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

"I was just placed under a protective spell, so there are some things I can't tell Yang Ling. Besides, I feel that the current Qin Zhen is definitely not the Qin Zhen of the past; he is my father!"

"I've always wondered why my dad didn't choose me. I think there must be something wrong with him, given how long he's been in seclusion. I suspect he possessed Qin Zhen's body, so now that he has Qin Zhen's body and strength, he must be incredibly powerful!"

Qin Yixian calmed down, seemingly realizing something. No wonder this was the case; he had heard that doing so could increase one's strength, though there would be some backlash, but for a strong person, this backlash was nothing. If what Qin Yixian said was true, Yang Ling would be in danger.

“They’re already inside, why didn’t you tell me? If you had told me, we wouldn’t be in such a dangerous situation now!” Qin Yixian rubbed his nose and said helplessly, “Qin Zhen was here, so I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Now that they’re both inside, it’s no use saying anything. I have to find a way to stop Yang Ling.”

As he spoke, he looked ahead. The others, seeing this, were puzzled. What was the young master of the Qin family doing, leading several powerful figures? Were they going to start a brawl?
"What are you guys up to?" one of them suddenly blurted out.

The man was dressed in a long black robe and wore a silver mask, making it impossible to identify him. Qin Yixian clenched his fists and roared, "Who are you? How dare you block my way! Get out of my way! If you obstruct me again, I won't be so polite!"

"That won't do. There are so many powerful figures watching. If you really stop me, you'll break the rules. If you force your way in, don't blame me for being impolite!" Qin Yixian ignored him and attacked directly, and the other party immediately retaliated. Both of them were very strong, and unless they reached a very high level, it would be difficult for anyone to stop them. But unexpectedly, the strength this person unleashed far exceeded their expectations, and they were forced to retreat a few steps.

This person is incredibly capable. Who exactly is he?

They gritted their teeth; with this person around, it would be difficult for them to get in.

The others hadn't quite grasped what was happening, but they all silently took a step back. Even the young master of the Qin family wasn't a match for them, so there was no way they could possibly be.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Yang Ling found it increasingly strange, and listening to the commotion outside, he was filled with doubt.

Finally, he looked up at Qin Zhen and felt that all of this must be related to him.

"What did you do to my people? I tampered with them, so I could sense if anything happened to them!"

Qin Zhen's expression did not change much upon hearing Yang Ling's words.

"I see. If something happens to your friends, it has nothing to do with me. It's their fault for insisting on barging in and angering others, which is why I sent people to protect me!"

Yang Ling's anger surged instantly, but then the words of the Evil Cloud Saint suddenly surfaced in his mind.

"Kid, don't let this guy lead you by the nose. He's just trying to provoke you, and I can sense that he's very different from before. If you don't pay close attention, you might lose!"

Yang Ling was puzzled. How could this be?
He was well aware of Qin Zhen's strength. Could Qin Zhen really have improved so much in such a short time?
"You don't understand. If you can really defeat him, your strength will have improved incredibly fast!" the Evil Cloud Saint said seriously. He looked at Qin Zhen, wondering what realm Qin Zhen had reached. Yang Ling frowned, preparing to go all out. He noticed that Qin Zhen was indeed different from before; he could even faintly see the shadow of the Qin family head in Qin Zhen.

This was completely unexpected for him. Qin Zhen's lips curled up as he charged towards Yang Ling, looking determined to win.

Yang Ling gritted his teeth and subconsciously took a step back. He hadn't expected Qin Zhen to become so powerful, and he couldn't help but take another step back. Yang Ling sneered. Although he was surprised by Qin Zhen's transformation and even somewhat "admiring," he felt mostly disdain.

"By the way, no matter who wins or loses in the end, I will spare your life. However, you will have to thank me then!" Qin Zhen's words left Yang Ling completely confused, not knowing what he was talking about.

Yang Ling dared not be careless in the slightest. He drew his sword and clashed with Qin Zhen, causing even the heavens and earth beneath his feet to tremble. Yang Ling felt excruciating pain from the force, but fortunately, he was physically strong and was not seriously injured this time.

