Lin Xiao caught Mei Taiyang’s chilling gaze, his expression turning grave. He yearned to kill Mei Taiyang, but the cultivation gap was vast, and a freed Mei Taiyang posed a lethal threat.
At that moment, the three Cao family Martial Venerable youths charged in. Cao Gan targeted a Holy City Third Realm Martial Venerable disciple.
One Cao Third Realm youth pursued Hu Yue, but Wu Tian intercepted, roaring, “Let’s see how strong you Cao family really are!”
The youth sneered, slashing his sword. A piercing clash rang out, and Wu Tian was forced back dozens of zhang.
“Hmph, you’re not enough. But since you’re eager to die, I’ll oblige!” The youth shifted his focus, attacking Wu Tian.
The other Cao Third Realm youth charged Lin Xiao.
“Perfect timing!” Lin Xiao locked eyes with the youth, gripping his sword. Berserk martial intent surged, radiating a ferocious aura.
Explosive physical strength coursed through his muscles.
His yuan force peaked within.
“Roar!”
A dragon’s cry echoed. Earthy yellow light burst from Lin Xiao’s dantian, a blood dragon phantom materializing behind him, its ancient pressure sweeping the battlefield.
Lin Xiao felt the blood dragon phenomenon, now vastly stronger.
He also infused fourth-grade high-level spiritual power into his arms.
With Mei Taiyang eyeing him, ready to strike, Lin Xiao had to repel this Cao youth with maximum force.
“Mid-tier earth-grade phenomenon?” The arrogant Cao youth’s face flashed with shock. A mid-tier earth-grade phenomenon was rare even in the Cao family, and scarce across the Southeast Domain.
“I must kill you!” the youth growled inwardly, slashing his blade at Lin Xiao.
Clang!
A deafening clash erupted. The impact overwhelmed the Cao youth, pain searing his hands. His blade recoiled, striking his chest. Blood sprayed as he was flung back.
“Impossible!” Disbelief contorted his face. A Cao family genius, he could dominate same-realm chaotic lands fighters with a single strike. Yet, a First Realm Martial Venerable like Lin Xiao had repelled him?
Lin Xiao moved to pursue, but Mei Taiyang was already charging from above. Lin Xiao touched his storage ring, retrieving a zhang-wide white silk cocoon—Xutian Moon-Watching.
A year ago, Xutian Moon-Watching had consumed a white pearl and entered seclusion, showing no signs of waking.
Lin Xiao hadn’t wanted to disturb it, but now he had no choice but to rouse it.
“Kid, no matter what you pull out, I’ll cripple your dantian today!” Mei Taiyang roared, hurtling toward Lin Xiao.
“Not so easy!” Lin Xiao’s eyes blazed with killing intent. Black-green spiritual energy surged, burning toward the cocoon.
“Touch my brother, and you die!” A familiar voice boomed. A youth’s figure shot forth like lightning.
Broad-shouldered and burly, with a resolute face, the youth’s right arm was a massive tiger claw.
As he appeared, fiery red light radiated, his body glowing crimson. His left arm swelled, doubling in size, while his tiger arm, already robust, grew even larger, brimming with explosive power.
A primal aura emanated, as if he were an ancient beast, the heavens trembling. His ferocious presence shook the battlefield.
“Five—Yin—Demon—Claw!”
His voice thundered, five blood-red giant claws descending, brimming with terrifying force, grasping at Mei Taiyang.
Mei Taiyang frowned, thrusting both palms upward. A massive palm, radiating sovereign pressure, met the claws.
“Boom!”
A deafening explosion unleashed torrents of shockwaves, slamming into Mei Taiyang.
“Pfft!” Blood sprayed from his mouth as he crashed into the ground, kicking up clouds of earth.
The crowd was stunned.
A twenty-something youth had repelled a First Realm Martial Monarch with one strike?
How strong was he?
Cao Gan and the Cao youth fighting Wu Tian were dumbfounded. They thought themselves prodigies, but this youth’s feat was unimaginable.
The Third Realm Cao youth, already shocked by Lin Xiao’s blow, was floored. A youth defeating a Martial Monarch? It shattered his worldview.
Even Lin Xiao was stunned.
He recognized the figure instantly—Ling Hu, his sworn brother from the Tenth Outer Academy.
After consuming the Beast Transformation Pill and losing control, Ling Hu had vanished.
Now, over two years later, he returned at Lin Xiao’s moment of crisis, wielding power to defeat Mei Taiyang.
Lin Xiao hadn’t anticipated such strength.
The Cao family Martial Monarchs in the air were equally shocked.
“Pfft!” But then, Ling Hu coughed blood, his aura wilting. He plummeted downward.
“Ling Hu!” Lin Xiao shouted, urging his Void Sky Phoenix Wings to catch him.
Ling Hu must have used a secret technique or pill beyond his body’s limits to unleash that strike.
Defeating a First Realm wasn’t his normal strength.
The crowd relaxed slightly, realizing his power was temporarily boosted. A youth truly defeating a Martial Monarch at that age would’ve been too much.
Still, his body’s ability to channel such power was astonishing, hinting at formidable baseline prowess.
“Ling Hu, you okay?” Lin Xiao asked, catching him.
“Heh, fine. Just a secret technique. I’ll recover soon,” Ling Hu grinned weakly, swallowing a pill. His aura stabilized slightly.
“Kill him!” The Cao family’s Fifth Realm Martial Monarch, fighting the Eight Directions Tower Master, frowned. After knocking his opponent back, he targeted Ling Hu.
Like a blur, the Fifth Realm Monarch shot toward Lin Xiao and Ling Hu on the Phoenix Wings platform.
