By now, Hong Yuan had pushed the strength of this body to the middle tier of rank three. But limited by the C-rank aptitude of his Aperture, it was difficult to raise his cultivation level further. However, this did not mean his combat power was mediocre. On the contrary, because Hong Yuan chose to major in Blood Tao, with Slave Tao and Sword Tao as secondary practices in the dream realm, his combat power soared swiftly like a rocket! Even the secret technique of refining the body with the Human Strength Equilibrium Flow from the Power Tao had been utilized by Hong Yuan. Today, he could easily defeat higher-ranked enemies!

...

In the Dark Forest, amidst the Misty Mountains, over a hundred pairs of eyes glowing green suddenly appeared. The owners of these green eyes stepped out one by one from the underbrush and from behind the hidden cover of large trees, greedily staring at Hong Yuan, foul saliva dripping from their mouths.

Forest Wood Wolves!

This was a pack of Ferocious Forest Wood Wolves, led by a rank-three Forest Wood Wolf, a Hundred Beast King.

Forest Wood Wolves were a type of Wood Tao Ferocious Beast, large in stature, with entirely green bodies emitting a scent of grass and trees, and their howls were also exceptionally strange. Because they could draw strength from the forest’s flora, Forest Wood Wolves resided in the forest year-round rather than on the plains. Ordinary rank-three Martial Artists surrounded by them could only sit and wait for death. Even some rank-four Martial Artists with weaker combat abilities stood no chance.

"I’m surrounded?" Hong Yuan’s sword-like eyebrows twitched, and he chuckled coldly. "No, it’s you who are surrounded by me!"

A blood-red glint flashed in Hong Yuan’s eyes.

In the next moment, the red Martial Artist attire he wore began to emit a buzzing sound.

BUZZ...

BUZZ, BUZZ...

Thousands upon thousands of tiny Bee Beast Worms swarmed out buzzing, along with a variety of fierce-looking Bee Beast Worms flying out of Hong Yuan’s Aperture. All of them were blood-red, Blood Tao Worms that Hong Yuan had cultivated using Blood Tao methods!

Time and funds were short, so Hong Yuan couldn’t make them as fierce as true Bee Beast Worm armies. However, they were all of the same Blood Tao lineage. This made them highly interchangeable, already possessing full combat power, and thus extremely cost-effective.

"My children, go and feed!" Hong Yuan cackled sinisterly. He gently waved his sleeve, which had reverted to the white of his Martial Artist attire.

The Forest Wood Wolf Hundred Beast King, seeing Hong Yuan summon the countless Bee Beast Worms that formed a red mist, instantly let out a terrified howl.

"AWOOO..."

It was ordering its subordinates to retreat!

But how could Hong Yuan let it have its way?

RUMBLE—

The army of blood-red Bee Beast Worms, like a plague of locusts, surged straight for the pack of Forest Wood Wolves. The gigantic trees and red flowers in their path vanished instantly. The Forest Wood Wolf pack was annihilated, leaving neither blood nor bone, only a few mournful howls echoing in their wake.

Behind them, Hong Yuan took out a rank-three Blood Skull Worm shaped like a burgundy wine goblet. A vast and impure Blood River was carried back by the army of Bee Beast Worms and poured into the Blood Skull Worm. The Blood Skull Worm’s underside seemed to open like a bloody, gaping maw, and it greedily sucked in this impure Blood River.

Before long, waves of a clear, sweet scent wafted from the Blood Skull Worm. To the naked eye, the goblet-like Blood Skull Worm gradually filled with pure blood, forming a brimming Blood Spring.

SPLASH!

Hong Yuan sprinkled this Blood Spring into the Aperture located between his kidneys, and the True Essence in his Aperture grew rapidly. However, no matter what, he couldn’t break through the Purple Jade Crystal Mold that represented the cultivation realm barrier!

Such a vast Blood Tao Source can’t even help this body break through the realm.

Cultivation is so difficult for someone with poor aptitude. Truly troublesome.

It seems the current goal in this dream realm must first be to enhance this body’s aptitude. Absorbing the blood of my own kind to improve its aptitude...

Expressionless, Hong Yuan gently gripped the blood-red Longsword at his waist. He slowly put away the Blood Skull Worm and again vibrated his sleeve; tens of thousands of blood-colored Worms flew back to him in a flurry. These Blood Tao Bee Beast Worms either returned to his Aperture or clung to his white Martial Artist attire, turning its color from white to blood-red.

After doing all this, Hong Yuan slowly drew the blood-red Longsword from his waist. The night was growing late. He needed to return quickly.

"Sword Killing Move—Sword Qi Runs Through the Rainbow!"

FLASH—

A streak of blood-red Sword Light, incredibly fast, flashed across the sky. Hong Yuan’s figure also vanished from the scene, leaving no trace.

...

「The Ye Family of Luochen City.」

In a remote and neglected small courtyard located in a corner of the family estate.

Ye Xiner was there at that moment, feeling worried and distressed about their next meal. The pork offal they had at home was all used up today!

Sigh, it’s bad enough that I don’t have Energy Stones to buy Ferocious Beast meat for Gu Fan to recover, but now I can’t even afford ordinary wild beast meat.

To think that I, a Martial Artist, have fallen to such a state. It’s truly shameful...

Staring at the table with four dishes and a soup, Ye Xiner propped her fair chin, her bright eyes filled with worry.

Not every Cultivator is adept at fighting. Compared to fighting, Ye Xiner was more skilled at cultivating Spirit Plants, caring for young Ferocious Beasts, and other such logistical duties. She used to do that in the past, but now she had been banished from Huosang Garden, losing her job. And in the afternoon, when she went looking for work, she faced setback after setback.

She understood that she was being targeted by the Ye Qinghua clan elders!

"Is it just for a spot to go to the main family? Why target me and Gu Fan like this?" Ye Xiner muttered indignantly, her slender eyebrows arched in anger.

THUD, THUD...

Heavy footsteps sounded from the outer room.