immense, and his Divine Power was now less than forty percent.

"Brother Ye!" Su Qingyue wanted to come forward to help, but was forced back by the aftermath of the Saber Qi.

She was only at the Wheel Sea Realm and could barely even get close in a battle of this level.

"Don't come over!" Lin Ye barked, while simultaneously thinking of countermeasures in his mind.

A direct confrontation wouldn't work, and continuing to exhaust himself was a dead end.

He had to find a way to counterattack!

His gaze swept over the surrounding environment—this was the West Gate of the capital city.

Although the surrounding players and NPCs had retreated over a hundred zhang away due to the destruction of the teleportation array and the outbreak of battle, the buildings were dense, and the alleys were crisscrossed...

He had it!

Lin Ye dodged another strike, then suddenly turned and rushed into the alley on his left!

"Trying to escape?" Xue Kuang grinned hideously and chased after him.

The alley was narrow, no more than two zhang wide.

Xue Kuang's giant saber couldn't be wielded effectively in such an environment, and its power was discounted.

Meanwhile, Lin Ye's Chaos Fire and Void Step had a greater advantage in the confined space.

"Now is the time!"

Lin Ye stopped abruptly and turned, his hands forming seals.

"Chaos Domain, open!"

The gray Domain expanded instantly, covering a radius of thirty zhang!

The walls, ground, and air within the alley were all dyed a layer of Chaos color.

Xue Kuang's speed dropped by 30% instantly, and his saber momentum slowed as well.

"A Domain?" A flash of surprise appeared in Xue Kuang's eyes. "You've comprehended a Domain at the Wheel Sea Realm? No, you're at the Dao Palace Realm... You hid your cultivation deep!"

Although shocked, he remained calm.

His giant saber swept horizontally, the blood-colored Saber Qi surging, and he forcefully tore an opening in the Chaos Domain.

The cultivation of a Dao Palace Fourth Layer expert was indeed formidable; even when weakened by thirty percent, he was still a cut above Lin Ye.

But this was the instant of opportunity Lin Ye needed!

"Chaos Void Flame!"

A silver-gray ball of light condensed in his palm.

The Chaos Fire, fused with 12% space power, emitted a dangerous Aura.

This time, Lin Ye did not compress it but pushed it to its full potential, causing the light ball to expand to the size of a human head, with silver-gray light flickering violently inside.

"Go!"

The light ball left his hand and floated slowly toward Xue Kuang.

Xue Kuang instinctively felt danger.

He wanted to retreat, but the alley was narrow, and his escape route was blocked by the Saber Qi he had slashed out previously.

He wanted to take it head-on, but the energy fluctuations emitted by the light ball made his heart palpitate.

"Playing tricks!" He gritted his teeth, raised his giant saber high, and the blood-colored Saber Qi condensed into substance. "Blood Fiend Slash!"

The Saber Qi collided with the light ball.

There was no explosion.

The light ball diffused silently, forming a silver-gray Domain with a diameter of three zhang, enveloping Xue Kuang within it.

Inside the Domain, space rippled like the surface of water, and fine space cracks emerged, with gray flames burning at the edges of the cracks.

"This is... Space Power?!" Xue Kuang's face changed drastically.

He wanted to break free, but the space within the Domain was unusually viscous, making movement difficult.

What was even more terrifying was that those space cracks moved like living creatures, slicing at his Protective Aura.

The gray flames clung to the cracks, infiltrating through the gaps in his Aura to burn his flesh.

-3217! -2985! -3556!...

A series of damage numbers floated above Xue Kuang's head.

Although the individual damage wasn't high, the frequency was extremely fast, at least three times per second!

Moreover, it came with slow and defense-reduction effects, causing his defense to drop by 30%!

"Break for me!" Xue Kuang roared, his entire body's blood-colored Aura erupting as he forcibly pushed open the Domain, his giant saber waving crazily, trying to hack out a path to survive.

But the power of the Chaos Void Flame far exceeded his imagination.

The space cracks quickly reorganized after being slashed apart, and the gray flames were like maggots on a rotting bone, impossible to shake off.

In just five seconds, his health had dropped by nearly thirty thousand!

Lin Ye wasn't having an easy time either.

Maintaining the Chaos Void Flame consumed 200 Divine Power per second, and his total remaining Divine Power was less than five thousand, meaning he could hold on for at most twenty-five seconds.

