“Enough!”
At that moment, Mei Taiyang waved his hand, halting the Martial Venerable. He glanced at the two injured fighters and spoke calmly, “Able to wield Thunder Essence, he’s a top genius from the Holy Origin Academy—and a Spirit Controller with spiritual energy to boot. Unless he’s a genius on the Human-Demon List, it’d be hard to defeat him. Your losses are understandable.”
“The Human-Demon List!” Du Teng’s heart tightened. That list comprised the elite geniuses of the Nether Sky Demon Palace, nurtured with immense resources. Even he lacked the strength to qualify.
Defeating Lin Xiao required someone from the Human-Demon List? He wondered if Elder Mei had misjudged—Lin Xiao’s displayed strength only slightly outmatched his own.
Feng Yidao was equally stunned. Was Lin Xiao truly that formidable?
But since Elder Mei said so, he felt a slight relief. If it took a Human-Demon List disciple to win, their defeats wouldn’t cost them too much standing.
“Lin Xiao, if you’re willing to join the Nether Sky Demon Palace, I can offer you a chance to be trained as a key disciple,” Mei Taiyang said, gazing at Lin Xiao with a neutral tone.
The crowd was taken aback, wondering if Mei Taiyang had misspoken. Lin Xiao was their enemy—yet he was trying to recruit him, and as a key disciple no less?
On reflection, it made sense. Lin Xiao’s talent was extraordinary, his future potential immense. Successfully recruiting him would bolster the Nether Sky Demon Palace’s ranks.
But Feng Yidao and Du Teng were vehemently opposed. If Lin Xiao joined, wouldn’t he trample them underfoot?
For Feng Yidao especially, if Lin Xiao lived, his cultivation might stall—a psychological knot he couldn’t untie.
All eyes turned to Lin Xiao. Alone in this dire situation, any sensible person would choose to join the Nether Sky Demon Palace. The alternative was annihilation.
Yet Lin Xiao showed no trace of worry. Looking at Mei Taiyang, a contemptuous smirk curled his lips as he chuckled mockingly, “Heh, you old codger are quite something. Just moments ago, you saw me as an ant, and now you’re lowering your dignity to recruit me.”
“Gasp!”
The crowd sucked in a collective breath.
This was a Martial Monarch, a sovereign of the land! To say such a thing, with that condescending tone—as if others owed him something…
They were at a loss for words to describe this youth. In a situation where death was certain, anyone would know the smart choice. Yet he not only refused but dared to taunt a Martial Monarch.
He was surely finished.
After their shock, Feng Yidao and Du Teng smirked inwardly. They’d feared Lin Xiao might join—now, he was courting his own doom, the best outcome possible.
Mei Taiyang, too, was momentarily stunned, clearly unprepared for Lin Xiao’s response.
A Martial Monarch was a supreme powerhouse in these chaotic lands, lofty and revered, feared by all, defied by none.
Yet here was someone openly mocking him to his face.
Mei Taiyang’s expression darkened, his voice growing colder as he asked, “So what’s your answer?”
“It’s obvious—I’ve no interest in your Nether Sky Demon Palace,” Lin Xiao said dismissively, brushing his hands together.
The Nether Sky Demon Palace repulsed him. From the four in the Monarch’s Cache to this encounter—especially this Martial Monarch’s haughty, ant-like disdain—grated on him. How could he join such a faction?
No matter how powerful it was.
More crucially, with their attitudes, even if he joined, they’d likely strip him of everything he had.
“A mere ant dares speak to me like this…” A flicker of anger crossed Mei Taiyang’s face, his voice icy. “Very well. Since that’s your choice, don’t blame me for being merciless. I’ll probe your memories with my techniques, then cripple you so you’ll wish for death.”
With that, Mei Taiyang unleashed his sovereign aura, the might of a Martial Monarch surging forth, an immense pressure enveloping all directions.
“Kill me? It’s not that easy!” Facing the advancing Mei Taiyang, Lin Xiao shot back without restraint, “Old dog, I’ll let you all know—your pathetic Nether Sky Demon Palace is now officially being robbed by me!”
The crowd froze, dumbfounded. Had they heard right? Lin Xiao called Elder Mei an old dog—and they were being robbed?
Everyone was bewildered.
They wondered if Lin Xiao had lost his mind!
Mei Taiyang was momentarily stunned, then fury erupted. “Good, very good. Let’s see how you rob us.”
He thrust a hand forward, a terrifying force poised to surge forth.
But Lin Xiao had already retrieved the Light Seal Talisman from his storage ring. Infusing it with elemental energy, he crushed it in his grip.
“Swish!”
A blinding white light erupted from his hand, flooding the sky, illuminating the heavens and earth, saturating every inch of space around them.
Mei Taiyang flinched, about to unleash his power, but the light moved too swiftly, enveloping him. The force he’d summoned was abruptly sealed back.
The others were equally shocked, discovering a mysterious power suppressing their cultivation.
“What—my power’s sealed! My cultivation’s been suppressed to the eighth tier of Heavenly Martial!” Mei Taiyang exclaimed in disbelief. A Martial Monarch, a sovereign figure, a titan among martial artists—when had he ever felt this? To be reduced to this by a junior!
“You rat, what have you done!” the high-tier Martial Venerable roared, fury surging across his face.
Feng Yidao’s face paled. Lin Xiao had a talisman capable of sealing even a Martial Monarch’s power. He knew all too well how formidable Lin Xiao was at the Heavenly Martial realm. Would Lin Xiao escape again?
The thought sent a shiver through him. Humiliated by Lin Xiao repeatedly—would he slip away once more?
With their cultivation sealed, the Martial Kings, Martial Venerables, and even the Martial Monarch plummeted from the sky.
Only Elder Zhong, the fifth-tier Spirit Controller, retained some power, sealed to mid-tier third-grade spiritual energy.
This Light Seal Talisman was remarkable—a protective inheritance that could suppress foes to the user’s level. The fifth-tier Spirit Controller was reduced to mid-tier third-grade, matching Lin Xiao’s spiritual power.
He could still fly, though his body wobbled in the air. A fifth-tier Spirit Controller’s techniques were formidable, yet even he was sealed.
On the scene were one Martial Monarch, one fifth-tier Spirit Controller, one high-tier Martial Venerable, one low-tier Martial Venerable, and eight Martial Kings. Now, aside from the Spirit Controller, all were reduced to eighth-tier Heavenly Martial.
“Everyone, still feeling high and mighty? If you don’t want to die, hand over your storage rings—now!”
Seeing their shocked and furious expressions, Lin Xiao grinned, shouting with mocking glee.
Weren’t they lofty and superior? Wasn’t this the Nether Sky Demon Palace’s critical zone? Fine—he’d rob them all. In same-tier combat, he feared no one.
