Supreme Master: Cultivation Starts After Recruiting SSS-Grade Talent-Chapter 40 - Higher Heavens

"Let’s retreat for now," Grand Ming said, his voice shaky. He could feel the weight of defeat pressing down on him.

It was clear that continuing the battle was pointless. The Profound Purity Sect had been humiliated. But as the five of them began to retreat, a chilling voice cut through the tension.

"Where are you going?"

The words seemed to freeze the very air around them. Grand Ming’s eyes widened in terror, and he turned to face the source of the voice, his heart racing.

"Who is it? Come out!" Grand Ming shouted, trying to steady his breath, his voice betraying the fear that gripped him. His eyes darted nervously around, searching for any hint of this newcomer.

And then, like a shadow that materialized out of thin air, a figure appeared before them, blocking their only escape. The very presence of this person sent a wave of unease through the air.

The moment Grand Ming recognized him, his face drained of color, and his limbs went cold. A tremor ran through him as he took an involuntary step back.

"Master Xie, please don’t kill me! I was wrong! I-" Grand Ming stammered, his words falling over each other in a desperate, trembling plea for mercy.

Xie Ren’s expression remained impassive.

"Unfortunately, I’m not the judge today," he said, detached.

"Please, Master Xie, we’ll leave this city... we’ll never return! Spare us!" Grand Ming and the four Elders pleaded, their voices cracking with desperation. They had seen Xie Ren previously, and he was not a man to be trifled with.

Xie Ren sighed, his fingers curling slightly as he waved his hand in a slow, deliberate motion. "You five, go back down," he murmured.

In the blink of an eye, an invisible force surged forward from his palm. The five men were lifted off their feet, their bodies crashing to the ground like ragdolls, their backs slamming against the earth with bone-rattling force.

Before they could even gather their wits, Chen Yinyin, still in her demonic state, moved with terrifying precision. Her saber, gleaming with a dark malevolent energy, arced through the air.

There was no resistance. No escape.

The five men, once so full of pride, now lay lifeless on the ground, their eyes wide in shock.

The surrounding fell silent as Chen Yinyin stood over them, the dark aura surrounding her flickering.

From above, Xie Ren observed the scene. Without a word, he floated down, and landed near Chen Yinyin, who was still lost in her demonic state.

Xie Ren, with a gentle motion, reached out and tapped her forehead lightly. The touch was soft, but the effect was immediate.

The dark aura surrounding her seemed to waver, slowly retracting, as though it was being drawn back into her very being.

The transformation was not complete, but it was enough. Chen Yinyin’s form began to relax, her breath coming in shallow gasps. The demonic rage that had consumed her was retreating away, leaving her exhausted and drained.

Before she could fall, Xie Ren caught her in his arms.

Her father and grandfather rushed to her side, their faces etched with concern and worry. They had watched in awe as their daughter, their granddaughter, had unleashed unimaginable power.

"Master Xie, is she alright?" Chen Yan asked, his voice filled with genuine worry.

"She is just exhausted," Xie Ren said, reassuring. "There’s nothing to worry about. Let her rest for a day."

He had seen it all, the way she had tapped into her demonic form, the way she had fused her infernal energy with the teachings of the Silent Soul Scripture. She had integrated the technique with startling speed, mastering it in a way that even Xie Ren had not anticipated.

Perhaps it was the experience during her inner demon tribulation that had allowed her to grasp such power so quickly. He had taught her the technique back then, but to witness her execute it so flawlessly was nothing short of extraordinary.

She’s a genius, he thought. A true SSS-grade talent.

[A/N: He said it!]

His eyes swept over the surrounding. The scorched ground, cracked from the clash moments ago, was littered with the remnants of the fallen Profound Purity Sect elites.

Then his gaze shifted to the towering compound of the Profound Purity Sect. Though the Sect had fallen, their grand halls, hidden vaults, and fortified treasury still remained untouched.

Just then, Chen Wen spoke. "Master Xie... since the Profound Purity Sect no longer exists, their treasury is now unclaimed. Are you... interested in claiming any of it?"

Xie Ren gave a small wave of his hand, his expression indifferent. "Do as you wish. I have no need for their leftovers."

Chen Wen cupped his fists and bowed. "Then, we shall accept your generosity."

With that, Chen Wen turned to his family members, who had just arrived. "Move out. Strip every corner of their sect clean. Not even a spiritual herb leaf is to be left behind."

"Yes!" they replied in unison, their eyes gleaming. "Let the Profound Purity Sect repay what they owe in full."

With the two leading the way, the Chen family’s people surged forward like a tide and began looting its vast resources.

Dozens of storage vaults were pried open. Glittering spirit stones, ancient scrolls, medicinal pills, cultivation techniques, and powerful weapons, many of them sealed and warded, were dragged out one after another.

Chen disciples moved like lightning. Every building was checked. Every hidden chamber unearthed. They even discovered secret rooms beneath the main hall, filled with precious artifacts.

The Profound Purity Sect had once stood tall as a major force, but now its entire legacy was being packed into storage rings and piled into carriages flying the Chen family’s insignia.

As the looting continued, Xie Ren stood in silence atop a nearby building gazing at the horizon.

He didn’t spare a second glance at the gold and treasures flowing like a river behind him. His thoughts were elsewhere.

Just then, a shimmer of soft light flickered on his shoulder. A palm-sized fairy emerged, her delicate wings glowing faintly as she landed lightly with a solemn expression.

[Lord Immortal, Did you feel that powerful gaze just now?]

Xie Ren’s expression didn’t change, but he gave a subtle nod. "I did."

She furrowed her tiny brows and looked toward the skies as if still sensing the lingering echo of that force.

[I believe that was disciple Yinyin’s ultimate nemesis. A being who walks in the higher heavens. Fortunately, I managed to block the view before it was too late.]

"Higher heavens huh..."

Then, as if remembering something important, the fairy looked up again. [Lord Immortal, I forgot to tell you something about the Sect Master feature.]

[Other than recruiting disciples, you must also protect them from life-threatening danger. Especially from enemies tied to their fates.]