A palm sent the two men flying backwards. No one dared to stand in Ye Chu’s way. Only after he charged towards the cave exit did the others finally react. They shouted loudly, “Quick, return to the village! Summon the clan’s stronger experts to kill him together!”
Ye Chu naturally paid no attention to what they were planning. He darted into the dense forest. Amidst the thick foliage, even a cultivator at the level of ‘Devouring the Essence of Sun and Moon’ would not frighten him. In such a vast woodland, how easy would it be to find a single person?
Ye Chu found a suitable spot and slipped deep into the thick undergrowth. He once again immersed his mind into his primal spirit. The benefits he had gained from refining the True Source were countless, yet he had not yet fully grasped them. He could not afford to waste this opportunity.
What kind of existence was a great cultivator? One who could devour the radiance of sun and moon, with a heart vast as the drum of the heavens, merging seamlessly with the qi of the world! Such a being was far beyond the reach of ordinary people, an object of awe and reverence even for other cultivators.
The primal spirit essence left behind by such a figure naturally needed no further explanation. Ye Chu had refined the True Source formed from that primal spirit. It was as though a great cultivator were personally tempering him, refining him directly from the depths of his primal spirit. Such tempering was the most profound kind imaginable. The mere thought of it would drive other cultivators mad with envy. Yet right now, Ye Chu was experiencing it firsthand!
Ye Chu’s mind merged into his primal spirit, sensing the intent of that great cultivator. He became one with it, losing all sense of self. His primal spirit absorbed Spirit Moulding Qi. As it grew stronger, the surrounding spiritual energy poured into Ye Chu’s body as well.
If Ye Chu’s body had previously been like a bowl, now it was like a basin. That was the effect of a strengthened primal spirit. The stronger the primal spirit, the greater the amount of power the body could contain.
This was precisely why Ye Yuanwu, after cultivating a Spirit Moulding technique, possessed far greater power than others at the same realm.
Ye Chu’s primal spirit devoured Spirit Moulding Qi at a terrifying rate, like a whale swallowing water, absorbing it madly. Ye Chu did not find this devouring strange at all.
But if Qing Wenting were to witness this scene, she would surely find it unimaginable. A cultivator’s primal spirit has limits, and so does the Spirit Moulding Qi it can absorb. Yet Ye Chu’s absorption of Spirit Moulding Qi seemed endless.
Ye Chu simply assumed he was the same as everyone else. He continued absorbing frantically. The more he absorbed, the deeper his fusion with the intent became. Gradually, a clear realisation dawned in his heart.
“Moon Shatter Slash!”
The surrounding spiritual energy fused into Ye Chu’s body. His aura surged. In that moment, the intent he unleashed was wild and domineering. At the same time, a clear, bright moonlight shimmered across his body.
Thanks to the Primal Spirit True Source, Ye Chu’s realm made another small breakthrough. He stepped into the second layer of the Innate Realm! With the breakthrough, the capacity of his primal spirit expanded once more. Spirit Moulding Qi flooded into it even more frantically.
The surrounding spiritual energy poured continuously into Ye Chu’s body with every breath. Because his primal spirit had grown stronger, the amount of spiritual energy he could contain was terrifying, far surpassing that of an ordinary second-layer Innate Realm cultivator.
After a full hour and more, Ye Chu finally stopped absorbing spiritual energy. His entire body was wrapped in clear moonlight. The intent coiled around him, completely different from anything he had displayed before, as though it had appeared out of nowhere. Yet this intent was near perfection. Wrapped around Ye Chu, it made him seem almost one with heaven and earth.
“Fuse!” Ye Chu shouted. The intent radiating outwards was completely drawn back into his body. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, but it vanished in an instant.
“Get out here!” Just as Ye Chu opened his eyes and prepared to stand, an angry roar rang out. A figure leapt into the clearing.
Ye Chu’s heart jolted. He looked towards the cultivator who had jumped in. Surprise flickered in his eyes. He had not expected to be discovered even while hiding here. But on second thought, it was not so strange. His breakthrough just now had stirred up howling winds all around. It would have been odd if it had not attracted attention.
He just did not know how many people the other side had sent to hunt him down.
“You dug up the Demon Origin Grass from the cave and did not run away, but hid here instead. You have some nerve.” Cun Nan stared at Ye Chu with a dark expression. “Where is the woman? Call her out too!”
Ye Chu burst into loud laughter. Without a word, his arm swept outwards, swift and fierce.
Cun Nan dodged. He watched Ye Chu coldly, but did not let his guard down. According to the clansmen, this man had sent two second-layer Innate Realm cultivators flying with a single palm. Though Cun Nan was at the fourth layer of the Innate Realm, he could not afford to underestimate such an opponent.
Cun Nan did not hope to defeat Ye Chu. He only needed to delay him until Cun Wan arrived. Once Cun Wan was here, with his sixth-layer Innate Realm strength, dealing with this man would be effortless.
Ye Chu knew this was enemy territory and had no intention of prolonging the fight. His legs swept out continuously, each strike domineering and fierce.
“Do you think I am afraid of you?” Seeing Ye Chu’s relentless attacks, Cun Nan finally met him head-on. He unleashed domineering power, clashing against Ye Chu’s legs.
Both Ye Chu and Cun Nan were sent flying backwards. Cun Nan’s heart filled with shock. He had consumed Demon Origin Grass and cultivated a Spirit Moulding technique. Combined, his strength surpassed that of ordinary fifth- or sixth-layer Innate Realm cultivators. Yet right now, the opponent’s power was in no way inferior to his.
“What realm are you really at?” Cun Nan could not believe what the clansmen had said. They claimed Ye Chu was only at the first or second layer of the Innate Realm. But judging from this clash, it was clearly far more.
“Second layer of the Innate Realm!” Ye Chu said.
“Rubbish!” Cun Nan cursed angrily. How could someone at the second layer produce such power? Moreover, since Ye Chu could enter the cave, he had never cultivated a Spirit Moulding technique.
Even if he had cultivated one, a second-layer Innate Realm cultivator could never reach such strength.
“Believe it or not!” Ye Chu snorted coldly. His power surged again, rushing towards his opponent.
Cun Nan snorted in response and met the attack. “You dared to cause trouble here. Today, you die without question.”
Cun Nan glanced towards the outside. He thought to himself that the commotion here would surely draw Cun Wan. Once Cun Wan arrived, with his terrifying sixth-layer Innate Realm strength, dealing with this man would be child’s play.
Cun Nan did not clash head-on with Ye Chu. He only aimed to stall him. With the terrifying strength of a fourth-layer Innate Realm cultivator, stalling was well within his ability. For the moment, Ye Chu could not do anything to him.
“Since you will not fight properly, I will leave first.” Ye Chu had no desire to continue the battle. He prepared to slip away. But just as he moved to leave, Cun Nan sneered and struck sideways, blocking him firmly.
“Want to leave? You will have to ask if I agree first!”
Just as Ye Chu prepared to force his way past with a strike, another figure leapt out and landed opposite him. Seeing this person appear, Cun Nan’s face lit up with joy.