Chapter 5: What the Hell Is This?

Silence.

No one paid attention to Yue Hongling.

Three days later, Yue Hongling stormed back to the Grand Dao Sect, heading straight for Lu Ye’s residence.

At this moment, Lu Ye was preparing to condense his core.

Yue Hongling raised her foot, ready to kick the door open. But when she remembered that she had just made this door herself, she hesitated and held back.

Still, it was obvious—she had no manners. She didn’t knock. Instead, she just pushed the door open and walked in.

"Bang!"

The moment she pushed open the door, a fist came flying straight at her.

She reacted quickly and hastily tried to block it.

But even so, her body was sent flying backward. Her internal energy churned violently, and her face flushed red.

The door slammed shut.

"Lu Ye!"

Yue Hongling was so furious that she didn’t even bother calling him Senior Brother. Instead, she shouted his name outright.

Lu Ye ignored her.

This habit of hers—barging in without permission—had annoyed him in his past life. But back then, he had tolerated it.

There were even times when he was deeply engaged in a conversation with someone, and she would push the door open and walk right in—forcing herself into the discussion.

She had never changed.

But now?

Now, she was nothing.

Yue Hongling took deep breaths. Deep breaths...

People don’t learn from being told, only from being taught the hard way.

For the first time in her life, she knocked on Lu Ye’s door.

Knock, knock, knock!

"Get lost!"

Yue Hongling...

No anger. No anger. Getting mad would only hurt herself.

"Did you take the Perfect Origin Returning Pill from the ancient tomb?"

"No. Get lost."

The words Yue Hongling was about to say got stuck in her throat.

He said no?

He refused to admit it?

"You’re actually denying it? Lu Ye, how did you become like this?"

Lu Ye didn’t answer.

"Answer me!"

Lu Ye didn’t answer.

"If you have the guts to steal the pill, then have the guts to open the door!"

"Stop hiding in there and pretending you’re not home. I know you’re inside!"

"Lu Ye, open the door!"

The door opened. Yue Hongling’s face lit up with a triumphant smirk.

However, what greeted that smirk was—

A fist.

A swift and ruthless punch.

"Bang!"

A fist landed directly on Yue Hongling’s bright, spirited eye, sending her stumbling backward.

Tears streamed down uncontrollably.

"I’m going to kill you!"

Yue Hongling let out a piercing scream. She had completely lost it and charged at Lu Ye with reckless abandon.

And Lu Ye—

He respected every opponent.

Come. Attack me.

And be beaten to death.

A white figure suddenly descended gracefully, blocking Yue Hongling’s suicidal charge.

"Hongling, calm down!"

Yue Hongling stopped. One of her eyes was already swollen black and purple—evidence of how much force Lu Ye had used.

"Master... wuwuwu... he hit me..." Yue Hongling couldn’t take such humiliation. She didn’t even know if she was crying because her eye hurt or because her heart did.

Bai Qiulan frowned slightly and looked at Lu Ye.

"Why did you hit your junior sister?"

Lu Ye gave a straightforward answer, full of respect.

"Because I wanted to."

Bai Qiulan: ...

"Master, look at him!"

Bai Qiulan let out a quiet sigh.

"I understand that you hold resentment in your heart. But she is still your junior sister."

Lu Ye’s lips curled into a faint smirk.

"And that means she can barge into someone else’s room without knocking?"

"That I have to respond to her even when I don’t want to?"

Bai Qiulan’s brows furrowed even tighter.

"Forget it, let’s not dwell on this. Hongling, why are you looking for your senior brother?" Bai Qiulan asked.

She knew that Lu Ye carried resentment in his heart. A little resentment was understandable—after all, considering what had happened, who could remain completely free of bitterness?

"He took the Perfect Origin Returning Pill. I need it, and he doesn’t, so I wanted to ask him for an exchange." Yue Hongling spoke with grievance.

Bai Qiulan immediately understood.

Among the eight of them, Yue Hongling had the weakest talent. Back then, just to keep her by his side, Lu Ye had invested an immense amount of effort.

