If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

Chapter 715 Heaven-Defying Spatial Crack (Foreshadowing - Lifespan Trading Closed Loop - Foreshadowing)

Zhou Yang held the new sword.

The sword was no longer broken. It was entirely dark gold, as if divine metal that had slumbered for millions of years had been awakened. At the hilt, a dragon's head coiled, its scales lifelike. Ancient patterns spread from the pommel to the tip, like the veins of a golden dragon.

Warm.

This is the feel of the sword hilt. It's not as cold as ordinary iron, nor as scorching as fire. It's more like a piece of warm jade; when held in your hand, a warm current will slowly flow from your palm into your limbs and bones.

He felt a blood connection with this sword.

This is the Dragonspine Blazing Sword.

With a thought, Zhou Yang channeled some of his internal energy into the sword.

hum!

A soft sword hum rang out, unlike the sharpness of ordinary weapons, more like the low roar of some primordial beast. The dragon patterns on the sword's blade lit up one by one, golden light flowing around them like breath.

The surrounding air seemed to be distorted by this heat.

Qin Shuang stood to the side, her eyes filled with astonishment. She could sense that the aura of this sword was far stronger than that of the broken blade from before. It was like a small sun, radiating light and heat that made people afraid to look directly at it.

"How are you feeling?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Very good." Zhou Yang's reply was concise. His entire mind was immersed in the resonance with the new sword.

He could feel that his power, through this sword, seemed to connect with something deeper.

What is that?

He raised his sword, its tip pointing towards the empty space ahead. He didn't infuse it with much power, merely maintaining a faint resonance.

Suddenly, he saw a strange phenomenon.

Right where the sword tip pointed, in the empty space, an extremely thin black line appeared.

The black line was so faint, almost like an illusion. It was impossible to detect without careful observation. It was as if a single stroke had been made on an invisible sheet of rice paper, using the finest wolf-hair brush dipped in the richest ink.

Zhou Yang's pupils contracted slightly.

He maintained his posture and did not move.

The black line seemed to be slowly lengthening and widening. A slight, faint suction force emanated from behind it. It wasn't the movement of wind, but rather a pull from space itself.

Qin Shuang also noticed the unusual crack. She gasped, her expression instantly changing.

"Space...this is a spatial rift!"

As a centurion of the Imperial Guard, she was well-informed and naturally knew what this meant. This was a realm that could only be reached by those who had cultivated martial arts to an extremely high level. Some top experts could tear through space and teleport short distances. And even more powerful beings could open passages to secret realms.

But what level of cultivation does Zhou Yang possess? How could he possibly do that?

Zhou Yang ignored Qin Shuang's shock. His attention was completely drawn to the crack.

He could sense that on the other side of the crack was a completely different world.

Chaos, disorder, filled with violent energy. Shattered stars drifted, twisted continents collided, and countless laws he couldn't comprehend intertwined. It was a world of a higher dimension.

He tried to cautiously extend his divine sense a little over there.

boom!

An indescribable pressure suddenly rebounded from the crack. Zhou Yang felt as if his head had been struck hard by an invisible giant hammer. His vision went black, his body swayed violently, and he almost lost his balance.

The Dragon Spine Blazing Sword emitted a rapid buzzing sound and shone brightly with golden light, which finally neutralized the force of the backlash.

very scary!

A mere touch of his divine sense nearly annihilated him. The laws there exerted absolute suppression over the beings of this world.

But there was no fear on Zhou Yang's face.

He took a step back to steady himself. His eyes, however, blazed with an even fiercer fire.

It's not fear, it's greed!

It was the ecstasy of discovering a huge treasure!

"The Rift in the Upper Realm..."

He muttered to himself. For some reason, the word just appeared in his mind so naturally.

Just then, that familiar voice rang out from the depths of his mind.

[An upper boundary fracture has been detected.]

[The rift is temporarily anchored using the Dragonspine Blazing Sword as a key.]

To open a fissure, the following conditions must be met:

[I. A five-thousand-year lifespan, serving as a stable energy channel.]

[II. Establish a blood pact, using one's own essence and blood as a guide to lock onto the coordinates.]

Zhou Yang's breathing suddenly stopped.

Five thousand!

This number, like a mountain, crashed down on his heart.

He had just risked his life to gain two thousand years of lifespan. Now, the system was asking for five thousand. This was outrageous.

More importantly, a blood pact is required. This is no joke. Once the blood pact is established, it's as if he and that upper-realm rift are bound together by an invisible rope. Whether it brings fortune or misfortune in the future, there's no turning back.

The risk is too great.

What about the profits?

Zhou Yang forced himself to calm down.

The Upper Realm!

What kind of place is that? The cultivation techniques, rare treasures, and resources there are probably countless times greater than in this world. If one could obtain something from there and return to this world, wouldn't that be like a game-changer?

It's like a pauper seeing the key to a vault. Even though the price of the key itself is something he couldn't afford even if he sold everything he owned.

But he knew in his heart whether this deal was worth it.

Absolute value.

"Zhou Yang, are you alright?" Qin Shuang asked worriedly as she saw his face changing color. She came over and supported him. "That thing is too strange. We should leave here first."

Zhou Yang waved his hand, indicating that he was fine.

His gaze returned to the tiny spatial rift. The rift was slowly healing, growing increasingly dim. Clearly, with his current internal energy, he couldn't maintain it for long.

Before the cracks completely disappeared, he sheathed his sword and pointed it elsewhere.

The crack did indeed move.

This sword is the key. And he is the one who holds the key.

He closed his eyes and began to check his lifespan status.

Current lifespan: 2,137 years.

Including the previous foundation, that's the total.

We are still a long way from five thousand years ago.

In other words, even if he were willing, he couldn't afford the "ticket price" right now.

A helpless, bitter smile tugged at the corners of Zhou Yang's mouth.

Sure enough, there's no such thing as a free lunch. The system gave him a chance to enter a new world, but the price was terrifyingly high. This wasn't about letting him find treasure; it was about forcing him to risk his life.

He must find more ways to extend his lifespan.

The remnants of the Northern Desert Heavenly Principle Sect, the aftermath of the Dragon Spine dungeon, and that five-hundred-year-old Black Stone Tower... all of these became bargaining chips in his eyes, which could be exchanged for lifespan.

He opened his eyes, his gaze now clear and sharp.

That fleeting elation and greed were firmly suppressed deep within him. In their place came a hunter's calm and calculating composure.

"It's nothing," he said to Qin Shuang, his voice steady. "I just discovered something interesting."

"What exactly is it?" Qin Shuang pressed. She wasn't stupid; from the terrifying pressure she'd just witnessed and the changes in Zhou Yang's expression, she knew things were far from simple.

Zhou Yang glanced at her, then at the Blazing Sun Sword in his hand, which was gradually cooling down.

He did not answer directly.

He simply reached out his left hand and gently stroked the lifelike dragon head on the sword. The warm touch made him feel as if he were holding his own heart.

"An opportunity," he said slowly, "an opportunity that can get us completely out of all our current troubles."

His words were calm, yet carried an undeniable confidence.

