Su Chen awoke. Over the past three years, he had plundered every obtainable spiritual item in the depths of the mountain range. He had left nothing behind—first-grade, second-grade, or third-grade.

As for fourth-grade treasures…He had discovered two, but both were already claimed by the two overlords who ruled the inner mountain range. Those two overlords were fourth-grade demon beasts, equivalent to human Spirit Sea realm experts. A Spirit Sea realm cultivator stood at the level of the Green Mist Sect's sect master.

Su Chen could not afford to provoke them for now… but he soon would be able. His cultivation had already reached the peak of Spirit Gathering. He had accumulated enough energy for his first nirvana.

Once completed, not only would his cultivation advance further, but his bloodline and talent would also improve, granting him faster cultivation and greater innate combat strength. However, he could not undergo nirvana yet. The process required a long period of time.

"Strange. Why is there such a commotion in the outer region?"

Su Chen flew into the sky and saw both demon beasts and human cultivators. Humans were hunting demons, and demons were hunting humans. No wonder he had noticed fewer demon beasts in the inner region lately. They had all migrated outward. The sudden surge of demon beasts in the outer area had naturally drawn the human sects to launch a joint extermination.

Su Chen had no intention of getting involved in this conflict. But just as he was about to leave, he caught sight of a familiar figure in a dire situation. Chen Tianyi was being chased.

"If I survive this, I will repay today's grudge tenfold—no, a hundredfold!"

Chen Tianyi was covered in blood. He had been pursued from the outer region all the way into the inner region.

"Chen Tianyi, hand over your fortuitous encounter and I may spare your life," said the man behind him. He moved as lightly as a swallow and as fiercely as a tiger or leopard. His aura was vastly stronger than Chen Tianyi's. Greed filled his eyes as he stared at the fleeing figure ahead.

The number one genius of the Green Mist Sect—Chen Tianhu!

Although they shared the same surname and a distant blood relation, Chen Tianhu was determined to kill Chen Tianyi. To do so without leaving traces, he had hidden his true cultivation until they entered the mountain range and began hunting demon beasts. Only then did he reveal his full strength.

Chen Tianyi had been nothing more than a worthless, idle disciple of the Chen family. In just a few short years, he had risen dramatically and now stood shoulder to shoulder with him. Who would believe he had no special opportunities?

Chen Tianhu did not believe it. He had coveted Chen Tianyi's fortune for a long time and had finally found the perfect chance.

Sensing Chen Tianhu closing in, Chen Tianyi shouted, "Chen Tianhu, you're robbing a fellow disciple of his opportunity and trying to kill him! Aren't you afraid the sect master and elders will punish you?"

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Chen Tianhu laughed coldly. "Punish me? I am the sect master's son and the number one genius of the Green Mist Sect. If I kill you here, no one will ever know. I only need to say you died in a demon beast's mouth. Who would investigate? Who would waste time and energy on a dead man? Fortuitous encounters are not meant for people like you. In the cultivation world, only the ruthless can survive!"

Chen Tianyi's heart trembled violently, his mind going blank. Chen Tianhu's words pierced him like a sharp sword. He had been too naïve, believing that displaying talent would earn him the sect's nurturing. In truth, his rapid rise had already been noticed, and others had simply been waiting for an opportunity.

Despair washed over him. He was only at the eighth layer of Spirit Gathering. How could he escape the grasp of a Spirit Vein realm expert? The only reason he had lasted this long was by constantly visualizing the crow's movements in his mind, which allowed him to erupt with unprecedented speed. But his energy was finite. He could not compare to a true Spirit Vein realm powerhouse.

"Am I… really going to die here?"

Chen Tianyi closed his eyes. Hot blood splashed across his cheek. Yet he still seemed conscious?

Lying on the ground, Chen Tianyi groggily opened his eyes. He saw a bisected corpse with a black figure standing atop it.

It was that crow!

"Brother Crow… is that you?"

Chen Tianyi looked at Chen Tianhu's corpse, then at the crow, feeling as if he were in a dream. The crow had become even more majestic. Perched on the corpse, it looked down upon the world with disdain. He could hardly believe it.

Su Chen glanced at Chen Tianyi, then flew away without a word. The cultivation method he had demonstrated years ago was more than enough for this foolish kid to use for the rest of his life.

Saving Chen Tianyi this time was merely a momentary impulse born from old affection. He needed to find a quiet place to begin his nirvana.

Chen Tianyi watched the departing figure, then struggled to his feet with a bitter smile. "Brother Crow's strength… has grown even stronger."

Chen Tianhu, who now lay dead on the ground, had been the Green Mist Sect's top genius—a Spirit Vein realm expert with the potential to reach Spirit Sea or even Spirit Soul realm in the future.

Yet he had died just like that. Unfortunately, Brother Crow clearly did not want much interaction with him.

Chen Tianyi still had many things he wanted to say, but in the end, they all turned into a soft sigh. After all, he was human, and Brother Crow was a demon.

...

After rescuing Chen Tianyi, Su Chen paid him no further attention. It was time for him to undergo nirvana. This first nirvana would bring his first true transformation.

Su Chen found a suitable location, set up a formation to conceal himself, and began his first nirvana.

Winter passed and spring arrived. Summers turned to winters.

In the blink of an eye, ten years had gone by.

Su Chen's body had slowly undergone transformation and was now approaching the final step. Meanwhile, after leaving the demon mountain range, Chen Tianyi had changed tremendously.

With Chen Tianhu dead, Chen Tianyi replaced him as the Green Mist Sect's number one genius. Although the sect master was furious and grief-stricken over his son's death, he did not make things difficult for Chen Tianyi.

Perhaps Chen Tianhu had been right. The cultivation world was cruel. When weighing benefits and losses, even one's own children were not that important.

Over these ten years, the image of the crow in Chen Tianyi's mind grew clearer and clearer. He felt his cultivation speed increasing faster than ever. After so long, how could he not realize that the crow carried a great secret?

Chen Tianyi frequently returned to the mountain range, hoping to find that crow again. Unfortunately, ten years passed and he saw countless crows, yet never again encountered the one he called Brother Crow.

Forty years old was the prime age for a man to strive. The Green Mist Sect had arranged a marriage alliance for him with a disciple from another major sect. He needed to bring the betrothal gifts and visit in person.

"I should leave behind some descendants first, then focus on my ambitions," Chen Tianyi thought. He had heard that the woman from the allied sect was said to be exceptionally beautiful.