Traveling Between Two Worlds: From Bread for Maids to Fantasy Overlord

The fighting outside the stronghold quickly subsided, and Qin Yuling led over a bound Foundation Establishment cultivator. The black cloth covering the cultivator's face was ripped off, revealing a sinister expression and arrogant eyes. He was the Foundation Establishment cultivator from the outer perimeter of the Qingyun Sect, responsible for secretly monitoring the movements of Yiming Village. "Speak! What is the Qingyun Sect's purpose in sending you here? When will the elder Li Hao mentioned arrive?" Qin Yuling pointed her longsword directly at the cultivator's throat, her tone icy, her fourth-level Qi Refining aura suppressing him relentlessly.

The cultivator sneered, his face full of disdain: "Huang Yiming, you're nothing but a pseudo-spiritual root cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining. You think you can contend with the Qingyun Sect just because you managed to cripple Li Hao? The elders will be here soon. They will not only raze Yiming Village to the ground, but also seize your dual-realm secret, cripple your spiritual root, and ensure you never rise again!" Huang Yiming's eyes turned cold. He stepped forward and punched the cultivator in the chest. The cultivator instantly spat out a mouthful of blood, his spiritual energy becoming disordered.

"Since you refuse to talk, then I'll cripple your cultivation and throw you into the mines. I have plenty of time to wear you down." Huang Yiming's voice was devoid of warmth. The spiritual energy of the third level of Qi Refining surged into the cultivator's body, instantly shattering his dantian, and his Foundation Establishment cultivation completely dissipated. The cultivator, his face filled with terror, wailed, "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! The elder is a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Qingyun Sect named Wang Kun. He'll be arriving in three days with ten fourth-level Qi Refining cultivators. Their purpose is to seize the Black Wind Ridge's spiritual veins and your dual-realm resources!"

A knowing glint flashed in Huang Yiming's eyes. He waved for the guards to take the cultivator away and said in a deep voice, "It seems we only have three days to prepare. Qin Hu, speed up the training of the guard team, set up the barbed wire and searchlights, and lay traps outside the stronghold; Yu Ling, you are responsible for guiding the cultivators' cultivation to improve their overall combat strength; Yang Xiu, use your hidden spiritual root to sense the movements inside the stronghold to prevent any traitors; Qing Yue, you return to the city early tomorrow morning, bring back supplies as soon as possible, and reinforce the defenses in the city to prevent the Black Stone Sect from taking the opportunity to cause trouble."

The group immediately accepted their orders and began working diligently, creating a flurry of activity within Yiming Village. Everyone was preparing intensively for the crisis that would occur in three days. Qin Hu was particularly energetic, patrolling the training ground with a leather whip in hand. He would sternly reprimand anyone he found slacking off, and the previously disorganized refugees and rogue cultivators gradually began to resemble an army in their discipline. Yang Xiu, meanwhile, moved through every corner of the village, fully activating his hidden spiritual root to meticulously sense every abnormal fluctuation of spiritual energy, ensuring that there were no traitors lurking within the village.

The following morning, Su Qingyue packed her belongings, bid farewell to Huang Yiming, and stepped into the dual-realm passage back to the city. Huang Yiming, along with Qin Yuling and several core guards, headed to the spiritual veins deep within Black Wind Ridge to check their defenses and gather high-grade spiritual herbs in preparation for a breakthrough in his cultivation. Yang Xiu remained in the stronghold, continuing her patrols and managing internal affairs to ensure everything was in order.

However, shortly after Huang Yiming left, a sharp alarm suddenly sounded within the village, and thick smoke billowed from the direction of the supply warehouse, accompanied by the screams and shouts of cultivators. "Not good! Someone's attacking!" Qin Hu roared and immediately led his guards to rush towards the supply warehouse. There, they saw more than a dozen Black Stone Sect cultivators frantically looting spiritual herbs and modern supplies. The leader was a Qi Refining Level 4 cultivator with a ferocious smile on his face—it was Zhou Hu, the remnant leader of the Black Stone Sect.

"Zhou Hu, you dare to ambush Yiming Village? You're courting death!" Qin Hu roared in fury, unleashing his basic body-refining technique and charging towards Zhou Hu. Zhou Hu sneered, his Qi Refining Level 4 aura suddenly surging, and he slapped Qin Hu with his palm: "Qin Hu, you mortal brute, how dare you be arrogant in front of me? Today, I will not only seize all the supplies, but also raze Yiming Village to the ground and avenge Zhao Kun!"

The two instantly clashed. Although Qin Hu possessed a powerful physique, his cultivation was only at the first level of Qi Refining, making him no match for Zhou Hu. After a few rounds, he was struck to the ground with a single palm strike, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Seeing this, Yang Xiu immediately activated her Hidden Spiritual Root, releasing abundant spiritual energy to assist Qin Hu, while simultaneously shouting, "Guards! Stop them! Don't let the supplies be stolen!"