Qin Shuang looked at him. The man's profile appeared exceptionally resolute in the wind of the desolate wilderness. His eyes seemed to hold the stars and the sea, as well as an endless abyss. She suddenly felt that she was becoming less and less able to understand him.

But she didn't ask any more questions.

She chose to believe him.

From the moment he placed that black chess piece on the map of the Northern Desert, she knew that this man's ambition was far greater than she had imagined.

The spatial cracks completely disappeared after Zhou Yang withdrew his internal energy. The air returned to calm, as if nothing had ever happened.

Zhou Yang sheathed his sword.

The scalding sensation subsided. The scabbard looked unremarkable, just an ordinary ebony sheath.

But he knew that what he carried in his arms was a door. A door leading to the unknown, to power, and also to utter destruction.

A life spanning five thousand years.

Zhou Yang looked down at his hands.

These hands have killed and saved people; they have wielded knives and swords.

Now, it needs to gain more lifespan to open that door.

This deal has to be done.

But we can't rush it.

He needs to survive first, gain a foothold first, and acquire enough capital first.

He raised his head and looked at the rolling sand dunes in the distance.

The wind blew, stirring up clouds of yellow sand. The sunlight was blinding, baking the earth until it was scorching hot.

"Let's go back," Zhou Yang said.

"Go back where?" Qin Shuang asked.

"Let's go back to our tower." A faint smile curved Zhou Yang's lips. "Let's make it our strongest home."

There, five hundred years of lifespan await him to collect.

With these five hundred years, he will be one step closer to his goal of five thousand years.

One step at a time.

In this desolate northern desert, Zhou Yang set himself a clear and ruthless goal.

Chapter 716 The Gate to the Upper Realm Rift (Power Accumulation - Lifespan Trading Closed Loop - Power Accumulation)

The journey back to the tower was much faster than the journey there.

Zhou Yang walked ahead, carrying the newly transformed "Dragon Spine Blazing Sun Sword." The sword was heavy, pressing firmly against his palm, giving him a real sense of weight. This weight reassured him.

Qin Shuang followed half a step behind him. She didn't speak, her gaze occasionally sweeping over the sword in Zhou Yang's hand, then settling on his profile. The wind and sand of the Northern Desert were strong, and both of their faces were covered with a layer of ash, their hair slightly disheveled and plastered to their foreheads.

"That sword..." Qin Shuang finally couldn't hold back and spoke.

"It's very expensive." Zhou Yang interrupted her without turning his head. "It's so expensive that even if we sold this entire desert, we couldn't afford to lose money."

Qin Shuang pursed her lips, swallowing back the question that was on the tip of her tongue. She was used to it. This guy put a price tag on everything. It seemed that only things with a price tag were real in his eyes.

The two of them, one in front of the other, climbed over the last sand dune.

The solitary stone tower came into view.

Zhou Yang stopped in front of the huge bluestone slab at the base of the tower. He squatted down, stretched out his finger, and gently wiped away the thick layer of dust accumulated on the surface of the slab.

My fingertips touched the cold stone, and a strange tremor traveled through my skin. It felt like something was breathing beneath the stone slab, one breath after another.

Faint, but clear.

"This is it." Zhou Yang stood up and dusted off his hands.

Qin Shuang frowned as she looked at the ordinary stone slab: "This is what you called...the door?"

"It's not even a door." Zhou Yang untied the wine flask from his waist, unscrewed the lid, and took a swig. The pungent liquid rolled down his throat, burning his stomach. He exhaled a breath of alcohol, his eyes sharpening. "It's more like a hole that hasn't been dug yet."

He needs the key.

Or rather, we need a "hammer" that can pry open the rules.

Zhou Yang closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into his body.

That familiar, semi-transparent interface reappeared. The numbers on it fluctuated, eventually settling on a value that both brought him peace of mind and a pang of heartache.

Current remaining lifespan: 5200 year.

Five thousand two.

I worked myself to the bone, killing monsters and crafting divine weapons, and finally managed to accumulate this little bit of wealth. Now, I'm going to gamble away most of it in one go.

This feeling is awful. It's like a miser melting down all the silver ingots he's saved up his whole life and pouring the liquid into the mud to build a road.

Zhou Yang took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

"System," he murmured to himself, "Exchange for 'Blood Pact Unlocking'. Target: Upper Realm Rift."

[Confirm activation?]

[Lifespan required: 5000 years.]

[Upon confirmation, the host's remaining lifespan will be reduced to 200 years.]

The system's notification tone remained cold and monotonous, devoid of any emotion. Even if the host were to die in the next second, it wouldn't utter a single unnecessary word.

"confirm."

Zhou Yang's answer was summed up in one word: crisp and decisive.

Without hesitation, without wavering. Because he knew that these five thousand years of lifespan bought him not just an opportunity for advancement, but also the right to survive in this messed-up world. If you don't want to be a pawn, you have to become a player. If you want to be a player, you have to get on the table first.

[Deal completed.]

[Life expectancy is being deducted...]

The next second, excruciating pain struck.

This pain was unlike any before. It wasn't physical tearing, nor was it mental strangulation. It was a kind of "withering" that erupted from the depths of the soul.

Zhou Yang felt his body instantly transform into an old tree in late autumn. Life was forcibly stripped away, green leaves turned yellow, dried up, and fell, leaving only a cracked trunk.

His skin lost its luster at a visible rate, becoming ashen and rough. The veins on the back of his hands bulged, like twisted tree roots on a dried-up riverbed. His black hair lost all color in an instant, turning as white as snow.

He looked as if he had aged fifty years.

A deep sense of exhaustion washed over him like a tidal wave. It was the depletion of his vitality, the body's instinctive cry of despair.

Zhou Yang swayed, his legs buckled, and he almost knelt on the ground.

A hand steadily supported his arm.

The hand was cold, yet it was trembling slightly.

Qin Shuang stared at the man before her, who had suddenly become hunched and aged, her pupils contracting sharply. She bit her lip, a flicker of panic and pain crossing her eyes, her voice trembling: "Zhou Yang…you…"

Zhou Yang didn't have the strength to explain. He patted Qin Shuang's hand with his other hand; the hand was frighteningly thin, and the skin was like a layer of dry paper.

"Don't panic." His voice was hoarse and rough, like sandpaper scraping against a table. "The deal... isn't finished yet."

He broke free from Qin Shuang's support and forced himself to stand up straight.

This lifespan cannot be wasted. Every minute and every second must be worthwhile.

He raised his withered hand and bit his fingertip.

A drop of crimson blood seeped out. This drop of blood, at this moment, felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. It carried five thousand years of time, condensing the most essential years of a life.

Zhou Yang suddenly waved his hand, flicking the drop of blood onto the bluestone slab.

"open!"

The word was uttered as if a thunderclap had exploded.

The once calm bluestone slab suddenly trembled.

The drops of blood that fell on it did not flow; instead, they seeped in instantly, like a red-hot iron meeting butter.

"Boom!"

A muffled rumble came from deep underground. The sound wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling, oppressive quality. The entire stone tower shook, and dust fell in swirling dust.

The sand beneath my feet began to tremble, and the fine grains of sand jumped up and down as if boiling water.

Immediately afterwards, a blinding light burst forth from the cracks in the stone slab.

That wasn't ordinary light.

