Dark clouds, formed by the convergence of countless Yin Souls, shrouded the skies above the Soul Refining Valley. The air was filled with the screeching howls of the damned, many being dragged screaming into the central vortex due to their proximity to the singularity.

Suddenly, a brilliant golden light tore through the blockade of dark clouds. Like a missile breaking the atmosphere, it shot into the sky at astonishing speed, forcefully exiting the Soul Refining Valley.

High in the air outside the valley, Elder Jin Jue wrapped his True Qi around Sun Yi, glancing back at the receding nightmare. Only when he confirmed that the Yin Souls dared not cross the valley’s boundary did he finally let out a breath of relief.

Both men looked slightly disheveled. The difficulty of breaching the perimeter of the Soul Refining Valley was a metric only they truly understood.

“That was close,” Elder Jin Jue muttered, a lingering fear in his eyes. “If we had encountered a Golden Core-tier Yin Soul, our extraction probability would have dropped to zero.”

“The mission objectives have been met,” Sun Yi said calmly, adjusting his robes. “The asset—the Heavenly Soul Liquid—has been secured. As for reverse-engineering the production method, that requires further R&D back at headquarters.”

“Let us return, Sect Master,” Elder Jin Jue said, accelerating towards the Qingyun Sect.

The return journey was estimated at five days. For the first two days, the flight was smooth.

On the third day, as they passed over a dense, sprawling forest, the air pressure suddenly spiked.

Whoosh!

A sinister ghost-head saber shot up from the treeline below, screaming through the air like a banshee, aiming straight for Jin Jue.

“Ambush!”

Elder Jin Jue’s expression darkened instantly. His True Qi erupted, executing the Wind Thunder Step to its limit. He swerved violently in mid-air, dragging Sun Yi with him, barely evading the saber’s lethal arc by a hair’s breadth.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Old Ghost Jin Jue… to think you actually upgraded your specs to the late Golden Core stage. Truly surprising. We almost had a successful kill right there.”

A mocking voice echoed from below as a group of figures ascended from the forest canopy. The ghost-head saber circled back, hovering obediently beside a grotesque, skeletal old man.

Sun Yi scanned the new arrivals, his eyes narrowing as he ran a quick threat assessment.

Hostiles detected. Threat level: Critical.

There were ten of them. The three leaders radiating immense pressure were all late-stage Golden Core cultivators—matching Jin Jue’s current power level. The support team consisted of seven Foundation Establishment cultivators: four early-stage, two mid-stage, and one late-stage.

This isn’t a skirmish, Sun Yi realized coldly. This is a corporate liquidation squad.

“Sect Master, these are executives from the Black Wind Stockade,” Jin Jue’s voice transmission sounded urgent in Sun Yi’s mind. “Three late Golden Core experts. They are here to terminate us. I will draw their aggro. You must find an opening to retreat.”