Looking at Xue Kuang's state, twenty-five seconds probably wouldn't be enough to kill him—a Dao Palace Fourth Layer Cultivator's health was at least over eighty thousand, and he had only lost a third so far.

"Must end this quickly!"

Lin Ye gritted his teeth and activated his heart palace again.

"Chaos Fire, condense!"

Gray flames surged from his palm.

This time, they didn't spread but were highly compressed, condensing into a three-foot-long flame sword.

The sword body was gray, and there was a glint of silver at the tip—that was the fused space power, making the blade even sharper.

He rushed into the Domain holding the sword.

"Courting death!" Seeing this, Xue Kuang disregarded the cutting of the Domain and slashed his giant saber forward!

"Clang—!"

The flame sword collided with the giant saber, emitting a harsh metallic clashing sound.

The web between Lin Ye's thumb and forefinger split, and the flame sword almost flew out of his hand.

But instead of retreating, he advanced, and his left hand slapped out—

"Palm Thunder!"

Purple lightning slammed into Xue Kuang's chest, causing his Protective Aura to ripple.

Although it only caused over a thousand damage, the paralysis effect was triggered, and Xue Kuang's movements stalled.

That split second of stalling was enough!

Lin Ye thrust his flame sword straight, not at vital spots like the throat or heart, but at the shoulder joint of Xue Kuang's sword-wielding right arm!

"Ssh—"

The flame sword pierced in, and gray flames poured into the wound.

Xue Kuang screamed, his right arm instantly losing feeling, and the giant saber fell from his hand.

"You!" He clawed at Lin Ye's face with his left hand.

But having lost his weapon and being paralyzed, the speed of this claw was greatly reduced.

Lin Ye dodged to the side, and the flame sword swept horizontally, slashing at the knee of Xue Kuang's left leg.

"Crack!"

The sound of bone breaking was clearly audible.

Xue Kuang lost his footing and knelt on one knee.

"It's over."

Lin Ye didn't give him a chance to catch his breath.

He raised the flame sword high, the gray light on the sword body flaring, and all his Chaos Power condensed into one point—

"Slash!"

The sword light descended.

A flash of unwillingness, anger, and fear crossed Xue Kuang's eyes, finally turning into dead gray.

The blade cleaved into him from the top of his head, piercing through his entire body.

Gray flames erupted from the inside out, burning him into a charred corpse.

[System Prompt: You have killed "Xue Kuang" (Dao Palace Fourth Layer), receiving a 150% bonus for killing a higher-level enemy! Gained 1.42 million EXP, Reputation +2500, [Blood Fiend Battle Armor] (Epic), [Xue Kuang's Storage Ring]!]

The world announcement followed immediately:

[World Announcement: Player "Lin Ye" (Eastern Wasteland Region · Yan State) has killed a Dao Palace Fourth Layer enemy while at a lower level, demonstrating unparalleled combat power! Reward: Reputation +5000, [Higher-Level Challenger] title (All Attributes +5%)!]

The announcement repeated three times, once again shocking the entire server.

[World Channel]:

"Here it comes again! It's Lin Ye again!"

"Killed a Dao Palace Fourth Layer while at a lower level? He's only at the Dao Palace First Layer, right? How is this possible!"

"Is the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body that perverted?"

"Xue Kuang... that name sounds familiar, isn't he an Elder-level figure of the Blood Fiend Alliance?"

"The Blood Fiend Alliance has kicked an iron plate this time."

"Is Heavenly Court still recruiting? I'm at the Wheel Sea Ninth Layer and can break through to the Dao Palace Realm soon!"

Lin Ye didn't have time to look at the channel.

He knelt on the ground, gasping for air.

This battle had consumed too much; his Divine Power was almost bottomed out, the wound on his left shoulder had completely ruptured, and blood had dyed half of his body red.

"Brother Ye!" Su Qingyue rushed over, quickly taking out healing pills for him to take, and used her Vast Cold Spiritual Power to help him stop the bleeding.

"I'm fine..." Lin Ye swallowed the pill, feeling the medicinal power dissolve before he could catch his breath. "Let's leave here first."

Although Xue Kuang was dead, who knew if the Blood Fiend Alliance had others nearby.

His condition was extremely poor now; if another Dao Palace Realm Cultivator came, it would be dangerous.

