“Ahh!” Xiahou Wanyu roared, torrents of black energy surging from him.
“Xiu!”
A figure shot from the Xiahou crowd, hurtling toward Lin Xiao at near-invisible speed, a sovereign pressure blanketing the area.
It was unmistakably Xiahou Lan.
“Xiahou Lan, you dare!” Baili He bellowed from above, landing dozens of zhang before Lin Xiao, slamming out a palm.
Boom!
Terrifying forces collided in the void, trembling the air, shockwaves rippling outward. The life-or-death platform’s array flared, then shattered.
Fortunately, the clash’s aftermath only broke the barrier, sparing the crowd further impact.
But after the strike, Baili He was hurled backward.
Xiahou Lan, a Second Realm Martial Monarch, outclassed Baili He by a realm, and her attack carried immense force.
Repelling Baili He, Xiahou Lan surged toward Lin Xiao again.
“You dare!” Baili He roared, rushing forward.
Too late—Xiahou Lan reached Lin Xiao, her hand clawing toward him.
Lin Xiao’s brows furrowed. He hadn’t expected Xiahou Lan’s reckless assault.
“Boom!”
At that moment, a thunderous shockwave erupted, flinging Xiahou Lan back. An elderly figure appeared.
It was the Vice Dean.
Ziling, Tianmen disciples, and Lin Xiao himself breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
The crowd was stunned by the sudden turn. Xiahou Lan’s brazen attack defied all expectations.
“As an elder, attacking a disciple—what’s your intent?” the Vice Dean asked calmly, eyeing Xiahou Lan.
Unfazed, Xiahou Lan replied with a cryptic tone, “Vice Dean, he possesses the Youtian Demon Pillar. If he doesn’t surrender it, the Holy City faces calamity!”
The Vice Dean frowned, as did Lin Xiao and the crowd, sensing an ominous undertone in her words.
A majestic voice echoed from the horizon: “She’s right. If the Youtian Demon Pillar isn’t surrendered, the Holy City will face disaster!”
Hearts trembled as hundreds of figures approached, their terrifying auras overwhelming, a crushing pressure enveloping the city, stifling breaths.
Soon, three to four hundred figures neared, clearly visible.
They formed ten rows, led by ten elders radiating sovereign might.
Behind them, roughly eighty elders, middle-aged, and youths exuded Martial Venerable auras.
Following were about three hundred, all with Martial King auras, their combined presence suffocating. Only the Vice Dean and Baili He’s Martial Monarch pressures countered, preventing disciples from collapsing under the weight.
Even so, the oppression was palpable.
“Youtian Demon Palace! It’s them—they’ve mobilized in full force!”
Shock painted every face. Youtian Demon Palace’s mass arrival signaled a full-scale confrontation.
“Shua!”
Two robed elders shot from the cultivation zone, joining the Vice Dean on the platform: the Second Elder (Eight Directions Tower Master) and Third Elder (Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion Master).
Even they looked grave.
“Rong Wanqing, long time no see!” A black-robed elder with a gaunt, sickly face and jet-black hair spoke from the center of the ten, eyeing the Vice Dean.
It was the first time the Holy City heard the Vice Dean’s full name.
Clearly, this elder was Youtian Demon Palace’s Palace Master, a peak Martial Monarch of the chaotic lands.
The Vice Dean’s eyes narrowed, his voice cold. “You Mo, leading the Youtian Alliance here—do you intend war with the Holy City? Don’t forget, Shengyuan Academy was once the true hegemon of these lands.”
“That’s the Palace Master?” Lin Xiao’s heart stirred. Unassuming in appearance, You Mo’s aura was razor-sharp, his eyes deep and piercing, marking him as a ruthless figure.
Scanning the crowd, Lin Xiao noted not all wore Youtian Demon Palace attire. Among the ten Martial Monarchs, two stood out: one in a red robe with a bold “Yuan” character, another in purple with a clear “Guan” character.
Likely Yuan and Guan family Martial Monarchs, from clans with such strength.
Among the eighty Martial Venerables and three hundred Martial Kings, nearly half wore varied attire, not all from Youtian Demon Palace.
Lin Xiao spotted familiar faces among the Martial Venerables: Cang Shang, Gu Shiyou, and others, all glaring at him.
Among the Martial Kings, a more familiar face stood out—Gong Feiyun.
Now a Martial King, Gong Feiyun’s eyes burned with venomous hatred.
Lin Xiao had killed his father, Gong Hongyun, and most Gong family elders, fueling his grudge.
The Liu family suffered worse, their patriarch, Liu He, and elders nearly wiped out, with no Martial Kings in this force.
But to Lin Xiao, foes like Gong Feiyun warranted only a glance.