Yang Ling stared intently at Qin Zhen and noticed that the sword in his hand was no ordinary object; it seemed to belong to the Qin family head. Yang Ling took a few steps back.

"Your sword is quite something! I didn't expect that old bastard to give it all to you!" Yang Ling said, charging forward again. He gritted his teeth, thinking that this time, to deal with Qin Zhen, he would probably have to use his full strength. He tried to calm himself down; continuing like this wouldn't do. Yang Ling looked at Qin Zhen's changes, his mind filled with doubts, but he didn't have time to think about them further.

Qin Zhen sneered when he saw Yang Ling reveal all his trump cards.

"Your cultivation level is about the same as mine now, and your physique is stronger than mine, but in other aspects, you are utterly insignificant in my eyes. However, the fact that you've exchanged so many blows with me is already quite impressive among your peers!" A bear's silhouette appeared behind Qin Zhen, its light flashing intermittently in the air. Yang Ling sensed that Qin Zhen's cultivation level seemed subtly higher than his own, though only slightly, he could still feel it. He resolved that defeating Qin Zhen would be difficult, and continuing the fight would likely result in defeat. The Evil Cloud Saint's heart also tightened.

Yang Ling's strength had actually grown very quickly, but this old man was bullying others by taking advantage of his power. The Evil Cloud Saint thought to himself that Yang Ling would definitely win. He had invested so much effort in Yang Ling, hoping to obtain a new body through him.

Yang Ling refused to believe he could lose. How could he possibly lose? He charged forward again; in his eyes, the word "defeat" didn't exist. Yang Ling was also injured, but his strength was slowly increasing, though Qin Zhen didn't notice.

Saint Evil Cloud's eyes lit up; he thought this was a good idea. In his eyes, Yang Ling's strength was not only sufficient, but also formidable. Only in this way could he gradually undergo trials and become stronger through continuous battles. He believed Yang Ling would win.

Yang Ling had no idea what the Evil Cloud Saint was thinking, but...

He seemed to have sensed something was amiss and poured all his anger into this battle.

Qin Zhen looked at Yang Ling and felt that he seemed to be about to give up. He couldn't help but wonder, "Is Yang Ling really capable? I'm afraid he won't be able to hold on much longer."

"Are you sure you can really do it? I feel like you're getting less and less able to hold on. If you can't, just say so. I'll give you a quick resolution; I won't force you, right?" Qin Zhen said.

Yang Ling sneered, ignoring him and launching a direct attack. His speed was incredibly fast; although Qin Zhen was strong, he was still too weak in Yang Ling's eyes. His power struck Qin Zhen instantly. Qin Zhen roared in anger; Yang Ling didn't believe that this wouldn't hurt him. Sure enough, Qin Zhen couldn't dodge.

"You're not strong enough to hurt me. But don't worry, you still have other uses in my eyes, and I will definitely spare your life. Your strength will be a great source of nourishment for me!" Qin Zhen said seriously, a smile creeping onto his lips. Yang Ling found it increasingly strange, then suddenly realized what was going on.

"You're that old man?" Yang Ling blurted out. Qin Zhen raised an eyebrow, not denying it. When he took Qin Zhen back, he thought Qin Zhen was a useless piece of trash, unable to even beat Yang Ling. So, he possessed Qin Zhen, making him a part of himself. Moreover, his strength had already reached a certain level, and further improvement was difficult; this was the only way to become stronger and become the master of this world. Yang Ling never expected Qin Zhen to be so shameless, doing such a thing at his age.

No wonder he couldn't beat Qin Zhen; it turns out this old guy was just taking advantage of his age. Yang Ling thought disdainfully.

"You old codger, you've got some nerve! I could defeat you back then, and I can do it again this time! Don't think you're so strong; in my eyes, you're no match for me!" Yang Ling retorted without hesitation. He could crush him back then, and he could do it again now. No wonder Qin Zhen came after him; it turned out he had planned everything all along.

Yang Ling found him even more disgusting. He gritted his teeth, feeling a warm current surging through his body. In a way, he should thank Qin Zhen now; without Qin Zhen, how could he have activated the demonic beast's essence blood within him and fused all its power?

