Daqin arrests alchemists, what does it matter to me as a qi refiner?

"What are you doing back here? What, do you think you're so strong that no one can kill you?" Yang Ling attacked directly, landing a palm strike on him, knocking him back a step.

"They're still better than you! Some people became the Qin family's dogs, and now that they've been abandoned, they still dare to bark and rave. I really don't know where you get the nerve. Do you really think I don't know what despicable things you've done?" The elder cried out, glaring at Yang Ling with fury and shame. How dare Yang Ling hit him?
"Yang Ling, you might not know this, but the Huo family has been looking for you, and they've wanted to kill you for a long time. The real competition will be the time to take your life!" he said seriously. Feng Xueyuan sighed helplessly. How many more troubles would Yang Ling cause before he stopped? At this rate, Yang Ling would really offend everyone. Yang Ling didn't reply, simply stepping over him without even glancing at him. He watched Yang Ling walk away, and everyone who had been mocking Yang Ling took a step back, afraid that Yang Ling would cause them trouble.

"So that's Yang Ling! I heard he's very strong and formidable. Luckily, he didn't cause us any trouble for what we said earlier, or we would be dead!" One of them blurted out suddenly after Yang Ling had walked away.

As his words fell, everyone instantly awoke from their daze.

So it was Yang Ling. No wonder. On the way, Feng Xueyuan sighed helplessly.

"You really know how to cause us trouble. When you struck out with that palm just now, that elder didn't even dare to move his hand!"

"That's because he doesn't dare to lay a hand on me. Besides, I almost crippled him before. If he says another word to me, I'll take his life!" Yang Ling said casually. These words were extremely arrogant.

The two entered together. Inside stood hundreds of family members. After all, this was a rare ancient relic, and none of them wanted to give it up easily, having arrived early. Yang Ling's arrival attracted the attention of the others.

"Isn't that Yang Ling?"

"Yes, it's him!"

"Why are there only the two of them? They don't look very strong. They'll probably cry if they lose..." They had never seen Yang Ling fight, and the fact that Yang Ling had injured someone from their family before was too shameful to spread, so the news was kept secret. They had no idea about Yang Ling's strength.

"I heard you injured someone from the Yan family... and then dared to run away. Could it be that you're too weak and that's why you're afraid?" A man stepped forward, sizing up Yang Ling with disdain. This man was named Tang Yi, arrogant and disdainful of everyone. He had been holding a grudge since he hadn't been able to fight Yang Ling last time, and was now ready to strike. The others silently retreated, preparing to watch a good show. Those who came were mostly young disciples from the families; there were no outsiders.

They were in the prime of their lives, full of youthful vigor, and never hesitated to speak or act without restraint. Yang Ling glanced at him and slowly spoke:
"If you want to die, just say so. No need for all this beating around the bush. If you're in a hurry to be reincarnated, I wouldn't mind sending you on your way!" Although Yang Ling spoke casually, Feng Xueyuan knew him too well and knew he wasn't joking. Tang Yi turned his head to the side. He did want to take Yang Ling's life, but now wasn't the time.

"We'll see once we're inside. Besides, why are you in such a hurry? I'll be waiting for you there!" He planned to kill Yang Ling to make a name for himself. In his eyes, Yang Ling was no match for him. Yang Ling didn't even glance at him. In his eyes, Tang Yi's strength was not enough to provoke him; he probably couldn't even withstand a single move from him.

"I think Yang Ling is probably in grave danger after going in. If I were him, I would run away right now and maybe I could save my life. Why stay here and suffer? Don't you think he's stupid?"

