Not long after, a black-clothed middle-aged man with the most utterly ordinary appearance was led in by the Ji family middle-aged man.
At a Ji clan meeting, no outsider would be allowed entry unless their status was extraordinary.
The gathered Ji family elders all turned their gazes to this unremarkable middle-aged man.
They could detect neither his cultivation aura nor anything exceptional about him, so suspicion arose.
“You are an elder of Tianji Holy Land?”
Elder Bei, seated high on the dais, spoke with oppressive authority. A faint Martial Saint pressure emanated from him, clearly intended to suppress the newcomer.
“Indeed.”
The middle-aged man nodded, his tone neither servile nor overbearing.
“What guidance do you bring to our Ji family branch?”
Elder Bei asked.
“I dare not speak of guidance.”
The man replied calmly. “I have merely come to seek instruction.”
“Seek instruction?”
Elder Bei’s brows lifted slightly.
“This time, several disciples and elders from our Tianji Holy Land travelled south for training. Along the way, they encountered Ji Yue of your Ji family. Ji Yue challenged our experts below Martial Saint level and accidentally killed several of our disciples and elders.”
The man continued slowly. “The fights were agreed in advance and fair. The unfortunate deaths of our people were due to inferior skill. We do not blame the Ji family for that. However, this junior greatly desires to spar with Ji Yue, so I have come south.”
“Of course, being older than Ji Yue, I would appear to be bullying the young. Therefore…” His gaze swept across the hall. “I also challenge everyone present.”
At these words, the entire hall nearly exploded with rage. Challenging all of them here. This middle-aged man was far too arrogant.
Naturally, they knew nothing of Ji Yue’s accidental killings.
But if clashes had truly occurred, Ji Yue would have had her reasons.
This Tianji Holy Land middle-aged man had probably come to avenge their geniuses.
Yet they had also heard that Tianji Holy Land possessed even stronger talents like Mu Feng, whose strength was no less than Ji Yue’s. Why send this middle-aged man instead of Mu Feng or others?
Or perhaps only a small group had travelled south, this man was one of them, and after receiving news but failing to meet Ji Yue, he had come straight to the Ji family branch?
Or maybe Tianji Holy Land feared no one would accept Mu Feng’s challenge, so they sent someone else?
“You may be disappointed, Elder Huang. Ji Yue has already gone out for training.”
Elder Bei said with displeasure.
Coming directly to their door to issue challenges, and speaking so arrogantly, made him deeply uncomfortable.
“In that case, I can only challenge those present.”
The man said with some regret, his tone polite.
Yet at these words, the assembled elders nearly burst with fury. Many could not help slamming the table and rising.
“Hmph. What are you to challenge us?”
A Ninth Layer Martial Emperor elder roared.
Even if the man was a Tianji Holy Land elder, he showed no courtesy.
“This elder, please grant me instruction. Of course, not knowing the depth of your strength, this junior might accidentally overstep.”
The man said.
This middle-aged man was, of course, Lin Xiao. The story of being a Tianji Holy Land elder was merely fabricated to enter and scout the situation.
Now it seemed consistent with what he had previously discovered.
One First Layer Martial Saint, two half-step Martial Saints, and over twenty high-tier Martial Emperors. That was the overall strength of the Ji family branch.
As the Ninth Layer Martial Emperor elder was about to erupt again, Elder Bei raised a hand. “Our Ji family does not accept challenges from just anyone. However, since Elder Huang insists, we shall give Tianji Holy Land face. The Ji family will accept the fight.”
“But since Elder Huang says he might overstep, the same may happen on our side. If that occurs, I am sure Tianji Holy Land will have nothing to say.”
Elder Bei effectively accepted Lin Xiao’s request. The elders present all glared at Lin Xiao with fury, killing intent flashing in their eyes.
The opponent had come openly to provoke and even dared speak of “overstepping”. If they did not kill this middle-aged man, the Ji family’s reputation would be utterly ruined.
“Ninth Layer Martial Emperor battles cause great disturbance. We shall fight in the void outside the clan.”
