The method of entering Doomsday Forest involved random teleportation to various locations within it. Lin Tian turned to the group behind him and growled through clenched teeth.
This group included not only the nine prodigies from the Lin Family but also many geniuses from the other three empires. The Unparalleled Holy Land was their dream sanctuary. Every one of them wanted to seize the opportunity to curry favor with the Holy Son candidate, nodding like chickens pecking at grain.
“Young Master Ye, if you happen to meet Ling’er in the Doomsday Forest, please form a team with her and take care of her,” the Sword Emperor said to Ye Chen from the other side.
With Ye Chen representing the Sword Empire this year, it was their best chance in years to place in the top three.
Ye Chen nodded, promising that if fate allowed, he would definitely “take good care” of her. But in his heart, he was full of rage. In his past life, after losing a duel to Lin Tian, Jian Ling’er threw herself into Lin Tian’s arms without hesitation and firmly supported him, even pushing the Sword Emperor to wipe out the entire War King Manor…
Whether in his past life or this one, Ye Chen was no saint who could just smile and forget deep hatred.
On the contrary—Ye Chen remembered every grudge.
And all these blood debts—he would settle them one by one in the Doomsday Forest.
With that thought, Ye Chen secretly released two streams of spiritual energy—one to mark Lin Tian, the other to mark Jian Ling’er. Once they were randomly teleported into the forest, he could use these spiritual marks to locate them quickly.
Soon after, the Primordial Holy Land’s representatives arrived.
To everyone’s surprise, the Holy Lord Nangong Ying had come personally.
But on second thought, it made sense. The Primordial Holy Land was in decline and couldn’t recruit disciples from the other empires anymore. They could only come to the outskirts of the Eastern Wasteland and try their luck with the Four Empires here.
At first glance, Nangong Ying looked like a scholar in his thirties. He had delicate features, fair skin that was even smoother than a woman’s, and well-defined brows. Many in the Eastern Wasteland lamented that if someone with Nangong Ying’s looks and complexion had been born female, they would be a peerless beauty. Unfortunately, being a man, he lacked masculinity.
But Ye Chen didn’t pity him one bit. According to memories from his past life, a few years later, a disciple from the Primordial Holy Land caused a catastrophe. Nangong Ying—known for fiercely protecting his own—shed his scholar’s robes and donned a plain dress, revealing that he was, in fact, a woman. Her stunning beauty shocked the world. She then married an old man from the Central Continent in exchange for ten years of stability for the Primordial Holy Land…
Soon, the secret realm activated. Nangong Ying and Zhao Hongyan personally set up the teleportation array.
Taking advantage of the time, Ye Chen pulled out a pill and handed it to Ye Wuyá. “Father, I refined this pill myself. If you take it, your meridian problem will be resolved.”
The calm tone hit Ye Wuyá like thunder.
Three years ago, he was mysteriously poisoned, and his martial meridians were damaged, causing his cultivation to decline instead of improve. Despite hiring countless top medical experts and trying endless methods, nothing worked. The poison in his body only worsened, dragging his cultivation from 1st stage King Martial Realm down to 1st stage Heaven Martial Realm.
That was also one of the main reasons why the War King Manor had declined.
But now, this problem—even the top alchemists of the Sword Empire couldn’t solve it—and Ye Chen claimed he could?
As far as Ye Wuyá remembered, Ye Chen was utterly clueless in alchemy!
What he didn’t know was that in his past life, after achieving Emperorhood through sword cultivation, Ye Chen had spent considerable time studying alchemy out of boredom and had become quite accomplished—famous even across the Profound Sky Continent.
A detoxification pill like this was effortless for him to refine!
Ye Wuyá took the pill skeptically. But under Ye Chen’s urging gaze, he swallowed it in one go.
He felt the pill’s immense medicinal power, surging straight to his martial meridians as if it had a will of its own.
In just a few breaths, the poison that had corroded his meridians for years was completely eradicated.
Immediately afterward, the long-dormant profound Qi in his body began to boil like water hitting a raging flame.
Overjoyed, Ye Wuyá took a step forward.
One step: 2nd stage Heaven Martial Realm.
Another step: 3rd stage Heaven Martial Realm.
…
By the time his tenth step landed, his profound Qi surged wildly—and he broke through to the King Martial Realm again!
After three long years, Ye Wuyá had returned to his former realm.
