Then suddenly every blade in the air shifted as if guided by a single will, their tips turning downward in perfect unison. For a brief moment, the battlefield froze under that silent alignment before the storm descended.

The swords rained down like a merciless torrent, piercing through flesh and bone without resistance as screams erupted instantly. Bodies were nailed to the ground mid-motion, some still clutching their weapons as life left their eyes.

Blood splashed across the broken earth, mixing with shattered techniques and fallen debris as the slaughter unfolded. The sheer suddenness of it broke the attackers’ momentum completely, their advance collapsing in an instant.

Many cultivators staggered backward, their faces pale as fear replaced the earlier greed and arrogance. The formation they had built so aggressively shattered, leaving gaps filled only with hesitation and doubt.

The Iron Blood War Sect members gritted their teeth and tried to shout commands, attempting to force the crowd forward again. Yet their voices lacked conviction now, drowned under the aftermath of Yan Feng’s terrifying display.

Yan Feng stood unmoving with his hand still pierced, his swords hovering silently around him like executioners awaiting command. Xiaoshan stepped forward beside him, halberd dragging across the ground as his eyes locked onto those still hesitating.

That single step was enough as the ones who had just gathered courage moments ago now began stepping back again, their will crumbling under pressure. What remained of their unity dissolved, replaced by the instinct to survive.

Just then, as the leader of the Iron Blood War Sect turned to withdraw with a darkened expression, a figure appeared before him. There was no warning, no fluctuation, only a flash that cut through the space between breaths.

Li Qingyun stood there, his blade already passing through the man’s body.

The leader’s eyes widened for a fraction of a moment before his head and torso split cleanly apart. His body collapsed in two halves, blood spilling across the ground as silence followed briefly.

That was the final break as the remaining members of the Iron Blood War Sect fled without looking back, their retreat turning into a chaotic escape. Whatever thoughts of pride or revenge they held were abandoned completely in that instant.

Some disciples from Lin Xiao Tian’s side instinctively stepped forward, their killing intent still burning as they prepared to chase. The battlefield had shifted, and finishing them now seemed the natural choice.

Before they could move further, Lin Xiao Tian finally lifted his head from Miao-Miao’s side. His gaze was calm, yet carried a weight that stopped them in place immediately.

"Don’t waste your energy," he said, his voice steady despite everything that had happened. "We will need them later."

As he spoke, there was a clear undercurrent of wrath hidden beneath his calm tone, something that promised this matter was far from over. The fleeing figures did not dare look back again, disappearing into the forest as fast as they could.

Only when the last trace of their presence faded did the battlefield finally fall into silence. The tension that had stretched everyone to their limits snapped, leaving behind only exhaustion.

One by one, the disciples slowly lowered their weapons and sat down where they stood. Swords were wiped clean and sheathed, halberds rested heavily against the ground, and trembling hands finally found a moment of stillness.

Yan Feng pulled his blade out from the earth and wiped the blood off before resting it beside him quietly. Xiaoshan dropped down with a dull thud, his halberd laid across his knees as he exhaled deeply.

Li Qingyun and the others leaned back or sat cross-legged, their chests rising heavily as they recovered. No one spoke, yet the shared fatigue and relief spread through the group like a silent understanding.

At the center, Lin Xiao Tian and Tianhe remained the only ones still moving without pause. Their focus stayed locked on Miao-Miao as they continued stabilizing her condition carefully.

Streams of refined energy flowed steadily into her body while pills dissolved one after another. The storm within her had calmed slightly, yet both of them knew this was only the beginning.

As they continued, more than half a day had passed without anyone noticing when time slipped away. The light above had dimmed slightly, and the surrounding air felt dense from constant refinement of energy.

Tianhe’s body began trembling more visibly as sweat rolled down his face and soaked his clothes. His breathing grew uneven, yet his hand remained pressed firmly against Miao-Miao’s head without retreat.

Even then, he refused to stop.

Seeing this, Lin Xiao Tian’s expression tightened before he released a low sigh filled with restraint. He reached forward and forcefully removed Tianhe’s hand, cutting off the flow of dragon Qi immediately.

The moment the connection broke, Tianhe’s body shuddered violently as if something had been torn away. His lips parted weakly as he tried to speak, yet his vision dimmed before any words could form.

He collapsed the very next instant.

Xiaoshan reacted immediately and stepped forward to catch him before his body struck the ground. He supported Tianhe firmly and fed him a recovery pill before laying him down carefully.

Tianhe’s chest rose and fell slowly as the medicine began working, though his face remained pale and drained. His hand twitched faintly before finally going still as exhaustion overtook him completely.

At the center, Lin Xiao Tian did not pause even for a moment.

He continued guiding the remaining energy into Miao-Miao with strict control and steady focus. The once large pile of treasures had now reduced to scattered remnants and drained husks.

Rare herbs, beast cores, and spirit fruits that once held dense energy were now empty shells. Every bit of their essence had been extracted and pushed into her body without waste.

Miao-Miao’s appearance had already begun to recover, her pale skin regaining a faint natural color. Her breathing had stabilized, and the violent fluctuations inside her body had gradually calmed.

For a brief moment, everything seemed to settle.

Then suddenly, a pulse ran through her body, subtle yet impossible to ignore. It spread from within like a ripple, growing stronger with each passing moment.

The energy inside her began gathering again, this time not chaotic but controlled and heavy. Lin Xiao Tian’s eyes sharpened as he sensed the shift immediately.

The final traces of refined energy surged inward all at once and merged into her completely. The last remaining treasures crumbled into dust as their essence was fully consumed.

Her body slowly lifted from the ground without any support.

A faint glow spread across her form, not bright but dense enough to distort the surrounding air. The space around her seemed to react, as if something within her had awakened.

The injuries that once marked her body vanished completely without leaving any trace behind. What remained was a body filled with vitality, stable and overflowing with life.

At her forehead, the previous mark slowly faded away and dissolved into nothingness. In its place, a blood-red crescent moon formed, its color deep and quietly pulsing.

The moment it settled, the surrounding air grew heavier for a brief instant.

Then everything stilled again as her body descended slowly as the glow faded away and the energy returned to silence. Just before she could fall, Lin Xiao Tian stepped forward and caught her carefully.

He held her close and looked at her face with steady eyes.

Her breathing was calm, her body warm, and her presence filled with life once again. Yet despite all of that, her eyes remained closed, and she showed no sign of waking.

As Lin Xiao Tian scanned her once more, the system window appeared again before his eyes without delay. The flowing lines of information settled quickly, and this time the details were far simpler.

Name — Miao-Miao

Age — 11

Cultivation — Sixth Level Core Formation

Race — Half Beast

Condition — Unconscious, dormant

Seeing this vague status, Lin Xiao Tian’s brows furrowed slightly as confusion rose within him. There was no mention of danger, yet the lack of detail made it difficult to understand her current state fully.

He exhaled slowly before letting the tension in his shoulders ease for the first time in hours. At the very least, there was no longer any immediate threat to her life.

Carefully, he carried Miao-Miao toward the small resting spot where the other disciples had already gathered. He placed her down gently, making sure her position remained stable before stepping back.

Around him, the disciples sat in silence, their weapons already stowed away as exhaustion settled deep into their bodies. No one spoke, yet the weight of everything that had happened lingered clearly in the air.

Lin Xiao Tian finally sat down as well, his body relaxing slightly as the strain caught up to him. He leaned back and looked upward toward the darkened sky of the secret realm.

It looks much more dangerous than it should be, and we haven’t even touched the true legacy yet.