It was pure white, so white that it was impossible to look directly at it, so white that it evoked a sense of holiness and fear.

Within the light lay extremely pure spiritual energy of heaven and earth. This energy was a hundred or even a thousand times more concentrated than the polluted air of the lower realm. Just by taking a breath, Zhou Yang felt as if the life force within him, which was on the verge of depletion, had been soothed.

"Buzz—"

The sound of the air vibrating grew increasingly sharp.

The stone slab finally couldn't withstand the surging force inside and cracked with a "crack".

A massive rift rapidly expanded before the two. Within the rift, there was no darkness, only an overwhelming column of white light shooting straight into the sky.

The beam of light pierced through the top of the stone tower, like a sharp sword cutting through the sky, connecting to higher and farther places in the heavens.

A strong wind suddenly rose from the ground.

The wind carried the aura of the upper realm, causing people's clothes to flutter wildly. Zhou Yang's full head of white hair danced wildly in the wind.

Qin Shuang instinctively raised her arm to shield her eyes from the blinding light and strong wind. She squinted, peering through her fingers, and stared in shock at the illogical scene unfolding before her.

Is this... the path to the upper realm?

At the center of the pillar of light, a winding staircase could be vaguely seen. The staircase was not a physical structure, but rather formed of some kind of condensed energy, suspended in the void, stretching all the way to the horizon.

"Is this the place you're looking for?" Qin Shuang shouted, trying to drown out the wind.

Zhou Yang stood in front of the pillar of light without turning around.

His back was hunched and aged, yet his posture was ramrod straight. Facing that light that could devour everything, he felt no fear, only an almost greedy longing.

That was a thirst for power. A thirst for survival.

He reached out, feeling the power from the upper realm washing over his body. This power felt both familiar and dangerous to him.

"Five thousand years of capital," Zhou Yang muttered to himself, his voice breaking in the wind, "In exchange for an admission ticket. Whether it's worth it or not depends on this one-off deal."

He turned around and looked at Qin Shuang.

At this moment, his face was aged like that of an old man, and deep weariness was hidden in the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. Only his eyes remained astonishingly bright, burning with a flame called ambition.

He extended a hand towards Qin Shuang.

That hand was dry, pale, and had prominent veins.

"Let's go, big spender." Zhou Yang grinned, revealing an ugly smile. "The tickets are already bought. If you don't want to be thrown into a muddy swamp in the lower realm, hurry up."

Looking at him like this, Qin Shuang felt a mix of emotions.

She knew what Zhou Yang had sacrificed. It was his lifespan, an irreversible price.

Without hesitation, she reached out her fair and slender hand and tightly grasped that withered palm.

"If you dare to die on the way," Qin Shuang whispered through gritted teeth in his ear, "I'll sell your corpse to pay off my debts."

The warmth of Qin Shuang's hand reached Zhou Yang's palm. That little bit of warmth flowed into his heart through his meridians, slightly warming his heart, which had become cold due to the loss of his lifespan.

"rest assured."

Zhou Yang closed his fingers and held her hand tightly.

"My life..."

"It's very expensive."

As soon as they finished speaking, the two of them stepped into the towering pillar of light without hesitation.

The moment the body came into contact with the beam of light, a strong sense of weightlessness enveloped the entire body.

The world around me began to spin and distort.

The stone tower, the desert, and the sky were all rapidly receding into the distance, becoming blurred and indistinct.

Consciousness became hazy at that moment. Only the tactile sensation of the clenched fist in my palm was real and clear.

Zhou Yang took one last look at the familiar world beneath his feet.

This desolate northern desert, this chessboard that had trapped him for so long.

Bye now.

The light shone brightly, completely engulfing the two figures.

The stone tower still stands amidst the wind and sand. Only the bluestone slab has been completely shattered, leaving a bottomless black hole, like a giant eye, coldly gazing at the sky.

As the sandstorm began to rise, it quickly buried the broken stones.

All traces have been erased.

Chapter 717 Title: The First Meal in the Upper Realm: Blood Food

Text content

The feeling of weightlessness lasted only a moment.

The next moment, Zhou Yang felt like a tattered sack, being thrown down hard from a great height.

Gravity transformed into an invisible giant hand, gripping his body and slamming him violently to the ground.

Pfft.

A muffled thud.

He was completely stuck in a wet, sticky swamp.

The warm liquid instantly enveloped his limbs, carrying a sweet, fishy smell that rushed into his nostrils. The smell was like blood that had been left to rust for over ten days, mixed with the strange odor of rotting swamp plant roots.

He barely managed to open his eyes.

The world is red.

A dark purple sun hung in the sky above. The dim light made the whole world seem as if it were soaked in blood.

The mud beneath our feet was dark red, constantly bubbling and gurgling. In the distance, strangely shaped plants grew twisted and contorted, their leaves also deep red with sharp thorns along the edges.

Is this... the Upper Realm?

There was no ethereal mist or magnificent palaces as I had imagined.

There was only a depressing, lifeless, and decaying blood-red wasteland.

Zhou Yang tried to sit up, but found his limbs felt like they were made of lead and wouldn't obey him. Every breath pulled at his chest, causing a heart-wrenching pain.

He looked down and noticed that the wound from Chen Qianhu's spear, which had pierced him earlier, was still bleeding, even though it had closed. As soon as the blood flowed out, it was immediately repelled and assimilated by the dense surrounding air, turning into strands of terrifyingly pure energy that dissipated into the air.

No, it's not assimilation.

It was plunder.

Zhou Yang's expression changed drastically.

The spiritual energy here, or whatever it might be, was too violent. It was like countless invisible steel needles, piercing his skin, drilling into his meridians, and tearing at his flesh.

His body, which had just been pushed to its peak by the lifespan system and then drained of its essence, was now like a leaky bucket, unable to retain any power whatsoever. He couldn't even protect himself, let alone absorb spiritual energy.

The surrounding air is the most deadly poison.

"Cough...cough cough!"

He coughed violently, and with each cough, more blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. As soon as the blood beads left his body, they were greedily sucked away, as if they were offerings from the celestial realm.

He had completely become a living food.

"Zhou Yang!"

Qin Shuang's panicked cries came from beside him.

She was also thrown a short distance away, in slightly better condition than Zhou Yang. As a cultivator with an innate sword-heart clarity, her body had a stronger affinity for spiritual energy. But here, that affinity was negligible.

The violent energy was also eroding her, but her constitution was stronger, and she could barely resist.

She saw Zhou Yang lying in the bloody mud, his wounds bursting open, his face as pale as paper, and her heart clenched.

She scrambled over, ignoring the sticky, disgusting sensation, and reached out to help him up.

"Don't move!" Zhou Yang shouted hoarsely. "Don't come any closer!"

The spiritual energy here is also harmful to her.

Just then, a series of splashing sounds came from the surrounding swamp.

Something was attracted by the smell of blood.

Heh...heh...

A low, labored breathing sound, like a broken bellows being pulled, came from all directions.

One head, two heads, three heads...

A dozen or so monsters emerged from the dark red muddy water.

