“Hmm? Something’s off!”
The Soul Refining Sect Leader, diving downwards, saw the purple bead flying towards him, his expression shifted abruptly, a bad premonition rising in his chest.
The purple bead reached him, then exploded with a sudden burst, unleashing a terrifying surge of energy from within!
*Boom!*
A deafening roar shook the heavens, a purple flame storm unfurled across the sky, like a massive volcano erupting midair.
The earth trembled, the sky darkened in an instant, a fearsome shockwave radiated outwards, annihilating all grass, flowers, and trees in its path!
*Boom!*
When the wave hit the city gate, Xingwu City’s defensive barrier activated automatically.
The commotion drew the attention of the entire city’s residents.
Many rushed towards the source of the disturbance at the east gate, eager to see what was happening.
Since the Wanhua Tournament had just ended, numerous factions from afar lingered in the city, undeparted, they too flocked to the east gate upon sensing the uproar.
Inside the palace, Jingtai Hall.
“Hmm? The city’s protective array has been triggered?” the Xingwu Emperor frowned.
With a flicker of his mind, he instantly perceived the situation outside the east gate.
At that moment, the Imperial Guard Commander rushed into the hall.
“Your Majesty, the Gu family and eleven renowned sects are jointly attacking the Heavenly Sword Sect outside the east gate,” the commander reported.
“I’m aware, you may leave,” the Xingwu Emperor waved him off, giving no further orders.
Then, Jin Yao’er hurried into the hall.
“Father, the Gu family and the sects are ambushing Lin Yun and his group outside the city, Lin Yun’s a genius from our empire, please stop this, preserve this talent,” Jin Yao’er pleaded urgently.
“Yao’er, it’s a fight outside the city, it’s none of our concern, I never meddle in disputes between civilian sects,” the Xingwu Emperor said indifferently.
“But Father… Lin Yun’s the Wanhua Tournament champion, a talent of our empire, it’s rare to produce someone like him, how can we just watch him be destroyed?” Jin Yao’er said anxiously.
“This lad may be talented, but he refuses to be tamed, what use is saving a talent who won’t serve the empire?” the Xingwu Emperor shook his head.
With a wave of his hand, he said coldly, “Yao’er, leave, I have matters to attend to, your recent behaviour has left me rather displeased.”
His words were a clear reprimand, warning Jin Yao’er against speaking further for Lin Yun, her repeated arguments on his behalf had evidently irked the Emperor.
Once, he’d doted on her, never using such a tone with her.
“Father, if you won’t intervene, I’ll save him myself!” Jin Yao’er stomped her foot in frustration.
*Bang!*
“Absurd! Utter nonsense!”
The Xingwu Emperor slammed the table in anger, he’d pampered Jin Yao’er for years, yet she valued a stranger like Lin Yun over that?
“Commander, take Princess Yao’er to the confinement chamber, she’s not to go anywhere! Guard her strictly!” the Xingwu Emperor ordered sharply.
“Your Majesty, this…” the commander hesitated, surprised.
“Didn’t you hear my command?” the Emperor barked.
“Yes, I’ll handle it at once!” the commander replied, approaching Jin Yao’er.
“Princess Yao’er, come with me to the confinement chamber, if you resist, I’ll have to use force,” the commander said.
“Father, how can you be so selfish? Even if he won’t serve the empire, he’s a genius of humanity, haven’t you always said the demon clan remains a threat? Are you willing to watch a human genius fall? If everyone acts this way, humanity will only lose to the demons!” Jin Yao’er cried, her voice hoarse.
“You dare lecture me? Commander, take her away!” the Xingwu Emperor roared, his voice thundering through the hall like a storm.
“Yes!”
The commander said no more, seizing Jin Yao’er and dragging her out.
Outside the east gate.
The onlookers at the gate stared up at the terrifying explosion in the distant sky, their faces filled with awe.
“Good heavens, Lin Yun… he actually has such a trick?”
The crowd gaped, tongues clicking in disbelief.
As the light faded, they focused on the figure at the blast’s epicentre, the Soul Refining Sect Leader, now charred black, his robes tattered, looking utterly dishevelled.
The sight made everyone gasp!
The one who’d taken the hit was the Soul Refining Sect Leader.
From atop the city wall, Master Hong watched the battlefield, sighing, “Brother Lin Yun’s truly unfathomable, so many tricks up his sleeve.”
In the battlefield.
“What?!”
The sect leaders of the renowned factions paled as they witnessed the scene.
They’d assumed the Soul Refining Sect Leader’s attack would force Lin Yun to summon his battle pet, but instead, Lin Yun unleashed such a move!
They didn’t know Little Azure Dragon had already left, it was the pet they feared most, prompting their massive coalition, had they known it was gone, just the Gu family, Soul Refining Sect, and Seven Stars Sect might’ve dared to strike alone.
“Senior Brother Lin Yun actually repelled the Soul Refining Sect Leader!”
The Heavenly Sword Sect disciples on the deck erupted in excitement.
“Lin Yun, always so dazzling,” Elder Mei couldn’t help but marvel.
“Damn it! Damn it!”
The dishevelled Soul Refining Sect Leader’s face darkened to the extreme, though only lightly injured, the humiliation stung!
“I told you, wiping out our Heavenly Sword Sect will cost you!” Lin Yun’s dark eyes blazed with piercing fury, his tone razor-sharp.
With that, he flipped his hand again, revealing the Heavenly Fire Bead and the Startling Swan Bead.
These beads were similar to the Thunder God Bead, their power slightly greater even.
But they were one-use items, each worth one or two million spirit crystals, gone after a single blast.
These were the last two such powerful offensive artifacts in Lin Yun’s possession, once used, they’d be depleted.
Yet now, Lin Yun didn’t care about the loss.
“Go!”
His face twisted with madness, Lin Yun hurled the Heavenly Fire Bead and Startling Swan Bead simultaneously.
This time, he feinted towards the Soul Refining Sect Leader, but at the last moment shifted their trajectory, aiming at the cluster of the other nine sect leaders.
“What?”
The nine sect leaders’ faces changed dramatically!
Lin Yun’s sudden redirection caught them off guard, they were only about a kilometre from him, the beads reached them in a blink, then detonated with a deafening roar!
