From Sword to Slaughter: Evolution

The Lion Mercenary Group had many warriors—far more than the few dozens that had just been killed.

"Besides, this was only one of their vice-captains. From what I know, they have three vice-captains in total," Ren Xing said calmly.

"Three!?" Huang Conghui was stunned and blurted out in shock.

"Of course, you wouldn't know. The Lion Mercenary Group has been expanding rapidly. They now have the support of the city lord of Qingcheng and the city lord of Tiancheng. It's the largest mercenary group in the region," Ren Xing said coldly.

Upon hearing Ren Xing's words, the others swallowed nervously. The realization that the Lion Mercenary Group had grown this powerful left them with a sense of dread. Now that they had made enemies of them, what would happen next?

"Will this affect you, City Lord?" Huang Conghui hesitated for a moment, then voiced his concern.

"Not at all. After all, I killed them under the name of your Steel Mercenary Group," Ren Xing chuckled darkly.

Hearing Ren Xing's words, everyone else couldn't help but feel a chill down their spines. Especially Huang Conghui—his scalp tingled with fear. It was clear now; they were locked in a deadly feud with the Lion Mercenary Group.

"Don't worry, as long as I'm here, nothing will happen to you," Ren Xing grinned wickedly.

Looking down at the Yao Zhan Sword in his hand, his eyes gleamed with a fanatical light. "After absorbing all that blood, it seems this sword has become even sharper."

He recalled how the weapons of the Lion Mercenary warriors had shattered so easily against the Yao Zhan Sword, and excitement coursed through him. The sword was thirsty for blood—it needed more to grow stronger.

"For now, let's rest here for the night," Ren Xing said, turning his gaze toward Huang Conghui and the others.

"We're not moving forward?" Huang Conghui asked, surprised.

"Not today," Ren Xing replied. "Bury the bodies. The rest of the Lion Mercenary Group won't realize what's happened right away."

Ren Xing had done his homework before coming here. He knew the Lion Mercenary Group had split into smaller squads, each guarding different parts of Tian Valley. The group he had just eliminated was only one of many.

"The soonest they'll find out will be tomorrow," Ren Xing added. "Let's see how things develop then."

Having found a spot, Ren Xing sat down cross-legged and began his cultivation.

"You really thought this all through..." Huang Conghui muttered under his breath, realizing how dangerous and calculating Ren Xing truly was.

The Steel Mercenary Group members began to bury the bodies of the slain warriors.

"Captain," one of the Steel Mercenary Group men approached Huang Conghui nervously, glancing at Ren Xing in the distance with a fearful expression.

"What is it?" Huang Conghui asked.

"Those bodies... All the blood was drained from them," the man said, his voice trembling.

Hearing this, Huang Conghui's eyes widened slightly in shock.

The man was right. After Ren Xing had killed them, he had pierced their bodies with the sword, one by one. At first, it seemed strange, but now it made sense—the sword, Yao Zhan, was not normal.

"Don't think too much about it. Just finish burying the bodies," Huang Conghui instructed.

The man nodded and went back to his task.

"Ren Xing... He's become truly terrifying," Huang Conghui murmured as he watched Ren Xing sit cross-legged, deep in cultivation.

Shaking his head, Huang Conghui decided it was best not to overthink things. Following Ren Xing might be dangerous, but it could also be rewarding. Ren Xing was devious and cunning, far beyond his own ability to scheme.

Meanwhile, Ren Xing was immersed in his cultivation, his right hand gripping the Yao Zhan Sword. His cultivation speed had increased drastically. The energy from the surrounding air flowed into his body at an incredible rate.

It felt exhilarating.

With the [All-Attribute Boost], Ren Xing could absorb energy from the environment at a pace that was astonishing.

"If I'd gotten this sword sooner, I might have already reached the seventh tier by now," Ren Xing muttered to himself as he cultivated. "To think this sword was in the hands of that useless Lin San."

"But it's mine now," he smiled, knowing that with enough blood to nourish the Yao Zhan Sword, reaching the ninth tier wouldn't be out of reach.

Excitement filled him at the thought.

"Speaking of Lin San, he's still not dead, huh?" Ye Fan's voice echoed in Ren Xing's mind.

"The longest surviving sword master yet," Ye Fan chuckled. "I wonder how long Ren Xing will last."

...

As night fell, Ren Xing continued his cultivation.

"Someone's coming!" Huang Conghui, standing watch at the foot of the mountain, suddenly felt a presence approaching.

The Steel Mercenary Group quickly stood up, ready for battle, gripping their weapons tightly. They were now clad in the armor of the Lion Mercenary warriors, some of which had been damaged by Ren Xing's sword, but most were still intact.

"They don't look like Lion Mercenary members," Huang Conghui said, his sharp eyes spotting a group of warriors approaching. Their attire suggested they were independent martial artists, not part of a formal mercenary group.

"Brother Hu, I can feel it. The energy in Tian Valley has grown much denser. The ancient ruin is about to open!" one of the warriors exclaimed excitedly.

"Of course, I calculated it. The ancient ruin will open within the next three days," said a man referred to as Brother Hu.

"But where are the Lion Mercenary Group members?" Brother Hu asked, puzzled.

"This place belongs to me," a voice suddenly echoed.

Brother Hu and his men looked up to see Ren Xing and the Steel Mercenary Group standing atop the hill.

"Who are you?" Brother Hu frowned, immediately sensing that these people, although wearing Lion Mercenary armor, didn't seem to belong to the group.