He looked at Ye Chen with disbelief. Genius talent, top-tier meridians—and now alchemy mastery too? Was this monster really his son?
Before Ye Wuyá could ask anything further, Ye Chen turned toward the eighteen core disciples the War King Manor had selected.
Originally, they only had ten spots in the assessment. But a few days ago, Ye Chen had performed so impressively that the Sword Emperor granted them ten more.
Ye Chen and Qing’er had already taken two of those. The remaining eighteen were standing right in front of him.
“Brother Chen!”
“Brother Chen!”
…
As Ye Chen looked over, all the core disciples spoke respectfully, their eyes filled with admiration.
Ye Chen was already the top prodigy of the royal capital, and just three days ago, he had stunned everyone in the central square. He had not only restored the War King Manor’s reputation, but raised it to new heights.
To them, Ye Chen was a symbol of faith—a living legend.
Among them, a chubby boy with dark skin looked at Ye Chen with such burning devotion that he looked ready to worship him on the spot.
Ye Chen recognized him instantly. His real name was Ye Xiaoyao, a sickly child since birth. A fortune teller once told him he’d face a life-or-death tribulation at sixteen and advised him to take on a humble name for good luck. From then on, he was called Ye Heigou (Black Dog).
“Brother Dog, how long until you turn sixteen?” Ye Chen asked.
He remembered it clearly—in his past life, after this very assessment, Ye Heigou and others from the War King Manor died at Lin Tian’s hands while trying to protect him.
He still remembered Ye Heigou, who had always been timid, suddenly displaying great courage—clutching Lin Tian’s legs with both arms until half his body was crushed into pulp… and he never let go.
Ye Chen released his spiritual power and quickly detected a demonic presence in Ye Heigou’s body. In about a month, it would awaken—and when it did, Ye Heigou would die.
Ye Heigou replied immediately, “Less than a month!”
The timing matched.
“To purge the demonic energy in Ye Heigou’s body isn’t hard—but I’ll have to do it personally. And I need to reach the King Martial Realm first,” Ye Chen thought silently, setting himself a small goal: to reach King Martial Realm within a month! Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping . com.
Then he pulled out the “Diamond Strength Pill” he had prepared.
Each pill was no bigger than a fingernail, but it gleamed with golden light and exuded a potent medicinal aroma. Just the scent alone caused one’s strength to stir.
Ye Chen distributed one pill to each of the eighteen. “This is the Diamond Strength Pill. It can massively boost your inner strength, and may even help you break through.”
Everyone was thrilled. Ye Heigou didn’t hesitate—he swallowed it immediately.
Instantly, vast energy exploded within him, rushing through his meridians like a torrent. The sensation was overwhelming.
“This is insane! Brother Chen, your pill is incredible! My long-dormant cultivation is going wild—I think… no, I’m sure—I’m already breaking through!”
With a loud crack of thunder, Ye Heigou’s cultivation rose by one level—even though the pill’s effects hadn’t fully kicked in yet.
Overwhelmed, Ye Heigou ran over and hugged a nearby crooked willow tree, planting a big kiss on it.
“Brother Dog, don’t get too excited,” Ye Chen reminded him. “This pill is powerful, but it might have a small side effect.”
It wasn’t that Ye Chen’s alchemy was flawed—he was just missing a rare ingredient during the refining process.
But Ye Heigou didn’t care, “Brother Chen, if a pill can raise my cultivation by one level instantly, and it doesn’t have any side effects, I’d feel like I owed you!”
As he spoke, he proudly ran a hand through his thick black hair.
But something felt off. His usually smooth hair felt… way too smooth. His hand glided through it like there was nothing there.
He touched it again. It felt completely round. So smooth it felt bald…
Ye Heigou quickly pulled out a bronze mirror.
What he saw was a shiny bald head—not a single hair in sight.
“Brother Chen! My hair… where did it go?!”
He looked at the strands of hair scattered across the ground, his expression twisted in horror.
Ye Chen nodded solemnly, “That’s the side effect I mentioned.”
Seeing Ye Heigou still looking distressed, Ye Chen consoled him, “You’re bald now, but you’re also stronger.”
“And the baldness is temporary—but strength lasts a lifetime.”
Ye Heigou tried his best to accept reality.
But…
“Brother Chen, I can accept being bald… but why is it glowing too?!”