I'm invincible once I descend the mountain; the beautiful CEO is forcing me to get our marriage

Lin Chanyi was still slumped on the ground as she watched Ye An walk to the charred corpse.

Ye An reached out and placed his hand lightly on the young sect leader's crown.

A faint blue light appeared in his palm, and the corpse visibly withered and weathered away, eventually turning into a pile of ashes like a piece of burnt paper.

Amidst the ashes, a fist-sized, earthy-yellow ball of light floated up, emanating a thick, pure aura.

Ye An flicked his finger, and the ball of light disappeared into the jade pendant on his chest.

After doing all this, he acted as if he had simply dusted himself off, relaxed and casual.

Lin Chanyi watched this series of actions, her mouth slightly open, unable to utter a single word.

She had witnessed murder.

To be able to refine a living person, bones and flesh, directly into a ball of light...

Her mind was in turmoil. Her previous understanding of martial arts and magic was completely shattered and then rebuilt tonight.

After disposing of the body, Ye An ignored Lin Chanyi and stood there lost in thought.

"This Earth-Based Technique, though crude, does indeed bear some resemblance to Foundation Establishment stage cultivation methods, albeit incomplete."

He made his judgment.

"So, does this mean that Foundation Establishment stage cultivators really existed on Earth in ancient times?"

Once this idea came to mind, many things became clear.

Whether it's the Yin-attribute cultivation techniques of the Heavenly Fiend Sect, the alchemy of the Medicine King Valley, or even the Thick Earth Technique of the Giant Mountain Sect, the origins of these lineages have all been explained.

The internal energy cultivated by ancient martial artists may be a degraded version of some cultivation method.

If a civilization dedicated to cultivating immortality truly existed, then...

Ye An's eyes lit up.

Even if that civilization has disappeared into the long river of history, it must have left behind some caves, magical treasures, or rare and precious materials.

Finding even one or two of these items would be of great help to his current cultivation.

"I must improve my strength as soon as possible. Only by reaching a higher level can I follow in my master's footsteps."

Ye An silently made up his mind.

He wasn't worried about whether there were any Foundation Establishment cultivators still alive on Earth.

Judging from what I've seen and heard since coming down from the mountain, the Earth's spiritual energy is now severely depleted.

Even if there were truly ancient monsters who survived from antiquity, they would most likely be hiding in some blessed land or grotto-heaven with slightly richer spiritual energy, barely clinging to life, and would not dare to come out and move around at all.

Just like that cultivator we met in the cave filled with fire spirit crystals last time, wasn't he an example of someone who failed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage?

Although it's unclear whether it's due to insufficient spiritual energy or some other reason, it all points to one thing.

In this day and age, laying a foundation is as difficult as ascending to heaven.

However, just because others are having a hard time doesn't mean Ye An is having a hard time too.

He possesses a jade pendant left by his master, which contains a self-contained space and countless martial arts techniques.

The mere depletion of spiritual energy was no match for him.

"The first level of the Pure Yang Scroll, the One Yang Body, has been successfully cultivated, and now I have obtained the essence of Yi Wood and this mass of Thick Earth Essence."

Ye An was making plans in his mind.

"Once you gather the essence of metal and water, you can cultivate the Five Elements Dao Body. Then, with a Foundation Establishment Pill, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage will be almost a certainty."

The Five Elements Dao Body is an extremely rare physique even in the world of cultivation.

Once mastered, not only will one possess unparalleled combat power among those of the same level, but the quality of the immortal foundation one forges in the future will also far surpass that of ordinary people.

Just as Ye An was planning his own path to foundation building, a weak voice, trembling with sobs, interrupted his thoughts.

"Brother Ye..."

Lin Chanyi struggled to get up from the ground.

Her legs were still weak, and she was covered in dust, looking utterly disheveled.

She walked to Ye An's side, lowered her head, and dared not look him in the eye.

"I'm sorry... It's all because of me that you've gotten into so much trouble."

Her voice was soft, filled with deep remorse.

Having killed the young master of the Juyue Sect, this feud is now irreconcilable.

Juyue Sect is an enormous force in Wudong Province. Brother Ye will definitely face endless pursuit next.

And all of this started because of her.

"trouble?"

Ye An snapped out of his daze, glanced at her, and then looked at the several human-shaped ashes on the ground.

He thought for a moment and said very seriously, "It's not a big deal, I just took care of it easily."

Lin Chanyi: "..."

She didn't know how to respond for a moment.

What does "solving it casually" mean?

