《Rise of the Great Emperor》


 Chapter 1: Lin Xiao

    "Lin Xiao you brat, stop right there!"


    In a small village near Cai Mountains, it was a lively morning. The sun was still hanging high on the sky above, yet the people were already busy with their activities. In the midst of their daily activities, the yell from the middle aged man could be heard very clearly.


    "Hahaha, Elder Mo, didn''t I tell you that you shouldn''t scream so much in case you hurt our ears!"


    "Come back here, you brat!"


    A young boy around the age of 15 years old ran while laughing. Dressed in simple and crude brown robes, he didn''t look much different from ordinary children in this village. His black hair danced with the win as the boy ran across the village, laughing heartily.


    Behind him, a middle aged man was looking at the boy with black lines on his face. He couldn''t believe that this young boy had tricked him again. If only he could spank that naughty boy, he would have done so from a long time ago.


    "Elder Mo," a villager called out. "What happened this time?"


    "Aish, that brat, Lin Xiao," the elder said with helpless tone. "He''s tricking me with his words again."


    The villagers around the elder shook their heads. Who didn''t know that Lin Xiao had his way with words? That naughty kid really loved to trick them if they dared to mess with him.


    "Shall I catch him, Elder?" A burly villager asked. He was one of the strongest villager in this small village. While they were all cultivators in this world, they were still at the lowest of the lowest, staying idly at the body training stage. Even then, there were rarely anyone among them who could reach high level.


    This burly villager was exactly one of the few of them who had managed to reach high level.


    "Forget it," the elder waved his hand. "That Lin Xiao is indeed naughty, but he didn''t cross any lines. Besides, our village need his talent if we wish to get more recognition from Taiyi Sect."


    "Yes, Elder Mo."


    "Elder Mo is benevolent."


    In the vast world, there were countless sects in the world. Or at least, that was what the villagers ever knew because their scope was simply too little. Even the highest martial artist in this village was nothing more than body training 8 stage. When compared to many other cities, they were severely lacking.


    This village was one of the few village under Taiyi Sect. They have to pay tribute each year and also send the promising youngsters to join Taiyi Sect during the yearly examination. If the youngsters managed to perform well, of course, the village would gain benefit too.


    This was the only reason they could tolerate Lin Xiao''s mischievousness.


    Swish!


    At this time, Lin Xiao was travelling rapidly to the edge of the village. There were scarcer houses at this area because most of them would not want to live at the edge. There were more dangers here and harder to seek help if they ever need it.


    Lin Xiao glanced up and upon seeing a familiar cliff at the edge of the village, he grinned. He jumped off the fence and circled the cliff. A tree was growing at the top of the cliff with its root hanging from above. Lin Xiao grabbed one of them and used it to swing to the other side of the cliff with agile movements.


    After running and turning once more, he arrived in front of a secluded house. The house looked worn out and quite bad, but Lin Xiao paid no heed to it. This house was the only place he could call home in this village.


    His eyes landed on the figure who was sitting in front of the house.


    "Lin Yun! Didn''t I tell you that you shouldn''t go outside of the house?" Lin Xiao called out as he continued to run.


    The young man, Lin Yun, turned his head around. He was around the same age as Lin Xiao but had smaller body frame. While Lin Xiao had toned muscle thanks to his daily practice, Lin Yun looked like a young kid who could blow even with the slightest wind.


    They didn''t look alike because they were not related by blood, but the two of them were both orphans. Lin Yun''s parents took care of Lin Xiao when the latter was small, so the two of them became brothers.


    "Bro, you''re back," Lin Yun called out.


    "Yun!"


    "I''ll return back inside," Lin Yun said helplessly and stood up slowly. His movement was extremely slow as if it hurt him to move even a little bit.


    He looked at Lin Xiao as he walked inside. "Did you trick anyone again, Brother?"


    "Just Elder Mo. He''s trying to use my labor for free again," Lin Xiao replied as he watched Lin Yun''s steps with worried gaze. If something were to happen to his brother, he wouldn''t'' be able to take it.


    "Oh."


    Lin Yun obviously knew Elder Mo. He was one of the few elders in this villages. Rather than having one village head to decide on everything, they have three elders here. It was simply because they couldn''t get on agreement if it was only one person who led, so they picked three.


    The three of them have different personalities and all, with Elder Mo being the hardest to deal with because he loved to create trouble for the youngsters. As a stingy old man, he always tried to get free labor.


    Of course, Lin Xiao would do whatever possible to put himself in the most advantageous situation so that he wouldn''t be cheated.


    "Don''t worry, I managed to collect enough copper coins to buy your medicine for this month." Lin Xiao grinned, showing a few copper coins from his pocket that he earned with great difficulties.


    Lin Yun shook his head. "There''s no use buying the medicine, Brother. Why don''t you use the money for yourself?"


    "Nonsense! I can''t possibly let you get sick all the time," Lin Xiao rejected the notion almost immediately. He walked into the house and pulled the chair. "What did you see this time? Don''t tell me that you see a beautiful girl again."


    "Brother!"

 Chapter 2: Training, Reaching Fifth Stage of Body Training

    "What?" Lin Xiao glanced to his brother with mischievous grin. "You''re at the prime age for youngsters to get attracted to girls. Don''t tell me that you have finally have someone whom you liked?"


    "Of course not!" Lin Yun shook his head almost immediately. He looked away and pointed to a distance. "I see some smoke coming from that place, so I try to come out to see clearer, but there''s nothing that I can see."


    "That place?"


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows at the direction that his brother picked. It was the direction where Taiyi Sect was located and obviously there would be no one who dared to mess with that sect, right?


    In the eyes of the villagers here, Taiyi Sect was the biggest and most powerful sect that they ever knew. Granted, they have never left this area and the disciples of Taiyi Sect were more powerful than them. There were even several Foundation Establishment people, the next stage after body training.


    For most people in this village, they couldn''t even get pass body training, much less entering Foundation Establishment. Because of that, they always felt that those people from Taiyi Sect were very powerful and deserved to be referred.


    "Yes." Lin Yun nodded. "But when I come out, I can''t see clearly because the sky is filled with mist."


    "It''s mountains area, so what do you expect?" Lin Xiao shrugged. "Anyway, let''s eat. I''m already starved after running around."


    Lin Yun laughed and took out the dried meat they had. It was hard like rock, but this was the only meat they could eat. Normally, they couldn''t even get meat because it was so hard to hunt.


    There was a hunting team in the village and Lin Xiao had long wanted to join. However, it was impossible for him to join because they wanted for everyone who join to be at body training rank 5. Lin Xiao was only at body training rank 4, which meant that he lacked a stage.


    Lin Yun himself was also at the same stage as Lin Xiao. Despite being sickly, he still trained his body from time to time so that he would be able to get stronger.


    "I''ll surely hunt some rabbits for our food later," Lin Xiao said as he chewed the hard meat. Gah, it was so hard. He felt as if he was eating rock rather than meat.


    "Ok, Brother. I believe you."


    "Don''t be sarcastic. Your brother is the best!"


    Lin Yun just laughed and refused to say anything else. He cleaned up the plate while Lin Xiao headed to the courtyard and began his punching routine. Even though they were all not part of Taiyi Sect, they were still given the set of training from the sect named Mountain''s Punch.


    It was a very basic skill that was taught to almost everyone in the area.


    Of course, Lin Xiao was not an exception.


    The punch was relying on the point of contact. They have to make sure that their power was transmitted perfectly when their punch reached their opponent. At that moment, all their power would be used to knock their opponents. Those who were skilled would be able to garner power comparable to mountain.


    That''s why it was named as Mountain''s Punch.


    Sua! Sua!


    Punching the tree on their courtyard, Lin Xiao was trying to feel a sense of the punch from each of his movement. There were only some grazes on top of the tree''s skin even though Lin Xiao had already punched it countless times.


    Again, again��.


    There was only one word repeating inside his mind. Before long, his gaze was completely focused on the three before him. Nothing else could disturb him as he was immersed in the movements that he always trained for years.


    Bang!


    A faint sound startled Lin Yun, who was about to doze off. He quickly raised his head and looked at Lin Xiao, who had stopped punching. There was faint red mist layer around his brother''s topless body.


    "Brother, did you break through?" Lin Yun asked excitedly.


    Lin Xiao grinned. "Of course! Your brother is now qualified to enter the hunting squad!"


    "Congratulations, Brother!"


    Well, of course he would not be accepted directly. There was still an examination that he needed to take before he would be recognized as the hunting squad''s member. However, reaching the fifth stage of body training would be the first step.


    Clenching his first, Lin Xiao promised himself that he would train even harder.


    When one reached sixth stage of body training, they would be qualified to participate in the sect selection. There was only one sect in all the youths mind in this place, which was Taiyi Sect. Even though there were several few smaller sects in the area, no one thought of joining those sects.


    They wanted to join the best.


    And the best would be Taiyi Sect.


    Lin Xiao was not an exception. If he continued to train with this pace, he would be able to reach the necessary stage by the time of the examination.


    ''Let''s stake it all out.''


    Pulling his thoughts back, Lin Xiao focused his attention to the tree before him and continued to punch it as hard as possible. His movement became smoother and he could last longer.


    He felt happy.

 Chapter 3: Stranger at the Edge of River

    Swish!


    The mark on the tree had gone a bit deeper, but it was still not enough. Mountain''s punch should have been able to effectively cut off the tree with just one punch. Yet Lin Xiao was still very far from that stage.


    "Brother, it''ll be too late if you don''t depart soon," Lin Yun reminded.


    "Ah!"


    Lin Xiao stopped his movements and glanced to the West. The sun was still three hours from setting, but he would be too late if he didn''t depart soon. He decisively stopped training and rushed to take the herbs basket from the corner of the house.


    The herbs'' basket was already worn out, but it was the best basket that Lin Xiao could have. Aside from helping out in the village to earn some copper coins, the youths in the village usually gathered herbs in exchange for money.


    But of course, Lin Xiao''s real intention to gather herbs was to be able to get the necessary herbs for his brother''s sickness. Those that was unnecessary would be traded for some rice while the rest would be kept by Lin Yun to be brewed for medicine.


    "I''m going now!"


    Swish!


    Running, Lin Xiao realized that his speed had grown faster. His heart grew excited at the thought that he had grown much stronger. It was totally out of his expectation that the difference between the fourth and fifth stage would be this big.


    ''No wonder they didn''t allow those at rank 4 to join the hunting squad.''


    But now that Lin Xiao had already reached the fifth stage, he was sure that he would be able to pass the test with no problem. He was heading in the opposite direction of the village and headed to the mountain. The side of the mountain was steep, but there were many valuable materials here.


    ''Time to climb.'' Lin Xiao took out his knife and held it in his right hand. The danger of this place was not only falling off the rocks but also some beasts that would be lurking around without getting noticed.


    Looking at the rocks, Lin Xiao speedily climbed the sharp edge while looking around him, looking for valuable materials. His right hand agilely moved the knife''s position so that he would be able to grab the rock with no problem.


    Stab!


    A moving ''plant'' was stabbed by Lin Xiao. He looked at the plant coldly. "Trying to disguise as a plant and trick me? You''re too easy to found out."


    He was talking to the dead plant, but Lin Xiao didn''t care. It was so quiet in this place because no one else wanted to search for herbs here. They have much safer place with loads of herbs, but Lin Xiao couldn''t head there because of some reasons.


    "Hmm, there''s not much herbs here."


    Lin Xiao looked at his mostly empty basket with worry. The sun would set soon, so he had to hurry. However, he never dared to climb too high in fear that there would be more dangers up there.


    ''Should I press on?''


    After thinking for a while, Lin Xiao decided to head back this time. He was not in dire situation and the higher he climbs, the more dangerous it would be. Slowly, Lin Xiao descended down and landed on the ground.


    *rustle*


    "Who''s there?"


    Looking around him with vigilance, Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. He swore that he could hear the sound of leaves moving just now. Or was it only his imagination? He didn''t think that it would be that way, though.


    ''Is it just the sound of the river?''


    There was a small river not far from here. It was also the source of water for him and his brother. After deciding that there was still enough time before the sun set, Lin Xiao walked to the river.


    He glanced around and furrowed his brows.


    There was no one here.


    He might have been too hard on himself because he was tired lately. Crouching near the river, Lin Xiao filled his gourd with water and drank a bit before washing his face. It felt much better after washing a bit.


    Just as he was about to return back, Lin Xiao noticed clothes peeked from the bush not far from the river.


    ''There''s someone else there?''


    There should be no one who came to this small river. It was too far from the village and the other village in this area was also on the other side. They wouldn''t purposely come here just to search for water.


    Slowly, Lin Xiao got close to the clothes. He pushed the bush a bit and gained clearer view. The man in front of him was also a teenager. There were many cut wounds on his body along with tear on his clothes. It looked as if he had just survived from an ordeal.


    ''Ugh, I don''t want to get involved��''


    Looking at how bad it was, Lin Xiao knew that he would be in deep trouble if he tried to help this young man over here. However, he also didn''t want to let someone die in front of him without doing anything.


    What should he do?


    His eyes looked at the clothing of the young man as he felt that it was highly familiar. It was then he recalled Taiyi Sect and how their outer disciples have similar clothing. Since everyone from the village was yearning to enter the Taiyi Sect, of course they would know some of the basic of the sect''s clothes.


    Lin Xiao was not an exception.


    "He''s an outer disciple from Taiyi Sect. Should I help him?"


    Lin Xiao was tempted to leave him be because he knew that he would be pulled into trouble if he dared to help. But at the same time, he wanted to get on Taiyi Sect''s good side.


    But what if this man was actually a traitor?


    What if this man try to kill him from the moment he woke up?


    "Ugh��"


    Bending down, Lin Xiao checked on the young man''s pulse. Based on what he had learned, he could guess that the young man was only at sixth stage. While it might end up in brutal battle, the other party shouldn''t be able to kill him so easily.


    But he''s Taiyi Sect disciple, which meant that he must be quite powerful��


    "Ah, screw it!"

 Chapter 4: Sudden Call

    Lin Xiao dragged the injured young man with him. There was no noticeable feature from this half dead outer disciple of Taiyi Sect. All Lin Xiao knew was that the wounds were deep, and he could only do basic treatment.


    It was nearly night when Lin Xiao headed back to the house.


    "Brother, I almost thought that you got lost," Lin Yun walked out of the house with worried expression. He looked at the half dead person that Lin Xiao dragged with astonished expression. "Brother, this is��.?"


    "I don''t know. I found him near the river. Can you check on him?"


    "Oh."


    Lin Yun helped Lin Xiao and brought the injured man to Lin Xiao''s bed. They didn''t have spare bed because they have sold any they had in the past to cover up their expense. Only two beds and some basic furniture were left in this small house.


    "The basic treatment is not that bad, Brother. You''re getting better."


    "Of course! Your brother is the best."


    Lin Yun chose to ignore his brother and focused on the treatment. His father used to be a doctor in the village before his death, so he had learnt how to become one ever since young age. Lin Xiao also learnt, but aside from identifying herbs, Lin Xiao didn''t have much talent in the field.


    The wounds on the stranger''s body was deep and looked gory. It made one wonder what could possibly happen to him. There were several different weapon''s cuts on the skin as if someone was determined to kill him.


    "How is it?" Lin Xiao chose to cook while waiting for Lin Yun to finish on checking the wounded stranger. There was nothing much he could help aside from preparing the herbs.


    "It''s bad."


    "How bad?"


    "There are at least wounds from three different weapons," Lin Yun said helplessly. He looked at the injured disciple once more and sighed. "I already bandaged his wounds and closed his wounds, but it would take a long time for him to heal properly."


    "That''s good enough."


    "I can''t really do much."


    Lin Yun was still not as good as his parents, so there was a limit to what he could do. The herbs they stored here were also not many, so they couldn''t use the expensive one that was more effective.


    If there were any better herbs, it would have long been used to heal Lin Yun.


    "Let him rest for today." Lin Xiao shoved the bowl of soup to Lin Yun. "Eat first and sleep. It''ll be night time soon."


    "Alright. You should rest too, Brother."


    "I will."


    Finishing the bowl, Lin Yun furrowed his brows. He could guess that his brother must have mixed herb to his bowl again. Whenever it was Lin Xiao''s turn to cook, he would add the nutritional herbs to boost Lin Yun''s health.


    The herbs were one of the main reasons why Lin Yun still could get stronger in his martial arts despite not training as intensively as Lin Xiao. After all, cultivation was always a contest of wealth. Only those who were wealthy enough could possibly reach the peak with their power.


    ''Tonight will be a long night.''


    Sitting on the edge of his own room, Lin Xiao sighed. His eyes were looking at the figure at his bed while he bundled himself in a thin layer of blanket. He would surely have some difficulties to sleep, but he still needed to rest.


    Closing his eyes, Lin Xiao could faintly sense his surroundings. This was one of the few things that he trained from a long time ago. The ability to sense his enemies and allies was very important, so he was learning to do so before going to sleep every day.


    The night passed quietly.


    Lin Xiao opened his eyes early in the morning. As if there was a clock inside his body, he would always wake up on time. Stretching his body, Lin Xiao walked out of the room and prepared their breakfast, a simple soup.


    He had only finished cooking when his brother walked out of his room.


    "Brother, how''s that disciple?"


    "He''s still sleeping like a log inside my room," Lin Xiao responded. "With that disciple''s heavy wounds, there''s no way he''ll be able to heal anytime soon. When he wakes up, just inform me."


    "Sure, Brother."


    "I''ll do my morning training."


    Tying bags of sand on his hands and legs, Lin Xiao began to jog around the residence. Every morning, he would always train without fail to increase his stamina and power. Jogging, push up, sit up, and meditating became extremely common for him.


    Lin Yun would also do basic exercise, but the intensity couldn''t match his brother.


    Deng! Deng!


    Lin Xiao stood up and wiped his sweat. He had finished his morning practice as he looked in the direction of the village.


    That bell��


    "Brother, that''s the bell that called everyone in the village to gather, right?"


    "Only the representative from each household is enough," Lin Xiao responded. But for this bell to be sounded, it meant that something urgent had occurred. As for what it was, Lin Xiao had no idea at all.


    But he felt that it must be something bad.


    Lin Yun frowned and looked in the direction of the village with worry. If there was something bad, it might be��


    "What if it''s beast horde, Brother?"


    "We''ll move," Lin Xiao said decisively. They might be staying in hidden place here, but they were still outside the village, which meant that they might be the target of beast horde. If they didn''t want to die, it would be better to figure out another place to stay rather than at this place.


    "But��"


    "I''ll check. Meanwhile, you should prepare for the worst but don''t go outside, Yun!"


    "Yes, Brother."

 Chapter 5: Fall of Taiyi Sect

    Swish!


    Running through the grassland, Lin Xiao headed back to the village. His legs agilely stepped on the available road without letting himself fall down. Grabbing the hanging root, Lin Xiao jumped to the other side of the cliff and then continued to run towards the village.


    That cliff separated his house with the village, but he could actually turn around the mountain. But since it was further, he chose the shorter route through the cliff and also the tree.


    "Wah, everyone is here?" Lin Xiao blurted out when he saw that the others were also running to the center of the village.


    "Ah, you''re here, Little Xiao?"


    "Gee, you sure are quick."


    "Hehehe."


    Glancing around, Lin Xiao could see familiar faces everywhere around him. He grinned and put his hands on the back of his head as he walked to the crowd. The village might be small, but there were still more than a hundred people in total inside this village.


    Lin Xiao noticed the elder was standing at the center, on top of a large rock. They would always use that rock as podium that they could use if they wanted to announce something. Sometimes it would be good news, but seeing from the grave expression of the three elders, Lin Xiao felt that it was something bad.


    ''Elder Mu, Elder Xu, and Elder Su, all have solemn expression.''


    As a youngster, it would be impolite for Lin Xiao to reach the center of the crowd when the adults were already anxious like that. There were a few other youngsters near him, all hesitant to get closer.


    More and more people came, but the atmosphere didn''t get any better.


    "Oh, you come, Little Xiao."


    Lin Xiao turned around and saw a tall young man around the age of 18 years old. The young man wore purple robe that looked expensive. Compared to many villagers there, it was clear that he was among the best from the rest.


    "You''re here to get another beating, Su Han?" Lin Xiao asked as he flexed his fingers. He didn''t mind having a bout here.


    Su Han snorted. "Aren''t you saying that you''re the one who got beaten."


    "Heh, I''m no longer as weak as before."


    Crack! Crack!


    Seeing Lin Xiao''s aura, Su Han immediately realized that Lin Xiao had reached fifth stage. He sneered. "Took you so long to reach fifth stage. Unfortunately, I''m already at the sixth stage now. You won''t be able to defeat me."


    "Shall we test it" Lin Xiao was not afraid.


    "You two, stop it!"


    The high pitched voice caused Lin Xiao''s brows to crease. On the other hand, Su Han''s face light up as he glanced to the side. There was light within his eyes that if one didn''t know better, they might think that they could lit up fire with the help of his eyes.


    "Qin''er."


    "Oh, it''s you, Xu Qin," Lin Xiao greeted without caring.


    In front of the two of them stood a young girl at the age of 15 years old. She had fair complexion and well developed body. For a girl at her age, she was starting to bloom to be a beautiful flower. There were many people who admired her beauty, especially youngsters their age who had just started to grow.


    The young girl, Xu Qin furrowed her brows. "Don''t create trouble here, you two. This is a serious matter."


    "Yes." Su Han became as docile as a lamb when he heard what Xu Qin said. Despite being at a higher rank, he had a crush on the village''s most beautiful girl. Needless to say, he would try to always stay in Xu Qin''s good side.


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao merely snorted and focused his attention back to the three elders. He wanted to know what they wanted to tell them today.


    "Everyone, we have message to tell all of you," Elder Mu spoke first. He glanced to the side where Elder Xu was standing with a letter on his hand.


    Looking at that letter, Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed. If he was not wrong, it was the letter from Taiyi Sect. The paper quality could only be produced by rich people and those from village like them could never afford something like that. He had seen that paper when Taiyi Sect announced that they would be accepting new disciple.


    It should be impossible that the Taiyi Sect would be accepting new disciples again at this time.


    So��


    Was there something urgent from the sect?


    At that thought, Lin Xiao felt that it was almost certainly true. There would be no way that the sect sent urgent letters to them like that.


    "I received news from Taiyi Sect this morning. They''re under attack and there''s no survivor."


    What?


    Excuse me?


    Everyone was stupefied as they looked at the three elders in front of them.


    In their entire life, everyone always regarded Taiyi Sect, who had a long history too, as the most powerful sect in the entire world. But now that they were facing the harsh truth that the sect was destroyed, they felt as if their world crumbled into pieces.


    That was�� a joke, right?


    "Elder Mu, is Elder Xu joking?" A villager raised his hand and asked with quivering voice.


    Elder Mu passed a sad look at Elder Xu and slowly shook his head. As much as he wanted it to be lies, it was the truth.


    Taiyi Sect is no more.


    "Unfortunately, we received this news from the best source. This is the truth."


    Almost immediately, the entire village was in uproar.


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao stood silently while looking at the letter on Elder Xu''s hand as his brain worked much harder.

 Chapter 6: No Survivor?

    "That''s impossible!"


    "How come Taiyi Sect fall just like that?"


    "Yes! We should go there and investigate it!"


    "We can''t possibly accept this!"


    Voices of villagers who were adamant that it was a lie began to start. They wanted to confirm the truth by themselves because neither one of them could accept this truth, the harsh truth that the biggest sect they knew in their entire life had fallen.


    No one wanted to accept it.


    On the other hand, there were several villagers who began to talk about what the future of their village would be.


    "Without the protection of Taiyi Sect, would it mean that we''re going to be in danger?"


    "What should we do?"


    "I, your father, also didn''t know. Damn this! Why don''t we all just leave?"


    "Leave? Where can you leave in this vast wilderness?"


    "But if we stay here any longer, it''s uncertain when bandits will come and possibly raid us!"


    "Yes!"


    Panic began to spread amongst the villagers. Each of them understood very well that it was only thanks to Taiyi Sect that they could stay safe. However, things were not always going according to what they wanted. It was almost certain that they would not be able to live in this area anymore because of the danger.


    Everyone was afraid.


    Afraid that the worst will come without warning and possibly killed them all.


    "You''re not afraid?"


    The question near him made Lin Xiao raised his head. He could see Xu Qin asked him with pale face. She knew that very well that she wouldn''t be able to survive without the help of Taiyi Sect,


    Lin Xiao chuckled. "Even without Taiyi Sect, there are other sects nearby. We can switch allegiance if Taiyi Sect is truly destroyed."


    The first sentence from Lin Xiao easily infuriate others. They always referred Taiyi Sect ever since they were small, hoping that they could join this big sect that was very powerful. Could other sect compare to Taiyi Sect?


    They didn''t believe that.


    They didn''t want to believe it.


    But the second sentence effectively stopped Xu Qin from bashing her fist to Lin Xiao''s face. She had reached body training rank 5, which meant that she was at the same stage as Lin Xiao. As she had stayed in that stage for a much longer time, it meant that she was also stronger than him.


    "You don''t think that Taiyi Sect have fallen."


    Lin Xiao put his hands on the back of his head. "If there''s truly no survivor, how come the letter fall in our elder''s hand?"


    "It''s from our people who lived near Taiyi Sect!"


    "Oh."


    "Don''t you ''oh'' me, you brat!"


    Passing a glance to Xu Qin, Lin Xiao ignored the young girl once more. The content of the letter was lies. There were still some disciples who managed to escape from the destruction of Taiyi Sect.


    That stranger at his home��.


    When that man woke up, Lin Xiao planned to ask that young man about what had happened over in Taiyi Sect.


    Xu Qin fumed. Lin Xiao was practically the only person in this village who dared to ignore her. Every other young men would always adhere to her because of her face and also skill. After all, she was one of the few most talented people in this village.


    "Everyone please calm down!" Elder Mu spoke again. He raised his hand in an attempt to calm the villagers who were panicking.


    "But elder��."


    "We''re going to die without their protection!"


    Elder Mu sighed. "There are several smaller sects around this area, so we plan on sending people to head there to deliver some letters, expressing our intention to have them protect us. Since there''s no more Taiyi Sect, it meant that we need to rely on another stronger branch."


    "Stronger branch?"


    A Villager felt exasperated. "Is there even any branch that''s stronger than Taiyi Sect?"


    "Elder��"


    Everyone looked at the three elders. It was public knowledge that Taiyi Sect was basically invincible in this area. There wouldn''t be anyone who dared to make any move against Taiyi Sect because of the experts inside the sect.


    Elder Su raised his hand. "We don''t have any other choice, so we''re just going to settle for the second best. Would you like to cooperate together?"


    "This is our only hope to survive in this world. Without latching onto anyone''s back, we''re no different than a leave brought by the wind wherever it wants without able to control our fate. Is that what you want?"


    "No."


    "Elder, leave it to me! I''ll surely handle the delivery well!"


    "Me too, Elder!"


    Even though some people were still skeptical, they all wanted to be able to survive from this incident. If Taiyi Sect fell, they would not be the only village that had to bear the brunt. Many other villages around this area would need help, so they would surely seek help from some other sects nearby.


    The sects were not as strong as Taiyi Sect, but they didn''t have any other choice.


    "We''re not going to confirm first?" Lin Xiao asked suspiciously. If the letters were sent by someone else, they would be committing treason against Taiyi Sect like this.


    Xu Qin looked at Lin Xiao as if she saw an idiot. "It''s the truth. Taiyi Sect is no more, so we''re going to search for another powerful sect."


    "How stupid."


    "Lin Xiao! What did you say?!"

 Chapter 7: Awake

    Lin Xiao chose not to repeat his words and merely waved his hand. It was clear from his gesture that he had no intention to help them to deliver the letter at all. Well, in the first place, there wouldn''t be anyone who was stupid enough to let a kid deliver the important letter to some sects.


    "Just let that idiot go, Qin''er," Su Han said righteously. "He''s just someone who didn''t have eyes."


    "Hmph!" Xu Qin harrumphed and looked at her father. Her father was the elder in this village and also one of the few most powerful people. However, even her father was already this anxious.


    This meant that they have to quickly search for another tree to hang on.


    While the villagers were busy trying to find someone to deliver the letters at several sects around this area, Lin Xiao walked back home. He kicked the stone in front of him with his two hands on the back of his head.


    ''How stupid, why didn''t they try to confirm whether the news is fake or not.''


    Lin Xiao''s words were never heeded in this village, so he didn''t really care that much. What he wanted was to simply return back home and thought for a method to survive. No matter what, he didn''t like the idea of switching allegiance so quickly.


    It might be only his village, but he hated it all.


    ''Besides, the fall of Taiyi Sect shouldn''t have been that long but they''re already that anxious to switch allegiance.''


    ''It just didn''t make sense.''


    Lin Xiao felt that there was something wrong with how the elders reacted. He recalled the disciple he met yesterday and felt that all of his suspiciousness stemmed from meeting that disciple. The wounds were fresh, which meant that the disciple was wounded within 24 hours from the time he met that disciple.


    Probably even earlier.


    Which meant that there were also some of people who were chasing after him near this village?


    Somehow, Lin Xiao felt that he was thinking too much.


    He should just go home and train in his punch again. Usually, he would be trying to search for money at this point of time, but he was not in the mood to do so. The villagers'' attitude only making him annoyed.


    He might like to play prank, but he hated disloyalty the most.


    "Brother! You''re back?" Lin Yun called out when he saw his older brother coming.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Yes. What are you doing, Yun?"


    "I''m mixing the herbs that you gathered yesterday, Brother. Some of them are pretty good."


    "Ah."


    It was then Lin Xiao recalled that he forgot to clean up the herbs that he managed to gather from the mountain. He scratched his head and said sheepishly, "I forgot that there might be some that you need."


    "I can search it myself. Also, Bro, what happened in the village?"


    "Taiyi Sect fall."


    "Yes?" Lin Yun''s hand stopped moving. The spoon he was using to stir the medicine almost fell to the other side as he looked at his brother with his mouth open wide. The news that Lin Xiao brought to him sounded inconvincible,


    That shouldn''t have been possible.


    "It''s true," Lin Xiao said helplessly. He stood in front of the tree and readied his stance. His eyes were focused on the tree before him.


    Sua! Sua!


    As he was busy punching, he didn''t realize that Lin Yun was still perplexed. The confirmation that Lin Xiao said only told him that everything that Lin Xiao said just now must have been the truth.


    But��.


    How come he accepted such news?


    "That''s bad, Brother."


    "It''s very bad."


    "What are we supposed to do?" Lin Yun asked again. He was no longer in the mood to care for the medicine in his hand anymore.


    Lin Xiao was silent for a moment. "I don''t think that it''ll do us anything good to get involved for now. I would say, we should stay low and observe the people for the time being and see whether Taiyi Sect have truly fallen or not."


    "You didn''t believe the news?"


    "Not really."


    "Why?"


    "Because they said that there''s no survivor," Lin Xiao said with certainty. "You know very well that it''s not true, right?"


    Lin Yun nodded. Even though he was just a sickly young boy, he still recognized the clothing from Taiyi Sect. The young man that Lin Xiao brought home yesterday should be a disciple from Taiyi Sect, probably someone from outer disciple.


    Outer disciple were disciples who didn''t have that high of talent. They were not usually regarded highly inside a sect, but they were still important. As long as they managed to stand above the rest and proved that they were better, they could reach higher rank.


    Of course, with so many outer disciples in a sect, it was needless to say that the competition was very fierce.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao punched forward and frowned. The punch didn''t feel right just now.


    "You need to lower your center of gravity."


    The unfamiliar voice startled Lin Xiao. He glanced to the direction of their house and saw the stranger from yesterday was standing near the door. He was holding onto the frame while trying to keep his body from moving around. Even though it was clear that he had difficulties to stand, he still looked in Lin Xiao''s direction as if he was telling the truth.


    Lin Xiao looked at the tree once more and lowered his center of gravity a bit. After adjusting his movement, he punched forward.


    Pa!


    The dent on the tree was a bit deeper than what he usually could do.


    Lin Xiao was dumbfounded.

 Chapter 8: What Happened?

    Lin Xiao was dumbfounded.


    "It''s better," the disciple said with a smile.


    Lin Xiao was pulled back to reality. He looked at the outer disciple and chose to greet him politely. After all, that young man had helped him to execute Mountain''s Punch better. For these villagers who never have proper training, every single help worth a lot.


    "Thank you for your help. I''m Lin Xiao."


    "I''m Wenren Yu," The outer disciple greeted back. He looked at Lin Yun hesitantly as if asking for name.


    Lin Yun smiled in response. "I''m Lin Yun."


    "Thank you for helping me."''


    "You should thank my brother. He''s the one who found you and drag you back here."


    "Uhm, thank you very much." Wenren Yu bowed his head. "But I need to leave before I cause trouble for you two."


    Lin Xiao was stunned by how timid this disciple was. Shouldn''t all disciple of Taiyi Sect be valiant and powerful? They were the disciple of the most powerful sect in this place, but the way Wenren Yu acted only made him felt that the image didn''t match.


    "Wait a minute."


    "Y��yes?"


    "Are you Taiyi Sect outer disciple?"


    Wenren Yu''s eyes flashed as he got into defensive position. While Lin Xiao didn''t know that stance or what Wenren Yu planned to do, he still gave hand signal for Lin Yun to stay away. Lin Yun might have reached rank 4, but it was only through the help of medicine.


    In terms of combat power, Lin Yun was still very weak.


    "My villagers said that the sect is destroyed." Lin Xiao chose to continue, but he was also prepared for battle. In case Wenren Yu decided to attack, he would be ready. "And there''s no survivor. However, you wear the robe of outer disciple of Taiyi Sect."


    "Ah��."


    Wenren Yu looked at his own clothes as realization dawned to him. He escaped from that hellish nightmare when he was still dressed in their clothes. It was no wonder that the pursuers could identify him so easily.


    How stupid.


    "Do you plan to kill me?" Wenren Yu asked.


    Lin Xiao felt that this disciple''s IQ was damaged. "I don''t have any animosity with Taiyi Sect. In fact, I want to join that sect too once I can reach body training rank 6!"


    "Oh."


    It was then Wenren Yu realized that the one in front of him were only two child villagers. The villagers around this area all have people who wanted to enter Taiyi Sect, so it was not strange for him to meet with one.


    It was just�� he couldn''t trust them easily.


    "Also, I''m only one rank below you. With your wounded body, do you think that I pose no chance to defeat you?" Lin Xiao dealt another blow as he pointed in Wenren Yu''s bandaged body.


    Wenren Yu closed his eyes for a moment then opened it again. "What do you want?"


    "What happened?"


    "Yes?"


    "Is Taiyi Sect was truly destroyed?" Lin Yun was the one to ask. He looked in the direction of Wenren Yu with eyes hoping that Wenren Yu would tell him that it was nothing more than a lie.


    Unfortunately��


    "Yes, it''s true."


    "What happened?"


    Wenren Yu shook his head. Even if he wanted to tell, he knew nothing. When he came out of his medicinal garden after tending to it as usual, everything was on fire. The teachers were killed, the disciples were massacred. No one was left alive.


    He had no other choice but to run.


    Some of the men there tried to kill him and wounded him, but he knew the secret passageway that he often used to climb down the mountain. From that path, he followed the small river in hope that he would be able to survive.


    "I don''t know. It''s all too sudden."


    "What about the Sect Leader Rui Hongchang? Isn''t he already at Golden Core Stage? He''s still defeated?" Lin Xiao asked in desperate tone.


    The cultivation ranks started from body training, foundation establishment, then golden core stage. For someone who was still at body training stage, golden core rank felt extremely long and far.


    The thought of someone at that high rank fall definitely never crossed his mind before.


    Wenren Yu gritted his teeth. The image of his fellow disciples and teachers dying flashed before his eyes. It was a very horrible sight that he wished that he would never remember anymore. But at the same time, he knew that as long as he lived, he would always be reminded that he was one of the few survivors of the tragedy that befall Taiyi Sect.


    "Yes. There''s no one who survived except some lucky disciples," Wenren Yu replied. When he reached the gate to get out, he had looked back. It was exactly the time when he saw the sect leader died.


    The sight of his leader falling in front of his eyes hurt him very much.


    Lin Xiao nodded. It was not easy to exterminate an entire sect along with their disciples. Some lucky disciples might have strayed away from their original path and managed to escape. It meant that there might be some people who were actually chasing after Wenren Yu.


    "Are you being chased?"


    "Maybe."


    "You''re not sure?"


    Wenren Yu shook his head. He looked at his robe and slowly took it off. Putting it on the ground, he said through gritted teeth, "Can I ask for your help to burn it?"


    If the pursuer found out that there was a disciple of Taiyi Sect who was still alive, there was no doubt that Wenren Yu would be killed. He didn''t want to abandon his identity as Taiyi Sect Disciple, but as he was now, he had no power whatsoever to do something for his sect.


    He had to grow stronger first.


    Lin Xiao looked at his brother and nodded. "Fine, I''ll burn it."


    "Thank you."


    Despite filled with gratitude, Wenren Yu''s voice sounded as if he was being choked by something hard.

 Chapter 9: Medicine Student

    It didn''t take long for Lin Yun to start fire with the clothing that Wenren Yu chose to abandon. The cloth was made of expensive material, which belonged only to Taiyi Sect. After all, the special material was only produced inside the sect.


    "Is this fine?" Lin Yun asked. He felt a bit bad for burning such expensive clothing.


    Wenren Yu nodded. He had changed to Lin Xiao''s spare clothes. While it was a bit short since Lin Xiao was a hand shorter compared to him, it was better than nothing. Dressed like this, it would be hard to see Wenren Yu as someone from a powerful sect and more like a timid village boy.


    At least, that was the impression they got when they saw the other party.


    Lin Xiao crossed his arms. "The village elders might have known something about this."


    "Brother! Why do you think that?"


    "They seem so eager to get another sect to lead the people here even though not even a day has passed ever since Taiyi Sect is reported to fall," Lin Xiao replied nonchalantly. It was a very outrageous statement, yet Lin Xiao dared to say it because he did have some suspicions.


    Wenren Yu looked at Lin Xiao then lowered his eyes. "Even if they did have a hand, they''re nothing more than lackeys. It''s useless even if I try to talk with them."


    "You want to have a talk with them?"


    "Uhm��. Maybe I can try to watch them from a distance then think of a method to eavesdrop?"


    Lin Xiao was speechless.


    This Wenren Yu was truly someone timid. With his personality, Lin Xiao would not even think that it was strange if he chose to hide and run when his friends were in trouble. Rather than putting himself in danger, this Wenren Yu looked more like a little rabbit who was ready to hide in his hole when he had the possibility.


    "Uhm�� I''ll leave if you''re uncomfortable with me," Wenren Yu said when he saw their wary gazes.


    "Sure. You''re free to leave."


    "Brother. You shouldn''t be that straightforward," Lin Yun berated his brother. "Also please be careful when you walk around this area. There are a lot of beasts roaming around. In addition, there''ll be people from another sect coming here soon, so be careful in case you stumble onto them when you''re travelling."


    Hearing that, Wenren Yu was stumped. Now that he thought about it, he was very far from his place. Back in the past, he used to be traveling with his master before he joined Taiyi Sect and became disciples there. Body training rank 6 was nothing in this vast world.


    If he dared to venture alone in an unknown area, it was clear that he would die within a few days if he were to encounter beasts. The sect was strict back then to not allow the disciples out for long distance missions precisely for this reason.


    Lin Xiao gave thumbs up to his brother. He was watching Wenren Yu, wanting to know what this young disciple could possibly do.


    "Uhm, can I stay here?"


    "You want to stay here?" Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Don''t you think it''ll be too dangerous for us if someone like you stay here? Besides, we have lower martial arts than you. What are you going to do if your pursuer chases us here?"


    "That''s�� I''ll pretend to be your servant!" Wenren Yu quickly came up with an excuse.


    "With no villagers ever know that."


    "I��.I''m shy and unwilling to meet with anyone!"


    For that reason, there was no need for Wenren Yu to act. His action and real personality had already showed that he was truly a very timid person. In fact, Lin Xiao and Lin Yun would have highly doubted that he was disciple of Taiyi Sect because of his act.


    Lin Yun felt that his image of Taiyi Sect would be destroyed completely because of Wenren Yu''s action. He took the cup from the side. It contained the medicine that he brewed just this morning to relieve his sickness.


    "What can you help me, then?" Lin Xiao pressured again.


    Wenren Yu looked at Lin Xiao and opened his mouth. "Moon Grass, Spring Root, Thousand Days Flower, Daylily Leave, Red Plum Flower, Moon Dew Flower, and Five Petal Wood Root."


    "What?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    On the other hand, Lin Yun nearly dropped the glass in his hand. He looked at Wenren Yu with astonishment. "How do you know it''s the composition of my medicine?"


    He was holding onto his medicine that he had to drink. There was only half left since he had been drinking it while Lin Xiao was talking.


    Wenren Yu looked at Lin Yun. "I''m a medicine student and if it''s about herbs, I can teach you a lot."


    Medicine student!


    Lin Xiao obviously knew that there were people who focused on different things. Cultivation path is very long and in the journey, there were many of them who have different hobbies. Learning medicine was only one of the few options available for them to choose.


    It was no wonder that Wenren Yu''s cultivation rank was not that high even though he was a student of Taiyi Sect. It was always a question within Lin Xiao''s head but this effectively answered that.


    Those who focused on some other things could be slower when it came to cultivation ranks because they were focused on learning other matters.


    Lin Yun finished his medicine then looked at Wenren Yu. "In that case, do you know what kind of sickness I have?"


    "That''s��"


    "You can guess."


    Wenren Yu didn''t immediately reply. He looked at Lin Yun carefully but didn''t move from his position. After a while, he spoke. "It''s cold at night and your body feels much weaker. You''re sensitive to cold and unable to stay outside for a long time because the cold wind will make you feel chilly. Am I correct?"


    "Yes." Lin Yun knew that his sickly body was strange. There was nothing wrong based on what the doctor said, so all they could do was to make sure that he ate more warm medicinal solution. It helped him to withstand the cold in winter and also lived normally albeit having to stay careful.


    "Uhm, do you also feel it''s hard to sleep on some nights?" Wenren Yu asked hesitantly.


    Lin Yun was stunned. "That''s correct."


    "Then I know your sickness."


    "What is it?"


    "You have Yin attribute body."

 Chapter 10: Making A Deal

    "Yin attribute body?" Lin Yun blinked his eyes in confusion.


    Lin Xiao was even more speechless. "Aren''t men who have Yin attribute body can''t cultivate? My brother is perfectly fine!"


    "No, you got it wrong. The one who can''t cultivate is if you have Yin body constitution and not attribute," Wenren Yu hurriedly try to fix Lin Xiao''s wrong perception. He knew that many people thought that these two were similar, but in fact, it was completely different.


    "It''s different?"


    "Yes, it''s completely different��" Wenren Yu proceeded to explain carefully about the two of them.


    Male with Yin body constitution and female with Yang body constitution would never be able to cultivate in their entire life. It was because the constitution in their body would completely reject any attempt they made to cultivate.


    But on the opposite, female with Yin body constitution and male with Yang body constitution would be the best. They would be able to advance much faster and have much more formidable martial arts.


    Attribute meant that their body nature was leaning to one''s side, but it wouldn''t completely affect them. Lin Yun only have Yin attribute body, which would instead hinder him because he''s male. If he was born a woman, it was clear that he would have become an outstanding martial artist.


    "That means, because of my body attribute, I can''t cultivate properly?" Lin Yun asked with quivered voice.


    All this time, he had been wondering why he couldn''t get stronger no matter how much medicine he drank. Now that he knew the reason, he wanted to laugh and scream. Just why would someone like him got this accursed attribute.


    "Is there any method to cure it?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "He just need to sleep with a woman who had Yang attribute body."


    "��"


    "��You mean, he needs a manly woman?"


    "NO! Female with Yang attribute didn''t mean that they''re going to turn manly. They''re only more valiant and usually reckless," Wenren Yu hurriedly corrected them of their mistake. He felt that he was teaching two little brats who didn''t even know that getting too close with fire was dangerous.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "How do I find one? Should I kidnap her and��."


    "Brother, please don''t."


    "I''m just joking."


    Lin Yun sighed. He felt that his brother''s eyes were not kidding but instead serious. "Any other method? I don''t want to have to rely on a woman to be able to cure my condition."


    While it was not something weird for man to have several women, he wanted to avoid that situation if possible. If he ended up falling for a woman who didn''t have Yang attribute body, it would be a complete torture for him.


    Wenren Yu shook his head. "Complete recovery is not possible, but there are some Yang attribute plants that can help you."


    "Can you list it?"


    "Sure."


    Before long, Wenren Yu came up with a list of 28 herbs that he knew would be able to help Lin Yun. Unfortunately��.


    "Wenren Yu, do you want to kill me?" Lin Xiao asked. Every single herb inside this list worth at least a gold coin. For someone like him who could only earn a few copper coins in a month, it would mean that he had to work for decades.


    Finding them in the wilderness would be even more difficult because each of the plant was located in an extremely dangerous place. There was hardly anyone who would want to go there and tested their luck if they were not desperate.


    Wenren Yu was helpless. "Even if you ask other doctors out there, their answer will be the same. For the time being, I''ll be able to concoct better medicine for your brother to relieve his symptoms."


    "How much better?"


    "At least, he would be able to come out when it''s day time without feeling cold."


    "That''s not bad."


    Wenren Yu beamed. "Then, I can stay here, right?"


    "Sure."


    "Thank you!"


    Lin Xiao smiled and then pointed to the courtyard. "By the way, do you know any other skill other than Mountain''s Punch?"


    "Uhm, outer disciple at rank 6 can only learn 1 martial art skill," Wenren Yu said in embarrassment. He felt like he was exposing that he had only learned one skill from the time he joined Taiyi Sect until now.


    Lin Xiao was stunned for a moment. "Well, how about if we train together? I''m sure that I''m not that bad."


    "Ah?"


    "Don''t want to?"


    "How about if I check your health first?" Wenren Yu offered.


    "Me? I''m perfectly healthy," Lin Xiao said in confusion. He extended his hand and let Wenren Yu examined his pulse.


    As Wenren Yu took Lin Xiao''s pulse, he could feel that there was poison seeped deep within Lin Xiao''s bones and meridian. It completely blocked some path, which prevented the Qi to flow properly. Furrowing his brows, Wenren Yu was even more astonished by the fact that Lin Xiao could still train even with his body in this condition.


    ''And the composition of the poison�� isn''t it all holy herbs that can even work against sacred beast?''


    Raising his head, he could see the nonchalant Lin Xiao. Feeling that it would be useless even if he told this young man about his body''s condition, he chose to swallow the words that he wanted to say. There was no way that this young man could have any relation with the sacred beast.


    "You''re a bit malnourished. It''ll be better for me to give you some medicine."


    "What?" Lin Xiao protested.


    Lin Yun nudged his brother with a knowing expression. It was as if he wanted to tell his brother that the latter should have been eating properly from young.


    "Tsk, fine."


    "Don''t worry, it''s not bitter."


    "I''M NOT A KID WHO''LL BE WORRYING ABOUT THAT!"

 Chapter 11: Gathering Herbs Once More

    Lin Xiao spent the rest of the morning to practice with Wenren Yu. As they trained, he came to realize that the reason why Wenren Yu didn''t have high cultivation stage was because he loved to spend his time reading medicinal books and tend to the plants in the garden.


    Nevertheless, he had good talent, which allowed him to reach rank 6 before reaching 20 years old.


    That was the lowest limitation for one to join Taiyi Sect. If they reached rank 6 when they were already above 20 years old, their potential would have already diminished. They didn''t have much worth anymore for the sect.


    Of course, there were always exception such as children reaching body training faster and so on.


    "I''m going to gather some herbs again. Is there any other herbs that you want me to search?"


    "Can you memorize everything I tell you?" Wenren Yu asked.


    "Uh, I think?"


    In the next second, Wenren Yu began to spew out more than 100 herbs that he wanted Lin Xiao to find. Most of them were commons, so Lin Xiao knew that Wenren Yu was only targeting herbs that he might find.


    "You''re going early this time?" Lin Yun asked in surprise. It was still afternoon and the sun was still high up in the sky. There were still a lot of time before the usual time for Lin Xiao to gather the herbs.


    Wiping his sweat, Lin Xiao glanced at the sky. He grinned. "I plan to try climbing higher this time. There might be some previous herbs if I managed to get high enough."


    "Be careful, Bro." Lin Yun furrowed his brows. His parents always reminded him to be careful of the higher place when gathering herbs because it was very dangerous. The higher they were, the more dangerous it would be. But at the same time, there would be much more valuable herbs too.


    Lin Xiao fixed his clothes and grabbed the medicinal basket. He carried it on his back and smiled. "There''s no need to worry, I can take care of myself."


    "If you end up dying, don''t come back home crying."


    "I''ll bring you a valuable herb to help you recover!"


    Lin Yun shook his head when he saw his brother departed. Glancing at Wenren Yu, who had chosen to rest again, he tilted his head. "You''re wounded quite deeply yet still trained with my brother. Are you wounds alright?"


    "Your brother didn''t ask me to train that much." Wenren Yu laughed. He was only told to instruct Lin Xiao in Mountain''s Punch because Lin Xiao kept on having the wrong stance. It was quite fun in his opinion too since it has been such a long time from the time he last learning.


    This helped him refreshed his memory of the training again.


    "You should rest. I''m going to train."


    "You shouldn''t pressure yourself too."


    "Heh, Brother is working hard for me, so of course, I want to be able to do something for him too. He''s the only family members I have left," Lin Yun said with a laugh and walked inside.


    Wenren Yu watched the younger brother and shook his head a bit. Having a warm family was always so enviable as there were many people who didn''t have harmonious family. With the world only cared for the strong and try to gain connection with marriage, it was not weird that there were a lot of loveless marriage to tie each other.


    Swish!


    Back in the forest, Lin Xiao reached the mountain again. He chose a different spot to start climbing with his small sword ready in his hand. It was a very convenient weapon because swinging a sword in a narrow place like this would make him lose balance.


    "Oh, there''s the Dew Grass here!"


    "I''m lucky enough to find more over here."


    Talking to himself, Lin Xiao plucked the herbs and put it onto the medicinal bag on his back. It seemed that this path he picked was not that bad because there were more valuable herbs that he could gather.


    "This is the last place I went to last time."


    The marking on the rocks were familiar to Lin Xiao. He would always marked the area that he first came and also the highest location to remind him that it was the safest area that he could reach before.


    ''Let''s try to climb higher.''


    Reaching up, Lin Xiao continued to climb higher. As he crossed a slightly poking rock, he noticed that there was a beautiful fiery red flower on top of the dirt and rock before him. His eyes were locked onto the flower for a few moments as he didn''t dare to get close without having any preparation.


    The grasses around the flower had wilted.


    It meant that there might be something dangerous about the flower.


    ''How about if just pick it along with the dirt around it?''


    Twisting the small sword in his hand, Lin Xiao stabbed it on the ground and started to make a circling movement on the dirt. His eyes were looking at the flower carefully in fear that he might make a mistake.


    The dirt was mixed with rock and felt hard to cut. However, Lin Xiao proceeded and try to be careful. As he slowly managed to dug up the earth, he reached his hand and grabbed the earth.


    ''It''s hot!''


    The flower felt extremely hot to touch. Lin Xiao now didn''t dare to put the flower into the medicinal bag that he carried with him. Slowly, he clutched it in his left hand and slowly descended from the mountain.


    With this flower, he wouldn''t be able to get anything else anymore.


    It would be better to go down.


    But going down the steep mountain with only one hand was proven to be a very difficult task. Just as Lin Xiao stepped down, his legs slipped.


    Swish!

 Chapter 12: Five Petal Yang Flower

    Swish!


    ''Crap!''


    Lin Xiao swung his right hand and stabbed it towards the mountain. The short sword that he was holding was embedded deeply into the rock as his body slammed heavily onto the rocky wall before him.


    Thunk!


    ''Hurts��.''


    Even though he couldn''t tell whether he was wounded or not, Lin Xiao knew that he had to hurry and go down soon. If he dared to linger in this place any longer, he believed that this place would soon become his grave.


    ''Calm down.''


    Swinging his body, Lin Xiao fixed his legs position and slowly pulled out his small sword and began to climb down the mountain once more. His back was filled with sweat, yet he didn''t dare to linger here any longer in fear that he might die for real if he dared to stay here any longer.


    Step by step, Lin Xiao descended the mountain.


    The journey that was usually so easy became difficult when one of his hand was restricted. This was the first time Lin Xiao ever encountered a previous flower like this. Due to the limitation of his own physique and rank, Lin Xiao had never dared to attempt climbing further in the past.


    Tep.


    By the time he reaching the ground, Lin Xiao was so relieved. The seconds felt like hours when he was descending.


    ''Hehe, this might be Yang type flower. If it''s true, it might be able to help my brother.''


    Turning his body around, Lin Xiao rushed back home with his left hand still holding onto the fiery red flower. It didn''t take long for Lin Xiao to reach back home even with the sun hadn''t set completely in the horizon.


    "Yun!"


    "Brother?" Lin Yun peeked out from the window. He had just finished cooking, so he put down the bowl in his hand when he saw his brother came in. "What happened? It''s rare to see you so happy, Brother."


    "I found a valuable herb," Lin Xiao said proudly while showing the flower that he was holding. The dirt had already dirtied his left hand and some of them fell on his way here. It caused his left hand to turn red due to the heat that the flower gave out.


    "That''s Five Petal Yang Flower!" Lin Yun said with a surprise.


    Thud!


    They heard the sound of something fell and turned their head to look at Lin Xiao''s bedroom. Wenren Yun scampered out when he heard the name of the flower. Even though he was injured, he had completely forgotten about it the moment he heard the flower''s name.


    Looking at the flower in Lin Xiao''s hand and the scalding red color of Lin Xiao''s left hand, his face flushed red in excitement.


    "It''s really Five Petal Yang Flower! Quick, you should put it down and tend it properly if you don''t want your hand to burn!"


    "Ah, I''ll bring the pot out."


    There were several unused plant''s pot inside their home. Most of the herbs were already used up by Lin Yun since it was needed. There were only a few of the herbs left that Lin Yun still tended every day carefully.


    Before long, Lin Yun came back with a pot in his hand. "Let me help, Bro."


    "There''s no need."


    Putting the flower carefully into the pot, Lin Xiao only signaled for Lin Yun to get more dirt. As Lin Yun walked out, Lin Xiao looked at Wenren Yu. "This flower can be used to help my brother, right?"


    "Help? Ah, right! Yes, it can," Wenren Yu replied hurriedly. "However, this flower is a bit too strong, so I''ll have to mix it with other herbs or it''ll have too strong of an effect. In addition, I will need a lot of water to boil it."


    A lot of water?


    Thinking about how his hand was scalding hot even though there was a layer of dirt separating him with the flower, Lin Xiao nodded. Ordinary water would evaporate almost immediately when it came in contact with the flower.


    "Also, you will need to place the pot on top of a rock with a hole on top of it that''s filled with water."


    "I''ll bring water first. Put it on the backyard fist when my brother returns."


    "Ok."


    Lin Xiao took the buckets from the side along with his water gourd and rushed to the river. It didn''t take long for him to reach there and filled the water while washing his hand. The surface of his hand''s skin was coming out. The appearance looked unsightly.


    ''It''s hurt to touch too.''


    Burying his hand inside the water, Lin Xiao sighed. It seemed that he wouldn''t be able to use his left hand properly for the next few days until it healed completely.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao returned back to the house and poured the water in the buckets into the large pot where they stored their water. After he was done, he brought one bucket with him and walked to the backyard. Both Wenren Yu and Lin Yun were already waiting there.


    "You''re surprisingly hardy even though you''re wounded," Lin Xiao commented when he saw how Wenren Yu was still standing perfectly well.


    Wenren Yu laughed. "I''m already mostly healed. I brought some medicine along with me and it''s quite effective for external wound."


    "Good then."


    In truth, Wenren Yu still felt pain, but he didn''t want to miss this. As an outer disciple, there was not much chance for him to tend to herbs before, so he wanted to have the chance to interact with herbs again now.


    "As for the rock?"


    "Let''s just pierce it open with Mountain''s Punch!" Lin Xiao grinned.


    Lin Yun: "��" Brother, you actually want to use this chance to practice?


    Wenren Yu: "��" Did I just meet with an idiot?


    Sua! Sua!


    In the end, Lin Yun and Wenren Yu chose to rest early while Lin Xiao continued to punch the surface of the rock to make it curve inside. Thanks to Wenren Yu, Lin Xiao''s mastery over Mountain''s Punch had gotten better. But it still took him three hours before the hole was big enough to fit the pot and the water.

 Chapter 13: Taking the Hunting Squad Test

    The next morning, Lin Xiao returned back to his usual daily practice while Lin Yun checked on the plant. The hole that Lin Xiao managed to make on top of the stone was good enough to store the water and allowed the plant to live. However, it was clear that the water run out very quickly.


    "How much water do I need to give to this Five Petals Yang Flower?" Lin Yun asked.


    Wenren Yu was already feeling much better and could walk around. He looked at the flower and shook his head. "Just leave it be for now."


    "Do you want to gather herbs too?"


    "Not in this condition."


    Even if Wenren Yu wanted to, he still needed to rest a lot. It would be better for him to wait until the time was right before he headed to seek some herbs that was necessary for them.


    Sua!


    "I''m going to take the hunting squad test today," Lin Xiao informed his brother and Wenren Yu. "Don''t go anywhere and don''t let strangers come."


    "There shouldn''t be anyone who would come to this secluded place, Brother," Lin Yun said helplessly.


    "I''ll try to concoct the medicine first."


    "Ah, I''ll help."


    Lin Xiao chose to let these two made the medicine as he rushed to the village. Everyone could take the test by the hunting squad every time they wanted as long as they have passed the basic requirement of reaching body training rank 5. Since Lin Xiao had passed recently, he wanted to test his luck.


    The village was large because there were several fields. Lin Xiao had to pass several fields before he could reach the area where the hunting squad members usually gathered. There were only a few people who stayed there at this time.


    "Oh, Little Xiao, you''re here," one villager greeted him.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Is Captain Su here?"


    "Captain Su is away. Why do you want to look for my brother?" a displeasing yet familiar tone sounded from the side.


    Turning his body sideways, Lin Xiao could see Su Han walking to his direction. Dressed in another grand purple robe, it looked as if he was flaunting his family''s wealth in this secluded village. With most of them could only wore dark brown robe that looked a bit worn out, Su Han stuck out like a sore thumb.


    Lin Xiao grinned. "I''m going to take the test to join the hunting squad?"


    "You?" Su Han looked at Lin Xiao up and down. Up to body training rank 5, the changes in one''s body could be seen. It was clear from Lin Xiao''s muscle that he had already advanced to body training rank 5.


    Not only that, it was clear that Lin Xiao was fully brimming with power as if he was already at that rank for a long time. The thought only soured Su Han''s mood, but he chose to push it all to the back.


    "Are you sure that you can withstand the pain?"


    "Why not?" Lin Xiao chuckled. He looked at Su Han with challenging gaze as if saying that no matter what, he would surely pass the test with no problem at all.


    "You��"


    "Are you afraid that I''ll pass, Su Han?"


    Su Han''s eyes landed on Lin Xiao''s red hand. After applying a bit of medicine, it was no longer looked as bad as yesterday, but the burning mark was still apparent. Grinning lightly, Su Han pointed to Lin Xiao''s left hand.


    "What did you do to make your hand burn?"


    "Oh, I''m just playing with fire yesterday," Lin Xiao said carelessly. "Isn''t it amazing that fire can be so warm?"


    The others: "��" are you nuts?


    Su Han was also dumbfounded when he heard Lin Xiao''s answer and looked at Lin Xiao as if he was looking at an idiot. "Why do you want to play with fire."


    "I just found out that you can learn to control fire if you train your Qi near it. Isn''t it amazing?" Lin Xiao made up excuse.


    "Is that even possible?"


    "Of course! Why do you think my left hand ended up like this?"


    Some people were skeptical, but some others were quietly thinking that they might be able to train their Qi like that too and probably ended up luckier. Little did they knew that Lin Xiao was only spouting nonsense.


    "It''s not possible to train your Qi outwards before you reach foundation establishment." A voice attracted their attention. They could see a man walked in their direction. His large body and presence immediately attracted everyone''s attention. No one dared to mess around anymore.


    "Leader!"


    "Oh, Leader Su! I want to take the test!" Lin Xiao waved his right hand with a grin on his face as if there was nothing wrong.


    The man, Su Hei, glanced at Lin Xiao and nodded. It was only a small matter because there were a lot of people who wanted to take the test every few days. He looked at Su Han. "You take care of it."


    "Yes Brother."


    Realizing that he was getting tricked by Lin Xiao, Su Han was annoyed. Gritting his teeth, Su Han pointed to the side. "Just take the test normally. He will monitor you."


    "Alright."


    Lin Xiao walked to the side with steady movements. He wanted to know what they were planning to do to make him fail. The leader of the hunting squad was Su Hei, Su Han''s brother. Because of his age and poor performance back then, Su Hei failed to join Taiyi Sect and ended up staying in the village.


    As the only youngster who managed to reach body training rank 8, he naturally became the leader of the hunting squad. Su Han, who was a few years younger and more talented, also joined and taught personally by his brother.


    The test to join the hunting squad was always different each time. This was to prevent anyone from cheating because they wouldn''t know what kind of test would be given to them until it was time for their test. The people here would randomly pick one of the few tests that their leader have prepared before.


    "You can pick one of them."


    There were a few tokens scattered on top of the table. It was used for the hunting test and usually they could pick by themselves. Each token looked exactly the same, so no one would be able to cheat unless they have reached foundation establishment since they could use their Qi to probe.


    But then again, why would a foundation establishment want to join this kind of hunting squad?


    Lin Xiao stretched his hand and picked one token randomly. His brows furrowed when he saw the word ''water.''

 Chapter 14: The North Lake

    "What did you get?" A villager asked impatiently.


    Lin Xiao carelessly tossed the token and let the villager saw the word that was written on top of it. He looked over to Su Han. "What''s the test for water?"


    "Water?" Su Han was taken aback. There was barely any hunting that was done in the water because it was dangerous. However, Su Han knew that there was a large lake located at the north of the village.


    The lake was connected to a dangerous waterfall and also the small rivers. Getting water meant that the test would be to fish.


    "You should go to the north and fish."


    "Fish?"


    This time, Lin Xiao was the one taken aback. He had never fished in the past because the small river barely contained any fish. If he wanted to fish, he would have to walk for over two hours to the north, which was also far beyond the village.


    It was considered as a dangerous area.


    Su Han grinned when he thought that Lin Xiao had to go alone to that place. He pointed to the basket at the side. "You should go. If you''re too late, you won''t be able to return back before it''s late."


    And no one wanted to stay outside the village when it was night time.


    Looking at the basket, Lin Xiao nodded. "How many fishes I need to get so that I can be considered passing the test."


    "One is enough."


    One?


    Lin Xiao felt as if they were insulting him if they only asked for one fish. Who would want to travel so far away just to get one fish that could barely fill their belly?


    Probably because the expression on his face was so obvious, a villager reminded him. "It''s not that easy to fish in this area, Little Xiao. Even after waiting for hours, you might not even get one fish."


    "Oh."


    True enough. The villagers here barely have any fish. Most of the time, the meat they had would be rabbit''s meat or some other animals that they managed to hunt. As for fish�� it might have been considered quiet the luxury since the lake was far.


    The small river where they took water most of the time would only be enough for them to drink and wash each day. If they wanted to fish there�� they might be hoping for miracle since there was no fish passing by.


    "I''ll be going now!" Lin Xiao rushed out of the hunting squad area and lightly ran. His speed had increased ever since he advanced to body training rank 5, so he might be able to finish even earlier.


    "Ops."


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao switched his body''s movement. He saw Xu Qin was walking to the hunting squad''s area. Her face turned red when she realized that Lin Xiao nearly crashed onto her.


    "Watch where you''re going, Idiot!"


    "I can say the same to you!" Lin Xiao shouted back. He waved his hand. "I''m in a hurry, so sorry!"


    "You!"


    There was not even any hint of remorse within Lin Xiao''s tone. Xu Qin glared dagger at the young man then turned around. She humped indignantly internally as she always hated the fact that Lin Xiao was the only one who dared to ignore her in this village.


    When Su Han saw Xu Qin, the dark lines in his face disappeared almost instantly. He swiftly moved over and smiled brightly. "Xu Qin! What can I help you?"


    Xu Qin raised her head to look at Su Han''s face. Seeing his fawning face, she felt much better. Things were supposed to be like this. "I��."


    The two of them talked a bit before they went on their own way.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao rushed through the forest while making sure that he didn''t encounter any beast. Travelling alone in the forest was dangerous. There was almost no certainty that they would come out alive once they came into the north forest.


    ''My luck is always so bad,'' Lin Xiao thought to himself. But he was also curious about the north lake. Since his test today was there, there was nothing wrong with him checking the area too.


    Of course, only if there was still enough time left.


    Swish!


    ''I still can go faster.''


    Lin Xiao''s eyes gleamed as he exerted more force into his legs. This was the first time he tested his speed because he rarely left the village aside from going to the mountain that was not far from his residence. Going this far, Lin Xiao just noticed that his speed had grown much faster than before.


    When he reached rank 6 later, would he become even faster?


    Lin Xiao was eager to find out about it.


    Splash! Brrr!


    The sound of waterfall entered his ear. The waterfall was located not far from the lake where the water came from. As for the lake itself, it was said that there was water source in the lake, allowing the water to never run out.


    Lin Xiao never got proper education about geography whatsoever, so he didn''t care about it.


    *rustle*


    Passing the last bushes, Lin Xiao arrived by the lake. In front of him was a large lake that could be mistaken as sea. The other side was very far while the surface of the water was so clear. It looked so beautiful with nothing could ever match it.


    "Hehehe, I have arrived. Now, time to fish!" Lin Xiao excitedly walked near the lake. He looked into the water and noticed that the bottom could be seen clearly. There was no fish visible in his sight.


    Wait a minute��


    In the first place, how to fish?

 Chapter 15: Fishing

    Lin Xiao looked at the lake before him with hesitation. He didn''t know how to fish and obviously, there was no one he could ask in this place.


    "If I know I''m going to get confused, I would have asked for some guidance from the villagers."


    But most of the villagers also never got this test when they wanted to join the hunting squad before. There were various test and the easiest would be for them to hunt a rabbit. Those who got it were always crying in happiness because it was basically a sure pass.


    The hunting squad was the only one who could leave the village in group and helped to contribute. In addition, they could keep half of what they got for themselves, which was the most tempting offer.


    No one would reject eating meat.


    Lin Xiao looked at the lake before him and then at the basket before him. He furrowed his brows and then chose to just jump into the lake after putting the basket at the edge of the river.


    Splash!


    "Wah, it''s deeper than what it looks like from above!"


    Moving his body a bit, Lin Xiao noticed that the water was only around his chess'' height. He looked around then dived a bit. There were a lot of fishes, but they were located far from his position.


    ''How should I catch them?''


    Trap them with his basket?


    Well, it might work if the basket was designed that way, but Lin Xiao didn''t think that it was truly designed like that. That large basket would be hard to bring around when he was inside the lake.


    So, he definitely couldn''t use that plan.


    Time for another method.


    Lin Xiao stood up straight and began to walk around. He could feel that the rocks at the bottom of the lake was uneven. It felt weird walking inside the water, but he soon got used with the new sensation.


    ''How about if I erase my presence and let the fishes get close to me?''


    Easier said than done.


    Truth to be told, Lin Xiao had never tried to erase his presence before, so he was not totally sure how to do it. However, the fishes were certainly too far and whenever he got too close, they would run away.


    How could he get any fish like this?


    Holding his breath, Lin Xiao relaxed his body and then submerged into the water once more. He could hold his breath for a few minutes, so staying like this inside the water was not that difficult for a limited period of time.


    With his eyes still open, Lin Xiao could see the wonderful world of the sea before him. Everything was clear until a distance away. The fishes were swimming around freely without any fear while the bottom of the lake could be seen full of rocks at various shapes and color.


    Towards the middle, the bottom of the lake got deeper and deeper until it was dark blue and there was nothing Lin Xiao could see anymore. He didn''t want to get lost in this large lake too, so he would not try to venture deeply.


    There were a few fishes not far from him. Slowly but surely, Lin Xiao walked towards them. One step, two steps, three steps.


    He made no noise and his body was completely relaxed. The fishes didn''t seem to notice his presence as Lin Xiao raised his hand slowly and��.


    Splash!


    "I failed at the last moment," Lin Xiao coughed and looked at his empty hand. When he tried to catch the fish, the fish suddenly moved, so he failed. However, now that he knew this method worked, Lin Xiao was eager to test it out again.


    ''Let''s try again.''


    Breathing deeply, Lin Xiao held his breath and submerged into the water once more. He followed the same steps as before while staying careful to not startle the fish. By getting close to them, he was able to make use of his speed to catch them when they were not paying attention to him.


    Splash!


    "Hahaha, I got a fish!"


    Lin Xiao happily moved to the shore and stored the fish. He glanced up and saw that the sun was still on top of his head, a bit to the east, in fact. There was still more than enough time for him to play around in the water.


    ''We can keep half of our result.''


    Thinking about the rules of hunting squad, which also applied to the test, Lin Xiao grinned. Normally, they would only get very few meat, but since he was already here and knew how to fish��


    Time to get a lot of fish!


    Splash!


    Getting into the water once more, Lin Xiao proceeded by using the same method that he had practiced over and over to get more fishes. The basket they handed to him was big enough to store a lot of fishes.


    "Wahahaha! I got another one!"


    "Call me the king of fish!"


    Splash!


    While it might not be his intention, Lin Xiao also got better and better at hiding his presence. By letting his body and mind relaxed, he didn''t let any of his intent out and startled the fishes. As the result, they only realized that they were hunted when it was too late.


    "Woah, this one is a big one."


    Slip! Splash!


    Due to his excitement, Lin Xiao slipped into the lake once more.

 Chapter 16: Fish and More Fishes

    "��17, 18, 19. This should be enough."


    If they have odd number of captures, they could take more to home. Lin Xiao had 19, so it meant that he could bring 10 with him after the test. With so much fishes, Lin Xiao knew that he wouldn''t need to worry about food for the next few days.


    As for making the fishes last longer, he could just trade one fish with lots of salt from the shopkeeper Wan. He was a villager who sold everything one could think of inside the villager. Even the strangest item might appear in his shop.


    As for how shopkeeper Wan got it, no one ever knew.


    "Time to go back."


    Lin Xiao looked at the large lake once more then bowed down in thanks. If not because of the lake allowing him to hunt a lot of fishes, he wouldn''t be able to get so many fishes. Besides, it was quite fun for him to learn how to swim by himself too and ended up falling miserably.


    Probably he needed more practice if he wanted to learn properly.


    Swish!


    Turning his body around, Lin Xiao began to run towards the village once more. He didn''t have any intention to linger in this place anymore. There might be beast coming to drink from the lake and if the beast was powerful, Lin Xiao wouldn''t have any hope to defeat them at all.


    Normal beast was not a problem, but rank 1 beast was as strong as body training rank 7. It was two ranks above Lin Xiao, which meant that Lin Xiao was not their opponents. Rather than seeking for his own death, Lin Xiao would rather run when he encountered such beast.


    Swish!


    The forest was very quiet.


    There was not even a single beast that Lin Xiao encountered. He followed the trail that the villagers left when they explored the north area as he returned back to the village.


    ''It''s very quiet in this area.''


    Shouldn''t there be any beast around when he ventured deeply like that?


    Lin Xiao felt that it was really strange that he didn''t manage to see any beast. There was not even any ordinary beast around when he walked to the lake. It was as if all the beast was running away from something and didn''t dare to linger.


    Well, it might be just his imagination.


    Or he was simply too weak to attract the beast''s attention.


    Somehow, the second thought only soured his mood. It might be good to not meet beast, but he didn''t like the thought of being looked down upon by beasts.


    Pushing the thoughts to the back, Lin Xiao rushed to the hunting squad area. It would turn dark in an hour, so he wanted to submit his result and then hurry back home to enjoy good dinner.


    His stomach was already rumbling.


    "Little Xiao, you''re back?" A villager greeted him when Lin Xiao arrived by the hunting squad area.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Where are the others?"


    "Many are out to hunt. We''re planning to prepare a feast for when the representatives from other sects come to the village."


    "Oh."


    "How is it?"


    "I got a lot." Lin Xiao showed the basket he carried with him with a grin. "I should pass with this, right?"


    "This is��." The villager was dumbfounded when he saw Lin Xiao''s result. Even getting one fish was known to be very difficult, yet Lin Xiao managed to get so many fish in such a short period of time. It was unbelievable.


    "How did you get so many?" Another villager also asked, freaking out at the number of the fishes.


    Lin Xiao grinned and rubbed his nose. "Of course it''s because this young master is very handsome. The fishes love me so much that they want to gather."


    The villagers: "��" that''s complete bullsh*t!


    No one would believe what Lin Xiao said, but they knew that the result Lin Xiao got had proved to them his capabilities. However, the villager in charge was in dilemma. Just this morning, Su Han had told him to fail Lin Xiao no matter what.


    And now��


    How could he possibly fail Lin Xiao when he got so many fishes?


    "So, do I pass?" Lin Xiao asked again. He looked at the villager who was in charge with arched eyebrows. Those who had passed the test would be given the token that represented their identity as part of the hunting squad.


    Why is he staying silent?


    "That''s��"


    "No, you don''t."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows when he heard that familiar voice and turned around. He could see Su Han walking in his direction while carrying a basket on his back. From the foul stench of blood, it was clear that Su Han had just managed to hunt something big.


    "Why not?"


    "Because it''s clear that you''re cheating. There''s no way you can get so many fishes in such a short period of time," Su Han said with a sneer.


    "Cheating? How do I cheat, Su Han?" Lin Xiao asked back, his tone was deep. Those who knew him would know that he was angry. He could tolerate Su Han antagonizing him and played along, but to reject him from joining the hunting squad, it would be crossing the bottom line he had.


    Su Han shrugged. "How should I know. All I know is that you''re not powerful enough to be able to fish so many fishes. In addition, how should we know that you''re useful to us when you''re so small?"


    Small��


    That was one taboo word that Lin Xiao hated the most. Because he couldn''t eat properly ever since he was young, Lin Xiao''s height was indeed shorter compared to most male in the village. There were already many people who mocked him for his height, but Lin Xiao usually ignored them.


    After a few fights with some troublemakers, no one dared to said that to him again.


    "Shall we have a bout, Su Han?" Lin Xiao asked in a dangerous tone. He put down the basket on the ground and looked at Su Han.

 Chapter 17: Fight with Su Han

    "What? Do you want to join the hunting squad just by fighting me? Let me tell you, you''re going to lose miserably!" Su Han said strongly and put down his basket too. His aura exploded, giving off pressure that was equivalent to his rank as body training rank 6.


    Body training rank 6 was quite common in this village. There were many of them who had reached that rank after they grew up. Amongst the adults, it was not rare to see body training rank 6, but amongst the youngsters, it was fairly rare.


    Lin Xiao snorted and looked Su Han. In the past, Lin Xiao was already known as a little troublemaker but didn''t really have much animosity with Su Han. But because of a little incident with Lin Xiao beating Su Han in a game when the latter wanted to show off to Xu Qin, the latter hated Lin Xiao.


    It was public knowledge that Xu Qin was the most beautiful girl in this village. She didn''t lack people who liked her but Lin Xiao was the only who was indifferent to her. But because of his blatant action to ignore her, Xu Qin remembered him and often criticize him.


    Su Han�� was jealous.


    "Heh, I thought that the hunting squad is a fair place, but I guess I''m wrong," Lin Xiao said with a snort.


    He thought that even though Su Hei and Su Han were part of the hunting squad, the people here were fair and just. But unfortunately, he was completely wrong. The villagers here were listening to what these two Su siblings were saying to each other.


    How sickening.


    "Don''t spout lies, Lin Xiao!"


    "Come."


    Lin Xiao readied his stance and looked at Su Han with sharp gaze. He put his center of gravity a bit low because it was the best stance for those who trained with Mountain''s Punch. Despite only trained with Wenren Yu for a short period of time, Lin Xiao had already adapted to the basic.


    Su Han''s face turned red in anger. He looked at Lin Xiao and laughed. "With you being one rank below me? Do you think you can defeat me?"


    Thud!


    Putting his basket to the side, Su Han rushed to Lin Xiao''s direction. His fist was punched forward, executing Mountain Punch''s perfectly.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao dodged by evading to the side. Side stepping to the side, Lin Xiao twisted his body and punched forward.


    Bam! Thud!


    Su Han was pushed to the back as he looked at Lin Xiao with disbelief. That one punch felt extremely hurt as it hit his arm. At the most crucial moment, he managed to block the attack by lowering his arm. If not, his stomach would have been destroyed by that one punch.


    Even now, his arm felt numb!


    Was Mountain Punch truly capable of giving out power as much as that?


    Lin Xiao looked at Su Han and flashed a mocking grin. That one smile instantly infuriated the already angry Su Han.


    "You''re seeking death!"


    Swish!


    Rushing forward once more, Su Han punched forward. Due to his anger, his speed actually increased, but his accuracy failed big time. Lin Xiao had more than enough space to evade to the side.


    Raising his head, Lin Xiao could see Su Han was punching using his other hand once more. Lin Xiao swiftly stopped his step to be half step as he switched his hand and used the same movement.


    Mountain Punch!


    Bang!


    This time, Su Han had no time to react as the punch landed squarely on his stomach. Lin Xiao waved his hand lightly and readied his stance once more. One of the lessons from living in wilderness was that one should never lower their guard unless their enemy had died!


    His eyes were looking at the crouching Su Han with a pity. If only Su Han''s guard was a bit lower, he might have the chance to turn Su Han into a eunuch with his punch just now. Alas, the chance had passed.


    "How could it be possible that Mountain Punch be that strong?" Su Han yelled.


    His stomach felt as if it was ruptured just from the punch that Lin Xiao delivered. While it might not as bad as he thought it was, Su Han knew that the wound was completely different than what he could exert.


    They were all supposed to be learning the same skill and have similar capabilities. But why Lin Xiao grew much stronger?


    Lin Xiao grinned. "Is that all you got?"


    "You��!"


    Disregarding his pain, Su Han jumped up and stormed towards Lin Xiao once more. His hand was about to land another punch when a strong arm pulled him to the back.


    Bang!


    Crashing onto the wall, Su Han was stunned speechless. He looked at the man who pushed him to the back. The moment he recognized the face, there was no longer any energy left for him to even get angry.


    "B��Brother?"


    "What are you doing causing ruckus here?" Su Hei asked in cold tone. The aura from that of body training rank 8 suppressed everyone on the scene. Even if they wanted to speak, they felt as if they would be unable to do so under the heavy pressure.


    "That''s��."


    "Leader, we''re only testing the result and Little Xiao here can''t accept the result."


    "Oh, you can''t accept the result?" Su Hei turned his head to look at Lin Xiao. Even if he knew that his brother was the one at wrong, he would always defend his family no matter what the situation was.


    Who would care what the truth was?


    Lin Xiao kept his body straight and looked at Su Hei. He slowly turned around and picked his basket. "Didn''t you say that if I can bring back a fish, I''ll pass? Now it seems that you''re not willing to adhere to your words, Leader Su?"

 Chapter 18: I Won’t Join

    Su Hei furrowed his brows but as his eyes landed on Lin Xiao''s basket, he felt that he was at lost for words. From the corner of his eyes, he glared at his younger brother. By now, he was certain that the only reason why they failed Lin Xiao was because of his younger brother''s words.


    The ability to catch fish would be rare.


    But they didn''t really care for fishes because normally, no one would dare to venture deep to the north. The north was the place with so many beasts roaming around and required a lot of luck to get there.


    "Did you cheat?"


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. Why did he ask the same question to him?


    "If I say no, will you believe me?"


    "No."


    It was impossible to get so many fishes in such a short period of time. It was not without basis that Su Han suspected Lin Xiao as many other villagers were unable to believe that Lin Xiao did succeed.


    In the first place, travelling back to the village while carrying the fishes was already more than enough for them to be attacked by countless beasts. For that reason alone, this water test was considered as the most difficult and those who got this test would choose to give up and tried again after a month.


    The rule here was that they could only take another test after a month.


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "Since you have said that I can''t possibly get so many fishes without cheating, you already have your answer. I won''t waste my time here anymore."


    "You don''t want to join?"


    "Heh, what''s the use to join?"


    Su Hei snorted. How arrogant! Everyone knew that travelling in the forest alone would be very dangerous. Even if they were already at body training rank 7 or 8, they would still not dare to venture alone much less when they were at body training rank 5 like Lin Xiao.


    The villagers already thought of Lin Xiao as a stupid young man and nothing more.


    If he wanted to die so much, no one would bother trying to stop him.


    "if there''s nothing else, I''ll going back home now," Lin Xiao said airily. He glanced once more at Su Han, but he had no intention to beat that annoying man anymore. Just by talking here with these annoying people had wasted so much of his time.


    If they didn''t want him to join from the very beginning, they should have just said it.


    There was no need to purposely fail him in the test.


    ''But my training with Wenren Yu proved to be good. I would ask him later to spar with me when his wound is healed.''


    Sneeze!


    Back in the hut, Wenren Yu suddenly sneezed. He looked outside the window, wondering if there was anyone who survived and remembered him just now. Or maybe they were offering prayer for him?


    As Lin Xiao was about to leave the hunting squad ground, Su Hei looked at the short youth''s back. "Are you going to try again next month?"


    "Nope." Lin Xiao didn''t stop his steps. "I won''t join the hunting squad."


    "How arrogant."


    "Arrogant is my second name~."


    Su Hei chose to ignore Lin Xiao''s blatant provocation and looked at his younger brother. Their difference in age was around a decade, which meant that he was much older than Su Han. Due to that difference too, the two of them have a rather strained relationship.


    "What are you trying to do, Su Han?"


    "Brother, I just want to teach him a lesson!" Su Han responded. When he saw that Lin Xiao had reached the fifth stage, he knew that it wouldn''t take long before Lin Xiao came to join the hunting squad.


    "Teach him a lesson?" Su Hei snorted. "You better go and train. If you show disappointing performance at the sect selection later, you should know the consequences."


    Su Han''s body shuddered in fear at his brother''s words. To be able to reach rank 6 before the age of 20 meant that he was qualified to enter the sect selection. Not to mention, his family wanted him to try breaking through to rank 7.


    The higher the rank, the higher the possibility for them to be able to be selected to the sect that they wanted to join. Su Han had been in rank 6 for some time, so it was not impossible for him to reach rank 7 if he trained enough.


    "Yes, Brother."


    Standing up, Su Han glanced in Lin Xiao''s direction. When the difference in their rank was only one, Lin Xiao would always defeat him. Because of that, Su Han knew that he had to stay two ranks above Lin Xiao if he wanted to keep his face or he would be defeated so miserably all the time.


    It was not something he wanted either.


    "Go."


    Su Hei waved his hand. The two children''s quarrel was not something new. He had his own share of competing with others back when he was still young. Those people had already joined Taiyi Sect a long time ago.


    And probably had already dead by now.


    ''How stupid.''


    Not wanting to bother anymore, Su Hei instructed the men in the hunting squad to begin moving and working. They were not allowed to dilly dallying anymore.

 Chapter 19: Strange Fishes

    Swish!


    Rushing back home, Lin Xiao clicked his tongue when he realized that it was getting dark. He reached his home and sensed the two people''s movement inside the house. His younger brother was tending on the few potted plants that they placed near the window while Wenren Yu was resting near the fire place.


    "Yun, I''m home!"


    "Brother, you''re late." Lin Yun turned around to look at his brother then to the basket behind Lin Xiao. "Did you manage to join the hunting squad."


    "No, that bastard Su Han makes it impossible to join," Lin Xiao said with clear annoyance. He proceeded to tell the other two what had happened while he cleaned three fishes for their dinner tonight. The rest of the fishes were left inside the basket that Lin Yun filled with water to keep the fish fresh.


    After hearing what had happened, Lin Yun was speechless. "He''s still searching for trouble?"


    "As usual." Lin Xiao played with his knife and cut the fish''s skin carefully. "Should I just scream to his ear that I cared nothing for that pampered Xu Qin?"


    Lin Yun obviously knew who Xu Qin was. Even though he had been spending most of his time to stay in this residence and tend to the plants while training, he had been to the villages a few times a year. Xu Qin was the most beautiful young girl in the village.


    "Bro, I think she''s not bad."


    "Do you want me to skin you alive?"


    "Ah. It''s that bad?"


    "She''s indeed pretty." Lin Xiao used the stick to roast the fishes near the fire. "But she''s too spoiled. Even I have standard when I want to pick girls."


    Lin Yun laughed at his brother''s words. While Xu Qin''s personality might not be a match for his brother, Xu Qin was still a very pretty young girl and also a capable cultivator. Amongst the youngsters, it was clear that she was one of the few who had the best talent.


    In the past, there was no doubt that Xu Qin would surely enter Taiyi Sect with her talent. But now, it didn''t seem to be possible anymore.


    "Yes, yes, my brother can get better girls."


    "Of course!"


    Wenren Yu rolled his eyes at these two''s conversation. He looked at the fishes that Lin Xiao caught. While the light was dim, he still could see the fishes clearly. The pattern on top of the fishes was what caught his attention.


    "Lin Xiao, where did you get the fishes?"


    "Where? From the large lake at the north," Lin Xiao replied calmly. "There are a lot of fishes there, but normally we don''t dare to go because there are a lot of beasts around."


    "But you still go?"


    "If it means I can join, why not? Besides, I didn''t see any beasts when I head to that lake before." Lin Xiao proceeded to tell about his experience and everything that occurred while he was going. The forest was very quiet with no trace of beast at all.


    "The fish is cooked. Let''s eat now."


    "Alright! Yum! As I thought, the fishes taste really good!"


    Wenren Yu behaved more politely compared to Lin Xiao. Taking a bit of the meat, his eyes narrowed. He could sense Qi inside the fish. It was as if the fish was a container that could hold Qi and transferred it to those who ate it.


    ''This is not ordinary fish.''


    The rumor about how beasts would be seen roaming around didn''t seem strange now. If the beasts were there to catch these fishes, Wenren Yu knew that it was not that strange. For low ranked cultivators, eating these fishes will surely help them to advance faster because the accumulation of Qi would strengthen their flesh.


    Body training stage was very consistent to its name. At this stage, cultivator would start by strengthening their body and used the Qi they absorbed to make their body stronger. Each stage meant different strengthening. At the beginning, it was their flesh, which was why the first stage up until fifth was very easy to see.


    But the sixth stage was the strengthening of their skin and the seventh stage was the strengthening of their bones. The eight stage would be their marrow bones and the ninth stage would be the increase in strength of the skeletons in their body. The tenth stage would be the overall increase of strength and performance.


    Only with a strong body would a cultivator able to reach higher stage because their body is their foundation.


    "What do you think of the fishes?" Wenren Yu asked. He was stumped when he noticed the two of them were ready to cook two more fishes since they have already eaten the first fish.


    "It''s not enough to eat just one," Lin Xiao said with a grin. "Isn''t it better for us to eat more meat before they rot?"


    Wenren Yu smiled bitterly. In any case, he better also ate the fishes. Slowly but surely, Wenren Yu could feel that he was getting stronger. It shouldn''t take long for him to advance to body training rank 7 at this rate.


    In the end, the two glutton siblings cooked three fishes each for them while Wenren Yu only have two. They still have 11 fishes left for tomorrow.


    "Bro, you should get more fishes if possible," Lin Yun said jokingly.


    "Well, they''re good, but I don''t think I''ll always be lucky enough to encounter the empty north forest." Lin Xiao laughed. "I''ll try to make bow and arrows to try hunting tomorrow so that we can have meat."


    "Alone?"


    "Yes."


    "But it''s dangerous!"


    "I''m not going to join that annoying hunting squad with Su Han and Su Hei inside," Lin Xiao said with a snort. "I''ll think for a method to hunt safely."


    Lin Yun still wanted to protest, but in the end, he shut his mouth and returned back to his room. As for Lin Xiao, he had to bear sleeping while sitting again because there was still an intruder named Wenren Yu borrowing his bed.


    ''I need to make additional bedding for Wenren Yu too.''


    There were so many things to do.

 Chapter 20: Breakthrough

    The next day, Lin Xiao decided to ration the fishes left. If they didn''t do that, there was no doubt that all 11 fishes would be eaten with nothing left in just a few seconds.


    "Are you going to go today, Brother?"


    "Yes. After my practice, I''ll go out and try to hunt." Lin Xiao stretched his body. It didn''t feel sore even after he ran a long time yesterday. Not bad at all. "I have Old Man''s old bow and I can make simple arrows with woods."


    "Okay."


    As Lin Xiao practiced with Wenren Yu''s guidance, Lin Yun was following the same movement. It has been some time since Wenren Yu came, so his wounds were mostly healed. The medicine that he brought along with him was proven to be very good.


    Crack! Crack!


    The faint movement of Qi along with the sound of cracking attracted Lin Xiao''s attention. He turned his head to look at his brother and grinned. "You''re now Body training rank 5."


    "Yes!" Lin Yun exclaimed happily.


    Wenren Yu nodded his head. There were a lot of medicine within Lin Yun''s body that was not absorbed properly. He had taught Lin Yun the basic cultivation method to absorb them all, which led to Lin Yun getting better. Now that the young boy had broken through, Wenren Yu felt happy.


    Still, with the medicine inside Lin Yun''s body, it should have been enough for him to reach rank 6 with no problem.


    Or even higher.


    He didn''t know how much herbs Lin Yun had consumed all this time to make it possible, though.


    "Now that you''re already at rank 5, I don''t need to worry so much when I''m leaving," Lin Xiao said with a grin. The stronger Lin Yun was, the less worried he would be. After all, it was always his concern whenever he left the house for a long time. If there were some villagers who wanted to create trouble, he had to defend his brother.


    Lin Yun nodded. "I''ll be even stronger than you, Brother."


    "Heh, big talk! I''m stronger!"


    "Not for long!"


    Wenren Yu shook his head and spoke out, "If you don''t hurry and finish your training, you''ll be too late if you want to try hunting."


    "Ah! I nearly forgot about that!"


    Lin Xiao quickly finished his training and then collected some strong branches before he skillfully used his knife to shape them. The tip of the arrow needed metal, but since they didn''t have one, Lin Xiao used thin yet sharp stone to replace it. It was not as strong as metal, but it could cut.


    The process didn''t take a long time and Lin Xiao only made 10 arrows. He just had to make do with this number for now.


    "I''m going now."


    "Be careful. There might be people who are pursuing Taiyi Sect disciples out there too," Wenren Yu reminded him.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "I''ll take note of them. Luckily, I''m not part of Taiyi Sect."


    Yet.


    That was what he wanted to say since he originally planned to join the sect. If he was lucky enough, he would be able to advance to body training rank 6 this year, so it would increase his chance to get accepted into the sect.


    But now, Lin Xiao didn''t even know where he wanted to go anymore. All he knew was that he had to grow stronger and stronger if he wished to survive in this cruel and harsh world. It was always the common knowledge that only the strong could possibly survive in this harsh world.


    The saying was very much true.


    And Lin Xiao didn''t want to take the risk.


    Swish!


    This time, Lin Xiao didn''t head to the north forest like yesterday. He had no intention to go there in case there were more beast he would encounter. It would be better for him to just ran in the opposite direction. To be exact, he was heading to the river and beyond that.


    Rivers were the best place for animals to come because they needed water to stay alive. Lin Xiao thought that heading there might increase his luck to find some animals that were roaming around.


    He only hoped to find some rabbits, though.


    A boar might be a bit too strong to defeat all by himself.


    Venturing deep into the forest, Lin Xiao paid close attention to his surroundings. He wanted to know what he could possibly meet right here, but it was very quiet. The area near the cliff has always been devoid of life, so Lin Xiao traveled even further.


    He wouldn''t be able to get anything if he didn''t.


    ''There are some animals mark on the ground.''


    Lin Xiao stopped and crouched down. The ground was a bit soft and there were some marks of animal crossing by. Based on the size of the nails and the likes, it was likely that the one passed by here was a deer.


    Deer was an extremely common animal to found in this area. Many hunters also preferred to hunt deer if they were not brave enough to face faster and more powerful animals such as tiger, wolves, or others, or even the higher ranked beasts.


    When beasts absorbed the Qi in the world, they could grow stronger and possibly evolve. At that time, even the seemingly harmless animal could kill an adult man easily.


    ''Hmm, it''s over there.''


    Lin Xiao used the method to conceal his presence that he did yesterday as he travelled in the forest while hoping that he would see a prey he could try to catch.

 Chapter 21: Hunt or Be Hunted?

    Hunting was always a game of patience and luck. It was not everyone someone could see a lot of beasts and animals coming in their direction, willingly to get killed. That would be very ridiculous.


    Except if the animal was running away from another big predator, they wouldn''t come obediently in the direction of a hunter.


    Lin Xiao silently travelled in the quiet forest. The sound of cicada could be heard from a distance. Aside from the sound of birds near him, Lin Xiao heard nothing else. It was very quiet in the forest.


    The river was already quite far behind him. Lin Xiao chose to travel beyond the river, crossing it in hope that he would have a better chance when he ventured even deeper. Normally, he wouldn''t dare to cross this far, but he wanted to test whether he had what it takes to survive out here or not.


    Plus, he needed meat.


    ''That Su sibling would surely hijack the price of meat if I try to go and buy the meat in the village.''


    Thinking of the two Su siblings, Lin Xiao felt his mood worsened, but he quickly adjusted his condition. There was no need for him to bother with those annoying duo. Right now, he just had to focus to be able to get enough meat for him, his brother, and obviously the stranded Wenren Yu.


    *rustle*


    Hearing the faint sound of movement, Lin Xiao stopped his movements and hid behind the tree. His eyes carefully looked around him, trying to find the source of the voice. There was nothing around, not within his field of vision at the very least.


    Gripping his bow tightly, Lin Xiao stayed still.


    There were many times hunters have to wait for their prey because it was not easy for them to meet even one.


    They have to wait for the right chance��.


    Just as he was thinking, Lin Xiao finally saw the creature that he was watching. It came out from the bushes and showed its dark brown color of fur. The large built of the bull could easily invoke fear to whoever saw it. The immense pressure was clear in the day and would probably crush everyone who dared to come closer.


    Lin Xiao felt like his soul was leaving his body at this moment.


    His first day trying to hunt by himself aside from trying to fish yesterday and he already met a rank 1 beast?


    Normal animal could not create pressure when they show themselves. Only those who had already absorbed enough Qi from the world would be able to generate the pressure around their body, which would serve as a method to instill fear and provocation to their enemies.


    ''Should he run?''


    But Lin Xiao knew that just by meeting this large bull this time had already spelled his death. He wanted to run far far away from here, but felt that even if he ran, he wouldn''t be as fast as the bull.


    What should he do?


    Moo!


    The bull suddenly spoke out. The sound looked so docile and cute, yet the effect was that the trees shook due to the sheer pressure from its voice alone. The surroundings small animals quickly hid within their nest, unwilling to get out no matter what. The bigger animal had already run away as far as possible.


    Lin Xiao pushed away any hesitation he had as he began to inch backwards. His eyes were still glued to the large bull, worrying that the large bull would suddenly attack him with no moment of notice.


    One step


    Two steps.


    ��


    After a few steps, Lin Xiao managed to create several meters of distance between him and that large bull. Keeping his presence as low as possible, Lin Xiao was trying his best to not attract the bull''s attention.


    But at this time, the bull suddenly turned its head in Lin Xiao''s direction.


    Two pairs of eyes, one belonged to a bull and one belonged to human, were looking at each other.


    ''Sh*t!''


    Moo!


    The bull roared with its cute voice while Lin Xiao turned around and ran as fast as possible. His mind was cursing with all kind of profanities he could think of as he ran towards the direction of the river again.


    ''Where should I go?''


    Moo!


    The bull rampaged and destroyed all trees before its pat. Despite the voice it made sounded as if it was nothing more than a weak bull, Lin Xiao knew better than anyway.


    Its voice was truly tricky.


    How in the world this bull even managed to get such cute voice?


    Lin Xiao''s mind was wandering around as he sped up, trying to ignore the thought that he might die at this very moment from that fake voice bull who kept on tricking people with its voice.


    ''It''s getting closer?''


    The pressure behind him was getting bigger and bigger. Lin Xiao looked around him and noticed a thin yet tall tree not far from him. He got an idea when he saw that as he pulled the hanging root that he carried around. Carrying rope or in this case, hanging root, was important because it could save one''s life.


    He circled the root to another tree as fast as possible. Afterwards, he kicked a bigger tree and grabbed that thin yet tall tree then climbed up. The thin trunk was bent over with Lin Xiao on top of it and it was getting harder to bent the tree with the help of the root. By now, Lin Xiao was getting nearer to the ground and the bull was close.


    ''This will hurt.''


    Lin Xiao decisively released his grip over the root and the tree returned back to its original position while Lin Xiao was flying on the air.


    Moo?


    The bull was stunned to see a flying human.

 Chapter 22: Pulling the Bull

    Crash!


    Flying was always everyone''s dream. Once their cultivation was high enough, they would be able to get the ability to fight. But of course, they could use another method to fly in the sky like what Lin Xiao did.


    As for the after effect�� that would not be something one could easily bypass.


    ''I''m alive.''


    Landing on top of the lush tree, Lin Xiao was glad that he was still alive. Even though he ended up falling to the ground afterwards, the bushes also helped to withstand his fall. There were numerous scratches from the branches on his arms and legs, but he didn''t care for it all.


    Glancing to the back, Lin Xiao nearly cursed when he saw the bull was still rushing over to his direction. It seemed that the bull had taken an interest to the human who managed to fly.


    "Why do you come here, you crazy bull?"


    Swish!


    Standing up, Lin Xiao rushed over to run once again. His hand was still holding onto his bow. It was then he thought to himself about whether it would be a good idea to try shooting the bull with the arrow?


    ''But what if it''s getting even angrier?''


    But the bull was getting closer and closer. Lin Xiao had no confidence that he would be able to pull the same stunt as before because he didn''t have any other root that could serve as rope.


    As for climbing tree to evade that bull��


    Moo!


    There were already so many trees destroyed by sheer force from the bull. Unless he wanted to get himself killed, he better not climbed the tree and settled up there.


    ''What should I do?''


    The bull was getting closer.


    ''Screw it, I''ll just try my luck.''


    Taking an arrow from the tube he was carrying, Lin Xiao aimed towards the bull and released the arrow. When he was little, he had been practicing how to use bow with his foster father along with his brother. The two of them were not powerful enough to protect themselves, so they needed to learn how to use weapon.


    Since Lin Yun was fairly weak, his parents decided that a bow would be a good weapon. Lin Xiao also learned how to use one since it could be useful. Thanks to that, the two of them could use bow when it was necessary.


    Dzing!


    The bow headed straight to the bull''s head and couldn''t pierce its hard skin. However, the sharp tip of the arrow grazed the surface, creating a line of wound on the bull''s face.


    The bull looked at its face.


    MMOOOOOOO!


    (how dare this human scratches my handsome face!)


    If only the bull could speak, Lin Xiao had the inkling that it was what the bull would surely say. However, he had no time to care because he had to keep on running. The angry bull kept on voicing its cute voice as it rushed over to tramp on Lin Xiao while destroying the trees on the way.


    No other animals could be seen on the path.


    Lin Xiao prepared another arrow while running as fast as possible. When the path before him was clear, Lin Xiao turned his upper body around and released the arrow once more.


    Dzing!


    The bull evaded the arrow, but it hit the side of the bull''s body. The sharp stone created another line of wound as blood seeped out. But such a little wound would not be enough for Lin Xiao to kill this annoying bull.


    MOOOOO!


    (Damn you, you want to try hurting my handsome face again? I won''t let you!)


    Lin Xiao continued to run faster and faster. The sound of water entered his ear as he got nearer the village. His eyes lit up as he recalled the small river where he usually took water for his brother and himself.


    Eh wait, if he brought the bull to the village, what would the villagers said to him?


    Inside his mind, Lin Xiao calculated which one was more important: his life, or the villagers'' opinion on him.


    It didn''t even take a split second for him to come to his decision.


    Of course!


    His life is more important.


    Even if the villagers are angry, they wouldn''t be able to do anything to him if they didn''t know that he was the one attracting the bull.


    With that in mind, Lin Xiao swiftly moved his legs to the other side, towards the path that was heading to the village and not where the cliff was. There was a small forest beside the tall mountain where he usually searched for herbs.


    Mooo!


    The rampaging bull was still chasing close on his back and Lin Xiao tried to speed up his speed.


    By circling this area, he would also effectively pull the bull away from his home where his brother was staying. He wouldn''t want to have the bull went rampage there too because there were a lot of valuable herbs that he had been gathering for some time.


    Dzing!


    Lin Xiao tried to shoot the bull again, but this time it missed. The bull proudly voiced its voice again as if asking for praise.


    ''Why is this bull look like a dog now?''


    Mooo!


    As the village came in sight, Lin Xiao noticed that there were several people who were going out of the village. From their outfit and also the weapons in their hands, Lin Xiao knew that they were part of the hunting squad.


    Hunting squad, eh?


    ''I have come to deliver a nice gift for you.''


    Lin Xiao looked at the river by his side and decisively jumped inside.


    SPLASH!

 Chapter 23: Hidden Cave

    Splash!


    The sound of water splashing attracted the attention of the villagers there. They quickly raised their head and all they could see was the raging bull coming to their location. Even though there was a river that separated them from the bull, they didn''t think that it would be enough to stop the bull.


    Was bull afraid of water?


    Splash! The bull also decisively entered the water. It stopped for a moment as it was trying to search the bad human who wanted to harm his face.


    "BULL!"


    "There''s a bull here!"


    "it''s already a rank 1 beast!"


    "HELP!"


    One of them prepared his bow and aimed towards the bull.


    Dzing!


    The bull hit the bull''s head. The bull looked towards the villager as its eyes turned red once more. After meeting one insolent human, he now met with more insolent humans who dared to harm him?


    MOOOOOOOOOO!


    (Who dares to harm my handsome face again? I''ll pummel you to the ground and turn you into mince meat!)


    The bull swiftly changed its target and headed towards the villagers with its head lowered, ready to pounce on them. Since the river was quite shallow in some places, the bull directly headed to the other side and then rushed over to the villagers.


    It was ready to destroy whoever dared to harm its handsome face.


    ''It''s good that the bull is stupid.''


    Inside the water, Lin Xiao peeked out to take a breath. He nodded in satisfaction when he saw the villagers were busy fighting the bull and didn''t seem to pay attention to the river at all. Since it was the case, he better stayed away from here and let the hunting squad members enjoyed his present to them.


    But of course, Lin Xiao didn''t move from the water.


    What a joke. If the bull suddenly got attracted to him again, it would be his death. He better stayed inside the water and carefully swam back to his hut and tried his luck to hunt later.


    Splash!


    The water splashed a bit as Lin Xiao submerged into the water once more. He swam carefully and tread the water as he continued to travel. The depth was only one to two meters, so it was not that deep.


    Not many people liked to swim in the river, though. After all, the location of the river was a distance away from the villager, so there might be a beast coming. If they got attacked when they were playing, it would be a very interesting scene.


    Before long, Lin Xiao had already reached the area where he wouldn''t be seen by the villagers even if he came out. However, he still kept swimming inside the water and tried his luck to find some fishes.


    ''There''s no fishes here.''


    It was unfortunate, but there was no fish on sight that Lin Xiao could see. Even if there was any, it was all too small. They were only at the size of his pinky finger''s tip, which was extremely small. Even if he caught them, he would need more than 100 to get full from eating such small fishes.


    He didn''t want to waste his time.


    Splash!


    Lin Xiao glanced to the side and noticed that he was near the mountain. Just a few more meters and he would reach the mountain''s side where he usually gathered herbs. He looked to the back and nodded in satisfaction when he saw that there was no one who chase after him.


    While he also wanted to get a portion of that bull, he didn''t want to die yet. It would be better to let those who had already capable enough to deal with the bull while he gave way to them.


    Splash!


    Lin Xiao chose to continue swimming since he had never swum in this area before. Probably he would be luckier and find some fishes.


    ''Hmmm, it''s darker over there.''


    Lin Xiao noticed that one side of the rocks at the bottom of the lake looked a shade darker compared to the rest. It was as if the rocks were painted black or there was actually a path over there.


    He swam closer and realized that it was truly a path. However, it was too dark to see anything further than two meters.


    ''Should I try to explore?''


    Well, he already failed to get anything from the hunt''s trial before, so he might be able to make it up by trying to explore this place.


    Swimming up, Lin Xiao took a deep breath then he returned back to the cave. Slowly but surely, he swam inside while trying his best to look at his surroundings. The path was narrow because he could easily touch the wall with his hands. However, it was still as dark as ever.


    The deeper he went, the darker it was.


    ''How long is this tunnel?''


    Lin Xiao was starting to worry about his breath when he suddenly saw faint light from the front. Cheering inside his heart, he swam faster towards the direction of the light. Just a bit more and he would be able to get out��.


    Splash!


    Getting out of the water, Lin Xiao took a deep breath. It never felt this good to be able to breathe again. He looked around him as he noticed that he was inside a cave.


    "Where am I?"

 Chapter 24: Nothing

    It was a dark cave, yet there was still dim light from some herbs that stuck on some of the wall. Lin Xiao had learned about this Light Night Moss. The moss could light up when it was dark because it was producing light on its own.


    As for how, he was not sure himself.


    Lin Xiao walked out of the water and stretched his body. The distance to the river was not that far and this place was quite hidden. If he wanted to hide in the future, he might be able to come here.


    ''I wonder why no one ever found this place before. Oh, I need to make sure that there''s truly no one around.''


    The cave had nothing inside aside from rocks and some Light Night Moss. Lin Xiao didn''t find any plant around as he walked around the area. The density of the Qi felt a bit higher than outside, but only by a little bit. Even if he spent his time training here, the increase would be minimal.


    After walking for a bit, Lin Xiao noticed that the cave was actually quite large. There were several paths inside with Light Night Moss covering the wall that helped him to see everything.


    There''s nothing at the left.


    There''s nothing at the right��


    There''s nothing at the front.....


    After walking for some time, Lin Xiao came into conclusion that this was an empty cave. He was thoroughly disappointed.


    "Didn''t they always say that there would be ancient secret inside a hidden cave where one can get something special? How come there''s nothing inside this cave?"


    Lin Xiao felt like sulking. He heard from his father that if they ever encountered a special hidden place, there was a high chance that they might be able to obtain something valuable.


    But��.


    It seemed to be more like a story rather than the truth.


    There was nothing inside this cave that Lin Xiao found through coincidence because he wanted to avoid meeting with anyone from the village. If they found out that he was the one who brought the bull into the village, they wouldn''t spare him.


    ''I''ll just take some of the moss.???


    The moss would be able to help him look when he was travelling in the water. In addition, he knew that the moss could be used for some medicine. His brother might know some or Wenren Yu might be able to use it.


    Just taking a bit of the moss should be fine.


    Lin Xiao used his knife and cut the moss. He gathered around the size of his palm then he kept his knife again. Even though it was a shame that this cave didn''t have anything valuable, it might be able to become his escape place in the future or if he wanted to gather more Light Night Moss.


    Splash!


    Entering the water once more, Lin Xiao swam back to the direction where he went before. With the help of the moss in his hand, now he could see that the path was made of natural rocks. It was uneven with some parts poking out here and there.


    Probably the shift in the mountain might block this route in a few more years.


    As Lin Xiao got out of the cave, he noticed that there was a big rock that was supposed to be blocking the route. As it continuously pushed by the water, it was moving bit by bit until the place that was supposed to be covered could be seen again.


    Splash!


    ''I should return the rock to its position.''


    After taking a deep breath, Lin Xiao put the Light Night Moss on top of a rock near the river then swam again. He used his hand and started to try moving the rock that was supposed to be blocking the route.


    It was moving bit by bit.


    After trying for over an hour, Lin Xiao managed to block the route a bit, but there was not much progress. His strength was not enough to move that large rock when he was inside the water.


    If it was outside, he might not think it was difficult.


    ''Crap, it''s already over midday.''


    The sun was slowly setting on the West and Lin Xiao knew that traveling to the forest at this point of time would be too dangerous. He had no other choice but to return back empty handed with just this Light Night Moss.


    Before long, Lin Xiao had returned back.


    "Brother, you''re back?"


    "Yes." Lin Xiao put the Light Night Moss on the table. "I didn''t manage to hunt anything, but I get this."


    "Oh, there''s no need to worry about that. Shopkeeper Wan''s son came yesterday and told us that there''s a feast tomorrow. Su Hei managed to defeat a rank 1 bull with everyone''s help."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. It seemed that the bull was still not a match against Body Training Rank 8. He needed to get even stronger if he wanted to defeat the bull by himself in the future.


    "With everyone?"


    "Yes. They said that it''s strange for a bull to appear near the river, but since it''s still quite early in the morning, there are still a lot of people. They all cooperate together and decided to invite everyone for a feast."


    "Oh."


    "You don''t seem to be interested, Brother."


    "Well, since they''re giving free meat, we should be thankful to them," Lin Xiao said with a grin. "Just eat to your fill tomorrow, Yun."


    "Of course, Brother!"


    Wenren Yu rolled his eyes when he heard the sibling''s conversation. Weren''t they worried that the villagers would think that they were shameless for eating so much even though they didn''t do anything?


    However, he didn''t voice out his opinion as his line of sight fell onto the moss.


    His brows furrowed. "Lin Xiao, where did you get this moss?"

 Chapter 25: Primordial Light Night Moss

    Lin Xiao turned around and looked at the moss that Wenren Yu pointed at. He tilted his head. "I found it in a cave��."


    He proceeded to explain about the cave he found inside the river not long ago. He didn''t forget to tell that the door towards the tunnel was covered by rocks as he continued to explain the place.


    "Isn''t it just normal Light Night Moss?" Lin Yun asked with bewilderment.


    "No, it''s not. On the surface, it did look like normal Light Night Moss, but this is actually Primordial Light Night Moss, the type of moss that''s very rare," Wenren Yu replied. His face flushed red in excitement as he caressed the layer of the moss.


    While Light Night Moss was a useful ingredients and could be used to replace light, Primordial Light Night Moss was even more valuable. It was needless to say that there could be a bloodbath just from having this material in their possession.


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. "Is it good?"


    "Good? Of course it is!" Wenren Yu replied. "Do you know that Light Night Moss has over 50 uses in medicine and poison. When it''s using Primordial Light Night Moss, the effect can be doubled or even tripled!"


    "Tripled?" Now, Lin Yun was astonished. He knew the effect of the medicine better than Lin Xiao, so he understood what Wenren Yu was saying. His eyes as he looked at the Primordial Light Night Moss now looked as if he was seeing a priceless treasure.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "If you boil this and eat the Primordial Light Night Moss, it can help your body absorb Qi better. However, you can only do this once a day or you''ll have too much medicine in your body that''s wasted."


    "In that case, what are you waiting for? Let''s boil it!"


    "Wait, we run out of water."


    "I''ll take more!"


    Seeing his brother run with the buckets, Lin Yun laughed. He looked at the Primordial Light Night Moss and put some onto his palm. "If I''m not wrong, this is also good for cleansing, right? Can it help with my condition?"


    Wenren Yu furrowed his brows then shook his head. "Unfortunately, it can''t. You''ll only feel a bit more sensitive after drinking the medicine."


    "I see. It''s too bad."


    It didn''t take long for Lin Xiao to return back while carrying the buckets of water. Lin Yun boiled all the Primordial Light Night Moss that Lin Xiao had gathered and then split it into three bowls.


    "You''re giving it to me too?" Wenren Yu asked in surprise.


    Lin Xiao nodded heartily. "Without you, I''ll never know that this Primordial Light Night Moss is very valuable. Just drink it!"


    "Aren''t you worried that I''ll backstab you?" Wenren Yu asked once more in hesitant tone. He was staying low in this house all this time precisely because he was also worried that the two siblings would suspect him. He had nowhere to go and this might be the only place he could be himself.


    "If you wanted to kill us, you would have done so. With your knowledge over herbs, you have more than one chance in the past,??? Lin Xiao said with a laugh. He pushed the bowl closer to Wenren Yu. "Just drink it. I''ll collect more in the future when I visit that strange cave again."


    "Alright."


    Taking the bowl, Wenren Yu silently drank the water along with the Primordial Light Night Moss. He could feel that the Qi was flowing into his body. Even though he had been tending to the precious plants in Taiyi Sect, he didn''t have much chance to consume them by himself.


    After all, he had no right to do so as an outer disciple.


    Crack! Crack!


    Slowly, Wenren Yu opened his eyes. He waved his hand lightly as he realized that his bone was getting renewed. He had successfully reached body training rank 7 and would start his training to cleanse his bone marrow.


    For this stage, this Primordial Light Night Moss would surely help him to advance even quicker.


    "Ah, you finally advance," Lin Xiao commented. He had finished the bowl too and could feel the faint movement of the Qi inside his body. After directing them for a bit, he had to stop because there was nothing he could do anymore. It took time for his body to absorb everything.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "Thank you for giving me the herbs."


    "Heh, it''s nothing much."


    Inspecting his own body, Lin Xiao could sense that he was getting much stronger too. He knew that the process would surely take some time because every advancement took a long preparation and step. However, he was already very eager to be able to advance again.


    If he could get stronger, he would be able to leave this place and didn''t need to be tied with the village anymore. Most importantly, he would be able to get more precious medicine and helped his brother to recover from his illness.


    ''Soon.''


    He would train even harder to be able to grow stronger soon.


    Cultivation was always a battle of resources, but it didn''t mean that talent and hard work didn''t play a role. Lin Xiao knew that no matter how much resources he had, he needed to back it all up with hard work.


    A faint layer of mist appeared around Lin Xiao for a moment when he was cultivating but it disappeared before anyone could take notice of it.


    "Let''s rest and we''re going to feast tomorrow!"


    "Yes, Brother!"


    Wenren Yu shook his head when the two siblings returned back to their previous conversation. He wouldn''t join in the feast tomorrow since he didn''t really want to show his face to the villagers.


    If someone recognized him or questioned where he came from, it would be a disaster.

 Chapter 26: Feast

    The next day, Lin Xiao did his morning practice with the others before departing to the village. Wenren Yu had no other choice but to stay because he didn''t want his presence as an intruder in the village was made known.


    With the destruction of Taiyi Sect occurring just recently, it would be highly suspicious if he just suddenly appeared.


    They needed to wait for the right time.


    "Brother, do you think the villagers will allow us to come and join in?" Lin Yun asked as he took his bag filled with some basic weapon to go.


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "They''re the one who invited us. Why would they reject us on their door? Unless they want to say that they''re lying about inviting us to feast together, we shouldn''t worry about anything."


    "Alright. I''ll do as you say, Brother."


    Since Lin Yun was with him, Lin Xiao had no other choice but to circle around the mountain and head into the village using the different path. While passing the river, Lin Xiao pointed inside and told Lin Yun in small voice that the cave he found was there.


    The two brothers rarely kept secret from each other except if it was truly a grave secret. Probably, when they have terminal illness, they would never want to tell it to the other party in fear that they would only cause worry. Or if they have a girl they liked, they wouldn''t want to tell their brother before they were certain of their feelings and wanted to pursue that certain girl.


    If not, the two of them would surely tease the other party.


    "The bull is said to come from this direction, Brother," Lin Yun pointed to the front of the village when they could see it from a distance.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "I know."


    He was practically the one who pulled the bull to this area from the forest because that bull was chasing after him. In fact, Lin Xiao was wondering why that bull specifically chose to target him even when he did nothing at first.


    "Oh, Little Xiao, Little Yun, you two are here." A middle aged man waved his hand. His hair was already partially white, but he still stood firmly. Sign of aging could be seen on his face and hands.


    "Shopkeeper Wan," Lin Xiao greeted. He grinned. "Are you here to promote your new items again?"


    "Ahahaha, I''m here to ask you to try something new, Little Xiao," Shopkeeper Wan replied with a grin. "You will help this old man to test his new items, right?"


    "Uh��"


    Lin Xiao knew that whenever Shopkeeper Wan found something interesting, he would ask someone in the village to try it out. Most of them wouldn''t want to because it could be dangerous or embarrassing. Only Lin Xiao occasionally still accepted the request because of one very precious items.


    "How much this time?"


    "One silver."


    "I want to see the items first," Lin Xiao didn''t agree immediately. If Shopkeeper Wan quoted such a high price, it meant that the item must be very dangerous. He did love money, but he didn''t want to risk his life just to earn a silver coin.


    Shopkeeper Wan laughed. "Come to find me tomorrow. For today, you should just enjoy the feast."


    "Thank you for your consideration, Shopkeeper Wan."


    They entered the village and walked to the main hall. The bull was already roasted and put in the main table. Several people were guarding it as they have to wait for the three elders before they could start eating.


    "Oh, it looks delicious."


    "Indeed."


    Lin Xiao waited at the back with his brother. As the younger generation, it was not weird that they would only get the last pick. There was a saying that they should respect the old, so they would wait patiently for their turn to come.


    More and more people came to the main hall. Their gazes were fixed onto the large bull in the middle, but no one dared to approach it yet. Everyone knew the rules and no one dared to break it here.


    "Oh, you also came here, Lin Xiao?"


    The familiar voice made Lin Xiao turned his head. He could see Su Han walked in his direction with the latter''s arm crossed.


    "Why shouldn''t I come?"


    "You didn''t participate yesterday, but you want to enjoy the feast?"


    "I''m invited to come," Lin Xiao replied. "Also, do you even participate in the hunt yesterday?"


    "Me? Of course I did! I helped to shoot an arrow."


    An arrow?


    Lin Xiao sent a mocking gaze at Su Han. He had already fired three arrows at that bull yesterday because the bull was actually chasing him. But it would be better for him to not mention it.


    If he was not wrong, several hunting squad members were injured due to the bull yesterday. If he dared to tell them that he was the one who lured the bull here, they would surely come to beat him black and blue.


    Lin Xiao still wanted to stay healthy to be able to test Shopkeeper Wang''s item. He should refrain from getting beaten up for no reason like that.


    "Why are you looking at me like that? Do you want to have a bout?"


    "Huh, Su Han, you''re saying that those who didn''t participate can''t eat, but I''m sure that more than half of the villagers here actually only hide in their houses when the bull come," Lin Xiao said with light tone. "Isn''t your words the same as saying that the bull only belonged to your hunting squad?"

 Chapter 27: Feast (2)

    Obviously, Su Han had never said everything exactly like what Lin Xiao said, but the meaning of his words could be interpreted that way. After all, most villagers were too afraid to face the bull and chose to run away when the bull did come.


    The one who decided that the bull should be shared with everyone in the village was Su Hei, the leader of the hunting squad. If his brother, Su Han, instead told everyone that they were not allowed to eat the meat, wasn''t it the same as slapping his own face.


    Su Han''s face turned red when his thoughts reached this path. He looked at Lin Xiao with hatred. "I''m not saying it like that! I''m only targeting you!"


    "Targeting me?" Lin Xiao laughed coolly. "And why do you target me specifically? Is it because I''m already body training rank 5? Also, should I remind you that I''m not in the village when the incident happens and obviously didn''t know that a bull come charging here until you told us everything?"


    Lin Xiao was not the only villager here who was at body training rank 5. In fact, most of the villagers were at least body training rank 5 when they were already an adult. Only some of the poorer one would be at the lower rank.


    However, not everyone joined the hunting squad because they would rather farm. Hunting could be dangerous and not everyone liked putting their own lives at risk. Staying in the village and farm would be a much safer option for the majority of the villagers here.


    Because of that, the hunting squad itself only consisted of 20 or so people who liked fighting more than farming.


    "Since you''re already body training rank 5, you should��"


    Peng!


    Before Su Han could finish his words, he was hit from the back and thrown to the side. Landing on the ground with sorry face, Su Han was at lost about what had happened. He turned his head to the back and saw his brother looking at him with menacing gaze.


    "B��Brother?"


    "Mind your words. Everyone is free to come today," Su Hei said in cold tone. His icy gaze looked at his own brother as if he was seeing something that was nothing more than a trash.


    Usually, he would not lash out at his brother. No matter how much Su Han created trouble in the past, it was also a fact that Su Han was much stronger than most of the other youngsters. Because Su Han was also more talented than Su Hei, the latter had no other choice but to give in.


    But now that they were no longer aiming for Taiyi Sect, his patience was running thin. Su Han had started to cross the line over and over.


    Su Hei moved his line of sight to Lin Xiao and nodded lightly. However, his cold and chilling gaze seemed as if he wanted to skin Lin Xiao alive if only it was possible.


    "Brother."


    "Yes?"


    "I feel like he doesn''t like you very much," Lin Yun commented.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows then laughed lightly. "Why would he like me when I already created several troubles in the hunting squad before?"


    "True, Brother is a troublemaker."


    Lin Xiao: "???" why are you also saying that?


    Even though Lin Xiao knew that it was the truth, hearing his own brother termed him that way didn''t feel too pleasant. Was it because he created too much trouble lately to the point that his fame shot up again.


    Hmm, it didn''t seem to be that bad.


    His attention was soon shifted because the elders have arrived on the scene. They walked to the table almost immediately. The three elders looked excited because they didn''t have any casualties and could have such a great reward from battle.


    Elder Su stepped forward. "I want to thank the Heaven for giving us this precious bull straight to our door. It has been some time since we successfully hunt something so big and because of that, we''re also thankful for the cooperation of the villagers who work together to hunt it."


    It has been some time since they successfully hunt something? What a bullsh*t!


    Lin Xiao clearly remembered that during the time he took the test, Su Hei had managed to hunt one wild pig. While it was just a normal animal and was not that big, it was already more than enough to share to the entire village.


    However, there was no news of the pig ever made it into the village. Those in the hunting squad ate it all for themselves because half belonged to Su Hei while the other half belonged to the hunting squad.


    What a good hunting squad.


    They only shared when they have excess, which rarely happened. Thanks to that, the price of meat was usually high in the village and only those within the hunting squad could enjoy the meat daily.


    ''I''ll get stronger so that I can hunt by myself.''


    Lin Xiao clenched his fist and looked away. The second elder had also started his speech, but he was no longer in the mood to listen to their bullsh*t. They were talking as if it was very rare for them to get so much meat like this.


    "Now, let''s all start eating."


    "Yay!"


    The villagers waited patiently for the three elders to take their meat''s portion before they queued and took the pieces of meat.


    Everyone got a large portion and many of them chose to bring it home to store it away. They wanted to preserve the meat for as long as possible.

 Chapter 28: Hunting

    Lin Xiao took his portion and ate on the spot. He only left behind a third to share with Wenren Yu who was waiting in the house. Lin Yun also followed his steps and ate most of the meat directly.


    "So vulgar."


    Some of the girls looked away in disgust when they saw Lin Xiao''s unrefined way of eating. His mouths were covered with the crumbs of meat as he wiped his mouth with his hand carelessly before tucking the last piece of meat by wrapping it with clean cloth along with the part that Lin Yun also separated.


    "Let''s take ours, girls," Xu Qin said unhurriedly. Behind her, two girls were following her closely as if they were her followers.


    Lin Xiao only passed a glance then paid no heed. While the other youngsters were trying to keep their image, Lin Xiao and Lin Yun didn''t seem to care in the slightest bit. In their eyes, there was no use keeping their image towards these spoiled girls.


    "Let''s go back."


    "Yes, Brother."


    The two of them walked back using the same path as the one they used when they came here. Lin Yun actually wanted to suggest them using the cliff''s way, but Lin Xiao didn''t want to put Lin Yun in danger.


    Once, Lin Yun was unable to hold onto the root properly and crashed onto the edge of the cliff. Since then, his parents didn''t allow him to use the root to easily reach the village. They told him that he should be more careful and build more strength before trying that out again.


    "I can''t believe the girls are so spoiled," Lin Yun commented to start a conversation.


    "Heh, they''re already too used with being pretty and swooned easily by the men," Lin Xiao said with great distaste.


    "No wonder they couldn''t enter your eyes."


    "Of course!"


    "So, what kind of girl do you like, Brother?"


    "Do you still remember the fairy like woman we saw during the sect entrance test back then? I want my woman to be as beautiful as her!"


    Lin Yun paused in his steps when he heard what Lin Xiao said. If he was not wrong, the one who hold the test back then was an elder who was already advanced in age. Even though so, due to her being in foundation establishment, she still looked as if she was in her twenties.


    "��Brother, that woman is already an old woman, right?"


    "I''m not saying that I want her!" Lin Xiao quickly corrected his words. "What I''m saying is that I want someone as pretty as that and as powerful as that."


    In other words, he wanted a powerful woman.


    Somehow, Lin Yun got the image of his own brother getting beaten up by his future''s wife. The thoughts disappeared as soon as it appeared, though. After all, Lin Yun didn''t want to completely destroy his brother''s image.


    The two of them reached their home and saw Wenren Yu was tending on the plants there. He also plucked some that was ready to be used.


    "You''re back?" Wenren Yu asked in low tone.


    Lin Xiao nodded. He took out the cloth used to store the meat back then. "For you. I''m going to try hunting again today."


    "I thought you''re not supposed to return back until it''s late at night." Wenren Yu had heard about feast back in the sect, but it would always last until late at night before his friends returned back reeked alcohol.


    "Nah, we children are not allowed to drink yet." Lin Xiao waved his hand. "Even if we stay there, we''re not going to last for long."


    Lin Xiao was known to be a troublemaker while Lin Yun was known to have a sickly body. the two of them were clearly not the best choice for the young girls in the village. As the two of them had no particular interest to the young girls there, they would not participate.


    The story would be different if they had an interest in a young girl, though.


    "I see." Wenren Yu chose not to probe deeper and took the meat. He was thankful that these two were willing to share their food with him.


    "I''ll start to train again," Lin Yun said. With the medicine that Wenren Yu helped to make, he had started to get better and could practice on his own.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "I''m going now."


    Lin Xiao took the seven arrows left from the previous hunt along with his bow and delved into the forest once more. Running through the same course as yesterday, Lin Xiao wondered whether he would be lucky enough this time.


    Would he encounter another bull?


    Thinking that if he found another bull he would pull it to the village again, Lin Xiao laughed internally. He was sure that the villagers'' face would turn very funny when they saw that they got hunted by another bull just a day after they encountered one.


    Swish!


    After entering deep into the forest, Lin Xiao began to slow down. He didn''t dare to go too far in case he encountered a powerful beast like yesterday again. If he was unlucky enough, he might not be able to come out alive from his confrontation like yesterday.


    *rustle*


    Lin Xiao''s eyes landed to the side. This time, he could see a deer who was busy eating. The deer was alone.


    Readying his bow and arrow, Lin Xiao took aim towards the deer.


    He waited for a bit.


    Dzing!

 Chapter 29: Test with Shopkeeper Wan

    "Ahahahahah!"


    Upon seeing that the arrow went straight to the deer''s heart, Lin Xiao was excited. He didn''t pull the arrow out and quickly took hold of the deer''s body. Carrying it with him, he soon got back home.


    Lin Yun and Wenren Yu were stunned speechless when they saw Lin Xiao returned back with a deer.


    "Brother, your luck is very good!"


    "Of course! There should be still enough salt to preserve the meat for a few days. We won''t be lacking in meat at all for now," Lin Xiao said with a grin. The deer was quite large and because there were three of them, it might not last that long. At most, it would only last for two weeks.


    Before the time was up, he would have to start hunting again or probably, fished?


    "I''ll work on it."


    "I''ll take more water for our drink."


    They quickly worked on the meat and preserved it by using the salt. However, it effectively run out their stock, so Lin Xiao knew that he would have to trade some herbs with salt again tomorrow or used his payment from Shopkeeper Wan to get some salt.


    ��


    The next day, Lin Xiao headed back to the village and went straight to Shopkeeper Wan''s store. Shopkeeper was already waiting for him and quickly waved his hand when he saw Lin Xiao coming at him.


    "What do you want me to try this time, Shopkeeper Wan?"


    "It''s this!" Shopkeeper Wan took out a plate and showed it to Lin Xiao. There were some engravings on top of the stones that looked highly unfamiliar. However, those who were keen would know that the engravings have meaning.


    Lin Xiao clearly knew this. "Runes?"


    "I want you to try activating it!"


    F***!


    Inside his mind, Lin Xiao was cursing Shopkeeper Wan''s ninth generation. Those without knowledge regarding runes would not dare to activate one easily because they couldn''t guess what it would end up. If it was a killing array�� good bye their lives.


    But if it was a good type of array, they would still survive.


    Lin Xiao turned to look at Shopkeeper Wang and glared. "Do you want me to die, Shopkeeper Wan?"


    "Come on, you''re the only one who dare to try activating this rune!"


    "I don''t dare!"


    "I''ll give you 2 silvers!"


    "NO!"


    "3 Silvers!"


    Lin Xiao looked at Shopkeeper Wan and raised his finger. "10 Liang of silvers."


    "DO YOU WANT TO ROB ME?!"


    "If you know the worth of this rune plate, I''m sure you wouldn''t even show it to me, Shopkeeper Wan!" Lin Xiao retorted. Hell, even for cultivators, rune array was not an item that they could easily find. Activating a rune array only required them to infuse Qi inside, but they couldn''t activate a rune easily because a slight mistake might cause them it to backlash.


    The currency that was used in the village was copper coins, silver coins, and gold coins. With 1 silver coins worth 1000 copper coins, and 1 gold coins worth 1000 silver coins. Most of them here only traded with copper and silver coins because it was very rare for something worth more than 1000 silver coins to appear.


    This rune plate was amongst the exception. If the rune plate was still working well, it could even be sold for several dozens of gold coins with no problems. For that reason alone, Lin Xiao didn''t want to try without asking for high price from Shopkeeper Wan.


    Shopkeeper Wan snorted. "If it''s a faulty rune plate, you''re going to overcharge me!"


    Faulty rune plate didn''t worth much. In fact, it could be treated as trash because no one could use it.


    "5 liang of silver!"


    "Do you think I have that much money?" While Shopkeeper Wan was the only person who had a lot of money due to several weird request from the villagers, he was not that rich.


    Well, he had a lot of money but he would always invest by buying more items which would eventually helped him to earn even much more money.


    Lin Xiao was silent for a moment. "1 liang of silver along with a bag of salt and a bag of grain."


    "You really want to make me poor, you brat?"


    "I''m betting with my life over here, Shopkeeper Wan!"


    Shopkeeper Wan snorted then passed the rune plate to Lin Xiao''s hand. "Come with me and test it out. I''ll give out that damn 1 liang of silver along with the bag of salt and another bag of grain."


    "Hehehe, you''re very nice, Shopkeeper Wan."


    "Said someone who sold their life for that."


    Lin Xiao snorted and looked at the rune plate in his hand. He didn''t have much knowledge regarding runes, but he could say for sure that the rune plate in his hand�� was faulty.


    There was faint broken markings at the side, which meant that the runes wouldn''t be able to work properly. Even if it still could be turned on by infusing Qi inside, it wouldn''t be able to work as well as when it was complete.


    "Where are we going?"


    "Of course to the plains! If my store is destroyed due to this item, do you want to compensate everything?"


    Lin Xiao chose to stay silent. In any case, he should just try to activate the rune plate then go back home with the money in hand and also the necessary materials.

 Chapter 30: The Representative Arrives

    Being dragged by Shopkeeper Wan, Lin Xiao finally arrived at the plain. There was nothing but plants and some trees at a distance away. Shopkeeper Wan himself stayed far away from Lin Xiao in fear that he would get affected.


    Lin Xiao himself also prepared himself to quickly cut off the contact with the rune plate as soon as it showed that it was a type of attack runes or trap. If he were to get wounded, Lin Xiao wouldn''t be too delighted either.


    "TRY NOW!"


    Lin Xiao focused his attention to the rune plate in his hand and infused his Qi inside. The flow of the runes was imprinted inside his mind as he tried to follow it along on the rune plates.


    It was a strange sensation.


    Even though this was the first time Lin Xiao came in contact with runes, he felt as if he already knew the path along with the missing paths from the rocks. However, it was impossible for him to infuse his Qi there because the Qi inside his body was still very small in amount.


    Swish!


    As soon as he finished connecting all the runes, Lin Xiao felt a gush of wind. He raised his head and saw faint green color around the runes as it shone beautifully. The leaves were dancing while the grasses were moving according to the tune.


    ''What is this?''


    Lin Xiao was dumbfounded. Was he inside a dream or something? However, he soon realized that there was something that changed and felt oddly familiar to him. He raised his hand and tried to circulate the little Qi inside his body while absorbing what was in the nature.


    It felt much easier.


    It was as if the amount of Qi in the air was much more than what it usually was.


    Click!


    The rune plate retuned back to normal as Shopkeeper Wan walked closer. He was also a cultivator, so he obviously saw when the rune plate changed for a few seconds. By this time, his eyes were shining so brightly.


    "YOU DID IT, LIN XIAO!"


    "Ah, yes." Lin Xiao snapped back to reality and looked at the rune plate in his hand before handing it over to Shopkeeper Wan. "It''s really a good plate, Shopkeeper Wan."


    Shopkeeper Wan snorted. He had sensed the change in the air just now and the increase of Qi was very minimal. At most, he would only get a few gold coins from this rune plate because it didn''t have much worth.


    And he couldn''t sell it within this village too because he had to head over to the city in the future.


    "This is one liang of silver." Shopkeeper Wan decisively handed the money before Lin Xiao could ask for more. In the past, Lin Xiao would shamelessly lobby for more money because he had helped Shopkeeper Wan to determine the worth of some items.


    "Aw, you''re not going to reward me for making it succeed?"


    "What making it succeed huh? It''s already a lot."


    "But you''re going to make a fortune with this rune plate, Shopkeeper Wan. Don''t be so stingy."


    "You greedy brat."


    In the end, Lin Xiao had to settle with the one liang of silver along with the two bags that Shopkeeper Wan promised him. He failed to ask for more from Shopkeeper Wan and swiftly returned back home to share the news with his brother and Wenren Yu.


    At the very least, they would be able to live comfortably and focused on their training.


    Just like that, time passed swiftly.


    ��


    Two months afterwards.


    "Brother, the Primordial Light Night Moss runs out again," Lin Yun informed his brother in one morning.


    Lin Xiao had been taking a lot of Primordial Light Night Moss, which they consumed every single day. It helped them to absorb the Qi from the world and increased their advancement. While it would only work for those at body training stage, the three of them were already close to breaking through to the next rank.


    At the same time, Lin Yun was getting better after taking the medicine from Wenren Yu and no longer needed to worry for the time being. However, he would need to find another Yang properties plant again in the future if he wished to keep his condition well until he could find a woman with Yang attribute body.


    After the deal with Shopkeeper Wan, Lin Xiao also focused his time to train and train again. By now, his fist''s strength had grown much larger to the point that he only needed a punch to create a hole in a tree. While it still took several punches when it came to rock, it was already a huge improvement.


    Wenren Yu also didn''t slack. With the two siblings'' diligently train near him, he was also pushed forward to train along them. This allowed him to deepen his understanding of Mountain''s Punch even more.


    Lin Xiao nodded. He stretched his body and hear faint bell. Swiftly, he moved his body and rushed to the cliff. This bell was usually sounded if there was someone from the village who came to deliver news to them.


    Swish!


    By the time he arrived by the cliff, he could see a young man standing on the other side. "Yes?"


    "Are you Lin Xiao or Lin Yun?"


    "I''m Lin Xiao."


    "The elders want to tell you two that the representatives will arrive tomorrow. They want everyone from the village to gather, including you and your brother."

 Chapter 31: Gathering

    The representatives will come?


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed. This village was located at remote place, so it was not weird that it would take a few days for the messengers to reach the sect. However, for them to only arrive after two months only signified that this was not the only village who reached out.


    They might have been queueing for some time before it was their turn.


    ''They''re finally here.''


    "I understand."


    "The�� the elders also say to behave," the young man said hesitantly. He knew full well that Lin Xiao was the opposite of what a behaving young man would be. No one who heard the name Lin Xiao would know that he was a complete troublemaker who only knew how to mess around.


    "Don''t worry. I know what to do."


    The young man was still worried, but he was only a messenger. After bidding farewell, he returned back to the village.


    "Huh? Behaving?" Lin Xiao snorted. He had realized that the elders'' words back then were true. Taiyi Sect was indeed destroyed, but it still didn''t mean that he was happy with the elder''s decision to switch allegiance so quickly.


    But in other perspective, it was only a meant of survival.


    In this wilderness, with no one to rely on, they have no other choice but to find a strong arm to lean on.


    Returning back home, Lin Xiao told Lin Yun and Wenren Yu about the message that came. He also reminded them that the elders already decided to switch allegiance from the moment they heard that Taiyi Sect was destroyed back then.


    "This might be a backwater village, but it''s still a place with a lot of people inside," Lin Yun said with a solemn expression. "What do you plan to do, Brother?"


    "Me? I''ll just be myself and attend the gathering. They''re going to welcome the representatives first tomorrow and it meant free food for me."


    Lin Yun: "��" is it time to think about food?


    Wenren Yu: "��" how carefree.


    Lin Xiao chuckled when he saw their expression. He glanced out of the house and shrugged lightly. "There''s no point in worrying about what''s going to come tomorrow. Since the representatives will come sooner or later, we just need to be ready to welcome them."


    "Do you have any plan to join a sect?" Wenren Yu asked timidly. He didn''t really like talking about other sects because it would remind him of his sect, Taiyi Sect. Even until now, he didn''t manage to gather any news and could only stay low to avoid the probing eyes that he might encounter outside.


    Lin Xiao shook his head. "I only have plan to join Taiyi Sect in the past. There''s no other sect better than Taiyi Sect in my opinion, so I don''t plan to join any other sect."


    Raising his head, Wenren Yu looked at Lin Xiao. The pure determination and truth within Lin Xiao''s eyes only made him recalled his friends back then. Those who joined Taiyi Sect came from different places, but they have one similarities.


    They didn''t want to join any other sect but Taiyi Sect.


    "How about clothes, Brother??? Lin Yun changed the conversation.


    "Do we even have any other clothing?"


    "Ah��"


    They only have two set of clothes that they used interchangeably. After Lin Xiao gave his spare one to Wenren Yu, he had bought another one from Shopkeeper Wan, a cheap one. Most of the villagers were not rich either, so there was nothing wrong with them coming with only their everyday clothes.


    The three of them discussed and decided that it would be better for Wenren Yu to stay behind while the two siblings joined the gathering. After all, they still didn''t expose his whereabouts to the villagers yet.


    "Brother, the Primordial Light Night Moss?"


    "I''ll take it today."


    "Don''t forget to search for Yang attribute plants."


    "Wenren Yu, since your wounds are already healed, you should go and search for the plant today," Lin Xiao said with a smile.


    After the first week, Wenren Yu had no more problems walking around and did his activities. He had started to search for herbs in the mountain like what Lin Xiao did, but he didn''t manage to climb too far.


    While his cultivation rank was higher, he didn''t have the same experience as Lin Xiao when it came to gather herbs. As the result, it took him a long time to be able to reach the place that Lin Xiao had marked. So far, the herbs that he gathered were mostly the common ones.


    "Fine��"


    Wenren Yu sighed. He missed his garden where every kind of herbs were ready and only needed to be tended. Rather than searching herbs from the wilderness like this, he felt as if he was more suited to tend a garden.


    ��


    The next day, the two siblings headed to the village. The other villagers were already cleaned themselves and wore their best clothing as they gathered near the gate. Lin Xiao and Lin Yun tactfully went to the back.


    "Tsk, for such an important day, you''re still wearing your dirty clothes?" Su Han asked with clear distaste.


    Lin Xiao passed a glance. "It''s not your business how I dress myself, is it???


    "You''re going to make yourself be the laughing stock, Lin Xiao."


    "Oh, are you sure it''s not you?"


    Today, Su Han dressed even grander than before. He was wearing a brand new purple robe while his hair was tailored cleanly. Rather than calling him someone from a backwater village, he looked more like someone from the city.


    Lin Xiao sneered. "If they asked us to perform, are you going to fight in that brand new clothing?"

 Chapter 32: Gathering (2)

    Perform?


    Fight?


    Hearing the two words, Su Han looked at his clothes as his face flushed red. It was then he realized that it was highly possible that the two representatives were going to ask them to fight. After all, what kind of world is this?


    This is a cultivation world!


    In this world, only the strongest reign!


    If the representatives wanted to test their power and asked them to fight, they would have to fight even if they were wearing brand new clothes. At that point, no one would care how much their hearth ached to have their specifically tailored clothing be used to fight on the very first day.


    "At the very least, I look good!" Su Han rebutted, trying to find a point where he could win.


    Lin Xiao merely looked at Su Han and shook his head. Only an idiot would care how they looked like in this kind of place. Though, Lin Xiao had to admit that Su Han stuck out like a sore thumb with his way of dressing.


    He was the only one looked neat in this place.


    "What? You don???t think that way? If you look bad, the impression you give will be less than what I can possibly give��.!"


    Internally, Lin Xiao was sure that as long as one performed much better than what the others could possibly perform, they would stick out much more than their appearance. However, he chose to stay silent.


    "Everyone, silent!"


    The moment the elders gave their instruction, everyone no longer talked amongst themselves. They solemnly looked into a distance as a figure slowly came to their direction. Everyone stayed stiffly and no one dared to make unnecessary noise anymore.


    Lin Xiao couldn''t see the front from his position and height. He turned to look at Lin Yun, who was taller than him by a few centimeters.


    "I can''t see anything too," Lin Yun whispered.


    "Forget it."


    The two of them were considered short for 15 years old boys, so they chose not to push their luck. Hopefully when they finally managed to eat to their fill every single day, they would be able to grow much taller than now.


    The villagers were not purposely blocking the way, but everyone were excited to see the new people who would come. From his position, Lin Xiao could only see a few villagers stood at the back. They also didn''t like the three elders'' decision to get other sect came here, but they were not brave enough to speak up.


    Right now, they were only watching from a distance without any intention to speak up at all.


    The sound of horse step on the ground could be heard. Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. Those people from the sect sure knew how to stand out by traveling with horses. As cultivators, it was easy for them to travel distance by running due to their superior physical skill.


    However, some people still used horses. While there were many instances where the horses would be slower than cultivators, they used it to show their status. Only those who were wealthy and have power could have horses. In addition, there were some type of animals that could get stronger with training and tamed. Some types of horses were included in this number.


    Raising his head, Lin Xiao finally managed to see through the gap and could see a total of six horses came. Three people on top of the horses were already middle aged while the other three were still youngsters. The representative might have brought along their disciple to come here.


    ''They plan to show off?''


    The disciples behind the people gave off powerful feeling. Even though they looked young, only at teenage, the villagers didn''t dare to get close to them. There were faint suppressive feelings that they got from those people.


    "Welcome to our humble village," Elder Su greeted with a fawning smile. "I''m one of the three elders in this village with surname Su."


    The man at the front nodded. He was wearing purple robe with silver lining at the edge. Even though he didn''t speak anything, he looked powerful that no one dared to come closer to him.


    "I''m Liu Gang from Yun Liu Sect," the man introduced himself. "You shall call me Representative Liu."


    Behind him was a woman who looked like in her mid-twenties. She had fair skin and rosy red lips. Just one look from her was more than enough to swoon many of the men''s heart. Her beautiful light pink dress fluttered along with the slight wind as she stopped her horse movement. Her eyes fluttered lazily as she waved her hand.


    "I''m from Wang Luo Sect, you can just call me Wang Luo Sect Representative."


    The third man near the woman arched his eyebrows. He could sense that the woman didn''t deem anyone from this village worthy enough for her to introduce herself. Well, he himself also thought the same.


    His appearance didn''t seem to be that different from the others. Dressed in white robe, he had refined look that could easily make one think of him as a scholar. He glanced to the three elders'' direction and nodded his head.


    "I''m from Yue Da Sect."


    His curt answer also showed that he didn''t have favorable impression of this small village. As a fairly remote area, the village didn''t really have anything that looked attractive to these three. The only reason they willingly came here was simply because the elders in their respective sect ordered them to come.


    If not for the order, no one would want to come here.

 Chapter 33: Gathering (3)

    Yun Liu, Wang Luo, and Yue Da.


    Lin Xiao listened attentively to the introduction that the three representatives gave. He had heard of those three sects because they were three smaller sects in this area below Taiyi Sect. As far as he knew, there were only four smaller sects in this area, which meant that the elders somehow managed to invite three of them.


    Why did they come here at the same time?


    Was it because of power struggle, conflict, or something else?


    As someone who was not well versed in politics and many others, Lin Xiao clearly didn''t have any clue as to why these three sects would willingly come to this remote area. However, he still had good instinct and knew that the three representative didn''t look that happy either.


    They didn''t come here willingly.


    But they must have other reasons to come here aside from answering the elders'' inquiry.


    Elder Su was much smarter than Lin Xiao regarding this matter, so he obviously knew better that the three representatives were not happy. However, he would never show it on his face as he put on a flattering smile.


    "Many thanks for coming here, Representative Liu, Wang Luo Sect Representative, and also Yue Da Sect Representative. This humble one would like to invite you to the main hall where we will have a small gathering together and rest. We''re sure that all of you might be tired after the long journey."


    Tired?


    It would be a great joke if they got tired when they still looked full of vitality like that. However, Liu Gang waved his hand and accepted Elder Su''s courtesy. He didn''t come here to create trouble and naturally had no reason to reject the elder''s good will.


    "Lead the way."


    "Please come this way."


    The two other elders introduced themselves on the way while Elder Su remained very courteous as he led the way.


    The main hall was just the term they used to the place where they usually gathered. It was actually an open area with no roof and only small podium made of wood. This was also the place when there was celebration in the village and something like that.


    Right now, the three elders had already arranged for some additional tables and chair to be brought out for the three representatives. Meat and fruits were prepared lavishly on the table, which was the sign that they have been working so hard for a long time to prepare everything.


    Growl~


    Lin Yun looked at his brother with dark lines. He whispered, "Brother, control your stomach. It''s embarrassing."


    Lin Xiao scratched the back of his head and grinned sheepishly. It was not his intention to make a sound like that too, but he couldn''t help it. When he saw the row of food in front of him, his stomach was the first to react and produced the sound as if it hadn''t met his lover for a long time.


    Luckily, they were standing at the back so the other villagers didn''t pay close attention to them. If they were at the front and the three representative heard that, Lin Xiao would have been the laughing stock.


    Not that he minded though.


    He had already lost his face since a long time ago, so there was nothing wrong with him being a troublemaker once more.


    "Please have a seat, Your Highness."


    The three representatives accepted the polite yet somewhat excessive greetings from the elders and sat down. Their disciples were following behind and took a seat too while they were looking around. From their frown, it was clear that they must have come from big city and not used to the villagers'' situation.


    "Would you like to eat and listen to song?" Elder Xu asked as he stepped forward.


    Liu Gang passed a glance to him. That one glance was more than enough for Elder Xu to stop in his track. Whatever words that he wanted to say were swallowed back into his throat.


    "Just don''t make us bored," the woman said while waving her hand. Her voice seemed as if the ice breaker that stopped the effect that Liu Gang gave out.


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    And with that, some villagers started to show performance. Some women were already prepared themselves for this day, but their movements were a bit awkward at first. The intimidating glare from the three representatives didn''t help much.


    The other villagers were standing behind without any intention to come closer. They didn''t know what they were supposed to do.


    "Brother, it''s so awkward."


    "True."


    Even Lin Xiao couldn''t bear with the intimidating glare that the three representatives gave out. It seemed as if they were displeased with the reception yet they had nowhere to vent their annoyance.


    Ah, why did they even come here in the first place?


    After one song, the woman raised her hand. "That''s enough. We should just talk about our reason for coming here."


    "Yes, yes, yes, you''re right, Your Highness," Elder Su said with another fawning smile.


    Liu Gang snorted. "We come here because of your letters, saying that you''re willing to be part of our sect. But which sect do you actually mean?"


    At this question, the three elders'' smile falter. They couldn''t possibly say out loudly that they sent letters to all four sects, right? It would be a face slap in the face of the other sect.


    "That''s��"

 Chapter 34: Agreement

    "We want to be under the best sect that''s willing to accept us," Su Han suddenly said out loudly.


    "Who''s that?"


    Stepping forward, Su Hei bent down with one knee. He looked so solemn and formal. Unlike his younger brother, he was dressed in normal village clothes that could be seen every single day. While it did look a bit better than the others, the difference was minimal.


    "This humble one is Su Hei," Su Hei replied solemnly. "I''m the leader of the hunting squad of this village."


    It was normal for all village to have hunting squad since they would not survive out here if they only relied on vegetables. They needed the nutrition that they could only get from meat. Because of that, the position as the leader of hunting squad was usually given to the strongest one in the village.


    Liu Gang scanned Su Hei carefully. He nodded his head when he saw Su Hei''s progress. "You''re not bad. Unfortunately, you''re already too old."


    The reason for the age restriction for cultivators was because the most suitable age to grow stronger would be when they were still under 20 years old. The goal was to have them reach foundation establishment before they reached 30 years old, so they set the lowest requirement to be reaching body training rank 6 before age 20.


    Some higher ranking sect might have stricter requirement, but it was the requirement for the sects around here.


    Su Hei clasped his fist and stayed calm. It was the word that he hated the most to hear in the village. He was already 27 years old, which was nearing the age limit to enter foundation establishment. Any older than this, there was basically no hope for him to become a foundation establishment cultivator.


    Time was running thin for him.


    Yet he was helpless since he couldn''t rush things or he would be ruined for life.


    "Many thanks for your praise, Representative Liu," Su Hei said solemnly.


    Liu Gang nodded. "Since you said that you want the best sect who wants to accept your village, which sect do you have in mind?"


    That tricky question would be hard to answer. There were three different sects'' representative here and saying one of them meant that they didn''t like the other two. That would undoubtedly be a face slap to them.


    Su Hei''s grip in his hand grew tighter. "This humble one is not knowledgeable enough, so I can''t answer, Your Highness!"


    That meant: he didn''t know.


    Lin Xiao pursed his lips when he heard Su Hei''s answer. Unlike his younger brother, Su Hei was much smarter and harder to deal with. He didn''t like that annoying man at all.


    Apparently, Liu Gang liked Su Hei''s answer too. He nodded and smiled. "In that case, we''re going to give you a show about what we can do tomorrow."


    Su Hei''s eyes lit up. "Many thanks for your kindness, Your Highness!"


    "It''s nothing much," the woman interjected. Her eyes were also looking at Su Hei with a bit of interest. "The one who will show it area our disciples."


    The three disciples, who were surveying the surroundings with a bit annoyed gaze, quickly straightened their seating position. They could see that their respective masters were looking in their direction.


    "Yes, Master!"


    "I won''t disappoint you, Master!"


    "Of course, Master!"


    Three different answers came from the three disciples. Liu Gang snorted while the third man only closed his eyes. He looked bored and had disinterest in what was going on here.


    "I want to rest."


    "We''re going to show you the way, Your Highness."


    The woman nodded and stood up. She stretched her perfectly sculpted body and pointed to the table filled with food with her slender finger. "Don''t forget to pack some food for us."


    "Yes, Your Highness!"


    "Good."


    The three of them walked away with the three elders leading them. The three disciples were looking at Su Hei and one of them stepped forward. He had unbridled look and also messy hair, but there was clear competitive look within his eyes.


    "By the end of my performance tomorrow, you''re going to choose Wang Luo Sect for sure!" the young man said with a grin.


    Su Hei was taken aback with the sudden declaration. The young man''s personality was nothing like his master, that lazy yet beautiful teacher. He cupped his hand. "I''ll be waiting to see your performance."


    "Hmm, that''s good." The young man nodded. "I''m Luo Lan. You better remember my name!"


    "Yes, I understand."


    Pfft!


    The faint laughter from the back attracted their attention. By this time, Lin Yun was looking at his brother as if he wished that he had never knew the other party.


    Lin Xiao was holding back his laughter from seeing Su Hei so polite and all. After all, he had seen how Su Hei usually acted in the past and would always be the leader of them all. There was no way Su Hei wanted to lower his head on normal condition.


    "Who''s that?" Luo Lan roared in anger.


    The two other disciples also creased their eyebrows, but they chose not to get involved. One of them turned around and left while the other one, the only female disciple among the three disciple stayed behind.


    "Sorry, Young Master Luo." Lin Xiao raised his hand yet the corner of his lips was still twitching. "I''m just surprised that you''re only interested with the hunting squad leader even though there are more than one teenager in this villager."

 Chapter 35: You’re Really Good, Lin Xiao

    Luo Lan didn''t think that there was anything wrong with what he was doing. He looked at Lin Xiao with cold gaze. "What, do you think that someone like you worth my time to look at?"


    "Me? I never said that it''s me." Lin Xiao shrugged. "I think that it''s clear that I don''t deserve your attention. There are many other young villagers who might be worth your attention more than Leader Su."


    "Meh, all of you are just backwater villagers. Do you think you amount to something just because we decide to come here and see you?" Luo Lan asked with a sneer. He clearly didn''t have good impression of these villagers because most often than not, they were just cocky without having real skills.


    Lin Xiao chuckled. "Why are you saying that, Young Master Luo. Is it because Leader Su already attracted all of your attention, so you don''t have any room for others?"


    "Lin Xiao, that''s enough! Don''t��." Su Hei quickly spoke out to intervene. For some reason, he felt that if he let Lin Xiao speaking any longer, he would be having a great disadvantage or even danger.


    "He''s the only one whom my teacher talked with, so why should I care for others?" Luo Lan snorted.


    Lin Xiao smiled mirthlessly. His eyes were looking at the group in front of him as he let out a small chuckle. "Don''t you take your words back when there are other youngsters whom your teacher recommend tomorrow."


    "As if I��"


    "Stop that Luo Lan." The young woman behind him stopped Luo Lan from speaking any further. "Let''s go and eat. Our Masters are waiting."


    "Xin''er," Luo Lan called out with aggrieving tone. He felt wronged to be cut off by this young woman, Bai Xin, but didn''t dare to speak out. After all, she was a bit stronger than him and would have no hesitation to beat him up to pulp if he dared to say any words to refute.


    Bai Xin waved her hand and looked at Lin Xiao for a moment. ''That young man is not ordinary. I need to keep an eye on him.''


    "Don''t call me like that. I never allow you to use my nickname."


    "Tsk, you''re so not cute, Xin''er."


    "Do you want to eat dirt again?"


    "Agh! I''m sorry!"


    The villagers didn''t dare to speak anymore as they watched the two youngsters. However, those who were still of youngers were looking at Su Hei with weird gazes. Some of them were filled with anger, yet they didn''t dare to speak out.


    If only they were a bit stronger than Su Hei, they would surely speak out and challenged him.


    Many of them have better talent than Su Hei because they were qualified to participate in the selection later. Aside from Lin Xiao, there were six other youngsters who were already at body training rank 5 and didn''t reach 20 yet. As for those who were at body training rank 6 and still below the age of 20, there were 3 of them including Su Han.


    All three of them were looking at Su Hei with clear hatred.


    They were clear that the best spot to be recognized was already taken by Su Hei. Despite being much older than them, he was the one who got the acknowledgement simply because he spoke out and being the hunting squad leader.


    "Brother, I''ll not lose against you," Su Han said through gritted teeth. His eyes were blazing with fighting spirit. As a youngster, he was also very hot headed and competitive. When it came to his future, he would not regard his brother in the same light anymore.


    The other two youngsters who were also below age 20 and managed to reach rank 6 were also looking at Su Hei but didn''t speak out and turned around.


    Su Hei stood up and snorted. "If you dislike it, you should have spoken out instead, Su Han."


    "You already know that it''s not possible, Brother," Su Han said and walked away.


    Several other people who were only missed by a bit when they tried to enter Taiyi Sect back then was also hopeful. Maybe, just maybe, this time they would have a better chance to enter a sect.


    By now, their gratitude to Su Hei for diffusing situation had turned to the worse.


    They didn''t put him in good light anymore and Su Hei understood that. Because he placed himself in the good light of the representatives and their disciples, he was treated as their enemies and competition. Not a single one of them wanted to lose against him.


    Su Hei looked at Lin Xiao, who was still smiling mirthlessly. His eyes grew cold. "You''re very good, Lin Xiao."


    "Thank you," Lin Xiao replied with a grin. "It''s my gift for your bravery."


    Hearing that, Su Hei snorted and turned around. Only an idiot would trust what Lin Xiao said. He knew very well that Lin Xiao only spoke out to ruin his relationship with the villagers.


    No matter how much they respected him, they would abandon him when it was related to their future in a sect. Humans were selfish and this nature proved themselves to be true when they were facing the obvious option.


    No one wanted to stay in this remote village forever.


    "Yun, let''s go."


    "Yes, Brother."


    Lin Yun thought that his brother was planning to screw himself over again and already planned to distance himself at least 10 meters away. However, when Lin Xiao began to provoke that Luo Lan, Lin Yun understood what his brother was planning.


    He was trying to make the villagers no longer united.


    No matter what, Lin Xiao would never let Su Hei off after what the latter did to him back then. Since the villagers were only united when facing danger, he simply made them forget by pushing forward something more important.


    ''At times, brother is really cunning.''

 Chapter 36: Sects and Sun Kingdom

    "Brother, are you sure it''s fine to make enemies with Su Hei like that?" Lin Yun asked. No matter what was said, Su Hei was still someone at body training rank 8, three ranks higher than Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Sooner or later, he''ll make trouble for me because he didn''t like me. I''ll just weaken his force by making him enemy of some youngsters."


    Not only him, Su Hei didn''t like all youngsters who have higher talent than him. This was a fact that many of them knew. When Lin Xiao saw Su Hei''s gaze, he could understand that Su Hei was jealous.


    He was jealous that many of them were luckier than him and have better talent.


    "But they didn''t like you either."


    "It doesn''t really matter."


    Lin Yun blinked his eyes. "Brother, your courage is truly high. I can''t understand how someone like you could possibly be courageous when you''re so weak."


    "I''m not that weak!"


    Lin Xiao pursed his lips and walked back home. His mind was still thinking about the talk before as he slowly stretched his fingers. He could faintly feel the Qi movements inside his body, so he knew that he was approaching body training rank 6.


    Another reason why he challenged Su Hei was also because he wanted to pressure himself. Su Hei was the strongest cultivator in this village and if he set Su Hei as his temporary goal, he hoped that it would force him to get stronger faster and even faster.


    That way, he would force himself to grow even stronger much faster.


    The two siblings reached their home. The place was quiet with no sign of life as if it has been abandoned for years.


    "Wenren Yu?" Lin Xiao called out.


    Wenren Yu pushed the door open and nodded. "Yes?"


    "Did you stay inside the house all day long?"


    "If I walk out, I might alert someone who pass by because there''s supposed to be no one in this place," Wenren Yu explained while scratching his head.


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao was speechless. There was certainly no one from the village who would come here because no one dared to be absent when the three representatives came. Wenren Yu was too timid, ah!


    Just because he was worried that there might be someone who came here, he didn''t even dare to come out.


    He felt a headache when thinking that it would surely be hard to take Wenren Yu out in the future to visit the city. There was a city located several days'' journey from here and also the place where they usually held their test to join the sects.


    "Brother, Wenren Yu, you two are so extreme," Lin Yun muttered.


    "Yun, did you say something?"


    "No, nothing."


    Lin Xiao stretched his hand and then started to speak, "Right, there are three sects representatives coming here not long ago. They''re from Yun Liu Sect, Wang Luo Sect, and also Yue Da Sect. Do you know those three sects?"


    Wenren Yu''s eyes narrowed. He might be just an outer disciple who focused on medicine, but he still knew some matters. "Those three are included inside the 10 small sects in Sun Kingdom."


    "10?"


    "There are more sects?"


    Seeing the bewildered siblings, Wenren Yu was stunned. It was then he realized that these two never had the basic education regarding the kingdom and the power division in this kingdom. He smiled bitterly.


    "First, you do know that we''re living in Sun Kingdom, right?"


    "Of course!"


    "There''s no way I didn''t that!"


    Wenren Yu nodded. "The place where we lived is at the Southern area of Sun Kingdom. In this area, Taiyi Sect was the one that''s tasked to oversee other sects including the cities and villages. At the south area itself alone, there are a total of three smaller sects that''s below Taiyi Sect."


    "Isn''t it four?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion.


    "The last one is considered to be at the West because the sect''s position is a bit far," Wenren Yu explained patiently.


    "Oh."


    "I see."


    "The three sects that come here are precisely all the smaller sects under Taiyi Sect previously," Wenren Yu explained.


    "Are they powerful?"


    Wenren Yu''s face turned a bit dark when this topic was brought up. "They''re good, but they can''t be compared with Taiyi Sect."


    Lin Xiao and Lin Yun nodded and chose not to argue. Everyone always regarded their sect as the best. Besides, the two of them were of the same opinion since it was also their goal to enter Taiyi Sect.


    "Do you plan to join their sects too?" Wenren Yu asked. He would not blame Lin Xiao if the latter did want to join the sect. After all, they were not affiliated with Taiyi Sect like him and naturally had no deep connection. Even if they wished to join other sects, there wouldn''t be anyone who would dare to question their action.


    "No."


    "Are you sure?"


    Lin Xiao nodded. "I''m not going to join those small sects. It''s better to join a better sect since Taiyi Sect is no more."

 Chapter 37: Disciples?

    "And what sect is it, Brother?" Lin Yun asked. From what he knew, Lin Xiao barely knew anything about the world. How was it possible for him to know which sect was better than Taiyi Sect?


    "I don''t know."


    Wenren Yu''s face blanked. "What?"


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "I don''t know what other sects out there too, so for now the most important thing would be for me to survive in this world. Also I need to find a woman for Yun��"


    "Medicine! Medicine first, Brother!" Lin Yun quickly cut off his brother''s words. Rather than seeking for the last resort, he hoped that there would be a medicine that might be able to cure his condition.


    "Fine."


    "Brother, that''s the last resort. Wenren Yu is not the best doctor in the world, so I might be able to find better solution!"


    Wenren Yu: "��"


    While it was the truth, he didn''t think that there was any other medicine that could cure Yin body attribute. Though, Wenren Yu didn''t want to break Lin Yun''s hope, so he chose to stay silent.


    His mind recalled their previous conversation. "Who comes from the three sects?"


    "Ah?" Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. "Aside from Representative Liu Gang from Yun Liu Sect, I don''t know the other two names. One is a woman from Wang Luo Sect and the other one is a man from Yue Da Sect."


    "Any characteristic you can remember?"


    "The woman is pretty and the man is very silent."


    Wenren Yu: "��"


    Lin Yun rolled his eyes at his brother''s very general''s description. With that description, there thousands of people who would surely match. He sighed and looked at Wenren Yu.


    "The woman is around 5''6 tall with slender body. She''s wearing beautiful light pink dress and have long hair. There''s also engraving at the hairpin but I can''t see it very clearly because of the distance. Oh yeah, the hairpin she used is also light pink in color��"


    "Oh." Wenren Yu''s eyes narrowed. There was only one person he knew who usually wore light pink dresses from Wang Luo Academy, but��.


    "She''s only core disciple, though?"


    "EH?"


    "What?"


    Wenren Yu nodded. "if I''m not wrong, she should be Luo Mingyue, one of the few core disciples of Wang Luo Academy. Just recently, she reached Foundation Establishment at quite a young age."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. "I thought she''s already in her mid twenties."


    "She''s 24 if I''m not wrong."


    "That''s young?"


    "There are many who couldn''t even reach Foundation Establishment in their entire life." Wenren Yu shook his head. Compared to them, Luo Mingyue was indeed faster.


    "I see."


    "How about the other one?"


    Lin Yun chose to quickly give out the description of that silent man, but this time, Wenren Yu couldn''t recognize him. There were only a few disciples that he knew and there was no one who matched the description that Lin Yun gave out.


    As for Lin Xiao''s description, there were too many that matched that would only make people confused.


    "Why did they send disciples here and not their elders?" Lin Xiao asked as he walked to the kitchen and began to prepare their lunch. They hadn''t eaten anything because the food in the gathering was prepared only for the representatives and they disciples. There were some herbs that they could eat today.


    Wenren Yu tilted his head. "It''s fairly normal for a sect to assign their disciples to be the one to take some missions. I''m sure that they''ll be rewarded with some sect''s point by being the one to come here."


    "But the three younger one calls them as Master!" Lin Xiao refuted.


    "Some core disciples are also teachers. And in a small sect like those three, I wouldn''t be surprised if their core disciples have already started to take some disciples under them," Wenren Yu replied. Taiyi Sect was also the same, so he knew that some of the core disciples were already a teacher on their own.


    At this moment, Lin Xiao was stumped. He had never thought that the sects could have such complicated way inside.


    "They''re such young teachers," Lin Yun muttered.


    Wenren Yu smiled bitterly. Some core disciples didn''t like to accept disciples because they were too young. However, some of them accepted the arrangement because being a teacher had their own benefit too.


    "Would you like to try seeing them?"


    "Seeing the representatives?"


    Wenren Yu was tempted to see them, but he was worried that they might recognize him. He might be only an outer disciple, but there was only a handful medicine student in Taiyi Sect back then. Since he could recognize Luo Mingyue, he was not certain that they wouldn''t recognize him.


    Lin Yun nudged his brother. "Bro, don''t scare him. He''s already so timid. What are you going to do if he becomes even more so?"


    "You''re right. Forget I say anything."


    Wenren Yu: "��" I haven''t even said anything.


    Lin Xiao finished cooking and put the vegetables that he had cooked on the table. "I''ll just collect more herbs today. Tomorrow, we''re going to see what kind of show the representatives will show us."


    "Alright, Brother."


    "Let''s eat first."


    "Brother, next time, let me be the one to cook."


    "Ah?"


    "You overcook the vegetables a bit."


    "Just a bit is fine."


    Lin Yun sighed. If they were making medicine and Lin Xiao overcooked it, he was sure that the medicine would turn into poison.

 Chapter 38: Skills from the Three Sects

    After the usual daily activity, the two siblings returned back to the village the next day. Just like the day before, Wenren Yu stayed inside the residence without any intention to get out in the slightest bit. He didn''t want to meet with the people from the three sects if it was unnecessary.


    "Lin Xiao, over here!"


    "Right." Lin Xiao looked at the young man who called him. His name was Bao Tu, he was one of the three other youngsters who had reached body training rank 6 in this village. If the incident with Taiyi Sect hadn''t happened, he would have participated in the entrance test and joined Taiyi Sect this year.


    It seemed that his little ploy from yesterday worked too well because these youngsters all sided with him despite the fact that many of them disliked him.


    The position that the youngster reserved was in the side near the middle. While it might not be the best spot, it was far better than standing at the back where they could barely see the podium.


    It didn''t take long before the three disciples came up. Lin Xiao could easily recognize Luo Lan and Bai Xin. The last young man was very similar to his teacher as he was very aloof. It was as if he was standing at the peak with everyone below him deemed as worthless.


    A bit annoying, yet no one dared to speak up.


    If they were selected as disciple, there was no doubt that they would be powerful, much more powerful than the villagers here.


    "Today we''re going to demonstrate some skills from our sects," Luo Lan said with loud voice. He grinned. "In addition, we''re going to teach you the basic of these moves but if you want to learn more, you''ll have to pass the test that we''re going to hold in a week''s time."


    "You mean our teacher," Bai Xin interjected.


    "Yes, our teachers going to hold the test," Luo Lan quickly corrected his voice.


    Bai Xin huffed a bit, feeling annoyed by this young man who always spoke without thinking first. She scanned the villagers below her. "Even though what we''re going to show are nothing but simple movements, it''s important skill to be able to survive in the wilderness."


    "Ah?"


    "Yes!"


    The villagers were excited when they saw the three of them spoke and explained like that. He knew that the disciples might not be as strong as the teachers, but the reason many of them wished to join the sect was because of those skills. Only by joining the sects would they be able to learn many important skills.


    "I''m going to start!" Luo Lan said with excitement. He looked at the other two. "Do you have any objection?"


    "No."


    "None."


    Hearing their answer, Luo Lan stood at the middle. He took a deep breath as the atmosphere around him changed. "The skill I''m going to show you is called Tiger''s Punch! It''s the type of fierce punch that can destroy everything, including bones and rocks!"


    "But you still can''t destroy rock properly," Bai Xin muttered.


    Luo Lan pretended that he hadn''t heard anything from Bai Xin as he started to perform the skill. The movement was fast and the internal flow of Qi couldn''t be seen from outside. However, when Luo Lan''s fist hit the rock that was already prepared beforehand, it exploded after a second.


    "Woah!"


    "Amazing!"


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed. He glanced to Lin Yun. "Do you see that?"


    "Yes?"


    "The stone is already cracked even before the punch," Lin Xiao whispered. "The power of the punch is not that strong. It looks similar with Mountain''s Punch too but feel like the weaker version of it."


    Lin Yun nodded. The two of them were speaking in low voice to avoid other people hearing their conversation. He too also understood what his brother wanted to tell him. Even though they were a distance away from the stage, he could see that the rock was already a bit cracked.


    Still, the power behind that punch was not ordinary.


    "Body training rank 7."


    "His rank?"


    "Yes."


    Lin Xiao''s face turned strange. If he was not wrong, Luo Lan challenged Su Hei yesterday. But it was only now that he realized that Luo Lan was actually a rank lower compared to Su Hei. Did it mean that Luo Lan believed he could defeat Su Hei even though he was at a rank lower?


    "So crude as always," Bai Xin said with a snort.


    Luo Lan laughed. "What kind of skill are you going to show to us, Xin''er?"


    "It''s Snake Counterattack," Bai Xin replied. She stood in the middle, standing at the opposite side from Luo Lan. "Attack me with all you got."


    That invitation perked Luo Lan''s interest. His eyes shone with fighting spirit as he gathered his Qi. "In that case, I won''t be polite!"


    Stepping on the ground, Luo Lan''s leg created a dent. The charge itself was filled with raw power as he stretched his fist to punch towards Bai Xin.


    On the other hand, Bai Xin was standing with her right hand in front of her. The shape of her hand was that of a palm and not fist. The moment Luo Lan''s fist reached her range, Bai Xin swiftly moved.


    She caught Luo Lan''s fist and swiftly tilted her body before slamming Luo Lan on the ground.


    Bam!


    "You''re so weak," Bai Xin said mercilessly.

 Chapter 39: Skills from the Three Sects (2)

    "Ow, ow, ow, can you release my hand?" Luo Lan asked as he tried to release himself. Being slammed by Bai Xin to the ground was already shameful enough, yet this woman still kept his arm locked. It prevented him from standing up.


    "Hmph."


    Bai Xin relaxed her arms and walked away. Her dress was still as clean as before as if she had never fought and simply stood without moving around.


    Luo Lan stretched his hands as he grimaced. Bai Xin was a rank higher than him, which meant that her base power was higher. When she locked him, he could clearly feel his bones nearly breaking.


    She truly didn''t know how to hold back.


    "Amazing," Lin Yun muttered.


    This time, Lin Xiao had to agree. Bai Xin''s movement was flawless. From the moment Luo Lan entered her range of attack, her hand moved very swiftly just like that of a snake. It caught Luo Lan''s wrist and then used his own force to slam on the ground.


    It was truly a perfect martial art for women who were usually weaker compared to men in terms of physical force. Though, Lin Xiao had the feeling that Bai Xin herself was much more powerful compared to Luo Lan.


    Clasp!


    Lin Xiao''s fingers clasped in excitement. He wanted to grow stronger and become much better!


    "Yun, we''re going to start training after we got home."


    "Ah?" Lin Yun was stunned. He looked at his brother with bewildered expression. "Brother, are you talking about that��?"


    "We can''t learn the systematic teaching about those skills, but there''s nothing wrong with learning the movements a bit, right?" Lin Xiao said with a grin. At most, the martial art will be imperfect, but it didn''t really matter. What he wanted was that his brother would have a skill to protect himself when it was necessary.


    Lin Yun thought about it for a moment then nodded. It would be very important for him to learn martial art to be able to protect himself. He did learn Mountain''s Punch, but the harsh power requirement made it a bit hard for him to execute it properly.


    If he could learn this Snake Counterattack, it would be very good.


    Just thinking about it already made Lin Yun a bit excited.


    "You''re the last," Bai Xin said while looking at the third man. "Don''t disappoint us."


    "I won''t."


    The third disciple stood in the middle and looked at the villagers. He furrowed his brows as he was thinking of the shortest explanation possible for the skill he wanted to show.


    "The skill''s name is Moon Evasion."


    Moon Evasion?


    The villagers were bewildered when they heard the third disciple was planning to show an evasion skill. For many people, evading meant that they were afraid. Because of that, they would rather face their enemies upfront rather than hiding at the back and escape dishonorably.


    The third disciple, who came from Yue Da Sect, didn''t seem to care in the slightest bit. He merely waved his hand and he had already appeared beside Bai Xin once more. Not even a split second had passed, yet he had moved more than a meter.


    "That''s fast!" Lin Xiao muttered, nearly exclaiming loudly.


    Lin Yun was also nodding his head with blank expression. He felt as if the young man disappeared in that instance and appeared in other place just like that.


    "Tsk, you''re still as cowardly as ever," Bai Xin protested.


    The third disciple passed her a glance then looked away with uncaring expression. Rather than cowardly, it looked as if he was too lazy to bother with them. His eyes were fixated at a distance away, watching the birds flying.


    Bai Xin snorted and then looked at the villagers. "Of course, just showing our skills might not be enough for you to know our abilities. Because of that, we''re going to give the chance to three people challenging us! You can pick whoever you want."


    Luo Lan raised his hand. "Oh wait, I want to fight with Su Hei from yesterday!"


    "I''m not done speaking yet, Luo Lan!"


    "Tsk, you''re so annoying."


    By this time, the villagers were already looking in Su Hei''s direction. Some of their gazes contained malice and hope that Su Hei would fail in the next battle. It was clear that they were envious of him to be able to get the attention of that ''idiot'' Luo Lan.


    No one dared to say the word loudly, but that was what they were thinking based on the young man''s action.


    Su Hei''s face was slightly dark. He looked in Lin Xiao''s direction, but he could see that Lin Xiao was merely watching with the latter''s arm crossed. There was not even any intention for him to step up.


    In the first place, Lin Xiao was not interested in the other sects.


    "Heh, my plan is very good."


    "Brother, you''re praising yourself."


    "Of course!"


    Lin Yun rolled his eyes and then stepped to the side a bit. If one asked, he would not want to acknowledge his brother. At least, for now.


    Slowly, Su Hei walked to the stage and cupped his hand. He felt that he had made the worst decision yesterday by deciding to oblige to Luo Lan''s words. While Luo Lan might be the disciple of the sect, he was a bit too brainless.


    "Su Hei is here," Su Hei said with polite expression.


    Luo Lan beamed. He looked at Bai Xin. "I''m going to fight first. You can fight later if you want to fight too."


    Bai Xin snorted and walked to the side. She had no intention to get close with that idiotic Luo Lan. If he wished to fight first, She would simply watch from the side and enjoyed the show.


    "Come!"


    Su Hei cupped his hand once more. "Please instruct me, Young Master Luo."

 Chapter 40: Battles

    "With pleasure!"


    Luo Lan began to gather his Qi as he looked at Su Hei with excitement. In the next second, he kicked the ground and dashed towards Su Hei.


    Looking at the fast Luo Lan, Su Hei was stunned. He had seen that Luo Lan was fast from a distance away in the crowd. But seeing it first hand and seeing it from a distance was completely different.


    Thwack!


    Barely parrying the punch, Su Hei stepped back and looked at Luo Lan with wariness. He felt his hand throbbing even though Luo Lan barely grazed his arm. The skill that Bai Xin deflected perfectly was actually very powerful.


    ''I''m already body training rank 8. I won''t be defeated so easily.''


    Stepping forward, Su Hei began to attack. However, Luo Lan simply raised his arm and blocked the attack with a grin on his face. "Too weak!"


    Bang!


    Kicking, Luo Lan sent Su Hei to the edge of the podium. Afterwards, he charged forward and slammed his fist towards Su Hei.


    Swish! Bam!


    Su Hei reacted in time and rolled to the side. Seeing the partially destroyed wall, his lips twitched. If that had hit him, he wouldn''t be able to escape unscathed. His defense might be good, but it couldn''t be compared to that wall before him.


    "It''s pure raw power," Lin Xiao commented.


    Lin Yun nodded. "And big raw power at that."


    They all watched as Su Hei was pummeled by Luo Lan without being able to fight back. Even though he was at a rank higher, the biggest difference lies in the fact that Luo Lan had more fighting experience and could use several skills. The skills easily helped him to defeat Su Hei.


    Bam!


    Pushed to the back, Su Hei coughed. He looked at Luo Lan with wariness as he held his chest. It felt hurt because of the punch just now. There must be internal damage inside his body.


    "The fight is not over yet!"


    Luo Lan jumped forward. Just as he was a few inches away from Su Hei, a figure appeared before him. His wrist was caught once more as he could see the sky then the next second, it was the ground once more.


    Bam!


    "That''s enough. Do you want to kill him?" Bai Xin asked coldly.


    "Ah? I''m not satisfied yet�� ow, ow, ow, ow, let me gooooo!"


    "You brute."


    Bai Xin released Luo Lan and kicked him away. Afterwards, she looked in Su Hei''s direction and nodded. "You fought well, but you lack experience."


    Lack experience?


    For those who were part of the hunting squad, that was truly a large blow. In their team, they all knew that Su Hei was the strongest among them. Even when hunting, they always left the strongest for Su Hei to deal with.


    But then again, they rarely encountered beast that couldn''t be defeated easily with their bow or sword. The number of time Su Hei had to fight solo against a powerful beast over the past decade could be counted with finger.


    Compared to Luo Lan and many other sect disciples who could easily spar against each other every single day, the experience was indeed lacking.


    Not to mention, in this village, Su Hei was the only person who had reached body training rank 8. It rendered him unable to spar with others because those who were powerful enough couldn''t possibly challenge each other freely. They have their duties to fulfill in the village.


    "Thank you for your guidance," Su Hei said humbly and cupped his hand. He slowly walked down the stage.


    Bai Xin didn''t look at Su Hei anymore. While he might be quite good, there were many others who were much better than him. She didn''t look too favorably to him. "Who''s next?"


    "Me!"


    The high pitched voice attracted everyone''s attention. At this moment, Xu Qin slowly walked to the stage and cupped her hand. Dressed in beautiful orange dress, she looked very beautiful. Even without makeup and still looked in simple dress, she didn''t lose in terms of beauty with Bai Xin.


    Bai Xin looked at Xu Qin up and down. Her eyes sparkled with interest when she sensed Xu Qin''s rank.


    "Body training rank 6?"


    "Yes." Xu Qin smiled brightly. After bitterly trained for a long time, she had managed to reach this stage at last. Being only 15 years old, it was not hard for them to guess that her future would be bright if she were to be nurtured properly.


    "Not bad."


    Bai Xin looked at Xu Qin up and down. If she was not wrong, this young girl should be only 15 years old. For 15 years old to reach body training rank 6, it meant that she had tremendous potential. For small sects like them, finding someone like her was quite rare.


    "What''s your name?"


    "It''s Xu Qin, Young Miss," Xu Qin replied with a smile.


    Bai Xin nodded. "Who do you want to fight, Xu Qin?"


    "Me! Me! Pick me!" Luo Lan quickly jumped excitedly again. It was as if the slam that Bai Xin did to him didn''t have any effect in the slightest bit.


    Xu Qin smiled but she looked towards Bai Xin''s direction. "If possible, I would like to fight with Young Miss."

 Chapter 41: Want to Involve Me?

    Hearing that answer, Bai Xin smiled sweetly. On the other hand, Luo Lan scowled as if saying that there was no point in fighting against Bai Xin because she was too powerful. However, he only muttered some incoherent words that they couldn''t understand.


    "Of course you can!" Bai Xin moved and stood in the center. "We can start anytime you''re ready."


    "Please."


    Xu Qin cupped her hands. Afterwards, she focused her entire attention on Bai Xin. Her legs moved swiftly as she headed towards Bai Xin. Her palm stretched forward, attempting to punch Bai Xin.


    Swish!


    With a faint movement, Bai Xin had already moved away from her previous position. Her lips were curled up to form a beautiful smile as she watched Xu Qin''s movement. For a country bumpkin, she was not that bad.


    The two girls continued their attack and evade as Bai Xin patiently waited for Xu Qin. She was two ranks higher, which meant that she could easily see through Xu Qin''s movement. However, she was pleasantly surprised that Xu Qin could move very well.


    "She''s not that bad," Lin Yun commented.


    "As the daughter of one of the elders, do you think she''ll be bad?" Lin Xiao retorted back. The three elders, Elder Su, Elder Mu, and Elder Xu were all powerful. Aside from Elder Mu who didn''t have children, the other two elders always taught their children strictly in order to raise them to become powerful cultivators.


    How was it possible for them to not be proficient in martial arts?


    Lin Yun tilted his head then shook it lightly. "No. She must be quite powerful to be able to reach body training rank 6 so quickly."


    "Don''t worry, you''re going to reach rank 6 too."


    At that remark, Lin Yun merely showed a bitter smile. Wenren Yu had explained to him that he had to absorb the Qi from the medicine that he had consumed ever since he was young. With his condition stabilized thanks to the Five Petal Yang Flower, he could focus on advancing his rank.


    Just like what Lin Xiao said, it wouldn''t take long for him to reach body training rank 6. However, his fighting prowess wouldn''t be much better compared to others because he barely had any experience.


    Swish!


    "You lose."


    Bai Xin stopped her fist in front of Xu Qin''s neck. She had no intention to harm the other party since it was nothing more than a spar. Besides, seeing how talented Xu Qin was made her quite elated.


    It was possible that she would have a new junior sister soon.


    Xu Qin closed her eyes then stepped back. She cupped her hand and smiled. "Many thanks for your guidance, Young Miss."


    "Call me Sister Bai," Bai Xin said with lighthearted tone. "And after this, let''s have a talk about your skills."


    At this moment, light flashed within Xu Qin''s eyes. She knew very well that her performance had caught Bai Xin''s eyes. Suppressing her excitement, she tried to keep her voice as calm as possible.


    "Xu Qin thanks Sister Bai!"


    Bai Xin laughed then looked at the crowd. "Now, who''s next?"


    At this moment, Su Hei was still limping on the side and looked at the stage with strange glint. There was no heartwarming response when he was on the stage, completely different with Xu Qin.


    Talent��


    That word always hurt him the most. Why did it always become the one that prevented him from advancing forward?


    "I''m next!" Su Han shouted from the back.


    The attention of everyone landed on him. Bai Xin and Luo Lan quickly turned their head to look in his direction. Almost immediately, their eyes shone with interest.


    "Body training rank 7?" Luo Lan asked as he sensed the aura around Su Han. At this time, Su Han didn''t even bother hiding the fact that he managed to advance to body training rank 7 just last night.


    Bai Xin nodded. "He didn''t look that bad."


    "True."


    Su Hei looked at his younger brother as his face turned dark. However, he swiftly turned his head away.


    "I''m going to fight again! Do you dare to accept my challenge?!"


    "Let him introduce himself first, idiot!" Bai Xin scolded Luo Lan.


    Luo Lan swiftly moved a step back to avoid Bai Xin''s fist. He grinned. "Right, what''s your name?"


    "I''m Su Han!" Su Han said with a proud smile.


    "Alright. Let''s fight, Su Han!"


    "Yes!"


    The two''s fight lasted very long but mostly only brawl since Su Han only knew Mountain Punch skill while Luo Lan held back slightly in order to make the fight last longer. After the fight, several others also stepped forward to challenge the two disciples.


    Lin Xiao watched from the back as more youngster stepped to the stage. Bai Xin set it to be three challengers per person. However, there were barely anyone who wanted to challenge the third young man, who was still as silent as ever.


    The third disciple also didn''t seem to care that much.


    The other two youngsters who were at rank 6 also attracted the two disciples'' attention. Only the third disciple stayed silent thorough everything.


    "Is it done?" Lin Yun asked. After the first few fights, the rest were not interesting.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Let''s go back and make some medicine for you."


    "Ok."


    Just as the two siblings were about to turn around, someone called out Lin Xiao''s name. "LIN XIAO!"

 Chapter 42: Want to Involve Me? (2)

    "Ah?" Lin Xiao''s eyebrows furrowed, but he stopped his movement. Turning his head around, he looked in the direction of the stage as he saw Su Han standing proudly over there. Apparently, after advancing to body training rank 7, he had more confidence in himself.


    Su Han pointed at him. "Come on, do you not dare to step forward and fight?"


    Lin Xiao pursed his lips. He had no intention to join the sect at all, so he never had any plan to participate in this farce. His brain began to think hard to think for a method to gloss this over without offending the three sects as he slowly turned his body.


    "Who''s that?" Luo Lan asked.


    "The idiot who laughed yesterday."


    "Ah, that annoying idiot?"


    Bai Xin looked at Lin Xiao with arched eyebrows. She had almost forgotten about his existence if not for Su Han singled him out in the crowd. Now that she thought about it, the villagers looked calm even though the young man created trouble yesterday.


    Was he�� a troublemaker?


    "I''m not in good condition to fight, so I don''t want to shame myself," Lin Xiao reasoned out. "Unlike you who managed to reach body training rank 7 within a short period of time, I''m still body training rank 5 and naturally can''t stand out as much as you."


    "Are you afraid?" Su Han provoked.


    "Yes, I''m afraid."


    Just as the villagers were dumbfounded with Lin Xiao''s frank answer, Su Han''s lips were slowly forming a smile. Normally, people would not want to admit that they were afraid because it was humiliating. Now that Lin Xiao openly spoke out that he was afraid, didn''t it mean that he, Su Han, was much better than Lin Xiao?


    The thought had just started to form when Lin Xiao continued his words.


    "I''m afraid that you''re going to be humiliated under my hand even though I''m two ranks below you? That would be an utter embarrassment, wouldn''t it?" Lin Xiao continued in nonchalant tone.


    The smile that was about to form stopped abruptly.


    Su Han looked in Lin Xiao''s direction with threatening gaze. If only look could kill, Lin Xiao would have died many times under Su Han''s gaze right now. Unfortunately, all that happened was only Su Han glaring in anger.


    "LIN XIAO! IF I DON''T BEAT YOU UP, MY NAME IS NOT SU HAN!"


    "How annoying," Lin Xiao muttered under his breath. He was planning on going back without attracting anyone''s attention today. Yet, Su Han was the one who called him out in this situation.


    Lin Yun also frowned. "Brother."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine."


    "I know you''re going to be fine, but make sure to leave him face."


    Su Han: "��"


    Hearing the sibling''s conversation, he was already on the verge of explosion. He was the one who had higher and better ranking compared to Lin Xiao. Why did it turn out that Lin Xiao was the one who had to give him face?


    "Your name is Lin Xiao, right?" Bai Xin interjected. She waved her hand and pointed to the front. "Come here and try to fight."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Do you want to bully me, Senior? You''re three ranks higher than me."


    If Bai Xin was only one rank higher than him, Lin Xiao wouldn''t be so worried. However, Bai Xin was three ranks higher than him, at the same rank as Su Hei. Not to mention, the various skills that Bai Xin had learned in her sects would make it impossible for Lin Xiao to defeat her.


    Bai Xin rolled her eyes. "Fight Su Han, not me."


    "Oh. That''s easy."


    Easy?


    Su Han was still sending death''s glare towards Lin Xiao as the latter walked in leisure pace towards the stage. He was thinking of various method to suppress Lin Xiao because he felt utterly humiliated.


    Tep!


    Standing on the stage, Lin Xiao stretched his hand. He looked at Su Han with a smile. "I''m ready whenever you''re ready!"


    "You''re courting death!"


    Stomping on the ground, Su Han charged towards Lin Xiao. His speed had tremendous increase now that he had reached body training rank 7. However, Lin Xiao was still looking at him with calm gaze.


    Swish!


    Evading to the side, Lin Xiao cleanly avoided Su Han''s fist. He twisted his body and kicked forward lightly.


    Tak!


    Su Han jumped to the back. He arched his eyebrows. "Is that all you can do? Your kick didn''t hurt in the slightest bit!"


    "We''re only starting, Su Han." Lin Xiao said in unhurried tone. For the past two months, he had been hunting almost every single day in the forest and got chased by several beasts. Some of them were guided to the entrance of the village while the rest were shaken off. Only a few weaker ones did Lin Xiao hunted.


    But that experience of doing everything by himself had honed his skill. Facing Su Han''s speed, that looked much faster than normal people, could no longer faze Lin Xiao because it was slower compared to rank 1 beast that he had to run away from.


    "You''ll die! Mountain Punch!"


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao evaded Su Han''s fist once more as Su Han punched forward. He positioned his legs and spoke each word slowly. "That''s not how you use Mountain Punch."


    "Huh?"


    In split second, Lin Xiao had readied his stance and punched forward. His fist directly hit Su Han''s right arm that was about to be pulled back.


    Crack! Bam!


    Sound of bone cracking could be heard followed by Su Han''s crash to the ground. Staring at the sky before him, Su Han held bewildered expression on his face.


    It turned silent.

 Chapter 43: Skills or Luck?

    Lin Yun watched his brother with dark lines on his face. After training with Wenren Yu, Lin Xiao finally grasped the essence of Mountain Punch and managed to hone his skill so that even a single punch could create a big hole on the tree.


    If the punch hit a person�� there was no doubt that their flesh would be bruised so badly that they might need a long time to recover.


    "You��"


    Su Han was struggling to stand up. His arm had turned completely red thanks to the punch that Lin Xiao delivered. There was disbelief in his eyes as he looked in Lin Xiao''s direction. It was supposed to be impossible for Lin Xiao to have such progress in Mountain Punch after all this time.


    They all learned the skill after they reached body training rank 4. Any lower than that, the elders would not allow them to see the skill at all. Because of that, Lin Xiao had only touched Mountain Punch skill for several months or so since it was only last year that Lin Xiao managed to reach body training rank 4.


    In the past, Lin Xiao didn''t show any remarkable progress in his skill.


    Now, Lin Xiao was completely different.


    How could he believed that Lin Xiao could progress so quickly like that?


    Su Han stood up while holding the pain on his arm. He looked at Lin Xiao as if he was seeing a freak. "That''s impossible! You shouldn''t have been able to wield that much power! You''re only body training rank 5!"


    "Yes, I''m still body training rank 5," Lin Xiao admitted in light tone. He still didn''t manage to advance again even after training for some time. "However, you still lose to body training rank 5 even though you''re body training rank 7, Su Han."


    Su Han''s face turned dark. He gathered his Qi and looked at Lin Xiao''s direction. "The fight is not over!"


    Swish!


    Utilizing what was left inside him, Su Han charged over. Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows and glanced over to the disciples from the corner of his eyes. He could see that they didn''t even spare a glance at Su Han''s action.


    Clearly, it was not that uncommon for them.


    Lightly sidestepping to the side, Lin Xiao raised his hand and grabbed Su Han''s fist. That movement locked their motion as Lin Xiao punched forwards. This time, there was no skill involved.


    Bang!


    Su Han was pushed to the back once more as Lin Xiao looked from a distance. Su Han had just advanced to rank 7, which meant that his stage was not stable yet. At this point of time, he was not much different from when he was still body training rank 6.


    Lin Xiao could defeat him just fine even without resorting to petty tricks.


    "He''s not bad."


    Without the villagers aware of, the three representatives were watching their performance from a distance. They didn''t have much interest in the village, but their sects wanted to get as much powerful cultivators as possible. Now that things have developed this way, they knew that they have to find some good ones to show to their sects.


    Liu Gang was watching while sitting near the window. He was bored with the children''s performance. However, the skill that Lin Xiao used just now showed that the young brat had already managed to understand more of Mountain Punch.


    For a backwater village who had never seen the real skill book, it was quite an amazing feat.


    "Are you sure he''s not just lucky?" the woman, the representative from Wang Luo Sect, asked in lazy tone.


    Liu Gang''s eyes narrowed. Mountain Punch skill was quite widespread, so it was not weird for many people to be able to use it. However, most of the time, they wouldn''t be able to use the skill properly, much less showing so much power like what Lin Xiao did.


    But if one could do it even under these circumstances, it meant that they were either smart enough or they were simply lucky. The first instance was extremely rare, so they didn''t usually think that way.


    "Probably lucky."


    The woman nodded and walked to the edge of the window. Her eyes were looking towards Lin Xiao with interest. "Well, that young brat is quite impulsive, but it would surely be interesting with him around."


    "He''s too arrogant."


