I become stronger by sacrificing my lifespan, becoming invincible in the world.

"I don't know," Liu Ye shook his head again.

"The Black Bird only said it was looking for a birthmark that resembled an ancient jade, and that the person possessed special abilities. Once found, kill without mercy and hand over the jade."

Don't talk about killing.

The jade was retrieved and handed over.

Lin Chen clenched his fist.

So Su Qingxue's betrayal, the Crown Prince's framing, exile to the Northern Border, and relentless pursuit... were all for this jade!

This jade is coveted even by royalty!

"What else do you know?" Lin Chen's voice was cold.

"That's all." Old Liu took a breath. "I've told you everything I know. Now... can you spare my life?"

Lin Chen looked at him.

In the darkness, a barely perceptible cunning glint flashed in Liu Ye's single eye.

He's lying.

Or rather, there was some reservation.

But Lin Chen didn't plan to ask any more questions.

Because... he has already obtained the information he needed most.

It's time to "eat".

"Okay." Lin Chen nodded. "I'll let you go."

He reached out and untied the ropes binding Master Liu.

Master Liu was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Lin Chen to actually let him go. But he reacted quickly, immediately struggling to sit up and stretching his stiff limbs.

"That's a good deal." Old Liu grinned. "Kid, I owe you my life. Maybe another time..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

Lin Chen placed his hand on his chest.

It's not about untying the ropes, nor is it about helping him up.

Instead... her five fingers, like hooks, dug into the wound on his chest!

"You—!" Master Liu's pupils shrank suddenly. He tried to struggle, but due to his serious injuries, he couldn't muster any strength at all.

Devour!

Lin Chen pushed his will to its limit!

The suction force of the divine jade, like a floodgate opened, surged wildly into Master Liu's body! It wasn't a gentle extraction, but a brutal plunder and tearing!

[Beginning to devour target: Seventh level of the Acquired Realm martial artist (Liu Yuan)]

[Target lifespan detected: 128 years]

[Detected within the target: intense bloodlust, massive amounts of memories of killing, and abundant fragmented resentment]

[WARNING: The target's soul strength is high; the absorption process will result in a severe backlash!]

I can't worry about that anymore!

Lin Chen gritted his teeth and pushed it with all his might!

Master Liu's body stiffened abruptly, his single eye widening in shock. He could clearly feel his life's worth of skill, essence, and even soul being frantically drained away!

"You...you monster...!" he roared, but his voice grew weaker and weaker.

A massive surge of heat, mixed with violent malevolent energy and chaotic fragments of memory, rushed into Lin Chen's body!

It was ten times, a hundred times stronger than when it devoured Han Li!

Lin Chen's vision instantly turned blood red!

He "saw" countless images—

Sword flashes, blood rains down, screams fill the air, and corpses pile up like mountains...

A teenager struggles to survive in the wilderness, his hands trembling as he kills for the first time...

He gathered a group of brothers, became king of the mountains, and robbed and plundered...

He traded with demons, colluded with border troops, killed civilians, and also killed government soldiers...

and also……

Three years ago, in the battle at Burial Valley, three black-robed shadow guards, with ghostly speed and eerie techniques, caused his brothers to fall one by one. In the end, he personally cut open the shadow guard's chest and was shocked to see the black heart inside...

All the memories, all the emotions, all the malevolent energy, mixed together, like a bloody hurricane, raged wildly in Lin Chen's sea of ​​consciousness!

"Get out—!"

Lin Chen roared inwardly, desperately trying to preserve the last bit of clarity in his mind.

But Liu Ye's remaining will was too strong.

The bandit leader, who had killed countless people his entire life, turned his resentment and unwillingness into countless blood-red tentacles before his death, which entangled Lin Chen's soul and tried to drag him into an endless killing illusion!

[Warning! The backlash from resentment has reached a critical point!]

[It is recommended to stop the consumption immediately!]

Can't stop!

If he stops, all his previous efforts will be in vain! If he stops, his 128 years of lifespan will be wasted! If he stops, he will still be that extremely weak and useless person!