They were larger than ordinary wolves, with thick limbs and their bodies covered in grayish-white bony armor. Sharp bone spikes protruded from the gaps in the armor, revealing their ferocious nature. Their heads were devoid of flesh, consisting only of complete wolf skulls, with a ghastly green light flickering in their two dark eye sockets.

Skeleton Wolf.

Qin Shuang's delicate eyebrows furrowed instantly, and she immediately drew the sword from her waist, "Autumn Water".

The sword's blade was as clear as an autumn pool, reflecting her solemn face.

"Stay put!" she said to Zhou Yang in a deep voice, holding her long sword and looking around warily.

Zhou Yang wanted to say something, but he barely had the strength to open his mouth. He could only watch helplessly, his heart burning with anxiety. He was now nothing but a useless piece of trash, a burden that held him back.

This feeling is worse than killing him.

The skeletal wolves slowly approached in a fan shape. They did not howl, but stared intently at their prey with their empty eye sockets, their pale green tongues licking between their white teeth, making a teeth-grinding grinding sound.

Their target is clear: the one lying on the ground bleeding is the best prey.

Hey!

One of the skeletal wolves lost patience first, and with a sudden kick of its hind legs, it transformed into a gray-white arrow, rushing straight at Zhou Yang.

"court death!"

Qin Shuang shouted sharply, flicked her wrist, and the Autumn Water Sword drew out a sharp sword flower.

"Frosty Sky Sword Technique, First Form: Cold River!"

With a single thrust, the temperature of the air around the sword seemed to drop, carrying a chilling sword intent as it precisely pierced the skeleton wolf's neck.

Clang!

A piercing clang of metal clashing.

Qin Shuang felt a sudden, violent jolt in her wrist, and her hand went numb instantly, making it almost impossible for her to hold the sword.

Her sword left only a faint white mark on the neck bone of the skeletal wolf.

The opponent's bone armor is incredibly hard!

In Jianghuai, her sword strike was enough to cut through ordinary iron armor, and could even cleave a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator in two.

The monsters here are from a completely different dimension.

The skeletal wolf staggered from the stab, clearly enraged. It roared, spewing a foul, putrid stench, and swung its head, trying to bite off Qin Shuang's sword.

Qin Shuang made a quick decision and immediately let go and retreated.

Just as she retreated, two more skeletal wolves pounced from both sides, attacking the space in front of her.

Their cooperation even carried a hint of cunning.

Qin Shuang's face paled, and she could only awkwardly roll over to temporarily avoid the attack. But as she retreated, the path to Zhou Yang was completely opened.

The skeletal wolf, which she had stabbed, once again set its sights on Zhou Yang, who was lying motionless on the ground.

"Don't even think about it!"

Qin Shuang gritted her teeth and advanced instead of retreating. She swept her Autumn Water Sword horizontally, the sword light as smooth as a ribbon, forcing back the enemies on both sides. At the same time, she exerted force with her feet, her whole body like a fluttering butterfly, trying to block Zhou Yang.

But she was fast, and the skeletal wolf was even faster.

The third and fourth wolves joined the battle at the same time.

Four skeletal wolves surrounded Qin Shuang. They no longer attacked rashly, but instead circled around, searching for an opening. Their pale green eyes scanned back and forth between Qin Shuang and Zhou Yang.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Qin Shuang's forehead.

My breathing started to become rapid.

The air here was terrible; every breath felt like swallowing knives. Not only did it fail to replenish her depleted inner energy, it also continuously eroded her body. Her movements had begun to slow down.

The wolf pack, however, seemed endless, growing larger and larger with each passing day.

"Zhou Yang..." She turned around and glanced back, her voice trembling slightly, a tremor she herself was unaware of.

Zhou Yang clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms.

He sacrificed a great deal of his lifespan in exchange for immense power, yet he couldn't even withstand the first encounter with the Upper Realm.

This is not his style.

When have you ever been so pathetic, Mr. Jiaqian?

He wanted to move, even just a finger. But his body felt like it was being crushed by a massive boulder, and he couldn't muster any strength at all.

ho-

One of the skeletal wolves outside the encirclement seemed to have lost patience. It suddenly lunged forward, its target Qin Shuang's back.

Qin Shuang sensed the danger and turned around to parry the sneak attack with her sword.

However, this was just a facade.

Just as she turned her sword back, a skeletal wolf that had been lurking in front of her moved.

Its movements were as fast as lightning. It dug through the mud with its front paws, lowered its body, and instead of pouncing on Qin Shuang, it rammed its head into Qin Shuang's lower abdomen at a tricky angle.

Bang.

A dull thud.

Qin Shuang let out a muffled groan, her entire body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the mud. The Autumn Water Sword in her hand flew out and, with a soft thud, embedded itself in the red soil not far away.

Her vision went black, a sweet taste rose in her throat, and she nearly spat out a mouthful of blood, but she forced it back down.

opportunity!

In the eyes of the wolves, the green light shone brightly.

Without any command, the skeletal wolf closest to Qin Shuang let out a roar, used its hind legs to propel its massive body, which carried a foul stench, and pounced on Qin Shuang, who had just fallen to the ground.

The immense impact made her vision go black for a moment.

The skeletal wolf pressed one of its front paws firmly against her shoulder, sharp bone spikes piercing her clothes and digging into her flesh. Blood gushed out instantly, only to be greedily absorbed by the monster beneath it.

A sharp pain shot through her, and Qin Shuang's brows furrowed tightly.

She struggled to push the monster off her, but its weight was far beyond what she could handle in her current state.

The skeletal wolf let out a triumphant growl.

It lowered its head, its dark eye sockets fixed on Qin Shuang's face, which appeared somewhat pale due to blood loss.

Then, it opened its gaping maw.

Its sharp, white teeth, interlocked, and its mouth, filled with sludge and putrid stench, resembled a portal to hell. Slowly, very slowly, it bit down towards Qin Shuang's fair and slender neck.

Chapter 718 Title: Lifespan Stealing! A New Way to Play

His pearly white teeth fell out in a staggered pattern.

The stench of decay sprayed onto Qin Shuang's face.

She could even see the dark bits of meat left between her teeth.

The shadow of death has never been so clear.

Qin Shuang closed her eyes. Her eyelashes trembled slightly.

She no longer had the strength to struggle.

Just then.

A hand emerged from beneath the skeletal wolf.

The hand was thin and dry, stained with blood, its five fingers spread wide like a desperate claw. It had no strength; it simply rested on the skeletal wolf's neck.

The skeletal wolf paused in its movements.

It seemed to ignore this dying struggle.

Its head was lowered, and a cruel green light gleamed in its dark eye sockets. It wanted to bite off the woman's neck and suck her blood and flesh dry.

The owner of that hand was Zhou Yang.

Excruciating pain. Tearing pain. It felt like even the bones were screaming.

His vision blurred. Everything was blood red.

My lungs felt like broken bellows, each breath carrying the smell of rust. My internal organs felt as if they had been struck by a giant hammer, already shattered.

He was dying.

The thought was crystal clear.

But he saw Qin Shuang.

She was lying right in front of him, less than a foot away. The monster was about to bite her.

My money... my life...

It can't end like this.

This thought, like a red-hot iron rod, pierced Zhou Yang's scattered consciousness. He didn't know where the strength came from, but his body suddenly arched, and the veins in his arms bulged.