    "That''s how youngsters are. When they realized that they''re nothing more than a frog inside a well, I''m sure that they''ll tone down a bit." The woman lightly stretched her body and then leaned to the wall. Her eyelids fluttered lazily, uncaring that her breathtaking figure could easily entrance someone who passed by.


    "Most new disciples are like that. If he enters a sect, I''m sure that he''ll change from time to time."


    Liu Gang snorted.


    The representative from Yue Da Sect merely stayed silent. He had no intention to participate in the conversation in the slightest bit.


    "Anyway, our real intention to come here is not to see these youngsters," the woman turned her body around and looked Liu Gang. "When are we going to depart?"


    "Soon."


    "How soon is that soon?"


    "When they no longer watch over us."


    The woman snorted. "We''re already at Foundation Establishment, who do you think can watch our movements if we don''t wish them to know?"


    Liu Gang raised his head lightly then lowered his gaze. From the moment he stepped into this village, he had been feeling that strange sensation. It was as if they were watched by someone.


    Yet, he didn''t know who it might be.


    Probably, he was just acting too sensitive. There shouldn''t be any way that there could be a hidden expert in this unremarkable village.

 Chapter 44: Never Bow Down!

    *cough* *cough*


    Lin Xiao looked at Su Han then to the three disciples. They were watching him without any intention to meddle in. It seemed as if they were enjoying having fun with the show. Besides, as long as Lin Xiao didn''t take Su Han''s life, they could be careless about what he was doing.


    "Isn''t this enough?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Luo Lan stretched his fingers. "Since you have defeated that Su Han, now it''s my turn to fight with you."


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. He had no interest to fight against Luo Lan or any other disciples on the stage. If not because of Su Han singling him out and tried to beat him up in front of the village, he wouldn''t even be here.


    "I don''t want to fight."


    "You don''t have a choice."


    At this moment, Luo Lan charged over. He was much faster than Su Han thanks to his skills and capabilities that he had honed over the course of time. His hand punched forward, executing Tiger''s Punch!


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao barely evaded the attack and gritted his teeth. Luo Lan gave him the feeling like those rank 1 beast that he had been fighting, eh wait, running away from inside the forest for the past two months.


    If Su Han was still far weaker compared to those that Lin Xiao could only run away from, Luo Lan was different.


    Bang!


    The next attack hit the wall and another wall was destroyed with Luo Lan''s attack. He grunted when he saw Lin Xiao had evaded once again.


    "Come on! Attack me!"


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "No way, you''re too fast!"


    "Nonsense!"


    Swish!


    Their fight looked like cat and mouse as Lin Xiao kept on evading Luo Lan. He didn''t have any intention of sacrificing his body parts to get hit by Luo Lan. The punch might even shatter his bones just like what happened to those who got hit by his Mountain Punch.


    Swish!


    "Your brother only knows how to run?" a villager said in bewilderment.


    Lin Yun forced a smile to his face. He wanted to refute that, but his brother was currently only running around with no clear direction. Even he had the feeling that Lin Xiao only knew how to run.


    ''The steps are wrong.''


    While the villagers were mocking Lin Xiao, the latter barely paid any attention. He was trying to move faster and faster by evading Luo Lan''s rampage attack. Even though it was possible for him to attack back, he was currently focusing on his legs'' movement.


    He had been running from beast from time to time. Thanks to that, he was very familiar with the best steps to move faster. However, what he was trying to do was to imitate what the third disciple did.


    Yet, it didn''t seem to be going too well.


    As for trying to attack, Lin Xiao was not foolish enough to believe that he stood a chance against Luo Lan. It would be better for him to try adapting to his ridiculous attacks while trying to find a chance to land an attack.


    If possible.


    "Tsk, you''re taking so much time."


    The sudden high pitched voice startled Lin Xiao. His body tensed up because he sensed sudden danger. Almost immediately, he stopped his movement and attempted to evade to the side.


    However, it was too late.


    "Got you."


    Bai Xin had appeared behind him. She grabbed his shoulder then slammed him to the ground with great force. As for Luo Lan, he nearly tripped on the ground after Lin Xiao evaded him.


    Bang!


    "Why are you stopping me?" Luo Lan protested. He was still trying to teach Lin Xiao a lesson for being so high and cocky even though he didn''t have any remarkable capabilities at all.


    Bai Xin snorted. "You''re taking too long. If you wish to bully someone, make sure that you''re more powerful because you''re just going to waste your energy."


    "Uhhh."


    Lin Xiao lied on the stage while staring at the sky. Just now, he could clearly sense that Bai Xin was coming. However, his body''s reaction was not fast enough. Without being able to do anything, he was caught and thrown to the ground.


    Against Bai Xin, the current him couldn''t even do anything.


    ''So my limit is just body training rank 7? But then again, I can''t seem to defeat Luo Lan no matter what I did.''


    They were much faster.


    Much stronger.


    Ah, Lin Xiao wished to be able to grow stronger again. Ignoring the pain on his back, Lin Xiao slowly stood up. He looked at Bai Xin and Luo Lan.


    "Since the fight is over, can I go down?"


    Bai Xin furrowed her brows while Luo Lan looked like he was itching for another fight. But before the idiot Luo Lan could speak, Bai Xin had already spoken out, "You can leave, but remember, you''re nothing."


    "Heh, you''re in no position to teach me."


    "You!"


    Lin Xiao calmly walked down, ignoring the pain on his back. Some villagers were staring at the place where Lin Xiao was slammed before as there was a deep dent on the ground. Yet, Lin Xiao acted as if there was nothing wrong as he walked down the stage towards his younger brother.


    Raising his head slightly, Lin Xiao could see his brother''s worried face. "I''m fine. Let''s go back home."


    "Ok." Lin Yun was certain that Lin Xiao was not fine. Normally, Lin Xiao could run without even the need to worry. But at this time, Lin Xiao was partially dragging his legs. The pain that Lin Xiao endured must be quite big.


    He turned his head to look at the three disciples on the stage. At this time, anger was burning deep within Lin Yun''s heart. He couldn''t forgive those people for harming his brother purposely like this.

 Chapter 45: Anger

    "Why did you even stopping me?" Luo Lan asked in sulking tone.


    Bai Xin passed him a glance then walked down the stage. She looked in Xu Qin''s direction. "Now that the session is over, let''s have a short talk."


    Xu Qin beamed.


    "Yes!"


    Luo Lan snorted and then looked at the side where Su Han was crouching on the ground. After the fight with Lin Xiao, he was still in recovery stage and looked quite bad. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he tried to keep his expression still.


    "Hey, you ok?"


    "Ah, Young Master, I''m fine."


    "Hmm, in that case, go and have some rest. Here''s medicine for you."


    Su Han was startled with the sudden kind gesture. He quickly stood up while ignoring the pain all over his body thanks to the Mountain Punch that Lin Xiao gave him.


    "Many thanks for your kindness!"


    "Hmm." Luo Lan waved his hand and walked away. Of course, he was not that generous enough, but it was his teacher''s instruction to give the medicine out. As long as he came back to his teacher''s side, he would be able to get a new bottle of medicine.


    The third disciple didn''t seem to have any interest whatsoever as he turned around directly. He didn''t even try to talk with some of the youngsters who had potential. His arrogance made the villagers speechless, but no one dared to speak out and criticized him.


    They still treasured their lives.


    Bai Xin and Xu Qin chatted for a bit. After talking for a while, Bai Xin recalled Lin Xiao and asked out, "Do you know who that persistent young man is?"


    "Ah?"


    "The one that Su Han fought."


    "Oh." Xu Qin''s eyes turned gloomy at the mention of Lin Xiao. She never had any good impression of Lin Xiao because the latter always ignored her. As someone who had both beauty and talent, she hated the fact that Lin Xiao didn''t even give her any face.


    "He''s a troublemaker. His name is Lin Xiao."


    Bai Xin nodded. She could sense the mood shift inside Xu Qin and wondered a bit about what actually that Lin Xiao did to make him hated by the other youngsters. He must have been a bad person.


    At that moment, Bai Xin had already termed Lin Xiao as someone bad.


    "How do you usually train?" Bai Xin swiftly changed the conversation. "Can you show me your training place?"


    "With pleasure, Sister Bai!"


    The one who had dark expression at this moment was not only Xu Qin. To his annoyance, Su Hei realized that no one seemed to care for him in the slightest bit. The barrier called talent had been his shackle ever since a long time ago.


    And now, it was showing even more.


    The disciples were not ignoring him because they wanted to, but it was because they took interest in the more talented ones. After all, a sect would always prioritize those who had more potential to become big in the future.


    Rather than wasting their time to those who had already reached their limit, they preferred those who were still growing.


    ''Su Han, Lin Xiao, Xu Qin��.''


    Under his breath, Su Hei muttered slowly. These three were those who attracted the disciples'' attention the most. Jealousy swirled within his eyes as he lowered his gaze, trying to hide it.


    ��


    In a distance away, Lin Xiao was still dragging his pained body. The distance to their home was still quite long and there was no way he could use the shortcut unless he wished to die. The cliff wouldn''t show mercy.


    "Brother."


    "Yes?" Lin Xiao asked back. He could see his brother was walking in moderate speed right beside him.


    Lin Yun looked at Lin Xiao with solemn expression. "Why don''t you fight back?"


    "It''s too quick," Lin Xiao said helplessly. He still needed time to prepare his stance and Luo Lan clearly would not give him the time he needed. There was no other choice for him but to evade and evade again.


    "Brother, how long would it take for me to advance to rank 6?"


    "Ah? Wenren Yu told you that it might still take a few more days, right?" Lin Xiao remarked in confusion. If he was not wrong, there were still some time before it was the time for Lin Yun to advance again.


    "I''ll get stronger faster, Brother." And make them pay for this.


    Looking at his brother forcing himself to be strong in front of everyone, Lin Yun felt burning anger. For the first time in his life, he wanted to be stronger than his brother and beat up those annoying disciples.


    How dare they harm his brother!


    Thwack!


    Lin Yun blinked his eyes, stunned by his brother''s sudden forehead flick. He looked at Lin Xiao with bewildered expression. "Brother?"


    "Stupid, don''t sacrifice your foundation for petty revenge," Lin Xiao scolded. "Cultivators will live for a long time after reaching certain stage. You should just focus on getting stronger."


    "But you''re also hurrying, Brother!"


    "I''m in a hurry to get stronger, but I will not put those people on the list of my goal." Lin Xiao pointed to the front. "Don''t just put revenge as your goal. Life is much more precious than that."


    Lin Yun blinked his eyes and pursed his lips. "Will you kick their asses, Brother?"


    "Of course!" Lin Xiao exclaimed. "I''ll be strong enough to be able to venture the entire world and in the process, I''ll spare some time to kick those arrogant and annoying people''s ass!"


    Hearing that, Lin Yun didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. His brother is truly peculiar.

 Chapter 46: Decision

    They took some time before they could reach their house. Along the way, Lin Xiao bear with the pain and didn''t say anything about it. Even though it was clear that even walking was difficult, Lin Xiao didn''t show any trace of that in his face.


    He was still walking with a completely straight face.


    "You two are back," Wenren Yu greeted and walked out of the house. Upon seeing Lin Xiao, his eyes narrowed. He could see that there was something wrong. "What happened?"


    "Brother is injured. Those sect disciples are powerful," Lin Yun simplified the events. "Do we have some medicine for external and internal injury?"


    "Yes."


    Lin Xiao refused the help and entered his room. They already have a makeshift bed for Wenren Yu in the living room, so Lin Xiao had returned back to his own room. Sitting on the bed, Lin Xiao took off his robe and tossed it to the side.


    There were bruises on his back and shoulder, right on the location where Bai Xin threw him back then.


    Lin Yun exhaled sharply when he saw the wound on his brother''s body. He couldn''t believe that Lin Xiao was walking without showing any sign of pain even though the skin had completely changed color.


    "There might be broken bones." Wenren Yu''s face was grim. He took the medicine salve that they had prepared and helped Lin Xiao to apply it on his back. Even the slight touch was painful.


    "That b*tch Bai Xin didn''t hold back in the slightest bit," Lin Xiao said. "But don''t worry, I''m going to be fine."


    "Roll your pants."


    "Ugh."


    Lin Xiao''s right leg reached the ground first when Bai Xin slammed her. As the result, it was completely bruised and there were even marks of discoloration. There might be cracks on his bone.


    Wenren Yu furrowed his brows. "How did you walk with this condition?"


    "I just walk."


    "You need at least a month for full recovery." Calculating Lin Xiao''s natural healing''s speed that was fast, it was already a good estimation. In fact, Wenren Yu felt that it might be slower because they wouldn''t have enough food after a while. The one who hunted all this time was mostly Lin Xiao.


    "No need, it''ll be faster."


    "What are you��.?"


    Lin Xiao smiled and closed his eyes. He focused his attention to the Qi inside his sea of consciousness and diverted it to his bones and skin at the same time. Rank 6 was the strengthening of skin while rank 7 was the strengthening of bones.


    The Qi that he had been accumulating with the help of Primordial Light Night Moss was already more than enough for him to advance to rank 6. All he needed was the trigger that would allow him to advance.


    Now was the right time.


    Crack!


    Looking at Lin Xiao, who chose to advance at this point of time, Wenren Yu felt he was seeing a maniac. With Lin Xiao''s current condition, it shouldn''t have been possible for him to advance normally. He would need a long period of time to rest and recover before he could finally advance.


    However, the reckless Lin Xiao chose to advance at this point of time.


    The skin that was completely bruised was healing at naked eyes'' speed. It seemed that Lin Xiao would surely heal in just a few more minutes.


    "Lin Yun."


    "Yes?"


    "Your brother is crazy."


    Lin Yun rolled his eyes and chose not to comment. When did his brother not crazy? From the very beginning, it was already an unconventional decision for him to not join the hunting squad despite the luxury and benefit that they could obtain.


    Not to mention, his brother was still adamant to not join any other sect even though Taiyi Sect was no more.


    The Qi in the air slowly moved towards Lin Xiao and entered his body. It was supporting him as he entered body training rank 6. At this point of time, not a single one of them noticed as they were focused completely on Lin Xiao, who recklessly advanced at this point of time.


    Opening his eyes, Lin Xiao grinned. "I''m already feeling much better, so I��."


    "REST!"


    "I''m fine already!"


    Lin Yun rolled his eyes. "It doesn''t mean that your bones are fine. Have rest today, I''m the one who will cook."


    "I''ll take the water."


    "Be careful and don''t let anyone see you, Wenren Yu."


    "I know."


    Taking the buckets to pick water, Wenren Yu walked out of the house. Staying with Lin Xiao and Lin Yun all this time allowed him to relax and focused on his training. With the help of so many valuable herbs that Lin Xiao gathered over time, Wenren Yu knew that he would be able to advance faster again.


    In the past, he would not care that much about the time he took to advance a rank. But after Taiyi Sect fell, he knew that he wanted to advance faster and find out what had exactly happened to the sect.


    Without getting stronger, he wouldn''t be able to fight against those who destroyed the sect.


    Now that he saw that Lin Xiao was getting wounded due to other sects, somehow Wenren Yu felt that he needed to grow even faster. Time wait for no one. They had to move forward even faster.


    ''If only there are a lot of valuable herbs nearby��.''


    He knew many recipes to create miracle herbs that would help one to advance faster. Unfortunately, he didn''t have any means to gather the materials needed and his own rank were not enough to allow him made them.

 Chapter 47: Visit

    Lin Xiao was forced to rest for the day by Lin Yun and Wenren Yu. They would not allow him to move around with his wounded body, so Lin Xiao had no other choice but to stay on his bed for rest of the day.


    The next day, he had already felt better, but they still didn''t allow him to get out.


    "The three representatives are going to hold the test, right?" Lin Xiao asked as he sat down on his bed. He was already feeling much better. Normally, he would have already jumped around, but this time, he stayed on the bed obediently.


    Lin Yun nodded. "You don''t have any plan to join, right?"


    "Nope, but if I''m not wrong, there are two others who are also wounded hard yesterday. Along with several others who had minor injuries."


    Aside from Su Han, Su Hei was also wounded quite badly. Luo Lan truly didn''t know the word lenience when he was excited. As for Bai Xin, she only stopped when she was facing Xu Qin.


    For others, they were beaten up black and blue.


    "Su Han should be fine since Luo Lan gives him medicine."


    "How about Su Hei?" Lin Xiao tilted his head. After being hated by the villagers thanks to Lin Xiao''s schemes, Su Hei wouldn''t be in good condition anymore. He must be thinking for a method to make sure he could participate.


    Lin Yun shrugged. "Good for him if he can''t join."


    "Heh."


    The two of them didn''t like the Su siblings, so they didn''t comment any further. Aside from practicing Qi inside his room, Lin Xiao basically didn''t do anything for the day. Lin Yun and Wenren Yu took over the work he usually did except for hunting.


    They didn''t dare to enter the forest alone like Lin Xiao.


    "Lin Xiao, Lin Yun!"


    The call from outside startled the three of them. Lin Yun motioned for Wenren Yu to hide inside his room while he walked out of the house and glanced out. He could see a young man waving his hand to them.


    Lin Yun arched his eyebrows. "What are you doing here this evening?"


    "The elders are asking why you don''t join. In addition, they also send some meat for you." the young man explained.


    Looking at the meat on the young man''s hand, Lin Yun knew that it was the leftover from yesterday''s feast. The three representatives didn''t finish all the food the villagers prepared so the elders chose to distribute the rest.


    It was no longer as good as yesterday, but it was still edible.


    "Many thanks to the elder," Lin Yun said without any chance in tone. There was no hint of gratitude from his voice.


    The young man didn''t seem to care that much. He put down the small bag contained the food on the ground. "The three representatives are going to hold the test for a week''s time. If you''re interested, you can join at later time since your brother is injured."


    "How are the others?"


    "They''re fine. Some who are still wounded will be tested at later time."


    Lin Yun nodded. Not everyone got medicine and it was impossible for Luo Lan to give medicine that will allow Su Han to recover instantly. That kind of medicine was terribly expensive and would never be wasted on people like them.


    "What are the tests?"


    "Oh? We''re taught skills by the elders and then they''re going to test how fast we learn the skills."


    Hearing that, Lin Yun arched his eyebrows. Were the representatives truly that generous to share their skills to the villagers? He felt that things were not simple, but he couldn''t think of anything.


    "Which skill?"


    Turning his head to the back, Lin Yuns saw Lin Xiao walked to the edge of the door. He frowned. "Brother, you should rest!"


    "I''m fine." Lin Xiao waved his hand in nonchalant attitude. He looked as if he was totally fine without any hint of injury. "Which skill did they teach?"


    "Tiger''s Punch and Moon Evasion."


    Moon Evasion?


    From what Lin Xiao knew, it was one of the main skills for those who came from Yue Da Sect. There shouldn''t be any way they would showcased their skills and allowed the villagers to learn those skills.


    "Really?"


    "Yes. It''s true. You can come to the village tomorrow to see the skill if you want tomorrow," the young man said with a grin.


    "I see. Thank you for the information."


    "You''re welcome."


    Lin Yun waited for the young man to leave before he turned around to look at his brother. He arched his eyebrows. "Brother, please don''t tell me that you want to look at the skill that they showcased."


    "It''s a perfect time for us to learn other skills. Even though so, I was hoping that they''re going to show that Snake Counterattack so that you can learn too," Lin Xiao said with a hint of disappointment.


    Lin Yun shook his head. He could guess that Snake Counterattack might be harder to learn compared to other skills. Just showing the other two skills were already good enough for them to learn much more than what they previously knew.


    "Brother, so you plan to go?"


    "Of course!"


    "Brother, you''re still wounded!"


    "This kind of wound is nothing. There''s no need for you to worry so much about that!"


    "That''s not the point!"

 Chapter 48: Studying Openly

    Lin Yun was helpless with his brother''s decision and chose to comply in the end. He shifted his attention to the bundle of meat that the villager had left behind.


    "Brother, how about this? What do you plan to do with it?"


    Lin Xiao glanced down at the bundle of the meat. He tilted his head. "The elders wouldn''t think of poisoning us, right?"


    "Why would he want to do that?"


    "Let''s check it out first."


    Taking the bundle of the meat, Lin Xiao walked into the residence. He could see Wenren Yu walked out of Lin Yun''s room and glanced at the bundle. His brows creased, sign of him thinking hard.


    "What is it, Wenren Yu?"


    "Can I see it first?"


    "Sure."


    Opening the bundle, they could see that the meat was no longer in good condition. There was a mix of foul smell along with nice aroma from the cooked meat. The elders didn''t store the meat properly yesterday.


    "It''s unappetizing," Lin Xiao commented.


    Lin Yun nodded. Normally, they would have been happy to receive even a little bit of meat and would not think of throwing it away. But after Lin Xiao frequently went to hunt on his own, they no longer thought the same.


    The fresh and juicy meat that Lin Xiao hunted by himself tasted much better than the dried meat. Even though they had to limit the amount they eat each time, it was still much better than the village had ever provided for them.


    Wenren Yu sighed at the sight of the meat. "If you don''t want to get sick, I suggest you to throw this away."


    "It''s that bad?"


    "It might be the spice, but the mix of the herbs along with the rotten meat will create stomachache or even indigestion. As you might have known, even cultivators are not invulnerable against some sickness," Wenren Yu explained.


    While it was rare for cultivators to get sick, it was not like they were completely invincible. Lin Xiao knew that there were some kind of sickness that they could have even when they were already high rank. As for those at body training, it was even more common.


    They were all only at body training stage, so they needed to take care of their body well.


    "In that case, I''ll throw it away to the cliff."


    "I''ll do it."


    "No, you stay inside." Lin Xiao took the bundle and ran out even before Lin Yun could respond. With his quick reflex, there was no way Lin Yun could catch up with him.


    Seeing how his brother had run out, Lin Yun was speechless.


    "Isn''t he still wounded?" Wenren Yu asked in doubtful tone.


    "Brother is always so lively."


    "Indeed."


    ��


    The next day, Lin Xiao and Lin Yun headed to the village again. Wenren Yu stayed still inside the residence without any intention to get out. He didn''t want to court trouble with the representatives and their disciples.


    Upon their arrival, the two realized that the two disciples were openly demonstrating their skills on the field and allowed the villagers to study. However, they didn''t teach one by one and merely repeated the move on the stage.


    "Brother, why are you looking that way?" Lin Yun was surprised when he saw his brother looked towards Moon Evasion''s side. There were fewer people there because many of them thought of running away as a disgrace.


    "It''s more important."


    "I''ll learn it too, then."


    "Ok."


    Lin Xiao could see some villagers looked at him as if he was a strange person. Most of them would place higher importance to attack skill because it could protect themselves. The Tiger Punch that Luo Lan showed was easier to learn compared to Mountain Punch, so many of them rushed to learn.


    Learning a skill or two wouldn''t hurt.


    As for Lin Xiao, he wanted to learn how to evade in order to be able to run away when he offended someone of high rank. Against someone who was at much higher rank than him, he would have no other choice but to run.


    And to be able to run faster than his pursuer, he had to make sure that he learned the proper skill for that.


    Moon Evasion answered his longing.


    The third disciple at the stage, whose name Lin Xiao still didn''t know, seemed to flicker and then disappeared from his place. When he appeared again, he was already one meter''s away from his original place.


    He was silent and didn''t even bother explaining to the villagers, but Lin Xiao chose to pay attention to the disciple''s movement. The flow of Qi was not that clear from this distance, but there was slight movement that the third disciple made before he could execute the move.


    "Why didn''t he move again?" a villager asked, hoping to see the disciple execute the skill again so that he could learn.


    "He could only do it once in a while. You just need to wait and be patient because he won''t warn you when he executes the skill."


    "That''s�� hard."


    With no other choice, the villagers who wanted to learn had to wait for the third disciple to start moving and executing his skill again.


    Lin Xiao was also included, but he was patient. Days of hunting had taught him that the most important skill to have was to be patient and make sure that he didn''t do anything out of the line. The prey wouldn''t get close if he made racket and noises.

 Chapter 49: Learning Moon Evasion

    The third disciple suddenly moved.


    Lin Xiao focused his entire attention to the third disciple, hoping to be able to see everything. His legs moved at rapid speed and covered a great amount of distance after a slightly weird stance.


    "Ah, it''s too fast!"


    "I can''t see anything."


    "Ughh, this is so frustrating."


    While the villagers were howling in frustration, the third disciple didn''t seem to care in the slightest bit. He swept his gaze on the people below him then landed on Lin Xiao. Different with other villagers who were screaming, Lin Xiao was closing his eyes, trying to repeat the movement over and over in his head.


    While it might not be the most effective way, it was the only possibility for him to learn. The third disciple was not patient enough to teach them step by step, so they have to figure things out by themselves.


    What they needed was perception.


    Perception referred to their ability to perceive something. Usually, it was something related to martial arts and skills. The higher their perception was, the easier it would be for them to learn about many things.


    Slowly, Lin Xiao opened his eyes. "Lin Yun, did he execute the skill again?"


    "Not yet, Brother."


    "Did you manage to grasp it?"


    Lin Yun furrowed his brows. Despite having a bit higher intelligence in terms of herbs, Lin Yun was mostly average in others. When seeing the third disciple executed the movement, he could barely see anything.


    "Not yet."


    "Alright. Pay attention."


    "Yes."


    The learning session had turned into a waiting game as everyone had to bid their time and waited until the third disciple was ready to execute the Moon Evasion. There was no word or sign that they could use to tell when the third disciple started to execute the movement.


    They had to stay focus all the time.


    "Did he move?"


    "No, not yet."


    Such whispers were not uncommon. Many villagers were trying hard to keep their eyes open. If only it was possible for them to not close their eyes at all, they would have done so just to make sure they would not miss the third disciple''s movement.


    After all, it only took split second for him to move.


    Swish!


    At that moment, the third disciple suddenly moved. Many villagers had a blank expression and talked to each other in frustration. They didn''t see anything but the third disciple had already moved.


    "It''s enough, I won''t learn this skill."


    "Yeah. It''s a waste of time."


    Many of them moved to the other place where a lot of people were gathering around to learn Tiger Punch. Rather than waiting for the third disciple to execute the movement again, they would rather head to the other one and learned the skill.


    At the very least, they would have learnt something by watching Luo Lan there.


    The third disciple snorted and continued to recover his state and Qi. He looked below where more than half had already left. It was the same as yesterday as many people chose to give up.


    With a teacher who didn''t cooperate with them, they wouldn''t be able to learn anything.


    Before long, the third disciple moved again.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao watched the movement''s intently and felt that not only the stance, even the aura around the third disciple changed for a split second. The change was barely visible, but he knew that it had occurred.


    ''Hand over here, legs over here, then the flow of Qi��''


    Silently, Lin Xiao repeated the movements of the third disciple while his hand and legs moved in accordance to what he had seen. As he thought of trying to execute the skill, his body moved.


    Only two inches, but it was a movement nevertheless.


    "Brother?" Lin Yun, who was beside Lin Xiao clearly felt the sudden movements. While other villagers didn''t even pay attention to them, he knew that Lin Xiao was a bit further from where he was not long ago.


    Lin Xiao smiled. "I think I might be able to learn this soon."


    "Brother, you''re amazing."


    "Of course!"


    This time, Lin Yun didn''t even roll his eyes as he watched his brother. Rather than focusing his gaze on the third disciple and gained nothing, it would be better for him to learn from his brother, who had been learning how to do the movement.


    ''It''s too short, so should I try changing the angle a bit?''


    Lin Xiao focused his attention again. He felt that the mental stress this skill required was really big. It was so hard to execute the movements even once before feeling that his head was about to burst from the pressure.


    It seemed that the reason why the third disciple didn''t use this skill that much was because of the stress.


    ''There should be a way to remove the pressure, no?''


    Furrowing his brows, Lin Xiao hoped that he would be able to have access to some martial arts'' skill book. That way, he would be able to read the explanation and didn''t have to learn blindly like this.


    But that would be for later.


    Raising his head once more, Lin Xiao looked at the third disciple expectantly. He wished that he would be able to learn much more from watching like this as soon as possible.

 Chapter 50: Provocation

    Swift!


    The movement was small, yet Lin Yun was looking at his brother in disbelief. In just a short period of time, his brother had finally managed to learn Moon Evasion. Did his brother always have good comprehension?


    ''I did it!''


    Internally, Lin Xiao was rejoicing. After staring at that third disciple for hours until his eyes were hurt, he could finally do the move. While it was still imperfect, all he needed to do was to continue practicing over and over.


    There was no need for him to stay here any longer.


    "Let''s return back, Yun."


    Lin Yun nearly beamed but he restrained his smile. They couldn''t let others found out that Lin Xiao had somehow managed to learn Moon Evasion so quickly. "Yes, Brother."


    On top of the stage, the third disciple was looking at Lin Xiao with narrowed gaze. He had the feeling that there was something strange about Lin Xiao and Lin Yun, but he couldn''t pinpoint what it was.


    In the end, he snorted and chose to recover his Qi and energy. These country bumpkins would never be able to learn just from seeing.


    From looking at their gazes alone, the third disciple knew that they would never be able to learn.


    "Do you want to buy some rice from Shopkeeper Wang first, Brother?" Lin Yun asked. "We almost run out of rice."


    "Ah, I nearly forgot." Lin Xiao nodded. It would be better for them to buy some rice so that they would have something to eat for the next few days. He was pretty sure that his brother and Wenren Yu wouldn''t allow him to go hunting after suffering from those heavy wounds not long ago.


    Bang!


    Just as they passed the stage, Lin Xiao heard loud sound. Turning his head, he could see Xu Qin along with Bai Xin and another boy. The boy was slammed to the ground by Xu Qin with seamless movement.


    Snake Counterattack!


    Looking at the two girls who were studying, Lin Xiao felt his mind turned blank for a moment. So the reason why Bai Xin didn''t want to teach it was because she wanted to tutor Xu Qin personally?


    That''s unfair!


    "Brother?" Lin Yun was also surprised.


    The two girls noticed their presence. Xu Qin pursed her beautiful lips and showed a provocative smile. "Oh, so it''s the Lin sibling. Are you here to study the martial arts too?"


    "Yes." Lin Xiao didn''t feel the need to lie. His eyes were looking at the boy who was trying to get up. If he said that he didn''t feel envy at Xu Qin for being able to learn Snake Counterattack, he would be lying.


    Xu Qin followed his gaze and grinned. "Sister Bai is very kind. She''s willing to teach me Snake Counterattack."


    "I see."


    The placid answer from Lin Xiao was not what Xu Qin expected. She furrowed her brows but couldn''t see the expression she wanted to see from this annoying troublemaker. Turning her head to look at Bai Xin, she smiled.


    "Thank you very much, Sister Bai."


    "This is nothing much." Bai Xin waved her hand and looked at Lin Xiao. Based on the direction they were coming from, she could guess that they were trying to learn Moon Evasion from the third disciple.


    "Are you trying to learn Moon Evasion?"


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. He looked at Bai Xin with pursed lips. Somehow, he didn''t have good opinion of this young woman who kept on putting him in difficult position through her words.


    "Yes."


    "Don''t bother. Hong is not really trying to teach you all. He''s just playing around," Bai Xin gave her advice.


    Well, it was very obvious from the way the third disciple, Hong, acted. The young boy didn''t seem to have any interest whatsoever in teaching them how to use Moon Evasion. Many villagers had already long given up on trying to learn the move.


    "Thank you for your advice," Lin Xiao said with indifferent tone.


    Bai Xin snorted when she heard Lin Xiao''s tone. Just like what Xu Qin said, this young boy was truly insolent. Her view regarding Lin Xiao had just dropped a few degrees with the impolite tone that Lin Xiao used to answer her.


    "I''m going now. Let''s go, Yun."


    "Yes, Brother."


    Xu Qin watched the Lin siblings left and then turned her head to look at Bai Xin. Her mood that was previously good because she managed to perform the basic movement had disappeared. Seeing Lin Xiao always brought bad mood to her.


    "Sister Bai, shall we continue?"


    "Sure." Bai Xin positioned herself once more. "Before that, do you not like that young man?"


    Bai Xin didn''t really have any interest to remember the name of the villagers here. She chose to only used the term young man or that person to refer to anyone in this villager. Xu Qin was the only person whom she remembered in this time.


    Hearing that, Xu Qin was taken aback. She pursed her lips. "Lin Xiao is a troublemaker while Lin Yun is a sickly boy. The Lin siblings are not good."


    "I see."


    From the way they behaved, Bai Xin concluded that the two young men were disliked in this village. It seemed that their attitude was also problematic.


    At this point, Bai Xin had chosen to completely ignore the fact that Lin Yun was already at Body Training rank 5 while Lin Xiao was already Body Training rank 6. If she had thought about that, she might have quite a bit different impression since it meant the two were actually quite talented too.

 Chapter 51: Buying Rice

    After the two of them were already quite far, Lin Yun spoke out, "Brother, they''re laughing at us."


    "Don''t worry, they won''t be able to do that for long." Lin Xiao waved his hand with confidence. In this world, everyone respected those who were strong. All they needed to do was to train and train again so that no one would be able to look down on them anymore.


    "We''re going to be much stronger than them."


    "Yes!"


    "By the way, do you bring some money?" Lin Xiao checked his pocket. There were more than enough money for them to buy some rice, but he needed to keep some too in case of emergency.


    Lin Yun shook his head. "You''re the one who''s holding all the money, Brother."


    Lin Xiao: "��" I completely forgot.


    Checking the money again, Lin Xiao heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that he hadn''t wasted the money that he got from Shopkeeper Wang from the deadly testing back then. He was worrying for a moment that he had wasted the money.


    The two of them headed to Shopkeeper Wang''s shop and noticed the old man was sweeping the ground.


    "Old Wang, I want to buy some rice," Lin Xiao greeted from a distance.


    Shopkeeper Wang raised his head. He arched his eyebrows when he saw Lin Xiao. "You''re here, Little Rascal. I thought that you have already forgotten about me ever since you take the hunting squad test."


    "Ah? I didn''t pass the test."


    "I know, I know, Su Han told the story to everyone."


    Lin Xiao''s eyes turned cold, but it quickly turned back to normal. He had learned how to mask his real feelings, though most of the time, he chose to act according to his heart''s desire without caring for anything.


    "The rice, Old Wang."


    "Here. 1 silver."


    Counting the weight, Lin Xiao nodded in satisfaction. Shopkeeper Wang always gave them the same amount for 1 silver. It was usually more than enough for two people to eat for 3 months.


    The only problem was to bring it back.


    Shopkeeper Wang grinned when he saw Lin Xiao''s gaze. "Do you want to borrow a cart again? Just adding 10 coppers are enough."


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes. As he had though, Shopkeeper Wang was truly someone who was greedy for money.


    "Not this time, Old Wang."


    Moving to the front, Lin Xiao grabbed the large sack with his right hand and lifted it up. Afterwards, he took the second sack and brought it up with his left hand. In the past, he would never be able to do this, but now he felt that the sack was not that heavy.


    Shopkeeper Wang narrowed his eyes when he saw how easy it was for Lin Xiao to lift the sack.


    "Are you already halfway to Body Training Rank 7, Lin Xiao?"


    "Ah? I think so?" Lin Xiao tilted his head. When he advanced to Body Training rank 6 not long ago, he was also focusing on his bone. That way, he had already started to make his way to enter Body Training Rank 7.


    But of course, he still needed to accumulate enough Qi before he could enter the rank. it would still take him weeks or even months if he chose the normal way of absorbing the Qi from the air.


    Lin Yun took the third sack, the last one, and lifted it up. It was a bit heavy for him, but he still could bring it.


    Once again, Shopkeeper Wang looked at Lin Yun. "Body Training Rank 5?"


    "I''ll enter Body Training rank 6 soon," Lin Yun protested.


    "But you haven''t entered it yet."


    "I''ll train again after reaching home."


    "Yea, yea, yea."


    "Brother!"


    Lin Xiao laughed. He nodded at Shopkeeper Wang. "Thank you for the rice and that''s the money."


    Shopkeeper Wang glanced at the silver that Lin Xiao left behind. His eyes were still watching the two siblings as he rubbed his chin. There was something strange about the two siblings recently. In such a short period of time, they were growing much stronger.


    ''Is it because Lin Xiao could properly hunt and fill the nutrition they need?''


    He had seen Lin Xiao hunting by himself but chose not to interfere. However, he was still not totally sure about Lin Xiao''s capabilities in hunting.


    If Lin Xiao had been quite lucky and could provide more than enough food for the two siblings, their condition might have been improving. After all, Qi existed everywhere, including nature and naturally animal''s body.


    When they eat animal''s meat, their body would also absorb the Qi that was originally inside the meat. That way, their training would become much faster as they grew stronger. This was why many cultivators paid close attention to their diet during the early stage because all kinds of food were important for their growth.


    ''I must be thinking too much.''


    Shopkeeper Wang shook his head and walked back to his store. He had no interest to meddle in the youngsters'' business at all.


    Those two might have just been lucky.


    ��


    The two of them returned back to their residence while carrying the three sacks. Considering that they now had Wenren Yu in the house, the rice might run out much faster than their expectation.


    "Brother, how did you manage to carry two sacks at the same time?" Lin Yun asked.


    Lin Xiao tilted his head. "My skin naturally harden and allow me to bring greater force in my arms and legs. And as I''m going to reach Body Training Rank 7 soon, I think my bones are getting stronger?"


    "But you''re still a long way to go from reaching Body Training rank 7, Brother."


    "Well, close enough."


    Lin Yun: "��" months are not close, Brother.

 Chapter 52: Sneaking Out

    Lin Xiao ignored the look his brother gave to him and put down the sack in front of the house. He glanced inside, wondering why Wenren Yu didn''t come out like usual.


    "Wenren Yu, are you there?"


    "I''m on the back." Wenren Yu''s head popped out from the back garden. He was carrying a bucket in his hand. His eyes landed on the two sacks that Lin Xiao brought with him. "You''re buying supplies?"


    "Yes. Help me out a bit. After this, let''s train."


    "Fine."


    The rice sacks were put into the house then Wenren Yu came with Lin Xiao and Lin Yun to the front. Lin Xiao explained that he managed to somehow learnt Moon Evasion skill while they were in the village not long ago.


    Wenren Yu blinked his eyes. "It''s impossible for you to learn new skill so easily like that. If you can learn just from watching, there will be thousands of skilled cultivators."


    "It''s true. Watch." Lin Xiao changed his stance. His mind was replaying how that third disciple, Hong, did it as his stance changed. It was only a split second movements before Lin Xiao suddenly moved a few inches away.


    Seeing that, Wenren Yu felt his mind blanked. He obviously knew Moon Evasion because he had come to visit other sects in the past or they came for competition. Moon Evasion was one of the trademark skill of Yue Da Sect and normally wouldn''t be taught to outsiders so easily.


    Besides, even if one could see the skill outside, they wouldn''t necessarily be able to learn it just from watching.


    "That''s�� impossible," Wenren Yu muttered.


    Lin Xiao grinned. "It''s not impossible. Now, do you want to learn the skill too?"


    Want?


    "Of course!"


    For the rest of the evening, Lin Xiao taught Lin Yun and Wenren Yu how to use Moon Evasion based on his own comprehension. It didn''t take long for the other two to be able to use the skill to move a centimeter away from their position.


    While it might look small, if they used the skill at critical juncture, they would be able to evade their opponent''s attack. It might be a live saving technique when the time was right.


    "It''s already late," Lin Yun remarked. "Let''s eat and rest, Brother."


    "Sure."


    Lin Xiao stretched his body to cool it down. Even though he wanted to practice all the time, he knew that it was important for him to divide his time between rest and practicing. If he didn''t take care of his body, he would break down very quickly and possibly got sick because of overwork.


    Wenren Yu sat down on the ground and heaved a sigh. He couldn''t believe he learned Yue Da Sect trademark skill in just a few hours. It felt unbelievable that he managed to learn something like this in such a short time.


    Looking at Lin Xiao, who was still contemplating, he shook his head. Probably, only Lin Xiao would be able to pull something like this.


    "Do you know who come from Yue Da Sect?"


    "The one who come?" Lin Xiao raised his head. He tilted his head. "I don''t know him, but he looks very powerful. He goes by the name Hong. Have you heard about him before?"


    "Hong?"


    "Yes."


    "Surname or name?"


    "I don''t know."


    Wenren Yu furrowed his brows. There were several people with the same name or surname in Yue Da Sect that he knew. Thinking about the possibility of some of them coming here, Wenren Yu felt a bit trepidation.


    Why would the three sects send important core disciple for such a mission?


    "Wenren Yu?" Lin Xiao called out. "What are you thinking so much for? Do you want to go to the outhouse?"


    Wenren Yu: "��" outhouse my ass!


    Standing up, Wenren Yu looked at the direction of the village. All this time, he had been hiding here with Lin Xiao and Lin Yun. However, he knew that there wouldn''t be anything he could do if he continued to stay here.


    He needed to gather information too.


    "Let''s go to the village."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "The timid cat wants to visit the village? What happens to you, Wenren Yu?"


    "I need to know the reason the sects send three core disciples to this remote area," Wenren Yu replied. "If my guess is not wrong, those three are supposed to be high ranked disciples even in the sect."


    "Eh? They''re interested in this small place?"


    "That''s why I need to find out more."


    Seeing the rare determination on Wenren Yu''s face, Lin Xiao nodded. He was also bored being confined at home and wished to travel a lot. Since Wenren Yu had decided so, he would just tag along and help out a bit.


    "Sure, let''s travel when it''s night time."


    "Don''t you need to rest?"


    "You don''t know the way to the village. If I don''t accompany you, you''re going to get lost and might never be able to return back anymore."


    Wenren Yu pursed his lips and shook his head lightly. He looked in the direction of the village once more and sighed. Hopefully, his guess was wrong because he truly didn''t understand why they placed so much importance to this remote village.


    But if that was true, it meant that they might need to leave this place as soon as possible.


    Lin Xiao entered the house and explained their decision to Lin Yun. Even though Lin Yun didn''t like it, he only told them to be careful.


    "Don''t get killed."


    "Don''t worry, your brother is not that careless."


    Lin Yun sighed. "Eat first."


    "Yes!"

 Chapter 53: The Plot

    Swish!


    Under the moonlight, both Lin Xiao and Wenren Yu left the house and used the cliff to head into the village. Seeing how nimble Lin Xiao was, Wenren Yu followed suit and copied the former''s movement.


    "You''re not bad," Lin Xiao commented when he saw Wenren Yu managed to follow him.


    Wenren Yu arched his eyebrows. He might be medicine student, but it didn''t mean that he was not subjected to harsh training back in Taiyi Sect. A little bit physical movement was nothing much for him.


    "Let''s go."


    "Ok."


    Silently, the two of them headed to the village. Lin Xiao immediately used the skill he had used back then to erase his presence. While it might not be perfect, it was more than enough for him to cover his track from others.


    Besides him, Wenren Yu was doing the same thing as he erased his presence. If one didn''t see him directly, they wouldn''t be able to know that he was standing right there.


    Treading carefully, Lin Xiao headed to the house that was designated to the three representatives and looked at Wenren Yu. He didn''t know how far he could stay around the three representatives without them detecting his presence.


    ''It''s fine to get closer,'' Wenren Yu gave hand signs.


    Lin Xiao watched the hand sign then to Wenren Yu''s face. He didn''t know those hand signs, ah!


    Seeing the confusion on Lin Xiao''s face, Wenren Yu sighed and tugged Lin Xiao''s sleeve. He pointed to the balcony then leapt up. With swift movement, he had arrived by the balcony and crouched down at the side to avoid getting found out.


    Lin Xiao followed suit and landed beside Wenren Yu. His nimble movements were very similar to that of cat.


    ''Stay silent.''


    This time, Lin Xiao understood because Wenren Yu put his index finger in front of his lips. He nodded and crouched down beside Wenren Yu.


    The three representatives were inside, talking to each other or just minded their business. However, their conversation was��.


    "I can''t believe I lost again. Once again!"


    "Heh, you won''t be able to win against me."


    "What? I''ll make sure to get the full house next time so that you won''t be able to speak anything to me!"


    Lin Xiao: "��" they''re playing cards?


    He knew that some people liked to play cards because he had seen it before in the club and so on. But never in his wildest dream he thought that he would encounter three powerful cultivators busy playing with each other.


    From the way they spoke to each other, it seemed that they were at least comfortable near each other. Even though they might not be overly friendly, they didn''t mind each other''s presence.


    One hour passed.


    The three cultivators were still playing.


    Another hour passed.


    Two representatives were talking about some matters related to their sect while the third one slept.


    5 hours later.


    They were still talking about some unrelated matters.


    Lin Xiao felt that they were truly testing his patience. It would be dawn soon, so the two of them couldn''t stay here for much longer. He felt that he was cheated. Even after spying for an entire night, he still didn''t find anything useful.


    Can''t they talk about Taiyi Sect for once?


    He didn''t understand what these representatives were thinking.


    "Anyway, isn''t this the time for us to make our moves?" the woman''s impatient tone could be heard from the balcony very clearly.


    Liu Gang arched his eyebrows. He glanced to the side where the third representative was sitting. "When do you think is the right time?"


    The third representative passed a glance to the two of them. He stood up uncaringly and tapped the table. "Tonight."


    "OH! I''m already feeling impatient. Do you think we''re going to succeed on the first try?" The woman asked. She put down the cards on her hand to the table then walked to her vanity table taking out a mirror.


    "I don''t know."


    "Tsk, you''re the most powerful amongst us, so make sure that you protect us properly, ok?"


    The third representative stayed silent as if he was a mute. Apparently, he had no intention to reply to the woman''s inquiry.


    Liu Gang leaned back and sighed. "It wouldn''t be easy for us to leave so suddenly. What excuse do you want to make?"


    "Training."


    The other two: "��"


    Well, it was true that if higher ranked cultivators were training, the others wouldn''t dare to disturb. However, they felt that this excuse was somewhat shallow since they knew very well that they didn''t have any intention to train in this kind of place.


    The woman shrugged. "Even if I train, I don''t think it''ll affect anything. The lake is not going anywhere too."


    Lake?


    Wenren Yu''s eyes narrowed. He had heard from Lin Xiao about the existence of the lake at the north where Lin Xiao did his test back then. The fish from the lake was quite special because they held much more Qi than what most animal could possibly have.


    Was it because of the lake?


    Or was it because there was a treasure hidden within the lake?


    All kinds of thoughts swirled within Wenren Yu''s mind as he tried to think for all possibilities.


    Beside him, Lin Xiao was also thinking hard. After all, he had already visited the lake yet he didn''t really find anything special there.

 Chapter 54: Found Out

    "Are we going to depart right away?" the woman asked in lazy tone. She put down the stack of cards on the table, no longer had any interest to play the cards with these two.


    "I''ll call the brats to stay here."


    "Alright."


    Wenren Yu and Lin Xiao stayed still in their place. Neither one of the two of them dared to move from their place lest the three powerful cultivators detected them. Thankfully, it didn''t seem like they wanted to check on the window.


    But they still didn''t understand, what were these powerful cultivators tried to find in that seemingly ordinary lake?


    As the woman walked out, Liu Gang looked at the third man. He scoffed. "You don''t really have much interest, do you?"


    "No."


    "Don''t you know that those who could obtain the power from that will become one of the eight emperors?" Liu Gang snorted. His arms were crossed against each other. "And to think that lake is under Taiyi Sect for so long yet they didn''t do anything to make use of it. How wasteful."


    That?


    Both Wenren Yu and Lin Xiao clearly didn''t understand what these people were talking about, but they knew that there must be a secret within the lake that they wanted to find. Whatever it was, it would make them powerful.


    As for the meaning of the Emperor�� Lin Xiao honestly didn''t know.


    On the other hand, Wenren Yu''s expression was grave. He might be only an outer disciple, but he still knew some legends that passed in the cultivators'' worlds. He had some inkling about what kind of treasure that these people wanted.


    But it was just a hazy picture.


    He had no idea how accurate it was.


    Bang!


    "Let''s go, I already instructed those brats to stay and continue their activity," the woman returned and ordered with a loud voice.


    "Shut your mouth," Liu Gang hissed.


    "Don''t order me, You Brute."


    "Fat Woman."


    Bamg!


    "What did you say?"


    By this time, Wenren Yu and Lin Xiao didn''t need to be a genius to guess that these three were fighting against each other as they strode out of the rooms. One of the biggest taboo to talk to a woman would be their weight and blatantly told the woman that she was fat��.


    May Liu Gang rest in peace.


    Wenren Yu turned his head to the east as his eyes narrowed. It would be dawn soon and if they didn''t leave, they would risk getting found out.


    He tugged Lin Xiao''s sleeve. ''Let''s leave.''


    Lin Xiao nodded and followed Wenren Yu. The two of them safely returned back to the ground and then attempted to sneak back into the forest.


    Bang!


    At this time, the wall from the side building was destroyed. Luo Lan''s sorry figure was thrashed among the pieces of woods and rocks that splattered along with his body.


    "Bai Xin!"


    "You pervert! Who told you to open the door?" Bai Xin asked in menacing tone. Her robe was not done perfectly because she was in the middle of changing when Luo Lan barged in, telling her about the instruction from the teacher.


    "You fat woman!" Luo Lan howled in annoyance.


    Bai Xin furrowed her brows and rushed forward. Her hand easily grabbed Luo Lan''s arm and threw him to the other side.


    Bang!


    "Ouch��."


    Luo Lan''s eyes widened when he saw the two figure who were trying to sneak away. It was dark, so he couldn''t see their complexion clearly, but he knew that there were two people over here.


    "Intru��"


    Punch!


    Lin Xiao didn''t hesitate and quickly used Mountain Punch to stop Luo Lan from screaming. On the other hand, Wenren Yu also delivered a kick to Luo Lan.


    "Hurry!"


    Using Moon Evasion, the two of them swiftly departed into the forest. This time, they no longer cared for the noise they made.


    "After them�� ouch!" Luo Lan looked at Bai Xin hatefully. She just stomped on his hand, ah! "Bai Xin! You b*tch!"


    Bai Xin snorted and ignored Luo Lan. Her eyes were glued to the two figures in front of her that disappeared into the darkness. The familiar trace of Moon Evasion, a faint mark in moon shape was left on the ground.


    "Moon Evasion?"


    "What Moon Evasion, ah?" Luo Lan asked in indignant tone. He was holding onto his hand that Bai Xin mercilessly stomped just now while chasing after them. His eyes were looking in the direction of the forest with a frown. "That punch is obviously Mountain Punch! They might be from Taiyi Sect."


    "Taiyi Sect?" Bai Xin rolled her eyes. "Don''t you know that Mountain Punch is basically a skill that everyone in this area learned?"


    "But it''s powerful!"


    "Are you saying that only those from Taiyi Sect can learn the skill until they''re so powerful?"


    "That��"


    Swish!


    As the two of them argued, the third disciple rushed past them with Moon Evasion. He glanced back and uttered out, "Noisy."


    Before once more using Moon Evasion and disappeared from their vision as they chased after the two intruders.

 Chapter 55: Game of Chase

    "You, bastard Lin Hou! I''ll kill you!" Luo Lan shouted and initiated his Qi to sped up.


    Bai Xin''s face was also ashen. She never liked the third disciple, Lin Hou, and had been itching to give him a beating. If not for the fact that Lin Hou was stronger than them, she would have done that from a long time ago.


    Swish!


    Wenren Yu and Lin Xiao were still running when Lin Xiao heard the scream from Luo Lan.


    "Eh, his surname is the same as me?" Lin Xiao asked while rushing into the forest. The moment he stepped into the forest, he felt a bit relaxed because he knew that there were more places for him to hide here.


    "Lin is a common surname."


    "Really?"


    "Yes."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He had never thought about it before and besides; his surname was given by his adoptive parents. As for his real surname before, he completely had no idea and had no interest to find out either.


    Swish!


    *pant* *pant*


    After using Moon Evasion a few times, Lin Xiao clearly felt his Qi was depleted. It seemed that using the skill several times in a row was clearly a big no. It would be much better if they could rest for the time being.


    "They''re still quite far," Wenren Yu muttered. The noise that Luo Lan and Bai Xin made make it easier for them to determine their position. Right now, he truly felt these disciples were very stupid to make such big noise when they were chasing.


    "What are we going to do?"


    "Sneak away quietly. Try not to leave any trace."


    "Got it."


    Krack!


    Wenren Yu looked down and noticed that Lin Xiao had stepped onto a branch. His face darkened. "Quietly, Lin Xiao."


    "Hehehe."


    Lin Xiao focused his attention to his surroundings and paid close attention to where he stepped. It was not dawn yet, so everything was still very dark, making it easier for them to leave if they wanted to.


    Shrouded by darkness, who could find them?


    Swish!


    Lin Hou had arrived into the forests. He was faster than Bai Xin and Luo Lan, but he also stopped in his track for the time being. His eyes swept the area with a frown.


    ''Where are those intruders?''


    He was still at body training stage, meaning that he couldn''t use his Qi too freely and still extremely limited. Because of that, he didn''t dare to use his skill so much because it would only make it difficult for him to move afterwards.


    But even then, he failed to trace their track.


    Lowering his eyes, he saw the sight of broken branch on the ground and sneered. Those stupid fools couldn''t even step properly.


    Bang!


    Behind him, Luo Lan made such a big noise as usual as he stormed into the forest with Bai Xin not far from him. The two of them didn''t have good movement skill because they focused on other skills.


    "Lin Hou, where are they?"


    "This direction."


    "Ok!~ Let''s give those people a good beating for interrupting our morn��"


    Bletak!


    Bai Xin hit Luo Lan''s head. "You''re the one disrupting someone''s morning by barging in. Didn''t you learn how to knock doors?"


    "Stop it!"


    Swish!


    The two of them didn''t seem to be able to focus on the task on hand and already quarreled once more. Lin Hou ignored those two and moved forward. His eyes were scanning the surroundings carefully.


    There were still some traces left on the ground and on the trees. While it might not be that visible, it was still more than enough for him to follow the intruders deep into the forest. Unlike the duo, Lin Hou was silent in his attempt to pursue the two intruders. Slowly but surely, he heard faint movements from the front.


    ''Got them.''


    Initiating Moon Evasion, Lin Hou traveled several meters at once. When he saw what was in front of him, he was shocked.


    Splash!


    Bang!


    Under the water, Lin Hou was about to stabilized himself when a punch landed on his face. It was not hurt that much, but as a proud disciple, how could he let himself be beaten up that easily?


    Maneuvering his body inside the water, Lin Hou also threw a punch.


    Bang! Bang!


    The water slowed their movements, but it was needless to say that both sides continued to punch without thinking of the consequences. The only difference that was visible was the fact that the amount of Qi they held were different.


    Wenren Yu circled behind Lin Hou. He was also at lower stage compared to Lin Hou, so he swiftly raised his legs.


    Kick!


    ''Damn it!''


    Lin Xiao used the chances that Wenren Yu created and threw another Mountain Punch to Lin Hou. Internally, he was thinking that inside the water the power of his punch was greatly reduced and it was quite annoying. He would need to train how to punch under the water in the future.


    Bang!


    After landing the last punch, Lin Xiao noticed the sign that Wenren Yu made. He swiftly turned his attention to the rocky and muddy wall of the river and threw a punch. The water instantly turned dirty.

 Chapter 56: Escape

    Splash!


    Water was splashing and Lin Hou found it difficult to see his surroundings. Thanks to his attempt to use Moon Evasion countless times, his Qi was already depleted. He had no other choice but to retreat and got out of the river.


    Splash!


    "There!" Luo Lan, who still had pig like appearance, saw the commotion and rushed over. Behind him, Bai Xin also rushed over.


    The two of them stopped before the river as they saw Lin Hou got out. Luo Lan planned to go inside immediately but when he saw Lin Hou''s face, he burst out laughing. "Wahahahahaha! You''re so handsome!"


    Lin Hou''s face darkened as he gathered his remaining Qi and punched Luo Lan. Thanks to his greater speed and power, Luo Lan didn''t get any chance to block before he was thrown straight into the river.


    Bang! Splash!


    Inside the river, Luo Lan held the urge to curse when he saw the muddy water. He couldn''t see anything, ah! Slowly, Luo Lan struggled to get to the shore once more.


    At this time, Lin Hou was trying to think where the two of them possibly go. He couldn''t see them properly inside the water, but he could guess that they must be villagers here. The river was located at the side of the village, so they might be using the river to get away.


    But, there was one important thing: these two had to breathe.


    When they appeared, Lin Hou would surely land a punch on their faces. He was pissed because he was dragged to fight under the water, a fight that was clearly unfavorable for him.


    "They''re under water?" Bai Xin asked as she watched Luo Lan climbed out without any intention to help. She was still annoyed at this peeping tom who dared to sneak into her room without remorse before.


    Lin Hou nodded.


    Glancing at the water, Bai Xin''s brows creased. The muddy water clearly made it impossible for her to look at whoever was inside. This also soured her mood because she didn''t want to enter inside.


    "Tsk, you really have foul temper," Luo Lan complained as he got out.


    Passing a glance at Luo Lan, Lin Hou asked, "Do you see someone got out of the water?"


    "What?"


    "Do you see anyone inside?" Bai Xin rephrased the question.


    Luo Lan tilted his head then shook it. He didn''t pay much attention when inside. Besides, with the water so dirty like that, how could he possibly see anyone. "I don''t."


    Lin Hou furrowed his brows. He looked around the water, waiting for those people to go up in order to breathe. Yet, even after waiting for a long time, he couldn''t see anyone showing their faces.


    His expression turned dark.


    "What should we do?"


    "Just report to Teacher later," Lin Hou finally said. He looked at the water with icy expression. After the mud was cleared, he could see that there was truly no one nearby. One way or another, those two managed to escape.


    He felt vexed.


    ��


    Meanwhile, Lin Xiao and Wenren Yu were going in the opposite direction. Lin Hou was paying close attention to the direction of the village, but the two of them were going in the opposite direction. Swimming underwater as fast as possible, they tried to evade the three''s field of view.


    Splash!


    "Are we already far enough?" Lin Xiao asked in low tone. He couldn''t see the three pursuers anymore after the river bend at one point. The river was not a straight line, so he came out behind the trees.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "Should be."


    "Why are we going to the north and not back to the village?" Lin Xiao asked again in confusion.


    Pointing at the north, Wenren Yu spoke again, "Don''t you want to figure out the secret of the pond that those foundation establishment people tried to figure out?"


    Lin Xiao looked at the north for a moment then nodded. He was curious as to why they wanted to find the pond and tried to take advantage of that. However, he also knew that it would be dangerous.


    "What if they find us?"


    "We''ll escape."


    "Do you really think we can overrun foundation establishment cultivator?" Lin Xiao was speechless. From what he knew, Wenren Yu has always been very timid to the point that even he had the urge to slap the man''s head. But now, the same person was the one suggesting them to head to the north and chase those foundation establishment cultivators?


    Did the sun rise from the west?


    Wenren Yu rolled his eyes. "I don''t say that we''re going to get close but at a distance away from them. I want to know the reason why they''re chasing after the lake for so long."


    Those three did say that the reason why they chose to collaborate with the people who wanted to overthrow Taiyi Sect was because of this lake. While the fishes did look special, but he wanted to find out the exact reason as to why those people dared to make their moves.


    He didn''t want to die without finding out the reason why he had lost everything.


    Lin Xiao looked at the decisive look at Wenren Yu and sighed. It would be a lie if he said that he was not curious. Since they were already involved in this matter, what difference would it make if they headed to the lake?


    "Fine, let''s go."


    "Great!"


    With that, the two youngsters rushed to the north, completely forgetting the three frustrated youngsters who were waiting near the river.

 Chapter 57: Mysterious Lake

    The two youngsters swiftly passed by the forest to the north.


    Lin Xiao was only body training rank 6, but he was not any slower than Wenren Yu who was already body training rank 7. From the way it looked like, the two of them wouldn''t take so much time to reach the lake.


    "Is this place always this quiet?" Wenren Yu asked. He didn''t even see a single beast even though they have been traveling for more than half an hour.


    Tilting his head, Lin Xiao pondered. He already had this absurd thought since some time ago. After all, whenever he headed to the north lake, the forest was always so clear of beast. They all simply disappeared.


    "Maybe they''re afraid of me?"


    "��"


    Lin Xiao shrugged and pointed to the front. "When we''re near, let''s rest a bit. We wouldn''t be able to run properly without recovering our Qi."


    "Fine."


    This was the first time Wenren Yu passed through this area, but he already felt that it was really strange. When they were near the house back then, there were always so many beasts around because Lin Xiao somehow managed to hunt some every few days for their meal.


    But in this part of the forest, the beasts disappeared? That sound suspicious.


    "We''re near."


    Lin Xiao stopped after some time. He could already see the lake from a distance away and didn''t dare to get any closer. With agile movement, he climbed the nearby tree and sat on the thick branch.


    Swish!


    Behind him, Wenren Yu followed suit and furrowed his brows when he saw the three people near the lake. From their appearance, it was clear that they have been fighting against the beasts for a long time.


    "Did they attract all the beasts?" Wenren Yu asked in weird tone.


    "Oh, maybe?"


    Wenren Yu looked at Lin Xiao and decided in his heart that it would be useless to talk about this matter with this ignorant brat. From what he knew regarding beasts, they would usually target the weaker ones and not the strong ones. How could it be possible that they were targeting the three foundation establishment elders and not targeting weak target like them.


    He felt that the matter was bizarre.


    Looking at the calm Lin Xiao, Wenren Yu suddenly had a thought. "Lin Xiao."


    "What is it? Don''t ask me to get closer to those three. Unless you wished for us to die in miserable manner, we better keep our distance."


    "Not that." Wenren Yu rolled his eyes. He was not an idiot, alright? "When you come here in the past, are there any beasts?"


    "No."


    "Not even one?"


    Lin Xiao shook his head. "I don''t encounter any beast when I''m approaching the lake in the past."


    No beasts?


    For some reason, Wenren Yu felt as if the beasts were purposely moving away when Lin Xiao came. As if Lin Xiao was their king and if they didn''t make way, they would surely suffer greatly.


    Immediately afterwards, Wenren Yu shook his head. He felt that his brain was not working well for him to think about such matters like this. How could it be possible that an ignorant village brat like Lin Xiao be a king?


    The thoughts itself was absurd.


    "They''re moving."


    Lin Xiao attracted Wenren Yu''s attention and the two of them focused their attention to the three foundation establishment people. From the way it looked like, the three of them were quarreling.


    Unfortunately, their distance didn''t allow them to know what they were talking about.


    "Bastard!"


    Except for this one shrill scream.


    Splash!


    The two of them watched as the three people entered the lake. There was nothing wrong with their movements, but seeing how they use Qi to envelop their body, Lin Xiao felt a bit jealous. Foundation Establishment stage allowed them to use their Qi freely and one of the effect that it provided was a thin layer of defense around their body.


    While it might be thin, it was the greatest difference between Body Training Stage and Foundation Establishment Stage. In addition, those at body training would find it hard to break that thin layer of Qi to wound Foundation Establishment Cultivators.


    After all, they couldn''t do the same thing.


    "They''re entering the water."


    "I know."


    Lin Xiao was watching while trying to focus on recovering his Qi. He felt that trying to divide his mind to do two things at once was very difficult. In the end, he gave up and patted Wenren Yu.


    "You watch them first. I need to recover my Qi."


    "Alright."


    Wenren Yu stayed still while Lin Xiao already meditate. The sky was turning bright slowly but the three elders was stuck near the shore of the lake. It was as if there was an invisible power that stopped them from getting close to the lake.


    Watching from afar, Wenren Yu could see that the three of them already started quarreling once again for some unknown reason. This made him wonder if those powerful cultivators actually had the habit of quarreling.


    "I''m done, your turn."


    "Ok."


    The amount of Qi in body training stage was no that much, so they didn''t really need a long time if they wished to recover it. Lin Xiao looked at the three people quarreling in the lake and the corner of his lips twitched.


    Did they even know what they were doing?


    After some time passed, Lin Xiao suddenly sensed faint movement from the lake. His eyes narrowed when he sensed the rich Qi that suddenly spread from the lake. The dense Qi felt as if it was going to suffocate them.


    "Gah!"

 Chapter 58: Secret Passage

    "Lin Xiao?!" Wenren Yu heard sounds and quickly opened his eyes. He was stunned when he saw Lin Xiao was on the verge of fainting, but immediately sensed the thick and rich Qi surrounding the lake. While a large amount of Qi was beneficial for them, but increasing the density more than 100 times instantly was dangerous.


    They were unable to breath properly.


    "Meditate!"


    Lin Xiao quickly focused his attention to his body and entered deep state of meditation. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he cursed himself internally. He couldn''t believe that entering a place with rich Qi like this actually had drawbacks.


    Didn''t people always say that if they entered the place with rich Qi, they could train faster and advance faster?


    Lies! It was all lies!


    Rounds of curses already filled Lin Xiao''s mind and it was only after some time did he feel that the density decreased slightly to the level where he could breathe properly. Sensing the Qi inside his body, Lin Xiao was astonished.


    He would be able to reach Body Training Rank 7 soon!


    The Qi helped him to strengthen his bones and flesh. Aside from the painful process where he felt that he was about to suffocate, everything else felt like a dream. Right now, Lin Xiao wouldn''t mind even if he had to train in that condition as long as he could advance faster.


    Turning his head to Wenren Yu, Lin Xiao''s eyes nearly popped out of their socket. He could see that Wenren Yu had already broken through to rank 8. There was no sound and breaking through during body training stage didn''t really attract anyone''s attention except if they were nearby.


    Wenren Yu opened his eyes and looked at his hand. Afterwards, he saw Lin Xiao looking at him with sour expression. He laughed. "I''m already at rank higher than you. It''s not weird that I advance faster, right?"


    "In that case, I''ll train��"


    "They''re moving,"


    Despite wanting to train more, Lin Xiao''s eyes automatically landed on the three elders. Their faces were pale as they already retreated back from the lake. By now, they already stood up and began to speak.


    Strangely, this time, Lin Xiao and Wenren Yu could hear what they were talking about faintly.


    "That damn lake! Why did it suddenly spew so much Qi? I was nearly crushed under such pressure!"


    "It''s already normal again," Liu Gang said in disdainful tone. He looked at the haggard woman not far from him. "You''re usually very strong but this time, you cave in? How useless?"


    The woman''s eyes narrowed as Qi exploded from her body. As Foundation Establishment cultivator, she had much more Qi compared to those at body training stage. "Do you dare to repeat it again?"


    "Hoo, you want to have a bout?" Liu Gang was not afraid.


    From afar, Lin Xiao and Wenren Yu felt as if they could understand why Luo Lan and Bai Xin couldn''t cooperate with each other. If even their teachers were fighting against each other so openly, it wouldn''t be weird if their disciples followed their footsteps.


    The only difference was that Liu Gang and the woman wouldn''t fight against each other if they were in front of others.


    "The door is open. It wouldn''t be for long."


    "In that case, we''re going inside first. And I''ll be the one who will get the Emperor Inheritance!"


    Splash!


    "Damn you! Don''t steal a march!"


    The three of them disappeared into the water while Wenren Yu and Lin Xiao were stunned. They looked at each other as if asking whether they should follow the three Foundation Establishment Cultivators or not.


    "What is Emperor Inheritance?" Lin Xiao asked while pointing to the lake. He was tempted to get inside and try his luck.


    Wenren Yu looked at Lin Xiao as if wondering in which rock this ignorant brat popped out. "Emperor Inheritance is the greatest inheritance in this world. It never belonged to someone but anyone who can get Emperor Inheritance will become the Emperor in the future. Of course, there are always those who had such bad luck that they died first before reaching their supposed fate."


    Supposed fate?


    Seeing Lin Xiao''s confused face, Wenren Yu pointed to the lake. "Let''s follow them and I''ll explain on the way."


    "Alright."


    "There are a total of 8 Emperor Inheritance in the entire world that represent 8 different things," Wenren Yu started. "One of them is lake and probably it''s the one in this place. However, there''s no sign of Emperor Inheritance appearing in this world even after such a long time."


    Lin Xiao grinned. "Maybe it''s waiting for me?"


    Wenren Yu: "��" just how high is your confidence?


    The two of them entered the water and saw the passage. It was as if the bottom of the lake had become the entrance to something, yet there was no beast guarding the place as if it was empty.


    Lin Xiao was about to approach it when the earth shook. His eyes landed on the entrance as he felt it was blocking them from entering.


    "Wenren Yu, let''s leave."


    "What?"


    "I don''t think it''s a good idea to come close to that thing," Lin Xiao replied and pulled Wenren Yu away.


    Just as Wenren Yu about to protest, they could hear scream coming from the passage. The violent movement of Qi in the air told them that something bad might have happened. Following afterwards, they could hear the loud roar of beasts as if it shattered the air and water.


    ''That must be high ranked beast!''


    Wenren Yu and Lin Xiao no longer hesitated and quickly ran away from the lake. They were not prepared to lose their lives before they could figure out what was going on with this place.


    Maybe, they should just try to enter the lake at some other time in the far future.


    It would be much safer.


    *Roar*


    Hearing the roar once more, Lin Xiao and Wenren Yu dashed into the forest without looking back even once.

 Chapter 59: Change of Attitude

    Bang!


    The sound of fight from behind could be heard. Right afterwards, large volume of water spurted out from the lake as if it was a fountain. Three battered Foundation Establishment people were shot out in very unpleasant manner.


    *cough* *cough*


    "What in the world is that ugly thing? I can''t believe that in the place where we''re supposed to find Emperor Inheritance there''s that ugly monster?!"


    The woman''s curse spread further in the quiet area. There was no sign of beasts nearby and only her scream along with the other two''s displeased expression were left. They all stared at the lake, fearing that the beast they saw would follow them out.


    "I''m going."


    The one sentence that uttered calmly shocked the other two. The woman and Liu Gang were looking towards the third person with confusion. "What are you talking about?"


    "You want to give up after reaching this far?"


    The man didn''t immediately answer. His tranquil expression didn''t leak out anything. However, it was clear that he was staring at the lake. "Only those with the Emperor''s bloodline can ever hope to gain the inheritance."


    It was not a secret. Everyone knew this. There were several emperors in the entire land but each of them governed different areas. At the same time, there were also several Emperor''s Inheritance and only those who possessed the Emperor''s lineage could ever hope to get it.


    Those who wished to snatch the inheritance from other people would only be a joke!


    The woman''s face turned awful. "What? You actually believe that superstition? You will never know whether you can get the inheritance or not before you try it."


    "And beat that monster?"


    Liu Gang opened his mouth and wanted to speak again, but even his expression turned worse. Based on what he had seen, the monster could only be beaten if they had reached Golden Core Stage or even above it. As Foundation Establishment cultivators, they would be seeking death if they tried to get close to the monster.


    "You��."


    "I''m leaving." This time the tone was firmer than before. The woman and Liu Gang were unable to say anything else when they saw the back figure of the third person. They looked at each other.


    "Do you want to leave too?"


    "Are you kidding?" the woman scoffed. She looked at the lake as greed appeared from within her eyes. After all, she wanted to get the inheritance no matter what, but how in the world could she get the Emperor''s Bloodline?


    Changing someone''s bloodline was not impossible, but it was forbidden. Not to mention, the art was deeply guarded since no one wished for their powerful bloodline to be stolen by other people.


    Those who were found to be learning this wicked secret art would be admonished and chased to be killed.


    Liu Gang shook his head. "Finish the examination first. We''ll report to our respective sect afterwards."


    "Fine."


    Even though she was unwilling, the woman knew that with her current strength, it was impossible to enter the cave. Unless she wished to dig an early grave for herself, she shall not come to the lake ever again.


    ��


    Splash!


    While the three of them have their own dispute, Wenren Yu and Lin Xiao swiftly returned back in their old home. They crossed the river and could see the village from a distance away.


    "Do you think we''re already save now?"


    "Are those three disciples still waiting near the river?" Wenren Yu asked.


    Lin Xiao was stumped. He had completely forgotten about those three. If not for Wenren Yu reminding him, he might not even be able to recall their existences anymore. Scratching the back of his head, he smiled sheepishly.


    "I don''t know."


    "There didn''t seem to be anyone."


    Wenren Yu has higher rank compared to Lin Xiao, so he could sense that there were no one near them faster than Lin Xiao. But when it came to traveling in the forest, it was clear that Lin Xiao would surely outdo him.


    As someone who was very familiar with this area, Lin Xiao knew everything like the back of his hand.


    "In that case, we should return back. Yun must have been very worried." Lin Xiao recalled his younger brother and felt a bit bad for forgetting to tell the other party about his delayed return.


    "Are you sure he''s worried?"


    "Yes?"


    "Didn''t you always leave him in the house every day?"


    Lin Xiao: "��" well, that''s true.


    Now, Lin Xiao felt a bit lost. He always travelled here and there without bringing his younger brother along because it was too dangerous. But Lin Yun had already reached Body Training Rank 5 not long ago, so it would be weird if he didn''t bring his younger brother along with him.


    Probably Lin Yun might even reach Body Training Rank 6 soon.


    Wenren Yu studied Lin Xiao''s expression as they traveled in the forest. He could see that the person before him was contemplating. "Are you jealous of your brother?"


    "Jealous? Why should I jealous?" Lin Xiao asked in confused tone.


    "Because he can advance through easier method than you."


    "Easier?" Lin Xiao shook his head. "You''re wrong. Lin Yun has sickly body and have to consume a lot of medicine since you. The pain from medicine shouldn''t be any worse from the pain from training. Why should I be jealous of him? He''s my brother and naturally I''ll be happy if my brother is an accomplished person."


    Hearing that, Wenren Yu was stumped. Seeing Lin Xiao pure expression, he had the feeling that Lin Xiao was a very simple person. He was good to those whom he considered to be his people and ruthless to his enemies.


    Recalling how he himself often felt jealous of his senior, Wenren Yu felt a bit ashamed. He was older than Lin Xiao, but he felt that Lin Xiao''s worldview was more easygoing than him.


    The two of them arrived near the house. Upon seeing the footsteps and also the opened door, Lin Xiao''s face changed.


    "Something is wrong."


    Bang!

 Chapter 60: You Dare?!

    Bang!


    Without waiting for Wenren Yu, Lin Xiao initiated Moon Evasion and arrived by the door instantly. Inside the house, he could see broken furniture along with his brother bloody figure. Lin Yun was wounded in his left arm while coughing blood. In front of him, Su Han was standing like a towering mountain.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes turned red in rage as he rushed forward and punched at Su Han''s direction.


    "Don''t you have enough beating, Su Han?!"


    Bang!


    Unable to defend himself in time, Su Han flew like a kite to the back. He crashed onto the wall, but the wall was not strong enough as he passed through and landed on the ground outside.


    Lin Xiao ignored Su Han and looked at his brother. "Yun, are you alright?"


    "I''m fine." Lin Yun smiled reassuringly. He was still only Body Training Rank 5, so challenging Su Han, who was already at Body Training Rank 7 was a big deal. He definitely couldn''t match up against Su Han and was at disadvantage.


    Seeing his brother''s sorry state, Lin Xiao was even more enraged than before. He would not allow anyone to hurt his family members no matter who it was. Rushing out through the hole on the wall, he could see Su Han, who staggered to stand up.


    When punching Su Han, Lin Xiao naturally didn''t hold back and punched with all of his power. With his body was still rich in Qi because of his previous training along with the fact that his Mountain Punch skill was already in high mastery, Su Han was clearly not his match.


    "You��"


    Kick!


    Not waiting for Su Han to finish speaking, Lin Xiao kicked the other party. This time, Su Han flew to the back once more as if there was no restraint at all.


    "What are you doing in my house, Su Han?" Lin Xiao asked in cold tone. His imposing aura was completely different from his usual easy going attitude. Even when he was confronting Su Hei and the disciples before, he didn''t look this scary. At this moment, Lin Xiao was thoroughly angry.


    He was someone with pride, so naturally he could be arrogant at times. But for him to look so imposing despite his weak strength, this was the first time.


    For some unknown reason, Su Han felt chills creeping on his back without him realizing. His eyes were fixated at Lin Xiao before him as he tried to figure out a method to get out of this tricky situation, but before he could do anything, Lin Xiao had punched him once more.


    Bang!


    His bones cracked from the impact and a crater was formed on the ground. Due to his anger, Lin Xiao didn''t hold back in the slightest bit. Despite the clear difference in rank between him and Su Han, the barrier seemed to be nonexistent at this very moment.


    *cough* *cough*


    "Bastard, do you want to��"


    Bang!


    Lin Xiao punched again. His eyes were cold as he saw Su Han coughed mouthful of blood. The area around Su Han''s head had turned bloody thanks to that. "Do you still not want to give me answer, Su Han?"


    "I want to give you lessons, you��."


    Bang!


    Lin Xiao looked at Su Han and snorted. "Do you think if I throw you off the cliff anyone will know that you died in my hand, Su Han?"


    At this time, Su Han''s eyes widened. He looked at Lin Xiao in disbelief as he never expected that Lin Xiao would dare to do something like that. Raising his head, he could see the cold glint within Lin Xiao''s eyes.


    "You wouldn''t dare!"


    "Would you like to try me, Su Han?" Lin Xiao asked. He never cared for Su Han''s bullying in the past because it was just some squabble not worth mentioning. But when Su Han purposely seek his younger brother and hurt Lin Yun like that, Lin Xiao could no longer tolerate Su Han.


    "You!"


    Swish! Bang!


    A stone was thrown in Lin Xiao''s direction when he was about to punch again, turning his attention to the side and used his punch to knock the stone instead. At the same time, Su Hei appeared from behind the tree. He had obviously been waiting there for a long time, watching his younger brother got beaten horribly.


    Lin Xiao sneered. "What are you doing here, Su Hei?"


    There was no longer any hint of respect when Lin Xiao was addressing Su Hei. In the past, no matter how much Lin Xiao disliked the other party, he always kept appearance and never tried to openly went against Su Hei.


    But not now.


    He had thrown all civility to the back of his head.


    There was only hostility and animosity.


    Su Hei was angry, but he cupped his hand. "Don''t you think that killing Su Han is too much. He''s your fellow villagers."


    "Fellow villagers?" Lin Xiao wanted to laugh. He looked at Su Hei with a cold smile on his lips. "Aren''t you the one who said that I''ll never be part of the village because my parents are not from this village."


    Lin Xiao was an orphan. Lin Yun''s father took him in when he was still a toddler and since then, he stayed with the Lin Family. While the family of three accepted him to be their family members, the villagers were not as kind.


    Many of them didn''t want to acknowledge Lin Xiao to be a member of their village. Su Hei was clearly included in those who didn''t acknowledge him.


    "What are you talking about, I was still young back then," Su Hei gritted his teeth and tried to turn the situation around.


    Lin Xiao snorted. "When you find me unpleasant, you try to push me away but now that you''re at disadvantage, you''re trying to pull me back into the village. Let me tell you one thing, Su Hei. Double faced people will never be able to live long!"


    "You!"


    "And this matter is between Su Han and me! Since he dared to wound my brother, he had to be ready to face the consequences!"


    Before Su Hei could react, Lin Xiao had punched down. This time, his target was Su Han''s arm and with a crack, the bone was shattered into pieces as the punch connected!


    Bang!


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

 Chapter 61: I’m Not Afraid!

    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


    The scream filled the quiet forest while Lin Xiao watched with cold and detached expression. He simply looked at the wailing Su Han on the ground without any expression nor feeling. Right now, he was still angry because of what Su Han did to his brother, so he would take revenge right away.


    People always said that a decade was not too late for a gentleman to take their revenge.


    But Lin Xiao never categorized himself as a gentleman nor did he plan to ever be one. Since Su Han dared to offend him so greatly and he was also not far behind from Su Han, he would directly enact his revenge!


    "You bastard!"


    Su Hei might not like his younger brother, but he knew that the representatives who came here all treasured Su Han greatly. They wanted to take Su Han back with them to their sects.


    If Su Han was wounded so terribly, what would happen to him?


    Swish! Bang!


    The two of them threw punches at the same time while Su Han rolled away. His figure looked wretched after he rolled on the dusty ground and muddy earth. But at that moment, he didn''t look like he cared for his appearance anymore.


    He just wanted to stay away from Lin Xiao and fast!


    Lin Xiao looked like a grim reaper in Su Han''s eyes. He didn''t dare to do anything else but running.


    At the same time, Lin Xiao and Su Hei''s punch were connected to each other. The two of them were pushed to the back but at a glance, it was clear that Lin Xiao was at disadvantage. He was pushed off more than 5 feet while Su Hei was only pushed back for 2 feet!


    ''Indeed, worthy of being Body Training Rank 8.''


    Lin Xiao circulated his Qi as he calmed down his mind. Facing Su Han, it didn''t matter even if he was in state of anger because Su Han was only a rank higher and was a lot weaker. With his explosive power and superior skill, it was easy to subdue Su Han.


    But Su Hei was different.


    Su Hei had reached Body Training Rank 8 for years. He was also someone who hunt in the forest for a long time and naturally familiar with fighting against beasts. From time to time, he would be riddled in wounds because of his fight.


    Lin Xiao knew that if he wanted to fight Su Hei, he had to be calm and cautious.


    Even the slightest bit of mistake was more than enough to push him back.


    "Since you dare to harm my brother, do you dare to fight me, Lin Xiao?" Su Hei asked in cold tone.


    Raising his head, Lin Xiao could see Su Hei''s cold gaze. However, he had long known that Su Hei was someone who didn''t care much about family bond whatsoever. In fact, he had seen that Su Hei was jealous of Su Han many times in the past.


    There was no benefit for him to help Su Han, was it?


    ''I see, he''s trying to make Su Han feel gratitude for him.''


    Knowing that something must have angered Su Han to the point that he searched for him, Lin Xiao was able to connect the dots almost instantly. He could guess that the reason Su Hei dared to fight him was precisely for that very reason.


    However, he would not let things went according to Su Hei''s wishes.


    "Yun, if you have recovered enough, go kill Su Han. He couldn''t run far away with his leg twisted and broken arm," Lin Xiao said unhurriedly.


    Su Hei''s expression changed. If Su Han died here, his plan would be for naught. There was no need for him to fight Lin Xiao at this moment when he knew that there was no absolute certainty that he would win.


    "Of course, Brother."


    Walking out of the house, Lin Yun had already bandaged his own arm. Right now, he was also filled with fury. Before his brother came, Su Han threatened him and beaten him so badly. If his brother didn''t come, he would have long died in this place in Su Han''s hand.


    "You dare?!"


    "Why not?"


    Su Han''s body chill as he tried to run away. But as he tried to stand up, something hit his legs, rendering him unable to do anything. Lin Yun appeared before him and directly punched him.


    Mountain Punch was a skill that heavily damaged one''s enemy if it was executed properly. Under the guidance of both Wenren Yu and Lin Xiao, how could it be possible for Lin Yun''s skill to be weak?


    Bang! Bang!


    Flurry of punches exploded.


    Su Hei wanted to turn around, but at this time, Lin Xiao made his move. He rushed forward and punched at Su Hei''s direction.


    Bang!


    The two of them were locked in confrontation once more. As they traded punch after punch, Su Hei could see that Lin Xiao didn''t even bulge in his presence. Even though Lin Xiao was clearly at disadvantage, it was clear that he wouldn''t be able to get the upper hand so quickly.


    ''What could I do.''


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


    The sudden shrill scream attracted Su Hei''s attention and he could see that Lin Yun was attacking at his younger brother''s little brother. His face turned pale.


    Seeing the chance, Lin Xiao suddenly grabbed Su Hei''s arm. He had seen that woman''s disciple��wait, who was her name? He had completely forgotten. Anyway, the woman''s snake counterattack made her arm looked like a snake that could easily evade the opponent''s attack.


    Lin Xiao moved his arm in strange way and this time, he was not following what he saw completely. He used this chance to grab Su Hei''s arm and threw him towards the bushes at the back.


    Caught unprepared, Su Hei was thrown and landed on the ground.


    Bam!

 Chapter 62: Killing Su Han

    ''it''s still bad.''


    Lin Xiao didn''t have much chance to observe Bai Xin back then, so he naturally still couldn''t really use the skill. Not to mention, this kind of learning method was simply unorthodox because they would not teach them the breathing and circulation method.


    Some skills required specific and special breathing or circulation method to be able to executed properly. Because of this, learning simply by observation was very difficult. If they have to learn the breathing method and circulation method separately on their own, it would be extremely hard.


    Simple skills would be possible, but those important skills wouldn''t be possible.


    *ugh*


    Su Hei was about to stand when he suddenly felt that something pricked his neck. Just as he was about to turn around, he saw Lin Xiao was already in front of him. With a punch about to land on his face, he quickly raised his hand.


    Bang!


    The waves destroyed the surrounding leaves. Su Hei swiftly jumped back and tried to distance himself. However, he suddenly felt that his body was growing heavy as if something was pulling his body down even though he was fine just a few moments ago.


    His eyes landed on the bush before him.


    ''Poisonous plants?''


    It was not rare for poisonous plants to be found in this area. After all, they were living inside the forest with various type of vegetation. Poisonous plant was just one among many other plants in this forest.


    At this moment, Su Hei came into decision to retreat. If he was truly poisoned, it would be bad for him to get involved any longer.


    Swish!


    Seeing that he retracted in the direction of Su Han, Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. "Yun, retreat to the house."


    Lin Yun, who was busy venting his anger to Su Han, stood up almost immediately and initiated Moon Evasion. While his skill was poorer than his brother, it was more than enough to send him away from Su Han.


    The badly wounded Su Han was scooped to Su Hei''s arm while he ran in the direction of the village.


    "Brother, are we letting them off just like that?" Lin Yun asked with cold glint. He knew that if it was not for his brother, he might not be able to survive.


    Lin Xiao sneered. "Does he think that he''ll be able to get out safely?"


    The direction where Su Hei went was towards the cliff. Because of Su Han''s screams from before, Lin Xiao knew that the villagers would soon come here. They might be quite isolated, but if someone was screaming so loudly for a long period of time, it was impossible for the villagers to not hear them at all.


    Lin Yun looked at the cliff. "He can''t?"


    "He''s poisoned."


    From behind the bushes, Wenren Yu stood up. His clothes were messy and there were several leaves stuck onto his robe. However, the faint glint within his eyes showed his determination that was rarely shown in his face.


    "You poison him?" Lin Yun was startled. It didn''t need a genius for him to understand what had happened.


    Lin Xiao looked in the direction where Su Han and Su Hei went. His lips curled up to form a sneer. Normal people wouldn''t bother using the cliff''s method to reach their residence because it was simply too dangerous. However, it was exactly what Su Han and Su Hei did.


    And they were completely unaware of the trap he had formed there.


    "Let''s go and watch the show."


    "Watch?"


    Wenren Yu looked towards the other route towards the village and shook his head. "I''ll hide. You two go first."


    "Got it. Be careful."


    "I know."


    The two siblings rushed over in the direction of the cliff. They could see Su Hei ran from a distance away and the sound of villagers were heard from the other side of the cliff. Su Hei''s eyes glinted with ruthlessness when he saw the villagers.


    "Lin Xiao wants to kill us! RUN!"


    "Huh?"


    "What?"


    The villagers were bewildered. They could see Su Hei ran frantically and there were two people who were chasing after them from behind.


    Lin Xiao sneered. "And what do you think the reason is, Su Han? You''re the one trespassing into my house, attacking my younger brother and now you''re trying to run away?"


    "What are you talking about?! You''re talking nonsense!"


    "Nonsense? Just watch where you are right now, Idiot!"


    They were still in the area not far from Lin Xiao''s home. His words were more credible compared to the nonsense that both Su Hei and Su Han spouted out of panic. It was clear that these two didn''t think much when they were talking.


    How stupid.


    Even Lin Yun felt that these two couldn''t be compared to his stupid brother. His brother was not that smart, but at the very least, he knew how to use his brain to create believable story not like them.


    "And now you still want to kill us in front of the villagers?" Su Hei asked again as he arrived before the cliff. Looking at the hanging roots, he knew that it would be impossible to bring two people at once.


    Both he and Su Han had large body. If they were still children, their weight wouldn''t be that much, but right now, it was impossible. They had to cross the cliff one by one.


    ''Damn it, I should have run in the other direction.''


    Su Hei didn''t think much when he was running, so he accidentally ran in the direction of the cliff. If only he could think clearly for a moment, he would have never chosen this path no matter how much courage he had.


    "Su Han, you have to cross by yourself!"


    "Brother!"


    "Go!"


    Su Han could hold the hanging roots properly, so Su Hei circled it on his waist. At the same time, he could see Lin Xiao and Lin Yun were still a distance away, but they were quite close. Without thinking, he pushed Su Han towards the other side of the cliff.


    "Stop here." Lin Xiao stopped running.


    "Brother?"


    Lin Yun was obedient and followed whatever Lin Xiao said despite not understanding why they didn''t get any closer.


    Su Hei was gloating, thinking that they wouldn''t come closer because they couldn''t. However, he could hear his brother scream at this very moment.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

 Chapter 63: Fight!

    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


    "Su Han!"


    Turning his body around, Su Hei''s face was grief stricken. He could see the powerful hanging roots were no longer intact. It snapped in the middle and brought Su Han down the cliff.


    ''NO!''


    Su Hei gripped the next hanging root and then a thought flashed within his mind. He yanked the hanging root as hard as possible.


    Snap!


    The hanging root was cut a few meters above him. His face turned pale as he realized that if he had chosen to take this hanging root, he would have fallen into his death. Looking at Su Han''s disappearing silhouette, he realized that there was nothing he could do aside from watching with dumbfounded expression.


    Soon, his brother''s scream disappeared along with his body into the bottomless cliff.


    "LIN XIAO!"


    "What? Are you blaming me that the hanging roots is not strong enough?" Lin Xiao asked with a sneer.


    Su Hei''s eyes were red. He was following his younger brother to take advantage of the situation. But who would have thought that what happened would be the complete opposite.


    His younger brother died and he gained nothing but wounds.


    How vexing.


    "If it''s not you, who else could it be?" Su Hei roared angrily.


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes. "Do you even see me tampering the hanging roots? It''s already there for as long as I can remember. Who told you to not use the one that I usually use?"


    But of course, Lin Xiao was the one who actually cut the hanging roots. He often climbed up and create some cuts to the hanging roots that were near their place. This way, it would be hard for them to figure out which one was the save one.


    He would be the exception because he could recognize which one he usually used and also the one that hadn''t been cut. Besides, there was no way he would want to use the hanging roots when he was wounded.


    If it snaps in the middle, he would have to switch to others as fast as possible and climb up.


    "You must have done that purposely, you bastard!"


    "Heh, do you really think that I would know you''re going to use the hanging roots, Su Hei? There''s no villager who come to this place most of the time because you all just love to rot in your own village without caring for the two people who lived at the edge of your village!"


    "Shut up!"


    Swish!


    Seeing Su Hei rushed over in their direction, Lin Xiao swiftly raised his arm. "Get away, Yun!"


    "Yes!"


    With Moon Evasion, Lin Yun was no outside of Su Hei''s attack range. He was silently also preparing himself to launch a sneak attack against Su Hei in case it was necessary. After all, Su Hei was Body Training Rank 8, two ranks higher than Lin Xiao and three ranks higher than him.


    They have to be very careful.


    Bang!


    The two clashed and Lin Xiao was pushed to the back. Internally, Lin Xiao was complaining to himself. After all, he would need to learn defensive skill as soon as possible if he wished to stay alive.


    Su Hei didn''t stop there. He lunged forward, trying to attack Lin Xiao with his punch once more.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao evaded the attack and attempted Snake Counterattack again. However, his movement was too slow and failed to grab Su Hei''s arm. With a jerk, he quickly rolled on the side to evade the attack.


    "You bastard!"


    Bang!


    Before Su Hei could attack Lin Xiao, who was on the ground, Lin Yun punched from the back. As Body Training Rank 5, his strength was not that big, but it was more than enough for him to stop Su Hei from attacking Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes lit up as he punched forward.


    "STOP!"


    Bang!


    "Didn''t you hear me telling you to stop?"


    Lin Xiao moved back while Su Hei was coughing. The last attack effectively hit Su Hei''s stomach. He glanced to the back and saw Elder Su came. In fact, he already knew that there was someone there.


    As someone who also spent his time to hunt for the past few months, Lin Xiao had already honed his senses to a certain degree. Detecting an elder coming was not that hard.


    Behind Elder Su was the other two elders. They were slower than Elder Su, but it was clear that they had seen what happened here.


    Looking at their expression, Lin Xiao sneered internally.


    ''You already arrive here since long ago but you didn''t step in to help because you want to see me die? It wouldn''t be that easy.''


    "Father!" Su Hei called and rushed over. He glanced at Lin Xiao''s direction meaningfully before hurried over. While he was already an adult, there was nothing wrong for him to make use of his connection when he could.


    "Explain what happened here!"

 Chapter 64: Responsibility?

    "It''s as you can see," Lin Xiao started even before Su Hei could start. "These two come to bother me in my house and attack my brother, so I retaliate and teach them a lesson."


    "Lies! You''re the one who wants to kill us when we come over to tell you about the competition that the representatives will hold."


    "Competition?" Lin Xiao sneered. "I don''t know anything about the competition!"


    "You''re lying!"


    "I''m not!"


    The two elders at the back chose not to participate in the youngster''s debate and chose to stay behind. Only Elder Su''s face was still as dark as coal. It was clear that he was thoroughly angry because of what had happened. If only they were not in front of the other elders, he would have lunged and kill Lin Xiao.


    Of course, it was only if he could.


    The three elders were only at the same rank as Su Hei. With Su Hei already wounded, Lin Xiao was confident that at the very least, he could run.


    Trying to catch him here?


    They would be seeking trouble.


    "You bastard! You purposely kill my son and now you want to shriek away from responsibility?"


    Lin Xiao looked at Elder Su with dark face. "Kill him? Do you see me with your own dog eyes that I kill him? He clearly falls off the cliff on his own when I''m still far away! You don''t want to believe me? I''m not the only one who see him fall with my own eyes!"


    Behind them, across the cliff, there were already several villagers standing there. They were stunned and then looked at each other. What Lin Xiao said was correct. When Su Han fell into the cliff, Lin Xiao was located far away from him.


    Unless Lin Xiao had reached Golden Core Stage and could attack from a distance away, it was impossible for him to be the one to kill Su Han.


    And accusing Lin Xiao had reached Golden Core Stage? They would rather believe that the three sects launched an attack at their village rather than believing that Lin Xiao had reached Golden Core Stage at his young age.


    However, they also didn''t dare to speak.


    They didn''t want to offend the elder.


    "What? Do you really think that they will speak for you?" Elder Su asked in rage. His body was boiling with Qi.


    Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. "Do you really think that I couldn''t get away from you, Elder Su? If tomorrow Red Village come here, don''t blame me for being ruthless."


    Red Village!


    Their Village was not the only one living in this area. While Red Village was located quite a distance away, they could reach that place in just a day''s time. If Lin Xiao informed the Red Village about the appearance of the sect''s representative, it wouldn''t be a surprise if they came here and asked the representative to take them in too.


    Elder Su flared, "You dare?!"


    "Try me."


    By this time, Lin Xiao no longer looked like the usual playful youth. His eyes were filled with rage and determination. He never had any attachment to this village as no one truly cared for him. Only a few of them treated him normally while the rest would rather make things difficult for him.


    Why should he feel bad for them?


    "You ungrateful bastard. You��."


    "Stop it, Elder Su." Elder Xu stepped forward and stopped Elder Su from attacking the young child. He looked at Lin Xiao with meaningful gaze. "You have seen for yourself that Su Han boy fall down on his own. Lin Xiao is far away from him."


    "Elder Xu!" Su Hei was shocked. Why did this elder chose to side with Lin Xiao at this time?


    "He must be tampering the tree!"


    "Did you see me do that?" Lin Xiao asked with a sneer. "I''m the one who use the tree the most. If I''m tampering it, are you saying that I''m purposely trying to make myself fall to the cliff?"


    Elder Su was stunned. Now that he thought about it, what Lin Xiao said was correct. if Lin Xiao truly tampered the hanging roots, it meant that he was trying to kill himself. After all, the one who used the hanging roots the most was Lin Xiao.


    "You''re lying! You must have tampered all of them!"


    "Idiot!" Lin Xiao spat out and refused to talk with Su Hei again. Since when did this hunting squad leader turn stupid?


    He felt that his intelligence would be insulted if he stayed and argued with Su Hei any longer.


    If Lin Yun or Wenren Yu knew what he was thinking, they would surely say:


    ''You''re already stupid.''


    "You!"


    "What? Still wants to make me guilty? Don''t blame me for abandoning the village if you continued with your nonsense." Lin Xiao''s expression was cold and unfeeling. If one didn''t know better, they would think that it was Lin Xiao''s usual face. He looked scary and domineering at this very moment.


    Elder Su was stunned. He still wanted to convict Lin Xiao guilty for what he had done, but the villagers here were already restless. They were staring at both Elder Xu and Elder Su, trying to figure out what these two elders wanted.


    Should they side with Elder Su?


    Or should they side with Elder Xu?


    Their mind was in chaos as no one knew what they should do anymore. It was rare for the two elders to show different opinion.


    "We''ll talk about this later." Elder Su finally relented. However, his body was still trembling in anger.


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao acted as if he didn''t care and only walked away. Behind him, Lin Yun followed without bothering to look at the elders and the villagers there. Their rude attitude would make people itch to give them a beating, but at this time, no one dared to move.

 Chapter 65: Hidden Agenda

    "Why do you stop me, Elder Xu?" Elder Su asked in cold tone when the two youngsters had already disappeared to the distance away.


    Elder Xu rubbed his chin. "Su Han already died. What do you want to do again?"


    "If not for that bastard Lin Xiao, my son wouldn''t have died!"


    At this moment, Elder Su was grieving badly. Su Han was his most talented son and also the one he pinned his hope on. Without Su Han, he felt as if he was on the verge of collapsing.


    When he saw Su Hei attacked Lin Xiao, he thought that Su Hei would be able to settle the score and killed Lin Xiao. Who would have thought that Lin Xiao and Lin Yun instead could injure his son?


    He couldn''t accept this!


    Elder Xu looked at Elder Su and shook his head. "If you really think that way, you wouldn''t be able to do anything to him."


    "TELL ME WHY YOU''RE SIDING WITH HIM?"


    Instead of answering, Elder Xu merely passed him a meaningful gaze. It was as if he was mocking Elder Su yet his appearance still looked as proper as ever. It was hard to know what was inside his mind with that kind of expression.


    "Answer��"


    Swish!


    Elder Xu moved away with agile steps. He shook his head lightly. "Think about what you can give me, Elder Su."


    Elder Su''s face turned pale almost immediately. At this moment, he finally recalled that the only reason Elder Xu would support him in the past was because he promised to give blessing for Xu Qin and Su Han.


    Now that Su Han had died��.


    Would he give Su Hei?


    The difference in age might be large, but for cultivator, it didn''t really matter that much. After all, they could live for hundreds of years. While Body Training Stage didn''t really increase their lifespan that much, it was still more than 100 years.


    What would 10 years of difference stand for?


    It didn''t really matter that much.


    "You��"


    "Father, let''s go back first," Su Hei suggested. He was holding the excoriating pain within his body. At first, he thought that he was only poisoned by normal poison. But it seemed that the plant was quite dangerous.


    He didn''t know how bad his luck could get to be hurt by such plant at this point of time.


    "Ah? You''re wounded! Let''s go back!"


    No matter how much grievances Elder Su had, he knew that he had to prioritize his son first and got first aid as fast as possible. As for other matters? They could wait for later.


    Seeing the elders turned around and leave, the villagers also dispersed. However, the talk about how Su Han died and the conflict quickly spread across the village. In just a few hours'' time, almost everyone knew about the matter.


    ��


    "Brother."


    While the villagers were busy chatting with themselves, Lin Xiao and Lin Yun were going back to their home. Lin Yun was looking at his brother with uncertain expression. It was as if he wanted to know whether everything was going according to Lin Xiao''s plan or not.


    Lin Xiao stopped not far from his house. There were no villagers around. After the elders left, no one was in the mood to bother with the two siblings anymore.


    "Yes, Yun?"


    "That�� is that hanging roots��?"


    "Oh, it''s just old," Lin Xiao replied uncaringly.


    Lin Yun sneaked a glance at his brother''s expression. He could see a hint of smile on the corner of his brother''s eyes, so he could guess that it must be on purpose. Lin Xiao had already traveled using the hanging roots for years, it could be said that he was the most proficient when it came to talking about that hanging roots.


    However, there was still something that he was worried about.


    "Will Elder Xu help us?"


    "Why do you think he''ll help us?" Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "I''m sure the one who instigate Su Han to come here is that Elder Xu."


    The sentence paralyzed Lin Yun for a moment. He looked at his brother with disbelief in his eyes. "What?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? Su Han might be impulsive, but he''s not that stupid. He wouldn''t come here just to seek trouble for me if there''s nothing special. Something must have triggered him," Lin Xiao replied.


    As for what it was, he didn''t know. He only had this inkling when he saw Elder Xu stood up for him. The elders were shrewd, so they wouldn''t do anything that wouldn''t benefit them. Lin Xiao believed that there was something that Elder Xu wanted from him.


    But what?


    He was poor, very poor in fact. Aside from some quite valuable plants that he kept with himself, there was nothing else that he had.


    "Oh��" Lin Yun fell into deep contemplation, wondering why that elder wanted to help them. Now that Lin Xiao spoke about it in the open, he knew for sure that Lin Xiao was correct and that there must be a hidden agenda.


    The only question left would be what.


    "Anyway, let''s move our things into the cave."


    "Eh?"


    "We only have some valuable plants, right?" Lin Xiao asked back. He was thinking of letting the plants stay there so that when they left in the future, they wouldn''t need to worry about bringing anything.


    "Right."


    Lin Yun stepped inside and looked at his garden with heartache. However, he knew that when a storm was coming, it would be better to be prepared.

 Chapter 66: Preparation

    "You''re not as stupid as I thought you are."


    Lin Xiao''s face darkened as he turned around. He could see Wenren Yu walking in their direction. By now, Wenren Yu had already cleaned his robe so that it was no longer filled with leaves anymore.


    "You''re talking as if I''m someone hopeless!"


    "Isn''t that usually the case?"


    "I''m not!"


    Wenren Yu smiled lightly and pointed to the house. "The wall is broken now. Do you want to repair it or what?"


    "There''s no use repairing it now. I''ll just cut a tree and then cut it to cover temporarily." Lin Xiao furrowed his brows.


    "How do you plan to cut trees without tools?"


    After staying with Lin Xiao for a period of time, Wenren Yu knew that these two siblings barely kept anything with them. In fact, normal household tools were not present either because there was rarely anyone who used it.


    When they first built the house in the past, it was Lin Yun''s parents who built it. Afterwards, whenever Lin Xiao needed to repair, he would borrow the tools from Shopkeeper Wang.


    "Punch it!" Lin Xiao replied with a grin.


    Wenren Yu: "��" I take back my words. He''s still as stupid as ever.


    "You wouldn''t be able to cut trees in time."


    "Better than nothing. You can help Lin Yun to move the plants first, make sure that no one can see you."


    "Got it."


    While Wenren Yu didn''t wear the tag that told everyone he was Taiyi Sect disciple, it was still better for him to not meet with anyone. After all, it didn''t need a genius to know that he was not someone related to the village.


    If his background were to be investigated, his identity as Taiyi Sect disciple would be leaked out.


    At that time, all hell would break loose.


    The three of them quickly worked on their own. Lin Xiao was also paying close attention to his house, especially to anyone who want to come near. However, even after he waited until the sky turned dark, there was no one who came.


    It was very quiet.


    Too quiet in fact.


    "Will that Old Su stay silent?" Lin Yun asked in confusion. Even he understood that it would be impossible for Elder Su to not enact revenge after his second son died. Elder Su pinned his hope on his second son and not his first.


    Losing his second son meant a huge blow to him.


    "He shouldn''t be."


    By now, Lin Xiao had also calmed down. When he was attacking Su Han back then, he no longer thought about the consequences and merely attacking forward. But now that he had cooled down, he realized that the villagers would never welcome him ever again.


    In fact, it wouldn''t be weird if they treated him as enemies.


    "What do you think they''re going to ask you to obtain forgiveness?"


    "Martial arts?" Lin Xiao asked in cold tone. It was not weird for some people to be asked to cripple themselves. However, if he was asked to do that, he would rather fight to the death.


    Without strength, he would just suffer.


    He needed strength to protect his brother and also his own life.


    Wenren Yu looked at Lin Xiao. "You''re 15 years old Body Training Rank 6. Unless they''re stupid enough to not make use of your talent, they''ll ask you to abandon your martial arts."


    "Ah?"


    The two siblings looked at Wenren Yu in confusion. In their opinion, Elder Su wouldn''t want them to get stronger and threatened him. Even when Lin Xiao was two ranks below Su Hei, he could withstand the attack.


    Not perfect, but his life was not threatened either.


    "What do you think he will do?"


    "Use you," Wenren Yu replied. He looked at the plants and sighed. "There are a lot of dangerous plants that can be used to manipulate others. If they want to, they can even destroy your mind with medicine to make you follow their order��."


    "��Is there even such recipe here?"


    "Eh?


    At this time, Wenren Yu finally recalled that the recipe he knew were all from Taiyi Sect and also other sects. A small village like this was unlikely to have such powerful and potent poison to control other people.


    It was very unlikely.


    "That''s just the worst case scenario," Lin Xiao added and sighed. Truthfully, he was not that afraid if he just had to fight. But when it came to fighting with poison, he had to admit that there was some reluctance.


    "So, what are you going to do, Bro?"


    Lin Xiao tilted his head, looking at both Wenren Yu and Lin Yun. The three of them were still at the bottom of the chain, which was very weak.


    "Can you make your breakthrough, Yun?"

 Chapter 67: Their Goal

    "Now?" Lin Yun furrowed his eyebrows. He could already feel that he was close to Body Training Rank 6, but he was not totally sure whether it was possible for him to reach that rank or not right now.


    "Yes."


    "I''m not sure��"


    Wenren Yu stood up and took a bowl of medicine. "This will help you."


    "Thank you!"


    Drinking the medicine, Lin Yun then focused his attention to absorb the Qi in the world. He completely focused his attention to his body as he sensed himself grew stronger. It took some time for him to be able to sense the change.


    Bang!


    Lin Yun officially entered Body Training Rank 6.


    Watching from the side, Lin Xiao nodded with satisfied smile. While Body Training Rank 6 might be still low, it was still the best that they could do. The higher their rank, the more possibility for them to protect themselves better.


    "Now, what''s your plan, Brother?"


    "I''ll wait." Lin Xiao looked at the door. "I need to figure out what''s their goal first."


    Wenren Yu arched his eyebrows. "It might be dangerous."


    "Better than knowing nothing."


    Lin Xiao hated the thought that he was targeted even though he didn''t know anything and didn''t do anything. He was only sneaking around with Wenren Yu to find out what the three representatives talked about regarding Taiyi Sect, yet when he returned, Su Han had come to search for problem.


    He wouldn''t believe that Su Han acted on impulse.


    After talking with each other a bit more, they chose to rest.


    The next day.


    Lin Yun and Wenren Yu had already moved the plants to the lake. They were currently thinking whether they should stay in the house or not. After all, there was possibility that there would be people looking at them.


    "How about the mountain?" Wenren Yu asked. If he was not wrong, there were also a place where they could stay up there. It was not as comfortable as their home, but it was certainly better than nothing.


    "Near the place where we search for plants?"


    "Yes?"


    "Can you climb, Yun?"


    "I''m not that weak, Brother." Lin Yun rolled his eyes. Sometimes, he felt as if his brother treated him as disabled. He was perfectly fine, so climbing the steep mountain shouldn''t be that much of a problem to him.


    Lin Xiao looked at Lin Yun with worry but after some time, he sighed and let them go. There was no need for him to worry so much.


    As Lin Xiao stayed not far from his house, he was thinking of training again. But at this time, a shadow came from the forest. From the direction it was coming from, Lin Xiao could guess that it was coming from the village.


    "Elder Xu."


    Elder Xu smiled when he heard Lin Xiao greeted him. Looking at Lin Xiao''s appearance, there was no longer any mark of wound on Lin Xiao''s body. It was only a day, yet Lin Xiao had already recovered.


    In fact, Lin Xiao was not really wounded. Except for some bruises when he blocked the attack, the wound was not that serious. He only needed to drink the medicine that Wenren Yu prepared for him and then rested for a day to recover to his peak condition again.


    "You look well."


    "I had enough rest, yesterday. Thank you for your concern, Elder Xu."


    Elder Xu looked at Lin Xiao up and down. Once they were above Body Training Rank 5, it was harder to see the changes from outside because the change occurred inside. Even now, Elder Xu was not that certain about what rank Lin Xiao was in.


    To be able to withstand Su Hei''s blow would make them think of him as Body Training Rank 7.


    However, the power that Lin Xiao showed yesterday was still that of Body Training Rank 6.


    Lin Xiao didn''t really like to be watched like this by Elder Xu. He looked at Elder Xu and arched his eyebrows. "Elder Xu, is there anything wrong?"


    "I''m coming here because I want to ask something."


    "Ask what, Elder Xu?"


    "What do you think of my daughter, Xu Qin?"


    "��. What?"


    "What do you think of my daughter, Xu Qin?" Elder Xu repeated the same question patiently.


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao felt like his brain had blown up. While he had interacted with Xu Qin a few times in the past, he never had any favorable impression of her. Besides, Xu Qin also hated him wholeheartedly.


    He was not that stupid to ask for humiliation by trying to get close to Xu Qin in the past.


    After all, he still knew his place and naturally didn''t wish to invoke mocking to his head.


    "Elder Xu, is there any intention behind asking the question?" Lin Xiao asked back.


    Elder Xu smiled. "I''m thinking that you''re not that bad of a youngster. Your courage and power showed that you might achieve big in the future."


    At this moment, Lin Xiao was doing whatever he could to stop his face from turning black. He never thought that his performance would attract Elder Xu''s eyes much less the fact that Elder Xu would approach him like this.


    Didn''t Elder Xu always wanted his daughter to get close with Su Han in the past?


    Lin Xiao always thought that these two annoying people were a match made in Heaven. They were perfectly good together and should just stay together forever. Now�� Elder Xu wanted him to get close with his daughter?


    No wonder that Su Han attacked him. Now everything was clear. A man''s pride would hurt if the woman he has been coveting was now given to another man. They wouldn''t be able to accept this arrangement.


    But��


    NO WAY IN HELL!


    "I can''t do that, Elder Xu."

 Chapter 68: Hostility

    Elder Xu looked at Lin Xiao with arched eyebrows. There was faint coldness within his eyes that started to emerge. As someone with high status in the village, he was also someone with pride. No one dared to say no to him in the past.


    And now Lin Xiao dared to?


    "Do you know what you''re saying to me, Lin Xiao?"


    The tone was still amiable as if Elder Xu was not angry yet he was only advising. However, Lin Xiao knew how shrewd the elders in the village was. Even though they were showing smile and also spoke in kindhearted tone, the truth was that they were harboring deep grudge.


    They would be unwilling to be treated impolitely by Lin Xiao.


    However, Lin Xiao also had no intention of selling himself. Hell, he was sure that Elder Xu would also impose him to be loyal to Xu Qin like a dog.


    He hated that thought.


    "I''m a free man, Elder Xu. Besides, there''s no way I''ll like someone who hated me so much," Lin Xiao replied openly, not afraid of offending Elder Xu.


    By this time, he felt that there was no need for him to hold back anymore. He had already offended Elder Su. Offending another elder wouldn''t make that much difference to him.


    ''I''ll leave.''


    At this time, Lin Xiao had already decided within his heart that he would leave as fast as possible when it was the time. There was no need for him to stay in this rotten village anymore.


    "Good, good, good, do you really think that I''ll take no as an answer?" Elder Xu''s Qi began to swell around his body.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed. He could sense that Elder Xu was even stronger than Su Hei. It was not that weird, though, considering the difference in age and experience. While Elder Xu would not advance much anymore in the future, he was also someone who used to fight a lot in his youth.


    "Are you sure you want to do this, Elder Xu?" Lin Xiao sneered.


    "Oh, you''re not afraid?"


    Swish! Bang!


    Initiating Moon Evasion, Lin Xiao evaded the attack. His eyes were cold, but he knew that he was not a match against Elder Xu. Thankfully, he had sneakily learned Moon Evasion from watching the performance of those disciples before.


    With his skill, he rushed over to the location of the cliff.


    "You won''t be able to run!"


    Lin Xiao snorted and grabbed a handful of sand before throwing it in the direction of Elder Xu.


    "Guh!"


    With the speed Elder Xu was going, he failed to escape from the scattering sand in time. With his vision slightly blocked, he quickly initiated his Qi and dispersed the sand from him. But the slight delay allowed Lin Xiao to create a distance from the two of them.


    Lin Xiao no longer looked to the back and upon reaching the hanging roots, he quickly picked one. He was very clear which hanging root was safe and which one was not. With that he swung to the other side.


    "LIN XIAO!"


    "Bleh!"


    By this time, Lin Xiao was glad that he had asked Wenren Yu and Lin Yun to escape to the mountain. Sticking his tongue to Elder Xu, he could see that the elder''s face turned a shade darker.


    Lin Xiao ignored the elder and continued to run.


    ''Where should I go?''


    The village was clearly out of the question because there would be too many people who might try to kill him. The two elders'' influence would be more than enough for them to make move.


    ''In that case��''


    Looking at the north, Lin Xiao recalled the beast that could even make the three representatives ran away. Determination flashed within his eyes. If he could hide in that place and let Elder Xu provoked the beast, he would be able to stay safe.


    In that case, he just had to run.


    "#$%^&*(!"


    From his back, Lin Xiao could hear series of cursing from Elder Xu. He was trying to cross the cliff by using the hanging root like what Lin Xiao did. However, the hanging root that he picked snapped right after he used it.


    If not for his quick reflex to grab another one, he would have fallen. The snapping sound from above him caused his heart to sunk.


    Snap!


    "$%^&*(*$%^&!"


    Series of curses filled the entire place as Elder Xu frantically grabbed several hanging roots at the same time. Afterwards, he had to work hard to swing his aged body to reach the other side.


    He was still cursing when he saw that Lin Xiao was already far away. The disadvantage he had because of the hanging root was painfully clear.


    Swish!


    The two of them continued to run in the forest.


    Lin Xiao was still thinking about the fact that there was no beast in this area of forest when he heard sudden screams from behind. He turned around and saw a large monkey pounced onto Elder Xu.


    ''Eh, there''s animal?''


    "Get away from me!" Elder Xu roared and started attacking that monkey as fast as possible.


    Looking at himself that didn''t get attacked at all, Lin Xiao had the feeling that the animals somehow didn''t dislike him. The thought gave him a bold idea.


    ''How about if I attract all the beasts to Elder Xu?''

 Chapter 69: The Lake

    "Ahh! B******** why don''t you attack that B********!"


    The sound of cursing could be heard as Elder Xu was ambushed by another group of animals. He was trying to follow Lin Xiao into the forest, but he could see that the beasts wouldn''t let him off alone.


    He had to fight continuously, yet the figure in front of him was only walking leisurely with the beasts blocking his route.


    His heart was bleeding.


    How come the animals didn''t attack that rotten child and instead attacked him relentlessly like this?


    "Stop there! YOU %^&*(!"


    Lin Xiao purposely slowed down while trying to recover his Qi. He looked at the haggard Elder Xu with amusement. After getting attacked several times, Elder Xu no longer looked like the imposing elder anymore.


    His robe was tattered with several holes. His sleeves were also torn because an animal bit it away. His hair was also messy because he had to fight several times. If one didn''t know any better, they wouldn''t be able to differentiate him from a beggar.


    "Stop there Lin Xiao!"


    "Why should I stop?"


    "AAAAAAAAa Motherf********!"


    Looking at the animals purposely evading him, Lin Xiao was also curious himself. He didn''t understand why the animals wouldn''t attack him yet there were many times when the animals attacked him outside.


    Why was it different when it came to the north forest?


    His vision landed on the lake not far from him. After walking for some time, he had almost arrived by the lake. Of course, his appearance was still the same as before, dashing and handsome. On the other hand, Elder Xu behind him looked like a beggar.


    Bang!


    *pant* *pant*


    Elder Xu was already at his wits end, but he knew that if he turned around right now, there might be more beasts waiting for him inside the forest.


    "You��"


    Swish!


    At this time, Elder Xu saw a shadow crept to him from the right side. He raised his hand, but he failed to block in time.


    Bang!


    With a loud voice, he was thrown to the back, crashing onto the tree. Before he could react again, Lin Xiao had already attacked once more. Using Mountain Punch, he continuously punched at Elder Xu.


    With Elder Xu''s current battered condition, he was not a match against Lin Xiao, who was still as energetic as ever.


    *cough*


    "You Bastard! Do you think��"


    Bang!


    Lin Xiao punched once more. There was only coldness in his eyes when he saw Elder Xu. He knew very well that if it was not because the forest was strange, he wouldn''t be able to face Elder Xu on his own.


    If he didn''t attack when Elder Xu was down, he would be the one to die in Elder Xu''s hand.


    The principle to destroy what you couldn''t get was something he had heard a lot in the village. Shopkeeper Wang had warned him in the past that if he met with someone, it would be better to not let any loose end.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Tep!


    Stopping his attack, Lin Xiao looked at the bloody figure in front of him. His own fist was already covered in blood thanks to the attack just now, but he didn''t care for anything. Looking at Elder Xu in front of him, he took a deep breath.


    This is his first time killing human head on.


    In the past, Lin Xiao only killed animals because he needed to eat. Without meat, he knew that he wouldn''t be that strong. And now, he was killing human. The feeling was strange.


    ''If I don''t kill him, he''ll kill me.''


    Repeating the same sentence in his mind a few times, Lin Xiao walked away from the location. He always knew that Mountain Punch was very powerful and if it was used properly, it might kill his opponent.


    And now, it was proven to be true.


    Killing someone��


    In this man eat man world, was it that strange to have his own hand stained with blood?


    Lin Xiao soon calmed down and entered the lake. The cold water seemed to wake him up from his daydream as he looked at his own reflection. It was showing a youth around the age of 15 years old that was looking back at the water with weird expression.


    He no longer turned around, so he didn''t realize that several beasts approached the place where he killed Elder Xu. They gnawed on the meat and left nothing there.


    Everything was clean.


    Splash!


    ''Let''s check the place.''


    Lin Xiao didn''t feel like turning back. His brother and Wenren Yu should be at the save place, so he better did something else. Since he was already here, he would rather check the Emperor''s Inheritance out of curiosity.


    If that monster came out again, he would just ran away as fast as possible.

 Chapter 70: The Examination in the Village

    *Back in the village*


    While Lin Xiao was busy with the lake and all, the villagers were staying in the village for the examination. The third elder along with Lin Hou had already left the day before. After experiencing the brutal attack from the beast at the lake, the representative no longer had any intention to stay here.


    Only the woman and Liu Gang stayed along with their disciples, Bai Xin and Luo Lan.


    "Su Hei."


    Glancing to the back, Su Hei noticed Xu Qin in the crowd. She looked anxious as if there was something wrong.


    "Yes, Miss Xu?" Su Hei asked in polite tone. He was dressed in his usual clothes, which covered his entire body. However, it was clear that his movement was a bit odd. He was slightly listless and didn''t seem like he would be able to fight properly.


    Xu Qin had already noticed that Su Hei didn''t act as usual. Not to mention, Su Han had just died yesterday and the news had swept the village. Many of them were surprised as they couldn''t believe a genius''s life ended just like that.


    Before he could even showcase his brilliance, he had died.


    "Have you seen my father?"


    "Your father?"


    Xu Qin nodded. "He told me that he wants to check on Lin Xiao, but he hadn''t returned yet even though it''s already afternoon."


    Elder Xu was at Body Training Rank 8, on par with Su Hei. Because of that, Xu Qin believed that it was impossible for Lin Xiao to beat her father much less killed him. Nevertheless, she was worried that Lin Xiao might be ruthless and wound her father badly.


    As she was only Body Training Rank 6, she didn''t really have the confidence to fight against Lin Xiao head on.


    The story of how Lin Xiao could even push back Su Hei was loud and clear. It was not hard to say that he was a threatening opponent.


    "He might be delayed," Su Hei replied.


    "Can you help me to check?"


    Su Hei looked at Xu Qin and arched his eyebrows. He knew very well that Elder Xu came to visit his brother yesterday morning, which brought Su Han to Lin Xiao''s residence. While the two families never openly discussed the two youngsters'' marriage, it was already an open agreement.


    Everyone in the village knew that.


    So when Elder Xu said that he wanted to consider Lin Xiao as Xu Qin''s partner, the prideful Su Han wouldn''t be able to accept it. Who would have thought that the incident would end up in such loss?


    "Why should I help you, Miss Xu?"


    Xu Qin''s expression faltered. If the one standing before her was Su Han, it wouldn''t be weird for Su Han to follow what she wanted. However, the one before him was Su Hei, so it was harder for her to get what she wanted.


    "That��."


    "What can you give me?"


    The profound gaze on Su Hei''s expression made it harder for Xu Qin to answer. She was looking back at Su Hei, wondering what he wanted.


    "That''s�� what do you want?"


    Su Hei looked at the fair woman before him. He knew that Xu Qin was accepted by Yun Liu Luo Sect (Liu Gang''s and also Bai Xin sect) after the evaluation just now. In fact, it was clear that she was someone who was favored by the sect greatly.


    Previously, the sect was also thinking of accepting Su Han inside. But with Su Han died, they no longer cared that much.


    When they heard of the conflict, they didn''t even bother and chose to abandon Su Han completely. In their eyes, he was nothing more than an ant that was beneath their attention. They would not even spare a glance to him if it was not because of this mission in this place.


    Their talents were not that good for them to make exception.


    Su Hei looked at Xu Qin and smiled. "Bring me along into the sect."


    The answer startled Xu Qin. She looked at Su Hei with incredulous expression as if it was above her to ask something like that.


    "if you don''t want, you can just ask your senior sister to search for your father."


    Xu Qin gritted her teeth. She had already said that, but Bai Xin and Liu Gang didn''t care about it at all. In fact, it was clear that they didn''t really put her in that much regard.


    "I��I''ll try."


    Walking to Bai Xin, Xu Qin then asked for a favor. Su Hei has quite good of talent, but he was deemed to be too old by the people here. They didn''t want him because it would be hard for someone like him to grow.


    "You want us to bring him along?" Bai Xin asked.


    "Y��yes."


    "If it''s Su Han, it''ll be better. But Su Hei��" Bai Xin looked at her master, who was lazily playing with a stalk of leaves in his hand.


    "Master, what do you think?"


    Liu Gang shrugged. "It didn''t matter. Whether he can pass the test to the sect later is another question. Bringing him along is fine."


    "Thank you, Master!" Xu Qin beamed and then rushed to tell Su Hei about that.

 Chapter 71: Emperor’s Inheritance

    Bai Xin watched as Xu Qin walked away then turned to look at her master. She was confused as to why her master would want to help someone like Xu Qin. In her opinion, it was beneath them to help someone with such low status.


    Xu Qin was only slightly better. There were many others who had the same talent as her out there. Yun Liu Sect obviously didn''t lack in any outer disciple like that.


    "Master, why do you help her?"


    "Hmmm?"


    "It''s not worth it."


    Liu Gang smiled. "Maybe, maybe not. Besides, I need to bring some people from the trip to show Master because they want fresh blood for the sect."


    Yun Liu Sect was not that famous. With Taiyi Sect at the forefront previously, they were reduced to the background. Even now, the sect was still lacking in disciple and required a lot of new fresh blood.


    Su Hei was lacking, but it was not like the other disciples they accepted was any better. It would be better to accept more and let them prove their skills later in the examination in the sect.


    "I see. Master is wise," Bai Xin said with smile.


    "Go and rest. We''re going to depart today."


    "Yes, Master!"


    Aside from Xu Qin, they also took a few more disciples. While the performance didn''t really up to their standard, they needed some new fresh blood. They couldn''t be that picky in selecting new students when the situation was already like this.


    Xu Qin hurriedly walked over to Su Hei. "I already told her. You''ll come with us later."


    "Alright. I''ll check Lin Xiao''s house."


    "Find out what happens to my father."


    "I''ll do my best."


    Even though it was what Su Hei said, he had no intention to get involved in so many unnecessary problems. He already knew that Elder Xu might be wounded, so he would just concoct story to Xu Qin and still followed them to the city.


    It was not a big deal.


    ��


    Splash!


    Inside the water, Lin Xiao noticed that the cave was open like before. It was eerily quiet. There was no beast around him even though he was sure that there should be some of them. When he came here to follow the three representative, he was sure that he had seen several beasts.


    But now�� they had disappeared?


    He was confused, but he had no time to think about it as he dived deeper and deeper. With his martial arts, it was not hard for him to reach the entrance of the cave. It was then he noticed the various engravings on the edge of the cave.


    It was not written in the language he knew. Lin Xiao had learned how to read and write from his foster parents, so he would definitely recognize it if it was normal writing. However, there was something that made him thought that he could understand what was written.


    It was strange and bizarre.


    ''Am I a genius at learning language?''


    However, Lin Xiao soon discarded that thought. He still could remember how much his parents punished him when he failed to do the task they assigned to him from time to time.


    That was embarrassing.


    "Son of the Heaven, A Child favored by the Earth, Emperor selected by Human."


    Lin Xiao was stunned when he realized that he had spoken the sentence out loud. At the same time, there was loud rumble from within the cave. He peeked inside, wondering whether he should enter or not.


    ''Well, just try it.''


    Stepping into the cave, Lin Xiao saw that it was actually a spacious hall and there was not even any trace of water. He was thoroughly stunned.


    It was so dry.


    Looking around, he could only see large pillars as if he was inside a majestic building that required a lot of pillars as foundation. The golden color of the pillars made him gulped down. If it was real gold�� he would have struck it rich should he take them out.


    ''But how should I take the pillars out?''


    Lin Xiao was sure that even if he punched with all of his strength, the pillar would not even move in the slightest bit.


    He looked up and saw that the ceiling was gold in color. There were pictures of dragons filling the sky. It was both majestic and enchanting. However, Lin Xiao moved back his attention back to the room.


    There was nothing but pillars.


    He was thoroughly confused.


    Looking below him, he noticed that there were some patterns on the ground. Slowly, he began to step according to the patterns. One to the right, one to the left, three to the front.


    While focusing his attention to the pattern on the ground, Lin Xiao didn''t realize that he had arrived at the center of the room.


    ''This is the last.''


    As soon as Lin Xiao stepped on the last tile, there was loud sound coming from underground.


    Bam!

 Chapter 72: Breakthrough to Body Training Rank 7

    Bang!


    "Wha��."


    Lin Xiao was stunned. Just as he was preparing to run away, he clearly saw a light flashed from above and landed on his forehead. Pain immediately permeate his body as he screamed loudly.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


    He felt as if his entire body was ruptured to pieces. His bones were crushed, his flesh were torn, and his organs were squeezed. It was so painful. And the most painful of all was his brain because he felt as if there was huge pressure in his head.


    At this moment, Lin Xiao was cursing out loudly internally. He wished that the pain could disappear.


    If I''ll be alive from here, I''ll bring my brother away from the village.


    If I can stay alive, I''ll roast those villagers who dared to mock me.


    If I''m still alive��. I''ll grow even more stronger and no longer be so greedy and enter an unknown place like this.


    If I didn''t die��.


    Countless promises were made as Lin Xiao tried to bear with the pain. He felt as if he was already dying, yet he knew that he still could feel the pain in his body. Everything felt so painful that he wished it could end soon.


    Thud!


    Lin Xiao didn''t know how much time had passed.


    He found himself lying on the ground. His entire body was covered in sweat and dark liquid that smelled so horribly. Even sewage didn''t smell that bad. At this very moment, his eyes opened as he started to regain his consciousness.


    He couldn''t care about his smell anymore.


    All he wanted to know was whether he was still alive or not��


    "Uhhh��. I will never try to get Emperor''s Inheritance again in the future," Lin Xiao groaned. "It''s so painful��"


    The pain made him felt as if it would be better for him to die and disappear rather than continue living. It was so painful!


    "Hmm?"


    As he inspected his own body, Lin Xiao was surprised to see that there was nothing wrong with his bones, flesh, or even internal organs. There was no damage at all, which was confusing considering how painful it was just now.


    Not only that, he had advanced to Body Training Rank 7!


    If people knew he breakthrough three ranks just within a year, they would be green in envy.


    As Lin Xiao tried to circulate his Qi, he was stunned.


    "That�� the circulation is smoother and easier than before," Lin Xiao said in excitement. He knew that his circulation has never been this smooth and fast before.


    His parents had taught him about human''s body and about the training that they had ever since they were young. Those with high talent would be able to absorb Qi faster and contained it inside their body perfectly. On the other hand, those with low talent wouldn''t be able to do that and had to train for much longer time.


    There was no clear distinction of talent in this village, so Lin Xiao had never known about his talent.


    He was sure that he was pretty good, though. After all, he still managed to reach Body Training Rank 6 despite being only 15 years old. While the process might be quite arduous, he knew that it was what built his foundation.


    And now��


    "My talent had increased! Hahahahhahaaa!"


    Weird laughter filled the room as Lin Xiao happily jumped around. He never knew that human''s talent could change. After all, they were born with that body and should have not experience any change even though they trained bitterly.


    But now, he just realized that talent could change.


    His talent just got better!


    Squash!


    Feeling the weird sensation, Lin Xiao looked down and noticed that he was completely covered in jelly like black liquid. His face fell as he just realized how bad the smell was. It was even worse than rotten sewage.


    "STINK! YOU STINK LIN XIAO!"


    Yelling to himself, Lin Xiao rushed out of the hall. He wanted to enter the water and washed his body thoroughly. It smelled so bad, ah! He couldn''t withstand the smell anymore.


    No matter how happy he was, he could not accept himself staying in that dirty appearance any longer.


    Splash!


    As soon as Lin Xiao passed the door, he entered the water once more. He quickly took off his robe and squeezed it to make the dark liquid all came out. At the same time, he thoroughly rubbed his body to wipe the dark liquid.


    The small fishes around him were all scared shitless.


    Some faint on the way.


    Some tried to swim as far away as possible.


    The dark liquid was poisonous to them, ah!


    Lin Xiao was not paying attention to the fishes. If only he did, he would see that he would be able to fish more efficiently if he used this. All the fish nearby fainted on the spot!

 Chapter 73: Chaos

    Tep!


    It took some time before Lin Xiao finished washing himself and entered the place once more. He looked at the floor that was filled with black liquid and felt awkward. The majestic hall was now dirtied because of him.


    Looking closely, Lin Xiao also noticed that the marking on the ground had disappeared. The floor looked very clean without any mark whatsoever on top of it.


    "Strange."


    Lin Xiao looked up and saw that the marking was still there. However, it looked strangely different. For some reason, he felt that the glamour of the painting was completely lost. It was as if the previously good painting was now only an ordinary painting.


    *Rumble*


    "Eh? Earthquake?"


    The place where Lin Xiao stayed started to quake in large magnitude. Even though Lin Xiao still wanted to explore the place and probably clean up the mess by bringing water from outside, he didn''t have the time.


    Lin Xiao looked at the front and then kowtowed to the ground. He didn''t know who built this place or who actually had it. All he knew was that he had gained an extremely good advantage just by coming to this place at this point of time.


    While he did have ulterior motive such as obtaining the Emperor Inheritance, he never expected that he would truly get it.


    "Thank you."


    He didn''t know who he was bowing to, but he was thankful for the chance that was given to him. With his newfound talent, he was sure that he would be able to grow stronger much quicker. At that time, he might be able to find out what the meaning of this place and expand his influence.


    After kowtowing nine times, Lin Xiao stood up and got out of the hall, entering the water once more.


    What he didn''t realize was that from the very moment Lin Xiao woke up, the sky had darkened. It was as if the Heaven was angry yet at the same time sad. Storm brewed very quickly and cloud gathered around.


    Everyone could see the change in the sky.


    "What''s that?"


    "Emperor Inheritance?"


    "No way."


    Not only in the small village, in the many location, everyone could see the gathering of the clouds towards the lake. It was as if they were planning on drowning the entire world together.


    "Cloud gather together�� isn''t this mark of Emperor Inheritance gaining it''s inheritor?" An old man asked as he looked in certain direction.


    There was a young man standing behind him. The young man''s eyes flashed in astonishment. While there were rumors that said that Taiyi Sect protected the location of the Emperor Inheritance for the Royal Family, not many believed it. After all, Taiyi Sect was just one among many despite the fact that it was quite an influential sect.


    But at this moment�� all eyes landed on the cloud.


    It was still gathering storm as if the Heaven was showing its wrath. Before long, rain fall heavily and thunder filled the sky.


    "Is that really the Emperor Inheritance?" the young man asked doubtfully. Why did he feel as if it was actually the Heaven punishing those who got the inheritance?


    "Yes, it is."


    The old man looked at the lake. There were 8 different types of Emperor Inheritance and lake was certainly one of them. Who would have thought that the location of the Emperor Inheritance this time around would be in this lake?


    The location for the inheritance always changed from time to time. After all, it was a completely different dimension and it would appear again in new place when the previous inheritance died.


    With so many similar terrain, it was hard to figure out where the next Emperor Inheritance location would appear.


    Now, they have the answer.


    But it was too late.


    "In that case, can''t we do something, Master?"


    The old man shook his head. "Without the Emperor''s blood, you will never be able to get the inheritance. No matter how thin the blood''s relation with the Emperor was, as long as you have it, you''ll be eligible to obtain the Emperor Inheritance."


    "In that case��."


    "But do you really think that anyone who have the blood can obtain it?" the old man turned around and looked at his disciple. He smiled. "Not everyone can get it. But whoever triggered this phenomenon this time have to be ready."


    "Yes?"


    "It''s time for Sun Kingdom to welcome their new Emperor." The old man chuckled. His eyes narrowed. "And if the inheritor is not strong enough, the inheritance would be utterly useless."


    Afterwards, the old man no longer said anything and merely looked out of the window. This incident would surely attract everyone in the entire Sun Kingdom or even those outside.


    If the person who got the inheritance came from Sun Kingdom, by right, he should be eligible to become the next emperor.


    However, how could these powerful and prideful Royal Family give out their seats right away? They would surely try to eliminate the inheritor so that they would be able to stand firm on the throne.

 Chapter 74: Chaos (2)

    Splash!


    Lin Xiao was stunned when he reached the surface. He didn''t pay much attention because he was thinking about the earthquake just now. However, when he reached the surface, he noticed that it was raining so badly.


    "Since when did it rain?"


    Not only raining, the sky was thoroughly dark as if it was already night time. Looking at the sky, Lin Xiao was doubtful. Did he truly stay in that place for hours? He was pretty sure when he left just now, it was still early.


    At this time, Lin Xiao also noticed that the water volume was increasing rapidly. His eyes widened as he quickly swam to the shore.


    Splash! Splash!


    Roar!


    The faint sound of beasts roaring could be heard from a distance away. Lin Xiao''s lips twitched as he looked at the cloud. It was covering a vast area, but if he was not wrong�� the center should be the lake.


    ''AAAAAaa, I need to run!''


    Not caring for anything else, Lin Xiao hurriedly rushed into the forest. He tried his best to step on the rocks or the roots so that he would not leave marking on the grounds. If the water didn''t wash his mark fast enough, they might figure out that he was just here not long ago.


    Lin Xiao passed by a tree as he just recalled something. If he was not wrong, Elder Xu''s corpse should have been there, right? But there was nothing at all.


    He paused for a moment and looked at the tree. If not for the dent and marking on the tree, he would have doubted that the fight with Elder Xu truly happened. But the corpse had disappeared.


    ''There''s no way he''s still alive with that kind of wound.''


    From what he knew, there was no way that Elder Xu could have powerful life saving skill. Besides, being at Body Training stage, the chance of successfully mastering such powerful skill was incredibly low.


    They were not monster.


    ''Forget it, I better run.''


    Lin Xiao chose not to care and rushed over in the direction of the village. From a distance away, he could hear the sound of fighting and from the screams, he faintly noticed woman''s voice.


    It was so loud.


    "Make way you damn beast!"


    "!!!" she''s on this way!


    Lin Xiao quickly switched his direction and tried to evade the area where the woman was going. He might have already advanced to Body Training Rank 7, but fighting against Foundation Establishment was the same as suicide.


    He didn''t want to die yet!


    Bang!


    The violent sound of fighting entered his ears. Lin Xiao truly wanted to get away but for some reason, the sound instead grew nearer no matter which direction Lin Xiao tried to go.


    "MAKE WAY!"


    Bam!


    Like a gorilla, the woman appeared from behind the bush and slammed both of her hand to the ground. Lin Xiao swiftly initiated Moon Evasion and moved to the side, still shocked by the sudden attack.


    ''Did she��''


    "Peh," The woman spat out. She looked at Lin Xiao with greed and murderous intent. "Where do you think you''re going, Brat?"


    "I''m going back to the village!" Lin Xiao replied.


    "Going back? Do you think you can leave just like that after taking what''s mine?"


    Lin Xiao''s heart skipped a beat. He was wondering whether this woman had realized that he took the Emperor Inheritance or not. If she knew, then he had to kill her no matter what the cost.


    He might be still young, but he understood the principle of harboring treasure without ability to protect it. if he tried to flaunt his treasure at this point of time, what awaited him would only be his doom without any exception.


    "Yours?" Lin Xiao asked.


    The woman snorted. "Don''t act dumb. You''re covered in Butterfly Grass Powder. I spread it around the lake yesterday so whoever come will be covered in the special smell that only I can detect."


    Lin Xiao''s heart dropped.


    He had never thought that there was actually a trap that the woman prepared near the lake. As he was not that proficient in medicine, he only thought that there were some medicine plants nearby. How could he know that it was actually recipe for a tracking method?


    "Don''t try to run," The woman said coldly. "Everyone is coming here. You won''t be able to get away, you Brat!"


    With grave expression, Lin Xiao watched the woman before him. Just from the attack just now, he knew that she was faster than him, stronger than him, and more experienced than him��


    How could he beat her?


    ''What should I do?''

 Chapter 75: Fighting against Foundation Establishment Cultivator

    ''Should I use the same tactic?''


    Lin Xiao was in huge dilemma. He didn''t want to stay here even a second longer because there were so many people who would be attracted to the lake. But at the same time, he couldn''t get away from the woman unless he used the same tactic as the one he used to face Elder Xu.


    But this tactic required him to stay in the forest and drew the animals closer.


    How should he do that?


    "Stay there!" The woman ordered and then used her Qi to form a barrier. From her gesture, Lin Xiao knew that she wanted to use her Qi to restrain him.


    Restrain him?


    And let them caught him?


    A faint glint appeared within Lin Xiao''s eyes. Lin Yun and Wenren Yu were still waiting for him. He couldn''t get captured!


    Swish! Bang!


    Punching forward with Mountain Punch, Lin Xiao evaded the woman''s attack. He rushed back and tried to escape as he initiated Moon Evasion.


    "Stay there, you!"


    Bang!


    The woman''s punch landed on the tree. Looking at the faint marking on the ground, her eyes narrowed. "Moon Evasion? How did you learn such profound skill?"


    By this time, Lin Xiao didn''t even pay attention to the woman as he ran without any clear direction. All he knew was that he had to stay inside the forest for as long as he could because it was the only method for him to survive.


    "You..!"


    In anger, the woman rushed forward and immediately chased after Lin Xiao. How could she possibly leave someone like him away? She wanted the inheritance!


    How could this snot nosed brat took what''s supposed to be hers?


    Bang!


    With swift movement, the woman had already arrived before Lin Xiao. Her expression clearly contained mocking. The difference between Body Training Rank 7 and Foundation Establishment was not something that skills alone could close.


    "Give me the inheritance!"


    Swish! Bang!


    The woman moved forward while Lin Xiao struggled to evade. The punch landed on his arm and almost immediately, Lin Xiao felt as if his entire arms ruptured. The powerful attack pierced through his skin into his bone, making him felt pain all over his body.


    However, this kind of pain was nothing compared to the one he had experienced back then.


    Side stepping, Lin Xiao entered the stance for Mountain Punch and punched forward.


    Bang!


    The faint layer of Qi completely blocked Lin Xiao''s attack. The woman sneered and grabbed Lin Xiao''s clothes before thrashing him to the back.


    Crashing onto the tree, Lin Xiao felt that his back was about to snap. His head hurt and his vision turned blurry as his body fell limpidly to the ground. However, the glint within his eyes were one that was filled with unwillingness and rage.


    If only he was stronger, he wouldn''t be thrashed so badly by this woman.


    If only he could move faster, he would be able to evade the attack.


    "Give up, you''re just puny Body Training Cultivator who''s too weak to do anything." The woman laughed. She lowered her eyes and saw Lin Xiao stared back at her with eyes filled with determination. For some reason, the gaze disturbed her.


    She hated that kind of gaze very much.


    Bang!


    *cough*


    Punching forward once more, the woman looked at Lin Xiao coldly. "What are you looking at, huh? You''re nothing more than a trash. Daring to look back at me directly, do you want to die?"


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Lin Xiao used his arms to block, yet he felt that his entire arm was completely destroyed with each attack. His eyes looked into a distance, hoping that a beast came. But his hope was for naught.


    Unlike his fight with Elder Xu where the beasts came to help, this time there was none.


    Was it because the woman was so strong.


    "Give me the inheritance."


    Give her the inheritance? Lin Xiao looked at the woman in front of him as if he was looking at an idiot. He never knew that someone could give the inheritance they got to someone else. Not to mention, even if he could�� he would never give it to this woman!


    Who could guarantee that this woman would let him off after he gave the inheritance?


    That would be nothing more than dream!


    "Never," Lin Xiao spat out.


    Bang!


    The punch landed on his arm once more. Lin Xiao could see that his entire arms had turned into bloody mess, yet he knew that he couldn''t do anything. Even with Moon Evasion, this woman still could chase him as if he was walking.


    It was so frustrating.


    The woman looked at Lin Xiao and noticed that the water from the lake had reached this place. She furrowed her brows and looked at the sky. Based on the way it looked like, the rain would make the lake expand dozens of times.


    "Since you don''t want to give it��" the woman looked at Lin Xiao. She knew that once the Emperor Inheritance''s inheritor died, new Emperor Inheritance would be born somewhere else. "THEN DIE!"


    Bang!

 Chapter 76: Lake Dragon

    Splash!


    Lin Xiao was ready to block the attack with his bloody hand again. However, the mark on his forehead suddenly shone. All this time, Lin Xiao himself didn''t realize that he had a mark there, but at this very moment, something came out.


    Bang!


    The one thrown to the back was not him but the woman before him.


    "Wha��.?"


    The woman''s eyes widened as she saw a snake�� no, it''s not a snake, it''s a dragon. The dragon was not that big yet, only at the size of adult man. However, the faint blue green scales along with its menacing aura prevented the woman from speaking.


    Terror permeated from the bottom of her heart. Even among the beasts in the entire world, it was known that dragon was the strongest one. And now, one appeared before her just like that?


    "No way��"


    Lin Xiao was equally stupefied. He had dreamed of meeting dragon in his fantasy from young. After all, children were fed with many tales regarding dragon that they saw dragons as deity that was very powerful.


    And now��


    One appeared before him.


    How could he not be surprised?


    The dragon was not facing him, but he could feel the dense aura. For some reason, the aura didn''t suppress him and didn''t make him falter. Instead, Lin Xiao felt that the aura felt comforting.


    It was strange.


    "Don''t block me!" The woman roared in anger. Yet the dragon acted as if it didn''t hear her in the slightest bit. It was only flying in front of Lin Xiao as if protecting the young boy behind him. Suddenly, the dragon opened its mouth.


    Roar!


    The angry roar reverberated in the forest. Followed suit, the sound of countless animals could be heard. The forest was now filled with the sound of rain and also beasts. At the same time, the earth shook as many of them gathered there.


    The animals didn''t stop when they arrived and immediately attacked the woman. Their roars filled the air while the woman shrieked in fear.


    "Stop! Why are you attacking me?"


    Roar!"


    "AAAAAAAAAA!"


    Lin Xiao was dumfounded. He had just realized that even though the woman was already Foundation Establishment Cultivator, she was nothing in the face of dozens of beasts. They completely overwhelmed her with sheer number.


    If they were alone, the beasts would never be the woman''s opponent. But since they were grouping together, they could defeat her.


    "This��"


    "Master."


    "Master.. what? What?" Lin Xiao was stunned. He saw the dragon turned its body around and looked at Lin Xiao. It was only now Lin Xiao could see the dragon clearly. It had two long white horns and also long whisker that floated to form small wave. Its green eyes looked at Lin Xiao with obedience.


    Lin Xiao was stunned.


    He couldn''t believe that he saw a dragon up close.


    And now��. he became the master of dragon?


    "What did you say?"


    "Master?" the dragon replied.


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. For some reason, he had to push back his astonishment from seeing a talking dragon. This was the first time he knew that beasts could speak. Probably after they had reached certain cultivation rank, they would be able to speak?


    He was not sure.


    "Why do you call me��."


    "You''re my Master, so of course I call you master. Master, please give me a name," the dragon asked coquettishly.


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    He truly couldn''t bring himself to accept seeing a majestic dragon acted like a little kid in front of him�� The image he had about dragons was completely shattered. Nooo, return back his previous imagination about dragon boo hoo.


    "Then��. Lin Hu? Since Lin is my surname while Hu meant lake," Lin Xiao asked with hesitation. He really couldn''t think of any other name. Not to mention, the dragon should be the one from the lake, right?


    "Lin Hu, Lin Hu, I like it," the dragon, now named Lin Hu, replied happily. "Master, I''m still an infant, so I can''t stay outside for long. Also, Master can only take me out when you''re inside a lake."


    "Inside a lake? But I''m not��." Lin Xiao''s eyes landed on the ground and noticed that his legs were already completely submerged into water. It seemed that the lake was flooding so now this area was already categorized as lake.


    However��


    The restriction of only summoning the dragon when he was near a lake sounded awful. Lin Xiao felt that he was having a powerful backing. But this backing was very picky and would only help him when he was near a lake.


    "Master, you''re wounded. Please treat your wound as fast as possible."


    "I know��." Can''t you do something about it?

 Chapter 77: Flood

    "Master, you''re wounded. Please treat your wound as fast as possible."


    "I know��." Can''t you do something about it?


    Lin Hu seemed to be able to guess what Lin Xiao was thinking. He shook his head. "Master, I can''t treat your wound at my current ability."


    "��So you have to grow stronger first."


    "Yes."


    "How do you get stronger?"


    "When Master get stronger, I''ll naturally get stronger as well." Lin Hu grinned, showing a weird appearance of smiling dragon. "But it means that Master would also need a longer time to advance."


    At this time, Lin Xiao''s face completely dark. He was just happy when he was inside the dimension back then because he realized that his talent had increased. But now, he just realized that even with the increased speed��. He had to be responsible of cultivation for two people, eh no, one person and one beast.


    The amount of Qi needed��..


    Lin Xiao wanted to cry.


    "Master, my time is up. We''ll talk again later."


    "Hey wait, you haven''t told me what you can do. Lin Hu!" Lin Xiao was annoyed when he saw that Lin Hu had completely disappeared. However, he could see that the streak of light entered into his forehead.


    Forehead��?


    Bending down, Lin Xiao looked at the surface of water and finally saw that there was faint mark on his forehead. The shape of the mark was like a crown in golden color. Seeing the mark, Lin Xiao was stunned.


    Whoever saw him in the future would surely knew that he had Emperor Inheritance if the mark was this clear.


    ''I''ll wear headband later.''


    Struggling to stand up, Lin Xiao slowly made his way to the location where the woman''s corpse was. Well to be exact, to the place where what remained of her was still intact. The beasts were completely ruthless as they kill the woman gruesomely without leaving anything that could be traced back.


    The beasts had already disappeared. Lin Xiao didn''t know where they went after they had finished dealing with this woman over here.


    Lin Xiao saw what he was looking for: Spatial Ring.


    As someone from the backwater village, Lin Xiao clearly didn''t have something so special and expensive like Spatial Ring. Only those who was influential enough, powerful enough, or rich enough would be able to afford having Spatial Ring.


    The woman was a core disciple from Wang Luo Sect, so Lin Xiao had guessed that she must have Spatial Ring.


    "Hehe, jackpot. Hiss��"


    His arms felt like rupturing even though he was only exerting slight power to take the ring. The attack from the woman just now had completely destroyed his arms, so he knew that it would take a long time for him to recover.


    That thought alone nearly made Lin Xiao cry.


    Using his Qi to erase the woman''s mark in the ring, Lin Xiao inspected the inside. It was not that big, but there were still one meter square of space. It would be more than enough for him to store something important if he wanted to.


    The woman had a lot of money, books, and of course medicine. Lin Xiao quickly checked the medicine. Thankfully, he had learned the name of some common medicine from Shopkeeper Wang and his parents in the past.


    While he had never seen them, he recognized the label.


    "Bone Restoration, Recovery Pill."


    Taking the two pills, Lin Xiao stuffed them into his mouth with difficulties. Bone Restoration was commonly used to repair bones while Recovery Pill was used to recover from external wound.


    The wound on his arms felt much better. Lin Xiao could feel that his body was repairing itself in its own, but he had no time to linger here anymore. The water had already reached his waist and without his arms, he couldn''t swim properly.


    He glanced at the medicine and found another one.


    "Qi Restoration."


    It was a common pill for Body Training Cultivator to restore their Qi so that they could either continue fighting or training.


    Lin Xiao stuffed the pill into his mouth. He could feel that the depleted Qi inside his body was completely restored after some time. Seeing that the water was going up very quickly, he initiated Moon Evasion and swiftly departed in the direction of his house.


    At this time, he had completely forgotten about the beasts that helped him.


    The beasts had disappeared by the time he finished talking with Lin Hu, so he hadn''t had the chance to ask Lin Hu how it could happen nor asking where the beasts went. But with the condition of the place flooding like that, it wouldn''t be strange to say that the beasts were also running for their lives.


    After all, they didn''t live inside the water.

 Chapter 78: Medicine

    Splash!


    Lin Xiao finally arrived by his house. He glanced inside to check whether Lin Yun or Wenren Yu were still staying here or not. Seeing that everything was empty, Lin Xiao about to leave when he noticed some marks on the ground.


    The rain hadn''t completely washed everything, so he still could see that there were faint marking on the ground.


    "Someone come here?"


    The footsteps were too big for either Lin Yun and Wenren Yu. Lin Xiao knew very well that their foot size was much smaller, so the one who came should be someone who was well built and also had large leg.


    And there was only one person whom he knew.


    "Su Hei," Lin Xiao muttered. His eyes glinted with ruthlessness for a moment. Did that man tried to create trouble for both Lin Yun and Wenren Yu?


    He was not totally sure, but there was no time to think so much. The rain was still pouring down very hard. Thunder raged on up there and the sky didn''t show any sign of brightening.


    Swish!


    Running without moving his hands at all, Lin Xiao rushed to the location of the mountain''s side where he usually gathered herbs. They had talked with each other that they would meet in this place again.


    "Yun! Are you there?"


    Lin Xiao yelled when he arrived by the mountain''s side. He looked up but couldn''t really see anything. The rain blocked his vision, making it hard for him to see anything in front of him even though there was only a few meters'' distance.


    "Brother!"


    "Yun! Help me up!"


    Lin Yun, who was previously happy to hear his brother''s voice, was startled at Lin Xiao''s request. Lin Xiao was someone who was very strong and naturally would not ask for help unless it was necessary. Now that Lin Xiao was asking for help, was it because of some wound?


    He was worried.


    "Brother, I��"


    "I''ll go down and check."


    Wenren Yu stopped Lin Yun from going down. Even though Lin Yun had already reached Body Training Rank 6, he rarely exercised, so naturally he couldn''t climb the mountain''s side easily. When they climbed to this place before, they took a considerable amount of time to reach this height.


    Wenren Yu was faster.


    "Be careful."


    "Got it."


    It didn''t take long for Wenren Yu to arrive at the bottom. Upon seeing Lin Xiao''s arm, he knew that it was very serious. There was no way Lin Xiao would be able to climb such steep mountain with only his legs.


    "What happened?" Wenren Yu asked with a frown as he checked on Lin Xiao''s wound. He sucked on deep breath when he noticed the bones. It was shattered into pieces. Some parts had already connected again, but it was not complete yet.


    "I fought with that woman representative," Lin Xiao said helplessly.


    Wenren Yu was shocked. He looked at Lin Xiao incredulously. "And you won?"


    "Do you think she''ll let me live?"


    "But how��."


    Seeing the golden mark on Lin Xiao''s forehead, it didn''t require a genius for Wenren Yu to guess what had happened. Those who gained Emperor Inheritance would also gain a powerful beast: dragon.


    Of course, this was often considered as rumor because the Emperor rarely showed their beasts outside. Many even said that the beasts were only obtained after the Emperor strong enough to subdue one.


    But Wenren Yu knew that Lin Xiao couldn''t possibly beat Foundation Establishment Cultivator. The only possibility was that there was a dragon helping Lin Xiao. Even though so, Wenren Yu kept his conjecture within his heart.


    "Do you obtain her Spatial Ring? Any Medicine?"


    "Yes, but I only recognize the basic one. Can you check on them?"


    "Show me."


    Lin Xiao didn''t hesitate and showed the batch of medicine to Wenren Yu. Bending down, Wenren Yu checked on the label one by one. Unlike Lin Xiao who didn''t know much about medicine, Wenren Yu naturally knew the value of all the medicine inside the bottles that Lin Xiao showed.


    ''That woman is really rich.''


    Looking at the row of medicine here, Wenren Yu was speechless. Unfortunately, many of them were things that were only useful for those who were at Body Training Stage. Considering that the woman had only advanced to Foundation Establishment, it seemed that she still hadn''t sorted her belongings yet.


    Well, it was more useful for them.


    "This one." Wenren Yu handed a bottle contained red pill to Lin Xiao. "Eat this."


    "What is it used for?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion. As Wenren Yu opened the bottle, he could smell the rich Qi from inside.


    "It''s useful for cultivation, but it can also heal wounds." Wenren Yu looked at Lin Xiao for a moment. He slowly added, "Do you trust me?"


    "Heh, if you want to kill me, you would have done so."


    Without hesitation, Lin Xiao took the medicine and put it into his mouth.

 Chapter 79: Hiding in Cave

    The pill immediately melted within Lin Xiao''s mouth as if it had been waiting for it. Lin Xiao could feel dense Qi entered into his body to his dantian then coursed all over his body before the Qi focused into his arms.


    With the rich Qi, Lin Xiao could feel that his arms were slowly mended from inside.


    "It''s magical."


    "It''s an expensive medicine," Wenren Yu said helplessly. However, it was also the best medicine for Lin Xiao right now. He couldn''t drag Lin Xiao up this steep mountain because just climbing as one person was already very difficult.


    "This woman is rich?"


    "Very." Wenren Yu took out a Bone Restoration Pill. "Eat this."


    "But I have already eaten one before," Lin Xiao protested. He didn''t want to eat too many medicine and possibly died out of overdose.


    Wenren Yu rolled his eyes. "It''s fine even if you eat 10 of this. This medicine didn''t really harm you, but you might feel pain because it''ll increase the speed of which your bones are reconnected again."


    "I''m not afraid of pain."


    Taking the pill, Lin Xiao did feel stinging pain in his arms. However, the pain no longer bothered him that much. After experiencing such pain when he obtained the Emperor Inheritance, his pain tolerance had increased.


    Well, just a little bit, though.


    "Keep the rest inside the Spatial Ring again. I''ll explain the use to you later." Wenren Yu took out a rope and passed it to Lin Xiao before he bound the other end to his own body. "For precaution in case you can''t step properly."


    Lin Xiao looked at the rope and frowned. "I''m already fine."


    "Hurry up. Your brother is already waiting."


    "Fine."


    Taking the medicine back into the Spatial Ring, Lin Xiao tested his arms. He had already felt much better than before. Sensing this, Lin Xiao was very happy. With this he would be able to recover much faster.


    "Don''t overexert yourself."


    Slip! Thud!


    Lin Xiao failed to grab properly due sudden pain on his arm and his face crashed to the wall. Not far from him, Wenren Yu smiled bitterly.


    "You''re not in your best state, so make sure that you''re not overexerting yourself."


    "Yes, Doctor��."


    "Step slowly."


    "��Yes, Doctor."


    It took quite a long time before Lin Xiao could reach the cave where Lin Yun and Wenren Yu previously stayed. Wenren Yu had found the cave a long time ago. It was a small cave and didn''t really have anything, but it was more than enough for them to stay for the time being.


    "Brother, are you alright?" Lin Yun was shocked when he saw Lin Xiao''s sleeve and also the blood mark. What had happened to his brother, ah?


    "Don''t worry."


    Lin Xiao sat down and sighed. For the first time in his life, he felt that climbing the mountain was very difficult.


    "What happened?"


    In the end, Lin Xiao explained the simplified version about what had happened. Lin Yun was also curious at the mark on Lin Xiao''s forehead, but Lin Xiao didn''t really know about that either. He could only say that the mark appeared after he initiated some mechanism in the lake.


    In the end, Wenren Yu chipped in and shared the knowledge that he knew.


    "Emperor Inheritance?" Lin Yun was stunned. He looked at his brother''s forehead in shock. "You''re saying that it''s the mark that Brother should be an Emperor?"


    "To be exact, he''s the Emperor chosen by the Heaven," Wenren Yu explained. "As you know, Sun Kingdom is just one of the many kingdoms in the entire land. There are a lot of kingdoms, but only a handful of them have their emperor chosen by the Heaven personally."


    "Chosen personally?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "When Emperor Inheritance''s Inheritor died, the next Emperor Inheritance location will appear near the next successor. As long as the successor passed the test, he would obtain a lot of benefit and a responsibility."


    Responsibility?


    This was the first time Lin Xiao heard about that. He only thought that Emperor Inheritance was some precious treasure or something like that. But from the way Wenren Yu said it, Emperor Inheritance was actually for them to pick the next successor?


    "Yes, you have to become an Emperor."


    Become


    An


    Emperor


    BECOME AN EMPEROR?


    "WHAT?" Lin Xiao yelled in surprise. He looked at Wenren Yu with disbelief. "Are you telling me, a village kid, to become an emperor?"


    Wenren Yu nodded. "When it''s time, Emperor Inheritance''s Inheritor will have to become the Emperor. Of course, I didn''t mean right away because if you show outsider that you''re Emperor Inheritance''s Inheritor, you''ll be targeted and possibly killed. However, you''ll need to become an emperor, no matter which kingdom it is."


    Lin Yun patted Wenren Yu''s shoulder. "I don''t think he''s listening."


    The two of them looked at Lin Xiao, who was still crouching on the ground, seemingly unable to accept the fact that he had to become an Emperor.

 Chapter 80: Emperor?

    "I.. become an Emperor? Emperor? I��."


    Wenren Yu sighed and let Lin Xiao tried to calm down first. He turned to look at Lin Yun, who was merely staring back at him. For some reason, he felt that he wanted to know more about these two siblings'' relationships with each other. After all, Lin Xiao would become the Emperor if he didn''t die on the way and Lin Yun was his younger brother.


    "Are you alright?"


    "Why are you asking me that?" Lin Yun was startled. He looked at Wenren Yu in confusion.


    "Your brother suddenly has such power and achievement. Don''t you want it too?" Wenren Yu asked openly.


    Lin Yun tilted his head then slowly shook his head. "I''m not related by blood with my brother, but I''ll always treat him as my brother. He had already protected me ever since I was young, so if it''s his destiny to become the Emperor, I''m in no position to snatch it away from him."


    This time, it was Wenren Yu who was stunned. He looked at the two of them then faintly nodded. It seemed that these two siblings trusted each other and treated the other person fairly because they see each other as brothers.


    Why should they be jealous of family member?


    If their family member was successful, they should be happy instead because it was his own brother.


    "You have good relationship with your brother."


    "Of course!" Lin Yun scoffed. Isn''t it obvious?


    "I hope it won''t develop further."


    Lin Yun was stunned. It took him a second to understand what Wenren Yu was saying before he kicked the other person. "SCRAM! I LOVE WOMEN, OK?"


    But of course, he would never tell Wenren Yu about his failed romance with a village girl in the past. It was nothing more than puppy love that he had forgotten by now. Besides, the other person disliked him due to the fact that he was sickly.


    "Okay, okay."


    "If you say that once more, I''ll lock you in a room with another man!"


    "Hey! I ALREADY HAVE A CRUSH!" Wenren Yu was stunned.


    "Who?" this time, Lin Yun was surprised. To think that someone like Wenren Yu, who always treated medicine as his lover, would have someone he liked.


    Wenren Yu pursed his lips. "She''s an outer disciple too and a very bright person. However, I don''t know whether she''s still alive or not."


    "Oh. I''m sorry."


    Lin Yun had forgotten the fact that Taiyi Sect was destroyed. It seemed that Wenren Yu had a crush on a woman there and probably liked her very much. However, fate didn''t allow them to be together because the sect was no longer exist.


    "Anyway, that''s in the past." Wenren Yu waved his hand and then turned to look at Lin Xiao. After crouching on the corner to accept the fact that he would have to become an Emperor, Lin Xiao had calmed down considerably.


    "I see. If you meet her again, I''ll help you out." Lin Yun gave thumbs up.


    Wenren Yu: "��"


    He had the feeling that even if he met that woman again in the future, he had no intention of asking Lin Yun''s help. What could this brat help him with?


    Of course, Wenren Yu didn''t dare to speak anything else about this. He only looked over to Lin Yun''s direction before looking over at Lin Xiao. By this time, Lin Xiao had finally calmed down. It seemed that the fact that he now had to become an Emperor was also a great burden for Lin Xiao.


    "Are you alright?"


    "No."


    Lin Xiao slumped on the wall, thinking about the information he just gathered. He thought that the Emperor Inheritance was simply a treasure�� but this�� this��


    "Tell me the truth."


    "Yes?"


    "What is it, Bro?"


    "if I become an Emperor, will you follow me?"


    The two of them were stunned to hear Lin Xiao''s question. However, it was clear that an Emperor wouldn''t be able to do everything by himself. If Lin Xiao truly had to handle all matters on his own, it was clear that he would die faster because of overwork.


    Lin Yun tilted his head. "I think I''ll be the first person to migrate from the kingdom where you become the Emperor, Bro."


    "I''ll be the second person then."


    Lin Xiao: "��" Did you distrust me that much?


    Seeing Lin Xiao''s dark face, the two men couldn''t help it any longer and laughed out loudly.


    They all knew that Lin Xiao was not that cut out to become a proper leader because of his brash action. However, he was also someone who could use his wits at times. Though, most of the times, they felt that he didn''t use his brain at all when handling some matters.


    Lin Yun looked solemn now. He looked at his brother. "Don''t worry, Bro. No matter what, I''ll stay by your side."


    "I will help you if you need me," Wenren Yu added. "Though, I don''t think that you''ll need me that much."


    "You''re a good doctor."


    "I''m herbalist and not doctor."


    "It''s the same."


    Wenren Yu: "��"

 Chapter 81: Natural Disaster?

    "What are we going to do now?" Lin Yun asked as he watched the surrounding. Clearly, they wouldn''t be able to get out for the time being.


    Lin Xiao scratched the back of his head as he mulled over. Obviously, he didn''t like to stay in this narrow cave for long, but his wounds were not completely healed yet. Besides, he didn''t know whether the water will reach this height or not.


    "Let''s rest for now. We''ll discuss it later."


    "I''m not tired."


    "But I''m tired," Lin Xiao retorted.


    Wenren Yu was helpless. "It''ll be good if you rest because you can recover quickly that way. We might need to climb again later."


    "Got it."


    Lin Yun watched his brother lied on the corner then he recalled the plants that he brought into the cave in the river. His expression turned awkward. "Now that it''s already flooding like this, do you think the plants inside the cave still intact?"


    "Probably no��"


    "Damn��."


    Thinking of the years he spent cultivating those plants, Lin Yun wanted to cry. He didn''t really have much hobby because he was known to be sickly. However, taking care of herbs was one of the few activities that he enjoyed very much.


    He felt sad that what he had worked on so far disappeared without a trace in just a blink of eye.


    Wenren Yu sighed. He also recalled his garden back at Taiyi Sect. It might have been razed or burned down to ash by now.


    "Just rest. We''ll need stamina to move tomorrow."


    "Alright."


    The water level was still raising and Lin Yun didn''t know how much it would raise. If it eventually reached this cave even though it was pretty high, they would have no other choice but to climb again in this rain.


    "I''ll make fire first."


    "Hmm."


    ��


    Lin Xiao was not the only one who were resting on the mountain. Many other villagers were in the same situation at the opposite side. They were trying hard to climb as far as possible as the water continued to rise.


    "Make way!"


    "AAAAAAAA!"


    Splash!


    The sheer number and competition that the narrow space caused made many villagers left behind. Some of them were unable to withstand the sudden water increase and drowned before they even had the chance to leave.


    It was truly a miserable sight.


    "Where''s my father?" Xu Qin asked when she saw Su Hei. It has been a few hours since the rain started, but the water level was still rising. She was lucky because Liu Gang brought her along with him to the peak of the mountain along with other people who were chosen to be disciple.


    Su Hei had just been fetched by the annoyed Liu Gang.


    Looking at Xu Qin, Su Hei arched his eyebrows. "He''s heading to the north forest and I lost track of him. When the water surge in, I left."


    In truth, he left much sooner, but he had no intention of telling that to Xu Qin. Since he had tried looking for Elder Xu in Lin Xiao''s house, he felt that he had already fulfilled his duty. There was nothing else that he was supposed to do.


    "You didn''t find him?"


    "No."


    "Didn''t I ask you to find him?"


    Su Hei looked at Xu Qin and sneered. "Do you really think that I''m going to risk my life entering the north forest far away and get myself killed just for your father? He must be chasing after Lin Xiao who go there."


    "You��!" Xu Qin''s face turned red in anger. She knew what Su Hei said was reasonable. The two of them didn''t owe each other and she couldn''t possibly ask Su Hei to risk his life.


    They were not close to each other.


    ''If only Su Han is here.''


    No matter how indignant she was, Xu Qin knew that there was nothing that she could do. She could only brace herself and tried to accept whatever result there was. Looking at the water below them, her heart turned cold.


    Just what caused this sudden heavy rain?


    It had never happened before.


    Not far from them, Luo Lan and Bai Xin were also looking at the water. Even though Liu Gang and the woman were already at Foundation Establishment stage, they were not completely invincible.


    Facing numerous beasts would be impossible.


    Not to mention, they wouldn''t be able to fend off such natural disaster on their own.


    "Do you want to swim?" Luo Lan asked in nonchalant tone.


    Bai Xin''s face turned dark. "Scram!"


    "Hey! I''m just asking. Do you have to be that feisty?"


    Looking at the nonchalant Luo Lan, Bai Xin felt that her patience was tested. "Your Master hadn''t returned for a long time but you''re still so nonchalant?"


    "Why should I be worried of that woman?" Luo Lan asked in confused tone.


    "She''s your master!"


    "She''s only my senior sister."


    "��What?"

 Chapter 82: Rain Stop

    Bai Xin was looking at Luo Lan with incredulous expression. Didn''t he introduce himself as that woman''s student back then?


    "What�� what are you saying?"


    Luo Lan looked at Bai Xin lazily. "It''s just as I said. She''s not my master and only my senior sister. We''re only acting as master and disciple due to stupid request from the sect."


    At that answer, Bai Xin found herself unable to say anything more. Wang Luo Sect and Yun Liu Sect were not close to each other. In fact, there were already a lot of veiled attack in the past because the two sects couldn''t get into an agreement.


    "You��"


    "What?"


    "You''re not worried about your senior sister?"


    Luo Lan yawned and lied down. He looked at the sky that was still pouring hard with indifferent expression. "The first rule in Wang Luo Sect is to abandon any feelings whatsoever. You''re not allowed to have feelings because feeling is the root of your weakness."


    For a moment, Bai Xin couldn''t answer anything. Every sect has their own foundation and teaching. What she had learned in Yun Liu Sect was certainly different from Wang Luo Sect. Besides, she had heard that Wang Luo Sect was known to have a lot of ruthless disciples.


    After all, their teaching told them to not have unnecessary feelings.


    "Oh."


    "But we''re still allowed to play around. For example, peeping��"


    Bang!


    "Bastard!"


    Soon, fight ensued between the two of them. Liu Gang merely watched from a distance and snorted, unwilling to get involved in these two troublemaker''s problem.


    ��


    It took a long time for the rain to stop. And by that time, the lake''s size had expanded greatly. However, even though the rain had stopped, the water didn''t show any sign of going down.


    Just from looking at their surroundings, one would certainly think that they were inside a small island in the middle of the sea rather than a lake.


    "It''s so vast," Lin Yun murmured.


    Wenren Yu was sitting near the entrance and looked out too. He could see the surroundings and sighed internally. The water eventually didn''t reach the cave, but it was not far below them. He was pretty sure that these two sibling''s old home was already submerged into the water by now.


    "Do you want to get out?"


    "We need to search for food, don''t we?" Lin Yun asked awkwardly. He hadn''t eaten anything since yesterday afternoon after Lin Xiao returned back because the meat was limited.


    "Lin Xiao."


    "What is it?"


    "Is there any food in your spatial ring?"


    Spatial Ring?


    Lin Yun''s eyes widened in surprise. But after thinking for a bit, he recalled that there was indeed Spatial Ring that Lin Xiao got from the woman after their fight. Lin Xiao had also told them about that without any intention to hide the treasure.


    Opening his eyes, Lin Xiao began to check the Spatial Ring. He nodded. "There''s some food. I''ll take it out."


    Almost instantly, he took out a roasted turkey. Looking at the big turkey meat in front of them, both Wenren Yu and Lin Yun salivated. How long has it been since the last time they had proper and satisfying meal?


    The meat in front of them whetted their appetites greatly.


    "Are we going to eat it all?"


    "Just split it into two. There''s not much food inside the Spatial Ring," Lin Xiao replied. He checked the pile of books from the woman''s storage. Because he had never been to a sect before, he didn''t know much about their rules and regulation. However, he knew that these must be some secret book that the woman brought out.


    He only knew Mountain Punch and Moon Evasion so far.


    If he could learn other skills, wouldn''t it be great?


    Taking out the books, he read the name out loud. "Tiger Punch, Cloud Gathering, Yin Cultivation Method, and��.Rock Shield?"


    "What are those?" Lin Yun asked while chewing on the meat. He could definitely tell that whoever cooked the meat was really good.


    On the other hand, Wenren Yu''s eyes lit up when he heard what Lin Xiao said. "Those are some basic skills from Yun Liu Sect. Yun Liu is known for their two profound skill called Cloud Gathering and Yin Cultivation Method."


    Lin Xiao raised his head. "The two books are here."


    "It might be only the first volume, but if you can learn it, it''ll be great."


    "True."


    With that in mind, Lin Xiao opened the Yin Cultivation Method book and read the first sentence. However, he was stumped when he stumbled across the words there.


    "Wenren Yu."


    "Yes."


    "You can''t learn this skill."


    "Why?"


    Lin Xiao smiled bitterly and read out loud. "To learn Yin Cultivation Method, one had to be a woman or if you''re a man, you need to become a eunuch��."

 Chapter 83: Skills from Yun Liu Sect

    Silence.


    Wenren Yu immediately waved his hand. "I still want to find girls in the future, so please put the book away."


    Lin Xiao laughed and put the book away. He also had no interest of sacrificing his manhood just to learn this skill. What a joke, he wanted to get married to a beautiful woman in the future and pamper her greatly!


    Taking the other book, Lin Xiao opened the book Cloud Gathering. The name didn''t seem to reveal much of the content, but when he read it, he was astonished to know that it was actually meditation method.


    This method would increase their efficiency in cultivation based on their understanding of the breathing skill.


    "Yun, Wenren Yu, with this skill, you''re going to be able to advance faster," Lin Xiao said after reading the Could Gathering and passed it to both Wenren Yu and Lin Yun. The two of them quickly read the content.


    The book was not that thick, but it contained all the necessary information that they truly needed. While the increase was only a few percent because the skill book was not that great, it was still much better than nothing.


    Wenren Yu looked at the skill book for a moment then at Lin Xiao. "This is not going to be good."


    "Why?"


    "To be able to possess this skill book meant that she must be someone important in the sect." Wenren Yu was not stupid. Yun Liu Sect was known to have more girls than men because of Yin Cultivation Method. There were other cultivation methods in the sect, but this one was the most popular because of the speed and power.


    Cloud Gathering was also famous, but it was also a tightly guarded secret in the sect. Not all disciple would have the access to learn this skill and those who learned illegally would be killed.


    Now��


    This woman had this book with her, so Wenren Yu could guess that she must have some special status. That was what allowed her to possess a copy of this important skill book.


    "What kind of status?"


    "I don''t know. What''s her name?"


    At this question, both Lin Yun and Lin Xiao looked at each other. If they thought about it again, they didn''t know the woman''s name. However, Wenren Yu guessed her name in the past, right?


    "Didn''t you say that she''s Luo Mingyue?"


    "That''s only guessing," Wenren Yu replied helplessly. He didn''t see the woman with his own eyes even though he was also quite sure that she must be Luo Mingyue. As for the status of Luo Mingyue��


    "But if she''s really Luo Mingyue, then yes, she had a status. Her mother is an elder in Yun Liu Sect."


    Silence.


    For the first time in his life, Lin Xiao felt that he had offended someone great too early. He should have built his power first before he began offending people, ah! Maybe he should just stay inside the lake and not get out so that he could use his trump card forever?


    No!


    That was just too cowardly. Cultivation journey would always be filled with difficulties and also hardship. If he couldn''t even bear with one mishap, how could he expect himself to reach the peak in the future?


    What a joke.


    "If she wants to come, then let her come," Lin Xiao said after a moment. "I''ll figure out a method to deal with her."


    "Then, what do you want to do, Bro?"


    "Getting stronger." Lin Xiao checked the other two books. Tiger Punch was the skill that Luo Lan showed to them and he had no interest in it. Mountain Punch was already more than enough because if he studied two similar skills but with different breathing method, there was chance that they might clash.


    He had learned about basic of cultivation from his parents. They warned him to not learn skills recklessly because learning cultivation technique that clashed against each other would be very detrimental.


    He might even become cripple.


    Because of that, Lin Xiao didn''t dare to learn Tiger Punch when he already had Mountain Punch.


    "Rock Shield�� why is this book filled with method to of beating someone up?" Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. He had just realized that the skill was not really forming shield from rock but to make one''s body as hard as rock.


    And the method��.


    Was to have their body beaten up so much followed with breathing technique and also some weird stance.


    "Well, we can just learn it all while we''re here."


    "We can, but we need to search for food."


    "You can fish."


    "The space is too narrow." Lin Yun pointed out a big issue. If the three of them began to train here, it was clear that they might push each other because of the narrow space.


    Wenren Yu pondered. "That''s��."


    "We can just dig."


    "Brother?"


    "Let''s go!" With that, Lin Xiao began to punch the back of the cave with Mountain Punch, sending smaller rocks and debris scattered in the surroundings almost immediately.


    "BROTHER!"

 Chapter 84: Connected Cave

    The rocks and debris littered the cave''s floor. Lin Yun looked helplessly at the sight of the rocks and kicked them out of the cave along with Wenren Yu. On the other hand, Lin Xiao continued to punch at the wall.


    "Don''t you have pickaxe, Brother?" Lin Yun asked helplessly.


    "This is also good for exercise. Why don''t you follow me along, Yun?" Lin Xiao asked excitedly, punching forward once more.


    It was rare that he had something he wanted to destroy. Since he had been learning Mountain Punch for some time, he also wanted to test its power. Punching the rocky wall didn''t sound like a bad idea.


    "That''s��"


    "Let''s just train," Wenren Yu added helplessly. After knowing Lin Xiao for some time, he knew that it was impossible to put words into Lin Xiao''s head when the man had already decided on something. Since it was only a training session, there was nothing wrong from them punching the wall.


    Lin Yun looked at the wall helplessly and began to exercise too. They all continuously destroying the wall and then throw the rock outside into the large lake. For some reason, the water didn''t decrease in the slightest bit.


    Lin Xiao was happy that he could finally punch something to his heart content. He focused on making sure that he did the stance right and then continued to exert more and more power. The rocks were destroyed quickly as Lin Xiao learned how to control the direction of the force better.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The sound of people destroying the wall could be heard for the entire day. They only stopped once in the evening to eat the rest of the turkey meat before they continued to punch.


    Suddenly��


    Slip!


    "Woah!"


    Lin Xiao was stunned when he realized that there was nothing below him. The punch destroyed the wall and showed a large cave heading down. Before he could regain his balance, he fell into hole.


    "Brother!" Lin Yun was stunned. He bent down near the cave''s entrance and looked around.


    "I''m fine!" muffled sound could be heard from below.


    Lin Yun heaved a sigh of relief. "We''ll come down soon."


    Wenren Yu tied the rope onto a strong rock at the wall then give it to Lin Yun. The two of them climbed down the vertical cave carefully.


    Below, Lin Xiao was stunned by the sudden fall, but he managed to slow his fall by using the fallen rocks and kicked them to create opposite force. Thankfully, it was not that height and soon, he reached the bottom.


    Except for some rocks around him, Lin Xiao didn''t see anything else. He looked around him and frowned when he realized that it looked somewhat familiar. The light from the wall before him allowed him to see even in this dark cave.


    "Primordial Light Night Moss?" Lin Xiao muttered to himself.


    He stood up and looked around. Indeed, it was familiar. As he walked to the other side, he noticed the room that Lin Yun had arranged to place his herbs before and also the lake where it was connected to the river.


    All of a sudden, Lin Xiao''s expression turned weird.


    "Brother!"


    "I''m over here," Lin Xiao replied and his head popped from the location where he was. He looked at Lin Yun with an awkward expression. "It seems that the cave above and this one below is connected to each other."


    "This��"


    Even Lin Yun was stunned when he realized that the two caves were connected. The rocks prevented them from coming here, but after Lin Xiao destroyed enough rocks, the natural cave eventually connected to each other.


    Before long, Wenren Yu came and also checked the place with them. He was utterly speechless too.


    "Well, I can fish here." Lin Xiao pointed to the small lake that was connected to the river. "For the time being we can just stay here and practice to our hearts'' content. When it''s time, we''re going out to see the world outside."


    The water outside didn''t seem like it would go away soon. Besides, Lin Xiao had already made enemies out of the village because of Su Han and Elder Xu. If those people found out that he had killed Elder Xu, he would be surrounded and might even be killed.


    Lin Yun stretched his body. "After New Year, it''ll be the time for sect selection in the city. Do you want to go, Brother?"


    There was always sect selection once a year. However, Lin Xiao didn''t participate early this year because he was only Body Training Rank 5. It was only recently that his progress soared quickly to the point that he reached Body Training Rank 7.


    "It didn''t sound that bad."


    "You want to join sects?" Wenren Yu asked with bewilderment. He used to be part of Taiyi Sect but thinking of his old sect would make him very unwilling to join a new one.


    He couldn''t part with his old sect that easily.


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "Not really, but I want to see the selection."


    "Oh."


    "Well, we can also harvest a lot of valuable herbs from outside." Lin Xiao grinned. "It seems that we''re going to be able to advance faster if we stay here."


    Lin Xiao and Wenren Yu were both Body Training Rank 7 while Lin Yun was Body Training Rank 6. There were still a few more months before New Year, so advancing another rank shouldn''t be that hard.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "Alright, we''ll train quietly here."


    "Good."

 Chapter 85: Is the Lake permanent?

    Time passed swiftly.


    Weeks to weeks, months to months, and seasons also changed.


    Lin Xiao was already 16 years old by now and grew a bit taller. However, he still looked a bit childish if one didn''t pay close attention.


    Bang!


    "Brother, don''t destroy the cave," Lin Yun reminded helplessly. He had the feeling that his brother really loved to destroy the cave because he would use the cave''s wall as his target to test his power.


    "I''m just training."


    Lin Xiao really missed the forest because he could train with the beasts there. But unfortunately, he could only fight against some underwater beasts that came here and used them as his training partner.


    As the result, he was growing better and better when it came to underwater fight.


    "New Year had already passed three months ago, but the water is not going down at all," Lin Yun commented. They were planning to get out before it was New Year, but it didn''t seem like it was possible.


    Over the past few months, Lin Yun''s advancement was the fastest. Since he was someone who relied on herbs the most and had Yin Body Constitution, all types of Yang herbs would do wonders to him. Because of that, he managed to breakthrough two stages and reached Body Training Rank 8.


    Wenren Yu was also not slow because he had already reached Body Training Rank 8, which was the same as Lin Xiao. In fact, their speed was not slow at all because they spent more than half a year, nearly a year, in this cave while checking outside from time to time.


    Unfortunately, the lake didn''t respond to their wishes and continued to trap them here.


    Not only that, it was always raining every few days, which made the water level stagnated. And if they want to get out by swimming, they would have to face some powerful beasts that originated from the lake.


    Unless they had already reached Golden Core Stage, no one else could defeat the beasts.


    In the end, they were simply staying here and did whatever they could to stay alive and continued to train.


    Only those who were selected to be disciples were taken away by teleportation scroll with Liu Gang after he had confirmed that Luo Mingyue, the woman''s representative from Wang Luo Sect, had died.


    "I think the lake didn''t allow me to leave," Lin Xiao said bitterly.


    "The lake didn''t allow you to leave?" Wenren Yu had strange expression.


    "Why?"


    "Well��"


    Lin Xiao found it hard to explain. After all, he knew for sure that the dragon could only be summoned inside the lake. Without the dragon''s protection, there would be too many people who wished to kill him.


    So far, there was no powerful cultivators who appeared in the lake. There might be someone on the other side of the mountain, but Lin Xiao and the rest didn''t see any from their side.


    "Don''t force yourself to tell me if you can''t. It must be your personal problem," Lin Yun added when he saw Lin Xiao was troubled.


    "Yeah."


    "Oh well, even if we''re trapped here, I don''t think that it''ll be impossible for you to leave. Didn''t you say that the beast didn''t attack you at all?"


    Recalling his time back in the north forest, Lin Xiao nodded. The beast strangely didn''t attack him in the slightest bit and even allowed him to leave freely in the forest. But in the underwater, he still found several beast chasing after him.


    What if that powerful beast tried to attack him?


    They wouldn''t be able to get out.


    "Do you want to stay here longer so that you can train again, Brother?" Lin Yun asked amusedly. Training here was also good for him as he was already proficient in Mountain Punch, Rock Shield, Moon Evasion, and also Cloud Gathering. The three of them continued to train so badly that the cave had been expanded more than 10 times its original size.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Training with the beast underwater is good, but I also want to fight in the land."


    "Well, there''s a beast here, Brother."


    Turning his head to the side, Lin Xiao noticed that Lin Yun was correct. A beast appeared from the small cave, seemingly intrigued to something. Without hesitation, Lin Xiao lunged forward and punched the beast.


    Bang! Splash!


    Twisting its large body, the beast entered the water again. Lin Xiao jumped into the water and chased after the beast. It looked like small sized shark when Lin Xiao saw the beast opened its mouth that was filled with razor like teeth.


    He twisted his body and punched forward.


    Bang!


    Even though the water would decrease the power that Lin Xiao could exerted, he knew for sure that it was already more than enough to deal with this beast over here.


    Swish!


    Using Moon Evasion, Lin Xiao reappeared by the beast''s side and punched again. The mighty power behind his punch immediately blasted the beast deeper into the water as the beast''s flesh twisted horribly.


    The beast tried to run away, but Lin Xiao grabbed its tail and then proceeded to the last punch that directly shattered the backbone.


    Snap!


    The beast had died.

 Chapter 86: Meeting with Others

    "Three moves," Wenren Yu commented when he saw Lin Xiao got out of the water. He arched his eyebrows. "You need to develop skills that can kill your enemies in just one punch."


    "This fish has high defense," Lin Xiao replied and put the beast down. Sometimes, he could successfully defeat the beast in just one punch after he had trained greatly. But there were many other times when he had to punch several times.


    Wenren Yu sighed. By now, if the three of them had to compete in skill, they would have to admit that Lin Xiao was much better than them. If only they had a teacher that could teach Lin Xiao, Wenren Yu was sure that Lin Xiao would be even better.


    The comprehensive ability to understand a skill, implement it, and even develop it further was very unique. But this unique skill was possessed by Lin Xiao who was getting even better even though Wenren Yu was the one who taught him in the first place.


    "Let''s go and collect some herbs."


    "Got it."


    The Primordial Light Night Moss was good enough and they had already eaten it a lot, but they would still use many other herbs as supplement. Not to mention, they now could store the most valuable herbs in Lin Xiao''s Spatial Ring without the need to worry.


    Climbing out of the cave, Lin Xiao began to climb up. He had encountered several valuable herbs on his journey scrambling here and there. In fact, they had almost made the entire mountain bare if not for the fact that they always tried to replant again.


    In a few more years, there would be more herbs for those who came here to pluck it.


    Lin Xiao also always wore headband by now. He forced himself to make it a habit because he had to hide the apparent mark in his forehead. If other people were to see the mark, they would surely recognize him as the Emperor Inheritance''s Inheritor.


    *Rustle*


    The sound of something moving alerted Lin Xiao. He swiftly erased his presence and hid behind the bushes. Even though the position was a bit awkward and hard, Lin Xiao had already suffered a lot from many stances of Rock Shield.


    This little bit of hardship was nothing in his eyes.


    From his position, he saw Shopkeeper Wang walked calmly on top of the narrow rock. His appearance nearly made Lin Xiao released his grip.


    Shopkeeper Wang was still here?


    He thought that this shopkeeper had already gone to the city prior of the incident. After all, Shopkeeper Wang loved to visit the market and then busy over there for countless days before returning. That Rune Plate must have already made Shopkeeper Wang very busy.


    Why is he here?


    While Lin Xiao was confused and still kept his presence. He could see Shopkeeper Wang glanced in his direction. The shopkeeper always had ordinary appearance and presence. In fact, the villagers only knew that this shopkeeper was quite eccentric.


    "I know you''re there, Lin Xiao."


    Lin Xiao sucked a deep breath. Was his presence erasing technique still lacking? Dejectedly, Lin Xiao got out of the bushes and greeted the other party.


    "Shopkeeper Wang."


    "You''re not with the villagers."


    "Given by how they dislike me, I don''t think there''s any need for me to stay with those people." Lin Xiao shrugged, clearly unbothered with what those people would even think about him.


    Shopkeeper Wang nodded. The fact that the villagers disliked Lin Xiao was not a secret. He looked at Lin Xiao and narrowed his eyes. After nearly a year, Lin Xiao had reached Body Training Rank 8? It was really fast.


    Body Training had 10 stage before one could reach Foundation Establishment. Usually, the higher the stage, the more time needed to reach that particular stage. To be able to advance from Body Training Rank 5 to Body Training Rank 8 in just a year''s time was already a great achievement.


    "You''ve been working hard, Lin Xiao."


    "if I don''t work hard, I won''t be able to leave this place," Lin Xiao replied with a grin.


    Shopkeeper Wang arched his eyebrows. "Do you know what had happened to the villagers?"


    "Eh, no."


    Lin Xiao basically kept his activities limited to this area of the steep mountain because he didn''t want to meet with the other villagers. Many of them didn''t like him and the only one who treated him normally would be Shopkeeper Wang and one youth that used to play with him when he was young.


    "Some Golden Core Cultivators come here a few weeks ago taking them all away," Shopkeeper Wang replied.


    "Why?" Lin Xiao blurted out his question without thinking. But even before Shopkeeper Wang answered, he felt that he had known the answer. This natural phenomenon was simply too big, so those powerful figure wouldn''t want to leave this place without finding the real Emperor Inheritance''s Inheritor.


    Even if the real one might have already left since they were so late, they still took the other people here.


    Rather than leaving the real one leave, it would be better to just bring all of them in.


    Shopkeeper Wang''s eyes landed on Lin Xiao''s forehead. Headband was common and many people used it because some people said that it could make them look manly. Some others only wore it for fashion, though.


    He had already known Lin Xiao for a long time and it was the first time he saw Lin Xiao with headband.


    "They''re looking for you."


    "Shopkeeper Wang." Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "Really?"


    Soft chuckled could be heard. Afterwards, Lin Xiao felt a gush of wind and realized that in Shopkeeper Wang''s hand now had a headband. Lin Xiao''s face fell as he touched his head. The headband had disappeared.

 Chapter 87: I’ll Help You

    Lin Xiao''s face turned solemn. He knew that the mark on his forehead was very visible to anyone, so he quickly readied his stance. Internally, he was grieving. He couldn''t even see Shopkeeper Wang''s movement��.


    "You should lower your fist. I''m not here to kill you," Shopkeeper Wang said leisurely. His tone sounded as if he was merely talking about weather and not the decision to kill someone.


    It was a bit�� strange.


    From the very first, Lin Xiao had thought that Shopkeeper Wang was an eccentric person, but he had never thought of Shopkeeper Wang as someone with high cultivation. After all, he had never seen Shopkeeper Wang train or even fought with others.


    But thinking about it again, Shopkeeper Wang had so many valuable resources. If he was not strong enough to protect his goods, it would be impossible for him to become a merchant. There were so many valuable items that he showed from time to time yet Lin Xiao never realized this point.


    "How can I trust you?" Lin Xiao asked back while his body was ready to move. While it was a bit dangerous to perform Moon Evasion in such terrain, he had already trained himself to do that from time to time.


    He had so much free time, after all.


    "If I want to kill you, I wouldn''t only take your headband," Shopkeeper Wang replied once more.


    Well, true.


    With the power that Shopkeeper Wang had, Lin Xiao knew that he was not the other party''s match. If Shopkeeper Wang had wanted to kill him, it would not be the headband that the other party targeted but his neck.


    Albeit unwilling, Lin Xiao lowered his fist. "What do you want?"


    "First, let me punch you."


    "WHAT?"


    Thud!


    Lin Xiao only felt slight push. He grabbed the rock to balance himself and looked down. There was palm mark on his chest. Even though it was unclear, Lin Xiao knew that Shopkeeper Wang had made his move just now.


    But the other party had to restrain himself.


    Looking at the aggrieved Shopkeeper Wang, Lin Xiao wanted to yell loudly. "What is that for?"


    "I can''t believe that the snot nosed troublemaker brat in front of me is the Emperor that I have to serve," Shopkeeper Wang said in aggrieved tone. When he checked the villagers one by one for the past few months, he had known that not a single one of them was the one who triggered the inheritance.


    He had been trying to convince himself that it must be a traveler who passed by the village and entered the lake. However, he recalled that there were still two brats he had checked. Even though he was unwilling to believe that they were the one selected, he still checked in case he was wrong.


    Before he met with Lin Xiao, he had been trying to chant inside his mind and 99% convinced that it shouldn''t be Lin Xiao.


    But that headband made him waver.


    As he removed the headband and looked at the obvious mark of the crown, Shopkeeper Wang felt like crying.


    Why?


    WHY?


    Why did it have to be this brat?


    From all people he knew, why did it have to be this troublemaker? It was far better if the one who got it was Lin Yun because that brat behaved better than Lin Xiao. While this one�� Shopkeeper Wang felt like he should lit a candle for the kingdom''s future.


    Lin Xiao''s face turned dark. "DO YOU THINK I WANT TO BEOCME AN EMPEROR?"


    "THAT MARK IS ALREADY OBVIOUS ENOUGH!"


    "IT''S AN ACCIDENT!"


    "YOU''RE STILL GOING TO BE THE EMPEROR!" Shopkeeper Wang shouted back, feeling utterly aggrieved. "And to think that I have to be the one to guide you now�� I really wished that I can turn back time."


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. He also wanted to stop his foolish self who entered the lake without even knowing about the truth. If only he knew that Emperor Inheritance was actually a method to pick out the next Emperor, he would stay away from that place forever.


    His talent increased, yes.


    But he had to become an Emperor!


    That was very upsetting.


    Shopkeeper Wang sighed. "Anyway, you need to start your education. There are a lot of people who are after the Emperor''s seat. While you''ve indeed been selected by the Heaven, it''ll be useless if people don''t want you as the Emperor."


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. He had been thinking about that since a long time ago, but he couldn''t find anything that could help him to nurture himself to become a better Emperor. After all, he himself was not sure what quality needed to become an Emperor.


    A leader?


    He honestly didn''t know how he could become a proper leader. All this time, only Wenren Yu and Lin Yun were under his lead and moved according to what he said.


    Power?


    He was still in Body Training Stage. Even normal Foundation Establishment Stage would be able to defeat him easily.


    "You''ll help me?" Lin Xiao asked hesitantly.


    Shopkeeper Wang nodded. "Yes, from now on, call me Elder Wang."


    Elder Wang?


