Gazing at the two youths who seemed certain of their dominance over him, Lin Xiao realised there was little point in further words. He immediately threw a punch toward the white-robed man.
The chaotic elemental energy converged into a river-like pillar, streaking across the sky. Its terrifying aura seemed to twist the void itself, the fearsome force threatening to tear space into turbulent streams.
“You!” The white-robed youth flinched, caught off guard by Lin Xiao’s decisiveness. He hadn’t even made a move, yet this youth struck first.
“Courting death!” The white-robed youth’s expression chilled. He drew a silver ring and spun, slashing it forward. Dazzling light erupted from the ring, its radiant glow unleashing a fearsome force to intercept the attack.
“What an ignorant fool, daring to attack even Gu Han—he’s simply tired of living,” the sharp-faced youth beside him sneered coldly, as if already picturing Lin Xiao being blasted away.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Yet, contrary to expectations, the chaotic fist beam shattered Gu Han’s force, sending waves of energy surging outward in all directions.
“Hmm?” Gu Han’s face shifted. This youth, a tier below him in cultivation, had so easily broken through his attack.
“Cold Wind Ravine!” Gu Han moved swiftly, spinning countless times in an instant. A white, chilling current spiralled into form around him. When the remnants of Lin Xiao’s fist beam struck it, they were entirely shredded.
Lin Xiao’s brows furrowed slightly. This youth was no pushover—he wielded the power of icy chill.
“Swish! Swish!”
The chilling current grew larger, and within moments, it spanned dozens of zhang, resembling a massive white tornado. Rolling waves of icy power swirled within it.
“Since it’s icy chill, let’s see how you handle the utmost yang and utmost violence!”
Lin Xiao raised his sword skyward with both hands. Thunder Essence surged within him, vast lightning power pouring into the blade. A colossal thunderbolt giant sword took shape above it, brimming with rolling thunder and flickering lightning, faint rumbles echoing through the air.
“Thunder power!” The sharp-faced youth’s expression changed, disbelief flashing across his face.
Attribute powers were rare, possessed by only a select few. Gu Han was already an anomaly—yet this random youth they’d encountered wielded one too.
And it was the ferocious, explosive power of thunder, the perfect counter to Gu Han’s chill.
Sensing the wild aura of the thunder power, Gu Han hastily retreated a hundred zhang. The collision of such opposing forces was unimaginable.
“Thunder Second Form—Heavenly Thunder Slash!”
With Lin Xiao’s booming shout, the thunderbolt giant sword crashed toward the spinning chilling tornado ahead, striking with ferocious force.
“Boom!”…
A deafening, earth-shaking roar erupted as the two opposing forces collided, instantly detonating. A blinding, sea-like surge of energy exploded outward, roiling like a storm, surging in all directions.
The terrifying shockwave cracked the ground, fissures spreading hundreds of zhang. The surrounding grass and trees melted away like snow under a blazing sun, the fusion of utmost yin and utmost yang unleashing devastating power.
The sharp-faced youth paled in shock, retreating hastily. The collision’s intensity far exceeded his expectations.
Lin Xiao, too, was stunned, retreating quickly. This explosion rivalled even his Devouring Spirit Finger in potency—he hadn’t anticipated such an effect from clashing attribute powers.
After some time, as the dust settled, a figure clad in silver armour stood in a hundred-metre crater in the ground.
The armour shimmered with flowing silver light, as if liquid silver coursed over it, encasing the entire body—including the head—standing unscathed in the pit.
Lin Xiao was utterly astonished. What kind of armour could withstand that cataclysmic explosion without a scratch?
At that moment, the armour flowed like liquid silver, retracting from the head to reveal the youth’s handsome face.
“You… you wield thunder power…” Gu Han stared at Lin Xiao from afar, his face etched with disbelief.
He hadn’t even launched his attack when the thunderbolt giant sword struck his Cold Wind Ravine, detonating right on him.
The collision’s might forced even Lin Xiao and the sharp-faced youth to retreat far away—let alone him, at the blast’s epicentre. The force he endured was unimaginable.
Without his Flowing Silver Armour, that strike might have reduced him to ash…
He couldn’t fathom it—a random eighth-tier Heavenly Martial youth wielding thunder power, striking and detonating his Cold Wind Ravine in one fell swoop.
“Indeed, I’m equally surprised you possess icy chill power…” Lin Xiao’s eyes gleamed as he eyed Gu Han’s Flowing Silver Armour, saying, “That armour of yours is impressive.”
“You!” Gu Han’s anger flared, fury surging within him. Not only had Lin Xiao attacked him, but now he dared covet his Flowing Silver Armour.
“Forcing me, Gu Han, into such a wretched state and daring to eye my Flowing Silver Armour—you’re truly courting death!” Gu Han’s figure blurred into a streak of light, charging at Lin Xiao with blinding speed. “Even that blast couldn’t harm me—let’s see how you fight me and steal my armour!”
As Gu Han claimed, his Flowing Silver Armour was extraordinary, unscathed by that explosive force.
Even if Lin Xiao unleashed his Devouring Spirit Finger with his current strength, it’d likely have little effect.
The armour’s defence was simply too formidable!
Gu Han aimed for close combat, banking on the armour’s resilience—Lin Xiao couldn’t touch him. If Lin Xiao used thunder power to trigger another explosion, he’d only harm himself.
But how could Lin Xiao let Gu Han have his way? If he couldn’t breach the Flowing Silver Armour, fighting directly would be futile—so he wouldn’t fight himself.
“Swish!” With a flip of his hand, Lin Xiao released the green corpse puppet. Rolling yin energy surged as it appeared, charging at Gu Han. Its rigid fist slammed toward Gu Han’s chest.
“What—a corpse puppet!” Gu Han gasped, hastily throwing a punch to counter. But the puppet’s strength was overwhelming, knocking his fist aside and striking his chest.
“Pfft!”
A mouthful of blood sprayed from Gu Han’s lips as he was flung back, crashing into the ground and leaving a crater.
“High-tier Martial King strength!” Gu Han struggled to his feet, his face grim. Even with the Flowing Silver Armour’s defence, it couldn’t withstand a full-force blow from a high-tier Martial King!
He couldn’t fathom it—this youth possessed such a thing, essentially a high-tier Martial King bodyguard.
“Whoosh!”
The green corpse puppet charged at Gu Han again, his expression shifting. He activated the Flowing Silver Armour and retreated at full speed.
“Run!” Gu Han shouted, transforming into a streak of light and fleeing skyward, too fast for the puppet to pursue.
At his words, the sharp-faced youth fled too, his booming voice echoing back: “Kid, you’ll regret this—we’ll be waiting for you in the Holy City!”
Lin Xiao paused briefly. The two were decisive, their escape skills impressive.
He didn’t pursue. With the Flowing Silver Armour, Gu Han was uncatchable, and chasing the sharp-faced youth held little value.
“Waiting for me in the Holy City? Who’s afraid of whom!” Lin Xiao snorted coldly. He’d face any challenge head-on—however notable their status, he feared nothing.
Retracting the green corpse puppet, he pressed onward. The pair had coveted his slaughter bracelet—surely the Holy City wasn’t far.
He was eager to see what this Holy City was like, a place where Holy Origin Academy members took missions, sparking such envy in these two.
