Life and death were an eternal topic in Blood Kill Battlefield.

Although Lin Xun spent his days in the workshop and didn’t go out onto the field, he knew that many empire cultivators died on the battlefield every day and would no longer return…

Like Liu Wen.

The young expert who had once repeatedly provoked, scorned, and ridiculed Lin Xun would no longer appear in the future.

He had died just like that?

Lin Xun felt somewhat melancholic. He had originally been a little angry with him but now felt empty after being told that he had likely disappeared from this world.

Several days passed.

At one of their night gatherings, Hu Tong appeared with a few new faces while several old faces from the Starfrost Mercenary Squad were missing.

“Come, let’s drink. I’ll introduce you to them, these are our newly recruited members…” Hu Tong didn’t explain anything.

A'bi was very silent. Her eyes were red, and she was in low spirits as she drank the whole night away.

Lin Xun understood that the old members of the Starfrost Mercenary Squad likely wouldn’t return.

This was the Blood Kill Battlefield. Familiar faces would disappear every day, never to appear again. They had met their end on the battlefield and even their corpses were irrecoverable, let alone leaving a grave.

“Only when you get accustomed to death will you understand the importance of living,” said Lu Wenting after drinking.

Lin Xun thought that there was perhaps only one method to end all this—exterminate all of the enemies!

However, it was currently a very unrealistic thought.

The empire and the Brute Tribes had warred for several thousand years, but neither side had managed to achieve this.

Was it because they didn’t want to?

No, it was because they couldn’t!

Lin Xun could not help but sigh. Wasn’t the prosperity and stability of the empire bought using the lives and blood of the cultivators who fought at the frontlines?

……

“I wish to use this item as payment to request Founder Lin’s help to craft me a certain tool.”

One day, just as Lin Xun was about to leave after finishing his third request, a cultivator suddenly arrived.

It was a thin middle-aged man with a sharp face that looked like it had been cut by a knife. He gave off a cold and stern presence that was accompanied by an unconcealable murderous aura.

He was called Yan Feng and was an extremely famous lone wolf in the 7th camp. He possessed peak Cyclic Derivation cultivation and was notably ranked 77th on the Blood Wanted List.

Although his ranking was much lower than Lin Xun’s, it was very different for the two of them. Yan Feng had grown his reputation from the steady accumulation of accomplishments on the battlefield and was viewed as an extremely dangerous individual by the enemy.

On the other hand, Lin Xun had risen to fame because he had killed a Half-Step King with a single arrow.

There was a gray stone in Yan Feng’s hand. It was the size of a fist and upon closer inspection, one would notice faint golden veins on the stone’s surface which made it appear very mysterious.

A rune master leaned over and blurted out in astonishment, “Is that a Gold Vein Jade Stone?”

It was a rare and priceless material that could be used to craft rune armaments.

Yan Feng ignored him and continued to look straight at Lin Xun.

“I’ve completed my requests for the day. Come again another day,” Lin Xun offhandedly replied. He had already arranged to meet Lu Wenting, Hu Tong, and the others for another drinking session tonight.

However, Yan Feng stood in his path and earnestly pleaded, “Founder Lin, I need this urgently. Please help me just this once. I will repay this debt.”

Lin Xun frowned. He could tell that this person wouldn’t give up until he agreed.

“Hmph! Do you know how many cultivators come to beseech Founder Lin for help every day? Do you actually believe a mere Gold Vein Jade Stone would make Founder Lin make an exception for you? Leave quickly and stop disturbing Founder Ling. Otherwise, you’ll be in trouble if General Zhangsun finds out!”

A rune master stepped up to rebuke Yan Feng. Although he was extremely well known for his battle accomplishments, the rune masters weren’t afraid of him.

Yan Feng immediately fell silent as disappointment flashed in his eyes. He took a deep breath and said, “Never mind, I’ll leave and not disturb you any further. However…”

A look of contemplation appeared on his face. In the end, he gritted his teeth and passed the Gold Vein Jade Stone to Lin Xun. “This item is useless in my hands. I’ll give it as a gift to Founder Lin.”

After which, he turned around to leave.

Lin Xun was taken aback. He asked, “Where are you going?”

“The battlefield.”

“It’s about to become dark.”

“I need to go. My brother is still waiting for me to save him! He has a wife and child and cannot be allowed to die!”

Lin Xun’s eyes narrowed. “Give me your treasure, I’ll take a look.”

In the distance, Yan Feng stiffened upon hearing this as if he was unable to believe his ears.

A rune master loudly reminded, “What are you still standing around for? Hurry up and stop wasting time. This is the first time Founder Lin has made an exception for anyone!”

“Thank you!”

Yan Feng hurriedly turned around and bowed to Lin Xun. There was unconcealable gratitude on his face.

The treasure he wanted to repair was a Heaven-grade high-tier spear that was already badly damaged. It was hard to believe that a peak Cyclic Derivation expert who was also a top hundred wanted person on the Wanted Blood List would have such a shabby weapon.