Sun Yi’s mind raced, processing the variables. One ally versus three equivalents. Win probability: <1%. Retreat probability for Jin Jue while protecting a burden: 0%. He needed a force multiplier. Without a word, Sun Yi retrieved a jade slip from his inventory—a Sword Talisman crafted by Patriarch Qingxuan—and discreetly pressed it into Jin Jue's hand. "Elder Jin Jue," Sun Yi transmitted, his voice devoid of panic. "Deploy this asset immediately. Target their strongest unit to disrupt their formation. Then, launch me out of the kill zone—as far as your physics engine allows." Jin Jue froze for a split second, feeling the terrifying latent energy within the talisman. "Sect Master... this is a supreme life-saving treasure! You should keep it for—" "I have redundancy in my inventory," Sun Yi lied smoothly, cutting him off. "This is a sunk cost calculation. If we don't spend it now, we both depreciate to zero. Hold the Golden Core hostiles. Ignore the Foundation Establishment trash; I can handle the small fry. Engagement window: one hour. After that, initiate tactical withdrawal. Do not worry about my status; I will navigate the extraction route independently." "Understood," Jin Jue responded, his resolve hardening. He realized Sun Yi was right; hesitation would lead to total liquidation. The silent exchange took less than a second. Jin Jue turned to face the group, his expression icy. "Ghost Wood," Jin Jue growled at the skeletal old man. "What is the meaning of this? Is the Black Wind Stockade declaring a hostile takeover war against the Qingyun Sect?" Daoist Ghost Wood threw his head back and laughed, a rasping, grating sound. "Hahaha! War? With just your declining Qingyun Sect? You think too highly of your market sha—" Now. Before Ghost Wood could finish his villainous monologue, Jin Jue raised his right hand. The Sword Talisman ignited. BOOM! A blinding streak of sword light, carrying the terrifying pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator, erupted from Jin Jue’s hand. It tore through the air, locking onto Daoist Ghost Wood with the inevitability of death. "You bastard! A sneak attack?!" Ghost Wood’s arrogance vanished, replaced by sheer terror. He hadn't expected the 'honorable' Qingyun Sect Elder to strike mid-sentence. He frantically summoned his ghost-head saber to block and erected a shimmering True Qi barrier around his body. It was futile. The sword light smashed into the saber, knocking the high-grade artifact aside as if it were a toy. It then slammed into his defensive barrier. The shield shattered like glass. Ssshh! Ghost Wood twisted his body at the last microsecond, avoiding a fatal heart strike. But the light sheared through his right side, obliterating his arm and half his shoulder in a spray of blood and bone. "AAAAHH!" Ghost Wood screamed, his aura plummeting as he plummeted from the sky, grievously wounded. "Jin Jue! You dare!" "Despicable!" Daoist Centipede and Old Monster Skeleton, the other two Golden Core leaders, were stunned. The sudden escalation had caught them completely off guard. Jin Jue didn't waste a breath on words. He grabbed Sun Yi by the collar, channeled his remaining True Qi into his arm, and hurled the Sect Master towards the horizon with the force of a trebuchet. "Hmph! Talking about rules with you lot?" Jin Jue sneered, summoning his flying sword to face the remaining two shock-struck enemies. "You bring ten people to ambush two, and you cry about fairness? Save your breath for the afterlife!" "Kill him! Tear him to shreds! I want his soul refined in the black fires!" The maimed Ghost Wood shrieked, clutching his stump, his eyes filled with venomous hatred. Jin Jue glanced at him with disdain. "You're already depreciated goods." Ghost Wood was out of the fight, but Centipede and Skeleton were enraged. "You lot!" Ghost Wood barked at the seven Foundation Establishment cultivators hovering behind him. "Chase that kid! Bring him back alive! I want to peel his skin myself!" "Yes, Elder!" The seven cultivators acknowledged the order and immediately peeled off, activating their movement techniques to chase the direction Sun Yi had been thrown. Jin Jue watched them go with a knot of anxiety in his chest, but he had his hands full. "Die!" Daoist Centipede roared, black mist billowing from his pores. A massive, three-zhang-long purple-backed centipede charged out of the fog, its mandibles clicking menacingly as it rushed Jin Jue. Simultaneously, the necklace of skulls around Old Monster Skeleton’s neck detached. The skulls grew to the size of boulders, wreathed in green flame, and bombarded Jin Jue from all angles. Jin Jue gritted his teeth and activated his flying sword, engaging the two powerful enemies in a desperate holding action. Meanwhile, five miles away. Sun Yi, having used the momentum of Jin Jue's throw to put significant distance between himself and the Golden Core battlefield, adjusted his flight path mid-air. He glanced back at the explosions lighting up the sky. Hold the line, employee Jin Jue. Your bonus will be substantial if we survive this. His focus shifted to the rear. His Spirit Plate—or rather, his enhanced Divine Sense—picked up seven distinct energy signatures closing in fast. Tracking seven hostiles. Velocity analysis... negative outcome. The enemy squad included a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. Sun Yi’s Wind Thunder Step was a premium mobility app, but his current hardware (Qi Refining Stage) couldn't generate the raw horsepower to outrun a late-stage Foundation Establishment engine in a straight line. Running is inefficient. I will be overtaken in approximately five minutes. Sun Yi’s eyes narrowed, scanning the dense forest canopy below. If I can't win a drag race, I'll change the game mode. He cut his flight power, diving straight down into the dense foliage of the ancient forest. Switching protocols to guerilla warfare. Terrain advantage: Active. Sun Yi vanished into the shadows of the trees, his presence disappearing as he prepared to turn the hunters into prey.