The two quickly left the scene.

They didn't return to headquarters but circled the city a few times, and after confirming no one was following them, they returned to the Heavenly Court encampment via a secret passage.

In the meeting hall, everyone had already received the news and was waiting anxiously.

Seeing Lin Ye covered in blood, Chen Hao's eyes turned red: "Brother Ye! Who did this? I'll go slaughter them!"

"Already slaughtered." Lin Ye sat down as Su Qingyue re-bandaged his wounds. "Xue Kuang, an Elder of the Blood Fiend Alliance, Dao Palace Fourth Layer."

"Dao Palace Fourth Layer?!" Zhao Wuji gasped. "Brother Ye, you..."

"Killed a higher-level enemy, just lucky." Lin Ye waved his hand. "This time has also exposed our problem—we lack high-end combat power. If I weren't here, the Blood Fiend Alliance could send any Dao Palace Third Layer Cultivator, and the Heavenly Court wouldn't be able to stop them."

Everyone was silent.

Indeed, aside from Lin Ye, the Heavenly Court currently didn't have a single Dao Palace Realm Cultivator.

Although Su Qingyue had extraordinary talent, her Vast Cold Spirit Body hadn't fully awakened, and her cultivation was only at the Wheel Sea Peak.

Chen Hao, Shi Potian, and others were only at the Wheel Sea Seventh or Eighth Layer.

"Therefore, we need to accelerate our development." Lin Ye looked at Zhao Wuji. "How many members does the guild have now?"

Zhao Wuji immediately brought up the guild panel: "Forty-seven official members, one hundred and thirty peripheral members, totaling one hundred and seventy-seven people. Among them, sixty-eight are at the Wheel Sea Seventh Layer or above, and nine are at the Wheel Sea Peak."

"Official members are less than fifty..." Lin Ye frowned. "Why so few?"

"It's mainly because the threshold is set too high." Zhao Wuji explained. "According to the standards you set, Brother Ye, official members must meet three conditions: one, Wheel Sea Fifth Layer or above; two, pass the combat power assessment; three, have a clean background with no bad records. Although there are many peripheral members, most don't meet the conditions."

Lin Ye thought about it; this standard was indeed high.

It had only been two months since the server opened, and it was already quite good for ordinary players to reach the Wheel Sea Fifth Layer.

The Heavenly Court wanted to take the elite route, but it couldn't be too harsh.

"Adjust the standards." He made a decision. "Change the official member conditions to: Wheel Sea Fourth Layer or above, pass the basic combat power assessment, and have a clean background. Additionally, establish a 'Reserve Member' Rank; those below the Wheel Sea Third Layer but with good potential can be recruited first for cultivation."

"This will significantly increase the number of people." Zhao Wuji nodded. "I estimate that after the adjustment, official members can reach about one hundred and fifty, and there will be at least three hundred reserve members."

"Still not enough." Lin Ye shook his head. "We are currently only a 'Level 1 Force', with a member limit of only one hundred. To expand, we must first upgrade the force level."

The force System of covering the heavens era has strict grading.

Level 1 Force: Member limit 100, no territory, no special privileges.

Level 2 Force: Member limit 500, can own small territory, can establish branch halls, enjoy some NPC force discounts.

Level 3 Force: Member limit 2000, can own medium territory, can establish cities, can issue force tasks.

Above Level 4: Requires special conditions to unlock, currently none on the whole server.

Heavenly Court is currently a Level 1 Force.

To upgrade to Level 2, three conditions must be met: one, members reach 50; two, consume 1000 Spirit Stones; three, complete the force upgrade task.

The first two conditions are already met, the third...

"What is the force upgrade task?" Lin Ye asked.

Zhao Wuji brought up the System interface: "Let me see... 'Clean up Black Wind Stronghold thirty miles west of the city, kill the stronghold leader Black Wind Old Demon (Dao Palace First Layer), and seize his token, the Black Wind Order'. The task deadline is seven days; if failed, you must wait thirty days to apply again."

Black Wind Stronghold, Black Wind Old Demon.

Lin Ye had an impression.

In his previous life, many guilds had done this task.

Black Wind Old Demon wasn't considered strong, but the Black Wind Stronghold was easy to defend and hard to attack, and there were over a hundred bandits in the stronghold, all at least at the Wheel Sea Third Layer.