Without any hesitation, Lin Xun quickly inspected it and began to work.

Moreover, he was clearly very serious and worked much faster than usual. His speed left the watching rune masters dizzy and shocked.

In less than fifteen minutes, the spear was reborn. Not only was it fully repaired, but even its grade had risen substantially.

Yan Feng was moved, overjoyed, and grateful toward Lin Xun.

“It’s important to save someone’s life.”

Lin Xun casually said, “Moreover, I’ve received an amazing treasure from you which made it worthwhile to repair your spear.”

Yan Feng said, “But it’s only a Gold Vein Jade Stone.”

“No, it’s not that simple.” Lin Xun’s black eyes turned deep.

These words caused the nearby rune masters to grow curious.

Is there something more to the stone?

Crack!

Lin Xun exerted force on the stone, causing it to crack. Stone chips fell from it as a silver, star-like light flowed out.

“This is…” The rune masters’ eyes widened in surprise as they looked at the pigeon egg-sized gem left on Lin Xun’s palm. It sparkled like a star, gleaming brightly under the light.

Even Yan Feng was stunned. How could he have imagined that there would be such a mysterious gem hidden inside the Gold Vein Jade Stone?

Crack!

To everyone’s surprise, Lin Xun exerted force again, shattering the silver gem. From amidst the glimmering dust, a slender green leaf appeared in everyone’s sight.

The leaf was shaped like a copper coin and was the size of a melon seed. Green light flowed from it, bathing the surroundings in a beautiful green glow.

At the same time, a surge of pure and strong life energy spread out, causing everyone to feel refreshed and relaxed.

“This…” The rune masters were dumbstruck. No one could have imagined that this Gold Vein Jade Stone would be so full of mystery. To think that it would contain a leaf rich in life energy.

“A treasure within a treasure. This object is most definitely not ordinary!” Yan Feng was also astonished, realizing the treasure was not as simple as he had initially thought.

“If you regret it, I can return it to you.” Lin Xun looked at Yan Feng.

Yan Feng waved his hand and said, “The treasure was discovered by Founder Lin and no longer has anything to do with me.”

Lin Xun asked, “Can you tell me where you found it?”

“Mulberry Woodland.”

After which, he cupped his fists together in farewell. He intended to slip back into the battlefield before night fell and complete a dangerous and difficult task.

He might die, but he had no regrets.

“That’s how empire cultivators should be!”

Lin Xun inwardly sighed deeply in admiration of the man who still set forth despite the great odds that were stacked against him.

……

The first thing Lin Xun did when he returned to his room was take out the leaf.

In an instant, the originally dark room was illuminated by rich green light.

“What concentrated life energy!”

𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Lin Xun’s expression subconsciously changed as he quietly felt it. There was a faint dao power flowing within the life energy, making it even more mysterious than he had thought.

How had such strong and mysterious life energy appeared in barren and aeth power starved Blood Kill Battlefield?

Shiing!

Lin Xun summoned the Broken Blade and saw that it was faintly trembling as it seemed to cry out in desire and impatience.

Previously, a peculiar vibration from the Broken Blade had led him to discover that there was something more to the Gold Vein Jade Stone.

Sure enough, the trembling desire currently given off by the Broken Blade made Lin Xun certain that it was the energy of the leaf the blade had reacted to.

“What is it? Why does it possess dao power and such concentrated life energy?”

Despite being the size of a melon seed, the abundant life energy of the leaf shocked even Lin Xun.

Gurgle~

In the end, Lin Xun put the leaf in front of the Broken Blade. It immediately released a cryptic undulation that enveloped the leaf and frantically began to devour its life energy.

Lin Xun observed that the originally blurry runes on the blade began to grow clearer little by little. Although it was still an unreadable outline, the mysterious runes would sooner or later be revealed at this rate.

“The Broken Blade was originally damaged. Could it have been slumbering all along because it lacked such life energy to repair itself?”

A certain thought struck Lin Xun.

Regretfully, even after all of the life energy of the leaf was drained, the runes on the blade were still unreadable and incomprehensible. However, they were a little clearer than before.

“Looks like I’ll have to visit Mulberry Woodland. I might be able to use this opportunity to make the Broken Blade undergo a transformation!”

Lin Xun took a deep breath and made his decision. It would be too regretful to pass up on such a rare chance.

He had already spent nearly a month at the workshop. Although he was busy every day, this lifestyle was already beginning to feel too monotonous and dull.

Early the next morning.

“What? You want to go to that godforsaken Mulberry Woodland? Do you know how dangerous of a place it is? It’s a place that would make even Life Death Stage Kings change their expressions! No way, I absolutely refuse to agree!”

Upon hearing that Lin Xun wanted to head to Mulberry Woodland, Lu Wenting strongly objected, feeling alarmed and afraid.

Mulberry Woodland was a famous great danger zone in the Blood Kill Battlefield. Over the past several thousand years, more than a few Life Death Stage Kings had died inside!