He gripped the skeletal wolf's neck tightly.

Enraged by this sudden resistance, the skeletal wolf raised its head and let out a shrill howl. It abandoned Qin Shuang and instead used even more ferocious strength to try to break free from Zhou Yang's grasp.

Zhou Yang's hand bones were cracking.

He felt as if he were gripping not bone, but a red-hot iron. His strength was rapidly draining from his fingertips.

He couldn't hold on any longer.

Just when he thought his finger would break first, a cold, emotionless voice echoed deep in his mind.

[Energy compatible with the laws of the higher realm: Essence Blood Source.]

[System functionality is being fine-tuned...]

[Fine-tuning complete.]

[New Feature Unlocked: Life Steal.]

[Note: The host can passively plunder the life essence of targets killed and convert it into their own lifespan.]

Zhou Yang's pupils suddenly contracted.

Lifespan plundering?

He almost thought he was hallucinating.

Killing enemies can increase one's lifespan?

This... what kind of insane gameplay is this!

He's been sacrificing his life for power. Now, there's actually a way to recover?

The skeletal wolf struggled more and more violently. Zhou Yang's strength was waning.

He had no time to hesitate.

Live!

This instinct overwhelmed everything.

He stared at the skeletal wolf's jaws, which were opening and closing so close to him, and a low, beast-like growl rolled down his throat.

He let go.

It's not about giving up.

But just as the skeletal wolf lowered its head to pounce again, he used his last bit of strength to flip himself onto the wolf. He hung on the skeletal wolf like a tattered sack.

His face was pressed against the skeletal wolf's neck.

There was no flesh and blood there, only stark white bones.

But right at the joint, there was a faint, flickering light, like a will-o'-the-wisp. That was its lifeblood.

Zhou Yang opened his mouth and bit down hard!

chap!

Teeth and bones rub against each other, making a tooth-grinding sound.

Several of his teeth broke instantly, and his mouth was full of blood. What he tasted was not wolf blood, but a cold, deathly flavor.

wrong!

Zhou Yang's mind was in complete chaos.

What he wants to consume is its very essence!

He gave up tearing at the bone and instead frantically searched along the neck.

Finally, his tongue touched something moist.

It was a place not completely covered by bones, with skin as tough as leather and pulsating blood vessels underneath.

Without hesitation, Zhou Yang, like a truly hungry wolf, bit through the skin with his teeth and then brought his mouth close to it.

The blood, cold and fishy, ​​mixed with the taste of earth, rushed into his mouth.

He swallowed instinctively.

My throat is burning and sore.

But the next moment, a completely different feeling emerged.

A warm sensation slid down his throat.

Very faint. Like a thin line of water on a dried-up riverbed.

But this warm current carried an indescribable life force. It flowed into every part of the body, and wherever it passed, the excruciating pain seemed to lessen. It repaired the broken tendons and nourished the shattered internal organs.

Zhou Yang was startled.

it works!

He ignored the nausea and frantically inhaled the substances.

The skeletal wolf let out a painful howl. It frantically shook its body, trying to shake off the "parasite" attached to it.

Zhou Yang clung to the wolf like a leech, using both hands and feet to wrap himself around it.

The lifespan panel inside his body was flashing wildly.

[Remaining lifespan: 199 years... 198 years... 197 years...]

The process of consuming blood also consumes his life force. This is the price he must pay to maintain his "predatory" state.

But then...

[Target: Skeleton Wolf (Remnant Soul State). Plunder Successful.]

[Lifespan granted: 5 years.]

[Remaining lifespan: 202 years.]

Zhou Yang was overjoyed.

not enough!

He's going to suck it dry!

The life force within his body was flowing back at a rate faster than it was being consumed.

[Remaining lifespan: 205 years.]

The numbers have stabilized.

Zhou Yang opened his mouth.

He sensed that the last bit of life force in the skeletal wolf's neck had been completely extinguished.

The massive corpse crashed down, pinning him beneath it.

All around, there was a deathly silence.

He was panting heavily.

Every breath aggravated the wound in his chest. But unlike the despair of being on the verge of death before, now, although he was still weak, he felt like a deflated balloon being slowly filled back in.

He pushed away the skeletal wolf corpse on top of him and struggled to sit up.

He looked at his hands.

It was stained with wolf blood. Thick and warm.

He touched his chest again. The wound was still there, but it didn't hurt as much anymore.

Five years.

He only sucked a little blood, but gained five years of life.

Zhou Yang's lips parted uncontrollably, revealing a somewhat ferocious smile.

He looked at Qin Shuang, who was still unconscious not far away. Her face was pale, but her breathing was steady. She should be alright.

Look around. The little monsters summoned by the skeletal wolves have turned to dust with the death of their master.

He survived.

Not only did they survive, they also found a path they had never taken before.

In the past, he killed enemies to clear obstacles, to complete missions, and for Qin Shuang's bounty.

Now, he has an even more direct and fundamental reason.

As long as you kill, you can live.

Zhou Yang's eyes turned deep and cold. He looked at the gray sky in the distance, as if he could see countless life bars hanging overhead.

The enemy is the walking lifespan.

This is the right way to play this world.

He stood up, walked to Qin Shuang's side, and squatted down. He extended his still trembling fingers and checked her breath.

The warm breath brushed against his fingertips.

Good, his sugar daddy is still alive.

Zhou Yang withdrew his hand, sat down cross-legged, and began to regulate his breathing. The newly gained five years of lifespan acted like a shot in the arm, giving him the confidence to recover.

He needs to recover his strength as soon as possible.

Then, they go looking for more "prey".

Chapter 719 Title: Burning Through a Century, Developing the "Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique"

Zhou Yang stood in the blood-soaked valley, his gaze piercing through the rotting flesh and shattered bones. The remains of the skeletal wolf lay scattered on the ground, the blood dried into dark red scabs. The bloodstains resembled spreading ink in the setting sun. Qin Shuang had already clutched her shoulders, her breath still trembling slightly.

"Direct absorption is too slow," Zhou Yang said in a low voice, his voice tinged with impatience. "And every time I absorb it, the violent spiritual energy burns my meridians." He raised his hand to his chest, his fingertips slightly warm. Blood-red lines writhed on his skin, like marks left by a raging fire.

Qin Shuang narrowed her eyes, staring at him. "Is there any other way?"

Zhou Yang remained silent for a moment, a calculating glint in his eyes. The system's values ​​scrolled through his mind: "Lifespan +100 years." He chuckled softly, his voice devoid of any hesitation.

"Burn for a hundred years." He placed his hand on his chest, as if pressing his lifeblood into his palm. Then, he closed his eyes, his blood surging rapidly. The system interface lit up in his mind, the countdown deducting numbers like a hammer striking.

Lifespan—100 years—was crossed out.

A sharp pain spread from his chest throughout his body. A small section of Zhou Yang's hair instantly turned a glossy black, like charcoal being reignited. His blood boiled, sweat rolled down his face, but it couldn't alleviate the heaviness in his body. A profound buzzing sound echoed in his mind, like a crack in the universe opening within his chest.

