“Youyu!” Seeing the woman in dark robes, Lin Xiao’s heart jolted sharply, and he couldn’t help but call out softly.
This woman was none other than Feng Youyu, whom he had been desperately searching for.
A surge of tangled emotions flooded Lin Xiao’s heart.
When he was still a weak Yuan Martial warrior, he had an unexpected encounter with Feng Youyu.
A year later, he went to the Feng family and, in front of Feng Youyu, killed their prodigy Feng Lanyue and Chen Yan on the spot.
While fleeing the Feng family and encountering Feng Youyu, he attacked her desperately for Hu Yue’s sake. Yet, instead of killing him, Feng Youyu injured herself to spare him harm.
Three years later, he stormed the Feng family again, wiping out the entire clan before Feng Youyu’s eyes.
Now, seeing Feng Youyu again, her face remained as cold as ever, her gaze upon him as if she didn’t recognise him at all.
It was as though she had no recollection of how close they had once been, their bodies entwined.
That coldness seemed like the indifference imposed by the Temple of Destiny’s control.
Lin Xiao wondered, if Feng Youyu were fully aware at this moment, would she still be so cold?
Or…
He dared not think further.
At the sound of Lin Xiao’s voice, Feng Youyu turned her attention toward him.
Yet, her expression remained unchanged, her eyes, aside from their natural shimmer, showed no hint of recognition, maintaining an air of cold indifference without the slightest reaction.
Seeing this, Lin Xiao’s heart trembled again.
Some people, met only once, bound by a single fleeting moment, are destined to be etched in one’s heart forever.
The second meeting, they were enemies. The third, still enemies. The fourth, met with coldness.
The weight of contradictions and guilt twisted his heart, deepening the sense of love he felt.
“Goddess, do you know him?” The middle-aged man in bronze robes beside Feng Youyu asked, slightly surprised.
Feng Youyu shook her head, saying nothing.
Hearing the man’s words, Lin Xiao’s heart shook again. Goddess?
Feng Youyu had become the Goddess of the Temple of Destiny?
What was going on?
Seeing Feng Youyu shake her head, the bronze-robed man said no more, instead turning his gaze to Lin Xiao. His voice, deep and steady as a mountain, asked, “Have you met our Goddess?”
Lin Xiao’s heart tightened, his fists clenching.
Met?
More than just met!
But at this moment, how should he respond?
“Hall Master, he is Lin Xiao,” Demon Valley said respectfully from the side.
“Oh? You’re Lin Xiao?” A flash of surprise crossed the bronze-robed man’s face as he scrutinized Lin Xiao, trying to see through him.
Unfortunately, he gleaned nothing, not even Lin Xiao’s current cultivation level.
Yet, his expression remained largely unchanged, attributing Lin Xiao’s ability to conceal his cultivation to some special treasure.
“Worthy of a Heaven-Defying Genius. Truly remarkable. A mere Martial Lord, daring to attack the Demon Sect alongside Martial Emperors.”
The bronze-robed man gave a lukewarm praise, then asked calmly, “Lin Xiao, since you know our Goddess, I’ll give you a chance. Join me. What do you say?”
At this, the righteous cultivators’ Martial Emperors frowned.
From the scene before them, it seemed this bronze-robed man was the true leader of the Emperor Raiders.
And the woman, called the Goddess by the bronze-robed man, seemed to hold an even more mysterious status.
Yet, this mysterious woman appeared to have some connection with Lin Xiao.
“Who are you people?” Before Lin Xiao could answer, Sheng Qianyu asked gravely.
“We are the Emperor Raiders, and I am their true leader.”
The bronze-robed man answered calmly, then added with certainty, “The Southeast Region will be fully under our control.”
Sheng Qianyu and the others’ expressions darkened.
“With just seventeen of you?” Sheng Qianyu’s eyes glinted coldly.
“Since we knew you were coming, we naturally accounted for your numbers.”
The bronze-robed man’s flat response made the righteous cultivators’ faces grow grimmer.
They had calculated for their twenty-six or twenty-seven Martial Emperors?
Did these four new figures possess such formidable strength that seventeen could overcome twenty-six or twenty-seven?
At this moment, the bronze-robed man ignored Sheng Qianyu, focusing his gaze on Lin Xiao again. “If you don’t join our Emperor Raiders, you will fall here like the rest. But if you join us, you’ll gain rewards beyond your imagination. This world is vast, far beyond your comprehension. Join us, and you’ll soar in a greater world. What’s your decision?”
Lin Xiao’s eyes narrowed, a surge of killing intent rising within him.
Though the Temple of Destiny was mysterious and powerful, joining meant being controlled, one’s consciousness enslaved, no different from a puppet.
“I will not only refuse to join your Temple of Destiny,” Lin Xiao retorted without hesitation, his tone resolute, “but I will take her away!”
Hearing Lin Xiao’s words, the bronze-robed man’s face showed surprise. “You know of the Temple of Destiny?”
“It seems you’ve had quite a few remarkable encounters!”
“Originally, I would have eliminated you today, but given your extraordinary experiences, I’ll spare your life.”
With that, the bronze-robed man glanced at the others, saying, “Leave him alive.”
Aside from Feng Youyu, who showed no reaction, the two blue-robed elders and the remaining Martial Emperors from the Demon, Evil, and Nether Sects nodded, their attitudes highly respectful, their gazes tinged with awe.
The righteous cultivators’ Martial Emperors grew cold, a faint killing intent emanating from them.
From the opponent’s tone, it seemed they were already certain of victory?
“You know her?” Dongfang Kaiyuan’s voice suddenly transmitted into Lin Xiao’s mind.
“She’s someone very important to me. I came to the Southeast Region for her,” Lin Xiao answered without hesitation.
He sent this message not only to Dongfang Kaiyuan but also openly to Yun Jing, Fu Yan, and Ling Xiao of the Absolute Blade Sect, all the Martial Emperors aligned with the Spear Dragon Sect, to ensure they wouldn’t harm Feng Youyu.
The group understood. Since she was so important to Lin Xiao, they naturally wouldn’t touch her.
“But she seems to be under mind control. Be careful,” Dongfang Kaiyuan transmitted again.
Lin Xiao nodded.
“Hmph, such arrogance. Let’s see just how capable you, the leader of the Emperor Raiders, really are!”
At that moment, a cold snort rang out. Sheng Qianyu suddenly moved, lunging forward.
His palms extended outward, terrifying Yuan energy surging. Between his hands, a giant book took shape, its power seemingly boundless, causing the very heavens to tremble.
Wordless pages flipped open from the centre, dozens turning in an instant. A powerful fluctuation radiated from the Wordless Heavenly Book, its terrifying pressure sweeping all directions.
“Wordless Heavenly Book!”
With Sheng Qianyu’s thunderous shout, the immense power of the Wordless Heavenly Book shot forth, blasting toward the bronze-robed man, as if it would shatter the void itself.
