Four months had passed since the appearance of the Ghost-faced Masked Men. During that time, the two sides had clashed countless times. Although the battles were small in scale, the strength of the Ghost-faced Masked Men had been thoroughly revealed.

In a battle between those of the same Realm, only students from the Academy’s Elite Class and Genius Class could suppress them. This meant the Combat Power of these Ghost-faced Masked Men was terrifying.

Fortunately, after four months of hard-fought battles led by the sole great power in the Southeast Domain, the Ghost-faced Masked Men finally vanished from sight.

Although a preliminary victory had been achieved, the price paid was tragic. Across the entire Southeast Domain, nearly 400,000 civilians had been killed, and tens of thousands of Martial Artists had also died.

With the crisis temporarily averted, the students and teachers of Yanhuang Academy returned. The four months of combat had been fruitful for many students, bringing them to the verge of a breakthrough.

In the Academy’s Main Hall, a group of Primordial Ocean Realm experts were gathered. One of them spoke up, "Their Combat Power is truly immense. In a fight between equals in the same Realm, even we would struggle to suppress them, let alone the students. It seems they aren’t Loose Cultivators, but members of some great power."

During the four-month war, several battles had erupted between Primordial Ocean Realm experts. The enemy’s Combat Power made their hearts pound with fear.

"Yes, we’ve received a message from the great power," the Dean said. "They want us to search for any trace of the Ghost-faced Masked Men in our territory. The assumption is that these people have simply gone into hiding and haven’t been completely eliminated. When the time comes, they will send people to assist us."

The great power the Dean referred to was one of the Five Great Forces of the Eastern Domain—the only one present in the Southeast Domain—and also the Sect to which one of the Five Great Demon Fiends belonged.

With the crisis temporarily resolved, everyone breathed a slight sigh of relief. However, the hunt for the Ghost-faced Masked Men did not let up. The army of the Yanhuang Country was casting a wide net, searching for any sign of them throughout the nation.

While the great war outside had come to a lull, inside Celestial Net Peak, more than five months had passed. In less than a month, Lin Yun would be able to leave.

During these five-odd months, Tang Wushuang had endured at least four months of unspeakable misery. Now, he was disheveled and filthy, with none of his former heroic spirit remaining.

He reeked of a foul stench, his face utterly devoid of expression.

"Hmph, this is no fun. He’s just like a living corpse." Now that Tang Wushuang no longer cursed or resisted, the skinny student and his two cronies felt there was no point in tormenting him anymore. Aside from giving him a boring, routine beating every day, the three rarely humiliated him now.

After months of lifelessness, Tang Wushuang, under the watch of the three, suddenly erupted with a powerful aura. The force of the eruption startled the trio, sending them stumbling backward.

"Haha, Lin Shan, today is the day you die! I, Tang Wushuang, will make you suffer a thousand, ten thousand times over!" Tang Wushuang roared, his expression savage.

After months of constant effort, he had finally broken through the meridians that Lin Yun had sealed. And that wasn’t all. Tang Wushuang, whose Cultivation was already at the Seventh Layer of Opening Realm, also successfully broke through to the Eighth Layer of Opening Realm at that very moment.

He easily snapped the ropes binding him. The Elemental Power in Tang Wushuang’s body surged, breaking past the Seventh Layer of Opening Realm and rising straight to the Eighth Layer of Opening Realm.

Because he had just broken through, Tang Wushuang’s Elemental Power was still unstable. But in the eyes of the three cronies, it was already terrifying. The killing intent contained within his Elemental Power sent a chill down their spines.

"You three ants, today you’ll get a taste of what it’s like to be humiliated!" Looking at the trio, the resentment in Tang Wushuang’s heart erupted completely. ’Four whole months!’ Tang Wushuang had been humiliated to no end by these three. Now, he could finally get his revenge.

He walked toward the three, step by step. At the sight of him, they didn’t dare hesitate, turning and fleeing directly from the cave. Tang Wushuang didn’t give immediate chase, merely following at an unhurried pace. He was savoring the moment, wanting to let them feel terror before slowly torturing them, making them suffer a punishment even more twisted than his own.

"Haha, run! Let’s see how far you can get!" Tang Wushuang laughed maniacally.

"Young Master Lin, help us! Help! Young Master Lin!" the three screamed in terror as they ran. Their only hope now was Lin Yun.

Soon, the three of them reached the entrance of Lin Yun’s cave. Just then, Lin Yun walked out. Seeing the murderous look on Tang Wushuang’s face, Lin Yun was slightly surprised. ’It seems this Tang Wushuang isn’t entirely useless after all. He actually managed to endure for four months, not only breaking my seal but also successfully breaking through to the Eighth Layer of Opening Realm.’

"Lin Shan, haha, I bet you didn’t expect this! I’ve broken through! Today, I will slowly torture you and make you suffer a thousand, ten thousand times over!" Upon spotting Lin Yun, Tang Wushuang showed no fear. Instead, he burst out laughing.

Having successfully broken through, Tang Wushuang’s confidence was clearly overflowing. In a place where Elemental Power was so thin, he refused to believe Lin Yun could have also broken through to the Eighth Layer of Opening Realm.

Being a full Realm higher than Lin Yun, Tang Wushuang could already imagine a hundred ways to torture him.

"Tang Wushuang, you’ve finally done something to make me see you in a better light," Lin Yun said calmly. "But do you really think you can defeat me now, just like this?"

It was true. Lin Yun no longer saw Tang Wushuang as completely useless. Anyone who could endure for four months under such circumstances was not to be underestimated, whether in terms of temperament or character.

"Haha, I’m a whole Realm above you, Lin Shan! You will definitely die today!" Tang Wushuang declared with great confidence.

"Is that so?" Lin Yun smiled. As he spoke, the Elemental Power in his body erupted, releasing an aura that was in no way weaker than Tang Wushuang’s.

"You... You actually broke through to the Eighth Layer of Opening Realm? Impossible! How can that be?! The Elemental Power here is so thin, how could you possibly break through?! Impossible..." Sensing the fluctuations of Lin Yun’s Elemental Power at the Eighth Layer of Opening Realm, Tang Wushuang shook his head frantically. He wouldn’t believe it even if it killed him; Lin Yun had actually broken through as well.

"There are many things you can’t imagine, Tang Wushuang. I’ll give you a chance for a fair fight," Lin Yun said faintly.

At that moment, the raging flames of anger that had been burning in Tang Wushuang’s heart were instantly extinguished, as if doused by a bucket of cold water poured from the sky.

At the same Realm, Tang Wushuang had no hope of victory. At least, not here. His physical body was inferior to Lin Yun’s.

"Damn it...!" Tang Wushuang raged.

Lin Yun was like Tang Wushuang’s nemesis. Every time Tang Wushuang was filled with confidence, Lin Yun would deliver a resounding slap to his face.

"Lin Shan, I’ll kill you today, even if it costs me my life!" Tang Wushuang had descended into a frenzy, charging recklessly at Lin Yun.

In an instant, the two were locked in battle once more. This was already the third time they had fought since entering Celestial Net Peak.