Outside the cave dwelling, over a hundred sword lights had formed a tightening encirclement, trapping a frantic figure at the center.

  Yun Che stepped out, his gaze sweeping across the scene.

  The attackers belonged to five different sects, sealing off every path of escape. From among them, a middle-aged man stepped forward, cupped his fists, and spoke with forced courtesy:

  “Junior Brother Li Han, your Profound Dao Sect already possesses one Cold Abyss Token. Why be greedy? Hand over the three you took, and we won’t make things difficult.”

  Before he finished, someone from Wufeng Valley snorted coldly.

  “Li Han, know your place. Hand over the tokens—or Frost Severing Valley will be your burial ground today.”

  The man trapped within was none other than Li Han, who had crossed paths with Yun Che years ago in Hengyue Sect.

  For this struggle over the Cold Abyss Tokens, Pu Nanzi had personally selected him, making an exception to bring along Li Han—still only at Qi Condensation stage—not for combat strength, but for his extraordinary “theft technique.”

  Pu Nanzi had granted him a treasure capable of concealing his aura, difficult even for Foundation Establishment cultivators to detect.

  And Li Han had proven his worth.

  Amid chaotic battles, under the cover of his sect brothers, he had managed to steal three tokens.

  With their sect’s original one, four tokens were already in hand—victory assured.

  Unfortunately, greed consumed him.

  After three successful thefts, he did not stop.

  On the fourth attempt, the treasure’s spiritual power was exhausted. He was exposed on the spot.

  Profound Dao disciples fought desperately to cover his retreat. He slipped into a pre-dug tunnel and fled underground.

  Only to emerge straight into pursuing forces.

  Now surrounded by over a hundred cultivators, Li Han’s face was deathly pale, legs trembling.

  But he reacted quickly.

  With a thud, he dropped to his knees.

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  Without hesitation, he pulled three Cold Abyss Tokens from his storage bag and laid them neatly on the ground.

  Silence fell.

  The three sects that had lost tokens rushed forward.

  But the other sects blocked them immediately with magic treasures.

  Another chaotic battle was about to erupt—

  When an Azure figure walked calmly in from beyond the crowd.

  Yun Che’s gaze fell upon the tokens.

  Without a word, he moved.

  “Stop!”

  Two early Foundation Establishment cultivators attacked simultaneously, swords flashing from left and right.

  Yun Che did not slow.

  He raised his right hand slightly.

  Gravity Technique condensed into an invisible force, seizing the two and hurling them backward.

  They flew dozens of zhang like broken kites, vanishing into the icy mist—life or death unknown.

  In mere steps, Yun Che was before Li Han.

  Now the crowd clearly saw his face.

  Those who had witnessed him before in Frost Severing Valley turned pale and instinctively retreated.

  But others, who had only heard rumors, saw merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator daring to charge alone—and sneered as they attacked.

  Yun Che’s gaze flickered.

  The Blood Fiend Sword slid from his sleeve.

  Its blade glowed dark green, faint cyan radiance shimmering across its surface.

  A flash.

  The three at the front froze mid-charge.

  Terror flickered in their eyes—

  Then their bodies crystallized from within, turning into Azure ice statues.

  Bang.

  They shattered into ice shards.

  Dead silence.

  Yun Che continued forward.

  Five more rushed him.

  Another flash.

  Five statues formed simultaneously—then shattered.

  “Retreat! Retreat!”

  At last someone screamed.

  The outer cultivators fled like plague-stricken men, retreating a hundred zhang in moments, not daring to approach.

  Yun Che stepped over broken ice crystals and stopped before Li Han.

  Li Han lay prostrate, trembling violently, not daring to lift his head.

  With a slight motion of his hand, the three tokens floated up into Yun Che’s palm.

  He stored them away.

  His gaze swept across the terrified faces.

  “All tokens,” he said calmly. “Hand them over. Or—”

  Before he could finish, cultivators scrambled to toss their tokens onto the ground.

  One. Two. Several.

  A small pile formed in moments.

  Yun Che did not even look at them.

  His gaze fell upon Li Han.

  Li Han felt that cold stare settle upon him and trembled harder.

  He forced himself to look up.

  “You… Wang…”

  He froze.

  He recognized that face.

  Back in Hengyue Sect—a silent outer disciple, cornered by the Teng family, powerless and desperate.

  But the man before him now radiated a chill that pierced the soul.

  His eyes were devoid of warmth.

  “Wang… Wang Lin?” Li Han’s voice quivered.

  Yun Che did not answer.

  He simply looked down at this old acquaintance.

  Years ago, Li Han had been an inner disciple. They were not close—but he had never made things difficult for Yun Che.

  Now they met again.

  One kneeling.

  One standing.

  After a long silence, Yun Che spoke.

  “Stand.”

  The word was soft, yet Li Han shuddered.

  He rose cautiously, still not daring to meet Yun Che’s gaze.

  Yun Che turned away.

  “You owe me a life.”

  With that, he stepped toward the depths of the valley.

  Li Han stared at that Azure back.

  Years ago, this man had been merely third level Qi Condensation.

  Now—

  The world had overturned.

  He looked at himself, then at the distant Foundation Establishment cultivators who dared not approach.

  A chill ran through him.

  After Yun Che walked a hundred zhang, Li Han’s trembling voice called out:

  “Wang… Brother Wang! W-where are you going?”

  Yun Che paused slightly.

  Without turning—

  “To kill.”