Lin Chen, his eyes red, endured the backlash and continued to devour!

Life expectancy reserves have skyrocketed.

50, 80, 100, 120...

It finally stopped at 128 years.

Liu's body shriveled up completely, turning into a skeleton wrapped in skin. His one eye was still open, but it had lost its luster, leaving only an empty fear.

The devouring... is complete.

But the backlash has only just begun.

Lin Chen collapsed to the ground, his whole body convulsing.

In his mind, fragments of Liu Ye's memories were still racing. The thrill of killing, the bloodlust, the greed for power... these thoughts gnawed at his reason like venomous snakes.

He felt his hands trembling, not from fear, but from...excitement.

A kind of excitement that makes you want to draw your sword, to slash, and to see blood splatter.

"No...no..."

Lin Chen gritted his teeth, digging his nails into the ground until they bled.

He fought against the violent impulse with pain, clinging to the last shred of clarity with memories of his past life and hatred of this one.

That malevolent aura was too strong!

Like a swamp, it dragged him down.

Outside the window, the moonlight was pale.

Inside the room, two figures, one sitting and one lying down.

The one sitting down had his head down, was trembling all over, and was letting out a beast-like growl.

The one lying there had become a dried-up corpse.

In the silence, only heavy breathing could be heard.

It's getting more and more urgent.

It's getting more and more chaotic.

Lin Chen was caught in a battle between heaven and man; victory would bring a complete transformation, while defeat would mean utter ruin!

After a long time, Lin Chen finally looked up!

Those eyes were bloodshot, and deep within the pupils, a crimson light flickered.

......

Blackrock City is much more lively than Ghost Cry Pass.

Although it is a border town, its special geographical location—bordering the demon territory to the north, connecting to the Central Plains to the south, bordering the vast snowfields to the east, and backed by continuous mines to the west—has made it the largest trade hub in the northern region.

The city wall is not as tall as that of Guiku Pass, but it is thicker and heavier. It is made entirely of black iron rock mined from nearby mines, and it gleams with a metallic cold light in the setting sun.

The convoy underwent a brief inspection at the city gate. Zhou Yong showed his patrol battalion badge and secretly slipped a few taels of silver to the gatekeeper, and was quickly allowed to pass.

When we entered the city, it was already completely dark.

But Blackrock City was brightly lit. Shops lined both sides of the main street, their wine flags fluttering in the breeze.

The pedestrians were shoulder to shoulder, including northern hunters wearing fur coats, merchants from the Central Plains wrapped in long robes, and even a few barbarians with painted faces and bone ornaments all over their bodies.

The air was filled with the aroma of roasted meat, alcohol, and animal manure, noisy and full of life.

"Let's find a place to settle down first," Lin Chen said to Zhao Tiegu.

Zhao Tiegu was very familiar with Black Rock City, and soon led the caravan to a relatively secluded inn in the west of the city – "Old Horse Inn".

The innkeeper, an elderly man with only one arm, grinned when he saw Zhao Tiegu: "Old Zhao? You're still alive?"

"Even if you die, I won't," Zhao Tiegu laughed and cursed. "Hurry up, three shared rooms, and another table of food, with meat!"

"Alright!"

Everyone settled down.

Shi Jian led the people to stay in the cheapest dormitory, while Lin Chen, Zhao Tiegu, and Li Quezi asked for a slightly better guest room.

Zhou Yong and the border soldiers of the patrol battalion lived next door—they were to return to Guiku Pass to report back early the next morning.

The food was served quickly.

A large pot of stewed meat, several dishes of pickled vegetables, and a basket of mixed flour pancakes.

Although it was rough, it was delicious to those who had been starving all day and had just finished a bloody battle. Everyone devoured it, leaving nothing behind in a flash.

After the meal, Lin Chen invited Shi Jian to his room.

"Elder Shi," Lin Chen said bluntly, "I need you to forge two things for me."

"Please speak, my benefactor."