Eighth-Grade Elixir! Half-Emperor?

"Damn it! I was so close!" roared the ancestor of the Wenjian Sect, his voice echoing through the canyon with a mix of fury and despair.

After three hundred years of seclusion, he had finally touched the brink of the Emperor's realm, only to be yanked back to reality. The frustration of being so near yet so far nearly shattered his composure, even with his experience as a peak Martial Saint.

Ling Yunfeng stood to the side, his heart sinking as he watched the ancestor's rage unfold. His worst fears had come true—his desperate act had awakened the ancestor from his critical retreat, causing him to miss the rare opportunity to ascend to the Great Emperor.

"Damn you, Orion! This is all your fault!" Ling Yunfeng cursed inwardly, his face contorting with anger. If not for Orion's attack on the Sword Sect, he wouldn't have been forced into such a dire situation, and the ancestor would have had his chance to breakthrough. Instead of reflecting on his own actions, Ling Yunfeng directed all his hatred towards Orion.

"Ancestor, this disciple is at fault!" Ling Yunfeng quickly knelt before the ancestor. "But it was all because of that wretched Orion! If not for him, you would have already stepped into the realm of the Great Emperor!"

The ancestor's cold gaze bore into Ling Yunfeng. "I don't need you to remind me," he snapped. "Orion will pay for this with his life!"

The air around them grew cold as the ancestor's killing intent intensified. Someone had to bear the blame for his lost opportunity, and that someone was undoubtedly Orion.

Ling Yunfeng suddenly recalled the two Martial Saints who had attacked him earlier. His expression changed, and he urgently warned, "Ancestor, be careful. Orion has two Martial Saints under his command—they ambushed me and inflicted these wounds."

Despite his trust in the ancestor's unmatched power, Ling Yunfeng couldn't help but worry. Facing two Martial Saints at once was no small feat, even for someone as powerful as his ancestor.

"What a disgrace," Ling Yunfeng thought to himself. "I've been so gravely injured that I'm now useless in battle."

The ancestor glanced at Ling Yunfeng, his expression unreadable. With a flick of his wrist, he retrieved an ornate white jade bottle from his space ring. "Take this elixir," he commanded, sending the bottle into Ling Yunfeng's hands.

Ling Yunfeng received the bottle with both hands, and as he opened it, a rich, fragrant aroma filled the air. His eyes widened in shock. "This is… an eighth-grade elixir!"

On this continent, elixirs were ranked from the first to the ninth grade, with anything above the sixth grade being incredibly rare and valuable. As the leader of the Wenjian Sect, Ling Yunfeng had never possessed anything higher than a seventh-grade elixir.

"Ancestor, this is too precious!" Ling Yunfeng stammered, astonished by the ancestor's generosity.

"Now is not the time to worry about the value of an elixir," the ancestor snapped. However, a flicker of reluctance in his eyes hinted at the sacrifice he was making.

Understanding the gravity of the situation, Ling Yunfeng swallowed the elixir without hesitation. The moment he did, he felt its powerful effects coursing through his body. The bleeding from his wounds stopped instantly, and fresh granulation tissue began to form, visibly healing the injuries. Although he had not fully recovered, the worst of the damage had been mitigated.

"Thank you, ancestor, for your gracious gift!" Ling Yunfeng knelt once more, gratitude and determination filling his heart. "Though I have not fully regained my strength, I can still hold off one of the enemy's Martial Saints. Ancestor, you should focus on defeating the other!"

But the ancestor simply waved him off. "Stand aside. You need not do anything. Just watch."

As the ancestor spoke, a terrifying aura emanated from his body, leaving Ling Yunfeng stunned. "Ancestor… have you reached the Half-Emperor realm?"

Ling Yunfeng could now clearly sense it—a faint, but unmistakable trace of imperial power in the ancestor's presence. Though it wasn't as overwhelming as that of a true Martial Emperor, it was undeniable that the ancestor had stepped into the Half-Emperor realm.

The ancestor snorted. "I may not have broken through to the Great Emperor, but three hundred years of insight have brought me to the Half-Emperor realm. Unfortunately, my potential is now exhausted. This is where my journey ends."

Ling Yunfeng felt a mix of emotions. Relief that the ancestor had ascended to the Half-Emperor realm, and regret that his own actions had robbed the ancestor of his chance to become a Martial Emperor.

"The little thief Orion will know the terror of facing a Half-Emperor," Ling Yunfeng thought, his hatred for Orion deepening. The glory that should have belonged to the Wenjian Sect had been stolen by that upstart.

"Ancestor, Orion is at the gate of the forbidden area," Ling Yunfeng said, his voice dripping with venom. "Please, take him down, and make him suffer beyond imagination!"

The ancestor's eyes gleamed with cold intent. "Let's go. I'll deal with Orion myself," he declared, his sleeve billowing as a chill spread through the air.

Meanwhile, at the mouth of the valley, a small group of Wenjian Sect disciples stood helplessly. They were unable to advance due to the powerful defensive barriers protecting the forbidden area. The approaching enemy army filled them with despair; they were trapped, with no way forward and no hope of retreat.

The disciples could only wait, knowing that their fate was sealed.