    Feeling weird with the sudden method of calling, Lin Xiao sighed himself to his fate. It would really be a long way to go to become an Emperor. "Elder Wang."

 Chapter 88: History

    "Good." Shopkeeper Wang, who was now had become Elder Wang, looked at Lin Xiao and sighed. He truly couldn''t understand why the Heaven wanted someone like Lin Xiao to become the Emperor.


    Was there something special about this boy aside from his recklessness?


    Thinking about how Shopkeeper Wang himself had made use of Lin Xiao in the past because Lin Xiao was so poor, he couldn''t help but shudder. He hoped that Lin Xiao would forget how he treated the other party like a guinea pig to test some goods.


    "So, who are you exactly?" Lin Xiao asked.


    "Right, I''m Associate Elder of Taiyi Sect and also the previous emperor''s disciple, Wang Jun," Elder Wang replied with a bitter smile. He had never used his real name, Wang Jun, for a long time. After all, no one dared to call him directly when they talked about him.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes widened as he looked at Elder Wang, Wang Jun, in surprise. "If you''re such an honorable elder, why do you stay here and become a wretched merchant?"


    "I''m not wretched, you damn brat!"


    "Then a merchant!" Lin Xiao rolled his eyes.


    Wang Jun sighed and then looked at the village. "Taiyi Sect is the real founder of Sun Kingdom and always protected the kingdom''s secret. The secret naturally also includes the method to pinpoint the location of Emperor Inheritance."


    "You can guess the location of the Emperor Inheritance?" Lin Xiao asked in shocked tone. Wenren Yu told him before that the Emperor Inheritance location would be near the place of the next inheritor. However, it was hard for them to figure out where it would be.


    "Not very accurate, but we can guess. The last Emperor Inheritance''s Inheritor who died is the Lake Emperor, so we could guess that the next inheritor would be someone near the lake," Wang Jun explained.


    "Based on the prediction, it''ll appear somewhere near Taiyi Sect, which excite us. I might not be a formal elder there, but I still have the informal position as Associate Elder, so I was also informed. To be able to mingle with the people near lakes, I chose to go with merchant identity."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. He had asked Wenren Yu to draw a map before, so he knew that there were a total of three lakes near Taiyi Sect. Did it mean Wang Jun had been visiting each lake one by one?


    Seeing Lin Xiao''s expression, Wang Jun smiled bitterly. "Yes, I visited all of them under the guise of a merchant."


    "And no one suspicious?"


    "Brat, are you even suspicious of me?"


    "��No."


    Now that Lin Xiao thought about it, Shopkeeper Wang appeared around two years ago. Yet despite his sudden appearance, everyone treated him as if he was someone who had been in the village for a long time. Even Lin Xiao also traded some food with him as if it was something that he had done naturally all this time.


    If not for Wang Jun mentioned it, he would have never realized it even up to this point.


    "That''s��"


    "I''m already at Golden Core Stage," Wang Jun admitted. "But don''t expect me to treat you like a pampered young master. You have to get stronger on your own."


    "Yes!"


    As Golden Core Stage, Wang Jun possessed ability to slightly affect other people''s memory. While he didn''t really erase their memory, he made them felt that he was someone who belonged to the village. This way, the villagers would never treat him as stranger.


    Thanks to that, Wang Jun had been able to do his investigate peacefully. However, he didn''t find anyone who might have connection with the Emperor, any Emperor. That was why he was utterly confused but still kept his identity a secret.


    "When Taiyi Sect is destroyed, is it because of the Emperor Inheritance?" Lin Xiao asked probingly.


    Wang Jun arched his eyebrows. He looked at Lin Xiao and slowly nodded. "Yes."


    "I see."


    Even though Wang Jun didn''t want to tell this brat about this, he felt that it would be useless even if he tried to lie. Lin Xiao was not completely stupid, so he must have guessed that because of the rumor that the next Emperor Inheritance appeared near, some people were attracted.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes were solemn. "What exactly happened at that time."


    "I''m sorry, I can''t tell you."


    "But��"


    "You''re too weak."


    Too weak!


    The phrase lit up a fire within Lin Xiao''s eyes. He always thought that he had nothing to do with Taiyi Sect, but it turned out that Taiyi Sect was implicated because of him. Yet at that time, he didn''t even realize it and still lived his life normally.


    The burden of having so many people''s lives ended because of him��


    Lin Xiao thought of Wenren Yu and how he had lost everything in just a day''s time. He clenched his fist. No matter what, he would bring Taiyi Sect back to its former glory!


    Watching Lin Xiao''s emotion that brewed in his eyes, Wang Jun felt that the boy was not that bad. He had been wondering how Lin Xiao''s reaction would be. Some people would run away from the responsibility while some of them would feel the burden too big and be overwhelmed.


    But Lin Xiao was different.


    He felt that it was heavy and that it was impossible for him to turn back the past, but he chose to shoulder everything and moved on to fulfill the expectation.


    "Do you wish for me to become the Emperor, Elder Wang?"


    Elder Wang arched his eyebrows. "Whether you become the Emperor or not is your decision. However, my task is to guide the next Emperor Inheritance''s Inheritor so that you would not stray in your path."


    Lin Xiao took a deep breath. His dark eyes brewed with emotion. Slowly, he raised his hand and cupped it together. "In that case, I''ll be in your care, Elder Wang. Please guide me to become the Great Emperor."

 Chapter 89: Reunion

    "I''ll do my best." Wang Jun smiled.


    Lin Xiao nodded. He pointed down. "Let''s go and meet with Yun and someone."


    "Someone?"


    "I''ll introduce him to you."


    Wang Jun nodded and followed Lin Xiao as the latter agilely moved around in the steep wall. From the way it looked like, Wang Jun could see that Lin Xiao didn''t exert any unnecessary strength when climbing nor moving down. After staying here for a year, his skill had started to show.


    The two of them reached the cave and Wang Jun followed as Lin Xiao climbed down with the rope. Of course, he didn''t need it and directly jumped after Lin Xiao had landed and called out.


    "You can come down now, Elder Wang."


    "Elder Wang?" Lin Yun was stunned. His hand, that was holding a bowl of fish soup, trembled in confusion.


    Lin Xiao looked at the bowl. "You better put it away first."


    "Ah, ok."


    Tep!


    Wang Jun landed on the ground and then looked around. He was astonished when he saw the cave that these three had been using to live. There was no equipment that was normally seen outside since they merely used the rocks and Primordial Light Night Moss to make table, chairs, and bed.


    "This��?"


    "We find this coincidentally and have been here for a long time," Lin Xiao explained. He looked at Lin Yun. "Yun, this is Elder Wang."


    "Wang Jun, Associate Elder of Taiyi Sect," Wang Jun introduced himself.


    Lin Yun''s mouth was agape. He was looking at Wang Jun with disbelief. This��. this�� Wasn''t he Shopkeeper Wang? He felt that the sudden turn of event when Shopkeeper Wang suddenly turned out to become Elder Wang was too astonishing and hard to believe.


    How could he directly accept someone who used to be normal merchant was actually a powerful expert?


    Bang!


    The wall trembled and Wenren Yu rushed in. He was abnormally sensitive to the word ''Taiyi Sect.'' Whenever someone mentioned that phrase, he would undoubtedly move swiftly so that he could hear more.


    Whatever news regarding the sect was incredibly important in his eyes.


    Upon seeing Wang Jun, Wenren Yu''s eyes widened. He would definitely recognize the face of the elders from Taiyi Sect. While Wang Jun was not really a formal elder, he was also someone who spent his time in the sect a lot.


    His eyes watered as Wenren Yu cupped his hand. "Wenren Yu, Taiyi Sect Outer Disciple greets Elder Wang!"


    Wang Jun''s mind blanked for a moment. The scene of fire and also utter destruction played within his mind. Because he was an associate elder and not really an elder in the sect, his residence was quite far.


    Of course, he originally wanted to head out to help, but the Sect Head gave him sound transmission and ordered to leave directly. No matter how unwilling he was, he had to go. He had a much more important mission given to him.


    Find the real Emperor Inheritance''s Inheritor and guide him in the right way.


    When he came to Taiyi Sect''s ground afterwards, Wang Jun had seen how everything was utterly destroyed. The buildings were flat to the ground. The plants were burned to the point that the forest surroundings were also enveloped in fire.


    Corpses of disciples, elders, and even workers there littered the ground. No one was alive. Even the outer disciples were chased by the people and killed on the spot before they were left there to rot in the open.


    It was a ghastly sight.


    But now��. there was a disciple who was still alive!


    Wang Jun was so moved that he wanted to break down. It seemed that the Heaven didn''t want Taiyi Sect to disappear, there are still disciples who are alive!


    He turned to look at Lin Xiao. It was not hard to guess that Lin Xiao must have been hiding Wenren Yu''s existences and tried his best to help Wenren Yu to recover. It was impossible to run away unscathed from that hell.


    "Thank you."


    "I only did what I ought to do," Lin Xiao replied. In the past, he had always wanted to join Taiyi Sect, so when he saw a disciple of the sect that he wanted to go was wounded, he couldn''t bring himself not to help.


    Wang Jun smiled. Not everyone was willing to help strangers. "I would like to talk with Wenren Yu for a moment. Do you mind?"


    "Not at all. After you''re done, we''re going to talk again." Lin Xiao walked to his younger brother. "We''ll prepare lunch."


    "Alright."


    If he had to be honest, Wang Jun didn''t recognize Wenren Yu. There were too many outer disciples in Taiyi Sect for him to remember each of them. However, he still could recognize the attire that Wenren Yu used.


    it was the robe that belonged to Taiyi Sect Outer Disciple.


    Lin Xiao walked to the other room with Lin Yun following not far behind him, looking curiously in Wang Jun''s direction.


    "Brother."


    "Yes?"


    "Is he really an associate elder?"


    "Yes." Lin Xiao pursed his lips. Even he himself found it hard to believe. Much less Lin Yun who had less contact with Taiyi Sect. "He''s very strong and will help me to become an Emperor."


    "Brother, you have decided to become an Emperor?" Lin Yun teased.


    "Tsk, you know that I don''t have the choice. Now, let me cook."


    "Wait, let me do it instead!"


    "Don''t worry, I know how to cook."


    Lin Yun: "��" the last time you nearly burn all the herbs, ah!

 Chapter 90: Planning

    Wang Jun talked with Wenren Yu for a bit before they all sat down to eat. Lin Yun didn''t manage to stop his brother in time so half of the fish were a bit burnt. Wenren Yu had already gotten used to it while Wang Jun simply didn''t care.


    "Are we going to stay here from now?" Lin Xiao asked curiously. He didn''t really mind either way since he was feeling comfortable in this place.


    "No."


    "Then��."


    "We''ll need to wait until the lake is returned to normal before heading to the city. However, I''m not going to let you enter the city directly," Wang Jun replied unhurriedly.


    "What''s your plan, Elder Wang?"


    "You''ll train until you reach Body Training Rank 9 or if possible, Body Training Rank 10 before you enter the city."


    Hearing the plan, Lin Xiao was taken aback. He didn''t expect that it would take so much time for him just to enter the city. "Why?"


    "While Taiyi Sect is a powerful sect, the smaller sects are not that much worse. Many of their leader are already half Golden Core Stage while their elders are at Foundation Establishment. If you''re not at least Body Training Rank 9 or 10, you wouldn''t stand a chance against their elders who might be roaming around."


    The cultivation stage after Body Training was Foundation Establishment. For Foundation Establishment, there was only two ranks, which was Early Foundation Establishment and Foundation Establishment. However, the difference was usually not apparent, so people only called them as Foundation Establishment.


    After Foundation Establishment, they would be reaching Half Golden Core Stage or if they were talented enough, they could directly jump to Golden Core Stage.


    Taiyi Sect Head back then had already reached Golden Core Stage while most other smaller sects nearby were only at Half Golden Core Stage. It was precisely because of this difference that these sects could never threaten Taiyi Sect position in this area.


    However, Taiyi Sect was not the only sect in Sun Kingdom. There were several other sects that were more powerful than Taiyi Sect. They might have played a hand in the downfall of Taiyi Sect.


    "Which forest?"


    "I''ll decide later."


    "Fine."


    Lin Yun tilted his head. "How can we make the lake return back to normal? It''s been nearly a year since the lake rise to this point."


    Wang Jun pointed to Lin Xiao. "You can control the lake, you know."


    "��Sorry?"


    "I''m saying that you can control the lake." Wang Jun felt utterly helpless. He could guess that Lin Xiao somehow had relation with one of the previous emperors even though he was not sure whether it was him being their children, grandchildren, cousins, or whatever.


    However, Lin Xiao was never groomed in the palace, which made him lacking in terms of knowledge regarding Emperor Inheritance and what those inheritors could do. Every Emperor represent something and as Lake Emperor, Lin Xiao was capable of controlling the lake.


    Or at least, he was supposed to be.


    Lin Xiao was stunned as he looked at Wang Jun in disbelief. "That�� how?"


    "Touch your mark and communicate with your beast. He should be able to tell you how," Wang Jun replied. He himself was not sure how, but he knew that every Emperor had dragons inside their mark, so that dragon should be able to help.


    Lin Xiao did as Wang Jun said and touched his mark. As his Qi was initiated, he could hear voice within his head.


    "Oh, you finally figure out how to use the mark."


    "Bastard, why didn''t you tell me anything for the past few months?"


    Lin Hu rolled his body, acting all pitiful. "But I''m too weak and can''t get out freely."


    "Scram!"


    "Tsk, I''m bound to your soul, so I can''t leave you. If you die, I''ll die too but it didn''t seem that you''re going to die soon, so��."


    "Tell me how to control the lake."


    "Huh?"


    "DON''T YOU KNOW THAT I''M TRAPPED IN THIS PLACE FOR A LONG TIME? DON''T TELL ME THAT YOU CAN''T SEE WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU''RE INSIDE?"


    "Oh, I''m the one who did it. Do you want it to return back to normal?"


    "Yes."


    "Got it."


    Lin Xiao was doubtful when he saw Lin Hu''s relaxed expression. He felt that there was something wrong, but he couldn''t pinpoint what it was. "Wait, that''s all?"


    "Yes?"


    "I only need to ask you to retract the water back?"


    Lin Hu rolled his eyes. "Of course not. I''m only maintaining the size of the lake so that you can stay safe here. After all, every time new inheritor was born, they''re usually very weak and required protection."


    Well, Lin Xiao couldn''t refute that. He was clearly still very weak especially if he were to compare himself with so many others.


    The fight with that woman representative, Luo Mingyue, was also a big slap to his face that showed how weak he was.


    "It''s already enough. I won''t be able to get stronger if I stay still and trapped in this place," Lin Xiao said helplessly.


    Lin Hu nodded. "Don''t worry, Master."


    After settling that, Lin Xiao retracted his hand and looked at Wang Jun. "It''s done. The water should subside soon."


    Wang Jun nodded in approval. "Since it''ll surely take a few more days, I want you to show your skill first. You''re learning Mountain Punch, right?"


    It was then Lin Xiao recalled that as an elder, Wang Jun would surely be able to teach him better. His eyes lit up.


    "YES!"

 Chapter 91: Training

    Lin Xiao walked to the spacious area and readied his stance. His eyes were focused to the front as he gathered his Qi and punched forward. The air around him moved according to his punch as it generated large force and power.


    Watching from the side, Wang Jun was astonished. He turned to look at Wenren Yu. "Did you teach him?"


    "I only teach him the basic, but afterwards, he''s improving by himself."


    "I see."


    Before this, Wang Jun had never paid much attention to Lin Xiao in the village. After all, this was nothing more than a brat that didn''t know the vast world. But upon seeing that Lin Xiao''s talent was actually this good, he was astonished.


    If only Taiyi Sect was not destroyed yet, he was sure that Lin Xiao would be able to become inner disciple in time.


    His talent was really good.


    "You''re not bad, but you need to circulate your Qi faster. Your opponent will not give you any chance to prepare yourself."


    Lin Xiao was solemn as he nodded. He had experienced several battles with the beasts over the past year. Many times, he felt that he almost died, but thankfully, he managed to turn the situation and defeated the beasts instead.


    "Watch me."


    Wang Jun stood in the center and then punched forward. There didn''t seem to be any preparation in his hand as he directly punched forward. Yet at the same time, there was faint sound and the wind moved.


    His movement looked slow but it was anything but that. Those who were standing before Wang Jun would know no matter how slow it looked like, it was still a powerful punch filled with force.


    Bang!


    The cave wall that was located several meters away was blasted due to the force.


    Lin Xiao''s body stiffened. He looked at the wall then at Wang Jun in astonishment. He had never known that Mountain Punch had such large area of effect.


    "You naturally wouldn''t be able to reach this far because you''re still Body Training Rank 8, but you need to be able to reach at least things at least 2 meters away from you."


    2 meters?


    If it was only 1 meter, Lin Xiao had the confidence because he had trained for his force to reach this far. Now that Wang Jun asked him to double his usual distance, his eyes were burning with determination.


    "Yes, Elder Wang!"


    "Focus! Your breathing had to always be maintained! You have to��."


    Wenren Yu and Lin Yun shamelessly participated in the training that Wang Jun had. While Wang Jun''s attention was focused mostly on Lin Xiao because he was determined to make sure Lin Xiao could get stronger, he still paid attention to the other two. These two cultivation speed was faster than Lin Xiao, but Lin Xiao was faster when it came to comprehend martial arts.


    With that, the cave was filled with the sound of destroyed rocks from time to time again and only stopped during the time for their rest.


    "Rest and work have to balanced," Elder Wang said in grave tone. "If you don''t take care of your body, who would take care of it?"


    "Yes, Elder Wang!"


    ...


    Time passed swiftly.


    Lin Xiao spent the time to train. He also asked Elder Wang to teach him another skill but rejected mercilessly because he already had too many skills. In fact, most Body Training would only focus on two to three skills and yet Lin Xiao had four.


    While Rock Shield was only a passive skill, which meant that Lin Xiao didn''t need to actively activate it, it was still a skill nevertheless. It was certainly included in the number of skills that Lin Xiao had.


    Just like what Lin Hu told him, Lin Xiao could see that the water had started to return back. He could already climb down the mountain and stepped on the ground again. While it was still on his knee''s height, it was better than having to dive to reach the ground.


    "You can rest for today," Elder Wang said when he saw how Lin Xiao''s attention always landed outside. After being trapped for so long, he didn''t really find it strange that these three brats would want to explore outside.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes lit up. "Thank you, Elder Wang!"


    "Go."


    "Yes!"


    Without the need for Elder Wang to repeat his instruction, Lin Xiao already rushed out of the cave as fast as he could. Even without the need to activate his Moon Evasion, Lin Xiao''s speed had increased after receiving systematic training with Elder Wang for the past few days.


    Rather than stumbling around without any guidance whatsoever, it was proven that direction from Elder Wang helped him greatly.


    "Can we go out too?" Wenren Yu asked with his eyes shone.


    Lin Yun also perked his ears. He was always protected by these two because of his body condition, so having the chance to go out has always been his dream.


    Now that there was a chance, how could he not seize it?


    "Go." Elder Wang resisted the urge to laugh. He could see the three of them climbed up one by one then disappeared swiftly. These three were already Body Training Rank 8, which meant that they were no longer at the very bottom of the chain.


    In this forest, nothing should happen to them, right?


    Right?


    "Somehow, I''m worried about Lin Xiao."


    Even when there was nothing, Lin Xiao always managed to create a trouble. Elder Wang sighed, hoping that Lin Xiao could finally change his poor habit in the past.

 Chapter 92: Exploration

    Splash! Splash!


    Lin Xiao happily ran around the area. The height for many places were not the same, so some area had water reached his knees while the others reached his thigh. However, it didn''t hinder him from moving around in the slightest bit.


    ''Training is proven to be beneficial.''


    Having to fight underwater had already increased Lin Xiao''s stamina greatly. Added with the nutrition given to him from food, he knew for sure that he was getting stronger and stronger. However, he still had a long way to go if he wished to go against those powerful experts.


    He was only on the way to their side little by little.


    Splash!


    There was no longer any fish around. Those had already returned back to their previous location. Lin Xiao headed back to his old house and saw a sorry sight. The house was covered in moss and there were several holes on the wall. Probably caused by the rocks that were thrown into the house.


    "If I still want to live here, I will have to repair everything."


    Thankfully, Lin Xiao knew that he didn''t want to stay there anymore. He opened the door and peered inside. The inside was also a mess and probably could no longer be used to live. Slowly, he walked inside and looked around, wondering what could have caused so much mess.


    ''Hm?''


    As Lin Xiao looked down, he noticed that there was a different board on the ground. He had never paid much attention before because he always needed to fix the house from time to time. That fixing would make him add more woods and all.


    The water that entered the house only up to his toes, which was barely negligible. However, there was a spot that was dry, as if it was above the water level. Lin Xiao crouched down and touched the panel.


    "It''s really dry."


    In astonishment, Lin Xiao tried to pry the edge. However, he found out that it was hard to move. He moved to the side and tried once more. This time, he felt the panel moved a bit but then he moved once more.


    Creak!


    The panel moved and Lin Xiao suddenly felt wave of Qi slapping his face. He was utterly stunned as he peered down and looked. What he saw was a small compartment that was filled with bottles and also message. From the way it looked like, the compartment had completely blocked the water from entering despite being submerged for so many days.


    Lin Xiao frowned. He took out the message and realized that the recipient was his brother. He didn''t want to read message for other people, so he simply checked the bottles there. It seemed to contain some valuable medicine.


    "I''ll just bring the entire box away."


    Lin Xiao closed it once more, making the box air tight. He then proceeded to pull the entire box out of the place and then put it inside his Spatial Ring. Looking at the space that was about to be filled with water, he noticed that there was something shiny on the ground. Without hesitation, Lin Xiao bent down and picked it up.


    As he opened his hand, he saw a ring in his hand. "Spatial Ring?"


    Slowly, he urged his Qi to the ring and nearly fell down when he saw the content. The Spatial Ring was filled with so many herbs. Thinking about his foster parents'' occupation, Lin Xiao let out a bitter smile.


    This seemed to be their possession. By why did they leave the ring under the box and not inside the box?


    Lin Xiao took out the box to examine it once more, but he noticed that there was no crack whatsoever. It was impossible for the ring to get out of the box and then landed on the ground.


    ''I''ll ask Yun later.''


    Putting the thought to the back of his mind, Lin Xiao got out of the house again. He glanced at the tree that was planted not far from his house. Miraculously, the tree was still intact even though it was living underwater for so long. Even he was astonished that the tree managed to adapt so greatly.


    The mark when he used to train with the tree was still there. By now, Lin Xiao no longer dared to train with the tree because he knew that he might even destroy the tree with a punch given that he had grown stronger.


    "Hmm, let me check the cliff now."


    Splash! Splash!


    Lin Xiao rushed to the cliff that was not far from his house. The cliff was located at higher ground so by the time he reached the cliff, he noticed that the water had already moved back. The lips of the cliff were dry.


    Oong!


    "Huh?"


    For the first time in his life, Lin Xiao looked at the cliff below him in suspicious gaze. He had known that the cliff was filled with mystery, but he never thought much about it. After all, no one dared to climb down this seemingly bottomless cliff.


    Not even Lin Xiao.


    However, the strange sound came from below the cliff as if calling other people nearby. Lin Xiao stood on the edge with hesitation.


    "Should I try to explore or not?"


    He was curious, of course, but he also treasured his life. Because of that, Lin Xiao was in dilemma right now.


    "Well, nothing will happen if I just remain standing here."


    Turning around, Lin Xiao grabbed the hanging roots and pulled hard. Some of them snapped easily and Lin Xiao quickly tied them together into the other still intact hanging roots, making it able to reach lower.


    He did it several times, yet he realized that the hanging roots were still going down and down without any sign of the end.


    "Well, time to go."


    Slowly, Lin Xiao turned around and slowly went down. If only Elder Wang was here, he would have vomited blood because he knew that Lin Xiao was up to no good again.

 Chapter 93: Cave in the Cliff

    Oong!


    The sound was getting louder, but Lin Xiao was facing another difficulty. Despite having the hanging rope to help him hanging on, Lin Xiao realized that it was hard for him to even move down nor hanging on the rocks.


    That was because of the strong wind!


    He had already climbed the steep mountain from time to time, so he had experienced the wind there. It was always threatening to blow him away from his original position as if he was nothing more than a fallen leave.


    This time, it was not much different. But��


    "The wind is even stronger as I get down."


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. Normally, the higher the ground, the stronger the wind would be. But when he was going down this cliff, the wind was getting stronger when he was going closer to the bottom.


    Well, not that he knew where the bottom was, though.


    Time ticked while Lin Xiao struggled to go down. He looked around him but realized that it was starting to get completely dark. Slowly, he took out the Primordial Light Night Moss that he kept inside his Spatial Ring. It was useful as Lin Xiao could now see his surroundings better.


    After thinking for a bit, Lin Xiao decided to leave some of the Primordial Light Night Moss on the path he passed before. This way, he would be able to keep track of where he was going while going down the cliff.


    "There''s no beast around. It''s eerily quiet."


    Lin Xiao looked down and narrowed his eyes when he spotted that there was area where the rock stretched further. He continued to climb down and stood in that precise area. His eyes were scanning the surroundings while thinking about where he actually was.


    Tak!


    Looking down, Lin Xiao was stunned when he saw piles of bones. With the help of Primordial Light Night Moss, he had better vision and could see the tattered good clothing of the corpse. It was now only bones, but Lin Xiao could recognize the clothing anywhere.


    "Su Han."


    Lin Xiao looked up but couldn''t see the outside anymore. It was completely dark over here and only the Primordial Light Night Moss provided him with some light that allowed him to look around.


    He walked to the wall and noticed that it was not just the rock was stretched out, but there was also cave heading inside. After some hesitation, Lin Xiao stepped inside while using the Primordial Light Night Moss to light up the area.


    The light was dim, but it was more than enough for Lin Xiao to see that the cave was small and it was empty.


    Oong!


    "The sound comes down from below."


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. Going down anymore would be very dangerous. He also didn''t have such stupid idea to continue climbing down when he could barely see his surroundings like this.


    He still treasured his life and naturally wished to live longer.


    Oong!


    The sound was getting closer?


    For some reason, Lin Xiao felt a bit apprehensive and swiftly moved behind a large rock. For whatever reason, he felt that it would be saver for him to stay there and not moving around in the cave.


    In the next second, Lin Xiao felt sudden chills. He didn''t dare to move but he could hear the sound of rough breathing along with the flapping of wings. His body turned stiff as he didn''t dare to move.


    ''Flying Beast!''


    There were limited number of flying beasts in this world. Most of them were usually very powerful and needed at least Foundation Establishment cultivator to subdue them. Because of that, Body Training Cultivator would choose to run instead of fighting when they met with such powerful beast.


    Lin Xiao was clearly not an exception.


    He wanted to run but most importantly, he didn''t want the beast to figure out where he was. Because of the two conflicting thoughts, Lin Xiao ended up merely crouching down where he was and tried to wait.


    The temperature slowly dropped.


    ''Is it Ice Elemental Flying Beast?''


    Some people could also use elemental type in their attacks depending on their understanding to certain type of element. Lin Xiao himself had never gotten any comprehensive teaching regarding those elements, so he never knew if had any talent or chance to learn it.


    Swish!


    The gusts of chilly wind nearly made Lin Xiao moved in fear. However, he struggled to stay still in place and glanced up. Thanks to the light that Primordial Light Night Moss made, he could finally see the beast in front of him.


    It was a majestic blue beast that landed on the front of the cave. The dim light and also the narrow entrance of the cave didn''t provide him much information, but he could see the fine lining on the side of the bird beast. It was like rippling waves with the mix of white and blue color.


    Just like a painting that came to live.


    That was just how beautiful the beast was.


    ''However�� how long is that beast planning to stay there?''

 Chapter 94: Night Yin Flower

    Lin Xiao was admiring the bird beast''s beauty, but he was more concerned about something else. If the bird continued to stay in front of the cave, how could he possibly move from here?


    The bird stayed silence, so do Lin Xiao.


    Even though he was itching to scratch his neck, Lin Xiao held it in. He didn''t want to move and possibly startled the beast in front of him. His life was more important than that.


    Time ticked.


    After what seemingly like a decade, Lin Xiao saw the beast moved. It lowered its head and pecked on something below the rock. After moving a bit, the beast then opened its large wing then flew out again.


    The strange sound was no longer heard.


    ''Has it left?''


    Lin Xiao waited for another minute before making sure that the beast had left. He slowly scrambled out of the cave while heaving a sigh of relief. The beast was indeed beautiful, but the sheer pressure and temperature had already crushed any of his intention to even get close.


    Maybe when he got stronger, he could pay that bird a visit again.


    After he got out, Lin Xiao ignored Su Han''s corpse-or whatever that was left of him. He grabbed the hanging roots and slowly went down to check on what the bird was looking. Upon using the Primordial Light Night Moss to light up the area below the rocks, Lin Xiao''s eyes widened.


    There were several blue colored flower that was growing right under the rock. The temperature there was also chilling cold as if it was threatening to freeze anyone who dared to get close.


    ''This must be Yin type flower.''


    Without better lighting, Lin Xiao didn''t know for sure what the flower''s name was. However, he knew for sure that it was a Yin Type flower type just from the temperature that was leaking out.


    ''It must be valuable.''


    Initiating his hand with Qi, Lin Xiao grabbed the rocks and soil that kept the flowers in place. Almost immediately, his hand was seized with penetrating coldness. It was similar to the one when he got the Yang type flower for Yun before. But this time, instead of hot temperature, it was cold.


    With poker face, Lin Xiao pulled it out and then swiftly kept the flower inside the Spatial Ring. The numbness and cold had disappeared but Lin Xiao knew that there were still some ice layer on his hand.


    ''Without the Spatial Ring, I wouldn''t dare to attempt this.''


    He still needed to climb again, so Lin Xiao didn''t dare to harm himself. If his hand was crippled down here, he wouldn''t be able to return. Thankfully, his hand restored its feeling after a while and Lin Xiao decided that it was time for him to return back.


    Slowly, he began to climb again.


    Oong!


    The strange sound returned, but Lin Xiao paid no heed. The sound was coming from a distance away and probably would not have any threat to him. What was important to him now was to get out of this cliff as fast as possible.


    Swish!


    The faint sound of flapping wind nearly dropped Lin Xiao''s heart. He glanced down once and wondered whether the beast was nearby or not.


    ''Maybe not? I''m just overthinking, right?''


    Lin Xiao could feel cold sweat dripping on his back as he sped up his climbing process. He could already see the surroundings better and noticed that the sun was already high above. When he left this morning, it was still early, but it was already afternoon by now.


    He spent quite a lot of time in the cliff.


    Suddenly, he heard terrifying shriek from below him.


    Lin Xiao''s heart dropped as he climbed even faster. This time, he no longer paid much attention to the rocks, making his fingers got several cuts in the process as he struggled to get out.


    Swish!


    The sudden sound from below alarmed Lin Xiao. He noticed the large blue bird was coming at him. Swiftly, Lin Xiao kicked the rocks and hanged on the hanging roots to propel himself to the side. That move saved him from being ripped by the big blue bird''s beak.


    Swish!


    "Guh."


    The terrifying cold still permeate to Lin Xiao''s side. He could only quicken his steps as he rushed out of the cliff. His eyes watched the bird that was coming to him as he rolled down and landed on the muddy water.


    His hand quickly touched his forehead.


    "Lin Hu!"


    Shua!


    The majestic dragon came out from Lin Xiao''s forehead. Unlike his previous appearance, this time Lin Hu had grown slightly bigger. After Lin Xiao had grown stronger, it also affected Lin Hu''s appearance.


    "Master."


    "Help me, Lin Hu!"


    Lin Hu looked at his master in indignation. "I''m only comparable to 1 stage above you, Master."


    Lin Xiao''s heart skipped a beat. One rank above him meant�� Body Training Rank 9��.


    Looking at the powerful beast, Lin Xiao was dumbfounded. What should he do?


    "That��."


    "Master, you truly only know how to create trouble."


    Lin Xiao: "��" he couldn''t refute.

 Chapter 95: Fight!

    Bang!


    Despite complaining vehemently to its master, Lin Hu was still a loyal beast. It moved swiftly to the raging bird and roared angrily.


    The sound of the roar filled the entire area almost immediately. Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed when he thought about the fact that there were a lot of people who were after him because of the Emperor Inheritance. If those people found Lin Hu too, Lin Xiao knew that he would be dead meat.


    Such powerful and legendary beast�� who wouldn''t want it?


    "I''ll hide."


    Without waiting for Lin Hu''s agreement, Lin Xiao rushed back in the direction of his old house. Lin Hu nearly rolled his eyes but his attention was fully focused on the large bird in front of him. He really itched to give his own master a good beating.


    Unfortunately, a contracted beast couldn''t harm their master.


    Shriek!


    The blue bird beast shrieked loudly and rushed towards Lin Hu at unimaginable speed. It was trying to tear apart Lin Hu''s skinny body into pieces with its beak.


    Lin Hu twisted its body. While his current size was smaller than the blue bird beast, he was still more agile and could grabbed the blue bird leg. Afterwards, Lin Hu opened his mouth and chomp the blue bird''s neck angrily.


    Shriek!


    The blur bird struggled to release itself and then soared into the sky. The sight of two powerful beasts fighting in the sky could be seen even from a distance away. After all, these two beasts were quite considerable big in size.


    Shrieks, roar, and everything filled the sky.


    Flocks of birds suddenly came rushing in their direction and Lin Hu noticed that Elder Wang had already arrived. With his current strength, he could only hold on the blue bird beast for a while.


    With a grin, his body disappeared into thin air.


    Shriek!


    The blue bird beast was angry when it saw that the dragon had disappeared. At this time, it noticed that there were several people rushing over in its direction from many locations. Without hesitation, it rushed back into the cliff.


    It was still shrieking madly as if cursing the person who disturbed it in its peaceful meal.


    Tep!


    Elder Wang stopped in his track then glanced over in Lin Xiao''s direction. He was standing not far from the house where Lin Xiao was located and sighed in annoyance. His dark face revealed his true thoughts.


    "Lin Xiao, are you the one who provoke that bird?"


    Lin Xiao scratched the back of his head embarrassingly. "I don''t know what you''re talking about Elder Wang."


    Smack!


    Without giving Lin Xiao any chance to escape, Elder Wang hit the brat''s head in indignation. Even an idiot would know that the only reason the dragon suddenly appear was because Lin Xiao summoned it. And the prudent Lin Xiao would not summon something that was so eye catching if not because his life was in danger.


    "Do you think I''m blind?!"


    "That''s emergency!"


    "Stupid!" Elder Wang felt like crying. The promise that Lin Xiao made to him regarding how this little brat was going to become the great emperor seemed to be so far etched. With this brat mischievousness, would it be possible for him to become a responsible emperor much less great emperor?


    He wanted to smack this brat again.


    Why did the Heaven choose such a brat, ah?!


    "Go back into the cave no matter..."


    "Got it."


    Elder Wang was stunned when he saw Lin Xiao rushed into the river. It was then he recalled that Lin Xiao did tell him that the river was connected to the cave inside through a passage. He sighed and looked up.


    His eyes narrowed.


    ''So many people have come. This place will surely become a battlefield.''


    At this point of time, Elder Wang had no intention of showing himself and attracted trouble. There were some people who also knew his real identity as Associate Elder and also the previous emperor''s disciple.


    Everyone who followed the Emperor had sworn an oath that they would protect the kingdom no matter what. However, it was inevitable that they would be biased towards some powerful figure. Some of them would surely chose the princes but some others would rather stay neutral.


    Elder Wang was thinking of staying neutral at first, but the previous Emperor had told them that it didn''t matter if they wanted to support whichever prince. But they had to follow the Emperor chosen by the Heaven if that person ever appear.


    It was always the norm.


    But after finding the person�� Elder Wang honestly doubted his eyes and his judgement. He really couldn''t understand how someone like Lin Xiao, who was so obnoxious, could be chosen by the Heaven.


    ''Forget it.''


    Swiftly, Elder Wang returned to the cave and protected the entire place. He knew that the outside area would become a brutal battlefield, so he hoped that this little mountain would be out of their range.

 Chapter 96: Letter

    Splash!


    Lin Xiao returned to the cave and dried himself. He looked up and noticed that Wenren Yu and Lin Yun had already returned.


    "You''re back."


    Lin Yun looked at his brother helplessly. "Brother, can you not provoke anyone when you get out?"


    "That''s an accident!"


    "But you always create trouble whenever you get out," Wenren Yu added helplessly. He was also wondering how Lin Xiao managed to attract beast whenever he got out. Thanks to that, they got meat to eat most of the time, but Lin Xiao would always be riddled in wounds.


    This time, it was even more dangerous as they could feel the vibration even from a distance away and quickly hid in this cave.


    Lin Xiao scratched his cheek. Well, that was not his intention. "Oh right, Yun, I found this box. It must be something that our parents left for you."


    Taking out the box, Lin Xiao handed it over to Lin Yun. Afterwards, he took out the Spatial Ring that contained so many herbs and handed it over to Lin Yun too. The puzzled Lin Yun could only open the box.


    "This is��" Lin Yun was stunned when he saw the medicine inside. It was all expensive medicine, ah!


    Even Wenren Yu sucked out deep breath when he saw the medicine. It was all so previous that one wouldn''t dare to take it out so easily. His eyes landed on the box and narrowed his eyes. It might be made of special material. Unfortunately, he was not a blacksmith, so he couldn''t determine what the material was.


    Taking the letter, Lin Yun quickly read the content and an astonishment flashed within his eyes.


    "What is it, Yun?" Lin Xiao asked curiously.


    "You didn''t read it?"


    "It''s yours, how can I read your letter?"


    Lin Yun nodded, knowing that his brother was an upright man. Well�� not really that upright when facing his enemies, though.


    "My parents already know about my condition, but the medicines here are all of high potency. I can only consume them when I reach certain stage," Lin Yun replied. His eyes turned red. No wonder that his parents could only give him the diluted medicine first, he was too weak in the past.


    But since he had already reached Body Training Rank 8, he knew that there were already several medicines that he could consume from the box in front of him.


    After mulling for a bit, Lin Yun looked at Lin Xiao. The first half of the letter was talking about the medicine while the other half�� was talking about Lin Xiao. Rummaging into the box, Lin Yun took out a necklace.


    The necklace was brown in color as if it was made of bronze. In the center of the necklace was a small dragon. The entire color of the necklace was brown, which made it looked like a cheap accessory.


    "Brother, this is yours."


    "Yes?" Lin Xiao was stunned. He grabbed the necklace in confusion. "What''s this necklace for?"


    Lin Yun shook his head. "Father didn''t say anything. However, he mentioned in the letter that when they first found you, you have this necklace with you."


    Wang Jun had just come down after finishing creating proper defense line for them. He entered the cave and looked over in Lin Xiao''s direction. His eyes widened upon seeing the necklace that Lin Xiao had.


    "Lin Xiao, is that�� yours?"


    "Yes," Lin Xiao replied. He looked at the necklace, not knowing what made it so special. But since his father kept it so tightly and only given it to him now, Lin Xiao chose to take special care of it. He wore it around his neck then hide it under his shirt. That way, the necklace wouldn''t be shown to anyone so easily.


    Wang Jun''s lips quivered. He clearly knew that every Royal Family members who was born would receive dragon shaped necklace, but he never thought that Lin Xiao would actually have one. He had been thinking whether Lin Xiao was actually related or not but now�� it was certain.


    Every youngster''s necklace would look the same but when they grew older and reached Golden Core Stage, their necklace would then show their brilliance. The color that the necklace showed in the future would determine their position.


    Since Lin Xiao was also the one chosen by the Heaven, what color would his dragon had?


    Wang Jun somehow felt like anticipating the day.


    ''Those snobby geniuses from Royal Family will surely be slapped on the face if they know that there''s actually a prince that was living outside��.''


    Thinking about his previous treatment towards Lin Xiao in the past, Wang Jun felt ashamed. If Lin Xiao was wounded during the experiment when he asked the brat''s help, he knew that he would never be able to forgive himself.


    Thankfully��


    Nothing happened.


    "What is this necklace for, Elder Wang?" Wenren Yu also didn''t know.


    Wang Jun sighed. "It''s a necklace that showed someone who have connection with the Royal Family."


    Lin Xiao''s hand paused. He looked at the necklace in his neck then looked at Wang Jun in confusion. "What did you say?"


    "I say it''s a necklace that showed someone who have connection with the Royal Family," Wang Jun repeated unhurriedly.


    At this moment, Lin Xiao''s expression was silly. Afterwards he laughed out loudly.

 Chapter 97: Royal Family Member

    "Royal Family members," Lin Xiao spoke out, yet his tone was filled with mockery. He was already 16 years old this year and for his entire life, he was living as a normal villager. Now, he was told that he was actually a prince?


    What kind of joke was that?


    Lin Xiao looked at the necklace and recalled what the representatives from those three small sects said before.


    ''Only those with Royal Family blood would have the chance to obtain the inheritance.''


    He had never paid much attention to it before because he was only testing his luck. When he truly got the inheritance, he had completely forgotten about this one matter. But now that Lin Yun gave him a necklace that was actually his before he entered Lin Yun''s family, he felt that everything was a joke.


    He was a prince, yet he was living a live not worse than beggar.


    Other princes were living a life filled with luxury because of their high status yet he didn''t even know who his parents were and also the fact that he was actually a Royal Family descendant.


    How ironic.


    "Lin Xiao?" Wang Jun asked cautiously.


    Lin Xiao sighed and shook his head. What Royal Family? He didn''t care about them at all. In his eyes, his only family member was only his younger brother, Lin Yun, and also his foster parents who had died faster in this place.


    He would never be able to see those Royal Family members as his family.


    "How many princes is in kingdom?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Wang Jun calculated silently. "There are 87 including you."


    87?


    Lin Xiao was taken aback. His eyes showed incredulous light, thinking just how many women did his father had to produce so many offspring.


    Seeing Lin Xiao''s look, Wang Jun quickly elaborated, "Princes are not only those who are direct descendant from the previous king but also his siblings, cousins, and even other relatives. Everyone who have the blood of the first emperor would have the status as prince of Sun Kingdom."


    "Oh."


    Now that made sense.


    Sun Kingdom had come into existences for centuries. It would be weirder instead if there were not many offspring. However, Lin Xiao also knew that there could only be one Emperor, so the one who inherited the throne had to be powerful enough because he would be facing so many opponents who might want to take the throne that belonged to him.


    "Emperor chosen by the Heaven?"


    Wang Jun''s face flushed red. "Except for the Second Emperor�� there hasn''t been anyone in Sun Kingdom who''s the Emperor chosen by the Heaven."


    They were all only following the route of the strongest and most formidable would inherit the throne. Those who couldn''t fight would either be killed or have to become the servant of the one who inherited the throne.


    "I see."


    "Would you like to investigate who your parents��"


    "There''s no need," Lin Xiao cut off Wang Jun''s words. "My parents are Lin Yun''s parents and they have died in this village. I don''t have any other parents."


    Wang Jun nodded helplessly. Some people would be excited upon hearing that they were actually related to the Royal Family. But Lin Xiao was completely different. He had no interest whatsoever to the Royal Family and would rather acknowledge his village brother rather than those.


    Probably, it was also because there was no feeling cultivated between parents and child since Lin Xiao''s first memory has always been in this remote village.


    *rumble*


    "What''s that?" Lin Yun was startled.


    Wang Jun looked out helplessly. He sighed and pointed up. "There are some people who are attracted by that blue bird beast and dragon. Both beasts are powerful, so they might be fighting outside trying to catch the bird."


    Lin Xiao''s mouth formed the word ''o.''


    He scratched his head, thinking that it was truly bad of him to make the blue bird beast as the scapegoat because Lin Hu had already returned back to his forehead.


    "Oh right, Elder Wang, do you know what this is?"


    Lin Xiao took out the Night Yin Flower from the Spatial Ring. The other three pairs of eyes were looking towards the flower. Wenren Yu and Lin Yun''s eyes lit up. "Night Yin Flower!"


    "What?" Lin Xiao asked. He knew the basic of herbs and medicine but compared to Wenren Yu and Lin Yun, he was still far etched. In fact, it could be said that he still had a long way to go.


    "It''s a powerful Yin type flower that could even freeze its surrounding." Lin Yun pointed to Lin Xiao''s hand. Even though Lin Xiao was only holding the dirt, which meant that there was a considerable distance, layer of ice and water had started to form. "This flower could be made into powerful medicine and also very beneficial to women who have Yin Attribute Body."


    Looking at Lin Yun, Lin Xiao nodded. After knowing his body''s attribute, Lin Yun had spent great deal of time trying to understand more about it from Wenren Yu. Thanks to that, the two of them often discussed the matter often while Lin Xiao was only the bystander.


    "You can sell it," Wang Jun said after a while.


    "Yes?"


    Taking out a pot, Wang Jun placed the flower into the pot and added some more soil. While the temperature was still cold, it was no longer freezing those who was holding the pot.


    "There are a lot of people who are after this Night Yin Flower. One of the most remarkable attribute of this flower is that it can slightly alter someone''s body attribute," Wenren Yu added from the side. His eyes shone. "Lots of women wished to have Yin Attribute Body, so this will surely be able to hitch a high price. Even if it couldn''t alter one''s attribute completely, it''ll surely give them some boost."


    Wang Jun nodded.


    At this moment, Lin Xiao grinned. It seemed that offending that blue bird beast still has its benefit too.

 Chapter 98: Departure

    After they had settled what they were going to do with the Night Yin Flower, they all waited until all the commotion outside died down. No one wanted to get involved with the fight since they could feel the earthquake from time to time.


    Their current rank simply made them unqualified to even lift their finger towards those people.


    After making sure that those people had left, Wang Jun led them outside.


    "Wow," Lin Xiao murmured when he got out from the cave. His eyes were looking at the vast devastation that was presented before his eyes. Right now, he finally realized why the earthquake was so big.


    The entire landscape had changed!


    The previously lush forest was now looked like it had experienced landslide. Trees were no longer in its previous place while the rocks were thrown everywhere. Grasses were trampled and bushes were scattered. Holes were formed on the ground in many places, creating horrible sight. Even a storm might not even create such destruction.


    "It''s no longer the same."


    Looking towards the cliff, Lin Xiao realized that the edge was widened. There were many craters there too as if someone was punching with large sized fist. The plants near the cliff was also completely uprooted and thrown to the side. Many had already disappeared and probably thrown down there.


    No one knew the fates of everything here.


    "Everything is completely destroyed," Lin Yun commented.


    "This is what happens when powerful cultivators fight," Wang Jun said helplessly. "Sometimes, you can''t control the damage that was done to the environment because your power is too big."


    Lin Xiao nodded helplessly. He felt that whenever someone grew stronger to the point of surpassing the norm, they would have to face the reality that they were no longer the same anymore.


    Their large power would require them to learn how to control and restrain themselves.


    "Where are we going, Elder Wang?"


    "We''re heading to Yi Feng City," Wang Jun replied. "But we''re not going to enter the city first. Instead, we''re going to stay outside the city and you have to fight against the beasts around the city."


    Lin Xiao was stunned. If he was not wrong, he heard that more powerful beasts would roam near the city because the area was richer in Qi. The plants were growing at much better rate because of Qi, so animals were extremely fond of the place.


    "Elder Wang, do you want to kill me?"


    "Don''t worry, your skin is tough after learning Rock Shield. You won''t die so easily."


    Lin Xiao: "��" that''s not the point!


    However, no matter how much Lin Xiao protested, Wang Jun used Teleportation Scroll and directly send them away. The only reason why he hadn''t used it when the people were still outside was because of the energy fluctuation. Using Transportation Scroll would surely alert them, so he chose to just wait.


    Besides, he needed to train Lin Xiao and the others first.


    *cough* *huegh*


    All three of them felt dizzy and nauseous when they arrived near the city. The distance from their remote village to Yi Feng City was extremely far. Those who had just first used the Teleportation Scroll would have to experience motion sickness.


    "You''re going to feel better soon."


    "Yes?"


    Elder Wang smiled and raised his hand. The three of them were lifted into the air then thrown into the air.


    "ELDER WANG!"


    Lin Xiao felt like screaming when he was thrown in the air like that. Coupled with his nausea, he really really REALLY wanted to vomit right away. Damn that Elder Wang!


    Couldn''t he at least give some kind of warning beforehand?


    Bam!


    Landing on the ground, Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. Elder Wang had already protected him with a layer of protection, which meant that he was not hurt. However, he still didn''t like to be thrown straight into the forest like that.


    He had not even sat down properly when he felt that something was wrong.


    Roar!


    The sound of roaring alerted Lin Xiao immediately. He turned around and saw a large boar behind him. It was huffing and roaring before rushing over in his direction.


    Sidestepping to the side, Lin Xiao then punched the boar''s neck with Mountain Punch. He could feel his arms hurting, but he gritted his teeth and endured. The boar had thick skin, so he knew that it had higher defense.


    ''$%^&8 just what is the rank of this boar?''


    Lin Xiao hadn''t learned much about beasts'' differentiation, but he knew that the categorization went from normal animal to beasts. But the beast itself have their own ranking that Lin Xiao was not aware off.


    Roar!


    The boar angrily stomped on the ground and then turned its big body around to charge towards Lin Xiao once more. The sheer power from pressure nearly made Lin Xiao incapable of moving.


    At that time, Lin Xiao knew that the boar was ranked higher than the beasts he usually faced.


    But it was still unknown how much the difference was.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    After evading the boar once more, Lin Xiao punched forward several times, making use of the Mountain Punch that he knew. Seeing that the boar was trying to roll its body to him, he immediately used Moon Evasion and landed on top of the boar.


    His hand then continued to punch the boar''s neck repeated.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    ''It''s settled, after this I need to ask Elder Wang to teach me more about animals and their weakness!''


    Roar!


    The boar was still unsettled and tried to shake Lin Xiao off its large body. However, Lin Xiao grabbed hard and punched with all its power.


    Spurt!


    Finally, blood spurt out from a wound on the boar''s neck and Lin Xiao could see the bones. He crouched down and grabbed it. With loud scream, he pulled the bones that was connecting the boar''s neck and snapped it.


    The boar could no longer sustain its body after that and fell down with a large bam to the ground.


    Bam!

 Chapter 99: Half a Year

    *pant* *pant*


    Lin Xiao slipped down from the beasts'' back and looked down with relief. Seeing that the boar was no longer breathing, he felt relieved that he was still alive. At the same time, he felt annoyed because he couldn''t defeat it so easily.


    Tep!


    Wang Jun stood before Lin Xiao and looked at his work while nodding. "You''re the first to kill it."


    "Ah?"


    "The others are also fighting the same beasts."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao''s face turned dark. He pointed to the beast behind him with annoyance. "Can you teach me a bit more about the beasts'' ranking?"


    "It''s ranked by number," Wang Jun started. "The weakest is rank 1, and the strongest is rank 9. The one you usually fight in the remote village is unranked or what you call as normal animals. As for the one that you occasionally fight are Beasts Rank 1, they usually have similar strength to Body Training Rank 6 to 7."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He had fought several beasts back in the past and Elder Wang always told him that if he couldn''t defeat them, he would be a disgrace. Fortunately, he was usually able to one kill them without much difficulties.


    "The one in front of you is beast rank 2, which is usually as strong as Body Training Rank 8 or 9," Elder Wang replied. "Some Beasts Rank 2 can even be stronger than Body Training Rank 10, but this one is fairly weaker."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao shuddered. If he had to face a beast with the strength of Body Training Rank 10, wouldn''t it be suicide for him?


    "Beast Rank 3 is as strong as Foundation Establishment. Beast Rank 4 is as strong as Golden Core Stage 1, Beast Rank 5 is as strong as Golden Core Stage 2, and so on." Wang Jun then looked at Lin Xiao. "Also, Golden Core had 3 stages."


    Lin Xiao nodded. It was then he recalled the other rank. "How about Half Golden Core Stage?"


    "Half Golden Core meant that you don''t even reach Golden Core Stage 1." Wang Jun''s showed a trace of disdain. Those who reached this stage was usually because they failed their breakthrough, thus they stuck in the half stage.


    If they wished to breakthrough to the proper stage, they would need to expend more power and if they fail again, they would die. Because of this, those who had stuck in Half Golden Core Stage would not dare to attempt any more breakthrough unless it was necessary.


    They had failed once and might not even succeed if they tried the second time.


    Not everyone was willing to bet on their lives to make another breakthrough because in mace places, Half Golden Core Stage was already considered to be so powerful. They could even become the leader of a small sects, so it was good enough.


    "Half Golden Core is not a formal rank?" Lin Xiao asked in astonishment.


    Wang Jun nodded. "It''s the rank of those who failed to enter Golden Core Stage."


    "I see."


    "The stages are still very far for you, so you have to focus more on training. From now, I''m going to teach you new skills, so pick a weapon."


    "Weapon?" Lin Xiao''s eyes lit up. He had been thinking about which weapon he wanted to have in the future. After all, the villagers only trained Mountain Punch for a long time without any chance to even hold a sword. He had always dreamed the time when he could finally wield weapon.


    Wang Jun nodded. He had seen Lin Xiao''s progress and at this point of time, Lin Xiao had already reached the peak of Mountain Punch for his current stage. Unless he made a breakthrough to Body Training Rank 9, his attack would not increase that much.


    Since that was the case, he chose to start training Lin Xiao in weapon.


    "Sword!" Lin Xiao replied with a grin.


    "Alright."


    Handing a wooden sword to Lin Xiao, Wang Jun warned the boy. "Watch my movement closely and you will have to follow the same stance every single day until you master it, got it? The name of the skill is Mountain Sword!"


    "Yes!"


    Wang Jun turned around and began to move. His movement can look fast but it could also look slow. It was very profound and gave off the feeling that it was out of this world. Yet at the same time, it was also a beautiful movement.


    Lin Xiao found himself enraptured by the movements in front of him. For the first time in his live, he felt that he had seen something that was so beautiful that he didn''t want to move his eyes away. His attention was completely sucked by the swords'' movement that seemed to be able to cut through the air.


    Swish!


    As Wang Jun finished his movement, he glanced over and saw Lin Xiao moved just like what he had showed.


    ''As I thought, he''s really good at learning skill.''


    Lin Xiao moved and even though there were still some awkward moments, it was not that bad at all. After he had finished, Lin Xiao grinned. He was sure that after a few times, he would be able to move better.


    He glanced at Elder Wang in excitement.


    "What is it, you brat?"


    "Teach me other skill!"


    "Learn that first!" Wang Jun ordered sternly.


    "YES!"


    Seeing how excited Lin Xiao was, Wang Jun sighed. He was planning of having Lin Xiao learnt here for half a year. It seemed that while teaching Lin Xiao how to survive against more powerful opponent, he would have to teach other skills to this brat.


    ''Oh right, time to check the others.''


    Swish.


    ��


    Beast Ranking and the estimated strength:


    Unranked: Untrained people to Body Training Rank 3


    Rank 1: Body Training Rank 6 to 7


    Rank 2: Body Training Rank 8 to 10


    Rank 3: Foundation Establishment


    Rank 4: Golden Core Stage 1


    Rank 5: Golden Core Stage 2


    Rank 6: Golden Core Stage 3


    (A/N): The list might still be updated later when the story progressed furthe

 Chapter 100: Half a Year (2)

    Half a year passed swiftly.


    Bang!


    The sound of a beast falling to the ground was considered common in this vast forest. There was always some fighting that occurred from time to time, be it between beast to beast or human against beasts.


    "Brother!" Lin Yun waved his hand, greeting his brother who was not far away from him.


    Lin Xiao grabbed the large boar he had hunted. There was only one wound on the boar, which was the sword attack right toward its neck. After half a year, Lin Xiao was already getting proficient with Mountain Sword.


    Mountain Punch and Mountain Sword shared the same principle, which was to be as steady as mountain yet as powerful as large mountain. Because the two similarities, it was not that hard for Lin Xiao to learn the skill and after half a year, he was already proficient in the two skills.


    In addition, the three of them had already advanced in ranks again.


    Lin Xiao reached Body Training Rank 9 while Wenren Yu and Lin Yun reached Body Training Rank 10. The cause was simply because Lin Xiao needed much more Qi to sustain both him and the dragon, which caused him to be lagging behind.


    "Elder Wang, when are you going to teach me other skills?" Lin Xiao asked as he put the beast down. Lin Yun took the beast and skillfully skinned it. They would always eat the beasts they hunted no matter how much it was. Thanks to that, the three of them were no longer skinny but still quite slender.


    Wang Jun looked at the three youngsters from above the tree. He shook his head. "It''s already enough. You need to learn other skills aside from fighting."


    "Yes?"


    "An Emperor did not only have to good at fighting and powerful, but you also have to be able to lead other people through many other matters," Elder Wang said unhurriedly. He looked at Lin Xiao. "I already taught you the basic of beasts characteristic while you''re naturally good at finding herbs and identifying them, so now it''s time for you to learn about human''s interaction."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao''s face turned a bit awkward. If he had to say, he was someone who didn''t pay much attention about human''s interaction in the past because his hobby was to make people annoyed at him and create countless troubles.


    Wang Jun sighed. "Go into Yi Feng City. If you''re asked for identification letter, you can say that you come from remote village. With your clothing, you won''t look that suspicious."


    Lin Yun had his own identification letter while Wenren Yu and Lin Xiao didn''t have one. Wenren Yu couldn''t use his own because he was someone from Taiyi Sect. There were too many people chasing after Taiyi Sect, so if he showed it, he would be hunted by so many people at once.


    As for Lin Xiao�� he was an orphan adopted by Lin Yun''s parents. Naturally, he didn''t have identification letter because the village refused to accept him as one of them. If he wanted to have one, he would have to make one.


    "We wouldn''t be attacked?" Lin Xiao asked worriedly.


    Wang Jun sighed and shook his head. "No. As long as you don''t attack someone else at the gate, no one will create trouble for you. Just control your temper if someone mock you because you''re not allowed to retaliate."


    "Got it."


    For some reason, Wang Jun felt Lin Xiao''s tone was amyss. However, he chose not to pay much attention and waved his hand. "Go."


    "You''re not going to follow us, Elder Wang?"


    "No. There are too many people who know me. If they see me enter Yi Feng City, they''ll surely try to catch me. You stay in the city until New Year then head over to Long Yin Forest."


    "Long Yin Forest?" Lin Xiao was startled. He didn''t recall this name in any of the map that showed the area near Yi Feng City.


    "There''s teleportation device in the city, but it''s expensive. You have to learn how to earn money on your own and everything," Wang Jun patiently explained. In truth, this was only the basic test that many other people would have to experience, especially those who were the heir of large family.


    These heirs couldn''t be weak and useless, so they would be sent to various tests. Some only prioritized power and the test would be to directly threw the heir into the forest. Some prioritized business and would ask the heir to start a business directly in a city completely unrelated to them.


    Elder Wang hoped that Lin Xiao could be able to do everything even if he was not proficient in it. At the very least, he would have to do how to do business with other people while protecting his own self and identity.


    "We''re going to meet again in Long Yin Forest?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Wang Jun nodded. "Yes."


    "Okay. We''re going now."


    "Go."


    By this time, Lin Yun had finished cooking and wrapped their meal into their Spatial Ring. His Spatial Ring was larger than his brother, so naturally he was also the one who usually store their food.


    "Eat first."


    "Ok."


    Lin Xiao took a large chunk of meat and wolfed them all down as fast as possible. Wenren Yu and Lin Yun also ate as much as possible before they departed into Yi Feng City that was only located a few kilometers away from their current location.


    "I wonder what''s the procedure for an orphan was," Lin Xiao said.


    Lin Yun looked at his brother and furrowed his brows. "You''re already an adult by now, Brother. Do you think they''ll still treat you as if you''re a lost child?"


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    "We''ll just tell them that we lost ours. They might believe it or maybe not," Wenren Yu said helplessly.


    "Fine."


    From a distance away, Wang Jun watched as the three of them disappeared into a distance. Honestly, he was still unsettled about sending them into the city when they were still that weak, but time was ticking.


    The princes were already preparing to make their moves while the current Emperor was getting weaker.


    Sooner or later, the brutal war of succession would surely start. Whoever strong would be the one standing at the top.


    "Please don''t create more trouble."

 Chapter 101: Yi Feng City

    Lin Xiao and the others finally could see the wall. They had never gotten close to the city before because Elder Wang prohibited them to come any closer. But now that they could see it, it indeed looked really big.


    "It''s really big. I wonder how much is the height."


    "Brother, don''t act like country bumpkin," Lin Yun whispered, hoping that his brother wouldn''t make them lost face.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. They were already near and only a few people were around them. He shrugged. "Why should I be ashamed that I''m a country bumpkin? I''m from the village and should be proud because it means that I can survive even in severe living condition."


    Lin Yun was speechless.


    Other people always tried to hide the fact that they were from village because those who lived in city would look down on them. But when it came to Lin Xiao, it was the opposite. Lin Xiao had no qualms letting anyone to know that he was actually someone from the countryside.


    Instead, he looked like he wanted to announce it to the entire world that he had such an ordinary background.


    Brother�� can''t you do anything normally?


    Wenren Yu also wished to bury his head when they were approaching the gate. The soldiers were looking at them and paid close attention to how they behaved. After all, they have to be careful.


    "Excuse me, we want to enter the city," Lin Yun took the initiative to strike conversation and handed out his identification letter. It was issued by the village when he was born 17 years ago.


    The guards looked at the letter and nodded before returning it back to Lin Yun. They could see that it was real.


    "Wow, is the gate also made of metal? It looks so good!"


    Lin Yun''s face was red as he tried hard to erase his embarrassment. Several people were looking at Lin Xiao who was pointing at the gate with excited expression. Wenren Yu was trying hard to restrain the young man.


    "Uhm, both of my brothers lost their identification letter�� Is it possible to issue a new one?" Lin Yun asked in hesitation while trying hard not to look at the two of them. He wished that he could bury his head on the ground right now.


    The guards looked at the youth, who had just yelled about the sharpness of the tip of the large gate. They passed a look of pity to Lin Yun who had such unrestrained brother.


    "What''s your intention to enter the city?"


    "Ah? We heard that there will be examination soon, so we want to familiarize ourselves with the city''s condition," Lin Yun gave his excuse. It was nearing Winter and after New Year, there would be sect selection. Since the schedule was the same in the entire place, he knew that he could use this excuse.


    The guards looked at each other and then passed plate. "Please infuse your Qi here. We''ll issue new token for you so that you can use it to participate in the selection."


    "Thank you!"


    There were too many people who lost their identification letter when they came from remote areas. The guards usually faced more than 50 requests each day, so they had long gotten used to it. It was precisely because of this reason that Wang Jun was not worried that they would be exposed.


    The only time when the guards were very strict was only when Taiyi Sect had fallen. At that time, everywhere those without proper paper would be investigated. Thanks to that, hundreds of people who previously managed to escape perished.


    After a year, the guards were no longer as strict as before.


    Even though Wenren Yu was actually someone from Taiyi Sect, no one would suspect him anymore.


    Lin Yun looked at the plate before him and infused his Qi. He was thinking of restraining his Qi based on the way Elder Wang taught him because Wang Jun had warned them that their rank might look a bit too high. Since they were still in Body Training Stage, if they didn''t use their full power, the stone wouldn''t be able to read properly and might give them lower result.


    The stone lit up and the row was filled quickly. However, it stopped at the eight line.


    The guards were stunned. "Body Training Rank 8. You might have a chance to enter the top Sects this time around."


    The sects that came to visit the village back then was only small sects. Powerful sects would have higher restriction because they only wanted the best of the best. Except for those who had god background, the people who managed to enter the sect were normally those who had powerful talent and the sect wanted to groom.


    "Thank you," Lin Yun replied.


    The stone also revealed his age, which was 17. Most people who wanted to enter the sect would be tested in age because they needed to be below 20 years old. The older they were, the higher their rank would be, but those who came from village would try to enter as soon as they reached Body Training Rank 6 because it was the lowest requirement.


    Besides, if they didn''t enter the sect, they wouldn''t be able to learn proper skills that many others could learn.


    "Wow, it smells so good. What type of food do you think that is?" Lin Xiao asked while pointing to the stalls near the gate.


    "We''ll look at it later, Brother." Lin Yun pointed at the rock. "Please insert your Qi, Brother."


    "Okay."


    Lin Xiao stepped forward and infused his Qi. Different with Lin Yun, Lin Xiao was better at controlling his Qi because he had been fighting different type of beasts every single day and trained harder. Lin Yun had lower physical condition, so his focus was to increase his stamina and strength along with Wenren Yu, who used to only focus on herbs.


    Wang Jun wished for them to protect Lin Xiao, but looking at the way it was, Lin Xiao was better than them.


    This statement had forced these two to fully immerse themselves in training for the past half a year.


    The light lit up and stopped right at the edge of the six marking.


    "Body Training Rank 6."

 Chapter 102: Yi Feng City (2)

    Lin Xiao nodded and grinned while Lin Yun was looking at the result. It seemed that his brother had successfully become a pig while in truth he was a tiger. The result was three ranks lower than what Lin Xiao''s real rank was.


    "Age: 17."


    The guards nodded. It was pretty good for villages. While those from powerful families would look down at this kind of result, majority of people who came from poverty stricken village would have worse result because their age would be older.


    "Brother Yu."


    Wenren Yu nodded and stepped forward. They had already had agreement that they would not call him with his real name and only use Yu. This was to prevent anyone who might know him from recognizing him.


    Putting his hand on top of the stone, Wenren Yu also successfully stopping it not long after it passed the sixth marking. While it was not as precise as Lin Xiao, it didn''t cross the seventh marking.


    "Body Training Rank 6."


    The guards nodded then they looked at the age. They were stunned when they realized that this young man was actually older than the rest.


    "Age 19 years old."


    "Ah, yeah." Wenren Yu scratched the back of his head. He was 17 years old back when the incident that occurred to Taiyi Sect happened. After living nearly 2 years with Lin Xiao and Lin Yun, he was actually 2 years older than these two.


    "Here''s your plate. Wear it in your arm. Welcome to Yi Feng City."


    "Thank you! Yun, let''s go and take a look at the stalls! I''m hungry!"


    "Wait, Brother!"


    The guards laughed at the three siblings'' antics then they focused their attention back to their jobs. There were always some villagers who came to the city for the first time and might not act like what normal people do. The guards also didn''t care much about them because it only showed that these people were quite poor.


    Lin Xiao looked around and busy reading all the plates there. Beside him, Lin Yun was trying hard to restrain his brother''s attitude while hoping to bury his head. Brother�� you''re embarrassing ah!


    However, Lin Xiao truly had thick skin as he ignored the people looking at him as he arrived by the square. The square''s shape was more like circle with a large statue in the middle. There were also several people who were sitting on the chairs as if they were waiting for someone to come.


    "That''s notice board," Wenren Yu pointed to the front. "All important announcement should be there."


    "Let''s go and take a look."


    Lin Xiao stood before the board, but his attention was actually at the map that was placed right beside the board. The map allowed him to know the location of some important places. Aside from residential areas, most of the places were marked in the map before him.


    After memorizing the map, Lin Xiao looked at the notice board and looked around. His eyes landed on the paper at the edge of the notice board.


    "The Street Performance Group is recruiting talented people," Lin Xiao read the notice and looked at Lin Yun with a grin. "Do you think we can enter the group?"


    Lin Yun nearly rolled his eyes when he saw Lin Xiao''s mischievous look. He shook his head. "What kind of talent do you want to showcase, Brother? You''re not exactly good at doing anything."


    Besides, the three of them have been living by hunting most of the time aside from learning. How could they have the time to care about street performance when they were already so busy collecting food?


    Entertainment didn''t really have much use for their usual daily life.


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    "How about if we go to the auction first?" Wenren Yu suggested as he pointed to another announcement that was posted there. "They''re going to have an auction soon and we might need to earn money."


    "Oh."


    Lin Xiao nodded. They still have the Night Yin Flowers. When he grabbed the flower back then, there were a total of four flowers, so he had asked for more pot from Elder Wang. If they sold the flower, they should be able to earn considerable amount of money.


    "Wait, before that I think I need to know how the currency worked," Lin Xiao stopped Wenren Yu from dragging them to the auction hall.


    "Gold coin, silver coin, and bronze coins are commonly use in the city," Wenren Yu replied. He had already visited several cities in the past because of his tasks with his fellow disciples. "With 1 silver coins worth 1000 copper coins, and 1 gold coins worth 1000 silver coins."


    "Oh, the same as village?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Wenren Yu shook his head. "The most common currency here is silver coins. And except from those normally used coins, there''s also Spirit Stones."


    "Spirit stones?" Lin Xiao''s attention was now attracted.


    "Spirit Stones are the items that contains Qi and usually used to trade between cultivators. You can also use the spirit stones to train by absorbing the Qi there," Wenren Yu replied. "However, spirit stones are very expensive and would not be used by normal people."


    "How expensive?"


    "One spirit stone is usually priced at 10 liang of gold."


    Lin Xiao: "��" how can I ever hope to buy one?


    Wenren Yu smiled bitterly. "You can only learn how to make Spirit Stones when you reach Golden Core Stage. At that time, you''ll undoubtedly become very rich and able to trade with a lot of golds."


    "��"


    The very first question would be how to reach that stage without getting bankrupt first. With their current financial status, it would be very impossible to even earn a single Spirit Stones.


    "is that spirit stones very useful?" Lin Yun asked curiously.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "A single spirit stone is enough to help Body Training cultivator to advance a stage."


    Lin Xiao: "��." Can I ask for some kindhearted Golden Core Stage Cultivator to give me Spirit stone?

 Chapter 103: Feng Nian Auction House

    Wenren Yu saw the faces of these two and smiled bitterly. "But don''t think that just by having spirit stone meant that you can turn into expert instantly. Everyone have different absorption capability. Even if you have spirit stone, you will take a long time to even absorb one and grow stronger."


    Lin Xiao and Lin Yun nodded. They also knew that they wouldn''t be able to grow stronger instantly because the absorption ability they had was very lacking. Their body needed time to absorb the Qi and they also needed to train their physical ability or their body wouldn''t be able to withstand the Qi inside their body.


    At that point, they would instead destroy themselves.


    "Well, let''s go to the auction house first."


    "What''s the price for that?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Wenren Yu shook his head. He was not that familiar about the current market price. However, he still remembered when his master took him and his fellow disciples to the auction house in the past.


    "It should be able to reach a few hundred."


    "Copper?"


    Wenren Yu: "��"


    Lin Yun tilted his head. "Silver?"


    "Gold."


    The two siblings were stunned when they heard the price. They already knew that Night Yin Flower was very precious, but they didn''t expect that the price would be so high. If they could earn that much from just selling one flower, didn''t it mean that they wouldn''t worry about their expense for the next few months?


    But then again, finding Night Yin Flower was difficult. Even Lin Xiao didn''t dare to go down the cliff to try searching for more Night Yin Flower.


    Wenren Yu had told him before that Night Yin Flower could only be found in places with extreme condition. It should be either very windy or very cold. The places where it usually grew was also the mountains and steep cliffs.


    Not many people would risk their lives to obtain it.


    After all, the flower was also the favorite meal of some beasts, which naturally include the large blue bird beast that Lin Xiao met back then. The beast itself had power comparable to Foundation Establishment or even more.


    He would have died if he went down the cliff again.


    "We need other source of income," Lin Yun immediately added when they were still walking towards the auction house. There were two auction house in this city and probably the two of them were rivals. After all, they were placed right in front of the other auction house.


    "We can try to join that performance group," Lin Xiao suggested. In the city, it seemed that the people also cared for entertainment more than what the people in the villagers would. After all, many people in the city had already reached the peak of their talent and had no interest to train again.


    For them, entertainment would be important.


    Lin Yun rolled his eyes. "Brother, if you can get hired to wash dishes, I wouldn''t be surprised."


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    Wenren Yu shook his head when he heard these two siblings started again. He stopped before the two auction house and looked at the left and right, wondering which one he should went to. The two auction houses looked really good.


    "Which one should we try to enter?"


    "Well, whichever one will be the same, right?"


    "True enough."


    "Let''s try this one: Feng Nian Auction House."


    "Ok."


    The three of them walked to the auction house, to be exact they were heading to the small section of the auction house. Since the auction house was only open when there was auction, there was small store at the side where those who wished to sell their items or put them into auction went.


    It was the same for both auction houses, so Lin Xiao and the others just entered the store. There were several people inside the store and all of them were wearing expensive clothing that looked very good.


    Compared to Lin Xiao and the others who were wearing cheap robe, it created a stark contrast.


    "What are you doing here?" a staff member looked at the three of them with disdain. He seemed to be trying hard to not hide his disgust. The only thing that was left would be for him to pinch his own nose.


    "Hello. We want to��" Wenren Yu started with greetings politely. He knew that their clothing was not convincing, so he thought that it would be better for him to start by talking.


    "We''re not accepting beggars here," the staff said in annoyance. "Get out if you don''t have anything to do here."


    The three of them were still holding the token they got from the gate. From the color, the staff knew that they were only Body Training Stage people. These kind of people added with their clothing could only come from remote village.


    Those people were all very poor, so the staff always chased them out.


    A pair of man and women, who were busy looking at the items also glanced in their direction when they heard the commotion. They furrowed their brows upon seeing their clothing. "What are these dirty people doing in this place?"


    The staff''s expression changed. "We''re sorry for the inconvenience, Madam, Sir. We''re going to kick them away now."


    "Is this the way you treat your customer?" Lin Xiao asked with frown. He didn''t really like being treated as dirty beggar. So what if he came from the village and not lived in the city? It was not like he could choose where he was born.


    "Get out and don''t disturb business here," the staff said sternly.


    Wenren Yu also started to feel annoyed. He could see the token that was strapped on the staff''s arm was not any different from them. It meant that the staff was also only Body Training Stage, yet he was acting as if he was someone from different level.


    "You��"


    "Let''s go."


    "Brother?" Lin Yun was stunned.


    Lin Xiao looked at the staff coldly. "People who treat other people only from their appearance is a narrow minded people."

 Chapter 104: Yue Yi Auction House

    After saying that, Lin Xiao turned around and walked out of the store. Wenren Yu and Lin Yun were helpless, but they followed Lin Xiao obediently. After all, they also had no intention to stay in that sickening place any longer.


    So what if they were country bumpkin?


    Their starting point didn''t mean anything. Even if they started off only as an ordinary villager, it didn''t mean that they would become one forever. Their path and their decision would shape their own future.


    "Well, we can try going to the other auction house?" Wenren Yu asked in hesitation. He was not sure about what they should do anymore.


    Lin Xiao looked at his clothing. While it was not an expensive robe, at the very least, it was not tattered. It was not like he looked like a beggar on the street who couldn''t even clothe themselves properly.


    Did he look bad?


    What he didn''t know was that the material for one''s clothing could be seen quite clearly. His clothing along with Wenren Yu and Lin Yun were made of coarse materials, which showed that it was cheap. Many other cultivators would wear clothes made of fine silk which would be expensive for many other people.


    "Should we change our clothing first?" Lin Yun also asked since he couldn''t understand what made his clothing looked bad.


    Wenren Yu smiled bitterly. "Even if you change your clothing, the shopkeeper and other staffs would be able to recognize you easily."


    "Will they even still remember us?"


    "You want to enter this auction house again?"


    Lin Xiao looked at the back where the staff was still busy praising the one who was buying the items there and had luxurious clothes. Somehow, he felt that it was just simply how people usually acted in this world. They would judge someone based on what they saw on the other person and what the other person have.


    It was just how the world usually was.


    "No need. Let''s just check the other one."


    "Ok."


    Raising his head, Lin Xiao read the name "Yue Yi Auction House." Just like the other one, it had a smaller store right beside the auction house for them to sell items that were not as rare as those that usually appear in the auction.


    Different with the other store, the store here was slightly bigger but there were lesser items placed on the stalls. There were also only a few staffs standing to wait and no customers were here.


    "Hello," Wenren Yu greeted when he entered the auction house.


    The staff nearby nodded and looked at their clothing. It was clear that he was also judging them based on their clothing and appearance. The three of them didn''t look rich and these people here had already met their fair share of people with similar appearance to them.


    Most of them would only look around the store and not bother to buy anything. Of course, those people would usually also stay careful because they would not be able to afford anything.


    Still, the staff put on a professional smile. "Welcome, what can I help you with?"


    Lin Yun looked at his brother and noticed that Lin Xiao was watching the people there carefully. Unlike the staff from the other store that immediately kicked them away and treated them as nuisance, the staffs here were still relatively polite. Even though the dislike could be seen faintly, it was not shown outside.


    In overall, it was much better than the previous store.


    "Excuse me, we would like to sell something to the store," Wenren Yu replied politely.


    The other staff arched his eyebrows. "Please come to the counter and show the items you would like to sell."


    Wenren Yu made way to Lin Xiao as Lin Xiao walked to the front. The staff near the counter, who was only watching from the start to beginning was watching the three of them. Their movements might be faint, but he could see that the other two were treating Lin Xiao as their leader.


    But while their movements were still unskilled, it still looked as if they were trying to protect Lin Xiao.


    ''Normal villagers would not have this kind of coordination.''


    That was all the staff think as he tapped the counter. "Do you bring the items with you?"


    The other party''s tone was flat and indifferent. Lin Xiao raised his hand and put it on the table. Almost instantly, a pot of flower appeared on the table.


    The staff''s eyes narrowed. ''Spatial Ring.''


    The three of them carried a bag with them, but they actually have Spatial Ring. From the way it looked like, they were purposely lying low by also carrying items while in truth they have Spatial Ring.


    Little did the staff know that the reason they bought bag was because all of the meat couldn''t fit into the Spatial Ring. As someone who had always been very thrifty regarding food, they wouldn''t want to waste it, so they packed the food and brought a simple bag with them.


    The bag perfected their appearance as country bumpkins.


    The staff then looked at the flower as his eyes widened. The one in front of him was clearly not an ordinary flower. He could already feel the temperature dropping even though the flower was placed in front of him.


    There were only several types of flower that had this type of effect.


    "Please wait a minute, this kind of purchase can only be done with the manager."


    "Alright."


    While the staff was looking at him, Lin Xiao was also watching the staff in front of him. The most eye catching one was the token that the staff wore in his hand. It had different color, which meant that the staff should be at least Foundation Establishment.


    His token was brown in color but the staff in front of him had red color.


    And the reason Lin Xiao didn''t think of him as Golden Core Stage was because he didn''t think that he would be able to meet someone at Golden Core Stage so easily inside this kind of store.


    The staff nodded and then rushed back inside.

 Chapter 105: Agreement

    Lin Xiao looked at Wenren Yu. "Is he at Foundation Establishment?"


    "Oh, you mean the token?" Wenren Yu glanced at Lin Xiao then nodded. "At least, when he entered the city and make his token, he''s Foundation Establishment. But you could not upgrade your token and issue a new one when you advance so that you can stay stuck in the same one."


    "Ooh."


    Of course, most people would not want to hide their real rank unless they wished to stay low. Those with higher rank could get better payment and obviously lived a better life. Why should they hide their real rank?


    Lin Xiao also didn''t wish to hide his real rank if not because Elder Wang warned him not to attract attention here. If he showed his real rank, he would surely have already attracted the attention of so many people. They might even try to coerce him to follow them later on.


    The door opened and a man walked in. He had elegant air and swept his gaze at the people in front of him before landing on the flower on the table.


    "Night Yin Flower and still alive."


    "Yes."


    When picking herbs, many didn''t bother to keep the plants alive. After all, it was easier to just directly pluck them to use. However, for high ranked plants, it would be such a waste to just pluck them for use. Many would try to grab the soil below the plant then kept it inside their Spatial Ring to preserve the plants.


    Most of the times, they wouldn''t be able to sustain the plant and it withered away after some time. However, the one in front of him was still in good condition. It was as if the plant had just been picked up not long ago.


    "Seeing its condition, it wouldn''t have any problem to reach 500 golds," the manager said without covering the real price. He looked at the staffs around him and sneered. "Come with me and bring the flower with you."


    "Yes."


    Lin Xiao had noticed that there was something strange with the way the manager looked at the flower. There was traces of astonishment and admiration. This made him confused very greatly.


    Was there any difference with the plants compared to other plants?


    Once the three of them disappeared into the door, the staffs broke into talk. They couldn''t believe that they have just seen the famous Night Yin Flower right in front of their eyes. Who didn''t know the true worth of this plant?


    The female staff was even very envious. "This is the first time I see Night Yin Flower, but it''s so far away, ah."


    "Yes! I can''t believe that these three ordinary people are actually hidden dragons. They''re actually very rich yet they acted humble."


    "Don''t you think that they''re really from ordinary background."


    "Bah, to be able to show Night Yin Flower with just a wave of his hand already show that he''s not ordinary. Do you really think that everyone has Spatial Ring?"


    "I don''t even have one!"


    "True!"


    The manager ignored the ruckus that his staffs made and pointed for Lin Xiao and his friends to sit down. He had also noticed the way the other two standing seemed to be calculated. While it was not perfect, they were trying to always be in the best position to protect the person in the middle.


    In that moment, the manager thought about a phrase: heir in training.


    There were many influential families in Sun Kingdom, but many of them held the same principle: they would only hand over their family to someone who was capable. Many heirs were incapable because they were being too protected and the sole son of the head was very often very bad.


    Because of that, they would often send the heir far away along with some bodyguards. Some bodyguards were also in training and would stay with the young master while the rest would stay hidden. The heir would have to learn everything by himself without relying on the family''s connection.


    The manager''s eyes landed on the token on their wrist. From the way it looked like, the three of them were still at Body Training Stage, so his speculation should be correct. As for which family they came from, it was still unknown.


    "I''m the manager here, my name is Du Huan. You can call me Manager Du. What should I call you, Mister?"


    "Lin, you can call me Ln." Lin Xiao didn''t feel like giving out his full name, so he chose just his surname.


    Not only the manager, even the staff behind him also showed an astonished look for a moment. The staff was the same one as the one in the counter before. He was following the manager to learn.


    However, their gaze quickly turned back to normal. They all knew that the Royal Family had Lin surname but there were many princes who were actually too far away to obtain the throne. Those people would still have Lin surname but no real power. Aside from them, there were many other people who had Lin surname living in remote area but of course the manager and the staff would never think of them.


    "I see Mister Lin, would you like to have the Night Yin Flower to be bought directly by the auction house or would you like for it to be sold in the auction?"


    Lin Xiao recalled the auction announcement that was shown in the square. "If possible, I want the Night Yin Flower to be sold in an auction."


    The manager''s eyes shone. He knew that if it was given enough advertisement, the Night Yin Flower would surely attract the attention of so many young ladies. He nodded his head with a smile. "That can easily be done, Mister Lin."


    "When do you plan to hold the auction, Manager Du?"


    Manager Du tapped the table. "A week from now there will be a grand auction along with some other items sold by other people. If you would like, you can also participate in the auction with this Night Yin Flower."


    ''Oh, so that announcement is for the grand auction.''


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Sure."


    "It''s nice cooperating with you, Mister Lin."

 Chapter 106: Cooperation

    Manager Du smiled happily, but he still maintained his professional attitude while working. "We''ll make sure to promote the flower and please remember that the auction house will be taking 10 percent of the profit."


    Lin Xiao nodded. His heart skipped a beat when he heard that they would take 10 percent of the profit. It would be quite a lot, but thinking about selling the flower himself, Lin Xiao knew that he wouldn''t be able to do that.


    It would be better to just leave it in the hand of those who were good and could be trusted.


    Hmm, there was also the matter of the other auction house, but Lin Xiao had no intention of going there after what had happened. Even though he didn''t know much about this auction house, he knew for sure that this one treated its customer better than the other one.


    Hehehe, the profit was of course another matter to think.


    "Master Lin?" Manager Du called.


    Lin Xiao was stunned when he heard the way Manager Du called him. If he had acted like a young master for a long time, he might get used to it, but right now, he was nothing more than a little kid who had just come out from the village.


    After being treated as a brat most of the time, it sounded uncomfortable to have someone else treating him so politely.


    "Ah, Manager Du, there''s no need to be so��.polite."


    The pause was not because Lin Xiao wanted to, but it was because his younger brother had already jabbed his back just now. It was not painful, but Lin Xiao knew that his brother was reminding him.


    In Lin Yun''s mind, he was berating his older brother a thousand times over. How could he still act like a country bumpkin at a time like this?


    Look!


    Look at the way the manager looked at him, ah!


    It was clear that the manager mistook him for some young master from noble family with how polite he was treating Lin Xiao. Even though Lin Yun didn''t know the reason, he could at least read this much.


    Why did his brother have to be so stupid?


    Even Wenren Yu was resisting the urge to hit Lin Xiao. If not because he had already seen himself as Lin Xiao''s servant, he would surely reprimand Lin Xiao for not being able to read the situation properly.


    Manager Du laughed. "I can''t possibly do that, but if you insist, I''ll call you Mister Lin."


    "That''s better." Lin Xiao coughed lightly and then looked at the people behind Manager Du, trying to shake off the atmosphere.


    Unfortunately, Manager Du mistook his gaze. He looked at the employees behind his back and smiled. "Did they offend you in any way, Mister Lin? If they do, I would like to apologize in advance as it''s very unbecoming of them to act that way."


    "Huh? No, they didn''t act rude at all." Lin Xiao quickly denied that.


    Lin Yun chose to step in and smiled at Manager Du. "Don''t worry about your employee, Manager Du, they''re all very polite. We have already seen ruder people on our way here, so it''s nothing much."


    "Ah, I see. I''m glad that they treat you well," Manager Du replied with a smile. Internally, he was silently gloating. From the way Lin Yun inferred it, he could guess that they were talking about the other auction house, Feng Nian Auction House that was located right across them.


    If they knew that they had just lost a big fish because they were rude, how would their face be?


    Somehow, Manager Du had the urge to gloat on their faces and laugh at their misfortune. Hmm�� that seems like something he should do for the next few days. Those guys at Feng Nian Auction House must not know what have befallen them.


    Thus, for the next few days, Manager Du bothered the other auction house so much that they wanted to vomit blood.


    "Also, I would like you to keep my identity a secret," Lin Xiao added. He had just recalled that with his current strength, it wouldn''t be good for him to attract unwanted attention. Fighting against some strangers because of treasure would be very miserable.


    "Don''t worry, we all have upright principle and naturally will not leak out our customer''s identity," Manager Du reassured them.


    "That''s good."


    "Mister Lin, if you have other goods, you can directly come to this auction house. This senior staff, Zhongsun Shan will be responsible for the purchase of the goods." Manager Du pointed at the staff behind him, trying to build more connection with Lin Xiao and his friends.


    He might not know their real identity, but Manager Du could guess that to be able to get these herbs, they must not be ordinary. As for how it would turn out in the future, it would be something that he only needed to worry in the future.


    For now, it was better for him to establish a good connection with him.


    Lin Xiao looked at Zhongsun Shan. In fact, he had been wondering about this man ever since he saw him in the counter before because of the different token color. However, he naturally was not brave enough to ask the question so openly.


    "How should I contact you, Mister Zhongsun?"


    Zhongsun Shan smiled then took out a communication jade. Communication Jade was a communication device that was made of Jade. When it was not activated, it would look no different from ordinary piece of jade that could be found everywhere.


    "That''s��?"


    "This is Communication Jade. Does Mister Lin have one?"


    Lin Xiao shook his head, feeling a bit awkward. It seemed that for cultivators, having communication jade was important, yet he didn''t have any.


    He felt really awkward. Damn it, he should have asked Elder Wang more about the important things in the world. After all, he had been living in such remote place for a long time.

 Chapter 107: Cooperation (2)

    On the back, both Lin Yun and Wenren Yu also didn''t know what to say. Lin Yun clearly have never heard about Communication Jade before much less using it. As for Wenren Yu, he had heard about it before, but his own had been destroyed when he escaped from his pursuer back then.


    It might have been destroyed by those who found it since it can also be used to trace people if they were skilled enough in some arts.


    However, Zhongsun Shan didn''t make things difficult and immediately procure a new communication jade and handed it directly to Lin Xiao. "Treat this as present from the cooperation with Yue Yi Auction House, Mister Lin."


    "Thank you."


    Not bothering to keep with the appearance, Lin Xiao chose to just accept the communication jade. In any case, he was truly someone who was new to many things in the cultivation world.


    Despite already cultivating since he was young, Lin Xiao knew that his knowledge and worldview were limited to the fact that the was staying in the remote village that didn''t have many access to the outside world. Elder Wang couldn''t teach him everything and only imparted those most important for business.


    Taking the Communication Jade, Lin Xiao was a bit loss about how to use it. He glanced at Wenren Yu, who gave him signal to infuse his Qi. Almost immediately, Lin Xiao quickly infused his Qi into the communication jade.


    This action bound the communication jade with his consciousness.


    "I''ll try to call you, Mister Lin." Zhongsun Shan then proceeded to link the two communication jade then told Lin Xiao that they would be able to sense each other through the energy that was transmitted with this device.


    Lin Xiao nodded. His eyes were looking at the Communication jade in his hand as he pondered. If he had to say for sure, he was not totally sure how this device used, but he thought that it would be better to ask Wenren Yu later.


    If he acted like he didn''t know how to use this Communication Jade in front of these people, he was sure that his younger brother would not only jab him, but also stab him with a sword.


    They needed to keep up with the impression right now.


    "Also, is there anything you would like to buy, Mister Lin?" Manager Du asked out of politeness when he noticed that Lin Xiao had done testing with the new Communication Jade. In his mind, he just simply though that Lin Xiao lost his when he was on the way because there has been some case when one got attacked when they were having a communication with someone.


    Because they were distracted, their Communication Jade was lost in the battle and those people usually ended up buying more. In any case, it was not that expensive as long as it was not bound yet.


    Lin Xiao was about to say that there was none when he recalled that his weapon was still nothing more than the wooden sword. Elder Wang was stingy and didn''t give him any notable sword, telling him that he had to find one by himself. No matter what Lin Xiao said, Elder Wang didn''t want to give him one.


    This earned him the impression that he was truly a miser merchant.


    Little did he know that all the swords in Elder Wang''s possessions were all too eye catching. As someone with high position, Elder Wang naturally would not keep ordinary sword around. It resulted in him only having swords that would not fit Lin Xiao should Lin Xiao kept his identity low.


    Any of the sword in Elder Wang''s possession would make everyone''s eyes directed at Lin Xiao, so it was very unsuitable.


    "I would like to buy sword, but if there''s none here, you may direct me to the Weapon Store," Lin Xiao replied.


    "There are a few good swords here," Manager Du replied hurriedly. In fact, there were a lot of weapons. Many of which had lower grade than what their usual auction standard were, so he hadn''t auctioned them yet and only placed them in this small store. "If you wish for those that are not too expensive, you can see at the store. While those at better quality will be at the back."


    "How about the price."


    "We''ll only charge between 100 gold coins to 1000 gold coins."


    At that moment, Lin Xiao felt like he was about to vomit blood. For someone like him who could only earn a few silver coins in the past, the price was simply too painful. It would be much better for him to fight against his opponent rather than thinking for a method to come up with a whopping 100 golds.


    Even if he had to calculate what he had from his Spatial Ring, Lin Xiao knew that he wouldn''t be able to afford the expensive one.


    Hmm, it seemed that he just had to make do with some meagre weapon. At the very least, he needed a sword so that he could use his sword skill and deal with his enemies. Without a proper sword, he knew that there were a skill that he would be unable to use.


    "Can I see it?"


    "Of course. Zhongsun Shan."


    "Yes, Sir. Please follow me, Mister Lin."


    They all returned back to the store. Manager Du still stayed within the room to deal with Night Yin Flower and Zhongsun Shan pointed at the area where the weapon was stored. While the quality of the swords sold outside was not too good, but it was not as expensive as those inside.


    However, Lin Xiao still felt his heart bleeding when he saw the price of the weapons.


    400 gold coins.


    480 gold coins.


    360 gold coins.


    As he browsed the weapons that was located at the counter, Lin Xiao was astonished to see that even the cheapest was over 100 gold coins. The manager truly didn''t lie when he said that the items here were expensive.

 Chapter 108: Performance Group

    "Feel free to take a look. You might find one that might be suitable for you," Zhongsun Shan said politely.


    Lin Xiao nodded and looked one by one. He tried to grab the sword and lift it up. It was then he realized that each sword here had different weight that was also affected by its shape. He was still thinking about which one would be the best for his skill.


    Mountain Sword was a skill that emphasized on both attack and defense. It was steady and surely sharp. As for the sword that was given to him while training, if Lin Xiao was not wrong, it was one edge sword.


    He looked down and already eliminated several of them from his decision to pick the sword. After some time, Lin Xiao noticed that there was one sword that was relatively smaller than the others yet the weight remained the same when he lifted it up. Lin Xiao was astonished then told the manager. "I''ll pick this one."


    "Alright, the sword is 244 gold coins."


    Lin Xiao nodded and paid right away. His heart was actually bleeding like a waterfall right now. He knew very well that if it was not because of Wang Luo Sect Core Disciple, Luo Mingyue, there was no chance for him to even stand here and negotiate. But the store had already given him benefit, so Lin Xiao also accepted the price.


    Once they had finished, Zhongsun Shan and Lin Xiao exchanged a few more sentences before they left Feng Yi Auction House.


    "I feel a bit overwhelmed," Lin Xiao muttered after he had walked a few steps away from the auction house.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "That manager is even more powerful than Zhongsun Shan. However, I can''t be too sure about his real strength."


    Unlike many of them that wore the token that showed their strength, the manager didn''t wear one. Not to mention, the aura that he was suppressing had already caused both Wenren Yu and Lin Yun to be cautious.


    They didn''t want to put themselves in trouble either, so they were careful in what they were doing.


    "It''s good that they didn''t treat us badly," Lin Xiao said calmly.


    "Your standard is so low, Brother."


    "But it shouldn''t be weird, right?"


    Lin Yun followed his brother''s finger and noticed that there were two people who were thrown out from the Feng Yi Auction House. Looking at their expression and clothes, it was not hard to guess that these two must be villagers who wanted to try their luck too.


    Well, it seemed that it was a common occurrence for villagers who were curious about the city to enter auction house to check on the items.


    But thinking of the shy high price of the items, Lin Xiao completely abandoned the thought of entering again if he had nothing to do.


    "Would you two need weapon too?" Lin Xiao asked the other two.


    Wenren Yu and Lin Yun shook their heads. They were also given wooden sword and learned Mountain Sword from Elder Wang for the past few days. However, their result different greatly from Lin Xiao as they were still far away from reaching the comprehension that Lin Xiao had.


    For the time being, they would rather use the training sword rather than real sword. After all, they still couldn''t properly control their skill well and if they accidentally injured someone, it would be very bad. The wooden swords were already the safest option for their current power.


    As for Lin Xiao, they were not too worried since Lin Xiao was indeed better.


    "There''s nothing that we miss, right?" Lin Xiao looked at Feng Yi Auction House not far behind him.


    "There shouldn''t be anything."


    "In that case, we should visit the performance group. Eh wait, where are they?" Lin Xiao was about to walk happily when he realized that he didn''t even know where the members of the performance group were staying.


    "Let''s ask."


    They asked the passerby and soon figure out that the performance group was staying in an inn not far from the square.


    "They''re living in the inn for the time being. Are you trying to get into their group? Forget it, they have high requirement for skill."


    Lin Xiao merely smiled at the advice thrown to his face. "Thank you, but I would like to try my luck."


    "Youngsters."


    The three of them didn''t need to walk for a long time for them to find the performance group. It was not like the performance group was trying to hide their tracks. Within short period of time, Lin Xiao and the other two had already found the performance group that was staying in the inn.


    The inn''s name was Morning Inn and was known to have good reputation. The situation inside the inn was very lively when the three of them entered the place. In fact, it looked as if there was a party that was thrown even though it was still afternoon.


    There were also a lot of people who looked at them for a moment then focused their attention back to what they were doing.


    "Are you sure to ask them, Master?" Wenren Yu asked in low tone.


    Lin Xiao was stunned. Not because of the question, but because of how Wenren Yu addressed him. In the past, Wenren Yu would never talked so politely in front of him. After all, they treated each other as friends. But now��


    Seeing Lin Xiao''s gaze, Wenren Yu showed a helpless smile. At this time, it would be hard to reveal his identity. And since he clearly didn''t look like the other two, he didn''t really want to pose as their siblings. Heck, even Lin Xiao and Lin Yun didn''t really look that alike with each other.


    After all, they were not blood related.


    Lin Xiao swallowed the words he was about to ask Wenren Yu regarding the address and nodded. "Yeah, there''s nothing wrong with asking, right?"


    "Fine."

 Chapter 109: Reunion

    Lin Xiao swallowed the words he was about to ask Wenren Yu regarding the address and nodded. "Yeah, there''s nothing wrong with asking, right?"


    "Fine."


    With the fact that Lin Xiao could be very hard headed, Wenren Yu chose to give up trying to persuade Lin Xiao. It would be better for him to just follow what this young man wanted to do.


    "Excuse me."


    The three of them walked to the counter, ignoring the people who were busy eating and drinking. While it was an inn, the first floor was also the place where those who stayed in this inn could stay and eat. It was lunch time, so it wasn''t that strange that the place was completely covered with people.


    The woman in the counter looked at the three people and smiled flirtatiously. She bent her sexy body to the counter. "What can I help you with, Gentlemen?"


    "We''re looking for the Street Performance Group," Lin Xiao replied.


    "Street Performance Group?" The woman arched his eyebrows. Afterwards, she looked at the side and pointed. "Are you talking about them?"


    Following the finger, Lin Xiao could see that the woman was pointing to a large group of people who gathered in one place. There were 9 people gathered in one table, several men and women. Right now, they were all drinking merrily and the smell of alcohol could be smelled even from a distance away.


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. He did think that they were the people he was looking for, but at this time, he was no longer sure about his decision to join them. He did want to look for money, but he had no intention of drinking when he was still underage, ah.


    "Hmm, yo! Someone who wants to join?"


    Two people from the group were looking at them, one young man and one young woman. They stood up at the same time and looked at each other. The young woman grinned. "Leave it to me. You can continue drinking."


    "Aye."


    The young woman turned her body around and then walked to their direction. She was walking beautiful white robe that fluttered along with her steps. Her hair swayed to the back while her eyes were locked into them. Her beauty could clearly be seen even from a distance away.


    "Hello, I''m performer Yan," the young woman introduced herself.


    Lin Xiao smiled. "My surname is Lin."


    Hearing that surname, Performer Yan arched her eyebrows. It seemed that she was able to pick up the clues so quickly just from hearing how Lin Xiao introduced himself. While their clothing didn''t look like it was coming from rich background, she would be warier just because of that surname.


    "I''m Yun and this is Yu," Lin Yun introduced himself when he saw Performer Yan looked in their direction.


    Performer Yan nodded and then looked at Wenren Yu for a while longer. However, she soon broke her gaze and focused her attention to Lin Xiao, who was acting as the leader of the group. "In that case, what do you want to talk about, Mister Lin?"


    "We would like to join the Street Performance Group."


    "You?" Performer Yan looked at the people in front of her with astonishment. She couldn''t believe her ears and then scanned these people once more before shaking her head. "Do you have any specific talent in regards of entertainment?"


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. "What kind of talent do you need, Miss Yan?"


    "Dancing, singing, playing any type of musical instrument," Performer Yan replied unhurriedly. In her opinion, these people didn''t even know much about performance as they only tried to join.


    That was true. Both Lin Xiao and Lin Yun were speechless when they heard what Performer Yan wanted from them. They wouldn''t be able to fulfill it because neither one of them ever learned something like that.


    Wenren Yu suddenly spoke out, "Miss Sui, do you lack people who would do labor work?"


    Performer Yan''s eyes shook as she looked at Wenren Yu. There was sharp gaze within her eyes, but she shook her fingers. "You shouldn''t overestimate your worth, Mister Yu. If you want to talk more, let''s talk outside."


    Lin Xiao and Lin Yun both looked at Wenren Yu but they didn''t speak anything. At this time, Lin Xiao had an inkling as to why Wenren Yu suddenly knew the name of this particular performer.


    "Gramps! I want to take a breather outside."


    "Don''t call me Gramps, I''m not that old yet!" The leader of the Street Performance Group clearly protested. He snorted. "Just go if you want to take breathe of fresh air. There''s no need to inform me."


    "Got it, Gramps!"


    What followed was the sound of laughers from the other performers who saw their leader''s face turned dark.


    The young woman swiftly walked out and led the other three to an empty alley. It seemed that she was already familiar with the streets in this place as she stopped right where there was no one who could see them.


    "Wenren Yu?" the woman asked.


    Wenren Yu arched his eyebrows. "Sui Wenyan?"


    "You''re still alive." The woman, Sui Wenyan''s, eyes shone as she looked at Wenren Yu. Her brilliant eyes looked moist for a moment.


    Lin Xiao and Lin Yun were standing at the sight but even Lin Xiao knew what had happened. He was sure that Sui Wenyan was also a disciple of Taiyi Sect that someone managed to survive from the massacre.


    As for how��


    There was no need to say. It must have been a very painful process yet they still managed to survive. To be able to meet with acquaintances after such a long period of time only showed that they were extremely lucky.


    "Brother��" Lin Yun was stunned.


    Lin Xiao patted Lin Yun''s shoulder. It seemed that their fates would never be able to escape from Taiyi Sect. Lin Xiao''s eyes sharpened. He also knew that Taiyi Sect was also a sect that had kept the secret regarding the appearance of the Emperor Inheritance in the first place.


    What had happened naturally linked back to him.

 Chapter 110: Fool

    "Yeah."


    Wenren Yu sighed and looked at Sui Wenyan with happiness. He had never expected to be able to meet with someone else who had survived that disaster. Not to mention, he would never think of meeting one who had joined Street Performance Group.


    Wasn''t Sui Wenyan a powerful cultivator?


    "What are you doing in the group?" Wenren Yu asked.


    "Mingling and hiding my identity," Sui Wenyan replied helplessly. "I used to be in Acting Troupe, so it''s not a big deal. Besides, I''m also good at playing Guqin and naturally will be able to perform well."


    Wenren Yu nodded. He had long known Sui Wenyan''s name because this was the name of the known disciple in the Outer Disciple of Taiyi Sect. Sui Wenyan was a peerless beauty and there was no lack of pursuers. While she was only an outer disciple, her strength was not that bad either.


    He wouldn''t be able to forget such a beauty so easily. After all, he was also enraptured by Sui Wenyan''s beauty that made this young girl the belle among the outer disciples during that time.


    Two years had passed, Wenren Yu was sure that Sui Wenyan must have grown much more powerful by now.


    In fact, he was more surprised that Sui Wenyan actually knew his name. "How did you know me?"


    "Well, there are not many people who''re living in that garden," Sui Wenyan replied helplessly.


    In Taiyi Sect, Wenren Yu''s department was herbs. It was a faction that didn''t focus on combat and naturally didn''t have many people who interested in. Since there were only a few disciples there, it was not hard for Sui Wenyan to remember the name of the disciples inside that small department.


    "I see." Wenren Yu scratched the back of his head. He smiled faintly. "Right, I need to intrude you to Lin Xiao and Lin Yun."


    "Lin?" Sui Wenyan asked probingly.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "The one."


    There was no need for complete explanation because Sui Wenyan understood what Wenren Yu said. Unlike Wenren Yu who only knew about the matter of Emperor Inheritance because Wang Jun explained it, Sui Wenyan had already heard about those even when she was just ordinary outer disciple in Taiyi Sect.


    In fact, she knew much more than what people thought she knew.


    Sui Wenyan looked in Lin Xiao''s direction once more. Her eyes were scanning the young man before her with inquiry. It was his appearance that had shocked so many forces in the world, but looking at him now, he didn''t look much different from many other youth of the same age.


    ''is he truly the one chosen by the Heaven?''


    Lin Xiao could sense Sui Wenyan''s doubt, but he really couldn''t do anything to explain himself. Right now, he himself knew that it was hard to believe that he was truly the one chosen by the Heaven.


    "I need your help."


    Wenren Yu successfully diverted Sui Wenyan''s attention once more. She looked at Wenren Yu with a frown. "Please don''t tell me that you want me to accept you three into the Street Performance Group."


    "Yes��" Wenren Yu was ashamed of his own request that his head hung low. He knew that it might be a bit too much to ask Sui Wenyan for this.


    "Give me reason."


    "We need to earn money."


    At this point, Sui Wenyan felt like exploding. Excuse me? You want to earn money, so you wished to join into the performance group? Don''t you know that there were countless other methods to earn money?


    "Wait, wait, let me explain."


    In the end Lin Xiao explained that if he truly wanted to become a qualified emperor, he would need to learn many other skills. One was obviously learning how to earn money. In addition, with Sui Wenyan''s presence, he would be able to learn arts since this young woman was quite capable.


    Sui Wenyan pursed her lips. "In short, you need to temper yourself before New Year?"


    "Yes."


    "And the method to temper yourself is by earning money."


    "Yes��"


    "Fool, do you think that there''s only one fixed route to earn money?" Sui Wenyan shook her head. "This is cultivation world, so you have various methods to earn money. If you really can''t think of this by yourself, just think what does people need the most in this period of time?"


    What people needed the most?


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes when he thought about what he needed. "Resources."


    "How do you get resources?"


    "Hunting, scavenging, and others."


    Sui Wenyan nodded. "But do you think that everyone will have the time to hunt every single day? This is why there are Mercenary Association!"


    Mercenary Association!


    It was then Lin Xiao thought about a path that he had never considered before. That was true, he could just become a mercenary and do mission. Aside from mission points, he would be able to fight with other people or perhaps go to gather some precious herbs.


    All he needed to do was to register himself as a mercenary. Lin Xiao didn''t know specifically what was needed to become a mercenary, but he was sure that it shouldn''t be that hard. After all, he had heard from people that becoming a mercenary was not that difficult.


    What difficult was advancing the rank.


    But Lin Xiao was sure that as long as he was given enough time, he would be able to finish a lot of missions and have his rank advanced. With higher ranks, he would be able to accept better missions.


    Right now, Lin Xiao was grateful for Sui Wenyan. If not for this young woman reminding him about the fact that there was this one association, he would have long forgotten about it. After all, Elder Wang only told him to earn money and naturally Lin Xiao''s mind only drifted to work.


    He always earned money through working back in the village.


    But now that he was in the city, he had another method to earn money if he wanted to!

 Chapter 111: Watching

    "Thank you very much," Lin Xiao said sincerely. He would never imagine that just by talking with someone who was already more familiar with the outside world, he would be able to gain much more.


    "It''s not a big deal." Sui Wenyan waved her hand with a grin on her face. She was living well for the past two years, but she was also being very careful. A mention of her background might put her in tight spot because there were still people who were keen on eliminating those from Taiyi Sect.


    The reason was still unclear to her, but she could guess that her sect had somehow created enemies. After all, she was only Outer Disciple back then, which meant that the information she could get was extremely limited.


    "Can everyone become mercenary?" Lin Xiao asked curiously.


    Sui Wenyan nodded. "The selection is not that difficult. As long as you can show that you have some strength, it''s easy to pass the entrance test. Besides, there are countless people signing up as mercenary every single day."


    Hearing his senior disciple telling him this all, Wenren Yu felt a bit ashamed. He always relied on the herbs if he wanted to do anything. In fact, the only money making method he knew would be to sell herbs and medicine.


    Medicine��.


    "There''s Alchemist Association in Feng Yi City, right?" Wenren Yu asked.


    Sui Wenyan nodded. "Yes. I never went there before, but if you follow the map, I''m sure that you can find it."


    "Why do you want to go to Alchemist Association?"


    "I want to sign up as an alchemist."


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. Signing up was not a problem, but if he was not wrong, Wenren Yu''s name couldn''t be used freely because it was registered as outer disciple in Taiyi Sect.


    "Are you sure you''re not leaving your tail behind if you do this?"


    "It''ll be dangerous," Lin Yun chirped in.


    Wenren Yu shrugged. "I can''t really do anything aside from making medicine and gather herbs. Rather than abandoning my capabilities, it''ll be better to register as an Alchemist using fake name and enjoy the benefit from the association."


    "��that''s complicated."


    "There''s no other method. Alchemist can get some benefit including some free herbs and discount. With more resources, I''ll be able to help you in your path," Wenren Yu explained. He had thought it through. He wanted to be more useful to Lin Xiao and helped to pave way for this brat to become the Emperor.


    While Lin Xiao''s attitude might be still a bit problematic, Wenren Yu knew that the other princes might not even be any better. At the very least, Lin Xiao was someone who would do what he said he would.


    "Alright."


    Sui Wenyan listened and furrowed her brows. She seemed to be thinking of something. "Our Street Performance Group will have a performance in front of Du Family mansion today. If you wish to see, you can sneak in the crowd."


    Wenren Yu immediately turned his head. "You''re going to dance?"


    "I''m going to play music," Sui Wenyan elaborated. She had learned several musical instrument and her role in her group was to play music for the others when they performed.


    "With beautiful costume?"


    "Of course��."


    Sensing that something was wrong, Sui Wenyan narrowed her eyes and looked at Wenren Yu. There was faint glint in her eyes. However, that gesture of hers didn''t diminish her charm in the slightest bit. "Wenren Yu, are you trying to pinpoint on something?"


    "Eh?" Wenren Yu was stunned. "Senior Sui is beautiful regardless of what you wear��."


    "Oh, is that so?"


    Bang!


    When the punch was thrown, Wenren Yu had no other choice but to back out. His eyes widened slightly because he could tell that the power behind Sui Wenyan''s punch was that of Foundation Establishment.


    "Wait, I didn''t mean to look at you like that! Senior!!!"


    "Shut up! You twerp!"


    Lin Xiao and Lin Yun pretended that they didn''t see anything. If these two wished to quarrel, they would rather stay behind and not intervene. Lin Yun looked at his brother and grinned.


    "Brother, it seems that Miss Sui is the crush that Wenren Yu talked about before."


    "What crush?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion.


    "Wenren Yu once said that he had a crush when he was in Taiyi Sect. To think that it''ll be a fairy like woman," Lin Yun replied with a sigh. With Sui Wenyan''s face, even he felt that she was really beautiful. It wouldn''t be a joke to say that Sui Wenyan had countless admirers when she was in Taiyi Sect.


    Not to mention, she was also quite talented and powerful. Her age didn''t differ that much from them, but she was already at Foundation Establishment.


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes, feeling speechless. It seemed that he was the only one who had never met any woman who could catch his eyes. This couldn''t do. Even his younger brother had already had a crush when he was younger.


    Internally, Lin Xiao secretly set a goal for himself to find a woman for himself. One that suited him the best.


    However, his current goal wouldn''t change. He wanted to learn more so that he would be able to become a proper emperor and didn''t die because of this annoying inheritance that he got by chance.


    Bang!


    By now, Wenren Yu was unable to do anything. He was one rank below Sui Wenyan and with the two of them trying their best to stay quiet in this alley, the fight turned into Sui Wenyan''s favor.


    "I give up! I give up!"


    "Hmph. If you dare to say anything like that again, I wouldn''t hesitate to kill you." Sui Wenyan cracked her fist.


    Wenren Yu resisted the urge to cry. He was already being very covert. How come she still managed to figure it out. Ah, he better stayed quiet from now. That way, he wouldn''t get into unnecessary trouble like this.

 Chapter 112: Du Family Mansion

    "I have to go now. If you want to watch, you can come. If you don''t want, it''s fine too," Sui Wenyan brushed her long hair and walked away. Her breathtaking figure could easily attract men and made their imagination run wild.


    At this point of time, Lin Yun pursed his lips. If Sui Wenyan were to dance for real, many men might embarrass themselves in public because they couldn''t control their lower half.


    "Ouch, ouch, help me up first."


    "You deserve it."


    "I already tried to be covert!" Wenren Yu felt like crying once more. He was naturally shy and timid, so he would never dare to openly say anything embarrassing. However, Sui Wenyan seemed to be able to guess what was inside his mind.


    Lin Xiao looked at Wenren Yu without any mercy. He wouldn''t want to get involved and be labelled by pervert. It would be enough for his woman to call him that way when he truly become shameless in front of her.


    "Sui Wenyan is Taiyi Sect disciple?"


    "Yes. She''s also Outer Sect disciple and among the top 10. If the incident didn''t happen, she might have been promoted to Inner Sect Disciple by now," Wenren Yu explained unhurriedly. He sat down on the ground and inspected his wounds. Thankfully Sui Wenyan didn''t seem to have any intention to kill him, so his wounds were not that severe.


    Lin Xiao nodded. Aside from Sui Wenyan beautiful appearance and figure, he had noticed that she was also good at controlling her Qi. When she was beating Wenren Yu up, she was still holding back considerably. Her movements were ruthless but the power behind each attack was held back.


    It was apparent that she didn''t want to harm Wenren Yu for real.


    "She''s pretty good."


    "Yes? She''s pretty, right?"


    Lin Yun and Lin Xiao: "��" I never know you''re a pervert.


    However, Lin Xiao recalled that Wenren Yu didn''t seem to act this way in front of many other women in the past. It seemed that only when talking about Sui Wenyan would he act this way.


    "Let''s go and watch their performance."


    "Ah?"


    "We''re going?"


    Lin Xiao nodded. "It''s also a good chance to see the nobles in this city. I''m curious about the power division too."


    Lin Yun and Wenren Yu looked at each other then followed suit.


    Lin Xiao has been living in the village for his entire life. The only time he came to the city in the past was for Taiyi Sect Disciple Recruitment that occurred once a year. While he didn''t participate back then, he had become the spectator a few times and watched the battle that occurred there.


    But since he was still young and weak back then, he didn''t dare to roam around the city. There wouldn''t be anyone to protect him and to guard him if he were to get lost and got into trouble.


    Now that he had considerable strength to protect himself, Lin Xiao wanted to use this chance to roam around the city and figure out the power structure. He had never been to this city before, so this would be a good chance for him to roam around too.


    "Hey, wait!"


    "I''m going to the square."


    Looking at the map once more, Lin Xiao decided to memorize everything in front of him. As he had become a cultivator, his memory was also enhanced. This degree of information could be stored within his mind in just a short period of time.


    There were several mansions that was printed on the map. He could guess that those must be the powerful families living in Feng Yi City. While he didn''t know their main prowess for sure, he needed to know their name.


    "Two powerful families. Let''s go to Du Family Mansion."


    "Ok."


    Lin Xiao rushed in the direction of Du Family mansion. It was located at the west of Feng Yi City and quite far from his original position. However, he knew that it was not really that far because their speed was fast.


    The other two were following Lin Xiao while maintaining their speed. Thankfully, their current rank was higher than Lin Xiao or they wouldn''t be able to catch up.


    "He''s faster than us," Wenren Yu muttered in disbelief.


    "Better physique?"


    "Maybe."


    Wenren Yu knew that he had spent a long time not training his body because he was too fixated with herbs. On the other hand, Lin Yun was sickly for a long time and only improved recently.


    Maybe because of that factor, Lin Xiao was still faster and stronger than them even though he was at a rank lower than them.


    Swish!


    They arrived in front of a grand mansion. The bright red color made it hard for them to get closer to the mansion because it looked like it was warning them not to get close. It was several thousand li square meters with large gate. Several guards were also standing to guard the gate while many passersby gathered not far from the gate.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes were locked onto the gate that was drawn with dragon symbol at the front. For whatever reason, he felt that the drawing looked faintly real as if there was truly a real dragon lurking there.


    It was a strange feeling.


    Subconsciously, Lin Xiao held his head. The mark on his forehead that was covered with his forehead shone lightly. It couldn''t be seen from the outside because it was covered, but it had formed a connection with Lin Hu.


    ''Lin Hu.''


    ''Huh? What are you calling me for, ah? Why do you even want to call me when you don''t have any lake nearby?'' Lin Hu''s sharp tone entered Lin Xiao''s ears.


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes. The way Lin Hu talked sounded as if Lin Xiao would only ever talk to Lin Hu when he got into trouble and had no other method but to rely on the young dragon.


    "I have a question this time."

 Chapter 113: Watching the Performance

    "What question?"


    Lin Xiao''s eyes landed on the dragon mark. There were already a lot of people gathering in front of the mansion, so his gaze didn''t attract anyone''s attention. He looked no different than any others who were admiring the gate and wished to be able to come in just to be able to watch the performance.


    ''That dragon mark seems real. It makes me recall the time when I''m inside the inheritance ground.''


    ''Huh?''


    Lin Hu was inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness, so naturally he was able to sense whatever Lin Xiao was sensing. His eyes narrowed when he saw the dragon mark in front of Lin Xiao. As a primordial beast, he knew very sure that the power behind the mark that Lin Xiao saw was completely different than what Lin Xiao guessed at first.


    ''It''s not real dragon.''


    ''Really?''


    ''Brat, you have already seen me when I come out. How come you''re still bad at recognizing which one is real dragon and which one is not?''


    Lin Xiao: "��" you only appear for a short period of time. Besides, I have never seen your marking.


    Lin Hu snorted when he saw Lin Xiao''s appearance. His eyes landed on the mark at the gate once more. ''It''s not real dragon, but it''s just protection marking.''


    ''Protection marking?''


    ''When you have become more powerful, naturally I''ll also grow. At that time, you''ll be able to infuse your will into objects including marking if you wished to protect someone. This is called protection marking and it''ll contain some parts of your power.''


    The explanation sounded very far etched. For the current Lin Xiao, the most important thing he had to do was to train harder and harder so that he could grow stronger. The use of Qi that he knew so far was only to enhance his body and also some basic use that Foundation Establishment Cultivators had shown to him not long ago.


    He never thought that Qi could be used this way. It must be really good.


    ''That says, a dragon protects this gate?''


    ''Used to protect this place will be more suitable. The marking is hundreds years'' old and the power had diminished greatly. This kind of protection marking will use the power inside to protect the place whenever there''s danger and based on the power that''s left, it has been used a few times.''


    Lin Hu shifted his body position within Lin Xiao''s consciousness. ''There''s less than 0.1 percent of the original power inside this marking. However, the power inside will be more than enough to eliminate Body Training Cultivator like you.''


    Lin Xiao: "��" #$%^&*(!


    He really wished to curse out loudly. Even if it was only 0.1 percent power, it was still more powerful than a cultivator like him? Just how powerful the person who created this marking before?


    While Lin Xiao was pondering about this marking, the crowd suddenly let out slight scream and began to move to the side. His eyebrows arched as he glanced to the side. The sight of the people from the Street Performance told him that the ones they were waiting for had already arrived.


    ''Aren''t they drunk just now?''


    Looking at the energetic people from Street Performance Group, Lin Xiao was speechless. He was absolutely sure that they were drunk just a few minutes before. Did they have some kind of skill to erase their drunkenness?


    He wanted to have that kind of skill too!


    That way, he would be able to sneak and drink some wine or beer when the others were not looking. He was already beaten up when he tried to sneak drink some beer when he was young just because he was curious.


    Sui Wenyan had changed her dress. She was now wearing light red brocade dress with her hair tied into two buns. Her countenance was also highlighted with makeup, making her already astounding beautiful face to become even more exquisite.


    There were other women there, but Sui Wenyan was clearly the most beautiful one.


    "So pretty��" Wenren Yu murmured.


    Lin Yun glanced at the man beside him and shook his head. He was 100 percent sure that Wenren Yu would be defeated in one round if he tried to fight Sui Wenyan. Just from seeing her countenance, he had already turned absent minded. If he were to fight Sui Wenyan for real, who knew if he would suddenly be entranced in the middle of the fight?


    What a hopeless case.


    "Focus."


    "Ah��"


    Wenren Yu scratched the back of his head and lowered his gaze. Tinge of red could be seen at the edge of his ear.


    Little did he know that Sui Wenyan was secretly watching his reaction. Seeing him blush, a smile was formed at the corner of her lips. This devastating look instantly killed the heart of so many men who were watching.


    "Street Performance Group had come."


    The door was opened and a young man stood there. He had the air of a young master and also polite smile on his face. However, the lust within his eyes when he looked at the female performer in the group couldn''t be hidden completely.


    "Welcome. My father has been waiting for you in the garden."


    "Thank you for your hospitality," the leader of the group said in polite tone.


    The young man nodded and then looked at the crowd. He furrowed his brows but he knew that his father always allowed these beggars to take a look. "You all may head to the backyard if you wish to watch."


    Swish!


    Without the need to wait for the young master to repeat his words, they all already run to the other side of the residence.


    "Backyard?" Lin Xiao asked and looked at the other two.


    Wenren Yu pointed to the residence. "Some rich people have special pavilion used to watch performance. It''s located not far at the back and sometimes, they will open the gate in that place to allow others to watch just to flaunt their power."


    Lin Xiao was speechless.

 Chapter 114: Watching the Performance (2)

    "There''s something like that?" Lin Xiao asked in astonishment. He couldn''t believe that the powerful cultivators still liked to show off. Well, he had to admit that showing off felt good because one would be admired by the people around him.


    "...yes."


    Even Wenren Yu felt a bit helpless, but he had already visited several cities back then. While he was not that fond with how the riches used their money, he still knew that they all people who appreciated arts. For some powerful cultivators, when they had reached the last stage they could possibly achieve in their live, they would have no other choice but to pick other hobbies.


    One of the hobbies that they picked in the end was to appreciate arts and also watching performance. Flaunting their money was also something very common, which was how the special pavilion was born in this place.


    Lin Xiao looked at the residence once more. "Isn''t cultivators'' goal is to reach the peak and understanding of the world?"


    "Not everyone can reach the peak," Wenren Yu said helplessly. His eyes also showed traces of longing. "Many wished to reach the peak, but not everyone had the chance. The difference in talent, attainment, and chance created the difference."


    How many people wished to become powerful cultivator yet they stuck in certain stage?


    When they finally lost hope to reach higher stages, they would shift their attention to other things. Aside from teaching the younger generations so that they would be able to replace him, they could also start another hobby where they would be able to make sure that they used their time properly.


    "Right."


    "Brother, are we going to watch?"


    "Ah? Of course!"


    With that reminder, Lin Xiao rushed to the back. As the others have said, there was a separate smaller residence. It was usually called as pavilion and there was also shorter gate that was placed there. That was the mark for outsiders. They could watch but they were not allowed to get close.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed when he looked at the wall that surrounded the first residence. For some reason, there was a faint feeling that the dragon marking that was supposed to be protecting this residence was lower than before.


    ''Lin Hu.''


    ''Why do you call me again?'' Lin Hu asked in annoyance. He was about to sleep when Lin Xiao bothered him.


    ''The dragon mark''s power is weaker here?''


    ''Oh, yeah.''


    ''Why?''


    ''The marking is placed on the wall and naturally it''s embedded into the materials deeply. However, the area at the back is already renovated and probably destroyed in the past. In here, the power is only around 1 percent of the power at the front gate.''


    Lin Xiao was stunned. ''You''re saying that if I want to attack this residence, the backyard is much weaker?''


    ''Yes, it''s weaker, but there are more people guarding the place. If you wish to get yourself killed, I suggest choosing another method.''


    At this point, Lin Xiao abandoned the thoughts of trying to sneak into the residence. He was only thinking of doing it for fun because he was curious what kind of training place that the richest have. But if there were already so many guard here, he should just forget about it.


    The people all had gathered. Lin Xiao and the other two were stuck in the middle, staying low and not attracting anyone''s attention.


    Tring!


    When the first sound was made, Lin Xiao shifted his attention to the front. He didn''t realize it but the members of Street Performance had already gathered. Some women moved to the front and began to dance while Sui Wenyan was staying at the back and started to play the zither.


    Melodious sound rang out from her zither, capturing everyone''s attention.


    Lin Xiao''s first intention to come was to find the powerful people who were also nobles. But when he started to hear the sound, he felt that his entire attention was sucked into the song.


    It was so comforting. He felt as if he had fallen into a soft bed and could smell something sweet.


    Just as he was about to feel the sensation deeper, he was struck from the side.


    Bump!


    "Wha��?"


    "Ssh!" Wenren Yu stopped Lin Xiao from shouting. There were some people who already shot them a glare before focusing their attention to the front again. Their eyes turned misty and hazy for a moment.


    Lin Xiao was stunned when he saw it all then looked at Wenren Yu. He whispered, "What happened?"


    "Sui Wenyan''s attack is Zither sound," Wenren Yu said helplessly. When Sui Wenyan attacked him with Mountain Punch back then, he knew that she was not serious. After all, the real attack that Sui Wenyan had would be soundwave attack. If one got hit by her soundwave attack, they would fall into deep dream.


    Her attack was directed straight to one''s soul. It might not be able to attack those who had higher cultivation than her easily, but to make those weaker fall into a trance was easy for Sui Wenyan.


    When they didn''t put on any guard, they would fall to her attack very easily.


    "This is an attack?"


    "No." Wenren Yu pursed his lips. "She''s just training her Qi control by playing the zither. However, ordinary people would fall into trance and unable to wake up on their own. Whenever you''re in front of Sui Wenyan, make sure that you have your guard on so that you won''t fall into a trance."


    He knew very well that once someone fall into a trance, Sui Wenyan would be able to even influence their consciousness. There was already a lot of incident in the past when Sui Wenyan directly used her soundwave attack to eliminate her opponent, thus making her way to the top 10 students of Outer Sect Disciples.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "I didn''t know that there''s an attack like this."


    "Well, cultivators'' world is vast. You''ll see many others who didn''t attack physically directly as your rank grow higher."

 Chapter 115: Watching the Performance (3)

    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. For a moment he thought about what Wenren Yu said as his eyes narrowed. If he was not wrong, there was also one more method that he knew many other cultivators used when they had started to reach Foundation Establishment.


    Elemental attack.


    It was not impossible to manipulate element in the world along with the Qi to achieve the attack they wanted. However, not everyone was blessed with innate talent for certain element, making it impossible for them to do it even if they wanted to.


    Lin Xiao himself didn''t know if he was suited for any element. But thinking about the dragon inside his body, he might have some good affinity with water since lake consisted of water.


    Wenren Yu looked at Lin Yun and nudged the other party too.


    "Huh?" Lin Yun looked like he just woke up from sleep. Wenren Yu generously explained what had happened and Lin Yun broke into cold sweat. Luckily it was nothing more than a performance. If Sui Wenyan truly wanted to attack them, it would be impossible for him to break free and escape unscathed.


    "It''s quite scary."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He had to admit that just by watching the performance, he had gained some insight about how cultivators worked. As their rank grew higher, they would encounter more bizarre attacks.


    They have to prepare themselves.


    His eyes moved to the nobles that were sitting at the front. Aside from the young man before, he saw someone who was also at his teenage age sitting beside the old man. Based on the young man''s behavior and aura, Lin Xiao felt a bit threatened as if he was facing someone very powerful.


    Wenren Yu followed Lin Xiao''s gaze and narrowed his eyes. "It''s His Highness Prince Lin Kai, one of the top contenders for the throne."


    "Eh?"


    Seeing the confusion within Lin Xiao''s eyes, Wenren Yu felt extremely helpless. "Don''t you know that there are several people who are at the top list to become the Emperor? There are no crown prince yet, but there are a few youngsters who are nominated to become the next Emperor because they''re powerful."


    As he was speaking, Wenren Yu''s gaze landed on Lin Kai once more. There was a faint glint within his eyes. "His Highness Prince Lin Kai is one of them. In total, there are 3 others except him that are of the same age and contending for the throne."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. If he was not wrong, there are 87 princes, right? Why are there only four who contends for the throne?


    Wenren Yu seemed to be able to know what Lin Xiao was thinking as he continued, "More than half of the princes are already advanced in age and a quarter of them have too little connection. To become a contender, one need to be able to have certain level of their ancestor''s blood. Those without enough level wouldn''t be able to become the Emperor."


    "Why?"


    "Because their talent will be very weak and might not even reach Foundation Establishment in their entire life."


    For a moment, Lin Xiao felt his body turned cold. While he knew that talent would influence someone''s cultivation''s path, he wanted to believe that it was also possible to change their fate. After all, they all cultivate because they wished to break their current rank and reached higher stage.


    "Are you thinking that it''s easy to change one''s talent?"


    "Huh?"


    Lin Xiao focused his attention to Wenren Yu and could see the sad smile on Wenren Yu''s face. "My master is also fixated to change his talent. He had low talent, which limited his cultivation to Foundation Establishment. No matter how much he trained, he could never advance. However, even after decades of research, he failed to increase his talent."


    The sad tone sounded unusual in Wenren Yu''s voice that Lin Xiao found himself unable to say anything. He could only pat Wenren Yu''s shoulder as if telling that it was fine before he turned his attention to the front once more.


    Many people wished to become stronger and stronger. But the Heaven was not kind enough to let them all got what they want. Most of them would be nothing more than cannon fodder as they were unable to reach the peak.


    Some gave up and pursued different things in their lives.


    Some others continued to fight against fate and tried hard to become even stronger. Only the strong had voice to speak in this man eat man world. If they were not strong enough, they would have to adapt their lives to their condition.


    Living low.


    Being bullied.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes turned red when he recalled how much he was bullied in the past just because he was adopted. He didn''t like the differentiation that the children had to experience at all. If only it was possible, he wished to make a different world for the children so that no one would be like him.


    Swish!


    The Qi in the air moved swiftly and Lin Hu straightened his body. He looked at Lin Xiao in amazement because he knew that in this short period of time, Lin Xiao was gaining enlightenment.


    ''Just what did this brat eat in his life to gain enlightenment so easily?''


    What was inside Lin Xiao''s mind right now was simply his desire to grow strong and also the fact that he didn''t want to be tied down by fate. All this time, he had never thought about it because he was used to just accept what was given to him.


    But now, he knew that his current speed was no longer enough.


    Faster, stronger.


    He wanted to change the world as fast as possible and sat in his rightful throne as the next Emperor to change the face of the kingdom. That way, he would be able to change the way the education for children and allowed them to live well.


    "This��" Wenren Yu was stunned and saw the Qi in the air moved rapidly.

 Chapter 116: Running Away

    It only lasted for a moment, but Lin Xiao could feel that his mind feel refreshed. He felt as if his goal was getting slightly clearer than before.


    The Qi in the air moved towards him, creating faint ripples around him. The distance was not that wide, but it was more than enough to provide Lin Xiao an upgrade in his abilities. Despite the person himself didn''t really sense it because he was deeply immersed in his mind, faint changes occurred in his body.


    The people around him were startled. They were pushed awake from their daydream and looked around before locking their eyes on Lin Xiao. Astonishment flashed within their eyes.


    "This��" Lin Yun wanted to drag his brother away, but he knew that enlightenment was something very rare for cultivators. If he messed his brother''s chance, he would be making his brother suffer.


    "Wait a bit more."


    Wenren Yu raised his guard and watched the others. The place where Lin Xiao got his enlightenment was very�� unsuitable. In this place where there were so many people around, just a slight disturbance was more than enough to pull him back from his current state.


    He had to be very careful.


    Thankfully, Lin Xiao himself didn''t stay that long. This was his first time getting into enlightenment and even though it was only for a few seconds, the benefit was much more than what people could get from working for years.


    As Lin Xiao opened his eyes, he could see that there were many pairs of eyes were looking in his direction.


    "Eh?"


    "Brother, let''s go."


    With just one glance, Lin Xiao could tell that he had disrupted the performance. Without saying anything, he immediately initiated Moon Evasion and appeared at the empty alley several meters away. Lin Yun and Wenren Yu appeared beside him not long afterwards.


    "B*stard! What the hell was that?!"


    "He disrupted the Qi! Ah, I was having good time listening!"


    "Where''s that troublemaker? Let me beat him up!"


    The people was caught to reality and began to yell. As for the culprit, he had already used Moon Evasion and ran away once more with the other two followed behind him. They all passed a look at Lin Xiao, feeling that no matter where Lin Xiao went, there would be trouble that follow.


    Thankfully, Lin Xiao didn''t really make that much commotion. Even though they were annoyed that there were some people who were creating ruckus during the performance, they were not that petty to chase after them. Besides, they were only tagging along to watch while those at the front were not necessarily disturbed.


    Lin Xiao and the rest were not staying at the front after all.


    "This is the first time I know that music can help someone gain enlightenment," the young man at the front pondered when the music finally stopped.


    Sui Wenyan plastered a smile on her face. Internally, she was murdering Lin Xiao countless times because of his action. There was no way she could contribute for any kind of enlightenment with her current ability. It must have been because of some other reasons.


    She would never believe that she was capable of something like that.


    "Young Master Du must be joking. This one didn''t have that much capability," Sui Wenyan kept the smile on her face as she answered.


    Du Family had several youngsters with two of them standing at the forefront with their immense talent. The third young master, who was usually called as Young Master Du since the others paled in comparison. The other one was the Fourth Miss of Du Family, who was not present at this time.


    She was a proud woman and didn''t like the Street Performance. As for the reason�� it was because there were so many people who looked prettier than her. For a young girl like her, comparison in beauty was very annoying.


    Prince Lin Kai looked at the direction where Lin Xiao ran away. He had sensed the slight fluctuation but didn''t care about it that much. It was only after the music was over did he heard the discussion of the people below.


    Someone got enlightenment just from hearing music?


    Did their path somehow have relation with music?


    Enlightenment was so rare that if it was possible, everyone wished to be able to get it. Only selected few would be able to get enlightenment in their life and even many powerful cultivators would never be able to have one in their entire life. it all simply related on their own luck.


    "Shall I send people to tail them, Your Highness?" Young Master Du asked.


    Prince Lin Kai waved his hand. He looked at the Street Performance in front of him. "Rather than that insignificant ant, I''m more interested with this group in front of me that can induce enlightenment."


    Sui Wenyan''s lips twitched. She wanted to find Lin Xiao and beat the brat until there was nothing left. Couldn''t he pick other times to gain enlightenment and not now? He was simply putting trouble on her neck.


    "Is there anything we could do for you, Your Highness?" the leader asked hesitantly.


    Prince Lin Kai smiled but didn''t immediately answer.


    Young Master Du looked at his father but the latter simply nodded, leaving the prince to do whatever he wanted. While the position of the Crown Prince was still unclear, it was still their decision to follow after Prince Lin Kai.


    They should start to show their support.


    ��


    Meanwhile.


    Swish!


    Running away, the three of them finally stopped before a quiet street. After using Moon Evasion for several times without break, they now stopped and raised their guard in fear that someone might chase them.


    "I don''t think there''s any."


    "Really?"


    "Yes."


    Lin Xiao heaved a sigh feeling relieved that there was no one who followed them. Thinking about being chased continuously made Lin Xiao wanted to cry. In his entire life, he had been chased by numerous beasts and now, would human also start to go after his life?


    "That''s good."


    Smack!

 Chapter 117: Alchemist Association

    Smack!


    "Hey! What''s that for?" Lin Xiao swiftly covered his head and looked at his younger brother.


    "That''s for bringing us into trouble." Lin Yun smiled without mirth in his eyes. While he might look amiable at times, he would not hesitate to beat up other people if it was necessary. He was not a pampered boy despite living under Lin Xiao''s protection all this time.


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes. "I''m not doing that on purpose!"


    "Anyway, what benefit do you get?"


    "Benefit?"


    "From the enlightenment," Lin Yun continued. He pointed at his brother. "You do realize that you fall into enlightenment just now, right?"


    "Ah��?"


    Seeing the stupid expression on Lin Xiao''s face, the others instantly knew that Lin Xiao didn''t realize it. He only knew what had happened after the other two told him that the state he was in was called enlightenment.


    Lin Xiao scratched the back of his head and pondered slightly. He didn''t think that much when he was running away, but he felt as if his body was lighter. As far as he could see, he didn''t lose weight, so it could only mean that his skill improved at such a short period of time.


    Punching forward, Lin Xiao also tried to check the power he could harness. Astonishment flashed within his eyes.


    "I think�� I just get stronger?"


    "Your rank?" Lin Yun asked.


    Lin Xiao shook his head. He looked at his own fist. "No, my rank is still Body Training Rank 9, but I feel that my strength had increased by leaps and bounds. My current strength is now on par with both of you."


    Inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness, Lin Hu rolled his eyes. On par? It was more likely that Lin Xiao would be able to give the other two a good thrashing. As it was Lin Xiao''s first time to gain enlightenment, he didn''t realize that the increase in his strength was not only a little bit like what he thought.


    However, Lin Hu chose not to say anything and just let Lin Xiao figured it out by himself. That brat still needed to learn how to control his own strength too.


    "That''s amazing," Lin Yun said with excitement. He also wanted to get enlightenment like his brother!


    Wenren Yu glanced to the sky and looked at the sun. The sun''s position told him that it was still evening. There should be enough time for them to visit the Alchemist Association for a few minutes before having rest.


    "Shall we head to Alchemist Association first? It''s not far from here."


    "Hmm?"


    Lin Xiao looked at the metal plates in front of the buildings around him. He was still in an unfamiliar place, but he knew for sure that the area around him should be at the west side of Feng Yi City. After connecting to the map that he remembered, he knew that Wenren Yu was right.


    Alchemist Association was located two streets away from here.


    "Let''s go then."


    "Ok."


    This time, the three of them didn''t use their Qi when they traveled. After using Moon Evasion several times, they were already tired enough. There was no need for them to waste their strength just to travel several thousand meters.


    The Alchemist Association itself was only a large building with the word written at the front. Lin Xiao was even more astonished by how ordinary the building looked as he entered inside. The smell of herbs instantly assaulted his nose as his brain recalled the lesson he had with Wenren Yu and Lin Yun.


    ''Moon Dew Grass, Fiery Rock Temper, Cloud Yun Grass, Yellow Sun Flower��.''


    Muttering the name of the herbs inside his mind, Lin Xiao looked at Lin Yun behind him. "Is it the Qi Gathering Pill?"


    Lin Yun nodded. "Qi Gathering Pill is the most basic medicine that every Alchemist have to learn how to make. Besides, it''s also very useful to help you replenish the Qi when you''re training."


    Training skills would require them to use their Qi and if they couldn''t recover their Qi fast, their progress would be slow. Because of that, Body Training Cultivators usually bought a lot of Qi Gathering Pill in order to help them in their training.


    Lin Xiao didn''t have the luxury to use Qi Gathering Pill in the past. While it was not impossible for Lin Yun or Wenren Yu to make it, they didn''t have enough ingredients to sustain Lin Xiao''s training. It was only when they were training with Elder Wang that they gained enough materials.


    Both Wenren Yu and Lin Yun were also capable to make the pill.


    As for Lin Xiao��


    It was already good enough if he didn''t make the cauldron explode because of a mistake in his control.


    "Are you going to apply too, Yun?"


    Lin Yun nodded. "I''m only good at concocting medicine aside from taking care of herbs. I''m sure that it wouldn''t take long for me to pass the test."


    "Alright. I''ll wait for you."


    Lin Xiao and the other two entered the hall. He registered Lin Yun and Wenren Yu while he himself would stay to watch and wait. With these two capabilities, he believed that they would be able to finish the examination without any problem.


    Looking around them, there were several other people inside the room. From the way it looked like, it seemed that there would be quite a lot of people who take the test at the same time.


    "I didn''t know Alchemist Association have a lot of people who want to participate," Lin Xiao commented.


    "Alchemist Association is a big organization that didn''t exist only in Sun Kingdom," Wenren Yu said in low tone. "It''s not that weird that many people wish to latch onto this big thigh if they can."


    "Are there any other associations?"


    "Related to medicine?"


    "Yes."


    Wenren Yu tilted his head and slowly shook his head. "As far as I know there''s none. Besides, who do you think have the capabilities to go against this big Alchemist Association?"

 Chapter 118: Waiting for the Test

    Lin Xiao kept his mouth shut. Wenren Yu was speaking the truth. Logically, no one would have the courage to go against an organization that could influence the entire land and not only one kingdom. There was only one hope inside his mind, that was the organization would do their test fairly.


    Seeing Lin Xiao''s concern, Wenren Yu chuckled. "There''s no need to worry, Alchemist Association separate itself from any other political and other organization. They stood by themselves and will not get involved in any other quarrel that others might have."


    "Really?"


    "Yes." do I look like I''m joking?


    "While the organization itself is impartial, can you say the same for the people?" Lin Xiao asked.


    This time, Wenren Yu was stunned. Most of the time, Lin Xiao didn''t look any different from a troublemaker and also a very annoying young man. But at this time, Lin Xiao was able to pinpoint a crucial point that many people never thought before.


    Yes, the organization was impartial.


    But the people?


    Who could say for sure that the people could always remain impartial? There might be some people who tried to put their relatives into the organization or there might be people who were using the organization''s influence to kill his enemies. After all, this world was very cruel.


    Looking at Lin Xiao''s serious expression, Wenren Yu found himself nearly unable to answer. In the end, he only sighed.


    "Then, we just need to trust with the management that they have. Even if there''s any injustice, there''s a limit to what we can do."


    Lin Xiao nodded and pointed at the door at the other side, not the door they used to enter the building. "They''re coming."


    "Hmm?"


    The door that Lin Xiao pointed was opened and a middle aged man swept his gaze across the hall. There were some people like Lin Xiao who only came because they wanted to watch for their friends, so the actual number of participants were not that high. Those who wanted to become Alchemist would be holding their plate.


    "Follow after me. Those who want to watch and those who want to do the test, both come with me."


    "Yes!"


    Some of them replied while the others just followed silently. Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows when he sensed the atmosphere grew tenser but he kept silence. These people might be very nervous about the result that they would get.


    It didn''t take long for them before they reached another large hall. This time, the hall was shaped in circle like an arena but much smaller. Those who only came to watch were directed to sit in the audience seat.


    "Good luck."


    "Thanks."


    Lin Xiao sat on the second row and watched as the middle aged man gave his instruction. The lengthy instruction nearly made him fall asleep, but he still got the key points of what these people were supposed to do.


    First, they needed to identify the herbs that was placed in front of them. Because it was mostly just basic herbs, it should be easy for them.


    Second, they would make Qi Gathering Pill with the materials that the organization had prepared beforehand.


    That was all.


    "You can head to your table and begin to write on the paper. After you''re done, we''ll collect the paper and you can start the second section," the middle aged man explained unhurriedly.


    "Any question?"


    Silence.


    "You may start."


    They scrambled to their table including Wenren Yu and Lin Yun. For those who had been living in village for their entire life, it was very easy to identify the herbs. After all, both Wenren Yu and Lin Yun were already used to see herbs on daily basis and create many kinds of medicine.


    While pill was different from just mixing herbs and boil them all together, it was still categorized as medicine.


    It didn''t take long for the two of them to finish writing and the middle aged man collected their paper. They graded on the spot and returned the paper directly. The people were stunned when the paper was shoved back to them. Some of them even broke in tears when they saw their result.


    "It''s directly shown?"


    "So fast!"


    Lin Xiao was also stunned by their method. Didn''t they usually just wait until the end of the examination before returning the result. But now, it was clearly shoved right to their faces even though they were still in the middle of preparing for the next examination.


    Those who got bad score nearly wanted to cry and those with good score were gloating.


    ''Mental test.''


    While it might look like a careless move by the middle aged men, Lin Xiao instantly realized that it was on purpose. They were shown the result to test their own mentality. Would they relax just because their written test was good or would they crumble because their written test was bad?


    Making medicine have to be done with calm state of mind. If they were unable to clear their mind within short period of time, they would fail in the second test of making medicine.


    ''Cruel, but it''s quite nice.''


    Lin Xiao looked at the center with interest. He truly wanted to know who actually thought of such genius method to test people. With this kind of testing method, it would surely eliminate those who were of weak mentality.


    The price to do the examination was not that high, but those from poor family wouldn''t be able to do it more than once without feeling the pain. After all, the reasons many people wanted to become an Alchemist was because they needed the resources.


    ''How about those two?''


    Lowering his gaze, Lin Xiao looked at Lin Yun and Wenren Yu. The two of them were still as calm as ever. In fact, they were already used to distraction because of Lin Xiao. After all, it was quite common for Lin Xiao to create a fuss when they were making medicine.


    With such brother, Lin Yun had already got used to make medicine under unfavorable condition.

 Chapter 119: Test Result

    Of course, Lin Xiao would never admit of he himself as a troublemaker.


    "I''m done."


    Lin Yun was the first to be over. When he was showed the result, he simply nodded because he was confident that he could get all right. Even if one or two were wrong, he didn''t care in the slightest bit. And the result in front of him showed that his result was good with no mistake.


    After he was certain of that result, Lin Yun simply focused his attention back to the medicine he was making. He had no intention to fail in the second round, so he focused his entire attention to the cauldron.


    It didn''t take a long time for him to finish the medicine.


    While the people around him were still making ruckus because of their first result, he just swiftly finished the second round. Calmly, he opened the cauldron and let the middle aged man to see the beautiful pill inside.


    The middle aged man nodded. "Pass. Your written test?"


    "Here."


    Looking at the score, the middle aged man then passed a badge to Lin Yun. "Congratulation, from now on, you''re part of Alchemist Association."


    "Thank you."


    Lin Yun took the badge and kept it in his pocket. It was only the lowest qualification for Alchemist in Alchemist Association, but for someone like him, it was already more than enough. He had no intention to focus on this association and just treat it as a method to be able to buy cheaper herbs.


    After he was done, Wenren Yu also followed suit. After staying with Lin Xiao for a long time, if he still couldn''t make medicine under unfavorable condition, his training would be a joke.


    "Congratulation."


    Wenren Yu and Lin Yun looked at each other and smiled bitterly when they saw the middle aged man looked at them with appreciation. Many people needed quite environment so that they would be able to focus but these two could do it even though the others were still complaining.


    "May I know the areas that I can access in Alchemist Association?" Wenren Yu asked politely.


    "Yes, with this badge, you can enter the shop to buy the herbs at 10 percent discount. There''s also special room where you can make medicine but you need to pay 1 gold per hour."


    Wenren Yu nodded. It was expensive, but there was no way there would be anything free in this world. Most rich people would have their own room in their home, so they didn''t need one here. Because of that, the room in the association was usually empty.


    "Can I bring my friend there to watch?"


    "Yes, there''s no restriction."


    "Thank you."


    Lin Xiao joined the other two and looked at Wenren Yu in confusion. "What''s your plan now?"


    "Buying some herbs. I need to decoct medicine for your brother and also create some Qi Gathering Pill," Wenren Yu replied. "Do you have any other request for me to make?"


    "Eh?" Lin Xiao scratched the back of his head. Even though it has been some time, it was hard for him to see Wenren Yu as his subordinate. However, Elder Wang, Wang Jun, had told him that he had to do so because even a leader couldn''t put himself at the same rank as his subordinates forever.


    Thanks to that advice, Lin Xiao was also struggling to make sure that he behaved properly. So far, it was still quite a failure.


    "I guess no?"


    "Poison?"


    "��you can make poison?"


    Wenren Yu nodded. Medicine and poison were closely related to each other. Medicine at wrong dose and wrong diagnose can act as poison and vice versa. There were even poisons that could be used to cure other people.


    Now, Lin Xiao was intrigued. If he could use poison, that would enhance his chance to survive when facing against someone who was stronger than him. Of course, there was also the perquisite that he had to be able to react as fast as the opponent attacked him or there was chance that he might die in just one attack.


    "Any poison that can paralyze?"


    "Yes."


    "Then, can you make one?"


    "One?"


    "One bottle."


    "Sure." Wenren Yu smiled. He was thinking that Lin Xiao might be hesitating because he didn''t want to use underhanded methods. It seemed like he was thinking too much. For someone who had been living under severe condition in the village, he also knew what was appropriate.


    "Me too."


    "You can make yourself."


    Lin Yun rolled his eyes. "In that case, just teach me."


    "Got it."


    Wenren Yu headed to the store and used the golds that they have to buy the herbs. Looking at the price, Lin Xiao took a deep breath. It seemed like the most profitable occupation was also the one that burn the pocket the most.


    While medicine was expensive, the herbs were also very much so. If they failed numerous times, the price of the herbs might even create a big hole on their pocket.


    Lin Xiao didn''t have any interest to watch Wenren Yu making the poison and they also don''t want to use the training room here, so they departed and settled in the nearby inn. The inn was much cheaper and they could stay for the night.


    Of course, they book three rooms since both Wenren Yu and Lin Yun wanted to concoct medicine while Lin Xiao wanted nothing more than sleeping. They still have a long list of things to do in this city, so rest was also very important.


    ��


    Morning.


    Lin Xiao opened the door and looked at the mess that Wenren Yu had made. For the first time in his life, he felt that the mess was much more than what he usually made in his home back then. Wenren Yu himself also looked like a mess with his body covered in ash and some other liquids that Lin Xiao unable to identify.


    "Can you explain what is this?"


    "Uh, just some problem."

 Chapter 120: Mercenary

    Lin Xiao''s face turned black. Of course he could see that! What he wanted to know was why it turned out like this?


    "I''m not asking what is this, but what happened."


    "I failed once and the inside explode," Wenren Yu explained. He took out a bottle and handed it to Lin Xiao. "Just throw the pill inside to any enemies you want to paralyze. Also, do you need Qi Gathering Pill? If not, I''ll use it for myself."


    "No need. I''m heading to the Mercenary Association."


    "Oh, you want to register now?"


    Lin Xiao nodded. "We''re only staying here until New Year, right? I need to earn enough money then figure out the place that Elder Wang want me to visit."


    "Alright. Let''s go."


    Heading to Lin Yun''s room, Lin Xiao was utterly speechless when he saw the mess. It seemed that these two had come into tacit agreement to create mess in the rooms. Thankfully, they didn''t destroy any of the furniture.


    It was only dirty.


    "Oh, brother. I''m done." Lin Yun grinned.


    Lin Xiao nodded then looked at Wenren Yu. The latter gave a bottle to Lin Yun which contained pills that was rich in Yang energy. So far, Lin Yun''s condition had improved by leaps and bounds, but he didn''t know whether it would be the same in the future or not, so they had to prepare a lot of medicine.


    "You know, it''s easier to just find a girl that''s��."


    "Brother!"


    "Let''s go and check out."


    "The mess?"


    "Well, we''ll just tell them that the room is a little bit dirty," Lin Xiao said after a while. Cleaning both room would surely take a long time. It was no wonder that people would have separate training room or special room when they did their concoction. With this room current condition, it wouldn''t be weird if the entire room was destroyed if they chose to create harder to make medicine.


    "Ok."


    The three of them check out then chose to depart right away lest that the people from the inn seek them for cleaning.


    "AA! The room is a mess!"


    "It''s more than just dirty!"


    Thankfully, the furniture was not broken, but the ash was hard to clean. If the furniture were to be destroyed, they would surely seek the three people who stayed in this inn to pay for the damage they caused.


    Meanwhile, Lin Xiao and the others were going to Mercenary Association.


    The building was located at the other end of the city, making it hard for them to reach their destination quickly. As they walked on the street, they also heard the story from Du Family about the Street Performance.


    "Excuse me, you said that there''s something that happened in Du Family?"


    A young man nodded. "Yes, after there''s a cultivator who entered enlightenment, Du Family asked Street Performance to keep on playing for the entire day. They also got paid decently and even asked to become the family personal musician, but they eventually refused in the end."


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. He turned to look at Wenren Yu. "That happens?"


    "Enlightenment is rare, so they must grab any chance to be able to have enlightenment," Wenren Yu explained helplessly. Even he didn''t expect that the Street Performance Group got into trouble because of Lin Xiao.


    If only it was possible, he somehow wanted to get away from Lin Xiao too.


    "Let''s go and sign up first," Lin Yun reminded.


    "Oh right."


    The three of them headed to the Mercenary Association and registered. Because Lin surname might be eye catching despite the fact that there were a lot of people with Lin surname that had no relation to the Royal Family, the siblings still only registered with their name without surname.


    "Xiao, Yun, and Yu," Lin Xiao murmured. "Well, it''s not that bad."


    Wenren Yu resisted the urge to roll his eyes. What was not bad? It was just their name.


    Registering as mercenary was very easy because they only needed to show their plate then said their name. The plate that was given by the guard would be their base cultivation that was recorded.


    Xiao, Body Training Rank 6


    Yun, Body Training Rank 8


    Yu, Body Training Rank 6


    Lin Yun wanted to cry when he noticed that he was the strongest one in the record. In fact, he was the weakest because his fighting experience was the lowest and his control was the poorest. However, he certainly couldn''t say that they were manipulating the result to make it lower than what it was supposed to be.


    "If you wish to accept mission, you can go to the board over there," the woman receptionist explained generously.


    "Thank you."


    The three of them headed to the board and realized that the missions had rank at the side. It was advisable for them to pick mission based on their current rank, but it didn''t mean that they couldn''t take any mission with higher rank.


    The ranking in mercenary started from F, which was their current rank. It was the lowest rank that even children could reach.


    "Do you want to take test to get higher rank?" Lin Yun asked while pointing to the line at the side. There was also an examination if they didn''t want to start at the very bottom. If Lin Xiao also feel dissatisfied with his result, he just have to take the test and showed his prowess.


    "What''s the use?" Lin Xiao rolled his eyes. He didn''t want to show off his rank when it was unnecessary. He looked at the missions in front of him. Each mission had different reward, some were only gold while some can be items and even beasts.


    Of course, those with unique reward usually rank higher.


    "Can we take more than 1 mission?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "Yes. you can take as many missions as you want. However, every missions have time limit and if you didn''t manage to finish it within the allocated time, you have to pay the penalty fees and there will be other people who would do the missions."


    "Hmm, in that case, let''s take these."


    "��are you serious?"

 Chapter 121: Missions

    "Hmm, in that case, let''s take these."


    "��are you serious?"


    "Brother��"


    "What?" Lin Xiao looked at the other two and grinned. "Aren''t these quite good for us?"


    Wenren Yu: "��"


    Looking at the two papers that Lin Xiao took, the other two didn''t know what to say aside from agreeing. The first mission was to eliminate a recent serial killer that was roaming on the small village not far from Feng Yi City. The second mission was for them to gather Cotton Flower Grass, which was a very common herbs found at the outskirt of a forest.


    The forest surrounding Feng Yi City was quite vast, so it meant that they would need to travel a long distance to finish these two missions.


    "What''s the reward, Brother?" Lin Yun asked.


    "1000 gold and also Low Grade Spirit Stone."


    "Let''s go then."


    Hearing the reward, the other two got excited. Lin Xiao grinned and looked at the two missions in his hand. The serial killer was named Bo Wu and estimated to be around Body Training Rank 8 to 10. No one knew for sure but the description stated that he had powerful skill that allowed him to kill efficiently.


    Handing the mission to the counter, the woman was stunned. She looked at the three brats in front of her in confusion.


    "This man is Body Training Rank 8 at the lowest. Are you sure you want to take this mission?"


    "Yes."


    "Also, this one is far and there are a lot of beasts outside. Are you sure that you won''t need more members for your team?" the woman asked again.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Can I buy a map?"


    "Sure."


    As the woman handed the map to Lin Xiao, he realized that he was very far away from the lake where he used to stay. It would take weeks for him to reach his hometown. In addition, the vast forest enveloped large distance which would definitely take around three days for them to reach the edge.


    "How strong are the beasts?"


    "There should be unranked beast until beast rank 3."


    Lin Xiao''s hand quivered slightly when he heard the strength of the beasts. Mind you, beast rank 3 was equivalent to Foundation Establishment Cultivators. If he were to encounter beast rank 3 in his path, he would have no other choice but to run as far away as possible.


    Hmm, wait.


    Lin Yun and Wenren Yu were already Body Training Rank 10 and he himself was also Body Training Rank 9. It shouldn''t be too much of a big deal if they were to fight against beast rank 3, right?


    "It''s fine, we''ll take the mission," Lin Xiao said after a while.


    It was only now he realized why the reward for searching this herbs were so high. Traveling the forest safely at such long distance was difficult. If they were to encounter powerful beasts on their way, it would mean their doom.


    "There are beasts rank 3?" Lin Yun was also hesitant after hearing the woman''s explanation.


    Lin Xiao passed a glance at his brother and patted the latter''s shoulder. "Don''t worry and just trust me. We''ll be able to defeat them."


    Wenren Yu sighed. How should they trust Lin Xiao? So far, they have only defeated beast rank 3 under Elder Wang''s watch. Without protection from Elder Wang, they might not be able to defeat beast rank 3.


    "Anyway, we''ll take the mission."


    The woman looked at the three stubborn brats in front of her and shook her head. Forget it. If they wanted to seek their own death, she would not meddle. There were already a lot of people dying because they took mission outside their league.


    "Here''s the token. When you finish the mission, return the token to us along with the proof."


    For assassination mission, they usually took the head.


    For herbs gathering, well obviously they had to take the herbs back and submitted it to the woman.


    "Got it."


    "Good luck."


    The three of them leave the association and directly headed to the gate. Wenren Yu furrowed his brows. "You''re not going to buy anything first?"


    "What?"


    "Food?"


    "There are still a lot of meat," Lin Xiao said helplessly. Since they packed their meat into their bags, there were more than enough food for them during their stay in the city. He was not one to stay in one place, so obviously, he wanted to travel and search for more adventure.


    "Medicine?"


    "With the two of you around, is there even any lack of medicine?" Lin Xiao was speechless. Both Lin Yun and Wenren Yu had already prepared a lot of medicine yesterday until the room turned dirty. If it was still not enough, he would be very surprised.


    "There''s nothing wrong with preparing more."


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "I don''t think there''s any need. After we kill the man, we''re going to straight to the edge of the forest. Do you think there''s any need for me to worry about lacking in medicine?"


    Wenren Yu thought about what Lin Xiao said. They were only going for a week''s journey so the amount of medicine they have was already more than enough. How many times would they engage themselves in battle anyway? Those beasts rank 1 and unranked beast could be defeated with mere slaps.


    "Alright then, let''s go."


    Seeing the determination in Lin Xiao''s eyes, the other two chose not to say anything else and they departed into the forest. The guards saw them getting out of the city and only gave a short glance before resuming his work as the guard. There were countless people who came out of the city and it was not their work to check on them unless there was some kind of emergency inside the city.


    For example, an important person got killed so suddenly.


    Unless that kind of accident occurred, there would be no one who cared for those who got out of the city.


    In the forest��


    Bang!

 Chapter 122: Against Beast Rank 3

    Bang!


    Lin Xiao looked at the boar in front of him with mixed feelings. He still could remember that only two years ago he couldn''t do anything but run when he was facing similar beast. But now, the beast was thrown with just a punch.


    He didn''t have to use any skill to kill this beast that was already flung so far away from its original place.


    "Brother?" Lin Yun noticed that his brother seemed to fall into a trance.


    "I''m fine. I just feel a bit strange," Lin Xiao admitted. His strength was progressing rapidly, but he knew that this speed was still not enough. There were so many geniuses in the world and if he really wished to be the Emperor, he had to be the genius amongst the geniuses.


    Wenren Yu looked at the beast and smiled. "Foundation usually takes a long time and afterwards, your strength will progressively grow even stronger."


    "True."


    "Are we going to stay here until night time, Brother?" Lin Yun joked.


    Lin Xiao laughed and shook his head. He pointed into a distance. "Let''s go?"


    "Yes!"


    With rapid motion, the three of them swiftly traveled the forest. They had seen the map, so they were simply following the direction that was stated in the map that they had seen before.


    Swish!


    Roar!


    When the sudden beast''s roar interrupted their journey, Lin Xiao paused for a moment. He turned to look at one direction in confusion. The roar was powerful and based on his estimation, it should be several beasts.


    "Lin Xiao?"


    "I think��.we should run."


    "Eh?"


    At this moment, they finally sensed that the earth trembled. The trees swayed as if there was powerful gust of wind and the shriek of other animals could be heard. Their expression changed instantly as they turned their body around and began to run away as far as possible.


    "HELP!"


    The high pitched scream caught their attention.


    "A woman?" Lin Yun asked, yet he didn''t slow down in the slightest bit. He had the feeling that if they stopped, they might not be able to safely get out of this incident in their entire life.


    "I guess so." Lin Xiao turned his head to the back and saw a silhouette coming in his direction. Based on the speed and the aura around the woman, he could estimate that the person before him must be Foundation Establishment Cultivators.


    Foundation Establishment Cultivator?


    As the thought struck to his mind, Lin Xiao chose to ignore the woman. If even a Foundation Cultivator couldn''t defeat the beast, what could several Body Training Cultivators did?


    "Run!"


    "HEY! HELP ME!"


    "I still want to live, Young Lady!" Lin Xiao yelled back. Even if the woman was the most beautiful person in the entire world, he would not hesitate to run. What a joke. If one wanted to enjoy a woman, they have to be alive first.


    Roar!


    The sound of roaring came from the back and the beast that was rushing to them was a large tiger. The woman was cursing out loudly and brandished her sword. However, the attack barely scratched the tiger behind her.


    In fact, the tiger grew angrier.


    Slash! Roar!


    "Beast Rank 3," Wenren Yu concluded when he saw the beast''s strength. Of course, they were still running away. When it came to run away or hiding, Wenren Yu would obviously score first because his instinctual reaction when facing danger would be to run or hide so that he could stay alive.


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. He recalled the training he had with Elder Wang where the three of them were forced to fight Beast Rank 3. It rarely occurred because Elder Wang usually let them fight against Beast Rank 2 in solo fight, but they still managed to kill Beast Rank 3 after spending a long time fighting.


    "$%678!" the woman cursed again. She turned her body and sped up towards Lin Xiao and the rest. As Foundation Establishment Cultivator, she was obviously much faster than them since they didn''t use their skill.


    Just as Lin Xiao was about to tell her to stay away from them, he saw the woman''s hand trying to grab his clothes. His eyes turned icy as he punched back.


    Bang!


    The Mountain Punch stopped the woman. The woman had an astonished look on her face when she looked at Lin Xiao, yet there was also desperation.


    "HELP ME, YOU BASTARD! DO YOU THINK THAT I''LL LET YOU OFF IF YOU DON''T HELP ME?"


    Despite still in danger, the woman screamed loudly, threatening them. Her scream only made them perplexed because they were absolutely sure that they didn''t even know this woman. Even if she was powerful, what right did she have to threaten strangers who were only passing by this area?


    Whether they wanted to help or not would depend on their mood!


    Towards an ungrateful woman like this, not a single one of them have the mood to help her. If she could be killed by the beast, that would be much better.


    "Do you hear me?"


    "Just who do you think you are to order me around like that?" Lin Xiao asked back coldly. At this time, Lin Yun and Wenren Yu were getting closer to Lin Xiao in an attempt to protect him if it was necessary. But looking at how Lin Xiao was still confident, they knew that facing this kind of woman, it was unnecessary.


    Roar!


    The beast had reached their position. Lin Xiao saw the woman wanted to use him as a shield as she moved behind him. Humping in indignation, Lin Xiao initiated Moon Evasion and reappeared five meters away from the woman.


    "You��"


    Roar! Slash!


    The tiger slashed towards the woman. She raised her sword to block but because she believed that Lin Xiao would have no other choice but to block, her reaction came too late. The tiger managed to break through her defense.


    "AAAAA!"


    The woman gritted her teeth and used her skill to moved sideways. Her eyes turned red as she looked at the beast in front of her.


    "Bastard!"

 Chapter 124: Troublemakers

    The sound of the flesh ripping filled the forest. At this time, no one continued to move as they saw the tiger beast roared angrily once more. The sound clearly filled the area, preventing them from going away.


    ''Sound attack is formidable.''


    That was what Lin Xiao was thinking when he finally saw the tiger beast plopped to the ground. His eyes were watching the beast in front of him with cautiousness, worrying if it was only faking its death.


    "It''s no longer breathing," Wenren Yu said from the side. He stepped forward and took out a dagger before ripping the tiger''s flesh once to open the beast''s stomach. The sight of a beautiful sphere within the beast''s body attracted their attention.


    "Beast core."


    Aside from unranked beast, other beasts would have beast core inside their body. The size and color of the core signified their rank and also power. Beast core was also very useful for training, which was why their training so far had been going smoothly.


    Elder Wang gave them the beasts core they gained for them to train, which made them advance faster.


    Wenren Yu took the beast core and then shoved it to Lin Xiao. "Keep it and just use it. You''re the slowest one."


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched, yet he couldn''t say anything to refute. He obviously always got the most from the beasts cores they had gathered, but he was still the slowest to advance. Of course, the culprit was because there was a dragon lurking inside his body and needed to be fed.


    Dragon''s food? Qi Energy.


    "Take the beast''s flesh?" Lin Yun asked curiously.


    Lin Xiao looked at the beast and then nodded his head. He looked at the woman''s corpse that was lying not far from them. The head and the chest''s part had long disappeared, leaving only the arms, legs and part of the stomach.


    Crouching not far from the woman, Lin Xiao took the Spatial Ring from the woman''s finger and handed it to Wenren Yu.


    "You''re giving it to me?" Wenren Yu was surprised. Lin Xiao didn''t even take a moment to check what was inside the Spatial Ring before giving it to him. Did Lin Xiao trust him so much that he would divulge anything to others.


    "You don''t have any Spatial Ring. Let''s go and we''ll check the content later."


    "Got it."


    If the woman was truly from influential family, it was clear that whoever was chasing the woman would surely reach this place. The wounds on the woman''s body was only from the tiger beasts, so Lin Xiao and the others were not worried that they would be accused as the killers.


    Nevertheless, they still took the Spatial Ring, which meant that these people might not let them off.


    Swish!


    Just five minutes after Lin Xiao had left, several people arrived in the location. Their eyes widened upon seeing the headless corpse in front of them. Based on the wound on the woman''s body, it was clear that she was killed by the beast they chased just now.


    "This�� what should we do?"


    "Well, we can just report that she died in mission, right?"


    "It''s true." The young man, who acted as the leader, furrowed his brows. His eyes landed on the woman''s hand and noticed that the Spatial Ring had disappeared. Instantly, his expression turned odd.


    "Is there anyone else but us here?"


    "Feng Yi City is located not far from here. There might be some people who come here and passed by," his friend replied.


    The leader looked towards Feng Yi City''s direction then to the bloodstain on the ground. He instantly realized that whoever passed by this area had already killed the tiger beasts and took the woman''s Spatial Ring.


    However, it would be impossible to prove such thing unless they were here when it happened.


    "This is troublesome," the leader murmured.


    "Leader��"


    "Let''s go back to the sect. Take our fellow junior disciple and we''ll explain just as it is," the leader said in deadpan tone. If they left their junior disciple''s body here and didn''t give any explanation, they would be chased until the end. But if they showed that the disciple died because of beasts, they might still able to get some lenience.


    "But she''s the daughter of the elder��"


    The leader looked at the disciple with cold expression. "If you wish to be runaway, feel free to go."


    The young man was stunned but then he bit his lips. Many of them didn''t have good background and had to fight hard to be able to enter the sect back then. If this problem was connected to them, would it be possible for them to get out?


    They wanted to cry.


    If it was not because they needed a lot of resources to cultivate, they would have never want to stay in the sect when they encountered something like this. Being a runaway would be far worse than facing trials because if they ran away, they basically threw away their future.


    The group of men had similar thoughts. They were not stupid but there was simply nothing they could do. Besides, with the woman''s attitude, many disliked this woman and now, they were the one getting the blame.


    What a terrible luck.


    ��


    Lin Xiao and the others obviously didn''t know what had happened to the woman and her background. They swiftly left and only paused to cook the tiger''s meat for meal before continuing their journey again.


    Along the way, they met with some other beasts but for beast rank 2 and lower, one person was more than enough to defeat them. Beast rank 3 was pretty rare, so they were lucky enough not to meet with any more.


    "Shall we check the Spatial Ring now?" Wenren Yu asked before they rested for the night. They still need a few more hours to reach Ri Village, the location for their mission. However, they didn''t want to travel in the middle of the night, so they chose to stop here.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Sure. You can check now."


    "Alright."


    Taking the Spatial Ring, Wenren Yu didn''t need to exert much effort to breach inside. Ownerless Spatial Ring could be bound with new owners as long as they have some Qi to do the job.


    "Holy��"

 Chapter 125: Training While Sleeping

    "What is it?" Lin Xiao asked with a frown.


    Wenren Yu was a conservative person and naturally was not known to curse other people mindlessly. For him to be itching to curse as soon as he opened the Spatial Ring showed that what he saw was not ordinary.


    "Check this out."


    Taking out a stone on his hand, Wenren Yu grinned. Lin Xiao and Lin Yun''s eyes were locked to the stone. The faint Qi that was apparent on the surface told them that the stone was not an ordinary stone.


    Besides, it''s shape was certainly on purpose.


    "Spirit Stone?" Lin Xiao asked in surprise.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "Yes!"


    He had been staying in Taiyi Sect long enough to see Spirit Stone with his own eyes. There was no mistake that the stone in his hand must be Spirit Stone. Damn, that woman must be very rich to be able to have so many Spirit Stone in her Spatial Ring.


    Their eyes sparkled upon seeing the Spirit Stone. This is truly a treasure.


    After browsing the Spatial Ring for a while more, Wenren Yu showed everything. The woman didn''t really keep many things but there were a lot of gold and Spirit Stones. It seemed that the woman was very rich.


    As for the weapon, she seemed to only have the one sword that she used not long ago. Of course, they didn''t take it because some weapon was branded with their owner Qi and there might be people who recognized it. If they didn''t want to be associated with the woman, it would be better for them to pretend that they didn''t know anything about her.


    "It''s good that she''s only someone who love money very much," Wenren Yu said after a while. They could use the money to buy other herbs and medicine that was necessary. Alchemist was a money burning occupation and obviously, he wouldn''t want to earn nothing from it.


    Training and creating lots of medicine to sell them again.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "We''ll divide the Spirit Stones. As for the herbs, medicine, and money, you can keep them Wenren Yu."


    "Thanks, Boss."


    Boss?


    Seeing Wenren Yu gloating, Lin Yun felt his mind turned blank. If he was not wrong, Wenren Yu was complaining so badly about serving Lin Xiao. But now, he had voluntary changed the way he addressed Lin Xiao.


    So fickle!


    "Let''s rest and continue our journey tomorrow," Lin Xiao decided and kept the Spirit Stones.


    Spirit Stones are the items that contains Qi and usually used to trade between cultivators. You can also use the spirit stones to train by absorbing the Qi there. However, spirit stones are very expensive and would not be used by normal people.


    Lin Xiao remembered that Spirit Stones were priced at 10 liang of gold, which was why he never thought of buying one in the past. But now he was getting a lot of Spirit Stones just from robbing a corpse.


    ''There are a total of 12 Spirit Stones.''


    Narrowing his eyes, Lin Xiao recalled the explanation that Wenren Yu gave to him not long ago.


    "You can only learn how to make Spirit Stones when you reach Golden Core Stage. At that time, you''ll undoubtedly become very rich and able to trade with a lot of golds."


    Golden Core Stage.


    The only possibility for the woman to have so many Spirit Stones was either her family was filthy rich or because she had Golden Core Stage Cultivator protecting her. If it was the first one, Lin Xiao had to be careful in case they put on bounty. If it was the second one, Lin Xiao might need to be prepared to fight a Golden Core Stage Cultivator as soon as possible.


    ''How troublesome.''


    However, Lin Xiao knew that if he wanted to advance, he would have to take risk. There was no benefit without taking risk.


    ''Now training�� Lin Hu.''


    ''What?'' Lin Hu woke up when he heard Lin Xiao called him.


    ''Help me train when I''m sleeping.''


    Lin Hu: ''��'' seriously?


    Taking out the Spirit Stone, Lin Xiao kept it inside his pocket and started to draw the Qi inside. He grinned. ''Help me keep drawing the Qi even when I''m sleeping, Lin Hu.''


    ''You lazy bastard! Do you really think that I want to��.''


    Severing the voice connection with Lin Hu, Lin Xiao was able to sleep peacefully. On the other hand, Lin Hu keep drawing the energy from the Spirit Stone to him. Since he and Lin Xiao were connected, it was obvious that even in his sleep, Lin Xiao would be training.


    However, this method was slow and without Spirit Stone, it wouldn''t provide much effect since Lin Xiao could just train for a few minutes for the same result of the entire night. But since the Spirit Stone gave a lot of Qi, Lin Hu''s work was easier and it was similar with how it was if Lin Xiao was training normally.


    Finally, Lin Xiao figured a method to cheat to get stronger.


    A method that no one could replicate unless they also have powerful beast that could control the Qi even though they were inside their master''s consciousness.


    After mulling for the night, Lin Xiao finally fell asleep.


    The next day, Wenren Yu and Lin Yun woke up earlier and already busy training with the Spirit Stone. Spirit Stone was not only useful for Body Training Cultivator but also Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Obviously, not a single one of them wished to miss the chance to get stronger.


    "Brother, you''re not training?" Lin Yun asked when he saw Lin Xiao was roasting the meat from yesterday''s beast they hunted.


    Lin Xiao tilted his head. "I''m training."


    "But��"


    Lin Xiao took out the Spirit Stone that he kept inside his pocket. After a night of training, it was already reduced to half while Lin Xiao was already halfway towards Body Training Rank 10.


    Looking at the Spirit Stone in Lin Xiao''s hand, Lin Yun was utterly speechless. He finally shook his hand. "You''re a genius, Brother. I''m not a match to you."

 Chapter 126: Ri Village

    Lin Xiao laughed at his brother''s words. They finished their breakfast and then rushed towards Ri Village. After traveling for the entire day yesterday, the distance to Ri Village was only a few hours'' journey. Before long, they had arrived.


    The condition of the village reminded Lin Xiao to his old village. It was filled with dilapidated houses. There were only a few people who were roaming around. Some of them passed a glance towards Lin Xiao and the rest but it was clear that they had no interest to strangers.


    "Let''s go to the head village hall," Lin Yun suggested. The stare from the villagers made him feel uncomfortable.


    Lin Xiao shook his head. There was no need for them to report to anyone when they were doing mission. It was better if they just caught that Bo Wu as fast as possible.


    "Let''s go to the night club."


    "Brother?" it''s still afternoon!


    Wenren Yu nodded, understanding what Lin Xiao wanted to do. While the village was not that big, it would be hard to find one person among so many people if the villagers tried to protect that person. Since that was the case, they better searched for information first through other methods.


    Night club was one of the few methods that was possible. However��.


    "Is there even any in village?" Wenren Yu asked with strange expression. He did see one when they were in Feng Yi City because they crossed several streets without caring for anything when they were running. But if he was not wrong, there shouldn''t be any in such a small village like this.


    "Eh."


    Lin Xiao scratched the back of his head, finally reminding himself that he was not in a big city. The list of new places that was written in the map in Feng Yi city seemed to be affecting him right now.


    "In that case, a bar?"


    "Alright."


    "What?" Lin Yun was still stunned. He couldn''t believe that his brother, who was only 17 years old, would want to visit the bar in broad daylight like this. Did he hear things wrongly?


    However, seeing the other two were enthusiastic, he had no other choice but to follow them towards the bar. Internally, he was still confused as to why these two suddenly wanted to have drink when they were obviously still underage. Oh wait, Wenren Yu had already passed 18 years old, so he was not an underage.


    The bar was located not far from the entrance of the village, so they didn''t need to waste a long time to find it.


    While Lin Yun was obviously still stressed out, Lin Xiao and Wenren Yu acted like it was normal for them to visit the bar.


    "Oh, young customers?" the bartender commented when he saw the three of them entered.


    "Yes! My brother wants to treat me today," Lin Xiao said with a grin.


    Wenren Yu arched his eyebrows. Did he got elevated to become Lin Xiao''s brother so suddenly? It seemed that Lin Xiao''s ability to create nonsense in a blink of an eye still existed and even improved.


    "Oh?"


    Wenren Yu noticed the bartender''s look and nodded. "Just some light alcohol first, please. Also a juice for the brat behind."


    Hearing him being called a brat, Lin Yun resisted the urge to slap Wenren Yu. He was around the same age with Lin Xiao, so if he was a brat, wouldn''t it mean that Lin Xiao was also a brat?


    However, he resisted the urge when he saw Lin Xiao walked to the counter and sat down leisurely.


    There were several other people who were staying inside the bar. Even though it was still broad daylight, there were already several people who stayed there. Lin Yun didn''t understand why, but he just sat down on the chair while Wenren Yu and Lin Xiao also sat down and chatted.


    As for their conversation��


    "How many people are in this village?" Lin Xiao asked curiously.


    The bartender arched his eyebrows. "New people?"


    "We''re passing by and since it might take a long time to reach other place, we chose to rest here," Lin Xiao made up reasons on the spot.


    Lin Yun was speechless when he heard what his brother said. Their destination was obviously this place, but Lin Xiao said as if this was an unplanned accident. However, he simply took the glass and started to drink the juice.


    It didn''t taste that bad.


    "There are around 123 to 126 people in this village," the bartender replied unhurriedly. "There might be more or less since there are also travelers who passed by like you."


    Lin Xiao nodded. "What are the people usually do in this village?"


    "Oh, most of us are hunters. As you can see, we''re mostly Body Training Cultivators, so we don''t really travel that far. However, there are still a few Foundation Establishment Cultivators who are protecting the city."


    "Whoaa!"


    While Lin Xiao was extracting information from the bartender while asking about the condition of the village, Wenren Yu was listening to the conversation of the other cultivators inside the room. They were talking about many things, but it didn''t hinder Wenren Yu from his attempt to listen in.


    After all, as Body Training Rank 10, he was still powerful enough to listen in to the conversation from others inside the same room as long as they didn''t try to cover their voice with their Qi.


    "I see." Lin Xiao was listening to the bartender as the latter continued to share stories. There were only a few people who came during daytime, giving him enough time to ask many questions to the bartender.


    The village might be small, but the people here were much more powerful than the village where Lin Xiao came from. Many of them were already Foundation Establishment Cultivators.


    "Why don''t they move to the city if they''re so powerful?" Lin Xiao asked curiously.


    The bartender sighed. "If only it''s possible, they would have already done that. However, there are too many complicated matters in the city."


    "Please do tell." Lin Xiao was curious. He acted exactly like a youth who didn''t know anything and only asked everything that he wanted to know.

 Chapter 127: The Story

    The bartender smiled.


    "Not everyone can go to the city. Besides, even if you go to the city, you might not be able to work according to what you want. The job that they can offer there are also limited."


    Lin Xiao blinked in confusion. "What did it mean?"


    "It means that you can have more freedom in village," the bartender tried to explain more. Internally, he was wondering whether the person before him had high intelligence or low intelligence. It looked as if Lin Xiao was having trouble just to recognize it.


    Freedom?


    The word sounded strange to Lin Xiao but he could guess why the bartender said that. There were more powerful families in the city, each would have their own dominance and refused to back down no matter what. Even though the city might not be the most comfortable place, they were safer from outraging the powerful family accidentally because they were far away from each other.


    "But isn''t it more dangerous in the village?" Lin Xiao asked again.


    "Why is it dangerous?"


    "I heard that there are people who are acting on their own too and also threatening other people who are living in the village."


    The bartender blinked his eyes then nodded. "So you have heard."


    "Yes?"


    "There are indeed some annoying people. They''re acting like they owned the entire village even though they''re only slightly more powerful. In addition, there are also those who are not that powerful but they act brazenly."


    Lin Xiao tilted his head. "Who?"


    "Some groups." The bartender narrowed his eyes.


    "Can you tell me so that I can be more careful?" Lin Xiao asked with pitiful expression. Beside him, Lin Yun nearly spat out the juice he was drinking when he saw Lin Xiao acted like that. His body shivered.


    It was scary to look at his brother when the latter was acting like that.


    ''Where''s my usual annoying and idiot brother?''


    The bartender smiled helplessly. He felt like the youth before him was really stupid and pitiful. "It''s fine, it''s not really a secret here either. The group is named Eagle Power. It consisted of several Body Training Cultivators who are quite powerful and often acted on their own."


    "Act on their own?"


    "Yes. They''re like the local gang here. Those with real power, Foundation Establishment Cultivators, didn''t usually care because they''re busy with their own training."


    "I see."


    Lin Xiao played with the glass in his hand without any intention to drink. He had been acting like he wanted to drink while talking but in truth, he hadn''t drunk the alcohol in the slightest bit. His real intention to come here was to make the bartender give him information and not drinking.


    His eyes moved to look at Wenren Yu, who was sitting at the edge while sipping the drink. The way he sat down made him looked like a lazy bum, yet at the same time, he also looked like he was enjoying the drink.


    However, Lin Xiao knew that Wenren Yu hadn''t ordered more. It felt as if he was only putting the glass near his lips without any intention to drink just like what Lin Xiao did with his own drink.


    In their group, the only one who drank was Lin Yun, but they ordered juice for the brat and not alcohol, so it didn''t really matter that much.


    "Is there anything else that you want to know?" the bartender turned around to prepare other drinks.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Where''s this Eagle Power Group usually stay? Or they don''t have fixed place?"


    "They don''t have fixed place. I don''t really know where they usually stay because I stay in this place most of the time. Well, you can try to ask other people."


    "Got it. Thank you!"


    "Heh, you''re welcome."


    At this moment, another customer came and Lin Xiao looked at the alcohol in his glass. He pondered whether it would be better for him to drink the alcohol or just leave it in the glass because he had no intention of making himself drunk.


    ''Maybe just a sip?''


    When the thought appeared in his mind, he saw Wenren Yu stretched his hand. The glass in his hand had moved place.


    Lin Xiao looked at Wenren Yu helplessly. Come on, it was only a sip!


    However, Wenren Yu placed the two glasses far away from Lin Xiao and Lin Yun, so Lin Xiao had to give up. He didn''t want to make a scene here and possibly created a mess. Besides, he still didn''t know how high his alcohol tolerance was.


    "Let''s go back."


    "Uh, ok."


    By now, Lin Yun realized that his brother didn''t drink the alcohol in the slightest bit. In fact, it looked as if Lin Xiao didn''t have any interest to the alcohol and only intended to drink at the very last moment.


    ''He''s searching for information?''


    Lin Yun''s eyes widened when the thought crossed his mind. He looked at his brother and Wenren Yu''s back before he finally understood what they were planning. Damn, and here he was thinking that they were fooling around.


    Eagle Power.


    He also listened to the conversation between his brother and the bartender. Probably the killer, Bo Wu, was also in this group. Hmm, it was time for them to check them out then.


    "Shall we search for an inn to stay first?" Lin Xiao asked while looking at the sun. it was still afternoon, which meant that it would take a long time before it was time for them to sleep.


    "Let''s go to the forest instead."


    "Ok."


    "Hey, wait for me!"


    Lin Xiao rushed into the forest with Wenren Yu and Lin Yun. Since it was still afternoon, they could see that there were only a few people who stayed in the village. As a village that was known for hunters, it was not that weird that most of them had disappeared during the day to visit the forest.


    They would only return later at night.

 Chapter 128: Eagle Power Group

    "What did you find?" Lin Xiao asked as soon as they entered the forest.


    Wenren Yu glanced back then sighed. He patted Lin Xiao''s shoulder. "You might not believe this, but I think that Bo Wu might be inside a group and acted on behalf of the group."


    "Our target is just one, right?"


    Recalling the detail of the missions back then, Lin Xiao was sure that their target was only Bo Wu. He was charged for killing some travelers and also some people in the village. If he was part of Eagle Power Group, it meant that they might need to work much harder to find him and make sure that the group didn''t mess up with their work.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "Bo Wu is the leader."


    "...it means we need to infiltrate the group?"


    "Yes."


    "But if he''s the leader, why is the task only say to kill Bo Wu and didn''t say anything else about other people in the group?"


    "Eagle Power Group is just a small group of youngsters who are quite powerful. They''re all fairly young, at 20 to 30 years old. However, the real purpose of the group is also to rob rich people who come to the village," Wenren Yu explained.


    Lin Xiao''s mind blanked. He looked at Wenren Yu in suspicion. "What did you hear back then?"


    Even he didn''t get such complete information.


    Wenren Yu smiled bitterly. There was one person in the group inside the bar that was tricked and then extorted just now. That person complained vehemently to his friends, allowing Wenren Yu to get more complete information from them even though he was only listening in.


    After explaining a bit more, Lin Xiao came to realize that the Eagle Power Group was nothing more than a small group. They were trying to expand to get more riches so that they could cultivate better, but their power was limited.


    In addition, it was hard for them to get even more followers because those of Foundation Establishment couldn''t resort to such things easily. Unless they targeted the powerful descendant from some clans, they were destined to not be able to earn enough for their cultivation resources.


    "Do they have any backing?" Lin Xiao asked.


    "Are you worried?"


    "No. But if it''s possible, I don''t want to attract unnecessary enemies."


    Thinking about the woman who had died before already made Lin Xiao felt headache. Even though he knew that it was not his fault, he knew that there were also many people who would not listen to reason and tried to blame him for their own incompetence.


    At that time, he might have to fight against whoever the woman work for.


    "There shouldn''t be any. If they really have backing, they wouldn''t stay in this small village for a long period of time," Wenren Yu replied.


    "Good then."


    They were just about to continue talking when they saw that there were several people from a distance away. The three of them tacitly hid inside the woods without saying anything to each other.


    The sound of people laughter entered their ears.


    "We got good haul this time."


    "Yes! To think that we can encounter the group when they''re hunting this Beast rank 3. In normal condition, we won''t be able to defeat it no matter what we do!"


    "So lucky!"


    Lin Xiao noticed that the four people have plain clothes. They also looked quite haggard as if they have just finished a battle with someone who was quite powerful. Traces of blood remained in some parts of their clothes.


    Looking at how relaxed these people were, Lin Xiao could guess that they felt save in their village. In the village, there might be some people who were already Foundation Establishment, but those powerful figure would not do anything to them. Thanks to that, they would be able to roam freely.


    ''That man��''


    The man at the center was, without a doubt, Bo Wu. Lin Xiao had seen his picture in the Mercenary Association because the association provided them with enough information. As for why there were still no one who killed this man until now, Lin Xiao had no idea at all.


    It can be either Bo Wu was powerful enough to thwart his enemies.


    Or it could be because the mission was only issued recently because Bo Wu expanded his tasks.


    The four people soon disappeared into the village. Lin Xiao looked at his brother and Wenren Yu. "So, shall we start to make a move?"


    "Not in the village." Wenren Yu frowned.


    "Why not?"


    Wenren Yu looked at Lin Xiao like he was looking at an idiot. "Do you think that those Foundation Establishment Cultivators will stay silent if we wreck their base?"


    Lin Xiao opened his mouth then closed it again like a fish. He only recalled that the Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the village didn''t like to meddle in other people''s business. However, it would still irk them if someone tried to beat other people in their own turf.


    "So, we wait?"


    "Yes. They shouldn''t be staying in the village for a long period of time. When they got out. Let''s try to find which one is the leader then we can have a short talk with him."


    Short talk?


    Wenren Yu''s lips twitched because he knew that they wouldn''t be talking with their mouth. Instead, they would be talking with their fist.


    Behind them, Lin Yun also nodded in agreement. It seemed to be the best choice of course on their current situation.


    "Let''s go inside and find an inn to stay for the night. Wait, we have some silver coins, right?"


    "There should be some."


    "Good then."


    ...


    In case you need it, Beast Ranking and the estimated strength:


    Unranked: Untrained people to Body Training Rank 3


    Rank 1: Body Training Rank 6 to 7


    Rank 2: Body Training Rank 8 to 10


    Rank 3: Foundation Establishment


    Rank 4: Golden Core Stage 1


    Rank 5: Golden Core Stage 2


    Rank 6: Golden Core Stage 3

 Chapter 129: Having a ‘Talk’ (1)

    Gold coin would be too eye catching in a small village like this. Rather than using gold coin that would make them the target of other people, it would be better for them to just use some silver coins. While it might make them look a bit rich, some other travelers also have silver coins.


    It wouldn''t attract as much attention as gold coins were.


    The nearby inn was good enough so the three of them decided to stay in the inn for the time being. Since their room was at the second level, they could use it to easily look onto their surroundings.


    "Why are you gathering in my room now?" Lin Xiao was speechless when he saw Wenren Yu and Lin Yun came into his room. They had booked three rooms so that they could sleep separately at night.


    "It''s our task to protect you."


    "Yep, yep."


    Lin Xiao: "��" don''t act as if you''re my guard. You should know better that you can''t even defeat me.


    However, the other two ignored his gaze and helped Lin Xiao to watch over the street. The group entered the bar, so it meant that they would drink to their heart''s content because of their successful business. Of course, the three of them didn''t have any intention to try entering the bar again at this time.


    Time passed swiftly.


    The four people were still having fun in the bar.


    They ate dinner.


    The four people were still having fun in the bar.


    It was time for sleep.


    The four people were still having fun in the bar.


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes when he looked at the bar just a few distance away from him. The four people surely loved to stay in the bar so much. He had been waiting for hours yet they were staying in the bar without any intention to come out.


    "This is annoying."


    "Yes?"


    "Just how many hours do we need to wait before we can even get the fruit of our labor?" Lin Xiao grumbled. He did have patience, but it was annoying when he thought about what those people were doing when he was waiting for them patiently.


    Lin Yun smiled bitterly. "We''ll take turn to watch from our rooms. When it''s time to switch, we''ll knock the door."


    "Fine."


    Wenren Yu and Lin Yun went to sleep first.


    The four people were still having fun in the bar.


    Lin Xiao were watching intently when he finally gave up and handed the task of watching them over to Wenren Yu. He rubbed his forehead and connected his consciousness to Lin Hu, who had already finished one Spirit Stone.


    ''You''ve worked hard.''


    ''Hmph! Of course I have. Where''s the next one?''


    Looking at the hungry dragon in front of him, Lin Xiao resisted the urge to laugh and put the second Spirit Stone in his pocket. After dividing the spirit stones into three, they each have four spirit stones.


    Lin Xiao was still a distance away from Body Training Rank 10 but it would be getting closer since one spirit stones normally was more than enough to support the cultivation of Body Training Rank 9. Since Lin Xiao had to support both his and Lin Hu''s cultivation, the resources he needed doubled.


    Based on his estimation, Lin Xiao could guess that he wouldn''t be able to advance any faster than the other two. They would surely enter Early Foundation Establishment after they had used up the four spirit stones they have.


    As for Lin Xiao��


    He would need to search for other treasures.


    While Lin Xiao was sleeping, Wenren Yu took the turn to watch.


    The four people were still having fun in the bar.


    Wenren Yu woke Lin Yun up and switched the task.


    The four people were still having fun in the bar.


    Lin Xiao woke up when it was dawn.


    The four people were still having fun in the bar.


    "��They have great stamina."


    Lin Yun smiled bitterly at his brother. He had never expected that the group would stay in the bar for the entire day and didn''t even return back. What was more surprising was that the bar also accommodated to their needs and allowed them to stay overnight.


    Still, it made those who were waiting for ambush annoyed.


    "Shouldn''t they be more kindhearted and get out of that bar so we can know where they''ll go?" Lin Xiao mumbled.


    "It''s time for breakfast. Come on, Brother."


    The inn was kind enough to prepare breakfast for them, so Lin Xiao asked them to deliver his breakfast to his room. Wenren Yu and Lin Yun took the time to train with the Spirit Stone while Lin Xiao was busy watching over the bar.


    The four people were still having fun in the bar.


    He felt like the sentence of those four people having fun in the bar to be very annoying. If only it was possible, he wished to drag them out and smash them right here and right now. However, he didn''t want to create trouble in this place either.


    Just as Lin Xiao was munching his bread, he saw several people walked to the bar and then shouted brazenly.


    "BO WU! Come out, you rotten b %^&!"


    As series of curses came out of his mouth, Lin Xiao noticed that some people were attracted to the commotion. He also wished to come down and take a look, but he didn''t want to be dragged into unnecessary problem.


    He chose to stay in the room and watched from the window.


    ''I wonder what will happen to Bo Wu after this.''


    "BO WU!" the man shouted again.


    Bang!


    The door to the bar was flung open. The four people who came inside yesterday came out one by one. They were currently fixing their clothes and from the expression of the people there, Lin Xiao could guess that they must have smelled so terrible.


    Lin Xiao''s mind turned blank. Just how much these people drink in just one day''s time?

 Chapter 130: Having a ‘Talk’ (2)

    "What?"


    The annoyed Bo Wu certainly didn''t want to spare much of his time to deal with the person before him. He asked impolitely while swinging his arm as if he was ready to have exercise.


    The man narrowed his eyes. "You smell of alcohol and rouge powder. You bastard, you''re having fun after you kill my friend?"


    "Your friend?" Bo Wu arched his eyebrows, thinking hard who could it possibly be. He had killed so many people in his life that he couldn''t bother to remember most of them. This man''s friend was clearly not registered in his mind as someone whom he needed to remember.


    "You kill him when he''s fighting against Beast Rank 3, you bastard!"


    The man flared in rage. Fighting against Beast Rank 3 was already the limit for Foundation Establishment and those below the rank would not even dream of fighting against Beast Rank 3 unless they were seeking death.


    His friend was already Foundation Establishment Cultivator and also a very powerful one at that. However, his friend was killed after he had finished fighting against the beast and ended up dying an unjust death.


    He couldn''t accept that.


    Bo Wu rolled his eyes. "You can just seek other friend if your friend died. There''s no need to seek revenge for him, right?"