"Deducing the initial version of the 'Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique'." He murmured the name of the technique. His voice was like a thin mist drawn from the abyss, carrying a chill. The system automatically began to synthesize it, and the light points intertwined into a dense network within his body.

The deduction process wasn't instantaneous. Each infusion of spiritual energy felt like pressing a segment of his life onto a knife's edge. The throbbing of his blood was suppressed to almost silence. Zhou Yang's fingers gripped his clothes tightly, his nails drawing fine lines of blood.

Time lost its meaning here. The system's progress bar slowly filled up, the last segment lighting up. The scriptures of the cultivation technique appeared in his mind, like an ancient scroll. Though the text was short, it contained the profound secrets of transforming the violent power of the upper realm into one's own.

After the deduction was completed, Zhou Yang's body regained its elasticity as if struck by a heavy hammer. His breathing became steady, and the pain in his chest gradually subsided. His black hair swayed slightly, its luster shimmering in the twilight.

Qin Shuang stood not far away, her brows slightly relaxed. She nodded gently, her voice calm: "It seems you're ready."

Zhou Yang stood up, his steps slightly unsteady yet still firm. His hands clenched into fists, a faint blue light rippled in his palms. He turned his gaze to the decaying skeleton of the wolf, its bones still retaining a faint warmth of spiritual energy.

"Devouring Spirit and Transforming Essence Technique, activate," he whispered. He lightly tapped the Qi node on his chest, and Qi flowed into his body like a thin stream. Immediately, a pale blue light pattern spread outward from his palm, rushing straight towards the skeleton.

The light patterns touched the wolf's remains, instantly erupting into a blazing sphere of light. The sphere of light devoured the shattered bones and flesh, and spiritual energy was absorbed into Zhou Yang's body. The entire process took only a moment.

He felt his meridians being rearranged by the new cultivation method; the violent spiritual energy no longer sted, but flowed gently. The absorption speed increased tenfold, and the color of his blood deepened, like a bottle of red wine infused with vitality.

A look of approval flashed in Qin Shuang's eyes. She stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder: "If this continues, your lifespan will burn out even faster."

Zhou Yang laughed, his smile showing no fear whatsoever: "If my lifespan isn't enough, I'll just buy some more." His words carried his usual flippancy, but also concealed a deeper calculation.

They stared at each other for a few seconds, then turned away. Zhou Yang stepped onto the mountain path, his steps heavy, but he continued towards the distance. Qin Shuang stood still, watching his figure disappear into the twilight.

The wind in the valley began to blow, stirring up dust from the wreckage. Bloodstains were scattered in the wind, as if erased by time. Zhou Yang had only one thought in his mind: to burn for another hundred years and develop an even stronger technique.

His footsteps faded into the distance, echoing through the frigid valley. New power brewed within him, like a volcano about to erupt. Zhou Yang knew that the next move in the game was already set, and he was the sharpest blade.

The starlight in the sky gradually brightened, reflecting on the stone walls of the valley and casting dappled shadows. Zhou Yang's figure was elongated, like a streak of light cutting through the night sky. In the distance came the howl of wolves, like a low murmur of praise to the new life force.

He didn't look back. The road ahead was treacherous, but with enough lifespan, he could turn everything in his way into stepping stones. He would burn for a hundred years, just to reach that one moment of glory.

[End of Chapter]

Chapter 720 Title: Dimensional Reduction Attack! You're Too Weak

Text content

Only the sound of the wind remained in the valley.

The howling wind whipped up dust, sweeping across the jagged rocks.

Zhou Yang's breathing was somewhat erratic. His chest felt tight, as if a stone was pressing down on it. The aftereffects of burning a century's worth of lifespan hadn't completely dissipated. Every movement pulled at the feeling of unease deep within his body.

But he stood up.

His gaze swept across the front.

There are seven more.

Seven skeletal wolves surrounded him and Qin Shuang. They didn't pounce immediately, but instead let out low growls. Their bone claws scraped against the stones, making a harsh "crackling" sound.

They are testing the waters. And waiting.

Waiting for this seemingly crumbling human to collapse on its own.

Zhou Yang's lips curled into a smile. It wasn't a smile, but more like a cold confirmation.

New techniques need test subjects.

And these monsters that came to our doorstep were just what we needed.

"come over."

He uttered two words. His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the empty valley.

The skeletal wolves seemed enraged by those two words. One of the larger ones suddenly kicked off the ground with its hind legs, transforming into a white blur as it lunged straight at Zhou Yang's face! The chilling wind from its claws, carrying a putrid stench, brushed against his face before he even got there.

Faced with this fatal blow, Zhou Yang did not dodge.

He didn't even change his posture.

He simply raised his right hand.

The cultivation technique of "Devouring Spirit and Transforming Essence" circulated in his mind. The process of developing this technique had consumed a hundred years of his lifespan, but now it was engraved in his soul like a brand, and he could use it at will.

A black dot appeared on his right palm.

The black dot began to spin, faster and faster. An invisible suction force emanated from it. The air around the palm seemed to thicken. The black dot eventually transformed into a deep black vortex.

There was no light, no sound. Only pure, chilling emptiness.

Just as the wolf's claws were about to tear through his skin, Zhou Yang's right hand reached out to meet them. Instead of blocking the claws, he pressed directly against the huge wolf's head.

The vortex in his palm pressed precisely against his forehead.

"Buzz..."

A barely perceptible muffled sound, as if it came from the depths of the soul.

The skeletal wolf's movements abruptly ceased. It remained in its lunging posture, but its entire body was frozen, as if it had been struck by a pressure point.

The ghostly blue soul fire flickering in the wolf's eye sockets suddenly trembled.

Then, like a candle flame in the wind, it was suddenly extinguished.

Dead silence.

The next moment, a terrifying change occurred.

The hard, metallic-looking bones lost their luster at a visible rate, becoming gray and shriveled. The wisps of energy that had originally adhered to the bones transformed into invisible streams of blue energy, frantically surging into the vortex in Zhou Yang's palm.

This skeletal wolf was like a punctured balloon, rapidly "deflating".

Its life essence, whether energy or the last trace of spirituality, was being mercilessly devoured and refined by that vortex.

In just three or five breaths.

A fierce skeletal wolf has been reduced to an empty shell lying on the ground. Its bones have become incredibly fragile, as if they would crumble into powder at the slightest touch.

Zhou Yang withdrew his hand.

The vortex in his palm slowly disappeared.

A pure, warm current flowed from his palms into his limbs and bones, repairing the meridians damaged by burning his lifespan and replenishing his depleted vital energy.

The hunger pangs in my stomach have lessened. The dizziness has also subsided considerably.

He felt...much better.

"I see."

Zhou Yang muttered to himself.

This "Spirit Devouring and Essence Transformation Technique" is specifically designed to counter the natural enemies of such energy life forms. It doesn't rely on brute force; it directly attacks the source, absorbing everything from the opponent and converting it for its own use.

This is the true meaning of "equivalent exchange".

He looked up at the remaining six skeletal wolves.

They had stopped all movement and were just standing at a distance. Their empty eye sockets seemed to convey an emotion called "fear."

Their instincts told them that the human in front of them was dangerous.

This is a million times more dangerous than the seriously injured woman from before.

Zhou Yang gave them no chance to think or escape.