For an ordinary guild to clean it up, they would need to dispatch at least fifty or sixty people, and they would need tactical coordination.

But for the current Heavenly Court, this task was not difficult.

"Prepare, we set off tomorrow." Lin Ye made the decision. "Chen Hao, you take thirty people from the Azure Dragon Hall; Shi Potian, twenty people from the White Tiger Hall. I will lead the team personally, and we must complete the task within a day."

"Yes!" Both accepted the order.

"In addition," Lin Ye looked at Zhao Wuji, "during my absence, you are responsible for the headquarters' defense. All Formations are to be fully activated, and those going out must travel in groups of at least three. If the Blood Fiend Alliance comes again, do not fight head-on; hold your ground and wait for reinforcements."

"Understood."

After arranging everything, Lin Ye returned to his room to heal.

He first checked the spoils from killing Xue Kuang.

[Blood Fiend Battle Armor (Epic)]

Quality: Purple

Defense: +850

Max HP: +3000

Special Effect 1: Blood Fiend Protection (When attacked, there is a 20% chance to trigger Blood Fiend Aura, absorbing 30% of the damage).

Special Effect 2: Blood Drinking (After killing an enemy, recover 5% of max HP).

Special Effect 3: Blood Fiend's Rage (When HP is below 30%, Attack +20%, Defense -20%).

Equipment Requirement: Dao Palace Realm, Strength attribute ≥ 200.

Description: Standard battle armor for Blood Fiend Alliance Elders, refined with the essence blood of living creatures, with astonishing defense but extremely heavy Evil Qi. Long-term wearing may affect one's Heart-Nature.

Defense 850, HP +3000, plus three good special effects.

Although it couldn't compare to the myriad things mother qi cauldron embryo, it was enough as conventional armor.

Lin Ye was still wearing Wheel Sea Realm equipment with only over five hundred defense, so he just happened to need a replacement.

He put on the Blood Fiend Battle Armor.

The armor was dark red all over, composed of dragon-scale-shaped plates, and flexible at the joints, not affecting movement.

After putting it on, a fierce evil Aura tried to invade his mind but was automatically resolved by the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body.

"Sure enough, there are hidden dangers... but it's ineffective against me."

Next was [Xue Kuang's Storage Ring].

Lin Ye's Divine Sense probed in; the space inside was not small, about three zhang square.

There weren't many items, but every one was a high-quality product:

Mid-Grade Spirit Stone × 5000—equivalent to 500,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones, a huge sum of money.

[Blood Fiend Pill] × 10 bottles (10 pills per bottle): After taking it, all attributes +10% for 30 minutes, the side effect is weakness for 2 hours after it ends.

[Blood Escape Talisman] × 3: Consumable, after use, can instantly escape a hundred miles, but will lose 20% of current HP.

[Black Wind Stronghold Topographic Map]: Detailed marking of the Black Wind Stronghold's layout, sentries, traps, and even a secret passage.

It seems the Blood Fiend Alliance had long been eyeing the Black Wind Stronghold, just hadn't had time to make a move yet.

[Blood Fiend Alliance Elder Token]: Identity token, holding this token can mobilize some resources of the Blood Fiend Alliance, but requires verification of Bloodline and Cultivation Technique.

It's useless to Lin Ye, but he can study the characteristics of the Blood Fiend Alliance's Cultivation Techniques.

What interested Lin Ye the most was a dilapidated ancient book—

[Blood Refining True Explanation (Incomplete Manual)] (Earth Rank Low Grade)

Quality: Gold (Incomplete)

Effect: Records the first three layers of the Blood Fiend Alliance's core Cultivation Technique "Blood Refining True Explanation". After cultivating, one can refine Blood Fiend Power to improve HP and attack.

However, the technique requires the essence blood of living creatures to assist in cultivation, which is harmful to the harmony of heaven.

Description: One of the Blood Fiend Alliance's town-sect Cultivation Techniques, it is said that the complete version can reach Heaven Rank.

This Incomplete Manual only has the first three layers and can be cultivated to the Dao Palace Peak.

An Earth Rank Cultivation Technique! Although it was an Incomplete Manual and an Evil Path technique, its value was still staggering.

If put up for auction, it could sell for at least two hundred thousand Spirit Stones.

Lin Ye did not intend to Cultivate this technique—his Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body was compatible with everything, but the Blood Refining True Explanation required the slaughter of living beings, which went against his principles.

