“Have you heard? Something huge is happening!”
“What?”
“Lin Xiao… he’s back!”
“What?! Impossible! Didn’t he die in the Mysterious Domain battlefield? You must’ve heard wrong.”
“No mistake. They say he’s heading to the Holy City Plaza to fight Yue Xingchen!”
“This… no way. Let’s go see!”
…
“Big news, huge news! Yue Xingchen led a group to provoke Tianmen, and then something unbelievable happened!”
“What? Don’t keep me in suspense, I’m busy.”
“Trust me, you’ll make time for this. I bet you’ll rush to the Holy City Plaza the moment you hear.”
“Cut the crap, what is it?”
“Yue Xingchen took his people to Tianmen. Then Xiahou Wanyu and three peak Martial Kings were crushed, and three First Realm Martial Venerables were blasted away!”
“By Hu Yue and Tianmen, right? What’s surprising about that?”
“No, one person did it all, and he’s only peak Martial King.”
“Oh, some new Tianmen prodigy? Yu Jinge? Qi Muba? Or Ji Mo?”
“None of them. It was Tianmen’s Gate Master!”
“Tianmen’s Gate Master, that strong…? Wait, what did you say?”
“I said Tianmen’s Gate Master, Lin Xiao, is back. The legend himself, back from the Mysterious Domain battlefield, and he’s heading to the Holy City Plaza to fight Yue Xingchen!”
“Damn it, why didn’t you say so sooner!”
“Hey, wait for me! Told you, you’d drop everything and run to the plaza…”
…
“Senior Brother, why the rush?”
“Lin Xiao’s back, heading to the Holy City Plaza!”
“What? Lin Xiao’s back?”
…
“Extra! Extra! Shocking news! Lin Xiao’s returned from the Mysterious Domain battlefield and is about to fight Yue Xingchen at the Holy City Plaza!”
…
“Lin Xiao… he’s not dead!” At the Sword and Blade Alliance headquarters, Mu Yao heard the news, her face lighting up with shock and excitement. She transformed into a streak of lightning, speeding towards the plaza.
“That guy’s still alive?” Mu Yuanhua’s face showed shock, tinged with anger. Because he’d sent people to kill Lin Xiao, Master An Miao had harshly reprimanded him and cut ties permanently.
“Let’s see what makes this guy so special that even An Miao admires him!” Mu Yuanhua followed Mu Yao.
…
In the cultivation zone, Wu Tian sat in his cave mansion when a young disciple interrupted, reporting Lin Xiao’s return.
Though in seclusion, Wu Tian could be disturbed for major Martial Alliance matters unless at a critical moment.
“Oh? Is this confirmed?” Wu Tian’s face showed shock, asking in disbelief.
“I saw it myself!” the disciple nodded firmly.
“Let’s go!” Wu Tian stood, flying out of the cave.
…
Lin Xiao’s return spread like wildfire, sweeping through the Holy City in moments.
The city erupted. Young disciples and even some elders dropped everything, rushing to the Holy City Plaza at top speed.
Lin Xiao’s return was too shocking—the first to ever emerge from the sealed Mysterious Domain battlefield.
And he held a supreme treasure!
Not everyone was thrilled, though. The Xiahou family was furious.
Lin Xiao had killed their generation’s top genius, Xiahou Jing, humiliating them. The entire Xiahou family had long held a grudge.
When they thought Lin Xiao was dead, it was bearable. Now, hearing he was alive, the Xiahou family was livid, seething with rage.
Xiahou Lan, the family’s matriarch, had known Lin Xiao was alive first but was too busy to spread the news.
The angriest was Xiahou Wanyu and Xiahou Jing’s father, Xiahou Li. Upon hearing Lin Xiao lived, he shattered a table in fury.
He’d been away on a long mission, returning after the Mysterious Domain battlefield closed, only to learn Lin Xiao had killed Xiahou Jing. Enraged but unable to act with Lin Xiao presumed dead, his fury reignited now.
Xiahou Li led the Xiahou family, storming towards the Holy City Plaza in a rage.
…
On the streets to the plaza, countless people gathered. Seeing Lin Xiao, their excited chatter roared like thunder, leaving him a bit speechless.
Surrounded by the crowd, Lin Xiao reached the plaza, where thousands had already gathered, the atmosphere electric.
Tianmen and the Moon Gate stood at the center, facing off, the focus of all attention.
“It’s really Lin Xiao! He’s alive!”
“How did he survive the Mysterious Domain battlefield? It’s unbelievable!”
“Spiritual energy, first in the grand competition, killed Xiahou Jing, defeated Mo Jiutian in the battlefield, single-handedly swayed the war, and now walks out of the sealed battlefield. At Martial King Ninth Realm, he’s challenging the second-ranked Heavenly Star List’s Yue Xingchen—a miracle-maker!”
The crowd’s awe-filled discussions echoed endlessly.
“Look at that, you’re quite the celebrity!” Ziling remarked, impressed.
Lin Xiao shrugged, noncommittal.
“Lin Xiao!” A delicate voice called out. Lin Xiao turned to see familiar figures approaching.
Among them was Mu Yao, a breathtaking beauty, and Bai Moxuan, a dashing man in white. Both were now Martial Venerable Third Realm.
A year ago, they were first and second on the Earth Star List, prodigies of their generation. In just over a year, they’d gone from peak Martial King to Martial Venerable Third Realm, proving their rankings.
Beside them was Yang Dehui, a broad-built man once just behind Mu Yao on the Earth Star List, now a Martial Venerable Second Realm with a strong aura.
Others from the Earth Star List, who’d fought the Youtian Demon Palace alongside Lin Xiao, also arrived.
