Chapter 26: Are young people these days really this bold?

As the heavy doors slowly creaked open, a rush of rich spiritual energy greeted those who entered. Inside the vault, an dazzling array of treasures shimmered with kaleidoscopic light, so bright it was almost blinding.

Han Yang stepped into the treasury, scanning his surroundings with a flicker of greed in his eyes. Piled here were thousands of years of accumulated rare materials, divine weapons, miraculous elixirs, and secret manuals gathered by the Profound Heaven Sect. It was nothing short of a massive treasure trove!

"Tsk tsk, not bad at all. It seems your Profound Heaven Sect has squeezed quite a lot of wealth from the common folk over the years," Han Yang remarked with a mocking sneer. He walked over to a rack lined with elixirs, picked up a jade bottle, uncorked it, and took a sniff. "Hmm, this Nine-Turn Golden Elixir smells decent. I’ll take a few bottles to sample first."

With that, he swept all the Nine-Turn Golden Elixirs on the shelf into his storage ring. His gaze then shifted to a long, pitch-black sword. The weapon radiated a chilling aura, and faint traces of blood-red light pulsed across the blade—it was clearly no ordinary object.

"This sword..." Han Yang reached out and gripped the hilt. An icy sensation surged through him, making his heart tremble. The blade, dark as ink, seemed to flow with blood, and a vicious, malevolent aura washed over him.

"Interesting..." The sword intent emanating from the weapon made even his cultivation base at the late stage of the Deity Transformation Realm feel a tremor of unease. He peered closely and saw two ancient seal-script characters carved into the hilt: "Soul Eater."

"The Soul Eater Sword? The signature treasure of the Profound Heaven Sect?" Han Yang raised an eyebrow and looked at the deathly pale Sect Master standing nearby. "Old man, this thing looks decent. Tell me its origin."

The Sect Master’s lips quivered, his voice dry and strained. "Re-replying to Sect Master Han, this sword was acquired by our sect's founding patriarch. It is rumored that..."

"Rumors be damned!" Han Yang interrupted impatiently. "I don't have time to listen to your useless drivel. I just want to know what this sword does."

Terrified, the Sect Master stammered, "The Soul Eater Sword, as the name implies, can devour souls. Its power is immense; even a cultivator at the Deity Transformation Realm would suffer grave damage to their soul if struck by it!"

"Devouring souls..." A gleam of excitement ignited in Han Yang's eyes. Wasn't this perfect for the devouring talent of his own Chaos Golden Roc lineage? He laughed heartily and shoved the Soul Eater Sword into his storage ring.

"A fine treasure! I shall accept it with pleasure!" Han Yang tossed the sword into his ring, hearing it clatter against other items, and let out a satisfied belch. He was just about to continue his looting when his eyes fell upon a white jade alchemy furnace, his greed almost manifesting into a physical force.

Suddenly, a sharp voice shattered the silence of the treasury. "Stop! You monster, how dare you act so recklessly!"

Han Yang raised an eyebrow and looked toward the sound. A young man dressed in the robes of a Profound Heaven Sect disciple was glaring at him with eyes burning with rage. The youth was barely over twenty, yet his brow carried an air of nobility, and his eyes blazed with fury.

"Oh ho? And here I thought everyone was afraid of death," Han Yang remarked, examining the young calf who knew no fear with piqued interest. "Are all young people these days this bold?"

The Sect Master’s expression shifted dramatically, a sense of dread rising in his heart. This disciple, Lin Feng, was his prized student—gifted with extraordinary talent and a meteoric cultivation speed. Given time, he would surely achieve great things. Unfortunately, the boy was arrogant and impulsive, and now he was sure to provoke Han Yang.

He quickly stepped forward and barked, "Lin Feng! Do not be rude! Step back at once!"

Lin Feng, however, remained unmoved, his sense of justice fueling his defiance. "Master! This man is a sect leader of the demon race, yet he is openly pillaging our Profound Heaven Sect! Such behavior is an insult to his status! How can I, as a disciple of the Profound Heaven Sect, stand by and watch?"

Han Yang sneered inwardly. *The old man is putting on quite a performance.* He knew full well that Lin Feng was the apple of the Sect Master's eye, and the old man was likely suffering internally. In truth, Lin Feng was possessed by the soul of a mysterious man in black robes who had granted him immense potential, though it had also fostered his rebellious nature. The Sect Master was torn—he both hoped Lin Feng would lead the sect to glory and feared his reckless behavior would bring catastrophe.

Han Yang didn't fly into a rage. Instead, he felt a urge to toy with the boy. He wanted to see exactly what this kid was capable of to dare provoke him.

"Little one, you have guts," Han Yang said, his tone laced with mockery. "I just wonder if your strength can match your courage."

As he spoke, he slowly released a sliver of his presence, bearing down on Lin Feng. Though it was only a fraction of his power, it felt like Mount Tai crushing down. Lin Feng’s breath hitched, and his face instantly drained of color. He gritted his teeth, his legs trembling slightly, yet he refused to yield.

He stared fixedly at Han Yang.

"Hmph!"

Inside Lin Feng, the soul of the man in black robes suddenly let out a cold laugh. A surge of immense power flooded through Lin Feng’s body, instantly neutralizing Han Yang’s pressure. Lin Feng felt himself filled with strength, the crushing sensation vanishing entirely. He took a deep breath, straightened his spine, and said arrogantly, "Is that all you've got?"

Han Yang was taken aback. The boy could resist his pressure? It seemed there was indeed something strange about him. Han Yang raised an eyebrow, a smile spreading across his lips.

"A bit interesting."

The little brat was actually able to withstand a sliver of pressure from a Deity Transformation expert; there was definitely something fishy behind him.

"Little brat, stop bluffing. You really think you can play games with me?"

Han Yang increased the pressure, sending wave after wave of invisible force crashing toward Lin Feng. Lin Feng groaned, his face turning even paler, beads of sweat the size of peas rolling down his forehead. He bit his lip hard, refusing to take a single step back, though the stubborn light in his eyes began to dim.

The Sect Master watched on, heart hammering against his ribs. Lin Feng was his prized protégé; if Han Yang played him to death, who would he turn to for comfort? Yet, he dared not plead for mercy—he couldn't afford to provoke a killer like Han Yang! He could only pray silently: *Founding Patriarch, bless us, please let nothing happen to this boy!*

The spiritual energy in the treasury fluctuated violently. Some poorly secured spiritual artifacts were shattered into dust, scattering across the floor. As Han Yang’s pressure intensified, Lin Feng’s body began to shake, on the verge of collapse.

Just then, a powerful force erupted from within Lin Feng, as if a sleeping dragon had been awakened, letting out a deafening roar. The force instantly shattered Han Yang’s pressure and even created a counter-shock that forced Han Yang back several steps.

"What the hell!" Han Yang exclaimed, shock flashing in his eyes. This power was enough to make even him, an expert of the Deity Transformation Realm, feel a hint of threat!

Just who was this man in black?