    "You wish!"


    Swish!


    A saber appeared on the man''s hand as he lunged forward. His sudden movement would surely caught many people off guard, but Bo Wu and his men were already watching the man intently. Their line of work caused them to be very careful because they have already made enemies in many different places.


    Clang!


    Bo Wu took out his sword and blocked calmly. At this time, there was not even any sign of fatigue in his expression as he nimbly moved to the side and swung his sword.


    "Attack!"


    With that order, the other three men swiftly made their move and attacked at the same time.


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    The man swung his saber madly and attacked rapidly. From the power that he exerted, the onlookers immediately realized that he was already Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Once they noticed that, they swiftly disappeared from the street.


    No one wanted to get involved in fights between Foundation Establishment and others of similar rank.


    Bang!


    As the power erupted from Bo Wu''s body, Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. It was no longer Body Training stage like what the mission reported. Based on what he had seen, Bo Wu was already at Early Foundation Establishment.


    It meant that just recently, Bo Wu advanced a rank.


    ''How annoying.''


    The thought that his opponent grew stronger only made Lin Xiao even more irritated. However, he had no other choice but to wait patiently because he didn''t want to get involved in the fight.


    He was still Body Training Rank 10 no matter how powerful he was, he knew that he was not a match against those people who were already Foundation Establishment. If he were to get involved, it would be his doom.


    His eyes moved to the three of Bo Wu followers.


    ''Body Training Rank 10, Body Training Rank 9 two people.''


    Those three were not that bad. It seemed that Bo Wu must be charismatic enough to be able to pull those people into his side so easily.


    "They''re fighting?" Lin Yun asked. He stood up after he had finished his cultivation training and went to the window. His eyes widened when he saw how destructive their attack could be.


    "This��"


    "There''s no need for the Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the city to meddle. That Bo Wu himself is already at Early Foundation Establishment and might even be more powerful than normal people who had reached that stage," Lin Xiao said while watching calmly.


    Lin Yun glanced at his own brother in surprise. When he saw how calm Lin Xiao was and how his brother could analyze the situation calmly, he felt that he was no longer seeing his brother from the past.


    After all, Lin Xiao might be powerful, but in the past, he would still fluster when he saw someone who was so powerful. This time, there was no trace of nervousness and whatnot. All he could see was clam expression of his brother who could make conclusion of the fight with just a glance.


    Lin Xiao looked at Lin Yun. "What is it? I know that your brother is handsome, but there''s no need to watch so intently."


    Lin Yun: "��"


    Not wanting to argue with his brother, he turned his head to watch the fight again. The fight between powerful Foundation Establishment started to show their effect as the surroundings area were destroyed so easily.


    Leakage of Qi from their attack could easily slash through rocky wall, the dirt, and many others. It was no surprise that the villagers chose to run away when they saw the sorry sight in front of them.


    Clang!


    The man knew that he was in pinch, but he didn''t want to give up. Facing against Early Foundation Establishment that was helped with several Body Training cultivators was not really at his advantage.


    "You won''t be able to get away!" Bo Wu said sinisterly and swung his sword.


    Swish! Slash!


    The man chose to ignore Bo Wu and escaped to the side. His large saber immediately killed the first follower of Bo Wu.


    "Damn you! Stop right there!"


    Bo Wu stomped and rushed over to the man. His followers were people whom he had painstakingly groomed. He couldn''t let the man killed them. As the strongest one in the group, he was the only one who can possibly stop the man.


    Clang!


    ...


    In case it''s needed, Beast Ranking and the estimated strength:


    Unranked: Untrained people to Body Training Rank 3


    Rank 1: Body Training Rank 6 to 7


    Rank 2: Body Training Rank 8 to 10


    Rank 3: Foundation Establishment


    Rank 4: Golden Core Stage 1


    Rank 5: Golden Core Stage 2


    Rank 6: Golden Core Stage 3

 Chapter 131: Having a ‘Talk’ (3)

    "Heh." The man sneered. "So you can also get angry when your friend died. I thought that you''re the one who said that when your friend died, you can just search for another one."


    Bo Wu''s eyes turned red. He felt like his face was slapped when the man repeated what he had said to the other party just a moment ago. "Just shut up! I''ll never let you off for killing him!"


    "That''s good as well for me. Because I would never let you off just like that!"


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    Series of metal clashing against each other filled the street. The other two, who were intending to help were now pushed to the background. Both Bo Wu and the man were pushing their speed to the limit in a contest of who was the strongest and fastest.


    Their sword and saber were swung with the intention to kill but the other party would not let them get what they wanted so easily.


    The fight had turned into a standstill.


    "It''ll end soon," Lin Xiao murmured.


    Lin Yun looked at his brother and arched his eyebrows. "Do you have any intention to barge in and help, Brother? This can be a good chance for us to eliminate Bo Wu from this village for once and all."


    "No."


    "Why?"


    "There are people who are watching the fight just like us. If we just barge in now, we''re going to fall for their trap." Lin Xiao''s eyes glinted with ruthlessness for a split second.


    "What?"


    Wenren Yu, who had also ended his training sighed when he saw Lin Yun''s expression. Lin Yun might be a bit smarter than Lin Xiao in some field, but in terms of senses and all, Lin Xiao was definitely better.


    He was also watching from the window in his room, so he could guess that the people Lin Xiao meant was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. That person was watching from a distance away, from a restaurant. From his elegant behavior and the way he conducted himself, it was easy to conclude that he must be someone of high rank.


    However, they didn''t recognize him in the slightest bit.


    "Who is that?" Lin Yun asked in confusion.


    Lin Xiao looked at the restaurant with narrowed eyes. As a hunter, he was certainly very keen of killing intent and also the movement of Qi. There were many beasts who tried to hide their presence, but he still managed to find them after rigorous training.


    Human was certainly different, but they have some similarities with beasts. Lin Xiao himself was sure that the person in front of him was someone who was exceedingly powerful.


    As for why he was there�� Lin Xiao had the feeling that he was watching over Bo Wu.


    Why?


    He didn''t know.


    ''Lin Hu, can you know what other people''s intention is?''


    Lin Hu looked at his master as if he was looking at an idiot. ''Master, do you think I''m a prophet? There''s no way I can know what other people is thinking unless they show it on their faces. Besides, what you''re asking is whether that person is protecting Bo Wu or not, right?''


    ''Yes.'' Lin Xiao kept a straight expression, not wanting the dragon to know that he was embarrassed having his intent leaked out.


    ''I don''t know. It''s hard to say, but his killing intent is not directed at Bo Wu, so I guess he must be of Bo Wu''s side.''


    ''Oh?''


    Lin Xiao looked over to the restaurant once more and sighed. Just when he wanted to make a move, he found out that there was someone powerful who was watching. Thankfully, he chose not to act rashly this time.


    Or he would end up like the mantis who stalk on a cicada without realizing the oriole behind was watching. (A/N: this is a metaphor, meaning that the second person tried to take advantage, but he failed to realize that there was someone who was more powerful watching from behind to take action)


    Clang! Slash!


    At the sound of flesh torn, Lin Xiao averted his attention to look at the fight once more. His eyebrows arched when he saw that the second follower of Bo Wu had died under the man''s hand. It seemed as if the man was adamant not to take things lying down and targeted Bo Wu''s followers to make sure that he could gain something from this attack.


    It was not a bad strategy, but he didn''t realize that there was someone else who was watching.


    "Do you want to help him, Brother?" Lin Yun asked when he saw Lin Xiao watching even more intently.


    "No."


    "Why?"


    "First, I''m not a saint who will help anyone I met. Secondly, I don''t want to fall into a trap set by other people," Lin Xiao replied placidly. He was never a saint who would help everyone who was in difficult position. If the other party was his friend, that would be a different story.


    They were nothing more than strangers and there was someone else who was watching from a distance. Unless he wanted to seek his own burial ground, he would not come forward and get involved.


    "Oh��" Lin Yun murmured then nodded. He focused his attention again to the man and Bo Wu, who were still fighting against each other.


    "Bastard!" Bo Wu was thoroughly enraged when he saw his follower died again. His sword was swung rapidly towards the man without caring for anything anymore. In his mind, he could only think of defeating the man as fast as possible before he lost the last person whom he needed to do his dirty work.


    He didn''t want to lose his followers because he would find it difficult to find the replacement. Not everyone wanted to do dirty work and these three could only be found after a long search.


    Clang!


    The man sneered. "Do you think you can defeat me when your strength is lower than me?"


    "You��"


    Swish!


    At this moment, pressure suddenly dawned onto the two people.

 Chapter 132: Who’s the Oriole?

    Bang!


    Bo Wu didn''t hesitate and swiftly stepped back. Even though Foundation Establishment Cultivators could control their own strength to a certain degree, it would be better to be safe than sorry. He didn''t want to get unnecessary wounds.


    The man was feeling immense pressure and turned his head around. He could see a man in white robe walking in his direction. The man''s aura could easily penetrate one''s defense even though they could notice that the man was only at Foundation Establishment.


    Fear crept from within the people who watched.


    Many chose to flee even further from this place. They didn''t want to get involved in the fight between powerful cultivators. For ordinary Body Training Stage Cultivators, getting involved would mean certain death since these people wouldn''t hesitate but to kill them if they dared to meddle in.


    "He makes his move," Lin Xiao said with grim expression.


    "Yes��"


    Based on the aura around, Lin Xiao could guess that the man must be Foundation Establishment Cultivators, but he was uncertain about the man''s specific ranks. Hopefully, it was not Golden Core Stage.


    Eh wait, there shouldn''t be any Golden Core Stage cultivators in this place, right?


    Golden Core Stage Cultivators were already one of the most powerful existences in Sun Kingdom. If anything, most elders and powerful figures were already at Golden Core Stage. Besides, to be able to reach that stage didn''t only mean that they have enough Qi and great strength, but also understanding of martial arts.


    After all, cultivation was not only about getting stronger but also getting understanding.


    And what they understood could be different from one person to another. Not a single one of them would have the exact same path but many of them might be similar because of the theme.


    Bang!


    "Do you think that you can make a move in Ri Village as you wish?" The man in white robe asked in cold tone. His sharp tone and also the pressure he exerted prevented anyone from running away.


    Cold sweat poured on the man''s back. He looked at the man in white robe while clenching his saber tighter. Thanks to the fight with Bo Wu, he had been fixated to fight and only fight, so his strength had diminished.


    If he had to fight against powerful cultivator at the same stage, which was Foundation Establishment, he would surely lose. Not only lose, there was high chance that he might even lose his life.


    "Don''t you dare to get involved in our business!" the man roared angrily. "I have to teach this man a lesson for killing my friend."


    "Oh?" The man in white robe scoffed. His expression was filled with ridicule. "This village is my turf. If you don''t want to die, you better scram!"


    "You bastard! I''ll not leave unless I have exacted my vengeance."


    The man in white robe looked at the man who was holding the saber as if he was looking at an idiot. He waved his hand in lazy manner as if he was dismissing the servants. His action only made one looked at him in wonder because not a single one of them knew what his background was.


    He looked like he was someone from high above.


    However, Lin Xiao felt like rolling his eyes. The man''s action only made him remember of a certain annoying man in his village. That man would act and flaunt his power as if he was the most powerful person in the entire world. But in reality, he was just a frog in a well and there were many others who were more powerful.


    This person had good background? Lin Xiao was not totally sure, nor did he care.


    "Leave!"


    Bang!


    Bo Wu had been listening enough for him to recover some of his strength. Without even waiting for any instruction, he leapt forward and swung his sword towards the large man in front of him. His action looked as if he wanted to kill the other party when the latter was still facing the man in white.


    However, the man was ready and escaped with footwork technique. He moved to the side as his eyes gleamed dangerous. His large saber was swung and sound of flesh tearing could be heard.


    Slash!


    "AAAaaaaaa!"


    Bo Wu''s expression changed when he saw his last servant was killed. The man in white was even more enraged as he swung his arm. Powerful Qi was directed straight towards the man, who now couldn''t move properly.


    He looked at the incoming Bo Wu and smiled sinisterly.


    "Since you have been so intent to fight me, I''ll deliver your wish."


    Almost instantly, ripples of Qi filled the air. Bo Wu, who was about to get closer felt the danger and stopped his steps midway. His eyes were filled with disbelief as he looked at the man who was already at the death''s door.


    "Run!"


    The man in white also sensed it and immediately turned around. He knew what the man was doing, which was to destroy his own cultivation and exploded the surroundings. This move was known to be the most ruthless move because it would destroy their own soul.


    But at this time, the man didn''t seem to care in the slightest bit. There was only a sneer on his face as he used his Qi and exploded his own body.


    Bang!


    Powerful pressure and ripples of Qi created a large explosion with the man at the center. The more powerful a cultivators were, the larger the explosion they could make when they destroyed their own cultivation.


    Since the man was already at Foundation Establishment, it meant that his strength was so powerful to destroy the surrounding houses.


    Rocks, woods, and dirt soon filled the street.


    ��


    Cultivation Stage:


    Body Training (Rank 1 to 10)


    Foundation Establishment


    - Early Foundation Establishment


    - Foundation Establishment


    Golden Core Stage


    - Golden Core Stage 1


    - Golden Core Stage 2


    - Golden Core Stage 3


    (A/N): The list might still be updated later when the story progressed furthe

 Chapter 133: Who’s the Oriole? (2)

    *cough* *cough*


    Bo Wu felt as if he was already at the death''s door. Because he was the closest to the man and also the one who was slower, he didn''t manage to escape far. His back was scorched hot because of the attack just now.


    Right now, he wanted nothing more but to skin that man alive. If only it was possible, he wished that he could torture and kill that man who came to him just now in the most gruesome method he could think of. To think that he would fall into such annoying attack in this time.


    The man in white was not any better. His previously clean white robe was now dirty and his hair was messy. There was no longer any trace of him being a powerful cultivator who had good background anymore.


    Granted, it was not easy to escape from that kind of desperate attack.


    When a cultivator was already at his wits end and chose to destroy himself in exchange for eliminating one''s enemy, the power he could generate was very big. It was as if the Heaven was giving him mercy and allowed him to take revenge by granting him large power to destroy his enemy.


    While this method didn''t always work, if they could make sure their enemies were close enough, they might be able to take him down with them. That way, the two of them would die together.


    Swish!


    Bo Wu was about to launch a series of curses when he felt that something was near him. He was alarmed and about to attack when he felt something hit his neck and there was faint sound of tearing flesh.


    His eyes widened in disbelief. This��


    Slash!


    His head was no longer attached to his body. Without him knowing, there was already someone standing in front of him, cutting of his head like cutting vegetables. His head was grabbed while his body was left behind.


    Lin Xiao kept the head inside his Spatial Ring without hesitation then used Moon Evasion to appear outside of the village once more. Thanks to the destruction of the buildings and the rest, it was hard for them to know what was happening. Dust covered the air, effectively blocking their vision from the front.


    ''Brother,'' Lin Yun whispered.


    When that man destroyed himself, Lin Xiao was still near the window and only used the bed to cover himself. But as soon as the explosion rang out, Lin Xiao rushed out and reappeared right beside Bo Wu.


    With his keen senses that he had honed during the time he worked as hunter, Lin Xiao could pinpoint Bo Wu''s location very clearly. This allowed him to assassinate Bo Wu without the need to exert so much strength then disappeared right afterwards.


    Both Wenren Yu and Lin Yun wanted to follow him, but then they changed trajectory to outside the village. With so many people were running away from the fight, they wouldn''t look that strange.


    "Let''s go."


    Lin Xiao only gave one order and Wenren Yu along with Lin Yun already departed with him. They used Moon Evasion and swiftly rushed over to the edge of the forest without caring for the destruction that they had left behind in Ri Village.


    As for that man in white�� well, they hoped that there was no way the person himself would know about this.


    *cough* *cough*


    The man in white looked towards the direction of the man with gleam in his eyes. He couldn''t understand why this person would do so much for his friend. Not everyone would be decisive enough to kill themselves.


    ''Or maybe he''s a servant?''


    If a servant failed to protect their master, their ending would only be death. Because of that, there was not much difference between them taking revenge or just wait for their death from their own family because of their failure.


    Some of them would surely take revenge this way and then killed themselves. This way, they could make their death more useful and if they have family members, the family wouldn''t harm their own family.


    "Bo Wu, you��"


    The man in white wanted to call Bo Wu to ask him to clean up when he felt that there was something wrong. His senses were partially disturbed when the man exploded himself and destroyed everything, but he was still a Foundation Establishment Cultivators.


    It meant that he was still powerful enough.


    If someone tried to sneak attack at him when he was unprepared, he would still be able to get out unscathed unless his enemy was far more powerful than him.


    At this moment, he couldn''t sense Bo Wu''s presence. It was as if Bo Wu was already dead because of the attack just now. Because the dusts were preventing him from looking, the man in white''s expression was already very ugly.


    "Good, very good. I already spend effort to save you but you''re so useless."


    The man in white waited a few more seconds until the dust settled before he could see the figure lying on the ground. Based on the way it looked like, there was a pool of blood under Bo Wu''s body along with the scorching back that was the result of the explosion.


    Feeling enraged, the man in white kicked Bo Wu''s body.


    Kick!


    Bang!


    The body landed on the wall and destroyed it. The man in white''s eyes narrowed when he sensed that there was something wrong. With a swift movement, he landed by Bo Wu''s body and realized that the man''s head disappeared.


    His pupil contracted.


    He would be an idiot if he still didn''t realize what had happened after seeing that painful mark. Someone was here to assassinate Bo Wu and from the way it looked like, the assassin was patient enough to wait until the battle reached the climax.


    He thought that he was the smart one to appear at the later time.


    But there was another oriole lurking behind.


    "DAMN YOU!"


    Bang!


    In anger, the man in white began to destroy everything he could see.

 Chapter 134: Searching for Cotton Flower Grass (1)

    Swish!


    Of course, Lin Xiao and the rest didn''t know what happened to Ri Village nor anything that occurred there. For them, the most important thing would be to run away as far as possible and didn''t appear in that village ever again.


    "Brother, you''re very fast," Lin Yun praised his brother.


    "Of course!"


    Bletak!


    "Learn to be more humble."


    "Hey! Don''t hit your master!"


    "You''re my brother before becoming my master!"


    Wenren Yu smiled lightly when he saw the two siblings quarreled with each other. They have used Moon Evasion several times and have traveled quite a distance away. From the way it looked like, the man in white didn''t have any intention to chase after them and killed them for ruining his plan to save Bo Wu.


    Well, sooner or later Bo Wu would surely fall.


    "It''s really good that Bo Wu had already made a lot of enemies." Lin Xiao grinned when he thought about what had happened. "We can just wait for them to destroy each other then we''re the one who reap the benefit."


    "Brother, you''re wicked."


    "Of course!"


    Lin Yun rolled his eyes. However, he also knew that if Lin Xiao was wicked, there would be too many wicked people in the world. Compared to many other people who would be even more cruel than his brother, he knew that Lin Xiao''s action was nothing in their eyes.


    "Anyway, who do you think that man is?"


    "Yes?"


    "To be able to sacrifice his own life for his friend, I don''t think it''s already at the stage of friend," Lin Yun inquired.


    "Maybe his lover?" Lin Xiao asked. He had heard that there were a lot of people who would act irrationally in the name of love. Even sacrificing oneself to avenge the loved one didn''t sound to be that hard, isn''t it?


    Lin Yun''s eyes widened. "Really?"


    "Well, we don''t know whether his friend is man or woman, right? All we know is that it''s the man''s friend. If it''s a woman, she might be his lover." Lin Xiao shrugged, not wanting to think too much.


    Hearing that, Wenren Yu shook his head. "While it might be possible, I think that his friend is actually his master."


    "Yes?"


    "If a servant failed to protect their master, their ending would only be death. Because of that, there was not much difference between them taking revenge or just wait for their death from their own family because of their failure.


    Some of them would surely take revenge this way and then killed themselves. This way, they could make their death more useful and if they have family members, the family wouldn''t harm their own family."


    Lin Xiao was stunned. This was the first time he heard something like that. He was not from noble famil��eh, wrong. He came from a noble family but he lived like what ordinary people would be, so he was not used with their way of thinking and also their method to control their servant.


    Looking at Lin Xiao''s expression, Wenren Yu smiled bitterly. "It''s actually quite common in noble families. Servants are not treated as human but more like a sacrifice to protect their master in case something happened."


    "I don''t like it."


    "Huh?"


    Lin Xiao looked at Wenren Yu and Lin Yun. "While it was true that Elder Wang told you two to become my servant, I don''t want you to sacrifice your lives blindly just for me. If it''s possible, don''t sacrifice yourself at all."


    The two of them looked at each other then turned their head to look at Lin Xiao again. They nodded. While this kind of behavior might not be accepted in some big families, it was just how Lin Xiao was. He would not want to treat his friends as mere sacrifice. Besides, Lin Yun was also his brother, a family member.


    How could he possibly treat them as dispensable sacrifice?


    That was totally impossible.


    "Yes, Brother."


    "Okay, Master."


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes, feeling that the duty that he suddenly got after getting the Emperor''s Inheritance was a bit too annoying. However, he chose to stay silent and pointe forward.


    "Let''s just go and search for Cotton Flower Grass. If we can''t find it in time, we might not be able to return back so quickly."


    "Yes!"


    Swish!


    The three of them took another two days before they could arrive at the edge of the forest. In the journey, they did meet some powerful beasts, but it was nothing more.


    In addition, Lin Xiao had broken through to Body Training Rank 10 thanks to the help of the Spirit Stone and Lin Hu. Unfortunately, his consumption was simply too fast and two Spirit Stones wouldn''t even be enough for him to reach the peak of Body Training Rank 10.


    While the stages were not usually discussed, each stage in Body Training Stage could be called early, middle, late, and peak. They could only break through to the next stage if they had reached the peak stage and prepared themselves.


    Since the differentiation between the early stage in Body Training was not obvious, people usually forget these ranking.


    But when they reached Body Training Rank 10, it became clearer because they needed to absorb a lot of Qi in order to make their preparation to breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.


    "You''re saying that I need more than 10?"


    Lin Xiao was discussing about the need of his Qi with Lin Hu when he heard of surprising news.


    Lin Hu nodded. "You need to feed me and also cultivate yourself. Normal people will only need four to five spirit stones like your two friends. But when it comes to you, you need double the amount and based on my estimation, 10 Spirit Stones."


    Lin Xiao''s face was ugly. "How about if I train normally?"


    "Based on your speed, you might need 1 to 2 years before you can make your breakthrough to Foundation Establishment."


    Lin Xiao: "��" So slow!

 Chapter 135: Searching for Cotton Flower Grass (2)

    "What? You''re thinking it''s slow?" Lin Hu was speechless.


    "YES!"


    Lin Hu rolled his eyes. Based on what he knew regarding human''s cultivation, Lin Xiao would only be 18 to 19 years old when he advanced to Foundation Establishment. For someone who only got his talent raised recently, it was already very quick.


    Though, it was nothing more compared to many other geniuses.


    "In that case, you need to find places that are rich with Qi or you can steal some Spirit Stone to sustain your cultivation."


    Lin Xiao was nearly hopping mad when he heard what Lin Hu said. It was easier said than done. He never though that he would be this miserable, searching for cultivation resources here and there just to advance faster. If only he didn''t get that annoying inheritance, he wouldn''t be this desperate to gain more Qi sources.


    But at the same time, he knew that his speed would be much lower than what it was right now.


    "We''re already at the edge of the forest."


    "Let''s start searching."


    Wenren Yu nodded and immediately rushed over. He bent down and began to gather many other herbs. His eyes already shone when he saw the herbs in this edge of the forest, but what he picked was not Cotton Flower Grass.


    It was other valuable herbs.


    Lin Xiao smiled bitterly when he saw what Wenren Yu did. He looked forward and saw the vast grassland before him. It was beautiful and at the same time making him feel as if the world was really large and probably will not reach the end so easily.


    ''What''s at the end of the world.''


    ''How vast the world is?''


    He had heard that Sun Kingdom was nothing more than one of the many kingdoms in this land. This made him curious about how vast the world actually was and how it would actually affect him in the future.


    "Brother, here."


    "Yes?"


    "This is Cotton Flower Grass."


    Lin Xiao glanced and noticed a stack of grass with white ball at the edge. He blinked his eyes. "This is Cotton Flower Grass?"


    "Yes."


    "Didn''t we have a lot of it?"


    If he was not wrong, there were already a lot of Cotton Flower Grass in Lin Yun''s Spatial Ring because when they robbed that person from Wang Luo Sect, there were a lot of herbs inside. Lin Xiao had given all of it to his brother because he couldn''t really make medicine.


    When he cooked, what he made would be poison instead of medicine!


    Rather than embarrassing himself, it would be better for him to hand it all to his brother and let Lin Yun used it.


    "Well, I already used up a lot of it," Lin Yun admitted. This Cotton Flower Grass was a very common herb that was used for many medicine. Because he was busy practicing and also making some useful medicine, the amount of Cotton Flower Grass in his Spatial Ring had diminished.


    "Oh."


    Lin Xiao nodded and began to gather the herbs. He still recognized some of them thanks to his lesson, but if he were to mix the herbs together to make medicine, it would not end well. In the end, he simply handed all the herbs to Lin Yun and let him take care of it.


    "It''ll be good if I can have a garden on my own for Yun."


    Wiping his sweat, Lin Xiao sighed. Gathering herbs one by one was very difficult. It would have been nice if there was a Spatial Ring that can be used to store living beings and rich in Qi.


    "There are special Spatial Ring."


    "Yes?"


    "Some powerful cultivator who had their strength in space element are usually responsible to make Spatial Ring." Lin Hu rolled his body lazily. "Because most of them are only low level cultivator, it meant that they wouldn''t be able to make the one that can sustain lives. But if you can meet with powerful cultivator of space element, it''s not impossible to have Spatial Ring that can sustain lives."


    By this time, Lin Xiao was shocked. He had completely forgotten about something so important.


    Element!


    Every cultivator would have their own element and only part of them didn''t have any. So far, the three of them still didn''t have any element whatsoever, but when they reached Foundation Establishment, it would be clear what element they have.


    "Can I have Space Element, Lin Hu?"


    "You?" Lin Hu was stunned. He shook his head. "Since you already bound with me, Lake Dragon, it''s clear that your attribute will be water."


    Lin Xiao: "��" I want to change it to space!


    Seeing the aggrieved expression on Lin Xiao''s face, Lin Hu sighed. "Of course, it''s not ordinary water because there''s also Water Dragon. Lake water is special."


    "Why?"


    "You''ll know in the future."


    "No! You''re so bad, Lin Hu! Why are you telling me that much if you don''t have plan to tell me now, ah?"


    "Hey, hey, stop shaking me!"


    Inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness, the human and dragon were quarreling. Unfortunately, Lin Hu still didn''t want to tell Lin Xiao anything because at this stage, Lin Xiao still couldn''t use any element in his Qi. He had to wait until he reached Foundation Establishment before he could use the element and have Lin Hu told him the truth.


    After a while, the sulking Lin Xiao chose to cut off the connection to Lin Hu and ignored that dragon.


    "Brother, how long should we stay here?" Lin Yun asked in curiosity.


    Noticing the herbs that Lin Yun had gathered, Lin Xiao smiled. This place was filled with so many useful herbs that they could use. It would be a waste if they left right away.


    "Let''s just stay for a few days to gather the herbs here. This place has a lot of Cotton Flower Grass and other useful herbs."


    Lin Yun''s eyes lit up. "Yes!"


    With that, he began to gather more herbs.

 Chapter 136: Meeting Old Acquaintances

    Days passed swiftly.


    To say that Lin Xiao didn''t make use of the situation would be a very insulting statement. By now, Lin Xiao and the others have already gathered so many herbs but still left the roots inside to allow the herbs to grow again. In many years to come, the place would be filled with plenty of herbs once more.


    "This should be enough."


    "Shall we head back now?" Lin Xiao asked and looked into the forest once more. He felt a bit bitter about leaving this place that was rich with herbs but with Wenren Yu and Lin Yun, the three of them had almost caused this place to be bare of herbs.


    "Sure."


    "Let''s take a detour so that we won''t be close with Ri Village."


    Since they were heading straight to the edge from Ri Village, they would be heading to the same village if they didn''t take any detour. Both Lin Yun and Wenren Yu agreed with what Lin Xiao said because they had no intention to visit that village and possibly got into trouble.


    After roasting some meat to eat, they departed once more.


    This time, they were moving a bit to the West to avoid Ri Village. The route was different than before but with the help of the sun, it allowed them to know the direction towards Feng Yi City.


    "By the way, do you think that Elder Wang will want us to find other method to search for money?" Lin Xiao asked when they were on the route.


    Wenren Yu furrowed his brows. "He couldn''t be thinking of having you sell medicine, right?"


    "We''ll make a lot of enemies if Lin Xiao have to sell medicine."


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    He knew that he was bad at making medicine, but it shouldn''t that bad? At worst, shouldn''t they just go bankrupt and unable to do their business?


    Lin Yun chuckled at the sight of his brother''s face. "What do you think you can do to earn money, Brother?"


    "I can be an errand boy like what I used to do."


    In the village, Lin Xiao had already spent a long period of time to do what the villagers wanted him to do just to earn some money. When it came to menial task, he was fairly good at it despite the unconventional means that he chose to adopt when there were no tools.


    "That''ll take a long time to make profit."


    "Then��"


    "The easiest method to earn money is to have store that sells something that many other people want," Wenren Yu said unhurriedly. He passed a glance at Lin Xiao. "Which is why store that sells medicine are popular because a lot of people need pills to aid in their cultivation or to heal their wounds."


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. He had the feeling that when it came to earning money, he would be very bad. Aside from doing some menial task, he didn''t really know what he was supposed to do or could do.


    "Anyway, the auction should be held right on time when we return. At that time, we''ll see how much money we can make."


    "Right."


    Because of the mission, Lin Xiao nearly forgot about the auction. Since the owner wanted to hype the items sold, including the Night Yin Flower, they were already advertising everywhere. Those who needed the treasures were flocking to the monthly auction from the two auction houses.


    The two of them were bitter rivals, but they didn''t dare to hold auction at the same time as the other auction. After all, there might be powerful people who wanted items from both places but unable to act on his own if the time was the same. Unless the two auction houses wanted to create trouble, they wouldn''t do something like that.


    "Hmm?"


    "What is it, Brother?''


    Lin Xiao looked into a distance with narrowed eyes. His keen senses faintly hear human''s voices. However, they couldn''t see anything in this dense forest. All he knew was that in that distance, there should be several people who were talking.


    Or fighting?


    "There are someone over there."


    "You want to take a look?" Wenren Yu was stunned.


    "Yep."


    "What if��"


    "Don''t worry, let''s go."


    The other two could only smile bitterly as they followed Lin Xiao. By this time, they already knew that when it came to Lin Xiao, they would surely enter into a trouble because of some matters.


    For the nth time.


    Swish!


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    "Pass! Next!"


    The sound of loud cheering entered their ears. By this time, Wenren Yu could finally see the large building that was previously hidden by the tall trees. His pupil constricted and he turned to look towards Lin Xiao.


    "Master, we''re in Wang Luo Sect."


    "Eh?"


    Lin Xiao paused on his steps. He could already see the entrance towards a building and also so many people were in front of it. There were also several smaller buildings nearby, but the large circular building at the center was the main attraction of this place.


    Rummaging through his memory, Lin Xiao finally recalled that Wang Luo Sect was located not far from Feng Yi City. If he was not wrong, it was slightly to the west��.


    Oh right, they were using the west route.


    Previously, they didn''t stumble onto this place because they passed by Ri Village. But now, they would be stumbling across this place since they were using different route.


    "You''re too slow! Move on!"


    The shout attracted their attention. Lin Xiao''s pupil dilated when he saw the familiar face standing at the back. A smile crept from the corner of his mouth. "We meet again, Luo Lan."


    "Luo Lan? Where?"


    Lin Xiao chose to step out from the forest and entered the small city. To call it a city would be a bit of exaggeration because it was simply a small areas filled with buildings with Wang Luo Sect at the center.


    "Brother��"


    Both Wenren Yu and Lin Yun sighed. They knew that trouble was brewing again.

 Chapter 137: Fight?

    Stepping out, Lin Xiao was utterly curious. He knew that this was supposed to be a place near the lake since the elders once mentioned that the three sects were located near their village.


    However, this place was quite far from his village, right?


    Maybe because it was quite a distance away that the three representative took so much time in the past? He was not totally sure about that.


    The small city was truly small and there were only very few people aside from those who wanted to take exam in this place. They were all roaming around as if they wanted to make sure that everyone knew that they owned this place.


    It didn''t seem to be that good, though.


    "Luo Lan."


    Hearing his name, Luo Lan turned around in annoyance. His eyes widened when he saw Lin Xiao stood there. More than a year had passed but he could never forget the time when he was staying in that damn village. That was the time when he lost one of his family members due to the unfortunate situation.


    The name Lin Xiao might not be that memorable, but he could still remember this troublemaker. In the past, he had beaten Lin Xiao up so badly because he wanted to vent and just wanted to fight.


    "You''re still alive?" Luo Lan blurted out.


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. "I''m supposed to be dead?"


    It was then Luo Lan realized he had blurted out things that they were not supposed to know. Clicking his tongue, Luo Lan turned around and looked at Lin Xiao. "Aren''t you all taken by those people?"


    "Who?" Lin Xiao asked slowly.


    "Dunno, some expert who are powerful enough to destroy the entire village with just a slap of his hand. I heard that he takes everyone from the village," Luo Lan replied with frown.


    He had already departed from that village by tagging along to Liu Gang, but he did hear some things. The people in the village were all taken away because those who wanted to have the inheritance was unable to get it. They were trying to force the people in the village to spit it out.


    As for how things progressed afterwards, he didn''t know because he didn''t follow the news. However, he knew that things didn''t end well because there was no news. Even his new master felt that things were a bit suspicious.


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. "You mean, everyone is gone?"


    "Yes."


    When?


    The question struck in Lin Xiao''s throat. He still could remember the day when Shopkeeper Wang, no Elder Wang, came to find him. The look on Elder Wang''s face was that of loss. It seemed that before Elder Wang found him, the former had already seen the devastation because of the losses that occurred.


    There was no one else in that mountain but him and the other two.


    Chills crept out from his back. Even though Lin Xiao had told himself repeatedly that this was a natural course of things, he still felt that everything was going very badly. Because of him��no, because of people''s greed, a lot of people died.


    "So, how did you escape?" Luo Lan asked.


    "I was not in the village," Lin Xiao replied simply. "After I make a mess with Su Hei, I left."


    It was a lie, but he was truly not in the village at that time. Though, the direction was not leaving further from the lake but visiting the lake due to his large curiosity that seemed to be overwhelming.


    Luo Lan blanked and looked at Lin Xiao before he spat out. "Idiot."


    "What are you calling me?" Lin Xiao cracked his fist.


    "You''re an idiot. Su Hei is just third rate cultivators at best and you''re afraid of him? What a wimp."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. Who said that he was afraid of Su Hei? If Su Hei appeared before him again, he would be ready to defeat that man. Come to think about it, more than a year had passed since he last saw those people who were picked into the sects.


    Since that was the case, didn''t it mean that they were also growing stronger.


    Somehow, Lin Xiao grew a bit excited at the thought. He wanted to challenge them should they meet with each other. He held the confidence that he could win even if he had to fight against them.


    "Now that you''re here��" Luo Lan trailed his words. However, his body jerked as he punched forward. It has been quite some time since he had the chance to test his power. Since Lin Xiao was here, it would be better for him to use this as test.


    On the back, Lin Yun and Wenren Yu were about to step in, but Lin Xiao waved his hand and showed mark that he could handle it. The two of them didn''t butt in but watched in surprise. Even under surprise attack Lin Xiao was still able to react so calmly?


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao swiftly sidestepped. In his eyes, Luo Lan was extremely slow, too slow to contend with him. Because of that, he didn''t really need to exert much strength to defeat Luo Lan. Even evading the attack was so easy.


    ''Body Training Rank 9?''


    Last year, Luo Lan was already at Body Training Rank 8 if he was not wrong. After a year''s time, Lin Xiao increased by leaps and bounds while Luo Lan was progressing slowly.


    If Luo Lan was unable to increase his rank again, the gap between the two of them would only increase and grew further without any chance to salvage it in the slightest bit.


    "You��" Luo Lan was stunned. He looked at Lin Xiao with disbelief. "How come you''re so fast?"


    "I didn''t spend the past year doing nothing," Lin Xiao replied with a grin.


    The smile on Lin Xiao''s face somehow made Luo Lan uncomfortable, yet he couldn''t put his finger into it.


    It was strange to see someone who used to be far weaker now couldn''t even be touched.

 Chapter 138: Fight? (2)

    The smile on Lin Xiao''s face somehow made Luo Lan uncomfortable, yet he couldn''t put his finger into it.


    It was strange to see someone who used to be far weaker now couldn''t even be touched.


    Luo Lan narrowed his eyes. No. He couldn''t just give up after one attack. That must have been just a bluff. How come a Body Training Rank 6 from that year managed to become more powerful than him? He couldn''t accept this.


    Twisting his body, Luo Lan used his other hand and punched towards Lin Xiao''s direction by using Tiger Punch once more.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao had no interest to fight with Luo Lan. Since he didn''t want to reveal his strength in the slightest bit, he simply sidestepped once more and evaded the punch. It hit nothing but the air while Lin Xiao was looking at Luo Lan with indifferent.


    The gaze on Lin Xiao''s face made Luo Lan recalled the time back then. Lin Xiao himself could faintly remember what had happened. Luo Lan did a sneak attack at him after he had finished fighting against Su Han but failed miserably because Lin Xiao still managed to react.


    What followed afterwards was a rampage of attack until Bai Xin stopped him and then defeated Lin Xiao soundly.


    ��


    "I don''t want to fight."


    "You don''t have a choice."


    At this moment, Luo Lan charged over. He was much faster than Su Han thanks to his skills and capabilities that he had honed over the course of time. His hand punched forward, executing Tiger''s Punch!


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao barely evaded the attack and gritted his teeth. Luo Lan gave him the feeling like those rank 1 beast that he had been fighting, eh wait, running away from inside the forest for the past two months.


    If Su Han was still far weaker compared to those that Lin Xiao could only run away from, Luo Lan was different.


    Bang!


    The next attack hit the wall and another wall was destroyed with Luo Lan''s attack. He grunted when he saw Lin Xiao had evaded once again.


    "Come on! Attack me!"


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "No way, you''re too fast!"


    "Nonsense!"


    Swish!


    Their fight looked like cat and mouse as Lin Xiao kept on evading Luo Lan. He didn''t have any intention of sacrificing his body parts to get hit by Luo Lan. The punch might even shatter his bones just like what happened to those who got hit by his Mountain Punch.


    Swish!


    "Your brother only knows how to run?" a villager said in bewilderment.


    Lin Yun forced a smile to his face. He wanted to refute that, but his brother was currently only running around with no clear direction. Even he had the feeling that Lin Xiao only knew how to run.


    ''The steps are wrong.''


    While the villagers were mocking Lin Xiao, the latter barely paid any attention. He was trying to move faster and faster by evading Luo Lan''s rampage attack. Even though it was possible for him to attack back, he was currently focusing on his legs'' movement.


    He had been running from beast from time to time. Thanks to that, he was very familiar with the best steps to move faster. However, what he was trying to do was to imitate what the third disciple did.


    Yet, it didn''t seem to be going too well.


    As for trying to attack, Lin Xiao was not foolish enough to believe that he stood a chance against Luo Lan. It would be better for him to try adapting to his ridiculous attacks while trying to find a chance to land an attack.


    If possible.


    "Tsk, you''re taking so much time."


    The sudden high pitched voice startled Lin Xiao. His body tensed up because he sensed sudden danger. Almost immediately, he stopped his movement and attempted to evade to the side.


    However, it was too late.


    "Got you."


    Bai Xin had appeared behind him. She grabbed his shoulder then slammed him to the ground with great force. As for Luo Lan, he nearly tripped on the ground after Lin Xiao evaded him.


    Bang!


    "Why are you stopping me?" Luo Lan protested. He was still trying to teach Lin Xiao a lesson for being so high and cocky even though he didn''t have any remarkable capabilities at all.


    Bai Xin snorted. "You''re taking too long. If you wish to bully someone, make sure that you''re more powerful because you''re just going to waste your energy."


    "Uhhh."


    Lin Xiao lied on the stage while staring at the sky. Just now, he could clearly sense that Bai Xin was coming. However, his body''s reaction was not fast enough. Without being able to do anything, he was caught and thrown to the ground.


    ��


    "You can''t defeat me, Luo Lan."


    The sentence seemed to strike deep into Luo Lan''s heart when he saw Lin Xiao''s calm expression. They were no longer the same as they were in the past. Lin Xiao was growing so quickly that it was almost impossible for him to even touch the man''s back anymore.


    But could Luo Lan accept this?


    Veins on Luo Lan''s hand bulged as he turned his body and began the next rampage of attack.


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    "He''s weak," Lin Yun commented while he was still staying in his position. He was thinking of helping his brother, but seeing how Luo Lan couldn''t even touch his brother, he didn''t think it was necessary.


    It was not like he looked down on Luo Lan, but the fact was stating that Luo Lan was clearly not his brother''s match. The fight that was supposed to continue for a long period of time could end so easily if only his brother tried to attack.


    Wenren Yu narrowed his eyes. "It''s not that Luo Lan is weak, but we''re the one who are improving so much."


    "This is already so much? I thought we''re slow?" Lin Yun was stunned.


    ''For normal people, this is fast.'' Wenren Yu smiled slightly. His eyes narrowed afterwards. ''But for those who wished to reach the peak, this might not be comparable to those geniuses.''

 Chapter 139: Fight? (3)

    "Wenren Yu?"


    "For normal people, yes, it''s fast," Wenren Yu replied after a while. He just realized that he answered in his mind when he heard Lin Yun asked him.


    Lin Yun arched his eyebrows. Thinking about how many disciples in the sect couldn''t even reach Body Training Rank 10 even though they have spent a few years, he realized that their progress was indeed fast. Thanks to the cultivation resources that they got from Elder Wang along with their own rigorous training, they didn''t lag that much behind.


    However��


    "But in this case, wouldn''t it mean that everyone who have resources can advance so fast?"


    "Yes and no." Wenren Yu smiled. "Just like if you try to give a diamond to the pig. Even though diamond is a valuable item, in the hands of a pig, what worth could it have to the pig?"


    The comparison only made Lin Yun speechless. He was thinking that Wenren Yu was about to say something genius, yet he was left with something like that. Shaking his head, Lin Yun paid attention back to his brother''s fight.


    However, he understood what Wenren Yu said internally. Those without good talent nor comprehension wouldn''t be able to utilize the resources he was given. Eventually, he might not be able to even cultivate properly and thus wasting the resources he was given.


    How unfortunate.


    Swish! Thud!


    Lin Xiao didn''t have any interest to prolong his fight with Luo Lan. After sidestepping, he tripped Luo Lan''s leg and made the brat fell down. With that flurry of attack, one would find it difficult to get close to Luo Lan, but Lin Xiao did so effortlessly.


    "You��"


    "You''re no longer my match, Luo Lan," Lin Xiao said calmly. For some reason, he felt calm when he fought against the hot headed Luo Lan. In the past, he would surely be agitated and happy.


    But after fighting so many powerful beasts and also meeting several Foundation Establishment Cultivators, he no longer had much interest in these youngsters who were only all talk.


    Luo Lan''s face flushed. He sat down in annoyance. "Damn you, if only I''m a Core Disciple, I''ll surely not lack behind you at all."''


    "You''re not Core Disciple?" Lin Xiao was stunned when he heard Luo Lan''s words. If he was not wrong, Luo Lan was still someone who was quite good, right? How come someone like him didn''t reach the qualification to become Core Disciple?


    Luo Lan looked at Lin Xiao and snorted. "I''m only Inner Disciple. My Master used to be a Core Disciple but now I don''t really have any Master."


    Master?


    Lin Xiao thought hard then he recalled the female representative who came with Luo Lan back then. If he had to be honest, he had already forgotten the detail of what had happened a year ago.


    "Luo Mingyue?" Lin Xiao blurted out.


    Luo Lan was stunned once more. "You know her?"


    "She''s the female representative back then, right?"


    "Yes��" Luo Lan gritted his teeth. The loss of his master was quite devastating for him, but he knew that it was inevitable in this cruel cultivation world. Besides, his sect was known to let the people in the sect learnt how to control their feelings well and never ever let them have problems with feelings.


    Feelings were unnecessary.


    What Luo Lan hated the most was simply the fact that his resources to cultivate was reduced so greatly. It hindered his cultivation and made him unable to advance faster like he used to be.


    His progress began to slow down and his peers caught up to him.


    "Are you planning to join Sun Dragon Academy?" Luo Lan asked abruptly.


    Sun Dragon Academy?


    Lin Xiao was stunned. If he was not wrong, it was the name of the top academy in the entire Sun Kingdom. Everyone wanted to go there. Heck, if only it was possible, even the elders were begging to be able to enter the academy.


    However, Sun Dragon Academy only accepted the genius of geniuses. No matter how talented one was, if they couldn''t get accepted into Sun Dragon Academy, they would be mocked. After all, Sun Dragon Academy was like the gate that separate those who were only slightly genius and those who were true genius.


    But even then, there were still many geniuses who died within the academy. After all, genius could only become true geniuses when they managed to prevail and entered higher stage.


    Before that, they were nothing more than seedlings.


    "You''re going to join the academy?" Lin Xiao asked, his voice strange.


    If Luo Lan can get accepted, someone like me should be able to, right?


    "That''s my plan." Luo Lan snorted. "Just see. After I got accepted into Sun Dragon Academy, I''ll trash you so badly that you don''t even have the guts to show your face in front of me ever again."


    "You? Do you really think that you can do something like that?"


    "Stop mocking me!"


    "Bah!"


    "You!"


    "Weak!"


    "You''re the weak one!"


    However, Luo Lan was truly not a match against Lin Xiao. The fight just now had already proven that, so Luo Lan no longer tried to attack Lin Xiao aside from the vocal battle they had.


    On the bush, Lin Yun and Wenren Yu''s expression had turned strange. They clearly recognized Luo Lan but to think that Luo Lan would be reduced to be nothing more than someone who could talk without attacking��


    It seemed inconvincible.


    "At least, Master still hold back and give face to Luo Lan," Wenren Yu finally said.


    Lin Yun nodded absentmindedly. If he was not wrong, the message he always told his brother whenever the latter was about to fight was to give the opponent''s face. To think that it would happen so soon, he was quite stunned.


    "But he wouldn''t grow this way."


    "Yes?"


    "We should find Foundation Establishment Cultivator to go against Lin Xi�� I mean Master if we want him to grow even stronger."


    Lin Yun: "��"

 Chapter 140: Long Yin Forest’s Information

    "I don''t think there''s any need."


    "Ah?"


    Lin Yun pointed at his brother, who was still in the middle of battle with Luo Lan. "He can search for them by himself. And trust me, you won''t be disappointed by the trouble he brought."


    Wenren Yu looked at Lin Xiao''s direction for a moment then nodded. That was true. With how Lin Xiao behaved himself most of the time, they didn''t have to worry about lack of opponents.


    Lin Xiao had too many enemies to count.


    If only Lin Xiao knew what his brother and friend was thinking, he might want to cry. He was not that much of a troublemaker, ah!


    In the end, Luo Lan couldn''t even withstand the vocal battle with Lin Xiao and voluntary stepped back. However, his dark face betrayed his real emotion. It was clear that he was feeling thoroughly annoyed at this period of time to the point that he didn''t wish to see anyone near him.


    "Oh right."


    "What''s it again?" Luo Lan''s face was already dark because Lin Xiao kept on insulting him yet what Lin Xiao said was also a fact. Thanks to those, he knew that he couldn''t refute this annoying man.


    "Do you know where Long Yin Forest is?" Lin Xiao asked. If he was not wrong, Wang Jun, Elder Wang, wanted him to meet with him in Long Yin Forest, but he still had not figured out where this forest was. In fact, there was no indication of Long Yin Forest in Feng Yi City.


    At this time, Luo Lan looked at Lin Xiao as if he was looking at an idiot.


    "What?"


    "Long Yin Forest is the location for the examination test next year, idiot. Sun Dragon Academy is only open every two years and the only qualification they asked from us is to be under 20 years old. The location of the test is in Long Yin Forest."


    This time, Lin Xiao''s mind blanked. It meant that the place where he was supposed to meet with Elder Wang again was actually the examination ground for geniuses? Did it mean Elder Wang wanted him to join the academy?


    Really?


    At this time, a thought suddenly emerged within Lin Xiao''s mind. He always knew that Sun Dragon Academy was known to be an academy of geniuses, but since he was living very far away from that place and had limited knowledge, he felt that he had missed something.


    And that something is��.


    "Is Sun Dragon Academy had something to do with the succession?"


    Trip! Thud!


    Luo Lan failed to react in time and tripped on an ordinary stone. His face flushed red as he stood up again and glared at Lin Xiao. He couldn''t believe that this idiot would blurt it out so openly.


    "If you dare to say it again, you''ll die."


    "Eh?"


    "It''s an open secret that Sun Dragon Academy is also the places for the successors to battle and show their right to the throne. After all, only those who had passed the academy would be able to inherit the throne successfully."


    At this time, Lin Xiao''s back was cold once more. Damn that Elder Wang, he dared to conceal such important thing!


    Elder Wang, who was currently busy catching up with his work, sneezed. He looked at the sky and furrowed his brows. Did some pretty lady think about him? He knew that he was charming, but it shouldn''t be working that fast, right?


    Internally, Elder Wang was determined to visit some of the female teachers and tried to speak with them again. Maybe this time he would be able to see the result that he had been waiting for.


    "It''s a rule?"


    "Not really a rule, but only the geniuses among geniuses or dragon amongst dragon can be fit for that position, isn''t it?" Luo Lan asked back again. His tone was clearly impatient and annoyed. After all, Lin Xiao was truly a country bumpkin and seemed to fail in every knowledge test that was required.


    How come this person didn''t even know something so important?


    "Oh. I see. Thank you."


    "You!" Luo Lan felt his blood boiled when he saw Lin Xiao''s departing back. However, he simply stomped his legs on the ground and turned around. Hmph, just see, he would surely make a comeback and show the world who the genius was!


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao was currently thinking about that particular place that Elder Wang wanted him to go. He didn''t know how he should go to Long Yin Forest, but he knew that there must be a method in Feng Yi City.


    He wanted to ask more from Luo Lan, but that man was already hopping mad like a monkey.


    It would be better for him to ask Sui Wenyan later.


    "Let''s go back." Lin Xiao noticed that Lin Yun and Wenren Yu were still waiting for him. Their gazes seemed to contain some helplessness. He rubbed his nose, feeling a bit awkward to have these two waiting for him like that.


    "Come on."


    "It shouldn''t take that long to reach Feng Yi City."


    "Are you listening to my conversation with Luo Lan?" Lin Xiao asked. He didn''t really want to repeat everything that Luo Lan told him.


    The other two nodded. Aside from the time when Lin Xiao was taunting Luo Lan, they were listening closely to the questions Lin Xiao asked from Luo Lan. It seemed that they had gained clearer picture of what Elder Wang wanted Lin Xiao to do.


    However��.


    "I didn''t know that you''re this good at gathering information, Brother."


    "��What do you see your brother as?"


    Lin Yun blinked his eyes innocently. He was trying hard to act like an innocent brat who didn''t know anything. However, his large figure as a nearly adult man made it hard for him to look innocent.


    "Creating trouble, Brother."


    "You little twerp. I''m not someone who only know how to create trouble!"


    "Ah, help me! YU!"


    Wenren Yu simply waved his hand and mouthed out, ''Good luck.''

 Chapter 141: Back in Feng Yi City

    Swish!


    Travelling through the forest, Lin Xiao didn''t encounter anything difficult anymore. The other two sects were located on the opposite side, so there was no chance for him to see those people from the other two sects.


    Besides, he had no interest to meet with those annoying people again.


    After two days, they see the city''s gate and entered the city successfully. Thanks to the plate they had, they managed to enter the city without any problem.


    "Shall we hand in the mission?" Lin Xiao said.


    Lin Yun nodded. "Hopefully we won''t attract that much attention with the mission we submit in."


    They were currently only Body Training Rank 6 and 8 from their plates. It meant that they wouldn''t be able to fight these people on normal condition. The mission shouldn''t have been able to be finished.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "We can just attribute it to luck. After all, this is our first time~."


    The other two: "��"


    They have the feeling that Lin Xiao had the intention to repeat this sequence in the future. At that time, they might attract more attention because of the result that they received here.


    Sigh


    How troublesome.


    Entering the Mercenary Association, Lin Xiao headed straight to the counter. There were different counters for those who wanted to submit mission and those who wanted to accept missions. Thanks to that, the line was not that long.


    Before long, the three of them reached the front.


    "We want to submit these two missions." Lin Xiao handed the token then took out the head of Bo Wu along with a batch of Cotton Flower Grass to the counter.


    The woman at the counter was stunned. She looked at the three of them then to the token then looked at the three of them once more. If she was not wrong, these were missions that needed a lot of power and time, right? Based on the requirement, she could see that these three shouldn''t have passed the requirement.


    "Did you really��finish this?" the woman asked in doubtful tone.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Yes. Can you finish the registering?"


    The woman was still doubtful, but since there was no way to prove otherwise, she chose to continue with what she was doing. Submitting the missions, the two of them gained the reward along with some points in the association that they could use to trade things in Mercenary Association.


    But looking at the number��


    "There are not many things we can buy at this period of time." Lin Xiao was disappointed. They only got a handful of points while the items at the association was priced at astronomical price. If they wanted to buy it, they might need to finish countless missions first before finally able to collect enough.


    Lin Yun nodded. "We need to finish like 10 missions like this?"


    "Shouldn''t be a problem." Calculating the time, Lin Xiao noticed that they still have like two to three months before it was New Year. They spent around a week to finish two missions so if they picked several missions at one go again, they might be able to finish earlier.


    "Do you want to take new missions?" the woman asked after she handed the reward. Her brain was in chaos because of these three''s conversation. Didn''t they realize that their weak cultivation stage only made them suitable to become cannon fodder?


    They were simply overestimating themselves!


    "Not now. Let''s go."


    Taking the reward, Lin Xiao felt quite happy. He looked at Wenren Yu and Lin Yun. "I''m taking the Spirit Stones; you''ll get the gold."


    The other two nodded. They knew that Lin Xiao required the spirit stones more than them, so they allowed him to take it. As for them, they could use the gold to buy some herbs so that they could make medicine and others that were useful for them.


    "Where do you want to go now?"


    "Ah, maybe visiting Sui Wenyan?" Lin Xiao said while tilting his head. "Eh, wait, when will the auction start?"


    He wanted to visit the auction too. Since he was also someone who put his items into the auction, it meant that he also had ticket to attend the auction. As for his seat�� that would depend on the auction house.


    "Tonight."


    "��We come back right in time."


    Wenren Yu only laughed. They came back in the morning since they spent the night outside. There were still a few hours before the auction start, but he could already hear many people talking about it.


    The two auction house was trying hard to promote their items. While the one that Lin Xiao gave was not the most expensive, it was still a good item nevertheless.


    "Excuse me, do you know where the Street Performance Group is?"


    "They''re in Du Family House."


    "Eh, again?"


    "Du Family wants to try their luck to get enlightenment, so they keep on having Street Performance Group perform in their place," the man explained.


    Lin Xiao had an awkward expression on his face. If he was not wrong, the one who gained enlightenment was him. But his enlightenment totally had nothing to do with those people who played music. After all, he gained the enlightenment because of his conversation with Wenren Yu.


    Behind him, Wenren Yu''s expression was not any better. If only it was possible, he would like to help his senior sister out of this awkward situation.


    But�� he couldn''t reveal the truth regarding Lin Xiao.


    Because of that, the two of them could only silently lit a candle for Sui Wenyan while hoping that she would not have any problem. Well, she was only playing music, what kind of problem could occur?


    Bang!


    Just as they were thinking about that, the sound of explosion came from one direction. The three of them looked in that place and saw a man sprawled on the road like a fish that was unable to return back to the water.


    "What happened?"

 Chapter 142: Sui Wenyan’s Anger

    Bang!


    The sound of walls destroyed filled the place. Lin Xiao was still looking with bewilderment while Wenren Yu also turned his head around. They could see a young woman stood not far from the young master. Her hand was holding onto a zither while her expression was icy cold.


    "That''s�� Sui Wenyan?"


    "Y..yes."


    Wenren Yu had weird expression on his face. Sui Wenyan was known to be a cheerful lady and they had already seen how expressive she could be not long ago. Comparing that kind of lady to the one they saw before them seemed to be very different.


    If the Sui Wenyan they met before was a sunny girl, the girl in front of them gave of icy and cold feeling as if the world owed her a thousand gold.


    At the same time, he could sense that she was truly thoroughly enraged because of the young man before her.


    "Repeat what you said to me." Sui Wenyan''s icy cold voice could be heard even from a distance away.


    "Y..you b*tch! You should have never been able to stay��"


    Bang!


    There was no need for Sui Wenyan to move. Her fingers only plucked a string in her zither, yet the man was already flung so far away. If one didn''t know better, they would have thought that there was a great expert who was helping the young girl.


    However, Lin Xiao and the others clearly felt the suppressing power coming from the soundwave just now. It was very powerful and totally unlike the melodious song they heard not long ago. The power seemed to be enough to shatter through their defense and then throw them far away.


    "Foundation Establishment��."


    Not only Lin Xiao, even Wenren Yu was stunned when he realized the extend of power from the young girl before him. Sui Wenyan was 20 years old this year, which meant that she was still very young.


    Yet, the age didn''t seem to become any restriction for her to bypass the barrier that many Body Training Cultivators couldn''t pass. She had successfully reached Foundation Establishment at tender age and earned power higher than her peers.


    "Wenren Yu."


    "Yes."


    "I need to know the differentiation in Foundation Establishment Cultivators."


    Wenren Yu showed a helpless smile. "Aside from Early Foundation Establishment Stage, everyone always called it as Foundation Establishment without any other addition to the name. As far as I know, in this stage, you''ll have to learn how to control your Qi and also learn the element that most suited yourself along with the most suitable battle technique.


    Only those who can have enough Qi and also have already found their path would be able to successfully form their core and reached Golden Core Stage."


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. He thought that there would be other differentiation for the stage, but it seemed that there was none. Well, Sui Wenyan didn''t look like someone who was at Early Foundation Establishment Stage. Rather, she looked like someone at Foundation Establishment Stage.


    *cough* *cough*


    The man was coughing blood and looked at Sui Wenyan with trepidation. It was rare enough for a young cultivator to reach high stage, so he wanted to tease this woman. Who would have thought�� she would be the minority, a powerful cultivator at Foundation Establishment Stage?


    His eyes landed on Sui Wenyan''s wrist. Normally, she would hide it away, but now that he could see it, it was clearly the mark of someone at Foundation Establishment Stage. The man felt the world before him turned blank before he fainted on the ground.


    "Hmph!" Sui Wenyan snorted and turned her body around. Looking at the destroyed building, she pointed to the fainted man. "He''ll pay."


    "Yes, Miss!"


    The owner of the building nodded vehemently. There was no way he would have the courage to ask the young woman to pay for the damage. After all, no one wanted to offend young powerful cultivator.


    If possible, they always wanted to be in the good book of those people.


    When Sui Wenyan turned around, she noticed the small group at the side. Her eyebrows arched as she walked in Wenren Yu''s direction. Her cold expression had already disappeared, yet the people in the surroundings still gave her the way.


    "Where have you been, Wenren Yu?"


    "We''re going on missiom��" Wenren Yu''s voice trailed off until it was so hard to hear. He even misspelled the word when he was talking. Clearly, he didn''t dare to run off his mouth when he was facing Sui Wenyan.


    Lin Xiao was even more speechless. He knew that Wenren Yu was a timid person, but in front of Sui Wenyan, his timid personality was increased by 10 fold. Internally, he was also wondering whether it would be a good decision for him to let Wenren Yu helped him if the man was so timid like this.


    "Mission?" Sui Wenyan frowned. Afterwards, her eyes locked onto Lin Xiao. "Let''s go."


    "Eh?"


    Lin Xiao looked at Lin Yun and Wenren Yu. The two of them gave him helpless smile, so Lin Xiao had no other choice but to follow Sui Wenyan. Internally, he was hoping that there wouldn''t be any problem.


    Sui Wenyan walked to an empty alley then looked at Lin Xiao. "You''re having fun, huh?"


    "Having fun?"


    She stepped forward and then hit Lin Xiao''s head before the young man could react. Since she didn''t have any malicious intent, Lin Xiao failed to react in time.


    Thwack!


    "What in the world are you thinking to have enlightenment at that time, huh? Can''t you select other time so that you''re not bringing me into trouble?"


    "It''s an accident!"


    "An accident? Do you think that it''s easy for me to maintain the perfect smile for those perverts'' young masters who only think with their lower half? It''s so annoying. I wish I can just slap their faces with my hand and make sure that they will never be able to stand up again��."


    On the side, Wenren Yu and Lin Yun stayed mum as they watched Sui Wenyan beat Lin Xiao. At the very least, they knew that Lin Xiao would not die.

 Chapter 143: Other Survivors

    Thud!


    "That''s better." Sui Wenyan looked at her masterpiece and nodded in satisfaction.


    Lin Xiao felt like crying but no tears came out. He was currently looked like a pig because of so many bruises on his face. Sui Wenyan truly didn''t hold back in the slightest bit, wait, she did hold back, but she made sure that his face was completely bruised.


    By now, he felt that he had lost his handsomeness.


    "Brother, are you alright?"


    "I need medicine. My handsome face is ruined," Lin Xiao said in aggrieved tone.


    Sui Wenyan clicked her tongue. "You''re not searching for work depending on your face. What''s the use of you having handsome face?"


    "I need to search for girls!"


    "What do you need girls for, ah? You pervert!"


    Bang!


    With that, Lin Xiao got an additional bruise to his face. He could only look towards Sui Wenyan with bitter look, yet there was nothing that he could do more. The young woman would gladly beat him up if he even dared to speak another word to this violent girl.


    He looked at Wenren Yu with annoyance. How come this timid boy ever got a crush on such violent girl? He was sure that Wenren Yu would become a henpecked husband should the two of them ever got together!


    "You come back at very precise time. There''ll be an auction tonight," Sui Wenyan commented.


    Lin Xiao''s ear perked up when he heard that. He grinned. "The reason why we come here is precisely because of the auction."


    "Oh?"


    "We want to visit the auction."


    Sui Wenyan nodded. "Is there any items that interest you? The price for each item is quite expensive."


    "We just want to take a look and probably figure out a method to buy Spirit Stone," Lin Xiao replied.


    "Spirit stone? Which one?"


    "Which one?"


    Seeing Lin Xiao''s perplexed look, Sui Wenyan realized that this brat didn''t know the differentiation between each stone. She shook her head. "Spirit stone is categorized as Low Grade Spirit Stone, Middle Grade Spirit Stone, and High Grade Spirit Stone."


    "The one at the price of 10 Liang of gold?"


    "It''s Low Grade Spirit Stone."


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows and looked Sui Wenyan with uncertainty. "How about the price of Middle Grade Spirit Stone?"


    "10,000 Liang of Gold. In other words, 10 million of golds," Sui Wenyan replied calmly.


    Counting the zero internally, Lin Xiao felt like screaming. Cultivation was truly a money burning occupation, ah. How in the world should he work to be able to earn that much? Even the price to kill that Bo Wu was only 5 Liang of Gold. It would only be enough to buy a half of Spirit Stone.


    Not that there was anyone who would sell half of Spirit Stone.


    By now, he had no intention to ask for the price of High Grade Spirit Stone anymore. It was useless for him to think so much about it.


    Sui Wenyan looked at Wenren Yu doubtfully. "I thought you already know about this."


    Wenren Yu''s face turned red as he lowered his neck. His action looked as if he wished to bury himself deeper to the ground and disappeared. He felt thoroughly embarrassed because he honestly didn''t know about it. He had never used Spirit Stone prior to meeting with Lin Xiao, so he had only heard about some of them.


    "Forget it. Do you want to come with me to the auction?"


    "You also have ticket?" Lin Xiao was surprised.


    Sui Wenyan nodded. She looked at Wenren Yu and grinned. "Our senior is in Yue Yi Auction House, you know."


    "What?"


    Wenren Yu was stunned. He had visited Yue Yi Auction House not long ago, but he didn''t know that there was actually someone from Taiyi Sect who managed to enter the sect. He looked at Sui Wenyan in bewilderment.


    "Did you just arrive in Feng Yi City?"


    "Well, we come here not long ago."


    "Figures." Sui Wenyan waved her hand to fan her face. "Our senior is already past 20 years old but she''s at Foundation Establishment Stage. Since she didn''t have that much talent in cultivation, she just tried to sneak into the auction house to work and also to gain information."


    The word information instantly triggered Lin Xiao''s attention. He was curious what kind of information they have gathered so far.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Sui Wenyan was speechless. "Don''t worry, she didn''t really leak any important information that can put her life in danger. What she shares with me is just the details regarding the other successors."


    Wenren Yu''s eyes narrowed. He thought about Prince Lin Kai whom they met not long ago and felt a bit annoyed. "Including that prince before?"


    "You mean Prince Lin Kai? Yeah, he''s included, but his position in the list is not that high." Sui Wenyan snickered. "In fact, among the four princes, he''s placed at the bottom because his IQ is low."


    IQ low?


    Lin Yun and Wenren Yu subconsciously looked towards Lin Xiao, effectively causing the latter''s face to turn dark. They turned their face back to Sui Wenyan, but their little action didn''t escape her eyes.


    "Pfft! To think that there''s someone else with low IQ here!"


    "Sui Wenyan!"


    Swish! Slash!


    Sui Wenyan was startled to see Lin Xiao''s action. Looking at the sword he held, her eyes narrowed slightly. "You''re not bad, but if you want to fight against Foundation Establishment Cultivators, you have to be more daring."


    "More daring?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    "Yep. If you''re facing other cultivators, they won''t be giving you enough time to prepare yourself." Sui Wenyan pointed at Lin Xiao''s sword. "Your handling is still rough and you need time to take out your sword. Learn to summon your sword at any time and in any place near you so that you can take advantage of your opponent''s weakness."


    Lin Xiao looked at the sword then towards Sui Wenyan. "That''s not possible."

 Chapter 144: The Arrangement

    Lin Xiao looked at the sword then towards Sui Wenyan. "That''s not possible."


    Thwack!


    "What do you mean not possible, ah? You haven''t even tried it before." Sui Wenyan clicked her tongue. "The biggest advantage Foundation Establishment over Body Training is the fact that we have more control and use Qi while you only use Qi inside your body to temper yourself. Some skills did require Qi to use, but it''s all only inside your body, so you''re not going to last when you face Foundation Establishment Cultivators."


    "They won''t be able to hurt me that much," Lin Xiao protested.


    "Really?" Sui Wenyan narrowed her eyes. "Shall we have a go and see how good you are?"


    "Sure."


    "Then I won''t be polite."


    Swish!


    The moment the pressure came, Lin Xiao punched forward. Even though he was holding the sword, his movement didn''t halt in the slightest bit. He was quick and able to move towards Sui Wenyan even though the young woman was already busy attacking once more.


    ''Mountain Sword!''


    They were not idiots who would shout out the name of the skills they used. Most of the time, they would only say it inside their mind while their body acted out the skill. After all, leaking out the information of one''s skill to the opponent was idiotic.


    Lin Xiao might be an idiot but he still knew how to protect himself in this kind of case.


    Swish!


    The attack effectively countered the soundwave from Sui Wenyan. The young woman looked at Lin Xiao''s action and the corner of her lips curled up. When was the last time she ever saw that skill?


    For a split second, she recalled the day when she was still training in Taiyi Sect. Everyone was happy and even though there were occasional fight, it was all for training. There was no one there who would try to provoke other people or push their fight into live and death arena unless it was necessary.


    Harmonious and unity.


    That was the main point that Taiyi Sect disciples were taught with. They all also knew that they have to become more powerful because that was the only way they would be able to protect their sect.


    Tep!


    Sui Wenyan swiftly evaded to the side. Her movement skill was different from Lin Xiao, it looked like drifting cloud and before one knew it, she had already moved place.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed as he also used Moon Evasion and then reappeared behind Sui Wenyan. He didn''t know much about her, but he knew that he had to close the distance and punched forward.


    Bang!


    The punch was connected.


    Sui Wenyan was pushed to the back, yet there was no wound on her body at all. There was only a faint shield around her body as her fingers played the note in her zither. Rather than fighting, she looked like she was only walking around while playing music as beautiful music drifted on the air.


    It was enchanting.


    The song sounded as if it was pulling them into dreamland.


    Hard to resist.


    "Ha!"


    Screaming loudly, Lin Xiao charged once more. His movement was normal charge as he swung his sword once more. Internally, he was screaming to himself.


    ''Mountain Sword, Second Stance.''


    Swish!


    The stab of his sword stopped a few millimeters away from Sui Wenyan''s neck. The woman was still as calm as ever with a faint smile on the corner of her lips. Before Lin Xiao managed to pull his sword back, her finger played another note.


    Swish! Bang! Thud!


    Lin Xiao was pushed to the back and hit the wall. His body slumped on the ground as he looked at Sui Wenyan. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he realized that there was faint internal wound inside him.


    "You''re not my match yet, Master."


    Master?


    Wenren Yu and Lin Yun were stunned when they heard what Sui Wenyan said. Even though Wenren Yu had told Sui Wenyan about Lin Xiao, he never thought of asking her to follow Lin Xiao too. After all, many Taiyi Sect disciples might feel bitter because the inheritance was the cause of their loss.


    Lin Xiao wiped the blood on his mouth and nodded at Sui Wenyan. While it looked like he was at the attacking side and kept on advancing, Sui Wenyan was never at disadvantage during their short exchange.


    She knew his moves like the back of her head and there was even faint mocking on the corner of her lips.


    Yet, all he knew was these movements.


    "Your movement skill surprise me a bit, but it''s not enough for you to beat me," Sui Wenyan analyzed. "You need to already prepare the skill for the attack so that there''s no delay. Your movement skill is instant move, which is a very deadly skill but I think it''s also very consuming."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He had used up quite a lot of Qi just for one use of Moon Evasion. While it was effective because it was so quick, he could never use so many times before he ran out of Qi.


    "This kind of skill is the most suitable for assassination and also to escape during dire moment. However, you might need other movement skill��.forget it, you need to focus on your cultivation too."


    Learning skill also took a considerable amount of time. Sui Wenyan herself spent a long time just to learn the skill for her zither, so she knew that asking Lin Xiao to learn so many skills would only be counterproductive. There would be so many geniuses whom he needed to face in the future.


    Looking at Lin Xiao, Sui Wenyan sighed. To think that this little brat would be the one that lead the entire kingdom.


    The biggest question was:


    Could he do it?


    "What is it? is there something on my face?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion.


    Sui Wenyan shook her head. She turned to look at Wenren Yu. "From now on, I''ll be following you."

 Chapter 145: The Auction

    "What?"


    While Lin Yun was utterly speechless, Wenren Yu was smiling. He didn''t know what made Sui Wenyan changed her mind, but it was good for him. With someone like Sui Wenyan to help protecting Lin Xiao, the brat should be saver.


    Most importantly, Lin Xiao would be able to have decent training partner now.


    "So suddenly?" Lin Xiao was also surprised.


    Sui Wenyan looked at Lin Xiao and sighed. "To be honest, your movements and skills reminded me to my sect back then and how I used to spar with my senior brother and sisters and also junior brother and sisters."


    The mention of the sect pained Lin Xiao''s heart. While he knew that the cause was human''s greed, the one that triggered it was the Emperor Inheritance. The damned inheritance that he got coincidentally.


    Wait, not coincidental.


    Maybe fated?


    Whatever, Lin Xiao already felt bad whenever he talked about that annoying inheritance that he got from the lake.


    Inside his consciousness, Lin Hu opened his eyes and looked at Lin Xiao. There was faint coldness within his eyes but he didn''t try to talk with Lin Xiao. After all, not everyone wanted to be thrown into the whirlpool of power without having the necessary power to protect themselves.


    "Then��"


    "I''m just thinking. If you become the Emperor, can you let me build Taiyi Sect back?" Sui Wenyan asked straightforwardly. She was always very blunt and this time, it was not an exception.


    Hearing that question, Lin Xiao looked at Sui Wenyan in disbelief. After thinking for a while, he nodded. "If that''s what you wish, I''ll grant it."


    "Good."


    Sui Wenyan smiled happily. The bright smile on her face was just like the sun that appear after rainy days. It was so beautiful and enchanting, attracting whoever saw the smile. No one would be able to resist the temptation of a beauty.


    Wenren Yu looked at Sui Wenyan and smiled lightly. It seemed that they have the same thinking. Both of them loved Taiyi Sect deeply because for them, it was their home. The two of them no longer have any parents when they reached Taiyi Sect and because of that, everyone inside the Taiyi Sect was just like family to them.


    Because of that, when their family members were murdered so cruelly, all they could think was why and what they wanted was to build back the family to the way it was before.


    "Other princes won''t agree to it?" Lin Xiao asked in low tone.


    Sui Wenyan shook her head. "I already talked with Prince Lin Kai. That bastard didn''t even think twice before saying that Taiyi Sect is better off disappear. I wish I can make him swam in the river filled with dirt."


    The agitation within Sui Wenyan''s face was clear. Some of the princes didn''t like Taiyi Sect because that sect''s special position in Sun Kingdom. The fact that the location of the Emperor Inheritance was only known to the people in Taiyi Sect was already more than enough to make the princes annoyed.


    After all, Taiyi Sect would never divulge the information.


    What they did was only to wait and patiently watched from the sidelines for the chosen one to appear. Only then would they pledge their allegiance and make sure that they would be able to stand firm in this kingdom.


    Unfortunately, this time they failed miserably.


    Despite the fact that their leader was already at Golden Core Stage, it was also a fact that their enemies outnumbered them and overwhelmed them with power.


    "I''ll help you when there''s a chance," Wenren Yu added. He was also angry that someone wished for the downfall of Taiyi Sect.


    Sui Wenyan smiled. "Now, let''s go to the auction house. There are some things that I want to talk about."


    "Yes?"


    "Long Yin Forest."


    Lin Xiao''s expression turned serious. He took out a medicine from his Spatial Ring to make himself look more presentable. If he still looked like a pig when he entered the auction house, he would lose a lot of face.


    Sui Wenyan studied their expression and nodded when she realized that they understood the significance of the place. "Our seniors won''t be able to participate because they''re already above 20 years old. I''m already at my last year too when it''s New Year, so it''s my last chance."


    "But you''re already Foundation Establishment. Didn''t it mean that you will be able to get the place?" Lin Xiao asked in bewilderment.


    "It''s not that simple. What they will observe is not only your current rank but also your age. The younger you are, the more valuable you will be," Sui Wenyan replied. It was then she recalled something. She turned her head to look at Lin Xiao. "Speaking of which, how old are you? I only know that you must be under 20."


    "I''m 17. That man is 18 or 19?"


    "I''m 19," Wenren Yu replied. He looked at Sui Wenyan, thinking that not long after the New Year examination, it would be Sui Wenyan''s 21st birthday. It meant that this was truly the last examination she could ever take.


    "17 years old, Body Training Rank 10." Sui Wenyan nodded. After their exchange, she came to realize that the plate they had was wrong. This group purposely hid their real rank and only showed the lower one.


    "It''s not that bad but not that good either."


    "What''s Prince Lin Kai''s rank?" Lin Xiao never managed to get close enough to Prince Lin Kai to figure out the man''s real rank. All he knew was that the man must be quite powerful to be able to be one of the leading figure.


    Sui Wenyan pursed her lips. "18 years old, Foundation Establishment. Don''t get me wrong, he had already advanced to Foundation Establishment more than a year ago. At that time, he had just turned 17."


    Lin Xiao: "��" and you''re saying that he''s the last in the list?


    Lin Yun: "��"


    Wenren Yu: "��"

 Chapter 146: The Auction (2)

    Sui Wenyan saw their expression but unable to say anything. She could only smile bitterly and pointed at the auction house before them.


    "Let''s get in."


    Lin Xiao showed the ticket that Zhongsun Shan had given him not long ago then entered the auction house along with the other two. When they departed back then, Zhongsun Shan didn''t forget to give them tickets to attend the auction.


    It would be a joke if they were refused at the entrance because they didn''t have tickets.


    "Is it VIP or normal?"


    "Normal." Lin Xiao himself was glad when he saw that the ticket was normal ones. He didn''t'' want to attract attention and with his current rank, he knew better than to create a mess in the middle of nowhere.


    Sui Wenyan nodded. "Let''s pick a seat."


    "Ok."


    The Auction house was large with a lot of seats. It looked like a lecture hall with the center being the stage for the MC to start the auction and pull people to hike the price. There were already a lot of people inside and from their clothing, it was clear that they were all rich people.


    Comparing their clothes to Lin Xiao and the others would be an utter embarrassment.


    "Should we change clothes first?" Lin Yun asked, his face a bit red.


    "Well, just leave it be." Lin Xiao knew that clothes that was made of good fabric would be very expensive. Rather than wasting the gold they earned with difficulties in that matter, it would be better for him to use it for cultivation.


    It was not like they were trying hard to impress someone, right?


    "Alright."


    They took a seat, ignoring the obvious scorn and mocking gazes from the people nearby. Only towards Sui Wenyan did they droll and some men were even trying to get close. However, they didn''t dare to create trouble because in this auction house there were a lot of powerful guards.


    If they don''t want to get kicked out, they should stay away from troubles.


    Sui Wenyan only clicked her tongue when she saw their reaction. Obviously, she hated men who would stare at woman''s body without reservation like that. But their real intention of coming here was for the auction, so she wouldn''t let those people made things difficult for her.


    "Do you want to buy anything, Wenyan?"


    They were given paper list of the items in the auction. Sui Wenyan was currently browsing while calculating the money she had. "I''m thinking of buying something that can enhance my capabilities."


    "Such as?"


    "Skill book, pills, but these are all too expensive." Sui Wenyan could only grit her teeth when she saw the rare pills in the list. The effect was astoundingly good even for a Foundation Establishment like her. However, the price would make her heart bleed. Not to mention, in an auction, the price could be inflated a few more times.


    "Which one?"


    "Yin Qi Pill," Sui Wenyan admitted.


    Lin Xiao glanced at the list and sucked a deep breath. The base price was 10,000 gold for that Yin Qi Pill or one Low Grade Spirit stone. Recalling his wealth, Lin Xiao felt that it was a mistake for him to come here.


    Wenren Yu arched his eyebrows when he heard what Sui Wenyan wanted. "Help me advance to Foundation Establishment then I might be able to help you."


    "You?" Sui Wenyan was stunned. It was then she recalled that Wenren Yu was an alchemist and naturally knew how to make medicine. Her eyes shone at that thought. There were several pills that has cultivation restriction to make them because of the plenty use of Qi. Yin Qi Pill was included. Based on the record, the lowest cultivation stage one could attempt to make this pill would be Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Many usually failed, though. Because of that, this pill was usually made by Alchemist at Golden Core Stage.


    Wenren Yu nodded. He might not be able to make the pill in one go, but he knew the recipe. His master was one of the few great alchemist in the entire Sun Kingdom, so he had learned a lot. Unfortunately, his low rank prevented him from even trying to make the pills and medicine.


    Many would be doomed to fail because he was still only at Body Training Stage.


    "Alright. I''ll count on you. One of the materials is Night Yin Flower. The base price is also 10,000 gold tsk."


    Lin Xiao nearly dropped from his chair when he heard what Sui Wenyan said. Wait, this flower''s base price was the same as Low Grade Spirit Stone? Thinking about the manager that he met yesterday, he was tempted to ask for them to pay him with Low Grade Spirit Stones instead of gold.


    He needed Spirit Stones more.


    "Don''t worry, you don''t need to bid," Wenren Yu assured Sui Wenyan.


    Looking at their expression, Sui Wenyan felt a bit odd. It was as if these three were not worried about the materials at all. Her eyes landed on Wenren Yu''s Spatial Ring before she shut her mouth.


    She might not be the smartest person in the entire kingdom, but she could guess that they might have already gathered more than enough herbs from their journey. She didn''t know where they were staying before they met in Feng Yi City either, so there was no use even if she tried to think so much.


    "Then, what should we buy?" Sui Wenyan asked.


    Lin Yun was the only one who was scrutinizing the list from the very beginning. Lin Xiao only paid attention to the skill books and medicine like Sui Wenyan. Unfortunately, the high price prevented him from buying them even if he wanted to.


    Well, once Night Yin Flower was sold, it might be a different case, though.


    "Brother, I want Dragonfly Grass," Lin Yun remarked from the side.


    "Hmm?" Lin Xiao glanced at the list and noticed that the base price for the grass was only 100 gold. Even if it was hiked thanks to the auction, it shouldn''t be that much.


    "Alright."

 Chapter 147: The Auction (3)

    Sui Wenyan furrowed her brows. "It''s not that rare. Besides, the opening items are only for the lower ranked people who couldn''t spend much. Do you really need this grass?"


    "Yes."


    Lin Yun had been studying under Wenren Yu and understood that the composition of this Dragonfly Grass was leaning towards Yang side. It meant that this grass would be beneficial to him since he required a lot of Yang type medicine.


    "In that case, we''ll bid it."


    Since they needed it, why should they hesitate? Even if the price was quite low and it was not that rare, there were only some stores that sell Dragonfly Grass. They should just buy it here.


    "Anything else?"


    "How about some manuals?" Lin Xiao asked as he pointed to some interesting fighting manuals in the list.


    "You won''t be able to get it."


    "Why?"


    Pursing her lips, Sui Wenyan''s gaze lingered on the VIP rooms at the second floor. Even though they couldn''t see anything from here, she knew that there were so many important people who had come for today''s auction. Would those people let them get the interesting manuals?


    She highly doubted it.


    Wenren Yu noticed Sui Wenyan''s line of sight and immediately understood what she was thinking. He could only sigh. Even if they have enough money, they didn''t have enough power to protect the treasure. What they could get would only be the lower ranked treasure.


    Lin Xiao finally nodded. Even though he was a bit disappointed with the fact that he wouldn''t be able to get anything important from this auction, he still could get the least important one.


    Dong!


    The sound of the door closing was faint, but some people turned their head to the back to see it. The auction was going to start.


    As the room''s lighting turned dimmer, Lin Xiao focused his attention to the stage at the front. He had to admit that he was impressed with the technology or probably some other method that they employed in this auction house. Truly worthy to be one of the best auction house in Feng Yi City.


    A beautiful woman appeared on the stage. She had fine figure and the aura she exudes wouldn''t lose in the slightest bit with many other Foundation Establishment Cultivators. With a smile, the woman opened the auction.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the monthly auction of Yue Yi Auction House. This time, there are a lot of precious treasures that we will present to you. Of course, the same rules still apply where only the one with the highest bidder will bring the items'' home."


    The woman winked her eyes, creating attractive sight. Many men already suck up their breath, trying to ignore the temptation before their eyes. If not for the fact that they were inside an auction house, many might have already behaved improperly.


    "Foundation Establishment Cultivator?" Lin Xiao asked in low tone. While the others were attracted by the woman''s face, he was more concerned with her cultivation. The woman made no attempt to hide her own cultivation''s stage, but it was certainly her stage that made people wary.


    Foundation Establishment was harder to contend compared to Body Training Stage. Many people who had reached that stage meant that they were already powerful enough and ready to advance to the next stage. Besides, the qualitative difference between cultivator at Body Training Stage and Foundation Establishment Stage could be very big.


    Just like how each Body Training Stage represented different power, the difference between Body Training Stage and Foundation Establishment was just like a carp and a dragon.


    Very different.


    If not for the qualitative difference, there was no way Lin Xiao would be at Sui Wenyan''s complete mercy during their previous fight.


    "Yes, she''s already at Foundation Establishment Stage," Sui Wenyan said with pursed lips.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "You don''t sound too happy."


    "I''ll explain later. Focus on the auction for now."


    "We''ll start the auction now. The first item to come forward is a Jade Brush. This brush is a weapon that''s very useful for scholar. Unfortunately, the use is limited to Body Training Stage. The starting price is 10 gold," the woman introduced the item with a smile on her lips.


    Wenren Yu felt his mind blanked for a moment before he shook his head and looked at Sui Wenyan. "Did she use some kind of charm? I feel like there''s an attraction around her."


    Sui Wenyan scoffed. "It''s normal. If you can arouse the Qi in the world and try to make it so that it would work to create illusion, you''ll be able to do the same with her. Also, don''t try to fight her."


    "Why?"


    "You''ll die before you know what happens."


    Hearing that, the three of them were shocked. They knew that Foundation Establishment Cultivators were powerful, but they didn''t know it was even more so.


    Lin Xiao clenched his fist as his eyes burn with desire. He wanted to get even stronger. If Foundation Establishment was already this strong? How about those at higher stage? He couldn''t wait for him to be able to place himself among them.


    "11 Gold!"


    "12 Gold!"


    "15 Gold!"


    Looking at some people who started bidding, Lin Xiao calmed himself and paid more attention to the stage. It wouldn''t take long for the woman to introduce Dragonfly Grass that he wanted. At that time, it was time for them to start bidding.


    The first few items would be priced below 100 golds, which was only the starting items for the auction. After all, it was hard to find so many treasures since the auction was held once a month.


    "It''s here," Lin Yun murmured.


    "Next is Dragonfly Grass. The starting price is 100 gold coins. You already know this grass is a very useful herb for alchemist. There are many medicine out there that need this herb." The woman winked again.


    Once more, Wenren Yu felt shivers and shook his head. He felt that the woman was bad news.


    "101 gold!"

 Chapter 148: The Auction (4)

    Once more, Wenren Yu felt shivers and shook his head. He felt that the woman was bad news.


    "101 gold coins!"


    101 Gold coins?


    Lin Yun looked at his brother with a sigh. He truly wondered whether his brother had learned anything from watching the people in the auction house just now. Increment of 1 gold coin would only irk these people when the item was already priced at quite a high price.


    "110 gold coins!"


    "116 gold coins!"


    "130 gold coins!"


    "140 gold coins!"


    "150 gold coins!"


    "167 gold coins!"


    The price continued to increase as more and more people bid. But looking at the bidders, one would be able to see that these people were all only Body Training Stage Cultivators. Granted, for those at high rank, this herb didn''t possess much value. They were only watching the warm up that was specifically prepared for those who didn''t have much money but wished to participate in the auction.


    "200 gold coins!"


    The price increased and Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows.


    "201 gold coins!"


    This time, even Wenren Yu was speechless. He looked at Lin Xiao while wondering whether this man would want to bid the herbs or not. Can''t he just increase the price by a great margin if he truly wanted the herb?


    Why did he increase by 1?


    Sure enough, some people already continued the bidding and the war didn''t end so quickly.


    "210 gold coins!"


    "240 gold coins!"


    "250 gold coins!"


    "255 gold coins!"


    The increment began to decrease as time passed. The original price for Dragonfly Grass in the market was around 250 gold coins to 300 gold coins depending on the quality of the grass. While they have faith that the quality of the grass in the auction house was good, not everyone was willing to throw so much money.


    Many had already stopped bidding and only those who truly wanted the herb continued.


    "260 gold coins!"


    "265 gold coins!"


    "270 gold coins!"


    "271 gold coins!"


    When Lin Xiao bid for the last, several people were looking in their direction, wondering where this idiot popped out from. But since the increment lately was only 5 gold coins, he didn''t really attract that much attention.


    Only some people who were sitting nearby looked at him in confusion since they had already heard him increased the price by 1 three times.


    Sui Wenyan held the urge to strangle Lin Xiao. She felt a bit embarrassed because Lin Xiao only increased the price by one. Sometimes, the small increment sounded as if they were poor or they were so thrifty.


    She disliked the thought.


    However, Lin Xiao kept a straight face and just waited for more people to bid. However, the other people who were bidding paused for a moment. They turned to look at Lin Xiao before continue to bid.


    "275 gold coins!"


    "280 gold coins!"


    "281 gold coins!"


    Another one gold coin increment.


    The two men who were fighting turned to look at Lin Xiao again, feeling perplexed. Usually, one would only increase by one when they were trying to make trouble with the one who bid. However, the two of them were certain that they didn''t know who Lin Xiao was.


    Little did they know that Lin Xiao actually wanted the Dragonfly Grass, but he didn''t want to spend so much money just to buy it. Since that was the case, why not just increase it by one gold coin to save money?


    The minimum increment for this item was one gold coin anyway.


    For someone like Lin Xiao, who didn''t know the rules of the auction house, his action seemed very normal for him. There was no need for him to worry so much about it since he was following the rules, right?


    Little did he know that the three people near him were already itching to strangle him. After all, even Lin Yun knew that Lin Xiao''s action was not normal in the eyes of so many people here. Unfortunately, they didn''t want to create a scene, so they stayed quiet in their place.


    "283 gold coins!"


    "285 gold coins!"


    "287 gold coins!"


    "289 gold coins!"


    "292 gold coins!"


    "293 gold coins!"


    "294 gold coins!"


    "295 gold coins!"


    "297 gold coins!"


    "298 gold coins!"


    "300 gold coins!"


    "301 gold coins!"


    By now, the price was already above the market price. The people who wanted to buy the herb must be really wanted the herb and not just buy it because they wanted to show off. Looking at the increment of one gold coin at the end, the two men looked at Lin Xiao once more, wondering whether they should continue or not.


    The woman at the stage already felt her lips twitched when she heard the way the price was increased just now. They were only adding one gold coin or two after a while, which made it sound as if they were only counting.


    This was the first time such low level treasure ended up taking so much of the auction''s time. However, she also couldn''t stop until there was someone who win.


    "301 gold coins one time."


    The two men looked at each other and then shook their head. The herb was overpriced already in their opinion. 300 gold coins was the maximum they could afford to buy the herb before they gave up and just give the chance to someone else.


    "301 gold coins two times."


    "301 gold coins three times."


    "Congratulation to the man in the seat F-59. Now, we shall move to the next item."


    Lin Xiao glanced to his seat only to realize that the woman found out where his seat was in just a glance. He was astonished. Did it mean that Foundation Establishment Cultivator has higher sense?


    He was utterly curious.


    "Brother��"


    "Yes, Yun?"


    "Why do you only add the price by one gold coin?" Lin Yun asked while his lips were twitching so hard. He felt like he was getting a very unreliable brother.


    "Cuz it''s the cheapest."

 Chapter 149: The Auction (5)

    Because��


    It was the cheapest?


    The sincere tone behind Lin Xiao''s voice told Lin Yun that his brother was not lying. However, this kind of truth was�� a bit too much. Thinking about their days back in the village where Lin Xiao would bargain until the end only made Lin Yun sighed.


    He knew that his brother was someone who treasured money so much because their living condition was bad. But now that they already have so much money, there was no need for him to be so thrifty, right?


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t bring himself to say that and only looked at his brother helplessly.


    Habits couldn''t be changed so easily.


    "Is there anything wrong?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion.


    In his opinion, since he could get it with just increasing the price by one, why should he bother to increase the price so much? He wanted to save as much gold as possible and only buy it at the slight difference from the previous bidder.


    "No�� there''s nothing wrong."


    Sui Wenyan felt her mind blanked and she was unable to focus on the item at the stage right now. Seeing how helpless Lin Yun was, she finally realized that Lin Xiao was truly a very bad case of idiot.


    ''How did the Heaven even choose someone like him?''


    She was speechless.


    If only she hadn''t seen for herself how Lin Xiao''s talent was and the fact that even though he was an idiot, he had a heart, she might be thinking back of her decision. It was precisely because Lin Xiao was a truthful boy that she felt that he would be having difficult time when they reached the academy in the future.


    There would be so many people who were eyeing the throne.


    And they wouldn''t hesitate to do anything to make sure that they would be the one getting the throne. Lin Xiao was a bit unreliable, so Sui Wenyan felt that she should do her best to make sure that Lin Xiao would be fine.


    As she was thinking, the auction continued.


    The items were getting more and more precious, which attracted the Foundation Establishment Cultivators to start biding for them. They were trying hard to make sure that they could win the items.


    "Now, it''s the next item, herb that many people seek but unable to get. As you might know, there are many herbs that are placed in a dangerous location and hard to find even if you have the strength. The places can be so dangerous that no one dared to get close unless they have reached certain stage.


    The next item was precisely such. It''s Night Yin Flower! I don''t think there''s any need for me to explain more about this item. For those who cultivate Yin type cultivation, this flower can help you in your cultivation greatly. Not to mention, there''s even rumor that said using this flower can help you maintain your youthful face!"


    The moment this was said, a lot of women''s eyes turned sharp. They were looking at the flower at the stage with burning gaze. From the way it looked like, they were intent on claiming the flower for themselves.


    The woman smiled in satisfaction when she saw their reaction. What many women wanted in their life was to remain beautiful for as long as possible. Because of that, there were many people who tried many kinds of method to maintain their youthful face.


    "There are not many people who can obtain this Night Yin Flower, thus increasing the flower''s rarity. It''s our auction house''s luck to be able to meet with someone who''s willing to sell it. Now, we shall start the biding at the starting price of 10,000 gold coins. The minimum increment shall be 1,000 gold coins."


    "11,000 gold coins!"


    "21,000 gold coins!"


    "30,000 gold coins!"


    "40,000 gold coins!"


    "56,000 gold coins!"


    "61,000 gold coins!"


    Hearing the price was hijacked so quickly, Lin Xiao was utterly stunned. He looked at the people who were willing to throw their money and felt like he was seeing madness. These people were willing to spend so much money just for the chance for them to become even more beautiful?


    Mind you, he could hear that most of the bidders had high pitched voice. It meant that most of them were women who were trying to bid the items. He felt a bit stupefied right now.


    Even Sui Wenyan''s gaze flickered slightly. She was already very beautiful, but who didn''t want to stay even more beautiful? Unfortunately, she understood the moment the price was stated that there was simply no chance for her to get it.


    Rather than wasting so much money to buy herb that only give boost to her beauty, she should focus more on her strength.


    By the side, Wenren Yu noticed Sui Wenyan''s gaze and thought to himself that there was Beauty Pill. The pill was not that hard to make because the material was not that rare. However, the cultivation requirement was Golden Core Stage. Even if he wanted to, he would need to take a long time before he could make it.


    ''Then I''ll make one for Wenyan in the future.''


    With that in thought, Wenren Yu browsed the list again. He wanted to know if there was any of the material sold here. Unfortunately, there was none.


    "10 Low Grade Spirit Stones!"


    When the price was changed to spirit stones, Lin Xiao was stunned. He turned his head to look at Sui Wenyan. "You can change the currency?"


    "Hmm? Oh yes, you can. It''s actually quite common for them to change the price to Spirit Stones since they''re more valuable than gold," Sui Wenyan replied with a smile. "Unfortunately, only the richest would be able to use it."


    "Hmph! Only that much? 11 Low Grade Spirit Stones!"


    The high pitched tone sounded from the VIP room. Some people glanced over while the others furrowed their brows. From their reaction, it seemed that the one inside that VIP room was well known.


    "That''s Fan Family daughter, right?"


    "That Fiery Princess?"


    "Yes. I didn''t expect her to have interest in Night Yin Flower too. I thought that she''s cultivating Yang type of cultivation."


    "Well, she''s still a girl. Besides, she might need more Yin?"


    The people around them began to gossip and Lin Xiao was listening with curiosity. He looked in the direction of the VIP room as a bizarre thoughts occurred inside his mind.

 Chapter 150: The Auction (6)

    "Yes. I didn''t expect her to have interest in Night Yin Flower too. I thought that she''s cultivating Yang type of cultivation."


    "Well, she''s still a girl. Besides, she might need more Yin?"


    The people around them began to gossip and Lin Xiao was listening with curiosity. He looked in the direction of the VIP room as a bizarre thoughts occurred inside his mind.


    "Brother?" Lin Yun noticed that his brother was looking at him with strange gaze. He felt like his brother must be up to something not good again when he saw how Lin Xiao looked at him.


    "Nothing."


    Of course, Lin Xiao knew that what he was thinking was already too bizarre. If that person was truly like what it was said, he might not even have any chance to get close because of the difference in status. There was no need for him to make fun of himself just because of something like that.


    He shook his head and just wondered about it.


    "Do you have any interest in that Fiery Princess?" Sui Wenyan asked in low tone.


    "Hmm?"


    "Her name is Fan Ling, she''s 17 years old this year but she had already reached Foundation Establishment. Amongst the younger generation, she''s acclaimed as one of the best due to her achievement in cultivation alone. Oh right, her element is also fire, which is the source of her nickname."


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. Didn''t fire belong to Yang type? However, there was no restriction for women to learn fire element either just like men could learn water element if they wanted to. After all, their talent was not something they could decide and only leave it up to the fate.


    "12 Low Grade Spirit Stones!"


    The other woman was not willing to give up either. She wanted the flower because of its useful use.


    "13 Low Grade Spirit Stones!"


    While the two women were still busy increasing the price, Lin Xiao felt that he was going to be filthy rich. The amount of Spirit Stones should be more than enough to help him reach the peak of Body Training Rank 10.


    ''Don''t be too happy so soon.''


    ''Ah?''


    ''Increasing your power in such a short period of time can create backlash too,'' Lin Hu said in deadpan tone. He looked at Lin Xiao with ridicule. ''Do you think that the young master from those families allowed their disciple to only train with spirit stones? They are only allowed to use it after their body strength had reached a certain point. Once they''re deemed strong enough, they can use spirit stones as much as they want to reach the point that their parents had decided.''


    Lin Xiao was stunned. He looked at the dragon inside his consciousness as he felt a bit trepidation. There was a saying that human''s body was like a vessel and the Qi was like the water that was poured inside. Human needed to strengthen their body because without a strong vessel, the Qi couldn''t be contained inside.


    The process of strengthening their body became the name of the very first stage they had to pass: Body Training Stage.


    When they reached Foundation Establishment, they were creating their foundation for their future. Because it was the foundation of their cultivation, many people willingly stayed in the same stage for as long as possible to make sure that they could grow even stronger.


    Sui Wenyan was not an exception as she was constantly tempering her body. Before trying to breakthrough to Golden Core Stage, she had to make sure that her foundation was stable because if not, she would only kill herself due to her negliance.


    ''I''m not strong enough?''


    ''No. If you forcefully try to push yourself to Body Training Rank 10 peak stage, you will only harm your foundation. Temper your body in the forest and I''ll tell you when you can absorb the Qi from the spirit stones.''


    ''Alright.''


    Thinking about some decoction that was useful to increase one''s strength, Lin Xiao decided to ask a bit more from Wenren Yu later. That way, he might be able to have shortcut for them to grow even stronger.


    "15 Low Grade Spirit Stones!"


    By now, no one was bidding anymore. Fan Ling, the fiery woman, managed to get the flower with high price. It was already far above the market price, yet there were still many girls who showed sorrowful expression.


    They wanted to get that Night Yin Flower, ah.


    Lin Xiao subconsciously rubbed his finger. To be exact, his Spatial Ring. If these women knew that he had more Night Yin Flower inside his Spatial Ring, he was sure that they would hunt him down and make sure that he gave all of his possession to them.


    These women looked so scary.


    The auction continued, but Lin Xiao and the rest didn''t really have much interest in it. It was no longer had any relationship whatsoever with them. In fact, the price for the treasures were so high that only those powerful families could hope to contend for them in the auction.


    "There are many influential families in Feng Yi City?" Lin Xiao asked in astonished tone.


    Wenren Yu passed a glance and sighed. "I don''t think all of them are from Feng Yi City. The auction is hold monthly, which give the auction house enough time to advertise the news to a certain distance. They might have come from a faraway place just for the auction."


    "Really?"


    "Treasures certainly hold a lot of temptation. The rarer it is, the harder it would be to get, the more people would want it. Many are willing to sacrifice a lot of their time just to be able to get them."


    Lin Xiao solemnly nodded his head and then looked toward the stage. There were still many other treasures to go, but they couldn''t participate. The price was already at hundreds of Low Grade Spirit Stones.


    Even if he had the guts, he didn''t have the capital.


    These people were all filthy rich.

 Chapter 151: Taking the Items

    The astronomical price only made Lin Xiao dizzy when he heard it. He looked at Sui Wenyan and realized that she looked like she had already gotten used to it. It seemed that for those powerful people, these numbers meant nothing.


    "I''m going to buy a lot of herbs after this," Wenren Yu informed Lin Xiao. "Do you have any request?"


    "Medicine bath that can improve one''s strength?"


    Wenren Yu''s lips twitched. For many powerful young master, they would also try to seek the shortcut. Medicine bath was one of them and certainly known to be the method that was commonly used by so many people. As for the reason why they used it��


    It was because they could grow stronger instantly.


    However, the less risky method wouldn''t be that effective and usually left some residue in human bodies. As for those with high risk, it would grant the human''s body so much pain that they would wish they were dead.


    "Which one do you want?"


    "The one that can grant the most strength, of course." Lin Xiao had set his eyes to the highest stage of cultivation, so he wanted to be able to get strength as much as possible at the highest speed possible. If by having medicinal bath it would help him, he didn''t mind to torture himself in the slightest bit.


    It was worth it in his opinion.


    "I know one recipe that can grant you great strength. However, you have to be ready to bear with the pain because the pain might make you want to kill yourself," Wenren Yu warned.


    "It''s fine."


    The thought of what he had experienced back then made Lin Xiao shook his head. At that time, he was hurt so terribly that he wished for nothing more than having the pain disappear.


    Closing his eyes, Lin Xiao faintly recalled that moment.


    He felt as if his entire body was ruptured to pieces. His bones were crushed, his flesh were torn, and his organs were squeezed. It was so painful. And the most painful of all was his brain because he felt as if there was huge pressure in his head.


    At this moment, Lin Xiao was cursing out loudly internally. He wished that the pain could disappear.


    His body shuddered at the thought. After experiencing that excoriating pain, what should he be afraid of? There was no way the medicine could recreate pain as painful as they were, right?


    Wenren Yu noticed the determination in Lin Xiao''s eyes and sighed. "I''ll prepare it for you. However, it''ll take some time."


    "At most 2 months'' time."


    "Yes, Master."


    They finally stopped talking when the woman at the stage explained that the auction was over. Those who had bought something should come to the back to retrieve their items but for those who buy the first 10 items, the items would be delivered directly.


    A servant appeared not far from Lin Xiao and bowed down. "Mister Xiao, please follow us to retrieve your items."


    "Alright."


    Even though Lin Xiao''s item was amongst the first 10, he needed to take the money he received from the sale. Since that was the case, he would need to go to the back and retrieved the spirit stones too. The auction house was smart enough to not reveal that.


    Some people who looked at Lin Xiao knew that he would be taking the plant. Probably because the plant required special care that they asked him to go there instead of bringing it out to him.


    "Let''s go."


    Leading the three people behind him, Lin Xiao headed to the back. The servant immediately brought him to a private room and a man appeared from behind the door. Lin Xiao recognized him as Zhongsun Shan who conducted business with him not long ago in the auction house.


    "Welcome, Mister Xiao." Zhongsun Shan stepped forward and cupped his hand in greetings.


    "There''s no need to be so polite." Lin Xiao felt overwhelmed by the sudden gesture. He knew that Zhongsun Shan was more powerful than him, which made it awkward for him to receive the bow from him. Having a Foundation Establishment Cultivators bowed down to a Body Training Stage Cultivators would be extremely strange.


    "Alright. Based on the rules of the auction house, we''ll be deducting 10 percent from the profit. Do you want to get Spirit Stones or gold, Mister Xiao?"


    "Spirit Stones."


    "In that case, you''ll receive 13 Low Grade Spirit Stones along with 5,00o0 gold coins. Since the price for Dragonfly Grass is only 301 gold coins, you may take it without us taking anything. Just consider it as our gratitude for using our service," Zhongsun Shan explained everything with a smile.


    Lin Xiao was honestly shocked when he heard what Zhongsun said, but it was true that comparing 301 gold coins and 5,000 gold coins that the price was incomparable. For such big auction house like this Yue Yi Auction House, there was not much worth for mere 301 gold coins.


    If they could use it to strike more deals with Lin Xiao in the future, it would be better.


    Lin Xiao nodded, accepting Zhongsun Shan''s intention. "Thank you. In the future, I''ll consider to put the item in Yue Yi Auction House again."


    "It''s a pleasure to do business with you, Mister Xiao." Zhongsun Shan was still full of smiles. His line of sight then fell to Sui Wenyan, who had been silence ever since she came into the room. Her eyes were looking at Zhongsun Shan with eyes filled with confusion yet at the same time, wariness.


    "The manager wants me to apologize to you in advance because he had to attend to other guest and unable to see you in person."


    Lin Xiao nodded. It was not surprising that there were more valuable customers. If he was the only one who came here, he would be treated better because of the treasure he handed. But since there were more people who were more powerful and all, he was reduced to the background.

 Chapter 152: Fan Ling

    Lin Xiao nodded. It was not surprising that there were more valuable customers. If he was the only one who came here, he would be treated better because of the treasure he handed. But since there were more people who were more powerful and all, he was reduced to the background.


    "I understand. Thank you for your hospitality, Mister Zhongsun."


    "You''re welcome."


    They exchanged a few more pleasantries until Lin Xiao felt his mouth hurt. It was not his forte to speak a lot like this, but he had to keep up on appearance. Luckily, Zhongsun Shan didn''t look like he wanted to make things difficult for Lin Xiao, so he also ended their sessions quickly.


    There were also many other people who wanted to meet them, so Lin Xiao didn''t take the precious time of other people.


    As they walked out of the room, they heard two girls screaming at the side.


    "Damn you, Fan Ling! Don''t think that it''ll be over with you taking the Night Yin Flower!" A young woman around the age of 17 to 18 years old said in indignation. She had fair complexion and beautiful figure. Even though she was still in her teenage age, her charm wouldn''t lose even to those of adults.


    In front of her stood a woman who was fairly shorter than her. She was dressed in fiery red dress and looked absolutely enchanting. However, the sharp eyebrows on her face signified that she was not a woman that was easy to deal with. Her dainty figure seemed to be bursting with power.


    "Gee, Su Miao. Do you really think that everyone is as stupid as you? I won this fair and square. If you truly want it, why don''t you just fork out more money?" Fan Ling asked with satisfied grin. She was certainly happy to be able to get the flower.


    "Damn you, Fan Ling! Do you think everyone is as blind to money as you?"


    "Blind, you''re the one who''s blind!"


    "Shut up!"


    The woman called Su Miao was already on the verge of exploding. If not for the people near her holding her back, she would have already strike Fan Ling as hard as possible. Her fingers were clenched into a fist as she looked at Fan Ling with hatred in her eyes.


    This was not the first time they quarreled with each other. In fact, they had fought a lot because the two women were equally beautiful and attracted so many attentions. One was known for her beautiful figure while the other was known for her beautiful yet fierce face.


    "Missus, please don''t create trouble in this hall. This place belongs to Yue Yi Auction House," a man said with a smile.


    The two women looked at each other with indignation before they unwillingly stepped back. Even though the two of them were already Foundation Establishment Cultivators, they knew that the one behind this auction house had power of Golden Core Stage.


    Unless they were an idiot, they would not create any trouble in this auction house.


    "Hmph! Let''s settle this outside."


    "Heh, do you think I''m afraid of you?"


    The two women were going outside with several people following behind them. From their action, Lin Xiao could determine that they were all bodyguards of these women. It was quite surprising that the two of them have so many people supporting them.


    "Both Fan and Su Family are powerful figure in the capital city," Sui Wenyan explained. She had stayed in the city long enough to know the power structure.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Isn''t this Feng Yi City?"


    "There''s teleportation circle that head straight to the capital city. It''s easy for people to visit other places."


    "The price is expensive, though."


    "How much?"


    "You need one beast rank 3 core."


    Lin Xiao felt his mind blanked when he heard that. Uhm, he didn''t know the conversion rate.


    "How much is that?"


    Wenren Yu smiled bitterly. "It''s the same price as Low Grade Spirit Stones."


    This time, Lin Xiao was speechless. It seemed that the price was even more expensive than what he knew. However, Wenren Yu and Sui Wenyan hadn''t done explaining.


    "And that''s per person."


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    His heart ached at the money he needed to spend if he wanted to visit Long Yin Forest in the future. Thankfully, he had enough gold coins as long as Wenren Yu and Lin Yun didn''t spend it all to buy herbs.


    He highly doubted that these two would spend that much either.


    Bang!


    The sound of fighting soon enveloped the area. Everyone rushed out and maintained the distance between them and the people who were fighting in the middle. They didn''t want to create trouble with these people in case that they wouldn''t be able to control their power well.


    If they got hit just because of watching, how laughable would it be.


    Swish!


    "Don''t you dare to run!"


    The power of the fist instantly destroyed the wall that was located not far from them. The owner felt like crying but a bodyguard had stepped forward to pay for the compensation. They knew that their misses were very violent when they were rampaging, so they were already ready to pay for the damages.


    Lin Xiao watched from the side and arched his eyebrows. "How nice is it for these owner to have their properties paid by them."


    "At least they didn''t just run away."


    "True."


    At the side, Lin Yun was watching the fight without saying anything. His eyes looked at the enchanting fiery red figure in front of him and for some unknown reason, he felt that the young woman in front of him was the most beautiful person he had ever seen.


    Even the other woman who had beautiful figure didn''t seem to be that beautiful compared to the young woman.


    Lin Xiao and Wenren Yu were still watching the fight with interest. Only Sui Wenyan noticed the strange gaze within Lin Yun''s eyes and her lips curled up.

 Chapter 153: Fan Ling (2)

    Bang!


    With a flick of her wrist, Fan Ling had taken out a fan. Probably influenced by her family, she was known to use the fan as her main weapon. Because she had already reached Foundation Establishment, she had fair control of her element: fire.


    Fire spread with her at the center. There was faint smile on her face and her figure looked like the goddess of fire.


    "Come."


    Su Miao snorted. Her slender hand also took out her weapon, which was a long sword. While it was just a fight that started because the two girls were fighting for Night Yin Flower, the two of them always have bad relationship with each other. This was not the first time they fought.


    The sword was swung in Fan Ling''s direction as fast as the wind. It was as if there was nothing called resistance in the air as she moved effortlessly, launching countless sword blades attack towards Fan Ling.


    Swish! Swish!


    With her fan, Fan Ling evaded the attack perfectly. Her dress fluttered lightly, yet there was not even a crease. The attack completely missed her. Noticing the stance Su Miao was in, Fan Ling closed her fan and pointed towards Su Miao.


    Just like the legendary phoenix, a red figure strike from the tip of her fan. It was scorching hot yet at the same time, the light looked so magnificent that everyone''s breath was taken away by it.


    Beautiful! Powerful!


    Su Miao''s expression changed as she raised her sword and then placed it in front of her while shouting.


    Bang!


    The light hit the center of her sword, yet Su Miao was pushed back several meters. Her expression was pale as her figure trembled.


    Thud!


    *Cough* *cough*


    Blood was spat out from Su Miao''s mouth. She looked at Fan Ling with hatred in her eyes. "You have already learned the highest stage of Fire Light Fan?"


    Some of the skill of these powerful families were not a secret. Besides, knowing the name was not the same as knowing the movement directly. They wouldn''t be able to do anything even if they knew the name.


    Fan Ling smiled. "You''re not the only one who''s learning the family heirloom martial arts."


    Looking at the imposing figure of Fan Ling, Su Miao felt even more hatred inside her heart. If only it was possible, she wished to tear off Fan Ling''s face and made sure that this woman was unable to do anything.


    "So powerful," Lin Xiao commented.


    Wenren Yu nodded. His eyes narrowed. "Yes, but this move is also quite taxing to the body."


    Sui Wenyan tilted her head. While she was also the one with the highest cultivation among them, she couldn''t understand what Wenren Yu meant. After all, Wenren Yu was also an alchemist that learned medicine, naturally he knew better than anyone when it came to talking about human''s body.


    Not only Wenren Yu, Lin Yun also noticed that there was actually backlash from the move. However, Fan Ling was still looking as imposing as ever. She stood at the center without any intention to retract her powerful aura in the slightest bit.


    "Hmph!"


    Su Miao stood up and wiped the blood in her mouth. The anger and hatred within her eyes were still visible. "This time it''s my loss. Next time, you won''t be able to do anything to me, Fan Ling!"


    "I''ll be waiting for you."


    Keeping her fan away, Fan Ling slowly retracted her aura. However, she still showed nothing on her expression as she waved her hand, signaling her men to move back. At this moment, a paper floated near her and Fan Ling grabbed it instinctively.


    There was neat written within the paper. It was detailing the use of Night Yin Flower and how the flower could help her in overcoming the backlash of fire type of element.


    Her eyes widened.


    "Miss?" the guards were stunned to see their Miss looked around.


    Fan Ling''s eyes finally landed on the figure that was retreating away. Even though the figure looked very normal in the crowd and didn''t attract any attention, she knew that to be able to write something like this meant that the young man was anything but ordinary.


    There were many cultivators who didn''t focus on their strength but rather other things such as medicine and herbs. That young man must be someone like that.


    ''But why is he helping me?''


    Feeling confused, Fan Ling took out her Communication Jade. "Father, I need your help. I want to discuss something with an alchemist."


    The guards were looking at Fan Ling in confusion. While Fan Ling was known to be a genius amongst her peers, she was also someone who focused on cultivation and battle prowess. To think that their miss would ask for an alchemist��


    Did the sun rise at the west?


    However, Fan Ling had no intention to explain her action to the guards. Internally, she was keeping the figure that she saw at the back of her mind. If what was said in this paper was true, she would want to find him in the future to give her thanks.


    ��


    "Wow, you''re smooth," Sui Wenyan teased when she saw that Fan Ling did keep the paper. She watched the entire process as Lin Yun suddenly took out a paper and wrote very quickly. The two siblings might be living in the village, but they were not illiterate. After all, there were many medicinal books that they learned during the time they were in the village.


    Lin Yun merely smiled and didn''t explain anything more. The current him was very far below that young woman and certainly didn''t even have the qualification to appear before her. The only method he could think of to make her remember him was with his knowledge.


    Wenren Yu and Lin Xiao also looked at Lin Yun with bewilderment. In the end, Lin Xiao looked at Wenren Yu and grinned. "Look, he''s braver than you even though he''s younger than you."

 Chapter 154: The Seniors

    "Master!"


    Wenren Yu felt like Lin Xiao really loved to tease him after the latter found out about his crush towards Sui Wenyan. After all, he didn''t dare to take the step forward because even back then, Sui Wenyan was like a figure that was very far away from him.


    He was nothing more than an ordinary medicinal disciple while Sui Wenyan was the powerful disciple even among the outer disciples. How could he possibly try to attract the attention of someone who was so far away from him? He would be treated as nuisance if he dared to.


    Lin Xiao laughed while Wenren Yu''s face was already as read as tomato.


    Lin Yun rolled his eyes. "Brother, I''m very curious how you''re going to chase after the woman you liked in the future."


    "Oh?" Lin Xiao had never thought about it. He didn''t really have anyone he fancied right now. While the two women who were fighting just now were very beautiful, the most beautiful women he had ever seen, they were not his type.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll surely be better than you two."


    "Show off!"


    They rolled their eyes at Lin Xiao''s confident gesture. Internally, they hoped that the one Lin Xiao fell for would be someone who was very difficult to woo. That way, they would be able to laugh at Lin Xiao pitiful attempt to get a woman.


    Sui Wenyan sighed and then led them to a quiet alley. Afterwards, she turned in the intersection towards a small house. "Come on. There''s someone I want you to meet."


    "Oh, right. The senior?"


    "She''s there."


    Their eyes lit up as they wondered who the senior was. As Sui Wenyan pushed the door open, they could see that it was truly a small house. There was only one table and several chairs inside the room. The furniture was also barely existed in this empty room.


    "Oh, Wenyan, you''re here?"


    "Senior Qiu, I''m bringing my friends here."


    They all turned their head and looked at the woman in front of them. Lin Xiao''s jaw dropped in surprise while Wenren Yu were looking at the woman with disbelief. On the other hand, Lin Yun felt like he was dreaming.


    The woman in front of them was none other than the woman who was standing at the stage just now. The way she spoke at the stage had riled up so many young masters to bid even higher. Not to mention, her attractive figure could easily attract anyone''s attention no matter who they were.


    The woman, Senior Qiu, Qiu Si, looked at the three men with amusement. She felt like they were looking at her as if it was strange for her to be here.


    "Well, well, who are these gentlemen''s here?"


    Sui Wenyan smiled then plucked a string to her zither. She always carried her zither because it was her weapon and without it, she would not be as powerful as she had always been.


    Tring!


    "ugh��."


    The three of them felt as if they were attacked and turned their eyes simultaneously to Sui Wenyan. Couldn''t she pick other harmless method to attract their attention and not attack them? Her soundwave was very powerful, all right?


    "This is Lin Xiao, Lin Yun, and Wenren Yu. Do you remember Wenren Yu, he''s one of the outer disciple in our sect."


    Qiu Si looked at Wenren Yu and blinked her eyes. She shook her head faintly. "There are too many outer disciples. I can''t remember everyone."


    "Oh."


    Sui Wenyan was not too surprised. She remembered Wenren Yu for some special reason, but she didn''t intend to reveal it to anyone. Pulling a seat, she beckoned for the others to sit as she was acting like the host. "I''m going to tell a long story, so it might take some time."


    "Don''t worry, I have time."


    "Good."


    As the other three sat down, Sui Wenyan revealed how they were to Qiu Si. Upon hearing that the Emperor Inheritance was already found and the inheritor was in front of her, Qiu Si looked like she was at loss. Never in her wildest dream would she hope to be able to meet with someone of such high status.


    "That''s to say, Lin Xiao�� I mean His Highness Lin Xiao is a prince?" Qiu Si asked in doubtful tone.


    Sui Wenyan nodded helplessly. "Yes. However, he''s not really a normal prince because he lived most of his life in the countryside and didn''t know many things about how the princes conduct themselves."


    "Oh."


    It was then Qiu Si understood why Lin Xiao looked like was someone who was uncultured. Afterwards, she furrowed her brows. "Are you sure he''s the one?"


    "Wenren Yu said so, so I believe him."


    "Girl, you believe him just like that?"


    Seeing Sui Wenyan nodded without hesitation, Qiu Si sighed. She looked at Lin Xiao and began to scrutinize him from to the bottom. She could not believe that the future Emperor was in front of her and he was even weaker than her.


    Mind you, Qiu Si was already at Foundation Establishment while Lin Xiao was only at Body Training Rank 10.


    "Are you really someone who got the inheritance?"


    Hearing the doubtful tone, Lin Xiao smiled bitterly. He was thinking about what would be the best method to convince her when he recalled the mark on his forehead. Without hesitation, he opened his headband.


    The moment the headband was out of the way, the faint mark of the beautiful crown was present on Lin Xiao''s forehead. It was the mark that those from Taiyi Sect had heard a lot in their sect.


    The mark of the Emperor chosen by the Heaven.


    The moment they saw that, any shred of doubts was thrown away from their heart.


    ��


    In case you forget, Cultivation Stage:


    Body Training (Rank 1 to 10)


    Foundation Establishment


    - Early Foundation Establishment


    - Foundation Establishment


    Golden Core Stage


    - Golden Core Stage 1


    - Golden Core Stage 2


    - Golden Core Stage 3

 Chapter 155: The Seniors (2)

    The moment they saw that, any shred of doubts was thrown away from their heart.


    Nothing could prove better than this mark. The mark was different from any mark that existed in the world and it could be said to be unique to the Emperors chosen by the Heaven.


    Even Sui Wenyan had realized the significance of the mark as she suck out her breath.


    "Master!"


    "Master!"


    The two young women bowed in succession. Lin Xiao was bewildered and turned to look at Wenren Yu, who was also perplexed. It seemed that Wenren Yu''s background was too low and his position was unremarkable back then. This made him unable to understand the significance of this mark.


    Qiu Si was from a scholarly family and naturally she had learned so many things when she was at her home back then before she finally decided to join Taiyi Sect. Because of that, she had already seen the picture of this crown mark in books.


    It was said that only those who had this mark would be able to become the true Emperor.


    Not only an Emperor that was rising to the throne because he was the first in line but the one that had the power to do that. Even if the person who obtained the mark came from a lowly family, as long as he had the qualification, he would be able to become the Emperor.


    That was the meaning of this mark.


    Unmatched!


    Destined for greatness!


    As someone who understood the history well, Qiu Si didn''t dare to be neglectful in front of Lin Xiao. She knew that the person in front of her would become the Emperor. No matter what other people said, she knew that it would happen.


    "Your Highness, this subject will follow whatever path you choose."


    Lin Xiao looked at Qiu Si with bewilderment and then stretched his hand to help her stand up. "There''s no need for such formality. As of now, I''m nothing more but a candidate. Because of that, I need your help instead."


    The others focused their attention on Lin Xiao. Despite his youthful face and also immature action, the voice he spoke out carried authority. "I have so many things I need to learn and for that, I need your guidance to help me so that I won''t be shamed due to my lack of knowledge."


    Qiu Si smiled. "This one comes from scholarly family. While I might not be able to say that I''m on par with those who become formal official, I''ll do my best to help you to learn history and also the teaching in Sun Kingdom."


    "That''s great!" Lin Xiao''s eyes lit up.


    "Wenyan will try to join Sun Dragon Academy this New Year." Qiu Si recalled about that. She then looked at Lin Xiao. While those with the mark will surely become an Emperor, it would be a joke if he couldn''t attend the best academy.


    "Would you also try to join, Your Highness?"


    His age should be lower than 20 based on his appearance. Qiu Si also knew that Lin Xiao might be only Body Training Rank 10, but it should be enough to grant him qualification to enter Sun Dragon Academy.


    As for his rank�� that was still unknown.


    "Yes. I''m only 17 years old, so I''m still qualified to join," Lin Xiao admitted.


    Qiu Si nodded. She was already 24 years old, which made her unable to participate in the examination. She had already passed her golden age ever since long ago and might be stuck in Foundation Establishment Stage for her entire life. It was unknown when she would be able to advance again.


    She could only try to work hard.


    ''If only the elders are here��'' Thinking about the elders at Taiyi Sect in the past, Qiu Si sighed. She knew that the sect was there to help the future emperor should there be someone who was chosen by the Heaven.


    That was the only reason why Taiyi Sect was special.


    Klak!


    The door opened and everyone''s attention landed on the door. A man, Zhongsun Shan, walked into the room. He blinked his eyes when he saw them all there. "Wife, what is this?"


    "Oh, our juniors are bringing someone special to us." Qiu Si smiled bitterly.


    Wife?


    Our Junior?


    The mind of Lin Xiao and the other two felt like it was about to explode. They couldn''t believe that the man they had been talking with for the past few months would turn out to be a disciple from Taiyi Sect.


    How could things be so convenient?


    In the end, Qiu Si explained everything while Zhongsun Shan listened carefully. The fact that there were several outer disciples from Taiyi Sects that still managed to escape was very good.


    Looking at Lin Xiao, Zhongsun Shan sighed. "I already thought that you''re not ordinary when I first meet you. However, I never thought that you''re actually someone who''s that powerful."


    "Yes?"


    "Shan used to be in Dragon Guard Army," Qiu Si explained. "It''s the best guard in Sun Kingdom but because he sees something bad and know how rotten the people at Sun Kingdom, he led rebellions."


    Rebellions?


    Lin Xiao was speechless. He felt like he was facing someone whom he needed to be wary off.


    "The rebellions failed," Zhongsun Shan explained and smiled bitterly.


    Lin Xiao: "��" that''s the point?


    ��.


    (A/N): The four characters, Wenren Yu, Sui Wenyan, Zhongsun Shan, and Qiu Si were from the WPC page. I used the example that WN provided there for this novel by implementing the characters and some background story that''s provided there.


    While I might not know what the entire story that the WN actually provided at the page, I tried to make it quite similar. Still, everything that I wrote in the end followed the storyline that I make and not just what WN had showed at the very beginning.


    There are only these four characters that WN showed, so I chose to just use them as I see fit in the story I make.

 Chapter 156: Decision

    Seeing Lin Xiao''s face, Sui Wenyan resisted the urge to laugh. She knew that Lin Xiao was worrying about whether Zhongsun Shan would do another rebellion or not.


    "Don''t worry, there''s no chance for him to do rebellions again."


    "Yes?"


    "Do you think that Foundation Establishment Cultivators can ever contend against Golden Core Stage Cultivators?" Sui Wenyan asked in mocking tone. There was also traces of longing in her tone. "The reason why he failed is because the army had to face Golden Core Stage Cultivator on their way to the capital city."


    "And they failed?"


    "Yes. Even though they have the advantage in number, there''s no way it can possibly happen."


    "I see."


    Lin Xiao looked at Zhongsun Shan, who looked so amiable. Thinking that this man was actually someone who led rebellions to overthrow Sun Kingdom made him felt a bit apprehensive.


    "I''m at Foundation Establishment Stage," Zhongsun Shan said when he saw Lin Xiao''s inquiring eyes. "However, I used to be at Golden Core Stage."


    This time, Lin Xiao was speechless.


    "Is it��"


    "My rank dropped because of the fight. I used to be a genius in my family," Zhongsun Shan said with indifferent tone. It sounded as if he was telling someone else''s story and not his. For some reason, he didn''t seem to want to remember the past.


    "How old are you?"


    "Ah? I''m 24."


    24?


    Lin Xiao was speechless. If he was not wrong, Taiyi Sect fall two years ago which meant that Zhongsun Shan was only 22 years old. Even if he only joined the sect a year before, didn''t it mean that he had already reached Golden Core Stage before the age of 22?


    How much of a genius was he to be able to reach Golden Core Stage before the age of 22?


    He couldn''t imagine it. After all, many geniuses that he had seen so far were all only at Foundation Establishment Stage. Any higher didn''t seem to be very possible in the slightest bit.


    "Wait, if you''re already Foundation Establishment Stage, why are you an Outer Disciple?" Lin Yun asked in confusion.


    Zhongsun Shan looked at the siblings in front of him and smiled bitterly. "That''s because there''s no way one can directly become inner disciple after joining. I hadn''t had the chance to participate in the advancement test."


    If only the attack occurred just a few months later, Zhongsun Shan knew that he would surely become the inner disciple and not outer disciple. Even if his rank dropped because of the fight, he was still young and should be able to become powerful cultivator if he was given enough time to practice.


    "I see��"


    "Your Highness, do you have anything else to say to me?" Zhongsun Shan asked, his tone respectful.


    Lin Xiao actually wanted to ask about what the previous Emperor did to make Zhongsun Shan wanted to launch rebellions. But in the end, the word stuck in his throat, so he couldn''t bring himself to ask about it.


    He sighed and looked at Zhongsun Shan. "I''m still very young and incapable. However, I want to become the Emperor and take back what''s rightfully mine. Do you want to help me?"


    The way Lin Xiao spoke was still very unbefitting of a leader. There was no way a leader would ask his subordinate to do something so politely. But right now, Lin Xiao knew that he didn''t have the ground to order people as he wished.


    Just because of the mark, he could act according to his wished?


    You wish.


    Lin Xiao knew very well that people would only listen to strength. If they didn''t have strength but background, the power they wield would never be theirs completely. They were only borrowing the power from the background that they had.


    He didn''t want to be like that.


    The Royal Family was indeed, powerful, but they were not the one that would help him forever. There were a lot of princes and if he was not capable enough, how could he become the Emperor that lead the lives of numerous people in this kingdom?


    That was impossible.


    Zhongsun Shan looked at Lin Xiao then solemnly nodded. "If that''s what you want, Your Highness. I''ll gladly help."


    "In that case, can you teach me the basic skill from military?" Lin Xiao asked.


    He had already thought about asking Qiu Si to teach him about things he was lacking to be a proper gentleman. As for Zhongsun Shan, he could ask this man to teach him about the way the military trained. Sui Wenyan was talented in arts, so he could ask her about them.


    It would surely take him a long time to learn everything, but he was willing to work hard to be able to become a better person.


    "Alright, I''ll do that."


    Afterwards, Lin Xiao explained that he would be doing missions occasionally but during the time between each mission, he wished that they could teach him. Qiu Si ended up giving him a lot of books to read and Sui Wenyan would be the one to supervise him during his journey.


    After all of that, Lin Xiao bade his farewell.


    "Husband, are you sure about your decision?" Qiu Si asked Zhongsun Shan. While the others didn''t know, how could she not know about her other half''s past. The fact that Lin Xiao was someone from the Royal Family was already more than enough to make Zhongsun Shan wanted to tear the other party''s apart.


    Zhongsun Shan looked at Qiu Si and sighed. "I don''t know."


    "Then��"


    "But I want to try trusting that man. He''s not like any other princes that are brought in the luxury but someone who lived at the bottom of the chain for a long period of time." Tapping his fingers on the table, Zhongsun Shan looked at the front.


    "If it''s him, things might be able to change for the better. He''s not idiotic and not someone who''s thirsty of power to the point of insanity. I want to try to believe in him."

 Chapter 157: Medicinal Bath

    Qiu Si looked at her husband and then smiled. "In that case, I''ll support you in whatever you want to do."


    "Thank you, Sweetheart."


    The couple didn''t say anything else, but starting from that day, they began to help Lin Xiao to learn about many things.


    ��


    Time passed swiftly.


    During this period of time, Lin Xiao chose to attend missions again and made sure that he managed to obtain more Spirit Stones. The one who used the Spirit Stones the most was Sui Wenyan because when one reached Foundation Establishment, the needs for Spirit Stones soared. She wouldn''t even feel anything even if she had hundreds of Spirit Stones to absorb each day.


    Of course, Lin Xiao was incapable to provide that much.


    The needs for resources was also one of the reasons why many people chose to participate in sects and academy. As long as they could get in, they would be able to obtain a lot of resources and possibly advance faster.


    Lin Xiao himself also continued to strengthen himself by using the medicine and training. It was to the point that his entire time was solely devoted to train, be it in terms of knowledge and physical ability.


    "It''s nearly New Year. Are you ready for the medicinal bath, Brother?"


    Lin Xiao glanced at Lin Yun, who was holding onto a large batch of medicine in his hand. Over the past few months, both Lin Yun and Wenren Yu seemed to be crazy as they gathered a lot of herbs and also trained their ability to make medicine. There were a lot of waste, but many were also useful.


    Those that they didn''t need, they would sell them again and those that they deemed as useful would be kept away. As the result, the amount of money they had have been dwindling rapidly. In the end, they were forced to take several missions and Sui Wenyan came to watch them on the side.


    "Yes."


    "Alright. If you can''t hold on, tell us."


    After looking at the recipe that Wenren Yu prepared, Lin Yun already felt that it was insane. The combination of several medicine could even create toxicity, yet there were also others at the same time that can nullify the effect.


    "Ok."


    They bought a house not far from Qiu Si and Zhongsun Shan''s house. It was quite small but enough for their needs. There was no need for them to look for an expensive house when they were not going to stay here for a long time.


    Wenren Yu was already preparing the bath and looked at Lin Xiao with hesitation. He himself didn''t want to use the bath for him because the pain would be unimaginable. If one couldn''t hold on, one could die. He didn''t think that his mental fortitude would be that strong, so he never tried it by himself.


    "Now?"


    "Yeah?"


    Lin Xiao took out his outer robe and looked at the medicinal bath that Wenren Yu prepared. The water was clear without any sign of impurities. If one didn''t know better, one would think that this was not medicinal bath and instead, it was ordinary water that was placed here.


    Looking at Wenren Yu, who was careful to not touch the water, Lin Xiao could guess that the medicinal bath was real. Probably even a touch would make one feel hurt.


    "You can enter, but make sure that you continue to circulate your Qi no matter what happen. Once you stop and the medicine is stuck in your body, you might not be able to survive," Wenren Yu warned.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Alright."


    Splash!


    The moment his skin touched the water, Lin Xiao could feel scorching pain. It was as if there were thousands of needles pricking onto his skin and threatened to tear him apart. It was so painful. And soon, the pain intensified. His bones were crushed, his flesh were torn, and his organs were squeezed.


    Everything was tearing apart inside his body, yet there was nothing that Lin Xiao could do but to circulate his Qi. His mind was in chaos but Lin Xiao gritted his teeth.


    ''This is nothing compared to the inheritance.''


    Gritting his teeth, Lin Xiao circulate his Qi while bearing with the pain. Sitting in the medicinal bath, he couldn''t feel anything but pain on his skin. Even the warm sensation from his Qi circulation that he usually felt was now gone.


    One circulation.


    Two circulations.


    Lin Xiao continued to circulate his Qi while the pain continued to assault his body. He couldn''t even sense if there was anyone around him anymore because his attention was solely focused inside his body.


    Not far from him, Wenren Yu and Lin Yun were watching nervously. Wenren Yu was still looking at the water and tried to add the herbs in accordance to what his teacher taught him. This method was known to be the cruelest method in Taiyi Sect and would only be done by those who were desperate enough.


    After all, not everyone have good talent and if they wanted to grow stronger faster, they have to be ready to pay for the price. And the price for this method was unimaginable pain that many people would never be able to withstand.


    Time passed.


    Every seconds felt like it was a lifetime. Wenren Yu was still watching Lin Xiao nervously. His hand was trembling as he saw the red skin on Lin Xiao''s flesh. It was the sign that the medicine was working and began to increase the basic defense.


    This method would increase one''s physical strength exponentially. However, if one failed to withstand the pain and didn''t do the circulation, it might damage their organs and also their mind. Because of that, no one wanted to do this.


    To be conscious of the pain for hours��


    Not everyone could do that.


    "How long it''ll last?"


    "Just a bit more��" Wenren Yu said with uncertainty. Everyone have different absorption capabilities, so he was not sure.


    Splash!

 Chapter 158: Strength Increase

    Splash!


    "Brother!"


    "Master!"


    The two called out in worry but noticed that Lin Xiao was still in the center of the bath without moving in the slightest bit. The two of them were stunned then they turned around.


    Sui Wenyan was sitting not far from them, practicing with a bucket of water to control her soundwaves. She glanced in their direction when she sensed their gazes and arched her eyebrows. Her expression looked as if she was saying, ''Is there anything wrong with me training here?''


    Lin Yun: "��"


    Wenren Yu: "��"


    You''re making us panic, Wenyan!


    Grumbling, Wenren Yu paid his attention back to Lin Xiao. He noticed that the water in the tub had decreased exponentially. It seemed that as the medicine was absorbed, the water would also be absorbed into Lin Xiao''s body in accordance.


    However, the color of the water started to turn murky as if someone spilled an ink into the tub.


    "It''s almost done."


    Wenren Yu grabbed a few more herbs then placed it onto the bath. The water turned clear again and he waited. Once the water turned murky, he would add the herbs and then waited again.


    Lin Yun watched the process with sweat on his back. If this continues, it meant that his brother would be in constant pain all along. However, he noticed that his brother no longer looked like he was in pain.


    "Will the pain decrease as time continue?" Lin Yun asked.


    "No, but your senses will be duller because you''re numb to the pain after some time," Wenren Yu replied.


    "Oh."


    Since the pain continued to stay at the same level, it was Lin Xiao''s tolerance that increased. Since that was the case, he wouldn''t have as intense reaction as before when he was facing the medicinal bath. It was a good thing since it meant that he wouldn''t suffer that much.


    While they were talking, Lin Xiao was completely focused on the circulation. To make sure that he could tolerate the pain, he simply focused his attention to the circulation in his body and continued to focus to circulate his Qi all around his body. This was the only way he would be able to stay awake without shouting in pain all day long.


    As time passed, Lin Xiao no longer felt any pain.


    He furrowed his brows and tried to sense his surroundings before opening his eyes. Looking at Wenren Yu, he opened his mouth, "Is it done?"


    His voice was hoarse despite not speaking for hours. It was as if the pain was also disrupting his vocal cord whilst strengthening his body in overall.


    Wenren Yu nodded. The water had already cooled down and the color had turned into white. Unlike the murky water from before, this one was closer to the color of white rather than black. It was quite astonishing that the water could change color so quickly like that.


    "Yes, congratulations, Master."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He grabbed the side and tried to stand up��


    Crack!


    Huh?


    Three pairs of eyes glanced to the tub that Lin Xiao held. It was made of wood, which was quite understandable that the tub wouldn''t be able to hold on if Lin Xiao exerted great strength. However, there was no way Lin Xiao would want to exert so much strength just to get up.


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. He stood up and then stepped out.


    Crack!


    A hole was formed on the ground.


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    Lin Yun: "��"


    Wenren Yu: "��"


    Just how much did his strength increase to the point that he was unable to walk properly? Looking at the distance between him and the door, Lin Xiao felt headache. He tried to walk with less strength��


    Crack!


    "Brother, please control your strength." Lin Yun''s lips twitched. He had seen how Lin Xiao suffered before, so he had no interest to do the same. Even if he his physical ability was lower, he didn''t have the intention to increase his strength exponentially like his brother and ended up losing control of his own strength.


    "I''m trying." Lin Xiao wanted to cry. He wanted to say that he didn''t do it on purpose, but he felt that the word stuck in his throat. Damn it, why did he fail to control his strength.


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    With each step, the floor was destroyed. Wenren Yu sighed and thought about the fact that he would be the one to repair the floor.


    Forget it. It was good that Lin Xiao''s physical strength increased.


    In the meantime, Lin Hu was watching Lin Xiao with amusement. When Lin Xiao destroyed the floor with each step, he couldn''t hold on anymore.


    "BA HA HA HA HA HA AHA HAHAH!" Laughing loudly inside Lin Xiao''s mind, Lin Hu didn''t care that his master''s face had turned black. He was thoroughly enjoying the moment when Lin Xiao failed to control his own strength.


    ''Shut up, Lin Hu!'' Lin Xiao gritted his teeth.


    "That''s your retribution for trying to get so much strength in such a short period of time. Don''t you know that your body wouldn''t be able to withstand it and yet you''re still trying to do it. Tsk, tsk, tsk."


    ''Lin Hu!''


    Lin Hu sneered and looked at Lin Xiao. "At the very least, you now have the qualification to try absorbing the rest of the Spirit Stones and make your preparation to break through to Foundation Establishment."


    Lin Xiao, who was about to curse Lin Hu loudly inside his mind, stopped in his track. He stood there with bewilderment and looked at the annoying dragon inside his consciousness. ''Are you serious?''


    ''Yes. You''re already strong enough physically and there''s not much you can do to increase your strength again. Normal training that you do wouldn''t benefit you that much after that medicine bath. Tsk, tsk, tsk. To think that there''s such potent medicine.''


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao''s eyes shone with happiness.


    He wanted to breakthrough to Foundation Establishment as soon as possible!

 Chapter 159: Spar

    "With such increase, there''s no need for him to worry that his vessel is not strong enough to absorb the Qi in Spirit Stones," Sui Wenyan commented when she saw the deep mark on the ground. Her brows furrowed. Couldn''t that annoying brat stepped on the ground slowly?


    Wenren Yu nodded. He himself was already at Body Training Rank 10, but he had no confidence to try breaking through. The reason was simply because his body strength was still far weaker than what ordinary Body Training Rank 10 was, so he had to make sure that his body was strong enough to withstand him attempting the breakthrough.


    "He''ll catch up to you."


    "When we reach Foundation Establishment, he''s going to lag behind." Wenren Yu shrugged. Body Training Stage emphasized on body strength with the Qi as the helper. But once they reached higher stage, Qi was more important, then comprehension was the most important.


    The higher the stage, the less they would need to worry about training their physical body.


    Lin Yun was also in the same condition as Wenren Yu. He was previously a weak boy that had to rely on medicine to be able to survive and get going. But with the help of so many medicine and herbs, he managed to eventually reached Body Training Rank 10.


    He was already quite strong for someone his age, but to attempt a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment required more than that. His body needed to be stronger because without that, he wouldn''t be able to survive.


    "Just use the same method as him. If you use the medicine bath, I''m sure that you''ll grow stronger," Sui Wenyan said carelessly. She herself had already passed Body Training Stage 10. Thanks to her constant training, she was actually much stronger than them and only looked slender because she made sure that she maintained her body structure.


    There was no way she wanted to look like a large hulk, eh. It was not pretty.


    "I won''t be able to survive." Wenren Yu''s face was grim.


    "Weaklings."


    The word made Wenren Yu''s face turned red. He looked at Sui Wenyan helplessly but unable to say anything more. When it came to such extreme method, he truly didn''t dare and could only concoct medicine that would help him and Lin Yun to be stronger as they trained daily.


    Their strength increased slowly but surely. Lin Xiao also used the same method, but he still wanted to get more strength faster. That was how they finally used the medicinal bath for Lin Xiao.


    Bang!


    Punching forward, Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. Even without using any skill or anything, he still managed to destroy the tree before him. To think that there would be a day when he would be able to destroy a tree without the use of skill and just from physical body''s strength.


    "Whoa, your strength had increased greatly."


    "Many thanks for your guidance," Lin Xiao replied with a smile and cupped his hand.


    "In that case, let''s spar again."


    "Eh?"


    Swish!


    Before Lin Xiao could react, Sui Wenyan had already plucked her zither. The soundwave that was coated with the Qi rushed over to Lin Xiao''s direction. The speed of sound was very quick, rendering one unable to react in time at normal times. Because of this, Sui Wenyan was known to be invincible as long as she didn''t meet any freak who was as strong as hell.


    Lin Xiao punched forward with Mountain Punch and the soundwave around him was dispersed almost immediately. It created a hole with him at the center that was not affected by the soundwave at all.


    Sui Wenyan arched her eyebrows. The area that was covered by Lin Xiao''s punch had greatly increased. "Interesting. Come here, brat."


    Tring!


    Melodious sound began to ring from Sui Wenyan. She looked as if she was playing a performance, yet the soundwave that she produced headed without hesitation towards Lin Xiao as if attempting to devour the young man.


    Bang! Bang!


    Using Mountain Punch, Lin Xiao punched forward. His brows were furrowed when he realized that he couldn''t get close to Sui Wenyan in the slightest bit. Without hesitation, he took out his sword and began to form the stance that was required.


    Mountain Sword, First Stance!


    Swish!


    Sui Wenyan evaded right in time, but her performance was slightly disturbed as there was slight delay. Her eyebrows arched but she was smiling. To think that there would be a day when a Body Training Rank 10 would disrupt her performance with skills alone.


    How marvelous.


    Tring!


    As melodious sound began to ring again, Lin Xiao gritted his teeth and charged straight to Sui Wenyan''s direction. His hand was holding onto the sword tightly as he looked at Sui Wenyan with extreme concentration.


    There were several stances in Mountain Sword. Ever since Lin Xiao began to learn the sword, he had been trying to do the stances but failed miserably. In the end, there were only several stances that he managed to learn.


    Mountain Sword, Third Stance!


    The third stance was the strike that relied most on counterattacking. Using the force that the opponent had, Lin Xiao twisted his sword and then charged straight towards Sui Wenyan.


    Clang!


    The sword hit the zither while Sui Wenyan was looking at Lin Xiao in surprise. At the moment he came close, she found herself unable to move thus forcing her to block. Her zither was coated with Qi, which made it hard and unable to break easily.


    Still, she could feel the pressure that Lin Xiao gave.


    Sweat poured on her back. Just how much strength did this brat gained from a single session of medicinal bath?


    Tring!


    Lin Xiao jumped back to avoid the attack. His eyes landed on the zither that Sui Wenyan held. There was faint marking of his sword at the edge, signaling that the strength he exerted was actually enough to destroy the defense of the zither.


    "Let''s stop here for now."

 Chapter 160: The Number

    Tring!


    Lin Xiao jumped back to avoid the attack. His eyes landed on the zither that Sui Wenyan held. There was faint marking of his sword at the edge, signaling that the strength he exerted was actually enough to destroy the defense of the zither.


    "Let''s stop here for now."


    "Hmm?"


    Sui Wenyan smiled and pointed to her zither. "You can penetrate the Qi defense with your attack alone. It means that against Foundation Establishment, your disadvantage had decreased."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao''s eyes shone. The defense around the zither was similar to the defense of Qi layer that Foundation Establishment had. Since he had managed to break the defense of the zither, wouldn''t it mean that he would be able to do the same when he was facing other Foundation Establishment Cultivators?


    Lin Xiao was eager to try it.


    Looking at the two others who were staying at the side, Sui Wenyan smiled helplessly. "if you want the same strength, you can just try to practice more or you can increase your strength by making sure that you have enough mental fortitude to try the medicinal bath."


    "Uh, no."


    "There''s no need."


    The two of them shook their head vehemently. While they did want to get stronger, experiencing the pain that Lin Xiao experienced was clearly not in their agenda. They didn''t want to be forced to endure that kind of treatment at all.


    They should be able to get stronger by training normally and used herbs to increase their strength.


    "There are some tonics that can increase strength. Why don''t you make it?" Sui Wenyan asked.


    "There''s no material here." Wenren Yu''s face flushed. There were indeed some medicines that focused on increasing one''s strength. He had seen them and intended to use them in the future when he could finally make one after gathering enough herbs. Unfortunately, some herbs didn''t grow in this region.


    He had to visit other places if he wanted to gather all the necessary herbs.


    Sui Wenyan arched her eyebrows then nodded. She could faintly guess the reason, but she didn''t want to interfere with how Wenren Yu cultivate. Everyone have their own method to grow stronger and if one method worked for someone, it didn''t mean that it would also work for others.


    There were some methods that was exclusive for certain cultivator that other wouldn''t be able to imitate no matter what.


    "The examination in Long Yin Forest will be held soon. We should prepare ourselves."


    "Okay."


    "I''ll learn to control my strength for the time being."


    Lin Xiao looked at the ground below him helplessly. Sudden increase in strength felt like it was truly too much. He wouldn''t be able to do his work properly because of this. How troublesome.


    While Lin Xiao walked around, Sui Wenyan looked at Wenren Yu. "I thought that the medicine bath couldn''t increase one''s strength that much?"


    There were already several people who used the same method as Lin Xiao to grant them enormous strength. However, based on her memory, they were not that strong to make them unable to control their strength after they had finished. At the very least, the increase was only around half of what they used to be.


    Because it was not that much, there was never any problem for them to adapt to their newfound strength. At most, they would feel that the power they used was too much and made the items nearly unable to hold on but didn''t destroy them immediately.


    Wenren Yu shook his head. "I also don''t know. Master did say that how much one could absorb will depend on their constitution. I checked His Highness''s pulse but I didn''t notice anything wrong even though there''s some faint differences."


    (A/N: Master here refers to his Master in Taiyi Sect. Because of that, he changed his addressing way to Lin Xiao to His Highness.)


    "Differences?"


    "I feel that his innate constitution is better?" Wenren Yu asked hesitantly.


    On the other hand, Sui Wenyan was stunned. She had heard the rumor from her Master back in Taiyi Sect that those who were chosen by the Heaven would be given a reward. The reward would be better constitution but the price that came with it was pain much more painful than anything.


    However, the constitution would only help them a little bit and will instead make them advance slower because of the needs of more resources to help them advance. It was all written in the records, which was why Sui Wenyan could find out about it.


    "That''s��"


    "Senior Sui?"


    "Call me Wenyan." Sui Wenyan furrowed her brows. "How many times you change the herbs also depends on the constitution, right?"


    "Oh, yes. The more I need to add the herbs before it turned into milky white color and no longer murky, the higher the body''s constitution was. The better it is, the more power they could get after finishing the medicine bath."


    Wenren Yu then began to think about how many times he added the herbs. Because of his nervousness, he didn''t count before, but he was also a cultivator that had excellent memory. In the next moment, his expression turned strange.


    "Senior�� I mean Wenyan, normally people only have around 5 to 8, right?"


    If he was not wrong, his seniors back then only needed 5 to 8 increase of medicine. It was already quite a good result back then because their Master was also very happy with their result.


    Sui Wenyan nodded. "Yes."


    "Then�� how strong would it be if one need 12 times?" Wenren Yu asked in low tone.


    The number 12 made Sui Wenyan''s mind blanked for a moment. She looked at Wenren Yu and her gaze hardened. "Never ever told this to anyone, understand?"


    "Yes? Yes!"


    "Do you understand?"


    "Yes!"


    "Good."


    Seeing the grave expression on Sui Wenyan''s face, Wenren Yu understood that there was something wrong. But as for what it was, he had no idea in the slightest bit. He also had no guts to ask Sui Wenyan when her face was that dark.

 Chapter 161: Departure

    "Do you understand?"


    "Yes!"


    "Good."


    Seeing the grave expression on Sui Wenyan''s face, Wenren Yu understood that there was something wrong. But as for what it was, he had no idea in the slightest bit. He also had no guts to ask Sui Wenyan when her face was that dark.


    While Wenren Yu didn''t know because the man used to only stay to study medicine, Sui Wenyan was very clear of this matter. Human''s strength was divided from one to twelve with one being the weakest. Normal people would be only around 3 while children were 1 or 2. If they were cultivator, their strength would increase.


    Body Training was referring to their training of their body strength, which would increase. Once they reached Body Training Rank 6, their body strength usually increased to 4, which was also the threshold for them to advance in their training. Because of this, Body Training Rank 6 had become the upper line for many sects to accept disciples.


    Without reaching Body Training Rank 6, their body was simply too weak.


    When they reached the peak of Body Training Stage, they would be increased to 6, which was also the requirement for them to become Foundation Establishment Cultivator. It was the weakest line and also what most people aimed. They would reach 5 by the time they reached Body Training Rank 9, which was also the strength of majority people at Body Training Rank 10.


    To increase even one would require bitter training for days and hours. The only method to create a shortcut was through medicinal bath that would increase their strength exponentially.


    The increase of each of this number was double the previous one. Because of that, it was hard for them to even increase one number.


    Before this, Sui Wenyan had gauged that Lin Xiao was around 7 or maybe nearing 8. But for someone who wanted to become the Emperor, this strength was simply not enough. He had to make sure that the was much stronger than many others. Even other princes didn''t usually make their break through to Foundation Establishment before they reached 9 or possibly 10 to obtain better foundation.


    But Wenren Yu had just told her that Lin Xiao''s strength increased to 12, which was basically the peak. The number 12 was only there because in history, there was someone who reached it. But to recreate his legend was simply too hard.


    No one would be insane enough to stay in Body Training Rank 10 for years just to obtain the strength of 12.


    There was golden time for them to advance to Foundation Establishment and no one wanted to miss the time. Thanks to that, those who wanted to reach the peak usually used some outer sources such as medicines and some methods to be able to increase their body strength rapidly.


    Sui Wenyan herself knew that her physical strength was only hovering between 8 and 9. She would still grow stronger as long as she trained herself, but the progress wouldn''t be that quick anymore because her focus had shifted to train her Qi.


    The medicine bath would usually help cultivators to increase their strength to 8, which was already good enough for majority of them. After all, it was already far above the passing line for them to make their breakthrough.


    Both Lin Yun and Wenren Yu were already at 6, but to be save, it would be better for them to wait until they reached 7. The chances of people failing to advance to Foundation Establishment at strength 6 was too much and not many people wanted to advance at such low strength.


    It would be a bit embarrassing.


    But those who were already older wouldn''t care in the slightest bit and tried to advance when they could. Even if they were slightly weaker in the process, it would be worth it as long as they could reach Foundation Establishment and have hope to advance further.


    "Wenyan?"


    Seeing Sui Wenyan in deep contemplation, Wenren Yu felt that there was truly something wrong. He wanted to know, but he felt that it might be above him to know about this.


    Sui Wenyan shook her head. "Just pack up and prepare yourself for departure. We''ll be going the day before New Year."


    "Alright."


    The four of them met with Qui Si and Zhongsun Shan once more to bid their farewell. Lin Xiao had been learning a lot from the couple but there were still many things that he needed to learn, so Qiu Si packed a lot of books for him to read.


    Looking at the pile of books that he had to read, Lin Xiao felt like crying. There were so many of them!


    After a few days, Lin Xiao managed to control his strength better. Despite failing to do so a few times, it was still much better than when he completely obliterates everything in his path whenever he went.


    Sui Wenyan also refused to spar with him again if he couldn''t control his strength. What a joke. Without the protection of her Qi and also the fact that her own strength had increased much more because she was a stage higher than Lin Xiao, she would have died in Lin Xiao''s hand during the spar.


    She also took her time to repair her Zither, which was the most important weapon in her hand.


    ��


    A few days later.


    The four of them headed to the square then to the specific building. This building was designated for those who wanted to travel because there was Transportation Circle that was useful for long distance transportation.


    "The price is so much." Lin Xiao still feel the pain when he thought that he had to pay the fee.


    Sui Wenyan shrugged her shoulder. "It''s just 40,000 gold coins."


    "That''s not just."


    Looking at the fact that there were a lot of people running about Mercenary Association, he knew that they were all trying to find money. For most people, this was an astronomical sum.

 Chapter 162: Long Yin Forest

    Sui Wenyan shrugged her shoulder. "It''s just 40,000 gold coins."


    "That''s not just."


    Looking at the fact that there were a lot of people running about Mercenary Association, he knew that they were all trying to find money. For most people, this was an astronomical sum.


    There were not many people who were capable to earn that much money in such a short period of time. And then to use that much money for transportation alone could make people feel heartache.


    "The distance is very far from the examination location," Sui Wenyan said leisurely. "if you can''t pay this much, it meant that you''re not capable. Becoming a mercenary is an easy way to earn money."


    Thinking about the missions they took, Lin Xiao had to admit that he had earned hundreds of thousands of golds just from missions alone. However, most of the money were used up again to buy herbs and to participate in the auction. Last month, they participated and bought some important herbs that was necessary for their cultivation.


    Wenren Yu was obviously the one in charge for making medicine with Lin Yun helping out here and there. There was still some difference in skill between the two of them, but they were equally capable when it came to make ordinary medicine or pills that they could sell back for money.


    "Cultivation needs more than just money," Lin Xiao murmured.


    The one thing that pained him the most was the fact that 10,000 gold coins could be exchanged for one spirit stones. While not everyone wanted to exchange it, finding some who would want to do the trade was easy. There were a lot of cultivators in this place who might need money more than spirit stones.


    "if we got accepted, we don''t need to worry that much."


    "Yes?"


    "You don''t need to pay for transportation fees to the academy."


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    The perquisite would be that they have to get accepted. However, Lin Xiao himself was confident that he would be able to pass the test.


    "Next!"


    The people at the front instructed them to move forward and the people began to move. Lin Xiao watched from the back with interest. The room was spacious and there were several drawings on the floor that he couldn''t understand the use. However, the faint movement of Qi in the air helped him to realize that it was what helped them to transport to a faraway distance.


    A strange expression formed in his face. This was the first time Lin Xiao ever seen transportation runes and his opinion of that item was that it was so strange and weird. If he had to say, he would never think of something like that as transportation device if only he didn''t see the person disappear at the top of the drawing.


    Sui Wenyan was calmer. She had seen teleportation device several times back in Taiyi Sect. While the word device might not be suitable to describe the item in front of them, it was still the one that they used to say that. Sometimes, they simply said it as Teleportation Runes, though.


    "Next!"


    It was Lin Xiao and his friend''s turn. Paying the price, Lin Xiao stood in the center and looked at the runes around him curiously.


    The guard arched his eyebrows. "Don''t move when the runes are activated."


    With that warning, Lin Xiao stood like a statue. However, his eyes were still looking at the runes below him. It was clear that he was very interested in them, yet there was no way he could possibly study them without any guidance like this. He had no experience studying regarding the runes in the past and didn''t even have the basic knowledge.


    Not everyone could learn about runes. Those without talent would only waste their times doing nothing without any result whatsoever.


    Swish!


    There was only faint dizziness and Lin Xiao realized that the view before him had changed considerably. He was now standing in the forest with several people walking around him. The tall trees and the rich Qi in the surroundings told him that he was not in Feng Yi City anymore.


    "This��"


    "Welcome to Long Yin City," Sui Wenyan said with a grin. Her hand, that was holding the zither, clenched tightly. The surge of Qi in this place was the most suitable for them to train, but there was no way the people who were staying here would let them train in peace.


    "Move. There will be more people who come."


    "Ah."


    Lin Xiao hopped forward then looked down. It turned out that the two runes were connected to each other, thus allowing them to move from one place to another. It was very interesting.


    ''You like this kind of low level runes?''


    ''Low level? To be able to transport the entire body of a person means that it shouldn''t be that low, right?'' Lin Xiao was stunned. After he had gotten stronger, Lin Hu often talked to him without any warning.


    Since Lin Hu would be one stage above Lin Xiao, it meant that Lin Hu was already Foundation Establishment. Since his Qi was above Lin Xiao, he could establish connection whenever he wanted unless Lin Xiao blocked him completely since Lin Xiao is his master.


    ''True teleportation runes will not require another runes at the edge of it. Too bad that the development of runes has been decreasing over the past several hundred years,'' LIn Hu said with a bitter tone.


    Lin Xiao was stunned then he thought about something. ''Right, I never asked this to you. How old are you, Lin Hu?''


    ''Hmm? I never counted. Probably a few thousand?''


    Thousands?


    Lin Xiao now felt as if he was talking to a relic. He looked at Lin Hu in his consciousness and pondered whether it was a good decision to ask him about his age. It felt as if he was just an infant in front of Lin Hu.


    "What are you looking at?"

 Chapter 163: Participants

    Lin Xiao now felt as if he was talking to a relic. He looked at Lin Hu in his consciousness and pondered whether it was a good decision to ask him about his age. It felt as if he was just an infant in front of Lin Hu.


    "What are you looking at?"


    "Huh?"


    Lin Xiao looked at the front and noticed that a young man was standing there. He was wearing purple robe and had long hair. What stood out the most was how fair his skin was and how slender his body. If one didn''t hear him speak and saw his adam apple, they would surely think of him as a girl.


    The young man looked at Lin Xiao, who was standing while looking in his direction with irritation. "Don''t you dare calling me a sissy again."


    "I didn''t even say anything," Lin Xiao murmured then smiled apologetically then turned around. However, he could sense the killing intent from the man even though he did nothing.


    "Brother��" Lin Yun was speechless. Even when Lin Xiao was doing nothing, he could attract trouble? He felt that his brother had an innate talent to create trouble no matter where he was and what he was doing.


    Even Wenren Yu and Sui Wenyan closed their eyes and felt like they didn''t want to get involved. Lin Xiao was only standing, but because the person in front of him hated to be looked at even for a second��


    Swish!


    Evading the attack, Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed and looked at the girly young man behind him. That one strike might not have been that serious, but he could sense that the young man was already at Foundation Establishment Stage.


    ''He should be around the same age as me, right?''


    How did he offend a genius so easily?


    "What are you looking at?" the young man was furious.


    "I''m just thinking that you''re very powerful." Lin Xiao felt his brain would be hurt if he spoke with this unreasonable person. He didn''t like being ambushed, but since he didn''t want to fight, he would just finish this matter through speaking.


    The young man narrowed his eyes. He grinned. "Of course, I, Song Hua, is the best!"


    Song Hua? Flower?


    (A/N: Hua meant flower)


    Lin Xiao twitched his lips and didn''t feel like speaking with this Song Hua anymore. How did his parents even pick his name in the past? Not only his appearance looked like a girl, but his name sounded like a girl''s name.


    He was utterly speechless.


    "Yes, yes, you''re a great person."


    "Heh, you''re the best! To think that there would be someone in the world that will acknowledge me as someone who''s great. Do you know how many times I have to convince them that I, Song Hua, is the best cultivator amongst the younger generation? There are even several fights that I initiated because I want to prove them that I''m better than them.


    Not only that, I also felt that you''re good looking man. Hey, do you want to��"


    Lin Xiao felt his mind turned blank when he heard how fast this man spoke. There didn''t sound as if there was any full stop or comma when he was speaking. It was just like a bullet train that kept on going and going without any intention to stop.


    He turned his head to the other three, but they had already walked away. Even though they still kept their distance not far from him, they clearly made sure that Lin Xiao couldn''t involve them with this man.


    "Yes, you''re amazing. But can I��"


    "There''s no but. I''m absolutely amazing and I can certainly prove it to you, Mister. Oh wait, I haven''t heard your name?"


    "I''m Xiao..."


    "Alright, Mister Xiao, do you have communication jade? When you want to listen more to my stories, please contact me and I will��."


    It took some time before Lin Xiao managed to brush Song Hua off. He felt sweat pouring on his back. Just how bad was his luck was to meet someone who was so beautiful yet talkative?


    "Brother, taste this." Lin Yun handed a stick with meat at the edge.


    "What''s this?"


    "Meat from beast Rank 4."


    Lin Xiao''s eyes lit up when he heard that. While they had already eaten a lot of meat from beasts rank 2 or 3 during their journey and missions before, they had never eaten meat from beast rank 4. The higher the rank of the beast, the more nutrition and Qi would they got.


    There were many stories about how ordinary people could advance in rank because they ate meat from higher ranked beasts. After all, the meat also contained a considerable amount of Qi inside.


    "Tasty." Lin Xiao took the meat and ate it. There was not much difference in the taste, but the richness of Qi was very visible. Even meat from beast rank 3 couldn''t compare to this.


    "Where do you find it?"


    "There are some people who are selling over there."


    While Long Yin Forest was large and still called as forests, Lin Xiao finally realized that there were houses here. The houses were made of woods and there were people living there. The people also sold some items in small stalls that were placed not far from their houses.


    One of them sold meat, some others sold armors, and some others sold weapons.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed as he looked at the people who were living in the village. For some reasons, he felt that the test for them to enter the academy had already started from the moment they came here.


    "Let''s go take a look at the things they sell."


    "Hmm? What do you want to buy, Brother?"


    Wenren Yu and Sui Wenyan was also busy munching their portion of meat that they bought when Lin Xiao was busy dealing with Song Hua.


    "Something that can help us pass this place," Lin Xiao replied with a grin.


    "HUH?"

 Chapter 164: The Test Have Begun?

    "HUH?"


    Sui Wenyan looked at Lin Xiao with a frown. "What are you talking about? There are only some people who are staying at this place. The test will only start after New Year, which is two days from now."


    "Have you come here before?"


    "Come here? Of course not. If you don''t want to participate, you''re not allowed to come to Long Yin Forest," Sui Wenyan replied. "Because of that, the teleportation circle will not be activated if you''re not qualified for the examination. You''ll be sent to a faraway place if you insist."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He had this inkling when he saw the people who were walking around were all young men and women except for the villagers. The villagers were all elderly and they stayed just to sell items.


    But their items were all valuable items, which made him certain that these villagers who looked no different than ordinary person was actually someone very powerful. However, he would need to check them one by one if he wanted to find out.


    "What do you want to do, Brother?"


    "Visit them."


    Walking to the nearby stalls, Lin Xiao looked down. His eyes showed astonishment when he saw the weapons in front of him. Everything was in extremely good condition and had high rank. Even the weapon in his hand couldn''t be compared to the weapons in front of him.


    "Do you want to buy them, Young Lads?" an elderly asked with a kind smile.


    Lin Xiao smiled. "How much for one?"


    "Not much, just 500,000 gold coins."


    At this moment, Lin Xiao''s smile stiffened. He didn''t have that much money. Thanks to the herbs fanatic named Lin Yun and Wenren Yu, his money was already drained terribly until there was only little bit left.


    How could he afford this expensive sword?


    Lin Xiao then swept his gaze on the elderly in front of him. To his astonishment, the man in front of him was only at Body Training Rank 6. While it was possible to hide one''s cultivation rank, it was hard to hide it in front of someone who was stronger.


    ''Did he fake his cultivation?''


    While Lin Xiao was confused, he chose to walk around again. The other three following behind him as he practically walked to every stalls that existed. Every elderly people he tried to scan were only at Body Training rank 6 to 7. There was no one that was at Foundation Establishment.


    Lin Xiao was baffled.


    "Brother, what''s wrong?"


    "Let''s find a place to rest for the night. It''s going to go dark soon," Lin Xiao replied but his expression was odd.


    "Alright."


    There were people who stayed there, but there was no inn. Because of that, Lin Xiao and the rest headed to the forest and then picked an empty tree was located not far from the areas of houses.


    Sui Wenyan was curious. "Why are you talking with all the elderly there?"


    "Because they''re not participants." Lin Xiao looked at the other participants and realized that many were thinking the same thing as him. However, he knew that there was something that he must have missed.


    "And?"


    "And there''s no instruction at all. Everyone only know that you have to come to Long Yin Forest to participate in the selection and the fact that the examination is different each year. However, there''s no teacher in this place or there are teachers, but they didn''t show themselves."


    Wenren Yu furrowed his brows. "I thought they''ll only appear on the day of examination."


    "Same."


    Lin Yun chose not to say anything and quietly looked at the areas where the houses existed. His expression turned slightly odd. "What if there''s actually someone else aside from the elders?"


    "Yes?"


    "The village is just this big but it didn''t mean that the people here are all the citizen who lived here. After all, the number of the houses is more than the number of the villagers."


    "Oh?"


    It was then they realized that Lin Yun was correct. There were only 7 elderly inside the village but there were 8 houses that was present. If one didn''t pay attention, they might not realize that there was one house without stalls at the front of the house. The position of the houses made them would only think of that small one as nothing more but storage rooms.


    Lin Xiao looked at the small house that looked different. "In that case, do you want to try coming there?"


    "Now?"


    "If we come now, wouldn''t we attract the attention of others?"


    Sui Wenyan furrowed her delicate brows as she straightened her seat. Her fingers slowly moved and the sound of zither rang in the quiet forest. Some people looked in their direction then turned their head around again as if there was no one there.


    "Wenyan?"


    "There''s barrier. If we walk into the barrier, it''ll make us look as if we disappear," Sui Wenyan replied with a faint smile. Internally, she was thoroughly cursing herself. She had heard that the test was unusual but to think that they would be tested even before the time for the examination.


    She felt that the one who designed the examination was very devious.


    "Let''s try to go there."


    "Alright."


    Under Lin Xiao''s lead, they began to walk into the village once more. The elderly had already retreated one by one because it was already night time. Only some cultivators were still wandering around the area and tried to figure out what the purpose of this place was.


    Aside from buying some meat, Lin Xiao and the rest didn''t really do anything.


    Tep!


    The moment Lin Xiao stepped into the barrier, he could sense his surroundings changed. The view of the small house that looked no different than storage house changed to a clear path with trees by the side.


    "What is this?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    Behind him, the other three couldn''t say anything either as they stared at the path before them.

 Chapter 165: The Test Location

    "What is this?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    Behind him, the other three couldn''t say anything either as they stared at the path before them.


    Sui Wenyan was the first to break the silence. "Maybe, this is the real path towards the test place?"


    Lin Xiao turned around and realized that the view behind him had changed too. It was now an empty place without any marking of the lush forest and the place they saw just now. He felt as if they have fallen into an illusion and now they were unable to wake up.


    "Shall we walk?"


    "Now?"


    "Do you think we''ll have the chance later?"


    "Well, no."


    Even though it was night time, the four of them were not really tired. It was not a big deal if they didn''t sleep for a day or two since they were already powerful cultivators. In fact, they could use this chance to try walking this path.


    "Let''s try to walk this path then."


    They looked at each other then nodded. "Alright."


    Walking on the forest path, it was very quiet. Since it was already night time, their vision was limited. Aside from the faint swaying of leaves due to the wind, there was nothing in the forest.


    No beast, no other cultivator, nothing.


    ''It feels eerie.''


    ''HA HA HA HA HA AHA HHAHA AHAHAH! You''re scared just because you''re walking in the quiet forest alone? My, my, my, the master I picked is just a spineless coward this time!''


    ''Scram!''


    Lin Xiao screamed inside his consciousness. He didn''t say that he was scared but he felt that this place was odd. If only it was possible, he wanted to tear Lin Hu''s mouth apart so that this naughty dragon didn''t begin to mock him because of a thoughtless remark that he made.


    ''WA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA AHAHAHA!''


    Since the laughter got louder, Lin Xia decisively blocked Lin Hu from communicating with him. He was already feeling terribly annoyed by the scream of laugh that filled his head due to Lin Hu''s mischievousness.


    The others walked behind and beside Lin Xiao, so they didn''t realize that Lin Xiao''s expression had turned dark. Ever since meeting Lin Hu, Lin Xiao felt that the dragon was more annoying that useful.


    ''Wait, wait, don''t lock me away! Hey! I''m serious! Wa ha ha ha�� ehm. Anyway, you''re in the correct path. The place that you cross back then is not barrier, but it''s a door to another location in the forest.''


    Lin Xiao, who was ready to scold Lin Hu again, paused in his steps. He frowned. ''You mean we''re no longer in the same place as before?''


    ''Yes. You''re teleported away from that small village. However, you don''t need to worry because not far from here, there''s a large field and I can sense the Qi from a lot of people. There will be a lot of friends waiting for you.''


    ''Huh?''


    While Lin Xiao was still skeptical, he chose to trust Lin Hu''s words. After all, Lin Hu had keener senses compared to him and there was no reason for Lin Hu to lie when he realized that Lin Xiao was already in terrible mood.


    Walking a few more steps, Sui Wenyan suddenly stopped. "There are people at the front."


    "Yes?"


    "How many people?"


    "I''m not sure, but they''re all very powerful." Sui Wenyan bit her lower lips. She felt that if the people at the front were their enemies, there was no chance for them to win in the slightest bit. However, she was not sure of their identities because she couldn''t see them from this distance.


    Lin Xiao looked at the front and sighed. "In that case, we should just try?"


    Sui Wenyan looked back at Lin Xiao. She shook her head. "If you''re in danger because you go there, do you really think you can run away?"


    If the people over there were far more powerful than them, it was clear that they wouldn''t be able to leave because in front of absolute power, any tricks and whatsoever was useless.


    "We''re here for the examination to enter Sun Dragon Academy. I don''t think that they''re going to put so many dangerous people in front of our path, right?"


    It was a strange place, so they have to be careful. After all, there was no telling when they would arrive and might even meet with their enemies. Not that Lin Xiao had so many powerful enemies, but it would be better for them to be careful.


    "Come on. Rather than staying still on the road, wouldn''t it be better for us to see how it is in the end?"


    "Fine."


    They walked slowly and finally reached the empty area that Lin Hu told Lin Xiao before. There were two middle aged men who were standing guard near the entrance of that area. At the same time, there were also a lot of young men who were resting inside the area without any fear or anything.


    Lin Xiao looked at the two middle aged men. The two of them wore white robe with the picture of dragon on the sleeve. They were not leaking out their aura, but their disposition alone was more than enough to tell them that these two were not ordinary. They might be far more powerful than Sui Wenyan even though she was already at Foundation Establishment Cultivators.


    "Excuse me," Lin Xiao called out when they were near.


    The first man simply looked at Lin Xiao. "Name."


    "Eh?"


    "He''s asking for name." Lin Yun nudged his brother.


    "I''m Lin Xiao."


    "Lin Yun."


    "Sui Wenyan."


    "Wenren Yu."


    The man nodded and four plates appeared on his hand. He gave it to them, each had one. "You did well. This is the test location and you will stay here until the time for the test in two days'' time."


    Lin Xiao kept the plate and looked at the area. It seemed that he was correct. That small village was not the place where they held the test.

 Chapter 166: Waiting

    "Is there anything that we should do?" Lin Xiao asked. He had already successfully deduced one, but he was not sure that he would be able to deduce the next one without any clues whatsoever.


    The man shook his head. "The first test is comprehension test and you have already passed the moment you come here. You just need to rest and wait for the next instructions."


    "Thank you very much."


    The four of them cupped their hands and then walked to the large area. They picked a secluded place and sat down while looking at the people around them. Everyone was keeping their vigilance but no one dared to make the first move.


    With those two guards watching them and told them that they were not tasked to do anything for the time being, they were all very quiet. It was as if they were all only children who was waiting for further instruction after being reprimanded. No one dared to create trouble.


    "They''re already at Golden Core Stages," Sui Wenyan''s voice was low and filled with fear.


    She knew very well that no matter how powerful Foundation Establishment Cultivators were, they could never match up against Golden Core Stage Cultivators. Those cultivators were very powerful and couldn''t be measured by normal means anymore.


    Lin Xiao nodded. He noticed that too. "They''re just guards?"


    "Probably teachers?"


    "Huh?"


    "Sun Dragon Academy is not the best academy for no reason." Sui Wenyan''s eyes were filled with longing. "It''s basically the best academy where every sect could send their disciples in as long as they''re capable. The academy allowed freedom for their disciples and the only thing we need to do is to make sure that we study well and grow even stronger."


    "What if there''s conflict?"


    Sui Wenyan''s lips pursed. "As long as you don''t kill someone inside the academy, you''re free to do anything."


    There was chills on their back. It meant that if someone wanted to fight against people from other sects inside the academy, the teachers would willingly turn blind eye and even watched them from the sidelines. As long as they didn''t kill the other party, the academy basically didn''t care.


    "Inside the academy?" Lin Xiao asked in low tone.


    "There are missions and when you take missions, there are dangers involved. Who can say for sure that you won''t return back as corpse?" Sui Wenyan explained. She didn''t know the details, but she had heard enough from her seniors who used to be the disciple in Sun Dragon Academy.


    "Is there possibility of dropping out or getting kicked out?"


    "Yes. If you failed the test that they designed, there''s possibility that you will be kicked. However, we need to wait for the time when we''re in the academy if you want to know since I''m not totally sure."


    "How many people will be accepted?" Lin Xiao asked. Just from a glance to this place, he had realized that there were thousands of people here. It was not known how many people of who would pass the test later on, but he knew that many of them would surely pass because they were all very powerful.


    "Each year, Sun Dragon Academy will only accept between 100 to 500 disciples. The number can vary depending on how many talented people existed in that batch," Sui Wenyan replied.


    Lin Xiao nodded. It meant that there was no fixed quota but there would be at least 100 of them who would be accepted. That number could be considered very little since from the people who were inside this large area, Lin Xiao knew that more than half would be eliminated.


    No, not just half, if there were 1000 of people here, 90 percent would be eliminated.


    ''Well, it wouldn''t be easy.''


    Closing his eyes, Lin Xiao chose to sleep. It would be better for him to conserve his strength until it was the time for them to do the test. Lin Yun instinctively stood guard and stayed still. It was something that the two of them did when they were only the two of them.


    One rest and the other rest.


    Then they switched.


    "You can rest first, Lin Yun. I''ll guard first," Sui Wenyan said in low tone.


    Lin Yun turned his head around then nodded. The test might be done alone, but when they were staying here, they could stay in the group. There were no rules that said they have to stay in this place alone.


    The night passed quietly.


    More and more people came and the atmosphere grew tenser. It was clear that those who had come here were feeling displeased. The more people who come into this area, the more competition they would have. At that point, it would become uncertain who would pass the examination.


    Lin Xiao originally wanted to stay quiet.


    Unfortunately��


    "OH! You also pass here, Xiao! And here I thought that I''m the only person who can pass the test. Damn it, there are so many people here. Tsk, tsk, tsk, the test is very difficult and yet there are so many people who had passed. Hey, don''t you think the competition later will be very interesting?


    If everyone here tries to fight against each other head on, it''ll be total chaos. Don''t you want to try looking at that kind of view when it happens? Hey Xiao, are you listening to me?"


    "Uh huh."


    "Then, what''s your opinion? Do you think we''re in the middle of test again at this time? The two guards are very powerful too, so it looks like we''re going to be able to pass the test swiftly with them standing guard in front of us. Don''t you think that we''re going to pass the exam?


    What kind of exam do you think it''ll be��."


    "It''s the exam of who can stay quiet more."


    "What? That kind of exams existed? Damn! I''ll never be able to pass. I can''t stay quiet when there''s something so interesting��"


    Lin Xiao: "��" shut up!

 Chapter 167: Fortitude Test

    Lin Xiao had to shake Song Hua one way or another. But he felt as if his soul has been drained dry. The young man was so annoying that if he could, he wished to stitch Song Hua''s mouth.


    The other three pretended that they didn''t hear anything or know Lin Xiao, so they stayed at some distance from him. Thankfully, Song Hua''s ''friends'' were not only Lin Xiao so he left after spotting someone he knew and pestered that person.


    "He''s very noisy," Lin Yun commented.


    Lin Xiao shot a glare. "Why don''t you help me out when he continues to pester me before? Don''t you think that I need your help?"


    "Brother, you''re so amazing, so I don''t think that you will need any help."


    The praise only made Lin Xiao annoyed. He chose to stay silent and meditate. At the very least, Song Hua was also a cultivator and clearly knew the importance of meditating for them. There was no way he would interrupt a cultivator who was meditating unless he wished to make himself an enemy.


    With that trick, Lin Xiao managed to pass the day peacefully.


    The next day, there were still a stream of people coming. In fact, the number of people seemed to increase so much that the spacious area began to feel a bit cramped. After all, every cultivator kept their distance from each other to make sure that they would not fall for any unsound trick from others.


    Swish!


    The sudden pressure made everyone turned their head to the entrance. At this time, the two guards had already turned around.


    "The time is up. Now, we''re going to hold the examination test for Sun Dragon Academy. There are a total of 17,984 cultivators in this area who have passed the first test. For the second test, we''ll eliminate half of you."


    Half?


    Many people sucked their breath and looked at the two guards with solemn expression. They didn''t want to be the eliminated one but it was clear that the guards didn''t care about them in the slightest bit.


    They only wanted to do their work.


    "All you have to do is to stand firm in your place until the time is up."


    Stand firm?


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows as he looked at the entrance. At this time, a beautiful woman walked to the entrance from the path. She was dressed in beautiful pink dress and the hem of her dress swayed slightly in accordance to her movement. Elegant and enchanting, that was the impression they all got from the beautiful woman.


    The woman stood near the two guards and swept her gaze across them. The men who were drooling when they saw her body and the women who were envious of her features, all focused instantly. The faint pressure from her gaze alone was more than enough to tell them that she was a Golden Core Stage Cultivator.


    No one wanted to seek trouble from someone who was more powerful than them like that.


    "Hmm, there are a lot of geniuses in this place," the woman said in careless tone. She merely looked at the people in the area without the slightest interest. More than 99 percent would be eliminated eventually, so there was no need for her to pay attention to everyone here.


    "You may start, Senior Su."


    Senior Su?


    The woman was older than them? Or probably more senior than them?


    With the woman''s feature, everyone would only think of her as someone around the age of 20, but the words of the guards made them feel sweat dropping on their back. It seemed like Golden Core Cultivators had their own means to make sure that they didn''t look like their age but younger.


    The women cultivators were envious. Everyone wanted to look young forever. Even though they were all still very young right now, they knew that they would look older as time passed in the future.


    "So beautiful," Sui Wenyan murmured.


    Senior Su, Su Lin, looked at the crowd and smiled. "I hope you''re ready."


    A beautiful zither appeared on her hand and Sui Wenyan''s expression changed. At that moment, she instantly realized that the woman would be playing a song for them. Even though she was only at Foundation Establishment, Sui Wenyan knew the effect of soundwave attack very well.


    For those who have weak defense, just one attack was more than enough to bring them down.


    Tring!


    The melodious song began to play. The pressure was not that big as Su Lin maintained the power behind her song at moderate amount. If she went full power, it was clear that not a single one of them would be able to stay standing up until the very end.


    Lin Xiao felt his mind buzzed a bit, but the three of them had already practiced with Sui Wenyan until they wanted to vomit blood. Sui Wenyan''s skill at playing song and using soundwave to attack them was very good and at this time, the power that Su Lin used couldn''t even count as half of what Sui Wenyan used to play for them.


    After just a moment, Lin Xiao focused once more and looked at the front. The song was slowly getting more intense as he noticed that several people had fallen to the ground. They were unable to withstand the power of the soundwave.


    Thud!


    Lin Xiao had no time to care, though. As the soundwaves attack grew intense, they all could feel that the pressure was increasing. The guards were watching them with their clear gazes so that whoever fall down would be recorded by them.


    No one would be able to escape.


    ''How easy.''


    Sui Wenyan smiled bitterly. Since she was very familiar with soundwave, she knew how to use the same method to protect herself. The clash of soundwaves around her protected her at the very same time. For her, passing this stage would be easy as long as Su Lin didn''t play hard song.

 Chapter 168: Enemies meet at Narrow Path

    Tring!


    The song that was playing grew more intense. This time, Lin Xiao focused all of his attention to his ear and made sure that he could remain standing. He felt that his mind was continuously attacked at this period of time.


    Gritting his teeth, Lin Xiao remained standing. He had already experienced pain even worse that this attack. At that time, his entire body was completely destroyed due to the restructuring that was done inside his body.


    This was nothing.


    ''Stand up. If you fall just because of such petty attack, you''re only going to disgrace yourself.''


    After saying several sentences to himself, Lin Xiao just kept on standing. He didn''t have the time to see what Lin Yun and Wenren Yu were doing, so he could only hope that they were fine.


    Thankfully, the two of them were still standing. The result of their training with Sui Wenyan would slowly showed the effect because they were able to withstand the soundwave attack.


    Su Lin looked at the stubborn youngsters in front of her and chuckled. In her eyes, they were all no different than ants. Even if they were calling themselves as geniuses, they were not a true genius as long as they hadn''t grown up yet.


    Of course, she had no intention to destroy them either.


    She just didn''t fancy these people.


    Swish!


    Making her last attack, the power of the soundwave jolted several people and they fell on their knees. The expression of the people who had failed changed as they felt that they were really bad.


    Su Lin stopped and stretched her body. "6,783 people are left. Those who had fallen to the ground, please leave."


    Her voice was pleasing to the ear, yet the content was anything but that. Those who failed, gritted their teeth and walked to the entrance under the gaze of the two guards. Many of those who had reached the age of 20 knew that this would be their final chance and there was no hope for them to enter Sun Dragon Academy.


    "Yun, Yu?" Lin Xiao turned around.


    Lin Yun arched his eyebrows. His face was covered in sweat, but he was still standing as before. "Don''t worry, I pass."


    "That''s good."


    "I pass too." Wenren Yu smiled. He might not be that strong, but it didn''t mean that he was weak to the point that he was unable to withstand that kind of attack. Besides, Su Lin didn''t go all out and didn''t make things difficult for them more than what majority of people here could withstand.


    "Good."


    Lin Xiao had noticed that Sui Wenyan was fine. For that girl, this kind of test was nothing since her own weapon was also a zither.


    Sweeping his gaze across the field, Lin Xiao noticed that many of those who were weaker in cultivation had all walked to the gate. Those at Body Training Rank 7 or below were all eliminated. They simply didn''t have enough strength to defend themselves at this rank.


    There were even several Body Training Rank 8 who had failed and those weaker of Body Training Rank 9 could only hung their head low as they walked out. No matter how embarrassed they were, they could only accept the reality that they had failed the second test without any chance to recover.


    "So many people are eliminated."


    After some time had passed, no one else was moving. Su Lin looked at the crowd lazily. "There are still some people who had failed but still here. If you don''t move when I count to three, we''ll kick you out and you won''t be able to participate next year."


    The expression of some youngsters changed and they swiftly moved their way to the exit. Some of them were still young and could participate again next time. If they stayed here, they would just be disgraced.


    However, not all of them left and Su Lin lazily counted.


    "One."


    Her voice sounded very casual, yet the hint of threat couldn''t be ignored. It seemed that this woman was also very powerful even though she didn''t look like one.


    As people usually said, appearance can be deceiving.


    "Two."


    People looked around but those who had passed didn''t look that worried. They were simply wondering who would be shameless enough to hide in the crowd when they had certainly failed.


    "Three."


    Swish! Bang! Bang!


    Several people were thrown outside with just a flick of the woman''s arm. Su Lin''s expression was impassive while the two guards kicked those who had failed out of the place. There was no place for them in Sun Dragon Academy anymore.


    "Alright, we''ll continue with the next test. Come over to that gate and walk pass it. The other teachers will be waiting for you," Su Lin said with a smile then turned around elegantly.


    Lin Xiao looked at the gate and furrowed his brows. It was quite far from them, but from the way Su Lin spoke out, he felt that the gate was not ordinary. After all, it was also their next test, no?


    Bang!


    When someone tried to step in, his body was crushed with power and he fall to the ground, unable to move. A guard appeared before him and pulled him out. His voice sounded monotone as he informed, "You have failed. Please leave the area."


    "What? This is the test?"


    "Yes."


    The other participants were looking at the normal gate and gulped their saliva. The teachers who designed this method didn''t seem to be very kind to them. They were making the test even more difficult.


    What kind of pressure was that?


    Should they use their Qi, defense skill, or just use their body strength?


    While they were pondering what they should do, Lin Xiao noticed several people were walking not far from him towards the gate. The two fair ladies could easily attract one''s attention because of their beautiful figure. But not for Lin Xiao. His eyes narrowed. "Xu Qin, Bai Xin."

 Chapter 169: Passing the Gate

    While they were pondering what they should do, Lin Xiao noticed several people were walking not far from him towards the gate. The two fair ladies could easily attract one''s attention because of their beautiful figure. But not for Lin Xiao. His eyes narrowed. "Xu Qin, Bai Xin."


    "Hmm?"


    Lin Yun''s eyes narrowed as he looked in the direction that Lin Xiao was looking at. He instantly recognized the two fair ladies who were walking not far from them. But from the way it looked like, the two ladies didn''t recognize them in the slightest bit.


    Xu Qin didn''t change much even though she was already 17 years old by now. She had fair complexion and well developed body. For a girl at her age, she was starting to bloom to be a beautiful flower. There were many people who admired her beauty, especially youngsters their age who had just started to grow.


    Bai Xin was also a peerless beauty for someone who was still very young. She had great figure and voluptuous breast. Many men were also looking in her direction as there were not many female cultivators who managed to pass this stage.


    "She''s under 20 years old?" Lin Yun was stunned.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Xu Qin is the same age as us, right?"


    "I''m not talking about her but that female disciple. Wait, what''s her name? Ba Xin? Bai Xi? Who?"


    "Bai Xin." Lin Xiao smiled bitterly. Bai Xin was a disciple from Yun Liu Sect because Liu Gang had accepted her as his disciple back then. He didn''t know the detail but it seemed that both Xu Qin and Bai Xin received tremendous support to be able to come here.


    Xu Qin was already at Body Training Stage 8.


    In just two years'' time, she had advanced three stages, formally stepping into the ranks of powerful cultivators. Even Su Han might be green in envy if he were to see how fast Xu Qin grew.


    As for Bai Xin, it was needless to say that she had already reached Body Training Rank 10. The power that was exuded from her beautiful body was more than enough to make some people make way. Only those who had reached Foundation Establishment wouldn''t look at her with their eyes.


    They were all more powerful than her, why should they care?


    "She''s 20 years old," Wenren Yu said from the side. He had the capabilities to gauge one''s age from their appearance and also aura. It was a skill that he had developed during his time traveling around with his Master back then.


    20?


    Lin Xiao and Lin Yun looked at Sui Wenyan. In their opinion, when one reached 20 years old, they should be at the same stage as Sui Wenyan to be called powerful. After all, if they still didn''t manage to pass Body Training Stage at that age, their golden time would be over very soon.


    Swish! Bang!


    The sound from the front attracted their attention. Upon seeing that there were several others who had failed the examination, the others grew nervous. There was not a single one of them who had passed.


    "What''s the cultivation stage of those who had failed?" Lin Xiao asked.


    "Body Training Rank 8 and 9."


    Furrowing his brows. Lin Xiao studied the gate. He noticed some words were carved on the edge of the door. While he had never learned the language before, he felt that the words were familiar to him because he could read it.


    "Only those who had the strength of a dragon might pass."


    "Huh?"


    "What''s that?"


    Sui Wenyan was also looking at Lin Xiao who was looking at the gate. They had walked a bit to get closer but they had no intention to pass the stage yet. After all, they were waiting for someone to finally pass, but those with higher rank cultivation didn''t seem to be in a hurry either.


    "Is that��"


    "It''s written there," Lin Xiao said with a bitter smile. He himself didn''t know why he could read it, but it was clearly written on the gate. At the same time, he noticed the number that was hovering at the side of the gate.


    7.


    If even Body Training Rank 8 had failed, the number shouldn''t be representing their rank. It might be something else��


    "Body strength��. Yun, what''s your current body''s strength?"


    "Around 7," Lin Yun replied with uncertainty. Wenren Yu has been instructing him to train and with the help of the herbs, he managed to train his body to be better and better again.


    Wenren Yu arched his eyebrows. "I''m the same."


    "Then we should be able to pass." Lin Xiao smiled.


    "Really?"


    Bang!


    The sound of something fell attracted their attention. Upon seeing that it was someone at Body Training Rank 10, some of them turned hesitant. After all, majority of the 6,000 people here were only at Body Training Rank 10.


    If even they couldn''t pass, how could they possibly pass?


    Many were feeling extremely unwilling. They felt that the test was unfair and that they should be the one to pass the test with their effort and not just because their stages were lower.


    "Shall we try?"


    "Wait."


    "Why?"


    "Those who try at first will attract a lot of attention." Lin Xiao passed a sidelong glance. While attention was nice, he didn''t want to attract unwanted attention especially when there was no need for him to do so. Besides, there were some other people who would certainly wanted to take the spotlight.


    "But��"


    "Just wait until those who want to grab the spotlight out. Afterwards, we can take the test."


    Sui Wenyan arched her eyebrows and looked at one side. As Lin Xiao had thought, there was someone who walked out. Their majestic appearance and great aura attracted a lot of attention as they immediately recognized them.


    Some of them even bowed down as they greeted loudly, "Your Highness!"


    Their voices were filled with reference even though they were all around the same age.

 Chapter 170: The Two Princes

    Sui Wenyan arched her eyebrows and looked at one side. As Lin Xiao had thought, there was someone who walked out. Their majestic appearance and great aura attracted a lot of attention as they immediately recognized them.


    Some of them even bowed down as they greeted loudly, "Your Highness!"


    Their voices were filled with reference even though they were all around the same age.


    Lin Xiao was not unfamiliar with this figure. He had seen this prince when he was spending the time with Lin Yun and Wenren Yu in Feng Yi City. At that time, he had seen the prince from a distance away and noticed the powerful aura around him.


    "Prince Lin Kai."


    "Yes. He''s only 18 years old but he''s already at Foundation Establishment Stage for some time," Sui Wenyan said with unhurried tone. Her gaze swept the crowd. "In fact, there are two princes who are taking the test now."


    "Eh? Two?"


    "Yes, the two youngest princes. One of them is Prince Lin Kai, who''s 18 years old while the other one is Prince Lin Hong, who''s 17 years old. The two of them are already at Foundation Establishment Stage for quite some time, so many people are thinking that these two young princes might have a chance for the throne."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. In his opinion, just being a genius shouldn''t be the requirement to become the Emperor.


    "Is there no other reasons?"


    "Yes?"


    "There are more than 100 princes but why only 4 are qualified to contend for the throne?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Sui Wenyan smiled bitterly. "That''s because there''s a test that they needed to pass if they wanted to be able to contend for the throne. First is obviously their talent and the second one is their bloodline. There''s a special pavilion hall in the palace that only those with thick enough bloodline would be able to open."


    Pavilion?


    Before Lin Xiao could bring himself to ask, Lin Hu had already explained. "Every kingdom had the pavilion hall because it''s made during the primordial era. It''s built with Dragon Power, so only those who had dragon''s blood inside their body will be able to open it."


    ''Dragon blood?''


    ''Yes. Don''t you know that the reason why no one tries to contend with the Royal Family is because of the Dragon Blood inside their body?''


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. This was the first time he realized that there was dragon blood inside his body. For some reason, he felt a uneasy when thinking that he was not really a human being.


    ''You don''t have to worry. Even though your blood contained dragon power, you''re still human and not a dragon,'' Lin Hu comforted. ''Before you meet with me, the dragon power in your blood is already quite plenty.''


    ''Before?''


    ''After Emperor Inheritance, obviously the purity of the dragon power inside your blood increased. A pity that you won''t be able to use it before you advance to higher stage and have better understanding of your own body and power.''


    Lin Xiao was speechless.


    He felt as if he had powerful treasure in his hand, yet he was unable to use it because he was not powerful enough. He felt a bit vexed inside his mind.


    "Oh, you''re also here, Seventeenth Young Prince."


    Seventeenth Young Prince?


    The number made Lin Xiao speechless. He turned his attention back to the front when he saw a young man standing in front of Prince Lin Kai. The young man looked younger, yet the power that he seemed to emanate just from his aura alone was already more than enough to make some of them stepped back.


    No one would be foolish enough to fight against someone who was out of their league during this kind of important test.


    "They''re numbered in accordance to their age. If there''s no Young, it meant that they were of the previous generation. While if there''s young, it meant that they''re the young generation," Sui Wenyan explained.


    "Prince Lin Kai is the seventeenth Young Prince?"