"Since your junior sister needs it, and you have no use for it, why not give her the Perfect Origin Returning Pill? If you lack anything, just tell me, and I will retrieve it for you," Bai Qiulan suggested.

Lu Ye shook his head lightly.

"Sorry, but I need the Perfect Origin Returning Pill as well."

"Impossible! Your talent is so high, you don’t need the Perfect Origin Returning Pill to condense your core at all!" Yue Hongling protested indignantly.

"Exactly, Lu Ye! Your talent is extraordinary. With your cultivation, you can form a Saint-Tier Core without the need for the Perfect Origin Returning Pill!"

"I said I need it, so I need it. If there's nothing else, stop bothering me!" Lu Ye replied impatiently, ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) turning to leave.

"Lu Ye! Do you really think that without the Perfect Origin Returning Pill, I won’t be able to form a Saint-Tier Core?" Yue Hongling was on the verge of exploding.

Lu Ye paused in his steps and turned around.

A Perfect Origin Returning Pill appeared in his hand.

Yue Hongling and Bai Qiulan were both stunned.

Especially Bai Qiulan—she suddenly had the feeling that this child might finally be learning his lesson.

Then, right in front of them, Lu Ye opened his mouth and swallowed the Perfect Origin Returning Pill.

Without a word, he turned and left.

Just like that.

Both Bai Qiulan and Yue Hongling stood frozen in place.

"Bang!"

The door slammed shut.

The two remained silent.

"So... he wasn’t like this before..."

Bai Qiulan tried to understand Lu Ye’s actions. After all, they had indeed wronged him in the past, but he was at fault first, wasn’t he?

Now that they had a second chance, wouldn’t it be better to set things right? Did he really have to be so heartless?

Yue Hongling clenched her teeth so hard she nearly shattered them.

"I refuse to believe that without the Perfect Origin Returning Pill, I can’t form a Saint-Tier Core!"

"I will succeed, and when I do, I will make you eat your words!"

She shouted toward Lu Ye’s room.

Lu Ye ignored her. He had already begun forming his core.

Bai Qiulan watched as Yue Hongling stormed off in fury, but suddenly, she felt an icy chill creeping over her body.

Had the temperature dropped?

She looked up at the sky.

The sun was shining brightly.

—

Breakthrough successful!

As expected—a Saint-Tier Core.

This meant that the flaw from his first step in cultivation, which had not reached the absolute limit, had now been remedied.

Cultivation was like constructing a skyscraper.

Every step was crucial. If any step was flawed, as the tower grew taller, that flaw would be magnified infinitely.

Back then, in his previous life, he had suffered countless hardships trying to compensate for this very flaw in his foundation.

He had thought of many methods, but none had worked.

This was why he had such absolute confidence in forming his core this time.

Because he had simulated it countless times.

After breaking through, he continued his training without hesitation.

His strength soared at an astonishing pace.

Four days—he advanced to Second Layer Core Formation.

Sixteen days—he reached Third Layer Core Formation.

Thirty days—he broke through to Fourth Layer Core Formation.

As his cultivation continued to rise, the divine abilities that originally belonged to him began awakening one after another.

—

While Lu Ye was in the midst of his relentless cultivation, Chu Sword Manor was also experiencing some interesting events.

Chu Ling had returned to Chu Sword Manor and once again became the pampered young lady adored by all.

To ensure her safety, the manor even assigned eight elite guards to protect her at all times.

However, Chu Ling soon noticed something unusual.

Her biological parents... were gone.

She inquired about it and was given an answer by Zeng Shuiyue:

Because of your disappearance, your parents lost all attachment to Chu Sword Manor and decided to return to their hometown.

Chu Ling accepted the explanation. After all, her parents had already received a great deal of wealth. Returning to their hometown would allow them to live a good life.

Another piece of news—Chu Si had vanished.

She asked Zeng Shuiyue, who told her that Chu Si had left the manor to wander the world in search of fortune and opportunities.

Surrounded by familial love once again, she indulged in the warmth of her home.

Unbeknownst to her, the final step in the forging of the Demonic Sword was about to arrive.