He moved.

He took a step forward and flashed like a ghost in front of the second skeletal wolf.

It's still the same simple action.

Raise your hand and press down on the head.

"Buzz".

The black vortex reappeared.

The skeletal wolf's body trembled violently as it tried to struggle, but found itself as if crushed by an invisible mountain, unable to move. It could only watch helplessly as its power, its very existence, was sucked away by the terrifying vortex.

Once again, it turned into a withered skeleton.

A warm current surged into my body again.

Zhou Yang's condition improved again.

This is no longer a battle.

It's harvesting.

He was like a hardworking farmer, harvesting ripe fruit in his own field.

Turn around, raise your hand, and take a picture.

Turn around again, raise your hand again, and slap it down again.

Every movement was clean and efficient. Not a single action was superfluous. In the valley, only the dull "humming" sound and the faint "crack" sound of bones turning to ash remained.

Zhou Yang was immersed in this cycle of plunder and replenishment.

He could clearly feel his body being filled. The weakness was dispelled, replaced by a long-lost sense of fullness and strength.

His eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He stopped when the last skeletal wolf turned into a pile of bone fragments under his palm.

The valley fell completely silent.

Only a pile of dry bones remained, bearing witness to what had just happened.

Zhou Yang stood still and exhaled a long breath.

This breath was no longer a weak white mist, but carried a faint gray-black hue, as if it had expelled impurities from the body.

He felt more powerful than ever before.

The meridians are strong and resilient, and the blood and qi are surging. When you clench your fist, a muffled sound can be heard in the air.

Just then, a cold yet familiar voice rang in his mind.

Kill 6 skeleton wolves

[Draw upon the essence of life, and your lifespan will increase by 312 years]

[Total lifespan absorbed +317 years]

Current remaining lifespan: 425 years

Zhou Yang's heart skipped a beat.

317 years!

Adding to the 5 years given by the first wolf, this wave has replenished his lifespan by more than 300 years!

He had burned for a full hundred years, and not only did he make up for it all, he also made a net profit of more than two hundred years!

This "Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique" is practically a money-making artifact tailor-made for him!

He looked down at his palms. The skin was smooth and full of strength. There was no trace of the aging he had recently undergone due to burning through his lifespan.

He felt the surging power within him, then looked at the remains of the skeletons on the ground, and a thought arose in his mind.

"You are too weak."

This is not sarcasm, but simply a statement of fact.

Faced with absolute "dimensional reduction attack", any struggle is meaningless.

He ignored the mess on the ground and walked straight to Qin Shuang's side.

He crouched down and checked her breath again.

His breathing was much longer than before. Although he was still unconscious, his complexion had regained some color. His excessive blood loss had clearly had some subtle effects on him while he was absorbing the energy from the skeletons.

This might be because when the "Devouring Spirit and Transforming Essence Technique" was refining energy, some of the pure primordial energy that escaped was absorbed by her, who was very close by.

Zhou Yang nodded.

His benefactor is now living a more stable life. Only then has his "investment" paid off.

Without further hesitation, he gently lifted Qin Shuang into his arms.

The woman's body was light and soft to the touch. But Zhou Yang had no mind to appreciate those sensations. He simply adjusted his position to make her more comfortable.

Then, he looked up and gazed out of the valley.

The night was already deep.

But his eyes shone with an alarming light.

A lifespan of over four hundred years, a god-level plundering technique, and a surge in strength.

It's time to change the way we play in the Jianghuai region.

He carried Qin Shuang, took a step, and his figure quickly disappeared into the shadows of the valley. Only scattered bones remained, whispering in the night wind the birth of a new king.

Chapter 721 Title: The Black Pearl in the Swamp

Zhou Yang carried Qin Shuang as they walked through the mountains and forests.

He is very fast.

Each step he took was firmly planted on the most stable spot. The night wind brushed against his cheek, carrying the dampness of grass and trees. The woman in his arms was quiet, her breathing steady, but her face remained pale.

He needed to find a safe place. A place where she could heal her wounds and where he could recuperate.

Deep in the mountains, he discovered a stone wall hidden by vines. At the base of the wall was a recess, like a shallow natural cave. The entrance was dry, and ventilation was adequate. That was enough.

Zhou Yang carefully laid Qin Shuang down, letting her lie down against a smooth stone. He took off his tattered coat, folded it, and placed it under her head.

After doing all that, he straightened up and looked at his hands.

His skin remained loose and wrinkled. His hair was still snow-white. The cultivation technique that burned through a century of lifespan had taken a heavy toll on his body. The additional four hundred years of lifespan were like a drop in the ocean, barely keeping him afloat.

He desperately needs energy. A lot of energy.

The "Soul Devouring and Essence Transformation Technique" has been perfected. This technique is extremely domineering, capable of directly plundering the life essence of living beings. He needs a hunting ground.

Zhou Yang's gaze swept across the forest. There were too few skeletal wolves here, and they weren't very strong either. Even consuming ten or eight of them probably wouldn't be enough to replenish the hundred years of lifespan he had burned.

He remembered a place.

On the other side of the valley lies a swamp. It is perpetually shrouded in miasma, and ordinary people and animals dare not approach it. But it is precisely because of that danger that many strange poisonous creatures and monsters have sprung up there.

Perhaps, that is his treasure trove.

Zhou Yang took one last look at Qin Shuang. Her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she were feeling pain even in her dream.

"Wait for me," he whispered, as if reassuring her, and also as if speaking to himself.

He turned around, his figure disappearing into the night outside.

The entrance to the swamp was well hidden. Zhou Yang pushed aside the last clump of ferns taller than a person, and the view suddenly opened up before him.

A pungent smell, a mixture of rotting vegetation and muddy odor, assaulted my senses. The air was damp and stifling, like a soaked blanket wrapped around my body. Underfoot was dark green mud, soft, sticky, and slippery; each step required some effort to pull one out.

Dead silence.

There was no sound. No chirping of insects, no calls of birds. Even the sound of the wind seemed to have been swallowed up by this thick, sticky air.

Zhou Yang didn't rush into anything. He stood still, closing his eyes. The "Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique" slowly began to circulate. A strange feeling spread through his mind.

He can "hear" the pulse of life around him.

Very faint, intermittent.

Most of them are low-level poisonous insects with little energy; even inhaling them would be too gritty.

But he was patient. His perception was like an invisible net, sweeping across the swamp inch by inch.

Suddenly, deep within the swamp, he detected a relatively strong life signal.

The signal was filled with rage and bloodlust. Skeleton wolves! And they were much stronger than the ones we encountered in the valley before.

Zhou Yang opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing within them.

He walked in that direction. His steps were light, as if he were floating on mud, making almost no sound. The closer he got, the stronger the stench of decay in the air became.

The puddles contained the corpses of some unknown creatures. A layer of colorful, oily sheen shimmered on the surface of the water, making it appear extremely poisonous.

Beside a dead, strange tree, he saw the skeletal wolf.

The wolf's skeleton was even larger, almost as big as a calf. A thin layer of black mist swirled around its bones, and two eerie green flames flickered in its eye sockets. It was tearing into the carcass of a giant swamp crocodile, eating with relish.