    "Yes. He''s the son of the thirteenth Prince and also one of the few who had thick enough bloodline."


    "How about Prince Lin Hong?"


    "Prince Lin Hong is the twentieth Young Prince and also the one who had thick enough bloodline. His parents are the seventh Princess and the eighteenth Prince��."


    The number only made Lin Xiao utterly speechless and confused. There were so many princes, ah!


    "The two princes are always at loggerheads with each other. In fact, not a single one of them have good relationship with each other because of the fact that they could contend for the throne," Sui Wenyan explained.


    Lin Xiao nodded and looked at the two figure at the front. For some reason, he felt that he wanted to step forward and proclaimed that he was also someone who could contend for the throne. But he knew that the moment he stepped forward, he would only incur hatred and enemies flocking down to take his life.


    Lin Xiao didn''t want to die yet.


    He should just wait for the right time.


    "Well, well, since you''re already here, you may go first," Prince Lin Hong said with a smile on his lips. He looked amiable, yet there was traces of ruthlessness in his eyes that didn''t'' seem to be concealed in the slightest bit.


    Prince Lin Kai sneered. "Are you afraid of me, Lin Hong?"


    "Afraid? More like I''m giving you face because if you perform after me, you wouldn''t be able to get the slightest praise."


    "Arrogant!"


    However, Prince Lin Hong merely stood there with calm expression. A young man stepped from the back to protect him despite it was unneeded. At the very least, it was a show of his loyalty to be willing to protect the young prince behind him.


    Prince Lin Kai sneered when he saw the young man. "Fifteenth Young Prince, are you also going against me?"


    "I''m only thinking that it''s better to do the test first," the fifteenth Young Prince replied unhurriedly.

 Chapter 171: The Large Hall

    "A prince is protecting other princes?" Lin Xiao asked in bewildered tone. He couldn''t believe what he was seeing at all.


    "The princes who are not powerful enough or not have the qualification to ascend the throne will try to latch onto the thigh of other princes. The people around the two princes are either the other princes or the noble families who are powerful and talented."


    Lin Xiao was speechless. This was the first time he ever knew that the princes were also very complicated. But thinking about the fact that there were over 100 princes in total�� it didn''t sound that strange anymore.


    Not everyone could fight for the throne and those geniuses in the royal family would also want to live. To be able to survive, they could only latch onto the thigh of the one they believed to be the next Emperor.


    "Very well."


    Prince Lin Kai noticed that the guards were looking in their direction. He had no intention to create a scene there, so he walked to the gate and passed it swiftly. The people behind him also followed him and thus several people had passed all at once.


    Prince Lin Hong sneered and waved his hand. "Lin Su, we''re going."


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    They walked pass the gate easily too, making the people dumbfounded. There were many of them who had been trying to pass the gate yet they were all failed. However, the people who followed the princes were able to pass so easily.


    The differences between geniuses and ordinary people were shown very clearly in this instance.


    "They make it look so easy."


    "True."


    Lin Xiao continued to watch while walking in slow pace towards the gate. His eyes narrowed when he saw familiar figure from a distance: Luo Lan.


    Luo Lan still looked the same as before. His hair was messy yet there was a mischievous grin on his face as he walked to the gate. The power he exuded seemed to increase after not meeting for a few months.


    ''Well, he''s not a genius for nothing.''


    Swish!


    Luo Lan passed through the gate easily followed with some other people. There were not many of them whom Lin Xiao knew as he was not really a sociable person. However, he could see that many of them were unable to pass.


    The guards unkindly shoved them away when they were unwilling to leave and wanted to try again. From the way it looked like, the guards were simply telling them that there was no second chance.


    After more than half had disappeared, Lin Xiao noticed that both Bai Xin and Xu Qin also passed the gate. While Bai Xin spared no effort, Xu Qin almost fell as she passed through the gate but still succeeded. From the way it looked like, she was not that bad in terms of strength.


    "The woman you disliked is getting stronger, Brother."


    "She''s the one who hated me. I don''t really care for her," Lin Xiao replied with a shrug. He never paid any attention to Xu Qin even in the past. No matter how much Xu Qin used to hate him, he didn''t care in the slightest bit.


    Besides, that woman''s father tried to kill him. If he ended up liking Xu Qin afterwards, he would definitely question his own consciousness. Would he kill the parents of the woman he liked?


    That was insane.


    "Let''s go."


    "Alright."


    The four of them stepped forward and passed the gate. There were already a lot of people who passed the gate, so their action didn''t really cause any ripples. Hundreds of people had passed, so if they feel envy for every single one of them�� they should stop practicing martial arts.


    The moment Lin Xiao passed the gate, he noticed that he had entered a completely different place. It was no longer inside the forest but rather a large hall. In front of him, there was a stair that seemed to be heading to a faraway place that couldn''t be seen from this place.


    A guard was standing in front of the stair, preventing them from even getting close to the stair.


    "Everyone from Sun Dragon Academy are already at Golden Core Stage," Wenren Yu murmured, feeling a bit astonished. There were so many of them who were at Golden Core Stage to the point that he felt it was so amazing.


    "For Sun Dragon Academy, Golden Core Stage is nothing." Sui Wenyan smiled bitterly. She had heard about the academy from her teachers back then and put it as her goal. To be honest, she was planning to apply last year, but with the ruckus that was caused by the destruction of Taiyi Sect, she had been putting her plan on hold to this year.


    And this was also the last chance she had.


    She would never allow herself to fail.


    "Really?"


    "If you want to formally graduate from Sun Dragon Academy, you need to reach the second stage of Golden Core Stage," Sui Wenyan replied with a faint smile.


    Lin Xiao felt his mind blanked. "Isn''t the third stage the highest stage?"


    "Yes. Each stage will be categorized as early, middle, late, and peak. You can only advance to the next stage after you reach the peak. Sun Dragon Academy will never let ordinary Golden Core Stage to graduate. If you couldn''t reach the second Stage of Golden Core Stage before the age of 30, you''ll be kicked out of the academy and listed as the student who fails."


    30 years of age.


    While it might sound long, it was very short for cultivators. When they reached Foundation Establishment Stage, their lifespan would increase to be more than 100 years. When they reached Golden Core Stage, they could live up to 200 years or more depending on their stages.


    With such long lifespan, 30 years was truly not much.


    While Lin Xiao was pondering, he noticed a familiar figure from the side and his lips twitched. Time to run from that chatterbox.

 Chapter 172: The End of the Third Test

    While Lin Xiao was pondering, he noticed a familiar figure from the side and his lips twitched. Time to run from that chatterbox.


    Turning around in the opposite direction, Lin Xiao dragged the others to follow him. He didn''t have the slightest intention to accompany Song Hua in the latter''s talkative spree and ended up having to listen to everything he said.


    It was already more than enough.


    Thankfully, he was not the only person Song Hua knew so Lin Xiao managed to escape by moving to another side of the room. The place was large and there were only a few people inside, which was increasing as time passed.


    Lin Xiao looked around and noticed that the hall was bigger and when he was looking at the wall, he finally realized that there were a lot of engraving on the wall. There was faint Qi movement that one could sense and each of the engraving didn''t seem to be made without any preparation beforehand.


    It looked profound.


    ''Every engraving here will contain the ability to harness the Qi in the world,'' Lin Hu interrupted Lin Xiao before the latter fell into deep contemplation. ''There''s no use even if you stare at them for a long period of time without understanding the basic. Besides, your talent in comprehending runes and also the use of it is very low.''


    Lin Xiao was speechless.


    ''I haven''t even tried to train in it and you already say that my talent and comprehension in low?''


    ''Trust me, if you have any talent in it, you would have already known the use of the engraving at the wall. Since you only feel some curiosity towards it, it just shows that you don''t have the affinity with it.''


    At this point, Lin Xiao was resisting the urge to throw Lin Hu away. He hadn''t even tried anything yet he was already regarded as someone with low talent. It thoroughly annoy him that this dragon simply disregarded his talent.


    Hmph!


    Lin Hu shook his head inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness. Another reason why he knew that Lin Xiao didn''t have the talent was because of the influence of the Dragon Blood. Since they already have their own language, the world restricted them from using the world means to understand the way the Qi work using the runes that humans created.


    After all, it could be categorized as another language. And since dragons were already too powerful, they were not allowed to learn the runes in the slightest bit to make sure that their power would not be over the top.


    But he didn''t have the plan to tell Lin Xiao about this.


    At least, not now.


    "The third stage is now over. The next test is for you to climb the stairs and reach the room above. As long as you can reach the room above, you''ll be accepted as Sun Dragon Academy''s disciple!"


    Huh? Only walking up the stairs?


    The people inside the rooms were all stunned. The stairs looked very normal and ordinary to the point that it didn''t pose any challenge. But for it to be the test, they knew that the test must be something abnormal just like what the other tests were. Hence, not a single one of them dared to slack off.


    Lin Xiao saw the guard walked away, but the geniuses near the stairs were hesitant. They didn''t want to be the cannon fodder to test the stairs. After all, every genius had their own pride and they certainly wouldn''t want to allow themselves be used by other people.


    "Who want to try first?"


    Silence.


    Everyone was looking at each other as if they were worried that they would be used by other people. They might be proud of themselves, but they were not stupid enough to let themselves be used by others.


    "Weaklings."


    The one word immediately attracted their attention to the person who spoke. Standing at the back, Prince Lin Kai sneered when he saw everyone was looking at him. He pointed to the stairs with his chin held high.


    "If no one wants to try, let this one show you how it''s done."


    The other people gritted their teeth, yet they still let Prince Lin Kai moved pass them. Since this prince wanted to try first and possibly humiliate himself, why should they prevent him from doing so? They wanted to see how this prince would perform so badly.


    At the back, Prince Lin Hong watched his imperial older brother stepped forward and merely sneered in silence. How stupid of that prince to mock everyone. Well, the intelligence level of his older brother was always very low.


    If not for that, why would they thought of him as someone with the lowest chance to get the throne?


    Prince Lin Hong snorted and turned his head around. He knew that Prince Lin Kai had more than enough qualification. There was no need for him to watch his older brother succeed since it was more important to watch the others.


    Tep!


    Prince Lin Kai stepped on the stair. The light in his eyes dulled for a moment before it returned back to normal. He stepped into the stairs and began to climb, one step at each time. His movement was not slow but not fast either. From the onlookers point of view, he looked like he was only climbing an ordinary stair.


    Everyone was dumbfounded.


    "This�� is ordinary stair?"


    "But there are more than 500 people in this hall."


    "Right. Do you think that it''s just a bluff from Prince Lin Kai?"


    "Nonsense! There''s no one who know the content of the test before it comes to light today!"


    Indeed, there were at least 2000 people who were staying inside this hall. If the stair was nothing more than an ordinary stair, would it mean that everyone here would pass? That didn''t sound plausible.


    Sun Dragon Academy was not that generous.


    "I''ll try!"


    A sound attracted everyone''s attention as they turned around.

 Chapter 173: The Stairs of Truth

    Indeed, there were at least 2000 people who were staying inside this hall. If the stair was nothing more than an ordinary stair, would it mean that everyone here would pass? That didn''t sound plausible.


    Sun Dragon Academy was not that generous.


    "I''ll try!"


    A sound attracted everyone''s attention as they turned around.


    A youth walked to the stairs and stepped into the stair. His eyes turned dull as he stopped at the first stair. There was nothing that he did except for staring blankly at the front. Before long, his body suddenly slumped and the guard lifted his hand to throw the youngster out of the hall.


    "You have failed," the guard said in cold tone.


    Lin Xiao was watching everything from the side with his eyes narrowed. The way the youngster stopped just now was not normal. It was as if his consciousness was pulled somewhere else yet his body stayed there.


    Bang!


    The door was closed again, so they couldn''t see the reaction of the man who had failed. Everyone looked at each other and knowing that they didn''t have the time until forever, one by one began to step into the stairs.


    Thud! Thud!


    Some people managed to walk like how Prince Lin Kai did, but the rest fall down after just one step. The elimination rate was very quick as only two out of five managed to walk past the first step. As for how many steps they could finally last, it was still unknown.


    "Let''s go now," Lin Xiao decided when he saw that the people had already began to move in large batch.


    "The other prince is staying low this time."


    "Is there any need to show off all the time?" Lin Xiao was speechless. Did these geniuses had nothing to do but to show off?


    Hearing that, Lin Yun smiled sheepishly, he had completely forgotten about that. They all moved towards the stairs and began to climb one by one.


    Stepping onto the stair, Lin Xiao suddenly saw the space around him changed. His eyes narrowed because he could see that this was nothing more than an illusion. In front of him was the familiar house, the house where he had stayed for more than 15 years of his life.


    "Xiao, Yun, where are you two going?"


    The moment the voice was sounded, Lin Xiao felt his body stiffened. He was very familiar with this voice, yet he knew that it belonged to someone who had died. Turning his body around, he could see his foster mother and father. Two children around the age of 9 or 10 were running about around them.


    "Mother!"


    "Father!"


    It was the happy scene from his childhood, the memory that Lin Xiao treasured greatly. He was an orphan and understood that because he first met his parents when he was three years old. Before that time, he had no memory or recollection whatsoever and his parents never concealed it from him that he was their adopted son.


    However, his parents always treated him well, very well in fact. It was as if there was no difference between him and their son. Unfortunately, the Heaven didn''t give them long live as they died because of sickness in that remote house.


    ''Don''t you want to return back to this time?''


    There was a question sounded out as Lin Xiao watched the people in front of him. His eyes closed for a split second as he answered, ''How can I possibly return back to this time? It''s not logical.''


    ''Don''t you want to��''


    ''I have made the promise with my parents that I''ll continue to walk forward. Walking back to the past? I''m not that desperate!''


    With that declaration that came from the bottom of his heart, Lin Xiao looked forward and noticed that he was now in completely different field. This time, he could see that there were a lot of people who were looking at him. His hand was holding the dragon necklace that his real parents gave him.


    "Kill him!"


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed. He didn''t retreat back in the slightest bit and stepped forward. His hand punched forward, killing the man before him. His heart trembled when he felt the sensation, it felt as if he was killing someone in real time.


    But he had already killed a lot of people in the past during his missions. If he killed those who wanted to kill him, what he did was simply in order to preserve his life. Why should he feel bad about it?


    Slash!


    With his ability, Lin Xiao began to kill everyone in his path. There was not even the slightest hesitation left after some time had passed. It looked like he had already accepted that he had to kill them if he wanted to live.


    His identity alone would grant him a lot of enemies in the future. If he dared to let his heart go soft even for a moment, it would only deliver him to his own death. There was simply nothing that he could do but to move forward and fight to the best of his ability if he wished to survive.


    Swish!


    As the surroundings changed again, Lin Xiao was now facing Xu Qin. Seeing the sneer on her face, her arched his eyebrows. "What else do you want aside from mocking me? Just leave me alone."


    Even before Xu Qin could speak anything, her figure had already disappeared. For Lin Xiao, Xu Qin was just someone unimportant and annoying who often created trouble for him. No more and no less.


    Because of that, the illusion couldn''t last longer as it had already perceived Lin Xiao''s heart. There was no need for the illusion to stay because it would not have any effect aside from wasting his time.


    The scenery changed once more and Lin Xiao''s eyes widened. He had arrived in an unknown place and there were several people who were looking in his direction. However, there was no sense of malice or threats. Their eyes seemed to hold some kind of friendly gesture?


    Lin Xiao was confused.


    "Friend, how long do you want to stand there looking like an idiot?"


    "Ah?"

 Chapter 174: Disciple of Sun Dragon Academy

    "What?"


    The middle aged man in front of him smiled when he saw Lin Xiao bewildered look. "You have already passed the test. Look to your back and you''ll notice that the Stairs of Truth."


    Hmm?


    Lin Xiao peered to the back and noticed that there were several people who were walking not far from him. It seemed that one way or another, he had climbed the stairs? Lin Xiao was stunned.


    He was sure that he was inside that illusion all this time, how come he had climbed the stairs? Little did he know that when he was inside the consciousness, his body was climbing the stairs slowly and steadily. The faster he passed the illusion, the faster his body would move.


    That way, he would pass the stairs without any difficulties.


    "Stairs of Truth?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion.


    "That''s the name of the stairs." The elder was patient enough. In fact, Lin Xiao was not the only one curious, but the others didn''t'' dare to open their mouth and silently watched from the side. After all, some of them felt that it was simply beneath them to ask for the name of the stairs from the elder.


    Only those like Lin Xiao didn''t care about that. If he didn''t know, why not just ask directly?


    That was simpler.


    "The stairs will be able to show you your real heart and whether you have the qualification to move forward or not. As long as you can break the illusion and not fall deeper into it, you''ll pass the stairs."


    "Ooh��"


    It was then Lin Xiao understood what was going on. He looked at the stairs with apprehension. When he was seeing his parents again, he could sense the deep longing inside his heart, yet he kept his heart firm because he knew that he couldn''t turn back time.


    Maybe there was a method that could allow one to turn back time, but it was something beyond his current comprehension right now.


    "The illusions are all the test for us to pass?" Lin Xiao asked for confirmation even though he already had the answer.


    The elder nodded his head. "Naturally, you have to make sure that you have enough comprehension and also the heart that''s suitable for martial arts. Without both of it, you''ll never reach far in your path as martial artist."


    Lin Xiao nodded in understanding before looking back once more. The stairs did feel a bit long now that he thought about it.


    Tep!


    At this time, someone else had arrived. Just like Lin Xiao from before, the young man also looked befuddled and needed reminder for him to snap out of his daze. They all had just seen so many illusions to the point that they were not totally sure whether they had seen the reality or not.


    Lin Xiao swept his gaze across the people before he saw the prince. Prince Lin Kai was looking at the people with scornful gaze. It was clear that he saw himself as above them and they were all beneath him.


    How arrogant.


    But it was not arrogance without anything to back him off.


    However, what made Lin Xiao quite apprehensive was the fact that the academy didn''t test their fighting capabilities in the slightest bit. In fact, it looked as if they didn''t care whether they could fight or not.


    But in the illusion just now, they had already fought?


    Lin Xiao was not totally sure.


    He should just wait.


    Before long, Sui Wenyan came out from the stairs. She looked a bit tired, yet her eyes shone with happiness when she saw them. It seemed that she understood what was going on even without the elders'' reminder.


    Wenren Yu came out not long afterwards with his face flushed red. Even though he was supposed to be only walking, he looked like he had fever with how red his face was.


    "Yu?"


    "Ah, I''m okay." Wenren Yu passed a glance at Sui Wenyan then turned his head around once more, his ears even turned red.


    Lin Xiao was speechless, but he understood that the last stage of the illusion must be about�� lust? Sweat poured on his back when he recalled the woman that appeared on his part. Xu Qin? He felt more disgust than lust when he was seeing that woman.


    Probably that was the reason why he passed the last stage almost immediately. Not even one second has passed after he uttered the sentence that the image completely disappeared because he didn''t have any interest in that woman at all.


    Hmm, since it was that kind of test, who will appear in the other''s illusion?


    Lin Xiao was curious.


    However, he didn''t have the guts to ask that to Sui Wenyan in case that she would beat him black and blue even though they had just passed the test.


    One by one, more and more people had passed. Lin Yun came out afterwards, also looked tired. Probably he spent more time during the fighting stage because of his overall weaker physical condition.


    Bai Xin, Xu Qin, Song Hua, Prince Lin Hong, and many others began to pass one by one.


    Time passed ever so slowly.


    The elders looked at them before nodding his head. "Everyone had passed. Now, the test is official over."


    Over?


    Lin Xiao looked around, noticing that there were only between 100 to 200 people in the place. The elimination rate was simply very high. From over 17,000 people to only 100 to 200 people. It was around 99 percent people who were eliminated during the process this time.


    ��


    Their current stage:


    Lin Xiao: Body Training Rank 10


    Lin Yun: Body Training Rank 10


    Wenren Yu: Body Training Rank 10


    Sui Wenyan: Foundation Establishment


    Song Hua: Foundation Establishment


    Prince Lin Kai: Foundation Establishment


    Prince Lin Hong: Foundation Establishment


    Prince Lin Su (the one following Prince Lin Hong): Body Training Rank 9


    Bai Xin: Body Training Rank 10


    Xu Qin: Body Training Rank 8

 Chapter 175: Disciple of Sun Dragon Academy (2)

    Lin Xiao looked at the stairs as he sighed. To think that the elimination rate was actually that high. He never thought that he would be seeing so many geniuses eliminated so quickly just like that.


    "Since you all have passed the examination, now you''re all disciple of Sun Dragon Academy. First let me welcome you and congratulate you for all passing the examination and formally become the disciple of Sun Dragon Academy. There are a total of 156 people in this place and you all have become formal disciple.


    Don''t be that complacent of yourself too fast. You only have the maximum time of 15 years to stay in Sun Dragon Academy and if you can''t reach Golden Core Stage Rank 2 by the age of 30, you''ll be kicked out regardless whether you have been in this academy for 10 years or not.


    There''s examination ground that you have to attempt each year unless you go on a mission. If you go on a mission, you can reattempt the test when you return back from the mission.


    There are 15 level of the test and passing each level meant that you can stay in the academy for another year. You can attempt two stages at one time if you''re confident enough, but whether you pass or not is another question. The test place is open every time and you can attempt it at any time. But of course, you have to pass all 15 stages before the age of 30."


    15 years.


    Golden Core Stage Rank 2.


    While it didn''t sound that hard, it was common knowledge that people would stay at Foundation Establishment for years in order to strengthen their foundation. After all, without suitable foundation, they wouldn''t be able to form their core no matter what happened.


    The stronger they were, the better the core they would form.


    It was common knowledge.


    Right after they were accepted as Sun Dragon Academy, they had to face the reality that they would have to work extremely hard to be able to make their breakthrough and entered Golden Core Stage Rank 2 before they reached 30 years old.


    The pressure was big.


    The elder swept his gaze to the disciples in front of him and smiled. "Of course, you also have benefit. Your training location is filled with dense Qi, allowing you train according to your wishes. In accordance, passing each level will grant you some time to browse through the book pavilion.


    Passing level one to five will allow you one hour in book pavilion first level.


    Passing level six to ten will allow you five hours in book pavilion second level.


    Passing level 11 to 15 will allow you stay for a day''s time in book pavilion third floor.


    This book pavilion contained a lot of techniques that are passed down from generations to generations. Many of them are absolute technique that many people couldn''t even hope to learn. How much you can learn and read depend on your comprehension during the short period of time when you''re allowed to stay in book pavilion."


    Technique!


    When talking about powerful technique, everyone grew excited. It was common knowledge that the reason why Sun Dragon Academy disciples were powerful was not only because of the resources but also the powerful technique they had.


    To think that they would be able to browse the technique with just passing the stage. How nice!


    "Remember that this is only a one time reward. Once you have obtained the reward, you can''t get it again. In addition, there are pills that will be given to you every single time you past the stage. The pills will be able to strengthen your body, your soul, or even nourish your foundation. The details will be given to you through a manual book.


    Also, since you''re all the disciple of Sun Dragon Academy, you''ll have to live in Sun Dragon Academy. The academy is located in the capital city and each of you will be given residence. If you wish to change your residence to the better one, you''ll need to perform well in the student ranking that will be held three months later.


    There are many other benefits that you can enjoy, but I advise you to familiarize yourself with the academy ground first. There are also teachers who will teach you all starting next week. Which class you want to attend will depend on what you want to learn. We didn''t put any restriction to you."


    Freedom?


    Lin Xiao was more baffled. To think that they were allowed to pick their own classes in accordance to what they wanted�� he began to think that the academy didn''t care too much about how much they grow.


    ''It''s not they didn''t care, but true geniuses will have to find their own path. Which path is the most suitable for you will depend on the path that you pick. Even though the teachers could see your capabilities, he wouldn''t know what kind of path you take unless you state it clearly.''


    ''I see, so we need to find our own path and then seek the teachers that''s most suitable for us?''


    ''Exactly.''


    Looking at Lin Yun and Wenren Yu, who were also baffled, Lin Xiao repeated what Lin Hu told him. When they heard that it was because they needed to pick their own path, they began to ponder deeply.


    The two of them loved herbs and medicine but for the specific path they wanted to learn in their martial arts, that could be different. After all, they could ether pick fighting method that implement the poison during fight or even medicine during fight or none at all. It can be either their side occupation or also their main occupation.


    Lin Xiao glanced at Sui Wenyan who seemed to be pondering deeply. It seemed that she had understood what the teacher wanted with just few clues unlike Lin Xiao who needed Lin Hu''s reminder.


    ''What kind of path do I want to take?''


    Lin Xiao also began to ponder deeply. He had to consider this carefully because he would stay more than a decade in Sun Dragon Academy.

 Chapter 176: Entering the Academy

    Lin Xiao glanced at Sui Wenyan who seemed to be pondering deeply. It seemed that she had understood what the teacher wanted with just few clues unlike Lin Xiao who needed Lin Hu''s reminder.


    ''What kind of path do I want to take?''


    Lin Xiao also began to ponder deeply. He had to consider this carefully because he would stay more than a decade in Sun Dragon Academy.


    All this time, Lin Xiao had long gotten used with the method of fighting closely. After all, Mountain Punch was a close combat skill that relied heavily on the power that one could harness in their fist. Because of that, he also had to learn movement skill so that he would not be lagging behind.


    Thinking about Moon Evasion and Mountain Punch, Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. If he became an Emperor, it was undoubtable that he would have to stand at the very peak and become the center of attention. However, he knew that his starting line was very low, too low to contend against them.


    Right now, he was not their match and could only prepare himself in the darkness in silence. He would need more time if he wished to be able to contend with those people.


    And the method that he could think off right now was��


    Assassination.


    Since he couldn''t fight them in the open yet, he would have to learn how to be able to kill his opponent in the most efficient and fastest method. His current skill in Mountain Punch and Mountain Sword were not bad, but they were far from the peak. In addition, he was also learning Moon Evasion that was his primary movement skill. It was the skill that allowed him to be fast and able to kill his movement quickly.


    ''In that case, I''ll focus on speed.''


    Even if he couldn''t defeat his opponent, he wanted to have ability to run. His opponents were all stronger than him because their starting point was higher. Not to mention, they have a lot of supporters and backing on their back.


    For him, who started as nothing more than a single youth who was fighting at the edge of the village without anyone to help, he had to start slowly.


    First, he had to prioritize his life.


    Second, he would prioritize his speed and strength.


    Only that way would he be able to steadily made his way to the peak and then become the next Emperor.


    ''Let''s do this.''


    Clenching his fist, Lin Xiao had already decided on what kind of path he wanted to make. It might not be the best path, but it was the one that he wanted to follow no matter what. It should be the best one for him too.


    The elder was watching the youngsters below him in satisfaction. The rules inside Sun Dragon Academy was often known outside, but there were still many of them who were unclear of it.


    "Alright, now all of you shall follow me to Sun Dragon Academy. I hope that all of you have already bid farewell to your family because you won''t be able to meet with them again. Don''t worry, we won''t stop you from contacting through Communication Jade when you''re in the academy."


    "Please wait, can we ask something?"


    "What is it?" the elder waited.


    "Do we have to stay in Sun Dragon Academy all the time?" a youth asked with uncertain tone. The thought of living inside the academy for 10 full years didn''t sound too good to him. While it was true that many of them pursued the peak of martial arts, they also have their own families.


    Many wanted to visit their families.


    "You can go out during missions but there''s time limit in each mission." The elder naturally knew what the youth was worried about. "if you can manage your time and make sure that you can come back within the time limit, you may visit your hometown during the mission''s time."


    The youth sighed with relief.


    "But remember. If you don''t return back to the academy in the time limit, you need to give explanation why you''re late. If the explanation is because you''re visiting your hometown, you''ll be kicked out of the academy."


    The new disciples all felt their scalp turned cold when they heard that heartless tone. After all, they were accepted as disciples because they wanted to become stronger, so obviously the academy also wished for them to stay true to their worth and behavior because they didn''t want to waste their resources for something that didn''t give them any benefit at all.


    They nurtured the geniuses so that they would be able to grow stronger.


    "Any other question?" The elder swept his gaze to the youngsters.


    Silence.


    Since there was no one who spoke again, the elder nodded his head in satisfaction. He pointed to the side as he began to instruct them to walk through the gate. There was teleportation device that would bring them straight to Sun Dragon Academy.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao could feel that his surroundings changed in just a step. His eyes widened at the large area before him. Several majestic buildings could be seen from his position and there were many powerful cultivators who were staying there. They were all walking around, treating the academy as their own home.


    Indeed, since they had already stayed here for years, how could they not be familiar with it.


    Some of them looked in the direction of the new students and realized that it was already the time of the year for new students again. They nodded then walked away. Some of the students there were older but many of them were also younger. After all, those who passed last year didn''t necessarily enter when they were 20 years old.


    They could try when they were at younger age as long as they have enough money to pay for the fees.


    The only qualification was that they were above Body Training Rank 6 and below 20 years of age.

 Chapter 177: Teachers?

    "So big," Lin Xiao murmured, feeling a bit apprehensive. In this place, he was truly just one amongst many.


    "I thought that the examination requires us to fight, so I wait until my final year," Sui Wenyan felt a bit regretful. "If only I know that we didn''t need to fight, I wouldn''t waste a year outside and just do missions in mercenary association or join the troupe."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes and looked at Sui Wenyan. "Can you enter the city last year?"


    "..Uh��"


    It was then Sui Wenyan recalled that she couldn''t enter any city yet when the time for examination happened last year. With so many people searching here and there for those who escaped from Taiyi Sect, there was no way that she would be able to enter the city and then used the teleportation circle.


    That was simply nothing more than a dream.


    Well, she could try to escape far away, but then she would waste so much time in the journey and maybe ended up dead. There were several areas that ordinary cultivators couldn''t pass because it was simply too dangerous.


    And if she couldn''t enter the city to find out where it was, she would never be able to get out safely from her predicament of entering the prohibited areas.


    "Let''s not talk about that." Sui Wenyan''s face was dark.


    Lin Xiao nodded, agreeing with it. He looked around him and waited until everyone had walked inside. They were all stunned when they saw the majestic place. Even the princes looked a bit excited upon seeing what they saw in this place.


    However, upon seeing the cultivators in this place, they would all feel like they were small and insignificant. In front of so many powerful cultivators, they really didn''t worth that much because of their low power.


    Closing his eyes for a moment, Lin Xiao swept his gaze to the side. He noticed some scribbles on the wall. Some of them could be read while some of them not.


    ''There are runes and Dragon language there. Because you have Dragon''s blood inside your body, you can read dragon language without any difficulties,'' Lin Hu explained within Lin Xiao''s body.


    Dragon language?


    ''Dragon language and the runes are different?''


    ''Yes.''


    Lin Xiao was a bit more interested to it, but he didn''t spend much time staring at the wall in case someone found him weird. While he still didn''t look eye catching at all, there was someone in his group that did attract attention from time to time: Sui Wenyan.


    It was needless to say that Sui Wenyan was a very beautiful cultivator. Since most cultivators were male, to find a beautiful female cultivator would be rare. Though, Lin Xiao himself had seen quite a few during his journey.


    Probably only around a third of cultivators in this place were girls.


    "Alright, everyone have already arrived here." The elder clapped his hand. He pointed to one direction. "Your residences are located in that place. You may rest for the day and for the first week, you''re allowed to go out of the academy to look at the capital city. I''m sure many of you want to see it."


    "Yes!"


    The shout of a youth attracted the surrounding cultivators to turn their head then laughed. While they were also excited, they were not that excited like the youth who scream.


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao felt his face turned red. Damn it, he just told himself that he wouldn''t attract attention but here he was attracting attraction because of his excitement. He had heard a lot of things regarding the capital city and naturally felt curious about the place.


    Especially so because the palace was in the capital city.


    There was no way he wouldn''t want to take a short visit there.


    The elder shook his head amusedly. There were always some interesting youth in each batch. He looked towards the direction of the house. "There will be dean who will take you there. If you have any question, you may ask him. You may go now."


    "Thank you, Elder."


    The elder turned around when he recalled something. "Right, you can also pick a teacher for yourself. But whether the teacher is willing to teach you or not will depend on them too."


    Teachers?


    Everyone''s eyes lit up when they heard that. Thea teachers here were all already at Golden Core Stage Rank 2 at the very lowest. To be able to get a teacher of that level would mean that they would be able to grow stronger faster. Naturally, everyone wanted to have powerful teachers.


    However, before they could find a teacher, they needed to head to their residence first.


    "Brother, do you really need to shout?" Lin Yun asked as they walked, his face soured because he knew that the cultivators were laughing at his brother.


    Lin Xiao scratched the back of his head. "That''s just an accident."


    "An accident?"


    "YES!"


    Sui Wenyan sighed and chose not to comment anymore. They all followed the crowd until they reached the area filled with buildings. The dean then told them that they could pick a room inside the building. Whichever room they wanted to pick is up to them.


    As they entered the building, it was painfully clear that the higher the level, the denser the Qi were. They all looked at the second and third floor with some gazes. After all, everyone wanted the best training area.


    "Dean, how do we select the house?"


    "You can pick whichever one you want but if there are others who want the house, you may fight for it."


    Fight?


    Instantly, everyone was looking at each other with menace. To think they would be able to fight in the academy after a while. It seemed that able to get the rooms at the highest floor must be the most powerful one.


    Now, the tension grew tenser and everyone was watching each other, waiting for someone to make a move.

 Chapter 178: Fight!

    Fight?


    Instantly, everyone was looking at each other with menace. To think they would be able to fight in the academy after a while. It seemed that able to get the rooms at the highest floor must be the most powerful one.


    Now, the tension grew tenser and everyone was watching each other, waiting for someone to make a move.


    "Once you have picked a room, just insert your Qi into the door and it''ll change color. You can only change room by having the previous owner insert their Qi again and change it back before you can insert your own Qi. When you change room, all of your items there will be thrown out if you hadn''t taken them all. Alright, you may go now."


    Wenren Yu looked at Lin Xiao. "There are a total of five floors in this building. Which floor do you want us to take?"


    "Third."


    Lin Xiao knew very well that each floor only accommodated 30 people except for the first floor when the dean gave them the building''s plan. There were a total of 156 new students here and aside from 120 who would be able to occupy the second to the fifth floor, the rest have to stay in the first floor.


    Most of the cultivators here, at least around half of them, were already at Foundation Establishment. While Lin Xiao had the confidence to fight against Foundation Establishment Cultivators, he didn''t know the extent of everyone''s power yet.


    So, it would be better to start from the middle.


    "Ok."


    They began to climb up, following some other students who climbed. Most of those who climbed to the next floor were those with cultivation at least Body Training Rank 10. Those lower than that would have to stay at the first floor unwillingly. After all, they didn''t have the confidence to beat those at higher cultivation stage.


    Each cultivation stage meant improvement in some point. Body Training Rank 10 have improvement in overall strength, which was why it usually took a long time for one to advance to that rank. And Foundation Establishment was even more so, which made it impossible for them to fight those at higher rank without proper preparation.


    They were all still strangers to each other.


    "Xiao, which floor do you want to take?" Song Hua asked when they stopped at the third floor. He curiously followed Lin Xiao''s group.


    Lin Xiao passed a glance at Song Hua, surprised that this talkative man could speak normally. "We''re taking the third floor."


    "Huh, third? Why don''t you aim higher?"


    "This is enough for now."


    Sensing the Qi in the air, Lin Xiao knew that he would need to train his skills more than absorbing the Qi in the air and circulate it inside his body. Since that was the case, the dense Qi in the third floor was already more than enough.


    Besides, he didn''t want to engage in so many needless fight.


    "In that case, I''ll be going first!"


    Song Hua returned back to the stairs and climbed up again.


    The third floor also had a lot of people but it was still more than enough for them to fill each room first. The fight would only start once those geniuses failed to occupy the highest floor and only those who knew that they were weaker would pick the lower floor unwillingly.


    "Let''s pick this one."


    "Ok."


    With Lin Xiao picking a room in the center, Lin Yun, Wenren Yu, and Sui Wenyan picked the room opposite and beside Lin Xiao. Since they came here first, there was still a lot of empty room and it was easy for them to arrange it like that.


    By inserting their Qi, the door changed color to dark from white. It meant that the room was occupied.


    "Hmm."


    Entering the room, Lin Xiao noticed that it was a standard room with one bed, table, bookshelf, chair and also a door towards bathroom. It was only around 4x4 meters, not enough for them to move around but for resting, it was plenty.


    ''Let''s practice while waiting.''


    Lin Xiao sat down on his bed and began to practice. Internally, Lin Hu was observing Lin Xiao''s progress and nodded his head in satisfaction. This room was good enough for the current Lin Xiao but once he advanced to Foundation Establishment, he would need the fourth or the fifth room for best improvement.


    Well, that was for later.


    The brat still needed to progress in his skill first before advancing to the next stage.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Lin Xiao opened his eyes and looked at the door, his mouth curled up to form a sneer. It seemed that those who wanted to take the room had already come. He alighted from the bed and walked leisurely to the door. Opening the door, he saw a Foundation Establishment Cultivator stood before him.


    "Move!"


    "And if I say no?"


    "Then die!"


    Swish!


    The young man had dark face and it seemed that he was in bad mood. It seemed that his attempt to take the rooms in the fourth floor ended in failure, thus he had to come here and search for an empty room.


    Unfortunately, he came too late, so he could only try his luck by challenging the people in the other rooms.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. Before the man''s strike landed, he had already punched.


    Mountain Punch!


    Bang!


    The man was thrown to the back, crashing onto the opposite wall. Thankfully, the building''s structure was solid enough to withstand the impact from these youth''s battle. If not, the building would have long crumbled because there were a lot of people who were fighting.


    *cough* *cough*


    The young man was stunned and looked at Lin Xiao in horror. He was sure that the opponent before him was only Body Training Rank 10. How come he''s this strong?


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao was merely looking at the young man and thought about Sui Wenyan. Did Foundation Establishment Cultivator this weak?

 Chapter 179: Enemies Meet at Narrow Path

    Lin Xiao was still looking at the young man before him with doubtful expression when he saw Sui Wenyan walked out of the door opposite of him. She glanced at Lin Xiao then to the young man who was coughing blood not far from her.


    Internally, Sui Wenyan shook her head. Thanks to the sudden strength improvement that Lin Xiao had, he could easily defeat those people at the same rank or could be go toe to toe with those above him. She herself knew that if she had to fight with raw strength, she would lose.


    Thanks to that knowledge, she always avoided direct confrontation with Lin Xiao during their spars. That allowed her to win in almost every exchange unless during the time that Lin Xiao managed to catch her off guard.


    "I��I''ll go now," the young man stammered before he dashed off, not willing to try fighting Lin Xiao again.


    "He''s weak?" Lin Xiao asked in confused tone.


    "He''s not weak, but your physical strength is insane." Sui Wenyan pointed at Lin Xiao. "Didn''t you still find it difficult to control your strength at time? That''s because your strength increased by leaps and bounds, far from what your previous strength was. Because of the sudden change, you''re more powerful than normal Body Training Rank 10."


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows while nodding. He knew that he had grown more powerful thanks to the medicine bath that he had. But�� how come the medicinal efficacy increased that much?


    ''You have Dragon Blood inside your body, why do you even think it''s strange? Those of Imperial Family all have innate strength because of the dragon blood. The purer the dragon blood, the more you can increase your strength.


    Normally it''ll take a long time but because of the herbs concoction that Wenren Yu prepared, you can increase your strength rapidly. The only downside is that you need to learn how to control your strength first before you can attempt to make your breakthrough unless you want to lose control of your strength,'' Lin Hu berated inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness.


    ''Eh, it means that the other princes are as strong?''


    ''Nah, your dragon blood is somewhat purer. Though, I don''t know why.''


    Purer?


    Lin Xiao was confused at Lin Hu''s words. How the dragon blood could be transmitted to the younger generation was unclear and Lin Xiao himself didn''t have much knowledge regarding this matter.


    It seemed that he would need to make a trip to the library to find out about this someday.


    "You''re that country bumpkin?"


    The high pitched voice made Lin Xiao turned his head around. He could see Bai Xin standing not far from him. Her eyes were looking straight at him with hatred. Even though she didn''t know what happened, she always hated this young man before her because of Xu Qin''s story.


    "What do you want?" Lin Xiao asked straightforwardly, without any intention to talk peacefully. This woman would surely try to challenge him at this time, so Lin Xiao also had no intention to talk with her.


    Bai Xin snorted. "The room at this floor didn''t deserve you. You should go back at lower floor."


    "And who are you to decide that?" Lin Xiao asked back with a scorn. Did this woman have a screw loose somewhere? What made her think that she had the qualification to decide who stayed at the third floor?


    She was only Body Training Rank 10 cultivator, far weaker than most others here.


    How stupid.


    "You''re just a weak country bumpkin in an unnamed village. What makes you think that��"


    Swish!


    Before Bai Xin could finish talking, she felt sudden pressure. Lin Xiao had punched forward but his aim was not Bai Xin, rather, it was beside her. However, the wind generated by the punch was more than enough to give out pressure.


    Her eyes widened. "How��?"


    The two of them were only at Body Training Rank 10, but the attack just now clearly told her that if she got hit, she wouldn''t be able to escape. Lin Xiao punched very fast, faster than her reaction. If he truly wanted it, he could have already wounded her so badly she would not be able to do anything anymore.


    Lin Xiao turned his body around. "Background didn''t determine your future."


    "You��"


    Bang!


    Closing the door, Lin Xiao had no interest to deal with that unreasonable woman again. Why couldn''t she just leave him alone? They barely knew each other and only met because of circumstances.


    Besides, a woman like her who only knew how to listen to one sided story was really not someone he wanted to see. That kind of woman was simply too fake and annoying!


    ''Time to go back to train.''


    Outside the door, Bai Xin was still looking at the door before her with hatred. If only looks could kill, she would have murdered the door countless times over inside her mind. Turning her head, Bai Xin could see Sui Wenyan was looking at her with placid expression.


    Instantly, she felt sudden danger on her back. Even though Sui Wenyan didn''t look at her with malicious gaze, there was faint threat from her gaze when she was looking at the young woman before her. In fact, there was faint scorn that was beneath the woman''s gaze.


    ''Did I offend her?''


    While Bai Xin was confused, Sui Wenyan turned around and entered the room. Clearly, she had no interest to pursue the matter anymore. Even though Sui Wenyan didn''t know much about Bai Xin, she could guess that Lin Xiao had some bad blood with her.


    Well, she would just be careful around this annoying woman then.


    "Wha��?" Bai Xin looked at the door with confused expression. She was certain that she had never met with Sui Wenyan before, yet she could feel malicious gaze directed towards her.


    She felt utterly confused.


    After thinking to no avail, Bai Xin chose to leave the place and returned back to her room.

 Chapter 180: The Capital City

    The new students didn''t really have anything that they have to do for the time being. In fact, they were so free that they were perplexed about what they were supposed to do. The dean told them to rest and familiarize themselves with the academy for the first week, so that was what most of them did.


    They simply walked around the area.


    "Master, what do you want to do?" Sui Wenyan asked when she noticed that Lin Xiao had walked out after a day of resting. The test might not be that hard, but the mental burden from the illusion was quite big. She only felt it after sleeping last night and realized that she couldn''t sleep soundly.


    Lin Xiao stretched his hand. "Well, let''s take a look at the capital city first. I have always been very curious with the capital city."


    "Alright."


    Sui Wenyan proceeded to wake the others up and dragged them out of their room. Since they were only sleeping, the other two swiftly prepare themselves for the journey.


    Lin Xiao and the others made their way to the gate. After turning here and there a few times, they finally arrived at the gate and then asked the guard there for permission to look around the capital city.


    "New students?"


    "Yes."


    "Here''s the plate. You can only go out in the capital city during the first 7 days after new students come in or if there''s important event in the town. Aside from that, you''re supposed to stay in the academy for the entire time."


    Lin Xiao nodded and cupped his hand. "Thank you for your reminder, Mr. Guard."


    "Hahaha, no need to be so polite to an old bone like me." The guard laughed heartily. He waved his hand. "Go."


    Old bone?


    Lin Xiao smiled as he walked with the other three following behind him. While the guard did conceal his aura, Lin Xiao could clearly feel that the guard was not an ordinary person. In fact, the guard was someone extraordinarily powerful to the point that he wouldn''t lose to the teachers.


    How could he be impolite?


    Besides, he would treat others the way they treated him. Since the guard treated him well, why wouldn''t he treat the other party well too?


    The capital city truly worthy of its name because it was so bustling with activities that they looked around the area with great interest. From the way it looked like, majority of cultivators in the capital city was Foundation Establishment.


    Those at lower rank were mostly either servants or children.


    "Where do you want to go, Brother?" Lin Yun asked. He was more used to call Lin Xiao as brother rather than Master. Lin Xiao himself would feel uncomfortable whenever Lin Yun changed his address, which was why they still stuck to this address.


    "Hmm, how about if we eat first?"


    Eat?


    Lin Yun: "��"


    Wenren Yu: "��"


    Sui Wenyan: "��"


    Seeing how Lin Xiao truly walked to the stalls there, the other three sighed and chose to follow Lin Xiao. From the way it looked like, Lin Xiao was busy asking about the food in the capital city. Did he want to come to the capital city because of the food?


    The other three cultivators felt like they couldn''t bear with it.


    While cultivators at lower rank still needed to eat, once they reached Foundation Establishment, it could be said that the need to eat had decreased. Before long, there was no need for them to eat anymore because they could replace it with the Qi.


    After all, who would want to waste time to eat when they could use it to practice more?


    But since they were still at Body Training Rank, it did make sense that they would want to eat more.


    ''Lin Hu, this place is filled with mystical aura.''


    ''That''s for sure. The capital city is the place where the princes live. If they didn''t have the aura of a dragon, that will be rather strange. Anyway, try to find that hall if you want to know whether you have the qualification to become the Emperor or not.'' Lin Hu could see through Lin Xiao almost immediately.


    Since the only thing that existed almost everywhere in the capital city was food, Lin Xiao chose to become a foodie while looking around the place. His target was obviously the hall that Sui Wenyan mentioned before.


    Only the four princes have the qualification to enter the place, which meant that the others didn''t manage to enter.


    Lin Xiao wanted to know whether he could enter or not.


    "The food over there look good too."


    "Brother, your stomach wouldn''t be able to hold on if you continue eating," Lin Yun reminded. Though, he doubted that Lin Xiao would listen since cultivators could really eat a lot of food without the need to worry about overeat. They could fasten their digest by utilizing their Qi.


    "Don''t worry, you can help me eat."


    Lin Yun: "��"


    Brother!


    However, the other three chose to follow Lin Xiao as they walked street by streets. There were several noble houses that they passed, but Lin Xiao had no intention to stop in the slightest bit. Aside from that, they were also getting closer and closer to the center of the capital city.


    "Hmm, that food look good too," Lin Xiao commented when he looked at the row of stalls located not far from the palace. He was actually thinking that the hall might be close to the palace since it was something that was left from the dragons.


    "Ha ha ha, brother over there, are you interested in the food over here?"


    "Hmmm?


    Turning his body around, Lin Xiao could see a young man around the same age as him standing while smiling. From the way he dressed, Lin Xiao could clearly see that the young man was someone from the Royal Family.


    His eyes narrowed as he was wondering whether the young man had hostile intention or not.

 Chapter 181: Prince Lin San

    "Hmmm?"


    Turning his body around, Lin Xiao could see a young man around the same age as him standing while smiling. From the way he dressed, Lin Xiao could clearly see that the young man was someone from the Royal Family.


    His eyes narrowed as he was wondering whether the young man had hostile intention or not.


    Lin Xiao cupped his hand. "Greetings Your Highness. This one is just looking at the stalls because I find it interesting."


    The young man smiled. Despite being one of the princes in the capital city, Lin Xiao somehow had different feeling when he saw the prince before him. The aura around him seemed mystical, yet at the same time, he could sense that the prince looked far more amiable than the others.


    "Are you new here?" the prince asked.


    "Yes."


    "I''m Lin San, the eighteenth prince," The prince, Prince Lin San, introduced himself amiably.


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. San as in third? He felt that the name of the prince was strange. However, at this time, Sui Wenyan send him sound transmission. Sound transmission could only be used by someone who was at Foundation Establishment, so it was a piece of cake for Sui Wenyan.


    ''Prince Lin San is the third son of the first prince. He''s not included amongst those who can contend for the throne because he failed to open the gate back in his youth.''


    Prince Lin San turned his head to look at Sui Wenyan. "It seems that you''re more knowledgeable."


    Sui Wenyan smiled and curtsied, which looked a bit awkward since she was not used to it. "This one just have a bit more knowledge."


    "I see." Prince Lin San nodded and pointed at the stalls. "The food there might look delicious, but only the appearance is attractive while the taste is normal. Many people set stalls here just to attract the ladies of the noble families because they want to gain more money."


    "I see. Many thanks for Prince Lin Xiao for your guidance," Lin Xiao replied politely.


    Prince Lin San nodded. He was looking at Lin Xiao with interest. For some unknown reason, he felt that the youth before him, who was at similar age, was very interesting. There was faint aura that he couldn''t explain coming from Lin Xiao.


    Inside Lin Xiao, Lin Hu''s eyes narrowed. ''Lin Xiao, get away from him. This prince is dangerous.''


    ''Eh? You didn''t even tell me to stay away from the others but you ask me to stay away from this particular prince?''


    ''That''s because even though they have the qualification to ascend to the throne, their overall ability is poor. They didn''t even know how to use the dragon power that they have inside their blood. Such being the case, they might look powerful now but later they''ll end up as nothing more but stepping stone of others.''


    Lin Xiao was speechless at Lin Hu''s words. Did this dragon wanted him to seek enemies from here and there? Prince Lin San hadn''t done anything wrong, so Lin Xiao also find it difficult to get away from him.


    "If you want other stalls that are better, you should go to the street near Dragon Pavilion Hall."


    Dragon Pavilion Hall?


    Lin Xiao''s eyes nearly lit up when he heard that but he suppressed the excitement inside his heart. He couldn''t possibly let other people knew that he had been targeting that hall. Eh wait, that should be the name, right?


    "Dragon Pavilion Hall?" Lin Xiao asked back in confused tone.


    Sui Wenyan smiled bitterly when she saw how dumb Lin Xiao was. Even for the basic knowledge, there were still many things that this brat didn''t know. "Dragon Pavilion Hall is the place where princes hold their test. It''s the hall that contain the secret of dragons from ancient times."


    "if it''s that valuable, how can there be stalls near the place?"


    Prince Lin San laughed. This was the first time in his life he met someone who was so clueless like Lin Xiao. "That''s because there''s no one who can enter the hall except if you''re a prince who have the qualification to inherit the throne. This brother over here is really funny, may I know your name?"


    Funny?


    Lin Xiao was fuming at Prince Lin San''s remark, but he tried his best to suppress whatever thoughts he had and cupped his hand. "This one''s name is Xiao, Your Highness."


    "Xiao?" Prince Lin San nodded. While there were many other people who liked to hide their surname because of various circumstances, many didn''t usually dare to do so before a prince. To think that there was someone who dared to do it made Prince Lin San''s interest piqued up.


    However, Lin Xiao clearly didn''t know that he had attracted the attention of a prince like this.


    Sui Wenyan smiled helplessly. "This one is Sui Wenyan."


    "Wenren Yu."


    Lin Yun looked at his brother with hesitation then sighed. "Lin Yun."


    Hearing the surname, Prince Lin San looked at Lin Yun. Only upon seeing that the young man didn''t emit any mystical aura or giving the impression of someone from the Royal Family did he relax. There were simply too many princes and princesses in the Royal Family and those with distant relation was even more.


    While they didn''t really pose a threat, some of them often acted as if they were someone important just because of their long distant relationship with the Royal Family.


    "Follow me."


    "Yes."


    Lin Xiao was watching Prince Lin San''s reaction when he heard what Lin Yun said. His eyes narrowed as he realized that Prince Lin San seemed to be able to recognize whether one was from the Royal Family or not.


    ''Is there really a method to know whether one is from Royal Family or not just by looking?''


    ''Normally no, but Prince Lin San had concentrated all of his dragon power in his blood to his eyes.'' Lin Hu''s voice sounded a bit grave.


    ''What?''

 Chapter 182: Dragon Pavilion Hall

    ''You can do that?''


    Lin Hu looked at Lin Xiao as if he wanted to mock this human before him. Even after staying with Lin Xiao for so long, he had realized that this human never realized the great power that was lurking within his body. Unfortunately, Lin Xiao had no capabilities to use his power because he couldn''t even identity them.


    How useless.


    It was the same as giving a diamond to a pig. That pig wouldn''t be able to know the true worth of a diamond and used it.


    Similarly, Lin Xiao was unable to detect the dragon power that was within his body. While it had actually helped Lin Xiao countless times in his path, the brat didn''t even realize it because he was too ignorant.


    ''Yes, you''re the poor one for not being able to realize the true worth of the dragon power inside your body. Thankfully the prince only had low level grasp and the dragon power inside his body is low. If not, your identity will be revealed right here, right now.''


    Cold sweat poured on Lin Xiao''s back. He had no interest to contend with the princes right after he joined the academy. Compared to those princes who had already reached Foundation Establishment, he was still too weak, ah.


    If he wanted to create trouble for himself, there were many other methods to do so without the need to reveal his identity.


    More importantly, coming here made him realize that these princes must have Golden Core Cultivators supporting them from behind. Unless he had the confidence to beat them, Lin Xiao should never ever reveal his real identity and fight for the throne.


    Let him stay low for now.


    ''Then, how do I use it?''


    Lin Hu looked at Lin Xiao with disdain. "First of all, can you even sense the dragon power inside your body? You can''t even differentiate the Qi with the dragon power inside your body, treating them all the same all this time. While it didn''t really matter in the beginning, it''s very wasteful of you to only use the dragon power for ordinary training.''


    Lin Xiao was speechless. First, how should he know that he actually had dragon power inside his body if no one ever told him? Secondly, what was the difference between the two power?


    However, Lin Hu was too lazy to explain more to this idiot. ''You figure it out yourself. There''s no point for me to explain more to you.''


    ''Lin Hu?''


    ''Hey!''


    ''Don''t ignore me!''


    No matter how many times Lin Xiao called Lin Hu, the dragon ignored him completely. This made Lin Xiao frustrated, but he knew that Lin Hu would never explain more about the use of Dragon Power until he could use it by himself. This made him a bit appalled, though.


    Something powerful was already within him all this time, yet he was unable to even detect him.


    How useless.


    While Lin Xiao was a bit absent minded because of his pondering, they had arrived by the street that Prince Lin San mentioned. He pointed to the stalls not far from him with a smile. "The food here is far better than the one over there. If you would like, you can stay here."


    "Many thanks, Your Highness."


    The four of them gave their thanks and they began to look around for the food. Lin Xiao was genuinely interested and even Lin Yun was astonished when he tasted it. After all, the two of them rarely tasted delicacies.


    On the other hand, Wenren Yu and Sui Wenyan was not that interested. The food in Taiyi Sect back then were already plenty enough and during banquet, what kind of food hadn''t they seen? While their status back then only enough for them to enjoy at the corner of the table, it was still delicious food that one could rarely enjoy.


    Prince Lin San also didn''t stay with them for a long time. He only found them slightly interesting, but there were still other matters he had to attend to. After showing them the way to this place, he naturally left because there was no use for him to stay here any longer.


    "Brother, do you really want to taste everything here?" Lin Yun asked helplessly. He felt that his brother was a bit hard to guess at times. Even he didn''t know why Lin Xiao suddenly took interest in the food.


    Lin Xiao munched the meat in his mouth and grinned. Naturally, the real reason he was here was not the food, but he couldn''t say it in public so he simply gestured with his finger toward the building at the end of the road.


    Along the way, he had purposely didn''t look in the building''s direction so as to not attract attention. While he did look at it in awe for a moment, he then continued to search for food as if food was the most important thing in his world and nothing could ever compare to delicious food.


    ''That building��''


    Lin Yun had seen it too. While it looked like an ordinary building, it looked beautiful on the outside and seemed to carry the air of mystery that when one saw it, one wouldn''t be able to know the real worth of the place.


    However, he didn''t pay much attention to it because it was only something that was important for those who had the capability to become the Emperor.


    For him, it was nothing more than a majestic building that could only serve as eye candy.


    ''Right, Brother need to enter the building to prove his worth. Did he want to do it in front of everyone here?''


    While Lin Yun was confused, Lin Xiao simply looked around for food and then roamed again in the street. In truth, he was circling the building to figure out the defense system of this importance inheritance that only those with the right to become an Emperor could enter.


    Surely, they would guard this place tightly, no?


    But after circling a few times, Lin Xiao realized something weird.

 Chapter 183: Dragon Pavilion Hall (2)

    While Lin Yun was confused, Lin Xiao simply looked around for food and then roamed again in the street. In truth, he was circling the building to figure out the defense system of this importance inheritance that only those with the right to become an Emperor could enter.


    Surely, they would guard this place tightly, no?


    But after circling a few times, Lin Xiao realized something weird.


    There''s only two guards.


    Yes, two.


    He was perplexed to find out that there were only two guards at Foundation Establishment Stage standing at the door frame looking like statues. They didn''t even seem that special from the way they looked and their power was clearly only at Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Was it stupidity or confidence?


    Lin Xiao turned to look at Sui Wenyan, the only one who knew so many things regarding the world. "Wenyan, the Royal Family didn''t treasure this Dragon Pavilion Hall that much, did they? There are only two guards guarding at the door."


    Sui Wenyan smiled bitterly when she heard what Lin Xiao said and shook her head faintly. "It''s not like they didn''t treasure the Dragon Pavilion Hall but there''s truly no need. Even if countless people at Golden Core Stage comes here and try to barge in, the Pavilion will never open its door for those who didn''t have the qualification.


    Hence, guards are useless. They''re only there to show off that the Emperor and the Royal Family are still paying attention to what happened in the Dragon Pavilion Hall. When there''s important matter, their task is to deliver message."


    "I see��"


    Lin Xiao originally thought that the security would be so tight. But now, he realized that it would be easy for him to sneak into the Dragon Pavilion Hall with only two guards guarding at the door.


    Eh wait, would there be something special whenever one opened the door?


    "Wenyan, do you know whether the princes can attract attention or not when they enter the Dragon Pavilion Hall?"


    "As far as I know, no. The Dragon Pavilion Hall is very mysterious and never make a sound even in all these years. Based on the history book that Sister Qiu passed on to us, there''s no record of the Dragon Pavilion Hall making any noise or anything."


    "That''s good," Lin Xiao murmured.


    Hearing that, Sui Wenyan came to realize that Lin Xiao''s real goal was this Dragon Pavilion Hall. It was already evening and the previously bustling street had turned quiet. Before long, he would be able to sneak inside by climbing the wall and entered the building without anyone knowing.


    Sui Wenyan''s lips twitched. It seemed that this Dragon Pavilion Hall had truly bothered Lin Xiao to be able to force him to make this decision and risked getting himself found.


    ''Lin Hu, nothing will happen, right?''


    Silence.


    ''Lin Hu!''


    No matter how many times Lin Xiao called out, Lin Hu played dead. It was clear that the dragon didn''t wish to tell anything regarding the Dragon Pavilion Hall to Lin Xiao before he entered it. Probably he was too upset because Lin Xiao didn''t even know the basic use of the dragon power he had.


    Lin Yun looked at his brother and chuckled. "In that case, we''ll make distraction."


    "Ah?"


    "You''ll be able to do it yourself, right Brother?"


    In fact, the other three didn''t know the safe range around the Dragon Pavilion Hall for those unrelated to the Royal Family. It was said that those without any relation whatsoever would be kicked out whenever they got close to the Dragon Pavilion Hall. NO one was stupid enough to sacrifice their body just to test it.


    Besides, that would surely attract more attention to them.


    "Yes. Thank you everyone."


    "That''s something we ought to do. Go."


    Lin Xiao nodded and once the sun completely disappeared, he had already blended with the darkness and erased his presence. Living as a weak hunter in the forest filled with powerful beasts had honed his assassination skill greatly. Added with the patience that he had when hunting, Lin Xiao could easily go undetected by normal Foundation Establishment when he wanted to.


    Wenren Yu looked at the others and smiled. "Time for action."


    "What''s your plan?"


    "This."


    Taking out a small bag of powder, Wenren Yu used his Qi to deliver the powder to the surroundings people. While there were not many people left at this evening, it was still more than enough for him to affect them with this medicine.


    Sui Wenyan and Lin Yun were quick enough to use their Qi to protect themselves from Wenren Yu''s powder. While his target was no them, it would be better for them to be careful in case accidents happen.


    "What''s that?" Sui Wenyan asked.


    "Hallucination Powder," Wenren Yu replied with a smile. It was more than enough to affect low level cultivators and made them behaved abnormally. At that time, chaos would surely ensue.


    The others looked in Wenren Yu''s direction for a moment then they chose to move further back. Just after a few seconds, someone staggered and crashed onto another person. The two of them glared at each other with hatred.


    "What are you looking at, huh?"


    "What are you looking too?"


    "B*stard! Don''t you dare glaring at me! It''s obviously your fault that you crash onto me?"


    "Don''t you have eyes? You''re clearly the one��"


    Bang! Bang!


    Punches were thrown and the two cultivators who were debating began to fight against each other. In their eyes, they were the one who was correct and the other party was wrong. It was hard to say whether they would be able to escape unscathed from the battle.


    Of course, Wenren Yu was currently watching from a safe distance. He and the others were all watching without the slightest bit of interest to the group of people who were roaming around in front of them like that and began to fight because what they saw might not be the reality.

 Chapter 184: Dragon Pavilion Hall (3)

    Bang! Bang!


    "Hey, hey, stop fighting here!"


    "Kyaa!"


    Lin Yun watched while blinking his eyes. He couldn''t believe that the things here escalated even further.


    "What a mess," Sui Wenyan murmured.


    Wenren Yu nodded and then sighed. Against low level cultivators, it was easy for him to use some medicine that he had prepared before to fight them. They would not be able to do anything against him since they were all far weaker.


    "I''m sure this is enough for him."


    "Hmm, it seems so."


    Sui Wenyan looked at Lin Yun, who was staring at the Dragon Pavilion Hall. She tilted her head. "Do you want to try?"


    "Huh? What are you talking about?" Lin Yun asked back and laughed. "The one who can try is Brother and not me."


    "But you''re also part of the Royal Family."


    This time, Sui Wenyan used sound transmission to prevent other people from hearing what she said. However, her words only caused Lin Yun''s expression to change. He looked at Sui Wenyan with disbelief.


    "What are you talking about?" He laughed and brushed it off.


    Sui Wenyan arched her eyebrows. "No need to lie. I had seen how you look at the words back then. Can you read it?"


    Lin Yun stayed silence for a while longer. He clearly understood that Sui Wenyan had seen him when he looked at the dragon language back then. Lin Xiao could read without the need to think as if it was craved in his bones. It was a skill that every Royal Family members have.


    They could read dragon language.


    The only difference would be their speed. The higher the dragon power inside their body, the more natural would it be for them to use the dragon power and naturally dragon language.


    As for Lin Yun.


    "I need several minutes to decipher it," Lin Yun admitted.


    Sui Wenyan was surprised. It meant that the dragon power inside Lin Yun''s body was so diluted that he would be pushed even further back in his relationship with the Royal Family. After all, those with weaker bloodline would never be able to become the Emperor no matter what.


    The dragon power was the highest perquisite if they wanted to become one.


    "Your parents?"


    "My father is a traveling doctor back then," Lin Yun explained with a bitter smile. As for his mother�� she used to be one of the forgotten princess. Because the Royal Family had so many family members, those with low dragon power and also low talent would be slowly forgotten with the passage of time.


    His mother was one of them and couldn''t even return back. After all, she was only Body Training Stage Cultivator even until the end of her life.


    Sui Wenyan nodded. She had thought that it was strange for Lin Xiao to be an orphan in the first place considering how the brat managed to gain the Emperor''s Inheritance back then. Now that she knew Lin Yun was actually a prince, albeit a very weak and not influential one, it meant that Lin Xiao might have been arranged to stay with Lin Yun''s family back then.


    "His parents?"


    "I don''t know the details but they''re quite high ranking," Lin Yun said in low tone. "They''re chased by other of different faction. After leaving Brother with us, they left and never showed up again."


    Sui Wenyan furrowed her brows. Lin Xiao''s parents��


    There were only a few princes who had thick dragon power and could possibly have their descendant even more powerful. However, from what she knew, none of those princes have ever went to war with their siblings.


    It seemed that she needed to research the history more.


    The thought of learning history of all the existing prince was already more than enough to give her a headache.


    ��


    Swish!


    While the others were busy creating distraction outside, Lin Xiao used the chance to enter the Dragon Pavilion Hall area. The building was protected by a large wall and in front of the gate, two guards stood. Lin Xiao naturally didn''t use the normal method and chose to sneak in through different method.


    The method he chose allowed him to get in without alarming everyone.


    Now that Lin Xiao stood before the building, he realized that the building before him was very big. It was dark brown in color and seemed to be slightly shinning under the sun. But now, all that was left was the dark glittering and also the suppressive force coming from the building.


    Lin Xiao crept closer to the building and then stood before the main door. The main door was over two meters tall and had circle handle at the front. The door itself also dark in color and there was faint glimmering that was written at the front.


    "My Children, The World Emperor, Only those who are qualified shall enter into the Dragon''s Abode."


    Abode?


    Lin Xiao thought the place was named as Dragon Pavilion Hall but from the text, it didn''t seem to be the real name. Well, he had no time to think. Pushing the door open, Lin Xiao was actually very nervous.


    What if he couldn''t open the door?


    Even having the Emperor Inheritance would only make him a joke.


    Those people would not question him as long as he had enough power, but it would be better to be safe than sorry.


    But upon seeing the door opening, Lin Xiao relaxed. He could feel faint mystical power from inside the room. Sucking a deep breath, Lin Xiao began to step inside the building with anticipation. He didn''t know what he would see inside the room and naturally, he felt nervous.


    Once he was inside, Lin Xiao closed the door. The previously dark room turned dim as if there was source of light inside the room that would immediately lit up upon detecting someone entering.


    At this time, Lin Hu also spoke, ''Oh, you can get in. And here I thought that you won''t be able to get in.''


    ''LIN HU!''

 Chapter 185: The Eight Pictures

    The dragon didn''t even bother looking at the annoyed human beside him. He glanced into the room with interest. "How long since it been that I entered Dragon Abode? I didn''t think you can enter this room so quickly."


    Lin Xiao was annoyed. "What do you mean by that? Didn''t you only need to have enough Dragon Power inside your blood if you want to enter?"


    "Naturally, that''s what people usually said, but in truth, you''re tested every single time you try to enter this place. If you used to pass but then you didn''t, it meant that there''s something inside of you that no longer suitable for this place anymore."


    Lin Hu mulled a bit. His previous master used to be a good person and could enter the Dragon Abode with no problem.  But as time passed, he was getting more and more restless with how things worked and unable to accept the reality. In the end, he failed as a father and the Kingdom fell into ruins.


    How unfortunate.


    Lin Xiao no longer paid any attention to the dragon. He was looking at the room, which had lines separating eight section. Looking at it made him felt as if he was looking at a large compass because the room was split into eight with one center in the middle. At the floor, Lin Xiao could see different drawings on each path.


    He glanced down and noticed that the engravings on the floor below him depicted mountains. It was a faraway mountain that he couldn''t recognize and the picture seemed to be blurry. There was a layer of fog that prevented him from seeing the tru picture.


    ''Go to the lake section.''


    "Ok."


    Lin Xiao glanced around and noticed that right in front of him, which was the opposite of the mountain''s section, was the picture of a lake. Different from other pictures that seemed to be covered in fog, the lake was crystal clear to him. The lake was dark blue in color, sparkling as if it was real water while the surroundings were filled with greenery.


    It was so beautiful despite it was only being a picture.


    Lin Xiao found himself drawn into the picture unconsciously as he began to walk closer. This time, Lin Hu didn''t disturb him as the dragon understood that Lin Xiao was truly the Lake Emperor. The Dragon Abode recognized him as one and allowed the brat to see through the illusions.


    ''He''s acknowledged even though he''s so mischievous and bratty?'' Lin Hu felt so helpless.


    The Heaven''s will was something that he couldn''t understand in the slightest bit. But whatever the reason was, he knew that as long as Lin Xiao could survive until the end, the seat was his.


    Swish!


    The Qi in the air began to move.


    Wind blow and ripples in the air disrupted the surroundings. However, it was not done coarsely, instead, it was like they were singing and dancing to welcome the new Emperor who came here. Even though the new Emperor was still very weak and couldn''t do anything yet, the nature had already noticed him.


    Lin Xiao was completely immersed in the picture. He could clearly see that the picture allowed him to see a completely different world. At the same time, it was giving him the picture of what Lake Dragon actually was.


    Healing, greenery, and also water.


    The three important essence of Lake Dragon was completely depicted in the picture and shown to Lin Xiao. It allowed him greater understanding of what Lake Dragon was and what it meant to be the Lake Emperor.


    Every Emperor had their own power and ability, Lake Dragon was known to be the best support Emperor with its kingdom prosper because of his ability.


    Shua!


    The dragon power, that laid dormant inside Lin Xiao''s body for years, started to get aroused. They filled Lin Xiao''s body and made the youth emanated a different type of pressure as the young man stared at the picture before him.


    Time passed in this fashion.


    Lin Xiao had unknowingly used his Dragon Power while staring at the picture before him and allowed himself to submerge into the picture before him.


    It was beautiful.


    Tep!


    The moment Lin Xiao closed his eyes, the phenomenon stopped. It was already the time for the celebration to be over and the wind calmed down. The Qi also no longer get attracted to Lin Xiao''s body while his dragon power also laid dormant once more after giving gift to Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao opened his eyes and now, there was an additional golden light within his pupil. However, if one didn''t pay close attention to him, they wouldn''t be able to notice that additional feature.


    "Lin Hu, Lake Dragon''s main power is nourishing and healing, isn''t it?" Lin Xiao asked. He had always been wondering why his younger brother often asked him to help tending the plants even if it was only for a short period of time. Lin Yun had said that Lin Xiao was great at taking care of plants while Lin Xiao himself knew better than anyone that he didn''t really like the tedious job of tending plants.


    But after seeing the picture and the revelation showed to him, he understood why Lin Yun liked him to tend the plants.


    Lake Dragon was known for its ability to nourish. It meant that in the kingdom where Lake Emperor resided, plants would be able to grow much better. With better quality and also larger quantities, it could be said that Lake Emperor''s kingdom would flourish in time.


    Lin Hu sighed and nodded. "You finally figure this out."


    "I just noticed." Lin Xiao looked at the picture with complicated feelings. Afterwards, he bowed down as thanks for what the picture had shown to him. He was grateful that he could finally learnt what it meant to be the Lake Emperor.


    "And now I believe you can use your Dragon Power."


    "Hmm?" Lin Xiao inspected his body and smiled.

 Chapter 186: Return Back

    "Hmm?" Lin Xiao inspected his body and smiled.


    Previously, Lin Xiao didn''t even know the dragon power inside his body and naturally didn''t know what he could actually do with it. But after the assistance of the picture and the revelation shown to him, he understood that the dragon power could be said to be the power that was fused within his soul.


    The dragon power was slowly mixing with his blood and strengthen his body. However, the main use of the dragon power was to grant them power in the area that they decided on their own.


    Just like how Prince Lin San decided to use it for his eyes to see the truth, Lin Xiao could pick what he wanted to do with his dragon power. Once he decided, he would have to train it and practiced so that he could get used with his dragon power.


    "I want to use it to strengthen my legs. While I have a lot of offense skill and defense skill, the most important is to be able to run away. After all, the most important thing is to survive," Lin Xiao replied.


    Lin Hu was stunned then nodded. For someone without much background like Lin Xiao, it was always danger everywhere and with no backing, Lin Xiao had to rely on himself. To be able to survive would be the most important thing because anything could happen in the future as long as he was still alive.


    That was the most important thing.


    "You''re not wrong, but please don''t do it here."


    "Ah?"


    "It''ll take a long time and your friends are waiting. You''ve been here for 3 hours."


    Lin Xiao''s face changed. He was staring at the picture all this time and didn''t realize that time had passed so quickly. The others must be worried because he didn''t appear all this time.


    "Let''s go."


    No longer waiting for more things to happen, Lin Xiao quietly slipped away from the room. He glanced at the lake picture, feeling a bit apprehensive and longing. Unfortunately, he couldn''t stay here any longer, so he would just look at the picture again sometime in the future.


    Swish!


    With agile movement, Lin Xiao rushed over to the wall and leapt over. At this time, he had not realized that his control over his power had increased. While his overall power didn''t increase because he had increased his physical ability so much due to the medicine, his control had increased.


    He was no longer awkward when controlling his immense power and could use it seamlessly as if he had always that much power in the first place.


    Lin Xiao landed outside and glanced around. He could see that there were some traces of fight on the street, but there was no one over there. Scanning his surroundings, Lin Xiao slowly made his way out of the street and headed to the main street. It was then he noticed three people sitting near a food stall that was still open while eating some meat skewer.


    "Oh, you''re back?" Lin Yun''s eyes lit up. It was already 9 PM and by this time, they might be scolded when they returned back to the academy. There was no rules that stated they have to return back earlier, but for new students, they might not be allowed to stay outside.


    The guards didn''t really say anything.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Sorry to make you wait for long. Let''s go back."


    "Ok."


    They all stood up and left. Since they had already paid for the meal, there was nothing that they needed to do anymore to worry about and could return back swiftly. Thankfully, as cultivators they had excellent memory and could remember the way they came back or they would have lost in the journey when they wanted to return back.


    "We''re back." Lin Xiao looked at the gate then at the guard standing there. He quickly took out the token and walked over, hoping that they wouldn''t be mad for them to come back so late.


    The guard glanced at them and arched his eyebrows. "I thought you''re not going to return back tonight."


    "Ah well, we got a bit lost after spending the day in the capital city," Lin Xiao lied while acting as if he was embarrassed.


    The others also smiled sheepishly as if they got caught doing something bad. Looking at their action, the guard shook his head and took their token back before opening the door.


    "Don''t worry, while its stated that you have 7 free days, it''s actually for the old students to visit their family too. You can actually stay outside if you want but it''ll be better for new students to stay in the academy since most of you are too weak."


    Lin Xiao couldn''t refute that.


    While he knew that he was already quite powerful amongst his peers, he was still nothing if he compared himself to those who had cultivated for decades. Many of those who were older than him were much more powerful, so he had to work hard if he wanted to catch up.


    That wouldn''t be easy.


    "Many thanks for the reminder."


    "Go and rest. You only have six more days to freely enjoy your time."


    They gave their thanks and bid their farewell. Entering the academy, now they could easily return back to their own residence since they have already traveled for quite some time back in the morning.


    "I''m going to return back to rest. What about you?"


    "Cultivating inside my room," Sui Wenyan replied. She might agree to follow Lin Xiao, but it didn''t mean that she could neglect her own cultivation. Her goal was to become even more powerful, so obviously, she would never allow herself to relax.


    "Same."


    "I''m going to rest a bit. It''s quite tiring lately." Wenren Yu shrugged.


    Lin Xiao nodded. The four of them separated in front of their rooms. Upon returning back, Lin Xiao''s eyes lit up. Time to practice.

 Chapter 187: Dragon Power

    Lin Xiao nodded. The four of them separated in front of their rooms. Upon returning back, Lin Xiao''s eyes lit up. Time to practice.


    Sitting cross legged on his bed, Lin Xiao had been very curious about his own progress. It was known that he didn''t have much knowledge regarding the dragon power inside his body, so he wanted to start learning it.


    Dragon has always been said to be a very mysterious and mythical creature. They harnessed a different type of power that was comparable to the Qi in the world. While it was also called as Qi there was something that was innately different from it when they studied it.


    Dragon power''s source came from the world, the Qi, but they would be transformed upon contact. That way, no other creature aside from dragon who would be able to use the power.


    At least, from theory. However, eight humans managed to use the power of dragon by being acknowledged by them. This was how the first eight Emperor was born in the first place and how the Dragon Abode which was also known as Dragon Pavilion Hall was built.


    It was for future generations who would be acknowledged by the dragons again.


    Shua!


    Lin Xiao felt comfortable. He could sense the power that was flowing into his body was different. By tapping onto his soul, he could arouse the Dragon power inside him and used it to circulate along with the normal Qi.


    With the two of them, his progress would soar.


    Not only that, Lin Xiao made sure that he paid more attention to his legs and absorbed more of the dragon power into his legs. He wanted to be stronger and faster so that he would be able to survive.


    There was saying that in front of absolute power, any tricks were useless.


    However, Lin Xiao knew that he had to try to strengthen his power. At the very least, against someone who was only a tad stronger than him, he would be able to run when the situation was less favorable to him.


    Lin Hu watched from the side with no interest. Other descendant would have their Dragon power limited ever since from birth. The amount of the dragon power would also represent whether they would be able to become the Emperor or not. After all, the increase of power that they could get with the dragon power was limited.


    But it was different ever since the Emperor''s Inheritance.


    The amount of Dragon power that Lin Xiao could use would become unlimited. The maximum limit of human''s body would be able to be surpassed by him as long as he continued to work hard.


    Dragon didn''t become the mythical legend for nothing.


    Hours passed and Lin Xiao was still immersed in his training. There was nothing that could seem to disturb him from his concentration in making sure that he could use the dragon power inside his body effectively. But no matter how much time passed, the dragon power inside Lin Xiao''s body seemed to be inexhaustible.


    Lin Hu also didn''t disturb Lin Xiao. When it was small matter, he would gladly tease Lin Xiao and made the young man angry. But when it was serious matter like this, he would wait from the side and not disturb the young man because he understood that it was important for his growth.


    Time passed like water.


    Lin Xiao didn''t know when he had finished his training. But when he opened his eyes, he felt that he was looking at the world with different perspective.


    ''Lin Hu, how long am I training for?''


    ''Three days.''


    3 days?


    Lin Xiao was shocked. He felt that he was training for a short time, but in truth, so much time had passed. However, even after training for so long, he didn''t feel the slightest bit fatigued. It seemed that the reputation of Lake Dragon in terms of healing and nourishing was not for a joke.


    He didn''t even feel tired after training for so long.


    "Since I''m already training for a long time, it''s time to walk around the academy." Lin Xiao stretched his body. There were only three more days for him to stay free without the need to worry about classes and so on. It would be better for him to use the time he had wisely.


    Walking out of the door, Lin Xiao sensed faint Qi that was connecting the room to the other three rooms. He arched his eyebrows as he realized that it was the method that Sui Wenyan used to be able to notice when someone got out.


    His eyes widened.


    ''Wait, I can already see the path of the Qi?''


    Lin Xiao felt that it was a bit inconceivable. After all, he was only at Body Training Stage, which naturally meant that his senses regarding the Qi of the world wouldn''t be that sharp.


    Bang!


    The door was opened and Sui Wenyan walked out. She grinned. "You''re finally out, Master."


    "I was training." Lin Xiao smiled helplessly. For higher cultivators, it was not strange for them to train for days. But right now, Lin Xiao was still at Body Training Stage, so training for three entire days was quite unusual.


    Sui Wenyan nodded. Everyone had their own secret and since she was serving Lin Xiao, there was no way she wanted to try prying into his secret. She proceeded to bang the door to wake Lin Yun and Wenren Yu up.


    The two of them came out not long afterwards.


    Lin Yun''s eyes landed on Lin Xiao. He felt that there was something strange, something that was different from how his brother usually be. However, he couldn''t pinpoint what it was.


    "Let''s go and look around the academy. We also need to know the schedule of our activities for the next months."


    "Ah, I have already asked a bit about our schedule." Wenren Yu smiled. He didn''t spend the past three days doing nothing. "How about we explore while I explain?"


    "Sounds good."

 Chapter 188: The Two Princesses (1)

    "Ah, I have already asked a bit about our schedule." Wenren Yu smiled. He didn''t spend the past three days doing nothing. "How about we explore while I explain?"


    "Sounds good."


    Lin Xiao didn''t reject and they walked out of their dormitories. Sui Wenyan didn''t leave the room at all because she was waiting for Lin Xiao to get out of the room. Only Wenren Yu and Lin Yun walked around the academy to search for information and also get used to the new environment.


    "There are classes that we have to take. The classes are divided into physical class and also theory class. The teachers will assess us based on the two classes," Wenren Yu started to explain.


    Theory class?


    The name alone already made Lin Xiao''s mood turned sour. He knew better than anyone that when it came to theory, he was very bad. Back then, Senior Qiu Si had managed to drill some basic knowledge into him. However, Lin Xiao was sure that he was amongst the poorest when it came to theory knowledge.


    Actually, he was not alone because Lin Yun also felt a bit despair. If it was about herbs, Lin Yun was sure that he would excel it. But when it came to many other knowledge, especially one that was related to the kingdom and all, he was sure that he would be defeated instantly.


    What he knew was similar to Lin Xiao since they learned together under Senior Qiu Si.


    "What are the knowledge we need to know?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Wenren Yu looked at Lin Xiao with a bitter smile. "History, etiquette, geography, politics, and also basic theory regarding Qi."


    I''m dead.


    That was all Lin Xiao could think. He was pretty sure that he wouldn''t be able to pass the lesson at all. At the very least, he should be able to pass the physical lessons, right? His physical power was not bad at all.


    They toured the academy and spend the entire morning just to walk half of the area. Afterwards, they ate in the designated dining room and noticed that there was a group of people coming in.


    "There are people?" Lin Xiao asked curiously.


    "The second batch," Wenren Yu replied. "Sun Dragon Academy accepted 1000 students each year through two batch of students. Each batch will be from four different places and we''re just one of them back then."


    "There are four different places?"


    "Yes, but they''re placed in different location. As you can see, we''re put at the south district and the others are at other areas. As for why they''re differentiating it like that, we might only be able to find out later," Sui Wenyan replied. She had noticed that there were more than one group of new students back then, so this time, there might be more students.


    "Let''s see them."


    "Sure."


    The second batch would only consist of around 100 students or less, depending on how many students have passed in the first batch. Since there were already more than 150 students back then, there were only 94 new students.


    The dormitories itself had two buildings but the second building was only 3 floors. It meant that there were only enough for 120 students at most. (30 + 30 + 50). However, the Qi inside the dorm was comparable to the fifth and the third floor of their own dormitories, so the competition might be fiercer.


    Lin Xiao and the others rushed to the main court to see the new students. As they entered the main hall, they could see the men''s eyes were glued to the group of new students.


    "Gosh, I just see the most beautiful woman in my entire life."


    "No, she''s not just an ordinary woman, she''s a goddess!"


    "She''s a fairy!"


    "My eyes! I can''t believe I see someone so beautiful."


    The men''s murmur entered Lin Xiao''s ears and perked his ears. He glanced in the direction of where the two men were looking and noticed two beautiful young women standing not far from the elder. The two of them were so eye catching that everyone''s attention would land on them from the very beginning.


    The first one was a young lady with exquisite appearance. Her face clearly exuded the word beauty and no one could compare to her. With willow like eyebrows, rose colored lips, and also almond shaped eyes, she was perfect in everyone''s eyes. Her demure expression instantly captured everyone''s heart.


    Dressed in regal pink dress, she could easily win against other girl''s figure. Everyone seemed to pale against her perfect body. With voluptuous breast and sexy curve line, many men were already drooling. However, her overall appearance was still very petite that could easily invoke pity. Just one glance of her body could also make one thought of her as a frail young lady that was needed to be protected.


    The second one was a young lady with breathtaking appearance. Her bangs covered her eyes, so it was not too clear. And with her action of looking down, she made it hard for anyone to see her appearance. However, her pale skin that was highly similar to the young lady beside her attracted their attention.


    She was dressed in plain white dress. The dress covered most of her skin, not allowing anyone to peek deeper. Despite that, they still could see that she looked quite petite. However, standing beside the other young lady made her charm dimmer.


    "They''re so beautiful," Lin Yun murmured.


    Wenren Yu nodded in agreement. "Yeah��OUCH!"


    He looked to the side and noticed Sui Wenyan arched her eyebrows. Just as he was about to ask, the young girl said softly, "Sorry, it''s not intentional. I''m just so surprised by the two beautiful ladies."


    ''Why did her voice sound full of sarcasm?''


    While Wenren Yu was confused, Lin Xiao and Lin Yun watched in amusement. It seemed that, despite having a crush, Wenren Yu was actually quite slow in discovering other people''s feeling. How interesting.


    "Princess!"

 Chapter 189: The Two Princesses (2)

    While Wenren Yu was confused, Lin Xiao and Lin Yun watched in amusement. It seemed that, despite having a crush, Wenren Yu was actually quite slow in discovering other people''s feeling. How interesting.


    "Princess!"


    They turned their head when they heard the calling. Lin Xiao''s eyes widened when he heard what they said. The two breathtaking ladies were princess?


    Standing not far from them was Prince Lin Hong. He was smiling so brightly. "Princess Lan Xiao Yue from Hua Lan Kingdom, I''m Prince Lin Hong, the twentieth prince of Sun Kingdom."


    The first young lady smiled shyly. "Hello, Prince Lin Hong."


    "I didn''t expect you to be assigned in the south area, Your Highness," Prince Lin Hong smiled brightly.


    "Ah, I��" the first young lady, Princess Lan Xiao Yue, fidgeted.


    "She''s not in the south area."


    Everyone turned their head and saw a young man walked in their direction. He had lanky figure and regal aura emanating around his body. At the same time, his sharp expression seemed to be filled with power. Despite only being in the same rank as most of them, no one seemed to be able to put up resistance in front of him.


    ''That''s��'' Lin Xiao was stunned. He could clearly feel the immense dragon power emanating from the young man, even more than what he had. If it was not because of Emperor''s Inheritance, he was sure that he wouldn''t be able to contend against that young man.


    "He''s Prince Lin Fei, the only son of the current Emperor of Sun Dragon," Sui Wenyan sent sound transmission, yet her voice sounded grave. She knew very well that the prince in front of them was far beyond their league.


    Right now, Prince Lin Fei was only 20 years old, yet the immense power he wielded was already more than enough to suppress them. But those who were close to him knew that he was still at Foundation Establishment as he purposely held back and didn''t make the breakthrough yet.


    Right now, he was known as one of the most powerful princes.


    "Ninth Imperial Brother," Lin Hong gritted and unwillingly stepped back. He was the youngest amongst the four princes, so naturally, he was still the weakest.


    Prince Lin Fei glanced at Lin Hong with sidelong glance. It was clear that he never put the young prince in his eyes. For him, he was already at the top and naturally, the throne would belong to him when it was time.


    "Your Highness Princess Lan Xiao Yue," Prince Lin Fei greeted. "It''s a pleasure to finally meet you."


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue smiled brightly. There was a hint of happiness and also smugness within her eyes as she curtsied. "It''s my pleasure to be able to meet with you Your Highness Prince Lin Fei. I have heard so much about you."


    Prince Lin Fei nodded. He extended his hand. "In that case, may I have the pleasure to guide you to the north area?"


    "Of course."


    Lin Hong watched everything unfolded and gnashed his teeth. However, he had learned how to control his expression, so his face only looked slightly dark. To be losing against his ninth brother whom he hated so much was clearly not something that he wanted to happen.


    "What happened?" Lin Xiao asked in whisper. In fact, he was not the only one who were curious as many others were also looking at each other. The way Prince Lin Fei treated Princess Lan Xiao Yue was as if he was treating his own consort. That was a bit strange.


    Sui Wenyan looked at Lin Xiao and sighed. "The two of them are the only princesses from Hua Lan Kingdom. Hua Lan Kingdom is located at the east of Sun Kingdom and is quite a big kingdom. Similar with Sun Kingdom, Hua Lan Kingdom used to be led by the Dragon Emperor but its'' been so long since they have descendant that had the huge power of dragon.


    At least, until this generation. The two of them are twins. Princess Lan Xiao Yue is the youngest of the two but she had great talent and when she was tested back then, she could open the Dragon Pavilion Hall. However, it''s the tradition that woman couldn''t become the Emperor, so they agreed in an alliance with Sun Kingdom.


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue would be married with the ninth prince, who also had the highest chance to become the Emperor."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. He couldn''t believe that there was something complicated behind the screen too. "Then, the other princess?"


    "Princess Lan Yi Hua is the first princess, but she never showed any remarkable trait ever since the very beginning. The reason why she comes here is so that she could attract the attention of one of the princes and got married into this kingdom. But from what I heard, they basically threw her away."


    Threw her away?


    That sentence baffled Lin Xiao. He looked at the two princesses and noticed that their power was also very different. The two of them were clearly only at 17 years old, but Princess Lan Xiao Yue was already at Foundation Establishment while Princess Lan Yi Hua was only at Body Training Rank 10.


    There were some differences in the two princesses'' talent.


    "And this one��?" Prince Lin Fei looked in the other princess'' direction with not much interest.


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue smiled and introduced, "This is my older sister, Princess Lan Yi Hua."


    "I see."


    The cold tone that Prince Lin Fei used clearly showed that he didn''t regard the young woman as someone important. He had heard that the princess barely had any dragon power inside her body, which made her not so important.


    "Let''s go."


    "Ah, my sister?"


    "It''s fine, her place is in the south area."


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue blinked her eyes then nodded while still looked unsure.


    Lin Xiao watched everything and felt a bit disgusted. The second princess was clearly faking her feelings.

 Chapter 190: Lin Xiao’s Decision

    However, Lin Xiao clearly couldn''t say it out loudly. There were too many people who would be willing to fight him just because of that thoughtless remark. Of course, Lin Xiao himself had learned how to control himself better and naturally wouldn''t open his mouth at this kind of event.


    The elder was only watching them from the side and didn''t say anything. The arrangement for the student''s dorm could be changed when they were only at the first year. But of course, he had no intention of telling the others about this in case they all moved out from the place.


    Prince Lin Hong looked at the first princess with cold gaze. "You can take care of yourself. Don''t ask for others to accompany you."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua raised her head for a moment then nodded lightly as if she was obeying the prince''s every words. Her action made people looked at her as if she was a pushover, someone who was casted away and didn''t have much importance.


    Almost immediately, everyone had already heard about the two princesses from Hua Lan Kingdom and felt that the first princess was truly pitiful. However, they didn''t have any intention to embroil themselves in this kind of problem.


    Lin Xiao was still staring at Princess Lan Yi Hua. When she raised her head, albeit for a second, Lin Xiao felt as if he was looking at his old self. Not that he changed that much, though. However, he still could remember the stubbornness that he had when he was young and his unwillingness to give up no matter what happened.


    The princess'' gaze reminded him of himself.


    And at that moment, Lin Xiao came to a decision.


    "I want her."


    Slip!


    Lin Yun nearly fell onto the ground when he heard what his brother said. He looked at his brother with bewilderment. "Brother, what in the world are you talking about? You know that the second princess is��"


    "Not her. It''s the first princess that''s more interesting." Lin Xiao grinned.


    The first princess?


    Sui Wenyan and Wenren Yu were baffled. They were already stunned speechless when they heard what Lin Xiao said and felt even more baffled when he actually wanted the first princess whom no one wanted. Even the others already started to make their way out of the first princess'' way because they didn''t want to be associated with her.


    And now, Lin Xiao said that he wanted her?


    "Brother, are you serious?"


    "Yes."


    "But��"


    "She''s the only one I want," Lin Xiao replied stubbornly.


    The others were even more speechless. Come on, you have only met with her today for the first time in your life and you already decided to make her yours? Please don''t tell me that you''re going to do this over and over in your life!


    "Brother, woman is not an item and please be more serious when deciding your partner for life." Lin Yun''s lips twitched.


    Harem is not that uncommon, but based on what he understood about his brother, Lin Xiao would only want to be with one woman in his entire life. After all, Lin Xiao disliked the women''s quibble and fight. One would be more than enough to accompany him in his entire journey.


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. "I''m serious."


    "You��"


    There was nothing more than Lin Yun could say because he could see that Lin Xiao had walked towards the young girl. The others helplessly looked at each other. For some reason, they felt that they didn''t want to be associated with Lin Xiao, yet they knew that it would be impossible for them not to do that.


    It seemed that they just have to bear with this.


    The other people were already trying to find their way to the dormitories, but the princess was still standing there silently. It seemed as if she was waiting yet at the same time, it looked as if she wanted to stay there forever.


    "Hey, are you going to stand there until it''s night time? It''s going to get colder later when the sun set," Lin Xiao greeted cheerfully. New Year had just passed and it was still winter, so the temperature would surely drop. However, there was no snow in the capital city.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows and raised her head. What greeted her was the cheerful smile of a young man around her age. She was surprised internally since it has been years that there was anyone who greeted her with a smile.


    "I''m fine," Princess Lan Yi Hua replied and turned her head away.


    "Come on, I''ll guide you to the dormitories."


    "There''s no need, I��"


    "You''re new here, there''s no need to be so shy."


    Who''s shy?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua wanted to decline again, but Lin Xiao was already beckoning for her to follow him. Looking at the surroundings people, she knew that there were many who were watching them. She pursed her lips and decided to follow after this strange young man, not understanding what made him wanted to get close to her.


    As they walked, the people who were in the hall were looking in their direction with bewilderment.


    "Did I see correctly?"


    "is that young man sane? He''s taking a trash with him."


    "Well, it''s up to him whatever he wants to do."


    "Yeah. It''s not our business either."


    "Still, I never thought that there will be someone so stupid in Sun Kingdom. To think that the abandoned princess will have someone to stay with her."


    "He''s only Body Training Rank 10, not really a good talent. Probably he''s just bewitched by her looks and will leave her when he realized that it''s not worth it to take such a useless woman."


    Lin Yun and the others already felt despair when they heard how famous Lin Xiao became. They had agreed to keep low profile, but Lin Xiao now thwarted all of their effort with just one action.


    Brilliant!


    Stupid!

 Chapter 191: Rooms’ Placement

    However, no matter how many times the three of them scolded Lin Xiao inside their mind, they knew that it was impossible to change Lin Xiao''s decision at this point. Besides, they had already attracted enough attention and Lin Xiao himself must have reason for doing this.


    "The dormitory is over here. These two buildings are for us and the second building has just been opened not long ago when you all come. The highest floor is with the best resources, but if you''re uncomfortable with it, you can just pick the room beside me. I can empty that room," Lin Xiao said with a grin.


    He was sure that the room beside him was already empty because they had rushed over to reach the second building this morning when they heard that the second building would be open.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at the strange young man before her. "There''s no need. Please don''t concern yourself with me."


    "I want to."


    "Why?"


    "Because I want you," Lin Xiao replied bluntly. However, he furrowed his brows afterwards when he felt that he had done something wrong.


    Inside his body, Lin Hu was doing everything he could to hold back his laugh. He would laugh and tease Lin Xiao to no end after the young man had separated from Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao with blank expression. Afterwards, she looked at him defensively. "You��"


    "I want you to be my girlfriend," Lin Xiao quickly corrected himself. "But of course I''ll not ask you right now since we just know each other."


    Hearing his words, Princess Lan Yi Hua was speechless. Why did she feel that the young man in front of her was so unreliable? However, she had to admit that it was rare to see someone being so honest in front of her. Many of them who were acting kind to her only wanted to make use of her later on, which was why she never had much hope.


    "Why?" Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes widened when she noticed the word that was out of her mouth. She shook her head. "Forget it, you don''t know me well enough. Please don''t follow me. I��"


    "At least, don''t you want to have a good room to stay in the dormitories? I''m staying at the third floor in the first building," Lin Xiao said with a grin. "With your current strength, it''s not that hard for you to enter the third floor with your own strength if you want. But if you want to hide your strength, I''ll just do the fight for you."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua stopped her steps. She looked at Lin Xiao and furrowed her brows. Many people had tried to get close to her and always treated her as someone who was weak. However, Lin Xiao seemed to understand that she was not weak, but rather, she didn''t want to show her strength.


    No one will care for her. Even if she grew powerful, her parents would never look in her direction.


    She was already casted away long ago because she was not useful.


    Because of that, she always bid her time and gathered her power secretly. Being a Body Training Stage Cultivators, she looked slower, but she always tried to make sure that she would have the best foundation. It was the only method she could think off to be able to get stronger.


    "You��Fine."


    "Come with me."


    Lin Xiao led Princess Lan Yi Hua to the first building. There were several empty room on the third floor, including the room at the right side of Sui Wenyan''s room. Noticing Lin Xiao''s gaze, Wenren Yu quickly emptied the room and move next to Sui Wenyan''s room while he pointed inside.


    "You can use this room."


    "Your room?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked hesitantly.


    Lin Xiao pointed to the room next to it and grinned. "I''m over here. If you need anything, you can just knock the door."


    "Oh, ok. Thank you."


    After saying that, Princess Lan Yi Hua inserted her Qi to the door until it changed color, then entered the room and closed it. She was still looking at Lin Xiao with hesitation, but it seemed that she didn''t have much qualm in staying next to him anymore.


    Lin Xiao grinned then looked at the others, who were staring at him. He arched his eyebrows. "What is it?"


    "You''re very straightforward."


    "No women will ever accept such direct confession."


    "You''re very brave."


    The three of them said while looking at Lin Xiao with complicated gaze. Sui Wenyan knew that women always hoped that their romance would be romantic. To think that Lin Xiao would bluntly admitted that he liked.


    She admired his bravery but felt like Lin Xiao was simply too stupid.


    Lin Yun always thought that it would better to take some time if he wanted to pursue a woman. His brother�� was too direct and blunt.


    Wenren Yu was admiring Lin Xiao''s courage because he didn''t even dare to do anything even though the woman he liked was right beside him. Yep, she was standing right beside him right now and would stay in the room next door.


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes. Inside his consciousness, Lin Hu was already laughing maniacally, so he shut him off so that he couldn''t her anything. Tsk, it was called direct confession, alright?


    "Go back and just wait for classes. There are only three days left."


    "Yes~."


    ��


    Three days passed swiftly. During this time, Lin Xiao was immersed in his training and the room next door was also always closed. It seemed that Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t have any intention to grab attention.


    Wenren Yu got a challenge for his room but the other party was scared away after Wenren Yu used poison instead of normal martial arts. After all, his opponent back then was Foundation Establishment Cultivators. As the result, another room was emptied to give the new cultivator place.

 Chapter 192: Classes Start

    "Brother, it''s time for class," Lin Yun informed while knocking on Lin Xiao''s door. Normally, he wouldn''t want to disturb Lin Xiao, but it was already the time for them to have their first class.


    It wouldn''t do them any good to be late for their first ever class.


    Lin Xiao opened his eyes and stretched his body. He was satisfied with the result over his few days of training. While the improvement was not that apparent, he had better control over the dragon power inside his body by now. For the time being, he would only use it to strengthen his foundation.


    Of course, Lin Hu protested because it worth much more. However, the current Lin Xiao was simply incapable of doing anything because it was simply above him.


    He opened the door and smiled. "Let''s go."


    Lin Xiao glanced to the door toward Princess Yi Hua''s room. He was thinking about whether he should ask her to come with them or not. However, knocking her door and acting all familiar with her didn''t sound that well.


    "She had left," Sui Wenyan informed.


    "Eh?"


    Wenren Yu nodded his head. "Princess Yi Hua left her room not long ago."


    Lin Xiao nodded and then chose to depart right away.


    The first class for the new students was theory class. Lin Xiao was worried that he wouldn''t understand anything. Well, let''s just try first.


    Because there were over 1000 new student, the classroom was also very big. Lin Xiao was speechless upon entering because he could see the rows until very far. Now, where should they sit?


    "It didn''t really matter where you want to sit because the teacher will surely use Qi to carry their voices to make sure that everyone in the class could hear them." Sui Wenyan shrugged.


    Lin Xiao looked at Sui Wenyan. Right, upon reaching Foundation Establishment, they would learn much more of the use of Qi. It was not like those at Body Training couldn''t, but the limitation of their body made it hard for them to do it. Rather than focusing on the Qi which would be easier when they reached Foundation Establishment, they usually learned many skills to enhance their abilities.


    The four of them picked a seat in the middle. Lin Xiao could see Princess Yi Hua sitting not far from the edge, so he picked their seats not far from her.


    She glanced at him, nodded, then ignored him.


    Lin Xiao smiled and just sat down.


    The others: "��"


    "Do you think my brother is truly getting himself bewitched with a woman?" Lin Yun asked worriedly. If Lin Xiao couldn''t focus on cultivation at this time, it would be hard for him to advance further. After all, they were still categorized as low ranked cultivator.


    "I think he''s still focused on cultivation too. I don''t see him getting out of his room without purpose," Sui Wenyan said with hesitation.


    Wenren Yu arched his eyebrows. "Probably just sudden interest. It shouldn''t last long."


    "Really?"


    "I think."


    Lin Yun was not that certain. If he was not wrong, his brother was also a very hard headed man. Once he had decided on something, Lin Yun himself was not totally sure that he would be able to make him change his mind.


    They didn''t talk anymore as more and more students came in until the place was totally crowded. The two princes did come with high profile and some students were already trying to fawn over them. There was still no guarantee who would become the Emperor, so many were taking the gamble.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao''s bored eyes when he looked at them and felt intrigued. "Don''t you want to try getting close to the prince?"


    "Why should I?" Lin Xiao asked back.


    "For backing. People like you don''t have backing, right?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked back. She could see that Lin Xiao came from poor background and naturally didn''t have much power in the capital city. It was strange for her to think that he didn''t have any interest to gain more power and background.


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "We still didn''t know who will win in the end. I don''t want to gamble when I don''t know them that much."''


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao then looked away again. What he decided was none of her business.


    After that, a middle aged woman walked to the front and swept her gaze across them. They all immediately recognized the woman who played the zither back then.


    "Welcome to Sun Dragon Academy. I hope that I can see you all graduate safely," the woman said in unhurried tone.


    Safely?


    Lin Xiao sucked his breath. He had heard that there were a lot of students who ended up dying and couldn''t reach the designated rank after some time. Many geniuses would fall in their journey because it was always filled with trials.


    Not everyone could reach the peak.


    "My name is Su Luo and I''ll be teaching you the theory regarding the use of Qi. You can choose to listen to class or you can get out. No one is forcing you to stay in this class," Su Luo said bluntly.


    Everyone looked around them but no one stood up. After all, they didn''t know what kind of lesson that Su Luo would give, so they couldn''t decide.


    "Alright. I wish you can stay quiet when I''m explaining. If you have any question, you can ask when I give you the chance to ask. Don''t cut off when I''m speaking or you can get out of the class. I don''t want to have rowdy students inside my class. Understand?"


    "Yes!"


    Su Luo nodded in satisfaction and began her explanation. She was starting from the very basic that everyone should have known. However, some of them did come from a very remote place and naturally didn''t have much knowledge.


    The classes didn''t last for a long time but what Su Luo told them gave them a lot to ponder with.

 Chapter 193: Attracting Attention

    Su Luo nodded in satisfaction and began her explanation. She was starting from the very basic that everyone should have known. However, some of them did come from a very remote place and naturally didn''t have much knowledge.


    The classes didn''t last for a long time but what Su Luo told them gave them a lot to ponder with.


    Lin Xiao was looking at the image at the board and thought about it. Aside from Qi, what was important for them was to train their mental energy. However, there was no clear method for them to train it and many said that it couldn''t be trained aside from their life experiences.


    However, some cultivators believed that by using images like the one at the board, they could enhance their mental capabilities.


    "Is it really possible?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion.


    "I don''t know." Sui Wenyan was helpless. She also had never heard about it before. "Maybe? I never heard about it before."


    "We can try?"


    "Don''t bother. You should just focus on training your circulation and control. I don''t want to clean up the mess of your destruction again, Brother." Lin Yun rolled his eyes. His brother couldn''t even control his increase of strength and wanted to learn other things? Did he want to stay unable to control his strength like that?


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched and he chose to stay silent. It seemed that he needed to learn how to wield his power better first.


    Su Luo looked at the students before her. "There''s no need for you to figure out about this mental state training for now. What you need to figure out for now is how to make sure that you can train. There''s a testing place for you to test your mental state outside and if you''re curious, you can try the test at any time."


    This made many students'' eyes lit up. They were certainly very interested in the test.


    "Alright, since all of you want to try the test, let''s go out and do the test. There are four testing equipment, so you can separate yourselves into four groups."


    The students all got out of the class in orderly manner. They knew that Su Luo had little patience based on the way she spoke, but when she was in good mood, they would be fine. Everyone walked to the special field and saw four stairs. Each stair had 10 steps and many were looking at it with interest.


    "The stair is similar to the one you see back then when you take the test. However, you won''t walk on your own and instead wake up every time an illusion is over. Since you have passed the test back then, you should be able to pass the first steps. As for how far you can do, that''ll depend on your mental state."


    "Ooh."


    "Alright, you can all try one by one."


    "Yes!"


    They all began to move to four groups and did the test. Lin Xiao was looking at the testing stair with interest when he heard the voice of Lin Hu inside him.


    ''Even if you have the confidence, don''t try the second steps.''


    ''EH, Why?''


    ''Passing one steps is the normal mental state for Body Training. In front of so many people here, you''re going to attract too many attentions if you try more than one steps. It''s best if you just stay at one step.''


    Lin Xiao sighed and then looked in the direction of the two princes. Right now, the two of them were looking at each other as they attempted the stairs. It was clear that they were trying to compete.


    "How many stairs do you think they can reach?" Lin Yun asked curiously.


    "How do I know?" Lin Xiao rolled his eyes.


    Swish!


    Prince Lin Kai was the first to leap back from the stairs. He furrowed his brows as he was kicked out when he was testing the second stairs. It seemed that the stairs was not for nothing.


    "He''s out."


    "Prince Lin Kai can only pass the first stair, just like most of us."


    "Yeah, nothing special."


    Prince Lin Kai felt his face burned when he heard the commotion behind him. He snorted and turned his body around before he glanced in the direction of the other stair. Prince Lin Hong had one leg at the first step and one leg at the second steps. Before long, his two legs stepped on the second step then he used one leg to step on the third step.


    Instantly, Prince Lin Kai felt his face turned extremely black.


    Damn it!


    Swish!


    On the third step, Prince Lin Hong didn''t last long and got kicked out. Beads of sweat poured on his face, but he felt smug. He glanced to the side where Princess Xiao Yue was standing. While she did move to the north area, she was still a first year, so she had to attend the basic classes like the others.


    The princess smiled when she saw the look that Prince Lin Hong gave to her. She slowly stepped onto the stairs and many eyes looked in her direction.


    "What steps do you think she can reach?"


    "She''s known as a genius, so don''t you think that she''ll be able to reach very far in her steps?"


    "Maybe the same as Prince Lin Hong?"


    "Second steps? That''s possible. They''re about the same age, aren''t they?"


    Hearing the people were talking about Prince Lin Hong and Princess Xiao Yue, Prince Lin Kai''s mood worsened. He felt as if he was not worth talking when they were talking about the others.


    Damn it!


    Why did he had to be so lacking when it was compared to Prince Lin Hong? He hated this.


    Everyone''s eyes were glued to the stairs except for the other three who were also trying their luck in their test. There were a total of four places and those who got their turn couldn''t watch the fun.


    "Brother, what do you think?"

 Chapter 194: Attracting Attention (2)

    Lin Xiao passed a glance at his younger brother and shrugged. "How should I know? Maybe good, maybe not."


    He glanced to the front where a young man was attempting the second one only to be kicked out right away. It seemed that to be able to stay for some time in the second step was already quite good.


    "She''s on the third step!"


    "Woah! Would she last long?"


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue was already on the third step, but only one leg. It seemed as if she was struggling to stay as long as possible before her body jerked and leap back in beautiful arc. There was sweat on her attractive voice as she controlled her breath.


    "The third stage is really difficult," her melodious voice sounded helpless.


    "That''s fine, Princess."


    "Yes. you''re already very amazing to be able to pass the second stage."


    "Your Highness, please accept my heartfelt admiration."


    Lin Xiao watched everyone trying to butter up Princess Lan Xiao Yue and chose to ignore them. In any case, he had no interest to get close to that princess. Even if she was good, but he always disliked those type of girls who acted like they were the best and looked down on everyone else.


    Swish!


    Many more tried and Su Luo was only watching from the side. She nodded in satisfaction when she saw the result from Princess Lan Xiao Yue and also Lin Hong. The two of them were really great. Back then, Princess Lin Fei''s performance didn''t even lose out from the two of them when he first joined.


    She glanced to another group and furrowed her brows when she saw Princess Lan Yi Hua, who was standing with her head lowered. She waved her hand. "There''s no need for you to try. You can''t even pass the stairs back then."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua raised her head then looked down before stepped away. Lin Xiao looked at the teacher with a frown. Even if she couldn''t pass the stairs back then, why didn''t she let her tried again?


    "Brother��" Lin Yun was about to warn his brother when he heard Lin Xiao speak.


    "Just try it. There''s nothing wrong with testing if you want to find out," Lin Xiao said with cheerful tone.


    Teacher Su Luo looked at Lin Xiao and arched her eyebrows in displeasure. To think that there would be someone who go against her words for another student. "What''s your name, Brat?"


    "Lin Xiao," Lin Xiao replied fearlessly.


    "Lin Xiao?" Teacher Su Luo browsed the data he had and then smirked. "You''re nothing more than a country bumpkin who''s only at Body Training Stage rank 10. What makes you think that you''re qualified to go against my word?"


    "I''m not going against you, Teacher. I''m only saying that the entrance test is already a few days ago so is it not possible for her to have an advancement? Denying a student''s right to do the test when you said that we all can do the test is strange, Teacher."


    Actually, Lin Xiao wanted to scold the teacher in front of him, but he knew that if he let his mouth run off, he would be the one getting punishment.


    Teacher Su Luo looked at Lin Xiao with disdain. "You think you know the right thing? If you wish to be associated with this trash, it means you''re also a trash with no future. You don''t need to do the test either."


    Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. "Are you kicking me out of the class, Teacher?"


    "Yes." Teacher Su Luo pursed her lips and raised her chin.


    "It seems that Teacher Su Luo is a teacher who''s always right and hated low talent students. I might not have much background, but I know for sure that I''m also a cultivator. What makes you think that a cultivator with low background like me will never achieve anything?" Lin Xiao asked back, his voice was calm and indifferent yet there was a hint of rage beneath it.


    He didn''t mind being insulted for having low background because it was the truth. He lived at the small village for most of his life before he could enter the capital city and attended the test back then. However, being called as a trash without future was a bit too much.


    "Achieve anything?" Teacher Su Luo laughed out loudly. She looked at Lin Xiao and shook her head. "Brat, do you really think that you can walk around freely without background. In just a few years, you''ll realize the difference in background meant everything. You''re nothing more than a trash that will become a stepping stone."


    Stepping stone?


    Right now, even Sui Wenyan was annoyed. She also didn''t have much background and lived her life normally before attending the academy. In fact, she used to be a runaway because of her connection to Taiyi Sect. But she would also not accept being insulted to be nothing more than a stepping stone.


    The teacher in front of them seemed to be highly favoring those with good background and have good talent, but she admonished those with poor talent and poor background.


    No, she was simply bullying those without backing.


    "Teacher is saying that a cultivator''s future is determined by their background? On what grounds are you saying that?" Lin Xiao couldn''t stand it anymore. "There are a lot of powerful cultivators who start from having nothing then make their name on their path. Just because we have low background it didn''t mean that we''re going to always stay at the bottom of the ladder!"


    Teacher Su Luo sneered. "There might be others, but those with poor character like you will never make it past the stage. You''re doomed to be nothing more than a stepping stone."


    "Since you''re so confident, why don''t we make a bet?" Lin Xiao asked back.


    "A bet?"


    "I''ll pass the examination each year. Isn''t there the examination ground each year?" Lin Xiao said with a smile.

 Chapter 195: A Bet

    Lin Xiao still didn''t know much about the examination ground, but he had heard it back then when they first started. There were a total of 15 examination ground level and they have to pass all of them to be able to graduate in time.


    "Examination ground? Do you really think that a puny brat like you will be able to pass?" Teacher Su Luo asked while laughing. "Let me tell you first, if you can''t reach Golden Core Stage Rank 2, you''ll never be able to pass the examination ground and graduated. There are 1000 students who got accepted each year, but do you know that only around 10 percent will be able to graduate each year?"


    10 percent?


    Now the students were speechless. They had heard about the hard examination and all, along with the low graduate. But to think that there were only around 100 people who would graduate from their ranks.


    Looking at each other, they felt chills creeping on their back at the thought that hundreds of them would eventually die on their path to become powerful cultivator.


    "10 percent?" Lin Xiao''s lips curled up to form a mocking smile.


    On the side, Lin Yun knew better than anyone what it meant when Lin Xiao showed that kind of smile. He closed his eyes and sighed. Lin Xiao would surely want to challenge them all by saying that he would surely make it to that 10 percent no matter what.


    "I''ll make it." Lin Xiao shrugged. "Besides, a cultivator will always be ready for challenge and will surely not back down in front of that kind of challenge. I''ll make it to that 10 percent, Teacher Su Luo."


    Teacher Su Luo sneered. "That 10 percent is you overestimating yourself. How many cultivators have fallen in their path? Do you really think that you can last for long?"


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "In that case, I''ll just challenge the examination ground. There are 15 stages and I believe there''s requirement for each stage."


    "1-3 for Body Training, 4-6 for Foundation Establishment, 7-9 for Golden Core Stage Rank 1, 10-15 for Golden Core Stage Rank 2. Do you really think you can pass all of them?" Teacher Su Luo asked in conceding tone.


    "10 to 15 is for Golden Core Stage Rank 2? How are we supposed to pass that?" a student was utterly speechless. The requirement for them to graduate was to become Golden Core Stage Rank 2. If they have to pass the examination ground until level 15, wouldn''t it mean that they might not even be able to pass?


    Teacher Su Luo glanced at the student who screamed, clearly feeling indignant. "You puny brat is thinking about graduating? You can graduate as long as you can pass the 10th stage. However, you''ll only graduate as ordinary cultivator. How many geniuses do you think will be able to pass the 15th?"


    The students sucked up their breath. They felt that 10 years or more sounded to be extremely long. But now�� they were no longer thinking like that. it felt as if they wouldn''t be able to stay still and have to train harder and harder if they wished to be able to graduate safely.


    Those who were younger felt luckier because they could stay longer in the academy.


    "In that case, let''s make a bet. In a year''s time, I''ll pass the fifth stage of the examination ground," Lin Xiao said in confidence.


    Fifth stage?


    Everyone looked at Lin Xiao with disbelief. The current Lin Xiao was only at Body Training Rank 10. If he wanted to pass the fifth stage, he would need to reach Foundation Establishment and based on what they thought, he would not be able to reach it that fast.


    "A year?" Teacher Su Luo laughed. "You won''t be able to pass it even in three years'' time. How many times do you think your seniors have tried it in the past and still unable to pass it? For someone with weak aptitude like you, even passing in three years'' time is already a miracle."


    Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. "So, you''re saying that I won''t be able to pass it in three years'' time?"


    "Yes."


    "In that case, I''ll pass it." Lin Xiao shrugged nonchalantly. His action looked like he only made simple declaration and not a courageous declaration like what he did just now. Many students looked in his direction with astonished expression as they couldn''t believe that this small brat dared to say it in front of them all.


    Did he not worry that he would want to back down?


    Lin Xiao was full of confidence with himself. He knew that having dragon power and also the Lake Dragon inside his body would surely allow him to grow even stronger faster. Because of that, he was confident that in three years'' time, he would be able to pass the stage.


    "Mark your words today. What if you can''t pass the stage?"


    "I''ll drop out."


    Whaaa?


    The students'' eyes turned large when they looked in Lin Xiao''s direction. They couldn''t believe that he dared to say something like that.


    Even Princess Lan Yi Hua was stunned by Lin Xiao''s sudden declaration. She raised her head and looked at him with worry. She wouldn''t want to let Lin Xiao bet his future just because of some quibble of the teachers with her.


    As someone who was always compared to her sister, Princess Lan Yi Hua had long gotten used to it.


    However, when Lin Xiao saw her gaze, he merely winked.


    Other men nearby: "��" how courageous of him to flirt in times like this.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was stunned. She looked at him carefully then asked, "Are you�� sure?"


    "Yes. Don''t worry."


    Lin Xiao smiled brightly. Something like this was barely any challenge. He had already encountered several life and death''s situation back in the village. Raising his head, he looked at the teacher. "But if I pass, I want you to resign."

 Chapter 196: Formed A Group (1)

    Lin Xiao smiled brightly. Something like this was barely any challenge. He had already encountered several life and death''s situation back in the village. Raising his head, he looked at the teacher. "But if I pass, I want you to resign."


    What?


    Everyone looked at Lin Xiao in disbelief. They were startled that a student dared to ask for something like that. Didn''t he realize that the repercussion of what he said would be something very big?


    Teacher Su Luo laughed. "You dare to bet with me, Brat?"


    "Yes. I don''t mind even if we sign an agreement in case you want to back off." Lin Xiao shrugged.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was stunned. She looked at Lin Xiao and wanted to open her mouth. If they signed an agreement, neither side would be able to break it off no matter what they want. It was simply a death sentence to the loser side.


    "It''s fine, trust him," Sui Wenyan sent sound transmission to Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    The princess turned her head to look at Sui Wenyan but the latter simply smiled and shrugged. While Sui Wenyan didn''t know Lin Xiao for that long, she knew that it would be impossible for Lin Xiao to say nonsense. If he dared to say it, it meant that he had certain confidence that he would be able to pass.


    As for how�� that would be for later.


    Teacher Su Luo laughed. "Fine. As long as you don''t regret it, Brat."


    "I''m sure you''ll be the one to regret it."


    Under the eyes of all the students, Teacher Su Luo took out a paper of agreement and signed her name. She passed it to Lin Xiao, beckoning for him to read the content. If there was nothing that he wanted to add, he could sign it.


    Lin Xiao read it and it was crystal clear. It was simply bet agreement between the two of them and if one of them lost, they have to be ready to pay for what they had agreed. He signed it then passed it to the teacher.


    "Alright, I don''t need to attend your class, right? Let''s go."


    Let''s go?


    While the students were stunned, they saw three people following behind Lin Xiao. Not only them, Princess Lan Yi Hua was also hesitant at first before she started to follow Lin Xiao.


    "They''re following him?"


    "Madness."


    "Yeah, did they want to be kicked out of the academy too?"


    "Isn''t the basic class compulsory?"


    At the edge of the training field, Princess Xiao Yue watched the commotion. The corner of her lips curled up. She was thinking of ways to make her sister leave willingly. To think that there would be such a convenient situation. What a dumbass of that brat to get close to her sister.


    They were only seeking their doom.


    After a few seconds of silence, some people started to speak.


    "Well, it''s not like the class is of that much use. The basic of Qi is already taught to almost all of us back then."


    "True, it''s better to use the time to train other things."


    "Agree."


    Three young men stepped forward then left the training ground, making the others stumped. Looking at their appearance, it was clear that they were either commoners or people with low background. After all, they didn''t have uniform when they entered the academy back then.


    A young lady that was wearing bright red fiery dress was also looking at the commotion. At first, she only wanted to listen in to the group nonsense and felt that they were right since there was no one who could say what kind of future was held for them. Many tried to make their way to the stronger and more influential for their future.


    But who could give guarantee?


    No one.


    "Hmm, I, Fan Ling, didn''t like the thought of putting down people with low background. So what if we don''t have good background? Fruitful encounter can happen to anyone, regardless of the background," her voice rang out as she began to step out. Her eyes were sharp as she glanced back. "I''ll be going, Teacher. No need to fret because I don''t think I need your class either."


    Teacher Su Luo was stunned. She looked at Fan Ling with disbelief. "Miss Fan, you''re��."


    "I''m leaving."


    Fan Ling was known to be very blunt and had short temper. Since Fan Family was also a big family in the capital city, no one dared to go against this young lady except if they have enough background.


    If the three young men who chose to follow Lin Xiao back then were ordinary young men, this young girl was someone with good background. It was inconceivable that she would be willing to follow them.


    "You want to leave with those trashes?"


    "Trashes?" Fan Ling laughed. She looked at the teacher before her. "Don''t you already know that my grandfather built Fan Family from nothing? In my eyes, you''re simply belittling people who might achieve big in the future. Who knows what the Heavens planned for them."


    "You��" Teacher Su Luo was lost at words. Fan Family''s legend was known to everyone. Just a hundred years ago, Fan Family was nothing but a person rose into prominence and established his family in the capital city. No matter how the others tried to suppress him, the man managed to overthrow everything and finally established Fan Family.


    Now, Fan Family was one of the few big families in the capital city that no one dared to offend. One family had already paid for the price with their lives when they tried to intervene back then.


    No one had the guts to try again.


    "How stupid," Prince Lin Kai spat out.


    Prince Lin Hong arched his eyebrows and only watched the commotion. He had no intention to get involved in this messy deal. Whatever they wanted to do was not his business. His eyes landed on Princess Lan Xiao Yue as he was thinking of ways to attract this princess'' attention.


    It was more important to build connection with her than caring about those people back then.

 Chapter 197: Formed A Group (2)

    "You''re very reckless, Brother." Lin Yun sighed after they had gone quite a distance away from the commotion.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows and shrugged. He disliked people like that teacher who belittled people with low background. While it was true that their path might be harder because they have no one to rely on, there was still possibility for them to become powerful cultivators in the future.


    Why didn''t the teacher give them the chance? She simply used her prejudice to look down on them.


    "But this move is useful."


    "Yes?"


    Lin Xiao didn''t answer and looked at the back. He noticed that there were four people who came out with them. The others had also noticed them and it seemed that with Lin Xiao spoke out his belief like that, he had attracted other people to come with him.


    The three men had decent appearance. The first one was a large man with lanky built. He was carrying a large axe on his back and looked a bit scary at first glance. However, his expression was warm. The second one was a thin yet tall man. He was wearing fine robes, which expressed that he must have come from some kind of noble background. His clean appearance also made it easy for one to think of him as the third generation of a rich family that was only known for their uselessness��


    *cough*


    The third one was a small young man. He had childish appearance and looked fairly young. However, there was faint glint in his eyes that was hidden beneath. It was as if a young child was forced to mature so quickly that one couldn''t help but feel heartache. But in the cruel cultivation world like this, no one would give leeway to children just because they were still young.


    "Man, you''re very awesome when you speak like that!"


    "Yes! I can''t believe that there''s someone who dared to speak up," the second one also raised his thumb.


    The third young man nodded. "You''re amazing."


    Lin Xiao smiled. "I''m just speaking what I''m thinking. Why should people with low background be belittled? It''s not like we can have any option where we would be born. However, what we want to do in our life is completely in our hands!"


    They all nodded their heads in agreement. In their eyes, what they should care about was simply what they would do. If they believed that they would become a powerful cultivator, it meant that they have to work hard.


    "I''m Lin Xiao, what''s your name?" Lin Xiao asked.


    "Lin?" the first young man was stunned. However, he couldn''t remember any princes who fit with Lin Xiao''s description, so he pushed the thoughts to the back. "I''m Han Jiang."


    "I''m Lu Jian."


    "Xia Ye."


    Lin Xiao nodded. "These are Lin Yun, Sui Wenyan, and also Wenren Yu."


    "Wenren Yu?" Lu Jian blinked his eyes then looked at Wenren Yu. "Are you the disciple of Thousand Hands'' Medicine Expert?"


    When one became a powerful cultivator, they might sometime give themselves some kind of unique nickname. Many cultivators were not known by their real name but rather their titles that was spread along with time.


    Wenren Yu was stunned. "Do you know my teacher?"


    "Yes! Don''t you remember that you come to Hei Lu Province and visit Lu Family? Back then Thousand Hand''s Medicine Expert cure my grandfather!" Lu Jian said in excitement.


    Wenren Yu scratched the back of his head. Hei Lu Province�� that was already over 10 years ago. He couldn''t remember clearly what had happened back then because he was simply too small.


    Besides��


    "I don''t remember."


    "Right, where''s teacher��.?"


    "Teacher had passed away," Wenren Yu said in low tone.


    Lu Jian, who was about to continue then recalled that Wenren Yu used to be Taiyi Sect Disciple. He knew better than anyone to mention that matter. Slowly, he shut his mouth with solemn expression.


    "You have to be careful. There will be a lot of people who are after your lives."


    Wenren Yu smiled. "I know. I''m not that worried now that I''m with him."


    They all did have good impression of Lin Xiao after that sudden outburst. However, Lu Jian had better impression now that he heard what Wenren Yu said. After all, to be the disciple of a renowned medicine master yet he acknowledged someone else�� hmm, that was quite interesting.


    "Hey, count me in your group!"


    They all turned their head and looked at the young woman who came. Lin Yun''s body stiffened a bit but he straightened his body and looked at the young woman with slightly bewildered expression.


    Lin Xiao was also surprised. "You are��?"


    "Fan Ling," the young woman, Fang Ling, replied with a grin. She noticed Lu Jian and snapped, "Don''t start with how my family background is good. I know that Fan Family is a big family, but I don''t care about it. My dream is to recreate my grandfather''s legend and create a powerful organization, enough to rival the royal family!"


    Lu Jian''s lips twitched. Fan Ling''s grandfather''s legend was something that many people had heard. He was known to be a very insane person because of his achievement back then. And she�� wanted to recreate it?


    "There''s no way you can do that."


    "What? Are you belittling me?"


    "No, I mean, it''s impossible for you to do it by yourself. Back then, Fan Family grandmaster is not alone when he challenged all the influential family in the capital city," Lu Jian quickly elaborated. He knew that Fan Ling used her fist quicker than her brain, so he needed to elaborate first.


    Fan Ling harrumphed. "Of course I know that. Isn''t that why I want to join your group? Right, you''re Lin Xiao, right? What''s your dream?"


    "My dream?" Lin Xiao blinked his eyes then looked at the direction of the palace. While they couldn''t see it because it was simply too far, everyone knew what was in that direction. He smiled. "I want to sit there."

 Chapter 198: Studying Together

    Silence.


    The five people, including Princess Lan Yi Hua, was absolutely stunned by Lin Xiao''s sudden declaration. While it was not done openly, they all clearly understood what Lin Xiao meant by his words.


    This��


    It was madness.


    In the end, Fan Ling brought into a hearty laugh. "I can''t believe that I find someone even crazier than me. My siblings and family all said that I''m crazy to think that I can surpass my grandfather but in front of me is someone who''s even more crazier!"


    "True. I can''t believe that you''re someone like that."


    On the other hand, Han Jiang was looking at Lin Xiao with solemn expression. He knew the meaning of the words that Lin Xiao implied very clear. Unlike the two, he had very low background and worked his way to be able to get accepted into Sun Dragon Academy.


    However��


    The thought of those arrogant princes sitting on the throne sickened him. There were so many things that he disliked about the current Emperor and also the princes. If someone from low background like Lin Xiao sat on the throne��


    Somehow, he anticipated that.


    "I''m in."


    They all turned their head to the smallest one. He was looking at Lin Xiao with cold expression. "I''ll support you."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "And what do you want in exchange?"


    "I want to be the one to kill a certain someone." Xia Ye creased his eyebrows. It was clear that with his current rank, he wouldn''t be able to hide his voice from others. It would be better for him to not say the name yet.


    From the way it looked like, Xia Ye had grudge with someone from the Royal Family. While Lin Xiao didn''t know who it was, he nodded. In any case, Lin Xiao didn''t know anyone from the Royal Family.


    "Alright."


    "I''m in too. I want to see how your crazy idea can get realized and if you truly can get that, I''ll get powerful backing too," Fan Ling said with a grin.


    "I''ll help you. I just want you to remember that I, Han Jiang, is your right hand."


    "Hey, I''m his right hand!"


    "No, I''m my Brother''s right hand!"


    "What are you talking about, I''m clearly the right hand!" Sui Wenyan also protested. Hell, she was the strongest one of the bunch. How could she allowed them to take the position that belonged to her?


    Han Jiang looked at the three of them and arched his eyebrows. "We shall compete later."


    "Hmph!"


    Lin Xiao looked at the three of them helplessly. Since when did they decide that they would be his right hand? Ah, he would just think about it later. He turned his head to look at the thin young man, Lu Jian.


    Lu Jian flinched and sighed. He shrugged. "Well, I''ll just see to it first. I can''t clearly say that I''ll support you when I''m not sure about what kind of person you are."


    "Fair enough."


    "Though, I have to admit, none of the current four��.of them are of my liking." Lu Jian wanted to say princes, but he didn''t dare to be so open. They were in the Sun Dragon Academy and there might be people who were listening to their conversation.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao. "How confident are you?"


    "As long as I can survive and get stronger, I''ll be able to get it," Lin Xiao said with confidence. He was someone who had gotten the Emperor''s Inheritance, so as long as he could survive, he believed that no one would be able to contend with him.


    Only time will tell.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua arched her eyebrows. She knew that he was speaking to her, but she also didn''t wish to see him fall. Turning her body around, she nodded. "I''ll follow you for now."


    For now.


    Lin Xiao was already satisfied enough with this answer. He would need people who would follow him and willing to go against the other four princes. For now, he would not care about their power and only their personality.


    As a matter of fact, the four of them were still in Body Training Stage. Han Jiang and Princess Lan Yi Hua were both Body Training Rank 10 while Lu Jian was at Body Training Rank 9. The last one, Xia Ye was at Body Training Rank 8.


    "Is there any other classes we have today?"


    "No?"


    "In that case, let''s go to the library and study."


    "Library?" The others were stunned.


    Lin Xiao scratched the back of his head. "Well�� I used to live in a small village, so I don''t have as much knowledge as you."


    The others were speechless.


    "Damn you, you''re a village bumpkin but you''re so confident like that?"


    "You''re very courageous."


    "In that case, I''ll help you to study," Lu Jian said with a sigh. Why did he feel that the new leader he found was a bit unreliable? But well, his parents told him to just stay out of troubles if he didn''t want to follow the four princes. There was no need to embroil himself in the messy battle for the throne.


    "Let''s go."


    The original four people now had additional five people. The group of nine made their way to the library and began to study. It was then they finally realized that Lin Xiao''s knowledge was truly at the very bottom.


    Amongst the nine of them, he was truly the one with the poorest knowledge.


    "There are a lot of things you need to catch up," Princess Lan Yi Hua said with a sigh. She passed a book to Lin Xiao. "Remember, knowledge is also a form of power."


    Lin Xiao took the book helplessly. "Yes. Thank you, Princess."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua took another look at Lin Xiao and then added, "You can just call me with my name. There''s no need to use princess."


    "Alright, Lan Yi Hua!"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua: "��" so smooth, should I just ask him to call me with my title?


    But looking at Lin Xiao, who was already busy studying again, she pushed the thought to the back of her mind.

 Chapter 199: Maintaining Stance

    They spent the day in library and in the second day, they have physical training, so they have to return back to the class. The teacher was a middle aged man who looked scary. He simply swept his gaze across the students then wrote several sentences on the board.


    "For the next three months, you just have to do this during my class."


    Lin Xiao looked at the board and nearly vomited blood. Did this teacher want to torture them?


    20 km of run


    1000 push up


    1000 sit up


    1000 pull up


    Standing on the horse stance with level 1 boulder on top of them for 8 hours.


    "��"


    Many wanted to cry, but they didn''t have the tears. Despite their unwillingness, they all began to run on the field. It was not really a big deal for them to run 20 km, but if they had to add the others, it could be very taxing. After all, level 1 of boulder was very heavy and asking them to stay in the same stance for 8 long hours was the same as torture.


    After some time, they all finished the first four and began to take the boulder. Those with relatively low physical ability was already trembling even though they just picked the boulder and many were unable to pick it up.


    "It''s quite heavy��" Lin Yun murmured, but it was still within his limit.


    Lin Xiao nodded and then looked at the others. Upon seeing Xia Ye was struggling, he furrowed his brows. It seemed that level 1 was the usual limit for those at Body Training Rank 8 to 10. Those at lower rank, which was rare to get admitted, wouldn''t be able to even last on hour.


    The teacher looked at them and scoffed. "Stand straight. If you can''t even last this long, do you think that you''re worthy to be called as genius? And you, you''re already at Foundation Establishment but you can''t even withstand this? Go run another 10 km!"


    "Y��yes!"


    Those who couldn''t hold the boulder in place were ordered to run again then hold the boulder again. Whenever they dropped the boulder, the teacher would ask them to run 10 km, which made them feeling extremely tired.


    Lin Xiao picked the boulder and stood still. For him�� this was very easy.


    ''Your physical body''s level is 12, so of course you can pass this stage easily. Tsk, tsk, even if you have to wield boulder at the weight of level 1, you''ll not even flinch.'' Lin Hu rolled his body in Lin Xiao''s consciousness as he mocked his master.


    Lin Xiao was speechless. Could he ask for more weight? But considering the way the teacher was looking at them, it didn''t look like it was possible.


    The teacher was looking at them all and pointed at several of them. His movement looked careless but Lin Xiao noticed that those whom he pointed at were all doing the standing very well without the need of any help.


    "You all, 237 of you, change to level 2."


    Lin Xiao: "��" oh.


    They changed to level 2 and then continued to stand. Some of them were struggling but the rest of them were still able to maintain their stance. The teacher waited for an hour before asking them to change again and again.


    In the end, Lin Xiao ended up with level 7 of boulder and still able to stand. The eyes of many disciples around him were already rounded when they saw him like that. It seemed that Lin Xiao would be able to stand very long with that training.


    The teacher looked at Lin Xiao and narrowed his eyes. Most of the Foundation Establishment would falter at level 6 and only some of them lasted until level 7. However, Lin Xiao was so relaxed.


    He walked straight to Lin Xiao and stopped before him. Just as Lin Xiao thought that he was about to be asked to stand for a few more hours, he heard sound transmission. ''Brat, what''s your body''s strength?''


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. Should he tell the truth?


    ''Just tell him.''


    Lin Xiao mouthed out, ''12.''


    The teacher before him was thoroughly stunned. He looked at Lin Xiao with meaningful gaze then placed his hand on the boulder. Inserting Qi and activated the formation there, Lin Xiao suddenly felt that the boulder was so heavy.


    "You, stand here for another 10 hours."


    10 hours?


    Lin Xiao wanted to cry. How about his sleeping time, ah?


    The others looked at Lin Xiao and chose to not help him. They didn''t have the intention to put themselves in trouble by helping the young man like him. Before long, the 8 hours'' limit was up and only some of them were asked to stay behind for longer and stood in the same stance.


    Lin Yun and the others left to eat then returned back to accompany Lin Xiao. Of course, they have no intention to help him out.


    "How did you manage to last until level 7, Wenyan?" Wenren Yu asked in low tone.


    Sui Wenyan arched her eyebrows. "I''m already training my physical body to the limit before. Once you make your breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, your physical ability will double the previous one, so my strength is quite good."


    Wenren Yu twitched his lips. He already struggled greatly when the teacher asked him to stay in the same stance with that level 2 of boulder. In fact, the majority of those who could last long would be asked to change to level 2 of boulder. If they didn''t fail even once after several hours but already struggling, the teacher wouldn''t ask them to change.


    Unfortunately for Wenren Yu and Lin Yun, the two of them were seen to be quite capable and asked to change to the level 2. As the result, they have to run several times across the field because they couldn''t withstand the weight.


    "Is this really level 2? I feel that it''s far heavier," Lin Yun said with a sigh. He was sure that his body would ache terribly tomorrow.

 Chapter 200: Physical Body’s Training

    "Is this really level 2? I feel that it''s far heavier," Lin Yun said with a sigh. He was sure that his body would ache terribly tomorrow.


    "No, it''s not comparable to body''s stage, but it''s more like the increase starting from level 7. Don''t you remember that we need to pass the level 7 when we do the examination back then?" Sui Wenyan said with a bitter smile.


    "Then��"


    "Level 1 is comparable to physical body level 7. Level 2 is comparable to physical body level 7 and a half.  Level 3 is comparable to physical body level 8. Level 4 is comparable to physical body level 8 and a half. Level 5 is comparable to physical body level 9. Level 6 is comparable to physical body level 9 and a half and so on."


    Wenren Yu blinked his eyes. If he was not wrong, his body strength was still only at level 7 and only raised slightly. Internally, he was howling at the thought that he would have to suffer from this kind of training for much longer because of that.


    "How many levels are there?"


    Sui Wenyan blinked her eyes. "I don''t know."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was finally released. She could feel her body was extremely tired after training as she walked to the others. Sui Wenyan handed her a box of food, which was prepared for all the students. She had conveniently picked Princes Lan Yi Hua''s portion along with Lin Xiao''s.


    "Did you do well?" Wenren Yu asked.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded and then looked at Lin Xiao. She knew that the teacher would prolong those with better result because he was trying to assess each of their strength. Their cultivation ranking would not always represent their real strength.


    After all, there was only the minimum strength that one might possess at a particular stage but they could reach more.


    ''I already reach level 10, but he''s even more.'' Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao with curiosity. Above level 7, it''ll be adjusted through the runes so as to not reveal the real stages they had.


    And Lin Xiao was clearly the longest that the teacher held on here. It meant that he must be even stronger than her, which made her curiosity grew.


    The teacher looked at Lin Xiao when it was already night time. Since the boulder was already adjusted to level 11, which was Lin Xiao''s current level, he was already trembling after several hours. The teacher looked in satisfaction and then placed his hand on the boulder to deactivate the runes.


    "It''s enough. In two days'' time, you''ll directly take the largest one and activate the runes to your level."


    "My level?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion.


    The teacher then sent sounds transmission. ''Level 11.''


    Lin Xiao nodded then walked back to the others. Noticing the others were still waiting for him, he scratched his head because he was embarrassed. "Sorry to make you wait."


    "What''s your current level?" Han Jiang asked. He always thought of himself as someone with great physical power but upon seeing that the teacher only asked him to stop at level 6 while many others still raised to level 7, it made his self confident received a blow.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Well, it''s just a bit higher."


    "I want to be able to get higher level," Han Jiang said in dissatisfaction. With his big weapon, the greater his physical strength was, the more he would be able to use it well. He didn''t want to not use his advantage.


    "Don''t worry, this training will surely increase your muscle."


    "Tomorrow we''re going to the library again?"


    "Yep."


    The nine of them chatted with each other before they returned back. In the meantime, Lin Xiao managed to ask the others near their rooms in the third floor to move away so that the other four could stay there.


    Fan Ling moved her room to the south area, which allowed them to know that they could move from one area to another. Some new students eventually chose to move because they wanted to be closer with their friends.


    "By the way, do you know what''s the first assessment for us is?"


    "Assessment?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Lu Jian nodded. "There''s the ranking that will be made in three months'' time. Those who can get good ranking are only those who are powerful enough and it''ll surely be very rewarding to be able to enter the top 100."


    "Oh?"


    "You can get 10 Spirit Stones per month as long as you can enter the top 100. As for the top 200, you can get 9 Spirit Stones per month and it''ll continue to decrease like that," Han Jiang explained.


    Lin Xiao nodded. He had started to get used with the additional five people in his team. Aside from Xia Ye, who was very quiet, the others didn''t have any problem to communicate with him and the others. In fact, they had grown closer over the time they spend with each other.


    "Well, in that case, our goal is top 100."


    "Do you really think that you can enter top 100 so easily?"


    "Well, we should try."


    ��


    (A/N):


    Level 1 is comparable to physical body level 7.


    Level 2 is comparable to physical body level 7 and a half.


    Level 3 is comparable to physical body level 8.


    Level 4 is comparable to physical body level 8 and a half.


    Level 5 is comparable to physical body level 9


    Level 6 is comparable to physical body level 9 and a half


    Level 7 is comparable to physical body level 10


    Level 8 is comparable to physical body level 10 and a half


    Level 9 is comparable to physical body level 11


    Level 10 is comparable to physical body level 11 and a half


    Level 11 is comparable to physical body level 12


    Level 12 is comparable to physical body level 12 and a half


    And so on.

 Chapter 201: Three Months’ Ranking

    Time passed swiftly.


    During this time, Lin Xiao spend his time to practice his physical ability every two days. On the day they didn''t have practice, they would head to the library and began to cram the materials that they needed to learn. It had become their routine and soon, they had already memorized most of the basic.


    "So, what are the test?" Lin Xiao asked when it was already three months.


    "First, you''ll be tested in theory test. Second, you''ll be tested your capabilities in terms of fighting skill."


    "Fighting in arena?" Lin Xiao asked. If he had to say, he wanted to try his luck in fighting against the other cultivators. Especially that annoying prince.


    Sui Wenyan glanced at Lin Xiao and shook her head. "Examination ground."


    "Eh? You''re ranked based on that?"


    "Yeah, based on the time and also the level you can pass. However, you can change the ranking by challenging other students if you want," Han Jiang explained. He looked at Lin Xiao with wonder. While they didn''t follow the theoretical class, Lin Xiao should have basic knowledge regarding such matter, right?


    Unfortunately, he had overestimated Lin Xiao because the young man was clearly incapable of thinking that he required the information before he truly needed it.


    "Alright, let''s go to the field."


    Brimmed with confidence, Lin Xiao headed to the designated area. There were already a lot of students gathering there and looked around. No one wanted to be the guinea pig again, so they were waiting for others to test the skill of the examination ground.


    "Sister."


    The melodious voice rang in the field. Lin Xiao was about to ignore it when he noticed the one who spoke. ''Why is that rotten b*tch here again?''


    Princess Lan Yi Hua glanced at her sister then lowered her eyes to hide the glint within her eyes. There was no need for genius to know that she didn''t like her younger sister, yet she didn''t show it upfront.


    "Sister?" Princess Lan Xiao Yue called out again, her tone was uncertain.


    "Didn''t you hear that she''s calling you?" Prince Lin Hong, who was watching from the side, felt a bit bad when he heard Princess Lan Xiao Yue didn''t get any reply. In his eyes, she was a goddess and naturally was the best.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua ignored the two of them and walked closer to Lin Xiao. Talking with them would only make her feel like throwing up. There was no need for her to disgust herself by staying close to that woman.


    "You��"


    "Do you plan to try the testing first, Prince Lin Hong?" Lin Xiao asked while pointing to the front nonchalantly.


    Prince Lin Hong was displeased when he heard that someone interrupted him. He glared at Lin Xiao. "This is not your business, don''t interfere in this matter, you Country Bumpkin!"


    Lin Xiao looked at Prince Lin Hong as if he was seeing an idiot. It was rare for him to be able to mock others because usually, it was other people who would usually look at him like that because of his low intelligence and his friends'' tease.


    "I''m only asking if you want to try first the test since everyone is waiting for someone great to try first," Lin Xiao acted as if he was innocent.


    Prince Lin Hong''s face flushed. "No."


    "I see, so Prince Lin Hong is not great."


    "What in the world are you talking about?"


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. "Since I''m saying that everyone is waiting for someone great to enter the test first, naturally those who didn''t want to enter first is not great, am I wrong?"


    It was nothing more than word play that Lin Xiao thought in the spurt of the moment. But seeing how Prince Lin Hong was greatly affected, Lin Xiao thought to himself that he should study more word play in the future. That way, he would be able to infuriate his opponent and threw them off their pace.


    Hmm, that was a great plan.


    "You! You''re the one who''s not great!"


    "Of course I''m not great. After all, compared to Prince Lin Kai who''s about to try the test first, I''m not as courageous."


    Prince Lin Kai, who was studying the building before him to figure out what kind of test they would have, almost spat out blood when he heard he was mentioned. Why in the world did that annoying brat suddenly mentioned him and got him involved in their talk? He didn''t even do anything.


    While Prince Lin Hong, who was on the verge of explosion looked at Prince Lin Kai, his expression turned even darker. Fortunately, he knew that he was being goaded by Lin Xiao, so he didn''t choose to enter the training ground and being the test subject.


    "You�� I''m busy, so I''m not going to try first."


    Everyone''s eyes looked at Prince Lin Kai, who was also getting annoyed.


    "Your Highness, do you really want to try first?"


    "You''re really great, Your Highness! We salute your courage!"


    "Your Highness, you''re the best!"


    The people around Prince Lin Kai swiftly praised Prince Lin Kai to the moon in case the young prince suddenly changed his mind. Looking at how everyone was looking him, Prince Lin Kai felt thoroughly annoyed. However, he knew that he would need their support, so it would be better if he showed shocking result right on the bat.


    Hmph, he would prove himself!


    With that in mind, Prince Lin Kai stepped into the training ground while the others cheered. They were now waiting for the young prince to come out and tell them what had happened inside.


    "That''s surprisingly easy," Lin Xiao commented.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled lightly when she heard what Lin Xiao said. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Princess Lan Xiao Yue looked awkward as she didn''t get the chance to speak at all due to Lin Xiao''s interruption.


    Somehow, she felt satisfied looking at that.

 Chapter 202: Examination Grounds (1)

    Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled lightly when she heard what Lin Xiao said. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Princess Lan Xiao Yue looked awkward as she didn''t get the chance to speak at all due to Lin Xiao''s interruption.


    Somehow, she felt satisfied looking at that.


    On the other hand, Princess Lan Xiao Yue was feeling bad because she was thoroughly ignored. When Prince Lin Hong stepped forward to help her, she thought that she would be able to goad Princess Lan Yi Hua to try the test first. Unfortunately, her plan backfired because Lin Xiao also stepped in and made them all angry.


    Well, Lin Xiao''s talent was truly to make other people angry with his nonsense, so it was not that strange.


    She looked at her older sister and sneered while hiding her face. Since she had always acted as a kind woman who''s very concerned of others, she could not allow herself to show her real side in front of others.


    Swish!


    The examination ground was inside the building and as the name said, there were 15 floors. If they wanted to graduate, they have to pass at least 10 levels. Of course, they were allowed to stay as long as they were under 30 years old but not everyone wanted to waste their time in the academy if they were already allowed to leave.


    Thanks to that, majority of the students only passed the 10th level then left.


    Teacher Su Luo walked towards the commotion and snorted. "What are you all waiting for? There are a total of 10 rooms per floor, so 10 people can have the test at the same time. Get in!"


    "Y��yes!"


    Some unfortunate students, who were staying near the door, were kicked in by Teacher Su Luo. Lin Xiao''s group all moved to the side and looked at Teacher Su Luo coldly. They were no longer taught by Teacher Su Luo, so naturally they wouldn''t want to follow what she was saying.


    They just wanted to wait for more.


    Teacher Su Luo also noticed them and sneered. However, she was too lazy to bother with the group. In her eyes, as long as these people get out of her sight, that would be for the best because they were only a group of trashes.


    "What level do you think Prince Lin Kai can reach?" Lin Xiao asked. He looked at the board outside. There were 10 rows and each row could contain up to 100 students. It was for the ranking''s list.


    As far as they knew, the levels were as such: 1-3 for Body Training, 4-6 for Foundation Establishment, 7-9 for Golden Core Stage Rank 1, 10-15 for Golden Core Stage Rank 2. So they could actually estimate where they would end up.


    "Probably 4? Prince Lin Kai is already Foundation Establishment," Sui Wenyan replied.


    Lin Xiao nodded his head. If he was not wrong, they have to pass this training ground each year so that they could stay for another year. Of course, they all have to pass the first stage after three months or they would not be allowed to come back.


    "By the way, is there any other reward for the ranking aside from Spirit Stones?" Lin Xiao asked curiously.


    "Reward?" Lu Jian tilted his head. He shook his head. "This is just the ranking for our year group, so it''s not that important. The one that''s more important is the ranking that''s competing with the seniors too since they''re all already much more powerful."


    "Ah?"


    "You can only attempt it after you''ve stayed in the academy for three years."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao''s expression turned strange. He wanted to test his power against those who were stronger than him too.


    ''Idiot. Do you really think that the seniors are that weak? It''s good enough that you''re given three years of preparation before facing them. Don''t you know that most of them are already at Foundation Establishment or even Golden Core Stage. With your current rank, you''ll be nothing more than a stepping stone for them��.!''


    Lin Hu began to rebuke Lin Xiao harshly. His words made Lin Xiao felt ashamed, but he knew that he would need to wait. Well, there was no need for him to be in so much hurry because he would be able to challenge them later.


    "Hey, someone get out."


    "Hmm?"


    One of the unfortunate student came out of the tower with red face. It was clear that he was extremely embarrassed. As the name list suddenly change, they realized that the new student only passed the first stage.


    "He''s only at Body Training Rank 8, so it might be hard for him to pass more than the first stage��" Lin Xiao was about to say more when he remembered that Xia Ye was also at Body Training Rank 8. He turned his head around. They hadn''t seen each other''s fighting skill since all this time, their training only consisted of physical training and also heading to the library.


    Xia Ye noticed Lin Xiao''s look and furrowed his brows. "I''ll pass."


    The others looked at him.


    "Shall I enter first?"


    "Sure."


    Since one of them had already walked out, Xia Ye stepped into the building. The others were waiting outside patiently. After all, this would tell them whether they would be allowed to stay in the academy or not.


    The three months were like probation period where they would not be allowed to learn much and only the very basic.


    But after this, it was clear that they would have a lot of other classes.


    Swish!


    Several more students walked out and their name was written. Some of them only passed the first stage while some others passed the second stage. Very quickly, the ranking already listed their names.


    Xia Ye walked after a few minutes and his name was clearly written as one who had passed. Based on the way he looked like, he didn''t seem tired at all as if he was only walking on the park.

 Chapter 203: Examination Grounds (2)

    Several more students walked out and their name was written. Some of them only passed the first stage while some others passed the second stage. Very quickly, the ranking already listed their names.


    Xia Ye walked after a few minutes and his name was clearly written as one who had passed. Based on the way he looked like, he didn''t seem tired at all as if he was only walking on the park.


    "See, I passed."


    "Hmm."


    Lin Xiao noticed that Xia Ye had just passed the first stage. It seemed as if he didn''t have any intention to have better ranking for the reward. Looking at how nonchalant Xia Ye looked, Lin Xiao nodded in agreement.


    That was his plan too.


    Just pass the necessary stage then walked out without trying the higher stage.


    They all patiently waited the students to finish their examination before entering. Unfortunately, some students were kicked out of the academy when they didn''t even pass the first stage. Teacher Su Luo glanced at them coldly then used her Qi to drag them out, not bothering to listen to their nonsense.


    "You only have one chance. If you can''t even pass the first stage, you''ll be kicked out," Lin Yun murmured. It might be savage, but it was just how the rules was. Besides, if they were younger than 20 years old and not 20 years old yet this year, they still could attempt to try again next year.


    There was no restriction that said they were not allowed to repeat taking the test again after being kicked out.


    "Most of them are already 20 years old," Lu Jian shook his head with pity.


    "How do you know?"


    "Well, I''m used with the work of intelligence organization, so I already have the list of all the students including their current rank. There are some of them who managed to breakthrough under the severe torture from our teacher too," Lu Jian said proudly.


    His parents were working in intelligence organization that worked by gathering information on other people. He might not like the job that much, but he had learned how to gather information swiftly. Using the methods he knew, he managed to obtain the list of the names and also their rank.


    Lin Xiao was astonished and looked at Lu Jian with appreciation. "It seems that you''re quite talented too."


    "Well, I''m not like someone who holed himself in his room except for the time to study," Lu Jian added.


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    Over the past three months, they had all learned that it was truly the easiest to tease and make fun of Lin Xiao. While he might retaliate if they were enemies, he would go easy when it came to his friends. They all had already started to get used with his slightly unique temper.


    After there were more than 500 students who had done their test, Lin Xiao led the other seven to take their test.


    "Just do enough."


    "Yes."


    "Got it."


    "I know."


    Everyone answered with a grin on their faces. They knew that for the first test, they shouldn''t showcase their power yet and only passed the stage that was comparable to their current rank.


    Lin Xiao entered the building and looked around with curiosity. In the first level, he could see that the one standing in front of him was a teacher. The teacher looked at him and nodded. "You''ll be fighting against me. I''ll only show power comparable to Body Training Rank 8."


    "Please guide me, Teacher."


    "Hmm."


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao rushed forward, chasing after the teacher. He could see that the teacher was trying to move to the left side, so he immediately punched forward in the trajectory where the teacher would be.


    Tep!


    "You pass." The teacher smiled.


    Lin Xiao was stunned. "That easy?"


    "If I''m an ordinary Body Training Rank 8, I would have been thrown back from your attack. You''re not even using any skill but let me remind you, Brat. Don''t even underestimate your enemies."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao nodded solemnly. The reason why he didn''t use any skill when punching forward was because he was thinking that his enemies was nothing more than Body Training Rank 8. However, the teacher warned him to not underestimate those at lower ranking.


    He had to use all of his power from the very beginning.


    ''Right, I should just use all of my power no matter what. If I don''t want to showcase my power to others, I only need to just not attempt it.''


    Lin Xiao cupped his hand. "Thank you for your guidance, Teacher."


    "Go up."


    "Yes!"


    Lin Xiao walked to the stairs and headed to the second floor. He was still very curious deep inside of him, but he tried to restrain his eyes from looking around. It couldn''t be helped, this was the first time he entered a building that was filled with runes all over the wall.


    Not to mention, the room seemed bigger than what it looked like from outside. This made him utterly curious about how the room was constructed in the very first place.


    "Oh, another one who passed," a woman was inside the room. She stretched her body and then waved her hand to Lin Xiao. "Come, I''ll only use Body Training Rank 9 power."


    "Ok."


    Swish!


    This time, Lin Xiao didn''t hesitate and rushed forward. His eyes were watching the teacher''s movement very carefully and then used Mountain Punch to deliver an attack towards her.


    His speed and power were all above her when she was only using the power comparable to Body Training Rank 9.


    Swish!


    The attack barely missed and Lin Xiao swiftly side stepped. His other hand punched forward using the very same skill.


    Bam!


    "Not bad." The woman smiled. Her hand was blocking Lin Xiao and assessed the power he was using. Internally, he was wondering where this little monster crept up. The power that he used was more than enough to push her back and forced her to defend with power comparable to Body Training Rank 10.

 Chapter 204: Examination Grounds (3)

    Bam!


    "Not bad." The woman smiled. Her hand was blocking Lin Xiao and assessed the power he was using. Internally, he was wondering where this little monster crept up. The power that he used was more than enough to push her back and forced her to defend with power comparable to Body Training Rank 10.


    "Tsk."


    Seeing how the teacher captured his hand without much effort make Lin Xiao felt a bit annoyed. He felt that the teacher was cheating. It looked so easy for them to capture him that his attack seemed to be nothing more than a joke in their eyes.


    "Ha ha ha, do you think that you can truly defeat me with this kind of power?" the teacher asked amusedly.


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "There are so many teachers in the Examination Grounds?"


    "Well, no. I''m not a teacher." The ''teacher'' replied helplessly. "I''m one of the seniors here who''s currently learning the runes."


    "Runes?" Lin Xiao asked curiously. It was then he recalled that the room was indeed filled with runes all over.


    The woman smiled. "Some of us who are staying here are teachers but most of the times, it''s just seniors or alumni who came to learn. We''re allowed to learn but we have to serve as examiners when it was time for the students to take test. Of course, you can take test every single time but during this time of the year, all 10 doors are open for the students who have to take the examination."


    Lin Xiao nodded in understanding. It seemed that the teachers in the Sun Dragon Academy was making use of the resources they have by asking seniors to come here to replace their teachers. Well, it was not weird either since it meant that they didn''t have to pay them while they have to help the academy.


    How cunning.


    "Go to the next stage."


    "Yes."


    Lin Xiao headed to the third stage and then fought again. Without even using the skills specifically, his movement was already quick thanks to the steps he learned before. The senior in front of him was also astonished at the young man who nearly hit him just now.


    "You''re not bad, Brat. You can go to the next stage."


    "Ah, I''ll pass."


    "Yes?"


    "I don''t want to get beaten up by the seniors there." Lin Xiao shrugged, giving excuse to not go up. He didn''t want to pass the fourth stage and aroused Teacher Su Luo''s suspicions.


    The senior arches his eyebrows. While everyone knew that 1-3 for Body Training, 4-6 for Foundation Establishment, 7-9 for Golden Core Stage Rank 1, 10-15 for Golden Core Stage Rank 2, there was possibility of them passing even before they reached the designated stage. After all, some geniuses could fight those at higher stage than them.


    "That''s too bad." The senior nodded then raised his hand to use his Qi. "I''ll use the tower mechanism to bring you back to the first floor. When you come here again in the future, you can directly head to the fourth floor."


    "Yes?"


    Lin Xiao was stunned but then he realized that he had already reached the first floor again and the door outside was right in front of him.


    ''That''s��''


    ''Runes. Of course, it''s not that senior who''s using is but he''s only activating the runes that are already inside the room. It seems that there are mechanism that the one who build this building had made before to allow those who didn''t want to challenge higher to go back directly.''


    Lin Xiao nodded. He looked down and realized that there was a plate in his hand. It looked like a student plate with words written: Sun Dragon Academy, First Year Student.


    "Well, I''m now officially student in Sun Dragon Academy." Lin Xiao played with the token in his hand and smiled. He had been wondering in the very beginning why there was no token or something like that given to him when he became the students. It seemed that they would only give the token after some time had passed, which was after they had proven to be qualified to stay in Sun Dragon Academy.


    How interesting.


    ''The academy only wants to accept genius and it''s not without reason that they''re making such strict requirement.''


    ''Well, if they only give some Spirit Stones, I don''t have much intention to stay too high in the ranking and attract their attention.''


    ''��.Don''t you know that you already attract attention?''


    ''What? I''m still low key!''


    ''Low key my ass!'' Lin Hu rolled his eyes at Lin Xiao''s words. If Lin Xiao was low key, how about those whose name couldn''t be remembered by most people in the academy then?


    Lin Xiao was still quarreling with Lin Hu while he walked out. He glanced up and noticed that his current ranking was 287 and the last one at the ranking was 605. Not everyone had taken the test yet and there were still many Foundation Establishment students who hadn''t made their move.


    "The written test is after this?" Lin Xiao asked the others, who had already come out faster than him. It seemed that talking to that senior took the time and made his ranking lower.


    Lin Yun nodded. "Yep."


    Lin Xiao glanced up to the ranking and narrowed his eyes. Lin Xiao, Lin Yun, Wenren Yu, Han Jiang, Princess Lan Yi Hua had all passed the third stage. Sui Wenyan and Fan Ling were the only two in their group to pass the fourth stage and from the way Sui Wenyan looked like, she didn''t even try to challenge the fifth floor and directly headed back.


    Lu Jian only passed the second stage while Xia Ye only passed the first stage.


    All of them took the test that was simply comparable to their current rank and didn''t even bother to try the next level. After all, they wanted to keep low profile.


    Hehe, low profile��


    Many people were already paying attention to them, though.

 Chapter 205: Examination Grounds (4)

    All of them took the test that was simply comparable to their current rank and didn''t even bother to try the next level. After all, they wanted to keep low profile.


    Hehe, low profile��


    Many people were already paying attention to them, though.


    "They didn''t even reach more than what their rank is."


    "Well, suit themselves. Probably just some low people who are having too much confidence in their hands."


    "Yeah, they''re not suitable for this test."


    *crack *crack*


    Fan Ling massaged her knuckles while looking at the boys with arched eyebrows. It seemed that there were a lot of people who were itching for a beating. She didn''t mind accompanying them, though. Her body was stiff after not able to unleash her real ability in the test just now, so she wanted to test her power in them.


    Lin Yun quickly stopped Fan Ling before she could start her wrath. "Hey, hey, there''s still the theory test. In addition, we can change the ranking by challenging those above us after the theory test."


    "Oh?" Fan Ling arched her eyebrows. Her lips curled up to form a beautiful smile. "In that case, I must prepare myself thoroughly. The test must be very fun."


    Fun?


    Lin Xiao was sure that Fan Ling would remember their names and tried to challenge them. Now that they were talking about Fan Ling, he recalled that there was also that pretty woman whom Fan Ling had quarrel with. It seemed that there were simply too many people in the place for them to find that person.


    ''Did she also join Sun Dragon Academy?''


    Not everyone has to join this academy.


    Looking around for some more, Lin Xiao chose to drop the matter and entered the large hall. The hall was located near the gate and also the location where the written test would take place. As they walked closer, they all could see some other students walking not far from them.


    "They''re?"


    "Your seniors," Teacher Su Luo said with a shrug. "They''re also having their test today."


    "We have written test each year?" a student asked in doubtful tone. It was truly a hassle for them to have written test each year because it meant that they couldn''t even slack in their study in the slightest bit.


    Teacher Su Luo sneered, knowing what was inside their mind. "Aside from the first year, you can take the test anytime. Don''t worry, as long as you can pass the theory test once, you won''t have to repeat it again."


    The students behind her all nodded their head. Hopefully the test was not that hard.


    However, Lin Xiao could see the disdain in Teacher Su Luo''s eyes when she was looking at the row of students who passed by them. He wondered whether this teacher really loved to look down on others or what. Her gaze was sometimes a bit disturbing.


    "We''re here. Get in and do your test."


    Looking at the numerous row of seats, Lin Xiao randomly picked the empty seats and the other eight sat around him as if forming a barrier. Some others looked in their direction but said nothing before they picked a seat on their own.


    No one wanted to create trouble on this day.


    The teacher came and distributed the paper through his Qi. Looking at the floating paper, Lin Xiao had a mixed feeling as he began to write.


    ''I didn''t know you can control your Qi until it can be used to lift something so light like paper.''


    Lin Hu was speechless. ''You''re thinking about that?''


    ''Well, it''s amazing.''


    ''FOCUS on your test!''


    Lin Xiao pursed his lips and looked at the test sheet. He filled the first page easily since the others had helped him crammed the basic knowledge. After a few pages, Lin Xiao couldn''t even understand what the paper was asking anymore.


    He glanced at the title from each page and realized that it told them the test they have to take. Basic etiquette, intermediate, advance, and master. Aside from herbs, which he managed to answer until master since he was quite familiar with them and their properties, he could only answer up to intermediate at most. Even then, many were still blank.


    ''What in the world is this test?''


    Lin Xiao wanted to howl in desperation. How come someone would be able to remember the position one had to remember in the ritual that only occurred whenever there was new Emperor? He never learned that? Also, what it meant that the medicine failed through this method? It should have been correct!


    The one in medicine was not that hard since Lin Xiao had already taught by Lin Yun in the past. However, there were many medicine that was unfamiliar to him.


    When it came to beasts, he could only recognize those that he had met and some that he had seen the picture. The result from cramming in the library was proven to be quite useful in the test.


    And then, there was also the art test��.


    Lin Xiao couldn''t draw, couldn''t make poetry, and definitely couldn''t write a song.


    He was speechless when he saw that he couldn''t even fill the first page. While begrudging, Lin Xiao just filled what he could and left the rest empty.


    "Time''s up."


    ''Eh? There''s timer?''


    Lin Hu looked at Lin Xiao with disbelief. ''Do you really think that they will give you forever for you to figure out the answer?''


    Lin Xiao shrugged. He had already answered all that he knew anyway.


    The teacher only needed to scan the papers with his Qi for a moment. Countless information floated to him, but it didn''t faze him in the slightest bit. He pointed out. "Your result are out."


    "Let''s go and see it!"


    "Come on!"


    The students were all excited to see how they would fare. Looking at the name at the very front, many sighed.


    1. Lin Hong


    2. Princess Lan Xiao Yue.


    3. ��


    "Damn, they''re not only good at martial arts but also knowledge!"


    "Ugh."


    Lin Xiao glanced at the last row and sighed. As he had thought��.

 Chapter 206: Examination Grounds (5)

    "What''s your score?" Lin Yun asked while looking at the board before him. He furrowed his brows when he saw the result, though. There were so many people who had better score than him.


    ''Even when I already answered everything related to herbs and medicine, I''m still at 803? Damn, it''s quite bad.''


    Wenren Yu looked at the board and his expression turned strange. As he had already wandered around as a doctor, he knew for sure that the question regarding herbs and medicine was so easy that he could answer it without the need to think. In addition, he had full knowledge about beasts since his Master back then wouldn''t let him off without studying them.


    But the result was still��


    ''456. Wenren Yu''


    Well, it was probably because he left the art place completely blank��.


    Sui Wenyan was not in any better position. All she knew was only arts and etiquette. While her position didn''t look that low, only she knew that she had completely left the medicine and herbs part after basic one to be blank. Her knowledge was only at the entrance level and couldn''t be compared with others.


    452. Sui Wenyan


    The others were not really in that much better position. Many of them have low knowledge and naturally, their position was quite low.


    509. Lu Jian


    678. Han Jiang


    804. Xia Ye


    The only one who got good position was only Fan Ling. Despite being a tomboy, she was also a daughter of a prominent family and had quite a good result at 54. It was a double digit rank that made it to the first column.


    Of course, as far as Fan Ling was concerned, she didn''t even give it her all during the exam. She just wanted to pass it as fast as possible and left those that she had little to no memory about to be blank.


    "Hmm, I didn''t see my brother''s name."


    "Princess Lan Yi Hua too."


    They looked at Lin Xiao and realized that he had pointed at the last row. They all looked at it and felt that their faces turned red.


    978. Princess Lan Yi Hua


    979. Lin Xiao


    As a matter of fact, there were only 979 students left in their year since some of them had been kicked out. Some also failed to do the test juts now and thus, leaving only 979 students in the academy.


    Lin Yun was speechless. "Amazing, Brother."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at the name and then to Lin Xiao. "I thought that I''ll be last with my result."


    "Well, I guess I''m worse than you." Lin Xiao shrugged helplessly. Internally, he was thinking of asking for some guidance from the others so that he would not embarrass himself. This time, he didn''t do this on purpose, ah. This was his true result.


    Boohoo.


    Internally, Lin Hu was already laughing maniacally when he saw the result. He had expected that Lin Xiao wouldn''t be able to fare well. However, this result was still outside his expectation.


    Lin Xiao was truly awesome.


    He would make a name of himself for being dead last.


    "Pfft, the first and the second from bottoms. What a good pair," Prince Lin Kai mocked when he saw the result. He himself only got the rank 12, which was far from enough. However, seeing how Lin Xiao got even worse, he wanted to laugh.


    This brat was the one who challenged them all, yet his result was so far at the bottom that one could definitely see it. After all, it was first place from the last.


    "Well, Prince Lin Hong is first place with Her Highness. Don''t you think they''re also a good pair?" Lin Xiao asked with a bright smile.


    Prince Lin Kai''s face turned black when he heard what Lin Xiao said. "What are you talking about, you b*stard! You''re only relying on your luck to be able to enter this academy. Same goes for that trashy b*tch!"


    Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. He was already insulted so often in the past, but hearing the princess got insulted too, he felt a bit annoyed. "Tsk, don''t test your luck. The theoretical ranking meant nothing. It''s more important about the arena ranking. How about if we have a bout?"


    Prince Lin Kai sneered. "Sure."


    After the ranking had settled down just now, Lin Xiao ended up at rank 506 while Prince Lin Kai was at 99. He was, after all, the first one who had passed the fourth stage. There were only several people who passed the fifth stage or at least, they attempted better than him, so their ranking was above him.


    Those who truly passed the fifth stage would be their seniors and none from their current place. Even after staying at Foundation Establishment for some time, there were no one who could be powerful enough to pass the fifth stage. The increase each stage was not only about the power that their senior would use but also the technique and combat ability.


    Without sufficient ability, they would be kicked out almost immediately from the floor.


    "You can head to the arena and do the ranking by yourself. There''ll be teacher who''s watching your performance and will edit the ranking according to your current rank. However, please remember that your ranking will exchange with each other when the one with the lower rank defeat those at the higher rank.


    The rules are simple. Only those at lower ranking can challenge those above them. Secondly, you''re not allowed to kill your opponent. Thirdly, you can use any technique as long as it''s not forbidden technique."


    Forbidden technique?


    Lin Xiao had heard about such technique, but he had never ever seen anyone used it. After all, those who did learn it would only use the technique when their lives depend on it. The price they have to pay for using such technique would be very big.


    "Let''s go to the arena. Don''t you run away," Prince Lin Kai said in menacing tone.


    "I won''t."


    Why should he run when he was just facing this prince?

 Chapter 207: Arena Battles (1)

    Lin Xiao had heard about such technique, but he had never ever seen anyone used it. After all, those who did learn it would only use the technique when their lives depend on it. The price they have to pay for using such technique would be very big.


    "Let''s go to the arena. Don''t you run away," Prince Lin Kai said in menacing tone.


    "I won''t."


    Why should he run when he was just facing this prince?


    They all started to walk towards the arena. Several students wanted to have a bout against those at higher rank than them. After all, they didn''t believe that they were weaker than these people.


    Internally, Lin Hu was observing Lin Xiao in confusion. ''Don''t you want to keep low profile.''


    ''Well, beating up such a prince would not prove anything. In any case, the rank 99 seems pretty good, isn''t it?'' Lin Xiao asked back.


    ''You��''


    While the dragon was seething, Lin Xiao felt faint tug on his clothes. He looked to the side and saw Princess Lan Yi Hua looking at him with uncertain expression. It was clear that she knew he was fighting because of the insult just now.


    "You don''t have to fight, it''s��."


    "It''s not fine. I don''t want him to continue running his mouth. Besides, to be able to defeat him will be different than fighting against the examiner," Lin Xiao said with a grin.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was stunned. She looked at Lin Xiao with doubtful expression but chose not to comment anything anymore. While she did feel a bit restless, she also knew that she also didn''t know how to stop him from fighting.


    "Don''t worry. Just wait the news of my victory."


    Lin Yun arched his eyebrows. "Don''t bully him too much, Brother."


    "Leave him some face."


    "Yes." Sui Wenyan chose to join in. Even though she was doubtful of Lin Xiao''s chance since Prince Lin Kai was already at Foundation Establishment, she would naturally show her support to him because she was his follower.


    The other three didn''t know what to say and only nodded while Fan Ling snorted. "If you don''t make sure that prince eat dirt, don''t come back."


    The others looked at her helplessly.


    Entering the area, Lin Xiao noticed that there were several arenas in the hall. They could use whichever one they wanted as long as it was empty. Some students were already entering some of the arenas and fought against those at higher rank.


    However, the attention that Prince Lin Kai and Lin Xiao got for their battle was very minimum.


    They were more interested in those at higher rank.


    Swish!


    Landing on the arena, Lin Xiao swept his gazes on the people not far from them. Most of them were students who chose to follow Prince Lin Kai because they were unable to follow the others. While the chance for Prince Lin Kai was lower, it didn''t mean that there were none. They might still strike gold when they least expected it.


    "Ready?"


    "Of course!"


    "I''m ready," Prince Lin Kai said and looked at Lin Xiao with a sneer. Today, he would show this country bumpkin just how powerful he was. After today, that brat would never dare to underestimate him ever again.


    The teacher who kept watch nodded. "You win when the other party couldn''t fight anymore or get out of the bounds. You can also win if your opponent decleare that he had lost."


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Got it."


    "Ready? You may begin!"


    Swish!


    The moment that the teacher said that they could start, Prince Lin Kai disappeared from his position and reappeared not far from Lin Xiao. His eyes held cruel glint as he stretched out his hand in order to strike the annoying young man in front of him.


    Naturally, Lin Xiao would not let him do as he wished. The moment he got close, Lin Xiao ducked to the back and avoided the strike.


    He side stepped and then punched forward.


    Mountain Punch!


    Swish!


    The punch missed.


    ''this punk is quite fast.''


    Lin Xiao noticed that Prince Lin Kai had kicked up. For some reason, he felt danger from the kick, so he jumped back to avoid the attack. His eyes still paid close attention to the ground where Prince Lin Kai''s legs landed.


    Bam!


    The vibration and the sound it made told Lin Xiao that Prince Lin Kai must have used martial arts just now. Not only that, that martial art was not an ordinary martial art but one that was capable to show greater strength after the strike.


    "You can''t run," Prince Lin Kai said coldly.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao evaded the next attack as his eyes were glued to the prince''s movement. Because Prince Lin Kai was already at Foundation Establishment, his movement was naturally faster than Lin Xiao. Not only that, he was also more powerful than Lin Xiao when he tried to block the attack.


    ''He''s already more powerful than me?''


    ''Stupid. DO you really think that you''re the only one who pursued the highest state of physical body? There are a lot of people who want to achieve the same thing as you and will work hard ever since they''re young. The princes are naturally gifted and with the dragon power they have, do you think they wouldn''t be able to achieve that state as long as they worked hard?''


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows when he listened to the scolding Lin Hu gave to him inside his consciousness. He agilely evaded the next attack from Prince Lin Kai while complaining to the dragon. ''Can''t you pick another time to berate me?


    ''Finish the battle.''


    ''You''re giving me order now?'' Lin Xiao was annoyed.


    ''That''s because you''re taking too much time.''


    Lin Xiao clicked his tongue. He was taking his time so that no one would realize that he would be able to defeat the prince so easily. After evading for a few more times, he charged forward and punched faster than before.


    Bang!

 Chapter 208: Arena Battles (2)

    Lin Xiao clicked his tongue. He was taking his time so that no one would realize that he would be able to defeat the prince so easily. After evading for a few more times, he charged forward and punched faster than before.


    Bang!


    A figure was sent flying like a snapped kite.


    Thud!


    He landed outside the arena.


    Standing on the arena, Lin Xiao looked in Prince Lin Kai''s direction and cupped his hand politely. "Thank you very much for giving me face, Your Highness."


    Pfft!


    Lin Yun was trying hard to hold his laugh when he heard what Lin Xiao said. It was clear that Lin Xiao was the one who gave Prince Lin Kai face by not defeating the young prince right away. However, the way he talked made it sounded as if the latter was the one who gave him face by not going as hard as possible.


    "He''s better than I expected," Han Jiang murmured. When he chose to follow Lin Xiao, he was simply intrigued by someone who was so confident to go against the teacher and the princes. Most of the people who dared to do so were either hidden genius or just plain idiot.


    Of course, at first, he did think that Lin Xiao was the latter.


    But seeing that there were already several people who were following Lin Xiao and one of them was even more powerful than Lin Xiao, he began to doubt what he thought at first. In the end, he chose to try.


    The four princes might be powerful, but he had no interest in them. And if they stayed as lone figure in the academy, it was clear that they might not end well because there were always some bullying here and there. Why not joined a faction unrelated to the four princes, then?


    There were several factions like that.


    He could just join one.


    But looking at how Lin Xiao could deal with Prince Lin Kai with ease made him a bit doubtful. He felt that Lin Xiao was more powerful than what he had been showing all this time. And it was this thought that made him more curious just how powerful Lin Xiao was.


    "Wha��?" Lu Jian was even more expressive as his mouth hang open.


    Beside him, Fan Ling furrowed her brows. "Close your mouth."


    "But, but�� he''s Body Training Rank 10 who can defeat Foundation Establishment."


    "That''s because Prince Lin Kai give him face," Fan Ling said shamelessly, not caring whether it was the truth or not.


    Lu Jian was speechless. Even an idiot could see that Prince Lin Kai didn''t look like he was going easy on Lin Xiao. However, if even Fan Ling said that, who would dare to say otherwise? Those who were weaker than her had already shut their mouths.


    Fan Ling herself was actually surprised by Lin Xiao''s capabilities. However, she had already thought that the brat must had some strength on his own to back up his loud mouth. As it turned out, she was correct.


    He did have power to back him up.


    Xia Ye said nothing and only his eyes shone with peculiar glint for a moment. He didn''t do anything but to keep watching from the side.


    *cough*


    Prince Lin Kai looked at Lin Xiao with hatred. He had never lost in the past aside against his siblings who were also contending for the throne. Now, there was an ordinary country bumpkin who raised his hand against him and won.


    He felt vexed.


    "You''re cheating!"


    "Cheating?" Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. He was originally planning to leave some face for the prince, but it didn''t look like Prince Lin Kai appreciated what he did. "How do I cheat, Your Highness? We''re fighting under the eyes of the teacher and many other people. I''m only fighting with you with my capabilities."


    Prince Lin Kai snorted and took out a medicine to heal his wound. He stood up and a sword appeared on his hand. "The fight just now didn''t count! I want to fight against you again!"


    The teacher arched his eyebrows. He looked at Lin Xiao as if asking whether the young man would accept. After the fight just now, their ranking had switched, so Lin Xiao''s ranking was higher than Prince Lin Kai. Naturally, it was possible for Prince Lin Kai to challenge Lin Xiao now.


    "Sure."


    Lin Xiao''s lips curled up. He was not afraid of this prince at all. Since he wanted another fight, he would grant him another fight!


    Swish!


    Utilizing his movement''s technique, Prince Lin Xiao arrived by Lin Xiao''s side within a few breaths of time. To be able to move quite a far distance at such short time proved that the skill he learned must be extraordinary.


    However, Lin Xiao had already gotten used with his younger brother and also Wenren Yu attacking him using Moon Evasion. Moon Evasion was known as one of the best movement martial art there was. If one could learn it to high level, they could instantly move several kilometers away.


    Of course, Lin Xiao couldn''t do that and only several meter.


    Swish!


    The sword didn''t hit its target because Lin Xiao had changed his center of gravity lower and then stepped back to evade the attack. He could have taken a sword out but right now, Lin Xiao felt that his sword skill was too much to defeat this prince.


    "Don''t run!"


    Prince Lin Kai switched his stance and attacked Lin Xiao again. This time, Lin Xiao stepped forward and the sword missed him by a few millimeters away. His hand stretched forward and powerful force was generated.


    Mountain Punch!


    Bang!


    Once more, a figure was flying to the edge of the arena just like a snapped kite.


    Everyone''s eyes followed the figure and felt a bit strange deep down. For some reason, they felt that the fight was truly one sided this time and the result was simply the same as before.

 Chapter 209: Arena Battles (3)

    *cough* *cough*


    "Prince Lin Kai didn''t seem much anymore."


    "Yes. He''s thrown to the back twice. It seems that Prince Lin Kai is the weakest amongst the four princes."


    "True."


    Prince Lin Kai, who was struggling to stand up and planned to challenge Lin Xiao again, was enraged upon hearing the talk of the people around him. He glared at them and then spat out blood before passing out.


    Lin Xiao watched Lin Xiao, who passed out, with strange expression. "That''s weird, I shouldn''t have the capability to make Foundation Establishment Cultivators faint with just one attack."


    The others looked at Lin Xiao and shook his head, feeling slight disbelief. Didn''t he realize that the prince fainted out of anger rather than his power. However, they have to admit that Lin Xiao was quite powerful.


    Wait, if he was that powerful, just how powerful was the senior who guarded the fourth Examination Ground if he couldn''t pass?


    Thanks to Lin Xiao, the others started to worry about their next examination in the future.


    "Anyway, I''m done with the arena." Lin Xiao glanced at the board and nodded in satisfaction when he saw his name at the 99th place. It was much better than when he was at 500 something number.


    While he didn''t need Spirit Stones right now, he would definitely need a lot in the future. Saving some from now would not be a bad decision.


    "Then next, I want to��"


    "Sister, I want to fight you!"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows as she glanced to the back. Looking at her sister, who was at the second place of the ranking, she knew that her sister was only trying to create trouble for her.


    "I don''t want to challenge you."


    "Are you afraid, Older Sister?" Princess Lan Xiao Yue asked while blinking her eyes. Her action made her looked like she was deeply concerned by her older sister''s performance. After all, it was clear that she didn''t want to let her sister off so easily.


    Princes Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows. Just as she was about to say something more, Lin Xiao stepped forward and stood in front of Princess Lan Yi Hua. "Since she didn''t want to fight, I don''t think it''s right for you to coerce her. Besides, are you not ashamed as Foundation Establishment Cultivator to challenge Body Training Rank 10?"


    "I''m just worried about my sister." Princess Lan Xiao Yue pursed her lips.


    "Worried?" Lin Xiao scoffed. "If you truly care for your sister, you wouldn''t try to challenge your sister but instead help her to train. Are you worried that your sister didn''t receive enough mocking already?"


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue felt that Lin Xiao''s words were too sharp. Thankfully, she had always acted like a good girl and would not show her weakness so easily. She looked at Lin Xiao with tearful gazes. "What are you talking about? Don''t spout nonsense."


    "In that case, you don''t need to spout nonsense too. Your sister didn''t want to fight you because she didn''t want to make you lose face. Besides, the two of you are both already having the second place. Why should you bother her?" Lin Xiao added shamelessly.


    Hearing his words, Princess Lan Xiao Yue was speechless. Well, it was true that the two of them held the number two. She was second from the beginning while her sister was second from the last.


    Lin Xiao looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua. "Do you want to increase your ranking?"


    "No. As you have said, second from last is already good enough." Princess Lan Yi Hua said unhurriedly. While her real result for the fight was actually in the middle, she didn''t mind admitted to it. Standing beside Lin Xiao, she could feel that he was protecting her even though she didn''t ask for it.


    The feeling�� was a bit strange.


    Lin Xiao chuckled. "In that case, let''s go back."


    "Sure."


    "If you all want to increase your ranking, you can stay here and fight the others." Lin Xiao looked at the others.


    Fan Ling and Sui Wenyan nodded. The two of them needed more Spirit Stones, so they would try to fight against someone at the top 100. Of course, they would just pick some who were fairly weaker and not someone famous like the princes.


    "Wait a moment! Do you really think that you can just leave like that?" Prince Lin Hong asked coldly. He used his aura to suppress them. As someone who nearly passed the fifth stage, his power was much more than what Prince Lin Kai could ever hope to achieve.


    ''You would need to be very serious if you want to fight him,'' Lin Hu remarked from inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness.


    Lin Xiao didn''t reply and merely looked at Prince Lin Hong. "What do you want, Your Highness?"


    "Since she wants to fight, you should reply to her."


    "The rules stated that only those at lower rank can challenge those at the higher rank. Naturally, it meant that you''re also not qualified to challenge her. Do you want to bully people, Your Highness?" Lin Xiao asked with a sneer.


    "To think that there would be a day when I see Foundation Establishment Cultivators being so shameless so as to make things hard for Body Training Stage Cultivators. I have just realized that the world is so vast!"


    "You��" Prince Lin Hong frowned. As a matter of fact, aside from the fact that Princess Lan Xiao Yue was a few seconds younger than Princess Lan Yi Hua, she was at higher rank. Naturally, it meant that the second princess had better talent but it didn''t mean that they could challenge the other.


    After all, the ranking had stated that Princess Lan Yi Hua was only in the middle and already satisfied with her current ranking.


    He turned to look at his followers. "Those at lower rank, come forward to challenge her."


    Their eyes shone as they wanted to prove themselves. Almost immediately, they were already busy thinking what position they have and whether they could challenge her or not.

 Chapter 210: Who’s More Shameless?

    Lin Xiao swept his gaze to the back and spotted Xia Ye. Since Xia Ye only passed the first stage, he was naturally at the very bottom. Besides, the young man didn''t even bother trying to fight the second stage.


    "Xia Ye."


    "Your Highness, can I challenge you?" Xia Ye knew what Lin Xiao wanted and immediately stepped forward. He looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua and the princess knew what Lin Xiao wanted.


    She smiled. "Sure."


    The two of them stepped to the ring. The teacher looked at them and furrowed his brows. Afterwards, he waved his hand, signaling them to start. "You may start."


    "I forfeit."


    With that, Princess Lan Yi Hua swapped place with Xia Ye, staying at the very bottom of the ranking. The surroundings people were utterly speechless. With this move, it meant that no one would be qualified to challenge Princess Lan Yi Hua anymore.


    Prince Lin Hong''s face turned ugly. Beside him, Princess Lan Xiao Yue also looked at her sister with annoyance. She wanted Princess Lan Yi Hua to lose her face, but with this move, the princess didn''t lose her face at all.


    Everyone only found it quite bizarre.


    "Well, you take my last position. I''ll try to earn the second from last position then," Xia Ye said seriously.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded to him. "Work hard."


    The others: "��"


    Why did it seem as if these people were now trying to get lower ranking instead of high ranking? For the first time in their lives, they saw people coveting people for the last place instead of the first place.


    It was truly�� bizarre.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua walked to Lin Xiao''s side while the latter looked at Prince Lin Hong with a smirk. "Since it''s already settled, I believe you have nothing to say again, right? We''ll be going now."


    "You��" Prince Lin Hong wanted to stop them but found himself unable to say anything. He knew that from the moment Lin Xiao spoke, he was doomed to lose. His eyes flashed with ruthlessness as he looked in the direction where Lin Xiao left, but he said nothing in the end and left quietly.


    On the other hand, Princess Lan Xiao Yue pursed her lips and then turned around. There were quite a lot of people who coveted the second position, so she had a lot of people who wanted to challenge her.


    Tep! Tep!


    Walking in the empty corridor, Lin Xiao didn''t seem to be bothered in the slightest bit. Lu Jian had left along with the two girls to try his hand to get a little bit better result while Xia Ye was trying his luck to get the second from last position. Only Wenren Yu, Lin Yun, and Han Jiang who were following Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    "Thank you," Princess Lan Yi Hua said in low tone.


    Lin Xiao scratched his head and laughed. "It''s nothing. When it comes to a battle of who''s more shameless, I naturally wouldn''t want to hand it to anyone. That position should belong to me and me alone!"


    Wenren Yu: "��"


    Lin Yun: "��" Brother��.


    Han Jiang: "��"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao for a moment. This was not the first time someone tried to act kind to her, but in the past, she would be able to see through their real intention. On the other hand, she couldn''t see what Lin Xiao wanted at all. It was as if he simply wanted to help her without asking for anything.


    "Why do you want to help me?" Princess Lan Yi Hua finally asked bluntly. She felt that ruminating by herself wouldn''t grant her any answer.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Haven''t I told you that I only want you to stay by my side?"


    "Stay by your side?"


    "Yes."


    "But I��."


    "You''re a powerful person and I believed that you simply didn''t show anything in your hand because you''re waiting for the right time." Lin Xiao smiled. "I just liked you. That''s all."


    Lin Yun: "��" Brother, couldn''t you be more colorful in your confession? He felt that if one were to list the world worst''s confession, his brother''s would surely stand at the very top with no one could contend with him.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was silent for a while. She closed her eyes for a moment then opened it again. "I don''t like you yet, but I don''t mind staying with you like this."


    Lin Xiao smiled. "Don''t worry, you''ll fall for me."


    The others: "��" how confident.


    This time, Princess Lan Yi Hua merely smiled at Lin Xiao''s confidence. She looked at the hall that they were about to pass. It was the place to test their mental state before, which they didn''t take because of the fallout with Teacher Su Luo.


    "I want to take back Hua Lan Kingdom. My ''sweet'' sister didn''t deserve it at all," Princess Lan Yi Hua said in cold tone. Her chilling expression could easily make one feel terrified when they looked at it. it was completely contrasting her usual demure and plain expression that she had on her face.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "You want to be the Empress?"


    "If it meant that I can take the kingdom back from my sister, why not?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked back in a low tone. She stepped into the hall and smiled faintly. "I''m bidding my time, so if you can help me to grow stronger, I''ll be very grateful."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "My goal is to sit in that place. Naturally, I''m also bidding my time and try to get stronger."


    "Right." Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at the stairs and chuckled. "The result wouldn''t be recorded, right?"


    "Shouldn''t be." Lin Xiao looked at the stairs too. "Want to try?"


    "Yes." Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes shone with excitement, the light that had never appeared on her eyes before. It made her looked extremely lovely.


    Seeing that, Lin Xiao smiled. "Then, let''s try it."

 Chapter 211: Hiding Strength

    Tep!


    Seeing the two of them entered the stairs without hesitation, Lin Yun sighed and signaled Han Jiang to help him keep looked out at the others. Their current task was to make sure that there would be no one who passed this place.


    The illusion that Lin Xiao saw was completely different from before. However, he chose to break it very quickly because there was no use of him to stay here for long. He found himself back in the stairs and stepped forward, encountering more illusion at the same time.


    First step, second step, third step��


    Upon seeing Lin Xiao stopped at the fourth step then jumped back with sweat on his forehead, Lin Yun and Han Jiang were both stunned.


    "Brother, you''re simply amazing."


    "How�� how''s that possible?" Han Jiang was filled with disbelief. Back then, even the second steps and the third already made the people amazed but Lin Xiao�� reached the fourth?


    Lin Xiao looked at the stairs and simply smiled. For someone like him who had lived a harsh life ever since youth, what could help him to survive was simply his will. After all, facing powerful people who wanted to aim for his life and bullied him ever since he was young just because he was an orphan who had no one to back him up.


    "Each steps represent different stage. If I''m not wrong, it''s like this:


    1. Body Training Stage


    2-3. Foundation Establishment


    4-5. Golden Core Stage 1


    6-8. Golden Core Stage 2


    9-10. Golden Core Stage 3."


    Han Jiang had learned about the stairs from the books and naturally understood that the normal people who were only at Body Training Stage could only ever hope of passing the first stage. But right now, in front of him, Lin Xiao had proved that he had the mental capability similar to Golden Core Stage Cultivator.


    Well, not yet since Lin Xiao failed at the steps but close.


    Lin Xiao ignored the amazed look on Han Jiang''s face and then turned to look at Princess Lan Yi Hua. She was still walking forward and now had reached the fifth stage. Her eyes were filled with determination and fighting spirit. Even if she was weak, she had a strong heart that was capable to withstand many adversities.


    Mocked since young and always being compared to her talented sister, Princess Lan Yi Hua had always known that she was less talented. But so what? She would be the one to decide her own fate and never let others determine what kind of future she had. That was her oath to herself.


    Step!


    Walking forward, Princess Lan Yi Hua stopped at the seventh steps before she was thrown out. There was faint glint on her eyes. However, after she had closed her eyes for a moment, it had disappeared.


    Han Jiang was utterly speechless. If he was shocked because of Lin Xiao''s result, he was already feeling shocked senseless because of Princess Lan Yi Hua''s result. There was no clear method to train their heart and also their mentality. To be able to reach that result�� just what had they experienced in their lives?


    Wenren Yu, who was planning to stay quiet all the time, did feel himself unable to speak. Their result�� was simply too overwhelming,


    "You guys can try too if you want," Lin Xiao said kindly, awakening them from their stupor.


    "This��"


    "Fine��"


    The three of them took turn to try but their result was subpar. They only passed the first step and lasted for some time in the second step before they were thrown out of the stairs. It was the standard result that many other at Body Training Stage could ever achieve.


    "Compared to you, it''s nothing special, Brother." Lin Yun frowned.


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "The mental state will represent the stage you can achieve. Unless you can reach the second step, you shouldn''t make breakthrough to Foundation Establishment."


    Hearing that, they all turned to look at Lin Xiao and Lan Yi Hua. Didn''t it mean that if these two had enough power and also Qi, they could make their breakthrough right away without the need of fear that their mental state wouldn''t be strong enough?


    It''s not fair!


    While they feel like complaining, Lin Xiao simply laughed. He was about to continue joking around when Lin Hu warned him.


    ''Someone is coming.''


    ''Who?''


    Lin Xiao glanced in one direction and saw a figure walking in. His eyes widened when the man finally came close. "Elder Wang!"


    The man, Wang Jun, was looking at Lin Xiao with complex emotion. Upon seeing the brat was fine, he sighed in relief. "It seems that you somehow had managed to pass the test easily, brat."


    "Tsk, Elder Wang, you said that you will meet us again in Long Yin Forest. But it''s already in Sun Dragon Academy when you finally come out," Lin Xiao whined.


    Wang Jun smiled bitterly. "It''s not like I don''t want to come and fulfill my promise, but I can''t. There are some matters that I need to handle. By the way, congratulations for passing the first three months and officially becoming disciple in Sun Dragon Academy."


    Lin Xiao grinned. "Did it mean that I can learn skills now?"


    "You have already passed the Examination Grounds, right? You have three hours in the first floor and you can pick a skill from there."


    "Alright."


    Sweeping his glance at the other two in the group, Wang Jun''s eyes landed on Princess Lan Yi Hua for a while longer. "Your Highness? How did you manage to ask Princess Lan Yi Hua to stay with a troublemaker like you?"


    Troublemaker?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled at the nickname that Lin Xiao had. It sounded so suitable remembering how Lin Xiao had created numerous problems for the princes here.


    Even Han Jiang felt like agreeing. But since he had decided to follow Lin Xiao, he decided to keep his leader''s face.


    Lin Xiao pursed his lips. "She''s my future wife, Elder Wang!"

 Chapter 212: Forest Trial (1)

    "What?" Wang Jun was stunned by Lin Xiao''s sudden declaration. Upon seeing how serious he looked like, he was absolutely shocked. "That��"


    "I didn''t agree yet."


    "But you will."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua pursed her lips and refused to talk more with Lin Xiao.


    Seeing her like that, Lin Xiao was helpless but he didn''t try to do anything out of the line. He looked at Elder Wang with curiosity. "Right, what are you doing here, Elder Wang?"


    "I''m here as one of the teachers. Since you had already passed the first three months, you can now pick any classes you want to attend and your previous teacher will only teach the basic Qi class and not others. Also, you might want to wait until you have finished your Forest Trial before you use your chance to enter the Book Pavilion."