"That's right, if I were him, I would have kept my tail between my legs and never dared to show my face in public. How dare he parade around like that? I don't know whether to admire his courage or laugh at his ignorance, he's so audacious!" they whispered among themselves. Tang Yi's strength was also astonishing, but he had been in seclusion cultivating and rarely made a move. However, it was said that his strength was comparable to that of the Huo and Yan families, making him a highly promising individual. Therefore, they naturally felt that Yang Ling was unqualified to be compared to them; what did he have to offer in a comparison?
"So you're Yang Ling! It's been a long time. We were really disappointed that we couldn't see you last time. It's so exciting to see you again today!" Although they were somewhat wary of Yang Ling, it seemed they had nothing to worry about now. After all, Yang Ling was being hunted by many people and would die sooner or later, so they had nothing to fear. Yang Ling looked at this unexpected person and felt that he looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before. For some reason, the aura emanating from him was very strange, unlike that of an ordinary person.

Moreover, he possessed no spiritual energy whatsoever; instead, his entire body was filled with malevolent energy. The cultivation technique he practiced was far too evil; no wonder Yang Ling hadn't noticed it before.

"I don't know where this person comes from, but he doesn't seem to be a local. He seems to be from another place. He seems to know you quite well!"

"It's been a long time! I saw you briefly from afar when I was at the Qin family's place. I never expected to see you again. I can't wait to spar with you!"

He spoke earnestly, but Yang Ling did not respond. No wonder he seemed familiar at first; it was him. He was an insignificant disciple of the Qin family; they had indeed met once before, but he hadn't expected him to change so much in just a few years.

"I've forgotten your name, but if you're looking for death, I can grant your wish. Since you've witnessed my prowess in the Qin family, you should know that I'm not weak!" Yang Ling said calmly with a smile. These words instantly extinguished the tension. They regarded the Qin family as a supreme clan; had Yang Ling gone mad? How dare he provoke someone from the Qin family?

Because the disciples present had all forgotten that to enter the Qin family, one must possess exceptional strength. In short, Yang Ling's ability to enter the Qin family in the first place was enough to prove his excellence.

"Don't be so arrogant! I know you're not weak, so you don't need to provoke me here. If you dare to provoke me, I won't let you off!" he said, enunciating each word clearly. Yang Ling didn't say anything more. With his strength, he thought he could show off here? Was he dreaming? No matter how strong he was, he wouldn't last a single round against Yang Ling. He simply wanted to suppress Yang Ling in front of everyone, and Yang Ling was used to it, so he remained calm and composed.

Yang Ling turned to leave, but he didn't quite understand why everyone was waiting there. Weren't they going to go in?
"Why are they all waiting here? Like they're waiting for someone. Shouldn't they just go in? Why wait for others?"

"Well, you probably don't know this. I just inquired and it turns out the Huo family is coming. After the Yan family lost power, the Huo family quickly took their place and are now incredibly powerful. They're already acting like the boss as soon as they've taken over!"

"So, everyone should just wait here obediently. However, they're probably because there's a barrier outside, and this barrier is extraordinary, very powerful in every way. In short, be careful!" the man said seriously. Yang Ling saw the barrier and was about to reach out to break it when someone noticed his movement and stepped forward.

"What are you trying to do? Do you intend to break this barrier? Aren't you afraid of offending the Huo family if you do that?"

As he finished speaking, Yang Ling remained calm and composed.

Feng Xueyuan silently worried for the person opposite her, thinking: This person really doesn't want to live anymore, why doesn't he shut up?

"Don't take it to heart, why don't you wait outside for a while?" Feng Xueyuan advised.

"I heard that Huo Zun has sided with an elder of the Qin family, and they have a very good relationship!"

Upon hearing Feng Xueyuan's explanation, Yang Ling immediately became interested; so that's how it is.

He stood still, and Feng Xueyuan breathed a sigh of relief. But just then, a deafening roar suddenly erupted.

Yang Ling subconsciously looked up and saw a figure in mid-air walking quickly toward them.

The man was incredibly fast, radiating a white light, appearing like a war god descending to earth. Yang Ling sneered, thinking: "It's all show and no substance. Could this be Huo Zun? Looks like I've finally met the real deal."

A flicker of excitement crossed the eyes of the other disciples. Huo Zun was incredibly powerful, and every family and faction regarded him as a role model.

They aspire to possess the same formidable strength and exceptional talent as Huo Zun.