However, he could keep it; it might be useful later.

He packed away the Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, and Talismans, storing the Blood Refining True Explanation Incomplete Manual separately.

After dealing with the spoils of war, Lin Ye began to heal his wounds.

He sat cross-legged and circulated the Void Scripture.

The Chaos Fire in his heart palace burned slowly, combining with the power of the Medicinal Pill to repair his damaged Meridians and flesh.

The recovery ability of the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body was truly monstrous; in just two hours, the wound on his left shoulder had mostly healed, and his Divine Power had recovered by eighty percent.

"I still have to lead the team to clear out Black Wind Fortress tomorrow; I must maintain my best condition."

Lin Ye took another Concentration Pill and entered a state of deep meditation.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, at the Heavenly Court headquarters Martial Arts Practice Field.

Fifty-two people lined up neatly.

The thirty members of the Azure Dragon Hall led by Chen Hao were all equipped with heavy armor and long spears, their Aura like a rainbow.

The twenty members of the White Tiger Hall led by Shi Potian wore light armor and short blades, each with sharp eyes.

Lin Ye stood at the front of the Formation, and Su Qingyue was there too; she had volunteered to join the battle.

"Today's target is Black Wind Fortress." Lin Ye's voice was calm, yet it reached the entire field.

"Mission requirements: Kill the Black Wind Old Demon and seize the Black Wind Order. My requirements: Zero deaths, and no more than three people severely injured. Can you do it?"

"Yes!" everyone roared in unison, their voices shaking the clouds.

"Set off!"

The team left the capital and marched westward.

Thirty miles was not far for a Cultivator.

Half an hour later, a continuous mountain range appeared in their field of vision.

Deep within the mountains, the outline of a fortress was vaguely visible, with banners fluttering and watchtowers standing tall.

"That is Black Wind Fortress." Lin Ye took out the topographical map.

"According to intelligence, there are one hundred and twenty bandits in the fortress: sixty are below the third layer of the Wheel Sea Realm, forty are between the fourth and sixth layers, and twenty are above the seventh layer.

The fortress master, Black Wind Old Demon, is at the Dao Palace First Layer, and the two vice-masters are both at the Peak of the Wheel Sea Realm."

He pointed to several markers on the map: "The fortress gate is guarded by eight people, and the two arrow towers on the sides have two people each.

The fortress walls are two zhang high; ordinary Wheel Sea Realm Cultivators cannot jump over them, but with scaling ladders, it can be resolved.

The difficulty lies in the 'Black Wind Great Formation' inside the fortress.

Once activated, it will whip up bone-eroding black wind; those in the Wheel Sea Realm cannot last ten breaths inside it."

"Then how do we fight?" Chen Hao asked.

"In three steps." Lin Ye had a plan long ago.

"Step one: Shi Potian will lead the White Tiger Hall to sneak in through the secret passage and destroy the core of the Formation.

The secret passage is here—" He pointed to a hidden entrance on the map.

"The entrance has a mechanism that requires pressing three stone bricks simultaneously to open.

Once inside, you will encounter six guards; you must take them out within thirty breaths and cannot raise an alarm."

"Understood." Shi Potian nodded.

"Step two: Chen Hao will lead the Azure Dragon Hall in a frontal feint.

No need to storm the gate; just shout a challenge from outside to attract attention.

Once Shi Potian succeeds and the signal is fired, storm the fortress immediately."

"Step three: Su Qingyue and I will sneak in from the side and strike directly at the Black Wind Old Demon.

Once the fortress master is killed, the remaining bandits' morale will collapse."

The plan was simple and direct, but effective.

Everyone accepted their orders and split up to act.

Shi Potian led the twenty members of the White Tiger Hall and circled to the back of the mountain fortress.

There was a pile of rocks there, and according to the map, the entrance to the secret passage was under the third large boulder.

"One, two, three... this is the one." Shi Potian found the target and felt around the side of the boulder, discovering three slightly protruding stone bricks.

He signaled to two of his subordinates, and the three of them pressed them simultaneously.

"Click, click, click—"

The boulder slowly moved aside, revealing a pitch-black opening that could only accommodate one person at a time.

"Enter!" Shi Potian crawled in first, with the others following closely behind.

The secret passage was damp and dark, with moss growing on the stone walls.

