From Sword to Slaughter: Evolution

At this moment, Ren Xing had already stepped outside. He had just sheathed Soul Cleaver when a crisp sound echoed.

Crack!

Upon closer inspection, the scabbard had developed numerous cracks! In the next moment, the entire scabbard shattered into pieces.

"Hmm?" Ren Xing frowned.

"A sword of S-rank, and the scabbard can no longer contain it," Ren Xing muttered with a hint of frustration.

"It seems I'll need to find some high-quality materials to forge a proper scabbard," he said as he continued to walk.

Stepping outside, Ren Xing saw a group of warriors digging up the source stones.

"Get lost!"

A group of warriors stormed over, their faces filled with anger as they shouted at Ren Xing while he was preparing to cut some source stones with his sword.

"This place now belongs to the Red Flame Mercenary Corps!" one of the warriors growled, glaring fiercely at Ren Xing.

"Is that so?" Ren Xing's eyes narrowed, a strange smile creeping across his face.

Seeing that smile, a chill ran down the spines of the Red Flame Mercenaries.

"I say these things belong to me," Ren Xing said, still smiling.

"Then you're asking for death!"

As soon as Ren Xing's words fell, the group of warriors lunged at him.

"The ones seeking death are you," Ren Xing laughed loudly, raising Soul Cleaver and cutting down the group in one swift motion.

"What a useless mercenary corps."

Ren Xing sneered, feeling the sword absorbing the energy from the fallen warriors and transferring it into his body.

"Ah, that feels good," Ren Xing murmured, closing his eyes slightly, savoring the rush of power that coursed through him.

Thanks to the All-Attribute Amplification, the energy absorption was incredibly fast, allowing him to fully absorb their energies in an instant.

"Just about to break through to the seventh tier," Ren Xing laughed gleefully.

He wielded Soul Cleaver and started cutting through the source stones, loading the stones into his storage rings. He had ten storage rings—one on each finger.

"This old man is really something else," Ye Fan commented, shaking his head.

Soon enough, Ren Xing had filled all the storage rings with source stones. Yet, the source stone vein was vast, and there were still many resources left. He realized there were more treasures within this ancient ruin, treasures he would claim.

"No, I want the entire Tian Valley Mountain Range!"

Laughing wildly, Ren Xing walked away with purpose.

"Captain, how should we deal with these people?"

By this time, a large number of warriors from the Lion Mercenary Corps had entered the area. Their leader, Zhao Shi, was clad in gleaming silver armor, scanning the captured warriors who had weapons at their throats.

"We... we didn't steal anything from the ruins!"

Among the captives was Huang Conghui and his group, trembling in fear. The surrounding warriors of the Lion Mercenary Corps were incredibly powerful, and even though Huang Conghui was a fifth-tier warrior, he was no match for the might of the mercenaries.

"Did you kill Lin Aotian?"

Zhao Shi glanced coldly at Huang Conghui and asked in a low voice.

"No! We didn't kill him!" Huang Conghui's face paled as he quickly defended himself.

"Then how did you get that armor?" one of Zhao Shi's lieutenants snapped, delivering a slap that knocked out one of Huang Conghui's teeth.

"I... I found it," Huang Conghui stammered, his face swelling, blood trickling from his mouth.

"Found it?"

"I think you want to die," the lieutenant growled, drawing his long sword as he threatened to decapitate the group. The sharp blade gleamed in the light, making the captives' eyes widen in terror.

"I'll talk! It was Ren Xing, the Lord of Star City, who killed them!"

One of the men from the Iron Mercenary Corps spoke up in fear. He was too terrified to remain silent, desperately trying to save his own life.

"The Lord of Star City?"

Zhao Shi frowned. He knew of Star City, but Ren Xing's name was unfamiliar to him.

"Probably a newly appointed lord," the lieutenant scoffed, his face twisted in disdain.

"Bold of him to kill members of the Lion Mercenary Corps. He's courting death," he added, his tone cold.

"Well, well, you ratted me out so quickly?"

A voice echoed from the shadows, and the eyes of everyone turned toward it.

Ren Xing?!

Huang Conghui's pupils constricted in shock as the figure of Ren Xing slowly emerged from the ruins.

His long, white hair hung loosely, making him appear disheveled, but the aura emanating from his body was nothing short of terrifying.

"Betrayed me?"

Ren Xing glanced at the warrior from the Iron Mercenary Corps, flashing a strange smile.

"I…" the man tried to speak, but Ren Xing raised his sword and slashed through the air.

Whoosh!

In an instant, a terrifying sword aura burst forth, slicing the man in half.

The members of the Iron Mercenary Corps shuddered in fear, their bodies trembling as they witnessed the swift and brutal strike.

If that sword aura had been aimed at them, their bodies would have been cleaved in two without a doubt.

[Killed third-tier warrior, gained 300 evolution points]

[Absorbed third-tier warrior's blood, gained 0.3 energy points]

The system notification popped up, but Ye Fan barely paid attention to it. At this point, such meager gains were hardly worth noticing.

"Ren Xing is fully embracing his path as a demon," Ye Fan remarked, almost in awe.

"So, you're Ren Xing?" Zhao Shi's face remained calm, but his gaze sharpened as he scrutinized Ren Xing.

Though he kept his composure, Zhao Shi was inwardly taken aback by Ren Xing's appearance. There was something incredibly strange about him—the eerie aura of demonic energy mixed with a palpable killing intent.

This man was no ordinary warrior.

"Of course," Ren Xing replied, smiling.

"You killed Lin Aotian and the others, didn't you?" Zhao Shi asked coldly.

"That's right."

"And I'm here to tell you and your Lion Mercenary Corps that the Tian Valley Mountain Range now belongs to me," Ren Xing declared with a grin.