“Lin Xiao, today you will die!” From the crowd of Ling Jian Sect, Cao Tianchao stood beside Jian Wudi, shouting coldly at Lin Xiao, his voice carrying far.
“Today, you will pay for the deaths of our three great families’ members!” Lu Yuan echoed.
“Lin Xiao, this is your end!” Xu Zilan also said coldly.
The members of the three great families all glared at Lin Xiao with murderous intent.
“Dongtian, Dongfeng, today Lin Xiao will join you in death!” Not far from the Ling Jian Sect crowd, in the void to the left of their peak, Yang Lan stared at Lin Xiao with icy eyes, sneering coldly.
Beside her, Duan Tianya and the Duan Family members were also filled with cold hostility. Lin Xiao had killed their family’s most outstanding genius, and Duan Dongtian had died at his hands, causing the Duan Family to lose all face. They wished for Lin Xiao’s immediate death.
In the void on the other side of Ling Jian Sect’s gate peak, the Xing Family members were also brimming with killing intent, radiating hostility toward Lin Xiao.
Ignoring the cold shouts of Cao Tianchao and the others, as well as the murderous intent from the Duan and Xing Families, Lin Xiao fixed his icy gaze on Jian Wudi.
Jian Wudi stared back at Lin Xiao with eyes as deep as an abyss, and the two locked gazes for a long moment.
“Elder Yun Jing, in a life-and-death challenge, no interference is allowed, nor is the use of a Martial Emperor War Seal. I trust you’re all aware of the rules?” The eldest elder of Ling Jian Sect spoke indifferently. Though his voice was soft, it resounded clearly across the entire area, audible to everyone.
“Naturally, we’re aware. If you interfere or if Jian Wudi activates a Martial Emperor War Seal, we won’t hold back either,” Yun Jing responded calmly, his tone carrying a hint of firmness.
“My Ling Jian Sect will not break the rules. But if you fail to abide by them, if you intervene or if Lin Xiao activates a Martial Emperor War Seal, we will act to kill him!” the elderly elder said, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Turning to Jian Wudi, he said, “Go. Kill him.”
Jian Wudi nodded, then shot forward, soaring into the air dozens of miles in front of Ling Jian Sect’s gate.
His white robe fluttered, sleeves snapping in the wind. Standing in the high air, Jian Wudi glanced down at Lin Xiao and said indifferently, “In today’s battle, it’s life or death. Since you’re so eager to die, come up.”
With that, Jian Wudi drew a gleaming long sword, and the powerful aura of a Seventh Level Martial Monarch radiated outward, filling the surroundings.
The crowd below and around retreated some distance.
Everyone knew that the two most prodigious geniuses of the Southeast Region were about to clash.
“It’s a fight to the death!”
Lin Xiao moved, soaring into the sky, stopping a few miles away at the same height as Jian Wudi, facing him.
“Make your move. Let’s see how many of my trump cards you can force me to reveal,” Jian Wudi said calmly, his sharp, unmatched aura surging outward, his entire being like a sword about to be unsheathed, ready to cut down all enemies.
“Alright!” Lin Xiao nodded, his tone calm. “I’ll let you have the first three moves!”
“What?” Lin Xiao’s words stunned the surrounding crowd, and then the scene nearly exploded.
“Letting Jian Wudi have three moves? Has Lin Xiao gone mad?”
“A First Level Martial Monarch giving a Seventh Level Martial Monarch three moves? That’s absurdly arrogant!”
“I’ve seen arrogance, but never this level of arrogance. Jian Wudi letting him have three moves would make more sense, yet he’s the one offering Jian Wudi three moves.”
“It’s not just arrogance, it’s like his brain’s gone haywire. He’s way too full of himself.”
…
Shocked and mocking voices rang out. No one could have imagined that Lin Xiao, who seemed to have no advantage, would boldly offer Jian Wudi three moves.
The Ling Jian Sect members were furious. Lin Xiao’s words were practically an insult to Jian Wudi and a humiliation to their sect.
“He’s truly courting death!” Cao Tianchao and the others, along with the Duan and Xing Families, sneered coldly.
“He’s deliberately provoking Jian Wudi,” a powerful elder seemed to discern Lin Xiao’s intent and commented.
“Talking big and provoking is fine, but you need the strength to back it up. Otherwise, he’ll just make a fool of himself and end up in a worse position,” someone countered.
Even Zi Ling and Ling Hu were puzzled, while Li Yunxiao and other prodigies were dumbfounded, their faces full of disbelief.
A First Level Martial Monarch like Lin Xiao offering Jian Wudi three moves? Was he really that arrogant?
Perhaps only those from Gun Dragon Sect had an inkling of what Lin Xiao was up to.
“Letting me have three moves?” Even Jian Wudi was momentarily stunned.
“That’s right. Make your move,” Lin Xiao replied calmly, as the Haoran Undying Technique and Haoran Unbreakable Martial Skill began to circulate within him.
“Hmph!” Jian Wudi snorted coldly. His gleaming sword slashed downward casually, unleashing a terrifying aura. A dazzling beam of light shot out, a sharp sword ray carrying immense power, streaking through the air like a rainbow or a bolt of lightning, aiming to cut Lin Xiao down.
At that moment, the onlookers held their breath, ceasing their discussions, their eyes fixed on the scene above, eager to see how Lin Xiao would handle letting Jian Wudi have three moves.
Though it was an ordinary strike, in Jian Wudi’s hands, its power was formidable.
Under countless gazes, a dense, radiant Haoran righteous aura enveloped Lin Xiao’s body. Golden light shimmered as he extended his palm, forming a defensive barrier of condensed golden light.
The golden barrier was incredibly solid, almost tangible, forming golden scales that enveloped his entire body.
The barrier was impregnable.
“Boom!”
A loud crash resounded as Jian Wudi’s sharp sword ray struck the golden barrier, shattering into rolling waves of energy that surged outward.
Lin Xiao’s golden barrier remained unscathed, and his body didn’t budge an inch, as if nothing had happened.
In that instant, the onlookers were stunned.
This was how Lin Xiao was “letting” Jian Wudi have three moves?
No dodging, no attacking, just activating a defence and letting Jian Wudi strike?
And Lin Xiao’s defence was so strong that it effortlessly blocked the powerful attack of a Seventh Level Martial Monarch?
“A defensive martial skill!” Within Ling Jian Sect, Zhe Renfeng’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Defensive martial skills, though not highly valued, were quite effective in blocking attacks and were extremely rare.
Lin Xiao had never used one before, yet now he could, and he easily blocked Jian Wudi’s attack.
This defensive martial skill was undoubtedly powerful. Could it be a trump card Lin Xiao had recently cultivated?
“Is he relying on this defensive martial skill to challenge Jian Wudi?”
“Blocking one strike doesn’t mean he can block others. This defensive skill probably isn’t that strong.”
“He likely plans to use this defensive skill to block Jian Wudi’s three moves, but whether he can withstand all three is questionable.”
…
The crowd buzzed with discussions.
In truth, Lin Xiao was slightly surprised himself. He hadn’t truly used the Undying Unbreakable Defence before.
Jian Wudi was steady and composed, showing no impatience in his fight with Zhan Lan. The first three moves would likely be probing, so Lin Xiao activated it to test it.
The first strike was easily blocked, proving that the Undying Unbreakable Defence was indeed effective.