    "Forest Trial?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion.


    "It''s a trial that''s held twice a year and all disciples can come. In this trial, you''ll enter the forest and then learn how to survive there in a group of three. Any beast that you defeat, you can keep the core and used it to train."


    Lin Xiao''s eyes lit up. Aside from Spirit Stone, another source of Qi that many people used was beast core. Of course, if they didn''t want to absorb it directly, they could always trade it with Spirit Stones or gold coins depending on the price.


    "So now��"


    "From now on, you need to work on your theoretical knowledge." Elder Wang sighed. Upon recalling Lin Xiao''s poor result, he felt as if his teaching over the span of few months before Lin Xiao entered Feng Yi City was for naught. This brat truly didn''t learn anything important during that period of time.


    Hearing the word ''theoretical,'' Lin Xiao''s face changed. He nearly cursed out loudly but chose to swallow his words and hung his head low.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua patted Lin Xiao''s shoulder. "We''ll work together, ok?"


    "Yes!"


    Wang Jun looked at the two of them. If he was not wrong, Princess Lan Yi Hua''s theoretical knowledge was good, right? The only reason why her ranking was low this time was because she purposely left her sheet empty for most of them.


    He looked at Lin Xiao with pity as he knew that the brat would have to learn a lot if he wished to catch up.


    After talking a bit more with Lin Xiao, Wang Jun left. On the other hand, Lin Xiao met with the others after they have already finished their ranking and was settled with their current ranking.


    Lin Xiao made them all tried the mental test. Both Sui Wenyan and Fan Ling managed to reach the third but Xia Ye only barely passed the first step. Lu Jian also only passed the first step and couldn''t last long for the second one.


    The nine of them then returned back to their dorm as they arranged their schedule for their lives in the academy. Thankfully, the academy allowed them to have freedom for what they wanted to do and there were no strict rules or something like that except for the fact that they couldn''t kill other students.


    Except for training in the field under that sadist teacher, who didn''t change the training method yet, they all have freedom for their classes. Lin Xiao and the others walked to some of the more interesting classes to study. Of course, Lin Xiao ended up having to read a lot of books to make up for his poor knowledge.


    His brother had told him that an Emperor couldn''t have poor knowledge. If he didn''t have enough knowledge, he would just end up as a puppet Emperor. Hmph, he obviously wouldn''t want that.


    Just like that three months passed by swiftly.


    The time for the forest trial was approaching.


    In the meantime, Lin Yun got the chance to try making the medicine bath once more. This time, the target was Xia Ye along with the other two. Thanks to the medicine bath, their physical strength soared. Though, they would not want to remember the painful process.


    "How in the world you have so many medicine?" Lu Jian was astonished when he saw Lin Yun popped a pill to his mouth easily.


    Lin Yun arched his eyebrows. "I''m an alchemist."


    "You what?!"


    Seeing his disbelief, Lin Yun merely smiled cheekily. He looked at his brother for backing since it was the truth.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Yes. The two of them are new alchemist that passed the test not long ago. By the way, where''s the location for the forest trial?"


    "Oh, over there."


    "Let''s go then."


    As their group came to the entrance of the forest trial, there were several other students who had already formed their group. Man of them followed after the prince but there were also those who formed their own group without caring for the prince.


    After all, there was no obligation for them to follow the prince if they didn''t want to.


    Lin Xiao noticed Prince Lin Kai from a distance. Ever since the battle in the arena, Prince Lin Kai abhorred Lin Xiao very much. However, he was incapable to defeat Lin Xiao and thus, didn''t try to make fun of himself anymore and simply watched from a distance with hatred burning in his eyes.


    "Do you think he''ll try to do something in the trial?"


    "I don''t think he''ll be able to defeat me, though?" Lin Xiao asked as if stating a fact.


    Sui Wenyan narrowed her eyes. "Just be careful."


    "I will."


    "Everyone gather here!" a teacher looked at the group of students who had gathered in the entrance and nodded. "Before entering the forest trial, you have to form a group of three. Of course, you can collaborate with other groups but once you enter the forest, you''ll be sent to different places. You might not be able to meet with the group you want easily."


    "Random teleportation?" Lin Xiao murmured to himself as his eyes lit up.

 Chapter 213: Forest Trial (2)

    "Everyone gather here!" a teacher looked at the group of students who had gathered in the entrance and nodded. "Before entering the forest trial, you have to form a group of three. Of course, you can collaborate with other groups but once you enter the forest, you''ll be sent to different places. You might not be able to meet with the group you want easily."


    "Random teleportation?" Lin Xiao murmured to himself as his eyes lit up.


    "Your task is simply to survive in the forest. Whether you''re busy hunting or you''re trying to just simply let the days'' pass, you can do it all without the need to worry about anything else. The time limit is 30 days and during this period of time, you''ll need to face the beasts in the forest because we didn''t know what kind of beasts you might encounter.


    The power of the beast ranged from rank 1 to rank 4. If you''re unlucky, you might encounter that powerful beast."


    The students suck out deep breath when they heard what the teacher was saying. They were all mostly still at Body Training Stage or Foundation Establishment. Yet, the teacher was asking them to fight against Beast rank 4 that had strength comparable to Golden Core Stage.


    Didn''t they just imply seek death like this?


    "You all will be given token. If you ever find yourself in danger, crush it and make sure that you''re not going to die so quickly. We all need time to get into your place to safe you." the teacher swept his gaze across the disciples. "There''s only one thing you need to remember, put your safety first."


    "Yes!"


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed when he listened to what the teacher was saying. It seemed that their journey wouldn''t be a smooth one in the forest trial because there were a lot of beast and so on that was waiting for them.


    "We need to divide into three groups," Lin Xiao said while looking at the others. "I''ll go with Princess Lan Yi Hua."


    The others were speechless at his words. It seemed that no matter what, he wanted to stay with her. Fine, they would just let him be then.


    "I''ll go with you," Sui Wenyan said. "You need someone who''s stronger to help protect you and I''m sure that I fit in the category."


    "Alright."


    "As for the other two groups��."


    "Fan Ling will be going with Lin Yun and Xia Ye. Han Jiang, Lu Jian, and Wenren Yu will be in one group. How about this?"


    After spending the past three months in bitter training, Han Jiang and Lu Jian both had already advanced to Body Training Rank 10. Xia Ye also had advanced, but he was still at Body Training Rank 9, a rank lower than the other two.


    Fan Ling nodded. "Fair enough. I''ll cover for Xia Ye."


    "Good."


    "Let''s go."


    They all moved in a group of three and entered the forest in turn. There were several students who came inside before them, but when they entered the forest, they were completely alone. Looking around them, it looked like an unfamiliar forest and the scent of water entered Lin Xiao''s nose.


    ''I''m more comfortable in this kind of environment.''


    Having lived most of his life inside the forest, Lin Xiao felt that it was nice for him to be able to enter the forest again. Unfortunately, their task here was not only to look around and enjoy the scenery. They have to fight and battle because this forest was dangerous.


    "We should try to regroup."


    Taking her communication jade, Sui Wenyan contacted the others. "They all don''t know where they are. However, Fan Ling is close to the river, so we might be able to meet her if we can find the river."


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Let''s go there then."


    "Ok."


    Swish!


    Traveling in the forest, Lin Xiao kept his vigilance. He looked around in curiosity before his eyes spotted a beast not far from them. The aura around the beast told them that it was already at Rank 3.


    Sui Wenyan frowned. "Do you want to��"


    "Let''s have some exercise."


    "Yes?"


    Swish!


    With a thought, Lin Xiao had disappeared from his position and then reappeared near the beast. Princess Lan Yi Hua was stunned when she saw this. That kind of instant movement was categorized as an advance skill. It seemed that Lin Xiao was clearly showing mercy when he was fighting Prince Lin Kai back then.


    Roar!


    A sword appeared on Lin Xiao''s hand as he swung it towards the beast. After that one pitiful roar, the neck of the beast was slain and blood gushed out.


    Seeing the scene, Lin Xiao nodded in satisfaction. This felt much better than just holing in the library and learned so many things about theory. After being tortured for months, he felt really good.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua and Sui Wenyan arrived by Lin Xiao''s side. Looking at the fallen beast, Princess Lan Yi Hua pursed her lips. "Why are you also hiding your power?"


    "If I have already showed my full strength from the very beginning, my opponent will not only be just those two snot nosed brat but also the other two princes," Lin Xiao replied calmly. "The other two princes are older and they''re close to Golden Core Stage. Do you think I will have the chance to defeat them if I fight against them right now?"


    "No."


    Lin Xiao smiled when he saw the gaze on Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes. "Come on. I want to see your strength too."


    "Here?"


    "The teachers are not watching too closely. Besides, why do you think there''s risk of dying?"


    ...


    By the way, in case you forget. Beast Ranking and the estimated strength:


    Unranked: Untrained people to Body Training Rank 3


    Rank 1: Body Training Rank 6 to 7


    Rank 2: Body Training Rank 8 to 10


    Rank 3: Foundation Establishment


    Rank 4: Golden Core Stage 1

 Chapter 214: Forest Trial (3)

    The teachers would not pamper them as if they were young masters who couldn''t do anything but rely on them. Besides, the best way to nurture geniuses was by putting them in danger and let them rely on themselves to survive. If they were smart enough and knew how to use their strength well, this forest would be nothing much.


    Of course, they also have to learn how to gauge their opponent''s strength so that they would not try to court their own death by challenging more powerful opponent in front of them.


    "True enough. Let me fight in the next one, then."


    "Sure."


    Lin Xiao led the others to roam around again. He was using his sense to find any traces of water but there were only little traces of it. When it was in the forest, his survival skill would not lose against veterans.


    "There''s traces of horde at the front. Based on the footsteps, there are two species." Lin Xiao stopped and looked at the ground. He hated horde because their sheer number was more than enough to trample them all.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua also stopped. "Then��?"


    "We''ll turn around. The footsteps are fairly new, so they shouldn''t be that far. If we took different direction, we shouldn''t run into them."


    "Ok."


    From the back, Sui Wenyan listened to Lin Xiao with admiration. At first, she thought that Lin Xiao was nothing more than a country bumpkin who was lucky enough to encounter the Emperor''s Inheritance. Because of that inheritance, he would have to become the Emperor if he didn''t want to die midway.


    However, she could see that the young man was not that bad. He might be lacking in many general knowledge, but he also had a lot of skills that were vital for survivals. To be able to recognize the marks in the forest without batting an eyelids showed his familiarity to the environment.


    Something like this would boost their vital survival.


    Afterwards, Lin Xiao found marks of powerful beasts. Since it was more powerful than rank 3 beasts, they tacitly agreed to avoid it. When it came to fighting against beast rank 4, neither one had the confidence to do it. After all, the difference between Body Training and Golden Core Stage was so far away that it was scary.


    Thankfully, they managed to find Beast rank 3 after traveling for some more time.


    "Can you defeat Beast Rank 3?" Sui Wenyan asked.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua tilted her head slightly and then smiled faintly. Her usually wooden face brightened almost instantly. "Should be."


    "Hmm?"


    In the princess'' hand, two small swords appeared. Both of them are double edged swords and looked like it was already used a lot. The stench of blood was still lingering despite none of them left on the blade.


    Sui Wenyan''s eyes narrowed when she saw that. For whatever reason, she felt that the one in front of her was not like a princess but more like an assassin.


    Swish!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s movement speed didn''t lose against Lin Xiao. She swiftly appeared before the large boar, who couldn''t even detect her presence. By the time she attacked, the beast finally found out something was wrong and tried to move but he couldn''t.


    Slash!


    A clean cut to the beast''s neck sliced it cleanly. The boar couldn''t speak anymore as its eyes looked in Princess Lan Yi Hua''s direction. Before it could flee, the princess had moved and formed a large gash on its stomach, blood pouring out in large volume, creating small pool of blood under the beast.


    "Done." Princess Lan Yi Hua used her small swords and cracked the skull to obtain the beast core. She kept it away then looked at the boar''s body. "Shall we have a meal first?"


    Lin Xiao smiled happily. "Sure. Let me show you my cooking skill!"


    "How about cooking together?"


    "Yes!"


    Seeing how excited Lin Xiao was, Sui Wenyan was speechless. She voluntary keep guard so as to not watch the two of them skinning the beast then took the meat. There was no need for her to harm her eyes by watching these two being like this.


    ''How I wish time passed faster.''


    Using herbs they carried with them, the roasted meat tasted even better. The three of them enjoyed their meal and kept the rest of the meat and bones in the Spatial Ring. They could eat again later when they were hungry.


    Or they could also trade it with some others.


    No hurry.


    "Let''s go again."


    The three of them continued to travel in the forest. They encountered several weaker beast on the way and Lin Xiao kept the beats'' carcass. While they were less valuable than beast core, they could eat the meat of some beasts. Besides, they might be able to sell some parts of the beasts that was deemed valuable.


    He had already learned how to identity those valuable parts and noticed that the beasts they hunted so far had those, so it was beneficial.


    When the sky darkened, Lin Xiao finally found traces of river. After traveling a bit more, they finally found the river they have been searching.


    Splash!


    "It feels good to wash your face like this." Lin Xiao grinned. He looked at the river''s direction and frowned. "Where should we go to search for the other two groups?"


    "Fan Ling said that she''s near a waterfall right now, so we should try to search for waterfall."


    Waterfall?


    Lin Xiao looked at the river before him and furrowed his brows. Waterfall could be located at both sides. There was no clear clue for them to find it.


    "We could try our luck?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked with uncertainty.


    "Maybe. There''s no way we could know the location with such bizarre information given to us." Lin Xiao sighed. "Let''s rest for the night and travel again tomorrow."


    "Yes."


    "Shall I make fire?"


    "No need. It might attract people to come here."


    "Ok."

 Chapter 215: Forest Trial (4)

    While Lin Xiao did want to have fire because it was warm, he was also a cultivator. Cultivator didn''t really feel the night to be cold because the Qi inside his body had kept the temperature of his body mostly the same. There was no need for him to worry about the hot of the day and cold at the night to a certain degree.


    Making fire at this time would only attract other cultivators to come to their places. He was not stupid enough to try something like that and put his life on the risk.


    The night passed quietly.


    Probably it was because the forest was large but the three of them hadn''t met with any other disciples along the way. They journey was also very smooth as they only encountered several beasts that was weaker than them.


    When it was morning, Lin Xiao was the first to make his move.


    "Let''s go. We''ve rested enough."


    "Ok."


    Swish!


    Choosing to follow the river in one direction, Lin Xiao wondered whether their decision would be correct. As he followed the river, his keen senses detected some people who were located not far from them.


    "There are people."


    "Shall we make detour?" Sui Wenyan asked. She didn''t really want to meet anyone because potential conflict might occur.


    "Hmm, sure."


    Lin Xiao side stepped to the side in order to enter the forest. As long as he still could hear the river''s water movement, they wouldn''t lose their sight from the river so easily. Making a small detour shouldn''t be hard.


    Bang!


    The sound of fighting came to their ear. Lin Xiao was stunned and turned his eyes to the direction of the sound and realized that there was a young man in the center of the mess. The young man was looking at his three opponents, which one had already been attacked, with wariness.


    "He''s alone?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    "Well, it''s possible to travel by yourself if you get separated from your group. Besides, the total number of students in the academy couldn''t be divided by three," Sui Wenyan said in hesitation.


    Lin Xiao nodded and looked at the young man. "Luo Lan?"


    "Who?" Sui Wenyan was stunned.


    "A snobby kid," Lin Xiao replied. If Luo Lan knew that he was called that way by Lin Xiao, he would have flipped out and try to challenge him. However, Lin Xiao truly didn''t expect to see Luo Lan here again. They were indeed in the same academy, but they rarely met each other because the academy was so big.


    Since neither side was close to each other, why should they bother with each other''s lives.


    "Heh, since you''re already here, just give up, Luo Lan!"


    "If you don''t want to lose your lives, destroy your plate and leave the forest!"


    Luo Lan''s face was dark as he looked at the three people before him. The three of them were all disciples of Wang Luo Sect. However, the sect always taught them to never trust anyone, including those of the same sects. It often resulted in conflict between the disciples and yet, the elders wouldn''t do anything to solve it.


    They went by the principle that to be strong, they have to overcome all the adversities by themselves without the need of help from others.


    "Bastard! Tiger Punch!"


    Bang!


    Swish!


    One of the young men blocked the attack while the other one grabbed Luo Lan''s arm. He then twisted it to the back before pushing Luo Lan to the ground. "Quick, find his token and destroy it!"


    "Bastard!"


    Luo Lan''s Qi erupted as he pushed them off. His eyes were red. Even though he was at utter disadvantages because of his current rank was nothing more than Body Training Rank 10, he would not give up.


    "You��"


    Jleb!


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


    A rock pierced through the young man''s hand. The man''s face contorted in pain as his friend turned to look into the forest. "Who''s that?!"


    Lin Xiao walked out, ignoring the annoyed gaze of both Sui Wenyan and Princess Lan Yi Hua. He looked at them with interest. "I''m just passing by and kicked a rock. Sorry for the trouble."


    Passing by?


    Sui Wenyan looked at the sky and felt that the world was truly unfair. Why did she have to meet with such a future Emperor? He knew nothing but to create more trouble and interfere in other''s affair.


    "Do you know him?" The young man looked at Luo Lan.


    Luo Lan furrowed his brows and looked at Lin Xiao. Of course, he knew the young man from that village who was so stubborn and almost lose his life from challenging the one stronger than him. However, he would not admit it and put Lin Xiao''s life in danger.


    He might be a stubborn person, but he had his own principles.


    "No. He''s just passing by and might feel that it''s an unfair battle," Luo Lan said in cold tone. "Friends, if you don''t want to get involved in Wang Luo Sect''s affair, you should leave."


    Wang Luo Sect?


    Thinking about the many sects in the academy, Sui Wenyan wanted to sight. Wang Luo Sect might be only a small sect, but it was notorious because the disciples often not care for other people''s life. In addition, each of the disciples there would only care for their own gain and not the sect as a whole.


    While it might affect the sect''s growth, it was also the one that allowed the disciples to grow so powerful. There were several people of the sect that was very powerful and could be said to be very geniuses.


    But their characters made them hated by a lot of people all around Sun Kingdom.


    "Nah, I don''t really want to interfere," Lin Xiao said while waving his hand. "I''m just curious how you''re going to solve this."


    "It''s not your problem, isn''t it?"


    "No, but one of my goals is to destroy Wang Luo Sect, so I would like your cooperation for that." Lin Xiao smiled, being as blunt as possible.

 Chapter 216: Conflict with Sects?

    The temperature in the area dropped to several degrees. The disciples who were intending to deal with Luo Lan now shifted their attention to look at Lin Xiao. Their eyes narrowed in clear annoyance.


    "What did you say?"


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Didn''t you already hear it? Ever since you destroy Taiyi Sect along with the other three organizations, I don''t have any interest to let you off. Of course, I can''t kill you with my own hand, but I''m sure that there''s someone else who will do my dirty work."


    "What are you��"


    ROAR!


    The sudden pressure on their body made the three young man changed their expression. From the back, a large beast was making his way to them. Earth quake at every steps of the beast as it rushed over in their direction.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao moved and patted the three young men''s shoulder. Of course, what he did was to put the herbs that he had taken out without them knowing on his hand on their shoulder. When he was inspecting the area, he had noticed that there was a large Stone Armadillo, a beast rank 4, waiting from a distance.


    Stone Armadillo might be carnivore, but they also liked certain herbs that only grew in the rocky areas because it smelled similar to their home. There were plenty of such herbs in Lin Xiao''s storage, so he just took them out and waited for the Stone Armadillo to react before placing it on the three young men''s shoulder.


    "What are you doing?"


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao grabbed Luo Lan''s hand and moved away from that position. His brows creased when he sensed that he had used up around half of his Qi reserve.


    ''Moon Evasion is truly Qi consuming skill.''


    Luo Lan was stunned but by now, Stone Armadillo had already arrived by them. Looking at the three people who gave off faint smile, he directly attacked.


    "RUN!"


    Rip!


    The two disciples were instantly ripped to pieces. The third one tried to activate his token, but he died right after the token was destroyed.


    "Let''s go."


    Lin Xiao swiftly led the others to leave. The other three still looked back from time to time with complicated expression. They have already realized that Lin Xiao must have used some kind of method to attract the Stone Armadillo to them.


    "You''re very cunning," Luo Lan murmured.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "If I''m not cunning, I wouldn''t be able to survive by myself. Now, shall we have another battle, Luo Lan?"


    "You''re taking me just because you want to fight me?"


    "Well, you''re taking care of me two years ago. So, shouldn''t I return the favor?" Lin Xiao asked with a smile.


    "You.."


    Punch!


    Lin Xiao punched Luo Lan''s face then nodded in satisfaction. The current Luo Lan was really not his opponent anymore. However, he still felt this young man annoying, so a punch should do.


    Luo Lan wiped the blood in his face then looked at Lin Xiao, who was smiling. He shook his head and sighed, feeling that the bratty brat he saw back then had truly changed. His face turned grim at the thought that Lin Xiao was already capable enough to kill him.


    "Will you kill me?"


    "You? Not now," Lin Xiao said with a shrug. "My goal is to chase after Wang Luo Sect because of what they did to Taiyi Sect. However, I doubt that you know anything. I''m only helping you out because it''s quite beneficial to eliminate Wang Luo Sect from their geniuses."


    The three disciples who ambushed Luo Lan were Body Training Stage Rank 10 and also Foundation Establishment.


    Lin Xiao only wanted to create small disturbance for the time being before he truly made his move against Wang Luo Sect. But of course, he would need more time to be able to realize that because the leader of Wang Luo Sect was still at half Golden Core Stage.


    A puny Body Training Rank 10 cultivator like him wouldn''t be able to do anything.


    On the back, Sui Wenyan''s eyes watered because she understood the reason why Lin Xiao set his eyes on Wang Luo Sect. The destruction of Taiyi Sect back then was done by three small sects and someone else who was controlling at the back. They still didn''t know the mastermind, so Lin Xiao could only make his move slowly by interrogating those from the three small sects.


    However, it was hard to contend against them by himself.


    "Are you ok?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked.


    Sui Wenyan nodded. She looked at Lin Xiao. "Yes. I''m just�� touched. He''s not enemies of the three sects whatsoever, but because of us�� he will make them his enemies."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua blinked her eyes at their words. It was clear that she was surprised that Lin Xiao was actually willing to take revenge on behalf of his followers. However, she still didn''t know the full story, yet she felt that Lin Xiao was not someone who would do anything recklessly.


    "Master."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows at the way Sui Wenyan called him. When they''re in public, he had told them to not call him that way because it would make him a bit conspicuous. "What it is, Wenyan."


    "Thank you."


    "Well, I have to face them eventually, didn''t I? But of course, I''ll let you four be the one to deal the finishing strike and only try to get information from them for now," Lin Xiao said with a smile.


    Sui Wenyan nodded. Thinking about Wenren Yu and the other two survivors from Taiyi Sect, she felt happier.


    Luo Lan was listening with dumbfounded expression. He looked at Lin Xiao and felt that he had just heard a very heavy information��this�� would he be able to stay alive after knowing something like that?


    Lin Xiao turned his head to look at Luo Lan. "Do you want to enter the core of the sect?"


    "What are you��?"


    "Do you want to help me destroy Wang Luo sect?" Lin Xiao asked with a smile.

 Chapter 217: Spies

    Based on what he knew regarding Luo Lan, he might not be able to trust his young man fully. However, he could make use of him. After all, Luo Lan''s personality conflicted greatly with the way Wang Luo Sect raised their disciples.


    He wanted to take this gamble.


    Because of that, Lin Xiao dared to ask Luo Lan openly and allowed him to hear what he was talking about with others.


    Luo Lan was stunned. He looked at Lin Xiao and then narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure you''re going to ask me something like that? Wang Luo Sect disciples know no loyalty and there''s no guarantee that I wouldn''t stab you on the back after you say something like that. What do you think the sect will do if they know that you plan to go against them?"


    "You won''t report it."


    "What��?"


    "Because you don''t care for the sect."


    That sentence hit him deep in his heart. Yes. Luo Lan never cared too much about the sect. All he cared was simply how to fight and then getting stronger. It didn''t need to be Wang Luo Sect. Because of that, what he wanted from the beginning was to enter Sun Dragon Sect.


    Wang Luo Sect was only a tool for him to step up.


    Luo Lan grunted. He waved his hand, acting rascally like he did before. "What do you even know of me? You don''t know anything, Lin Xiao."


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "I don''t. but I know that you never act seriously when you''re in Wang Luo Sect. if not. You won''t be provoking that woman, Bai�� Bi, Bai, uh, what''s her name?"


    He had no intention to keep the name of unimportant person in his mind. Even though he still wanted to take his revenge on her, he had no intention to keep her name in his heart and only when he saw her again later would he remember this grudge.


    Of course, as time passed, he might even forget about her completely because it would beneath him to deal with her. Lin Xiao was confident that with his rage of progress, that woman would be long left in the dust by him.


    "It''s Bai Xin."


    "Yes, that woman. Anyway, if you help me out, I''ll help you to get stronger."


    Luo Lan arched his eyebrows. "You can''t help me, you��"


    In his hand, Lin Xiao had taken out a bottle of medicine. It was the extract of herbs that was used to make the medicine bath that Lin Yun prepared in case Lin Xiao had taken in someone else who needed it in the future.


    "This is the Strengthening medicinal bath. It might be painful but I''m sure you have heard what the result from this might be."


    Luo Lan looked at the bottle in disbelief. What he knew was that people have to insert the herbs over and over and there was no way it could be made into medicine. Unless��.


    "It''s the second one?"


    There were two different medicine that was used to strengthen one''s body physically. The second method was less painful and naturally yield less result, but it was more commonly used. Still, the price of herbs was so expensive and there might not guarantee that it was successful when an alchemist concocted it.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Yes. So are you interested."


    "How do I know you''re speaking the truth?"


    "You can choose not to believe me and walk away. However, if you want this bottle, you need to do something for me."


    Looking at Lin Xiao, Luo Lan was silent for a moment. He knew that Lin Xiao was giving him a choice. After a while, he looked at Lin Xiao. "Speak, what do you want?"


    "It''s simple. If I''m not wrong, the three sects collaoborated with each other and have meeting every few years, right? When it''s time for the next meeting, I want you to inform me."


    Luo Lan was stunned. That''s all?


    "You only want me to inform you about the meeting that will take place a few years from now?"


    "Yes, along with the location and time of course."


    Luo Lan nodded. It was simple enough. Even though the information was not given to everyone, he was sure that once he managed to become Foundation Establishment Cultivators, he would be able to get that kind of information easily. After all, sometimes, the arrogant seniors loved to show off.


    "Got it. Give me your contact information."


    Lin Xiao smiled and threw the bottle to Luo Lan before taking out his Communication Jade. When he was in the village, he didn''t have one, but Elder Wang gave him one afterwards because it would be easier to contact others if they have it.


    The Communication Jade worked by establishing connection through their Qi and also their consciousness. The other party only need to infuse their Qi to another Communication Jade to make it remembered by others that they used to contact.


    After exchanging that information, Lin Xiao left with the others, leaving Luo Lan alone.


    Holding the bottle, Luo Lan could guess that Lin Xiao was planning to make a mess on the meeting. Well, not that he cared. ''I''ll just focus on getting stronger. Hmm, let''s try to challenge others again.''


    Meanwhile��


    "Why do you make a deal with that kind of person?" Sui Wenyan asked in confusion.


    Lin Xiao glanced at Sui Wenyan and smiled. "I need someone from either one of the three sects. Since Wang Luo Sect is already famous because of their cold heartedness, I figured it''ll be easier for me to use Luo Lan."


    Sui Wenyan nodded. "Are you sure he''ll do it?"


    "Why not? It''s not like I can''t threaten him again in the future," Lin Xiao asked back nonchalantly. If Luo Lan didn''t do what he asked him to do, he could search for other disciples too. He was sure that Luo Lan also knew this, so that young man might try to get more benefit from Lin Xiao.


    Of course, if it was just some medicine to strengthen one'' s body, he didn''t mind in the slightest bit. It was easy for Lin Yun to make it.

 Chapter 218: Rage

    Of course, if it was just some medicine to strengthen one'' s body, he didn''t mind in the slightest bit. It was easy for Lin Yun to make it.


    "You''re cunning."


    Lin Xiao beamed when he heard Princess Lan Yi Hua''s words. "Of course, as your man, I have to be cunning to make sure that I won''t lose against others who might covet you."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was speechless. Since when did she acknowledge him to become her man? However, towards a shameless man like this, she chose not to say anything and continued their journey.


    Brr!


    The sound of waterfall came to their ear. Lin Xiao''s ears perked up as he smiled lightly. To be able to find his comrades would be the best.


    They turned and saw the waterfall behind the row of trees. Lin Xiao raised his head and it was then he noticed that the waterfall was quite high. There was a figure hanging not far on the edge.


    "That''s Fan Ling and Xia Ye?" Sui Wenyan asked in shock. The two of them were barely hanging on out there and it seemed that they were in weakened condition that they could fall off whenever.


    Lin Xiao''s heart turned cold when he saw that. Where''s Lin Yun? He rushed over to the wall and began to climb as fast as possible. "You two help them first! I''ll search for Yun!"


    "Yes!"


    "Ok."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at the row of wall in front of her and furrowed her brows. It was her first time encountering such high wall and climbed it. However, there was no time for them to hesitate anymore.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao reached the top quickly because he had long gotten used to climb steep mountain. Upon reaching the top, he could see that across the river, there were several people. One of them was his younger brother, who looked like he was already at his end with bloodied figure.


    His heart was filled with rage.


    The other party, Prince Lin Kai, was too busy looking at Lin Yun with mocked expression and tried to humiliate the other party. Because of that, he didn''t realize that they got another guest coming from across the river.


    *cough*


    "You bastard��" Lin Yun seethed.


    Prince Lin Kai laughed out loudly. "Since you already act so high and mighty, don''t you think that you should back it up with your power? To think that you''re this weak and fall into the trap so easily. How humiliating."


    "You won''t get away from this!"


    Lin Yun gritted his teeth and refused to let his pain and injury showed in his expression. He knew that his brother had already offended Prince Lin Kai, but he never expected them to ambush him like this. Since Prince Lin Kai couldn''t defeat Lin Xiao fair and square, he chose to use such underhanded method to make sure that Lin Xiao paid for what he did.


    How shameless!


    He was filled with rage but more importantly, he hated his weak self that didn''t manage to fight Prince Lin Kai properly. He was not as powerful as his brother, so this made him a bit weaker than Prince Lin Kai during the duel.


    "For someone as weak as you, that arrogant brother of yours really need to be taught a lesson. Through you is the best method, isn''t it?"


    "You can''t kill me unless you want to get expelled."


    Prince Lin Kai sneered. "Don''t you know that there''s something worse than killing you. Even if I don''t kill you, you will want to die after this!"


    Seeing that Prince Lin Kai attempted to punch him right in the stomach, Lin Yun immediately understood that this prince wanted to cripple him! For cultivators, their power was so important because many of them couldn''t live with their power.


    What a joke, after living as a powerful person for so long, how could they accept being an ordinary person once again?


    Swish! Bang!


    Lin Yun, who was bracing himself for the pain, opened his eyes to see his brother had punched Prince Lin Kai''s fist away.


    "Brother!"


    Lin Xiao nodded then looked at the people surroundings his younger brother then looked at Prince Lin Kai. His eyes were so cold as he understood that if he was late, his younger brother would be turned into cripple!


    He had seen how Lin Yun suffered as a sickly boy in the past. How could he possibly let his younger brother suffer even more by becoming a cripple because of a person he offended on his path to become the Emperor? He would never be able to forgive himself if he allowed it.


    "Kill him!" Prince Lin Kai shouted in anger.


    The men swiftly moved forward to attack Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao could easily move away, but he knew that their attack would hit Lin Yun if he moved. So he took out his sword and muttered silently in his heart.


    Mountain Sword, First Stance!


    Slash!


    Second Stance!


    Stab!


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


    The first person had lost his arm while the second one was stabbed in the stomach. Lin Xiao resumed to stand before Lin Yun as he looked at the third person, who stopped midway in fear. The fourth person was unable to stop his charging and Lin Xiao immediately swung his sword.


    Light movement, yet the power behind it was more than enough to chop the person''s hand!


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAa!"


    The fifth person was so scared that he turned around and ran without even looking back.


    Lin Xiao looked at the third person, who sat down on the ground. His pants turned wet as it was clear that he was unable to stop his natural reaction.


    "You��!" Prince Lin Kai''s eyes widened. Losing a limb was disastrous for a cultivator at Body Training Stage. They were not powerful enough to regenerate it. As for attaching, there were only very few doctors who were capable to do it.


    As Lin Xiao grew closer, Prince Lin Kai shouted while holding his hand, which was swollen since Lin Xiao didn''t hold back. "Don''t you dare to kill me! I''m the prince of Sun Kingdom! You won''t be able to afford offending me!"


    "Oh?"


    Lin Xiao''s eyes were cold, he raised his sword and stabbed the prince before him. Prince Lin Kai''s eyes were filled with disbelief while Lin Xiao spat out, "I don''t care."

 Chapter 219: I Don’t Care

    Sui Wenyan and Princess Lan Yi Hua both helped Fan Ling and Xia Ye up. Xia Ye had fallen unconscious while Fang Ling was wounded. It was a battle of six versus three and Xia Ye was the weakest one, so she had to try covering for him. Unfortunately, they were unlucky enough and Xia Ye slipped.


    Fan Ling could only try to hold on to him while grabbing the rocks to prevent their fall. She felt that she was so useless at this point.


    When they were up, they saw the scene when Lin Xiao stabbed Prince Lin Kai. Their eyes widened in shock.


    "Lin Xiao, don''t kill him!" Princess Lan Yi Hua rushed over to Lin Xiao. If Lin Xiao killed someone in the academy, he would be expelled immediately. It was not worth it to lose his chance to study for a scum like him.


    Lin Xiao withdrew his sword. There was only very little stain of blood in his sword and Prince Lin Kai''s face contorted as he screamed.


    "Ah, ah, ah, my Qi! NOoooo!"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was stunned and then looked at Prince Lin Kai. It was then she realized that Lin Xiao didn''t kill Prince Lin Kai. Instead, he was crippling the prince to make sure that the prince wouldn''t do something like this again in the future.


    But��


    "I didn''t kill him," Lin Xiao said coldly. There was no longer any easy going attitude in his face as he looked at Prince Lin Kai with murderous gaze. If only there were no one else around them and this was not Sun Dragon Academy, it was almost certain that Lin Xiao would kill Prince Lin Kai.


    "You! How dare you!"


    "I dare, so what are you going to do?" Lin Xiao asked back in cold tone. "You want to cripple my younger brother, so why can''t I do the same to you?"


    "AAAAAAAAA!" hatred was visible in Prince Lin Kai''s eyes. Once one''s dantian was cracked, it was hard for them to train and advance again. He knew this very well, which was why he felt so much despair right now.


    His three brother surely wouldn''t miss this chance because they had long wanted to kick him off the game.


    Now that he had turned into a cripple, how could he become the Emperor?


    "Let''s go." Lin Xiao waved his hand. Staying here any longer and saw Prince Lin Kai''s disgusting face, he feared that he would lose control and killed the other person. He crouched down and took Prince Lin Kai''s token before destroying it. In less than one minute, a teacher would come here.


    The others looked at each other and nodded before they followed Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao carried Lin Yun on his back while Sui Wenyan carried Xia Ye. Fan Ling was still capable to run, so she and Princess Lan Yi Hua both followed Lin Xiao by running.


    From a distance away, they could see a teacher appearing near Prince Lin Kai and escorted him out. However, they have no intention to get closer and get involved.


    "When he got out, I''m sure that he''ll spread it to everyone about what you did," Princess Lan Yi Hua broke the silence.


    Lin Xiao laughed coldly. "Let him be. If he dared to spout it, then let him be. I''m not afraid of offending the Royal Family."


    He would offend them sooner or later. There was no difference at all offending them right now compared to later. As for the teacher, they would surely ask for the story from both of them and if they tried to oppress them, he would outtalk them.


    Afraid? He would never be afraid of them. The only reason why he kept low profile was simply because he didn''t want to bother with the problem so early.


    "Contact Wenren Yu to come here faster. Guide him here if necessary," Lin Xiao gave his order then checked on Lin Yun.


    "I''m fine, Brother. Just some bleeding." Lin Yun took out a medicine pill and popped it into his mouth. He had the necessary medicine. But it was only because of Prince Lin Kai that he had no chance to take it out.


    Lin Xiao nodded then looked at Lin Yun over. He was only making sure that his brother didn''t have any other complication. Only after he was certain that there was no problem did he check on Xia Ye. The others had already checked on him and gave him medicine pill. Xia Ye was unconscious due to the shock because the power he received was more than what his body could handle in the fight.


    Even though he had already increased his strength, it seemed that it was not enough. Fighting against Body Training Rank 10 at merely Body Training Rank 9 might not always end well.


    "What are we going to do now?" Sui Wenyan asked.


    "We''ll make use of this month to explore the forest." Lin Xiao looked at his younger brother and his eyes turned cold. "If those people try to make trouble, I''ll deal with them after we return back."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes."


    Lin Xiao took out his Communication Jade. In case things went awry, he better informed Elder Wang about this matter first. While he might be a proud person, he would always prioritize his safety first.


    And calling Elder Wang to let him handle the matter about the teachers, in case some of them favored Prince Lin Kai, would be the best method.


    Fan Ling was ashamed at her inability to protect the others and volunteer herself to keep watch of them. While Lin Xiao was worried, he also needed to recover his Qi and chose to meditate. Making several moves all at once like that was quite draining.


    ''Your control over Mountain Sword is quite good, but I would like it more if you also learn skill that''s related to the lake.'' Lin Hu finally informed Lin Xiao when the young brat was recovering his strength.

 Chapter 220: Staying in the Forest

    Lin Xiao creased his eyebrows at Lin Hu''s words. ''What are you talking about?''


    ''Since the teacher can''t expel you because you''re only acting out of rage, they would have to punish you. The punishment method that I can think of would be you being locked for some time. During that time, wouldn''t it be best if you can use it to learn more martial arts?''


    Thinking about it, it might be the best option available. However��


    ''Why martial arts related to lake?''


    ''Because your ability is more related to lake, Idiot! Don''t you think that the name Lake Emperor will only be for show. That name is given because the best power that you can wield will be something related to water, especially lake.''


    Lin Xiao was stunned. Mountain Sword that he learned had three stances so far. The fourth stance was too difficult to do while he was still at Body Training Stage. But if he were to search for another skill related to lake��


    Sword might be a good choice. After learning Mountain Sword, he had come to realize that a sword was sharp and could be used to slash through many kinds of materials. That was also very suitable for him because he wanted to be a sharp person who didn''t afraid of offending others.


    ''However, you need to exercise restraint.''


    Lin Xiao knew that his method of handling Prince Lin Kai was not the best. However, he was thoroughly consumed by rage and anger that he couldn''t think properly. All he could think was that he was not allowed to kill Prince Lin Kai and that was all.


    ''I know...''


    Closing his eyes, Lin Xiao focused on recovering. At the same time, he began to think about many other things. He was already 17 years old, basically an adult. He shouldn''t do things out of impulse anymore and tried to think over the consequences before doing anything first.


    After some time, Wenren Yu and the others came. They were also enraged, but Wenren Yu knew what was important was for him to check on Lin Yun and Xia Ye. Fortunately, the two of them were not gravely wounded.


    "They should be able to recover quickly with enough rest," Wenren Yu said after checking on them. He thought for a while. "Oh right, I see the other prince''s group on the way. He''s also eliminating weaker students."


    "Killing them?" Lin Xiao asked with arched eyebrows.


    "No, only crippling them or sending them out." When thinking about it, Han Jiang felt annoyed and angry. However, he knew that he shouldn''t be a busybody and tried to help everyone he met. They were not worthy of his time and he had no intention of putting himself in danger.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. It seemed that there were several people who had offended the two princes aside from him during this period of time. Now, the two princes must have some kind of method to regroup faster and then started to eliminate the others.


    "In that case, we should hurry and start to hunt. We''re only going to stay in this forest for a month at most. Let''s make use of it."


    "Ok."


    "For the time being, Yun and Xia Ye will stay here and we''ll take turn to keep watch while some of us will hunt at nearby place. If you got into trouble, shout immediately to let the others know."


    "Got it."


    Now that they had already in the group, they knew that they had to make use of their number well. For the time being, the disparity of their strength was not that much, so the power of number was quite apparent.


    But of course, things might be different later when they grew up.


    Xia Ye woke up at night time and looked distraught. He could tell everyone was making sure that he was fine and it made him feel worse. They didn''t blame him, not at all, but being the weaker one made him extremely annoyed.


    He wanted to get stronger.


    "Yun."


    "Yes?"


    "Can you make the first one for the medicine bath to increase physical strength?" Xia Ye asked bluntly.


    Lin Yun was stunned. He nodded his head. "Yes, I can make it. However, it''ll require expensive herbs and the process will be painful."


    "Write down all the herbs that you need and I''ll gather it all. When we return back, I''ll trouble you to make it for me." Xia Ye''s eyes gleamed in ruthlessness. He wanted to get stronger faster so that he would not drag the others down. In case they were ambushed again, he didn''t want to be the one being protected.


    Not again.


    "Alright."


    Lin Yun gave the list of herbs to Xia Ye, who memorized it by his heart. He was still weak right now, but he wanted to be able to grow even stronger so that he would not lose against anyone.


    Time passed swiftly. They all did what they had agreed before and used the chance to hunt and used their real power. Lu Jian and Xia Ye both used swords too and they were quite proficient in it. However, if they were to compare with Lin Xiao, it was clear that Lin Xiao could exhibit more power when using sword.


    After all, the essence of Lin Xiao''s sword was mountain. It was a skill that was developed by staying near mountains.


    "When we return back, I want to head to Book Pavilion directly. We can choose not to report our result, right? Help me cover the way so that I can head there," Lin Xiao gave the instruction.


    Lin Yun nodded. "Alright."


    "Be careful of the teachers too." Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao. Her eyes were showing concern. "Some of the teachers might have already picked a side and will not tolerate you foiling their plan. They wouldn''t show mercy just because you''re a student and might use the loophole there."


    "I know. Don''t worry." Lin Xiao smiled and patted Princess Lan Yi Hua''s head tenderly.

 Chapter 221: Learning Skills

    The others were dumfounded when they saw Lin Xiao''s action and then chose to turn away. They didn''t want to be fed with dog food. Besides, they were not totally sure that these two had already confirmed their relationship.


    As they had expected, Princess Lan Yi Hua was stunned for a second then she glared at Lin Xiao. "Hands off."


    "I''m only patting you!"


    "Not allowed!"


    "Aww." Lin Xiao still backed down obediently since he knew how to be patient. He grinned when he saw that Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t immediately resort to hit his hand, though. It meant that she didn''t actually mind that much but she didn''t want to show it on her face.


    Hmm, her hair was smooth and silky. He liked it.


    After spending their time hunting and cooking for Lin Xiao to keep in his Spatial Ring, the one month''s time was up. They were instantly teleported back to Sun Dragon Academy through the plate that they have.


    Basically, the plate was the only method for them to return back. If they lost it, they wouldn''t be able to return.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes upon his return. He could see that there were some teachers who were looking around the crowd, probably some of them were looking at him.


    "Yun."


    "Got it."


    After nearly losing his martial arts, Lin Yun''s disposition was harder as he didn''t want to let anyone took advantage of him again. If he continued to stay still as a weak person, who knew what kind of end he would have in the end.


    Using Moon Evasion, Lin Yun immediately appeared at the front and then ran towards the direction of the dorm. His action immediately attracted a lot of people''s attention and since Lin Yun was someone who was close to Lin Xiao, some teacher hurried over to his direction.


    Tring!


    Sui Wenyan had split up from Lin Xiao and started to play her zither. The sound immediately made the people around her created a space from her. Sound attack was scary because more often than not, it was targeting their consciousness directly. Her eyes were looking at the teacher in front of her coldly.


    "What is it, Teacher?"


    "Stop playing."


    "I''m not hurting anyone, didn''t I?" Sui Wenyan asked back with a smile. It was true that she didn''t use it to attack, but the sound produced by her zither still contained trace of Qi that she infused.


    The teacher started to argue with her, but Sui Wenyan was smiling and said what she wanted to say. She was trying to attract the teacher''s attention, but only two of them did come to her.


    On the other hand, Wenren Yu spread some herbs that would cause the students to hallucinate and create trouble. He sighed at the thought that the medicine wouldn''t work that well for those with high cultivation. When there was time, he would need to find some other concoction that could work better.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao used the chance while the others were creating trouble to slip away and headed to the Book Pavilion. He immediately went inside and looked at the teacher who was guarding. "I want to enter the Book Pavilion first floor."


    "Name?"


    "Lin Xiao."


    "You have three hours inside. Here''s an incense stick to help you gauge the time. When the time is up, you have to come out."


    "Thank you."


    Taking the incense stick, Lin Xiao rushed inside. The first floor was empty since most seniors had already finished their chance and there were no other new students who came here. He knew that there was not much time for him, so he began to browse the books.


    First, he searched for supplementary cultivation technique that was related to lake. Looking at the row of books, he finally found one that was suitable to him.


    Nourishing Lake Technique.


    ''It''s a technique that allow one to recover their Qi faster. That''s a suitable one for you, Lin Xiao.''


    ''En. By the way, why do I feel that the technique that''s related to lake are all supporting technique that''s mostly used for recovery?'' Lin Xiao asked after he had memorized the content. They were not allowed to bring the book out and only memorized it in place, so Lin Xiao had no other choice but to read it here and remember everything.


    Lin Hu had a strange expression on his face. He looked at Lin Xiao and opened his mouth before he sighed. ''That''s because Lake Emperor is famous for his support skill��''


    ''��Excuse me?''


    Right now, Lin Hu didn''t feel like telling Lin Xiao, but he knew that he had to. ''The essence of Lake is stillness and life. Because of that, the skills related to the lake is mostly about recovery and peace.''


    Lin Xiao felt a bit livid when he heard what Lin Hu was saying. He felt glad that he didn''t try to search so many skills that was related to lake back then. If he only learned recovery and supporting skill, how did he supposed to kill his enemies in the future?


    Prolong the battle until the other party was exhausted?


    The thought only made Lin Xiao felt headache.


    ''It didn''t mean that there''s no offensive skill. There are some but it''s mostly not too many. Also�� some of the previous Lake Emperors are actually Lake Empress��''


    Lin Xiao: "��" F*** you!


    It was not without reason that mostly women were chosen. After all, there were not many men who wanted to be the support. However, Lin Xiao knew that since he had already gotten the Emperor''s Inheritance, he would be the one to receive this ability.


    Even though he didn''t want it.


    In the end, he tried to search for another skill related to lake and settled with another two that he memorized.


    Chilling Lake Sword, a sword skill that emphasized on the stillness and also the ability to adapt to any situation.


    Lake Mirror, and ability to duplicate oneself that was often used to escape.

 Chapter 222: Captured

    ''This should do.''


    Lin Xiao memorized the three of them before he glanced at his incense stick. Upon seeing that he still had some time, he searched for the skill book that was related to the skills he already had.


    However, the first floor only contained the information to the extent of what he had already knew before. There was not much use to stay there anymore. However, Lin Xiao still walked around and came across an engraving at the wall.


    ''Power.''


    There was only word, yet that one word was infused with some kind of will that attracted Lin Xiao''s attention. For some reason, he couldn''t pull himself away and felt as if he was seeing a powerful battle.


    With power, one could break everything.


    In front of absolute power, all tricks and everything else was useless!


    Without him realizing it, the dragon power within Lin Xiao''s body was agitated as it started to circulate within his body. The state didn''t last long and by the time Lin Xiao snapped back to reality, he realized that his time was almost up.


    ''You''re awake?''


    ''Yeah, what''s that?''


    ''It''s the wording left behind by a powerful Emperor in this place. Those who see and read it will be able to experience the battle and will that the Emperor left behind in the past.''


    Lin Xiao nodded and looked at the word for a while longer. He felt a bit unwilling to leave the place because the word seemed to resonate within him. It was so powerful and left a deep impression within his mind.


    ''Time to go out.''


    Since his time was almost up, Lin Xiao walked out of the Book Pavilion first floor to the front. Looking at the row of teachers there, his lips pursed. He knew that they were already waiting for him.


    "Lin Xiao, do you know your mistake?"


    "What mistake?" Lin Xiao asked back. His eyes were placid as he looked at the teacher in front of him.


    "Harming an Imperial Family member."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "In this academy, everyone is nothing more than students, isn''t it?"


    "You dare to cripple a prince, do you think we would not take any action to you?" a teacher asked back coldly.


    Beside him, Teacher Su Luo, who already had bad impression of Lin Xiao, was in an even sourer mood. She favored those with background and had good talent so what Lin Xiao did was absolutely unforgivable in her eyes. "You''re nothing more than a trash. Someone like you should just stay silent when you''re faced with the prince."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. He sneered. "Prince Lin Kai attempted to cripple my younger brother but I''m not allowed to fight back just because I''m weak and don''t have any background. Teacher, are you dumb? You''re saying as if those without any background couldn''t have power no matter what.


    Do you forget that we''re all cultivators? We''re all fighting to become stronger so that we could go against anyone under the Heaven? Isn''t that why there are a lot of people who are cultivating and tried to change their fate? Isn''t it funny that there''s a law that said we''re not allowed to fight back unless we have good background?"


    "You, shut up!"


    A teacher raised his hand to stop Teacher Su Luo from continuing with her words. "Student Lin Xiao, please follow us. While you didn''t break the school rules, but you have destroyed the future of a student. Because of that, you''ll be locked for three months in the prison."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He knew that Elder Wang must have already persuaded them one way or another so that his punishment wouldn''t be that much. Three months was nothing much for him. He could use the time to train and get stronger. Eventually, it would be proven beneficial for him because he did need the power.


    Walking out of the building, Lin Xiao realized that there were already several students who were waiting there. Many wanted to know what would happen to Lin Xiao and they had already heard what he was saying.


    "Brother��" Lin Yun looked at his brother with worried expression.


    Lin Xiao smiled reassuringly. "I''ll be fine. Focus on getting stronger. When I come out, we''ll take some missions."


    Lin Yun furrowed his eyebrows but he nodded. "Please take care."


    "I know."


    The students were all discussing by themselves when they were waiting outside. Hearing what Lin Xiao said in his defense resonate within them. Just how many of them actually have powerful background? There were only a few of them who did while most of them only have low background.


    The low might not be as low as Lin Xiao, who had no one. However, those with only small power would know that they were also afraid of offending those with power. What Lin Xiao said struck them to their heart the most.


    Just because they didn''t have anyone to back them up, would they be deprived of their right to fight back?


    That was unacceptable.


    Unknowingly, that day, there were a lot of students who looked at Teacher Su Luo with unkind expression. They had decided to no longer follow this teacher. At first, they did accept that Teacher Su Luo was quite biased towards those with background and good talent.


    But now��


    If she was like that, the students knew that they had no reason to follow her. She might even put them down if they dared to go against the student with power just because of her bias.


    Since then, only a handful of student would attend Teacher Su Luo''s class much to her rage.


    In the mean time, Lin Xiao was brought to the prison and then put there. The prison was mostly empty with only a bed and a window that showed the sun.


    "You''ll be staying here for a month."


    Lin Xiao looked around then looked at the teacher in confusion. "There''s no bathroom?"


    "There."


    Looking at the item that the teacher pointed at, Lin Xiao was speechless.

 Chapter 223: Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment

    Looking at the item that the teacher pointed at, Lin Xiao was speechless.


    "Really?" Lin Xiao wanted to ask more but the teacher was already impatient and shoved him inside before locking the door. Looking at the bars, Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes when he sensed the flow of Qi.


    It seemed that there were some kind of runes or formation that was used by the teachers to prevent them from getting out. After all, just ordinary bars would not be able to hold cultivators inside the prison.


    ''Lin Hu, can I make my breakthrough now?''


    After continuous battles in the forest, Lin Xiao had a good grasp of his own power and had learned how to control it to a certain degree. While he might not look like one, he had become much more powerful now that he knew how to control the massive power that was stored inside his body.


    ''Yes.''


    Sitting cross legged on the ground, Lin Xiao focused his attention to his dantian. Foundation Establishment was just like the name suggest, it was a stage when they laid down their foundation and their dantian would be filled with Qi. The foundation was similar to how they had better vessel to store their Qi so that they would be able to use it.


    Focusing his attention to his body, Lin Xiao directed his Qi into his dantian and circulate it. By burning the Qi inside his dantian to form the foundation, he would be able to reach Foundation Establishment.


    Slowly but surely, the pressure inside his body increased.


    There was reason why many people waited until they were powerful enough before they tried to attempt breaking through to Foundation Establishment. There was simply high pressure would be placed on their body as they making their breakthrough. If they were not strong enough, their body might shatter on the process.


    Time passed and Lin Xiao continued his process.


    Thankfully, there was no one who could disturb him in this ''high class training room'' that


    the academy had provided him. There were no other prisoners too, so Lin Xiao could just focus on his breakthrough.


    On the outside, Lin Xiao''s skin looked like it was scaled before finally, large amount of Qi was released from his body.


    The room shook for a moment before resuming its stillness.


    Lin Xiao opened his eyes and felt that everything around him had changed. He could see everything more clearly. It was not like his vision was not clear before, but it just felt that it was brighter and more clear in his mind now.


    ''Congratulations for breaking through to Foundation Establishment.''


    Lin Xiao nodded. ''Now, it''s time to practice the skills I have memorized.''


    ''Yes.''


    Nourishing Lake Technique.


    The technique was focusing more on the flow of Qi in their body. It was just like cultivation technique but it was directed to support them more than anything else. And this support cultivation would continue to operate in one''s body once they had reached enough level. This would allow them to have continuous stream of Qi entering their body and circulating.


    In another word, this technique could be very powerful in the future. But in early stage, it was hard.


    But for Lin Xiao, who had received the Emperor''s Inheritance, the technique was easy to understand. It was so easy that it baffled Lin Xiao as he knew how long it took for him to memorize Mountain Sword skill that Elder Wang taught him a lot.


    Chilling Sword Technique was also about sword, but it was different from Mountain Sword Technique that he had learned. The sword skill also only has three stance at the first floor, which was also the limit of many Body Training Cultivators.


    It was focusing on its stillness and also a very vibrant swordplay that seemed to reflect the lake as Lin Xiao executed it.


    Slash!


    After training for days, Lin Xiao finally able to create a mark on the wall. His eyes lit up at this notion and he trained even more diligently.


    Thanks to that, every single day, there was small earthquake that occurred in the prison, making people who passed by the area to be utterly confused. They thought that they see wrongly, but since many students felt it, they thought that the area might be unstable and scary to scare the prisoners.


    Little did they know it was only the side effect of a prisoner who was practicing in the prison.


    The last skill, Lake Mirror, relied on one''s speed and also Qi. By moving so quickly that they would leave afterimages, that was how Lake Mirror''s skill about. And if they were faster, they might be able to leave several afterimages in a long line for a great distance.


    Since the space in the prison is limited, Lin Xiao had to make do with what he had. It was not that hard for him to circle around and learned how to use his Qi to move faster. And before long, he could create several afterimages.


    ''This is sick.''


    ''What?''


    ''I can''t believe that training skill is this easy. I have only been in the prison for a month but I already have the basic understanding of all three.'' Lin Xiao was utterly speechless. The days he spent training Mountain Punch like a madman flashed within his mind. Back then, he felt that training skills was so difficult that his inner organ was churned.


    But now��


    How could it be this easy.


    Lin Hu scoffed. ''Didn''t I tell you that you''re more suitable for Lake type technique? Just continue what you''re doing and make yourself more familiar with the skill. You don''t know what you''re going to need in the future.''


    Lin Xiao nodded. The teacher had warned them to not bite more than they could chew and right now, Lin Xiao knew that even after learning so many skills, he was not biting more than he could chew as his body adapted so quickly that it was unimaginable.

 Chapter 224: Waiting

    While Lin Xiao was training hard in the prison, the others didn''t stay idle either. They had already experienced the pressure from the people who had malicious intent towards them and also Prince Lin Hong.


    Because Prince Lin Kai was gone (he was sent back to the Royal Family after he had turned into a cripple because he could no longer study in the academy), Prince Lin Hong turned to be the most influential one in the first grade along with Princess Lan Xiao Yue. Lin Xiao''s friends and followers all stayed low for the time being while focusing on their training.


    Splash!


    Walking out of the tube, Lin Yun nodded to Wenren Yu. "It''s successful."


    Wenren Yu nodded. After that forest training, Lin Yun wanted to have the medicine bath along with Xia Ye. The two of them managed to endure the pain and have their physical strength greatly increased. Xia Ye even made a breakthrough to Body Training Rank 10 and now he was trying to get used to his strength before making breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.


    Lin Yun had also reached physical body level 11 after the two medicine bath (the first one was a long time ago). He had also consumed several yang type of flower, which increased his Qi greatly. While he could spend his time to train his physical body more, he wanted to make his breakthrough so that he would be able to attempt the Fourth Examination Ground and learn more beneficial skill.


    Even if he was faced with several enemies, he didn''t want to lose again.


    "I''ll train first."


    "Ok."


    Sui Wenyan came into Wenren Yu room and glanced at Lin Xiao''s direction. She sighed. "He''s pushing himself."


    "All of us is." Wenren Yu couldn''t bring himself to take the medicine bath because he knew his pain tolerance was lower. However, he had also tested several medicine and tried to create some powerful poison based on the recipe books that he had seen in the library.


    Those would be his secret skill.


    Even though he was more inclined to make medicine, he also spent his time to create poison during his free time. Thankfully, their physical training with that demonic teacher never changed and many of them had already switched to heavier boulder because their physical body had increased in strength.


    Sui Wenyan nodded. She looked into a distance then at Wenren Yu. "There will be a mission that''s related to the long lost sound art. I''m planning to take it in the future so that I''ll be able to grow more powerful. However, I''ll wait for Lin Xiao to get out of the prison first."


    "I''ll come with you at that time," Wenren Yu said solemnly. He also wanted to test his skill and doing it outside would be more beneficial rather than within the training ground of the academy. After all, the use of poison could be very dangerous and harmful.


    "Make your breakthrough first. If you haven''t reached Foundation Establishment, the journey might be too dangerous for you."


    "Alright."


    Fan Ling was also staying within her room and trained her fan. She was trying to make use of her Qi better. After that bitter battle that showed her failure to protect others despite being a bit more powerful than them, she didn''t want to lose anymore.


    Swish!


    The Qi in the air fluttered along with her movement and a mark appeared on the wall. However, it was repaired almost immediately thanks to the runes that was placed on the building to prevent the students from damaging them. This was also the reason why Fan Ling dared to train here.


    ''Not enough, I have to be faster and stronger.''


    Just like that, the three months swiftly passed. Prince Lin Hong was too busy gathering more followers and influenced people to follow him to care for Lin Xiao''s followers. Besides, they always avoided them and stayed in their dorm most of the time. It was impossible for them to create trouble in the dorm, would they?


    If these people locked themselves in their room, it was impossible for them to bring them out and it was not like there was any compulsory classes that they needed to attend.


    "It''s already three months. Brother should be released already, right?" Lin Yun muttered as he walked out. The aura of Foundation Establishment made some who were still at Body Training Stage to move away.


    Right now, all of them had already reached Foundation Establishment with various body strength. Since they have officially entered Foundation Establishment, it was also time for them to start learning how to use their Qi better. The trip to the forest had already gave them insight of what skills they wanted to learn.


    Xia Ye, who used to be the weakest, was the one who improved the most. He had reached Foundation Establishment and now focused his training to increase his attack greatly along with movement speed. He didn''t want to get caught in the middle of fight and then unable to do anything ever again.


    Wenren Yu nodded. "He should be. However, I don''t think we can make it to the prison without encountering some troubles."


    "Well, even if we did encounter trouble, it''s not like it''s avoidable." Lin Yun arched his eyebrows. "If they dared to make trouble for me, I''ll make sure that they would not be able to fight back and kick them out."


    "Heh, sure."


    After the forest trial, only around 765 students were left in the first year. Such massive loss was startling, but the teachers turn blind eye to it. They already knew that in the batch of student with the Royal Family, the loss would be bigger because of their influence to try pulling student to their side.


    Fan Ling and the others also walked out. Since it was time for Lin Xiao to get out of the prison, they wanted to welcome him.


    "Let''s go."


    The eight people walked to the prison, attracting the attention of some people nearby.

 Chapter 225: Released

    In the prison, Lin Xiao opened his eyes and stretched his body. The three months of vacation he had inside the prison was nice. He treated this place as his training room and aside from the lack of food, which he compensated by eating the food he had prepared in his Spatial Ring, it was not much difference from a training room.


    Overall, Lin Xiao was also very satisfied with his gain.


    There was no one to bother him and he could train freely over the course of three months. It seemed that Elder Wang must have made sure that he was not disturbed during this period of time.


    "Lin Xiao, you can get out now."


    "Ok."


    Lin Xiao walked out of the cell then headed back out. Feeling the fresh air outside, he felt more satisfied. It was much better than staying inside that cell since the window was simply too small and they were practically in the middle of nowhere.


    "Lin Xiao!"


    Looking to the side, Lin Xiao sneered when he saw Prince Lin Hong standing there. He arched his eyebrows. "What do you want Prince Lin Hong?"


    "I want you to become my follower."


    "Your follower?" Lin Xiao laughed. "You''re not worthy."


    "Heh, I already thought you''re going to say that." Prince Lin Hong''s expression was cold. He knew that Lin Xiao''s words were always infuriating, so he learned how to be patient. "However, do you think you have any choice? With so many students here, do you think that you can defeat all of us?"


    "Try me." Lin Xiao was standing back coldly.


    "Attack him."


    Lin Xiao glanced to the back towards the guards and smiled. "All of you are eyewitness here that they''re the one attacking me first. Those who dared to lie may be struck with lightning later."


    The guards were stunned when they heard what Lin Xiao said. Curses could be powerful if it was said by other cultivators and even though they had no relationship whatsoever, some of them did believe in curses. Their expression turned pale when they heard what Lin Xiao said.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao swiftly moved to the side, evading the attack. His eyes were cold as he punched forward and the young man was flown back like a kite, crashing onto his teammates.


    "Foundation Establishment!" in that moment, Prince Lin Kai had realized that Lin Xiao had advanced. His expression turned grave, but he also understood that it was impossible for Lin Xiao to not advance with his current ability.


    Would that young man stay still in Body Training Rank 10 forever? That was nonsense.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Do you really think I''ll stay in Body Training Rank 10 after staying in the prison for so long?"


    Swish!


    With a jerk, he had already arrived before the row of students there. Since he didn''t have any intention to kill them, Lin Xiao merely punched them with Mountain Punch. That skill alone was more than enough to send them off flying back.


    Bang!


    The students were unable to properly receive Lin Xiao''s attack. Many were looking at Lin Xiao with disbelief because he was much more powerful than he was before. Did training in prison actually made him more powerful?


    They were perplexed.


    "You.."


    Tring~!


    When the melodious sound rang, most of them were unable to step another step. At the same time, several shadows moved forward to block their path from getting closer to Lin Xiao. The swift movement seemed to seal their path completely.


    "Brother, are you alright?" Lin Yun asked.


    Lin Xiao nodded. However, his eyes lingered on his younger brother in surprise. "You''ve already advanced?"


    "You''re not the only one busy training, Brother."


    "Hmm, good."


    Looking at the others, he noticed that all of them have already had their breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. While body training stage was the best to increase their physical strength, level 10 was usually acknowledged as the highest level they could achieve. Only very few of them could reach above it and mostly through medicine.


    It was because of that the others chose to make their breakthrough and no longer cared about their overall strength. They were already quite powerful enough as they were.


    "What should we do with them?" Sui Wenyan asked while her finger still played the zither in her hand. What she had been practicing the most was crowd control. After all, soundwave was the easiest to reach further and with this skill of hers, she knew that she would be able to control the crowd.


    Extending her Qi and perfecting her control, it was no longer that hard for her to affect more than 100 people all at once.


    "Do you still want to have a go, Your Highness?" Lin Xiao asked. "Mind you that unofficial fight can be turned against you."


    "You wouldn''t be able to touch me, you country bumpkin." Prince Lin Hong sneered. He was clear of his background and the power that the Royal Family could pull. Since Prince Lin Kai had fallen, those who supported him had already moved allegation.


    In fact, Prince Lin Kai and his family members were all assassinated not long ago. Several other Royal Family members were also involved, killing many of them all at once. As for who sent them, there were many speculations.


    "I can''t touch you?" Lin Xiao sneered. He turned his body around. "I can touch you if I want. However, I don''t feel like doing it.


    Swish!


    Prince Lin Hong felt as if something flashed, but he couldn''t pin point what it was. His eyes were narrowed when he saw the lock of hair in Lin Xiao''s hand. "You��"


    "Let me take this lock of hair as a warning." Lin Xiao smiled. "Would you like to try again, Your Highness?"


    Chill permeated deep within Prince Lin Hong''s bone. He was staring at that lock of hair in disbelief. All this time, he was always the first amongst those around his age. Aside from his brother and those geniuses older than him, he would be the first and the best.


    But now�� how could this person, who only placed at rank 99, possibly touch him, who was at rank 1?


    He couldn''t believe it.

 Chapter 226: Prince Lin Bo Wang

    But now�� how could this person, who only placed at rank 99, possibly touch him, who was at rank 1?


    He couldn''t believe it.


    "How did you do that? You must have used sorcery!" Prince Lin Hong screamed in fear. He might be aloof on daily basis, but he was still nothing more than 17 years old boy. Seeing how Lin Xiao managed to get a lock of his hair signified that Lin Xiao could kill him with ease if he dared to get close to him.


    It was scary.


    For some reason, Prince Lin Hong felt as if he could no longer gauge Lin Xiao''s strength anymore. Was this person had just making his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment?


    In fact, Prince Lin Hong was not the only one who thought that. Many others were already staring at Lin Xiao with wide eyes. They didn''t want to believe it, yet the fact was presented before their eyes.


    They have to believe it.


    "What? Do you really think that you''re the strongest?" Lin Xiao laughed when he saw Prince Lin Hong''s expression. This young man, who was only a few months younger than him, looked so na?ve that he couldn''t believe it was the same person as the aloof prince. It seemed that the princes were also quite pampered and treated as if they were the best with no one could match them.


    For Lin Xiao, he had never been the first. Back in the village, there were many other who were much more powerful than him. When he reached Feng Yi City, he had encountered so many powerful experts that he didn''t dare to mess around with them. And during the entrance test, he was only in the middle.


    Heck, even in written test, he was dead last because of his poor knowledge.


    Because of that, Lin Xiao didn''t really care much about the title of being the strongest. He had no intention to take that title either because what he wanted to was to simply grow stronger and stronger until he reached the throne. At that time, he just simply had to be even more stronger than any other people.


    If not, he wouldn''t be able to hold onto the throne.


    Even if he was not the one with the highest cultivation, at least, his followers have to be one. That way, he would have the support he needed to become the Emperor.


    "I''m the best! No one can possibly defeat��"


    Tring!


    "You''re so noisy." Sui Wenyan''s eyes were cold. Using her Qi, she prevented him even from speaking. "Let''s go back, Master."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows at Sui Wenyan''s address. A woman''s mind was hard to guess, but he felt that she was only doing this to show that they were all already Lin Xiao''s follower. Only if Lin Xiao died would they no longer become his follower and even then, there was no one who could say whether they would follow others or not.


    "Let''s go back."


    "Okay."


    "How about if we try to spar after our return? I''m sure that you''ve grown more powerful."


    "Ah, I want to visit the Examination Ground first. I should be able to pass the fourth now that I''m already at Foundation Establishment Stage."


    "Fair enough. All of us have already used our chance."


    "Book Pavilion?"


    "Done!"


    "Good."


    The nine of them were chatting merrily while the group of students were still drenched in cold sweat. With Sui Wenyan''s control, they could see that she was so powerful that no one in their group could possibly go against her. Even Prince Lin Hong, who used to be so powerful, couldn''t do it.


    He was standing rooted in his place, looking at their departing back with listless expression. His defeat would surely tarnish his reputation.


    Bang!


    Punching the ground, Prince Lin Hong released his rage and annoyance at his own weakness. He should have been the best. How come that country bumpkin took his place for what he was supposed to have? He couldn''t accept this!


    In the shadow, a young man silently left. He was heading towards the seniors'' location and entered a residence. Before long, he had already delivered a piece of news towards some people.


    "Oh, that brat Lin Hong finally lost?" a young man around the age of 19 to 20 years old said. His strong disposition was one that couldn''t be overlooked easily. As he sat down, those around him bowed and greeted, "Your Highness, what''s your instruction?"


    The young man was Prince Lin Bo Wang, the twelfth prince and also one of the four princes who have the capability to open the Dragon Pavilion Hall. While he might be one of the few who had the right to fight for the throne, he was also the one who''s the quietest.


    There were never any ripples pertaining his name during his time in the academy as if he had vanished for the past few years.


    Only those who followed him knew the secret move this prince had been doing for the past few years to prepare for his fight for the throne. But of course, it was also their secret that no one dared to divulge.


    "What''s his name?"


    "It''s Lin Xiao, Your Highness."


    "Age, background."


    "He''s still 17 years old right now. He comes from an unnamed village that''s located deep in the woods."


    Prince Lin Bo Wang nodded. The brat was interesting, and he also knew that there were many youngsters who had the surname Lin without any relationship with the Imperial Family. This brat should be one of them.


    "Well, well, I never thought that there will be someone so interesting popped out out of nowhere. What do you think of him?"


    "He''s powerful for someone his age, but he''s not your match, Your Highness."


    Prince Lin Bo Wang smiled and waved his hand. "Let him play with that brat Lin Hong for the time being. There''s nothing to worry about. When he had already passed the three years of staying in Sun Dragon Academy, I''ll give him a warm welcome."


    The people shuddered but they bowed. "Yes, Your Highness!"

 Chapter 227: Elder Wang’s Visit

    The people shuddered but they bowed. "Yes, Your Highness!"


    Prince Lin Bo Wang smiled.


    ��


    At this time, the person in question, Lin Xiao, didn''t realize that he was the topic of conversation for several people. He only felt glad that he no longer had to stay in that prison and could walk around freely. Most importantly, he was not the only one who had grown stronger over this period of time.


    When they reached the dormitory, Lin Xiao suddenly stopped. In the corridor, a middle aged man stood not far from them. He looked in Lin Xiao''s direction with helpless expression, a rare sight of a powerful cultivator.


    "Elder Wang," Lin Xiao greeted with a smile.


    Elder Wang shook his head lightly. He had already cleared up the trouble for Lin Xiao, but he still felt a bit indignant about that. This brat just created trouble here and there, and here he was, cleaning up the brat''s ass.


    "What''s your plan now? Don''t try to provoke some big people because you won''t be able to withstand their wrath."


    Lin Xiao laughed dryly. "What are you talking about, Elder Wang. I only want to take a mission after this."


    "What mission?"


    "Well, a long mission?"


    Elder Wang narrowed his eyes. For some reason, he felt that he couldn''t trust Lin Xiao with the brat''s words. No matter what, Lin Xiao was someone who loved to create trouble and would certainly do that for a long period of time.


    "Did you provoke anyone on your way here?"


    "Just prince Lin Hong?"


    Elder Wang: "��"


    Seeing Elder Wang exasperated look, Lin Xiao grinned and shrugged. "He''s the one looking for trouble with me. I didn''t do anything much aside from scaring him."


    Besides, with Lin Xiao''s current power, he didn''t need to deal with Prince Lin Hong directly. It would be a waste of strength if he had to make a move personally. His next target would be Prince Lin Fei, who was standing at the high pedestal at this point of time.


    But of course, Lin Xiao wouldn''t comfort him stupidly like what he did to Prince Lin Kai.


    He still wanted to treasure his little life.


    Elder Wang was so exasperated. He really wished that he could spank this annoying brat''s buttocks for his troublemaking skill. Just a few minutes after he was released��. He had already provoked someone. Great!


    Not wanting to pry deeper, Elder Wang asked, "Did you learn new skill?"


    "Yes. I learn some new skills."


    "Good. Don''t die during your mission and try to reach Golden Core Stage as fast as possible. The others wouldn''t wait for you to grow strong."


    Lin Xiao grinned. "Don''t worry, Elder Wang. I won''t show my weak side to those guys. Have a little trust in me."


    "Alright. You can go."


    Elder Wang still wanted to talk a bit more to Lin Xiao, but he knew that it would be very conspicuous for him to talk for an extended period of time. Some teachers did occasionally visit their students and tried to give them some help, but they would not go overboard. Most of those who could survive in this academy were all geniuses and these geniuses knew what they wanted.


    Most importantly, most of them knew what path would be most suitable for them without the need for other interfering.


    Thus, Elder Wang left soon afterwards.


    "I didn''t know that you have a teacher as your friend," Lu Jian remarked while glancing at Elder Wang''s back with curiosity.


    Lin Xiao smiled. "He just know me because of some circumstances. Anyway. The mission that I want to take this time has to be located quite to the south."


    "South? Why?"


    "So that I can take a visit to the three sects after I''m done with the missions," Lin Xiao said in innocent tone. However, the others knew what he wanted because they had heard that both Sui Wenyan and Wenren Yu were former Taiyi Sect disciples.


    While the two of them kept the fact a secret most of the time, Lu Jian was smart enough to connect the dots. Princess Lan Yi Hua also understood when she was learning history lesson while Xia Ye managed to figure out by watching them. As for Han Jiang, he recognized the move and felt that they were too good to self learn and concluded in that direction.


    Fan Ling certainly knew their identities ever since she saw them because her family had vast amount of connection. But she simply didn''t care since Fan Family didn''t have much connection to the sects at the south.


    "Well it''s not that hard, but there are not many missions that can last long enough for you to take a visit there."


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "I don''t need to take a visit personally. I''m sure that Wenren Yu and Sui Wenyan would like to take their own visit there."


    The two of them looked at Lin Xiao and nodded faintly. Ever since they knew the roles that these three sects played to make Taiyi Sect face its destruction, they had wanted to eliminate those sects too. However, they were not strong enough and naturally didn''t want to create troubles for themselves before they were capable enough.


    "Master, that''s what I want to talk to you about." Wenren Yu didn''t hesitate since they were the only ones in Lin Xiao''s room. "I would like to take mission with Sui Wenyan separated from you and take our chance to take our own revenge."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows.


    Sui Wenyan smiled. "I already used the Spirit Stones and since I have reached Foundation Establishment, I got the chance to practice in a room concentrated with Qi. Right now, I should be close to Golden Core and within a year or two, I might make my breakthrough."


    Hearing that, Fan Ling was stunned. She thought of herself as the one with the highest cultivation among them but it turned out, she was the second?

 Chapter 228: Taking Missions

    "Are you sure?" Lin Xiao was also surprised. He didn''t think that Sui Wenyan would be able to advance that fast. No matter how talented she was, he didn''t think that she would be this talented.


    Spending just a short few years in Foundation Establishment was already more than enough for Sui Wenyan to make preparation for her breakthrough to Golden Core Stage. With that kind of strength, it was clear that the half Golden Core Stage elders from the three sects wouldn''t be able to match against her anymore.


    "Yes." Sui Wenyan was solemn.


    Lin Xiao thought for a moment before raising his two fingers. "Two years. I''ll give you two years'' time to take your own mission and try to finish it in time. If you still hadn''t finished the matter, I''ll take a visit personally to help you."


    "Yes. Thank you, Master!"


    With that, it was settled that both Wenren Yu and Sui Wenyan would take separate missions. As for the others, they didn''t have any qualm for following Lin Xiao in his mission. Besides, there were several group missions that might take some time and have bountiful reward.


    They could choose to pick those missions instead of the simple missions and left the academy for a long period of time.


    That should do.


    "We''ll depart tomorrow. Rest for today and I''m going to visit the Book Pavilion first."


    The others were stunned but they acknowledged. Knowing that Lin Xiao wanted to take a look at the skills for the next move after the third, they didn''t ask more and simply headed back to their rooms.


    "Yes."


    ��


    The next day, the nine of them headed to the Mission Hall and browsed the mission that was placed on the boards. There were several missions and there were also the star marking that indicate the difficulties'' level. The highest stars they could see was five stars while the lowest was one star.


    "You''re all new students, so I suggest you to take easier mission," the woman who was in charge of the Mission Hall said in leisure tone when she saw them.


    Lin Xiao smiled but didn''t answer. The easy missions'' time frame was short. They were mostly only between a month until half a year. After all, for such mission, there was no need for them to waste so much time.


    His eyes browsed to those at the three stars and noticed that the time frame was between a year to three. After some time, he pointed to one of them.


    "Participate in the cleaning up of beasts at the border?" Lin Xiao asked and turned to look at the woman. "How strong are the beasts?"


    The woman glanced at the mission and sighed. "Since it''s the border area with Hua Lan Kingdom, it''s not that strong because the stronger beasts have been eliminated by other people."


    "How strong is it?" Lin Xiao asked again.


    "From rank 1 to rank 5 should be there. However, even if you went there, you''ll only be asked to eliminate those at rank 3 or 4."


    Rank 5!


    Based on what Lin Xiao knew, beasts at rank 5 were incredibly rare. Or they were not that rare but they were not located near their living area. After breaking through to Foundation Establishment, Lin Xiao did want to test his power against Beast rank 4 in a group battle to test his power.


    But for rank 5��.


    He would choose to run away immediately. What a joke, Beast Rank 5 was comparable to Golden Core Stage 2 cultivators. If he could defeat Beast rank 5, it meant that he would have already been eligible to graduate from Sun Dragon Academy.


    "We''ll take this mission."


    "Alright. The time limit is 3 years and during this period of time, you need to accumulate 100,000 contribution point per person. If you''re in a team of seven, it meant that in total , you need 700,000 contribution points in total. The contribution points will depend on the rank of the beasts that you killed and submitted the left ear back to the people who guard there."


    Lin Xiao nodded. The mission paper had already detailed that.


    Beast Rank 1: 1 contribution point.


    Beast Rank 2: 10 contribution point.


    Beast Rank 3: 100 contribution point.


    Beast Rank 4: 1000 contribution points.


    Beast Rank 5: 10,000 contribution points.


    Beast Rank 6: 100,000 contribution points


    Honestly, they only needed to kill 700 beast rank 4 or 7000 beast rank 3 within the time span of 3 years. For ordinary people, this mission would be difficult, but Lin Xiao had the confidence that he would be able to do it. However, his eyes narrowed when he saw that there were actually a lot of people picking the same mission.


    Well, the reward was quite bountiful.


    Looking at the 1,000 Low Grade Spirit Stones that was written as reward per person, along with the beasts core they could get�� who wouldn''t want it?


    Hua Lan Kingdom was located at the West, slightly to the south. Since the location of the mission was right there, Lin Xiao felt that it was a good decision to head there and try to fight with the beasts there.


    He should be able to gain more experience than when he did the forest trial back then.


    "You two should take your missions too," Lin Xiao reported seven names before glancing at Wenren Yu and Sui Wenyan. The two of them nodded and submitted mission with two stars. They didn''t have any intention to pick difficult mission but only those that was beneficial to them.


    Looking at the word searching for herbs, Lin Xiao was speechless. It seemed that Wenren Yu would only rely on his specialization of searching for herbs when he took mission. Sui Wenyan would be thoroughly carried by him in this type of mission.


    ...


    Beast Ranking and the estimated strength:


    Unranked: Untrained people to Body Training Rank 3


    Rank 1: Body Training Rank 6 to 7


    Rank 2: Body Training Rank 8 to 10


    Rank 3: Foundation Establishment


    Rank 4: Golden Core Stage 1


    Rank 5: Golden Core Stage 2


    Rank 6: Golden Core Stage 3

 Chapter 229: Departure

    Looking at the word searching for herbs, Lin Xiao was speechless. It seemed that Wenren Yu would only rely on his specialization of searching for herbs when he took mission. Sui Wenyan would be thoroughly carried by him in this type of mission.


    "Is there anything that we need to prepare before our departure?" Lin Yun asked as he read over the mission carefully. He needed to make sure that he didn''t miss any details in case they needed it.


    Lin Xiao shook his head. "We should just head out and depart."


    "How about if we hunt beast rank 6 directly?" Fan Ling asked with her eyes burning in passion. "That way, we only need to hunt 7 of them!"


    The others: "��" we''ll die first!


    Lin Xiao also shook his head. As much as he wanted to, he knew that he wouldn''t be a match against beast rank 6. Heck, even beast rank 5 might make him run away because they were already very strong.


    "We should just test our luck first. Let''s head to the transportation hall."


    Since they were taking missions, they could use the transportation runes twice for free. One to head there and the other one to return back. There was no need for them to pay this time.


    Lin Xiao was about to head there when he recalled something. "Oh right, who else have taken this mission aside from us?"


    The woman was stunned by the sudden question. She smiled. "Unfortunately, I''m not allowed to divulge information related to other students to you. Even if you try to use your background, it wouldn''t be of much use in Sun Dragon Academy."


    Lin Xiao nodded satisfied. The others were confused why he didn''t look disheartened but Lin Yun soon understood that his brother was only testing the water. If there were people who were trying to find out where he was, at least, the academy would not be the one to leak the news.


    It would be other students who was staying in the mission hall.


    There were no one around them, though. Not many students would take mission each day because many of them took hard mission that required them to leave quickly and not returning back for a period of time. However, after they had left, several people did enter the Mission Hall.


    It was not their matter anymore, though, as they had already taken the teleportation and head to their destination.


    Swish!


    "I can''t never get used to the teleportation runes." Han Jiang felt like vomiting. Because it was such a long distance, the runes caused side effect such as nausea to appear within him. Right now, he was struggling to hide his condition from others to prevent them from teasing him.


    Lin Xiao looked at the large mountain before him. "This is��?"


    "It''s Huang Mountain," Princess Lan Yi Hua took the chance to explain. Her eyes that looked at the mountain was a bit warm. "It''s the border to Hua Lan Kingdom and there''s always dispute whether this mountain belong to Sun Kingdom or to Hua Lan Kingdom."


    Lin Xiao nodded. Thinking a bit more. "Right, when there''s a chance, help me to learn some history and other theoretical class matters."


    The others: "��" were they here just to have review?


    "Let''s head over and sign our name up."


    Seeing Lin Xiao making a beeline to the post, the others followed him. In any case, they had already decided to follow him. Even though Lin Xiao didn''t look reliable most of the times, they knew that they could count on him during important moment that required them to stay vigilant.


    The people who stayed there had already gotten used to have new students coming. However, seeing their youth, the guard there was still stunned.


    "You''re all looked younger than most batch that come here. Are you sure that you can stay alive in this large mountains?"


    Lin Xiao glanced to the other mountains. Aside from Huang Mountain, which was the largest one, there were several other smaller mountains in this area. After all, the entire area was mountainous and also hard to defend. The reason why this place didn''t have clear owner up until this time was because of this matter as well.


    Except for powerful cultivators, it was hard for them to defend this area and there were not many powerful cultivators wanted to spend their time here. Most of the beasts roaming around were only at rank 3 and 4. It was simply not worth their time at all.


    "We''ll manage somehow."


    The guard nodded. "Anyway, you have three years'' time to stay here. During this time, you need to collect 700,000 contribution points. Are you sure that you can gather it in time with your current power?"


    Lin Xiao pursed his lips. He felt as if the man was mocking them for being younger and weaker than the others. However, he couldn''t say that he had the confidence, right?


    "We''ll try."


    "You�� forget it. Write down your name and I''ll give you a Spatial Ring to keep the ears. It''ll count your contribution points automatically and when the time is up, you can deliver the ring here."


    "Got it."


    Since they were in one group, it was arranged to be only one ring. However, Lin Xiao wanted to have more rings so that they could split it all evenly. After some persuasion, the guard finally relented and gave them seven rings begrudgingly.


    "Let''s head out."


    "Here''s the map. Those marked are the areas where hordes usually gather. Try to avoid it unless you want to get killed."


    Lin Xiao nodded and gave his thanks. He had no intention of provoking the beast horde either. After all, there was no need to seek his own death. While beast horde might not be filled with so many powerful beasts, they would have advantage in number.


    After confirming that they didn''t lack anything else, they all moved towards the largest mountain. There were more battles in this place rather than other mountains.

 Chapter 230: Meeting with Prince Lin Fei

    Swish!


    As the familiar forest''s smell entered his nose, Lin Xiao''s lips unconsciously curled up to form a smile. Even though it was a mountain, the lower part was still filled with greeneries, making it similar to that of a forest.


    For someone like Lin Xiao, it was truly the best place for him to be because he liked the smell and the environment greatly.


    "There are people nearby."


    "It must be other groups. There are more than one group in this place, right?" Lin Yun asked back.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Yep."


    Tep!


    As they stopped, Lin Xiao could see the faces of the people from the two other groups. His eyes narrowed when he saw them. While he didn''t recognize the second group, it was impossible for him to not know the first group. The man who was the leader of the first group was someone who was so high profile that basically a lot of people knew him.


    "Prince Lin Fei."


    The ninth young prince, Prince Lin Fei, was standing behind his group. He had no intention to join the battle as the opponents were nothing more than several beasts rank 3. But as he was watching, he noticed the group that was coming over.


    It should have been nothing more than an ordinary group, but the one who came into his view was exactly the person he had been waiting to meet all this time.


    Lin Xiao.


    In the past, no one would care about this name because they didn''t even know him. His background was also so bad that no one would bother to take a look at him because it would simply be insulting.


    But now, they had to remember.


    Because this very man was also the one who was daring enough to raise his hand against a young prince, crippling that very prince.


    Some princes might be weak and didn''t have much support. Thus, it was not strange to see them getting bullied. However, the person in question was a young prince who had the chance to contend for the throne.


    How could they forget about this name so easily?


    Even Prince Lin Fei was also curious about this person. Seeing the young man in front of him, Prince Lin Fei felt a bit uneasy but he couldn''t figure out the reason. As he had already stayed in Foundation Establishment for years, his senses were also very keen and naturally he felt that there was some kind of danger lurking within Lin Xiao.


    But what it was, he didn''t know.


    "You''re Lin Xiao?" Prince Lin Fei asked, his tone was clearly not polite.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows, thinking when did he offend this prince. He had already warned himself in the past over and over to not offend this prince yet and would only do so when he was strong enough. To think that this prince would greet him with malice first��


    *Sigh*


    If the others knew what he was thinking, they would be speechless. It would be rather weird if Prince Lin Fei didn''t act out of cautiousness and greet him impolitely. After all, Lin Xiao was someone who had dared to go against a prince before.


    Who could say for sure that he wouldn''t do the same thing ever again?


    "Yes, Your Highness." Lin Xiao was also not overly polite and only greeted back. He was about to move back when his eyes noticed someone familiar from the second group.


    ''Prince Lin San? He''s not the leader of that group?''


    The young man, Prince Lin San, smiled. Despite being one of the princes in the capital city, Lin Xiao somehow had different feeling when he saw the prince before him. The aura around him seemed mystical, yet at the same time, he could sense that the prince looked far more amiable than the others.


    Even in this dense forest, Lin Xiao was certain that the prince''s demeanor didn''t change in the slightest bit.


    However, Lin Xiao suddenly felt faint killing aura from behind him. There was no need for him to turn around to know that the one who spread the killing intent was Xia Ye. However, it was only for a moment before the young man hid his intent once more and looked down to evade looking at them.


    Prince Lin Fei brushed his gaze across Lin Xiao and nodded. "Follow and I will let you off."


    One sentence.


    It was a threat and Lin Xiao knew it too. He pursed his lips. It seemed that the ninth prince was a very blunt person.


    "Unfortunately, Your Highness, I can''t do that."


    "Oh? Why is that?"


    "That''s because I don''t have any interest to follow you," Lin Xiao replied shamelessly, not caring that his words would incite other''s anger.


    "Are you saying that you won''t follow me because you don''t have any interest?" Prince Lin Fei''s eyes glowed dangerously.


    Fan Ling clicked her tongue when she listened to what they were saying. They were surely taking their sweet time with their word play while she was already bored. In her eyes, she should just go ahead and fight with this annoying prince.


    Why should everyone follow him, huh? They have their right to choose who they wanted to support.


    "Well, you''re the one who elaborated it, Your Highness." Lin Xiao blinked his eyes, acting as if he had not done anything wrong. One look at his face was more than enough to make one wanted to punch him directly.


    "Heh!" Prince Lin Fei let out a sneer. In the next moment, his aura exploded as powerful pressure went against them. "Kneel!"


    Guh!


    Lin Yun nearly slammed his body onto the ground due to the pressure. Beads of sweat was pouring on his back, yet he could feel that his body was held up. His eyes widened when he noticed that it was Fan Ling.


    The others were also standing still while their eyes looked at Prince Lin Fei without any intention to back down.

 Chapter 231: We Can Never Be Friends

    Prince Lin Fei''s eyes narrowed when he saw the reaction of those who followed Lin Xiao. They were all as stubborn as their leader, unwilling to back down even though they were facing someone who was more powerful than them.


    How arrogant.


    Bang!


    Lin Xiao could feel the pressure and punched forward. His body remained steady as he looked at Prince Lin Fei in front of him. A mocking smile was formed on the corner of his lips.


    "Do you really want to make me your enemies, Prince Lin Fei?" Lin Xiao no longer greeted him with ''his highness'' because he felt that this man simply didn''t worth it.


    Prince Lin Fei scoffed. "Someone like you is not worthy enough to be my friends. Since you don''t want to follow me, you can just drop dead!"


    Lin Xiao laughed as he saw the others were getting closer. With just a wave of his hand, he could see that Prince Lin Fei had already commanded the other people nearby to start attacking Lin Xiao without caring for the beasts nearby.


    "Foolish."


    Swish!


    In that moment, Fan Ling began to make her move. Her fan was opened as wind suddenly started to generate around her body. While she was known as Fiery Princess, Fan Ling''s control was mostly both fire and wind. She loved these two elements very much.


    Bang!


    Fire began to spread to the tress nearby, panicking the people nearby. Those who had the element of water tried to put it off, but Fan Ling''s fire was simply too strong.


    Lin Xiao was fine because his element was lake�� yeah, not water, but lake. It was not like he wanted it either, but Lin Hu told him that because he had become the Lake Emperor, his element naturally followed it. Upon hearing that he would excel the most in support, Lin Xiao had almost flipped Lin Hu out and roast that dragon.


    Eating a dragon meat might be quite good too.


    "Yun."


    Lin Yun, who was about to crouch down, suddenly grinned. While it was true that his physical ability was weak, he was actually quite fine. He only acted as if he was about to fall and didn''t expect Fan Ling to catch him.


    Nevertheless, this position suited him the best.


    "Spread."


    With his hand on the ground, the herbs on his hand began to spread at alarming rate towards the disciples there. Some people also rushed over to attack Lin Yun, but Xia Ye stood and blocked their attack along with Han Jiang.


    Clang!


    "This axe of mine hadn''t seen human''s blood for a long time. Shall we make today be the time?" Han Jiang asked and then circled the axe on top of his head. His smooth action would make people wonder just how heavy his axe was for him to be able to lift it and swung it as if it was nothing more than an ordinary rod.


    Slash!


    "You bastard!"


    Swish!


    Lu Jian, who was relatively weaker than the rest in terms of physical power, had already developed his own strength. Since he knew that he couldn''t focus on physical strength, he chose to pick soundwave as his power.


    "Sleep," he said in soft tone as the sound carried his Qi. He had learned from watching and sparring with Sui Wenyan how to do it and began to sing.


    "The sky is blue and there are a lot of birds flipping around��."


    The only downside:


    His voice was.... off tune very badly.


    If Sui Wenyan''s play was melodious and could easily entrance someone, Lu Jian''s voice would surely make them very awake and be crazy. It was so bad, yet the voice felt as if it was striking to their very depth of the soul, preventing them from blocking their ears from listening it.


    Many disciples near Lu Jian dropped their weapons and tried to cover their ears in vain.


    After all, the soundwave didn''t only attack them but also their inner soul. Only those who were already at Foundation Establishment have some resistance against the ear hurting sound of Lu Jian.


    Swish!


    Clang! Clang!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua stood beside Lin Xiao. Her figure flickered and those who were near them had already scratches on their body. Some lost their limbs almost immediately while the others only had minor wounds because they managed to escape.


    However, their eyes showed that they had to be cautious when facing the seemingly weak princess in front of them.


    Did this truly the trash?


    Many of them chose to just related the incident with the fact that Princess Lan Yi Hua finally broke through to Foundation Establishment. It gave her a bit of power to contend against them.


    Still, many were looking at her with skeptical expression.


    And Princess Lan Yi Hua never had any intention to correct them. Letting them have misconception of hers was more beneficial.


    As the screams grew louder and the fight was fiercer, Lin Xiao looked at Prince Lin Fei. "There''s no rules about killing out here. Do you want us to have an all-out battle here? I''m ready if you want it."


    "You��" Prince Lin Fei wanted to say that he was not afraid and that someone like Lin Xiao wouldn''t have the opportunity to even attack him. However, he could see that the others who followed Lin Xiao were all already powerful enough. They were all at Foundation Establishment Stage and fight would be skirmish.


    Not to mention, they might end up badly and then unable to finish the task they had.


    Every single person who came here with him have certain power and Prince Lin Fei didn''t want to lose them. He snorted. "Consider yourself lucky."


    With a wave of his hand, he stopped them from attacking, yet he retained the powerful pressure. As someone who was close to Golden Core Stage, it was clear that he had quite a powerful pressure that he could generate.


    "Don''t let me see you again."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "That should be my words."

 Chapter 232: Hunting

    Prince Lin Fei laughed out coldly at Lin Xiao''s arrogant words and led his men away. His group only consisted of 15 people including him. While he had the advantage in number, there were still some beasts nearby that were fighting his men. This was truly not the best place for him to get into skirmish with Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao also waved his hand to stop the others from fighting. He looked at the leader of the second group and cupped his hand. "Sorry for disturbing you in your hunt."


    "Ah, it''s nothing." The young man waved his hand. Even though he was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator who was close to breakthrough, he looked much more easy going and looked quite similar to Prince Lin San.


    Speaking of Prince Lin San, Lin Xiao noticed the prince had walked in their direction with an odd expression on his face.


    "Your Highness?"


    "Your surname is Lin?" Prince Lin San asked directly.


    Lin Xiao was stunned, and it was then he recalled that he was trying to hide his surname back when he first met with Prince Lin San. The reason why he hid it was simple. Prince Lin San had gathered his dragon power in his eyes, which was used to see past the truth.


    The prince had already looked odd when he heard Lin Yun''s surname and now that he heard Lin Xiao''s real surname, Lin Xiao felt a bit apprehensive.


    "That''s true."


    Prince Lin San looked at Lin Xian for a moment then pointed to the words. "Shall we hunt together?"


    "Ah, can you introduce us to your leader first?"


    "Oh, this is my second brother, Lin Xian. He''s the tenth prince and currently 21 years��"


    Bletak!


    "I don''t think there''s any need to reveal my real age to outsider, Lin San." Prince Lin Xian shook his head and looked at Lin Xiao. "I have heard about you before. I didn''t know that you''re my little brother''s acquaintance."


    Lin Xiao scratched the back of his head. Well, his meeting with Prince Lin San back then was nothing more than a coincidence. He also didn''t expect to meet with this prince again in the future.


    Inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness, Lin Hu was watching Prince Lin San carefully. ''If necessary, you can summon me out. I''m already at Golden Core Stage and I can eliminate them all cleanly.''


    Lin Xiao was speechless at Lin Hu''s words. While he knew that he could summon Lin Hu, he had to find a lake first. In this mountainous area, where could he find a lake? The annoying requirement to summon the dragon had become the shackled that prevented him from summoning him ever.


    Tsk that dragon was useless, period.


    Lin Hu, who was despised: "��"


    It was not like he wanted to be the useless one, but it was simply the requirement. Well, some of those were easier to summon their dragons, but it was just�� Lake Dragon was amongst those that was hard to survive in the beginning.


    Prince Lin San smiled while rubbing his head that his older brother hit because he revealed the latter''s age. "Anyway, there''s a small horde of beasts over there. There are only around 30 to 50. Do you want to join us?"


    The group where Prince Lin San and his older brother, Prince Lin Xian, were consisted of 12 people in total. If added with Lin Xiao and the rest, they would have 19 people. If it was only a beast horde of 30 to 50 beasts, they should be able to handle it together.


    "And the beasts'' ear?"


    "We''ll split evenly."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. That distribution wouldn''t be fair because they have more people. But considering that they have been staying here for longer time, they might have already gathered quite a lot of beasts'' ear.


    "Alright."


    Swish!


    Prince Lin Xian was the leader with Lin Xiao and Prince Lin San following from behind and then the others. While the two groups were still wary with each other, they knew that they have to follow their leader in this small collaboration.


    They soon find the designated location where there were several boars roaming around. Judging from their number, it was quite a lot. Their strength varied from Beast rank 3 to Beast Rank 4. While Beast Rank 4 would be harder to defeat, the two groups still have some confidence.


    At least, they could gang it up if they couldn''t beat it alone.


    "Let''s split up."


    "Ok."


    Prince Lin Xian and the others took the left side while Lin Xiao and the others took the right side.


    "There are two boar rank 4 here. I and Princess Lan Yi Hua will fight one. The other one will be��you can choose two amongst you."


    Lin Xiao was still highly unfamiliar with their upgrade of strength since he only visited the Book Pavilion after coming out of the prison. They didn''t even spar yet, but he could sense their increase in aura and overall power just from a glance. It was just�� he was not sure about their ability.


    Lu Jian waved his hand. "Don''t me. I''m better at crowd control��"


    "Can you do something about your falsetto voice first?" Fan Ling''s face turned ugly. In any case, if she had to listen to Lu Jian''s singing when she was fighting, she would also want to vomit blood. How unfortunate of them to be unable to block his sound despite Lu Jian didn''t target them.


    Hearing that, Lu Jian''s expression turned odd and he smiled sheepishly. "That''s�� I''ll try to control it so that you can''t hear it."


    "Alright." Fan Ling pursed her lips and then raised her fan. "In that case, leave that boar to me. If I need help, I''ll tell you."


    "Ok."


    The others already knew that Fan Ling was close to Golden Core Stage. Well, albeit that close still meant a few more years, it was still quite good nevertheless.


    "Alright. Since you have decided, the others will fight the others beast rank 3."


    "Got it!"


    Swish!

 Chapter 233: Hunting (2)

    Saying that their formation was bad was quite insulting, but that was precisely what Lin Xiao thought when he saw his friends in that badly shaped formation. There were loopholes everywhere.


    He felt headache and then shook his head. "After this battle�� we need to fix our formation."


    "Ah."


    The others smiled sheepishly. They did train, but they mostly spend their training individually or with one other person. Due to that reason, they were also unfamiliar with each other when it came to a large group hunting like this.


    "Attack."


    Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua sped up towards the beast rank 4. The three beast rank 3 nearby detected them too, but before they could intercept, soundwaves had already attacked them. It prevented them from moving for a second as Han Jiang, Lin Yun, and Xia Ye came to intercept them.


    Slash!


    With a swing of his sword, Xia Ye killed the first boar then headed to the side where Fan Ling had approached the second one. His eyes focused on the weaker beast as he swung his sword once more, killing the beast with ease.


    Swish!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s body flickered as she reappeared near the boar. Her two small swords were plunged towards the boar''s body as she tried to gauge his defense. The attack barely went through the skin.


    Roar!


    The angry boar shook its large body and tried to push Princess Lan Yi Hua away. However, she had already disappeared from her position and reappeared on the back. This time, the twin swords were used to attack the boar''s leg.


    Slash! Slash! Slash!


    ''His defense is really good.''


    Gathering her Qi, Princess Lan Yi Hua used it to infuse into her sword. It was one of the basic skill that those at Foundation Establishment would learn. With another attack, the wound was even deeper.


    The boar wanted to struggle, but Lin Xiao had arrived before him. With strange footwork, Lin Xiao suddenly arrived at the side when the boar attempted to crush him with its large tooth. His hand had a sword that was pointed straight to the neck.


    Mountain Sword, Second Stance.


    Stab!


    The sword was plunged deep into the boar''s neck. Lin Xiao''s eyes flickered when he sensed the defense because he could tell that the boar''s skin was quite thick. While he managed to stab his sword, it had failed to reach the vital point.


    Before the boar could raise its front pay and tried to attack Lin Xiao, Lin Xiao had attempted to execute another move.


    Chilling Lake, First Move, Freeze!


    The Qi that he had infused into the sword moved as if they have their own lives. It stuck into the body of the boar and spread chilling coldness. Lin Xiao didn''t have ice attribute but lake was still essentially water. Cold water was close to ice, so he knew that this one move was one that perfectly illustrate the way lake move.


    The blood on the boar''s neck was frozen but its attack didn''t stop.


    Stomp! Swish!


    Lin Xiao had moved back. His eyes were focusing on the boar''s neck when he saw Princess Lan Yi Hua had also stepped back and moved to the side in order to see the wound that Lin Xiao had created. Her mouth was curled up to form a smile while her two hands were stretched to the front.


    She mouthed out without any sound, ''Twins'' Horns.''


    With that, her Qi moved from the two small swords in her hand towards the beasts. The Qi formed two lights as it headed towards the wound that Lin Xiao had made.


    Bang!


    The moment it was hit, there was dull sound of explosion and the boar roared as blood poured out like a waterfall. If Lin Xiao froze the blood to prevent it from having enough blood to its head, Princess Lan Yi Hua used her attack to create large gash around the previous wound, which made the blood that hadn''t been frozen to spill out.


    The boar roared once more as its large body fell down with a thud.


    "You''re amazing!" Lin Xiao''s eyes sparkled. The move that Princess Lan Yi Hua did could only be above the third form, which was skill that could only be learned when one reached Foundation Establishment. When one thought about how Princess Lan Yi Hua had only entered the Foundation Establishment in less than three months'' time, her progress was huge.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua merely smiled and shook her head. "It''s still imperfect."


    "Let''s clean up the rest."


    "Ok."


    While Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua began to clean up the other beast rank 3, Fan Ling was also busy fighting against the boar rank 4. She used her fan almost immediately and pointed towards it as a streak of Qi attacked its face.


    Roar!


    The boar was annoyed by the sudden disruption. The attack that Fan Ling used didn''t harm it in the slightest bit. However, Fan Ling was not worried as she moved to circle the boar. Her hand that was holding the fan didn''t even open the fan as she pointed several times.


    ''One, two, three��''


    Internally, she was counting, but outside, she looked as if she was only having fun. The boar didn''t have the capability to catch her, so it could only try to chase after Fan Ling, who was circling the boar happily.


    ''Seven.''


    When Fan Ling hit the boar''s body for the seventh time, the boar suddenly felt its body was unable to move. It was stunned as its large body fell down to the ground with a large thud. Its eyes widened as it tried to initiate its Qi in vain and despair began to show in his eyes.


    Afterwards, Fan Ling headed closer and smiled. "Good bye."


    Slash!


    The opened fan slashed through the boar''s neck and killed it easily.


    There was not even any time for the boar to speak anymore and blood oozed out. Without the Qi, the boar''s defense had fallen greatly, making it easy to kill it.

 Chapter 234: Hunting (3)

    On the left side, Prince Lin San had finished killing a beast and turned to look in the right direction. His lips twitched when he saw how they easily defeated the beast and then returned as if there was nothing wrong.


    "Are they seriously in their first year?" Prince Lin San muttered. They have only spent at most 10 months in the academy and yet, they were already capable to kill beast rank 4. He felt that the world was truly unfair.


    Prince Lin Xian scoffed. "That''s because you''re the only one who didn''t use your advantage fully. If you had chosen to use your power to strengthen your physical body, you wouldn''t be left behind like this."


    Slash!


    Prince Lin San merely passed a glance at his older brother then shook his head. While the Royal Family had advantage, they could only use it bit by bit to increase their strength. It took years before they could fully use the Dragon Power in their body.


    After all, the Heaven is fair and they would not let them be the only one with advantage. Though, the disadvantage of their ability was their inability to perceive the normal runes that was normally used. Instead, they have to use the dragon language, which those with low power would also find it difficult to read.


    It didn''t take long for them to clean up the rest of the beast rank 3. For them, beast rank 3 was nothing because they could defeat it with just an attack.


    "Did it hard for you?" Prince Lin San asked.


    Lin Xiao shook his head. "We''re good."


    "Alright. Let''s keep going like this. There are several more small groups like this ahead," Prince Lin Xian said with a smile.


    "More? How did you find out so fast?"


    "There''s a scout ahead that already informed us about the position of beasts from time to time. When you form a group, you need to remember that there are also important positions that you need your members to fill," Prince Lin Xian explained kindly.


    Hearing how these two princes still treated him well, Lin Xiao was a bit perplexed. However, he nodded his head at their advice. Probably they were thinking of him as their junior, thus they chose to help out?


    Lin Xiao didn''t fully understand, but he still continued to stay with them.


    In the end, they fought around 6 small groups of beasts and have more than 300 ears each group. Lin Xiao calculated the result and felt satisfied. They had gotten around 20,000 contribution points. If they could hunt like this every single day, it was not hard for them to collect the necessary 700,000 contribution points.


    It was no wonder that there were a lot of groups that came to the mountain to train.


    "Alright, we''ll rest here. Set up camp." Prince Lin Xian finally stopped.


    "Yes!"


    Prince Lin Xian turned to look at Lin Xiao. "You can set up your camp near us or further away. This area is quite spacious."


    Lin Xiao nodded. Aside from the fact that there were some uneven grounds, the place where Prince Lin Xian chose to stop was quite good. They would be able to rest here and didn''t need to worry so much.


    "Fan Ling, you guard first or are you tired?"


    "Tired?" Fan Ling laughed heartily. "There''s no way I''m tired with such low level exercise. No worry for me."


    "Alright."


    They took turns to defeat the beast rank 4 on their journey. While the result might not be that satisfying each time, they also familiarized themselves with the others and learned how to collaborate better after their strength had increased.


    Prince Lin San motioned for Lin Xiao to come with him.


    Lin Yun followed from behind as he couldn''t possibly leave his brother alone. The others also looked in their direction and kept their vigilance. The two groups were only collaborating with each other and might not necessarily be that friendly.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was also looking over with a crease on her forehead. However, Lin Xiao signaled for her to wait because he didn''t sense any hostile intention from the two princes. In fact, he had already guessed what they might want to ask him.


    ''Be careful,'' Lin Hu warned.


    ''I know.''


    With a wave of his hand, Prince Lin Xian had already sealed the area with his Qi. It would prevent their voices from leaking out more than the radius there.


    "So, Prince Lin Xiao?" Prince Lin San called out.


    Lin Xiao was stunned but he kept his expression still. He looked at Prince Lin San and sneered. "What are you talking about? I''m nothing more than a country bumpkin who��"


    "No, I checked on you just now and feel that aura that should only belong to a prince or those of Royal Family members." Prince Lin San was calm. He knew that Lin Xiao would deny that, but he had used his ability to check on him and knew that Lin Xiao was surely a prince.


    And not only that�� the dragon power inside his body was stronger than the four princes who were supposed to be eligible for the throne.


    It was then Prince Lin San felt that he realized why Lin Xiao was going against those four princes openly and didn''t even mask his intention. As someone who also had the possibility of attaining the throne, Lin Xiao would surely go against them sooner or later.


    Though going against them now openly was quite stupid, that was just how Lin Xiao was. And this was made Prince Lin San wanted to figure out more about this fifth prince who might ascend the throne.


    ...


    In case you need it, Beast Ranking and the estimated strength:


    Unranked: Untrained people to Body Training Rank 3


    Rank 1: Body Training Rank 6 to 7


    Rank 2: Body Training Rank 8 to 10


    Rank 3: Foundation Establishment


    Rank 4: Golden Core Stage 1


    Rank 5: Golden Core Stage 2


    Rank 6: Golden Core Stage 3

 Chapter 235: Conversation

    Though going against them now openly was quite stupid, that was just how Lin Xiao was. And this was made Prince Lin San wanted to figure out more about this fifth prince who might ascend the throne.


    While Prince Lin San could see the truth, Prince Lin Xian was different. After all, he didn''t use the dragon power within his body to strengthen his eyes and rather, he used them to strengthen his body. This allowed him to be stronger than most of the people of his peer and might be able to contend against the ninth prince.


    Not that he wanted to, though.


    With his puny little Dragon power and no qualification to even open that door, Prince Lin Xian knew his place and just tried to get stronger. He didn''t want to be used like a puppet by the prince who would ascend the throne later.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Your ability is truly peculiar."


    Prince Lin San chuckled. He looked at Lin Xiao with curiosity. "So, is Lin Xiao your real name or��."


    "It''s real. I lived in the remote village for most of my lives and I don''t even remember when I first come there and lived with his parents," Lin Xiao said while pointing at Lin Yun beside him.


    Lin Yun was keeping a straight face, but he was ready to attack in case Lin Xiao was in any danger. While the amount of Qi they have was lesser compared to the two princes, they should be able to run with their movement skill.


    Prince Lin San raised his head and looked at Lin Yun. "Both of you are princes, at least, you both have Royal blood. However, is he truly your real brother?"


    Lin Xiao smiled but didn''t answer. Internally, he was quite shocked, though. He had thought that Lin Yun''s parent picked him up because of coincidence but as it turned out, Lin Yun''s parent was also royalty?


    Lin Yun looked at Prince Lin San. "Why should we tell you?"


    Prince Lin San looked at his older brother, who was keeping a straight face. But living with his older brother for years, he obviously knew that his older brother was confused why his younger brother suddenly acted politely towards this young man. After all, Lin Xiao was known for going against Prince Lin Kai.


    "That''s because if you want to aim for the throne, I''ll rather pick you."


    "Huh?" Prince Lin Xian was stunned and looked at his younger brother in shock. Prince Lin San''s ability was so peculiar that no other people could possibly duplicate. To be able to see the truth beneath any mask was a skill that many people wished they could achieve in their entire life.


    However, it required strict requirement in their mental state. Prince Lin San was one of the few who had fulfilled the requirement and decided to head in that direction. This allowed him to have the pair of eyes that was strengthened with dragon power and could see beneath the truth.


    If his younger brother suddenly said something like that�� did it mean that Lin Xiao actually had more qualification to ascend the throne more than the other four princes?


    While Prince Lin Xian''s mind was filled with questions, Lin Xiao looked at Prince Lin San. "What makes you think that I want to ascend the throne?"


    "You''re going against the other four princes covertly and openly. From what I see, the only reason why you want to go against them is because you know that you''re aiming for the throne. And based on the dragon power that I can sense in your body�� you''re far superior than all four of them." Prince Lin San was blunt.


    Lin Xiao pursed his lips. Of course he was superior. With a real life dragon in his consciousness, he knew for sure that there couldn''t be anyone to rival him except if they meet someone who had also obtained the Emperor''s Inheritance and wished to fight against Lin Xiao.


    But of course, the land was so vast that it was almost impossible to find another True Emperor again.


    ''Lin Hu, should I trust him?''


    ''Ask him to pledge with his heart and strength. That''s the only way you can possibly trust Royal Family member.''


    "I see. But how can I trust a Royal Family members like you?" Lin Xiao asked with a faint smile on his lips.


    "Am I correct?" Prince Lin San asked in urgent expression.


    Lin Xiao faintly nodded.


    In that moment, Prince Lin San smiled brightly then bowed down. He looked at Lin Xiao with sincere expression. "In that case, I, Lin San, pledge to never try to take the throne over Lin Xiao should he become the Emperor and shall help him to become the Emperor. Should I break this oath, may the Heaven kill me."


    "Lin San." Prince Lin Xian was stunned.


    Prince Lin San ignored his brother while Lin Xiao was looking at Prince Lin San with interest. There was faint Qi moving around his body after he had made the oath as if the Heaven was responding to his request.


    It was interesting.


    ''Is that flow of Qi mark that the oath is taken by the Heaven?''


    ''Yes. With the Heaven as the witness, there''s no way Lin San can ever go back on his words.'' Lin Hu looked at the young prince while nodding his head. ''He''s not cultivating the eyes of truth for nothing.''


    Eyes of truth.


    Lin Xiao had heard about it, but he didn''t expect that what Prince Lin San used was precisely that technique. Looking at the prince before him, Lin Xiao felt that he had truly gained a remarkable follower.


    With Prince Lin San helping him, he might be able to gain foothold in the Royal Family.


    "Your Highness!"


    Those outside were completely stunned and called out like crazy. They couldn''t believe that Prince Lin San would bow down to someone other than his parents. After all, they all knew how proud these Royal Family members were.

 Chapter 236: Family?

    With a wave of his hand, Prince Lin San silenced his men. They were still looking at him with perplexed expression, but the young man didn''t explain anything.


    Prince Lin Xian looked at his younger brother and asked softly. "San, are you serious?"


    "Yes."


    "Why?"


    Why?


    Prince Lin San couldn''t explain it by himself. When he first met with Lin Xiao, he thought the latter was nothing more than a country bumpkin who was eager to eat so many new foods. But upon knowing that his surname was Lin, he tried to check on him.


    Only to find himself perplexed.


    The aura around Lin Xiao''s body was that of an Emperor. While the young man was only 17 years old, he had already had the aura that was comparable to their father�� no, it might be even more.


    Because of that, Prince Lin San knew that if someone else other than Lin Xiao took the throne, they have to kill Lin Xiao. As long as Lin Xiao was still alive, the young man will take the throne sooner or later.


    "That''s because he''s the most suitable," Prince Lin San said solemnly.


    Looking at his younger brother, Prince Lin Xian sighed then he bowed down too. He trusted his younger brother and previously, the reason why they have never agreed to follow any of the prince was because Prince Lin San said to wait. They also wanted to grow stronger first, so they always made up excuse whenever the four princes tried to rope them in.


    Now��


    "I, Lin Xian, pledge to never try to take the throne over Lin Xiao should he become the Emperor and shall help him to become the Emperor. Should I break this oath, may the Heaven kill me."


    Hearing the two oath said at the same time made Lin Xiao''s expression turned strange. "I thought you''re Prince Lin Fei''s followers."


    "We never follow any of the four princes and only got close to them to gain some information regarding the fight for the throne," Prince Lin San explained with a smile. He looked at Lin Xiao with interest. "Now, Your Highness, could you tell me who your parents are?"


    "�� I don''t know."


    "Huh?"


    "I was an orphan picked up by Yun''s parents and since then I lived with them. It''s only because of some fruitful incident that I come to know that I''m one of the princes and that�� I need to take the throne."


    Or I will die.


    Thinking about that Emperor''s Inheritance, Lin Xiao still wished that he could beat up whoever set it up. Why did it was said that those who got it have to become the Emperor, ah? He didn''t want to create so many enemies in the first place.


    However, eventually, Lin Xiao had already accepted it and worked hard.


    "Orphan��" Prince Lin San was stunned speechless. His brain racked on the powerful princes who were lost during the time he was born as his expression turned strange. He looked at the headband that Lin Xiao used, which covered his eyebrows too, making it hard to guess just how Lin Xiao actually looked like.


    "Brother, did I and His Highness look similar?"


    "HUH?" Prince Lin Xian was absolutely speechless. He looked at Lin Xiao and then at his younger brother. At first glance, it was hard to tell because Lin Xiao''s skin was quite tanned as the result of his training and spending his time in the forest. However, it was soon clear that they were indeed similar to each other.


    In fact, quite similar just like a mirror.


    "Yes�� You��."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. Please don''t tell me that this prince is my brother��


    "You might be Lin San''s twin brother��" Prince Lin Xian''s voice was a bit strained when he spoke that. "When Lin San was three, you''re currently away because some people heard about the dragon power that''s abnormally stronger amongst the twins. Our parents took him away but they never return."


    "Never return?" Lin Xiao asked with a frown.


    Prince Lin Xian pursed his lips. "They''re killed on their journey, so we always assume that Lin San''s twins had died."


    Lin Xiao was stunned. He looked at Lin Yun with disbelief but Lin Yun then looked at Lin Xiao. He sighed then asked, "Are their name Lin Meng and Huan Ru Ying?"


    Prince Lin San''s eyes trembled. He nodded excitedly just like a child. "Yes!"


    "In that case, it''s true." Lin Yun looked at his brother and cupped his hand. "Congratulations for finding your real family, Your Highness."


    "What are you talking about. Even though I find them, you''ll always be my younger brother!" Lin Xiao laughed and patted Lin Yun''s shoulder. He was both happy and conflicted at the same time. Who would have thought that he would actually meet with his brothers like this?


    "Yes, you can be our brothers too," Prince Lin San added with a grin.


    Lin Yun felt overwhelmed but he cupped his hand. He would never have thought that his older brother, who was always so naughty and mischievous would actually have such an honorable background. "I''m honored."


    "Heh, without you, we won''t even meet with each other!"


    "It''s my older brother who always protect me."


    "You''re so humble."


    The others were stunned when they saw the four of them started laughing like old friends. They were all utterly confused as to why they got so close so suddenly. Did they eat something wrong?


    "I need to tell Second Young Prince." Prince Lin Xian was excited.


    "Second Young Prince?"


    Lin San nodded. "You see, our parents really love to make children and have four children in total. The first son is the Second Young Prince. His name is Lin Yan and he''s already 28 years old. When we were young, he was the one who protected us as our older brother."


    Lin Xiao nodded. Based on the information he got, he could guess that when they lost their parents, they were all still very young. The oldest was only around 14 years old and yet, he had to bear the burden of his two younger brother.


    It was not easy.

 Chapter 237: The Secret

    "Is he also here?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Prince Lin San shook his head. "He''s not in the mission here if that''s what you''re asking. Our Brother had already reached Golden Core Stage 2, but he refused to take graduation exam because he wants to be able to stay in the academy to watch over us."


    "Oh right, how come I didn''t meet you in the academy?" Lin Xiao asked again. He had never seen Prince Lin San there even though they were supposed to be of the same age.


    Looking at Lin Xiao, Prince Lin San smiled sheepishly. "I''m one year above you. I entered Sun Dragon Academy last year."


    Lin Xiao: "��" no wonder.


    During the one week after the entrance examination, the seniors were also allowed to go into the capital city to play. Prince Lin San might have used that chance to walk around and coincidentally met with Lin Xiao, who was also roaming around.


    At that time, they didn''t know each other and treated each other courteously.


    Lin Xiao glanced at the men that followed Lin San. "There''s something else that I need to tell you, but this might not be the right place."


    "Ah, ok."


    Prince Lin San pulled his older brother, who was busy contacting their first brother while they headed into the forest. The others wanted to follow them, but Prince Lin San looked at them with warning, preventing them from even getting close to them.


    Lin Yun looked at his older brother with question but he soon understood what Lin Xiao wanted to do. He kept his silence and chose to agree with what Lin Xiao did because Lin Xiao would need to convince the other two about this.


    They entered the woods where the trees covered their vision. Prince Lin Xian had already finished making the call and sent images over along with his memory recording. It was a high skill technique that only Golden Core Stage cultivators could do, but it seemed that Lin Xian had the skill.


    "What is it?" Prince Lin San asked curiously.


    Lin Xiao smiled and reached out to his headband. He always used it continuously in fear that someone might noticed the mark on his forehead. But now, he wanted to show it to these two.


    As he had opened his headband, the crown mark on his forehead was clear. Both Prince Lin San and Prince Lin Xian were stunned speechless. Their scholarly appearance that they kept before was thrown to the back as they got closer to Lin Xiao and looked at the mark intently.


    If they didn''t know what that mark was, it meant that they were complete idiot.


    "That�� that��."


    "Emperor''s Inheritance." Lin Xian felt that the world was falling apart. After so many years Emperor''s Inheritance didn''t appear in this place, now one appear. Not only that, it was obtained by his younger brother.


    He felt the world is too bizarre.


    Lin Xiao smiled bitterly. "Honestly, I don''t even know that I have dragon power in my body until I got this. But since I already have this, I have the obligation to sit on that place no matter what."


    Prince Lin San nodded. Now he understood why his eyes of truth had that strange foretelling to him. It was saying to him that Lin Xiao had to become the Emperor and that was the truth.


    Those who obtained Emperor''s Inheritance had to inherit the throne or they would die and the kingdom where they were born would be plunged into deep chaos and finally destroyed. After all, the human had defied the one chosen by the Heaven and the world would not forgive them for killing him.


    "San, you''re the best," Prince Lin Xian said in choked voice. Not only they found out the truth about their younger brother but also the fact that he was someone who had the Emperor''s Inheritance.


    He had to obtain the throne.


    But even if many people heard the legend of what happened to a kingdom should the one who had Emperor''s Inheritance died because of his own people, many didn''t want to believe it. The tales came from many years ago and a lot of people didn''t believe in its authentic anymore.


    "Ha ha ha�� I can''t believe it myself." Prince Lin San closed his eyes and ruminated. To think that he would find everything out like this�� what an irony that reuniting with his younger brother actually led to this.


    Lin Xiao wore the headband again. He was not the only one who wore headband amongst cultivators because many saw it as something cool. Thanks to this, he didn''t attract many suspicious gazes looking at him when he was wearing the headband.


    They only treated it as his sense of fashion that liked the headband.


    Prince Lin Xian glanced at the Communication Jade. "First Brother will come here in a few months'' time. We should continue to hunt during that time."


    "Got it."


    "Also, can I tell them that you''re actually of Royal Family to my men, Your��"


    "Call me using my name." Lin Xiao didn''t want so many people calling him with honorific. He was already tortured enough by his men and didn''t want his brothers, whom he finally met after so many years, to add it.


    Prince Lin San smiled. "Lin Xiao, do you mind if I tell them you''re a prince? I won''t leak it that you''re my twin brother, though."


    It was not a secret that Prince Lin San''s twin brother had quite a lot of dragon power even as a child. This had caused many people to be wary back then and eventually led to the assassination targeted at such a young toddler.


    If they knew that Lin Xiao was actually that toddler, there might be more people who were aiming for his lives again. Lin Xiao wouldn''t want to put his life in danger again so quickly.


    "Can you trust them?"


    "If its these men, yes."


    "Alright. Just the fact that I''m a Royal Family member but ask them to not leak it to anyone."

 Chapter 238: Their Decision

    "Naturally."


    They returned back to the group. Lin Xiao could see that the others were looking at him with curious gaze. He knew that it might be time for him to explain to his men about his real identity too.


    He slowly took out a necklace. The necklace was brown in color as if it was made of bronze. In the center of the necklace was a small dragon. The entire color of the necklace was brown, which made it looked like a cheap accessory.


    However, the people here were all not ordinary people. They all instantly understood what Lin Xiao meant when he took out that pendant�� which was extremely surprising for them.


    "You''re a Royal Family member?" Han Jiang finally asked first.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Yeah, I just figured this out around a year ago. Before that, I don''t even know I have this with me."


    The memory of when he found the letter back in the house resurfaced to his mind as Lin Xiao let out a hollow laugh. It was quite the irony for him to find out that he was a Royal Family member after living as an ordinary country bumpkin person for years.


    "I see��" Fan Ling''s eyes glowed with interest, but she accepted quickly. For someone like her, who had already seen quite a lot of wonders ever since she was young, this was nothing much.


    Lu Jian rubbed his chin. "No wonder you said that you want to sit there. It seems that you have your own reason."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at the necklace as she thought of something. Afterwards, her face turned slightly red but no one else could notice it in this darkness as their attention was focused on the necklace.


    Lin Xiao could see that the four of them were quick to accept that. However, there was one problem. He looked over to Xia Ye, who was looking at Lin Xiao with complicated gaze.


    "Is there anything you want to ask me, Xia Ye?"


    "That''s�� do you have any relationship with Prince Lin Fei?"


    "He''s an enemy."


    Xia Ye nodded. He thought for a moment before adding. "The Emperor?"


    "Probably long distance relative that I didn''t care?" Lin Xiao asked back with uncertain tone. He had no interest to figure out more about his parent''s relationship with the Emperor. All he knew was that his parents were murdered because of him��


    He hated himself for that fact.


    Prince Lin Xian and Prince Lin San both didn''t know who killed their parents because they were still nothing more than children back then. Only Prince Lin Yan might know something and Lin Xiao would try to ask him later.


    Xia Ye nodded then relaxed. "Then it didn''t matter. I only want to kill the Emperor and the ninth prince."


    "Grudges?" Fan Ling asked in relaxed tone.


    "Yeah." Within that one word, the others could feel his burning desire of revenge and also rage deep inside. They were all tactful enough to not ask for more information because they knew that it would only hurt the young man.


    "Let''s rest. We''ll continue with his pace of hunting." Lin Xiao waved his hand.


    "Yes!"


    Lin Xiao was about to rest but he felt Princess Lan Yi Hua tugged his clothes. He was stunned but then looked at her with his clear eyes, inquiring why she suddenly called him like that. Her face was slightly red now that he focused his attention on her.


    "What is it, Yi Hua?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s face turned redder at Lin Xiao''s way of calling her. She got closer and then leaned in to whisper something to his ear.


    And in the next second, Lin Xiao was utterly stunned.


    Before he could ask more, Princess Lan Yi Hua had escaped to her tent that she built before. Lin Xiao stood still for a few more seconds before a smile formed on the corner of his lips. It seemed that the girl had started to accept him.


    "Somehow, I don''t like seeing his foolish grin," Lu Jian commented.


    Lin Yun arched his eyebrows. "You''re just jealous of him."


    "Tsk."


    Seeing Lu Jian sulking while Han Jiang sighed, Lin Yun was amused. These two were both single men and obviously they felt the torture of watching how Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua got closer every single day. No one wanted to be fed with dog food whenever they were staying near Lin Xiao.


    Hmm, come to think about it, he still needed to figure out how to get even closer to Fan Ling. She did treat him well but Lin Yun knew that he was still not at that level with her. He needed to work harder.


    ��


    They rested for the day and continued their hunt the next day. With the two groups collaborating with each other, it only took around a month for them to reach 1 million and if this continued, they would be able to finish collecting the necessary points by 7 months at most.


    All of them were treating this more like a training, yet they didn''t lower their vigilance in the slightest bit. After all, if they underestimated their opponent, the price they might need to pay would be their lives.


    Danger was everywhere and it was especially so in a secluded place like this filled with beasts all around.


    Two months passed by quickly but the two groups were still collaborating with each other.


    "Don''t you need to return back soon?" Lin Xiao asked curiously. Seeing how they trailed behind them like this made it looked like a grand escort in this forest.


    Prince Lin San shook his head. "We''ve only been here for a year or so. Since this place is good for us collecting a lot of beast cores and also the carcasses, we plan to stay here for a longer period of time."


    The beast carcasses could be sold for quite a hefty sum since it was used by those working in food field. Meat of higher ranked beast was obviously quite valuable.

 Chapter 239: Against Beast Rank 5

    While Lin Xiao felt a bit awkward of the sudden addition to his family members, both Prince Lin San and Prince Lin Xian maintained their distance. They slowly closed the gap so that they would not make Lin Xiao uncomfortable and grew closer over the past few months.


    Another four months flashed by, which meant that they were already in the forest for half a year, and there was no sign of their older brother appearing. The others didn''t find it strange since they knew that their brother was stronger and naturally busier.


    At the same time, Lin Xiao continued to practice his skill.


    "There''s beast rank 5 in front of us. Do you want to fight it?" Prince Lin San asked. His current strength was more or less the same with Lin Xiao, probably even slightly lower since he was not someone who focused on combat. However, he still had good use of his eyes, which could identify his enemies'' weakness easily.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes shone. He nodded. "I want to know how my ability compared to Golden Core State Cultivators will be. Originally, I plan to just test my power but with you guys around, it''s not impossible to hunt one, right?"


    Not to mention, the lucrative contribution points once they succeed��


    It would definitely make them finish their mission faster.


    Prince Lin San laughed as if he could read Lin Xiao''s mind. "Well, sure. We have confidence in our movement skills too."


    Lin Xiao nodded and looked at the others. Survival was always the priority and when they were at lower cultivation rank, the skill that they had to prioritize was their movement and escaping skill. It would prove to be very beneficial when they faced someone stronger than them.


    But if the gap was too big�� in front of absolute power, all tricks and scheme were useless.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. "We''ll be able to run away too if we can''t deal with the beast. Don''t worry about us."


    "Alright. Let''s go then."


    "Wait, make sure that you have concrete plan before you go out, Brother." Lin Yun quickly stopped his brother before he made reckless decision. Knowing Lin Xiao, who would often just use his fist and think on the battle, he had to stop Lin Xiao first. That method would work on Lin Xiao but not others.


    Many of them needed to prepare the plan meticulously before they set off or they might not even be able to stay alive.


    "Five of us will engage in close combat. Lu Jian will help by controlling the crowd with his voice��. Make sure that you exclude us from your voice please. And then, the others tried to keep the other beasts'' busy." Lin Xiao smiled.


    Those in Lin Xiao group sighed and nodded to signal that they understood. On the other hand, Prince Lin San and Prince Lin Xian was speechless. It seemed that their little brother was a bit��peculiar.


    The way Lin Xiao gave his command was vague, but since it was vague, it was also simple and could be done easily. The only problem was when they couldn''t match each other''s pace and might need to ask for help.


    The other two princes quickly gave detailed instruction to their men in case they couldn''t understood Lin Xiao''s vague instruction. It would be better than getting themselves annihilated on the spot.


    "Let''s go!"


    Rushing in the forest, the five of them: Prince Lin San, Prince Lin Xian, Lin Xiao, Princess Lan Yi Hua, and Fan Ling, were at the front. The others were following from behind as they erased their presence and sneaked closer to the beast.


    With their current skill, erasing their presence was a piece of cake. However, the beast rank 5 immediately recognized them when they were within 100 meters'' range. Clearly, they couldn''t underestimate the beast at all.


    "Prepare for combat!"


    Swish!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua always rushed first and her presence would disappear completely when she made her movement skill. It was as if the skill was not only used to move faster but also to ambush someone without them prepared. It was really amazing and even after seeing a few times, they still felt that the princess was like an assassin.


    Slash!


    The beast rank five was a large bear. It was over four times their size and roared angrily when Princess Lan Yi Hua scratched its'' skin.


    "Body''s strength is around 15 or more," Princess Lan Yi Hua shouted. It also meant that her weapon couldn''t'' work well anymore. Her physical strength was at 13 after she had broken through to Foundation Establishment and her attack could mostly injure those at the same rank and created damage at those at 14. Since this was barely a scratch, the defense should be around 15.


    Roar!


    As the bear roared angrily, Fan Ling stopped in her pace as her fan fluttered and pointed to the beast. A light shot towards the bear, yet it shattered even before it could get close. Her eyes narrowed.


    "Qi Shield!"


    After being provoked by Princess Lan Yi Hua, the beast showed its skill, which was to create a defensive Qi. If the attack was not strong enough, they wouldn''t be able to break it.


    "Let me." Prince Lin San''s hand took out a sword out of nowhere. He pointed at the front and then moved swiftly to one side before stabbing at the shield.


    Crack!


    The shield shattered.


    At this time, Lin Xiao could see that Prince Lin San''s eyes glowed a bit. While it was hidden within his bangs and the light was not too noticeable, he knew what it represented very well.


    ''To think that eyes of truth could be used like this.''


    Lin Xiao was astonished, but his legs didn''t stop moving as he rushed over to the bear. Without the shield, he could get close to the bear easily. A sword appeared on Lin Xiao''s hand as he struck towards the bear''s leg.


    Mountain Sword, First Stance!


    ��


    Contribution points'' rate, in case you need it:


    Beast Rank 1: 1 contribution point.


    Beast Rank 2: 10 contribution point.


    Beast Rank 3: 100 contribution point.


    Beast Rank 4: 1000 contribution points.


    Beast Rank 5: 10,000 contribution points.


    Beast Rank 6: 100,000 contribution points

 Chapter 240: Against Beast Rank 5 (2)

    Roar!


    The angry beast kicked towards Lin Xiao after that attack. Lin Xiao managed to escape, but the sheer pressure had disrupted the flow of Qi inside his body. His heart was shaken at the thought that the beast was much stronger than him.


    The place where he attacked barely created any wound. It looked so pitiful just like a scratch and nothing more.


    Prince Lin Xian was also a swordsman as he held his sword. He furrowed his brows and then raised his sword while he was still a distance away. Muttering something, lights appeared from the tip of his sword as he began to move.


    It was similar with Princess Lan Yi Hua, but there were much more light.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes widened as she held her twin sword at the front. While she couldn''t create much damage, she could annoy the bear and distract it from the real damaging attack.


    Swish!


    Bang! Bang!


    The sword Qi they produced headed straight to the bear''s head as it roared. The soundwave immediately blocked some of the sword Qi but the rest still managed to hit its head without any difficulties.


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched when he saw the bear''s face was filled with scratch. However, neither one of them managed to hit its vital point during their exchange. The bear was tough��


    "Have you ever fought against beast rank 5 before?"


    "Hmm?" Prince Lin Xian shook his head. "Not yet. However, even though beast rank 5 is close in strength with Golden Core Stage Cultivator, there''s still quite a distance between a Foundation Establishment Cultivator who''s about to make a breakthrough and the real Golden Core Stage Cultivator."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao''s expression turned solemn. He had been thinking that he might have a chance to go against those powerful cultivators when he was still at Foundation Establishment Stage. But it seemed that his dream was too stupid.


    The gap between their strength was too much.


    Crack!


    Prince Lin San immediately break the next shield that the bear formed. His brows furrowed. "I can''t see the bear''s weakness because it''s much stronger than me. However, I''ll be able to destroy the Qi shield it formed easily."


    "I''ll leave the task of destroying the Qi shield to you."


    "Aye."


    Swish!


    Prince Lin Xian got closer while he noticed that Fan Ling had also attacked the bear''s leg once more. Her fan fluttered as flames were produced. However, there was determined gaze in her eyes that would stop anyone from getting close to her.


    ''What a scorching flame,'' Prince Lin Xian muttered when he saw the area below the bear had turned into a field of flame. It was quite scary to think that such a petite woman was capable to create such fire.


    Raising his sword once more, prince Lin Xian began to make his preparation as he murmured several words. No one was crazy enough to shout the skill they were about to use even when they were facing beasts.


    He only muttered it silently or in their hearts.


    Dragon Roar Swords, Second Stance.


    In but a moment, Prince Lin Xian had appeared not far from the bear with its body partially in midair. As if he was walking on the air, Prince Lin Xian rushed and the sound of flesh tearing could be heard.


    Slash!


    Blood poured on the ground followed by the sound of the bear roaring.


    Bang!


    Prince Lin Xian evaded almost immediately and then coughed. Just like Lin Xiao, he managed to escape the attack but not the wave of Qi. It was so fast and they couldn''t even see it.


    Lin Xiao could see the bear''s neck was now torn in quite a deep wound. However, the blood that poured out would not be enough to kill the bear at all.


    "I''ll go."


    "Wait, the disruption of your Qi is dangerous!" Prince Lin Xian warned in hurry.


    "I''m fine."


    With the Nourishing Lake Technique fully operating within Lin Xiao''s body, he only required a few seconds to recover to his previous condition. While the attack that Prince Lin Xian did looked long, it was actually only a few seconds.


    Swish!


    Lake Mirror.


    Several of Lin Xiao''s shadow appeared on the place where he previously was located. It looked as if there were several more people who were charging towards the beast. At the same time, Lin Xiao raised his sword and muttered silently.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Second Stance!


    The sword was aimed towards the bear''s neck where the wound was located. However, the bear swiftly evaded and the sword barely grazed its skin.


    Behind him, Princess Lan Yi Hua had also appeared and inserted Qi into her twin sword as she rushed over to the bear''s back. With determined expression, she plunged the small sword deep into the bear''s back.


    Roar!


    Lin Xiao kicked the bear''s leg and prompted himself on the air. His eyes were focused on the wound as he muttered to himself.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Third Stance.


    Stab!


    Coldness began to permeate from within Lin Xiao''s sword and in but a moment, the area where the sword pierced had turned into ice. Lin Xiao retreated back and saw the bear''s paw hitting him at that moment.


    Bang!


    Flung to the trees, Lin Xiao coughed. He truly needed a skill that would allow him to walk midair. If this continues, he would be at utter disadvantage whenever someone who could fly fought him.


    ''You''ll be able to float when you reach Golden Core Stage,'' Lin Hu''s swords stopped Lin Xiao''s thought of searching for technique.


    He glanced and saw Prince Lin Xian had also stood up again and rushed towards the beast. His sword danced on the air before it headed towards the same wound again. The frozen area was still spreading on one side and he created a large gash on the chest before he kicked it to bring himself back, thus avoiding the attack.


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched when he saw that. it seemed that he should have been able to do the same if only he was careful enough.

 Chapter 241: Reunion

    Lin Hu also marveled. ''To be able to analyze the situation and replicate your attack, your second brother is not bad, Lin Xiao.''


    ''Why are you praising him so high? Without me getting attacked first, he''ll not be able to do that.''


    ''Tsk, you''re just jealous of your brother.''


    Roar!


    The bear scratched the area where it was frozen and chunk it away. A lump of meat and blood was swiftly discarded and yet, the bear still looked so energetic despite the small crate that was formed near its neck.


    "So tough," Princess Lan Yi Hua muttered. Her two hands were forming the same skill as before as light began to shut out of the edge of her daggers. This time, she obviously aimed towards the open crate on the bear.


    At the same time, Prince Lin San also moved to the side and pierced a spot in the air. The bear was trying to form Qi Shield again, but it had failed because Prince Lin San was faster than its movement.


    "Lin Xiao, are you alright?" Fan Ling asked as she formed the wind to maintain the fire. She could see the bear''s movement was restricted due to the fire, but she didn''t know how long this would last.


    Lin Xiao quickly replied, "Yes!"


    Rushing back into the group, they could see that Lin Xiao was still full of vitality. Aside from the fact that his clothes were crumpled and there was trail of blood on the corner of his lips, he looked mostly fine.


    Seeing his state, they released a sigh of relief.


    Thankfully, nothing happened to him.


    But really, this brat was truly reckless. That was what the others thought when they recalled how Lin Xiao bravely tried to challenge the beast head on. No matter what, Beast Rank 5 was equivalent to Golden Core Stage Rank 2.


    It was much stronger than Beast Rank 4 that they had already managed to defeat from time to time if they collaborated with each other. Well, it also usually depended on the races, though.


    "Shall we continue?" Prince Lin Xian asked in grave tone. He had already used more than half of his Qi reserve and he could see that the bear barely used 20 percent of its overall strength.


    The others were also not in good condition. While Both Princess Lan Yi Hua and Fan Ling were not wounded hard, the pressure was already giving them a hard time. Not to mention, both Prince Lin Xian and Lin Xiao was struck down twice and might not be able to recover so quickly.


    "We''ll retreat. Fan Ling, use your wind to keep it busy, Yi Hua, use your twin skill."


    "Ok."


    The two girls immediately unleased their skill while they all made their retreat from the beasts. The other men, who were busy keeping the other bears busy were also retreating one by one.


    Swish!


    Roar!


    The bear was angry when he saw the puny humans tried to run away. He was a proud beast rank 5 and to think that these puny humans wanted to escape after making a mess of his residence.


    Unforgivable!


    Roar!


    As soundwave attack hit them, they all staggered. The weaker one nearly collapsed on the spot while those stronger had some resistance. Many of their faces'' turned pale as they looked at the beast.


    So it seemed that beast rank 5 was still above their league.


    Far above their league.


    They should just be satisfied with hunting beast rank 3 and occasional beast rank 4 if they still treasured their lives.


    Bang!


    Just as the bear was about to give them a chase, it stopped abruptly and then moved back while roaring at the sky. From the way it behaved, it looked as if it was afraid of something that they couldn''t see.


    In the next second, a sword Qi went straight towards the bear and pierced through its heart as if it was nothing more than a mirage. The bear didn''t even get the chance to roar as it fell on the ground with a large thud.


    Silence.


    The other bears roared before they began to make their escape. If their leader at rank 5 couldn''t even withstand the attack, what could them, beast rank 3 and occasional rank 4, do? They instinctively ran away from the spot, not wanting to stay there any longer.


    Lin Xiao watched everything with a dumbfounded expression. He turned to look at the sky as a figure descended near them.


    The man didn''t look that old, similar to those at their mid twenties. He had regal aura and also wearing expensive robe that seemed to be able to be only reserved for royalty. Not to mention, Lin Xiao could faintly feel familiar aura from the man.


    "First Brother!"


    "Big Brother!"


    Hearing the two other princes called him as such, Lin Xiao was dumbstruck and looked at the man once more. This person�� his big brother?


    Recalling how the man managed to defeat the bear, whom they fought for so long without any result, with such ease, Lin Xiao felt that the gap between him and his older brother was so big.


    ''He''s already at Golden Core Stage 2. If he still can''t defeat that bear, it''ll be a disgrace,'' Lin Hu informed. He was at Golden Core Stage 1, one rank higher than Lin Xiao, so he could estimate Prince Lin Yan''s strength easily.


    ''But it didn''t mean that he could slaughter them.''


    ''Well, only geniuses can be accepted in Sun Dragon Academy.''


    Lin Xiao: "��" He had no way to retort that because it was simply the truth and the low number of graduate also proved that it was not easy to survive as genius.


    ...


    In case you need it, Beast Ranking and the estimated strength:


    Unranked: Untrained people to Body Training Rank 3


    Rank 1: Body Training Rank 6 to 7


    Rank 2: Body Training Rank 8 to 10


    Rank 3: Foundation Establishment


    Rank 4: Golden Core Stage 1


    Rank 5: Golden Core Stage 2


    Rank 6: Golden Core Stage 3

 Chapter 242: Reunion (2)

    Prince Lin Yan, the man who came, glanced at them with indifferent gaze. However, there was a warm light in his eyes when he looked at his younger brothers despite his cold expression betrayed nothing.


    Seeing him appear here, Prince Lin San was quick to react and ordered his men to stay far away and clean up the beast carcass.


    Lin Xiao waved his hand, telling him to take the beast''s corpse because it would be too much for him. His group''s strength was nowhere enough to defeat Beast Rank 5 and it was more plausible for Lin Xian''s group to collect the ear.


    "What makes you so adamant to call me to this forest?" Prince Lin Yan asked.


    Prince Lin Xian was stunned. He scrunched his face. "Big Brother, didn''t I tell you that we found our little brother?"


    "I heard that."


    "So��"


    "How can you be so sure that he''s your younger brother?"


    "That''s��" Prince Lin Xian scratched the back of his head then dismissed his men before making a barrier. He proceeded to tell everything that occurred back then including the names that Lin Yun mentioned even before asking them.


    He had already expected that his big brother would be skeptical. After all, they all believed that their parents and younger brother had long died. However, decades later, they were shocked to find out that their family member was instead still alive.


    Prince Lin Yan looked at Prince Lin San with meaningful gaze. "So, you''re saying that the reason why you chose to follow him is because of the dragon power in his body much stronger than the other four?"


    "Yes." Prince Lin San admitted.


    Lin Xiao listened to their conversation in a distance. The others had already disappeared to give this four brothers time to have proper conversation without being disrupted. Looking at the way they were talking, it sounded as if they were all close to each other.


    Of course, having followed the princes for so long, they knew better than to poke their heads in things that was not their business.


    ''His Dragon Power is not bad, but it''s still weaker than Prince Lin Kai back then. It seems that amongst the four of you, you''re still above them in terms of dragon power.''


    ''Isn''t my Dragon Power high because of you?''


    ''��Of course not. You already naturally have high dragon power inside your body. If not for that, do you think you can qualify for the Emperor''s Inheritance?''


    Lin Xiao''s face twisted when he heard that. Oh, how much he wanted to strangle this dragon right here, right now. Unfortunately, he couldn''t even summon Lin Hu out and even if he did, Lin Hu would be a stage higher than him.


    How could he defeat someone at Golden Core Stage, ah?


    Lin Hu snorted. He glanced to the back. In truth, Lin Xiao was not the only who had high ancient power in this group. There was another one but that person might not know that high ancient power meant that there was a chance to qualify for Emperor''s Inheritance.


    Not that Emperor''s Inheritance will appear so easily, though.


    Lin Yan glanced towards Lin Xiao. His dark eyes seemed to be able to see beneath any layer of deception even though it was clear that he didn''t have the eyes of truth that Prince Lin San had. However, his higher cultivation made he seemed to emanate pressure that was invisible to the eye.


    "Interesting," Prince Lin Yan said slowly. He had obviously realized that Lin San and Lin Xiao did look like each other.


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows and cupped his hand. "Lin Xiao greets Prince Lin Yan."


    Since it was unclear whether Prince Lin Yan wanted to help him out or not, Lin Xiao chose the safe greetings first. Besides, it was obvious that all princes have to be respected when they greeted each other. Lin Xiao didn''t really feel that awkward calling the princes with their titles either.


    Eh, but he didn''t remember their number�� hmm, that was a problem.


    Oh well, who cares. He didn''t care.


    "Do you call your older brother with such formality, Lin Xiao?" Prince Lin Yan asked back, his tone was calm and placid. He glanced at the other two. "I can''t promise you the same as my two dumb younger brothers. However, if you wish to take the throne, I''ll help you out."


    Dumb younger brothers��


    Both Prince Lin San and Prince Lin Xian were speechless at the way their older brother termed them. They were not stupid in any way, okay?


    Lin Xiao was silence for a moment and looked at Prince Lin Yan. "Are you not angry?"


    "Yes?"


    "Because I caused all of you to lose your parents."


    "You?" Prince Lin Yan shook his head. "Even if you have high dragon power, you''ll at most be one of the candidates. They''re not chasing our parents simply because of you but included you in the reason to justify their action."


    Lin Xiao was stunned. "What?"


    "The court is a bit complicated and there are various powers fighting there. I can''t explain everything, but our parents are the first prince of his generation back then. He didn''t have much power but a lot of responsibility still fall in his hand simply because of that status." Prince Lin Yan paused for a moment. "Human''s greed. Do I need to explain more?"


    Lin Xiao shook his head. He came to understand now that it was not completely his fault. There were always people who wanted to bring their parents down and his appearance just quickened the process.


    How ironic.


    "In that case, I''ll be in your care, First Brother." Lin Xiao cupped his hand.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. "I have heard your name and Prince Lin Fei is calling his followers to help him to eliminate you."


    "Huh? So quickly?" Lin Xiao was stunned. To think that Prince Lin Fei would be calling his men so fast. He thought that he would still have some time.

 Chapter 243: Beast Horde

    "He''s feeling threatened." Prince Lin Xian furrowed his brows. "There are several powerful people who are neutral right now and if they all fall to your hand, their authority might decrease."


    "And if you''re allowed to grow, he might not be able to deal with you again in the future. Just like the usual saying, nip the bud before it could grow," Prince Lin San added, his eyes were cold.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes were solemn. But thinking about it, Fan Ling followed him and she had quite the ability. The others who were following him were also not easy to bully. After seeing them, the other princes might have truly started to feel threatened and feel that they needed to make their move to ensure their path.


    "How troublesome."


    Prince Lin Yan sighed. "You can hunt peacefully for now. They won''t be able to get close so easily with me around. However, I can''t stay here for a long time and if those people appear, I won''t be able to protect you."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He knew that Prince Lin Yan was not the only Golden Core Stage 2 in the academy. There were several others who might be more powerful than him or on par. If those people ganged up on him, he wouldn''t have the time to spare for taking care of Lin Xiao anymore.


    "I understand."


    "Alright, I will leave��"


    "Uh wait, I need your help," Lin Xiao stopped Prince Lin Yan and smiled sheepishly. "Could you please divulge my position as a prince right before my bet with Teacher Su Lou to the Emperor? Around one and a half year from now."


    Prince Lin Yan''s eyes widened when he looked at Lin Xiao. "Divulging your position will make you a threat to the other princes."


    "At that time, I should be ready. Besides, I would like to ask for permission to marry Princess Lan Yi Hua��." Lin Xiao''s voice trailed a bit at the end. When they were talking a few months prior, Princess Lan Yi Hua had told him that she was tasked to get married to any of the prince here. It meant that as long as one of the princes took fancy of her, they could just propose.


    Hearing that, the others were speechless. To think that the youngest one was already thinking about that when the oldest was still single. The two princes looked at their eldest brother, thinking about how their oldest brother was always alone.


    It seemed that they needed to persuade their older brother to get married too.


    Prince Lin Yan smiled and nodded. "Fine. I got it."


    "Thank you!"


    Lin Xiao was happy. He knew that it might not pass so easily, but probably there might be some method along the way.


    They chatted a bit more before Lin Xiao left the three brothers, who were still looking at each other. Without Lin Xiao, Prince Lin Yan now swept his gaze to his two younger brothers, who had somehow got closer to Lin Xiao in such a short period of time.


    "Now, care to explain the meaning behind your action of supporting our younger brother?" Prince Lin Yan asked.


    Prince Lin San looked at his older brother then sighed. "Emperor''s Inheritance."


    Hearing that, Prince Lin Yan''s pupil constricted. Just two words were more than enough for him to know that these two didn''t only plan to just help Lin Xiao but also to support him. He sighed. "You see it?"


    "He shows it to us. I already have my suspicion when I checked that his dragon power is so high. It was as if I''m seeing the Emperor that had the artifact to help him maintaining the throne," Prince Lin San admitted and smiled sheepishly.


    Prince Lin Yan sighed and nodded. "I''ll do my part. You two, don''t die."


    "Yes, Brother!"


    Swish!


    Another month passed by peacefully and by now, Lin Xiao had already collected enough points to pass for the examination. They were still busy gathering the beasts body and only collected in six of their Spatial Ring, though. Based on the record, they would only lack another 100, which was in the last Spatial Ring.


    They wanted to make a good use of this chance to practice in the forest.


    Bang!


    The faint voice coming from a distance stopped them from what they were doing. It sounded as if there was a fierce battle on a distance.


    "Brother, we lost contact with the scout on that area," Prince Lin San informed with grave expression. He felt that there might be sudden beast horde coming in their way when he felt how the earth shook.


    "I''ll check."


    Climbing the tree as fast as possible, Lin Xiao glanced into a distance. His lips twitched when he saw the dust that was heading in their way as he looked down to the others. "Beast horde is coming this way. Run!"


    "Oh."


    Everyone was quick to start utilizing their movement technique and began to run as fast as possible. No one wanted to stay in the same place for an extended period of time. They would be trampled to death if they dared to stay here any longer.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao also leapt down of the tree. His eyes naturally followed Princess Lan Yi Hua as he rushed over in her direction. She also noticed him and nodded.


    They all scattered in all direction as they began to run. However, the faint rumble didn''t only come from the forest but also the sky.


    Looking up, Prince Lin San felt that there was something bad that was about to happen. He looked around and realized that they had scattered from each other when they were escaping. "Brother, we need to find Lin Xiao!"


    "Ah?" Prince Lin Xian almost stopped but he nodded. "Did you see where he goes?"


    Prince Lin San then recalled that Lin Xiao climbed the tree to take a look. By the time the young man was back, the others were already running in every direction. His expression turned grave.


    "No."

 Chapter 244: Trap

    Lin Xiao was heading towards the higher grounds with Princess Lan Yi Hua. They knew that if they were at higher grounds, there would only be few beasts who would follow them because most of them headed down.


    The grass and trees were lesser as they headed up while more rocks popped out as if they were already waiting for their appearance in this place. Well, it was not that weird that there were lesser trees as they got up, though.


    "We''re separated from others."


    "Ah��"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua suddenly stopped and drew her blade in front of her. At the next moment, a streak of Qi head to her direction, clashing onto the small swords in her hand. Her eyes narrowed as she looked in the other direction.


    Three men were looking in their direction and from the undulation of Qi around their body, it was clear that they were at Foundation Establishment. However, there was faint pressure on their body that seemed to give threat to them.


    "So, you''re Lin Xiao?" one of them asked.


    Lin Xiao''s face changed as he glanced around. The others were running in different direction because of the beast horde. It might take them some time before they could reach this place.


    "Who are you?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked in sharp tone.


    "There''s no need for you to know. It''s enough for you to know that you''ll die in our hands today."


    Swish!


    As they moved, Lin Xiao clearly noticed that these three were all similar to Prince Lin Xian. The three of them were already close to break through to Golden Core Stage. What they needed was the chance to make their breakthrough.


    Clang!


    Lin Xiao raised his sword and blocked the attack. He gritted his teeth when he saw another person coming and quickly initiated Moon Evasion as he evaded. Inside his body, he was using the Nourishing Lake Technique to quickly replenish his Qi but it was a slow progress. His attainment in the technique was not high enough to make his Qi reservoir always full.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua wanted to help, but another person blocked her. His movement was as fast as her and when the strike landed on her twin blades, she was pushed back and nearly fell down.


    ''His strength is much higher than me.''


    Twins'' Horns.


    With using her Qi, Princess Lan Yi Hua attacked the man in front of her. To her surprise, he could block it with ease and even looking in her direction with amusement. "I thought that the rumor was wrong, but it''s actually half true. You''re still too weak to fight against me, Little Princess."


    Gritting her teeth, Princess Lan Yi Hua sped up even faster and tried to catch up with the man before her. Her eyes shone dangerously as her twin blades moved around, trying to find the gap in the man''s stance.


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    The sound of metal clashing against metal reverberated in the mountain area. Lin Xiao was already struggling to hold on as he realized that his Qi was depleting faster and faster. The two men were very fast and it looked as if they both specialized in both speed and attacking.


    Their attacks were so ruthless that it almost hit him if not for his strong body.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes grew colder as he watched them got closer. He had to be the one attacking. Noticing the rock formation not far from them, he silently used Moon Evasion then his sword moved as the Qi undulated around it.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fourth Stance.


    After the third stance, all stances were for Foundation Establishment. Lin Xiao had been honing his skill for the fourth to sixth stance. While they were still imperfect, they were much better than nothing.


    Slash!


    The sword barely grazed the first man, who was alarmed. He could feel that the coldness seemed to permeate deep into his bone and when he looked at his hand again, he couldn''t move it at all.


    The second man also narrowed his eyes and moved forward, launching his strike.


    Bang!


    Pushed to the back, Lin Xiao grimaced. His back had hit some sharp rocks and might be bleeding. However, he had no time to care about it as he raised his sword to block the attack from the first man. The first man might not be able to use one of his hand, but he still had the other hand.


    "Don''t think that you can go like this."


    Lin Xiao pursed his lips and then initiated Moon Evasion. "Yi Hua! Go up!"


    With that order, Lin Xiao began to run up. Princess Lan Yi Hua, who was engaging in a stalemate with the third man, swiftly released a large attack before rushing towards Lin Xiao.


    They have to find a way out.


    "Why not heading to the forest?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked while chasing after Lin Xiao. Behind them, the three men were chasing after them. The first man was a bit slower, though, as he was trying to thaw his freezing hand that couldn''t move in the slightest bit.


    "The beast horde is coming."


    "Ah."


    Looking back, Princess Lan Yi Hua jumped to the side and the attack hit the rocks there. Her eyes grew icy. "They''re not letting us go."


    "We should just head deeper into the rocks formation��"


    Lin Xiao was about to continue when he saw a slightly different colored rock. He instantly realized that it was a lake. After spending so much time in the past playing in the mountain and so on, how could he not realize it?


    "Yi Hua, follow me."


    "Ok."


    Not asking any question, Princess Lan Yi Hua followed Lin Xiao as he entered the cave. The cave looked ordinary and there was no presence of anyone else, so Lin Xiao didn''t care. The moment Princess Lan Yi Hua entered, Lin Xiao raised his sword.


    Mountain Sword, Fourth Stance!


    A large explosion was heard along with the fallen rocks that looked like a landslide.

 Chapter 245: Deep in the Mountain

    "F***!"


    "Get away!"


    "AAh! MOVE!"


    "Ugh."


    The rocks were falling at rapid rate that the three men were trying their best to escape. The first man was a bit slower and then got pushed back by the rocks towards the beast horde behind it.


    The other two waited for a bit more and looking at the rocks before them, they were not in the mood to linger around. Cultivators were powerful, but nature was also very powerful and scary.


    Going against nature at their current stage was the same as digging a hole for them to bury themselves.


    "Let''s report. We can just say that they''re buried here."


    "Ok."


    The other man nodded and looked at the formation before looking away, not wanting to stay there any longer.


    ��


    In the cave, Lin Xiao breathed a sigh of relief then slumped on the ground. He had already wasted all of his Qi when he did the last move, so his meridian felt like it was burning because of the empty stream. Thankfully, Nourishing Lake Technique was still operating and helped him to recover his Qi.


    Beside him, Princess Lan Yi Hua was not in any better condition. She was panting and sat down on the ground, not caring about her appearance in the slightest bit. In such a dark place with only her and Lin Xiao, who would bother to look at her.


    She was tired.


    "We should be able to rest for now. However, it''ll be saver if we go inside a bit more in case the ceiling falls down."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows. "I can''t move."


    Lin Xiao smiled helplessly and struggled to stand up before lifting Princess Lan Yi Hua in princess carry. She let out a yelp but didn''t struggle as Lin Xiao staggered to move deeper in the cave. It was indeed dark, but they were cultivator and after a while, they already could see their surroundings better as if they were in the middle of the day.


    "It''s quite big," Princes Lan Yi Hua murmured.


    "Let''s rest for now."


    "En."


    Taking some medicine pills, the two of them rested in the dark cave in silence. Neither one of them tried to speak to one another as they tried to recover their Qi as fast as possible. It was dangerous to stay in weak state, after all.


    Lin Hu was keeping watch but he knew that the place was safe, so he was relaxed. After several hours or probably a day, Lin Xiao finally opened his eyes. He looked towards Princess Lan Yi Hua, who was still meditating then looked around.


    ''Can you check the place, Lin Hu?''


    ''Do you regard me as an omnipotent beast? Anyway, there''s a route downwards on the right side. You might be able to enter deep into the mountain if you choose that route.''


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. He looked at the direction and sighed. Was there really something in the mountain? For some reason, he was curious and wanted to explore. However, he waited until Princess Lan Yi Hua woke up because he didn''t want to leave her here.


    ''Lin Hu, am I really weak when it comes to fight against humans?'' Lin Xiao asked. When it came to fight against beast rank 4, he had no problem at all defeating them. Sometimes, he could even defeat them all by himself.


    Lin Hua rolled his body in Lin Xiao''s consciousness. He snorted. ''The only difference is the fact that you''re getting overwhelmed by their technique. Beast''s techniques are often just something very straight and easy to guess from their body form. You''re more used to their telling than human, so your reaction is slower when you''re fighting against humans.''


    Ah��


    Well, that was true. Not all animals would be able to switch several techniques all at once. They would usually only have one or two strong points while the rest was barely average.


    Lin Xiao sighed. He would need to fight with humans more often. Probably sparring with the rest��.


    No, spar and real fight would be different.


    "It seems that I need to pay a visit to the three sects soon. They might be able to help me here," Lin Xiao murmured.


    "Three sects?"


    Raising his head, Lin Xiao noticed that Princess Lan Yi Hua had already woken up. He smiled. "Well, I have some business with three sects because of some of our friends. And since I''m not too good at fighting humans, when I try to fight them later, I should be able to learn more."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. She tilted her head. "Sorry, I can''t be of much help."


    "What are you talking about? You''re doing very great."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua pursed her lips. She was trying to help Lin Xiao, but the opponent matched to her seemed to be able to see through her so quickly. That baffled her very much since she didn''t think that she had showed her skill��


    Was there any mole in the group belonged to Prince Lin Xian?


    "Is there anything wrong, Yi Hua?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao and proceeded to tell what she thought. Hearing that, Lin Xiao nodded and thought the same. After all, Princess Lan Yi Hua never fought in the academy.


    However, it was also possible that someone watched them from a distance. If the said person was Golden Core Stage, it was impossible for them to find if he was outside their range.


    So, it was still uncertain.


    "When are you planning to show your skill to the world?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao and smiled faintly. "After I''m certain that no one can take me away from you."


    At this answer, Lin Xiao was stunned. He could feel his face heat up a bit as he turned around. Little did he know, Princess Lan Yi Hua had seen his reddening ear and thought of how cute it was.

 Chapter 246: Deep in the Mountain (2)

    "Shall we explore the mountain?" Lin Xiao asked while looking at Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    The princess looked around then nodded. She didn''t really like narrow place like this, but if they got out and those people were still around, they would risk themselves in danger once more. One way or another, they have to figure out the method to get stronger.


    ''Shall I have spar with her?''


    While Lin Xiao was thinking, they made their way deep into the mountain. There were several pathway and the flow of Qi was quite disturbed in this place, making it hard for them to trace the way they were going correctly.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua stopped after a while. "There''s something at the front."


    "It feels like a beast. Maybe we shouldn''t get too close." Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. He had also sensed that the Qi was rich in front of them, but there was also faint pressure that was hidden very well. If not because of his rich experience in the forest, he might not be able to sense it.


    "We can make a detour."


    "That sounds good."


    The two of them have just planned to move when they felt the ground quake. Sound of something slithering on the rock could be heard before hissing sound came near them.


    "It''s a snake!"


    "RUN!"


    The two of them quickly turned around and ran as fast as possible. There was no reason for them to stand and wait anymore because of the danger.


    Hiss!


    A large black snake appeared not far behind them. The aura around it clearly told them that the snake was at least beast rank 5, which was above what they could deal with their current power. Thinking of the bear they faced not long ago, the best they could do was to scratch and annoy it.


    And this snake�� it shouldn''t be that much different with the way it looked like.


    Hiss!


    The snake rushed forward aiming towards Princess Lan Yi Hua with its mouth wide open.


    Lin Xiao immediately brandished his sword and then swing it towards the snake that was coming at them. The snake was faster than what they could possibly run, so they would be trapped if they tried to run away from it.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fifth Stance.


    The temperature dropped considerably the moment Lin Xiao used the technique. Princess Lan Yi Hua turned her head around only to see the sword Qi flew towards the snake mouth behind her. The mouth was one of the weak point of a snake, so the attack immediately hurt the snake badly.


    Bang!


    Hiss!


    The pain caused the snake to recoil its body and trashed everywhere. Earthquake was inevitable with the way things were going on. The two of them used this chance to try expending their distance from the snake again.


    "What the hell is that?" Lin Xiao asked the question he had always wanted to ask. Never he thought that he would be able to see a beast in this kind of remote place.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s face was grim. "It''s a Molten Black Snake and its only living in Hua Lan Kingdom. Based on what I know, there''s no other place in this land that''s suitable for the snake."


    "��"


    Lin Xiao felt that his luck was extremely bad. To think that he would encounter a beast that was only present in Hua Lan Kingdom. What was the chance?


    "Any weakness?"


    "The mouth is relatively weak. Also, the snake is afraid of fire."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao nearly cursed. Because his technique was that of lake, its attribute was closer to water than fire. If only Fan Ling was here, he would be able to ask her to help him here.


    Bang!


    The snake was close to them once more and this time, Princess Lan Yi Hua used her twin swords to launch an attack from a distance away. The sword Qi landed on the snake''s head but it barely gave any damage.


    "The skin is so hard."


    "Molten Black Snake is known for its hard skin and strong defense. We''re not going to be that successful if we didn''t manage to defeat it as soon as possible," Princess Lan Yi Hua explained. However, her face was still very grim when she looked at the beast in front of her. If only it was possible, she also didn''t want to stay here.


    Lin Xiao brandished his sword once more.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fifth stance!


    Ice formed to the place and penetrated into the rocks. At the same time, Lin Xiao shouted, "RUN!"


    Swish!


    The two of them immediately used their movement technique and when the Molten Black Snake crushed the ice, the rocks above him tumbled and came crashing down.


    Hiss! (damn you humans!)


    The snake was hissing loudly that the two of them could sense it. Their Qi was depleting rapidly with their movement skill along with their attacking skills.


    ''Lin Hu, can''t you just appear here?'' Lin Xiao scolded in his mind. He couldn''t hold on any longer fighting against this snake that was strong in defense and speed. Even though the attack might not be that strong, just their difference in power could mean their death.


    ''Turn right.''


    ''What?''


    ''Just follow my instruction, Idiot!''


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes and then pulled Princess Lan Yi Hua along with him. "Over here."


    "Ok."


    The tunnel they passed was a bit smaller than the others, so the large Molten Black Snake might find it difficult to pass through this place. However, they didn''t want to take a risk considering how the snake could easily destroy a passage.


    Bang!


    They arrived in a large field and Lin Xiao could hear water ticking from the side. He nearly shouted in joy when he saw the small lake.


    "I need to get there!"


    "Wha?" Princess Lan Yi Hua was confused, but she could see that Lin Xiao was dead serious.


    Bang!


    Before they could do anything, the snake had appeared and hissed. It''s large body suddenly slammed towards them and Princess Lan Yi Hua quickly pushed Lin Xiao away by punching his back.


    "Hurry!"


    Bang!


    "Yi Hua!"

 Chapter 247: The Dragon Rules

    Bang!


    "Yi Hua!"


    Lin Xiao was stunned by the sudden attack that Princess Lan Yi Hua launched at him but he couldn''t care about the pain on his back right now. Looking back, he could see that Princess Lan Yi Hua was still fine but she was staggering with her twin swords blocking the attack.


    He swiftly turned around then dived into the lake while shouting, "LIN HU, YOU BETTER COME OUT NOW!"


    Splash!


    The sudden pressure startled both people while Lin Xiao let out a sigh of relief. He had thought that he would die in this annoying place, but now it didn''t seem to be that way.


    Lin Hu got out and roared loudly. Afterwards, it pounced towards the large Molten Black Snake as the two beasts engaged in a fierce fight. The two sides were unwilling to back down.


    "Yi Hua, come here!"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded and rushed to the lake. She immediately jumped inside while watching the two beasts roaring and hissing to each other before their large body clashed in a fierce battle.


    "How come there''s a dragon in this small lake?"


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. He didn''t know how to explain it to her. Should he tell her that the dragon was actually his? However, it would immediately reveal that he had already obtained Emperor''s Inheritance and thus, he was qualified to become the Emperor.


    Bang!


    The fierce fight didn''t last long. Despite being a rank lower, the dragon was known superior in many ways and the large Molten Black Snake rolled away in fear. Lin Hu kept on roaring until the Molten Black Snake ran several kilometers away and would not return back.


    "Why don''t you kill him?" Lin Xiao protested.


    "He''s too strong. If you want me to kill him, you should rank up first, Little Brat." Lin Hu didn''t care whether his words hurt Lin Xiao or not as he went down and changed his body size to the small one. He nodded towards Princess Lan Yi Hua, who was staring at him with complicated gaze.


    "Lin Xiao."


    "Yes?"


    Lin Xiao was stunned when he saw Princess Lan Yi Hua put her hands beside his head. He could see her expression very clearly and it would be a lie if he didn''t say that he was tempted to kiss her right now. However, he sensed that her hand was slowly opening his headband.


    He smiled bitterly and let her do as she wished.


    The headband was removed and Princess Lan Yi Hua could see the mark on Lin Xiao''s forehead. Looking at that familiar mark that was painted so beautifully in many books, Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.


    To think that she would have a chance to see the legendary mark.


    And the mark was on the forehead of the man who had been chasing after her for some time.


    "Emperor Lin Xiao," Princess Lan Yi Hua muttered.


    Lin Xiao patted her head and shook his head. "Even though I have the mark, I''m not officially the Emperor yet until I sat on that seat."


    The princess let him patted her head as she looked at the headband. Previously, she thought that he liked to wear this because it was cool and so on. But looking at the mark on his forehead, she knew that he was keeping a low profile too.


    Once they knew he would be the future Emperor, many of them might not be able to stay quiet anymore.


    "You should wear this again."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua put the headband back and sighed. Looking at the complicated gaze on her face, Lin Xiao was stunned. "Is there anything wrong?"


    "You''re going to be so high above. It wouldn''t be easy for me to stand beside you," Princess Lan Yi Hua murmured then realized what she just said. Her cheek turned red as she looked away in embarrassment.


    Lin Xiao was stunned but then he beamed. To think that she actually wanted to stand side by side with him. He didn''t really mind if she was weaker because he would protect her, but if she wanted to stay by his side, he would also be happy.


    "We could train more and I''m sure you wouldn''t lose against me."


    "Uhh."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua had heard so many things about the Emperor''s Inheritance that she felt that Lin Xiao would be going so far away from her grasp.


    "Hey, how long do you want me to watch you flirting?" Lin Hu asked in annoyance.


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes. "I''m just talking with her!"


    "Tsk, if you''re that worried about Emperor''s Inheritance, it''s just an inheritance that''s useful to change your physique and increase your talent. Your woman''s talent is as good as you and the only difference is that her training so far is not up to par because of lack of resources." Lin Hu felt annoyed.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was stunned. She looked at Lin Xiao. "is that true?"


    "Yea. When I got the inheritance, it''s just giving me pain and change my talent. There''s no treasure that can make you directly get stronger or anything, so I''m just slightly better with this useless dragon at my side."


    "Useless! You ungrateful bastard!"


    "If you''re not useless, try to appear more and not just when I''m inside a lake! You''re just putting my life in danger!"


    "That''s the rule for Lake Dragon!"


    "So, you''re useless outside the lake and how many lakes are there in this world?!"


    Hearing that, Lin Hu had no grounds to retort again. He snorted and then looked away from the two of them, feeling annoyed.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua giggled when she listened to their conversation. Her face when she looked at Lin Xiao was now filled with smile. "There''s a place that I must visit in the future. If I want to stand by your side, it means that I need to get the Phoenix Inheritance."

 Chapter 248: The Rich Supply of Qi

    "Phoenix Inheritance?"


    Lin Xiao had heard about it, but from what he knew, it was only for women who had the phoenix blood in their body. Well, if they have decent qualification, it was not impossible. "But you''re��"


    "Hua Lan Kingdom used to be ruled by the Empress and it meant that both me and my sister had Phoenix blood. However, the concentration might not be that much." Princess Lan Yi Hua sighed. "I would like to try it."


    Lin Xiao nodded. Probably, his identity as the one who received the Emperor''s Inheritance would be a pressure that pushed those around him to get stronger too. Looking at her gaze, he knew that she was adamant to get it.


    "In that case, I''ll support you. But if things get too hard or you can''t bear with it by yourself, you have to tell me."


    "I will."


    On the side, Lin Hu felt like throwing up when he saw the two of them. He couldn''t believe that his master was now torturing him by making him see them flirting with each other like that. Ahhh, he wanted to bury a hole and hide right now.


    "Oh right, do you have any method to train?" Lin Xiao asked.


    "Train?"


    "Well, someone wants me to die, so if I get out now, I''m sure that they''ll figure it out quickly. Staying here should be fine because I can use the time to practice. There''s still 2 years'' time before I need to return," Lin Xiao explained.


    Lin Hu grunted and pointed to the lake. "You can turn it into Qi lake."


    "How?"


    "Just write it down."


    Lin Xiao blinked and then he initiated his Qi before writing on the surface of the water. However, he was not writing in the usual language but rather, it was the dragon language that he was familiar with.


    The moment the writing was done, the Qi in the air suddenly rushed over in their direction. It was heading towards the lake in rapid speed and then fused inside as the concentration of the Qi increased rapidly.


    "This��"


    "Foundation Establishment is the stage when you''re going to need a lot of resources. Lake Dragon is far superior in this because all we need to do is finding a lake," Lake Dragon Lin Hu explained. Other dragons would be scavenging everywhere for resources but he could just stay here and let the resources come by themselves.


    Both Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua were speechless.


    "Well, this is a good training environment."


    "More like the place for us to absorb a lot of Qi." Lin Xiao looked around him. Normal people required around 5 to 20 years to absorb the Qi before they made their breakthrough to Golden Core Stage. For them, spending two years here might be already more than enough since the resources was plenty.


    "Shall we call the others?"


    "Oh, right. We need to explain what had happened to them. I also need some sparring partner. Lin Hu, return."


    Lin Hu, who was glad to be able to return back, quickly closed his eyes to sleep in Lin Xiao''s consciousness. He didn''t want to be forced dog food again. A mighty dragon like him would never want to be fed with dog food, hmph!


    ��


    Outside


    Bang!


    Prince Lin Yan thrashed everyone around him, spilling blood everywhere. His icy gaze swept to the last disciple who still survived.


    The last disciple looked at Prince Lin Yan and snorted. "Do you want to be expelled for killing your fellow��"


    Slash!


    "I''m just killing beasts and not disciples. It''s your fault for standing on my way," Prince Lin Yan said coldly. He was about to graduate too, so he didn''t really think it was necessary for him to follow the rules anymore. Besides, who could say that he was the one who killed them when his mission was actually not in this mountain?


    "Brother!"


    Prince Lin Yan nodded his head when he saw his two younger brother. "Where''s Lin Xiao?"


    "We got separated from him." Prince Lin San was a bit frustrated. In that moment of panic, they forgot to follow Lin Xiao and fled around the area. The beast horde had just passed but they soon realized that Lin Xiao was not among them.


    "Contact him."


    "He didn''t answer."


    Prince Lin Yan''s gaze was cold. He might not like his new brother, but he didn''t want Lin Xiao to die. Once the one with the Emperor''s Inheritance died because of their own people, their kingdom would be plunged into hell with no hope of recovery in the slightest bit.


    They would be forced to move from their destroyed homeland.


    "Try again. We''ll��"


    At this time, Lin Yun rushed to them. "Brother just contacted me. He''s inside the mountain and asked us to come there if we want to practice."


    "Huh?"


    ��


    Everyone''s eyes were fixated at the lake where Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua was staying at. The dense Qi made it hard for them to resist the temptation. Those who came here were only the three princes along with Lin Xiao''s group but they were already feeling that the piece of news was overwhelming.


    "You''re saying that this place will be able to support all of us?" Lin Yun asked in weird tone.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "You''re all at Foundation Establishment. If you stay in this lake, you''ll be able to make your breakthrough faster."


    "But the amount of Qi in this lake��"


    "Don''t worry, it won''t run out."


    As long as Lin Xiao could still write with dragon language, it would never run out. The others looked at each other before they all jumped into the lake. If they could make use of the next two years wisely, they wouldn''t be that far from Golden Core Stage.


    On the other hand, the two princes looked at their brother. Only when Prince Lin Yan determined that the Qi was normal did they jumped into the lake and began their training.


    He looked at Lin Xiao. "Lin Xiao, I want to talk with you."


    "Yes?"

 Chapter 249: Prince Lin Yan rebuke

    Lin Xiao walked out of the lake a bit unwillingly and then walked to the tunnel. He noticed that Prince Lin Yan sealed the space as the latter looked at him with serious expression.


    "Lake Dragon?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    "Your two older brothers told me." Prince Lin Yan had no qualms selling them out. "And only the lake dragon could provide rich resources without the need to worry so much about it every run out."


    In fact, he had already heard that Lake Dragon was known as the walking treasure trove. As long as there was lake, they would be invincible because they could use Qi recklessly yet it would never run out. The legend even stated that unless they were certain that they could kill the Lake Dragon Emperor in one move, they would just be dragged in prolonged battle where they would die out of exhaustion.


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. He scolded both Prince Lin San and Prince Lin Xian in his mind before he nodded. He couldn''t run away anymore. "Yes."


    Prince Lin Yan looked at Lin Xiao. "I have been watching you from the sidelines for the past few weeks. You''re too weak, Lin Xiao."


    "Wha��"


    "With your current skill, it''ll be easy for experts to kill you within one move." Prince Lin Yan looked in Lin Xiao''s direction with solemn gaze. He shook his head. "Right now, your chance of obtaining the throne was extremely low."


    Extremely low��


    Lin Xiao really wanted to refute his first brother, saying that he was not that bad. However, looking at how Prince Lin Yan looked at him including how the other person didn''t seem to have qualms to look down on him, he felt bitter.


    Prince Lin Yan was already at Golden Core Stage 2 ah!


    It was a stage that was far from him and the current him, who was only at Foundation Stage, certainly held no hope of beating this prince.


    "He''s not wrong," Lin Hu suddenly chirped in. "You might have good skills and had already honed your ability in the prison, but you lack real experience."


    "Isn''t that why I''m here in this forest?" Lin Xiao refuted in his mind.


    Lin Hu scoffed. The ones here were all just animals and Lin Xiao would run away when facing a horde, how could he possibly grow up well if he was merely facing animals? Fighting for the throne required him to fight against other humans!


    Humans!


    Not animals!


    "Listen to your first brother, his intelligence was much higher than you."


    Lin Xiao: "��" you damn dragon!


    "You don''t believe me?" Prince Lin Yan noticed Lin Xiao''s expression and he sneered. "Do you think that the person with the highest cultivation is only at Golden Core Stage 2? There are others at Golden Core Stage 3 and if you fail to get their support, who will protect you when you''re up against them?"


    Lin Xiao was silent. Golden Core Stage 3�� it was higher than Golden Core Stage 2 and naturally, their ability was much higher. It would be impossible for him to even protect himself should he fight against someone who was at Golden Core Stage 3.


    Asking for others to protect him?


    Who would?


    Revealing the fact that he was Emperor Inheritor too early would only make it easy for other to target him. While those from the kingdom might want to protect him, how about those from other kingdoms?


    They wanted to kill him to prevent Sun Kingdom from gaining the absolute advantage. After all, what would happen to them once Sun Kingdom rise?


    They would be pushed to the back and would be unable to rise properly.


    "I understand."


    "No, you don''t understand. From the moment you choose to follow on this path, you should have realized that you can''t possibly become an Emperor just by relying on your pitiful strength and those weaker supporters.


    Don''t you know the other princes already have the support of those at Golden Core Stage 3?"


    Lin Xiao''s heart skipped a beat. That��.


    Prince Lin Yan sneered. "I''m not as stupid as my younger brothers who will willingly pledge their loyalty from the moment they know you have Emperor''s Inheritance. Even if you have it but you''re not capable enough, I wouldn''t want to have you as the Emperor."


    What a joke, he would never serve someone who was so weak.


    And since the other party was his younger brother, whom he had never met in his entire life after the long separation, he did feel a bit bad. However, he couldn''t allow Lin Xiao to tread on this path so lightly like this.


    He would be killed.


    Soon.


    "Then, what should I do?"


    "Stay here." Prince Lin Yan scoffed. He pointed at the entrance. "There''ll be a lot of beasts coming to this place because they''re attracted to the scent of Qi. Everyone wished for resources and you''re practically a living treasure trove. If you fail, you might as well be forced to create an environment where your opponents can benefit from it."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao shuddered.


    Indeed. His ability to create a lake that was filled with Qi stemmed on the ability he inherited because his ability was that of Lake Emperor. If others knew about this, wouldn''t they want to enslave him?


    Inside him, Lin Hu also sighed. He knew very well that some of the inheritance would give them a lot of resources because they were given limitation.


    The Heaven was fair.


    The Emperor Inheritance was not given for nothing. They had the advantage but they had to use their own ability to the fullest if they wished to be able to use it well. And some of them have stronger dragon because they have limitation.


    Those who got the Emperor''s Inheritance had to work hard if they wished to succeed because obtaining the inheritance meant that they have to become an Emperor. If they failed, they would die the most gruesome death.


    That was the law.

 Chapter 250: The Vast World

    "Do you finally understand the precariousness of your own situation?" Prince Lin Yan looked at his younger brother and asked fiercely.


    Lin Xiao nodded gravely. "Yes. I have to work harder if I want to get the throne because there are a lot of people who will stand on my way and stop me from getting what I should get."


    "Cultivation world is dangerous. For someone like you to be able to survive this far is really lucky." Prince Lin Yan shook his head. He really wondered how Lin Xiao managed to survive with his lack of knowledge all this time.


    The brat truly seemed to be an incompetent brat.


    "Train here for some time and when the time is right, I''ll bring you out."


    "Bring me out?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. "You''re not going to grow much if you only encounter beasts but you need to hone your skill first. When you''re ready and had learned much more, I''ll take you to Hua Lan Kingdom."


    Hua Lan Kingdom?


    Lin Xiao''s mind automatically thought of Princess Lan Yi Hua''s kingdom. It was her kingdom and located right next to this mountain.


    Uhm wait.


    "How do we enter the kingdom?" Lin Xiao was more baffled. The security was high and even if they entered through areas of dispute, there was no telling when they were going to reach Hua Lan Kingdom.


    Prince Lin Yan passed a look at his younger brother. "There''ll naturally be a way."


    Lin Xiao: "��" we''re entering illegally?


    "When your identity as Emperor''s Inheritance is leaked out, you''ll need a backup identity in case you want to roam around without anyone knowing who you are. I''ll prepare the identity for you."


    Lin Xiao nodded and touched his headband lightly. Even if he wanted to disguise himself, he had to pay more attention to the mark on his forehead.


    "When you''re stronger, you can hide it with your Qi." A certain dragon suddenly informed.


    Lin Xiao''s face changed as he really wished to pull the dragon out. Why didn''t he tell him sooner about that?


    "Why did you not tell me about that before?"


    "You''re too weak!"


    Lin Xiao: ".#$%^&*("


    Prince Lin Yan waved his hand. "I''ll be going away for the time being. After a few months I''ll check on your progress. If you want to hunt, stay with others and the rest from your brothers'' group can go back."


    "Ok."


    It seemed at Prince Lin Yan didn''t trust those people around Prince Lin San and Prince Lin Xian too much. Probably there were actually some people who were from other princes got mixed in.


    Lin Xiao chose not to ask too much since he was not close with those people either. During their time working together, he would always stay with his group. He returned back inside and stayed with the others to train.


    ��


    Two months passed.


    Prince Lin Xian broke through to Golden Core Stage and stayed for another month before returning back to the academy in order to do more important missions that''s suitable for his new stage.


    Training in this place was no longer beneficial to him as he would need to head over to other places to train.


    "There are other places to train?"


    "Yes, this border is only border where we can fight with the beasts but there''s also the border where we have conflict with other kingdoms around us." Prince Lin Xian looked at Lin Xiao with weird expression. It was supposed to be common knowledge, right?


    Sensing his questioning gaze, Lin Xiao felt as if he was given another hit to his already low intelligence.


    *cough*


    "Well, the relationship Sun Kingdom had with other neighboring kingdoms are not that peaceful." Princess Lan Yi Hua tried to salvage the situation. "This is why there''s also the treaty with Hua Lan kingdom."


    Lin Xiao then looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua as he began to use his brain to think. "You mean that the treaty exists because Sun Kingdom needs Hua Lan Kingdom to face the others."


    "You can say it like that. Also, the one who needs each other is not only Sun Kingdom but also Hua Lan Kingdom." Princess Lan Yi Hua looked into the distance. Her eyes dimmed slightly. "The world is so vast that it''s hard to say how big it is and there are numerous kingdoms out there.


    Sun Kingdom, Lan Hua Kingdom, and others around us are just few amongst many other kingdoms in this land. Don''t you know why this place''s time is based on Tiancang Year?"


    Tiancang.


    Lin Xiao faintly recalled that it was the name of an Emperor from a large kingdom that was located far from their place. 200 something years ago, he established the new reign and since then, everyone began to use this time to refer in their own kingdom.


    Sun Kingdom was under that kingdom as well.


    "Because of the Emperor there?"


    "Yes. The Emperor is so powerful that no one can contend against him. So many smaller kingdoms are also under him." Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled faintly and shook her head. "We''re all just from smaller kingdoms and might not even be able to reach there."


    Lin Xiao was about to nod when he heard Lin Hu spoke from within deep of his consciousness.


    "You''ll be there."


    "What?"


    Lin Hu scoffed but he refused to answer. Telling too much to this idiot would be overestimating his ability and right now, it would be better for Lin Xiao to focus on his own power.


    Trying to head over to the big kingdoms with his pitiful strength�� was the same as seeking death.


    "Lin Xiao?" Princess Lan Yi Hua noticed that Lin Xiao was silent.


    Lin Xiao looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua and smiled. "If you want to head there, we will head there."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua blinked her eyes and shook her head faintly. In that place, teenagers were already at Foundation Establishment or even Golden Core Stage. If they really wanted to head there�� were they trying to seek their own death?

 Chapter 251: Training with Prince Lin San

    Thus naturally, Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t think too much about what Lin Xiao said. They would think about it when they had the chance to even head outside their kingdom when they were strong enough.


    Right now, they were not qualified.


    Far from qualified.


    Prince Lin Xian shook his head at the two of them. He stretched his body. "I will not divulge to anyone about my current position, so there will still be others who try to poach me. You don''t have to worry about me."


    Prince Lin San looked at his older brother and furrowed his brows. He was not good at fighting and mostly only trying hard to recognize his enemies'' weakness with his eyes. "Brother, you have to be careful. When they''re in their desperate moment, they might still attack you."


    "Don''t worry, your brother is not weak!"


    "You''re only Golden Core Stage 1."


    Hearing the tone Prince Lin San used to describe the rank, Prince Lin Xian resisted the urge to throw a punch to his own younger brother. He then passed a look at Lin Xiao. "Train hard, you two."


    "Yes!"


    After bidding his farewell to the others, who were also busy training, Prince Lin Xian finally left.


    On the other hand, the others were looking towards Lin Xiao as if asking him what he wanted to do right now. Lin Xiao''s lips twitched and he turned to look at his twin''s brother. "You said that you want to teach me how to differentiate fake weakness and the real one."


    So far, he had been training how to use the three next stages of his skill while Prince Lin San helped him to identify the weakness and how to exploit those weaknesses from the beasts they met so far.


    There were still many times when Lin Xiao missed because the beast moved faster than his expectation.


    On the other hand, Prince Lin San managed to hit them perfectly on the spot. Even if his attack seemed slow and weak, all of them hit the precise spot and defeated the enemy with such preciseness that it was scary.


    "I''m using Eyes of Truth, so naturally you won''t be able to contend with me." Prince Lin San rolled his eyes. He waved his hand as a sword appeared. "Even now, I can see that your stance is full of holes."


    "Oh?" Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes as he focused his attention on his twin brother.


    "Hmph."


    Swish!


    With a swift movement, Prince Lin San had appeared near Lin Xiao. His hand thrusted forward and Lin Xiao also swiftly reacted to evade. His eyebrows raised in alarm when he realized that the spot Prince Lin San aimed at was tricky.


    It was right at the right spot when he could barely cover with his sword.


    Lin Xiao gritted his teeth and forced his body to move and his sword swiftly blocked the attack.


    Clang!


    ''Ow, ow!''


    Circulating Nourishing Lake Technique internally, Lin Xiao quickly eased the pain when he pulled his muscle just now. His body was not completely flexible even though there were some movements he could pull off. He looked at his twin brother with grieving expression.


    "Your movement is so tricky."


    "That''s the use of Eyes of Truth." Prince Lin San had stepped back. He looked at his twin brother and nodded in appreciation. "You''re not bad either, Lin Xiao."


    "But even if one didn''t have Eyes of Truth, they still can differentiate the weakness, right?" Lin Xiao asked. He had been trying to find other weakness but so far, he hadn''t been very successful.


    Like right now. He couldn''t see any weakness from Prince Lin San''s stance even though his brother looked like he was merely standing in his place and only pointed his sword in his direction.


    Yet, Lin Xiao had the feelings that if he dared to attack Prince Lin San, his movement would be countered perfectly.


    "Yes, you can. There are various methods to learn the weakness of your opponent. First, you can do research on your opponent first so that you can find out how they usually fight. It''s impossible for someone to completely hide their martial arts because you need to fight to grow up.


    Well, it''s possible to erase eyewitness completely by decomposing their corpse but I don''t think everyone in the cultivation world is that diligent to clean up after all of their battles. You''ll be surprised just by how much information can be passed to each other about their fight."


    Prince Lin San''s lips curled up to form a mocking smile. "Second, you can also watch their fight if it''s a formal fight. This is one of the reasons why there are a lot of students who often watch other people''s fight in the academy. They''re not only learning but they''re also trying to identify their opponent''s weakness.


    Third, you have to identify the movement they used. Not all skills were available for public but you can guess their characteristic when you see them use it. Of course, it''ll be better if you have prior knowledge before so that you wouldn''t not be caught off guard.


    Unlike animals who are mostly attacking with their Qi and some basic skills that are easy to guess, humans can create more complex attacks. Not to mention, many of them will surely be skills that are exclusive for their sects or their own clan.


    They would not want to divulge those out."


    Lin Xiao was silent as he listened to Prince Lin San''s explanation. He had never tried to learn that much about other people''s fight because there was not much chance in the past. But it seemed that he would need to learn more in the future.


    "Are there any skills that are exclusive for the Imperial Family?"


    Prince Lin San smiled faintly. "As a matter of fact, yes. However, even imperial family members couldn''t access the library every single time they want to. Only those who are qualified can enter the library."

 Chapter 252: Training with Prince Lin San (2)

    Only those who were qualified could enter.


    With that one sentence, Lin Xiao clearly understood what Prince Lin San was trying to tell him. He could try to aim for it but it was clear that he might not even have the chance to even see the cover unless he blurted out his real identity.


    But it was a secret that he didn''t wish for others to know. At least, not until he was ready to face so many people who were aiming for his life.


    "Can you enter?"


    "As a matter of fact, I did enter once." Prince Lin San let out a faint laugh. "I can only choose one martial art before leaving the library because it''s really restricted. There are a lot of elders stationed there to guard the palace."


    "Oh."


    "When your identity is revealed, you might be able to get one chance in the future. But I can''t say about this for sure because it''s not certain."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He also didn''t want to put his hope on something that he wouldn''t be able to get for sure. It would be better for him to focus on the skills that he had learned so far in the academy.


    "My skill''s name is Dragon Sleeve Sword because my attack usually just a thrust. It''s one of the few common skills there."


    "Uh wait a moment."


    "Yes?"


    "Are the names of the skill in the Imperial Family library all related to Dragon?" For some reason Lin Xiao felt that the name of the skills he had been hearing so far were all related to dragon.


    "Yes."


    "Blasphemy! Who the hell would think of such low level technique by using the dragon''s name? I can''t accept this!" Inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness, Lin Hu was going on a rampage. He couldn''t believe that there would be so many people who would be using the name Dragon for their lousy skill.


    What the hell!


    They were all should be burned by the real dragon fire so that they could see that they were not strong at all!


    Lin Xiao could feel his ear ringing and instantly chose to disconnect his ear from his consciousness. That way, he would not need to hear Lin Hu''s rampage over the fact that the Dragon''s name was being used for a lot of skill.


    Prince Lin San looked at his twin brother. "I can teach you if you want but it might not suit your move."


    "Yes."


    He could see that Prince Lin San''s attack was one that was fused with the essence of wind and darkness. As his element was that of lake�� it would be harder for him to learn the skill and Lin Xiao didn''t have any time to waste.


    "Identifying your opponent weakness can speed up battle faster. When you reach high rank, there are many battles that will be determined within just few seconds. One wrong move and you''re done for."


    "I understand." Lin Xiao had known about that. The more powerful an attack would be, the faster a battle would end.


    When they reached high rank, one second or even a split second would determine whether they could stay alive or not.


    "Let''s continue the training. Whenever there are beasts coming, I''ll teach you how to identify their weakness."


    "Got it."


    Thus, the training continued.


    ��


    Six months passed from the time they came to the mountain.


    Lin Xiao mastered the other skills and learned how to identify the weakness of his opponents in battle even though he still lost miserably most of the times. Most of the times, they were only facing beasts, but there were also times when he would be facing humans who got attracted by the number of beast coming here.


    After all, it was public knowledge that beast was also good at finding treasure.


    If there were a lot of beasts coming in this direction, it just meant that there must be a treasure somewhere within the mountain.


    "Left ear?" Lin Xiao asked while jumping around to evade the monkey, which was also Beast Rank 4, in front of him.


    "Wrong!" Prince Lin San shouted from the back. He was watching the fight leisurely while leaning on the wall and drank tea. The utensil was clearly kept inside his Spatial Ring and he took them out whenever he wanted to enjoy himself.


    The others were simply speechless at his action.


    No one would keep exquisite utensil in their Spatial Ring, alright? They were all already busy to keep other items that was required for their cultivation and other matter.


    Lin Xiao jumped to the back. He focused his attention to the monkey in front of him because his body turned into blur and reappeared behind the monkey''s back.


    Moon Evasion!


    "The back of the left ear!"


    "Now you got it right!"


    Slash!


    Kieeek!


    The monkey shrieked loudly but Lin Xiao didn''t let it attack back. His grip on the sword changed as he stabbed it toward the monkey''s head through the back of the left ear.


    Stab!


    His eyes glowed in blue color.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fifth Stance!


    The sword immediately ripped apart the monkey while the rest of them sensed the slight change in the temperature.


    It seemed that the name Chilling was not for show. It was truly a skill that was capable of changing the temperature.


    Tep!


    Lin Xiao retreated back and looked at his twin brother. His lips twitched. "You''re enjoying tea while watching the fight?"