After walking about a hundred zhang, faint voices could be heard ahead.

"Third Brother, why do you think the fortress master has been so nervous lately? He makes us strengthen the guard all day long."

"I heard the Blood Fiend Alliance has set its sights on us.

That's a Demonic Path force that kills without blinking; how can he not be nervous?"

"So what if it's the Blood Fiend Alliance? We have the Black Wind Great Formation; even a Dao Palace Third Layer expert would have to kneel..."

The voices grew closer.

Shi Potian made a gesture, and everyone held their breath, pressing themselves against the corner.

Three bandits came patrolling, all with cultivation at the Wheel Sea Fourth Layer.

"Act!"

Shi Potian pounced like a leopard!

His fists slammed into the chest of the leader, and the man didn't even have time to scream; his chest collapsed, and he died on the spot.

The other White Tiger Hall members attacked simultaneously, and the other two bandits were also resolved in an instant.

"Continue forward, there are three more."

They resolved another patrol, killing all six of them.

The entire process took less than twenty breaths—clean and efficient.

At the end of the secret passage was a stone chamber.

In the center was a black Formation Plate, surrounded by twelve black crystals that emitted waves of eerie wind.

This was the core of the Black Wind Great Formation.

"Destroy it!"

Everyone drew their blades and swords, hacking at the Formation Plate.

The Formation Plate had a protective array, but under the siege of twenty players at the Wheel Sea Seventh Layer or above, it only lasted for three breaths before shattering.

The twelve crystals were also destroyed one by one.

"Mission accomplished, send the signal!"

A red signal flare was fired from the secret passage, exploding in the sky.

Outside the fortress, Chen Hao saw the signal and immediately ordered: "Attack!"

"Kill!"

The thirty members of the Azure Dragon Hall formed a battle array, their long spears like a forest, and charged toward the fortress gate.

The guarding bandits were shocked and hurriedly fired arrows, but the arrows landed on the heavy armor, only sparking a few times.

"Break the gate!"

Chen Hao took the lead, thrusting his Wind Chasing Spear.

The spear radiance transformed into a cyan dragon shadow and slammed into the iron-clad wooden gate.

The wooden gate shattered upon impact, and the eight guarding bandits were sent flying by the shockwave.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The alarm bell rang loudly, and Chaos erupted inside the fortress.

Bandits poured out from everywhere, but they were leaderless and fighting on their own.

The Azure Dragon Hall advanced with their battle array, and wherever the long spears passed, the bandits fell like harvested wheat.

At the same time, Lin Ye and Su Qingyue climbed over the wall from the side.

The two had a clear target and headed straight for the hall in the center of the fortress.

That was the residence of the Black Wind Old Demon.

As they approached the hall, they heard a roar from inside: "What's going on? Why has the Formation failed?!"

"For-Fortress Master, I don't know... the core suddenly shattered..."

"Useless trash!"

The hall door was kicked open, and an old man in black robes rushed out.

He had a gaunt face with sunken eye sockets, and his body was surrounded by a black whirlwind; it was the Black Wind Old Demon.

Seeing Lin Ye and Su Qingyue, he was stunned for a moment, then grinned hideously: "Just two people? You dare to intrude into my Black Wind Fortress? You're courting death!"

He pushed his hands out, and two black whirlwinds whistled out.

In the wind, there was a faint sound of ghosts wailing and wolves howling; this was his signature technique, the "Black Fiend Wind"!

This Black Fiend Wind was specifically designed to erode flesh and blood; if a Wheel Sea Realm Cultivator touched even a little bit, their flesh would melt away.

However, for a Dao Palace Realm Cultivator, it posed little threat.

Lin Ye did not dodge or avoid it.

He summoned the myriad mother qi cauldron, and the cauldron's mouth dripped down gray, hazy mother qi, blocking all of the Black Fiend Wind.

"Dao Palace Realm?!" The Black Wind Old Demon's expression changed.

"Which faction are you from? Why are you making an enemy of my Black Wind Fortress?"

"Heavenly Court, Lin Ye." Lin Ye stated his name.

"Today, I'm borrowing your head to upgrade my faction."

"Arrogant!" The Black Wind Old Demon was furious.

His black robes billowed as more Black Fiend Wind poured out, transforming into a black wind dragon that pounced with bared fangs and brandished claws.

Su Qingyue made her move at this moment.

