“This news is explosive. Who would’ve thought the one who sparked a war between the two great families was a youth not even twenty years old.”
“No idea where this Lin Xiao came from, but he’s got some nerve, framing the Cao and Xu families, making such massive clans dance to his tune.” “Cao Yuhua and Xu Wei, two top figures, are dead. The Cao family’s fifth city was nearly wiped out, and the Xu family’s fifth city was breached by the Cao family, with countless casualties. Cao Zheng and Cao Chen are confirmed dead, Xu Qin is confirmed dead, and with the losses from the war, the Cao family lost four Martial Lords in total, the Xu family lost three, and several Martial Lords were gravely injured. Martial Venerables suffered even more losses. All of this was orchestrated by a mere junior, and now both families must be fuming.”
“Indeed, the Cao family has detained everyone from the Ling family, who are connected to Lin Xiao, to force him to show himself. It’s the fourth day now, and the three-day deadline has passed. From today, the Cao family will start killing. Wonder if Lin Xiao will show up.” “The Ling family is now under Cao Ting’s control, with several Martial Lords, countless Martial Venerables, and possibly even stronger hidden Cao family Martial Lords. It’s clearly a death trap. If Lin Xiao shows up, he’s walking into his grave. He definitely won’t appear. If he were going to, he’d have shown up in the first three days.”
“Exactly, it’s obviously suicide. No one would go, and Lin Xiao’s no fool. Poor Ling Hu, though, not only facing death himself but dragging his entire family down with him.”
“Only thing to say is he’s unlucky, making such a disastrous friend who won’t even step up to sacrifice himself.”
“Blame Lin Xiao for provoking people he shouldn’t have, daring to scheme against both the Cao and Xu families. His audacity knows no bounds.”
…
The waves of discussion poured into Lin Xiao’s ears, causing his eyes to narrow and veins to bulge on his forehead.
“What? Ling Hu and the Ling family are under Cao family control? They’re starting to kill from today?” A chilling intent flashed in Lin Xiao’s eyes, and an overwhelming killing aura surged from him, enveloping the surroundings.
The crowd, engaged in conversation, felt this icy killing intent, their brows trembling as they turned toward the source.
There stood a masked youth at the edge of the bounty board.
“He… could he be…” Someone glanced at the iron-masked youth, then at the bounty board, murmuring in doubt.
“Second-realm Martial Venerable aura, under twenty years old, it’s highly likely he’s Lin Xiao…” someone whispered, but no one dared approach. None present were Martial Venerables, and the killing intent alone quashed any thoughts of claiming the reward.
“Tell me, where is Ling family city, and how far is it from here?” Lin Xiao’s gaze fixed on a nearby youth.
The youth trembled, stammering, “Ling family city is to the west, five or six thousand miles away.”
With a swish, Lin Xiao took out the Void Sky Phoenix Wings, inserted two Azure Spirit Stones, and the wings radiated dazzling golden light, enveloping him. He shot westward like a streak of gold, leaving the crowd stunned.
“Is he going to Ling family city to save them? Is he really that youth, Lin Xiao?”
“If it’s true, this is huge news. Ling family city is about to get lively.”
“Too bad, with our strength, by the time we get to Ling family city, it’ll all be over. We’ll just have to wait for news.”
“That was terrifying. If I hadn’t answered just now, I’d probably be a corpse.” …
The crowd buzzed with astonished chatter, never imagining the wanted youth would appear in this small town.
…
In Ling family city, a massive square held hundreds, even thousands, of people, men and women, young and old, including those without cultivation, all bound.
Those with strong cultivation were shackled with black iron chains, rendering them unable to break free.
Including Ling Zhongqian, the Ling family’s great elder with ninth-realm Martial Venerable cultivation, all twenty-three Ling family Martial Venerables were bound in the square.
Countless onlookers surrounded the square.
This was once the Ling family’s city, yet now all its members were tied up in the square for public spectacle, an utter humiliation for the Ling family.
Among the onlookers were two groups: one from the Su family, the other from the Guo family, both wearing gloating expressions.
“The Ling family is doomed this time!”
“Our Su family will have one less competitor.”
“They deserve it. The Ling family befriended a reckless, heartless youth who not only killed our young master Su Yun and our patriarch Su Shan but dared to provoke the Cao and Xu families.”
Cold snorts rose from the Su family members, their teeth itching with rage at the memory of Su Yun and Su Shan’s deaths.
It was a massive disgrace to their family.
The Guo family felt similarly.
At the front of the square stood a formidable group of Cao family experts: forty to fifty Martial Venerables and seven Martial Lords.
Cao Ting, a seventh-realm Martial Lord, led the group, accompanied by one sixth-realm Martial Lord, one fourth-realm Martial Lord, and four first-realm Martial Lords.
Everyone knew this was only the Cao family’s visible force. Hidden behind might be even stronger experts, their level and number unknown.
Besides forcing the youth named Lin Xiao to appear, the Cao family was also guarding against the Xu family.
Though the Xu family, too, had been harmed by Lin Xiao and wanted him dead, no one could predict if they’d intervene.
After all, the two families were already at odds from their war.
Some Xu family members were watching from a distance or blending into the crowd, but the Cao family paid them no mind.
“Fifth Elder, the time has come.”
A cold, elegant woman in the crowd spoke to Cao Ting, her face full of indifference.
This was Cao Xueqing, who harboured deep resentment for Lin Xiao stealing the Extreme Cold Yin Fruit, itching to kill him immediately.
She was utterly indifferent to the fate of the Ling family members tied to Lin Xiao, her eyes brimming with killing intent when looking at Ling Hu.
“That Ling Hu can’t be killed. If he dies, Lin Xiao’s even less likely to show. Besides, his father’s Heavenly Flame Emperor Tiger physique brought considerable benefits. His Heavenly Flame Sacred Tiger physique could fetch a good price too,” Cao Ting said coldly. “Kill three Martial Venerables at random.”
“You got off easy!” Cao Xueqing shot Ling Hu an icy glance, then strode toward the Ling family members.
The Ling family members panicked, and upon hearing Cao Ting’s words, Ling Hu roared in fury, “Cao Ting, you old cur, where did you trade my father to?”
He knew his father had been taken by the Cao family, but hadn’t expected them to trade him for profit, clearly targeting his father’s physique.
Whoever traded for his father was no good, surely after his father’s physique. Otherwise, his father wouldn’t have vanished for years, never returning to the family.