    "Do you expect me to do nothing? The tea is nourishing and can help me reach Golden Core Stage faster." Prince Lin San rolled his eyes and looked at Lin Xiao with amusement. "Do you think that I''ll drink ordinary tea?"


    "How do you have so many treasures?"


    "Our parents left it behind for us. Now, do you want some?"


    Lin Xiao looked at the tea then called Lin Hu. The dragon scoffed, "That kind of tea is not suitable for Lake Element."


    "No thanks, San."

 Chapter 253: Beast Horde

    After staying in the cave for so long, Lin Xiao had long dropped the formalities and would not use it again unless it was necessary.


    He walked to the others, who were also itching to grow stronger faster than before. They were all aiming to become Golden Core Stage as fast as possible. Amongst them, Fan Ling was the most desperate because she had to grow stronger faster.


    Facing the others who were also improving quickly, she naturally felt the pressure to be faster than them.


    Being someone who was coming from a family that was much more well off, she would be a joke if she couldn''t stay ahead of her peers. Thus, Fan Ling worked the hardest and created a lot of burn mark on the wall in the cave.


    ''Lin Hu, can I make better training place for them?''


    Lin Hu rolled his body around and shook his head. ''You can naturally increase more of the concentration and even make it naturally enter their body. However, you''re going to attract more people if you attempt that.''


    It was already hard enough for them to keep the place a secret and there were already a lot of beasts that came here. Denser Qi and the increase in the amount would only lead more beasts and even human to come here.


    ''There''s no disguise method?''


    ''With your current cultivation level, you can''t maintain it. While you might be using the Dragon Words to attract the Qi, it can only be maintained by your own Qi. Other formation will require you to be at higher stage or you won''t be able to improve on your own.''


    ''Alright.''


    "Brother," Lin Yun called from the side. "Be my sparring partner after this. I want to train my Mountain Sword Skill."


    "Eh, I want to spar with you first," Fan Ling interjected. She had already taken out her fan and looked like she was ready to attack him.


    Lin Xiao was speechless.


    Before he could answer, he was already bombarded by the two''s attack.


    ��


    Eight months passed ever since they first came to the cave.


    "F*ck! Wake up!"


    "We''re awake!" Lin Xiao shouted back. With such tremor on the ground, how could they even stay asleep?


    They all swiftly moved to the entrance of the cave. After training for some time, they all had already learned how to cooperate with each other as they hunted beasts and sparred on daily basis. But this time, it was not ordinary beast that came to their front door.


    "Beast horde?" Lin Xiao furrowed his brows.


    Lin Hu snorted. ''Now that a beast horde had come, it''s time for you to showcase the result of your training. Don''t say that you''re unable to defeat these puny fries.''


    Puny fries?


    Lin Xiao really got the urge to strangle this annoying dragon. It was easy for him to say that but the majority of the beasts in front of him were still between rank 3 to 4. If they had to fight so many beasts all at once, they wouldn''t be able to survive.


    Easy my *ss!


    Fan Ling glanced at Lu Jian and furrowed her brows. "Let''s deal with them at the entrance of the cave. At the very least, the beasts wouldn''t be able to enter too deep inside, so we can fight one at a time."


    Lin Yun was perplexed. "What if they destroy the cave entrance and trapped us here?"


    "��" I didn''t think about that.


    Lu Jian shrugged. "Let''s just try."


    As he said that, he started to sing and everyone tacitly agreed to maintain at least two meters'' distance from him. No one wanted to torture themselves with his falsetto singing unless they were crazy to suffer on their own volition.


    And there were none of them right now who wanted to feel the pain.


    "Why do I feel that your voice didn''t have any improvement?" Lin Xiao resisted the urge to freeze his own ear. Lu Jian''s voice was very upsetting and could easily make one wished to beat him up even if there was no effect in their overall battle power.


    "Gah, I can''t believe your voice is still so bad��." Fan Ling grimaced. She really wished from the bottom of her heart that the one who came with them was not that Lu Jian but rather Sui Wenyan. At the very least, Sui Wenyan''s voice was very melodious and would not make them itched to beat her up.


    But if they were her opponent, the effect of her voice would render them weaker.


    Han Jiang''s face also contorted.


    Even the usually quiet Xia Ye also glared at Lu Jian. They had suffered a lot thanks to his voice.


    Lu Jian ignored the others and continued to sing. He was mostly focusing on infusing his Qi into his voice. Where would he have the time to care whether his voice was presentable or not? It was good enough for him.


    The beasts were certainly getting affected as those that were originally heading their way was making their attempt to escape. None of them got close to the cave at all as they dispersed towards other direction.


    Lin San whistled. "Even beasts didn''t like Lu Jian''s voice. Damn, your voice is truly a killer."


    The others: "��" is that the main point?


    In any case, they all swiftly formed a formation of 8 people with Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua stood at the middle.


    "You can let them come now and just use your skill to weaken them."


    Affecting these beasts required a lot of Qi. If they asked Lu Jian to continue making the beasts go away, Lu Jian would drop dead first before he succeeded. Rather than driving them away, it would be better to just weaken them, which would make it easier for his teammates to deal with them.


    "Ok." Lu Jian''s voice changed for a bit before he continued to sing.


    At that moment, the beasts pounced in their direction.


    Slash!


    "Everyone, get ready! Don''t falter!"


    "YES!"

 Chapter 254: Beast Horde (2)

    Lin Xiao looked at the beasts in front of him as his lips curled up to form a smile. He was no longer alone and had to run when encountering a large amount of beasts. Now, he could freely fight.


    Raising his sword, Lin Xiao made the first move.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fourth Stance!


    Swish!


    The beasts were roaring as they felt the sudden strike hit their body. Before they could recover, their body suddenly shook as they couldn''t move and in the next moment, they felt that their Qi had dissipated, rendering them weak.


    Slash!


    Blood spurt out as their bodies were chopped into pieces. None of the beasts around them managed to escape unscathed as blades wound formed on their bodies.


    There was a flicker and the shadow had moved once more. Any beasts that dared to get close to them would be killed instantaneously.


    "Her Highness is really similar to that of an assassin," Lin San commented. He drew his sword and smiled. "But I won''t lose to her."


    Swish!


    They all swiftly made their move and continued attacking the beasts before them. Looking at the scene before him, Lin Yun felt a bit apprehensive. Just a few years ago, he and his brother couldn''t even deal with beast rank 1. And just a few months ago, they would still need to take some time to deal with beast rank 4.


    But now��


    They were all chopping these beasts as if they were no different than chickens. Time passed so swiftly and it allowed them to grow so fast.


    Lin Yun readied his sword and began to move too, killing the beasts in front of him with ease.


    Mountain Sword!


    "It''s much easier to fight the beasts in the beasts'' horde now!" Han Jiang let out a hearty laugh, swinging his large axe around. He was feeling thrilled that he could let loose as he wished without the need to worry about anything.


    "Han Jiang, get into the formation!" Lin Yun was speechless. This man always moved away from the formation as he wished without caring for the others.


    "Why should I?"


    "You��"


    "I''m not the only one."


    Lin Yun glanced at the side and felt his head ached.


    Fan Ling had rushed forward with her fan as both wind and fire formed protective circle around her. Moving the element with ease, Fan Ling continued to eradicate the beasts around her while moving and laughing faintly. Even an idiot could tell that she was enjoying the massacre.


    They rarely encountered a large beast horde and it was clear that she was making use of this chance to train her attacks that could affect large crowd all at once.


    Of course, she was also one who didn''t like to stay in the formation.


    "They''re all so weak!"


    "What weak? Hey, return back here!"


    Xia Ye was the quietest among them. His attack pattern was somewhat similar to Princess Lan Yi Hua as he would appear and disappear from time to time. And at that time, there would be beasts who died by his hand.


    They were piling up at one side.


    Swish!


    At this moment, the beasts number decreased and they could see a beast rank 5 heading to their direction. Their lips curled up to form a smile as they were preparing themselves for another battle.


    Beast Rank 5 was comparable to Golden Core Stage 2.


    If it was a year ago, they would certainly try to run away. But now that they had trained for a long time, it was time for them to show the result of their training.


    "Get back to formation!" Lin Xiao shouted.


    This time, everyone rushed back to their original position. Even though they would hate to stay near Lu Jian, who was singing in falsetto voice, they had to bear with it if they wanted to deal with the beast.


    So far, they hadn''t met with any Beast Rank 5 before today. However, they had designed several plans inside their mind for they understood that they could not deal with it on their own.


    Lin Yun resisted the urge to roll his eyes when he saw them following his brother''s order. When it was him who gave the order, they ignored him but when it was Lin Xiao who gave the order, they followed him.


    Forget it, his brother was the leader after all.


    "Lu Jian."


    "On it." Lu Jian''s voice changed once more, to that which the beast hated and would drove them away. This was the agreement they had with each other that they would try their best to make sure that if they encountered Beast Rank 5, they didn''t have to bother with other beasts.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua suddenly appeared next to Lin Xiao. Her brows furrowed. "I''ll make the first move."


    "Go."


    Swish!


    As the beast boar got closer, it managed to ignore the resistance that Lu Jian was giving out. Letting out a roar, he charged closer.


    Before he could get close, a shadow bypassed him and his movement stopped.


    ROAR!


    Slash!


    Traces of two blades'' line appeared on his side while Princess Lan Yi Hua passed by it. Her twin swords were moving in perfect sync as she was also very quick.


    But��


    ''Too shallow��''


    The wound was nowhere near fatal. As the boar tried to attack her, Princess Lan Yi Hua jumped back to her original place while she assessed the boar that was attacking them right now.


    "Black Tinder Boar. They have strong defense and also very quick. Their pattern of attack is quite simple, but you need to be careful because their speed can easily surpass yours," Princess Lan Yi Hua gave her analysis.


    "I just need to stop him right?" Lin Xiao put on a smile as he swiftly moved. His sword was drawn and cold temperature began to permeate.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fifth Stance!


    Bang!


    ROAR! (damn you human!)


    The moment Lin Xiao moved forward, it also signaled the others to make their move.

 Chapter 255: Healing

    ROAR! (damn you human!)


    The moment Lin Xiao moved forward, it also signaled the others to make their move.


    Han Jiang picked up his large axe and rushed forward. He relied mostly on his large built as he charged upfront and drew his large axe down towards the Black Tinder Boar''s neck.


    Bam!


    Shadows flickered as Xia Ye appeared beneath the Black Tinder Boar. Within that limited space, he swiftly drew his sword and created long gash wound below and caused the beast to bleed heavily.


    After he was done, he disappeared once more.


    The Black Tinder Boar was not even able to react on his attack because at this time, Fan Ling, Lin Yun, and also Lin San had all attacked him from all sides.


    Fan Ling''s fan fluttered as both wind and fire element flared.


    Lin Yun used Mountain Sword.


    Lin San was using his own skills.


    Flurries of attack from various type landed on the Black Tinder Boar''s body. Some managed to hurt him while some others couldn''t even reach him.


    "Aim for its neck," Lin San suddenly shouted.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua suddenly appeared next to the rampaging beast. She swiftly moved her body and the twin swords in her hand aimed towards the Black Tinder Boar.


    Slash!


    It perfectly pierced the weak spot that was there.


    The Black Tinder Boar roared fiercely and then jumped back. It turned its big body around and started to run. With speed as one of its specialties, it could easily get away from any unfavorable battle.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows but before she could give chase, her hand was tugged from the back.


    "Let it go. We still need to deal with the rest of the beasts," Lin Xiao reminded her.


    Lu Jian was temporarily holding back the beasts from getting close to them, but he wouldn''t last long if he continued to sing that way. They had to make sure that they were all also capable to handle things on their own.


    If they exerted all of their forces on that Black Tinder Boar, they would have nothing left to face the others.


    It would surely spell their death.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua gritted her teeth. "But it''s already wounded."


    "We still can''t fatally wound beast rank 5."


    "It''s too strong." Fan Ling''s face was a bit ugly. She wanted to deal with that Black Tinder Boar after she had enhanced her fan''s skill. But as it turned out, she couldn''t deal with it even with the others'' help.


    Was the gap between Foundation Stage and Golden Core Stage so big that they had no hope to build a bridge?


    "Hey, until when do you want me to push them back?" Lu Jian''s face was filled with sweat. He had to infuse his Qi into his voice and it certainly took a lot of toll on his body. Right now, he already wished that he could end this torture and quickly rest.


    "Let''s deal with the rest first."


    "Ok."


    Bang! Swish! Slash!


    Soon, the beast horde that was heading their way was cleared. The Black Tinder Boar didn''t return back and they were all dead tired after they had finished. It seemed that even though they were only expending some energy to fight against that Black Tinder Boar, it had already seeped a lot of their strength.


    "I guess it''s good we didn''t try to chase it."


    "We managed to protect our secret sanctuary once more." Han Jiang laughed heartily.


    The lake was filled with so much Qi that they were all overjoyed. Their training as Foundation Establishment had been going on very smoothly that it was unbelievable.


    Lin Xiao smiled and nodded. He looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua. "Still want to chase that Black Tinder Boar?"


    "No��" Princess Lan Yi Hua groaned lightly.


    She was too tired to even from her current position. Right now, she wanted nothing more than rest and rest.


    Other things were not important.


    Lin Xiao chuckled. It was then he recalled something. "Do you have wounds?"


    "Hmm? Just some scratch. It''s not that important." Princess Lan Yi Hua waved her hand. There was trace of blood there that she had washed but not yet tended and bandaged as she was too tired.


    Walking to her side, Lin Xiao grabbed her hand. Before Princess Lan Yi Hua even had the chance to protest, he infused his Qi into her hand.


    Lin Hu had told him that there was another property that made Lake Dragon Emperor was so feared:


    Healing ability.


    Lin Xiao had already realized it by himself after he visited that Dragon Pavilion but he only found out that this property was already infused deep within his own body. it meant that his Qi also had the same properties.


    He had never tried to heal others before but now that Princess Lan Yi Hua was wounded, he wanted to try healing her hand. It was just a scratch and even if he failed, it wouldn''t change that much.


    The cool and refreshing Qi felt so different from her own Qi. Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at her hand as she could see her wounds slowly closed. Her heart was shaken so badly when she saw that.


    Healing ability.


    He could heal others with just his Qi?


    Lake Emperor truly had such ability? Princess Lan Yi Hua was astounded as it was really her first time finding out that the man who was courting her all this time was actually much more capable than what he had been showing so far.


    No, this couldn''t do.


    She had to work harder so that she wouldn''t be left behind. She didn''t want to be the one protected by Lin Xiao. What she wanted was to be able to stand by his side and to support him in what he did.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua silently promised to herself as she watched Lin Xiao retracted his hand. She wanted to be a person worthy of him.

 Chapter 256: Healing (2)

    Lin Xiao watched as the wounds on Princess Lan Yi Hua began to heal. His heart was filled with happiness.


    It works!


    He could heal other people by infusing his Qi into their body. However, the amount of Qi needed to heal even small wound was so big��. How much would he need to cure someone who was at the death''s door?


    That was quite problematic.


    Right now, he was also circulating Nourishing Lake Technique inside his dantian to make sure that he was also recovering. But it didn''t help much when it came to push the Qi outside to help others.


    When he inserted his Qi into Princess Lan Yi Hua''s hand, he naturally sensed her Qi and that scorching hot Qi�� he would never expect that she was actually of fire element based on the way she acted most of the time.


    "When you become Golden Core Stage, you will naturally have more Qi and the concentration is thicker. It''s only because you''re too weak that you need to use so much Qi," Lin Hu threw shades without hesitation from within Lin Xiao''s consciousness.


    The words stuck deep into Lin Xiao''s heart. He didn''t have any word to refute the words that Lin Hu gave to him because he knew that Foundation Establishment was indeed��


    Still at an extremely low rank.


    "When can I begin to fully heal others?"


    "Just replace your Qi use with Spirit Stones for now if you really wish to heal others. Or you can heal them while absorbing Qi from the lake." Lin Hu was lazy. He looked at Lin Xiao with a scorn.


    Hearing the words, Lin Xiao was even more speechless.


    He began to imagine the time when he was captured and forced to create things like this�� it would have been such a bad future.


    While Lin Xiao was musing to himself, Lin Hu scoffed once more. He looked at Lin Xiao and shook his head. There was no chance for those who had gotten Emperor''s Inheritance to be captured by others.


    Because when they failed�� the Heaven would punish him immediately and the entire area that spanned thousands or even millions of kilometers would be destroyed completely. Not a single person would survive.


    "You can heal wounds?" Prince Lin San noticed the wound on Princess Lan Yi Hua''s hand had completely healed.


    "A bit, but I will need to use a lot of Qi." Lin Xiao noticed that the others also had wounds on several degrees. He thought for a moment before walking into the lake and let the Qi there be absorbed into his body.


    "Come here and I''ll heal you one by one."


    "Pfft, do you have to stay inside the lake?"


    "I really want to laugh right now."


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes while in his consciousness, Lin Hu was already laughing so badly. He was only giving that suggestion to tease Lin Xiao, so he didn''t expect that Lin Xiao would really do it for real and even asked the others to come.


    But then again, this would help him to heal them and also to get more proficient in his skills.


    "I''ll try first." Prince Lin San was curious, so he stepped forward and sat down with his back facing Lin Xiao and Lin Xiao put his hand on their back, pushing his Qi into Prince Lin San''s body and started to heal the wounds.


    He was astonished because he sensed that he could follow the meridian of Prince Lin San and noticed how the flow was different. The Qi that Prince Lin San cultivated was that of wind and there was slight corrosion��.


    Shadow element?


    Lin Xiao was shaken but he tried to focus his attention to heal the wounds on Prince Lin San. His expression only changed for a moment but Prince Lin San naturally would not miss such an obvious hint.


    "You noticed, huh?"


    "Ah��"


    "It''s a secret." Prince Lin San didn''t say much while Lin Xiao also didn''t try to press deeper.


    He was stupid most of the time but he still knew some things. Shadow element or often called to be Dark element was called to the scariest element in the entire world. It was because those who possessed this element could destroy other people''s cultivation.


    It was because of this matter that everyone who have dark element would have to be reported and then grew up under watch. There was rarely anyone who could roam freely in the world.


    But now, Lin Xiao had found one.


    And that person was his own twin brother.


    "I''m done." Lin Xiao retracted his hand and Prince Lin San nodded. "Are the others know?"


    "There are only two people aside from you who know about this." Prince Lin San smiled faintly.


    Two people: Prince Lin Yan and also Prince Lin Xian.


    It seemed that the three brothers do have close relationship to each other. Besides, without their help, it would be impossible for Prince Lin San to be able to grow his ability until this far without anyone noticing something amyss.


    The others looked at them curiously but they would not pry deeper because they knew that there were some secrets that they would find out.


    "By the way, I would like to remind you that if I insert my Qi into your body, I can not only heal your body but also figure out some other things." Lin Xiao swept his gaze to his people. "If you have anything you would not like me to know, you can choose to not be healed by me and just use pills."


    He would not force them to sit down and let him heal them.


    Some things?


    They were shocked and naturally looked at each other. It was often said that there was very little thing that could be hidden from a healer and from the way Lin Xiao spoke about it�� it was indeed the truth.


    As for their body, how could they not be clear of the secret in their body?

 Chapter 257: Secrets

    "It doesn''t matter. We already pledged our lives to you." Lu Jian was the first one to sit down in front of Lin Xiao. He shrugged his shoulder as if he didn''t care.


    Lin Xiao placed his hand on Lu Jian''s back and started to infuse his Qi. He could sense Lu Jian''s body jerked a bit.


    So much for saying that he didn''t care.


    As he started to heal the wounds on Lu Jian body, Lin Xiao naturally noticed some things. First was the fact that the Qi in Lu Jian''s body was filled with wind element and that they''re resisting him heavily when he first infused the Qi.


    But after a while, the Qi began to calm down and allowed Lin Xiao to direct the Qi towards the area that was wounded, slowly closing it from inside.


    ''It''s surprisingly cool.''


    Even though Lu Jian''s element was wind, he was supposed to be a male, which meant that his body was leaning to yang. Lin Xiao naturally knew that Lu Jian was a male but for his body to be filled with coolness more than warm��.


    Lin Xiao''s expression turned strange and Lu Jian naturally noticed it when he had finished. His face flushed. "D��Don''t you dare to say that to anyone!"


    Lin Xiao let out a dry laugh. "I won''t��. though, I would like to meet the person who��"


    "��" Lu Jian''s face turned even redder. He noticed that the others were also looking at him with interest. Normally, he would be quite calm about it but thinking about his past�� he couldn''t bring it up, honestly.


    "Maybe someday."


    "Okay."


    "Who is it?" Fan Ling nudged Lu Jian with curiosity.


    Lu Jian rolled his eyes and ignored them. Now that his wounds had healed, he could focus on training on his own and no longer need to use his Qi to recuperate. Having a healer was indeed good.


    But�� to think his secret was leaked out so quickly.


    He had to be careful of healers in the future. When he returned back home, he better warned his family about this fact. It was so embarrassing, ah!


    The next one to sit down was Lin Yun and Lin Xiao noticed that his brother''s health had started to stabilize. But maybe because it was the influence of his physique but the element that Lin Xiao sensed was that of water��.


    Water and yet he was training Mountain Sword?


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. "Yun, you need to find other skills when we return back to the academy."


    "Ah��" Lin Yun scratched the back of his head. "I didn''t know which skill will be suitable for me, so I try to learn Mountain Sword."


    "What''s his element?" Prince Lin San and Princess Lan Yi Hua asked at the same time.


    "Water."


    Water?


    They all turned to look at Lin Yun in surprise. After all, it was rare for a man to have element in water. Facing they all staring at him, Lin Yun was stupefied. He quickly yelled, "What''s wrong with having water element? Brother is also that of water element."


    Lin Xiao: "��" I''m lake and not water.


    But since it would be difficult to explain that, Lin Xiao merely shrugged.


    The others then nodded, accepting the fact.


    "In that case, you can try to cultivate Moon Treasure or even Splitting Water Sword," Prince Lin San gave his suggestion.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua tilted her head. "You can also try to consider Water Wave Punch. It should be a public skill."


    "Thank you for your suggestion." Lin Yun cupped his hand. Internally, he took note of all of them as he planned on checking them when he used his chance to visit the book pavilion. His current skills set was a bit bad for him.


    Lin Xiao sighed as he looked at his younger brother. He should have known that Lin Yun was unable to choose properly which technique that was suitable for him.


    "I''m next."


    Fan Ling sat down and Lin Xiao used his Qi to heal Fan Ling. Due to her recklessness, she had more wounds than others but she didn''t seem to care about this. There was really nothing that Fan Ling actually hide either.


    After all, she had been using both her elements openly.


    Double element was indeed very rare and there were even rarer those who could cultivate both of them openly like what Fan Ling did. But recalling how Fan Family was rich and certainly had a lot of resources, it no longer looked that strange.


    Lin Xiao ended up using his skills to heal everyone in the group.


    Han Jiang was just like how he was usually. His Qi was that of earth element, which might be reflected on his attack that was usually relied on strength and hardness. He was also one that would not think too much to use his brain.


    Yep��


    Muscle brain.


    But when Lin Xiao healed Xia Ye, he realized that the little twerp was actually hiding so many secrets. Xia Ye naturally noticed Lin Xiao''s look but he was calm because he was prepared for Lin Xiao to know about this.


    "I would try to search for some skills that are suitable for you," Lin Xiao said after a while and then turned to look at his twin brother.


    Prince Lin San naturally knew what that gaze meant as he nodded. "You can tell me if you want to. I might be able to help."


    In terms of resources, he was still far above what the current Lin Xiao had. After all, he had been living as a prince for a long period of time while Lin Xiao was not even formally acknowledged yet.


    It was obvious that Prince Lin San was more eligible to help.


    Xia Ye nodded. "Thank you."


    "I would require you to swear on your life to him, though." Prince Lin San''s eyes glimmered as golden color appear for a moment. "if not, I won''t be sure that you won''t betray us."

 Chapter 258: Prince Lin Yan’s Return

    Xia Ye''s eyes flickered. Back then, they were only giving promise and not swearing on their name when they chose to follow Lin Xiao. It was more like a promise of a child''s play rather than anything else.


    It was only afterwards that they grew closer and realized Lin Xiao''s identity as a prince.


    "I have a request. Aside from finishing my revenge, I''ll follow you in whatever you choose to do."


    Revenge?


    Lin Xiao always knew that Xia Ye had some grudge to the person sitting on the throne. He didn''t know the detail and had no intention to ask what was not his business. "I promise that I won''t stop you from achieving your revenge."


    "Will you help me?"


    "I can''t promise you that I''ll help you to achieve your revenge, but I can promise you that I''ll help you to grow stronger just like how I provide you with the resources." Lin Xiao pointed to the lake where he was in.


    Xia Ye nodded. It was enough for him. He didn''t have any other goal aside from revenge in this life, so if Lin Xiao wanted to use him, he would accept it. He took a deep breath and then silently uttered his vow with a deep voice.


    "I, Xia Ye, pledge to stay loyal to Lin Xiao shall help him to become the Emperor. I will follow his words, if he asks me to go to the north, I''ll never go to the south. Lin Xiao will help me to achieve my revenge while my life will be his until the end of my life. Should I break this oath, may the Heaven kill me."


    Lu Jian and Han Jiang both turned to look at the little twerp as they were utterly surprised. One person could only make such oath or pledge once in their entire life and they would have to follow their words until the end of their life.


    If they broke it, they would have to face Heaven''s punishment.


    The three of them decided to follow Lin Xiao because they saw him chose to stand on his own and refused the blatant treatment that the teacher showed to those who were from weaker background.


    But they never expected this to happen.


    That one of them would eventually chose to pledge an oath on his own to follow Lin Xiao. They all knew that Lin Xiao was a prince because of the necklace but the fight for the successor was still ongoing.


    It would not be easy to determine who would win.


    "Are you so sure that Lin Xiao will become the emperor?" Han Jiang couldn''t help but blurt out.


    Xia Ye retracted his gaze and looked at the other two. His gaze was clear and clearly reflected that he understood very well the repercussion of his action.


    "I''ll make sure he becomes the emperor. If he didn''t become one in the end, wouldn''t it mean that I''m such a useless person?" Xia Ye countered back.


    His words stunned both Han Jiang and Lu Jian.


    On the other hand, Fan Ling started to laugh out loudly. She grinned and waved her fan. "That''s the way it is. I''m also interested to see how those people will look like when the one who become the emperor is someone from the countryside and not their prized princes."


    The others: "��" you just want to join in the fun, don''t you?


    "It''s your decision." Lu Jian raised his hand, not wanting to participate. He would support Lin Xiao, but it didn''t mean that he was willing to trade his life for the other party.


    Han Jiang also nodded, not showing any intention to get close at all.


    Lin Xiao didn''t mind. He knew that obtaining the truly loyal people would take time and even though he was in a hurry, he would not force other people to follow him if they didn''t want to.


    "Hmm?"


    They all almost instantaneously turned their head to the entrance. They sensed tremendous pressure coming and naturally became aware of it. What they saw surprised them greatly.


    Prince Lin Yan was standing there. Draped in black robe, he looked very different from his usual regal self, but they all were certain that he was Prince Lin Yan based on his face and also the aura that he released.


    "Not bad." Prince Lin Yan nodded. "You fail to notice when I''m already standing here for a long time but when I leaked out a bit of my presence, you all noticed."


    Prince Lin San was a bit stunned when he saw his older brother there. He then looked at Xia Ye then took out a scroll. "Read it when you''re alone."


    "Ok." Xia Ye clenched the scroll and took a deep breath. A ruthless glint appeared on his eyes.


    Lin Xiao looked at Xia Ye for a moment then contacted Lin Hu. "is it possible for me to help him grow stronger?"


    "You can help him to get more Qi but you''re only allowed to use one word." Lin Hu thought for a while before coming to a decision. His dragon eyes were looking at Lin Xiao as he added gravely, "If you use too much of your power, it''ll be detrimental to you."


    "I understand."


    Lin Xiao wanted to help others but obviously it would not at the cost of his own cultivation. What a joke, he didn''t want to end up becoming a cripple because of trying to get his people grew stronger.


    Prince Lin Yan looked at the scroll and nodded. "You''re going to come with me. Choose a few of them to come while the rest stay here."


    "Where are you going, Brother?" Prince Lin San asked.


    "Hua Lan Kingdom."


    Hua Lan Kingdom?


    The others looked at one another in surprise. They didn''t expect that Lin Xiao was planning to head over to Hua Lan Kingdom when they were in the middle of the missions like this.


    Lin Xiao looked at the others. "How much point do we lack now?"

 Chapter 259: Splitting Up

    Points they lacked?


    They quickly calculated the number of points they have gathered. They were tasked to get 700,000 contribution points within the time limit of three years. It was not even a year''s time yet but they had already gathered more than that amount.


    "It''s more than enough." Thanks to the beast horde that was attracted to the lake Qi, they were not lacking in beast at all.


    Ordinary people wouldn''t be able to even meet so many beast all the time and yet they were able to meet so many beasts in their journey, which was why there was the time limit of three years.


    But in their case, the beasts were the one that came to deliver themselves to their door.


    All they needed to do was to make sure that they could defend themselves well.


    "Alright, I would like you to stay here to help guarding the rest, Fan Ling and Lu Jian." Lin Xiao knew that their skills were vital for the survival in such a big horde. Without Lu Jian''s singing control, it was hard to say how they were going to fight so many beasts all at once.


    As for Fan Ling, she was a naturally reckless person but most importantly, she was close to breaking through to Golden Core Stage.


    What she needed the most was enough resources and also training. Because of that, if Lin Xiao were to bring her along, it would instead slow her down. It would be better for her to stay in the cave.


    The two of them nodded at this arrangement.


    "Lin Yun, you also stay."


    Lin Yun''s face contorted. He actually wanted to say that he was not that weak but upon recalling that he was currently lacking in proper technique, he could only swallow his words and nodded.


    "Fine."


    "I''ll take you out next time."


    "Ok."


    Lin Xiao then swept his gaze over the rest of the people inside the cave, silently pondering whether it would be better to bring them with him or not.


    "Lan Yi Hua and Xia Ye will come with me�� Do you want to tag along, San?" Lin Xiao looked at his twin brother. He really couldn''t decide whether to take Prince Lin San with him or not.


    "I''ll come with you."


    "Alright. That''s decided then."


    Han Jiang raised his hand. "Does that mean I''ll stay here?"


    "Yes. It''ll be hard to protect the place, so we''ll need more people who stay here." Lin Xiao nodded.


    If only Lin Xian was still here, Lin Xiao would ask his brother for help. But well, they were not exactly that close either, so he would not try to push his luck.


    "Five people''s group will be perfect." Prince Lin Yan nodded when they had decided. He pointed to the lake. "Rest for today and we''ll depart tomorrow."


    "Yes!"


    They had just finished fighting with the beast horde, so it was not that weird if one asked them to rest first. Han Jiang actually wanted to leave but upon hearing that this place would be good for training��


    Hmm, he was actually a bit unwilling to leave this cave either. The lake was simply so wonderful.


    Lin Yun''s lips twitched when they had finished with the arrangement. He could understand that Xia Ye was taken with Lin Xiao because the brat had already pledged with his life to protect Lin Xiao. Princess Lan Yi Hua was also a person of Hua Lan Kingdom and naturally knew the place better.


    But he could not understand why Prince Lin San was also going with them?!


    Those who were left were those who couldn''t be controlled easily. Thinking about the fight where both Han Jiang and Fan Ling went on rampage with their brutal attacks that didn''t care whether the enemy was weak or strong��


    Lin Yun wanted to cry.


    "Prince Lin San, how about if you stay behind?"


    Prince Lin San quickly noticed the real intention behind Lin Yun''s words. His lips twitched as he shook his head vehemently. "I''m sure that I''m going to experience more of the world rather than staying here."


    Lin Yun: "��" just say that you don''t want to deal with those two too!


    Unfortunately for Lin Yun, he failed to convince Prince Lin San to stay. With the Eyes of Truth, it was clear that someone couldn''t lie in front of Prince Lin San as he would find out about it very quickly.


    The next day, he could do nothing as he watched the other five left the place. Meanwhile, the rest were already busy training again. For the time being, the treasure of that lake Qi would be more than enough for them to train.


    They had to reach Golden Core Stage as fast as possible.


    "What kind of identity do you want us to have to enter Hua Lan Kingdom?" Lin Xiao asked as he followed behind Prince Lin Yan.


    Prince Lin Yan furrowed his brows. "Mercenary."


    Mercenary?


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. Come to think about it, before he entered the academy, he had also become a mercenary and finished some missions. But at that time, he was working for money.


    "I already prepared your identity. Memorize it."


    Prince Lin Yan threw each of them a scroll and each of them read their new identity.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes twitched when he read the information given to him.


    Name: Hu Xiao


    Age: 18


    Rank: Foundation Establishment


    History: He''s the son of a noble named Hu Family. Had twin brother named Hu San. He''s known to be a troublemaker ever since he was young and was a big maniac of cultivation and fighting. He often wore headbands as a means to differ himself from his twin brother. So far, he''s entering the mercenary with hope to find stronger opponents to hone his skills.


    ...


    The contribution points in case you forget.


    Beast Rank 1: 1 contribution point.


    Beast Rank 2: 10 contribution point.


    Beast Rank 3: 100 contribution point.


    Beast Rank 4: 1000 contribution points.


    Beast Rank 5: 10,000 contribution points.


    Beast Rank 6: 100,000 contribution points

 Chapter 260: New Identity

    "��What the hell is this?"


    While Lin Xiao was utterly speechless, Lin Hu had even more exaggerated of reaction. He was laughing maniacally inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness because of the description that Prince Lin Yan had put there.


    Lies were easier to detect if everything was completely wrong. But if it was only 20% lies and 80% truth, they would find it harder to find out the truth.


    In any case, most of the things written there was the absolute truth regarding Lin Xiao.


    "I''m not a troublemaker!" Lin Xiao protested in his mind.


    Lin Hu sneered. "If you''re not a troublemaker, what do you think you are? I''m absolutely sure that you''re a troublemaker with how much you have created trouble so far."


    "Damn you!"


    "I''m not the one who instigated you to do it."


    Lin Xiao''s face contorted. He gritted his teeth and rushed over to look at what Prince Lin San got.


    Name: Hu San


    Age: 18


    Rank: Foundation Establishment


    History: He''s the son of a noble named Hu Family. Had twin brother named Hu San. He''s known to be a peacemaker ever since he was young and was someone who loved to observe others more than anything. He didn''t seem to care whether he can be differed from his twin brother. So far, he''s entering the mercenary with hope to make sure that his twin brother didn''t create trouble.


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    Prince Lin San was also astounded when he saw the information here. He looked at his twin brother with curiosity. "Troublemaker and peacemaker."


    "Shut up��" Lin Xiao felt utterly annoyed with that. Why did he have to be the one with the title troublemaker and Prince Lin San was the one with the title of peacemaker? Why can''t they switch their role?


    Lin Hu snorted. He knew very well that Prince Lin San was much calmer than Lin Xiao. In terms of disposition, Prince Lin San would not be as reckless as Lin Xiao so it was indeed more apt for him to become the peacemaker.


    It was just Lin Xiao who felt bad.


    Prince Lin San smiled lightly. "At the very least, the age is right."


    "Is it fine to reveal our age?" Lin Xiao then asked. He wanted to know about whether that age was actually too fast or something.


    "There''s no need to worry. 18 years old and being a Foundation Establishment Cultivator is extremely common." Prince Lin San waved his hand. He looked at his twin brother in amusement. "Could it be that you don''t know that there are a lot of noble family children who have their children at Foundation Establishment during their teenage age? In comparison, we''re ordinary."


    Ordinary��


    The word felt a bit annoying to hear but Lin Xiao merely sighed. He really didn''t have any good head start from the very beginning. This was why he was still at Foundation Establishment even now.


    Inside his consciousness, Lin Hu snorted. If Lin Xiao were to compare himself with other children who cultivated earlier than him, it did look slow. But since Lin Xiao himself spent a long time for his foundation�� his speed was not that slow either.


    In fact, it was better than average.


    Of course, there were still many who were faster and more heaven defying. For Lin Xiao to match against them would still need a long time.


    Lin Xiao then walked to Princess Lan Yi Hua


    Name: Xiao Hua


    Age: 18


    Rank: Foundation Establishment


    History: She''s the daughter of the noble Xiao Family. She''s a quiet child but had beautiful face. After some dispute within her family, she decided to join the mercenary in hope that she could grow stronger.


    Lin Xiao read the information and instantly felt speechless. Why did he feel that all of the others'' information was better than him?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua noticed Lin Xiao staring at her new identity and tilted her head. History was just one part, there were also other things such as like, dislike, friends, temperament, and many others. However, Lin Xiao only focused on the history because he was curious.


    "Is yours that bad?"


    "Not really��" Lin Xiao sighed and showed the scroll.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua glanced at it then giggle. She looked at Lin Xiao with smile in her eyes. "That''s suitable for you."


    Suitable?


    Even you?


    Lin Xiao wanted to cry yet there were no tears. In the end, he glanced over to Xia Ye, who willingly showed the parchment that Prince Lin Yan gave to him.


    Name: Hei Ye


    Age: 16


    Rank: Foundation Establishment


    History: He''s a wandering cultivators and also a quiet one. He prioritized finishing his mission faster so that he could grow stronger and earn more money. Joining the mercenary was merely one thing that he wanted to do in hope that he would be able to grow stronger.


    Lin Xiao stared at the top row of the information before he looked at Xia Ye. "16 years old?"


    "I''ll be 17 soon." Xia Ye raised his head and looked back at Lin Xiao with confusion. "Is there anything wrong?"


    "��No, there''s nothing wrong."


    Internally, Lin Xiao merely felt his heart bleeding at the thought of his own cultivation. Why did it feel as if he was too slow? Even those who were younger than him were all better than him.


    *Sigh*


    He had to work harder!


    Lin Hu watched as Lin Xiao felt defeated and snorted once more. What an idiot. Why did he even want to compare himself with those who had plenty of resources ever since they were young?


    Those people just simply had head start in their lives that allowed them to be stronger faster.


    Prince Lin Yan looked at them and shook his head lightly. "I''ll be Hu Yan from now on, so you make sure to not call me with the wrong name."


    Lin Xiao and Prince Lin San were both speechless. Alright, they were still brothers even when they have fake identity.

 Chapter 261: Accepting Missions

    There was a nearby city not far from the Mountain and they all headed to that location. It was a different city from the one where they took their mission before. The city was fairly big but Lin Xiao could sense the high tension even from a distance away.


    He could see that the guards were looking at them full of hostility as if they owed a thousand gold coins to them.


    Lin Xiao was confused.


    "We''re mercenary from Sun Kingdom," Prince Lin Yan took his identification letter. He handed it to the guards who read the letter seriously. After a minute, they handed it back and nodded.


    "You may go."


    "Thank you." Prince Lin Yan smiled and slipped a coin when he took the letter back. The guard''s expression didn''t change but there was a faint glimmer in his eyes when he sensed the coins.


    As the group entered the city, Lin Xiao asked, "Why do you do that?"


    "It''s to earn their favorable impression. Mercenary are the one who can travel between countries easily so it''s hard to know whether they''re spies or not. Because of that, those high ranked noble will usually do some background check to make sure that the person they''re facing comes from their country."


    Prince Lin Yan naturally knew more about this matter. He might be a high ranking cultivator, but he also traveled to many places over the years. His eyes narrowed. "It''s fine if you don''t but you better strike good relationship with the guards whenever you can because it can be crucial at some times."


    Prince Lin San chuckled. "Don''t worry too much about it. For us, that kind of money didn''t worth much anymore. You wouldn''t be able to use any copper, silver, nor gold coins for our needs."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao paused for a moment. Indeed, cultivators would not care about those monies because what they cared the most was spirit stones. The currency they used most of the time was Spirit Stone since it can also be used for their cultivation.


    The only reason why they still had money of other value was simply so that they could blend in with others.


    But in terms of value�� they didn''t worth much in the eyes of cultivators.


    They could exchange almost anything they have for millions of gold coins and it was still within the limit. It was clear that money was the least of the worry for cultivators.


    Of course, that was only when one was speaking about the gold. If they were talking about Spirit stones�� that would be a completely different story. A lot of cultivators were working hard to make sure that they could earn enough Spirit Stones to aid their cultivation.


    "I see."


    "We''re here."


    Prince Lin Yan led them inside. Right now, they looked a bit strange as they all dressed in ordinary clothes with black robe draped over them. Princess Lan Yi Hua was even using the hood to cover her face because there might be people who could recognize her.


    The people inside only passed a glance to them once before they resumed back to their own business. There were a lot of people who came to the mercenary hall and they had no interest to pay close attention to everyone who came inside like that.


    He walked to the board and began to scan them.


    Lin Xiao walked in and he had just realized one thing: they hadn''t asked Prince Lin Yan his cultivation rank in his fake identity. As far as they knew, Prince Lin Yan was already at Golden Core Stage 2 but it was unclear whether he would say the truth in the fake identity resume.


    They all also headed to the board and was stunned when they saw the list of work.


    Ehm, their rank��


    Mercenary was divided into ranks starting from G. Lin Xiao looked at his badge that Prince Lin Yan had prepared�� it was only rank F��


    They could easily take the test to get higher rank if their cultivation was high enough. Another way was for them to continue taking missions after missions so that they could raise their mercenary ranking.


    He glanced at Prince Lin San and noticed that they were all at rank F except Xia Ye who was at rank G.


    Prince Lin Yan�� Lin Xiao peeked at the badge and nearly cursed. Prince Lin Yan was at rank D, which was two ranks higher than the rest. What kind of reason would he have to stay with their group, then?


    "Hey mate, how long do you want to stand there?" A bulky man waved his axe as he asked in impatient tone.


    Prince Lin Yan arched his eyebrows. "I''m a bit troubled right now. I want to help my younger brothers to finish missions but I feel that I might take missions that are too hard for them to handle."


    "Just take some easy missions. Oh right, there''s a mission that required a large number of mercenary and I was planning to take a look at it too." The bulky man stepped forward and naturally Prince Lin Yan stepped back.


    He pointed to one side. "This one. There''s an important escort and they''re recruiting as many people to come as possible."


    Prince Lin Yan naturally had noticed that missions. He nodded his head. "Thank you for your advice. I''ll take the mission."


    "Good, hmm, the requirement is not that strict too��"


    While the man was mumbling, Prince Lin Yan brought Lin Xiao and the others to take the missions. The person behind the counter nodded when she saw them asking for that mission.


    "You''re not allowed to leak anything about the guest this time. Also, you''ll be heading to Lan Hua Kingdom, so you might need to pay more attention about your identity. Foreign mercenaries might not be accepted so easily."


    "Thank you for your reminder." Prince Lin Yan looked much more amiable today. It might have been part of his act but the others felt that acting was really a necessary art in life.


    They couldn''t possibly live in total seclusion all their lives, right?


    There might be other things that they needed to pay attention too.

 Chapter 262: Escorting Mission

    "What kind of mission is that?" Lin Xiao took the initiative to ask when Prince Lin Yan had finished the registering.


    "It''s an escorting mission for an important person." Prince Lin Yan paused for a moment. "Your little brother is an alchemist, right?"


    "Ah, yes."


    Lin Xiao had heard that Lin Yun took the test to become an alchemist when he was in prison. He was not too clear about the significance for a cultivator to become an alchemist but he knew that they had some kind of advantage.


    What it was, he was not too clear.


    "What''s his rank?"


    "Uh�� I think it''s 2 or 3?" Lin Xiao furrowed his eyebrows. He was not too sure about the ranking.


    The ranking for alchemist was simple as it was just number from 1 to 10. However, each categorize of the number would earn them different title. He had only heard that Lin Yun was now categorized as Alchemist Disciple.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. "The person we''re going to escort is someone who''s at rank 4. He''s already Alchemist Master."


    While Lin Xiao only felt that it was nothing more than a title, Prince Lin San was already so shocked that he nearly pissed his pants. What the hell, they were now escorting an alchemist master?


    "Bro��.Brother, are you sure about that?" Prince Lin San asked.


    "Yes."


    Prince Lin San''s face turned dark. He noticed that the others were looking at him but he refused to say anything until they reached the inn for them to stay for the night. After all, the mission would only start tomorrow.


    "Why are you so prickly?" Lin Xiao didn''t know what words that could suit Prince Lin San''s current condition, so he ended up saying whatever was in his mind.


    "Ppft!"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua laughed when she heard what Lin Xiao said and even Xia Ye showed a rare smile.


    Prince Lin San rolled his eyes. "I''m saying this for your own good! Even occupations have the minimum cultivation level if they want to reach the ranking. Do you know that to become Alchemist Master, you need to be at least Golden Core Stage 2?"


    "What?"


    "Golden Core Stage 2?"


    "Why did he even need weak escort then?"


    The other three were stunned. Princess Lan Yi Hua had heard that the occupation cultivation master would need some certain rank in their cultivation to even be eligible to take the test��


    But this��


    "Surprised, aren''t you?" Prince Lin San scowled. "He''s already so powerful and yet he''s asking for escort. It can only mean that he must be wounded or something because ordinarily, someone at his rank wouldn''t even need escort at Foundation Establishment."


    The four of them were only at Foundation Establishment Stage and Prince Lin Yan himself was only at Golden Core Stage 2. Should a fight break out, would they be able to escape safely?


    They turned their eyes to look at Prince Lin Yan who was still leisurely drinking tea. He sneered. "Don''t think that you''ll be able to get out of Sun Kingdom without sufficient method. This is already good enough for you to hone your skills."


    Hone our skills?


    Do you want us to escape from the pursuit of a cultivator at Golden Core Stage?


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched when he thought of that possibility. He quickly turned to look at Prince Lin San only to find the other party was also at despairing moment. It seemed that whatever was said couldn''t lift up his spirit anymore.


    "This��"


    "My good brother�� you have to remember one thing." Prince Lin San looked at Lin Xiao seriously. "My brother is a sadist..."


    Bletak!


    Before he could even finish his sentence, a teacup had landed on his head. Prince Lin San could only look at his older brother with expression begging for mercy while Lin Xiao chose to turn blind eyes.


    However, he could already guess that his future training would be very bitter.


    "Hardship will be good for you." Lin Hu swam around in Lin Xiao''s consciousness without care, taking his part of Qi without any qualms.


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. "You already know?"


    "He''s your brother, so he''ll be strict with you in hope that you can grow stronger and not dying. Cultivation world is much more dangerous than what you think, Bratty Xiao."


    "��" I''m not a brat!


    Lin Hu snorted when he saw Lin Xiao fuming. Anyway, this development was good in his opinion because this would also allow Lin Xiao to meet with various cultivators at different rank and also different background.


    They have different fighting skill and the current Lin Xiao would have to hone his instinct and skill to the fullest.


    Lin Xiao sighed then beckoned for Xia Ye to come closer. "Come here, I need to help you with your Qi gathering, right?"


    "Is it possible?" Xia Ye''s eyes lit up.


    "Yes."


    Dragon language can be used anywhere and not limited to the lake. The only reason why Lin Xiao used it at the lake back then was because it was his greater power source.


    He silently wrote with his Qi in the air then put it on Xia Ye''s back. Almost instantly, their expression changed.


    Lin Xiao could feel that his head was throbbing. There was pain and dizziness but Lin Xiao managed to return back to normal after a while. He felt his back was filled with sweat as he didn''t expect that the effect would be this tremendous.


    Xia Ye felt that the Qi in the world was coming towards him much faster than before. It was as if there was a suction on his back that allowed the Qi to move in accordance.


    ��


    Occupation Ranking


    Rank 1- 3: Disciple


    Rank 4- 6: Master


    Rank 7- 9: Grandmaster


    Rank 10: Saint


    This occupation ranking is used for many different type of occupation. For example, an alchemist at rank 2 will be called as Alchemist Disciple for his formal title. The same will be for other occupations that will be introduced in the future.

 Chapter 263: Escorting Mission (2)

    "Master, it''s working��" Xia Ye felt that with this speed, he might be able to absorb enough Qi to make his breakthrough within a year''s time.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Once you make your breakthrough to Golden Core Stage, I''ll erase the mark."


    He tried to compose himself but he could feel his head throbbing with pain. It was really painful and he quickly summoned Lin Hu, who had the gall to leisurely sitting in his consciousness and merely watched everything.


    ''What the hell did you just make me do?''


    "Don''t'' worry too much about it." Lin Hu looked at Lin Xiao with amusement. "In fact, this kind of pain will instead increase your mental strength."


    "What mental strength?"


    "Hmm, it''s another type of cultivation. You don''t need to know so much for now and just focus on resting. The pain will turn dull with time and it''s not like you can do anything for now."


    "You damn dragon!" Lin Xiao howled in his mind.


    Unfortunately for him, the tricky dragon had decided to sleep and ignored the raging Lin Xiao. Unable to bear with the throbbing head, Lin Xiao decided to sleep early with hope that he would get better tomorrow.


    No matter how annoying that dragon was, Lin Hu would not do anything that could cause harm to Lin Xiao. Because of that, Lin Xiao was certain that he would be fine after some time. If he died, the dragon would also experience pain and be forced to stay in slumber for thousands of years.


    It was not exactly a pleasant experience for the dragon either.


    When the morning came, Lin Xiao was relieved that the pain was reduced. It was still throbbing, though. He really wondered how he would be able to survive this way.


    "We''re going now."


    "Ok��"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao and her eyebrows furrowed. "Are you alright?"


    "Don''t worry, I''m fine." Lin Xiao put on a smile and pointed forward. "Who will be afraid of challenge? I''m sure that I can do this just fine!"


    The others: "��" was the story about Golden Core Stage 2 yesterday scare him?


    But knowing Lin Xiao, they knew that he was not one to feel threatened so easily. In fact, it was more likely for him to be intimidating others rather than the opposite.


    Blinking her eyes, Princess Lan Yi Hua stared at Lin Xiao deeper but didn''t ask more. What she did next was simply to stay close to him as if she was his bodyguard. It seemed as if she noticed that he was feeling some kind of discomfort and might not be able to fight to his fullest.


    They soon arrived in their destination: a large field filled with people. There were many people who looked like they were waiting. Some of them clearly glared at each other to prevent anyone from getting close.


    From the looks of it�� there were dozens of groups that gathered here.


    "Why are there so many?"


    "Obviously for the reward. They can get one spirit stone per person as long as they can escort safely." Prince Lin San shook his head, wondering just how rich that person was to be able to cough up so much money in one go.


    Lin Xiao was stunned. 1 spirit stone per person��


    There were already more than 100 people here since he didn''t try to count. It meant that whoever was hiring them was not only powerful but also rich? What the hell!


    Prince Lin Yan brought them to one side and then asked them to stay low.


    Stay low��


    For whatever reason, the other three immediately turned to look at Lin Xiao when they were asked that.


    "Why are you looking at me?" Lin Xiao was speechless.


    "That''s because your idea of staying low before is a bit�� too extreme." Prince Lin San sighed. Even he ended up knowing about the matter before because his friends were talking about how a new student was competing for the dead last position.


    It was making people speechless.


    Why the hell would they be competing for the last position when they could reach higher score?


    Of course, it was simply because Lin Xiao was too lazy to compete. The difference in the spirit stones was not that much and it would put him in too much limelight if he were to show his prowess.


    Thus, he chose that way.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua also nodded in agreement.


    Looking at that, Lin Xiao was speechless. He was not planning on doing anything today, ah! Stop looking in his way!


    They were only sitting for a moment when a group walked to their side. A man looked at their badge and snickered. "Even mercenary rank F dared to come to this place? I didn''t expect to see someone so shameless like you."


    Those at rank G and F were usually at Body Training or at best Foundation Establishment. If they wished to reach rank E, they had to reach Foundation Establishment and had certain abilities. If not, they might not even be able to pass even if they reach Golden Core stage.


    Lin Xiao raised his head and grinned. "Since the task is simply to escort, why not? Do you have a problem with us taking the loophole for more cultivation materials?"


    He could see that the group of people who were coming to face him were only at Rank E. Their cultivation was only at Foundation Establishment. After fighting so many beasts rank 4 that were comparable to Golden Core Stage 1, Foundation Establishment was not a problem for him.


    If they were seeking death, he was willing to play with them.


    "You��"


    "Do you think that you can get away safely. You''ll die for sure." The man sneered and pointed at Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Are you sure you''re not the one who will die?"


    "How dare you, do you know��"


    "Now, now, you''ve been talking for so long while the others are already calling." Prince Lin San smiled. "Would you like to continue fighting and lose your chance to earn easy money?"

 Chapter 264: Escorting Mission (3)

    "Now, now, you''ve been talking for so long while the others are already calling." Prince Lin San smiled. "Would you like to continue fighting and lose your chance to earn easy money?"


    Even though he was smiling, there was a threat beneath his words. Of course, he would not mind fighting against them like what Lin Xiao did, but he would have to make sure that the time was right.


    Fighting in front of the crowd like this�� was certainly a big no.


    The men furrowed their brows. They noticed that the others were already preparing to depart, so they quickly turned back. One of them still snorted. "Consider yourself lucky this time!"


    "Are you sure I''m the lucky one and not you?" Lin Xiao muttered. His eyes gleamed coldly for he disliked those people who only knew how to act big and looked down on others who have lower rank than them.


    Prince Lin San patted Lin Xiao''s shoulder. "Now, now, do you really plan to fight them?"


    "Hmm? I can easily evade them." Lin Xiao shrugged. "There''s no fight to begin with if they can''t even hit me."


    He had been focusing his dragon power on his legs so far and the result has been quite good. Also, there were still a lot of dragon power coursing in his body that he distributed evenly because he hadn''t thought of which part that he specifically wanted to strengthen so far.


    Even without relying on Moon Evasion, Lin Xiao was confident that he could easily outrun those people.


    Prince Lin San was speechless.


    "The troublemaker and peacemaker." Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at the two of them as her lips curled up to form an amused smile. It seemed that Prince Lin Yan didn''t assign them that task for nothing.


    "I''m not a troublemaker!" Lin Xiao repeated, exasperated.


    But upon looking at how the others were looking at him, he gave up trying to save his name. they would certainly not believe him no matter what he said. It would be better for him to not say anything else at this point.


    Tsk.


    Prince Lin Yan returned not long afterwards. He sensed that they were all looking at Lin Xiao with a scorn and could already guess what had happened. "We''re going to depart soon. We''ll be staying near the back."


    "Near the back?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion.


    "It''s the safest location or at the very least, we won''t need to fight too much. Besides, coming into contact with those experts might not end well for us in this case."


    They were planning to enter Lan Hua Kingdom secretly and not to make trouble.


    "Got it."


    "Do you really understand?" Prince Lin San looked at his twin brother with suspicions.


    "Yes!" Lin Xiao nodded as his eyes gleamed. It meant that they had to be covert in whatever they were doing.


    "it''s good if you understand then."


    They all quickly blend in with the group. There was barely anyone at the back of the group and many were trying to swarm in the middle. They were naturally trying to make sure that they strike good impression with the important person.


    Looking at those people trying so hard to win affection of others, Lin Xiao''s lips twitched.


    "Why do I feel like I''m seeing a drama right now."


    "You can just say it like that." Prince Lin San was not willing to pay attention to those people and instead looked out to the forest. They had just come out of the city and will soon reach the border.


    At that time, they could rely on their identity as escort to pass the gate.


    "What kind of place is the gate?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Pfft!


    They turned their head and saw a young man standing there. He didn''t look much older than Lin Xiao but he was wearing thick fur clothes as if it was cold there. When the temperature was so hot like this, his appearance did look strange.


    But cultivator was not one to pay attention to temperature. With their Qi, they could easily block their sense and even if the temperature was slightly colder or hotter, it made no difference to them.


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. "Is there anything wrong, Brother?"


    "No, it''s just a bit funny that you''re asking what kind of place the gate is." The young man shook his head and grinned. "It can''t be your first time seeing the gate, is it?"


    "It''s the first time."


    "Wow, you must be living in such secluded area!"


    Lin Xiao: "��" while it was also true, his fake identity was that of a noble child. And the Hu Family was from Hua Lan Kingdom, right?


    Just as Lin Xiao was thinking for a way to retort, Prince Lin San had stepped forward. "It''s like this, he fainted when we''re passing the gate back then, so he didn''t see how majestic the gate can be. Haih, my twin brother is really troublesome."


    Lin Xiao: "��" no! My image.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was trying so hard to restrain her laughter when she saw Lin Xiao was trying hard to not retort. It was clear that he was unable to accept that he was reduced to weaklings in Prince Lin San''s word.


    As if he would faint that easily.


    The young man nodded in understanding. "I see. There''s really nothing special about the gate honestly. You can just see it as a high wall of stones with people guarding from both sides. It''ll only open twice a day so you need to be in the right place at the right time."


    "Thank you for your explanation..." Lin Xiao''s tone was a bit rigid.


    "Oh I haven''t introduced myself. I''m Wei Mu, a traveler and also mercenary."


    "Hu Xiao."


    "Hu San."


    "This two are Xiao Hua and also Hei Ye." Lin Xiao took the opportunity to introduce the other two to keep them not speaking to others easily.


    The young man named Wei Mu looked at them with curiosity.

 Chapter 265: Hidden Intention

    "This two are Xiao Hua and also Hei Ye." Lin Xiao took the opportunity to introduce the other two to keep them not speaking to others easily.


    The young man named Wei Mu looked at them with curiosity. Just as Prince Lin San about to ask him what''s the matter, he spoke, "As twins, you two don''t look alike that much."


    "Really?" Lin Xiao made his voice sounded happy.


    "Yep."


    "That means my headband worked!" Lin Xiao said proudly, puffing his chest as if it was his real reason for wearing headband. "You don''t know how tiring it is to always be compared to my twin brother just because he''s more capable than me. Thus I have to think of an alternative and tada, the headband is born. Now that I''m wearing headband, I''m absolutely more handsome than my twin brother!"


    Hearing Lin Xiao''s far etched explanation that was riddled with mockery, Prince Lin San was utterly speechless. He had to give it to Lin Xiao, though, as he didn''t expect that Lin Xiao would create such story.


    ''Hmm, Lin Xiao is not a bad actor.''


    Prince Lin Yan was listening to their conversation from a distance. His eyes lit up in slight amusement and also agreement. With Lin Xiao''s way of exaggeration, it could be said that he sounded as if he loathed to be compared with his twin brother.


    This way, even if he refused to take off the headband, it would make the excuse sounded so reasonable.


    Wei Mu was speechless. "Do you really have to think so much?"


    "What do you mean by that? You don''t know how it is to be always compared to my twin brother! What does it mean he can do it but I can''t? It''s so annoying��."


    Bletak!


    "I believe that the certain twin brother is right beside you, Hu Xiao." Prince Lin San smiled with dark expression. It looked like he was angry for his twin brother to speak bad about him so quickly to a stranger.


    "That��"


    "Come here, I''ll make sure that you know very well how much your brother ''care'' for you."


    "Ah! Help! That''s called abuse! I call quit! I call quit! Help!"


    The two of them began to run in circle while Wei Mu shook his head. He had been thinking that he had found an interesting group to talk with but it turned out that the group was instead filled with children.


    They were already 18 or so years old based on their appearance and they still acted like they were children? Grew up!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was paying close attention to Wei Mu''s expression as her eyes narrowed slightly. She grew up in the royal family who were very adept at hiding their real expression and thoughts. Thus, when she was going outside, she always paid more attention to other people''s eyes and faint gesture.


    They would always reveal things that the owner wished to hide.


    ''This Wei Mu is up to no good.''


    Princess Lan Yi Hua decided to warn the others when there was a chance in the future because she didn''t want them to put their guard down when they were facing this man. He must have a certain goal.


    At this moment, they had already walked for some time. The people at the front were also guarding at certain degree and made sure that they were doing their work well. However, it was clear that there was nothing much that occurred right now.


    The walk continued.


    Lin Xiao and Prince Lin San stopped their argument after some time. While it looked like the two brothers were still going to fight more, they had already more or less calmed down.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua passed a bottle of water to Lin Xiao. "Drink some."


    Lin Xiao''s eyes lit up and inched closer to her. As he picked the bottle, he sensed sound transmission from the young girl and he nodded in understanding. "Hua''er is the sweetest to me!"


    "Get lost!" Prince Lin San acted as if he was disgusted by their behavior. In any case, he didn''t really want to be forced to watch his younger brother fed him dog food. Cultivators lived for a long time and it would not be too late for him to search for a partner when he was at higher stages of cultivation.


    Who would want to seek partner so early in their life?


    He certainly was not one.


    Wei Mu was even more speechless when he saw the group beside him. He shook his head but Prince Lin San had already turned his attention to him.


    "Are you alone, Brother Wei?"


    "Hmm?" Wei Mu looked at Prince Lin San and nodded. "Yeah, I don''t really have anyone who want to partner up with me."


    "Oh, why?"


    "That''s because my skills are too violent." Wei Mu smiled proudly.


    Prince Lin San''s lips twitched as he chose to temporarily stopped asking about this matter or he was afraid that he would lose control and threw a punch. For some reasons, he didn''t like this kind of braggart.


    "There are beasts coming."


    The guards were alert when they heard that. They looked at the front where several beasts suddenly appeared and pounced at them.


    "They''re here!"


    "Attack!"


    Flurry of attack suddenly started from the people at the very front. The beasts couldn''t'' even come close when they were turned into mincemeat. There was no chance for Lin Xiao and the others to even make their move.


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. "That''s overkill."


    "So many people are trying hard to get noticed." Prince Lin San was not worried about it.


    "But why would one send so many people to come to such a simple escort mission then? It''s not like there are many beasts who are so powerful." Lin Xiao furrowed his brows.


    Over the time they were here, they were not only fooling around but also tried to get better picture of those people. To their surprise, most of them were only at Foundation Establishment Stage.

 Chapter 266: Good Luck?

    Well, not that it was that surprising.


    The reward was only 1 spirit stone, so it was clear that the reward was most attractive to those at Foundation Establishment. If they could have the spirit stone and used it for their cultivation, they could reduce the time they needed to stay as Foundation Establishment by several weeks.


    Or even less, depending on the amount they needed.


    Thus only those who actually needed money would take such boring request.


    There might be also those who were like Lin Xiao, coming here because they wanted to pass the border. In other words, some of those who came along were actually those who wanted to illegally stay in other kingdom.


    The kingdoms were not in that harmonious condition. Even if they were in collaboration, they would not allow the citizen of another kingdom to enter their own kingdom so easily no matter what the reason was.


    Thus, they could only enter illegally.


    Like what they did right now.


    Lin Xiao sighed. ''I began to think whether I should alter my face or not��''


    ''When you don''t wear your headband, your looks naturally look different. Besides, you only need to worry about it in the future when you have truly become a royalty that was feared by others.'' Lin Hu snorted.


    Lin Xiao couldn''t argue.


    It was impossible for them to reach the gate in just a day with the speed of most Foundation Establishment Cultivators. They only reached a bit more than halfway and Lin Xiao could see the gate from a far.


    Like what Wei Mu said, the gate was really just a gate with the wall surrounding it that was made of rocks or something like that. The gate itself was massive and seemed as if it was built several meters above.


    From a distance, it still looked small, though.


    "That''s the gate to Hua Lan Kingdom." Prince Lin San pointed to the gate while standing near Lin Xiao. They were on top of a small hill to rest for the night, so they could see the gate from this position.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "We''re going to enter through that gate?"


    "Where else do you think we''re going to pass? The wall might look ordinary but it''s anything but that. You won''t believe how many people die just from trying to climb those walls." Prince Lin San shook his head.


    He still could remember the many tales that was provided to him back then. They were telling him how dangerous the walls were and that no one would be able to pass the wall forcefully.


    They had to use the gate.


    The wall was embedded with so many traps that even masters were unwilling to try crossing it. Thankfully, there were several gates over the distance of millions of kilometers so they only needed to make sure that they were passing the right one.


    There was only some areas where there were no wall.


    "But I don''t see any walls in the mountain back then."


    "The mountain is the only place where we can''t even pass. There''s actually a layer of poison in the middle that will prevent us from reaching the other side." Prince Lin San was amused at Lin Xiao''s lack of knowledge. "If you try to use the underground path, it''s possible, but you might also get lost."


    "What if you use wind element?"


    "You mean flying above? You''ll die."


    "Eh?"


    Prince Lin San pointed to the wall. "They''re equipped with some machinery that will attack if someone try to pass above the wall. Unless you''re stronger than Golden Core Stage Cultivators, it''ll be better for you to not try it."


    Hearing his words, Lin Xiao was a bit intrigued. So far, he only knew the highest cultivation rank to be Golden Core Stage 3. Could it be that there were even higher ranks above it?


    He was more interested now.


    "Let''s go back."


    "Hmm, I want to walk around."


    "Up to you. We''ll set up the tent first."


    "Ok."


    Lin Xiao jumped to the woods and started to walk around. He always liked to stay in forest area more than lake. After all, he had grown up with so many herbs around him that his parents taught to him how he should harvest them.


    They were all embedded deep into his mind, providing him with clear and nice memory.


    For him, forest and herbs might be equal to home.


    "Lin Xiao, there''s a Rainbow Petal Yang Flower."


    "Hmm?" Lin Xiao''s eyes turned sharp when he heard what Lin Hu said. He swept his gaze around and naturally landed on the beautiful flower that was located near the rocky areas that was around a hundred meters away from him.


    His eyes lit up because he knew that it was one of the few rare flowers that was of Yang type. If his younger brother, Lin Yun, could have it, the brat might be able to grow stronger and overcome his constitution better.


    "I''ll take it."


    "Careful."


    Lin Xiao noticed that there was a large bear that was guarding the flower but right now, it was busy fighting with another beast more than a kilometer away. His eyes narrowed as he glanced up above.


    The other cultivators who were staying there naturally knew that there was a fight but they didn''t know the reason. They were also simply waited by the side to know what the two bears would do.


    If they could benefit from the battle, it would be good for them.


    "I''ll think about it later��."


    The priority right now was to take the treasure as fast as possible without anyone noticing.


    Lin Xiao leapt down and dashed forward by using Moon Evasion. He arrived by the flower and quickly used his hand to dug the ground around the Rainbow Petal Yang Flower. The scorching heat began to permeate deep into his skin.


    He calmly circulated Nourishing Lake Technique as his hand worked faster and faster. He had to get it before the bear returned.

 Chapter 267: Bad Luck!

    "Hey look, the bears stopped fighting."


    "Hmm, they''re looking in this direction?"


    "F*ck! Does it mean we''re going to fight?"


    "Hey, they''re really looking this way, right?"


    Some people began to feel panic as they felt that the bear was looking at them. In truth, the two bears were looking at the figure who were crouching down near the Rainbow Petal Yang Flower.


    Swish!


    The root was safely uprooted. Lin Xiao was happy but he didn''t have much time to be happy when he sensed pressure coming at his back. His face changed and he kept the Rainbow Petal Yang Flower in his Spatial Ring.


    Moon Evasion!


    Using Moon Evasion to the very limit, Lin Xiao reappeared on the other side of the hill. His back was drenched with sweat as he rushed to the top. It was only a hundred meters away from the top and by the time he reached up, he saw the sound of roaring from one side.


    "Ah, they''re coming here!"


    "WHAAAAAAaaa!"


    "Beast Rank 5!"


    "Damn it!"


    Beast rank 5 was equivalent to Golden Core Stage 2 and majority of the people there were only at Foundation Establishment. It was clear that they were not a match of the two beasts!


    "Run!"


    "Damn it! I''m only here for the free money and not to throw my life away!" another cultivator screamed and ran away in the other direction. It was clear that he wanted to run away from the assignment.


    The others were also having bad expression on their faces.


    Why would two Beast Rank 5 suddenly attack them.


    "Lin Xiao!" Princess Lan Yi Hua spotted Lin Xiao and hurriedly called him. She pulled his hands. "Hurry up, there''s a beast rank 5! We need to get into formation to help."


    "Alright."


    Lin Xiao acted as if he had just heard about it and rushed over. Internally, he was relieved because this was already the second time he tried to pull this stunt: having other people clean up for his mess.


    Of course, he himself was not confident of fighting against those two beasts, so he had to rely on others here.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows. "Normally, we won''t be able to defeat Beast Rank 5 but if everyone worked together, it should be possible."


    When they reached the others, Prince Lin San arched his eyebrows. He naturally noticed that Lin Xiao was coming from the wrong direction. He was supposed to be coming from the opposite direction.


    As he linked it with the appearance of the two Beast Rank 5�� Prince Lin San felt that there would never be any peace to travel with Lin Xiao.


    "Stay near me." Prince Lin Yan naturally didn''t think much of those two beasts. The two of them had just reached Golden Core Stage 2 not long ago and naturally didn''t have that much ability.


    For a cultivator at Golden Core Stage 2 like him, they really didn''t worth much.


    But for Lin Xiao and the others, those beasts were naturally not their opponents that they could defeat so easily. Prince Lin Yan wanted to train them but naturally he would not give them assignment that was over their heads.


    "OK!"


    "Got it!"


    "What the hell, we''re attracting the attention of Beast Rank 5?" Wei Mu didn''t look flabbergasted or anything. He was still walking leisurely while his fur robe fluttered along with his steps.


    There was clear contempt in his eyes when he looked at the two beasts and also the formation that was formed by Lin Xiao and many other Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    "Move aside, you''re not going to be a match against that beast."


    "Tsk, what a bother."


    "We''re going to act so soon?"


    Four people walked to the front, bypassing the circling formation that the Foundation Establishment Cultivators have made. One of them was Wei Mu. The second one was a skinny young man who was dressed in plain robe. The third one was a young man who was wearing hood and covered his entire face. The fourth one was a young girl.


    They were all look fairly young, around 18 to 20 years old. However, the moment they stepped forward, there was faint aura of authority that was brewing from their body.


    "They''re��"


    "Golden Core Stage 1." Prince Lin San naturally activated his Eyes of Truth. It was capable to see the real rank of these four almost instantly.


    "Why do they even join the task?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    Prince Lin San pursed his lips. "Same with us."


    Same with us?


    Oh��


    Lin Xiao smiled bitterly. The best way for them to head over to other kingdoms was through missions. Because if not, they would need the necessary paperwork that was required for them to even enter a place.


    Not to mention, there might be other restriction.


    "Watch carefully," Prince Lin Yan''s voice came from above them. His eyes were looking at the four people in front of him. Even though he was more powerful than them, he had no intention to step forward.


    "Yes?"


    "Their fight will give you insight of how Golden Core Stage Cultivators fight."


    "Yes!" Lin Xiao turned his attention to the four of them as his eyes heated up in excitement. He wanted to know how Golden Core Stage Cultivator fight too! The fights he had seen from Prince Lin Yan�� was an overkill.


    Wei Mu glanced at the other three and his lips curled up to form a smile. "Oh, there are others too. Mind if I take care of one?"


    "Don''t be arrogant," the skinny youth looked at Wei Mu. He stretched his hand as a fan appeared on the edge of his hand. "You won''t be able to defeat one by yourself."


    ��


    Beast Ranking and the estimated strength:


    Unranked: Untrained people to Body Training Rank 3


    Rank 1: Body Training Rank 6 to 7


    Rank 2: Body Training Rank 8 to 10


    Rank 3: Foundation Establishment


    Rank 4: Golden Core Stage 1


    Rank 5: Golden Core Stage 2


    Rank 6: Golden Core Stage 3

 Chapter 268: The Difference Between Golden Core Stage and Foundation Establishment

    "How confident." Wei Mu sneered. "I''m a body cultivator. Do you really still think that I can''t defeat these puny beasts?"


    Body cultivator.


    Listening to their conversation, Lin Xiao was a bit stunned. He looked at the others, hoping that they could provide him for some hint but it was clear that the others were also focusing their attention to those four.


    "When you reach Golden Core Stage, you''ll have an option to become certain type of cultivators. Body Cultivator is just one of them and what you''re going to be will depend on what kind of cultivation you have so far." Prince Lin Yan looked at the four of them as his lips curled up to form a sneer.


    "Body cultivator always thinks that they''re the strongest because they always rely on their strong physique and brute strength. Those who become body cultivator usually are cultivators who can''t master many technique and have lower intelligence. Of course, there are exception."


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    "How do I know what kind of cultivator I am?" Lin Xiao asked.


    "You will know when you form your core." Prince Lin Yan refused to explain too much. It was the revelation that usually would help one to advance to Golden Core Stage from Foundation Establishment. Telling too much to Lin Xiao would not help the brat to reach one quickly.


    Lin Xiao also understood that his brother would not answer, so he focused his attention back to the front.


    "Tsk, as expected of body cultivator, you''re willingly spread out the name of your cultivation type." The woman snickered. "Anyway, I''m going ahead first."


    "You!"


    Swish!


    There was not even any indication or movement before yet the wind around the woman''s move had brought her forward. Her steps looked so graceful like she was having a walk in the park yet it carried immense power.


    Her hand stretched forward as countless blades suddenly formed and aimed towards the two beasts in front of her.


    The woman''s lips curled up to form a smile.


    Slash!


    Roar!


    With a roar, a defensive shield was formed around the bear''s body.


    The woman clicked her tongue as she drifted to the side. Her movement was so agile and it made her looked as if she had no bones for she was capable of twisting her body so much.


    "Tsk, tsk, such a bear is really a hindrance. I really hate that shield."


    "No worry."


    Behind her, the hooded man was also raised his hand. There was no specific movement that he did but the first bear that was forming the shield suddenly stopped moving. There was no one who could see what the hooded man did but they could have already guessed from the way he did his move.


    The man was attacking the bear from a distance away!


    The woman smiled happily and turned around once more. By now, she had taken out a sword and pointed it towards the shield and pierced through it.


    Prang!


    The shield shattered into pieces. The woman twisted her body and swung her sword, cutting off the boar''s head cleanly.


    While the two of them were facing the first bear, the skinny man had rushed over to the second bear just a step after the woman. Fire enveloped the man''s hand as he flapped his fan.


    Flap!


    The fire had already danced and rushed over towards the second bear without stopping. The bear naturally noticed how its partner suddenly died and quickly stopped its movement and roared wildly.


    ROAR!


    Swish!


    The man jumped to the side as the ground rumbled and several earth spike formed on the ground. The skinny man didn''t seem to be surprised as he merely folded his fan and pointed towards the bear.


    "You''re really quite the heartless figure, aren''t you. Elemental beast are quite rare but unfortunately, I meet you at the wrong time."


    The fire began to spread from the fan towards the bear, piercing a point of its hand.


    "Move away!"


    Wei Mu couldn''t stand how he was being ignored by the other three. He rushed like a bull before an axe appeared on his hand. With a loud shout, he jumped in front of the bear and hacked down his large axe!


    Slash!


    Fresh blood splattered as the second bear died!


    In the hand of these four cultivators who had only met for the first time, they worked seamlessly to defeat the four beasts.


    In the carriage, a middle aged man was looking out. His eyes were watching the four cultivators who were fighting outside. "Young Master, those four are not too bad. Do you have any plan to recruit them?"


    In front of him was a young master who was lying sideways on the chair. His face was pale and it made him looked like a sickly young boy. Compared to the four people outside, who were definitely young, he looked even younger.


    His eyes narrowed when he heard what the middle aged man said. "Them?"


    "Yes?"


    "They might be good but they can''t even compare to my personal guards. If not because of emergency, I will not agree of hiring them to be guards." The young master''s tone was extremely cold.


    The middle aged man sighed. He knew that the young master''s standard was extremely high because of his background. Those four would surely attract the attention of so many people if they were placed in regular kingdom.


    But for his young master, they worth nothing.


    "Just tell them to rest." The young master coughed and titled his body to the side. He was clearly unwilling to say anything more because his condition was deteriorating. If not because of his current body condition, they would have already taken the teleportation array and head back directly.


    The middle aged man sighed once more and nodded. His eyes landed on the two bears. "I wonder what actually attract those two beasts. Is there any good herbs nearby?"


    "They''re only at rank 5. Herbs that can attract those two are not of my interest." The young man scoffed.


    "True." The middle aged man could only shake his head in pity. If only the one that attacked was a beast at higher rank, they might have a chance.

 Chapter 269: Passing the Border

    "It''s over��" Lin Xiao''s eyes were peeled to the guard as he looked in astonishment. It was also the absolute truth that he was incapable of fighting against beast at such level no matter what was said.


    Just a few days ago, he had been fighting against a Black Tinder Boar, a beast rank 5 that managed to get close to their cave. But in that brutal fight, they only managed to scare it away and not defeat it.


    But in front of him, those four clearly didn''t give it their all and yet they were still defeating the beast so easily.


    The contrast�� was too much.


    Prince Lin Yan sighed and looked at the four others. They were all clearly in trance as they were fixated on the fight just now. They must have some of their own revelation from the fight before.


    "Go to rest."


    "Yes!"


    The four of them were obedient and returned back to their resting place. Lin Xiao was faintly recalling the fight just now.


    They were fighting�� so beautifully. While it might not be the best term, but it was what Lin Xiao felt from the way they fought. They were reckless, unrestrained, and more importantly, the nature was responding to them.


    The nature was responding?


    Does it meant that those who were at Golden Core Stage were already capable of affecting the world with just their word and action? Lin Xiao''s eyes gleamed when he thought about it. How should one do it��.


    While Lin Xiao was in deep contemplation about Golden Core Stage, Lin Hu was looking at the Qi movement around Lin Xiao''s body. As Lin Xiao was too focused on his mind, he didn''t realize that the Qi was also moving in accordance to his move.


    He was already close to Golden Core Stage or at least, half Golden Core Stage.


    After all, Lin Xiao''s amount of Qi in his dantian was still far from enough. However, his realization about Golden Core Stage would help him greatly when it was his time to form his core.


    Suddenly, the Qi rushed into Lin Xiao''s body rapidly.


    Lin Hu nearly cursed out loudly but he saw that Lin Xiao had closed his eyes, trying his best to make the Qi worked in accordance to his wishes.


    ''You''re only at Foundation Establishment but you already want to make connection to the nature?'' Lin Hu felt that Lin Xiao was really reckless but the continuous stream of Qi that poured inside helped him to gradually build his power.


    As he was at a rank higher than Lin Xiao, it was only natural that he needed more resources than Lin Xiao. This was one of the reasons why Lin Xiao''s progress seemed slow while he was supposed to be quick.


    He was absorbing the resources that was required for two people, one at higher stage than him. This would certainly slow down his progress when he was still at lower rank and would only stop hindering him when it was at higher stage.


    Hmm, he should help a bit to ease Lin Xiao''s burden.


    When it was morning, Lin Xiao had just finished his cultivation. Normally, he would need to rest but at this time, there was not even the slightest bit of tiredness in his eyes. Instead, he looked energetic.


    However, Prince Lin Yan noticed that there was something different about his little brother.


    "What did you do last night?"


    "Cultivating." Lin Xiao looked at his older brother in confusion. What else would he do aside from training and cultivating?


    Prince Lin Yan didn''t say anything more.


    After the action last night, more than half the previous entourage had left. The one who took note of their attendance was a middle aged man.


    "You''ve left yesterday, so you can leave now." The middle aged man pointed to one of them.


    The man was stunned. He looked at the middle aged man with wronged expression. "I didn''t run away. I was only hiding to attack."


    The middle aged man sneered. "If you really think that you can hide and attack with such poor excuse, you should leave."


    "You��"


    Swish!


    Before the man could say anything else, a dagger stopped in front of him. It was certainly controlled by the middle aged man who was standing near the carriage. His eyes were cold. "Leave."


    "Alright! Damn it!"


    "You, you, and you too."


    Those who were pointed at were all heading back dejectedly. They were all trying to hide the fact that they had actually ran away yesterday but they didn''t expect that their lies would be found out so quickly. With no other choice, they had to leave.


    Lin Xiao watched them all left and felt that the one who issued the mission must have paid close attention to their action yesterday.


    ''I was only thinking of fighting a bit yesterday as a way of practice, though.''


    Lin Xiao was confident that Prince Lin Yan would not let him die in the hands of those two beasts. Besides, he was not alone in this place and naturally would not be that worried about losing his life.


    Well, just a bit worried.


    But cultivation world was a dangerous world. There was no need for him to be on edge all the time and just had to make sure that he would be careful enough to not die so quickly.


    "He''s already so powerful but he didn''t make a move yesterday."


    "He can''t."


    "Yes?"


    "He can''t move from the carriage." Prince Lin Yan''s lips curled up. How could he notice that there were two people inside the carriage and that it would be difficult for one of them to leave.


    If that middle aged man were to leave the carriage, he would be leaving the other person to danger.


    Probably, the person inside was wounded or something.


    Thus, this mission was created. They would not care about how many people would die as long as they were protected to cross the border.


    "Let''s go!"

 Chapter 270: Passing the Border (2)

    After settling the people who were trying to fake their way inside, the middle aged man gave one order. The horse pulled the carriage and the others started to do their own work.


    However, the four people from yesterday had already garnered quite some attention and it seemed that no one was willing to get close to them. What a joke, they were all still Foundation Establishment.


    The difference between that of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and Golden Core Stage Cultivator was big, alright?


    "Tsk, are you going to stay away too, Hu Xiao?" Wei Mu was annoyed when he saw Lin Xiao kept a long distance between the two of them.


    Lin Xiao glared. "Do you really think that I''ll willingly get close to someone so powerful like you? I''m afraid that you''re going to take back your words and even attacked your temporary teammates like me. What can a Foundation Establishment like me do against you?"


    Though, Lin Xiao was actually confident to run away from Wei Mu. His evasion skill was really good, thanks to that brat who showed it and didn''t expect that Lin Xiao could learn based on observation.


    Wei Mu was speechless. "What the hell! I''m not going to kill you!"


    "That''s what you say but we don''t know each other well. Rather than putting my life in your hand, it''s better if I just keep my distance from you during the time of this mission!" Lin Xiao looked at Wei Mu with fear.


    Prince Lin San was trying so hard to restrain his laughter and kept a poker face. He had just found out that Lin Xiao was also truly a joker. It was no wonder that he was termed as a troublemaker.


    His ability to incite others was certainly coming from his daily life in the village. After all, Lin Xiao used to be at the lowest bottom of the hierarchy. Acting as if he was afraid so that he would not be bullied was extremely common.


    It was just not used for years already since he didn''t live in that unnamed village anymore.


    "You��!" Wei Mu was exasperated. "You don''t look that afraid when you''re facing the beast yesterday!"


    "That''s because I''m not alone and there are naturally a lot of other cultivators. We have strength in number!"


    "What the hell, number can''t make up for everything!"


    However, Lin Xiao was not going to listen and continued, "Even if number can''t always win, I can still be saver when I''m inside the crowd rather than when I''m alone. Why do you think that I''m going to fight so bravely and sacrifice my life? I love my life!"


    Wei Mu: $%^&*()!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at how shameless Lin Xiao was and nearly burst out laughing, ignoring her image. It was not the first time she saw Lin Xiao being shameless as he was also the same when he was trying to help her out back then.


    However, he was a bit more infuriating this time.


    The conversation didn''t last long because Wei Mu couldn''t withstand talking with Lin Xiao anymore. The hoody man from yesterday was walking near the young woman. He pointed to the airhead Wei Mu.


    "The one who dared to mess with him is not ordinary."


    "Even if he''s not ordinary, what does it have to do with me?" the woman asked in amused tone. She stretched her hand. "He''s just some airhead Foundation Establishment cultivator."


    "Mhm."


    The group continued their same pace and by afternoon, they managed to reach the gate. The guards there looked at the people in front of them. "Show us your identification card."


    The middle aged man opened the window and threw something. The guard looked at it before his eyes changed and he quickly rushed to return back the identification badge that the man showed to him.


    "Open the gate!"


    "Okay."


    Lin Xiao watched from the back with astonishment. Didn''t they have fixed time to open the gate? Why did they open it so willingly?


    "The man inside the carriage had abnormal identity." Prince Lin Yan helped to explain everything to Lin Xiao. He looked at his younger brother with a little bit exasperation. His expression seemed to imply. Why did his little brother have such low IQ?


    Lin Xiao could only lower his head guiltily and couldn''t say anything more. He looked into the distance as their entourage passed the gate.


    "What kind of place is Hua Lan Kingdom?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes flickered. "It''s a kingdom of mountains and flowers. In fact, you''ll be able to find that most our terrains are that of mountains."


    "Does it mean you have a lot of valuable metals?"


    "No�� Hua Lan Kingdom is more famous of our alchemist. The blacksmith only consists of the third." Princess Lan Yi Hua looked into a distance as her eyes gleamed. "There are a lot of rare herbs in the mountains and that''s why Hua Lan Kingdom prosper."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. It seemed that he really needed to learn more about the history of Hua Lan Kingdom to be more of use. Right now, he kept on bothering the princess to learn more about her kingdom.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled faintly. "It''s normal for you to not know about this. While we have plenty of resources, those who can become an alchemist are extremely rare."


    "How about you?"


    "Me?" Princess Lan Yi Hua bit her lower lips and shook her head lightly. "My talent is not that good for being an alchemist. If you want someone who''s good, you have to search my twin sister."


    Twins��


    Now that Lin Xiao was thinking about it, he got attracted to Princess Lan Yi Hua from the very moment he laid his eyes on her. It was as if there was a certain attraction in her that only he could see.


    Not to mention, her eyes that were filled with determination was clearly not the eyes of a princess who had despaired.

 Chapter 271: Beast Rank 6

    He only found out later on that he was a twin too.


    Prince Lin San would not end up getting attracted to Princess Lan Yi Hua''s twin sister, right?


    For some reason, Lin Xiao hoped that they would not. It would only complicate matters when he had to fight his brother because of a woman.


    If Prince Lin San found out that his twin brother was thinking of such ridiculous conjecture, it was clear that he would definitely beat up his twin brother. It was really crazy of him to think of such matter.


    "We''ll spend more time here than before, so you should get used with high altitudes soon too."


    "Yes."


    Lin Xiao had no trouble with that. He had grown up climbing mountains nearly every single day. It was thanks to it that he was also quite fit and knew a lot of herbs that was growing over there.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua also nodded. This was her homeland. If she couldn''t adapt well�� she would be a joke.


    Xia Ye also had no problem.


    Instead, it was Prince Lin San who looked a bit pale. He might be a prince who had experienced a lot of training in the past. However, he was still lacking when it came to high altitude and lower altitude environment.


    Right now, it was still pretty good but it would soon change if he were thrown in extreme situation.


    "Uh, can I slow down?" Prince Lin San asked.


    "You want to be left behind?" Prince Lin Yan was amused.


    Prince Lin San wanted to say that they can leave now that they have passed the border, right? But seeing the gaze of his older brother, he felt that it was not the case.


    Sigh


    He really didn''t know what to think anymore. All this time, he was always being protected by his two brothers and they were all certainly always think of him as the youngest. But now that Lin Xiao had appeared��


    There were two brats.


    "Let''s continue."


    "Ok."


    There were several beasts who appeared but every single time, it was not Lin Xiao who had to fight. He continued to cultivate diligently while thinking about what he wanted to do after they had finished the mission.


    Their destination was close.


    "After we return back, I would like to take a proper bath." Princess Lan Yi Hua''s face flushed a bit. She didn''t feel that comfortable after exploring for so long. Sure she could use her Qi to clean herself but it was still different.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "We''ll book a room then."


    "I want a personal room!" Prince Lin San quipped.


    "I also want a personal room!" Lin Xiao quickly added and looked at Prince Lin Yan, who chose to ignore their nonsense talk.


    They were still staying a bit at the back because they had no intention to fight if there was no need. And looking by the current situation, there was indeed no need for them to participate in the fight.


    "GAAAAAAAAa!"


    The sudden scream startled everyone. They all turned in one direction and saw a young man screaming in fear while a large snake rolled to their direction.


    That big snake��.


    A large black snake appeared The aura around it clearly told them that the snake was at least beast rank 6, which was above what they could deal with their current power.


    Hiss!


    The snake rushed forward aiming towards then with its mouth wide open.


    The body that was previously within its mouth dropped to the ground with its body already long unrecognizable. The large snake hissed deeply.


    "That''s Molten Black Snake?" Lin Xiao asked.


    "I''m surprised you know the name." Prince Lin San looked at Lin Xiao in astonishment. Normally, Lin Xiao would ask them about the name of the beasts since Lin Xiao was unfamiliar with such high ranked beasts.


    Lin Xiao''s face turned dark. How could he not know? This was similar to the snake that was chasing after him and Princess Lan Yi Hua back in the mountain. If not because there was a lake nearby where Lin Hu could be summoned, he would have been a dead meat!


    "It''s rank 6, meaning it''s equivalent to Golden Core Rank 3." Prince Lin Yan''s tone was calm. "To think that such high ranked beast would appear here."


    "What should we do? Fight?" Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. He certainly wished for them to run away. Even he couldn''t face against Beast Rank 5, much less Beast Rank 6. Probably when he reached Golden Core Stage, he would have a chance.


    But right now�� he was still far from it.


    Thinking about his low rank always made Lin Xiao felt so frustrated. He felt that he was growing too slow.


    He wanted to be stronger faster.


    "No, we run." Prince Lin Yan enveloped them with his Qi and in the next moment they had disappeared and reappeared quite far from the Black Molten Snake.


    Lin Xiao watched at the threadlike Qi around him and then turned to look at his older brother. If he was not wrong, those whose Qi were like thread was those who specialized in demonic cultivation.


    Noticing his brother''s gaze, Prince Lin Yan shook his head. "I''m not a demonic cultivator."


    "This��"


    "This is my weapon." Prince Lin Yan didn''t explain any further as he raised his finger to his mouth, signaling for them to shut up at this moment.


    They all quickly clamped their mouth shut, no one was willing to attract trouble at this period of time.


    Bam!


    HISS!


    The cultivators who were there all quickly ran away. They were all trying to return back to the city on their own and reported that this mission ended in failure because of their sudden encounter to Beast Rank 6.


    What a joke, there was no crazy people who would ask Foundation Establishment Cultivator to go beat Beast Rank 6.


    "Useless!" The middle aged man looked at the Black Molten Snake in front of him. His hand stretched out as several blades appeared.

 Chapter 272: Crow Organization

    "Useless!" The middle aged man looked at the Black Molten Snake in front of him. His hand stretched out as several blades appeared.


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    The blades moved swiftly towards the Black Molten Snake and pierced deep into it''s body.


    Stab! Stab!


    Hiss!


    The Black Molten Snake was extremely angry as it thrashed around, trying to take out the knife that was embedded deep into its body. Despite being Beast Rank 6, it seemed like it was lacking in fighting skill.


    The middle aged man''s eyes narrowed. "Hmph, so it''s reared pet! Come out, you Crow Organization!"


    Swish!


    A man draped in black robe floated on the air. He looked at the group of people who were running away with amusement. There was no hint in his eyes that he wanted to chase after the deserters.


    It was also obvious that no one among them would want to stay behind when they saw the large Black Molten Snake that was already Rank 6.


    "You''re fast, Mo Huan."


    The middle aged man, Mo Huan, snorted when he heard what the other person said. He raised his hand. "If you really wish to fight here, I''ll personally fight with you!"


    "You? You''re not worthy."


    With a lift of his hand, thunder reverberated in the sky before it came raining down the entire area. The Black Molten Snake that was rampaging just now was reduced to ashes and there was not even any mark left.


    The man from Crow Organization was still floating on the air.


    Mo Huan was still in his place, using his Qi to form a defensive layer. But it was clear that he wouldn''t be able to last for long!


    Ability to control nature��


    Lin Xiao watched from a distance, feeling a bit absentminded. He had noticed that those at Golden Core Stage 1 learned how to pull the nature to do their bidding. But what he saw just now was��


    "He''s using treasure and not directly control the lightning." Prince Lin Yan''s eyes narrowed. "He''s more likely at Golden Core Stage 4 or above."


    Golden Core Stage 4?


    Lin Xiao always thought that there must be higher stage from Golden Core Stage 3 but he didn''t expect that the next would still be Golden Core Stage. It was not something new?


    "The ability to make breakthrough from Golden Core Stage 3 to 4 is very difficult. Our kingdom is not capable to produce anyone like that so far." Prince Lin Yan seemed to be able to guess what he was thinking as he continued the explanation.


    "But if you were to become the Emperor and grasp the chance�� we might succeed."


    "Me?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded but he didn''t explain any further. There was certain things that would not do them any good to have it being explained so clearly when it was not the right time or they would face the repercussion.


    Lin Xiao paused for a moment. "How many stages are there in Golden Core Stages exactly?"


    "9."


    "Then afterwards?"


    Prince Lin Yan only smiled and didn''t answer. "You''ll know in the future. For now, we should focus on making sure we can get away."


    "Ok."


    "Then, what is Crow Organization?" Prince Lin San was curious as this was the first time he ever heard of one.


    Prince Lin Yan narrowed his eyes. "It''s one of the few organizations in the entire land. I''ll tell you more about it in the future."


    Bang!


    The lightning continued to rampage on at the distance. The man from the Crow Organization was looking at the middle aged man when he suddenly sensed that the temperature risen to terrifying degree.


    Mo Huan was stunned. "Young Master, no!"


    The young man from inside walked out slowly. His eyes were icy as he looked at the man from the Crow Organization. "You''re doing this just to pull me out, aren''t you?"


    The young man looked so young and tender, no more than 17 years of age. However, his eyes were completely red and the aura around him was completely terrifying. One could imagine that he must be someone who was also very powerful.


    His age didn''t match with his power at all.


    "WAHAHAHAHA! You''re out now, Ye Jian! It''s time for you to face your retribution."


    "Me?" The young man''s lips curled up to form a smile. "It''s more likely that you''re the one who''ll die."


    "Huh?"


    The lightning strike that was heading towards the young man diffused completely. At the same time, the young man, Ye Jian, pointed towards the man from the Crow Organization. A streak of fire came from his finger, penetrating deep into the man''s forehead.


    Bang!


    The man from Crow Organization looked at Ye Jian with disbelief. His body was destroyed in the air into pieces and slowly burned into ashes. The pain was so terrifying yet there was a maniacal laugh at the end.


    "HEHEHEHE! NOW THAT YOU HAVE USED UP YOUR LIFEFORCE, YOU''LL DIE YE JIAN!"


    *cough* *cough*


    "Young master! You shouldn''t have done that!" Mo Huan completely panicked now that things had occurred to this stage. He was very frantic while Ye Jian was rolling his eyes, repressing the pain in his heart.


    "We just need to reach the city and find a healer." Ye Jian then looked into the distance, towards the location where Lin Xiao and the others were watching. "And you should be able to hear us, right? Help us and I''ll help to cover up your identity, Prince Lin Yan."


    ��


    Cultivation Stage:


    Body Training (Rank 1 to 10)


    Foundation Establishment


    - Early Foundation Establishment


    - Foundation Establishment


    Golden Core Stage


    - Golden Core Stage 1


    - Golden Core Stage 2


    - Golden Core Stage 3


    - Golden Core Stage 4


    - Golden Core Stage 5


    - Golden Core Stage 6


    - Golden Core Stage 7


    - Golden Core Stage 8


    - Golden Core Stage 9


    It''ll be added more in the future as the story progress and the cultivation stage is added more and more. As for the specific regarding the levels, it''ll only be explained when Lin Xiao reach the certain stage.

 Chapter 273: Favor

    "We just need to reach the city and find a healer." Ye Jian then looked into the distance, towards the location where Lin Xiao and the others were watching. "And you should be able to hear us, right? Help us and I''ll help to cover up your identity, Prince Lin Yan."


    Lin Xiao''s heart nearly leapt up when he heard what Ye Jian said. Prince Lin Yan transmitted their conversation to make sure that they were able to hear it even from a distance away.


    He looked at his older brother. "Bro��"


    "Let''s go." Prince Lin Yan pursed his lips, looking all calm and collected. This was not the first time he breached other kingdom''s territory and naturally, he had met with all sort of people on his way.


    Swish!


    With his Qi, he carried them all near Ye Jian and Mo Huan. He cupped his hand. "It''s my pleasure to be able to meet with you, Your Highness Ye Jian."


    Ye Jian scoffed. "To think that a mere prince from such a small kingdom dare to move around��"


    *cough* *cough*


    Lin Xiao looked at Ye Jian and silently communicated with Lin Hu in his consciousness. "Lin Hu, they won''t be able to hear you or detect you, right?"


    "No. I''m literally part of your body and soul, so no one will know unless I show myself or you summon me out."


    "Is it possible for me to help that person?"


    "You��? Oh, you mean with your Qi. Yes, you can temporarily help him but for him to fully cure, he''ll need advance healer that''s far stronger and more capable than you."


    Lin Xiao: "��" do you really need to specify that I''m weak?


    "What kind of ailment did he have?"


    "It''s the special characteristic of his fire. He''s wielding Hell Fire in his body, which was one of the most powerful and deadliest fire element in the world. Normally, human would not be able to wield it.


    It''s not known how he managed to make it his but it''s destroying his body from inside since there''s no restrain placed on the fire."


    "Hell Fire��"


    Lin Hu rolled around. "In any case, he will only stay alive for at most a few more hours with his current condition. The fire had reached his internal organ, including his heart."


    Lin Xiao was stunned. He was about to ask more from Lin Hu when he heard the sound from the front.


    "Young Master, please rest!" Mo Huan then looked at Prince Lin Yan and furrowed his brows. He couldn''t possibly always protect Ye Jian all the time, so he really did need some help.


    "Why should I help you?" Prince Lin Yan looked at the group with his lips curled up to form a devilish smile. "Based on you threatening me? If you try to kill me, you''ll die first, Your Highness Ye Jian."


    Ye Jian''s face turned dark. He scoffed. "What do you want?"


    "First, I don''t want your men to kill us when you finally meet them in the city. Secondly, I would like more payment for protecting such a bigshot like you. Crow Organization is only one amongst many other organizations that want your life. That��"


    Before Prince Lin Yan could finish his words, he saw Lin Xiao had spoken out. "Uhm, I can temporarily ease your condition."


    "Lin Xiao!" Prince Lin Yan warned him to not speak anymore. The ability as a healer was extremely rare that those who have the ability might be taken away by others. He wouldn''t want to put his younger brother in dangers just because of his ability to heal.


    "But I would like a favor from you aside from the other two that my brother asked," Lin Xiao continued.


    "A favor?" Ye Jian squinted his eyes.


    "Young Master, don''t listen to him. A healer is��"


    "I know." Ye Jian naturally knew that a healer would be able to perceive the patient''s special condition and many other secret. After all, they would be sending their Qi to their patients.


    It was because of this hat every big family would have their personal healer that would be required to stay loyal to that family until the end of their lives.


    "Brat, I can''t accept that."


    "In that case, forget it." Lin Xiao shrugged. "It''s likely that you''ll die tonight if you don''t get any treatment since the fire had reached your heart."


    Ye Jian was stunned speechless. He looked at Lin Xiao because he also understood his current condition. The nearest city would take at least a day''s journey even if they hurry. He looked at Lin Xiao with wariness.


    Beside Lin Xiao, Prince Lin San was also stunned. He could clearly see the degree of the man''s wounds thanks to his Eyes of Truth. But Lin Xiao shouldn''t have been able to do the same, right?


    How did he know that?


    "You�� are you threatening me?" Ye Jian was angry and annoyed. He had never been in this terrible situation in his entire life.


    Lin Xiao merely looked back ''innocently'' and smiled. "No, I''m not. I''m only stating my requirement."


    Ye Jian felt that he would die if he continued to speak with that annoying brat. He turned to look at Prince Lin Yan. "Is he really a healer?"


    "Yes." Prince Lin Yan was still glaring at Lin Xiao. It was clear that he wanted to give his little brother a good spank for spouting his mouth like that.


    Lin Xiao didn''t understand just how rare healers truly were.


    "In that case, I agree. However, you have to make a promise that you''ll not divulge my secret," Ye Jian added.


    "You''re also not allowed to kill me nor ordering people to kill me," Lin Xiao haggled.


    "Deal! You better not lie to me!"


    "You also have to make sure that you don''t touch my friends��"


    "I''M NOT THAT IMMORAL!"


    *cough* *cough*


    Since he was already in that state, Lin Xiao stepped forward to finish their ''promise'' arrangement with each other, including with his brother. He had to quickly treat him.


    Prince Lin San was speechless. "it''ll be better if the patient is a beautiful lady��"

 Chapter 274: Special Fire

    All of the sudden, Prince Lin San could feel threatening gaze locked on him. His back was filled with cold sweat as he turned around and saw Princess Lan Yi Hua giving him death stare as if she wished to turn him into a mincemeat


    Sh*t!


    He forgot that Lin Xiao was chasing after Princess Lan Yi Hua all this time and naturally would not be turning his eyes on other women. By saying that he hoped for the patient to be a beautiful girl, was he not saying that he wished Lin Xiao got close to other female?


    He was really seeking trouble with his future sister in law.


    He had to think for a way to apologize to Princess Lan Yi Hua to make sure that he would still be able to live.


    "Pay more attention before you speak." Prince Lin Yan looked at his younger brother and shook his head lightly. Prince Lin San often speak without much thought when he was only with those whom he was comfortable with.


    Not to mention, Prince Lin San was also still fairly young and naturally liked beautiful women.


    He was merely speaking his heart.


    But what he liked would be different from others. Prince Lin Yan was watching Lin Xiao, who was treating the young man as his thoughts sunk into some thoughts.


    At times, Lin Xiao looked like a complete idiot, but at times, he would look the complete opposite. It was really a wonder in his part that his younger brother was actually such a complicated person.


    But of course, many others would only say that he''s an idiot.


    "Don''t move."


    Lin Xiao put his palm on Ye Jian''s back and began to infuse his Qi. Truthfully, the only reason why he wanted to try this was because of the special fire that Lin Hu mentioned to him.


    He was curious about it.


    The moment his Qi entered Ye Jian''s body, he could feel the heat that was burning within Ye Jian''s body. it felt as if it was even hotter than that of magma yet Ye Jian was still able to walk around so well.


    Lin Xiao gritted his teeth and continued the process, transferring his Qi to the inner organs. Since he was only a Foundation Establishment, his Qi was very little compared to Ye Jian and he could only temporarily suppress the fire as he mended the restriction that was existed within Ye Jian''s body.


    ''His body is like web�� the flow of the Qi is forming trap. I see�� he''s using his own body to make sure that the Hell Fire can be contained deep inside his body.''


    "You have to repair the restriction rather than the damages."


    "Those threads?"


    "Yes."


    "Ok."


    Lin Hu had lived for thousands or even millions of years. He naturally knew very well these methods and helped to guide Lin Xiao to cure him in the most effective way. It would not completely be cured but it would help.


    It was indeed interesting and Lin Xiao would like to study further. But he didn''t have much Qi and after he had restored the critical parts, he withdrew his hand.


    "My Qi is insufficient to repair the rest. However, you should be able to hold on for another three days and within that period of time, you''ll need to go to another healer."


    Lin Xiao wiped his sweat. The fire was really hot that it was also transferred to his body.


    "Thank you."


    Ye Jian naturally knew better than anyone that the one that was repaired was the restriction in his body and not his organs. He needed to find another healer but he was still thinking of how Lin Xiao handled the complicated threads and others in his body so well.


    "Are you a legitimate healer?"


    "I never took the testing before." Lin Xiao shrugged. Besides, with his current identity, it would be hard for him to even take the test even if he wanted to.


    "When we meet again, I''ll help you gain the qualification. This is outside the favor you ask me before."


    "Alright."


    Lin Xiao moved back happily while Mo Huan carried Young Master Ye Jian on his back. He was still skeptical at first but seeing the complexion of his young master got better, he naturally felt relieved.


    They would be saved as long as they could reach the next city within three days. With his speed, he should be able to reach the city within a day.


    "Can you keep up with my speed?"


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. Just as he was about to say that his Qi was insufficient, Mo Huan handed them several pieces of Low Grade Spirit Stones.


    "Do you have movement speed?" Mo Huan asked again.


    This time, everyone nodded.


    "Follow us and try to clear the path. If you need more of this spirit stone, ask for it." They couldn''t be stingy and now that the number of guards were reduced to mere five, they just had to make do.


    "Alright."


    Swish!


    They all began to move swiftly and Lin Xiao was using Moon Evasion to move swiftly, estimating their next location as he used the best distance that used the least Qi.


    ''Lin Hu, absorb the Qi from the Spirit Stone.''


    ''Won''t you need it for the journey?''


    ''I can ask for more.''


    Lin Xiao knew that Moon Evasion was known to be Qi consuming, so even if he asked for more Spirit Stones later, it was still possible for them to not be suspicious of him.


    Lin Hu agreed and did as Lin Xiao said. In any case, he also needed a lot of Qi to advance.


    Swish!


    The five of them moved swiftly and soon, they encountered another beast.


    "Kill it." Ye Jian''s voice was cold.


    Prince Lin Yan furrowed his brows. "For beast rank 4 and below, you four will fight but above it, let me."


    They were chased by time right now. if not because of that, he would have wanted them to fight.


    "Ok."

 Chapter 275: City of Pei Yuan

    Swish!


    The journey was smooth. Killing Beast Rank 4 was not a big deal to either one of them. Princess Lan Yi Hua could kill one with one move, Lin Xiao in one move too, Prince Lin San would usually need some time to ascertain that he was aiming at the correct point, Xia Ye was similar with Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    If the beast was rank 5 or above, it was handled to either Prince Lin Yan or Mo Huan.


    "We''ll train after this." Prince Lin Yan stopped when they reached the gate of the city. It was nearly dark but it seemed that Ye Jian''s men were already there.


    "Young Master!"


    The group of people were waiting outside. A middle aged man wearing white robe quickly came over and crouched near them. His hand transferred Qi into Ye Jian''s body as his eyes widened.


    "Young Master, you��"


    "I''ll talk about it later." Ye Jian naturally knew that the middle aged man had noticed that his body had been treated to a certain extent. He took his pouch and threw it towards Prince Lin Yan. "Your pay."


    "Ok. We''ll part ways here."


    "Mhm."


    Prince Lin Yan showed his mercenary token and pointed to Ye Jian, saying that it was his mission to escort that person here. Since it was already late, he wanted to stay in the city for the night.


    "Wow, we really got a lot of money��" Lin Xiao was stunned when he peered into the bag.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua pulled him back. "Don''t act as if you have never seen so much money before."


    "But I really have never seen so much!"


    Prince Lin San resisted the urge to hit his twin brother. How could he say that on the face of others? But thinking about how Lin Xiao had practically spent his time in the small and remote village�� he can''t say anything.


    Prince Lin Yan put the bag on Lin Xiao''s hand. "You can take it all."


    "What? Really? Thank you, Bro! You''re the best!"


    "Wait, that''s not fair, we also work hard. Say something, Hei Ye!"


    "If M��he wants it, he can have it." Xia Ye was normally silent and since Lin Xiao is his master, why should he worry. Besides, the inscription that his master gave him had allowed him to advance faster.


    He had been feeling that it was so easy to absorb Qi lately. Spirit stones would not be that necessary for him anymore.


    "You�� How about you, Xiao Hua?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua blinked her eyes then nudged Lin Xiao. "Give me at least 10 of them."


    "Sure, I''ll give a third to you."


    "Thank you~."


    Prince Lin San''s face turned dark when he saw what was happening. His twin brother was prioritizing woman over brother?


    The group of people at the front was originally still suspicious of the group but when they saw how these brats interacted, they were utterly speechless. It was just a bag of Low Grade Spirit Stones�� at most there were only 300 insides of it.


    How could they treat it as treasure?


    Ye Jian pursed his lips. He should have expected that those brats were really country bumpkin and naturally will never know the true value of real treasure. Forget it, he would better interact with them later.


    "Young Master, who treat��."


    "I have promised to not reveal his identity." In fact, Lin Xiao had forgotten about this. it was Prince Lin Yan who asked him through voice transmission since Lin Xiao was really an airhead and didn''t know the worth of a healer.


    The middle aged man furrowed his eyebrows. "But��"


    "He won''t divulge my secret method." Ye Jian sneered. That Lin Xiao might not even realize that he was actually holding such a big secret that could possibly overturn the entire world.


    Forget it, he was not willing to hold it against that annoying brat either.


    "Young Master��"


    "Heal me and it''s time to return back." Ye Jian''s eyes flashed with ruthlessness. When he returned back, he would make sure those who put him in this predicament today to be turned into mincemeat.


    ��


    Prince Lin Yan was not so heartless so as to put his plan into motion right away after they arrived in Pei Yuan City. He checked into a local inn and sealed their room with his Qi before looking at his younger brother and the others.


    "Lin Xiao, do you know the true worth of a healer?"


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes and shook his head. "No, is it that rare?"


    Lin Hu snorted inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness. Rare? Healers were extremely rare because only one out of a thousand people would even be born with the affinity to even learn it. And among a thousand of those who have affinity, only one would be able to become a high ranked healer.


    It was very rare and hard to cultivate because there were not many people who would be willing to let themselves be treated by healers.


    "You''re very stupid�� If other people are the one who know you''re a healer, their goal would be to make you their slaves." Prince Lin Yan sighed.


    This younger brother of his was really��


    It was already one thing that he was the Lake Emperor, the one that was envied by countless people because of the fact that he would be a walking treasure.


    But the other fact that made one feared him the most aside from the endless Qi inside the lake was the fact that the healing ability of Lake Emperor was close to that of an Immortal.


    How could one kill him if he could continue to regenerate?


    They would die first!


    Thus, Lake Emperor naturally had the longest lifespan and there was rarely any new Lake Emperor unless the previous Emperor reached the end of his lifespan. Compared to other emperors, Lake Emperor was truly the rarest and the one that one would not usually see.


    But Lin Xiao�� was really stupid.

 Chapter 276: The Training Designed by Prince Lin Yan

    Prince Lin Yan continued to berate Lin Xiao in his mind as he tried to explain everything carefully.


    "Their slaves?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    "Healers are rare and those whom a cultivator can trust is even more limited. As you know, cultivators have their own secret as they might encounter some kind of special things. Naturally, they would not want other people to know about it.


    There are many wounds that can be healed with pills but there are a lot of lost recipes. Not to mention, there are many clans that keep secret of their pills and also the recipes for some secret and special pills.


    As for healers, they''re people born with special constitution or ability. It can be either their element or their Qi is naturally differed from other people and thus they can heal most wounds that cultivators encountered.


    The downside is that they have to inject their Qi, which meant that they will naturally know some of their secrets. Also, healers have to be trained because you can''t directly ''see'' into their body to heal them properly."


    Prince Lin Yan looked at Lin Xiao. "Which is why when you successfully heal Ye Jian, he must have taken note of you. Not everyone can heal those with special constitution or those who are employing secret ability deep within their body."


    Lin Xiao was speechless. He thought that he was just one of the normal people out there, but he was actually a rare specimen?


    ''Lin Hu, why didn''t you tell me about this before?''


    ''I thought you already know, Stupid.''


    Lin Xiao: "��" #$%^&*(!


    He really really really wanted to smash that Dragon head out and turn him into mincemeat.


    "In any case, try not to use your healing ability too much. You''ll attract other people''s attention if you''re too remarkable." Prince Lin Yan sighed. He furrowed his brows. "You have just learnt how to heal, right?"


    "Yes��."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua can assert to that since she was practically the first living person whom Lin Xiao tested his Qi. He was really only testing back then but he never expected that his testing would actually yield such result.


    Really�� he didn''t know.


    Prince Lin Yan sighed. "It might be related to the fact that you''re the..." he wanted to say Lake Emperor but he was worried that there might be others nearby. "In any case, don''t you dare to show case your ability again, ok?"


    "Then�� how should I train?"


    "Just forget your identity as healer and if necessary, only heal your teammates when they need it."


    Lin Xiao had no other choice but to agree. Internally, he was weeping. It was not his choice to be chosen by this accursed Lake Dragon to become the Lake Emperor and now he was even reduced to the support position.


    He wanted to be an attacker, ah!


    Attacker was cooler and standing at the forefront looked better than standing at the back��


    Lin Hu rolled his eyes and chose not to say anything to Lin Xiao.


    The others naturally didn''t know what Lin Xiao was thinking. They all returned to their respective room and the next day, Prince Lin Yan brought them to a bar. They were all stunned when they saw the place.


    "No matter what I say or do, you''re not allowed to say a word in front of others."


    Prince Lin San, who was about to ask what they were doing there, quickly shut his mouth. He looked at his older brother with confusion but didn''t try to ask more.


    Prince Lin Yan didn''t even explain as he walked to the counter. "I would like to have some fun with the fights."


    "It''s 3 Low Grade Spirit Stones as advance payment." The woman smiled.


    Handing the three Low Grade Spirit Stone, the woman pointed to the side and Prince Lin Yan walked in that direction, followed by the others. Upon their arrival, they were all stunned to see that there are stairs heading below. They all walked for some time before they arrived at a hall.


    Upon seeing the spacious area under the small bar, Lin Xiao was utterly speechless.


    "What are you doing standing there like a fool?" Prince Lin Yan was already in a bad mood. "I''m putting him inside the life and death arena. Pick some with the similar strength as him as the opponent."


    "Oh, even odds, sure." The man nodded and then glanced at Lin Xiao. "Foundation Establishment? Luckily there are a lot of people with slaves at Foundation Establishment here. You''ll be able to find someone to bet with soon enough."


    "Good then."


    Slave?


    Lin Xiao and the other three were taken aback. They were looking at Prince Lin Yan incredulously but he paid no attention to their stare. Walking to the back, they could finally see that it was divided into four large rooms. In each room was naturally an arena.


    "Life and death arena is in room two and four. We''re going to the room two." Prince Lin Yan led them inside.


    Several people were inside. Their eyes lit up when they saw Prince Lin Yan walked in. "Yo, someone new?"


    "Are you here to bet?"


    "Hmm, you seem to have good qualities of slaves."


    Lin Xiao: "��" When did I get reduced to become a slave?


    Prince Lin San: "��" brother, are you really my brother?


    "Are there anyone here who wants to bet with their Foundation Establishment Slave to fight with me?" Prince Lin Yan asked leisurely.


    "Sure, 10 Low Grade Spirit stone." A man raised his hand. He then pointed at the middle aged man behind him. "See for yourself, this old man is still at Foundation Establishment."


    "10? It''s a bit too low, isn''t it?" Prince Lin Yan''s lips curled up to form a mocking smile. "I''m not going to bet anything lower than 20 Low Grade Spirit Stones."


    "20 is it? Fine," The man agreed. He then looked at behind Prince Lin Yan. "Which one among those you want to pick? They''re all Foundation Establishment."


    "Man, they''re also young."


    "Geniuses?"


    "Meh, probably just some slightly talented people."


    Prince Lin Yan pointed at Lin Xiao. "He''ll be going. Is that good enough?"

 Chapter 277: Fight Against Foundation Establishment Cultivator

    "That brat? Sure."


    "Ok."


    Lin Xiao was speechless. He was about to protest when he saw Prince Lin Yan pointed to the stage. "This is a life and death battle. It means that you''re not allowed to get out until one of the people die. Remember, I won''t save you even if something happens to you."


    I won''t save you.


    That sentence was cold and unfeeling but Lin Xiao had calmed down and nodded. He could guess that this was Prince Lin Yan''s training for him. If he couldn''t kill his opponent, he would be the one to die in the future.


    The academy was lenient as it didn''t allow the student to kill each other.


    But Lin Xiao didn''t have qualms of killing people. He had already experienced what it feels like to be chased by someone who was far stronger than him and pushed to the corner. If he didn''t kill the other party, he would die.


    "Ok."


    Lin Xiao merely said one word before he entered the arena. His eyes were looking at the middle aged man in front of him. The middle aged man had large body and a bit fat. His eyes were looking straight at Lin Xiao as storm seemed to brew from deep within.


    "Start!"


    The moment the start was said, the middle aged man suddenly punched forward in the direction where Lin Xiao previously stood.


    "Tsk, tsk, what a horrible greeting."


    Lin Xiao''s eyes were cold. When he was young, he had been chased around by a Foundation Establishment Cultivators and couldn''t do anything but to tuck his tail and ran around.


    Now, it was no longer the same.


    Without even using his skill, Lin Xiao had evaded to the side. He then stepped forward from the blind spot of the middle aged man and punched the man. The man was not even able to react when he felt that he was getting attacked.


    Bang!


    The punch, filled with Qi, landed squarely on the man''s face. The force was so enormous that it directly broke the middle aged man''s neck. With a loud thud, the middle aged man''s body fell to the ground.


    Lin Xiao stood on the side and then turned to look at his brother as if asking, that was all?


    Prince Lin Yan smiled lightly. He sent a sound transmission to Prince Lin San. "When you''re getting attacked by humans, who usually kill the enemies?"


    Prince Lin San was startled. He paused for a moment before replying. "Lin Xiao, Princess Lan Yi Hua, Xia Ye�� I think everyone?"


    They all took turns to face the opponents.


    Prince Lin Yan then looked at Prince Lin San. He sent another sound transmission. "Even you?"


    At this question, Prince Lin San was silent. Unlike his two older brother, he grew up under their care and naturally often only watched from the sidelines when there was some untoward things.


    Naturally�� he was not included.


    "��No."


    "Oh."


    Prince Lin Yan didn''t continue and looked at the man. "It seems that your man is not strong enough."


    "Hmph." The man was annoyed but he still tossed over 20 Low Grade Spirit Stones. "I dare you to have Golden Core Stage 1 slave to fight against your slave. That young man is pretty good but does he have what it takes to deal with Golden Core Stage?"


    "Hmm, that should be interesting but I''ll be making a big loss if I try to bet with such unfavorable position." Prince Lin Yan narrowed his eyes. It was only natural that one would try to haggle during this time.


    Seeing his older brother like this, Prince Lin San shuddered. He felt that his older brother was even so willing to sell his own younger brothers.


    Broooo, we''re your blood related brothers!


    Xia Ye passed a look but didn''t seem to care. Prince Lin Yan wouldn''t be able to order him unless Lin Xiao agreed to it.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Prince Lin Yan and furrowed her brows. She was feeling a bit stifled right now. For some reasons, she felt as if everyone here was playing with life and yet they were not feeling any remorse whatsoever.


    "1000 Low Grade Spirit Stones. If I lose, I''ll pay you with 1000 Low Grade Spirit Stones but if you lose, you only need to pay with 500 Low Grade Spirit Stones."


    The other three sucked deep breaths when they listened to the conversation. They felt that Prince Lin Yan was really a scary person to be betting such a huge amount for his brother''s life.


    "Oh, using odds?" Prince Lin Yan narrowed his eyes. "I would rather just pay 300 Low Grade Spirit Stones."


    The man gritted his teeth. "Sure!"


    In any case, it was still not a loss to him. Foundation Establishment Slaves were cheaper and the loss of 20 Low Grade Spirit Stone was not much to him. What he wanted was obviously his face.


    "There are slaves here?" Prince Lin San sent sound transmission to Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows. "I never head over to this area before but there shouldn''t be."


    "Really? Then how come there''s a place like this and they''re really betting without much thoughts."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes turned cold at the thought of people selling slaves right under her nose. But she then recalled her own father and felt that it was indeed not impossible if he was the one in charge of it.


    When it was still her grandfather''s reign, she recalled that there was law that prohibited slaves.


    But now that the one in power was her father��


    She couldn''t be sure anymore.


    Her fingers balled into a fist. ''I''ll take the throne for sure. Even if my father is the one going against me, I''ll not give up without a fight for what''s rightfully mine.''


    "Which one amongst your slave will be going up against mine?" Prince Lin Yan asked in leisure manner.


    The man snorted at Prince Lin Yan''s arrogant manner. He pointed to the back. "You agreed without asking this first? That one."

 Chapter 278: Fight Against Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivator

    Lin Xiao also followed the man''s finger and noticed another middle aged man. This time, the middle aged man was bulkier and it was clear that he was someone who had trained hard before.


    That man�� was he Body Cultivator?


    "Body Cultivator?" Prince Lin Yan asked.


    "Yes." The man was proud. While body cultivator was someone who had low IQ, they have high defense and offense thanks to their naturally stronger body. It would be hard for someone at Foundation Establishment to defeat him.


    "Oh."


    But the indifferent reaction that Prince Lin Yan exhibited only further infuriated the man. He looked at Prince Lin Yan but the latter merely waved his hand to the arena.


    "Kill him."


    Lin Xiao nodded, that was his plan too. He had interacted with Wei Mu during the time of the escort mission but Wei Mu had disappeared after the appearance of that Black Molten Snake. At that time, he naturally took the time to learn more about body cultivator through silent observation.


    And Lin Xiao, who couldn''t learn properly when he was young due to his environment, was someone with good observation skill and could pick up what ordinary people couldn''t.


    "Ready?" The referee asked when he noticed that the middle aged man had landed on the life and death arena.


    The two of them nodded at the same time.


    "Start!"


    Just like the previous one, this middle aged man also charged forward from the moment the referee said start. His large body didn''t prevent him from charging fast and reached Lin Xiao''s side in mere split second.


    Bang!


    His punch was launched forward but Lin Xiao evaded to the side by side stepping. His irregular movement tricked the middle aged man as he failed to determine where Lin Xiao was heading.


    "You''re better than the one before."


    Lin Xiao noticed that the man was trying to read his movement but he acted faster and tilted his body to the other side at the last moment. His figure then turned into a blur as he disappeared.


    Swish!


    The middle aged man tried to punch once more but Lin Xiao had appeared beside him.


    Bang!


    "Hoo��"


    Lin Xiao''s punch landed on the man''s hand. He had successfully block him despite only sensing him at the last moment. At that time, Lin Xiao noticed the man kicked at him, so he swiftly employed his movement technique once more.


    Moon Evasion.


    ''I really need to learn other movement technique. This one is not convenient to use at times and can be quite annoying.''


    The middle aged man had better sense than those of Foundation Establishment. Even though Lin Xiao directly attacked after he moved, there was still some gap in his movement that allowed the middle aged man to make use of it.


    As Lin Xiao reappeared at the other side of the arena, he sensed danger and leapt to the sky.


    Bam!


    The middle aged man had punched to the ground, using some kind of technique to destroy the entire ground, making it uneven. It seemed that he wanted to restrict Lin Xiao''s strange movement technique.


    ''Body Cultivator can also learn skills but the effect when they''re using their body skills are bigger than when ordinary people use it. It seems that those body cultivators also like to use their body directly rather than using weapons.''


    But Wei Mu used axe.


    So it might be personal preferences too.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao moved once more and punched forward. The middle aged man also reacted quickly and punch forward.


    Mountain Punch!


    The punch was directed straight at the middle aged man''s punch as if the two of them were competing which one among them would be faster than the other party.


    The middle aged man smiled as he could feel the victory that was near him.


    What an idiot to challenge him to a contest of punching.


    Bang! Swish!


    "Wahahahaha!" the man outside laughed. He looked at Prince Lin Yan. "Your slave is really stupid to face Body Cultivator head on when he''s only at Foundation Establishment. You might need to pay the money."


    Prince Lin Yan''s eyes never left the arena. It would be a lie if he said that he was not nervous but the best way for a cultivator to grow was through fight and fight again. This was a challenge for Lin Xiao and also for himself.


    He was also wondering what Lin Xiao was doing but with his higher cultivation stage, he naturally could see what was happening at the stage keener than most people. His lips curled up to form a smile.


    "That might not necessarily be true."


    "What?"


    Lin Xiao had disappeared from his position. While it looked like he was challenging the middle aged man for a punching contest, he had actually disappeared and reappeared right behind the middle aged man.


    His punching continued and landed right on the middle aged man''s back.


    Crack!


    Mountain Punch was a punch that prioritized the strength and toughness! It meant that when it hit its target, it would be challenging the others in the contest of strength and toughness.


    Can bones be stronger than the mountain?


    Maybe if they were at higher cultivation, it was not impossible but being hit at such unexpected location, the middle aged man stepped forward in an attempt to stabilize himself.


    His punch had just reached its peak, which meant that it was impossible for him to pull it back. He was already absolutely sure that he was about to win and yet Lin Xiao disappeared at that very moment.


    Naturally, Lin Xiao would not give him any time to recover. The middle aged man sensed danger and tried to raise his hand but Lin Xiao''s punch still went in.


    Mountain Punch!


    Bang!


    The punch hit the middle aged man''s face and the middle aged man''s body was flung to the back. His expression was that of disbelief. He was so sure that victory was within his grasp but Lin Xiao disappeared at that very moment.

 Chapter 279: Fight Against Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivator (2)

    When Lin Xiao appeared again, it was instead his turn to be facing a beating.


    Standing there, Lin Xiao merely looked at the middle aged man that had its skull cracked open due to his punch just now. His own hand was not in any better condition because the skin was torn open and the bones were partially exposed.


    Yet, there was not even a hint of pain in his current expression.


    If only Lin Yun was there, he would be able to see that his older brother was simply holding everything in. After all, they used to be only have each other and to make sure that Lin Yun was not worried, Lin Xiao would hold everything in his heart.


    Even if he was in pain, he would not show it unless he was up for a joking.


    Even if his entire body was destroyed, he would still not show it to his little brother just because he didn''t want them to be worried.


    It was only when he was certain that he would be fine that he would joke with them and said that it was hurt with idiot expression. Lin Yun would then rebuke his brother for his recklessness.


    "Ugh��" Prince Lin San felt a bit nausea when he saw the scene. Even when they were fighting in the cave before, Lin Xiao had never cracked anyone''s skull open and let the brain destroyed like that.


    In addition�� why didn''t he say anything about his hand?


    It must be hurting, right?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes turned red. How much she wished to be able to enter the arena right now and treat Lin Xiao''s hand. But she felt that it would be very inappropriate for her to do so.


    "You lose," Prince Lin Yan said in naturally calm tone.


    The man''s face was ashen but he was already saying that he would pay in front of so many people. He took out his bag and threw the pouch containing 1000 Low Grade Spirit Stones to Prince Lin Yan.


    "Good, very good of you to conceal his true ability."


    "It''s already good enough that he can fight a leap battle."


    Leap here meant that he was fighting against someone who was at completely different realm. Naturally, everyone knew that it was rare for Foundation Establishment Cultivator to be able to fight against Golden Core Stage 1 and return back unscathed.


    Well, Lin Xiao''s hand was hurt but it was not a fatal wound and would heal soon.


    With Lin Xiao''s constitution and ability, it was clear that he would be able to recover soon enough.


    "You��"


    Prince Lin Yan took out two spirit stones and threw it to Lin Xiao. "Use it to recover your strength. You''re continuing."


    Lin Xiao looked at his older brother for a moment then nodded. He used the two Low Grade Spirit Stones and absorbed them calmly, using it to heal his wounds slowly to make sure that he still could use his right hand naturally.


    "What actually happen there?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked in trembling tone through voice transmission to Prince Lin San.


    Prince Lin San had used his Eyes of Truth to watch the fight, so he naturally noticed what Lin Xiao''s plan was. "It''s like this�� there''s a time when you can''t retract a punch again and that''s what Lin Xiao aim when he tried to challenge the middle aged man for a punching contest.


    He was basically taunting the middle aged man to land a punch until the end. When the punch was already nearing the limit, which was the furthest position, Lin Xiao used his movement technique. As you already know, Moon Evasion is a technique that allowed him to move instantaneously with the price of using Qi.


    It allowed him to move at the back of the middle aged man and continued his own punch there, attacking the middle aged man at his vulnerable spot. Since the middle aged man can''t stop, he failed to defend in time. He was also so confident that he would win that he forgot to consider that he might lose.


    After Lin Xiao punched him, he also didn''t allow the middle aged man to recover and used his Mountain Punch to land another hit, thus securing victory."


    Even now, Prince Lin San felt fear when he recalled the way Lin Xiao fought. He was only moments away from death and yet Lin Xiao showed no hesitation, bulldozing his way front and challenged someone who was at higher rank.


    It was scary.


    "I see." Princess Lan Yi Hua naturally knew about the upper limit of a punch, but she could never use it like that.


    It was too dangerous because if they made a mistake even at 0.01 seconds, they might die because of the attack or even be crippled. Yet, Lin Xiao dared to take that gamble and won.


    It was terrifying.


    Prince Lin Yan chuckled and he looked at the crowd. "Who else?"


    "Do you still want him to fight against Golden Core Cultivator?" Another man probed.


    "Naturally."


    "What kind of cultivator do you want?"


    Hearing that, Prince Lin Yan''s eyes squinted. "Oh, you have several of them? How about elemental?"


    "Choosing the most common cultivator?" The man chuckled. He adjusted his robe and leaned back with a faint smile. "Naturally I have the necessary cultivators but do you dare to bet big with me?"


    "Oh, how much?" Prince Lin Yan was naturally interested.


    "3000 Low Grade Spirit Stones."


    Hearing the number, Prince Lin San''s eyes nearly popped out. F*ck! Even the academy was not that generous enough to give the first place that many spirit stones. They all could quickly advance to become Golden Core Stage if they have so much spirit stones.


    But of course, they also needed to stabilize the Qi inside their body so there was a fixed time that they can''t surpass.


    "Sure." Prince Lin Yan nodded in agreement. He looked at Lin Xiao, who had finished absorbing the two Spirit Stones. "Do you need more?"

 Chapter 280: Fight Against Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivator (3)

    "It''s enough." Lin Xiao didn''t let Lin Hu absorb the Qi from the spirit stones just now, so the dragon could only wait patiently. It was all used to fill his reserve and also to heal his wounds.


    Lin Hu snorted. "Your brother is a savage."


    "This training is good for me."


    Lin Xiao knew that it would be hard for him to fight so many Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivator. Since the chance to get used to their fight and ability had come, why should he pass this chance?


    Not to mention, he was also earning a lot of money from this.


    "Don''t make any mistake."


    "I know."


    The ring was being repaired at visible rate and soon, it had turned back to normal. The cultivator sighed when he saw the arena as he felt that his cultivation of earth element was only used to repair arena lately.


    Lin Xiao looked at the other side of the ring as a man leapt in. The man had lean body and looked like a street punk. He grinned at Lin Xiao, showing a row of white teeth. "So, you''re the one whom I''ll face, huh?"


    "Please."


    The referee listened to them and shouted, "Begin!"


    Swish!


    Several blades appeared midair and headed to Lin Xiao''s direction. Swiftly evading to the side, Lin Xiao felt the temperature suddenly raise and noticed that the blades were now coated in fire.


    Ordinary dodging wouldn''t do anymore.


    Moon Evasion!


    Swiftly evading to the other side of the arena, Lin Xiao''s eyes moved to the location where the lean man was standing just now. His eyes contracted when he realized that the lean man had disappeared.


    "Looking elsewhere will cause you death."


    Bam!


    Narrowly evading the attack, Lin Xiao noticed that the lean man was near him. His hand was holding onto a sword that was covered completely in fire while some flames danced around him, providing a perfect protection.


    "Your punch will not work against me, Brat." The man grinned and threw several blades in Lin Xiao''s direction.


    Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes as his hand swiftly took his sword out and he executed the skill he was familiar with.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fourth Stance!


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    The temperature no longer rise as Lin Xiao leapt to the back, his hand still holding onto the sword tightly. He had successfully blocking all of the blades that the lean man threw just now.


    It was a close one.


    The lean man''s eyes narrowed. "I see that you''re actually a sword cultivator. And here I thought you''re a brawl like that idiot."


    Swish!


    The man swiftly disappeared and Lin Xiao keenly sensed him appearing beside him. It was fast and precise. Lin Xiao didn''t know what kind of skill this man used, but it must be a movement skill that would not lose against Moon Evasion.


    Just in term of appearing and disappearing, it was already top notch too.


    Clang!


    The lean man narrowed. "Not enough!"


    What followed afterwards was a barrage of swords attack from him. At the same time, Lin Xiao sensed that several blades were flying towards him from the back. The lean man had decided to use pincer attack.


    Hmph!


    Lin Xiao shifted his sword''s position and executed the highest skill he could right now.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Sixth Stance!


    Clang! Clang! Jleb!


    The chilling temperature from the skill effectively doused the fire of the blade but it didn''t block all of the blades. Two of them landed on Lin Xiao''s back, embedded deep into his body.


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. And here he thought that his defense was already good enough.


    "You can''t run anymore!"


    Moon Evasion!


    Swish!


    The lean man''s attack reached midair before he also initiated his movement skill and followed closely to Lin Xiao. His sword was completely coated in fire as he also remotely controlled the blades around to land hidden attack.


    His attack was so rapid that it didn''t give Lin Xiao any room for breathing.


    However, Lin Xiao stayed calm.


    He had been in more dangerous situation before and what he had to pay more attention now was how to break this lean man''s attack.


    Both the back and front were completely controlled by the lean man.


    Jleb!


    Another blade was embedded deep into Lin Xiao''s body. He gritted his teeth as he could sense the three blades restricted his muscle movement to a certain extent.


    He had to figure out a method to break free.


    And fast.


    ''Finding weakness is just one thing but counterattacking is another thing.''


    Lin Xiao faintly recalled what Prince Lin San had taught him and suddenly had an idea. He suddenly changed his stance and strike down as hard as possible.


    Mountain Sword!


    Bang!


    The sword didn''t land on the lean man but instead on the stage as debris flew up, covered the entire place with dust and rocks.


    Mountain Sword, similar to Mountain Punch, was one that relied on toughness and strength. Hitting the arena was the same as asking it to destroy the entire earth around the place.


    The lean man narrowed his eyes as he waved his hand. "Do you really think that blocking my vision will help you to win the fight, you''re an idiot if you think that such method will succeed!"


    However, what greeted him afterwards was not Lin Xiao. Rather, it was his own blades that was thrown to him.


    "Heh, copying me?" The lean man faintly sensed Lin Xiao behind him and used his own blades to counter the three blades Lin Xiao threw to him before turning around to face Lin Xiao as he drew his blades.


    Clang! Clang! Clang! Slash!


    Huh?


    The lean man noticed that Lin Xiao was not behind him. There was pain from the sides and he noticed that at one point of time, Lin Xiao hid his presence and switched to attack from the side.


    The sword sliced through his stomach, hitting his dantian.


    "My core!" The lean man shouted in panic.

 Chapter 281: Fight Against Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivator (4)

    The core was the most crucial point for cultivators. Once someone advanced to Golden Core Stage, they would condense their dantian to form a core. That core was the source of their entire body and cultivation.


    If their core was damaged, they would not be able to advance further in their stages.


    Worse, they might even lose their cultivation on the spot and become complete trash that would not have any place in this world anymore. Trashes received the worst possible treatment.


    The lean man knew that his career would be over.


    "You��!"


    Lin Xiao noticed that the lean man started to initiate his own core. Now that he had lost, what he wanted the most was mutual destruction!


    ''Lin Xiao, stop him! You won''t be able to face Golden Core Stage Cultivator''s core destruction.''


    It was the most fatal move that could only be done by Golden Core Stage or above. Below them, it was hard to even cause damage even if a cultivator were to destroy their own dantian as it would not give much effect.


    But Golden Core Stage cultivator was ultimately different.


    The destruction they caused was even more than enough to destroy the entire city.


    ''How?''


    ''Stab it with your sword, destroy it and I can then absorb the Qi as long as your sword is connected.''


    Swish!


    Appearing behind the lean man, Lin Xiao stabbed his sword. The lean man was completely covered in fire right now and just staying near him caused the heat to seep deep into Lin Xiao''s body.


    Lin Xiao paid no heed as he stabbed his sword right in the dantian area.


    "You��" The lean man was about to grab Lin Xiao but at this time, Lin Xiao had already shifted to the side and stabbed him once more.


    Stab!


    The sword once more pierced through the dantian, crushing it.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes were cold. ''Lin Hu, you can absorb Qi from other people''s dantian?''


    ''As a matter of fact, all dragons can but you won''t be able to use this Qi.'' Lin Hu scoffed. The Qi was of fire element, the complete opposite of Lin Xiao. There was no way Lin Xiao would be able to use this Qi for himself.


    Lin Xiao didn''t care as long as he could stay alive.


    ''But you really can.''


    ''I won''t do so unless it''s emergency. Also, this can only be done when the other party is initiating their own core for destruction because at that time, there won''t be any restriction for me.''


    "You��!" The lean man roared as his flames grew more intense, burning the entire arena along with him.


    Lin Xiao was still staying with his sword pierced deep into the lean man''s body. His eyes were cold as he watched the lean man did his wonder.


    "This��" Princess Lan Yi Hua was scared out of her wits when she saw what had happened at the stage. Her eyes turned red as she bit her lower lips in worry.


    "He''s still alive��" Prince Lin San was not in any better situation. If only they were not fighting in the arena, he would want to rush in and help his twin brother. But�� could he even defeat the guards?


    The guards were all at Golden Core Stage 2!


    "What should I do?" Princess Lan Yi Hua also wished to rush in but with her speed, she still couldn''t defeat Golden Core Stage 2. It would be futile if she wanted to help Lin Xiao and yet couldn''t even get close.


    Her heart was panicking right now.


    Beside them, Xia Ye was also clenching his fist. He felt that he was really weak as he couldn''t even help his Master. Right now, he could do nothing but to stay at the sidelines and watched as everything unfolded before his eyes.


    It was frustrating.


    He had to get stronger! He wanted to be stronger so that no one would be able to hurt those who were close to him ever again!


    Prince Lin Yan had calm expression but his back was covered in sweat. He knew that Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivator had a chance to self destruct. This was why he always aimed to kill them in one move.


    That way, they would not have the chance to even self destruct.


    The man who bet with Prince Lin Yan clicked his tongue. "If both of them died, it''ll be even."


    "Heh." Prince Lin Yan sneered. "Don''t think that you''ll be able to make me pay for you, Old Man."


    The man snorted. He was not that low to ask Prince Lin Yan for compensation when his man was not capable enough.


    Still, to think that a mere Foundation Establishment brat was capable of making his own men surrender to this extent. It was very interesting.


    Bang!


    The flames suddenly died down and a body fell down with a loud thud. There was no explosion that was expected from the destruction of Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivator.


    All that existed was only that wall of flame.


    But it had also died down. And when they all saw the figure that was standing on the arena, they were all filled with disbelief.


    Silence.


    The crowd was staring at the arena with disbelief as if they were seeing miracles. Right now, they were thinking that they were dreaming.


    There was a method to stop someone from destroying their own core and killed that cultivator first?


    Really?


    They have never heard of such method. But right now, in front of them was someone who did that.


    On the arena, Lin Xiao was standing with his hand holding his sword. His clothes were burnt in variety of degree, making him looked like a beggar. Blood was dripping on his back but his eyes were still filled with coldness as he stared at the lean man''s corpse before him.


    The fight just now had challenged him to the very limit, making it hard for him to survive.


    Thankfully, he was still alive.

 Chapter 282: Princess Lan Yi Hua Took the Stage

    Lin Xiao glanced over to look at his older brother. He noticed that everyone was looking at him and felt that he truly couldn''t explain the current situation. It could only be done because of the dragon inside his body.


    But how could he say it?


    Right now, he could only look at Prince Lin Yan with hope that the latter could come up with an explanation.


    Prince Lin Yan sighed. "It seems that I have won."


    "That''s not possible! What kind of sorcery do you use?!"


    "I gave him a one time use treasure. I''m sure you have also heard about that, right?" Prince Lin Yan looked at the man with a faint smirk at the corner of his lips.


    Ah, one time use treasure.


    There were countless treasures in the entire world and one time use treasure was one of the most valuable one. After all, they were mostly life saving treasure that was capable to give cultivator another chance in their live.


    It was so rare that even a single one could cost millions.


    The man twitched his lips as he looked at Prince Lin Yan. "You''re insane!"


    "If you value your slave more, you can also give them treasure." Prince Lin Yan didn''t care about the repercussion of his words.


    The slaves'' eyes lit up when they heard what Prince Lin Yan said. They were all looking at their master''s direction in hope that they would be bestowed with treasure.


    But how could these masters possibly bestow them with treasure when they were all also lacking in treasure? It was also already good enough that their slaves would not use the treasure against them.


    "BWHAHAHAHA!"


    Laughter rang from the other side of the room. A man in his twenties walked to the front. He was wearing black robe but beneath it, one could see expensive robe in purple color.


    It was not hard to guess that he must be someone rich.


    "I can''t believe you give a slave such valuable treasure, Madman. It seems that you treasure your little slave so much."


    Prince Lin Yan squinted his eyes. "I didn''t expect to see you here, Madman 2."


    The man called Madman 2 stopped in his track. His face considerably darkened. "What the hell you''re calling me madman 2! I have proper title! I''m the Great Blacksmith of Lan Hua Kingdom!"


    Many people sent him jeer when they heard that. Who would ever want to call him with that kind of title? They were not that crazy enough to acknowledge him as the great blacksmith.


    "Madman 2 is more suited to you." Prince Lin Yan shrugged. They were all using nicknames in order to avoid saying their real names. After all, in cultivation world, even knowing other people''s name could be dangerous.


    Madman 2, the Great Blacksmith of Lan Hua Kingdom, scoffed in annoyance. "Anyway, you still want to continue betting. I would like to watch the performance of that little one again."


    "He has done enough for the day." Prince Lin Yan scoffed. He would not let Lin Xiao continue in fear that the wounds would kill Lin Xiao. Waving his hand, he used his Qi to drag Lin Xiao out of the arena.


    Riddled in wounds, Lin Xiao could barely move. Prince Lin Yan shoved him some pills, in which Lin Xiao didn''t hesitate and took them all.


    Madman 2 was looking at them and nearly vomited on the spot. "What the hell! You''re giving such valuable medicine to your slaves?"


    "I can buy more." Prince Lin Yan was unconcerned. Besides, the money he had gained today would be used for his younger brother cultivation and not for himself. His own cultivation resources could be gained through another method.


    "You''re really suited with your name."


    "My payment first."


    The man, who had lost the lean mean, was feeling really annoyed right now. He dug his pocket and threw a bag to Prince Lin Yan. "3000 Low Grade Spirit Stones, no more and no less."


    "That''s good."


    Prince Lin Yan scoffed and looked at the others behind him. "Who want to go next?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua, Prince Lin San, and Xia Ye looked at each other. In the end, Princess Lan Yi Hua stepped forward. "Me."


    The voice was not low and people could already guess that the girl in the hood was a woman just based on her voice. Some of their eyes lit up when they looked in her direction, clearly interested.


    "Alright." Prince Lin Yan then turned his gaze around to look at the crowd. "She''s Foundation Establishment Cultivator. I would like Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivator to challenge her. Hmm, the minimum bet is 1000 Spirit Stones."


    Lin Xiao passed an annoyed look at his older brother. Tsk, he would need to have a good talk to him later. To think that Princess Lan Yi Hua would also be a betting subject now.


    "Me!"


    "Wait, I''m first!"


    "Me!"


    Seeing the enthusiastic people, Lin Xiao was speechless. What the hell! They were all clearly trying to get close to his woman!


    Thinking about that, Lin Xiao felt so annoyed that he wished he could just beat them all black and blue.


    Prince Lin Yan waved his hand. "Your fighter is?"


    "Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivator Element."


    "Alright, yours then. 1000 Low Grade Spirit Stones."


    "Yes!"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua stood on the Stage and looked towards the man who came. The man was big, at least he was far bigger than her. He was looking at her with interest. "Heh, pretty lady, why don''t you open your hood and let me see your fair skin."


    Hearing the comment, Princess Lan Yi Hua was calm. It was not the first time a street punk hit on her. But thinking about it now, those who dared to disrespect her had already been killed by her own hands.


    "Ready? Start!"


    Swish!


    Previously, Lin Xiao didn''t attack first because his attack always required him to prepare. It was one of his weakness but Princess Lan Yi Hua was different.


    She was always the first attacker.

 Chapter 283: Princess Lan Yi Hua Took the Stage (2)

    Clang!


    Twin swords appeared on her hands as she made her way to her opponent. The other party looked fairly surprised when he saw how Princess Lan Yi Hua attacked but a smile tugged on the corner of his lips.


    "Brat, do you really think this is enough to face me?"


    Bang!


    The earth rumbled and Princess Lan Yi Hua''s body flickered midair. Countless sharp earth spike appeared around the tall man''s body. It gave him perfect cover and at the same time, there were several floating earth ball around him.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes narrowed.


    "Don''t you underestimate your opponent, little girl."


    Swish! Bang! Bang!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s body continued to flicker around the arena as if she was nothing more than a shadow. Her footsteps were light and very precise. Even when the attack was coming at her, she managed to avoid everything perfectly.


    Swish!


    Her body appeared next to the tall man as she thrust one of her sword.


    Clang!


    "What a bad girl."


    ''Armor.''


    Princess Lan Yi Hua quickly noticed that it would be hard for her to attack him. The man was also wearing an armor that can block most frontal physical attack. That means, she had to change her method.


    Bang!


    The earth on the arena trembled once more as the tall man used his Qi to control the arena. He moved so swiftly that it nearly made it impossible for one to react.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua narrowed her eyes and lightly tapping on the air, using her own Qi to switch her movement midair.


    "Wha��"


    Before the tall man could process what had happened, Princess Lan Yi Hua had already moved away. Her two swords made crossing movement as Qi suddenly headed towards the tall man.


    Twins'' horn!


    Bang!


    The sword Qi entered deep into the tall man''s body as blood seeped out. Now that he was looking at Princess Lan Yi Hua, his eyes were filled with terror. This girl was not ordinary. She was capable to master weapon Qi?


    Weapon Qi was just like the name, it was the Qi that was manifested through one''s understanding of their own weapon. It was not limited to their own Qi and cultivation rank, which was why those who could master it could even reach the peak even if his cultivation was limited.


    The Heaven was fair.


    They would give another method when they blocked one way. Sometimes, those ways were better than their previous way.


    "You��!"


    Before the man could say anything else, he saw red flashed and the sword Qi that was heading to him was now infused with fire element. He hastily raised his hand but the Qi exploded right in front of him.


    Bang!


    The man was stunned and staggered. He used his Qi to attack back but Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t give him any chance. She was already behind him and by moving her body, she swung the sword.


    Slash!


    The man was killed with the head severed.


    Some cultivators could regrow their body but it was only at high level. For the current cultivator at Golden Core Stage, it was nothing more than a pipe dream that was far from reality.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua stood there and casually swung her sword before putting it back. She then glanced at Prince Lin Yan.


    "Sky Steps and that Sword Qi�� how do you make the Night Assassin as your ''slave''?" Madman 2 asked in low voice that could only be heard by Prince Lin Yan.


    Prince Lin Yan''s lips twitched. It was no wonder that Princess Lan Yi Hua never had any hesitation when she was attacking or defending. With her other occupation as an assassin, this was already something extremely common to her.


    Well, he could continue the bet with her but right now, he wanted to test the others'' capabilities first�� especially Prince Lin San.


    "It seems I won."


    "Damn you. Where the hell did you find so many capable slaves?" The man was annoyed. He was asking his slave to go forward because he wanted to see the beauty''s face but now he ended up losing his own slave and 1000 Low Grade Spirit Stones.


    Forget it, he could make more money later.


    "Will you continue?"


    "Hmm, not with her." Prince Lin Yan then passed a look at Prince Lin San. "Your turn."


    Prince Lin San flinched when he heard his brother''s words. Right now, he was utterly regretting his choice to come along with Lin San. If only he stayed behind, at least, he would not be forced to fight in such place and bet with his own life.


    He looked at his older brother but seeing that Prince Lin Yan didn''t budge, Prince Lin San could only grit his teeth and walked to the arena.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua walked down and settled near Lin Xiao.


    "You alright?"


    "Mhm, it''s not that hard." Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. She had never fought against someone at this level before because she had only advanced to Foundation Establishment after she entered Sun Dragon Academy.


    "That''s good." Lin Xiao was relieved.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua passed a look at Lin Xiao and chuckled. "Are you worried?"


    "A bit." Lin Xiao scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit embarrassed right now. He knew that Princess Lan Yi Hua was capable but he was still worried that she would be harmed if she took the stage.


    "I won''t die that easily. You too, right?"


    Lin Xiao was startled. He passed a look at Princess Lan Yi Hua and saw her smile. Even though the hood covered most of it, he could see that she was indeed smiling at him. He couldn''t help but smile back. "Don''t worry, I won''t die easily too."


    The two were communicating with voice transmission, which meant that no one else could hear them. However, Prince Lin Yan naturally could see that they were looking at each other and communicated in secret.


    ��should he put them away from each other?

 Chapter 284: Prince Lin San’s Weakness

    But if he dared to do that, he was sure that Lin Xiao would accuse him as being jealous and all. Prince Lin Yan could only forget that notion.


    He watched as Prince Lin San walked to the stage and looked to the others. "Let''s start from Foundation Establishment Stage."


    "Uh, 10 Low Grade Spirit Stones."


    "Ok."


    They were all now a bit wary of Prince Lin Yan''s people. After all, Lin Xiao had literally killed three opponents in one go while Princess Lan Yi Hua had killed that cultivator swiftly. Now that there was another opponent, they were being wary.


    They didn''t want to lose their slaves for nothing.


    Prince Lin San stood at the arena nervously. He took a deep breath and active his Eyes of Truth. Almost immediately, he could see many things that he previously couldn''t from the opponent who stood before him.


    The opponent was also at Foundation Establishment Stage.


    "Start!"


    The two of them didn''t move as they carefully observe others. The opponent was a man in his twenties. He didn''t look that scary but it was also clear that he was close to break through to Golden Core Stage.


    "Since you don''t want to attack first, let me." The man suddenly moved forward. He lunged to the front and his axe moved faster.


    In Prince Lin San''s eyes, the man''s movement was riddled with holes that he could exploit. He swiftly moved to the side and a sword appeared before it knocked onto the axe from the side.


    The knock that was supposed to be very light seemed to be able to stop the axe from moving completely. Before the man knew what was happening, the axe was already out of the course while the sword reached the man''s neck.


    Slash!


    Prince Lin San looked at the corpse and took a deep breath before glancing at his older brother. He wondered whether Prince Lin Yan would continue or not after seeing his performance just now.


    "Hmm, Golden Core Stage then."


    The others were looking at each other warily now. They would not give their slave to bet so easily now that they had seen the young man to be quite capable.


    Madman 2 was also looking at the front with interest. He glanced at Prince Lin Yan and nodded. "Do you only get your slaves recently? You don''t seem to be that familiar with their skills."


    "Shut up." Prince Lin Yan furrowed his brows. How could he be familiar with their skills when he left them to train in that remote mountain?


    He also had his own training and naturally couldn''t be bothered to train these brats all the time. They needed to grow by themselves too.


    "Heh."


    "Golden Core Stage Element Cultivator?" A man stepped forward to give his offer. "1000 Low Grade Spirit Stones."


    "Alright." Prince Lin Yan nodded.


    On the stage, Prince Lin San felt that his worth was far less than that of Lin Xiao. When they were betting before, didn''t Lin Xiao strike up to 3000 Low Grade Spirit Stones?


    Oh wait, it was for the third fight��


    "You, get on the stage."


    This time, the person who get on the stage was a middle aged man. He looked at Prince Lin San with a smile that didn''t look like a smile. There was also confidence in his eyes that he didn''t show.


    Prince Lin Yan was watching at the front as his eyes narrowed. "Watch the fight. Lin San is on disadvantage here."


    The other three glanced at Prince Lin Yan then to the stage. Lin Xiao furrowed his brows as he was worried for his twin brother. What kind of person that their brother actually meant?


    "Start!"


    Swish!


    The moment the battle started, Prince Lin San was stunned because his opponent had appeared right before him. He could see the other party''s movement, but he couldn''t react fast enough.


    Clang!


    The sword in his hand barely able to block the attack as Prince Lin San initiated his movement technique, moving to the other side of the arena. He looked at the middle aged man, who had suddenly appeared beside him.


    "Brats!"


    Bang!


    Barely evading, Prince Lin San swiftly rolled to the side as beads of sweat poured on his face. His eyes contracted because he could see various attack of wind element was coming in his direction.


    Raising his hand, Prince Lin San pointed it to the front.


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    "Wind element," Lin Xiao took a deep breath and muttered. It was one of the hardest to deal element, especially if their opponent was also someone who was very proficient in battle.


    Right now, Prince Lin San was being pushed to the back over and over again.


    "He can''t react in time."


    This was Prince Lin San''s main weakness. He indeed could see the opponent''s weakness thanks to the Eyes of Truth. But the biggest problem stemmed from his own body.


    What was the use of seeing them if he couldn''t react in time?


    Thus, this caused this to be happening. Prince Lin San was being pushed to the back because he couldn''t react in time.


    Standing in the middle of the stage, Prince Lin San''s clothes were slightly battered as the wind blades passed by him. There were some cuts but he was not hurt that badly.


    The middle aged man looked at Prince Lin San with surprise. "I didn''t think you can block it so well."


    "I can''t possibly disappoint everyone." Prince Lin San smiled faintly. His eyes were glowing in gold color.


    It was good thing that no one will associate his eyes with that of Sun Kingdom Royal Family. After all, the fact that their bloodline held Dragon Power was a secret that only some people knew.


    The characteristic of the power was completely different than others. It was not widely known what kind of power those from the Royal Family had.


    Prince Lin Yan watched from the side and his eyes squinted. He wanted to know what his younger brother will do now that he couldn''t rely on others.

 Chapter 285: Madman 2 Real Identity

    Most of the times, Prince Lin San would rely on others when he couldn''t deal with the opponent. After all, his task would be to tell them which one was the weakness and let them handle it if he couldn''t.


    But now, he had to fight alone.


    Swish!


    The middle aged man naturally will not allow Prince Lin San any chance to recover as he started to initiate his Qi and began to move the air around them. Wind blew and it caused the arena to start trembling.


    Outside, the cultivator who was tasked to take care of the arena, felt like crying. He had been repairing that damn arena again and again.


    ''Why do they really love to destroy the arena, huh?''


    Prince Lin San looked at the middle aged man, who was floating in the air. One of the biggest advantage of those with wind element was the fact that they could fly in the sky easily.


    Other Golden Core Stage Cultivators would either have to rely on using a lot of Qi or to make sure that they have the sufficient skill.


    "Die!"


    Countless wind blades suddenly appeared midair towards Prince Lin San.


    Prince Lin San''s eyes narrowed as he stabbed his sword on the ground, destroying the arena. The rocks were forced up thanks to this move and Prince Lin San kicked them up, blocking the incoming wind blades perfectly or moving them away from his current position.


    Everything was done extremely quick and Prince Lin San then moved away from his position.


    "You��." The middle aged man rushed over to follow and conjured more wind blades.


    However, Prince Lin San suddenly stretched his hand as dust spread in the air. It blocked the middle aged man''s vision and allowed Prince Lin San to move away.


    "Do you really think that mere dust can block my vision?"


    Bang!


    Wind spread from the middle aged man. His eyes locked onto Prince Lin San but at this moment, he noticed that Prince Lin San had disappeared.


    ''His presence��''


    Stab!


    A sword had stabbed him right on his heart from the back. Prince Lin San was already there as if he was moving through the air.


    "You��"


    Slash!


    Without allowing him to finish speaking, Prince Lin San had taken out another sword from his left sleeve that he used to behead the middle aged man''s head.


    Thud!


    Prince Lin San landed on the ground roughly and coughed a bit. The dust was a bit unsettling and there were some marks on his body from the fight before. However, he still managed to win the battle.


    Raising his head, Prince Lin San looked at his older brother with a faint smile.


    Prince Lin Yan resisted the urge to throw Prince Lin San into another battle as he nodded his head. "I should win, right?"


    "Tsk."


    The man had black face and naturally didn''t seem like he was happy with this result. He thought that he finally could make Prince Lin Yan suffered a loss, but from the way it looked like, it was impossible.


    "You''re lucky that it''s only us today. If you have guts come again tomorrow."


    "We shall see." Prince Lin Yan took the pouch and then stood up. He glanced at Xia Ye but decided not to stay here any longer and brought them up. They reached the bar and Prince Lin Yan stopped there.


    "Madman 2."


    "Heh, you''re only asking me here because you want my help, don''t you?" Madman 2 laughed lightly and waved his hand. A device appeared and almost instantly, they all had disappeared from the bar.


    "Wha��?" Lin Xiao was stumped.


    He looked around in confusion because they were already inside a luxurious room that was painted in white color. It looked like there were also several people who were waiting there.


    ''Where are they?''


    Lin Xiao''s eyes landed on the device on Madman 2 hand, which looked like a long tube. Was it a teleportation device?


    He glanced down and noticed the familiar marking of teleportation circle. It was then he realized that they were already far away from that Pei Yuan City.


    "Young master!" everyone in the room greeted Madman 2 the moment he walked out of the circle.


    "This is Hu Fei, your so called cousin in your fake identity. I''m asking his help so that you can have a place in this kingdom." Prince Lin Yan introduced Madman 2''s real identity.


    "Tsk, can''t you at least call me Master Hu Fei?" Madman 2, Hu Fei, protested.


    His protest only garnered a bored look from Prince Lin Yan, so Hu Fei couldn''t try his luck more. He glanced at the four people in the room.


    "Lin Xiao, Night Assassin, and Lin San, right?"


    "Yes!"


    Night Assassin?


    Lin Xiao glanced at Princess Lan Yi Hua and noticed that she nodded. She also noticed his gaze to her and tried to explain herself, "I was working as an assassin to earn some experience."


    "Don''t you have training area?"


    "I''m not allowed to use them. And besides, if I can use them, do you think I can hide my skills?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked in amusement. With her current skill, those people would soon know that she was not a trash but rather a capable person.


    Thus, those people who had lived in the palace all didn''t know her ability.


    Lin Xiao''s mouth opened wide for a moment before he nodded. It seemed that he had underestimated her even though he had regarded her quite highly.


    "Then the last one?"


    "I''m Xia Ye." Xia Ye cupped his hand in response.


    Hu Fei nodded. He waved his hand to dismiss his servants and beckoned for them to come with him. "This mansion is owned by my father but he''s always busy in seclusion. My mother is busy in different kingdom and will not care whether I have more brothers, cousins, or whatever."


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. What kind of parents were they to allow Hu Fei alone here?

 Chapter 286: Master Blacksmith

    Hu Fei played with a few balls that appeared out of nowhere. He pointed at the door. "Let''s go to the living room. You need to treat your wounds or you''re not going to be able to fight again tomorrow."


    Lin Xiao: "��" he should have expected that the training would not end in one day.


    Prince Lin San: "��" wait, there are more?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua: "��" I would rather keep my moves a secret.


    "You''ll return back here for the first six days but on the seventh day, you''ll stay in the inn and wait for the ambusher." Hu Fei stretched his fingers. "That way, your trace will be unknown. Anyway, state your elements, not yours, Yan."


    Prince Lin Yan rolled his eyes. He glanced at the group in front of him. "Hu Fei is a blacksmith. Additionally, he has the third biggest armory in Hua Lan Kingdom."


    "Who has the first and second?"


    "The first is the Emperor and the second one is the War Minister." Princess Lan Yi Hua glanced at Lin Xiao. "The number of experts in Hua Lan Kingdom is not that much ahead of Sun Kingdom."


    "There are no Golden Core Stage 4, right?"


    "Yes."


    The best cultivators in both kingdoms were only at Golden Core Stage 3. It was not known why it was like that but it would make it easier for Lin Xiao to take the throne in the future. He might be able to get it within a few years.


    Inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness, Lin Hu scoffed. There was actually something else that he had to tell Lin Xiao.


    But��.


    It would be better to tell the brat when it was time. Just let him dream big that he could defeat the Emperor so quickly for now.


    "To be able to become Golden Core Stage 4, there''s some certain ritual or advancement factor that''s required." Hu Fei then looked at them. "Hey, state your elements or I won''t be able to help you find the necessary weapons."


    "Lake."


    "Wind and darkness."


    "Fire and light."


    "Darkness."


    Hearing them all stated such rare elements, Hu Fei nearly tripped on the ground. He then looked at Prince Lin Yan and glowered, "Damn you, you''re going to make me lose a lot of money!"


    "You''re the one who promised that you''ll give 5 weapons for free for me."


    "But you never said that you''re going to bring people with such rare elements around, aaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!"


    Hu Fei looked like he nearly broke down. He promised Prince Lin Yan to give that annoying prince several weapons for free that was suitable for him or his friends. He thought that at most, he would only have to give some weaker ones.


    But this..


    Darkness and light were the rarest element for all cultivators aside from some others. How in the world three appeared at the same time in front of him?


    Also, what in the world was that lake element?


    "There''s no such thing such as lake element��" Hu Fei furrowed his brows and looked at Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. "But it''s really lake."


    "Are you sure you don''t mean water."


    "Nope."


    Prince Lin Yan chose to help giving the explanation. "He''s a healer. The water is a bit special and he calls it as lake because��of some reasons."


    Healer?


    Hu Fei looked at Prince Lin Yan.


    One second.


    Two seconds.


    Three seconds.


    "YOU BASTARD, WHY DON''T YOU ROB THE ROYAL FAMILY TREASURY IF YOU HAVE SUCH RARE ELEMENT FRIENDS? DAMN IT!"


    Prince Lin Yan shrugged while the others were watching as Hu Fei rammed the wall. Did he want to destroy that wall?


    Hu Fei then turned to look at Lin Xiao. "What''s your healing degree?"


    "Uh��" Lin Xiao didn''t know what to answer.


    "You don''t know."


    "I don''t know."


    Hu Fei sighed and pointed at his workroom. "Follow me there. Damn it, you should have just signed up in the association and got them test for you. But since you''re already here, I''ll help you."


    "Are healers also considered as an occupation or something?" Lin Xiao asked since he barely knew anything.


    "Yes, you can say so. Those who have special element will then can train it to reach higher levels with time. However, they would need to be tested from the beginning to determine their levels. Just like other occupation, they''ll start from level 1 and the highest is level 10."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua then looked at Lin Xiao with a gleam. "It''s even said that those who could reach rank 10 can revive people."


    Revive?


    Lin Xiao was taken aback. His next reaction would be to pull Lin Hu from his action of swimming around in his consciousness to explain about this.


    ''Is it true that healers rank 10 can revive people?''


    ''Yes but there are limitations. For example, you can''t possibly revive people who have died many time ago. Or, you can''t revive people who have their soul destroyed when they self destruct.''


    Looking at Lin Hu, Lin Xiao was sure that it was not the only limitations, but he would have to curb it for now.


    Prince Lin Yan coughed and write on the air with his Qi. "Naturally, the categorization went like this:


    1-3: Disciple: Capable of healing light wounds such as normal wounds outside.


    4-6: Master: Capable of healing internal wounds up to the point of heavy internal bleeding and also heart failure.


    7-9: Grandmaster: Capable of regrow limbs, mend shattered mental power, and similar to it."


    Lin Xiao looked at the general description and felt his heart skipped a beat. If he was not wrong, it was very easy for him to heal internal wounds since he had already done so when he was healing Ye Jian back then.


    Then�� he was already a master?


    Lin Hu scoffed. "Lake is naturally the best when it comes to natural talent to heal wounds, so it would be strange if your starting point is not that high. Aside from that, light is also good."

 Chapter 287: Healers Rank

    "Light�� right, Princess Lan Yi Hua is said to be of light element, right? She can��"


    "Her light element is far weaker than her fire element. It''ll only waste her time if she try to focus on that element. At best, she could use it to learn some basic healing skills to aid her especially if she tries to capture powerful fire in the future."


    "Oh��."


    They all entered the working room of Hu Fei. Looking at various weapons on the ground, Lin Xiao was intrigued. There were also an anvil and fireplace. From whatever position he looked, he could guess that this place must belong to a blacksmith.


    Prince Lin Yan pointed at Hu Fei. "Don''t underestimate him, he''s already Master Blacksmith at rank 4."


    "What?" Prince Lin San was stupefied.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes squinted. Why did she never hear of such powerful individual in her own kingdom? Her father had also never said anything regarding the appearance of a genius in terms of blacksmith.


    Hu Fei noticed their gazes and scoffed. "What? I''m already a disciple of a powerful grandmaster, so I can''t report to the kingdom."


    "Oh?" Princess Lan Yi Hua arched her eyebrows.


    Seeing Princess Lan Yi Hua''s expression, Hu Fei studied her. "Your mannerism is good and from the fact that you know Hua Lan Kingdom very well means that you must be a noble here. Though, I can''t really guess who you are."


    There are a lot of noble daughters and those who were still at Foundation Establishment were too many. Hu Fei naturally didn''t have time to care for it.


    "You''ll never be able to guess who she is," Prince Lin San muttered in low voice.


    Who would ever guess that Princess Lan Yi Hua was actually also an assassin. He was also given a shock when he heard that Princess Lan Yi Hua was Night Assassin.


    It was a foreign name for both Lin Xiao and Xia Ye, but he had heard this name a few times in the past when his older brother went away and scouted. He had once said that there was a new rising assassin named Night Assassin that was pretty good.


    But now, he was facing the truth that the assassin was actually his future sister in law.


    How could he accept it?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. "Yes, I''m a citizen here."


    Hu Fei looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua deeper but he couldn''t guess anything. Shrugging, he went back to his table, rummaging here and there before he took out a crystal that had faint engravings at the side.


    "Here, this should do."


    "What should I do?" Lin Xiao asked as he held the Crystal.


    "Just inject your Qi, it should show which level you are right now. The markings at the engraving, it represents the level you can reach. Naturally if you have trained for some time, it meant that the current ranking is the result of your long training."


    Long training?


    Does a few days could be considered long?


    Lin Xiao was pondering as he started to insert his Qi into the crystal. The engravings at the side lit up and it started to move. It was only now Lin Xiao realized that the engravings would stretch to the circle, the growth was signaled by the number of the engravings that was going to the other side.


    One, two, three, four, five, six.


    And it stopped.


    "Six." Lin Xiao then looked at Hu Fei only for the other party looking at him as if he was seeing a ghost.


    After that, Hu Fei rammed on the wall once more as if he wished to destroy it.


    The others: "��" was it his strange hobby?


    Only Prince Lin Yan knew what his friend was feeling right now. Looking at the result Lin Xiao showed, he was not that surprised. When he saw that Lin Xiao succeeded in treating Ye Jian a bit back then, he had an inkling that Lin Xiao''s rank must be above 4.


    It was ended up extremely high.


    Hu Fei was feeling extremely remorseful right now.


    Why?


    Why did this brat have such high level of talent? He had to work hard to reach rank 4 after working for more than a decade yet this brat, who looked like he was a decade younger could already reach rank 6.


    It was so unfair��


    "Is he alright?" Prince Lin San asked. He wanted to use his Eyes of Truth but unfortunately, it was impossible for him to guess what was in someone''s mind through this method. He wouldn''t be able to find out why this man behaved so strangely.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua narrowed her eyes. "He''s really eccentric just like your brother."


    "Why are you attacking us too?" Prince Lin San was speechless.


    "I''m stating my opinion."


    Prince Lin Yan: "��"


    Lin Xiao was resisting the urge to laugh out loud right now. He looked at the crystal in his hand and noticed that the seventh one was already on the verge of moving. It meant that Lin Xiao was actually close to level seventh.


    "Big Bro, what kind of training does a healer do?"


    Prince Lin Yan''s lips twitched a bit. He could see Hu Fei''s shoulder stiffened before he turned to look at Lin Xiao with horror.


    This brat�� had never trained before?


    F*ck!


    What the hell was with this world? Such a clueless brat actually has high level of talent that many people envied?


    "First, you need to reach at least Foundation Establishment Stage to be able to start training. From what I know, they usually heal people until they''re proficient and if they want to start to the next level, they would start from the lowest condition."


    Lin Xiao was stunned. "Did it mean I have to start learning how to regrow limbs?"


    "For those at rank 6, they''ll start to learn how to connect severed limbs together. Regrow and reconnecting are different but you need to learn first before you can actually grow a limb back." Prince Lin Yan''s eyes narrowed. "Also, you won''t find the method to train in this two kingdoms."

 Chapter 288: The Most Suitable Weapon

    The two kingdoms he mentioned was obviously Sun Kingdom and Lan Hua Kingdom. The two kingdoms were far from sufficient for high ranking occupations cultivators. Even for ordinary cultivators, the highest here was only at Golden Core Rank 3.


    How could they even produce anyone higher than rank 4?


    "Your talent is really high, so make sure to never show it to anyone aside from me and this idiot."


    Idiot?


    Hu Fei stopped ramming the wall and roared, "Damn you Lin Yan! You obviously know how much I have worked to be able to reach rank 4! Compared to such a genius, Aaakkh!"


    Prince Lin Yan shook his head. "It''s useless for them now. So you better hurry and pick up weapons for them."


    "There''s no way ordinary weapon can suit them." Hu Fei shook his head. Weapons can be categorized as ordinary, earth, Heaven, and lastly Mythical. Of course, the degree of a weapon was closely related to the rank of the blacksmith.


    As Master Blacksmith, Hu Fei was capable to create earth weapon. With the majority of weapons in the two kingdoms being at the rank of ordinary, earth weapon was extremely rare.


    Either they have to be rich or influential or both to have one.


    "Earth weapon?" Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes lit up. Her two swords were only at the ordinary level and she had long wished to have twin blades at earth level.


    "I can''t make one with light element." Hu Fei felt like slapping his face when he said it. Not all blacksmith could make weapons with specific elements as it required a lot of practices. Elements could be infused into the weapon when they reached earth grade, which would help cultivators to pick more suitable weapon.


    But right now�� Hu Fei really had none.


    "My main attribute is fire, so do you have twin blades?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked once more.


    Hu Fei laughed. "Even if I don''t have one, I can make it easily. You only need to give me a few days�� as for you two��"


    "I can have wind element sword." Prince Lin San was also hiding his real element, so he had no problem even if he couldn''t have one at dark element. It was already good enough if it was of wind element.


    Xia Ye paused for a moment because he was not sure what he should ask. He did need one of dark element but it was not like he could use his element properly either right now.


    "Alright, that''s plausible." Hu Fei then glared at Prince Lin Yan. "You can think for another method for the other two. I can only make the basic attribute of water element�� or you can try the weapon first and let me know what you think."


    Lin Xiao noticed a sword appeared on Hu Fei''s hand. From the aura that was around the weapon, Lin Xiao could guess that it was not an ordinary weapon. It was easy to recognize the rank of a sword when it was above ordinary grade.


    The aura around the sword would be different.


    Those at higher grade would naturally have higher and better aura, making it as if it was capable to give off pressure on its own. Ordinary treasure would only be sharp and be used as weapons.


    Naturally, Lin Xiao''s weapon was like that.


    That stingy Elder Wang didn''t even want to give him proper weapon, so Lin Xiao''s swords was one that he had personally picked.


    But that weapon was still considered as an ordinary one.


    It certainly couldn''t compare to many better swords.


    "Let me try." Lin Xiao stretched his hand and touched the sword. He could feel the vibration of the element of the world and also the natural rejection of his own body.


    The element in his body�� couldn''t accept the sword.


    Lin Xiao was stunned before he thought that he might even end up using ordinary sword for his entire life if he was incapable of finding a sword that could suit him.


    "Hmm, the sword rejects you or it''s the opposite?" Hu Fei''s mouth twitched. This was the problems that all cultivators experienced when they became more powerful and searched for treasures.


    Not all was suitable for them, including weapon.


    "My body can''t use this weapon." Lin Xiao chose to tell the truth and handed the sword back to Hu Fei.


    Hu Fei sighed. "In that case, I''ll try to make a personal weapon for you in the future. However, you might need to search for some materials that can suit your element the most."


    "Materials that suit my element?"


    "Yes, earth weapon grade can''t be made without proper materials. Most of the materials I have here are ordinary and only infused with the bit of element through the use of special material. If I''m rich, I definitely would make a weapon that''s fully made of special metal." Hu Fei sighed.


    He''s not rich?


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched when he thought of this mansion and everything inside. It was already extremely rich in his opinion since he himself didn''t even have a house where he could live.


    Xia Ye also pondered for a bit. "Master, is it possible for me to search for material that suit me too?"


    "Yes, you can."


    "Thank you, Master."


    Hu Fei was stunned when he heard the way they spoke to each other. He looked at Lin Xiao then to Xia Ye then to Lin Xiao then to Xia Ye��


    "Wait a moment, what did you call him as?" Hu Fei naturally pointed at Lin Xiao.


    Xia Ye furrowed his brows, clearly feeling displeased. He turned to look at Lin Xiao and only after Lin Xiao nodded did he reply, "Master."


    "WHAT THE F*CK!"


    This time, Prince Lin Yan finally couldn''t stand his friend making a joke out of himself and sent him flying outside the room with a kick. He looked at Hu Fei and snorted. "Can you stop being so surprised all the time?"

 Chapter 289: The Most Suitable Weapon (2)

    Hu Fei, who was kicked out of the room by Prince Lin Yan, was holding his cheek that had crashed onto the ground. He looked so pitiful that one might mistake him for a beggar on the street. His image was totally different to that of a profound young master back in the training area.


    He looked at Prince Lin Yan. "Bastard, you clearly know very well that it''s very rare to see someone who want to devote their lives for someone else! Speak, just who is that little brother of yours?"


    "You''re not worthy to know."


    "What the bloody hell! Do you forget about your sworn brother in front of your blood related brother?!"


    Prince Lin Yan sneered. "If I were to tell you, you would have to swear an oath that you''ll follow him for the rest of your life."


    Lin Xiao was stunned. He looked at his own brother doubtfully since he was sure that Prince Lin Yan hadn''t sworn any oath whatsoever to him. It was simply because Prince Lin Yan hadn''t deemed him to be suitable.


    Prince Lin San: "��" Brother, are you serious?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua: "��" I''ll pretend I didn''t see anything.


    Xia Ye: "��" Master, someone is even more of a troublemaker than you. Did the blood of troublemaker run in your blood?


    If Lin Xiao knew what Xia Ye was thinking, he might even consider beating up this man of his. But right now, he didn''t know and only looked at the spectacle in front of him with confused expression.


    Hu Fei''s expression changed considerably. He looked at Prince Lin Yan with disbelief. "Yan, you realize what you have been saying, right?"


    "Do you really think I''m someone who would joke around?" Prince Lin Yan scoffed.


    Standing up, Hu Fei dusted the clothes on his fur robe. He looked at Lin Xiao for a moment as various thoughts emerged in his minds. It was uncertain whether he could guess the truth or not, but he knew that his sworn brother would not make a joke at times like this.


    Slowly, he asked, "Someone even higher than my master?"


    "Naturally."


    As the Emperor, wouldn''t Lin Xiao be at higher place compared to Hu Fei''s master? Prince Lin Yan naturally thought of this and felt slightly complicated in his heart.


    Would Lin Xiao really be able to become an Emperor with his current capabilities? He was pretty good at times but at other times�� he was a complete idiot.


    At this time, Hu Fei no longer joked around. "Heh, in that case, forget it. I''ll not pry any deeper."


    If he tried to pry any deeper, he was afraid that the price would be something that his current self couldn''t bear. At that time, he would definitely not know where he should go if he regretted everything.


    "I''ll start work on the weapons. You two�� will wait for the suitable materials. When there''s a treasure hunt, I''ll call for you. Also, you can pick any room in the third floor to stay for the time being. There''s also a training room in the third floor that you can use�� Yan will explain the rest."


    Hu Fei waved his hand ushered them out of his work room before locking himself in. It seemed that he wanted to work on the weapon for the other two first.


    "Did he not have any weapon that''s ready make?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao and puckered her lips. "Even if he did have it, it might not suitable for us. Even though weapons look similar to each other, personalized weapon is more powerful because it suited the person itself."


    "Ah?"


    "Don''t you know about it?" Princess Lan Yi Hua blinked her eyes. Heavens, her future husband was actually so dumb. This��this couldn''t do! She had to personally teach him more matters in the future!


    Lin Xiao quickly answered, "I know about that naturally! I''m just thinking that since he already has so many weapons, why didn''t he already have one that''s suitable for you. Also, did he really can make personalized weapon only after assessing you two for a few times?"


    "Ah��" Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded, naturally understanding Lin Xiao''s concern. "Master Blacksmith at his level can''t make that strong personalized weapon. But our weapons are quite different from usual."


    As she spoke, Princess Lan Yi Hua took out her twin blades. "If you look at it carefully, it''s actually different from the usual swords."


    It was still categorized as swords but it was shorter than usual. In addition, it had slightly smaller handle, which was because Princess Lan Yi Hua''s hand was a bit smaller than most people.


    Lin Xiao then realized that he hadn''t actually paid close attention to his friends'' weapon. He quickly turned to look at Prince Lin San.


    With a laugh, Prince Lin San also take out his weapon. Similar to how Princess Lan Yi Hua''s weapon was different from usual, Prince Lin San''s weapon looked normal. However, Lin Xiao then realized how thin and light it was.


    Prince Lin San''s Dragon Sleeve Sword relied on swiftness and also speed. It would definitely require Prince Lin San to have light weapon that can utilize it to the fullest. It was the only way to make sure that his weapon was the most suitable for him.


    Lin Xiao then turned to look at Xia Ye. As far as he knew, Xia Ye was also using a sword but if he was not wrong�� the sword was also very thin and had one edge.


    Xia Ye then take out his weapon, allowing his Master to see it. Seeing that he was correct, Lin Xiao was stumped.


    This��


    This��


    He was the only one with the ordinary sword that was not tailored for his skills? Lin Xiao instantly felt that he was really the poorest of the bunch and that he really need to pay more attention to it.


    "Would you like to change sword?" Prince Lin Yan naturally noticed Lin Xiao''s inner struggle. "You have 4018 Low Grade Spirit Stones after all."

 Chapter 290: Dark Element

    4018 Low Grade Spirit Stones?


    Lin Xiao was taken aback before he realized that his older brother was referring to the Spirit Stones that was obtained from the betting before.


    "That''s for me?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. "I''m only betting on your behalf but all the earning will go to your pocket. Naturally, you can use it to buy some life saving treasure or to buy other swords�� It wouldn''t take long before your old sword to be worn down."


    Lin Xiao recalled his sword and couldn''t help but let out a self depreciating laugh. He had picked the sword by himself back then, thinking that it was quite good. But he also knew that it was only a sword at rank 2��


    The other three in the group all have weapon at least rank 3!


    He was really the poorest.


    "In that case, I guess I really need to buy a sword for myself. Plus some life saving treasure." Lin Xiao knew that having treasures would be crucial because it can help him during crucial time.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. "Also, I forget to tell you. If you wish to use these Low Grade Spirit Stones to advance faster to Golden Core Stage, you better forget about it. Building your core required you to absorb the Qi that''s suitable for your path.


    These stones�� normally use the most basic Qi and your body will only absorb a portion of it since you all have rare elements. It didn''t matter that much when you''re still at Body Training Stage but now that you''re already at Foundation Establishment, you might need millions of these stones to be able to advance."


    Right��


    It was only now Lin Xiao recalled that his element was actually lake. It was no wonder he felt that his speed decreased considerably when he was at Foundation Establishment even though he was inside that small lake.


    The others nodded.


    "I''ll naturally bet on your name. Do you wish to earn a lot of money too, Xiao Hua?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. "Yes. You can assign more battles for me too. However, I would like you to not reveal my identity."


    "Naturally."


    Prince Lin Yan would never want to put them in danger. The only reason why he revealed their identity to Hu Fei was because that person was his sworn brother.


    As for how they met�� that was an extremely long story.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Prince Lin Yan. "How did you manage to get acquaintance with Hu Fei?"


    "Do you know him?"


    "Mhm." It took Princess Lan Yi Hua some time, but she finally remembered him. Marquis Hu was a powerful cultivator at Golden Core Stage 3 and was one of the pillars in Lan Hua Kingdom. However, he has an eccentric son who didn''t want to go out at all.


    It was often said that his son was either capable but stupid or weak and unsuitable to be seen.


    Marquis Hu never bothered to explain the matter and thus, the rumors swirled in Hua Lan Kingdom. Princess Lan Yi Hua naturally had heard about that but she only thought about it after some time.


    Prince Lin San sighed. "Let''s just say that I meet him coincidentally during a treasure hunt."


    "You come here often?" Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Prince Lin Yan with furrowed eyebrows.


    "Heh, with my ability, do you really think I want to be confined in this place? If possible, I want to go further, away from this restriction." Prince Lin Yan looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua and let out a faint laugh.


    The five of them had reached the third floor. Lin Xiao was looking around and his eyes naturally landed on the largest room that seemed to span more than half of the entire third floor.


    "That''s the training room. It should be good for Xia Ye and Lin San to train in their dark element."


    "Really?" Prince Lin San''s eyes lit up.


    "I noticed that you''ve been using your dark element technique, Dark Transfer." Prince Lin Yan naturally knew how Prince Lin San managed to escape his predicament before. "You better learn it more."


    "Yes!"


    "Master, I wish to learn too."


    "Go ahead and train."


    "Thank you, Master!"


    The two of them rushed to the training room while Lin Xiao stood rooted in his place. He was looking at the training room for some time before looking at Prince Lin Yan. "Dark element is feared because it can destroy other people''s cultivation, right? Does it mean that it can also corrode one''s body?"


    Prince Lin Yan narrowed his eyes. "Yes. Dark Element is double edged sword. If it''s used well, it can become the most powerful weapon. But if it''s not used well, it will bring harm and countless destruction."


    "Then, are there still other Dark Element Cultivators in Sun Kingdom."


    "Naturally there are." Prince Lin Yan chuckled. He looked at Lin Xiao. "But most of them are already killed many years ago. I believed that Xia Ye''s clan and family has been killed precisely because of their dark element."


    Lin Xiao paused for a moment then sighed. He nodded. "I understand."


    His men that he gathered all have their own path and also reasons for why they chose their path. What happened before they met him was naturally not his business but he was willing to help them as long as it didn''t cross his line.


    He would naturally make sure that they could exact vengeance if that was what they wanted.


    "Right, the spirit stones, I want to use it, Big Brother."


    "Here."


    Taking the spirit stones, this was Lin Xiao first time feeling that he was actually quite rich. Previously, he had always felt that he didn''t have much money and naturally felt the pinch for using even a little bit.


    Now, he could finally use it more.


    "Now that you earn so much money, do you think that Sun Dragon Academy was stingy?" Prince Lin Yan suddenly threw him a question.

 Chapter 291: Training

    Lin Xiao let out a dry laugh when he heard what Prince Lin Yan asked. The highest reward for them when they reached the highest ranking was only 10 Low grade Spirit Stones per month.


    For Lin Xiao, who required a large amount of resources, it had naturally become so little that he felt that he was always in a pinch.


    "It''s not that many, indeed, which is why a lot of cultivators are fighting for the other resources in the academy. However, 10 Low Grade Spirit Stones�� is naturally quite useful for Foundation Establishment."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes.


    But��


    "But only if you''re a normal one because normally someone can''t absorb so many Spirit Stones so quickly." Prince Lin Yan had noticed that Lin Xiao was capable to absorb the Low Grade Spirit Stones much quicker than ordinary people.


    He didn''t know the reason and naturally would not pursue it because it might be related to his physique.


    "Also, true geniuses will not rely on these Low Grade Spirit Stones. They''re only auxiliary cultivators'' resources when they can''t absorb the Qi from nature. Why do you think the students are more enthusiastic about fighting for the room rather than this competition?"


    Ah, right.


    The training room naturally provided them with more resources. It was also one of the reasons why Lin Xiao didn''t even bother with the Low Grade Spirit Stones and the ranking and only did it as casual as he could.


    "Also, the only reason why you can get so many is because you''re betting with your life. Do you know that danger and chance are always side by side? If you can survive from a danger, naturally you''ll be rewarded.


    This kind of method of earning money is only for the desperate. I''m not bringing you to the bar to make money but to temper your strength against those who are stronger than you. To be a true genius, you need to be capable of leap battle!" Prince Lin Yan said strongly.


    Lin Xiao nodded. He knew that the true reason why Prince Lin Yan dared to bring him to that place was because the latter wanted him to grow stronger.


    It was also because of this that Lin Xiao believed that he would be able to grow stronger.


    He will survive and win all the battles that was thrown to him!


    "Then this��?"


    "You can naturally absorb it." Prince Lin Yan was amused. "But I would suggest that you use it for other things that you certainly need more."


    What I need more?


    Prince Lin Yan didn''t give him more explanation than that. Lin Xiao could only return back to his room, which was one of the few rooms there that Prince Lin Yan randomly assigned, and sat there to ponder.


    He looked at the pouch filled with Low Grade Spirit Stones, suddenly felt at loss for the wealth that he couldn''t use.


    ''You can actually keep it until you''re at Golden Core Stage. At that time, you''ll need a lot of resources.''


    ''I''ll get more Low Grade Spirit Stones when I practice later�� it''ll be useless.''


    ''Then, do you want to set up formation?''


    ''Formation?''


    ''Dragon Language is naturally the strongest to make a formation and the others are only imitating how we used our language for inscription. You''re unable to learn the normal inscription, but you can learn the dragon inscription. I can teach you.''


    Lin Xiao nodded in understanding. "Then the Low Grade Spirit Stones��"


    "It can be used to replenish your Qi. While it would not be beneficial for training because it can''t be used to temper your core because of the difference in element, what would it matter if you just use it to replenish your Qi?"


    "Inscription required Qi?"


    "Of course, do you really think that you can draw in the air without Qi?" it was Lin Hu''s turn to be so speechless. He should be able to know that it wouldn''t be possible, right?


    "Alright, then teach me."


    "Sure. I''m sure you can understand most Dragon words because of the knowledge that''s passed down to you through the Emperor''s Inheritance. What I want you to do now is to recall every single one of them and write it in the air.


    "..All?"


    "YES!"


    Lin Hu''s lips twitched. There were more than 6000 characters in Dragon Words. How in the world did he supposed to even remember everything so perfectly and write it? Forget it, he would try.


    "Wrong, you missed a stroke!"


    "Ah, you use the wrong sequence! Didn''t I tell you that you need to follow the correct sequence when writing? Are a kid who can''t even write properly?"


    "Wrong! Use more pressure!"


    "What? You lack Qi? Absorb more from the Low Grade Spirit Stones! You have plenty of them, don''t you?"


    Lin Hu showed no mercy as he continued to give instruction for Lin Xiao to write the Dragon words in the air. Back in the mountain, Lin Xiao only learned how to write the simple sentences and at that time, the writing had been so ugly that it was unpresentable.


    Now, the writing had turned much better.


    In fact, Lin Hu was pleasantly surprised that Lin Xiao''s writing was improved.


    But of course, that was not the main point. If before Lin Xiao merely copying blindly how the writing was, right now, he was understanding each of the word and unconsciously using his feelings.


    He was pouring his heart when he was writing.


    It might be faint right now, but Lin Hu knew that if Lin Xiao continued to train this way, the words he writes with dragon words would be filled with strong characteristic. One that can show its might with just being present.


    ''Hmm, he''s more and more like a proper Emperor now�� but he''s still so weak!'' Lin Hu shook his head in Lin Xiao''s consciousness. He felt both elated and dissatisfied at Lin Xiao''s progress.


    By the time Lin Hu ended the practice for the day, Lin Xiao immediately collapsed on the bed. His hand couldn''t move anymore.

 Chapter 292: New Sword

    "You did good." Lin Hu nodded and then slipped away to rest inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness.


    Towards that cold hearted dragon, Lin Xiao was really itching to give it a good beating just to vent his feelings. Lin Xiao couldn''t do anything for the time being and thus, with a grunt, he simply slept.


    In the morning, he woke up early and met the others. After training in the training hall, both Prince Lin San and Xia Ye looked more energized. It seemed that they were happy to be able to use their real ability to the fullest.


    "We''ll head to the market first. Also, we''ll need to use teleportation array to return back." Prince Lin Yan''s lips curled up. "For teleportation array to work, it needs a lot of money and Qi."


    "Should we pay?" Prince Lin San asked.


    "No need. Just make sure that you four will continue to win."


    They all looked at each other and then nodded. They would absolutely need to win if they wished to survive. If they ever failed even once, their journey as cultivator would be over.


    "Let''s go."


    They headed back to the teleportation room from yesterday. Lin Xiao glanced around and noticed that the inscription was written in completely different method than the Dragon language.


    His lips pursed for he understood that he would never be able to learn this method. He had to be satisfied with only learning the Dragon words that was fully embedded into his soul.


    Swish!


    They servants activated the teleportation array, sending them back to Pei Yue City. To be exact, to the teleportation array room that existed there.


    Prince Lin Yan glanced at them before nodding. "Have you thought what kind of sword suit you the best, Hu Xiao? Single edge, double edge, large, small, or whatever?"


    Lin Xiao shook his head. He never thought much about it before. He only used weapons that he could use and didn''t think whether it was suitable to him or not. As long as he could use it, it was already good enough in the past.


    But now that Prince Lin Yan wanted him to pick a sword that suited him, Lin Xiao began to think about it.


    His main skill was Chilling Lake Sword.


    So far, he could already use up to the Sixth stance, but there was little doubt that the last three stances were not done properly. The power that his sword emitted was still far from how it was supposed to be.


    It was a sword skill that relied completely on his understanding of coldness. That was why Lin Xiao didn''t pay attention to his swords need.


    But then Lin Xiao recalled that his body strength was a bit high. The sword he used so far felt a bit light and nearly didn''t feel like a sword.


    "Probably one that''s a bit heavier."


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. "Anything else?"


    Double edge or single edge?


    For that matter, Lin Xiao was not totally sure but he thought that double edge might be better than single edge because he would be able to use both edge to attack.


    "Probably double edge sword."


    "Alright."


    They walked to one of the weapons'' store. The weapons there were priced with gold coins but upon seeing their price, Lin Xiao sucked deep breath. Even the cheapest was still at 1000 gold coins!


    His own sword back then was only priced at few hundred gold coins.


    "Your sword is only at the lower ranked. It can barely qualify as second grade of sword, why do you think it''s so cheap?" Lin Hu snorted.


    Lin Xiao had no words to retort.


    Low Grade Spirit Stones worth 10,000 Gold Coins. And from the way it looked like and the prices, he could guess that sword that was at 2 grade alone was already priced between few hundreds to few thousands.


    And those that was at grade 3 would be priced at several pieces of Low Grade Spirit Stones until hundreds of them.


    As for grade 4�� Lin Xiao could feel his eyes show red when he saw the price that was at hundreds or even thousands of Low Grade Spirit Stones.


    So expensive!


    "The quality of swords made in Lan Hua Kingdom is naturally better than the one at Sun Kingdom." Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao. "There are more blacksmith here compared to Sun Kingdom."


    "Then, what''s Sun Kingdom''s advantage over Lan Hua Kingdom?"


    "Hmm? Don''t you know that there are more inscription masters in Sun Kingdom?" Princess Lan Yi Hua was stunned. She looked at Lin Xiao with bewilderment. "They''re trying to decipher the language of Dragons but since it''s not possible, they''re developing the inscription."


    Lin Xiao: "��" wait, the inscription there was based on Dragon words?


    But they�� don''t look alike at all.


    Inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness, Lin Hu snorted. "Of course they don''t look alike. Do you think that low grade cultivators like them will be able to decipher the Dragon words and used it as they wished? In their dream!"


    The proud Dragon, Lin Hu, naturally didn''t wish to have the dragon words'' mystery to be leaked to the likes of those who were only at Golden Core Stage. What a joke, the secret belonged naturally to those who were at higher stages.


    Lin Xiao was speechless but he didn''t say anything anymore.


    "Try this."


    Prince Lin Yan handed a sword and Lin Xiao took it. He was astonished by the sheer weight. With his current power, it was a piece of cake to swing this heavy sword. Not to mention, it felt just right to him.


    "It''s better. How much is it?" Lin Xiao asked.


    "Not much, only 40 Low Grade Spirit Stones."


    That''s not much?


    If Lin Xiao didn''t have more money thanks to the betting, he would surely be bawling his eyes out because he could only get it after a few months of saving up all of his money. Thankfully, money was not an issue.


    For the time being.

 Chapter 293: A Week in a City Rule

    Lin Xiao then recalled something and took his Communication Jade to contact Lin Yun.


    "Yun, do you have any herbs that you need?"


    "If you can find rare herbs, I don''t mind any��" Lin Yun paused for a bit. "There are some that might be more common in Hua Lan Kingdom. Pay attention to��."


    Hearing the list of herbs, Lin Xiao committed it to memory. He then looked at Prince Lin Yan. "Big Bro, I would like to visit some herbs store later."


    "Sure."


    Prince Lin Yan had heard that Lin Yun was an alchemist. It seemed that having money now meant that Lin Xiao would have more access to rarer herbs.


    For the next six days, they all continued to battel in the underground bar arena and earned a lot of money as well as experiences. For Xia Ye, Lin Xiao and Prince Lin Yun, it was more valuable because they rarely met someone stronger than them.


    Only Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t feel that much because she had been challenging herself. Naturally, she also earned the most.


    Lin Xiao used his money to buy herbs and contacted Lin Yun about the herbs he needed and also the local prices or at least, estimation. That way, Lin Xiao would not be scammed to spend more than needed.


