Chapter 155: Making a Deal

The remaining unlucky bastards were each cut down by Ye Liuyun with a single slash, all slain; after retrieving the Storage Ring, Ye Liuyun began taking the pill to restore his True Essence.

At the same time, he pursued a disciple of the Third Sea Transformation at an unhurried pace.

After his True Essence recovered, he immediately caught up, delivering a punch that left the disciple gravely wounded, then a slash that ended his life. He then pursued another Third Sea Transformation disciple, using the same method to finish him off.

One Fourth Sea Transformation opponent remained, and Ye Liuyun could not let him go.

However, eliminating those two disciples cost him considerable time; if he didn't pursue quickly, the enemy might flee back to the branch sect.

But his True Essence was still below thirty percent, so even if he caught up, it would be extremely dangerous.

He didn't think it through much, deciding to catch up first. So he fully employed the Lingkong Art, chasing after that disciple.

After Ye Liuyun caught up, he didn't launch an immediate attack; instead he used illusion to trap the disciple, while he himself seized the time to restore his True Essence.

In the end, before his True Essence could reach sixty percent, the man broke free of the illusion and charged at Ye Liuyun.

"Kid, your True Essence is insufficient for you to attack again, right?" he snarled, striking toward Ye Liuyun.

Thus the roles reversed again: Ye Liuyun ran ahead while the disciple chased behind. After a while of pursuit, the disciple halted.

He realized Ye Liuyun's footwork far surpassed his, yet he didn't fully shake him off, allowing him to follow. So he feared that once Ye Liuyun's True Essence recovered, he would counter‑kill him. Therefore he decided to return to the branch sect first.

Ye Liuyun had no way to let him go back.

"Since you're already here, don't leave!"

Saying that, he brandished his blade and charged, relying on the Immortal Overlord Body's power to clash head‑on with the opponent.

The man, seeing this, stopped fleeing and attacked him with full force.

Under the Fourth Sea Transformation assault, Ye Liuyun's body was covered in scars, repeatedly knocked to the ground.

But his recovery was swift; each time he fell, he rose instantly.

"Hahaha," his opponent suddenly laughed.

"So you're just a spent crossbow, with not even a trace of True Essence! Relying solely on your Physical Body to endure my attacks? I wonder how long you can last!"

Finishing his words, he hammered palm after palm at Ye Liuyun, battering him so that his body nearly shattered. Even the Immortal Overlord Body's regeneration couldn't fully heal the wounds in time.

Fortunately, Ye Liuyun's blade intent could halve the opponent's attacks; otherwise he would be in far worse shape.

Ye Liuyun didn't think much, focusing solely on enhancing his blade intent. He felt his blade intent still wasn't perfected; otherwise he couldn't have failed to block the attacks.

Thus, disregarding his bodily injuries, he swung blade after blade with increasing strength. After more than ten strikes, his Physical Body's healing caught up. At this point, Ye Liuyun grew more courageous, and his blade intent grew stronger.

His opponent was secretly alarmed; he could no longer do anything to Ye Liuyun. Yet Ye Liuyun had no chance to wound him either.

But he forgot that his True Essence was continuously draining, while Ye Liuyun's True Essence kept replenishing.

After another ten or so exchanges, Ye Liuyun suddenly gave him a faint smile.

He muttered a warning, but it was already too late. Ye Liuyun unleashed a thunder‑fire punch that shattered the air.

His True Essence finally restored to sixty percent. Continuing to train his blade technique would yield little further improvement, so he stopped defending and launched a counterattack.

One punch sent the opponent flying. After battling for a long time, the opponent had consumed nearly half his True Essence and could no longer withstand that ferocious punch.

Ye Liuyun quickly followed up with another slash, cleaving him to pieces.

Afterwards, Ye Liuyun retrieved the Storage Ring, turned around, and went to find a place to restore his True Essence.

Two days later, Ye Liuyun's True Essence was fully restored, with seventy percent of it having converted into liquid within his body.

He was quite satisfied with this progress. At this rate, breaking through the Sea Transformation realm within a month would be no problem.

Next, he rested another day, absorbing all usable heavenly materials and earthly treasures, yet only managed to convert an additional half percent of True Essence, still far from a full percent.

"Seems that breaking through still requires pressure!" Ye Liuyun sighed, stood up, and prepared to head toward the Xuemo Sect branch.

Suddenly, a voice rang out.

"You've recovered?"

Ye Liuyun startled, his Divine Sense, which he had left monitoring outside, had failed to detect anyone nearby.

He looked toward the source of the voice and saw a person dressed in Holy Martial Academy disciple attire slowly emerge. Their realm was the Peak of the Sixth Sea Transformation.

"Who are you?" Ye Liuyun asked warily.

"I am a disciple of the Profound Heaven Saint, Xiao Mubai. My master sent me specifically for you!"

The person remained unhurried, sizing Ye Liuyun up.

Ye Liuyun's heart trembled, sensing danger, and he hurriedly called Shi Yuan and Bai Hu.

At the same time, he tried to buy time, sparring with Xiao Mubai.

"How did you know I was here?" Ye Liuyun asked.

"Members of the Xuemo Sect uncovered your identity and sent a messenger to my master. Fortunately I arrived in time, witnessed you slay that Fourth Sea Transformation disciple, so you survived until now!"

"Why didn't you kill me back then?" Ye Liuyun asked, puzzled.

"Hehe, I should have taken advantage of your weakness and killed you outright. But I suddenly changed my mind, wanting to make a deal with you," Xiao Mubai said with a malicious smile.

"Deal? What do you mean?" Ye Liuyun felt an ominous premonition.

"If you let me extract your Bloodline Power, I'll spare you a way out. How does that sound? I didn't kill you because your Bloodline Power was weakened then; I had to wait until you recovered. Moreover, a dead person's Bloodline Power also suffers loss," Xiao Mubai explained patiently, unconcerned that Ye Liuyun might escape.

"What? You want my Bloodline Power? Are you so sure I won't fight to the death?" Ye Liuyun asked.

"Why bother? I possess a secret method to extract Bloodline Power; you won't feel any pain! Without Bloodline Power you can still continue cultivating, which is better than dying at my hands, right?"

"Trading my life for my Bloodline Power—this deal is truly a sure profit for you!" Ye Liuyun laughed as well.

Xiao Mubai was unfazed by Ye Liuyun's mockery. "Of course, I never make losing trades. Tell me your decision."

"You don't need to trouble yourself! I won't agree to it!" Ye Liuyun replied outright.

Xiao Mubai nodded, unperturbed. "I knew you wouldn't agree easily. But your strength is lacking; whether this deal goes through is up to you."

Saying that, he gave a strange smile, then unleashed a massive surge of Bloodline Power, intimidating Ye Liuyun; simultaneously, True Essence pressure was released, and his Divine Sense assaulted Ye Liuyun's Sea of Consciousness.

He thought that once those three attacks were unleashed, Ye Liuyun would be immobilized for him to manipulate. He also produced a blood‑colored crystal sphere, preparing to approach Ye Liuyun.

Unexpectedly, he suddenly sensed his released Divine Sense being completely annihilated, the backlash striking him, causing a mouthful of blood to spew out.

But the bloodline and True Essence pressure he released also seemed to have no effect on Ye Liuyun.

"How could this be?" Xiao Mubai shouted, unable to believe what lay before his eyes.