“The rules of the conference remain as before. Now, the conference begins,” Sheng Xu’s voice rang out, and the conference resumed.
At this moment, the Sheng family’s referee elder stepped forward and announced, “The first challenger is Sheng Li, ranked third in the previous round!”
The first to step up for the challenge was Sheng Li.
This wasn’t due to the Sheng family’s bias, as it was already Sheng Li’s turn after Yang Xiu.
After leaping onto the stone platform, Sheng Li’s gaze turned towards Lin Xiao and the others at Wanxiang Pavilion, then he called out, “Qu Shang!”
Qu Shang frowned and said, “I concede!”
No one in the crowd found Qu Shang’s concession surprising.
Qu Shang had lost to Yin Mu, who in turn had been defeated by Sheng Li. It was normal for Qu Shang to be no match for Sheng Li.
“Next, Li Renchou!” the referee continued in a loud, impartial voice.
Li Renchou stepped forward and chose Lu Chuyou from Gunlong Sect.
Li Renchou activated his demonic body, engaging in a fierce battle of righteous versus demonic with Lu Chuyou, ultimately winning and shocking the audience.
A first-tier Martial Lord defeating the formidable third-tier Martial Lord Lu Chuyou, Li Renchou’s ability to fight across tiers was unmatched, except by Lin Xiao.
“Next, Lin Xiao!”
As the referee spoke, countless eyes turned to Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao felt predatory gazes fixed on him, like those of wolves.
“Lin Xiao, beware of Cen Kang. Our Sheng family is willing to pay a price and isn’t afraid of your Martial Emperor Battle Seal!” Just as Lin Xiao stepped out from Wanxiang Pavilion’s position, Sheng Li, standing at the edge of the stone platform, suddenly sent him a telepathic message.
Lin Xiao’s brows furrowed instantly. Was Cen Kang really going to make a move against him?
Had the Sheng family already prepared countermeasures for the Martial Emperor Battle Seal?
In an instant, Lin Xiao gripped the Martial Emperor Battle Seal tightly in his hand.
If Cen Kang acted, even if the Sheng family had countermeasures, he would crush it.
That would escalate the situation, allowing Wanxiang Pavilion to back him up.
“Chi!” At that moment, a strand of spiritual sense surged towards Lin Xiao’s brow.
Startled, Lin Xiao was about to crush the token in his hand.
But just then, he felt a powerful spiritual force attach to his brow, instantly dispersing the incoming spiritual sense.
Immediately after, Shi Jindou’s telepathic voice reached him, “No need to crush the Martial Emperor Battle Seal. Our Wanxiang Pavilion also has a sixth-grade senior Spirit Controller!”
Lin Xiao was stunned.
Wanxiang Pavilion was hiding a sixth-grade senior Spirit Controller!
Moreover, the spiritual force that blocked the mind-control felt familiar.
The last time Cen Kang tried to control him, it was this same spiritual force that repelled it, not Dongfang Kaiyuan’s elemental power.
No wonder even Martial Emperors dared not easily provoke Wanxiang Pavilion. It was hiding such a Spirit Controller expert.
There were likely other experts as well.
In that instant, Lin Xiao halted his action, refraining from crushing the Martial Emperor Battle Seal.
Once crushed, it couldn’t be wasted, and it would consume the Sheng family’s trump card, escalating the situation further.
The Sheng family controlled Sheng City Observatory, and if he wanted to enter, it would cause more trouble.
Since Wanxiang Pavilion had a sixth-grade senior Spirit Controller protecting him, he no longer needed to worry about being mind-controlled.
For now, he could delay and settle scores with Cen Kang and the Sheng family later.
He also found it surprising that Sheng Li, a Sheng family genius, would warn him about their plans against him.
On the other side, feeling his spiritual sense shattered by that powerful spiritual force, Cen Kang was shocked. His gaze swept over the Wanxiang Pavilion crowd, then the crowd behind, but he found no suspicious figures.
Cen Kang’s brows furrowed deeply.
Sheng Xu and Sheng Nan also sensed something amiss and looked at Cen Kang. “Gentlemen, the plan to mind-control Lin Xiao may need to change!” Cen Kang transmitted telepathically to them. “Lin Xiao is protected by a Spirit Controller not weaker than me. I can’t act. The one who repelled my spiritual sense last time wasn’t Dongfang Kaiyuan, but him!”
“Not weaker than you?” Both were shocked, their gazes sweeping towards Wanxiang Pavilion.
“Could they also have a sixth-grade senior Spirit Controller?” Sheng Nan asked in astonishment.
Cen Kang nodded gravely. “This person’s spiritual force is no weaker than mine, perhaps even far stronger!”
Among sixth-grade senior Spirit Controllers, strength varied within the same tier, just like elemental power.
Though he had always believed his spiritual force was at the peak of this realm, this time he was almost certain this person’s combat strength in the sixth-grade senior spiritual force realm was at least equal to his.
Otherwise, they couldn’t have so easily and promptly thwarted his mind-control attack.
A seventh-grade Spirit Controller was nearly impossible.
No seventh-grade Spirit Controller had ever been heard of in the Southeast Region, or they would have made a name for themselves or been discovered by other Martial Emperors.
Only he knew how difficult it was to break through to the seventh grade. He had tried multiple times over decades, all ending in failure.
The last attempt nearly cost him his life.
There was no way Wanxiang Pavilion could suddenly produce a seventh-grade Spirit Controller!
Sheng Nan and Sheng Xu’s brows furrowed. With a powerful sixth-grade senior Spirit Controller in Wanxiang Pavilion, their plan against Lin Xiao wouldn’t work.
If they openly confronted him, it would greatly damage the Sheng family’s reputation and could provoke retaliation from the Purple Emperor, Ling Xiao, Dongfang Kaiyuan, and others in the future.
With Wanxiang Pavilion as his backing, they were deeply wary.
“Lin Xiao’s matter will be discussed later. First, resolve the Sheng City Observatory quotas!” Sheng Xu finally said.
Sheng Nan and Cen Kang nodded.
Apart from the Sheng family and Lin Xiao’s side, no one else knew what had happened. They only saw Lin Xiao pause briefly before slowly ascending the stone platform.
“Who will Lin Xiao choose? Shi Jiuming, or someone else? Besides Shi Jiuming, no one seems to be his match.”
“Lin Xiao will probably choose Shi Jiuming. Defeating him would secure the top spot in the final ranking early.”
“If Shi Jiuming has no stronger trump card, he’s likely no match for Lin Xiao. After all, Yang Xiu, also a fourth-tier Martial Lord, lost to him.”
“Let’s see if Shi Jiuming dares to accept the challenge.”
“I feel Li Renchou is stronger. Though he conceded directly in the last round, he might challenge Lin Xiao this round. He still has a chance.”
…
Speculative voices arose from all directions, everyone watching Lin Xiao with great curiosity. Many believed he was already the top contender for the final ranking unless an even more prodigious dark horse emerged.
That dark horse could only be Shi Jiuming, a fourth-tier Martial Lord.
Some believed Li Renchou was stronger. Though he conceded to Lin Xiao in the fourth round’s preliminary ranking, it didn’t mean he lacked strength.
Each round allowed time for adjustment and improvement. In the fifth round, Li Renchou had a chance to challenge, perhaps waiting to make a final push for the top spot. At this moment, Lin Xiao’s gaze swept over the young contenders, finally settling on one person, a faint trace of killing intent in his eyes.
