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

He trembled with fear. The woman, hearing his words, was also displeased and retorted, "Third Uncle, you can't say that. They helped us; we should be grateful. Besides, they've been suppressing us all along. How much of our lives do you think we have left? How much torture can we endure? Furthermore, we don't have much in our home worth their treatment. We might as well fight them; maybe that will be useful!" The woman gritted her teeth, her eyes revealing an unprecedented determination. The man, hearing this, felt a headache coming on. He hadn't expected the woman to say this; it was completely different from what he had imagined, far beyond his expectations. His mind was buzzing, and he kept wondering: What on earth had happened?

Yang Ling looked at the woman, surprised by her decisiveness. Just then, a white light flashed in the distance, and several people stood in mid-air, their expressions cold as they looked down at Yang Ling.

"We never expected that after we spared their lives, they would dare to treat us like this. It's truly beyond our expectations!"

"Looks like we went too easy on them! These people dared to attack us. We should just finish them off and teach them a lesson!" they shouted, their voices rising in the air. A bystander gasped, thinking, "This guy thinks he can take on Yang Ling with this little strength?" Yang Ling simply reached out and grabbed them. They tried to break free, but couldn't muster any strength. They wondered to themselves, "Who is this guy?"

Before they could even react, they saw these people defeated by Yang Ling. Yang Ling had only used one move—how powerful must he be! Yang Ling remained expressionless; he could sense even stronger individuals approaching. The essence of these people was of little use to him; it had to be someone far more powerful.

The aura felt familiar to them; their bodies trembled, and upon sensing it, they collapsed to the ground. Who was this person? The woman clenched her fists; she was finally going to attack. Yang Ling stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calm. He looked down at Yang Ling, surprised that someone even stronger had appeared.

"I thought a weakling had arrived, but it turns out to be a powerful one. It's been quite a journey for me to finally see you!" The beauty's eyes were filled with killing intent; a single move from her could destroy the heavens and the earth. Everyone turned to look at Yang Ling, surprised by his immense strength. The others, upon learning of Yang Ling's power, also realized how fortunate they were if he was indeed strong. Yang Ling's attacks were swift; these people couldn't withstand more than a few rounds. Some were utterly astonished by Yang Ling's movements, which far exceeded their expectations.

"Actually, I think your skills are nothing compared to ours. However, I must say, your methods do pique my interest, but they're utterly insignificant to me!" With that, she unleashed a powerful force. Yang Ling met her attack and sent her flying. She was incredulous; how had Yang Ling done that? He had actually knocked her away!

"Looks like you do have some skill!" she praised Yang Ling without reservation. Yang Ling pushed off with his feet, and just as she drew her sword, he, like a mountain, smashed down on her head without a word. With a thunderous crash, she was knocked to the ground. She looked at Yang Ling, never expecting him to be so powerful.

Why did Yang Ling possess such a murderous aura, somewhat similar to her own power? But who exactly was Yang Ling? She felt she had lost to Yang Ling even though she hadn't done anything. Before she could react, Yang Ling struck again, an attack she couldn't avoid, instantly killing her. She sneered, ignoring Yang Ling…

Yang Ling's movements were swift, precise, and ruthless; it must be said, this source energy was very useful to him. He remained calm, thinking he needed to be careful, otherwise it would be easy for his opponent to notice. The others stared wide-eyed, unable to believe that Yang Ling was so powerful.

Yang Ling's actions drew everyone out. They had previously begged for mercy from the Dark Gate to save their lives, enduring countless humiliations. Now, someone was standing in their way, and they were eager and excited, wishing they could submit to Yang Ling immediately. Yang Ling smiled, thinking to himself how much these people had changed.

"You actually managed to take them down? How are you so amazing? Do you have that kind of strength?" he asked Yang Ling cautiously. Yang Ling did not deny his strength.

"If you want to stand up again, fight them directly. Otherwise, you will only become their slaves, today and in the future. Your fate is in your own hands!" Their thoughts gradually returned to normal, and they realized Yang Ling was right. Yang Ling didn't abandon them; their choice was their own. These people were terrified of being killed, and it was normal that they had lost their previous backbone. Yang Ling remained calm, but he could sense an even stronger force within him.

After saying that, he turned around and walked towards the southwest. As for these people, they were none of his concern...

As Yang Ling approached, he discovered that he was in a grand hall, a place he had never been before. What was this place? He looked around and heard a faint sound coming from inside.

There was no movement inside, but a large number of people had gathered outside.

"Have you heard? There's some noise inside again. Could it be that those guys from the secret gate are torturing someone in there again?"

"We're used to it; people from the Dark Gate have always been like this!"

"That old guy is too strong. Even those major sects and families might not be a match for him. Let's not worry about him!"

"But we can't just stand by and watch them arrest people!" the man said, glaring at the other.

"What can we do? To survive, we have to protect our families. Are you going to just watch them go to their deaths?" They fell silent after saying this. Yang Ling looked at them and understood their thoughts; they were forced to stay to survive. Then, Yang Ling stood in front of them and swaggered inside.

He exuded a powerful aura that instilled fear in those who saw him. Everyone else was stunned when they saw Yang Ling. Who was Yang Ling? His strength was extraordinary; most importantly, Yang Ling was incredibly powerful. How did he do it?
He had managed to appear before them so silently, without them even noticing. The thought sent a shiver down their spines, and they felt a strange, indescribable feeling welling up inside them.

"Who are you? Why are you here? What are you doing here?"