"I told you, you planned everything, but didn't you foresee that you'd lose to me? Let me tell you, things aren't as you think, and it's not as simple as you imagine. In the end, you'll still lose!" Yang Ling said, each word distinct. Qin Zhen felt that Yang Ling was making a last-ditch effort; how much strength did he still have?

"What are you talking about? Do you think you can do anything about it?"

His words were full of sarcasm.

Yang Ling clenched his fists. No matter what move he used at this moment, he could not defeat this old guy.

Thinking of this, Yang Ling quickly calmed himself down and put all distracting thoughts aside.

At this moment, all that remained in his heart was intense killing intent.

Seeing this scene, anyone could tell that Yang Ling's current situation was quite precarious.

What if that old guy really succeeds?
Yang Ling took a deep breath, and in an instant, a golden light suddenly emanated from his body.

Qin Zhen frowned. He had thought Yang Ling had other tricks up his sleeve, but he hadn't expected that his attack would be so easily neutralized by Yang Ling.

Yang Ling hovered in mid-air, his wounds healing rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye. Enveloped in golden light, Yang Ling's previously impenetrable cultivation level suddenly broke through. Immediately afterward, the spiritual energy within his body surged outward like a raging sea.

At this moment, Yang Ling unleashed incredible power, and his strength underwent a dramatic transformation. Qin Zhen gritted his teeth, his face filled with disbelief as he witnessed this scene. How could this be? The next second, his body crashed into the artificial rock behind him.

Qin Zhen barely managed to steady himself, while Yang Ling suddenly opened his eyes, his vision immediately brightening.

He had never expected such a change after breaking through his cultivation level. At this moment, Yang Ling's cultivation level had reached a state of selflessness.

This level of achievement was so exaggerated that it made everyone turn pale.

"How is this possible? How could you possibly reach such a level!"

"This is simply impossible!" Qin Zhen was utterly shocked. He couldn't understand how Yang Ling could achieve a breakthrough while severely injured. No one had ever done anything like Yang Ling, neither him nor anyone else…

In other words, their strength was acquired through countless trials and tribulations. Yang Ling's cultivation speed was far faster than they had imagined. Even if Yang Ling was incredibly strong and could reach a state of selflessness, even the female clan leader hadn't achieved that. He simply couldn't imagine how Yang Ling had managed it.

"So this is the state of selflessness. Actually, I've been aware of it for a while, but I've never truly taken that step. Speaking of which, I should thank you!" Yang Ling felt the improvement in his strength. Thanks to this old guy, his power had progressed so quickly.

"I thought you were strong enough, but I never imagined you were so powerful. Once I possess you, everything you have will be mine!" Qin Zhen laughed loudly, thrusting his weapon at Yang Ling. His methods were still cunning, but after his strength advancement, Yang Ling seemed to have undergone a complete transformation. Now, he could see through Qin Zhen's intentions with just a glance.

Yang Ling released his aura and sneered, wanting to see how Qin Zhen would respond.

Yang Ling's power even shook the heavens and earth. His power coalesced, and a flicker of panic flashed in Qin Zhen's eyes.

Why was this power so strong? He had never seen such power before. After all, in his heart, he should be the strongest, but Yang Ling was now even more powerful than he had imagined.

Under the impact of this force, Qin Zhen was already somewhat disoriented before even getting close to Yang Ling. The level Yang Ling had reached was worlds apart from Qin Zhen's. Having taken over the body of the real Qin Zhen, Qin Zhen's strength was naturally far inferior to before.

"My strength is indeed inferior to yours, but now it's my turn to make a move, isn't it?" Yang Ling's lips curled up as he unleashed a burst of energy, rushing towards Qin Zhen and slamming into him. Qin Zhen was sent flying by Yang Ling, his body slowly landing.

He coughed up a mouthful of blood, looking utterly miserable. He himself hadn't expected to end up like this. He had been so confident of victory, but Yang Ling's improved cultivation level had made him incredibly powerful; it was truly unbelievable.

Yang Ling launched another attack, this time with all his might. Qin Zhen dodged quickly, but still couldn't escape. He cried out in alarm, his vision went black, and the pain was unbearable.

"Just because you thought you could take me down before!" (End of Chapter)