"Ice Seal a Thousand Miles!"

Vast Cold Spiritual Power erupted, the temperature in the hall plummeted, and frost condensed on the ground.

The black wind dragon's speed was greatly reduced, and a layer of ice shell formed on its surface.

Although it couldn't be completely frozen, its power was weakened by thirty percent.

Lin Ye seized the opportunity, took a step forward, and activated Void Step, appearing instantly beside the Black Wind Old Demon.

"Chaos Fire!"

Gray flames covered his right fist as he punched toward the old demon's temple.

The Black Wind Old Demon was, after all, at the Dao Palace First Layer and had rich combat experience.

At the critical moment, he tilted his head to dodge while simultaneously slapping his palm toward Lin Ye's chest.

The palm wind was jet black and contained potent poison.

"Clang!"

Lin Ye did not dodge, letting the palm strike his Blood Fiend Battle Armor.

The armor flashed with blood-red light, absorbing 30% of the damage, while the remaining force was withstood by his Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body.

His punch, although it missed the temple, slammed into the old demon's shoulder.

"Crack!"

The shoulder bone shattered, and the gray flames invaded his body.

"Ahhh!" The Black Wind Old Demon screamed and retreated frantically, trying to extinguish the flames on his body.

However, the Chaos Fire was like a maggot on a rotting bone; no matter how he tried, he couldn't extinguish it, and it burned even brighter.

"It's over."

Lin Ye pursued him.

The Chaos Fire condensed into a sword, and he pierced the old demon's heart with one strike.

The gray flames erupted from the inside out, burning his internal organs to ash.

The Black Wind Old Demon widened his eyes and fell down unwillingly.

[System Prompt: You have killed "Black Wind Old Demon" (Dao Palace First Layer), obtained 650,000 experience points, Reputation +1200, [Black Wind Order], and [Black Wind Robe] (Epic)!]

Once the fortress master died, the remaining bandits completely collapsed and fled in all directions.

The Azure Dragon Hall and White Tiger Hall pursued them for a while, seizing a large amount of spoils.

From start to finish, the battle took less than half an hour.

Lin Ye tallied the casualties: eight lightly injured, two severely injured, and zero deaths.

He had perfectly achieved his goal.

He raised the Black Wind Order, and a System prompt immediately sounded:

[System Prompt: Faction upgrade mission "Clear out Black Wind Fortress" has been completed!]

[Do you want to upgrade the faction level immediately?]

[Upgrade requires consumption: 1000 Spirit Stones]

"Yes."

Lin Ye took 1000 Spirit Stones from his storage ring.

The Spirit Stones turned into streaks of light and flowed into the Heavenly Court Order in his hand.

The token vibrated, and light flowed across its surface.

The originally bronze-colored token gradually turned silver-white, and its size increased by a circle.

The two characters "Heavenly Court" on the front became clearer, and a pattern of the big dipper appeared on the back.

[Heavenly Court Order (Level 2)]

Quality: Silver (Faction Token)

Effects:

1. Identity Credential: Proof of identity for official members of the Heavenly Court

2. Faction Authority: Holding this token allows access to Level 2 faction resources and enjoyment of member benefits

3. Territory Mark: Can establish a faction mark in occupied territory; cultivation speed +10% within the marked range

4. Branch Establishment: Can establish up to four branch halls; each branch can appoint a Hall Master, enjoying independent authority

Member Limit: 500 people (Current 47/500)

Territory Limit: 1 location (Current 0/1)

Branch Hall Limit: 4 (Current 0/4)

Upgrade Conditions: Members reach 300, possess one territory, complete Level 3 Faction Upgrade Mission

It's done!

As the Heavenly Court Order upgraded, all official members received a System prompt:

[System Prompt: The faction you belong to, "Heavenly Court," has been upgraded to a Level 2 faction!]

[Member limit increased to 500 people]

[Obtained new authorities: Territory Occupation, Branch Hall Establishment, Faction Mission Issuance]

[All official members received rewards: Experience points +100,000, Reputation +500]

Everyone cheered.

A Level 2 faction was a rarity in the entire Eastern Wasteland.

Currently, the publicly known Level 2 factions, besides the Heavenly Court, were only the Olympus branch in the Eastern Wasteland, the Yaoguang Holy Land player guild "Yaoguang Alliance," and a few large guilds that had come from the Central Region.

