The news of Lin Xiao challenging Jian Wudi in a month spread like wildfire, instantly reaching every corner of the Southeast Region.
The entire region was in an uproar, filled with voices of disbelief. Lin Xiao’s name once again echoed throughout the Southeast Region.
What? Lin Xiao is actually going to challenge Jian Wudi? It’s only been a month since Jian Wudi defeated Zhan Lan, and less than two months since Lin Xiao stepped into the Ninth Level of Martial Venerable. Now he’s challenging Jian Wudi?
Could it be that he’s broken through to the Martial Monarch realm? How could it possibly be that fast?
He must have stepped into the Martial Monarch realm. Such speed, happening to Lin Xiao, is somewhat acceptable. However, with over a year left until the agreed battle, even if he’s become a Martial Monarch, why rush to challenge Jian Wudi so soon? At the Southeast Region Youth Summit, he was only at the Sixth Level of Martial Venerable, then broke through to the Seventh Level. In a month, he reached the Ninth Level, and in less than two months, he stepped into the Martial Monarch realm. If he can defeat Jian Wudi, his name will truly go down in history. Impossible! Don’t you know how powerful Jian Wudi is? He defeated other prodigies in three moves, and even against Zhan Lan, he didn’t use his strongest trump card. With his cultivation at the Seventh Level of Martial Monarch, even if Lin Xiao has reached the Martial Monarch realm, he can’t possibly be Jian Wudi’s match.
Perhaps Lin Xiao could create another miracle. After all, hasn’t he been creating miracles all along?
The chances of Lin Xiao defeating Jian Wudi are almost zero!
The streets and alleys buzzed with heated discussions. A small number of people supported Lin Xiao, but most were more optimistic about Jian Wudi.
After all, Jian Wudi’s recent display of combat power was simply too astonishing.
Of course, everyone had to admire Lin Xiao’s boldness.
Likewise, the news of Lin Xiao’s impending challenge to Jian Wudi reached the major sects like Jue Dao Sect, Demon Sect, and Ming Sect, shocking their disciples to the core.
The geniuses of these sects were also almost in disbelief.
Lin Xiao, not even twenty years old, challenging Jian Wudi, win or lose, dealt a massive blow to their pride.
Especially to the other major prodigies.
If Lin Xiao dared to challenge Jian Wudi, didn’t that mean he already had the strength to defeat them?
Lin Xiao, nearly ten years younger than them, could surpass them. How could these prodigies save face?
In a secluded location in the Southeast Region, an old man from the Burial Sect, resembling a reanimated corpse, sat in a grim hall. He glanced at the others and said in an extremely hoarse voice, “This time, I’ll go myself. If necessary, I’ll take action personally.”
“Sect Master, for a mere junior, do you need to act yourself?” an elder asked, puzzled.
The others nodded in agreement.
The corpse-like elder took a deep breath and said, “During the盛世观, I secretly observed him. He might be…”
He stopped abruptly, shook his head secretly, and sighed, “He shouldn’t have appeared, but he has!”
The others were utterly confused.
Since the Sect Master didn’t explain, they didn’t press further.
At the Li Family, Li Renchou gazed at the horizon and sighed deeply, “As expected of that monster’s disciple. In such a short time, he’s able to challenge a Seventh Level Martial Monarch genius. I wonder how far he’ll grow in a few years.”
At the Duan Family, upon hearing that Lin Xiao was about to challenge Jian Wudi, Yang Lan and Duan Tianya were both shocked, then revealed cold, sinister smiles.
“Daring to challenge Jian Wudi now? He’s courting death!” Yang Lan’s voice was icy, her eyes brimming with intense killing intent. “Tianya, let’s go now. I want to see with my own eyes Lin Xiao being killed by Jian Wudi.”
Duan Tianya, standing beside her, nodded.
The Xing Family also immediately sent people to Ling Jian Sect.
At the headquarters of Wanxiang Pavilion, Shi Jindou sighed, “This kid is something else, faster than I ever imagined!”
Then he ordered an elder beside him, “Gather some experts and head to Ling Jian Sect.”
“Yes!” the elder nodded.
Not only Wanxiang Pavilion but also the other three major chambers of commerce and various families sent people to Ling Jian Sect to witness the battle of the Southeast Region’s most monstrous genius.
Beyond spectating, this battle also concerned the Holy Spirit Vein and even some larger patterns.
If Jian Wudi won, Ling Jian Sect’s prestige would rise. If Lin Xiao won, Gun Dragon Sect’s prestige would soar even more. Knowing the outcome first would allow many forces to make critical decisions.
In the half-month leading up to the battle, countless people and major forces continuously gathered at Ling Jian Sect.
A few days before the scheduled battle, within Gun Dragon Sect, at the peak of a mountain, torrential black energy surged and swirled, enveloping several valleys. The entire area was filled with rolling black mist, starkly contrasting with Gun Dragon Sect’s righteous aura.
“You!” Suddenly, two beams of cold light shot from Lin Xiao’s eyes. He let out a soft cry and stood up.
At that moment, Lin Xiao’s body was pitch black, exuding an inexplicable demonic aura, as if he were about to become a true demon.
Soon, his skin tone returned to normal, and the surrounding black mist gradually dissipated.
“First Shade of the Nine Shades Demonic Body. My demonic body has finally reached the entry level!” Lin Xiao gazed at the horizon, sighing inwardly.
With his prior foundation, in just over a month, he had cultivated the Nine Shades Demonic Body to the First Shade level.
The First Shade was merely the first level of the Nine Shades Demonic Body, but he already felt an immense demonic power coursing through his body.
Whoosh!
At that moment, an elder’s figure suddenly darted toward him.
It was Yun Jing, the Grand Elder of Gun Dragon Sect, his face etched with extreme anxiety.
“There’s a big problem,” Yun Jing said as he approached Lin Xiao.
“What happened?” Lin Xiao frowned.
“The righteous aura in Haoran Mountain is weakening, and the formation is also weakening. This is like cutting off Gun Dragon Sect’s foundation. This has never happened before,” Yun Jing said immediately.
“What?” Lin Xiao was shocked. When he left Haoran Mountain’s peak, wasn’t everything fine? How could the righteous aura start vanishing in just over a month?
Could it be because of the disappearance of the Haoran Battle Pupil?
The righteous aura in Haoran Mountain should be related to the Haoran Battle Pupil, not the mountain itself. Lin Xiao immediately made the connection, as it was the only possibility.
“Lin Xiao, besides receiving the inheritance at Haoran Mountain’s peak, did anything else happen?” Yun Jing asked, his gaze fixed on Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao shook his head, feigning confusion. “When I reached the peak, it seemed I triggered a formation, then received the inheritance. During cultivation, I consumed a lot of righteous aura, but nothing else happened.”
He made no mention of the Haoran Battle Pupil.
That matter was too complicated to explain and involved the Heavenly Eye, which was too significant. Getting no answers from Lin Xiao, Yun Jing sighed helplessly. “Perhaps the formation in Haoran Mountain was only meant to sustain the inheritance. Once the inheritance was obtained, the formation gradually stopped functioning, and the righteous aura began to dissipate.”
“But this concerns Gun Dragon Sect’s foundation. Not only will cultivating righteous aura become harder, but the sect’s defense relies on Haoran Mountain’s formation. Once word spreads, and with the Sect Master absent, I’m afraid some people won’t be able to hold back,” Yun Jing said, his face heavy with worry.