Elder Bei rose, preparing to head outside.
But Lin Xiao shook his head. “No need to trouble yourself, Elder Bei. It will take only one or two moves. We can settle it here without great commotion.”
“You!”
The elders erupted in rage. Resolving them in one or two moves was outright humiliation. This Huang Daoyan was excessively arrogant. Elder Bei was also infuriated. When had the Ji family ever been so disregarded?
“Courting death.”
At that moment, the Ninth Layer Martial Emperor elder who had spoken earlier flashed forward. His palm struck like it could shatter the void, gathering immense Ninth Layer Martial Emperor power as it slammed heavily towards Lin Xiao’s chest.
Lin Xiao remained calm. Powerful Fifth Layer Martial Emperor vital force surged within him. His fist clenched, knotted muscles pulsing with explosive strength. He punched out in counter. His entire body suddenly resembled a roused lion. The unmatched fist ferociously struck the elder’s palm.
Bang. A loud explosion rang out. Lin Xiao’s fist directly pierced through the Ninth Layer Martial Emperor elder’s palm, then struck his chest.
It continued straight through the chest and out the back, punching a hole clean through the body. Blood sprayed everywhere.
Shock and disbelief covered the elder’s face. His eyes bulged wide. In an instant, life faded.
Clearly, he died with unresolved grievances.
“What?”
In that instant, everyone stared with widened eyes, as if their eyeballs would pop out, filled with utter disbelief.
Their Ji family Ninth Layer Martial Emperor elder had been punched straight through the body by the opponent?
This middle-aged man’s strength was actually this terrifying?
After a long stunned pause, everyone erupted in fury.
“You… you actually killed him.”
The crowd raged. The scene teetered on the edge of chaos as they prepared to attack en masse.
“Anyone else wish to fight?”
Lin Xiao asked immediately.
This caused the furious group to restrain themselves slightly and calm down.
“Die.”
At that moment, a half-step Martial Saint rushed out. Supreme and unyielding palm force blasted down from above.
Brilliant light flashed in his palm. The entire hand seemed to contain power capable of overturning mountains and seas as it slammed heavily towards Lin Xiao.
Boom. Lin Xiao punched out again. This time, he still used only Fifth Layer Martial Emperor vital force. With his current vital force, he could sweep any expert below Martial Saint. A mere half-step Martial Saint was nothing in his eyes.
Bang.
Pfft.
The same result. Lin Xiao’s fist pierced through the opponent’s palm, then through the body, nailing the half-step Martial Saint elder dead in front of him.
This time, the hall fell deathly silent. Everyone revealed looks of horror.
Even a half-step Martial Saint could not withstand a single strike. Just how strong was this Huang Daoyan?
Yet thinking of their two fallen elders, one of them a half-step Martial Saint, fury surged again.
Each loss of a Ninth Layer Martial Emperor or half-step Martial Saint was an enormous blow to the Ji family.
“Fifth Layer Martial Emperor realm. Your cultivation is only Fifth Layer Martial Emperor?”
Elder Bei spoke at last, his voice ice-cold, snapping the others back to awareness.
The opponent was not a half-step Martial Saint, merely Fifth Layer Martial Emperor cultivation.
“You are Lin Xiao.”
Elder Bei’s expression hardened. A wave of icy killing intent enveloped the hall.
Fifth Layer Martial Emperor capable of killing a half-step Martial Saint. It was not impossible for Tianji Holy Land to have such a genius.
But the likelihood was extremely small.
Moreover, Fifth Layer Martial Emperor was exactly the cultivation Lin Xiao had displayed in the eight surrounding cities of Spirit Pool Island.
Lin Xiao could conceal his aura and possessed special human skin masks. How could it be such a coincidence that a Tianji Holy Land expert of exactly this cultivation, capable of cross-realm combat, would come to their Ji family branch to cause trouble and kill?
This was clearly Lin Xiao in disguise. As the head of the Ji family Holy Province branch, how could he fail to see through such a ruse?
“Lin Xiao?”
The crowd was stunned. This middle-aged man was Lin Xiao?