"Get out of my way! I won't lay a hand on you because we're of equal status! But if you obstruct me again, don't blame me for being impolite!" He walked expressionlessly into the main hall. The others, watching Yang Ling, couldn't help but say:

"There's a very powerful person inside. You'd better not go in. If you go in, we'll all be dead. And even though their people have left, you'll definitely be dead when they come back!" Yang Ling listened as if he'd heard a joke. He'd already dealt with those people; they posed no threat to him. After saying that, he went inside. The others stood there, thinking they'd misheard. Had Yang Ling really taken care of them all?

"Could Yang Ling be joking? If Yang Ling can really take them down, how powerful must he be? How can someone so young reach such a level?" Yang Ling ignored their expressions and walked straight in. The others exchanged glances, considering sending someone to investigate, but they dared not act rashly because they couldn't fathom Yang Ling's strength; he was definitely a master. The others went to investigate and returned shortly after. These people actually stopped in their tracks, their expressions filled with shock and respect. The man walked up to them and whispered:

"What are you doing here? What happened? Why are so many members of the Dark Gate lying on the ground? What's going on?" he asked cautiously. The man, upon hearing this, suddenly blurted out:
"You don't know, do you? Just now, a young man made a move and wiped out everyone from the Dark Gate. Even the strongest one wasn't a match for him; it only took one move!" His words shocked the other man. He tried to speak, but no sound came out. Everyone had been defeated by Yang Ling? How could this be?

"Are you telling the truth or lying?" After a long while, he finally managed to squeeze out these words.

"Of course it's real, how could it be fake? He must be one of ours. What happened just now was beyond my imagination!"

"How can he be so strong? I simply can't believe it!"

They spoke eagerly. Yang Ling felt full of energy and remained calm, knowing it was because he had absorbed the source. When Yang Ling entered the main hall, he found many people inside, all of whom were very powerful, but they were being held captive here.

A dense black aura surrounded them. Upon seeing this, the Evil Cloud Saint stepped forward and said:
"I never expected the Dark Gate to use such methods. They're slowly refining a person, draining their power bit by bit. If they want to break free, they need immense power to defy fate!" he said, emphasizing each word. Yang Ling frowned, as if he had thought of something.

"So what should we do next? The aura here is incredibly dense, and it contains primordial energy—the kind of primordial energy I should be obtaining. Why don't we just make our move? What do you think?" he blurted out. The Evil Cloud Saint smiled and said:
"You're really lucky to have stumbled upon this place by accident. I must say, that's quite impressive!" he said to Yang Ling. Yang Ling waved his hand dismissively. It was nothing; he should thank those people who led him here. What he was most curious about was what to do next.

"If you act rashly, it might attract the attention of others. I advise you not to do it, lest you suffer more losses than gains. What's the use of acquiring more essence if you can't even save your life?"

"Listen to me now, calm down, and think it over carefully, understand?" he asked Yang Ling. Yang Ling understood what he meant and didn't intend to make a move, but with so much source energy released, when would he ever want it back?
"Then what should we do? Aren't we just going to give up these origins? That would be such a waste! I'd love to have them!"

“If we’re going to do something, let’s do something fun and interesting. Otherwise, what’s the point of getting it, right? We can follow this to find more Origins, and then we can just take all of them back. These Origins are enough to help you improve your cultivation level!” Yang Ling found this interesting and continued investigating along this clue. With the help of the Evil Cloud Saint, Yang Ling gradually regained his composure and discovered that this thing was actually in the Power Clan.

His eyes lit up immediately. Just as he expected, this place had already been dealt with by the people from the Dark Gate.

Yang Ling was somewhat surprised that they actually placed the origin of their power in the Power Clan.

"I've already seen it for you, but you can't go over now. You need to quickly improve your cultivation level and acquire more source energy before you can go, otherwise you'll die! Once you're stronger, there will always be a way!" He comforted Yang Ling, telling him not to rush. Moreover, he could sense that there was something here that could help him reshape his body. Yang Ling nodded, but then he heard many voices in his ears:
"Young master, can you save us? If you can save us, we'll do anything for you!"

"If you can let us out, we are willing to give up our very essence!"

Everyone eagerly spoke up.

These people are imprisoned in cages, and at this moment they are no different from ordinary people.

"These people must have been captured by the Dark Gate. They are exceptionally talented. If they are willing to offer their essence, it will greatly help you improve your cultivation level!" Saint Evil Cloud said solemnly. Yang Ling glanced at them, his expression calm. He swung his sword in mid-air, and those people instantly regained their freedom. They ran outside, not daring to linger for a moment.

Some people were reluctant to leave and turned to look at Yang Ling.

"Young master, who exactly are you? If we have the chance in the future, we will definitely repay your life-saving grace!"

"No need, you should all protect yourselves first!" Yang Ling waved his hand, then stepped out. As he left, all the people who had previously blocked him surrounded him, his brows furrowed.

"Didn't I tell you to leave? Now you want to fight me?"

"Of course not. You dealt with the Dark Gate members and got justice for us. During this time, the Dark Gate committed numerous evils, and we were forced to work for them. Although we were unwilling, we were powerless to do anything about it!"

"We only saw hope after you appeared!" Yang Ling quickly realized what they meant.

"You'd better leave now, the Dark Gate will find out soon and might send more. If you stay here, you'll lose your lives sooner or later. Leave quickly!" With that, Yang Ling turned and left. He didn't do much, and besides, he had no intention of being a great hero. Afterwards, Yang Ling's gaze fell upon a powerful family—the Duan family. This family was almost entirely composed of sorcerers. The Duan family had also begged the Dark Gate for mercy, and they immediately submitted upon the Dark Gate's arrival. (End of Chapter)