Tang Yi's eyes lit up, and an aura erupted from his body. In his view, only Huo Zun was worthy of being his opponent. However, the gap between him and Huo Zun was simply too great, and no amount of cultivation could bridge it.

Huo Zun stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at everyone as if no one was worthy of his attention.

Even Tang Yi felt guilty when she saw him.

Yang Ling stared straight at Huo Zun, who felt Yang Ling's gaze but didn't even glance at him.

At this moment, members of the Huo family stepped forward first.

"Young Master, you've finally arrived!" After saying this, they all knelt on the ground.

Feng Xueyuan's expression turned somewhat ugly; she felt an immense pressure emanating from this person.

Yang Ling noticed Feng Xueyuan's discomfort and gently waved his hand over her. The power instantly dissipated.

With Yang Ling's help, Feng Xueyuan felt a little better.

However, she felt a strange sense of apprehension towards Huo Zun, as he was indeed very strong.

"I truly didn't expect everyone to choose me; I'm quite flattered. However, to be fair, our Huo family doesn't intend to enter the ancient ruins!" Huo Zun said, his words shocking everyone. Huo Zun would actually give up this opportunity and even let them in?
Huo Zun indeed possessed an extraordinary aura, just as rumored. The Huo family seemed to have known this all along, and agreed without hesitation.

"There are many dangers in the ancient ruins, so I hope everyone will abide by the rules. I will not interfere unless someone breaks the rules. If anyone does break them, don't blame me for being impolite!" Huo Zun exuded a fearsome aura, but his words excited everyone.

Feng Xueyuan was puzzled. She felt that Huo Zun was not a good person. Who was he trying to impress with his actions?

"What exactly are they trying to do? What are they really up to? This is clearly suspicious!" Yang Ling said abruptly.

"What else could it be? He just wants to gain a good reputation. The Huo family is now stepping on the Yan family's head, and didn't you just say that he will join a major family in the future? Major families often value reputation. He has talent, so naturally he needs some external things to make up for his shortcomings!"

Such people are the most unpredictable, far more complex than the deceased Yan Lin.

Yan Lin is simple-minded but physically strong, and not difficult to deal with. But Huo Zun is different; this kind of person is like a ghost, stabbing you in the back when you are injured.

"Alright, it's about time. I'll break the barrier myself!" Huo Zun said, removing the barrier in mid-air. The aura gathered in his palm seemed capable of shaking the heavens and earth, giving people a sense of impending danger. Feng Xueyuan secretly admired him; he was indeed very strong.

After demonstrating his strength, Huo Zun looked at Yang Ling with icy eyes and sneered. Yang Ling felt disdain in his heart, thinking: This is all he's capable of? Much weaker than he thought. When he was Huo Zun's age, he was much stronger than Huo Zun. So, Yang Ling turned his head to the side.

Until the barrier emitted a resounding clang, revealing the true face of the original ruins at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Yang Ling's attention was drawn to Huo Zun's actions. He felt that Huo Zun must have used some kind of treasure to break the barrier.

It seems Huo Zun still has some trump cards up his sleeve.

After the barrier was broken, everyone rushed forward eagerly. At the crucial moment, Huo Zun said:

"I don't want to stop you from going in, but before you do, I have a small favor to ask. If you see a demonic beast inside, I hope you can slay it. If you do, the Huo family will remember your kindness." Huo Zun didn't mention himself, but instead mentioned the Huo family. Upon hearing this, everyone was extremely excited; the Huo family's favor was far more valuable than they had imagined.

Although they didn't know what kind of monster was inside, if they could really get the Huo family to owe them a favor, the benefits they would receive in the future would be countless. They didn't think there was anything wrong with what Huo Zun did, after all, Huo Zun helped them open the barrier and voluntarily withdrew. If Huo Zun went in as well, probably no one could be his match.

Seeing this, Yang Ling sneered. He felt that the barrier was originally set up by the Huo family, and this was all a scheme to deceive them; they had been sold out and were foolishly counting money for them. (End of Chapter)