Since leaving the ruins last time, Lin Yun had spent much of his seclusion studying arrays, but his progress was mediocre. He couldn’t even compare to his daughter in this area.
It wasn’t that Lin Yun was lazy or unwilling to learn. After numerous attempts, he had recognised his limited talent in arrays.
His ability wasn’t poor, just average.
But the Human Emperor demanded exceptional talent, a genius in arrays.
This was far beyond Lin Yun’s capabilities.
“Master, I’m truly lacking in arrays and likely can’t solve it,” Lin Yun admitted frankly.
“No matter. Try anyway,” the Human Emperor instructed.
Lin Yun and Song Lin complied, beginning to tackle the array.
The test array within the stone tablet was profoundly complex. Despite Lin Yun’s basic knowledge, he felt powerless.
The attempt lasted half a day.
“Stop,” the Human Emperor interrupted.
“Time’s up. It seems neither of you could solve the array,” he said, shaking his head.
“Human Emperor, I’m too dull,” Song Lin said helplessly.
Song Lin’s talent in arrays surpassed Lin Yun’s, but the Human Emperor’s standards were so high that the array’s difficulty was beyond them both.
Song Lin couldn’t solve it either.
“So be it. Though you both failed, I must choose one of you today,” the Human Emperor said.
Since both had failed the array, he had to choose another method.
“Then fight here. Let strength decide,” the Human Emperor declared.
His meaning was clear: since neither could solve the array, the stronger fighter would be chosen.
“Master, Lin Yun is barely a hundred years old, while I’ve cultivated for tens of thousands of years. Pitting my Triple Dominion Realm against his Triple Myriad Realms is unfair to him,” Song Lin said.
Beating Lin Yun, a century-old Triple Myriad Realms cultivator, with his own millennia of experience was no challenge.
Though Lin Yun had defeated the Xingwu Emperor in the Tiansheng Ranking, Song Lin had witnessed it. Lin Yun’s victory was hard-fought, and Deputy Palace Master Yao had declared him the winner.
In terms of talent and potential, Lin Yun, so young yet so accomplished, clearly outshone Song Lin.
Moreover, Song Lin was far inferior to Yao.
Unbeknownst to Song Lin, Lin Yun was now a Heavenly Fire Elder, which would’ve changed his perspective.
“I understand. Lin Yun may be more prodigious, but with the demon war underway, there’s no time for him to grow. The demons could launch their final assault any moment. We must judge based on current strength,” the Human Emperor said.
His reasoning was sound.
“Yes,” Song Lin replied.
He turned to Lin Yun. “This fight may be unfair, and it feels like bullying, but since it’s the Human Emperor’s test, we must do it. Win or lose, let’s keep things friendly.”
“No problem,” Lin Yun agreed with a smile.
“Let’s go, then. Standard arena rules,” Song Lin said, drawing a silver sword.
“Alright!”
Lin Yun drew his Purple Star Sword.
As the fourth-ranked on the Tiansheng List, Song Lin warranted Lin Yun’s full attention.
Lin Yun didn’t know Song Lin’s exact strength; only a fight would reveal it.
“Lin Yun, here I come!”
“Immortal Lock Slash!”
Song Lin’s Triple Dominion Realm aura erupted. His sword gleamed, unleashing a fierce strike that streaked toward Lin Yun as a sharp cyan light, shaking the heavens.
“Such power,” Lin Yun marvelled.
This was a Triple Dominion Realm attack, enhanced by Song Lin’s full arsenal, showing no mercy.
As he spoke, Lin Yun’s vast inner energy surged, transformed by the Ultimate Dragon Technique into powerful dragon qi, bursting forth.
The dragon qi made his sword glow gold, a golden dragon coiling around it, emitting roars.
Ocean Surge Style!
His sword swept out, forming a tidal wave. Simultaneously, his divine sense and late-stage Origin Body physical strength erupted, boosting the strike’s power.
Clang!
The swords clashed, unleashing a shockwave.
Lin Yun was forced back.
“Truly strong,” Lin Yun thought, impressed.
Song Lin was on a different level from the Xingwu Emperor.
Their realms differed by three levels, including a major boundary gap.
“Lin Yun, again!”
Song Lin’s sword moved, carrying a mountain-swallowing force toward Lin Yun.
Boom!
A powerful divine sense shockwave hit simultaneously.
“Such strong divine sense!” Lin Yun’s expression shifted. Fortunately, his own divine sense was high, allowing him to shrug off the attack.
But as he did, Song Lin’s sword was already upon him.
Lin Yun’s power surged, and he raised his sword to block.
Boom!
The force overwhelmed him, and his hasty defence sent him staggering back.
“He’s learned the Ocean Surge Style already. His swordsmanship talent is impressive,” the Human Emperor, observing, noted quietly.
In the arena, Song Lin’s voice boomed. “Lin Yun, at Triple Myriad Realms, you’ve held up well against me. That’s remarkable. But this match must end. Let’s finish it!”
“Immortal Suppression Slash!”
Song Lin’s sword flared with brighter cyan light, its power surging as he unleashed his full strength.
Rip!
His sword struck with lightning speed, aiming to end the fight against the retreating Lin Yun.
“It’s over,” the Human Emperor’s spectre thought, watching from afar.
“Lin Yun holding his own at Triple Myriad Realms is no small feat.”
If not for the demon war, the Human Emperor would’ve chosen Lin Yun, even in defeat.