This meant that the Heavenly Court had officially stepped into the Ranks of top-tier factions!

Lin Ye did not linger and immediately led the team back to the capital.

Upon returning to headquarters, he immediately convened a general meeting.

On the Martial Arts Practice Field, all official members, peripheral members, and reserve members, totaling nearly four hundred people, gathered.

Everyone's faces were filled with excitement and pride—they were the founding members of a Level 2 faction!

"Today, we have taken an important step." Lin Ye stood on the high platform, his voice reaching everyone.

"But this is not the end; it is only the beginning.

There are many authorities for a Level 2 faction, and we must utilize them as soon as possible."

He looked at Zhao Wuji: "From today on, the Heavenly Court will establish four major branch halls: Azure Dragon Hall, White Tiger Hall, Vermilion Bird Hall, and Black Tortoise Hall.

Chen Hao will be the Hall Master of the Azure Dragon Hall, responsible for frontal combat and assault;

Shi Potian will be the Hall Master of the White Tiger Hall, responsible for assassination, reconnaissance, and rapid response;

Su Qingyue will be the Hall Master of the Vermilion Bird Hall, responsible for long-range Spell support and healing;

Zhang Meng will be the Hall Master of the Black Tortoise Hall, responsible for defense, Formation setup, and construction."

The four people named stepped forward and received the Hall Master tokens from Lin Ye's hands.

The four tokens were green, white, red, and black, corresponding to the Four Symbols.

Each token had an independent authority System, allowing the Hall Master to recruit members, issue internal hall missions, and manage resources within the hall.

"Each branch hall will have an initial establishment of fifty people, to be selected by the Hall Masters themselves.

After one month, adjustments and expansions will be made based on the performance of each hall."

"In addition," Lin Ye continued, "we must occupy a territory as soon as possible.

Only with a territory can we build a base, set up Formations, plant Spirit Medicine, and mine ore veins.

Zhao Wuji, you are responsible for the investigation; give me three candidate locations within three days."

"Understood!" Zhao Wuji accepted the order.

"Finally, guild benefits are being adjusted." Lin Ye announced.

"Official members can receive monthly: 100 Low-Grade Spirit Stones, 5 bottles of cultivation Medicinal Pills, and 100 Contribution Points.

Hall Masters get double.

Peripheral members get half.

Reserve members have basic guarantees."

"At the same time, we are establishing a 'Contribution Exchange System.'

Completing guild missions, donating resources, and participating in collective activities will all earn Contribution Points.

Contribution Points can be used to exchange for Cultivation Techniques, equipment, Medicinal Pills, mounts, etc.

Zhao Wuji will publish the specific exchange list as soon as possible."

With this set of combined measures, the guild's framework was completely perfected.

Everyone listened with boiling blood.

This was the guild they wanted to join—with goals, organization, benefits, and a future!

After the meeting ended, the halls began selecting members.

Chen Hao's Azure Dragon Hall required high strength attributes and proficiency in frontal combat;

Shi Potian's White Tiger Hall required high agility and proficiency in stealth and assassination;

Su Qingyue's Vermilion Bird Hall required high Divine Sense and proficiency in Spells;

Zhang Meng's Black Tortoise Hall required high Physique and proficiency in defense.

For a time, the Martial Arts Practice Field was bustling with activity.

In front of the stele for testing strength, there was an endless line of people;

on the plum blossom stakes for testing agility, figures were flying about;

beside the crystal ball for testing Divine Sense, light was flashing.

Lin Ye watched this scene with gratification in his heart.

The Heavenly Court had finally gotten on the right track.

But just then, Qin Ruoxue hurried over, her expression grave.

"Brother Ye, just received intelligence; something big happened over in Zhao State."

"What's the situation?"

"The Secret Realm at Phoenix Falling Slope... has opened ahead of schedule." Qin Ruoxue handed over a confidential report.

"Moreover, the scale of the opening far exceeds expectations.

Five-colored rosy clouds shot into the sky, covering an area of a hundred miles, and it has now attracted at least thirty factions to head there.

Among them... includes the Olympus branch in Zhao State, led personally by Athena."

Athena, Dao Palace Sixth Layer, one of the twelve main gods of Olympus, the Goddess of Wisdom and War.

Lin Ye's eyes narrowed.

"It seems we have to set off earlier."