Zhou Yang remained silent. He quietly circled around to the back of the skeletal wolf.

The new technique is perfect for testing on you.

He pointed his fingers together like a sword, and from his index and middle fingers, a wisp of gray energy, almost invisible to the naked eye, swirled out. The energy of the "Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique" carried a hint of predatory intent.

laugh!

The force of the energy pierced through the air, silently striking the back of the skeletal wolf's head.

The wolf reacted with lightning speed. It suddenly whipped its head, and its bony tail swept across like a steel whip, accompanied by a whistling sound.

Zhou Yang neither dodged nor evaded. He made a hand seal with his other hand and suddenly activated the newly learned cultivation technique within his body.

"Bound".

He gave a soft shout.

An invisible wave instantly spread out. The skeletal wolf's lashing tail seemed to have hit a wall, halting mid-air. A powerful suction force came from the ground, pulling it firmly to the spot. Its four paws sank deeper and deeper into the mud.

It is a move that comes with the "Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique," called the Spirit Devouring Forbidden Technique.

The skeletal wolf went berserk. It struggled violently, its eerie green flames burning wildly. But the suction force was like a leech clinging to its bones, rendering it unable to move.

Zhou Yang moved. He didn't use any fancy moves. He simply took a step forward and placed his palm on the skull of the skeletal wolf.

"suck."

A tiny vortex appeared out of thin air in the palm of his hand.

The skeletal wolf's body trembled violently. The green flames in its eye sockets dimmed at a visible speed. The bones that made up its body began to lose their luster and turn gray.

A massive amount of life energy, a mixture of violence and death, surged wildly into Zhou Yang's body along his arm.

This feeling...

awesome!

Zhou Yang's face showed an expression of enjoyment. The quality and quantity of this energy were several times stronger than those of the skeletal wolves in the valley. He could feel his parched meridians being nourished by this power, and his aging body cells were regaining their vitality.

The inhalation lasted for about a dozen breaths.

The skeleton of the skeletal wolf completely lost all its energy and crumbled into a pile of ordinary dry bones with a crash.

Zhou Yang withdrew his hand and let out a long breath.

He looked down at his hands. The wrinkles on his skin seemed to have faded a little. He felt a surge of power within him, and the previous weakness vanished.

That's not enough. This amount of energy only restored him to about 20-30% of his original level.

He prepared to search for his next prey. Just as he turned around, he suddenly noticed something among the pile of skeletal wolf bones that hadn't been drained of energy.

It was a sphere, stuck in the center of the wolf's sternum.

Zhou Yang walked over and used his foot to pry open the bones.

It was a bead the size of a fist.

It was entirely black, as if carved from the purest black jade. The surface of the bead was very smooth, yet it emitted a warm, subtle glow. In this dim swamp, this light stood out remarkably.

He bent down and picked up the beads.

It feels warm to the touch and has a slight elasticity. It doesn't feel like a stone; it's more like an organ of some kind of organism.

What is this?

Zhou Yang probed a wisp of the "Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique" energy into the bead. With a hum, the bead trembled slightly, and a vast amount of pure energy returned to it.

This energy... is ten times greater than the total energy of that skeletal wolf from before! Moreover, it is extremely pure, containing no trace of violence or death, only the most primal life essence.

Zhou Yang's heart skipped a beat.

He immediately invoked the system in his mind.

"Identify this item."

[Item: Blood Marrow Essence Pearl]

[Grade: Lower Level of Upper Realm]

[Source: The marrow core condensed within the body of the upper-realm demon beast "Bloodspine Demon Wolf," a collection of its life essence]

[Efficacy: Contains extremely large amounts of pure life energy, which can be directly absorbed, greatly prolonging life and repairing the foundation of the physical body]

The Upper Realm!

Zhou Yang's breath hitched.

This thing actually fell from the upper realm?

He no longer hesitated. What he lacked most right now was this pure life energy. He sat cross-legged, placed the Blood Marrow Pearl on his dantian, covered it with his hands, and then fully activated the Devouring Spirit Transformation Technique.

"suck!"

This time, there was no violent torrent of energy.

The Blood Marrow Pearl trembled slightly. A warm current flowed slowly from the pearl, like a stream, silently seeping into his limbs and bones.

Wherever that warm current passed, everything underwent earth-shattering changes.

His snow-white hair gradually turned jet black, starting from the roots. First, it was his sideburns, then the top of his head, and finally, less than 30% of his original silver hair remained.

The deep wrinkles on his face seemed to have been smoothed out by an invisible hand. His loose skin became firm and elastic again. His withered body, like parched land receiving rain after a long drought, greedily absorbed every drop of dew.

He could even "hear" the crackling sounds coming from his own bones. It wasn't aging, but remodeling. Deep within his bone marrow, new vitality was being born.

This process lasted for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

As the last trace of warmth flowed into his body, the Blood Marrow Pearl in Zhou Yang's hand completely lost its luster, turning into a grayish-white stone, which then crumbled into powder and fell through his fingers.

Zhou Yang slowly opened his eyes.

He raised his hand. It was a young man's hand. Smooth skin, strong knuckles, brimming with explosive power.

He stood up and stretched. His bones crackled and popped. He felt like he could punch a mountain. Every part of his body was brimming with inexhaustible strength.

He subconsciously looked at the lifespan in his mind.

[1525]

1525!

Zhou Yang's heart skipped a beat.

He had a lifespan of less than five hundred years before. One bead added more than a thousand years to his life!

This isn't just getting rich overnight. This is instant ascension to the top!

With over a thousand years of lifespan, he was full of confidence. Let alone deriving a few cultivation techniques, even repairing the fragments of the dragon spine didn't seem like an unattainable task.

A smile involuntarily crept onto Zhou Yang's lips. It was a genuine, heartfelt, and unrestrained smile.

He straightened his clothes and turned to walk back the way he came.

Now, it's time to go see his sugar daddy.

……

When we returned to the cave, the sky was already beginning to lighten.

Qin Shuang was still asleep. But Zhou Yang could tell at a glance that her complexion was much better than before, and her breathing was much more steady.

He sat beside her, watching her quietly.

After a while, Qin Shuang's eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Her eyes were still somewhat dazed. She tried to sit up, but the movement aggravated her wound, causing her to gasp in pain.

"Don't move." A voice rang out from the side.

That sound...

Qin Shuang was stunned. She turned her head and looked at the source of the sound.

The cave was dimly lit. But with the faint light filtering in from the entrance, she could still make out the person's outline.

It wasn't that white-haired old man who looked like he was about to collapse at any moment.

That was a... middle-aged man.

He sat ramrod straight, his back upright. Though his face bore the marks of time, his eyes were sharp, and his complexion was ruddy. His short, jet-black hair gleamed with a healthy sheen in the morning light.

Qin Shuang's mouth opened slightly, uncontrollably.

Her mind went blank. Her last memory was of the skeletal wolf with its gaping maw. And then... and then there was this complete stranger in front of her.

Who is this person?

Why is he here?

She looked at Zhou Yang, her eyes filled with shock, confusion, and a hint of wariness.

Zhou Yang met her gaze, a familiar, slightly roguish smile appearing on his lips.

"Awake?" he asked. "How are you feeling?"