The guards immediately rushed forward to engage the Black Stone Sect cultivators, but most of them were newly arrived refugees and rogue cultivators with low cultivation levels. They were quickly routed, suffering heavy casualties. Seeing this, Zhou Hu became even more arrogant. He shoved Qin Hu aside and rushed towards the spirit energy purifier in the warehouse, his eyes gleaming with greed: "These mundane gadgets can actually aid in cultivation; I'll take them back to the Black Stone Sect!"

Just then, a cold voice came from afar, filled with boundless rage: "Zhou Hu, you dare to touch my things, you're courting death!" Huang Yiming and Qin Yuling rushed back. When they saw the tragic scene in the village, the injured Qin Hu lying on the ground, and the Black Stone Sect cultivators looting supplies, Huang Yiming's eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and his Qi Refining Level 3 aura erupted, becoming even more condensed than before.

When Zhou Hu saw Huang Yiming, a hint of fear flashed in his eyes, but he quickly calmed down and sneered, "Huang Yiming, you've come back just in time. Today I'll cripple you, seize your secret of the dual realms, and send you and Qin Hu to hell together!" With that, he swung his palm towards Huang Yiming, his fourth-level Qi Refining Qi carrying a strong wind, unstoppable.

Huang Yiming snorted coldly, neither dodging nor avoiding, but instead channeling his inner energy and punching Zhou Hu's palm. With a loud "bang," both men staggered back several steps. Zhou Hu was utterly shocked—he hadn't expected Huang Yiming to be so powerful, able to withstand a full-force attack from someone at the fourth level of Qi Refining with only the third level of Qi Refining. "Impossible! You're just a pseudo-spiritual root cultivator, how could you possess such strength?"

"So what if you have a pseudo-spiritual root? That's enough to deal with you!" Huang Yiming roared and charged forward again, a pistol appearing in his hand. The bullet, infused with spiritual energy, shot towards Zhou Hu. Zhou Hu hurriedly dodged, but was still hit in the shoulder, his spiritual energy instantly becoming chaotic. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Qin Yuling drew her sword and stepped forward, joining Huang Yiming in attacking Zhou Hu. Zhou Hu gradually weakened, and a look of panic appeared on his face.

Yang Xiu continued to use his hidden spiritual root to sense things and suddenly discovered that several Black Stone Sect cultivators had secretly slipped away from behind the stronghold, carrying the looted spiritual herbs and supplies. "Young Master, some more have escaped, heading towards the Black Stone Sect's temporary stronghold!" Huang Yiming's eyes turned cold. He said to Qin Yuling, "Yuling, you stay here to clean up the mess and treat the injured guards. I'll take Qin Hu and a few other cultivators to chase after them and take down the Black Stone Sect's temporary stronghold!"

Qin Yuling nodded: "Be careful, there might be an ambush at the Black Stone Sect's temporary stronghold." Huang Yiming helped Qin Hu up and handed him a bottle of nutrient solution: "Drink some to recover from your injuries, then come with me to chase them!" Qin Hu took the solution and drank it all in one gulp, instantly regaining some strength. He gritted his teeth and said, "Brother Ming, I'll go with you. We must wipe out these bastards!" Huang Yiming led Qin Hu and several Qi Refining cultivators in pursuit of the Black Stone Sect's temporary stronghold, leaving clear tracks along the way. Throughout the journey, his aura remained locked onto the fleeing Black Stone Sect cultivators, never daring to relax for a moment. Half an hour later, they arrived at the hidden cave stronghold, guarded by two low-level cultivators with faint auras at the entrance.

"Attack!" Huang Yiming shouted, charging forward first. A pistol shot rang out, and two guards instantly fell to the ground. Hearing the commotion, the Black Stone Sect cultivators inside the cave immediately surged out, engaging Huang Yiming and his group in fierce combat. Huang Yiming, relying on his Qi Refining Level 3 strength and the power of his pistol, was unstoppable; Qin Hu, on the other hand, swung his fists at the lower-level cultivators. Although his cultivation was not high, his physical strength was formidable, and he fought with considerable force.

Soon, all the Black Stone Sect cultivators inside the cave were defeated. Huang Yiming entered the cave and found it filled with a large amount of spiritual herbs and plundered supplies, as well as several imprisoned refugees—clearly, they had been kidnapped by the Black Stone Sect earlier. He ordered the refugees released, collected all the supplies, and prepared to take them back to Yiming Village. But just then, he found a secret letter in a corner of the cave. Upon opening it, his expression instantly turned serious: the letter stated that the Black Stone Sect and Wang Kun of the Qingyun Sect had secretly colluded, agreeing to attack Yiming Village together in three days to divide up the spiritual veins and the resources of the dual realms; all of this was being observed by the Qingyun Sect Master, who deliberately condoned it, with the aim of thoroughly understanding Huang Yiming's strength and the secrets of the dual realms.