While being held in Lin Li's hand, Ye Fan also began to tally up the gains from the recent battle.
Before the battle, Ye Fan, who had already evolved into a low-grade magical weapon, had only a few thousand evolution points and just over a thousand energy points.
But now…
"Open the system panel!"
With a thought, Ye Fan looked at the data on the system panel and immediately felt a surge of joy: "This harvest is indeed bountiful!"
"And this is only the beginning! Once we enter the Demon Sect outpost, the rewards will be even greater!"
[Host]: Ye Fan
[Sword Name]: Bloodthirsty Demon Sword
[Quality]: Low-Grade Magical Weapon
[Passive Skills]: Bloodthirst (Able to absorb blood to nourish the sword and transfer part of the energy to the host)
Curse (The sword contains strong resentment, and if the user's strength is insufficient, they will be plagued by bad luck)
[Active Skill]: Massacre
[Evolution Points]: 32,189 / 200,000
[Energy]: 3,999
"Already over 30,000 evolution points and nearly 4,000 energy points!"
Ye Fan thought, "By the time this mission at the Demon Sect outpost is over, the evolution should be within reach! This cultivation world war has come at just the right time!"
However, Lin Li had no idea what the sword in his hand was thinking.
As he approached the group, a smile appeared on his lips. He scratched his head in feigned embarrassment as he got closer and said with a grin, "Everyone, I'm really sorry!"
"These demonic rats have harmed many people in Danyang County. I became furious at the sight of them and acted impulsively, leaving the group on my own. I apologize!"
"Hmph! At least you know now!"
Wei Heng, the captain of the Xuantian Sect Sword Faction, snorted coldly but said nothing more.
The other two Xuantian Sect disciples, however, looked at Lin Li with admiration and excitement.
"Junior Brother Lin, you're amazing!"
"Junior Brother Lin, you're so strong!"
"That move with your Jinghong Sword just now was truly impressive!"
However—
The captains of the other two sects frowned and began to reprimand him:
"So you do understand that leaving the group on your own was wrong?"
"It's fortunate that we didn't encounter stronger enemies this time. But if your actions had caused our formation to falter and we had faced real danger, how would you take responsibility?"
"Furthermore, you were far too reckless! You've already consumed so much spiritual energy. What will you do when we enter the Demon Sect outpost later?"
Faced with the captains' scolding, Lin Li could only rub his head and awkwardly say, "I'm truly sorry. It won't happen again next time!"
However, in his heart, Lin Li thought differently: If I hadn't left the group this time, how would I have broken through to the second layer of Foundation Establishment? Next time, it's not that I won't do it, but that I definitely will!
…
The twelve-member team, after passing through the demonic beast-filled forest, finally reached the edge of the Red River.
At this moment, the moon was still nowhere to be seen.
However, without the forest obstructing their view, they could finally make out some of their surroundings.
The Red River stretched for several miles and was over twenty meters wide, with its waters churning violently.
If they were ordinary mortals, there would be no way to cross the river without a boat.
But everyone present was a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Although they hadn't yet learned the ability to fly through the air like Golden Core cultivators, crossing a mere twenty meters of the Red River wasn't a problem.
Each person used their respective methods.
The captain of Zhengmiao Sect raised his hand, releasing a boat-shaped magical tool.
As soon as it was released, the small boat expanded with the wind, transforming into a two-meter-long vessel that carried the four Zhengmiao Sect members across the Red River.
The four from Tianjue Mountain each conjured an umbrella.
After opening the umbrellas and performing their incantations—
A strong wind arose!
Although they didn't fly, their bodies became significantly lighter, allowing them to walk across the river's surface!
As for the Xuantian Sect Sword Faction, their captain, Wei Heng, took out four talismans.
"These are flying talismans crafted by our Talisman Sect disciples. Once activated, they can provide a few minutes of flight, more than enough to cross this river."
He distributed the talismans.
Lin Li infused spiritual energy into the flying talisman.
Instantly, the talisman ignited without wind!
At the same time, Lin Li felt his body become as light as a feather. With a light tap of his foot—
Whoosh!
Lin Li shot forward.
In midair, it was as if a "wind brick" had formed beneath his feet. Each step felt as solid as if he were stepping on the ground.
Combined with Lin Li's already impressive cultivation, each step propelled him several meters forward!
Crossing the twenty-meter-wide Red River took only a dozen steps before he reached the opposite bank.
"We're very close to the Demon Sect outpost now, everyone be cautious!"
The group then proceeded carefully into the depths of the dense forest.
…
Deep within the forest—
The demonic aura was thick!
Serpents, insects, rats, and ants crawled all around.
In the area where the demonic energy was densest, forming greenish-black mist that blocked the sun and obscured vision from the outside world—
There stood numerous wooden barricades.
Within the barricades were two-story wooden buildings.
The first floor housed a large number of caged demonic beasts, while the second floor was occupied by the Demon Sect disciples.
At this moment, nearly all of the Demon Sect disciples had rushed out from the second floor, quickly heading toward the center of the barricades—where a massive stone altar stood, beside a large wooden hall!
In front of the altar were four guardian protectors, eight hall masters, and sixteen incense masters, all of them staring solemnly at the altar.
In the center of the altar stood an elderly man dressed in blue-green robes.
This old man was the leader of the Demon Sect outpost!
Beside the old man was a massive, three-meter-tall blue-green toad!
This toad was even more powerful than the Green Python King—it was the "Guardian Beast" of the Demon Sect outpost!
With a serious expression, the blue-green-robed elder asked, "Are you telling me the Green Python King wasn't killed by a combined effort of the sect disciples, but by a lone disciple in the first layer of Foundation Establishment?"
"Yes, Lord Altar Master!"
"The disciples witnessed it with their own eyes!"
"The Green Python King had already succeeded in its ambush, but unexpectedly, that kid unleashed a burst of golden light, with sword energy shooting in all directions, slicing the Green Python King into pieces!"
"Hiss?!!!"
The Demon Sect disciples around the altar all gasped in shock when they heard this, exclaiming, "A first-layer Foundation Establishment disciple was able to kill the Green Python King on his own?!"
"How is that possible?!"