Those are the young master and three protectors of the Juyue Sect, figures who could roam freely in Wudong Province.

What seemed like a huge disaster to her was, in Brother Ye's words, as insignificant as stepping on a few ants.

Seeing that she still looked worried, Ye An asked, "Is this Giant Mountain Sect very powerful?"

Lin Chanyi was stunned for a moment, then nodded frantically.

"Very impressive! Extremely impressive! Wu Dong Province has one temple, two sects, three schools, and four families. Juyue Sect is one of the three schools, and its members are full of experts. It is said that the sect leader reached the realm of martial arts celestial beings decades ago and has been in seclusion for many years. His strength is unfathomable..."

She became more and more frightened as she spoke, and her voice began to tremble.

"oh."

After hearing this, Ye An responded with a single word.

And then, that was the end of it.

Lin Chanyi looked up at him cautiously.

Ye An's face remained calm, showing no sign of worry.

He really doesn't seem to care about the Juyue Sect.

Lin Chanyi suddenly realized that her worries just now were somewhat unnecessary.

Yes, even the young sect leader who claimed to be immortal was whipped into charcoal. How powerful could that so-called sect leader be?

Perhaps... Brother Ye really can do as he says and wipe out the entire Juyue Sect.

She was startled when the absurd idea came to her head.

One person can destroy a sect that has been passed down for hundreds of years?

How is that possible?

But looking at Ye An's calm face, Lin Chanyi felt that this might not be so impossible.

The wind blowing across the highway carried a burnt smell.

Ye An broke the silence.

He glanced at Lin Chanyi, who was still standing there in a daze, then looked at the mess on the ground, and asked, "What are your plans now?"

Lin Chanyi snapped out of her daze and looked at him blankly.

"Back to the Lin family?" Ye An asked again.

Lin Chanyi immediately shook her head, a hint of sadness flashing in her eyes.

Ye An thought for a moment, then offered two more options: "Go back to Medicine King Valley? Or, why don't you just come with me to Su's Pharmaceutical Company?"

Upon hearing "Su's Pharmaceuticals," Lin Chanyi's eyes lit up for a moment, but quickly dimmed again.

She kept her head down and spoke very softly.

"I'm not going back to the Lin family."

"As soon as Medicine King Valley lost its power, they rushed to call me back. In order to curry favor with Juyue Sect, they wanted to marry me off... That place is no longer my home."

She paused for a moment, then clenched the hem of her clothes.

"As for Su's Pharmaceuticals... my alchemy skills are too poor; going there would only cause you trouble."

She knew very well that not just anyone could stand next to Brother Ye.

My rudimentary alchemy skills are nothing compared to Brother Ye's godlike abilities.

If she goes there, she'll just be a decorative vase, a burden.

She didn't want to be a burden.

Lin Chanyi took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, and raised her head, her gaze becoming incredibly firm for the first time.

"Brother Ye, I want to go back to Medicine King Valley."

"Why?" Ye An asked, somewhat surprised.

"I want... I want to learn your alchemy skills properly, Master." Lin Chanyi looked at Ye An and said earnestly, "Only if my alchemy skills can reach the same level as yours, or even surpass it, can I... can I truly help you."

What she didn't say was that only at that time would she have the right to stand by his side again, legitimately and without question.

Ye An nodded.

"Alright."

Ye An has always believed in the law of the jungle in the cultivation world, where might makes right.

If Lin Chanyi can truly cultivate to the Innate Stage or even higher through her own efforts in the future, he wouldn't mind giving her a hand so that she can truly embark on the path of cultivation.

If she were to fall into misery, Ye An would at most, out of consideration for their past relationship, ensure her safety for the rest of her life.

For him, as long as one can be responsible for their own choices, that's enough.

After sending Lin Chanyi back to Medicine King Valley, Ye An had a half-smile on his face.

"Juyue Gate..."

He muttered something under his breath.

"Relying on a fragmented cultivation technique and absorbing the essence of the dead, you dare to claim immortality?"

Ye An's tone carried an undisguised contempt.

"I really don't know what the true demonic path is."

After saying that, he laughed at himself.

The "Taiyin True Scripture" of the Heavenly Fiend Sect is the supreme demonic art that absorbs Yin to replenish Yang and steals people's cultivation.

However, Ye An simply disdained to use it.

However, when dealing with a sect like Juyue Sect, which claims to be a righteous sect but secretly engages in shady dealings, using some demonic methods doesn't seem excessive.

"I wonder what kind of expressions you'll have when I break down the gates of your Juyue Sect."