    Aside from that, Lin Xiao also bought some medicines at Prince Lin Yan''s recommendation that could enhance his mind.


    Prince Lin Yun buy some medicine that targeted at strengthening his body. Since higher grade pills were more expensive, he ended up using most of his money to buy them all. It was not all for naught as he did grow stronger.


    For Prince Lin Yun, his mind was already strong enough and probably would need stronger pills than grade 4 to buy it.


    But still��.


    "Even pills at grade 4 cost thousands��." Prince Lin Yun felt his heart bled whenever he thought about the pills. The only consolation was the fact that he was growing stronger and stronger.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua�� bought poisons. She said that it would be useful for her missions and higher grade poisons was rarer. Since she herself couldn''t concoct one by herself yet, she bought them first.


    She also bought some herbs but it was all the basic ones as she wanted to start learning to become an alchemist. After all, her real element was fire but she knew that it would take a long time for her to bear result because she didn''t have the basic.


    Xia Ye naturally only used the money to buy pills that could enhance his strength and mind. They were all more powerful than what Lin Yun could possibly make because of the grade limitation.


    And soon, a week passed by just like that.


    "Today we''re not going to enter Hu Fei''s mansion." Prince Lin Yan looked at the group of four, who was currently in ragged clothes after their last battle. Even though they could win against Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivator, their win was only a narrow margin.


    If they were not careful enough, they would die.


    "We''re going to the inn?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. "We''ll wait for them to come."


    Them?


    Lin Xiao was curious but he chose not to speak more than necessary. There were a lot of people who participated in the underground bar battle and many of them were actually powerful figure.


    That was why Lin Xiao was curious whether they actually need to hide their face or not.


    But to Prince Lin Yan, it was not an issue.


    "We''ll stay here."


    "This place is not bad." Lin Xiao blinked his eyes.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at the main road that was located at quite a distance away. Her eyes narrowed. "This place is secluded and naturally make it the perfect place to land an ambush."


    "There are also few people who passed this area." Prince Lin San still could use his Eyes of Truth even after being expended in the battle. He furrowed his eyebrows because he felt that his brother''s decision was weird.


    Did he purposely come here to invite other people to fight him?


    "Rest quickly."


    With that order, they all picked a room and quickly rest. Prince Lin Yan had already settled the payment to the waitress and naturally, he was waiting for the brats to rest and recover their Qi.


    Time passed ever so slowly.


    Lin Xiao could sense the air was tense and there was even unsettling atmosphere. He absorbed the last Low Grade Spirit Stones that he was holding and then sat down quietly on his bed.


    His eyes were looking to the front before he suddenly jerked and the heavy sword appeared in his hand.


    Slash!


    A black figure dropped to the ground.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. In his entire life, this was the first time he ever encountered assassination. It seemed as if the value of his life had been risen if there was someone who wanted to kill him.


    "You''ll naturally face more assassination in the future." Lin Hu was lying lazily in Lin Xiao''s consciousness. "They all want to have a piece of you or because you''re too powerful, they want to eliminate you."


    "Wouldn''t the entire kingdom be doomed if I were to die?" Lin Xiao''s lips twitched.


    "Hmm, yes, but with your current rank, your doom will at most affect Sun Kingdom. You''re not that powerful enough."


    At most affect Sun kingdom?


    Why did he feel as if Lin Hu was implying that if he grew stronger, he would be the Emperor of more than 1 kingdom?


    But Lin Xiao had no time to digest the information because there were already several more assassins sneaking in. He swiftly moved in the darkness while his sword danced under the cover of the darkness.


    Bang!


    The sound of explosion coming from below surprised Lin Xiao. He swiftly jumped down and noticed that his big brother was standing there. Around him, several headless corpse had fallen to the ground.

 Chapter 294: Taking Another Mission

    "You''re fast."


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. Based on the Qi that lingered on the air, he could already guess that the people who had fallen were all Golden Core Stage 2�� His big brother was even capable of killing Golden Core Stage 2 Cultivators like killing chicken?


    Sun Dragon Academy only accept geniuses.


    It seems that such a saying was absolutely the truth. Those who managed to graduate from Sun Dragon Academy would have prowess that was truly comparable to the powerhouses. It was no wonder that there were a lot of people in Sun Kingdom who wished that they could enter the academy.


    If they could survive in the end, they would become very powerful and possibly unmatched.


    "They''re not my match," Lin Xiao replied swiftly. He then looked at the people below and realized that they were the people whom Prince Lin Yan made deal with in the underground bar.


    His eyes narrowed. "Why did they make the move by themselves?"


    "That underground bar is a secret place and they''re there both for fun and also to earn money. Most of them are the children of some local tycoon and have some money to even treat Golden Core Stage Cultivators as slaves.


    However, it didn''t change the fact that they can''t ask their parents for help. If they asked their parents and their parents know the reason why they need more forces, they would be kicked out of the house.


    Slavery alone is already borderline illegal in Hua Lan Kingdom. Added with the fact that they''re using other people''s live to trade for money and enjoyment, they''ll not be able to get away from punishment that''s already stated in the law.


    Thus, they have to do it by themselves."


    Lin Xiao was speechless. It was no wonder that Prince Lin Yan always asked Hu Fei to transfer them to the latter''s mansion. They were all being chased by the other young masters who wanted to take their lives.


    If they had this battle before, it was clear that they wouldn''t be able to come to the bar anymore because there was not even any use to go there.


    Swish!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua appeared next to Lin Xiao. Her hands were holding the twin swords while her eyes were looking at the pile of corpse before her without any expression. For her, it was extremely common to see a pile of corpses because her missions always required her to leave a trail of blood.


    It was only the ranking that was slightly higher this time.


    "Done?"


    "En."


    Prince Lin Yan waited for another minute and Xia Ye appeared next. He was melding completely into the darkness and looked as if he could use the cover of darkness to even transfer his current position almost immediately.


    It took some time before Prince Lin San appeared. He was startled when he saw the others were already there. "Big Bro, is this the reason for the 1 week''s rule?"


    "Mhm." Prince Lin Yan nodded. "We''ll take mission when it''s morning and leave this city."


    "Ok."


    They all already understood that it was impossible for them to even stay in this city any longer. If they dared to do so, it was clear that they would have more problems.


    As for using the teleportation circle�� that was possible but their identity would be questioned. It was already strange enough that they were using those for 7 days'' straight. Any more and there would be more people who were suspicious.


    While waiting, they all headed to the Mercenary Hall and walked in. It was open 24 hours a day but they could only accept missions after 6 AM in the morning. The place was only open for those who wanted to drink.


    Prince Lin San was staring at one edge. "Big Bro, are we allowed to drink?"


    Prince Lin Yan narrowed his eyes. "You''re only 17. And it''s not good to drink too much, wait until you''re 22."


    Prince Lin San: "��" 5 more years? How cruel, Big Bro!


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    They didn''t speak anymore as they tried to recover their strength as much as possible. The money they earned so far was already a lot but it would definitely take more time for them to get more money if they had to wait until they reached the next city.


    Time passed ever so slowly while Lin Xiao silently drew the Dragon words in his mind. It couldn''t be helped; he didn''t have anything that he could do anymore while waiting in this place.


    When it was morning, Prince Lin Yan walked to the counter. "I want to take this mission."


    "Are you sure?" The woman was startled. "It''s low grade mission."


    "For my team." Prince Lin Yan pointed at the group behind him.


    Upon realizing that the overall power of the team was actually quite low, the woman nodded. "Alright, I''ll arrange it. There are two other teams who will participate in this mission, you can meet them at the gate in one hour. This is your identification mission badge."


    "Ok."


    Walking back to the group, Prince Lin Yan only beckoned for them to follow him. Lin Xiao looked at his big brother curiously. "What kind of mission is that, Big Bro?"


    "Escorting mission."


    "��Who did we escort this time?"


    "Lady Mu Xiao Ya and also Lady Lei Xing Yi."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. He didn''t know any of them!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes gleamed when he heard that and slightly lowered her hood. She had met with Mu Xiao Ya before and naturally knew that she was from Mu Family, which was one of the biggest noble family in Hua Lan Kingdom.


    It could be said that it was impossible for the two to never meet.


    ''What did that annoying person do in such a remote city? Ah, I heard that there''s a rumor that she''s sick due to some weird disease��''


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes turned cold as she glanced over to Lin Xiao.

 Chapter 295: Another Escorting Mission

    She could guess that Lin Xiao might want to try helping the other party as long as he could get some benefit. After all, Lin Xiao only cared more about money.


    But what would Mu Family didn''t lack?


    That would be money.


    "Lin Xiao, if you dare to treat that Mu Xiao Ya, I''ll kill you."


    Lin Xiao, who was walking leisurely, nearly tripped on the nonexistent barrier when he heard the sound transmission that Princess Lan Yi Hua sent him. He was bewildered for a second before he realized that Princess Lan Yi Hua must have bad relationship with Mu Xiao Ya.


    Well, since it was her request, he would comply with it.


    "Alright."


    He also didn''t know that Mu Xiao Ya person, so naturally he would not try to meddle in a business that was not his.


    Their group of five soon reached the gate and saw that there were indeed two other groups there. The first group consisted of three men who were already at Golden Core Stage 1. The second group consisted of 6 people with variety of strength but most of them were only at Foundation Establishment.


    They all turned to look at them when they sensed them coming. Prince Lin Yan showed his mission badge to tell them that he was also taking the mission.


    "There are more people? And here I thought that this is just a simple escorting mission��"


    The reward for the mission was only 100,000 Gold Coins. It was quite a lot for ordinary people but not for powerful cultivators like them. But of course, if they lacked in gold coins but didn''t wish to trade their Low Grade Spirit stones, they naturally would take some simple missions like this.


    The group of three snorted when they saw the new group. It was clear that they didn''t think much of them.


    Lin Xiao rubbed his nose as he was thinking whether he looked like a pushover or something. For some reason, people liked to create trouble with him more than to his twin brother.


    They were twins, right?


    But why did he get targeted the most, ah?


    It took some time before two people appeared.


    The two ladies were gorgeous. They were dressed in beautiful peach colored dresses with the skirt moved in accordance to their body. Added with their beautiful figure, it immediately attracted the attention of the groups who were there.


    Lin Xiao only passed them a glance once before looking away again. He had no interest in women other than Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    On the other hand, Prince Lin San''s eyes glowed in gold color. One of the advantage of Eyes of Truth was that the other party might not even realize what was going on before it was too late. It was harnessing the type of energy that was not visible to the eyes and many normal people would never notice.


    Thanks to that, Prince Lin San knew many other people''s secret.


    His lips curled up to form a smile. How interesting. For such a young girl to be covered in baleful aura��


    He sent sound transmission to Prince Lin Yan. "Big Brother, there''s baleful aura around the taller girl."


    The taller girl?


    The two girls were both dressed in peach colored dresses. However, one of them was around two inches taller than the other party. The taller one was looking at the group and nodded.


    "I''m Mu Xiao Ya, today we''re going to head over to Hua Pei City, so I wish for your cooperation." Mu Xiao Ya''s words were said with soothing tone. It was also both enchanting and allowed one to feel as if they were entranced.


    Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. He naturally knew that it was one of the skills that was infusing one''s Qi into words. After interacting with Sui Wenyan and also Lu Jian for such a long time, he had long grown used to them.


    Naturally, he had higher defense towards such attack. What he couldn''t understand was why did the woman infuse her Qi into her words?


    "She''s doing it subconsciously." Inside his mind, Lin Hu''s words entered Lin Xiao''s ear.


    "That''s possible?"


    "It''s related to the cultivation technique she''s cultivating. That cultivation technique is one that will highlight her charm and also to let one be seductive. Normal people will not choose such cultivation technique because it had no benefit for battle."


    Lin Xiao was speechless. Did that woman named Mu Xiao Ya had such low esteem that she even cultivated such cultivation? Such a beautiful woman but she had low esteem. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.


    Xia Ye narrowed his eyes when he heard what Mu Xiao Ya said but he had even better resistance towards them. He simply turned his head to the side and acted as if he didn''t hear anything.


    His Qi was silently forming a layer of protection around his body.


    Prince Lin San had already seen her baleful aura around her body. He didn''t have any interest with such girls either, so he was not that affected.


    As for Prince Lin Yan�� would someone at much lower cultivation level even able to affect him? He didn''t even put that woman in his eyes.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes merely turned colder. She naturally knew the cultivation technique that Mu Xiao Ya used. This was one of the reasons why she disliked the other party.


    Most importantly, Mu Xiao Ya was someone who was trying to latch onto her sister''s big thighs. Princess Lan Yi Hua was always seen as an eyesore and Mu Xiao Ya never hesitated to slander her over and over in the past and even tried to bully her just to gain Princess Lan Xiao Yue.


    Heh, how could Princess Lan Yi Hua have good impression of a woman who loved to bully her?


    The other two groups have various response. Some responded nicely but some had their guard up and only looked at Mu Xiao Ya coldly. They would not let themselves be affected.

 Chapter 296: Despised?

    Mu Xiao Ya carefully assessed the people in front of her. Her lips tugged to form a sweet smile before she entered the carriage that was prepared for her. Behind her, Lei Xing Yi hurriedly followed.


    Lin Xiao watched everything that occurred and then focused his attention to form the dragon words inside his mind. While it was already imprinted to his soul, it would take some time for him to recall and write it down.


    This training will hasten the process.


    If he was good at this, he would be able to use the dragon words for battle in the future! That would be very exciting.


    "We''ll depart." A man from the three men group said. He assumed the position as the leader and the second group didn''t protest. Prince Lin Yan also nodded as he had no intention to contend for the leadership''s position.


    What a joke, why would they even bother?


    The only reason they took the mission was to be able to get into the next city ''legally.''


    "This is also a good chance for you four to rest. Try to stay on guard but keep yourself relaxed." Prince Lin Yan naturally didn''t wish to make the four of them turned into battle maniac.


    He limited the fight that they had and every 7 days, they would have some rest. This way, they would be ready for the next 7 grueling days of battle.


    "Yes!"


    They all nodded solemnly and continued the journey. Not having to battle was one thing but it was also quite boring to be in a journey without anything to do. Prince Lin San''s eyes occasionally turned golden. There were faint red sparks on Princess Lan Yi Hua''s hand. On the other hand, Xia Ye''s shadows flickered from time to time.


    Prince Lin Yan shook his head because he knew that these four were all training on their own but they only did some relaxed training and not one that would exhaust them.


    "There''s a bear upfront!"


    "Kill it!"


    Their group was located at the rear. The three men group were at the front while the six people group were in the middle. This would have formed perfect protection if not for the loose formation they formed.


    From the way it looked like, it wouldn''t take long for enemies to breach since each group worked on their own.


    "From the side!"


    "Attack!" A young man from the six people group charged first. He swung his large axe, meeting the incoming boar head on.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua watched from the side. "Fool. That''s Crystal Boar, one with the hardest defense here."


    Lin Xiao listened carefully. He had been getting more knowledge from Princess Lan Yi Hua since she was really like a walking encyclopedia. Her knowledge regarding beasts in Hua Lan Kingdom could be considered complete.


    Not only that, she also knew some other kingdoms'' animal.


    This made Lin Hu laughed so hard when Lin Xiao realized that Princess Lan Yi Hua was only pretending to be stupid and didn''t fill in her answer sheet. Unlike Lin Xiao who was genuinely didn''t know, Princess Lan Yi Hua was still more knowledgeable and only hid her brilliance.


    "There''s another one at the back!"


    "AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa!"


    The six people group quickly separated into two groups as one dealt with the boar at the left while the other one dealt with the boar at the back. At the front, the three people group had already finished dealing with the bear and looked at the other two groups.


    "What are you doing there? Help out!" someone from the six people group noticed that Lin Xiao''s group was silent and barked out.


    Lin Xiao looked at the group as if they were an idiot. The beast was only at rank 4. Why should he expend any effort to kill it? The others were also feeling lazy to move since it was only rank 4.


    They had killed hundreds or even thousands of beast rank 4 over the past year and this time, it was just the weaker bunch.


    "F*ck! Help me!"


    "AAAAAaaaah!"


    Lin Xiao then turned to look at the others but it was clear that neither one of them wanted to make their move. They were all feeling that when the boar was close enough to their range of attack, they could just swiftly attack it.


    However, their concern was unnecessary because the six people group had finished dealing with them. There were some minor injuries but it was fine.


    "It''s good that our group have two Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivators."


    "Yes, if not we''re not going to be able to defeat it."


    One of them looked at Lin Xiao''s group resentfully. "Why don''t you help us out? You''re here for the escort mission, right?"


    "We''re escorting, yes. However, since you''re already stepping forward to stop the boar, why should we move forward?" Lin Xiao retorted. "Do you really think that we can cooperate with your lo��.your group."


    He nearly wanted to say lousy but then he felt that it would be inappropriate. In any case, his standard had been risen thanks to Sun Dragon Academy, thus he forgot that normal people would never be able to defeat beast rank 4 when they were at Foundation Establishment.


    While it had become as easy as slaughtering chicken for Lin Xiao, it was not the same for the group in front of him.


    They were just normal mercenaries and not one that was carefully taught in an academy that was meant for geniuses.


    Almost immediately, Lin Xiao earned contempt from the six people''s group


    ...


    Beast Ranking and the estimated strength:


    Unranked: Untrained people to Body Training Rank 3


    Rank 1: Body Training Rank 6 to 7


    Rank 2: Body Training Rank 8 to 10


    Rank 3: Foundation Establishment


    Rank 4: Golden Core Stage 1


    Rank 5: Golden Core Stage 2


    Rank 6: Golden Core Stage 3


    Note: normal people wouldn''t be able to defeat Beast rank 4 when they''re at Foundation Establishment.

 Chapter 297: Despised? (2)

    "F*ck! He''s only here for the share money."


    "Tsk, it''s really our luck to be having such a weaker bunch in our group."


    The group of six grumbled by themselves and resumed to their position. Meanwhile, the three people group already positioned one of them as the driver once more and drove the carriage forward.


    Their gaze when they looked at Lin Xiao and the others were also filled with contempt.


    It was clear that they looked down on them.


    Lin Xiao was speechless. He then turned around to look at the others but they all shook their head while trying to hide their smiles. His face darkened.


    Damn it!


    They were all using him as the scapegoat!


    "BWAHAHAHAHA!" Inside his consciousness, Lin Hu couldn''t hold it in and laughed as loud as possible. He was thinking that Lin Xiao was already quite brave to be speaking up at that time but then he realized that Lin Xiao was only being used by his teammates.


    They didn''t want to say the reason because it would be insulting, so they simply waited for Lin Xiao to be the one to retort for them.


    So much for being the leader of the bunch.


    Lin Xiao immediately cut his connection with Lin Hu so that he would not hear the voice of that dragon mocking him. Right now, he really not wanted to hear them mocking him again for his impulsiveness!


    But on another note, it was good enough that they were treated as weak bunch��


    At least, his training would not be disturbed.


    With that, Lin Xiao resumed back to his training of making the symbols in his head and continued to learn the dragon words.


    Inside the carriage, the two girls naturally heard the conversation outside.


    "Tsk, there''s actually a group who are so shameless that they even hitch a ride for money." Mu Xiao Ya gritted her teeth.


    She was already issuing a large amount of reward and that 100,000 gold coins were per person. If she had to pay for the useless group too, it was very infuriating.


    Of course, money didn''t mean much for her but she still did not want to waste money for nothing.


    "They''re also not interested in your charm." Lei Xing Yi naturally also realized their reaction when Mu Xiao Ya greeted them all.


    "Hmph, country bumpkins like that are really not worthy for my attention." Mu Xiao Ya gritted her teeth in annoyance.


    Lei Xing Yi didn''t say anything and silently closed her eyes. She was tired and didn''t have any intention to argue with Mu Xiao Ya. Once this girl was already up for something, Lei Xing Yi naturally knew that she herself would never be able to stop the other party.


    She always felt tired around Mu Xiao Ya without her even knowing the reason.


    Time passed.


    The distance to Hua Pei City was only two days journey and after a night in the wilderness, they should be able to reach the destination in no time.


    Soon, night came and they set up a camp.


    There were several more attacks thorough the day but the other two groups dealt with them swiftly. Lin Xiao''s group was still seen with contempt while they didn''t even care for that.


    "Hmm, the forest is big. I wonder if we can roam around to find some herbs?" Lin Xiao was curious.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua shook her head. "You better not. The beasts are more dangerous when it''s night time compared to day time. If you roam around at night, you will need to have sufficient power."


    Lin Xiao nodded. "I understand."


    As for the current him, it seemed that his power was not enough yet. He would need to train more so that he could grow stronger.


    Prince Lin San swept the area with his Eyes of Truth casually. It was clear that there were already several beasts around but they didn''t come near them for some reasons. Whether it was because they were afraid or because they were intimidated or they had plan was unclear.


    He glanced at Prince Lin Yan.


    Well, Prince Lin Yan was already at Golden Core Stage 2 and if he emitted even a bit of his aura, it was clear that there wouldn''t be any animals who dared to get close to them. But right now, Prince Lin Yan didn''t do anything.


    Thus, the abnormal behavior of the beasts was strange.


    "There''s a village nearby." Prince Lin San noticed through his Eyes of Truth that there was indeed a separate village nearby.


    Lin Xiao stretched his hand. "Then, shall we have a look early in the morning? When it''s dawn, there should be enough lights for us to explore."


    He was going to be bored to death with just having to repeat the words inside his head through Lin Hu''s coerced training. Paying a short visit to that small village should be pretty nice.


    "We''re still in a mission," Princess Lan Yi Hua reminded.


    "Just for a bit." Lin Xiao grinned. "Come on, I have never seen villages in Hua Lan Kingdom."


    Prince Lin Yan shook his head. What an excuse. He glanced to the other two groups. From the way it looked like, they were also not being accepted in this group either, so there was nothing wrong if Lin Xiao wanted to have a short stroll to pay a visit to that unnamed village.


    "You can go there if you want but not alone."


    "Yes~!"


    Lin Xiao looked around as if asking who would want to come with him.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua chuckled. "I''ll come with you."


    "Me too."


    "Well, I should be able to come." Prince Lin San was more curious to what he had seen with his Eyes of Truth. Because of that, he also wanted to pay a visit to that village when it was dawn.


    "Sleep for now."


    "Yes."


    Setting up their own temporary tent, each of them quickly rest. They didn''t want to waste their energy to do nothing when they could use the time to rest. There might be more battle in the future.

 Chapter 298: Demonic Cultivator

    Even before it was dawn, Lin Xiao woke up. He thought that it would be a good night sleep but unfortunately, his senses were disturbed.


    Slowly, Lin Xiao sat up and looked around him. He noticed that Princess Lan Yi Hua was also awake and her eyes were looking in the direction of the carriage. Unlike the three groups, the two girls were still staying in their carriage at night.


    Was there something there?


    Lin Xiao furrowed his eyebrows and shook Prince Lin San awake. The poor prince was startled but he didn''t speak when he noticed that it was Lin Xiao. Seeing the dark area, he furrowed his brows.


    ''What is it?''


    It was still night time.


    Lin Xiao pointed at the carriage and Prince Lin San knew that Lin Xiao wanted him to use his Eyes of Truth. He directly activated it and nearly jumped to the back in fear. The baleful aura that he sensed from this morning was even more concentrated and stronger inside the carriage.


    There were still traces of the two girls but right now, the baleful aura was so strong that it nearly suffocated him.


    "What is it?" it was Lin Xiao''s turn to ask.


    "The aura around the girls are weird and it''s�� terrifying." Prince Lin San found it hard to speak as he felt that it was really unusual.


    Prince Lin Yan also furrowed his brows. He had woken up due to these three actions that startled him. Not far from him, Xia Ye also had sat up and looked at his master as if asking for any direction.


    "We should leave."


    "Why?"


    "Staying here any longer and we might be affected by that and��."


    Swoosh!


    The terrifying aura suddenly spread and the other cultivators also woke up. They all turned to look at the carriage with stunned expression as one of them rushed forward bravely. His legs were trembling but he wanted to challenge whatever it was.


    "Miss! Miss! Wake up, there''s.. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


    The man''s scream spread far away.


    Everyone was stunned and noticed that the man was slowly disintegrating and black smoke permeate from the carriage.


    Prince Lin Yan''s eyes were sharp as he shouted, "RUN!"


    Everyone swiftly moved from their position and took their temporary tent back to their Spatial Ring. No one dared to delay as they used their movement''s technique to rush far away from the black smoke.


    Swish!


    "AAAAAAAAAAaaaa!"


    Screams came from their back. They knew that the smoke had already caught someone else and probably killed that person. Right now, they all didn''t have the time to care about whoever it was.


    Their priority was to run.


    Run, far away.


    No one dared to turn their back and it was only after they were already at a distance away did they stop. The sun was slowly rising from the distance and the terrifying pressure coming from behind them had disappeared.


    "What''s that?" Lin Xiao asked once more.


    "Demonic Cultivator, most likely." Prince Lin Yan furrowed his brows. He turned to look at Princess Lan Yi Hua. "Do you know her?"


    "Uh, yeah, she''s one of the nobles." Princess Lan Yi Hua was already calming herself down. It seemed that whatever that baleful aura was, it would only make its attack when it was night time. When it was daytime, they were save.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her eyebrows. She never felt that way but then again she never met Mu Xiao Ya when it was night time.


    "That girl might have touched something corrupted or forbidden." Prince Lin Yan shook his head. "Try not to stay close to her. Only those at Golden Core Stage 3 will have a chance to defeat that thing."


    The others looked at each other and nodded. Lin Xiao furrowed his eyebrows. "There are demonic cultivator like that?"


    "Yes. When you become more powerful naturally you''ll be told about this. As of now�� you''re only Foundation Establishment and facing powerful demonic cultivator, Foundation Establishment is as good as cannon fodder."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao nearly cursed out loudly. For the nth time for the past few days, he was cursed for being weak. He had been improving rapidly under the harsh training of that life and death battle and yet, he was still very weak.


    But he couldn''t possibly get stronger overnight.


    Cultivation was a slow process, one that required him to steadily increase his steps one by one. There was no way he could become so powerful in one go unless he had eaten certain treasure.


    But treasure that was not used properly could become a double edged sword.


    "We''re going to inspect the village now."


    "Ok."


    They noticed that they were heading in the direction of the village. Prince Lin San originally thought that they were quite near the village but after traveling for so long and yet didn''t find it, he just realized that the location was further away than what he first thought.


    ''It seems that I''m still bad at gauging long distance.''


    Prince Lin San rubbed his forehead.


    Lin Xiao watched his twin brother and silently communicated to Lin Hu. "Lin Hu, is there any method to increase Lin San''s dragon power so that he can strengthen his Eyes of Truth?"


    "He''s already so powerful and you want him to become even stronger?" Lin Hu looked at Lin Xiao with surprise.


    "Well, it''s useful."


    "There''s no such method. Wait until you''re more powerful."


    Lin Xiao: "��" I literally hate that sentence!


    Not caring about Lin Xiao''s darkened expression, Lin Hu curled his body and sighed. Lin Xiao was really a little na?ve and yet also loyal. Why did the Heaven choose this boy exactly?


    For his intelligence?


    Find any random person and that person might be smarter than him.


    For his talent?


    Before he got the Emperor''s Inheritance, his talent was only considered to be very average that couldn''t be compared to many geniuses who had already reached Golden Core Stage even before they reached 18 years old.


    Then�� for his personality?

 Chapter 299: The Little Boy

    Lin Hu glanced over to look at Lin Xiao. The brat''s personality was infuriating but at the very least, Lin Xiao was someone who was willing to learn. He was also constantly improving himself.


    His current personality and capability was still far from someone called an ''Emperor'' though��


    For his Dragon Power that was lurking his body?


    The Dragon power and any other ancient power that was lurking within a person''s blood would be predetermined from birth and it couldn''t be changed. It was also the Heaven''s gift for personal people.


    Lin Hu naturally had noticed that Lin Xiao had quite a lot of Dragon Power because the brat kept on using it to strengthen his body. However, the amount was not that many compared to many other Emperor''s in the past.


    Thus, he couldn''t understand.


    ''I shouldn''t question the Heaven''s decision and should just do my work well.''


    Lin Hu sighed and silently stayed in Lin Xiao''s consciousness. No matter how curious he was, he knew that the answer would not be answered anytime soon because of Lin Xiao''s progress.


    To be able to leave this place alone required him to be at least strong enough to do so.


    Swish!


    "This��"


    The village that they saw from a distance was not a whole village. Prince Lin San now understood why he felt that the village looked strange in his Eyes of Truth. It was because the village was burning thorough the night.


    He gritted his teeth.


    Damn it! if only he had interpreted correctly based on what he had seen last night, the village might not end up in this state.


    "There''s someone who''s still alive." Lin Xiao noticed that there was breathing sounds. His senses were pretty keen and naturally, he was good at identifying dead people and not.


    Prince Lin San activated his Eyes of Truth and noticed that Lin Xiao was correct. By now they had already arrived by the small boy. The boy was around 12 years old and looked quite small for his age. His head was wounded and he lost his consciousness. However, there was faint aura of a living person around him.


    Lin Xiao didn''t hesitate and stretched his hand as stream of Qi went out of his body towards the boy''s body.


    ''This is��?''


    Upon sensing the Qi inside the boy''s body, Lin Xiao was shocked senseless. The boy, who was still at the tender age of 12 years old, was actually Foundation Establishment Cultivator?


    This�� how in the world did this brat train?


    Lin Xiao himself knew that when he was 12 years old, he had only started on the path of cultivation because the children were all forced to strengthen their body first. To become the first stage of Body Training required strong body and it took them a long time before they were qualified.


    It was only after they were strong enough did they could train more and more.


    But this little boy�� was already a Foundation Establishment Cultivator?


    Pushing his surprise deep into his heart, Lin Xiao focused on the treatment. He could sense that the young boy was injured in the head and had his Qi depleted. It was only after a few hours had passed that some returned but it was still very weak.


    The boy wouldn''t be able to survive if Lin Xiao didn''t come here today.


    "Hmm, done." Lin Xiao retracted his hand and took out a Spirit Stone to replenish his loss of Qi.


    Prince Lin Yan then looked at the young boy before looking at the village. "There will be people coming to get the boy. With his current cultivation, I can guess that he must be someone with powerful identity. What do you want to do?"


    What do you want to do?


    Lin Xiao was startled when he heard Prince Lin Yan asked him the question. So far, all the decision had been falling in Prince Lin Yan''s hand to the point that Lin Xiao felt that he himself was nothing more than a supporting character.


    But hearing his older brother handed the decision to him, he was at loss.


    "I''m only taking over when it comes to training but when it''s other matter, you have to decide for ourselves. Remember, you''re the one who will lead countless people in the future," Prince Lin Yan warned.


    Lin Xiao nodded. He knew. Being the Emperor meant that he would have to lead a lot of people at the forefront. His every decision would affect the lives of so many people who relied on him.


    Just one mistake would be more than enough to create disaster.


    "We''ll wait and see. Right now, we don''t know his identity and finding him here is a coincidence. Besides, it''s rare to see anyone stronger than Golden Core Stage 3. Even if we face one, we''ll use the teleportation array and return back to Brother Hu''s residence." Lin Xiao mapped their plans.


    Prince Lin San furrowed his eyebrows. "What if he comes from higher ranked kingdom?"


    "Higher ranked kingdom?"


    The others all turned their head to look at him. This was both Lin Xiao and Xia Ye''s first time hearing that kingdoms were ranked.


    "Yes. The person whom you meet before, Ye Jian, also come from higher ranked kingdoms. They''re all kingdoms that are far more powerful than our current kingdom. If this boy also come from there, we might even make enemies out of some high ranking kingdom."


    "That''s true��" Lin Xiao also felt troubled.


    "In that case, we''ll use your Eyes of Truth to discern whether the other party had malicious thoughts to us or not when they saw us with the boy. We''ll agree with some motion so that you don''t need to send sound transmission." Princess Lan Yi Hua added.


    "That''s a good idea." Prince Lin San''s eyes shone.


    Lin Xiao also nodded. That way, if the other party had malicious intention, they could run away.


    "In that case, let''s make the preparation." Prince Lin Yan pointed to the nearby empty area and the four of them immediately moved. Watching them cooperating together, Prince Lin Yan nodded his head.

 Chapter 300: Decades of Lies

    It seemed that Lin Xiao might be stupid, but he had good eyes for people. His action and also his personality drew people, who were normally would be against each other, to be working together harmoniously.


    Considering how Princess Lan Yi Hua and Prince Lin San personality were, they would never be in the same page. Xia Ye was also the same as he was a proud person.


    But when they were facing Lin Xiao, they instinctively lowered their guard and accepted him inside.


    ''Is this because he''s the future Emperor or it''s because his nature is already so?''


    Prince Lin Yan was not sure.


    "Ouch! Warn me before you start giving out fire."


    "It''s not that hurt, right? You can heal yourself." Princess Lan Yi Hua''s tone sounded surprised.


    "It''s not but you surprise me."


    "Hey you two, stop flirting please."


    "Hehehe, just say that you''re jealous my twin brother."


    "Damn you, Lin Xiao!"


    Watching them already bantering with each other again, Prince Lin Yan shook his head once more. He was looking into a distance away as his eyes narrowed. He was also wondering what should he possibly do should the person who came bore ill intent.


    His current cultivation was still at Golden Core Stage 2 and it would take some time for him to advance.


    Not that he could, but he didn''t want to.


    Time passed ever so slowly.


    "Mhm��"


    "Oh, you''re awake." Lin Xiao noticed the young boy was awake and smiled faintly. "Are you hungry? We''re currently roasting a boar."


    Lin Xiao and the others were currently roasting boar meat. A poor boar crossed their resting area and naturally, Lin Xiao and the others would not let their meal go. Thus, they gained their meal.


    The young boy looked stunned. In the next moment, his stomach grumbled, telling others how hungry he was.


    Prince Lin San chuckled. "I''m Hu San, what''s your name?"


    "Ah, I''m Long Hao," The young boy paused for a moment. His eyes were scanning his surroundings as he was in a slight trance. Previously, wasn''t he inside the village and that there was an attack?  Why did he end up in this open area?


    Tilting his head to the side, the boy''s eyes turned red. He could see the remains of the destruction and felt that everything was his fault. If only he didn''t come here, their opponents wouldn''t have chased him until here and now��


    He had indirectly caused so many people to die.


    "They��?"


    "I don''t know what had happened because when we come here everything has been destroyed." Lin Xiao passed a look at Long Hao. "In any case, do you want some meat? You won''t be able to do anything if you don''t recover."


    "Ah��"


    Long Hao sat up. It was then he realized that there was no pain in his body at all. Looking at the four people before him, he instantly realized that they must have healed him when they found him.


    His heart was instantly filled with gratitude.


    His wounds were quite harsh and normally one would have to expend a lot of medicines to cure him. It seemed that he had met with several good people.


    "Thank you."


    "Hmm."


    "We''re planning to head to the city after someone who might know you pick you up. Do you have method to contact them? Like using Communication Jade." Lin Xiao handed a piece of meat to Long Hao while asking.


    Communication Jade?


    Long Hao took out a jade from his pocket but then he realized that he had run out of Qi. He was about to keep it away when a Low Grade Spirit Stone was tossed in front of him.


    "You can use it."


    "Tsk, you''re wasting it on him." Prince Lin San felt the heartache too. "You can just let him recover naturally."


    "But I want to head over to the next city as quickly as possible. Do you want to spend another night in the wilderness?" Lin Xiao asked back.


    Hearing the question, Prince Lin San was utterly speechless. What was wrong with spending another night outside, ah? They were not exactly in a hurry whatsoever.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled lightly. "It''s his money Hu Xiao is even more of a miser than you, you know."


    "Tsk."


    Prince Lin San naturally knew that Lin Xiao treated money more carefully than him, which was why he had been surprised when Lin Xiao gave that Low Grade Spirit Stone. He himself didn''t have much for his allowance but it was still at generous amount, so he was not that as stingy as Lin Xiao.


    But giving a Spirit Stone, albeit it being a low grade, to a stranger was still not something he was comfortable to do.


    Lin Xiao merely smiled but didn''t explain. The only reason why he chose to do this was because Lin Hu was assessing the young boy for some time and only came to a realization just now.


    "Lin Xiao, that boy, Long Hao, is the descendant of the previous Dragon Emperor a few millennium years ago."


    "How do you know that?"


    "The ancient power in his blood was also quiet thick, similar to your Royal Family. However, it gives me a sense of familiarity, so I can guess that his ancestor used to be Dragon Emperor a few millennium years ago."


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. "How about Lin Family?"


    "Yours?" Lin Hu blinked his eyes, looking a bit absent minded. "While it''s true that you used to be the descendant of someone with Dragon Power�� he''s not the Dragon Emperor."


    "Excuse me."


    Looking at the Lin Hu, Lin Xiao''s eyes turned strange. He had heard that Sun Kingdom flourish because of an Emperor who had Dragon Power in the past and acknowledged as the Dragon Emperor.


    But now, this dragon was saying that it was not the truth?


    "Are you pulling my leg?" Lin Xiao looked at Lin Hu with annoyance.


    Lin Hu snorted. "As if. That person got part of Dragon power that''s transferred to him."

 Chapter 301: One Shouldn’t Know More Than Necessary

    ''Transferred?''


    Lin Xiao was utterly shocked. Dragon Power can be transferred?


    Lin Hu looked at Lin Xiao and chuckled. "I''ll tell you how when you reach high level and can grasp the ancient power as if it''s completely part of yours. As of now, you only need to know that while you might be the descendant of someone with high ancient power, he was never the true Dragon Emperor."


    Dragon Emperor was the term used for those who had obtained Emperor''s Inheritance.


    They could be called as Dragon Emperor, True Emperor, or even with many other titles that matched theirs.


    But all in all, they were all Great Emperors who have their name carved in the history and the history was not in this small place like Sun Kingdom. It was in a much bigger scope, one that couldn''t be measured with normal means.


    "Is knowing it dangerous?"


    "Sometimes, knowing somethings before you have the capability to attain it means that you''ll never attain it in your entire life." Lin Hu''s tone was cold. it was rare for the dragon to be so serious that Lin Xiao couldn''t help but paying more attention. "It''ll affect your state of mind and hinder your future path, so you don''t need to know for now."


    "Alright��"


    "Anyway, his ancient power is higher than you but he can''t use it."


    "What do you mean he can''t use it?"


    Lin Hu chuckled. "That''s because the descendant of a True Emperor will never be able to receive Emperor''s Inheritance in their entire life. It''s the restriction from the Heaven to stop a single family from dominating the entire world."


    Lin Xiao was stunned. He then looked at Lin Hu in his consciousness. "Are you saying that after I got Emperor''s Inheritance, future younger generation of Lin Family will never be able to receive Emperor''s Inheritance?"


    "Yes. Those who have blood relation with you will never be able to until a certain millennium of years had passed or if they meet with another True Emperor with different power."


    "Different power as in different path? I mean, I''m lake and if his was different, I can allow him to use his ancient power?"


    "Yes."


    Lin Xiao was amazed. But at the same time, he began to think that his descendant and those who belonged to Lin Family would be quite poor in one thing. They would never be able to receive Emperor''s Inheritance ever again.


    Well, until some time had passed.


    But if it was millennium of years, Lin Xiao knew that it would mean that there would be someone years who might have passed him. As Foundation Establishment, his lifespan had increased to 200 years or so but it was still far from millennium of years.


    "Anyway, if you can grow powerful, your descendant will be powerful. Like that Long Hao from there. Even though he''s shackled to never be able to use his Dragon Power in his body, he can still grow much stronger due to the gene that his ancestor pass down."


    "In that case, if I were to have a child, how strong would they be?"


    "You?" Lin Hu looked at Lin Xiao with disdain. "As the current you, it''ll be good enough if your descendant can even reach Golden Core Stage 1."


    Lin Xiao: "��" #$%^&*()!


    He really wanted to throw this snake dragon out of his consciousness and beat the hell up of this annoying dragon.


    "Try to find out more about Long Family from him."


    "Ok��"


    Lin Xiao thus handed the Spirit Stone so that he could find out more about Long Family. He was also interested in those people who were also possessing high ancient power in their body.


    Of course, Dragons were not the only mystical animals out there. There were many others such as phoenix, the four divine beast: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Vermilion Bird, and many others.


    Humans who could gain their power would surely soar in their path and those who become the emperor were those who obtained the Emperor''s Inheritance. They were all represented by dragons in accordance to the taiji diagram.


    Besides, the only reason why the Emperor''s Inheritance existed was actually to strike balance in the chaotic cultivation world.


    Lin Xiao then paid more attention to Long Hao, especially after listening to his twin brother''s rumbling.


    "This��" Long Hao seemed to notice that a Low Grade Spirit Stone was actually something valuable to them. For him, this was a stone that he would not even bother to take a look since his own money was at least in Middle Grade Spirit Stones.


    He really ended up in such a backward area��


    But right now, even a Low Grade Spirit Stone would help him to considerably fill up his Qi.


    "Just use it." Lin Xiao beckoned for Long Hao to use it. It was just one. After obtaining a few thousands of Low Grade Spirit Stones through life and death battle, he didn''t really mind losing one.


    "Ok."


    Long Huai didn''t stand on ceremony and used the Low Grade Spirit Stone. His movement was quick as the stone shattered right after he used it within a few seconds.


    Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes.


    ''Lin Hu, my speed is actually as fast as that, right?''


    ''You noticed? I only purposely give some restriction for you because your body needs time to adapt. Even then, you can already absorb an entire Low Grade Spirit Stone within a minute. Don''t worry, within a few years, the shackle will no longer be there as your body will be ready.''


    ''Damn you! Why do you put shackle on my body without informing me?''


    ''What use would it be for you to know it, huh? It part of the Emperor''s Inheritance because your constitution is simply too poor but instantly changing you into genius is taking too much strain for your mind and body.


    Thus, it can only be done gradually, idiot!''


    ''Ah, who''s the idiot one? You''re the stupid one?''


    ''I''m the mighty dragon, you damn b*stard!''

 Chapter 302: Long Family

    While Lin Xiao''s face looked the same as usual, he was actually having a battle with a certain dragon inside his head. The others naturally didn''t know that Lin Xiao was in such a heavy battle.


    "So fast." Princess Lan Yi Hua was a bit surprised, but just a bit. She herself was actually also very fast but she never showed her speed. It was thanks to the ancient phoenix power that was coursing in her blood.


    Long Hao was startled and smiled embarrassedly. "It''s nothing. I''ll use the Communication Jade now."


    With that, Long Hao activated his Communication Jade and sent his presence inside. That way, his men would be able to track him soon.


    After he was done, he looked at the group of four��eh, five in front of him. Prince Lin Yan was sitting on the tree and watched their surroundings calmly as if he was the watch keeper of the group.


    "Thank you very much for your help." Long Hao cupped his hand as a sign of gratitude.


    The others nodded.


    "It''s not a big deal."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Long Hao and chuckled. "Little brother, don''t run away from your family again next time."


    "You should be careful as the world outside is not as peaceful as it looked like," Lin Xiao added.


    Long Hao''s face turned red. Did he really look like someone who was running away from home? He didn''t run away from home, ah!


    "I��I didn''t run away from home! I was trapped then transported to this portion of this continent��."


    "Where did you come from?" Lin Xiao asked curiously.


    Long Hao blinked his eyes. "It''s far away from here, Big Brother. I can''t say it until you reach the place."


    Eh?


    Lin Xiao felt that the word ''I can''t say until��.'' Seemed to be cursing him ever since he explored Hua Lan Kingdom.


    Internally, Lin Hu was laughing out loudly. He shouted to Lin Xiao, "Serves you right for travelling the world without even proper power. Tsk, tsk, if it''s not because you''re currently training, I would have dragged you back to a safe place."


    Lin Xiao: "��" you damn dragon!


    "Alright, so, you come from Long Family?"


    "How do you know?" Long Hao was astonished.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at the young brat and chuckled. "Your surname is Long."


    "Oh��" Long Hao then realized that he had leaked out his surname and felt a bit bad. He scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, Long Family is a big family and there are a lot of members there. We''re all also very powerful so competition amongst the younger generation is normal."


    "Did you get sent here because of that internal competition?" Lin Xiao asked. He felt that it was fairly similar to how Lin Royal Family was at odds with each other because they were all aiming for the throne.


    Unfortunately, only one person will ever get the throne in the end.


    "Yeah, there''s a battle." Long Hao looked at Lin Xiao with astonishment. He didn''t expect others to be able to guess what had happened to him so quickly.


    Lin Xiao rubbed his nose. Brat, you''re the one who said it by yourself. I didn''t even need to guess. For the first time in his life, Lin Xiao felt that he had met someone who might be a bit stupider than himself.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua coughed a bit. "In that case, can you return back?"


    "Oh, there''s no need to worry, there''ll be some people who will come to fetch me." Long Hao let out a faint smile.


    "That''s great."


    "When they come, I''ll give you reward for helping me."


    "There''s no need." Lin Xiao waved his hand. He was more curious about that Long Family but it might take a long time for him to even have the qualification to even reach there. For some reasons, he felt that he had another reason to grow stronger now.


    He wanted to see the world and knew more about these eight dragons.


    It was impossible that they were only made out of whim. There must be deeper reasons as to why this method was made in the first place.


    "Eat more, you must be hungry."


    "Mhm."


    As Long Hao ate, Lin Xiao then pondered for a bit more. "Say, are all youngsters of Long Family can reach Foundation Establishment at�� ugh 12?"


    He could guess Long Hao''s age when he was inspecting the other party and healed him before. After all, human could determine a cultivator''s age by inspecting the bone or even the soul.


    Lin Xiao clearly only used the bone method since he had no way of assessing someone''s soul.


    Long Hao paused. He looked at Lin Xiao with bewilderment before shaking his head. "Not all. Even in the Long Family, those who can reach Foundation Establishment at 12 years old are considered rare."


    "Oh, so you''re amongst the genius?" Lin Xiao asked in surprise.


    Wait�� 12 year old?


    While Lin Xiao was already shocked before, the others were only shocked now. After all, the four of them didn''t know Long Hao''s cultivation level unless they probed deeper. Prince Lin San did use his Eyes of Truth but he couldn''t get accurate reading because there was some kind of power blocking him. It was similar with Prince Lin Yan as he couldn''t get accurate reading but he knew the brat was quite powerful.


    Thus, they were all surprised.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua felt that she was seeing things. Her sister, who was 16 years old and reached Foundation Establishment around a year or two ago was already hailed as a genius. She herself only reached Foundation Establishment when she was 17 years old.


    And this brat��


    He reached Foundation Establishment when he was only 12 years old?


    How in the world did he train that way?


    No, how in the world was it possible for someone who was merely 12 years old to reach Foundation Establishment? Most of them would have only started at Body Training, ah!

 Chapter 303: Small Token

    Prince Lin Yan was relatively calmer than them. He had met with Ye Jian, who was clearly around the same age with Lin Xiao or even younger and yet the other party was already Golden Core Stage Cultivators that was higher than the third rank.


    It was even a stage that Prince Lin Yan had to take account.


    When one grew stronger and explored more places, they would also meet with more people. Naturally, his worldview had expanded and he was no longer surprised by such small matters anymore.


    Still, thinking about this meeting made him a bit perplexed.


    He never met with so many bigshots within a month''s time and got involved in their affair''s before.


    At best, he would meet one during a year''s journey.


    Prince Lin Yan''s eyes landed on Lin Xiao. Was it because he was traveling with someone who would become the Emperor in the future? He didn''t know for sure but he felt that it might be possible.


    Long Hao nodded with a smile. "Mhm, I''m one of the few who can contend for the head''s seat after we grow stronger!"


    Lin Xiao: "��" So, I''m meeting with the future Long Family Head?


    He actually wanted to say that he could help Long Hao to get stronger but thinking that the other party was coming from such a powerful clan and family�� Lin Xiao began to doubt the credibility his words might hold.


    After thinking for a while, Lin Xiao shook his head. Forget it, he would try to ask if he met with the other party in other chance.


    When the sun finally rises above their head, they finally sensed someone coming.


    As for their mission, they could just report to another city and said that they got separated.


    It was not a big deal.


    Swish!


    Two men, dressed in black, landed near them. Prince Lin Yan''s eyes narrowed when he sensed them as he swiftly stood up. The two of them have the same rank as him and while he was confident that he could deal with one of them, he would need the others to distract the other two.


    "Hao Twenty One and Hao Twenty Two." Long Hao waved his hand.


    The others: "��" wait did we hear the name wrongly?


    "Young Master!" The two of them hurriedly got closer and kneeled on the ground. "We''re sorry for leaving you in this place, Young Master. We should return back."


    Prince Lin San had activated his Eyes of Truth and noticed that these two didn''t have any malicious intent. So he nodded at the others with calm expression, saying that it was fine.


    Though, it didn''t mean that they would put down their guard completely.


    "Mhm."


    Long Hao then recalled that they were still there. He grinned. "They save my life, give them some Spirit Stones, ok?"


    "Yes, Young Master." One of them took out a pouch and handed it to Lin Xiao, who was staying the closest to Long Hao.


    "Ah, thank you." Lin Xiao looked at Long Hao for a moment then added. "Be careful on your way back. You might not be the only one who''s sent here."


    "Ah right." Long Hao''s face darkened slightly. "I''ll be careful. Thank you for your treatment! Let''s go."


    "Yes, Young Master!"


    With that, the group of three disappeared. Lin Xiao watched the direction where they go and sighed. Princess Lan Yi Hua puckered her lips. "That brat no longer act his age when he''s around his men."


    "He might need to keep up an image or something?" Lin Xiao shrugged. He opened the bag and nearly dropped it down. Inside it was not Low Grade Spirit Stones but rather Middle Grade Spirit Stones.


    "What is it?"


    "Middle Grade Spirit Stones." Lin Xiao sucked a deep breath. He didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. "I only give him a Low Grade Spirit Stones and he returns me back with a bag of Middle Grade Spirit Stones?"


    "You should keep it for now. Even a single Middle Grade Spirit Stone can cause uproar in Sun Kingdom and Hua Lan Kingdom." Prince Lin Yan furrowed his brows.


    "Yes, Brother."


    "Also, does any of you have some sort of weird luck."


    "Weird luck?" Prince Lin San was stunned. "What do you mean, Brother?"


    "It''s rare to meet with those powerful figures from different land within a month''s time. We''re not even in Hua Lan Kingdom for a month and yet we already meet with two powerful figure who might even change the face of the entire land with just a move." Prince Lin Yan shook his head then turned to look at Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao was stumped when he heard what Prince Lin Yan said. Indeed, it was usually rare for someone to meet with those from powerful kingdoms. And yet, they were already meeting with two already.


    First was that Ye Jian.


    Second was Long Hao.


    No matter which side one looked at things, it was impossible for this to be a coincidence. It was as if the meeting was already predetermined and that someone could only watch as it occurred.


    "Yes, it''s you." Lin Hu''s voice pulled Lin Xiao''s attention. "You''re the Emperor and when you''re inside Sun Kingdom, your aura is low and being suppressed as you''re in your homeland. But when you''re outside, it''s only natural that you''re going to attract more powerhouses because of your identity.


    I already suppressed it all because you''re out here but it takes time and that Ye Jian already appeared from the very beginning. Your meeting with him can be considered as some sort of luck. Long Hao should be the last since I already stopped the influence from having you pull even more experts to the area near you."


    ''What do you mean by they''re pulled to me?''


    ''Well, you''re the Lake Dragon and their specialties are healing. Those people are injured so their instinct told them to come near you for their salvation. It''s also their luck that they ended up in areas near you.''

 Chapter 304: The Weapon is Done

    Lin Xiao was stumped. He really didn''t know whether he should be happy or not because he could be acquaintance with those powerful people.


    The biggest problem was that if they decided to kill him, there was no doubt that he would be wounded terribly because he couldn''t fight against them. What a joke, that Ye Jian was far above Golden Core Stage 3 and he was only at Foundation Establishment Stage.


    It would already be good if he didn''t die.


    "This��"


    "This is why at first I want to trap you inside that small lake. You''re still too weak. Far too weak. If you go out, even a mere Golden Core Stage Cultivators can easily kill you with a swing of his hand."


    Lin Xiao: "��" I can still run away as long as they''re not above Golden Core Stage 2!


    But it was also true that he was not one that could possibly survive should he go out to the entire world and flaunted his current status. Uh, most likely a lot of people would want him to die.


    Seeing that everyone was still looking at him, Lin Xiao let out a faint laugh. "I''m�� not supposed to go out of Sun Kingdom before I''m strong enough."


    The others: "��" why don''t you say it sooner?


    "It should be fine now but maybe in the future I wouldn''t go out of Sun Kingdom for a long time after we returned." Lin Xiao glanced at Prince Lin Yan.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. As much as he wanted Lin Xiao to grow much stronger, he had to consider the fact that he would need to have the ability to protect himself while they were traveling.


    If they kept on meeting those monsters��


    It was not training but suicide.


    "Let''s go to the next city and then we''re going to train."


    "Ok."


    They all swiftly followed Prince Lin Yan to the next city. After they reported about the failure of the mission, they paid for the penalty and also heard that the carriage arrived alone. All three groups had failed.


    When asked what had happened, Prince Lin Yan naturally refused to explain because it would take too much time. Besides, it was not something that majority of people should know so he simply said that they faced an enemy that was too strong and ran away.


    After settling their mission, Prince Lin Yan led them to the similar underground bar once more.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was speechless. Was there so many illegal bases in her kingdom and yet she knew nothing?


    "There are not in every places and only those near Sun Kingdom because there are often battles from the other side. After we''re done visiting all the cities, we''ll return back to Sun Kingdom and visit those from that side."


    Lin Xiao: "��" that means there are also some at Sun Kingdom?


    "Why are we not go to the ones at Sun Kingdom first?" Prince Lin San didn''t understand why they have to pick the further one when there was one that was nearer.


    "That''s because I need to meet Hu Fei first."


    "Oh��"


    "Let''s visit him. Your weapons should be done."


    "Ok."


    With the teleportation device that Prince Lin Yan had, they could reach Hu Family Mansion almost instantly. Of course, it was also a very expensive device that required several Low Grade Spirit Stones per use.


    Only the wealthy one would burn their money to use it.


    "Oh, you''re finally back. How''s your journey?" Hu Fei walked into the room and swept his gaze across them leisurely.


    "So-so, where are the weapons?"


    "Come with me."


    They all followed Hu Fei to his work shop and noticed that there were already three swords on the table, a pair of twins sword and also a thin sword at the side.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua and Prince Lin San hurriedly walked to their respective weapon. Picking it up, they could definitely sense that it was tailor made for them. They would be able to use it almost right away.


    "How is it?" Hu Fei asked proudly when he saw them began to swing it around. "You can try to fight each other above."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua and Prince Lin San looked at each other before they rushed over to the training room. They wanted to test the power of their new sword.


    Hu Fei glanced at the other two. "There''ll be treasure hunt soon, so I''ll let you participate in it. Is that fine, Brother Yan?"


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. "It''s not a problem at all."


    "Good. Keep your schedule clear��"


    "I''m going around to train them."


    "��Whatever."


    Knowing Prince Lin Yan''s method of training, Hu Fei merely passed a glance at the other two and shook his head. "For you to keep on betting their lives, what if something goes wrong?"


    "Nothing will go wrong. If something like that did happen, I''ll interfere."


    So far, they all managed to kill their opponent successfully. Prince Lin Yan also made sure that they tasted the power of different type of cultivators and also those who used many types of weapon. This would allow them to have more experiences and knew how to contend them when they faced someone similar in the future.


    "Tsk. You''re always so confident."


    Prince Lin Yan shrugged then turned to look at Lin Xiao. "You can train in the training room. We''re most likely will be heading back and forth this mansion for some time."


    "Ok."


    Lin Xiao could see that Prince Lin Yan wanted some personal space. It seemed that the two of them became sworn brother for some reasons. Hmm, he was also thinking about that treasure hunt.


    What kind of treasure hunt would that be?


    He was interested to find out more about it when it was time.


    Time passed swiftly and the next few weeks passed by just like that. Lin Xiao had started to think that the number of cities were endless when Prince Lin Yan finally stopped after the 13th week.

 Chapter 305: The Secret Region’s Information

    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s face was dark because the number of cities was far above her expectation. To think that there were a total of 13 cities which hosted such event and bet with cultivators'' life as if they were nothing more than ants.


    It was a bit infuriating.


    Prince Lin Yan naturally noticed Princess Lan Yi Hua''s feelings. "There are more countries like this. It''s only normal that lower ranked cultivators are treated as trash. After all, this is the world where the strong reigns while the weak can only submit."


    "It''s just�� I don''t like it."


    "It''s a form of enjoyment for bigger kingdom and naturally they didn''t even have law to go against it. The only reason why both Sun Kingdom and Hua Lan Kingdom are against it is because they want to prevent the number of cultivators in the country from reducing so greatly."


    That was the only reason.


    If the kingdom were to advance further, it was clear that even the ruler would be helpless if their subordinate, the noble families, were to use the lower ranked cultivators as servants.


    After all, not everyone could enjoy the same amount of resources. There was always imbalance between the number of cultivator and the number of available resources.


    Lin Xiao himself couldn''t really say anything about this matter. He naturally knew that lower ranked cultivators or even those ordinary people could work for higher ranked cultivators for some benefit that they could receive.


    There might be more in the future.


    He was not that kindhearted as to bother with everyone but if he saw them, he didn''t mind giving them some beating if he wanted to and naturally, only if he was powerful enough to do so.


    If he was also weaker, he would just seek for trouble.


    "This method of training can help reduce some trash cultivators who are actually not strong enough and mostly only rely on their background." Prince Lin Yan looked at the other four.


    "Have you done this before, Big Bro?" Prince Lin San asked.


    Prince Lin Yan''s lips twitched as he waved his hand, clearly refusing to answer. It seemed that there must be someone else who was also forcing Prince Lin Yan to do this in the past when he was still weaker than now.


    It was already years ago so there were already more young masters who were involved in this trade.


    Oh well, it was not Lin Xiao''s business.


    "Hmm, we''ve finished all the cities�� Don''t you need to return first, San?" Lin Xiao looked at his twin brother.


    "Nope."


    "You took the missions earlier than me, right?"


    "Don''t worry, after three years, we''re all allowed to stay for a longer period of time outside of the academy." Prince Lin San grinned. "I''ll only need to return back after a year''s time to contend for ranking. Hmm, that means I''ll probably join yours."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. "There''s such rules?"


    "Yep. It''s not like all cultivators liked to be confined inside the academy. If you have more chances to traverse the world and gained more opportunity to grow stronger, who wouldn''t want to take it?" Prince Lin San shrugged.


    Staying in the academy had its benefit but it also had its downside. In such confined place, what they could see and experience was limited. Knowledge could be earned by studying but experience could only be gained by experiencing it by themselves.


    These geniuses wouldn''t grow if they stayed confined in one place so naturally, they would be trying to find a way to get out and experience more of the world. It was also precisely this reason that made so many geniuses fell on their path to become stronger.


    Not everyone could survive in the long road to become a powerful cultivator.


    Prince Lin Yan took out his Communication Jade and listened for a bit. "There''s a treasure appearing not far from here. It''s one of the secret regions'' treasure."


    "Secret regions?" Princess Lan Yi Hua looked up. Her brows furrowed. She naturally knew about those secret regions area.


    There were many of them and most of them would only open every few years and have some limitation about who could get in. She herself had never been to one because there was no way there would be a secret region only for those at Body Training.


    Mostly they would be limited to Foundation Establishment and above.


    The upper limit was not known because the strongest here was only at Golden Core Stage 3, so it naturally meant that there was no way they could test with someone who was even stronger.


    However, secret regions were also very dangerous. It contains treasure but it might take their lives if they were not careful enough.


    "Is it the Underground Cave one?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. "He''ll explain more after we reach his house."


    "Ok."


    With the teleportation array, they reached his home once more. Just like usual, Hu Fei was already waiting for them. His eyes lit up when he saw them all appearing in front of him. "There''s jackpot!"


    "Explain slowly."


    "Tsk, the Underground Cave is only open once every 5 years. Previously, a large portion was reserved for Her Highness, Princess Lan Xiao Yue. However, since she was still in the Sun Kingdom and already enjoyed the heritage in the academy, the spot is open again."


    "Heritage in academy?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion. He never heard something like that.


    "Ah, you don''t know? Those proclaimed as the Son of Heaven and those who are powerful enough can enter a secret region that''s inside the academy. Princess Lan Xiao Yue will be entering that place after she consolidated her power along with many other princes who have qualification to obtain the throne."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked up coldly. The cold glint in her eyes intensified for a moment before she suppressed it.


    Heh, what a good family.


    They prepared such a good place for her sister but left her with none.

 Chapter 306: The Secret Region (1)

    But then again, she knew that they detested her. Princess Lan Yi Hua looked down once more, already calming herself back.


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao''s hands also balled into a fist. He knew that once those people emerged from the secret region, it was likely that they would grow even stronger. The gap would be extending again?


    No!


    He would chase after them and got even stronger.


    There was no way he wanted to watch their back as they pulled a long distance from him. He would show them that he also could grow even stronger than those people.


    "Anyway, I managed to reserve 6 spots for all of us!" Hu Fei puffed his cheeks.


    Prince Lin Yan passed a cold glare to Hu Fei. "You''re only bringing us and not your men? You know how dangerous it would be inside."


    "Tsk, I don''t have any particularly good servants. In addition, it''s impossible to get more spots from those stingy old men. They all want to send their descendant too and the spots that was opened after Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s absent was still very limited." Hu Fei clicked his tongue.


    "Alright, what should we prepare?"


    "Hmm, some life saving treasure such as Teleportation Array device or something like that? Anyway, whether you can get treasure, inheritance, or whatever would depend on your own performance inside." Hu Fei shrugged.


    He naturally knew very well that not everyone would get something when they entered the secret region. There were many of them who entered the secret region yet they came back empty handed because they were not qualified to even get one.


    That would really depend on their performance.


    "I know." Prince Lin Yan was not unfamiliar with secret regions. He glanced to the others. "Prepare some additional life saving method because you don''t know what you''re going to face."


    "Yes!"


    They all didn''t really have anything they wanted to buy, though. After all, they already had squandered the money they got to be able to get stronger faster.


    For the rest of the day, they all rested as much as they could.


    The journey would take a long time and they better be prepared for whatever that was to come later on.


    When it was morning, they all hurriedly came to the teleportation array room where the others were already waiting. The servants were all looking at Hu Fei worriedly but they also knew that when this young master had decided on something, he would not back down at all.


    Haih, what a difficult man.


    Lin Xiao looked at his older brother. "Is it far from here?"


    "The secret region is located west of Hua Lan Kingdom''s Capital City." Prince Lin Yan passed a glance at Lin Xiao. "You will need to behave so that you won''t be looked down upon."


    "What do you mean? I''m always behaving!"


    The others sent a long face to Lin Xiao. He was behaving well? None of them felt like believing his words because they knew that Lin Xiao often acted in a way that he thought was right but ended up putting them in difficult position.


    But somehow, he always managed to clean up his own mess, though.


    "Get into the array," Hu Fei reminded the others.


    "Ok."


    They all stood inside the array and Hu Fei asked the others to set the designation. Unless someone was an array master, it would be impossible to do so while they were inside the array.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao felt that they were moving at fast speed. There was light all around him for a split second. His body was weightless as if he was thrown to the space where there was no gravity. The sensation was strange but before Lin Xiao could investigate it deeper, they had arrived.


    He noticed that there were a lot of people around.


    "Young Master, please be careful."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine." Hu Fei waved his hand carelessly, clearly not caring too much about the warning given by the servants.


    The servants who came along with them could only sigh. It seemed that they were also on the verge of giving up when facing with such troublemaker.


    Prince Lin San and Princess Lan Yi Hua glanced at Lin Xiao. They also knew a certain troublemaker who could make things turn sour in but a moment''s notice because of his antics.


    "Oh, you''re also coming here, Hu Fei?"


    Hu Fei''s body stopped when he heard the word. Turning his gaze to the side, he could see a group of youngsters walking in his direction. Even though they were called youngsters, they were all already around twenty or so in their ages.


    They also didn''t bother to hide their cultivation level as the rippling aura around them told others that they were already at Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivator.


    "Tsk, I''m older than you. Be politer, Sang Guan, Xin Meng, and Pei Chuan." Hu Fei huffed.


    The first one, Sang Guan, snorted. "Even if you''re older, if you can''t even defeat us in the arena, why should we even be polite to you. This time, your puny family only got 6 slots, so who are you going to bring along."


    "It''s not your business, Sang Guan."


    "Them? Are you sure that you''re bringing servants at Foundation Establishment?" Sang Guan passed a glance at the back and looked with disdain.


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. He felt that everyone he met could always guess his cultivation level with just a glance. It felt a bit upsetting because he didn''t really like having them seen through him at once.


    ''There are methods to hide your cultivation level but you haven''t seen any so far,'' Lin Hu told Lin Xiao. ''Search for it the next time you head over to Book Pavilion.''


    ''Alright.''


    It seemed that the next skill Lin Xiao needed to learn was how to hide his cultivation level. This way, he would be able to give a surprise to his opponent when the time was right. Just thinking about it caused a smile to form at the corner of Lin Xiao''s lips.

 Chapter 307: The Secret Region (2)

    "Brother Sang, are you going to join our group?" from a distance, Mu Xiao Ya suddenly called out. Her pretty body swayed along with her voices.


    Seeing her, Lin Xiao''s expression turned somber. "San, can you still feel that baleful whatever aura?"


    "Yes." Prince Lin San''s eyes turned golden for a moment. "It''s even at higher intensity than before. However, the baleful aura is kept hidden very well so not everyone can sense that she''s demonic cultivator."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s expression turned serious. "She''s already quite talented in her cultivation. Why did she end up being a demonic cultivator?"


    A demonic cultivator was just like the name suggest, they were using the cultivation that was very different and also violent in nature. It caused them to be growing stronger faster but losing their mind in the process.


    They would end up turning into some kind of monster that knew nothing but destruction until their own body was destructed. But it was precisely because of their power that demonic cultivator was feared by many.


    If a kingdom was known to be keeping demonic cultivator, they could be destroyed too. Because of that, no kingdom would acknowledge any demonic cultivator.


    Lin Xiao sighed. "I can''t even detect it."


    "I can''t too." Princess Lan Yi Hua shook her head.


    They turned to look at Prince Lin Yan but the latter also shook his head. The only one who could see it would be someone who was capable to see beneath the layer of disguise that a demonic cultivator had put on.


    Sang Guan clicked his tongue. He looked in the direction of Hu Fei. "Just watch, you''ll surely regret coming to the secret region with just a bunch of weaklings!"


    "Heh, as if." Hu Fei snorted.


    They all waited until Sang Guan had disappeared into the distance before Lin Xiao asked, "Do you know him?"


    "Hmm, his older brother used to be my classmates. We don''t see eyes to eyes and have some qualms. Since his older brother is now in different kingdom to study, he''s the one seeking trouble with me."


    For Hu Fei, those who wanted to seek trouble with him numbered many but most of them were no longer here. Half of them had died while the other half had already pursued a completely different life in different kingdom or to study more.


    After all, Hua Lan Kingdom was not big and the fact that there was restriction here made it impossible for them to make breakthrough above Golden Core Stage 3 unless they met with some Heaven defying event or treasure.


    This was the reason why secrets regions were highly valued. There might be secrets of how they could make their breakthrough inside.


    "Why would the younger brother also makes trouble for you?" Lin Xiao was speechless.


    "That must be because I''m too handsome!"


    The others: "��"


    Prince Lin Yan pointed at the door. "Let''s wait a few meters away from the entrance so that we won''t be late."


    They all nodded.


    "Hey! Listen to me more, you punk!"


    Lin Xiao ignored Hu Fei as his gaze landed on the stone platform in front of him. There were various engravings carved on the stone, giving it both mysterious and yet beautiful appearance. The others only passed a glance at it because they couldn''t understand, but Lin Xiao was different.


    It was written in ancient language and yet he felt as if he could understand every single sentence that was written there. The language was not dragon words that he had been studying and yet Lin Xiao felt that he could read the content out loud.


    Why?


    "That''s the ancient language used by ancient beast like us to communicate with each other and also to arouse the power of the world. Different with the dragon language that''s exclusive for dragons, other ancient creatures could use this language for their own benefit," Lin Hu explained.


    "Naturally you''re also included, but don''t expect too much. While you have dragon power coursing through your body, arousing the ancient power with the ancient language is not easy matter. At most, you can only understand the language for now."


    "I see."


    For Lin Xiao, just being able to read it was already more than enough. He had dragon power that he could use to make up his inability to learn about engravings and so on. Being able to read this meant that he would be able to understand more about the dangers for many other places.


    It was already a huge advantage.


    He started to read.


    ''This is the Labyrinth of Truth


    Stay true to your heart and follow the path designed for you


    Only by then would you be able to reach your destination.''


    "Hu Xiao, what are you doing?" Princess Lan Yi Hua noticed Lin Xiao paused and worried for a moment. Did he got hit by some attack and then couldn''t move?


    "Ah, I''m fine." Lin Xiao then changed to voice transmission as he told them the content of the engravings on the stone. The others also paused in their movement stiffly except Hu Fei since Lin Xiao didn''t know how much should he trust that young man.


    He might be Prince Lin Yan''s sworn brother but Lin Xiao had only met him a few times for the past few weeks.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes narrowed. She was part of the royal family so obviously she knew that this place was an underground labyrinth. There were a lot of people who were sent below and yet the number of those who could get out was extremely limited.


    There were a lot of geniuses who died in this place.


    "That''s interesting," Prince Lin San''s lips curled up to form a smile. "In that case, it''s safe to say that we''ll be encountering a labyrinth inside and that each of our path is different?"


    "The royal family has the record that the place is labyrinth but no one who come back ever say what kind of place that is." Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her eyebrows. Her beautiful face showed her distress.

 Chapter 308: Labyrinth of Truth (1)

    Prince Lin Yan looked meaningfully at Lin Xiao. He had just found out that his younger brother was actually a walking treasure. Just relying on his ability alone, it was clear that there were many places whom the brat could unearth.


    How many places had this ancient language?


    If not Dragon Language, it would be ancient language and naturally, it also meant that there wouldn''t be any secret left for Lin Xiao as long as he could reach the place.


    ''Is this because he''s the one who inherited Emperor''s Inheritance?''


    Prince Lin Yan didn''t know.


    "In that case, we''ll pay more attention to it."


    "Alright."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He also didn''t know how the layout would be inside the labyrinth so they needed to wait until they were inside.


    "Hey, why are you pausing there?" Hu Fei noticed his friends had stopped and wondered why. They were still quite a distance away from the door and the others were already preparing to get in.


    "Hu Fei, when we get inside, stay behind. I have something to say," Prince Lin Yan sent a voice transmission to Hu Fei.


    Hu Fei was stunned. But he knew that his sworn brother would not say anything that was detrimental to him. He rolled his eyes but nodded in the end since there was nothing that he could say anymore.


    Boom!


    The loud voice resounded from the front. Everyone noticed that there were three elders who stood over there.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua hurriedly lowered her eyes. Those three were the grand elders of Hua Lan Kingdom, so they naturally knew her real identity. She had no intention of making them knew that she was here when she was supposed to be in Sun Kingdom.


    The three elders then announced. "The Secret Region Underground Cave will open in a moment''s notice. Those who dare to come here have to be ready that the death toll is as high as 80%. That means among 100 people here, only around 20 people will survive in the end.


    Be very careful and follow whatever arrangement that your elder had assigned to you before you come here. If you die inside, naturally there wouldn''t be anyone who can possibly help you."


    Boom!


    The loud voice sounded once more and the three elders rushed back. They were all looking at the secret regions with solemn expression. Not a single one of them dared to say anything as they simply watched the place open.


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. "Why are they calling it as cave when it''s actually labyrinth."


    "That''s because not everyone knows it''s labyrinth." Princess Lan Yi Hua''s lips formed a sneer. "Those high nobles hid the truth so that other people will need to explore first, giving them advantage. I can bet that they already have some map that can help them to explore further and further each exploration."


    Lin Xiao then looked at the secret region once more. His mind recalling the letter that he read just now.


    ''This is the Labyrinth of Truth


    Stay true to your heart and follow the path designed for you


    Only by then would you be able to reach your destination.''


    Based on the three sentences, it was unlikely that they would be able to find their destination by following the fixed path that was already given by the previous person. At least, that was what Lin Xiao felt.


    Boom!


    When the third loud sound formed, the ground cracked open. The stone platform began to move downwards and there was an entrance at the front. The layer of energy around the energy showed that there was a barrier over there.


    "You can move now!"


    "Yes!"


    Swish! Swish!


    They all hurriedly moved and Lin Xiao was paying more attention to the word that was faintly visible above the hole.


    100, 99, 98, 97


    It continued to decrease as more and more people get in. it was only now Lin Xiao understood that the barrier limited the number of people who could get in each time to 100.


    ''So that''s why they''re only allowing 100 geniuses at a time.''


    However, when Lin Xiao looked around, he could see that the number of geniuses didn''t even reach that number. A single genius could bring some of his men alone, making the number of geniuses who actually came here to be greatly reduced.


    ''If that princes came here, it''s likely that she might even bring a lot of people around. One genius can bring 5 people? No, it''s more likely that they can only bring 2 people. The other slot must be for Big Brother Yan.''


    While Lin Xiao was still thinking, he still stepped forward to follow the group and entered the cave.


    The sensation of the barrier hitting him felt quite similar when he was journeying using that teleportation array just now. Lin Xiao was startled for a moment but quickly calmed down when he reached below.


    He realized that he was standing on a large stone platform. His eyes lowered to look at the engravings once more as his heart thumped. The writing was different from the one he saw just now.


    ''This is the Starting point of Labyrinth of Truth


    Pick your own path.


    Your path that belong to you and you alone.


    Only by then would you be able to reach your destination.''


    The sentences were similar but it was even more detailed. Lin Xiao looked around and noticed that from the stone platform, there were a total of 12 paths. He was speechless because he could see that each of the paths were going to divide once more.


    It meant that the labyrinth would make them turn around and around if they didn''t careful enough.


    "Hu Xiao, what''s the text below?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked.


    Lin Xiao quickly answer and told the others too, except for Hu Fei, who could only listen from the side with an annoyed expression. It was clear that he wanted to know but Lin Xiao didn''t tell him.

 Chapter 309: Labyrinth of Truth (2)

    Prince Lin Yan then told him the simplified message, stunning the young man. Hu Fei had a chance to enter this secret region five years ago but since he felt that he was not strong enough, he chose not to.


    "Just who is he?"


    Prince Lin Yan passed a glance at Hu Fei. "I can''t tell you unless he decided to tell you. And if you try to pry the secret, I might even be forced to go against you."


    "That serious?" Hu Fei''s eyes narrowed. Damn it, how come one''s identity changed that much? He knew that Lin Xiao was Prince Lin Yan''s younger brother, but from the way it looked like, he also had a completely different identity.


    What it was, he didn''t know.


    But he knew that it must be very dangerous to know just based on the way Prince Lin Yan dared to say that he might go against him.


    "Yes."


    "Hmm, so where should we go?" Hu Fei looked around. The 10 path looked very similar to each other that he felt his face turned ugly. How in the world he should be finding his path like this?


    "Heh, you''re still lingering around, Hu Fei?"


    "Song Guan?" Hu Fei turned around to look at that annoying young man. He rolled his eyes. "What? You want to say that you''re going to help me to find my route."


    "As if!" Song Guan sneered as he walked to one direction. "You should just stay in that stone platform and you might be able to stay alive. If we meet en route, I''ll make sure to kill you with my own hand."


    "Heh, only if you have the chance to do so."


    Song Guan was traveling with his two friends and several servants behind them. From the power they exuded, it was clear that they were all Golden Core Stage 2.


    "Advancing to Golden Core Stage 2 is a matter of time while advancing to Golden Core Stage 3 relies on your comprehension," Prince Lin Yan suddenly explained. He could see that Lin Xiao was also curious.


    Lin Xiao nodded. He pursed his lips. "I''ll need your guidance about Golden Core Stage when I make my breakthrough."


    "No problem."


    "Alright, so how should we decide which path is our path? I really can''t see any difference in the paths here." Hu Fei''s face was ugly. The others have already started moving through different path and yet, he was still here and couldn''t go anywhere.


    "What''s your element?" Lin Xiao suddenly asked.


    "Hmm? I''m fire element�� wait, why should I tell a brat like you?"


    "Not just fire, right?"


    Hu Fei''s face turned dark. "Metal."


    The four basic element: fire, wind, water, and earth were the most common.


    But above them were those with special kinds of element such as metal, wood, thunder, ice, light, and darkness.


    "Each of those paths are representing the 10 elements that we have. If you have dual elements, pick the one that''s your main element." Lin Xiao pointed at the ground and they noticed that in front of each path was different word.


    But�� it was not the usual word they usually see. The word looked no different than child''s stroke without meaning.


    They all looked at Lin Xiao, asking for him to explain more.


    Since the others have already left and Lin Xiao had also counted those who left, he pointed to the ground and started to read, "Fire, metal, earth, wood, darkness, wind, thunder, water, ice, light."


    After that, Lin Xiao looked at them. "Pick your route and memorized the word. No matter what you do inside, you have to follow the route that had this word engraved on them."


    The others nodded solemnly. They had heard that the death''s toll was extremely high, so it means that they would need to pick the one that suited them the best.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua stood before the fire path, Prince Lin San stood before the wind path, Xia Ye stood before the darkness path, Prince Lin Yan paused for a moment before he stood before the thunder path. His action stunned the others because even Prince Lin San didn''t know his older brother actually had lightning element.


    "Bro, you��"


    "I have dual element just like you but my main element is not one that I can show outside. I usually only show that I don''t have any element." Prince Lin Yan shrugged. He looked at Lin Xiao. "How about those without element?"


    "Everyone have element but if you really have none, you have to follow one of the path of light and when you reach the end, pick the different one that looked like the void word." Lin Xiao was reading the additional explanation that he just found next to each path.


    It seemed that the world was filled with so many mysteries. He felt a bit eager to find out more about it.


    ''Curb your desire and aim to get stronger. If you don''t, you''ll die.''


    ''You damn dragon, why did you have to give me a time limit now?''


    ''I''m just saying, damn you!''


    Lin Xiao ignored the dragon and continued reading. He noticed that Hu Fei had stood before the metal elements. It seemed that he was mainly focused on metal compared to fire even though he become blacksmith.


    "Xiao, how about you?" Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her eyebrows. There was no word ''lake'' at all. If Lin Xiao had to pick water, it was not suitable for him, right?


    "Ah�� I''m in this path." Lin Xiao stood before the light word, feeling a bit apprehended. He was reading the explanation and felt that he was actually tricked.


    ''Light path:


    This is the path of those who follow the light element and also those who didn''t have any element in their body. the Void word will guide you to the next stage in which you will be able to pick your real path. But if you can''t even read this, you''ll never reach your next destination. Heh, good luck brat.''

 Chapter 310: Each on their Own Path

    Whoever was writing that�� Lin Xiao really wished to land a punch on his face. The one who engraved the words knew that it was rare for anyone to really have no element even though they might focus on the no element path.


    The rarest element like what Lin Xiao had was even rarer, so it was not shown here.


    Because of that, the one who made this Labyrinth of Truth also played with his words and not being serious at all.


    "Light element?" Princess Lan Yi Hua memorized the route based on what Lin Xiao told her before.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "There''s an explanation here. Those with special element that''s not written here or those who''re born with body without element had to follow the light path and then pick their choice gain in the second stage."


    Second stage?


    They were all stunned but as they looked below, they came to realization that they were going to follow the path that was already depicted beforehand. It means that there would only be one path for them in the second stage.


    "Hmm, in that case, good luck!"


    "Yes, see you on the other end of the labyrinth!"


    "Don''t die!"


    Hu Fei walked forward while memorizing the word in his mind. It was only a few steps forward when he suddenly realized something. This path�� wasn''t this the one where that Sang Guan and the others took?


    Damn it, he better not meets with any of them or he would be itching to give them a beating.


    While Hu Fei was in clear annoyance, Lin Xiao thought about those other geniuses who came first. He had been paying attention to where they went and noticed that not a single one of them picked this light path.


    Two groups head to the dark path, one group to the metal path, one group to wood path, two groups to wind path, three groups to lightning path...'' Lin Xiao was a bit worried about the others now. The rest of the groups went to the other path that didn''t cross them but Prince Lin Yan, Hu Fei, and also Prince Lin San will surely meet others on their way and their number�� was not little.


    ''Oh, there''s intersection.''


    On the ground, Lin Xiao could see three different writings. He had told the others that they had to follow the same word because there might be other writings.


    "Death, fall, and light��"


    Lin Xiao felt like cursing for whoever was writing those. He could guess that if someone picked the wrong path, that person would be facing something that they would never expect in their entire life.


    More and more intersection appeared.


    However, the familiar writing made Lin Xiao numb. They were all writing about the agony and also torture that whoever passed the path would experience. That kind of thing�� was very scary.


    Whoever build this before must be very powerful and yet Lin Xiao once again recalled that there was the fact that there was a barrier to advance to Golden Core Stage 3 that Prince Lin Yan told him.


    Why was that?


    Lin Xiao didn''t know.


    "Oh, the writing is different�� Fall, treasure, light."


    Treasure?


    Lin Xiao glanced at his right and pondered for a moment. He knew that if he continued to the front, he would surely be able to continue the path but if he took a small detour for the treasure, it might take some time.


    He shook his head lightly and shrugged. There was no reward without risk. Since the word was treasure, he would try to enter��


    Wait.


    Lin Xiao crouched down and tried to stab the ground, changing the word written there. It was then he noticed there was not even any mark. Even if he used his Qi, there was not even any mark.


    ''You will need to reach Golden Core Stage 5 if you wish to even leave the slightest bit of mark with this material.''


    ''Oh, that''s good then.''


    Lin Hu snorted. Lin Xiao was only aiming for the treasure and naturally Lin Hu understood his Master''s thoughts the most.


    ''Don''t come crying to me if the treasure is already taken.''


    ''��Damn you.''


    Lin Xiao walked forward carefully. He was looking around and used his Qi to sense the area. It wouldn''t do him any good if he fell for any trap before even reaching the treasure. There wouldn''t be any point of him staying here if that was case.


    It didn''t take long before Lin Xiao arrived in a large hall. There were three doors in front of him.


    "Which door should I take?" Lin Xiao pondered.


    Bang!


    There was a loud sound in another path and Lin Xiao glanced to the side. His eyes contracted when he saw that there were actually four different doors that was heading to this place.


    That means, the treasure was connected to three other paths.


    ''What should I do?''


    Lin Xiao''s brain worked faster as he didn''t want to meet with anyone. His gaze landed on the three doors as he noticed the word carved at the door frame.


    The first door, those who are greedy will never be able to pass this test.


    The second door, only those who are pure in their heart will be able to pass this test.


    The third door, courage is needed to pass this test.


    Reading that, Lin Xiao didn''t hesitate anymore and rushed to the third door. What a joke, Lin Xiao knew very well that he was not that pure in his heart as for being greedy�� he loved money to a certain degree and naturally would not pick that first door. He raised his hand and pushed the door open. Right when his hand touched the door frame, Lin Xiao felt that his body was sucked inside as that floating sensation arrived once more.


    In the real world, the door disappeared when Lin Xiao entered and two groups of people reached the treasure room.


    "Damn! There are only two doors left!"


    "What? There should be four doors! I''m going first."


    "Me first!"

 Chapter 311: The First Treasure Room

    "Ouch!"


    Lin Xiao landed on the ground hard and noticed that in front of him was now a stair. He couldn''t see the end of the stair but there was also no way for him to return back.


    ''Are all Secret Region so queer?''


    Lin Xiao pondered for a moment before he slowly walked onto the stairs. His steps were slow yet steady. He was still thinking about what kind of place this would be when he suddenly saw a beast pounced on him.


    His eyes widened as he took out his sword and hacked the beast right in front of him. The beast was cut into two and dispersed into the air. However, the faint Qi that was lingering entered his body, alarming him.


    "Lin Hu!"


    "It won''t harm you, instead it''s beneficial to you. You won''t be able to feel anything from it, though."


    "What is that?"


    "Ancient power�� the effect is to transform one''s body so that it''ll be suitable for cultivation. At the same time, it can give boost to your body in accordance to the amount. Since it''s only a little bit, you won''t feel the effect anytime soon."


    Lin Hu actually wanted to add that because Lin Xiao had so many Dragon Power in his body, it wouldn''t be that beneficial to him either. The two power would not clash but the effect in Lin Xiao''s body would not have so much effect as others would.


    Unless�� the amount was more than this.


    Lin Xiao looked at the front. He felt that there were more and more beasts coming. His lips curled up to form a sneer. "Do they think that they can beat me with just an increase in number?"


    Swish!


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fourth Form!


    For the three next form, Lin Xiao was still only proficient in the fourth form. The sixth form was supposed to start dropping the temperature of the surroundings and yet, Lin Xiao still failed to receive the effect.


    Thus, the best method for him to train was by repeating the movement again and again.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fifth Form!


    The beasts around him were killed.


    Dense fog from the beasts'' bodies entered Lin Xiao''s body little by little. It was to the point that Lin Hu was a bit startled. The amount of the ancient power here was plenty.


    It was as if everything was simply prepared for the sake of Lin Xiao.


    ''Was there no one who come here before?''


    But looking at the beasts, Lin Hu noticed that they started from the same rank as Lin Xiao and defeating beast of the same rank... naturally wouldn''t earn them much reward. But as the beasts increased in rank, the amount of ancient power naturally increased.


    ''So it means that those who come here when they''re already at Golden Core Stage 1 or 2 have to defeat a rank higher.''


    Lin Hu somewhat pitied those children now. If they knew that they had to fight against beast at higher stage�� what would they think?


    But the other two doors must have hold a completely different test for them. This test was for courage�� or in other words: battle.


    The first door was talking about wealth so the reward must be wealth.


    The second door talked about pure�� so it might be treasure that was related to their advancement.


    Lin Hu was busy analyzing while Lin Xiao was busy fighting.


    As more and more beast coming at him, Lin Xiao continued to charge forward. They were all only beast rank 3 at first then they become beast rank 4. Slowly, Lin Xiao noticed the appearance of beast rank 5.


    ''Can I defeat it?''


    Lin Xiao looked at the large bull in front of him. He sneered. So what if he couldn''t defeat it? He would do his best and if he failed to defeat the best, he would use his movement technique to save his life.


    He was not a coward but he was also not stupid enough to throw his life away when It was not worth it.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Sixth Form!


    Slash!


    The temperature was partially affected but Lin Xiao knew that it was still an incomplete form. He gritted his teeth and side stepped to the side. When the bull tried to charge at him who had moved place, Lin Xiao activated his movement technique.


    Moon Evasion!


    Chilling Lake Sword, Sixth Form!


    The bull was now facing Lin Xiao once more. The sword hit its body but failed to penetrate the bull''s defense.


    Lin Xiao snorted as he could sense that his Qi was depleting rapidly. Since it was the case, he would better run from the bull.


    Swish!


    Moon Evasion.


    Moving forward a hundred meters away. Lin Xiao was about to continue when he sensed that the earth was cracking. He was stunned but he could not get away as the world seemed to shatter into pieces.


    Bang!


    Thud!


    When Lin Xiao came to, he noticed that he was standing on the stair and that there was still a long way to go above. However, there were two roads beside him now. One to the right and the other one to the left.


    "Lin Hu, what''s that?"


    "it''s illusion that will test your courage and also your capability." Lin Hu was as calm as always. He looked above. "Naturally, you''re not the best of geniuses. There are many other geniuses who are capable of defeating other cultivators and beast that are far above their own stage."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao was silent. He looked at the stairs then below before sighing. He had come quite a long way to become stronger but there was still a long path ahead of him.


    ...


    Beast Ranking and the estimated strength:


    Unranked: Untrained people to Body Training Rank 3


    Rank 1: Body Training Rank 6 to 7


    Rank 2: Body Training Rank 8 to 10


    Rank 3: Foundation Establishment


    Rank 4: Golden Core Stage 1


    Rank 5: Golden Core Stage 2


    Rank 6: Golden Core Stage 3


    Rank 7: Golden Core Stage 4


    Rank 8: Golden Core Stage 5


    Rank 9: Golden Core Stage 6

 Chapter 312: Ancient Power

    "So, what did I get from the battle just now?"


    "Substantial amount of ancient power. It''s different with Dragon Power but with it, you''ll be able to hide your dragon aura that your twin brother detected."


    "Oh?" Lin Xiao had known that Prince Lin San was capable to detect his dragon power. That was the sole reason why Prince Lin San had decided to take a gamble in the end by picking him and not the other princes.


    By some luck, it turned out that they were brothers related by blood and that it was obvious for Prince Lin San to be helping him.


    "How?"


    "Sense the power inside your body first."


    "Hmmm." Lin Xiao sat in lotus position and began to inspect his own body. Flowing inside his meridian was now a large amount of ancient power that was not merging with his Qi. It felt mystical and at the same time, it was such a powerful force.


    He could sense that it was different from Qi and yet at the same time, it was also very similar.


    "Guide it to your head."


    "Head? Not my dantian?"


    "Head."


    Lin Xiao didn''t understand why but he followed Lin Hu''s instruction. The ancient power that was directed to his head then slowly gathered there. It caused slight pain on Lin Xiao''s body but it slowly headed to his forehead.


    The crown mark on Lin Xiao''s forehead shone as the ancient power merged inside. Slowly but surely, the two power gathered together there with the ancient power stayed at the front of the Dragon Power.


    *pant* *pant*


    Lin Xiao swore that the longer he stayed with Lin Hu, the more his head would experience so much pain that he felt like dying. He glared at the dragon inside his consciousness but Lin Hu merely snorted.


    "Your Dragon Power is now covered and no one will be able to sense it that well anymore even if they''re using Eyes of Truth. Naturally, if you meet someone who are above Golden Core Stage�� this kind of protection is not enough."


    "Can''t I use the ancient power to strengthen myself."


    "Nice idea but you already use the dragon power. It''ll be useless to use the ancient power because it''s weaker. Rather than strengthening your body, you better use it to hide your dragon power.


    Ancient power can be used for many things but for someone like you, you should just utilize the hidden/disguise technique that was within the ancient power. By using the disguise capability, you might be able to disguise yourself as other people easily."


    "Won''t they notice the ancient power in my body?"


    "No. The ancient power is like a mix of power that''s canceling each other. That way, they''ll be able to mask the smell from other power. Since it''s a complete mix, it''s such a perfect method to hide your strength."


    Lin Xiao nodded in agreement. However, he felt that even controlling a little bit was so hard as he knew that there were still many inside his body. It was already good enough that he could use a little bit to cover his Dragon Power.


    Lin Hu noticed Lin Xiao''s dilemma. "You will need more time to absorb it all and make it yours."


    "I know."


    Lin Xiao stood up and looked at the two doors. The first one was written: The next treasure room while the second one was written: Return back to the intersection before the treasure room.


    Looking at it, Lin Xiao grinned and naturally picked the left side. If there were more treasure waiting for him, he would surely pick that side.


    "Wait, recover your Qi first."


    "Eh?"


    Lin Xiao then noticed that his Qi was depleted as if what happened just now was not an illusion but real. He pursed his lips and then sat down before taking one Low Grade Spirit Stones. Within a minute, he had spent three Low Grade Spirit Stones and his Qi recovered.


    "Why do I feel that I need more Qi now?"


    "The amount of Qi you can store had increased through training and battles you have." Lin Hu was not surprised. "Do you really think that you''ll stay in the same stage for a long time."


    Lin Xiao: "��" obviously no.


    He chose not to say anything to the dragon anymore as he walked and pushed the door open.


    Entering the large hall, Lin Xiao was stunned to see that he was not alone there. He could see Prince Lin San, Mu Xiao Ya, Lei Xing Yi, and also a group of unknown youth.


    "There''s someone else who''s here."


    "Tsk, more competitor."


    Lin Xiao quickly swept his gaze across the hall. He noticed that the hall was big like before but there were no three doors like before. Instead there was only one stone platform and a door that was at least 5 meters high and 3 meters wide. It was so large as if it was made for giants.


    His eyes naturally landed on the text that was carved on the door frame. It was so long that Lin Xiao himself was stunned.


    ''The Door towards Ancient Battlefield. If you think of yourself as someone who can survive in the most brutal battlefield, this is the best place for you. Tempering your body and heart so that you can survive even without your cultivation.''


    Without cultivation?


    Lin Xiao furrowed his eyebrows as he could feel chill on his back. He could still remember his helpless self when he was young and couldn''t do anything to help his parents and younger brother. He had to work hard if he wished to survive and cultivation was the method to grow stronger.


    Without his cultivation, would he return back to his previously weak self?


    The test must be not simple if such domineering words were said on the door and those who could survive would become a demon on earth.


    Pushing his feelings down, Lin Xiao looked at the others in the same room with him to inspect them.

 Chapter 313: The Second Treasure Room

    Prince Lin San was from the wind path so it means that one of the door was from the wind path. Those two girls walked the dark path, so the other door must be the dark path.


    Lin Xiao swept his gaze to the entrances and furrowed his eyebrows. One of them was written as light, so it was also connected to his previous path. The last one�� it was ice path.


    Dark, ice, light, and wind.


    He didn''t know why the combination was as such for this specific door. Was it because each of them was capable of killing?


    "How many people are needed for the door open its door?" Mu Xiao Ya asked in annoyance. The more people who came meant that there will be less chance for her to get more treasure.


    Lin Xiao passed a glance at Mu Xiao Ya before he walked in the direction of Prince Lin San, who was obviously walking by himself. The others hadn''t recognized him as he was only at Foundation Establishment.


    They were already wondering why such a weak person was in this place when they saw Lin Xiao walked in that brat''s direction. They all scoffed and chose not to pay attention anymore. Those were lone cultivators and might have entered this place through different place.


    "You''re here?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Prince Lin San nodded. "I can use my Eyes of Truth to see what''s on the other path, at least vaguely. I notice that this one head to a room so I try to come here and it turns out that there''s a treasure here."


    "I only found out after I have been traveling for some time too. When you''re done, walk straight to the right and return back to your path. Don''t turn left no matter what or you''ll be in a different treasure room and possibly got into trouble."


    Prince Lin San nodded heavily. He had noticed that the treasure room had four different doors, which meant that those who came here all came from different path. He would have to fight with others for treasure.


    He looked at his twin brother helplessly. "I was actually planning to return back but then you appear here."


    "Heh." Lin Xiao then sent sound transmission about the words that was written on the door frame with his twin brother listening carefully.


    Prince Lin San looked in astonishment at the door. He felt a bit scared now that he knew it would be asking them to fight without their cultivation. Or was it meant that they needed to learn how to control their Qi well so that they would not waste it on battle?


    He was not sure.


    "Do you want to try?"


    "��Yes."


    Lin Xiao then looked at the front and slowly walked to one edge. He pointed to another location and told his twin to stood there because there was a marking on the ground that signaled that they had to stood there.


    Prince Lin San nodded and then stood there firmly.


    ''I forgot to tell you, Xiao, if you fail the test even once, you''ll die.''


    ''So what?'' Lin Xiao asked back. He looked at the door and sneered. ''Cultivation is dangerous and I already know that. If I''m scared, I should have just hidden myself in a secluded place never come here.''


    Lin Hu was silent but he knew that Lin Xiao was correct. Even just by living his life every single day, there was always a chance for him to die. Rather than shy away from such a chance, it would be better for him to take the chance when he could.


    The others noticed their movement and then noticed the markings on the ground. They slowly walked there too as they also knew that it was the marking that would allow them to enter.


    "One more." Mu Xiao Ya furrowed her eyebrows.


    Just as she was about to ask one of her servants to step, a shadow moved from the dark path and rushed over to the last marking. He stood there and everyone could only see that it was a young brat.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes widened when he saw Xia Ye and felt like laughing. It seemed that each of them have found the treasure one way or another. They all must have their own method to make sure that they would not die.


    He was worried about them too much.


    As the door started to open, Lin Xiao sent sound transmission to Xia Ye, explaining what he just said to Prince Lin San before.


    Xia Ye''s eyes flashed before he nodded. He was trailing behind Mu Xiao Ya and Lei Xing Yi, listening to their conversation from time to time. It seemed that some nobles had noticed that they had to follow the path and then turn when it''s time for turn to treasure.


    That way, he had gained some knowledge from them.


    Swish!


    They all disappeared and the servants were all stunned but they all forced themselves to calm themselves. The marking''s light died down, signaling that it couldn''t be used anymore until it was time the secret region was opened once more in five years'' time.


    Lin Xiao still tried to immerse himself in the strange floating feeling when he realized that he had arrived in a battlefield.


    The land was barren and the sky was dark.


    There were countless beasts around him, looking like they were ready to pounce on him.


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows as he took out his sword. ''Lin Hu, can I still access my Spatial Ring?''


    ''Yes, you can.''


    ''Good.''


    He had a lot of Spirit Stones kept there. As long as he could absorb the Qi from inside, he should be able to last for a long time, right?


    With that, Lin Xiao began to make his move. The beasts in front of him were at least rank 4 and each of them were trying to kill him. He didn''t see anyone else, so he only focused on killing the beast around him.

 Chapter 314: Ancient Battlefield

    Slash! Slash! Slash!


    Flesh and blood splattered and Lin Xiao felt as if his entire body was tied down. It was so heavy for him to move as he had been fighting for such a long time that his entire body was wearing out.


    He had been absorbing more and more Qi from the Spirit stones and yet the battle didn''t look like it would be over anytime soon. As soon as he recovered, there were even more beasts coming at him.


    They were only at rank 4, but Lin Xiao knew that he had to focus when he was fighting them because even a single mistake would lead to his deaths. Not to mention, the type of beasts varied from time to time.


    Herbivores, carnivores, and even bugs. He continued to change his tactic to face them but as the result, his understanding of his sword technique deepened.


    Mountain Sword!


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fifth Stance!


    The attack was getting even more and more precise. Despite being tired, Lin Xiao was driven by his will to survive as he continued to fight. His head was throbbing from not sleeping and yet his body continued to move.


    All this time, Lin Hu was silent. There was no lake where he could appear and help Lin Xiao, so he could only stay silent and watched from within Lin Xiao''s consciousness as Lin Xiao continued to stand up and fight.


    Again


    And again.


    Right now, there was only one thought within Lin Xiao''s mind.


    Kill!


    He had to kill the beasts that was coming in his direction over and over.


    Time flowed like water and Lin Xiao hadn''t slept for days. He continued to fight over and over as his body grew battered. The time to rest was less than 2 minutes and soon, it was reduced to mere minute. Lin Xiao was forced to absorb the Spirit Stone faster and faster as the resting time reduced continuously.


    The restriction that was placed in his body was slowly broken down and Lin Hu noticed that Lin Xiao''s body had already able to accept more of his real talent.


    However, it would take him some time before he could catch up to those geniuses who had been pampered ever since they were young and had obtained the best cultivation resources in their lives.


    Slash!


    Lin Xiao moved forward before he felt sudden headache. Human could not not sleep for a long time. Even as cultivator, he still needed to sleep after several days because his body needed to recover. In this ancient battlefield, how did he even have time to sleep?


    He didn''t even know how much time had passed when he began to feel his body break down.


    Stab!


    Feeling the horn of the beast stabbed into his chest, Lin Xiao swung his sword in retaliation. However, his legs failed to keep him standing and the next thing Lin Xiao knew was that the horde had already stomped him to his death.


    ''Was this the end?''


    Lin Xiao lost consciousness.


    "Gah!"


    When he regained his consciousness once more, Lin Xiao noticed that he was lying on a path with two doors beside him. Behind him was the ancient battlefield while there was nothing in front of him.


    He sat in daze. "I''m still alive?"


    "You should have died." Lin Hu yawned. "Forcing yourself to stay awake like that and fight madly, do you think that your body is made out of steel?"


    "But��"


    "The real test is simply for you to continue fighting to your limit. Look at the ancient battlefield sky."


    "Hmm?"


    Lin Xiao turned around and noticed the writing at the sky. When he was busy fighting, he never had the time to pay attention to the sky. He nearly vomited on the ground when he saw those sentences.


    "Body Training Cultivator: Survive for half a day


    Foundation Establishment Cultivator: Survive for a day


    Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivator: Survive for three days.


    Golden Core Stage 2 Cultivator: Survive for five days


    Golden Core Stage 3 Cultivator: Survive for seven days."


    Lin Xiao''s face turned dark. He naturally didn''t count the time he spent inside because he was too busy fighting. "That�� how much time did I spend inside?"


    "Four days." Lin Hu pointed at the sentence that was written on the ground, right behind Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao also lowered his eyes.


    ''Lin Xiao, Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Survive for 4 days, 1 hour, 36 minutes, and 3 seconds.''


    "That means I''m great?"


    "Yeah, yeah, but you nearly died. Thankfully the reward is a treasure that can nourish your mind." Lin Hu Jeered.


    Lin Xiao felt a bit awkward. It was then he reacted to Lin Hu''s words. "Wait, there are treasure that can nourish my mind?"


    "Yes, mental state is important in later stage of cultivation and for the current you, it''ll help you to be able to face dangerous situation calmly and also to be able to assess the situation as it is. At the same time, high mental ability meant that you can understand more technique faster."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao was astounded. It was then he recalled that he had been able to learn Moon Evasion just based on observation.


    "Was that also because of my mental ability?"


    "Yes, your mental power is higher than normal people, which allow you to steal other people''s technique if you pay more attention to them." Lin Hu passed a sidelong glance to Lin Xiao. "If the current you try to watch that brat perform Moon Evasion, you will need less time to master it now."


    "Awesome!" Lin Xiao was surprised and delighted. He had to admit that fighting in such situation had forced him to stay alert most of the time and it was hard. Yet, the reward was also very satisfying!


    Though, Lin Xiao didn''t want to experience death for the second time.


    It was already enough that he died once in this Ancient Battlefield because if he died for real in real world, he would not be able to resurrect himself.

 Chapter 315: The Third Treasure Room

    "The first treasure room is giving me ancient power, the second treasure room give me higher mental ability, then the third room?" Lin Xiao pondered. He could guess that it must be something good too.


    Lin Hu passed a glance at Lin Xiao. "Body, Mind, and heart?"


    "��Really?"


    "I''m guessing."


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    Looking at the left side, Lin Xiao was contemplating. However, he then recalled something. "Why didn''t I realize anything when I''m given something to increase my mind''s ability?"


    "You don''t realize that you''re only fighting with your mind?"


    "�� Didn''t I enter the world for real?"


    "You did but all the wounds you suffered and your death is nothing more than hallucinations in your mind. After you pass out, there''s a light heading to your mind, giving you the reward for your performance."


    Lin Xiao nodded then looked at his back, pondering a bit. "I can definitely feel that my mind is getting clearer. What other effect do you think it''ll give me?"


    "As long as you don''t turn stupider, it''s good."


    "��You''re the stupid one."


    Lin Hu clicked his tongue. "If you want to head to the third room, you should hurry. There might be others who are already there by now since you''re busy dilly dallying here."


    "Ah��"


    Lin Xiao was still hesitating because he didn''t know what kind of challenge he would face. He took out a spirit stone and absorbed it within few seconds. The moment the Qi was completely absorbed, the Low Grade Spirit Stones turned to dust.


    He was getting faster and Lin Xiao felt that there was something that changed within him. However, he couldn''t really say what it was because the change felt a bit hard to describe.


    ''At least, I know I''m getting stronger.''


    After busy contemplating, Lin Xiao chose to just take his chance and walked to the left. When he crossed the line, he saw a flash of light as his figure disappeared from his position.


    Swish! Thud!


    He appeared midair and Lin Xiao quickly stabilized his position, landing on his two legs carefully. Sweeping his gaze across the room, he noticed that he was once more in a large hall. This time, the hall was filled with countless items and there was a text written in normal language.


    Yeah, the normal language that both he and people from Sun Kingdom used.


    "Take one item, one that you need the most then leave this room."


    Lin Xiao then looked down as he could see the engravings of ancient word there. His lips tugged to form a sneer as he realized that there was an array formed below them. It was stating that should one take more than one, they would trigger various trap that was set up in this room.


    Inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness, Lin Hu was surprised.


    "It''s testing one''s greediness."


    "Well, I naturally will not be greedy." Lin Xiao shook his head and swept his gaze across the room. He didn''t really have that good eye when it came to treasure but he knew that if he should pick something, there was only a few items that could be of use to him.


    First, he would need some treasures that could help him to advance faster because he had been lagging behind.


    Secondly, items to improve his physical strength would be doable too.


    Thirdly, he needed a rock or metal or something like that that was suitable for him to make the sword.


    Just as Lin Xiao was walking around the pile of treasures, he heard the sound of fighting and glanced to the side. His eyes narrowed when he saw the word ''metal'' because he knew that there were a total of three groups there, including Hu Fei.


    Bang!


    "Finally a treasure room! I was late to the other two damn it!" a youth rushed in and his eyes gleamed when he saw the treasure that was piling up in front of him.


    ''He was late?''


    His sentence told Lin Xiao that there were other rooms. He had seen that each room only have four doors connected so it means that it was only the intersection of four paths. There must be three rooms each, which meant that there were a total of 9 room of treasures.


    Could it be possible that all of them reached the treasure for each room? It sounded a bit implausible.


    The number of youths who came here were only around�� 33 to 34.


    Ok, that was quite a lot.


    Not to mention, there were still also servants who followed them around and might have been trapped.


    Unless�� the total number of rooms were not 9 but it was actually a repeat of rooms for others with the difference being the sequence. But it would make things too complicated and Lin Xiao didn''t think that it would be possible either.


    Hmm?


    Lin Xiao was surprised himself when he found out that he had thought about so many things within such a short period. Was this the effect of having his mind stronger than before?


    "There''s someone else here."


    "Bah, the treasure is so much. Why do you care about him?" Sang Guan asked back. His clothes were tattered, clearly the sign of him not having good experience on the way to reach this place.


    "You''re right."


    There was faint movement of Qi from their back and the three youths were putting up their guards once more. Their servants were only 2 left and they were also keeping their guard up.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed. "Lin Hu didn''t you tell me that there can only be two outcomes from failure to get the treasure, which is either death or getting the treasure? How come it didn''t seem that way to them?"


    "Substitute technique." Lin Hu paused for a moment as he knew that it was a high martial art that was a bit magical. "There''s a technique to switch you with your servant''s life under a special soul contract. This would allow the attack that can kill you to be diverted to the servant, which will kill them instantly."

 Chapter 316: The Greedy People

    "Substitute technique." Lin Hu paused for a moment as he knew that it was a high martial art that was a bit magical. "There''s a technique to switch you with your servant''s life under a special soul contract. This would allow the attack that can kill you to be diverted to the servant, which will kill them instantly."


    "How is that possible?" Lin Xiao was stunned. How could one trade one''s life with another person?


    "It''s not impossible, but this technique is not invincible. For example, it can''t be used during sparring nor during a life and death''s battle where the two have signed the agreement. There are many others but I won''t explain it to you.


    This is the method to protect the prized disciples from suffering from punishment from their failure in another land. When one fail to finish the task that they were arranged to in this kind of place, the punishment would be to kill you. However, if that person have a soul contract with someone else in which the other person will die first, you won''t die.


    Instead, the servant itself will be the one to die in your place. This way, the prized disciple could still survive while the cannon fodder would die.


    Of course, this kind of mark can''t be used in all places and only some secret regions allow it. Whoever set up this secret region in the past must have allowed this practice and thus, allowed their disciples to stay alive."


    Lin Hu scoffed. He felt that those families were a bit too much. People like those three were certainly not worth it to have other people traded their lives for them. Their talent was poor and their comprehension was not much.


    And yet they were still trying to nurture them so much.


    Of course, this was obviously because Lin Hu had seen so much of the world and naturally didn''t think of it as anything special.


    "Mark?" Lin Xiao asked slowly.


    "Look at their hand, there''s a mark, right? It''s connected to their master''s soul so it would make the punishment giver to not be able to punish correctly. Well, it was called as substitute technique while in truth it was more like a disguise technique.


    But of course, in high end place, this kind of fake technique couldn''t be used."


    It was only now Lin Xiao realized why these noble disciples brought their servants in. Those people were like the additional lives for them, trading in case they failed and initiated the punishment from the owner of this place.


    Lin Xiao shook his head.


    "If they have the mentality that it''s alright to fail, they won''t be able to go far."


    Coming here, Lin Xiao was ready to bet with his life. He knew that this place was dangerous and not everyone would be able to get out safely. Because of that, he was ready to bet with everything he got.


    There were things in this world where it was fine when one failed, such as some simple games with friends.


    But in a place with high danger and such high stake�� there was no room for failure. Once he failed, it was the end. There was no second chance, which meant that Lin Xiao couldn''t fail, not even once.


    Swish!


    "Who is it?"


    "Ah, the third treasure room?" Hu Fei asked with a faint smile. He looked at Sang Guan. "Young Master Sang, you don''t look very well."


    "Heh, do you think I''m afraid of you, Hu Fei?" Sang Guan asked back. His eyes turned red in anger. "You followed me, don''t you? How shameless!"


    Hu Fei was amused. He certainly didn''t follow Sang Guan but he found out through them that there were actually treasure rooms midway. He was only following the route that has the word ''metal'' and only turned this time.


    His gaze landed on Lin Xiao, who stood before the pile of treasures. He whistled. "Wow, so many treasures!"


    Treasures?


    It was then Sang Guan remembered his real goal. Looking at the pile of treasure that was in front of Lin Xiao, he was about to turn mad.


    "You brat! Don''t you dare to touch my treasure!"


    Lin Xiao raised his hand. He hadn''t even had the chance to take a look properly and slowly walked back. Naturally, the reason why he walked back was because he was curious what would happen when these people take the treasure more than what they had to.


    "Brother Sang, we need to take the treasure first."


    "Tsk."


    Sang Guan looked at Hu Fei once more and then rushed over to the pile of treasure. His eyes landed on the text written there as his eyes narrowed. There were so many treasures in front of him and yet he was only allowed to get one?


    That was unfair.


    Hu Fei laughed when he watched those people had difficulties to find the treasure they wanted. He walked over to Lin Xiao. "There are other treasures room?"


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Yes. There are a total of three treasure rooms so far and I think this might be the last one."


    "Tsk, I missed all." Hu Fei shook his head in disappointment.


    "I didn''t know that there will be treasure." Lin Xiao apologized.


    Hu Fei then let out a faint laugh. "I don''t think that I can pass either. Based on the way they dressed, I can see that they have already faced so many challenges before. Their servants have already died for them, so it can be certain that getting the treasures are not easy."


    Lin Xiao nodded.


    "You get the two treasures?"


    "They''re immaterial."


    Hearing that, Hu Fei sighed. He wanted to ask what but when it was something that might be already consumed or knowledge�� then it would be something that only Lin Xiao himself would know. Cultivators have their own secret and naturally, Hu Fei would not pry into other people''s secret.


    He still wanted to live.


    "So, shall we make a bet?"

 Chapter 317: The Rules inside the Room

    "Bet?" Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows.


    "Whether they''ll die in your hand or because of punishment?"


    "Hmm."


    Lin Xiao watched as they scrambled around and ordered their servants to each take one and shrugged. He didn''t really like betting but from watching them wanting to take all of the treasures, he could already guess that they were wishing that they brought a hundred people with them to pick their treasure.


    "Well, will they bet with their lives again?" Lin Xiao asked with a faint laugh.


    "If they''re stupid enough, they will."


    At this time, one of them picked two treasures. He was still contemplating which one he would take when there was sudden rumble from the sky. The youth''s face paled as he dropped the two treasures and tried to run.


    Before he could do that, lightning strike from the sky like ceiling.


    Boom!


    The lightning strike landed on him directly, killing him.


    Sang Guan and the other youth were silent. They looked at their friend then turned to look at the other way. "Don''t touch unless you want to pick the treasure!"


    They didn''t even bother to pick up the remain of their foolish friend.


    Watching it, Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. He thought that he would finally watch how that substitute technique worked. But it seemed that he was being a little na?ve. The one who made the stupid mistake was the one who had already killed his own servants with his stupidity.


    Hu Fei sneered. "They now know that they can only pick one. What do you think they''ll do?"


    "Hmm, would they try to ask us touch two treasures?" Lin Xiao was busy reading the enhancement on the ground. He naturally knew that the punishment''s work was not as simple as them touching.


    If they wanted it and touched it, then the punishment would be enacted. But if they touched it without even any intention of wanting it, then the punishment would not descent to them.


    They could only want one.


    ''��It''s really heart.''


    Lin Xiao really felt that Lin Hu''s guess was spot on this time as it was a test that would test one''s heart. If one didn''t want it, they would not even have any reaction even if the treasure was placed in front of them.


    But could one''s heart really be that strong?


    To the point of not wanting the temptation of treasure that was placed in front of them? Lin Xiao knew for sure that he couldn''t.


    "What are you focusing on?" Hu Fei noticed that Lin Xiao was not paying attention to the two scrooges and asked.


    "The text."


    "Hmm?" Hu Fei naturally noticed the alien looking text on the ground but he had no capability whatsoever in reading that text. It was already good enough for him if he didn''t feel dizzy after looking at it since it contained ancient power and ordinary people were not capable to decipher them.


    Lin Xiao was still reading before he looked at the middle. The treasure was located in the middle but at the very center was a pillar with engravings of several movements. Looking at it now, Lin Xiao realized that it must be a set of movement and at the very top was when one sat on the lotus position.


    Slowly, Lin Xiao began to move. The position that the engravings showed all required high flexibility that Lin Xiao felt that he nearly pulled his own muscle. It was lucky that he was already a cultivator at Foundation Establishment Stage or it would be impossible for him to do the impossible movements.


    "Hu Xiao?" Hu Fei was stunned.


    Lin Xiao didn''t pay heed to him and continued the movements. In the end, he managed to finish everything and sat down on the ground with the lotus position.


    A voice rang in his mind.


    Mind Calm like Ocean without Waves, Heart Without Ripples. The first set of Calming Heart Technique.


    After completing the technique, Lin Xiao felt that he could sense his own heart and sense the ripples there. He was baffled because this was the first time he ever encountered something like this. However, he knew that this was a chance for him to try calming down.


    Don''t be agitated.


    Don''t be greedy.


    Only find the one you really need.


    Repeating several sentences, Lin Xiao felt that his heart was calmer and that he could think clearly. It was a magical feeling that Lin Xiao himself didn''t think he could possibly do.


    Opening his eyes, Lin Xiao passed a look at Hu Fei. "Try to do the movement in that pillar over there."


    "Pillar?"


    Hu Fei naturally noticed the pillar but it was only after Lin Xiao said about movement did he notice that there were engravings on the pillars. The engravings was shallow and one would not see it if they didn''t pay more attention to the pillar like what they did right now.


    ''Did he notice it earlier?''


    Slowly, Hu Fei began to execute the movement from the very beginning. He noticed that the movements were a bit hard to do but it was not impossible. Even though it felt queer, he decided to follow it until the end.


    The friend of Sang Guan looked at the two youths and sneered. "Guan, they''re now dancing."


    Sang Guan looked at the back as his eyes showed disdain. He thought that those two were already crazy to train martial arts movement in this place where there was not much Qi that they could sense.


    The youth was looking at them before he suddenly took out his sword.


    "Let me play with him a bit."


    "Hmm?" Sang Guan''s eyes narrowed when he watched his friend charged over. "Wait a moment!"


    "Huh��"


    BOOM!


    Just as the attack was about to reach Hu Fei, lightning struck down and the youth''s movement stopped. There was an excoriating pain from within his soul as he crouched down on the ground.


    On the back, one of the servants who had picked a treasure was struck down by lightning.

 Chapter 318: The Lake Glass Metal

    There was an excoriating pain from within his soul as he crouched down on the ground.


    On the back, one of the servants who had picked a treasure was struck down by lightning.


    Seeing that, the youth''s face turned pale while Sang Guan shook his head. "No fighting is allowed inside the treasure room. We can only fight when we''re still within the corridor."


    The youth then recalled the elder''s warning and began to feel afraid. He originally had two additional lives but now that the two lives had been lost�� the next attack would surely hit him.


    If he was not careful enough, he would die��


    "Pick your treasure, we''re leaving." Sang Guan sneered and took a bottle that he had picked after ordering his servant to take a different bottle.


    The youth could only nod then follow Sang Guan. His heart was terrified.


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao was watching everything while calming his head. He felt a bit surprise but he calmed down almost instantly. He felt that after he had already executed the movement one time, his heart could take more actions and deemed it as normal.


    "So that''s how that substitution works."


    "Naturally, there''s a price to pay. Since you''re linking your soul with someone else, the moment that the connection was severed, you''ll experience excruciating pain. A part of your soul is also damaged and it''s unlikely that you''ll be able to recover." Lin Hu snorted.


    Lin Xiao was stunned. "If there''s such high price, why are they still using that?"


    "That''s because having your soul wounded is better than dying, isn''t?"


    Well, Lin Xiao couldn''t refute that.


    If their soul was wounded, there was still a chance in the future that they would recover. On the other hand, if they died, then it was all over. There was never any chance for them to do anything anymore.


    But still�� these so called geniuses were too reckless, alright?


    "By the way, this technique, is it genuine?"


    "Yes. Only the first step, though." Lin Hu glanced up and yawned. "You''ll need to go out of this small area if you wish to find out more about the next steps and so on. But if you continue to practice this, you''ll learn how to protect your mind from invasion of illusions and many others."


    Lin Xiao was astounded and nodded. He did feel that he was much calmer. Now that he had adjusted his mental state, it was time to look at the treasure.


    "Uh�� I don''t know what they are."


    "There are Black Serpent Horn, Spirit Beast Blood, Metal��"


    Hu Fei had already finished doing the movement and felt incomparably excited. Unlike Lin Xiao who didn''t know the true worth of the movement, he knew very well that it was such a good movement that would allow him to grow much stronger than the current him right now.


    How could he not be excited?


    With this movement, he would be less likely affected by illusion and naturally it meant that his mental state would be much higher than other people.


    For cultivator, what was important was innate talent, resources, and also their mental state. The stronger a cultivator''s mind and will was, the higher they would reach in their cultivation in the future.


    It was important.


    "You sure know your trade." Lin Xiao was stunned. It was then he noticed a word that he didn''t recognize. "What''s Spirit Beast?"


    "Beast with higher rank that most beast." Hu Fei paused for a moment. "You won''t find any in the real world as it only exists in this kind of realm. At least, that''s what I know based on this kingdom and its surroundings."


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed. Does it mean there was chance that they might be exist in other kingdom?


    "Anyway, what are you searching for? I''m finding some good metals here." Hu Fei''s attention naturally drew to the stack of metals as his eyes shone. Even without touching them, he could guess that they were all very valuable and could not be found in the real world easily.


    "Find one for me."


    "��Do you think I''m your servant?"


    "I don''t know how to know whether one had the same element as me or not," Lin Xiao added shamelessly.


    Hu Fei nearly cursed but then he realized that Lin Xiao was saying the truth. Lin Xiao was not one who usually interacted with metals like him, so if Lin Xiao wanted to select the metal, he would need help.


    He can''t even touch to test them, so how could he know what their element was?


    "In that case�� I''ll start searching." Hu Fei moved his hands for a moment and closed his eyes. In the next moment, his eyes opened once more but there was faint blue hue light inside.


    Lin Xiao was startled.


    A skill that was specialized to detect metals or something like that?


    The activation method looked fairly simple and it seemed that Hu Fei would be able to pick treasure with ease. He glanced around the treasure room before his eyes shone. He pointed to a lump of metal.


    "That one, that''s Lake Glass Metal. I have only seen it once in my teacher''s storage room and I didn''t expect to be able to see one here."


    Lin Xiao didn''t hesitate and stepped forward. By the time he stood near the lump of metal, he felt some kind of pull from within his body. It was then he realized that the metal was really resonating with the element inside his body.


    This made him excited.


    He bent down and picked the metal. The surface was cold and the lump of metal was quite big. It should be more than enough to build a sword for him and probably with some leftovers left.


    "You trust me that much?" Hu Fei was stunned.


    "You''re the one who will make the weapon for me, right?" Lin Xiao was amused.


    "Right��" Looking at the metal in Lin Xiao''s hand, Hu Fei sighed and shook his head lightly.

 Chapter 319: Being A Cultivator

    He looked at his own hand and felt that he was really unworthy to even touch that metal. After all, he knew that his skill was still fairly low.


    If he was the one who made the sword, would it be still very good?


    Well, he had to try. It would be a good experience for him to work on with such a good metal.


    After Lin Xiao kept the metal, Hu Fei scanned the area once more before picking another good metal. He felt incomparably excited because he knew that it would be good thing for him to be able to get out with this treasure.


    Lin Xiao was about to leave when his eyes landed on the bottle that had landed outside the circle. It was the treasure that the servant dropped after the lightning struck him because he tried to fight with Hu Fei.


    He communicated with Lin Hu.


    "Lin Hu, can I pick that thing?"


    "Hmm? Oh, you''re lucky that it''s already outside the circle, so it won''t be affected by the rules." Lin Hu let out a laugh. "You''re picking up a treasure just by walking around!"


    "Oh."


    Lin Xiao bent down and picked the bottle. His action scare Hu Fei so much but then he realized that the punishment didn''t move. He was stunned.


    "That''s��.How did you pick two treasures at once?" Hu Fei was baffled.


    "This is not categorized as the treasure owned by this place anymore but a dead man''s loot." Lin Xiao grinned and looked at the bottle. He could not recognize the medicine but just from the fact that it was cold to touch told him that it must be a good medicine.


    "What medicine is this?"


    Hu Fei walked closer and looked at the bottle. He furrowed his brows as he noticed the text written in ancient language. With bitter smile, he turned to look at Lin Xiao. "You''re the one who can read it. Why don''t you read the name out loud so that I can guess what it is?"


    "Oh, right. Soul Mind Calming," Lin Xiao read the word calmly.


    "What? Soul Mind Calming?"


    Lin Xiao looked at Hu Fei, who was already so terrified. He was stunned. Did he say anything wrong?


    "That''s��" Hu Fei pointed at the medicine and felt that it was really his bad luck to not try taking the medicine from the ground! But he didn''t want to be punished either by the owner of this Secret Region.


    "Hey, tell me what it is."


    "It''s a medicine to strengthen your mind and soul but the restriction is that you need to reach at least Golden Core Stage 2 for the best effect. If you take it below the stage, you will die and if you take it after that stage, it won''t give you much effect." Hu Fei looked at the bottle with longing.


    Lin Xiao was astounded. He had his mind strengthened already. Would he still need it?


    "Idiot, your mind is only strengthened slightly. This medicine will still be very useful to you! Not to mention, this is the highest purity and normal alchemist couldn''t even come close to this!"


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao didn''t hesitate to keep the bottle away.


    Hu Fei gulped down. He was at Golden Core Stage 2 and naturally the temptation of the medicine was so big. If his mind could be strengthened, he would be able to grow stronger.


    "Hu Xiao, trade with me, please? I can give you a lot of Spirit Stones!"


    "No way. I can trade it with much higher places if I sell it outside. Also, what makes you think that I won''t need this?"


    "You can get it again in the future."


    "Nonsense! Do you think this is a cabbage? And if you say it like that, doesn''t it mean that you can also get it by yourself?"


    "I''ll make you weapon for free!"


    "You already have to make me a weapon for free because of the promise with my Big Bro!"


    Hu Fei was stumped and it was only then he realized that he was indeed still under debt to Prince Lin Yan. Resisting his urge to curse, he could only huff in annoyance.


    "Return back to your path. We might meet again later." Lin Xiao waved his hand and rushed over to the light path.


    "Hey you!"


    Hu Fei wanted to chase after Lin Xiao but then he realized that he only memorized two words�� if he followed Lin Xiao, he might end up taking the wrong route and killing himself.


    Besides, the goal of coming to this Secret Region was to get stronger and get more treasures. There was no need to be so fixated on one thing because there were still chances for him to get more.


    "Forget it."


    Swish!


    As Hu Fei resumed back to his path, Lin Xiao also continued walking. He noticed that the maze was still so similar to each other and that he only needed to follow the light word. It was boring and yet Lin Xiao continued to walk.


    ''Thinking about it, how come I''m not hungry after staying here for a long time?''


    Lin Xiao took out a meat bun that he kept inside his Spatial Ring and munched as he continued walking. If one were to see him right now, they would not think of him as a powerful cultivator but more like a normal boy everyone could see on the street.


    After a few turns, Lin Xiao finally arrived on a large hall. There was only two path, one to the front while the other one was to the right. He looked at the word written and his lips twitched.


    The front had the usual ''light'' word.


    But the right side��


    ''Hey brat, if you can read this and you''re not part of the light path, you should turn. Tsk, what did I write here? What, you''re thinking this is so uncanny of a cultivator? Do you think we''re all cold and aloof?


    Heh let me tell you that being a cultivator didn''t mean that you''ll lose your personality!''

 Chapter 320: The Second Stage

    Lin Xiao was a bit intrigued as he didn''t know much about powerful cultivator. At least, so far, there were only a few cultivators he knew.


    The sentences�� were written with vigor and emotion. It was clear that the one who made this place was more of a hotheaded person rather than cold.


    And after living for hundreds, thousands of years, wouldn''t one personality continued the same? It might be sharpened further because of the environment they had to face for countless of years.


    Lin Xiao turned to the right and noticed that there was a hall with several doors. His eyes narrowed as he read the word in each of them.


    Mountain, Heaven, Lake��.


    "What the hell is that element?" Lin Xiao was utterly stupefied when he saw the words there.


    "This is a place for the unconventional elements and also the Emperor''s Inheritance." Lin Hu was calm. "Some Secret Regions will prepare a place that''s designated for them as it naturally only those who have the inheritance can pass. Oh, the other elements are also for from other mythical beast. You don''t think that there are only dragons, right?"


    Lin Xiao looked at the rows of words and shook his head. He sighed and took a step forward towards the Lake door and placed his hand there. Before long, the door shone and it opened.


    ''So it''s opened by detecting the element in our body��''


    Now he really wondered how the others were going to open their door if they were not familiar with the element.


    Pushing the thoughts to the back, Lin Xiao stepped in and nearly fell down.


    Splash!


    He was stunned but he realized that he was now in the middle of a lake. The door where he came inside had disappeared. Just as he was about to ask for help, there was a laugher coming from the front.


    "Hehehehe, the door is opened! That means someone from the inheritance path is coming."


    "There''s a living being here?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    "It''s prerecorded voice." Lin Hu was calm. He was already in countless secret regions. At least, based on the memory he inherited from his predecessor. He knew that while there were a lot of powerful cultivator��


    None of them could live forever.


    This voice was most likely only prerecorded voice from when the one who build this place came here and designed everything. It was most likely he was feeling exhilarated from thinking that there might be someone from the inheritance path to come here.


    "What an honor! What an honor! I was only following the order, tsk. They''re asking me to build a path designated for those with inheritance path because ordinary inheritance wouldn''t suit you.


    Anyway, this is path�� hmm, which one? Oh Lake.


    Lake��


    Those from Lake inheritance need to have strong soul and mind because that''s one of the greatest source for you to heal other people. In addition, your healing ability is also related to how good you can control your Qi.


    For the rest of your time here, you have to cross the lake on this small boat. Control your Qi so that you can reach the other side. Hehehe, every time you fail, you''ll return back to the starting point.


    As for your time limit�� Tsk, you have a month''s time and there will be 7 stages in total. Good luck passing them you brat whoever you will be in the future. Ah, how I wish that I can live forever��"


    It was then the voice faded.


    Lin Xiao noticed that he was now standing on top of a small raft that was on the verge of crumbling. He understood that he had to use his Qi to keep the raft together while moving forward.


    But��


    Where was the finish line?


    "The finish line will be extended further and further with each stage. Don''t waste any time and just start. If you fail, you will have to return back here and recover your Qi first before you can start." Lin Hu added the explanation.


    Lin Xiao nodded.


    He was thinking about another matter. 1 month''s time�� Did the Secret Region really stay open for such a long time?


    However, it didn''t really matter to him since he was already here. What important was for him to start controlling his Qi and began to move.


    It was not that hard to keep the raft from staying intact. But what frustrated Lin Xiao the most was the fact that the raft was going so slow. It was to the point that Lin Xiao wished to use movement technique to rush forward.


    However, it was deemed to be impossible.


    ''Calm down.''


    Lin Xiao recalled that Calming Heart Technique inside his mind and calmly tried to regulate his Qi as much as possible.


    After some time, Lin Xiao finally see the shore and noticed that he still had spare Qi left. However, Lin Hu''s warning repeated inside his mind.


    Each Stage will take longer than the previous one.


    The first and the second stage was easy for Lin Xiao.


    But the third one was a near fail.


    On the fourth one, Lin Xiao failed once and repeated it, being more careful and all before he succeeded.


    On the fifth one, Lin Xiao failed when he was still a distance away, repeating the same set of movement over and over until he finally reached the end.


    For the sixth one, Lin Xiao utilized what he had learned from the fifth to make sure that he could control the flow of the Qi and somehow succeeded on the second try.


    On the seventh one, the increase of the distance nearly made him vomit blood. It was far longer than the sixth and he failed when he was still far away. Looking at the distance in front of him, Lin Xiao wanted to cry.


    Splash!


    Falling into the water, Lin Xiao was then taken back to where he started. He looked at the black sky and started to recuperate.

 Chapter 321: Controlling Qi

    "Lin Hu, is it really possible to pass such a large distance?" Lin Xiao sounded helpless. He naturally realized that the increase of distance was so large and that his pitiful Qi amount in his dantian was not enough.


    "Yes."


    "Really?"


    "Your use of Qi is still crude. If you kept on using it like that, you will never be able to become a proper healer, not even a good cultivator who can fight opponent. Do you think large amount of Qi was everything?"


    Lin Xiao was silent. His control was still crude?


    He was already trying to control his Qi the best he could and to make sure that he didn''t make any mistake when making his move. However, despite trying whatever he could, he still couldn''t cross the lake.


    Why?


    What did he do wrong?


    Lin Xiao felt frustrated as he looked at the long distance of the lake. He was covering the raft properly to prevent it from breaking and even making sure that he did it with as little of Qi as possible.


    But why did he still fail to reach the end of the lake?


    Crude.


    Healer.


    For some reasons, the two words stuck in Lin Xiao''s mind as he looked at the raft below him. He was thinking that a healer never needed to heal every part, does it mean that he only needed to keep part of his Qi around other area to make sure that he was only maintaining them while focusing on one point?


    Focus on one point at a time and let the rest of the Qi check on the others bit by bit.


    That way, he would be able to reserve his Qi and make sure that he could treat more people this way.


    Taking a deep breath, Lin Xiao started once more, trying this new method. He controlled his Qi to focus on the crack that appeared on the raft and started to mend it while the rest of the Qi barely existed on the others.


    They were not protecting, but they were only maintaining.


    Inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness, Lin Hu nodded his head in satisfaction. It was good that Lin Xiao finally understood what he needed to do.


    ''But really, how come he''s an idiot in one matter but genius in another matter?''


    Counting the time, it was still less than 1 weeks'' time and yet Lin Xiao was already close to completion. For some reason, Lin Hu began to understand little by little why the Heaven chose Lin Xiao to bear the inheritance.


    He was chosen but he still had to tread on this path by himself as the Heaven would not make it easy for him. Instead, it was the hardest path that was given to him.


    Splash!


    Lin Xiao''s eyes lit up when he saw the edge and realized that his Qi was still a lot. This method preserve his Qi and allowed him to use his Qi well.


    Thud!


    "YES! I''M DONE!"


    "Good, now come the next stage. After you have finished the training, treat all 100 beasts in front of you."


    100?


    Lin Xiao nearly vomited blood when he heard the voice. He turned to look at the row of beasts in front of him and felt that he really wanted to strangle Lin Hu right now.


    "Lin Hu! I want to be an attacker, ah! Why do I have to be a healer!"


    "Lake Emperor is more of a support! Didn''t I already tell you that you will need to learn how to support from the back?"


    "I hate support, ah!"


    "Without a healer, do you think that powerful cultivator could still reach the peak? Get to work!"


    "Ugh, damn you, Lin Hu! Come out now and let me beat you up!"


    "You want to beat me up? I''m a rank higher than you!"


    "I can still defeat you! Damn you!"


    After some more time scolding each other, Lin Xiao finally went to work. He still disliked the fact that he obtained Emperor''s Inheritance more than anything. Most important, why did it have to be the Lake, ah?


    Fire was much cooler!


    Or even Mountain was better since its element was closer to metal and also had good attacks.


    But Lake��. UGH!


    Lin Xiao had no other choice but to follow through the training designed for him. After the long time controlling the raft and to use both inspect and also focused Qi, he noticed that his control to heal others had also improved greatly.


    He had to say that he still hated being the support character but he continued his practice and continued to do his work of healing the beast one by one��.


    After some time, he finally healed all 100 of them.


    "This is the first time I know beast''s body is more complicated than humans." Lin Xiao lied on the sandy ground while panting. "Hey, can''t you give me a beast to eat at least? I have cured all of them now!"


    Lin Hu rolled his eyes when he listened to Lin Xiao''s rambling. "Sit up and recover your Qi."


    "Fine��"


    Lin Xiao sat up and slowly recovered his Qi. He still wanted to curse Lin Hu more and more but right now, he didn''t have the energy left. It was tiring mentally to check on all the beasts. It was only after he had healed all of them did Lin Xiao realized that a healer was also very demanding in terms of mental capability.


    Does it mean that he would need to train more?


    He groaned at the thought of more and more training.


    After he had finished recovering his Qi, Lin Xiao walked forward and noticed that there was a door there. He didn''t think that much and opened the door, reaching a grand hall. With a glance, he noticed that there were other people who were already there.


    ''Oh, so it''s time for the third stage�� and this time, everyone from different path is gathered together?''

 Chapter 322: The Third Stage

    "You''re finally here."


    Lin Xiao turned his head and saw Prince Lin Yan stood there. He leaned on the wall and looked a bit tired but other than that, he still looked the same. Probably he also earned some benefit when he was passing the two stages but he didn''t show it in his face.


    Beside Prince Lin Yan was Prince Lin San and Xia Ye. The two of them looked different from before when they parted ways. Prince Lin San looked far sharper and there was even hint of danger from him. On the other hand, Xia Ye looked like his presence was growing lower and that there was also a hint of danger.


    ''They''re improving so much.''


    "Xiao Hua is not here yet?" Lin Xiao asked.


    "She''s over there."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao quickly turned his head around and he noticed Princess Lan Yi Hua standing while staring at the front. Her figure looked as beautiful as he could remember. After the torture in the training room for the past few days, which Lin Xiao didn''t know for sure, he missed the others greatly.


    Of course, the one he missed the most was Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    As if sensing someone looking at her, Princess Lan Yi Hua turned her head around. She was still wearing the same cloak that covered most of her figure. The hood was partially covering her face, but Lin Xiao seemed to be able to see her beneath that hood.


    A smile bloomed on Princess Lan Yi Hua''s face.


    "Xiao."


    Lin Xiao could feel his heart thumped when he heard Princess Lan Yi Hua called him that way. He smiled back and initiated his movement technique to reach Princess Lan Yi Hua''s side right away.


    Swish!


    With just a moment''s time, he reached her side and looked at her face. She didn''t look much different from before but Lin Xiao knew that something had changed.


    From an ordinary glance, of course, she was still a Foundation Establishment Stage. However, there was faint feeling that Lin Xiao could detect the Ancient power within Princess Lan Yi Hua''s body.


    It was similar to him.


    And Princess Lan Yi Hua was also using it to hide the power within her body as if there was a great secret that she needed to hide.


    The thought crossed Lin Xiao''s head for a moment before he chuckled and raised his hand. He touched Princess Lan Yi Hua''s cheek. It felt soft and cold. "You work hard."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled sweetly. "So did you."


    "Did you find the treasure room."


    "En." Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded, her eyes flashed for a moment when she recalled those treasure rooms. Those might be the most dangerous moment in her entire life. "I found it through coincidence."


    "Coincidence?"


    "The ancient power within me are attracted to one side and I tried to tread inside carefully. Who would have thought that it''ll lead me to treasure room?" Princess Lan Yi Hua sighed but there was a glint in her eyes.


    "You seem to receive great benefit."


    "Mhm." Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes were full of confidence. Of course, she had grown stronger and this time, she would not lose easily. She eyed Lin Xiao from the corner of her eyes. "When we return, shall we have a duel?"


    Duel?


    Lin Xiao naturally smiled and nodded. "Sure!"


    He was not afraid of dueling with his friends. They had already sparred with each other a lot during the time they were in the cave since there was nothing much that they could do aside from absorbing the Qi.


    And it was not like they could absorb the Qi from the lake all day long. There was a limit to how much their body could take.


    During the time they needed to rest, they would either spar with each other or Lin Xiao had his lessons regarding knowledge with Princess Lan Yi Hua. She helped him to understand more of this world from time to time, allowing to catch up to many knowledge lessons he had missed.


    Still, there were a lot of them and it was not every single day that Lin Xiao could possibly have lessons. As a result, he still had a lot of gap in his knowledge, which Princess Lan Yi Hua helped to fill little by little.


    Cultivators couldn''t possibly live by simply secluding themselves and completely unaware of how the world worked.


    He had to learn.


    Lin Xiao turned his gaze to the front as he could see the beam of light in the middle of the room that he naturally ignored when he saw the others. It looked like a pillar that seemed to stem from the middle of the earth up to the sky.


    But of course, there was a ceiling in this Grand hall.


    Across the room, there were many other people but from the way it looked like, those people were younger than them and yet, their ranks were naturally higher.


    Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Golden Core Stage 1


    Golden Core Stage 2


    Their ages ranged from 12 to 20.


    If many of them didn''t know that most cultivators could only start their cultivator''s journey when they were 12 years old after building enough physical foundation, they would think that they were seeing wrongly.


    After all, a kid at 12 years old and had reached the Foundation Establishment�� how in the world they cultivated?


    Lin Xiao would naturally be as stumped as many others if only he didn''t see Ye Jian and Long Hao not long ago. But still, looking so many of them being younger and only some of them seemed to be in their twenties from other group�� still caused him to be feeling highly competitive.


    Eh, wait��


    "That''s Long Hao?" Lin Xiao muttered to herself.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded and smiled bitterly. "It seemed that somehow we all still meet each other again."


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. He got the urge to summon Lin Hu right now and questioned that dragon furiously.

 Chapter 323: Meeting Again

    "Lin Hu! You damn dragon! Didn''t you say that I won''t be affecting others to meet me again when I''m outside of Sun Kingdom? How come that I''m meeting with those from other kingdoms again here?"


    Lin Xiao really really wanted to cry.


    Long Hao was the youngest of the bunch in this room. The others were all mostly older than him but they were all still between 17 years old to 20 years old with majority of them were already Golden Core Stage 1 or even Golden Core Stage 2.


    Looking at himself, Lin Xiao really wished to return back and train again.


    He was already 18 years old and yet he was still at Foundation Establishment Stage, which naturally made him looked far weaker than the others. This was what made him really wished that he could just leave right away.


    "Wait, it''s not because of you!" Lin Hu was startled and quickly corrected Lin Xiao''s misconception.


    "Then��"


    "It''s because they''re attracted to the Secret Region! This is indeed the stage where the Secret Region is connected to many other places! It''s only a coincidence that both of you enter the Secret Region at the same time!" Lin Hu wanted to cry too. He didn''t expect this, alright?


    But looking at everyone in the room, even the strongest was only at Golden Core Stage 2. It seemed as if those at higher stage was not allowed to come inside.


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes. Normally, it would be fine but he was facing with Golden Core Stage 2, alright?


    He was fine with fighting against Golden Core Stage 1 as he still could defend himself even if he failed to defeat the others. He knew that he could defeat Golden Core stage 1 but it was only if they were all ordinary.


    If they were also geniuses?


    Lin Xiao would rather hope that he could get away safely first. After all, his priority lies in keeping his life save and if there was a chance in the future, he would try to defeat them with his own hand.


    But naturally, he would not force himself to do what he couldn''t do.


    "You''re saying that there''ll be competition?"


    "Yes!"


    If there was a competition, how in the world should he even defeat those at Golden Core Stage 2? Fighting against those two stages above him didn''t sound to be realistic and there were not many geniuses who were capable of such feat.


    He had heard some.


    But Lin Xiao didn''t think of himself as one of them. As of now, his best ability was only support, which was the fact that he could heal himself. With time, he could easily recover to the best of his ability and fight again.


    But what could he do if his opponent was overpowering him in every aspect?


    The only answer would be to run away as far and as fast as possible.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao. "I also noticed them here. It seems that this Secret Region is also connected to many other places."


    "Do you know their origins?"


    "Yes. Jade Snow Kingdom, the kingdom located north of Sun Kingdom, Bing Yue Kingdom, the kingdom next to it. We all four are located neighboring to each other and there are some conflicts amongst us regarding the territory. After that, there are mountain ranges that covered us from other areas, which prevent us from contacting other kingdoms except if we''re stronger than Golden Core Stage 3.


    Naturally, it was impossible for us to make breakthrough, which was why there was no contact. The only method was if someone were to enter here from outside and recruited us or if we can get out through the Secret Region."


    Get out through the Secret Region.


    It was one of the reasons why a lot of families were fighting so hard so that they could enter the Secret Region. After all, it might be their chance to send their geniuses outside and possibly get stronger.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua narrowed her eyes and looked at those who were considerably younger and yet more powerful. "I can''t say for sure where they come from, but I know that they''re outside the four kingdoms."


    Lin Xiao nodded. "How many kingdoms in total in your opinion?"


    "Three others."


    "Four."


    "Hmm?"


    "Long Hao is not amongst those three. I guess he come here through a series of coincidence." Lin Xiao pointed at Long Hao.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes flashed before she nodded. She had been thinking about this too but she could not guess whether Long Hao was with the others or not. It seemed that Lin Xiao managed to guess it.


    "Then I guess there are a total of 8 kingdoms here."


    "Yes."


    As the two talked, Long Hao also noticed them. He was astonished because he didn''t think that he would be meeting them once more. Glancing at the light for a moment, Long Hao then began to skip on the ground and reached Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua''s side.


    He smiled. "Greetings."


    "Greetings." The two of them were startled but they managed to react in time.


    Lin Xiao lowered his gaze and noticed that Long Hao''s aura had grown even stronger than before. It seemed that he managed to advance faster just in the past few months they were not meeting each other.


    ��How did he train, really?


    Seeing the doubt in Lin Xiao''s eyes, Long Hao grinned. He then extended his hand as words in ancient language flowed out before it formed an array around them. "Don''t worry, it''s just sound encapsulation array. It can help to block our sounds from reaching others people outside."


    Looking at the array, Lin Xiao then recalled Lin Hu''s reminder.


    "Why did he could use ancient word but I can''t?"


    "That''s naturally because his ancient power is stronger and that he had already learned how to use it since young. You have only come into contact not long ago, so stop hurrying yourself so much."


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched and he felt that he really need to beat up a certain dragon.

 Chapter 324: “Recruiting” Long Hao

    Long Hao smiled. "I didn''t expect that I''m going to meet with you two again. It''s really surprising."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. "Yes. I thought that you''re planning to return back to your kingdom when everything is over."


    Hearing that, Long Hao''s eyes flashed with coldness. He had planned that way too but the plan was not going so smoothly. "That''s the original plan but I didn''t expect that my cousins will send people to chase after me and attempted to kill me either."


    Lin Xiao was surprised. "Then, how did you end up here?"


    "I run away from their chase but being Foundation Establishment can be quite hard. There are so many people who are aiming for my life." Long Hao let out a cold laugh. "I stumbled upon a group of people who are preparing to enter and charged before them. Since I''m a master at Ancient Word, I managed to borrow its power to help me hide and complete the missions here."


    "I see." Lin Xiao seemed to pity some of the people who have their quota taken from them.


    "Anyway, can you help me out? If you help me, I promise that I''ll help you out in return." Long Hao looked at Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Why should I help you again, Little Hao?"


    Hearing that, Long Hao was speechless. But that''s true. They only met with each other once and at that time Lin Xiao had helped Long Hao out of kindness when they stumbled upon him who was dying.


    Now that they met each other again�� would he be that shameless to ask for help?


    Lin Xiao looked at Long Hao as he recalled the words that Lin Hu told him before. He was naturally intrigued about Long Family but it would certainly take a long time before he could find out more if not from the brat over here.


    It was just��


    How could he possibly ask bluntly to the brat about his family members? He didn''t want to seek death right here.


    Lin Xiao then looked at the array and slowly read out. "Heaven and earth, please listen to my humble request. Block the sound from within so that my enemies will not be able to hear what I''m talking about. Prevent my secrets from leaking out and protect me from harm."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao in confusion.


    On the other hand, Long Hao was looking at Lin Xiao as if he was looking at a monster. It was precisely the word that he was written on the ground but normal people should have never been able to read it much less understanding it.


    After all, even in the Long Family, the children needed to be tested for their aptitude first before they came into contact with the ancient word. If their aptitude was not good enough, they would never be able to learn how to write nor read it because it would only hamper their progress.


    Long Hao was one of the few who could read it.


    "How�� how did you read it?"


    "I can read ancient word." Lin Xiao looked at Long Hao with amusement. "Do you really think that I can pass all the obstacles to reach here if I don''t have some kind of ability with my current cultivation at Foundation Establishment Stage?"


    Long Ying was silent for a moment then looked at Lin Xiao for a moment. He then shook his head. "No, you normally couldn''t."


    He had seen the other people from weaker kingdoms who were mostly older. They only dared to attempt the Secret Region when they were above 20 years old, which was when they were already at Golden Core Stage 1.


    This way, they would not be facing too many danger and even if they did face some dangers, they would be able to deal with it.


    "Right. I also know some other things."


    "Hmm?" Long Hao had a bad feeling when he saw Lin Xiao''s smile.


    On the other hand, Princess Lan Yi Hua narrowed her eyes and prepared herself to defend in case Long Hao suddenly attack. She could guess that Lin Xiao was about to say something that was related to Long Hao''s secret and that it might be dangerous.


    "That the Long Family is the descendant of a Dragon Emperor in the past."


    Boom!


    An explosion occurred inside Long Hao''s head as he looked at Lin Xiao with disbelief. "That''s not possible! You should have never known about it!"


    Only those who lived in his kingdom should have known about this. Those from secluded areas such as Lin Xiao and the others should have never had a chance to even knew about it.


    Lin Xiao looked at Long Hao. "I also know that you can''t use the dragon power inside your body. The fact that the limitation exists make it difficult for you to use dragon word and so you can only use the ancient word."


    Long Hao was silent as he looked at Lin Xiao with utter disbelief. He really wanted to kill Lin Xiao right now to hide his secret but he could sense that Princess Lan Yi Hua was ready to attack him too.


    Even though Lin Xiao looked utterly relaxed, he knew that the young man was also preparing to attack him if it was necessary.


    This made him annoyed.


    In a fight of 2 against 1, he might not win.


    "What do you want?"


    "I can help you lift up the restriction." Lin Xiao''s lips curled up to form a smile.


    Long Hao looked at Lin Xiao and shook his head. "That''s not possible! There''s no way that you can lift the restriction. There are already so many people who claims that they could do so but they''re nothing but lies, I won''t fall for your trick."


    "I can make an oath to the Heaven that I can lift your restriction in exchange for you to acknowledge me as your Master."

 Chapter 325: Lifting the Restriction

    Princess Lan Yi Hua arched her eyebrows when she heard what Lin Xiao was saying. Her man was sure ambitious to be asking for a genius who was at the same cultivation level to be his disciple.


    But she liked this side of him.


    After all, it was widely known that master and disciple relationship was the closest. Disciples who dared to betray their master would be the public enemies because of how ungrateful they were.


    Because of that, everyone had to be careful when they picked a Master.


    On the other hand, Long Hao felt like vomiting blood when he heard what Lin Xiao said. He gritted his teeth. "Do you think I lack people who want to be my master."


    "But they won''t be able to lift the restriction, would they?" Lin Xiao sneered.


    "You��"


    Long Hao really wanted to smash Lin Xiao''s face to wipe that ugly grin from his face. He naturally knew that other people didn''t even know about the restriction. After all, the fact that there was a restriction was only known to the direct lineage and also those who had a chance to become the next head.


    They were also under the oath to never reveal this matter to the outsider unless the other party already knew about it. Doing so would result in their death immediately!


    All the others knew was that they were not even qualified to learn about it because the ancient power in their body was not strong enough. That way, even if there was someone who eventually betrayed Long Family, they would never be able to leak out the secret to outsider.


    "You don''t believe me?"


    "No."


    "Hmm, I can show you but you need to swear an oath that you''ll never reveal what you see and realized during this period of time." Lin Xiao looked at Long Hao.


    Long Hao looked at Lin Xiao. If it was only an oath to not reveal anything, it was not a big deal for him. He nodded and sworn an oath under the gaze of both Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    It was only after Long Hao had sworn his oath that Lin Xiao raised his hand. He casually wrote some letters but Long Hao''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    Dragon words!


    It was a secret to many others, but Long Hao knew that there was very limited people who could use Dragon words. They were either the Dragon Emperor himself or those who have received their blessings. If not them, it could only be the dragons, beast dragons.


    But Lin Xiao was obviously not a dragon. He was 100% humans, who probably have some ancient power that was mixed in his bloodline.


    But the fact that he could use Dragon words had told Long Hao something.


    The person in front of him�� could possibly be the Dragon Emperor who hadn''t risen to take his throne yet!


    At this thought, Long Hao was incomparably excited. The fact that he was not allowed to leak this to outsiders didn''t bother him in the slightest bit because he knew very well what it means to have the Dragon Emperor himself to be his Master.


    It meant that he would be someone who were standing above all others.


    So what if the current Dragon Emperor was only at the same stage as him?


    It was publicly known that Dragon Emperor was slow in their early progress but when it came to later stages, they would be a genius that was blinding everyone who looked at them. They were the peak of the peak!


    No one could possibly compare to the Dragon Emperor!


    Swish!


    Before Long Hao could finish his thoughts, the word that Lin Xiao written on the air flew to Long Hao''s forehead. The restriction that was placed on his bloodline relaxed a bit and the powerful stream of dragon power that was previously restricted flew out freely.


    It was so powerful that Long Hao emitted powerful aura just from the moment he noticed.


    ''AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaah!''


    It was so comfortable! Long Hao felt as if the shackle in his body had been lifted. Even though only a small gap was opened, it would continue to let him use his dragon power and increase his ability substantially.


    Looking at Lin Xiao, who was standing amicably, Long Hao''s lips curled up to form a smile. He then kowtowed on the ground, bowing towards Lin Xiao.


    "Disciple Long Hao greets Master!"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked with interest in her eyes as she turned to look at Lin Xiao. She didn''t expect that he would really be able to attract Long Hao to become his disciple and from the way it looked like, Long Hao ability would be substantial for Lin Xiao too.


    At the very least, at the current stage, the two of them would have similar cultivation level and for the time being Lin Xiao also wouldn''t be able to teach much to Long Hao about cultivation.


    But when one talked about the usage of Dragon Power and the understanding of dragon words�� no one could possibly surpass Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao smiled. He got Long Hao to be following him.


    Master and disciple relationship was undoubtedly the closest after husband and wife. After all, being a master and disciple meant that they would not betray each other. At the very least, if a disciple dared to betray their master, they would be incurring punishment from the Heaven and also from others.


    No one would want to get close to someone who could even betray their own master.


    After all, if one could even betray their master, the one who was supposedly the closest to them and also the one who had taught them their pat as cultivator, how easy would it be for them to betray others?


    They wouldn''t want to get close with that kind of double edged words.


    Those people would never be able to gain trust from others ever again, thus they naturally became the public enemy.

 Chapter 326: The Long Family

    "No regret?" Lin Xiao asked as he looked at Long Hao, who had stood up. He was still very happy right now.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua also looked at Long Hao while ignoring the obvious gaze from others around them. They were curious as to what they were talking about as there were not even a sound that came out.


    From the way it looked like, their action of conversing with each other had already attracted the attention of many others in the same room.


    Long Hao shook his head. His eyes were looking at Lin Xiao with fervor.


    What a joke, how would he ever regret accepting the future Dragon Emperor as his master? It was not like one could only have one master in their entire life but in terms of Dragon Power and the comprehension of ancient power, no one could rival Dragon Emperor.


    Even those who obtained inheritance from ancient beast might not be having so many comprehension regarding the use of ancient word. They would only understand a bit because most of the time, the inheritance was simply them receiving power that could allow them to grow stronger faster.


    Emperor''s Inheritance was the only one that would pass along the knowledge of ancient times and a brand new language to them.


    "Master, does it mean I''ll be able to start using Dragon Power now?" Long Hao asked excitedly. His face flushed a bit, showing his excessive excitement at the thought that he would be able to use his Dragon Power.


    It was a dream come true for him as he had been longing to be able to use Dragon Power ever since he was young. No, it was the dream of many people from Long Family but not everyone could possibly achieve it.


    "Yes. For the time being, you should get used to the Dragon Power in your body and circulate it along with your daily practice. It''ll continue to strengthen your body. When the amount in your body is quite substantial, I''ll tell you how to guide it and to use it to strengthen a certain part."


    Honestly, for this one, every royal family member in Sun Kingdom was capable of doing it by themselves. It didn''t require them to be taught as they could sense it and guide it by themselves.


    However, the amount of Dragon power in Long Hao body was quite a lot. Not to mention, his body was still not used to it. Unlike the Royal Family member of Sun Kingdom, Long Hao''s body had never come into contact with the Dragon Power before this.


    He would need time to get used with the newfound power in his body.


    "Yes, Master!"


    Long Hao was still incomparably excited. If only he was not under the oath, he would surely want to brag to others about this matter.


    But of course, he also knew that it would be impossible for him to brag for the time being. Lin Xiao''s cultivation stage was still the same as him, which meant that it was still a long way to go before Lin Xiao could reach stage that could rival those old powerhouses.


    Licking his lips, Long Hao anticipated that moment.


    "Right, since you''re now my disciple, I need to know more about Long Family. I don''t think I can possibly send you back right away, right?" Lin Xiao looked at Long Hao.


    Long Hao was startled then he shook his head bitterly. Looking at the environment in this area, he was quite dejected because he knew that it would be hard for him to cultivate to reach high stage here.


    Not to mention�� that restriction would prevent him from advancing above Golden Core Stage 3.


    "Long Family is a big clan with thousands or even more people inside. However, the core members are only around 200 people, each of us have our own roles. 100 of them are elders, 50 are guards, the rest have some other important position and amongst us there are 10 who are the candidates of the next head."


    Long Hao pointed to himself. "I''m included in those 10. We''re all similar in age�� well with some differences. The youngest so far are 10 years old and the oldest are already 18 years old. We''ll be competing in the future to determine which one amongst us will be the most suitable one to be the head of Long Family."


    Lin Xiao looked at Long Hao. "How much time you have?"


    "The selection will start when all of us passed the trial they prepared. Uhm, it''s a bit difficult to explain the trial but rather than competing our cultivation level, it''s more about competing our comprehension and also our understanding regarding ancient word."


    Looking at the array that Long Hao formed, Lin Xiao came to understand a bit. It was no wonder that Long Hao was focusing so much in the arrays��


    Wait, if he was not even putting cultivating as his main priority, how in the world did he train to reach this stage?


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched.


    Damn geniuses.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was listening with interest. She didn''t know much about the outside world and naturally, it was very interesting in her opinion.


    "Ancient word and not Dragon word?"


    Long Hao''s face looked complicated. "Naturally, if we can use Dragon word, we''ll be able to pass the stage easier but it''ll reveal to them that I managed to break the restriction. If I have to explain how I do that�� I''ll have to reveal your existences, Master."


    Oh��right.


    Lin Xiao scratched his head. He pointed to the array. "Can you understand each word that you have written here? When I read it out, you seem to be very surprised but you don''t look like you know the exact meaning."


    Long Hao nodded. "We''re all taught how to read and write ancient word in terms of array. That way, we''ll be able to use it for battle and also to protect ourselves. There are around 100 or so basic arrays that we all have to master."

 Chapter 327: The Secret Region’s Secret

    Lin Xiao''s face looked strange. They had to learn it in the form of array?


    "Does it mean you can''t understand each individual meaning?"


    "It''s not impossible but we don''t know the meaning of all arrays and only some of them are known. Even this one." Long Hao pointed to the one on the ground. "I only know the word sound and the sentence ''Block the sound from within so that my enemies will not be able to hear what I''m talking about.''


    The opening sequence is always the same but the Elder can''t determine what its real meaning. They couldn''t even write properly at times because the word seemed to be so powerful, which we guess to be Heaven."


    And based on what you said before, it''s indeed that word. Long Hao added in his heart but he didn''t speak it out.


    "The third sentence should be an additional explanation but we didn''t always manage to crack it. The elders told us to memorize it as it is, so we don''t know the exact meaning for most of them. After all, the writing of ancient word can be�� different even for the same word."


    The reading was the same but Long Hao noticed that similar to their own language, even the same reading can mean differently. Not to mention, when the word was different and yet it has the same meaning.


    Lin Xiao nodded. The ancient language was used for many beasts to communicate and it contained so many words�� if they were to decipher one by one, it would take ages for them to even understand a sentence.


    It might be the reason why Long Family didn''t even manage to finish the translation and thus only knowing the middle one.


    ''Heaven and earth, please listen to my humble request. Block the sound from within so that my enemies will not be able to hear what I''m talking about. Prevent my secrets from leaking out and protect me from harm.''


    After all, just like this one, the middle one was the one that revealed the real purpose of the array. It could be guessed based on them trying out.


    "That''s true."


    "Then��"


    "I''ll teach you after we''re out of here." Lin Xiao shrugged. He couldn''t possibly teach Long Hao in the face of so many other cultivators.


    "Oh." Long Hao then realized that they were still in the Secret Region and purposely pressed down his own curiosity and eagerness. He knew that this would be a secret and talking in front of so many others would be hard.


    "Master, if we want to get out of this Secret Region, we need to finish all the test."


    "I can guess that much��" Lin Xiao began to think that everyone was treating him as an idiot. Did they think that he didn''t know that they had to finish the test if they wanted to get out?


    "No, I mean, the next test is not ordinary." Long Hao was naturally knowledgeable when it came to Secret Regions because Long Family had several Secret Regions under them. He had already visited several and even had the detailed method of how to pass each test.


    Thanks to that, he could deduce that this Secret Region was not ordinary.


    "Is there any ordinary test so far?" Lin Xiao was doubtful.


    Long Hao: "��"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua shook her head. "It''s not that much in your place, I presume, Long Hao?"


    "Yes." Long Hao looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua and Lin Xiao. Considering how Lin Xiao was willing to let this woman hear their entire conversation, could this be the woman whom Lin Xiao set his heart to?


    Hmm, he had to make sure to get close to Princess Lan Yi Hua then.


    "Then, how much is unordinary in your opinion?" Lin Xiao was baffled.


    "The next test will be more dangerous because we might be pitted against each other." Long Hao looked at the light pillar. His eyes narrowed. "This pillar will be the time limit. When the test start, we will have to kill each other in this room."


    Kill?


    Both Princess Lan Yi Hua and Lin Xiao were stunned speechless. They had been thinking that there must be something special but they didn''t think that it would be this way�� wait, if it was a killing request, wouldn''t they all die?


    Looking at those who were already at Golden Core Stage 2, the two of them looked at each other.


    The chance of survival didn''t seem to be so high right now.


    "We can work together and there are some arrays that I can make too." Long Hao smiled brightly. He was confident that he could fight against Golden Core Stage 2 and making an array to protect himself didn''t sound to be that difficult.


    Lin Xiao nodded but his heart was bleeding right now.


    He had been hearing from Lin Hu that geniuses who could kill two stages above him or her was a very powerful genius. And Lin Xiao was still a distance away from that stage��


    But now��


    His own disciple was of that stage.


    Boohoo! That''s why he wanted to be Fire Dragon Emperor or whatever other dragons'' Emperor rather than Lake!


    Lin Hu scoffed when he heard Lin Xiao''s thoughts. He had been despised by many of those who got Emperor''s Inheritance as many of them didn''t realize how lucky they were to be Lake Dragon Emperor.


    Unfortunately, the explanation didn''t seem to be plausible right now.


    "Are there other methods?"


    "There are some protective arrays in this room." Lin Xiao sighed. He pointed to some engravings on the ground. "Some are meant for killing while some are meant for protection. I think it''s given for boost for us."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at the ground thoughtfully. She then turned to look at Lin Xiao. "I can''t recognize them."


    "I''ll teach you. Let''s meet with the others first, they should also learn about your cooperation with us." Lin Xiao glanced at Long Hao then he thought about his own older brother��


    How should he explain this matter?

 Chapter 328: Defend, Attack, Recover

    As expected, the others were speechless when Lin Xiao told them that he had become Long Hao Master. If it was Princess Lan Yi Hua who became his master, the others might not be that surprised.


    But Lin Xiao��


    What did that brat see in this unreliable person?


    Of course, Lin Xiao was ready to refute anyone who dared to look down on him. He would make sure that he could live up the expectation as Long Hao''s master, though it might not be in terms of cultivation since Long Hao''s knowledge might even better than him.


    "So, these markings on the ground meant something?" Prince Lin Yan chose to interrogate Lin Xiao later and focused on another matter.


    As more and more people entered the room, he noticed that the light pillar grew brighter. It might need to reach a certain number before the test could start or it was simply waiting for everyone who were still alive to enter this room.


    Lin Xiao nodded. He glanced at Long Hao and the latter swiftly formed that Sound Insulation Array.


    "There are three words: Defend, Attack, Recover. This the writing for each." With ease, Lin Xiao copied the writing but he purposely didn''t completely copy them. He could sense that once he completed it, it would activate directly and probably even sucked up most of his power.


    As the current him, he was still incapable of even activating one.


    The others also looked around to compare what Lin Xiao was writing with the words on the ground. Their eyes focused.


    "What do you think it''ll mean?"


    "I don''t know but we might need to stand on top of one of them when the instruction is given." Lin Xiao shrugged.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded then turned to look at the pillar. "You can give instruction to us if you deem it necessary."


    "Alright. If you don''t know which one you need to step on, shout 0. I''ll try to figure out how to deal with it."


    If Lin Xiao had to be honest, he was also unsure regarding this matter. Looking at the pillar in front of him and also the engravings on the ground, he knew that it would not be enough for everyone in this room.


    The number of engravings were limited.


    Swish!


    At this moment, a cultivator entered the room.


    BOOM!


    The ground shook and the pillar shone brighter before a laugher rang out. Everyone was on guard as they looked at the center pillar and tried their best to stay as calm as possible. They all didn''t know what they would face next.


    "The next test�� is your reaction speed. Pick any of the engravings to stand on and face the attacks!"


    Pick any?


    Lin Xiao''s mind rotated as he gave instruction directly. "Pick one that will complement your weakness."


    The others swiftly moved. Princess Lan Yi Hua stood on the defend one, Lin Xiao stood on the attack, Prince Lin Yan stood on recovery, Prince Lin San stood on attack, Long Hao stood on recovery, Xia Ye stood on recovery too, and Hu Fei stood on recovery.


    Because they took most of the recovery ones, they stood far away from each other and didn''t seem to be able to cooperate with each other.


    The others also scampered to stand on top of the engravings near them. When all of them were filled, some unfortunate people were still unable to find any and looked helpless. They gritted their teeth and began to attack the weakest of the bunch.


    "DIE!"


    Lin Xiao noticed that someone was trying to attack him. He rolled his eyes as his hand punched forward.


    Mountain Punch, Fourth Stance!


    The man was flung to the back. He was already at Golden Core Stage 1 but it was clear that if Lin Xiao wanted to, he could overpower them. Mountain Punch relied greatly on the sharpness, so it meant that it would be easy for him to injure the other party greatly.


    Just as the man wanted to attack again, the engravings below Lin Xiao shone, formed attack array around him.


    "This..."


    Lin Xiao looked at the array and seemed to understand that they had to use one that would help them to face the attacks.


    After him, several others array also lit up. It seemed that it depended on how long they could stand on the array for it to activate.


    The youth looked desperate and rushed over to others.


    Clang! Clang! Bang!


    The sound of fighting filled the room and those who still didn''t get the array were those of the weaker bunch. They failed to even grab one because they were not fast enough or not strong enough.


    The others in Lin Xiao''s group had already had their array activated. With their current power, it was clear that they were all capable to defend themselves. Unless they were attacked by Golden Core Stage 2��


    But those of Golden Core Stage 2 all had already gotten their array and would not try to meddle with the others anymore when it was unnecessary like this.


    "Kill!"


    "Die!"


    "Give me the slot!"


    "AAAAAa!"


    The fierce battle continued until the last array was filled with one person who was slightly luckier than others. He was not wounded that terribly and managed to protect the array until it was activated.


    "Yes!"


    "NO!"


    The others were despairing. At this moment, the ground rumbled and those who were not in the position of the arrays fell into the deep abyss below them. Their screams filled the rooms where the others were standing patiently.


    "AAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"


    "Noooooooo!"


    Lin Xiao watched everything as he stood calmly in his small pillar. If he moved even a little bit, it would mean his death. No one knew how deep the abyss were but from the screams that followed the youngsters��


    They were all falling to their death down there.


    ''What a cruel elimination.'' Those weaker ones were all eliminated right away with this method and those who were left were those who have higher chance of survival.

 Chapter 329: Defend, Attack, Recover (2)

    At this moment, the voice boomed once more. "Your next task is to stay standing for the next hour until the light completely dimmed."


    "Only standing?" One youth couldn''t help but ask.


    The voice didn''t answer but at this moment, several shadows came out from the light pillar. The number of the shadow was similar to the number of the arrays and each of them came to each of them.


    Swish!


    The pillar around Lin Xiao helped to attack but the shadow was moving fast. Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed as he took out his sword and put it in front of him with defensive position. The pillar below him was only enough for him to ready his stance but not wide enough for him to do anything fancy.


    It meant that their task would be to defend the other party.


    Clang!


    Thrusting forward, Lin Xiao probed the shadow''s strength. Thanks to the pillar already helped him to attack, Lin Xiao noticed that the shadow''s movement was limited as it tried to evade the attack.


    Occasionally, the attack reached Lin Xiao.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fourth Stance!


    Clang! Clang! Slash!


    Some of the shadow''s attack reached Lin Xiao but he quickly circulated his Nourishing Lake Technique. Added with his body high recovery ability, his wounds heal in no time even with the shadow''s frantic attack.


    Defend!


    That was the task that these people were forced to do.


    The arrays would only help them slightly. For examples, the attacking array allowed the shadow to move slower, thus making it possible for them to have a breathing while the array helped them with the attack. The defending array would help them to defend some of the rapid attack but not everything.


    As for the recovery array�� it would help them to recover much faster that allowed them to stay alive even when they were facing the shadow''s attack.


    ''Is the shadow much more powerful than me?'' Lin Xiao asked as he switched his stance and moved once more.


    Mountain Sword, Fourth Stance!


    ''It''s at least 2 ranks above you.'' Lin Hu was calm. He was looking at the other geniuses and sneered. Only real geniuses would be able to face the attack of an opponent that was two ranks higher than them. Many of the others couldn''t stand firm in their place and blown down.


    "Aaaaaaaaaa!"


    As the scream of the failing people increased, the light had dimmed considerably. Lin Xiao naturally didn''t pay attention to others as he was busy fighting on his own. The shadow was powerful and if he was not careful enough, he would be thrown out of this small pillar.


    If it was any other time, Lin Xiao would have used his movement technique and flee far away so that he could keep his life.


    it was just impossible this time if he wanted to pass the test.


    Bang!


    The sound of explosion rang near him. Lin Xiao was tempted to turn and look but he knew that it would be distraction.


    ''What should I do?''


    A cultivator couldn''t always only focus on the opponent before them. In the wilderness, it was clear that they would have to face so many other opponents who took advantage of them.


    With a deep breath, Lin Xiao started to divide his attention. A small part of his consciousness was warily watching the others. The cultivator who previously stood beside him had crumbled down because of the attack. He was standing at the edge and defended furiously.


    Lin Xiao naturally didn''t pay much attention to the side as he swiftly switched his stance and defended.


    Clang!


    The sound of blade clashing could be heard. Lin Xiao noticed the shadow before him was moving faster and leaving afterimages. It was nerve wrecking and Lin Xiao himself knew that he had to train himself to notice them.


    Defend! Again! And again!


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    Series of attack continued to ring out in the entire place. As the light turned dimmer, Lin Xiao realized that he had to rely on his other senses to detect the enemy that was lurking in the darkness.


    It was both thrilling and scary.


    He stood firm in his place as he used his Qi to carefully assess his surrounding while paying more attention to the shadow before him. His movement carefully made sure that the shadow couldn''t attack him easily.


    However, wounds continued to increase even though they were not fatal. It was hard for Lin Xiao to guess the trajectory correctly.


    ''I have to train in the darkness next.''


    Lin Xiao gritted his teeth. He didn''t want to allow darkness to be his weakness. Assassination mostly occurred in the dark and he had to make sure that he could detect his enemies in the darkness even if they were moving at rapid speed.


    Clang! Slash!


    ''Just how long would this last?''


    Lin Xiao had begun to feel weary, yet his movement didn''t falter in the slightest bit. No matter how tired he was, he would not allow himself be defeated by his fatigue and weakness.


    There was no way he would allow himself be weak!


    Bang!


    There was sudden tremor on the ground followed by the sound of laughter. "Good, the time is up. Now, enjoy your reward."


    With that, every single one of them was enveloped by some kind of force, one that didn''t allow them to even resist. Lin Xiao couldn''t do anything but to let himself be taken away from his current position.


    Before he knew it, Lin Xiao had arrived in a large room. There was only one table at the front and several others were also standing around him. The geniuses were all feeling extremely tired as they had battled with their lives on the line.


    Swish!


    A shadow moved before Lin Xiao. Just as Lin Xiao was prepared to attack, he recognized the other party.


    "Master, how is it?" Long Hao asked with cheerful tone.


    Looking at how Long Hao was still able to move with ease, nearly all of them was looking at the kid with horror.


    How in the world that brat managed to stay energetic?

 Chapter 330: Befitting of an Emperor

    Looking at how Long Hao was still able to move with ease, nearly all of them was looking at the kid with horror.


    How in the world that brat managed to stay energetic?


    Lin Xiao also felt his mind blanked for a bit before he recalled what Long Hao said to him before. Golden Core Stage 2 was nothing for Long Hao because his family had rules that everyone had to be able to fight against Golden Core Stage 2 when they were still at Foundation Establishment.


    With the addition of the array to help, the examination just now was nothing but a walk on the park for Long Hao.


    Lin Xiao: "��" I feel that I''m going to be overtaken by my disciple soon.


    Lin Hu scoffed. It was more like, Lin Xiao never had the qualification to be the boy''s master except in the area of teaching the language and also the ancient power. Aside from that�� Lin Xiao was too poor.


    "I''m fine." Lin Xiao nodded. With the Nourishing Lake Technique working on full speed inside his body, Lin Xiao''s wound had mostly healed. For someone like him, as long as he was not wounded fatally, it was not a big deal.


    Long Hao looked at how fast Lin Xiao healed and his eyes shone in astonishment. Even in his clan, to be able to heal wounds within such a short period of time was very queer and amazing. Not everyone was capable to do that.


    It was usually related to some secret technique or some kind of special characteristic one might be born with. One thing for sure, it was uncommon.


    "What was that from before?" Hu Fei asked while trembled slightly. For sure, he had no intention of repeating the same thing ever again. He felt his life flashed before his eyes a few times during the time he fought that shadow.


    "Test?"


    "Test?" Princess Lan Yi Hua blinked her eyes. She looked at the table before them and nodded. "It''s not impossible."


    "How many people survived?" Lin Xiao swept his gaze and noticed that there were only around 40 to 50 people who managed to survive including them. His lips twitched at the high rate of elimination.


    There were a lot of people who came here and most of them had died.


    "Hei Ye."


    "Yes?" Xia Ye had already arrived and swiftly moved to Lin Xiao''s side. Thanks to his training with Prince Lin San, he had long gotten used to move at rapid speed.


    Those who had dark element as their main element would be able to traverse through shadows. It was one of the main method for them to evade their opponents and it was also thanks to this characteristic that many of them could end up becoming an assassin and survived for a long time in that type of work.


    "Gather here for now." Prince Lin Yan was paying close attention to the others and his brows furrowed. Most of others who survived were already at Golden Core Stage 2. Considering their current capabilities, it was impossible for them to defeat someone at Golden Core Stage 2.


    They had to grow stronger faster if they wanted to contend against a cultivator at Golden Core Stage 2.


    They were only 7 people with two of them at Golden Core Stage 2 while the other five were at Foundation Establishment. While Long Hao could possibly fight against Golden Core Stage 2, the other four might only able to fight against one and might still be at disadvantages.


    The other group from Hua Lan Kingdom consist of several people, around 4 or 5 at Golden Core Stage 3. Lei Xing Yi, Mu Xiao Ya, Sang Guan, Pei Chuan, and another one they didn''t know.


    Should a fight break out, it was almost impossible that they would be able to fight against them and still have the upper hand.


    Those from other kingdoms, such as Jade Snow Kingdom and also Bing Yue Kingdom also only have 4 to 5 people left in their group. On the other hand, those from the other kingdoms had around 20 people or so left in their group. Even if they might come from different group, they were still at overwhelming number.


    ''Just from the survival rate alone, it''s clear that they have better cultivation and ability compared to those from Sun Kingdom.''


    Lin Xiao was silently watching those people. His lips curled up. How interesting. He had to make sure that he would be able to grow stronger and stronger so that he could overtake them.


    So what if they came from a place with more resources than him?


    When he became the Emperor, he would create a lake so that those people could grow stronger. He wouldn''t believe that with this method, those in Sun Kingdom wouldn''t grow more powerful.


    ''Hmm?''


    Lin Hu noticed that Lin Xiao''s emotion was stirred and that there was something breaking. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the core of the Dragon Power within Lin Xiao''s body. Unlike many other geniuses, Lin Xiao''s dragon power was actually so enormous that it had to be sealed.


    It was unknown who sealed it but that person did it well and the Dragon Power that was flowing in Lin Xiao''s body was only above average.


    Ordinary people wouldn''t notice but those like Prince Lin San who had Eyes of Truth would be able to notice. Lin Hu had the inkling that even from the moment of Lin Xiao''s birth, it was already predestined that he would obtain Emperor''s Inheritance.


    The seal was slowly opening, providing more Dragon Power into Lin Xiao''s body.


    ''So this brat still has thoughts that befitting of an Emperor.''


    Lin Hu snorted. And here he thought that Lin Xiao was more of a bratty brat who didn''t know how to use his power well. Now that it was like this, it was clear that he had thoughts that suited him to be an Emperor.


    But it was only the beginning.


    There were still many seals left. It was unknown how many years would it take for Lin Xiao to be a proper Emperor.

 Chapter 331: The Reward

    But it was only the beginning.


    There were still many seals left. It was unknown how many years would it take for Lin Xiao to be a proper Emperor.


    The group were all looking at each other warily as they regrouped back to their original group. Prince Lin Yan''s expression was grave because he understood that if they tried to fight, they would not be able to gain the upper hand in the battle.


    Boom!


    The table shook as there was a voice sounded. "You can all got a reward for passing the stage. Now, you have two choices: First, you can choose to continue fighting and those with high rank will get more reward! Second, you can choose to withdraw and leave with your treasure back to your home! I''ll send you near the entrance!"


    CHOOSE!


    The voice boomed in their mind as if giving them warning while also tempting them to move forward.


    Who wouldn''t want more reward?


    But before they all could make their choices, light flashed to their head. Lin Xiao was stunned speechless when he realized what he saw. It was a set of movement that would further increase his recovery.


    Recovery Lake Technique!


    The technique that was inserted into Lin Xiao''s head was complementing the Nourishing Lake Technique that he had learned before. If the two techniques could work together, Lin Xiao knew that his recovery ability would increase even more.


    It will be very hard for other cultivators to kill him!


    However, it would take time before Lin Xiao could fully use the technique that he was given in. It was clear that he would need some time before he could practice it and right now, his combat ability was still not high enough!


    "What''s your decision?" Prince Lin Yan asked as he glanced to the others.


    "Retreat��" Lin Xiao was the first to reply. His tone was unwilling but he knew himself well. If he chose to continue and faced with a Golden Core Stage Cultivator Stage 2�� he might even die.


    This Secret Region had already killed so many people who entered the place. Continuing it would not bring him too many benefit.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. "Retreat."


    "Retreat." Prince Lin San didn''t even have any hesitation in his decision. His main ability was not combat but rather escaping. If not because of Prince Lin Yan forcing him to move forward and fought that brutal battle, he would have long escaped far away and never even tried to bet with his life.


    Thankfully, it had helped him to greatly increase his ability.


    Xia Ye also nodded. "Retreat."


    He was more into following Lin Xiao and besides, he knew very well that his current capability was simply not enough to face those monsters. It would take him some more time before he could possibly contend against those geniuses.


    "I''ll retreat too." Prince Lin Yan nodded. He was glad that they still understand that they were not a match for those people and willingly step back. Based on what he had seen so far, he could see that those geniuses were not tired at all. They probably hadn''t used their ability to the fullest yet during the time of the previous stages.


    Hu Fei was stunned when he saw them all backing out. He looked at his best friend with resentment as he still wanted to continue. The reward�� was simply so enormous that he felt like salivating.


    "Do you still want to continue even when you know that you''ll die?" Prince Lin Yan spat out.


    "Tsk. I''ll retreat." Hu Fei clicked his tongue. He understood very well that the regions after this was not one that he could possibly traverse as the current him. It would take him some time before he could possibly contend against them.


    Despite they were all of the same rank, they were still very different.


    Long Hao yawned and shrugged. "I''ll back out. It''s boring here."


    The others: "��" only you can say something like that.


    For Long Hao, the skill set that was given to him through the light probably didn''t worth that much. He only entered here through sabotaging the genius who came, though.


    "Eh wait, if he''ll bring us back to the entrance�� does it mean that I''ll be separated from you?" Long Hao was stunned when he realized a problem.


    Lin Xiao scratched the back of his head before nodding. "It should be."


    "Damn it�� I''ll make my way to you, then, Master. You just wait for me!"


    "Ok."


    Honestly, Lin Xiao was not totally sure how long it would take for Long Hao to finally find Lin Xiao. Not to mention, Lin Xiao would be going back to Sun Kingdom soon.


    Long Hao then furrowed his brows when he recalled the enemies that was waiting for him. He glanced at the table as he grinned. "Well, I''ll continue then. If I stay here, I might be able to get some reward and train myself to reach Golden Core Stage 1. At that time, those b*stards who want to kill me won''t be able to freely attack anymore."


    Lin Xiao then glanced at the table. He nodded. "Alright. Good luck Long Hao."


    "Don''t worry, Master. I''ll get out alive and��."


    "The next stage can last for a year or more," Princess Lan Yi Hua interjected. She knew that there was once someone who managed to overcome the next stage and returned after the brutal battle. He didn''t manage to pass many but it had provided him with plenty of reward.


    Long Hao''s face faltered a bit. He gritted his teeth. "So what? It''s better to train here rather than outside where the Qi is so scarce!"


    "��Up to you."


    "You��"


    Boom!


    "Those who wish to stay, step forward!"


    Prince Lin Yan paid more attention to the other group. Upon seeing that the other four from Hua Lan Kingdom chose to stay behind, his face turned solemn. There might be a battle that would ensue soon.

 Chapter 332: Fight Against Demonic Cultivator

    Swish!


    Once they had decided, it was clear that they were all sent back to their respective place. Lin Xiao noticed that he was once more in the light path and the area where they stayed just now were just in front of them.


    BANG!


    Even before he stepped forward, he looked to the side and saw that the others have started to fight.


    Hu Fei sneered and jumped back as he blocked the attack from Sang Guan and also Pei Chuan. "You''re already impatient to snatch my treasure, Sang Guan?!"


    "A trash like you don''t deserve any of the reward."


    Swish!


    At this moment, Xia Ye also swiftly moved and evaded the attack from Mu Xiao Ya. Lei Xing Yi was also there but she didn''t participate in the attack.


    "What are you doing standing still like that?"


    "Oh." Lei Xing Yi''s movement was slow and sluggish. It looked as if she was trying hard to not move from her position yet she was still moving forward to attack.


    Swish!


    Using some kind of technique, Xia Ye appeared right beside Lin Xiao. Sweat was pouring on his back. "Master."


    "Let''s get out of here."


    "You won''t be able to get out of safely!" Mu Xiao Ya suddenly appeared before them and Lin Xiao raised his sword.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fifth Stance!


    Dark Blood Fist!


    Bang!


    The two attacks collided and Lin Xiao nearly entered the labyrinth once more. He gritted his teeth and looked forward. On the narrow path, it was clear that Mu Xiao Ya had the advantage. She was already at Golden Core Stage 2 and Lin Xiao was clearly not his match.


    Twins'' Horns!


    Swish! Clang!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua swiftly moved to their place from the fire path. Her eyes gleamed slightly as she looked at Mu Xiao Ya. The increase of strength that Mu Xiao Ya showed was far above what she ever expected in her entire life.


    ''Demonic cultivator huh��''


    Swish!


    Mu Xiao Ya evaded lightly and sneered. "Do you think such a cheap attack will be able to defeat me?"


    Blood of the Full Moon!


    Bang!


    The attack landed on the ground as Lin Xiao swiftly tried to evade. He gritted his teeth as he saw Lei Xing Yi was also on her way to them. There was no time to waste!


    Bang!


    On the side, Hu Fei was not in any better condition as he fought against Sang Guan and Pei Chuan by himself. He turned to the back and yelled out, "You damn, Lin Yan! Come and help me!"


    "You don''t need help." Prince Lin Yan moved to the light path as his fingers stretched forward. Threads started to form from his fingertips, stretching towards Lin Xiao''s direction.


    "Xia Ye, move to San!"


    Xia Ye didn''t want to leave Lin Xiao but he had already trained to follow whatever decision Lin Xiao made and swiftly disappeared from his position. It didn''t take long before he appeared before Prince Lin San, who was riding the wind to move from his path towards the middle.


    "Hang on!" Prince Lin San shouted. He raised his hand as wind started to form around him, forming barrier and at the same time increased his speed.


    Behind him, Xia Ye was also pulled forward as they headed towards the middle.


    "You won''t be able to get away!" Mu Xiao Ya shouted and screamed. With her finger pointed at Lin Xiao, she executed another move.


    Blood of the Full Moon!


    Lin Xiao gritted his teeth as he executed the highest move of Chilling Lake Sword he was capable of.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Sixth Stance!


    The sixth stance caused the temperature to drop as the attack hurled towards Mu Xiao Ya. The two attack clashed in the middle but Lin Xiao was still incapable to stop the ferocity of the waves from Mu Xiao Ya.


    Bang!


    The attack was heading towards him but Prince Lin Yan managed to catch him with the threads and pulled him to the neighboring path. With the thread, Prince Lin San threw Lin Xiao towards the middle and looked at Mu Xiao Ya.


    "I''m your opponent now."


    "Threads?" Mu Xiao Ya narrowed her eyes as she looked at Prince Lin Yan. Afterwards, a cruel smile formed at the corner of her lips. "My my, are you also a Demonic Cultivator? If you''re one, shouldn''t you be helping me now?"


    "Demonic Cultivator?" Prince Lin Yan sneered. "I''ll not fall that low!"


    Swish!


    Bang!


    The two of them launched their attack at the same time and caused destruction on wherever their attack went.


    Lin Xiao was resisting the urge to curse as he noticed Lei Xing Yi was heading to his way. Her figure flashed and swiftly reached him.


    ''Wind?''


    He didn''t have the time to think, though. Executing Moon Evasion midair, Lin Xiao forced himself to move faster.


    Moon Evasion! Moon Evasion! Moon Evasion!


    Bang!


    Landing on the ground crudely, Lin Xiao noticed that the others have arrived.


    "Lin Xiao!" Princess Lan Yi Hua called out. Her eyes were looking at Lin Xiao with worry as her twin swords were already ready to be used once more.


    "I''m alright."


    "Twin swords��" Lei Xing Yi stood before them. Her eyes turned red as she focused on the swords that Princess Lan Yi Hua held in her arm. The number of people who could use twin swords were very limited.


    Lei Xing Yi tilted her head. "Princess Lan Yi Hua��."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows as she looked at Lei Xing Yi. The girl looked very different from how she used to be. It made her a bit confused.


    "You�� Demonic Puppet?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked in low tone.


    Demonic Puppet?


    Lin Xiao''s heart skipped a beat when he recalled where he had heard that before. It was a forbidden technique that allowed the user to control other people and known to be very dangerous because the one who got controlled could fall into insanity.

 Chapter 333: Fight Against Demonic Cultivator (2)

    "Are you serious?" Lin Xiao asked as he jumped up. He could feel his legs screaming in pain but he ignored it and simply operated Nourishing Lake Technique and also Recovery Lake Technique. The second one was still in learning process so it was a bit clumsy and didn''t help him that much.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. "Lei Xing Yi! Wake up!"


    Lei Xing Yi sneered and her figure flashed.


    Insect Steps!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua gritted her teeth and roared before her figure also disappeared and engaged in fierce battel with Lei Xing Yi.


    Lin Xiao was stunned but he didn''t delay and swiftly moved.


    Moon Evasion!


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    What followed soon afterwards was battle between Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua against Lei Xing Yi. Their figures moved swiftly as if they were walking on the wind. Ordinary people wouldn''t be able to see their figure.


    "Lin Xiao!" Prince Lin San finally arrived. He gritted his teeth when he saw them and nodded at Xia Ye.


    Shadow Teleportation!


    The two of them disappeared from their position and rushed over to Lei Xing Yi. Their swords stretched forward and headed towards Lei Xing Yi.


    Clang! Clang!


    Twisting her body, Lei Xing Yi blocked their attacks with ease. Her long hair fluttered as she swiftly moved once more. Even though her movement technique expended a lot of her Qi, she still continued.


    Insect Steps!


    Wind Gale!


    Two movements formed all at once.


    Prince Lin San was stunned but he also raised his hand and formed a defensive layer around him and Xia Ye, who was near him.


    Air Dragon Shield!


    BANG!


    The difference in their base power and their Qi flung both Prince Lin San and Xia Ye to the back.


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao was using this chance to attack. He didn''t have any defensive skill and always only used his sword to attack back.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Sixth Stance!


    Bang!


    "Gah!"


    Swish!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua evaded the attack swiftly. Her figure also flickered before she appeared beside Lei Xing Yi once more. Her twin swords moved rapidly and executed the attack she was familiar with.


    Twins'' Horn!


    The two girls clashed with each other. The sword Qi coming from Princess Lan Yi Hua strike directly towards Lei Xing Yi.


    Clang!


    "You''re not my match." Lei Xing Yi''s voice was cold and detached. It didn''t even sound like her voice.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua gritted her teeth and evaded to the side. However, she noticed that Lei Xing Yi had directed her attack towards her once more.


    BANG!


    Standing in the middle, Lei Xing Yi let out a derisive laugh. Her eyes had turned red while her veins bulged out. She didn''t even seem to notice that her Qi was gradually getting depleted and started to harm her from inside.


    Right now, there was only one thing in her mind: Kill the opponent before her.


    Prince Lin San and Xia Ye were already at their ends too. The attack was simply too strong for them to contend with. Even with the defensive technique, it still put them in dangerous position.


    "Can you move��cough!" Prince Lin San''s eyes turned golden as he inspected Lei Xing Yi before him. He could see that she was not moving in accordance to what she wanted but she was forced to fight until her death.


    They had to fight until the end if they wished to survive.


    Xia Ye nodded and swiftly disappeared from his position. He knew that he was weaker but since Prince Lin San had protected him just now, this allowed him to have another chance to attack.


    "Yi Hua!" Lin Xiao shouted. He watched in horror as Princess Lan Yi Hua''s body flung to the edge and stopped there. Princess Lan Yi Hua was unmoving, laying there quietly as if she had died.


    His blood boiled in anger. Lin Xiao stood up once more, ignoring the pain in his body as he started to speak in a strange language.


    "Heaven and earth, please listen to my humble request��." Blood started to spurt out from the corner of Lin Xiao''s mouth. He could feel that the Dragon Power inside his body boiled within but he didn''t have the time to care about it anymore.


    Lin Hu was stunned. Lin Xiao was only using Dragon words but it was still far above what his current body was capable to handle.


    "Stop it, Lin Xiao!"


    "Grant me power to overcome my enemy to save my loved ones��" Lin Xiao ignored the frantic Lin Hu and continued. His eyes were looking at the front as Xia Ye appeared before Lei Xing Yi and the two of them traded blows.


    *cough*


    Stopping once as blood spurt out. Lin Xiao gnashed his teeth and continued. "Help me obliterate my enemies!"


    Bang!


    The Qi around Lin Xiao swirled around his body. It was a strange power that Lin Xiao had never encountered in his entire life. However, he felt as if he was capable to fight against anyone who stood on his way now.


    At this moment, Lei Xing Yi had only kicked Xia Ye away from her. Unable to match the difference between their ranks, Xia Ye''s body was flung to the back and Prince Lin San used his wind to catch him.


    Gripping his sword, Lin Xiao swiftly moved.


    Moon Evasion!


    He appeared next to Lei Xing Yi and his sword hacked down as he executed the highest skill of Chilling Lake Sword that he was capable of!


    Chilling Lake Sword, Sixth Stance!


    Lei Xing Yi furrowed her brows and raised her hand.


    Wind Gale!


    BANG!


    The two attacks clashed against each other. The destructive power that Lin Xiao exhibited was much more than what it was before. This time, the Wind Gale was not enough to stop the attack.


    Her eyes widened when she realized the fierce sword Qi was still heading to her direction. Raising her hand, Lei Xing Yi attempted to stop the attack.


    BOOM!

 Chapter 334: Fight Against Demonic Cultivator (3)

    Her eyes widened when she realized the fierce sword Qi was still heading to her direction. Raising her hand, Lei Xing Yi attempted to stop the attack.


    BOOM!


    Lei Xing Yi was flung to the back as the strike hit her. Ice formed on her shoulder as she landed on one of the path and was knocked out there. Her body laid unmoving and her eyes were closed.


    She was still alive but her breathing was faint.


    Even though the order was for her to fight until her death, she was incapable to move anymore. The cold sword Qi had penetrated deep into her body and wrecked her meridian, stopping her from any hope of fighting once more.


    Her consciousness had started to falter at that time.


    *cough* *cough*


    Despite still standing, Lin Xiao could sense that his meridian was burning. He knew that it would be hard for him to even remain standing. However, he still moved towards Princess Lan Yi Hua who was laying at the side.


    "Damn you! Rest and recover your body! Do you want to be unable to cultivate again in the future?" Lin Hu was frantic as he infuse his own Qi to Lin Xiao''s meridian to help calming him down.


    if it was anyone other than those with Lake element, Lin Hu was sure that the person would have killed himself over using the ancient power like that. The incantation was actually a method to arouse the ancient power of any kind and used that power for their benefit.


    Normal people would never be able to use it unless they have ancient power in their body.


    Lin Xiao had the dragon power and he used the dragon language but his body was still unable to withstand such stress. It was draining as it required him to be stronger physically due to the demand.


    However, Lin Xiao ignored Lin Hu as he walked to Princess Lan Yi Hua and crouched next to her. His hand stretched forward and only after he sensed that she was still breathing that he heaved a sigh of relief.


    Taking a Spirit Stone out, Lin Xiao absorbed the Qi from within as fast as possible and circulated Nourishing Lake Technique. After some time, he could feel his meridian no longer burned that much and stretched his hand, putting it on Princess Lan Yi Hua''s back.


    The Qi flew towards the girl''s body.


    Lin Xiao only managed to maintain the stance for several seconds before he blacked out. The demands on his mental energy was simply too high that he was unable to maintain his consciousness any longer.


    "You damn idiot!" Lin Hu spat out angrily. However, it was good that Lin Xiao was not in any immediate danger. The Nourishing Lake Technique was healing Lin Xiao''s injury and he was only sleeping due to fatigue.


    "Lin Xiao!" Prince Lin San was stunned. He was holding Xia Ye, who had also fallen unconscious after the last attack from Lei Xing Yi. He gritted his teeth and ignored his fatigue as he walked to the others.


    Using his Eyes of Truth, he noticed that they were all only falling asleep and not dying.


    "You�� you''re all so reckless." Prince Lin San flopped on the ground, watching the other''s fight as he felt so helpless. Why did he have to be so weak and incapable to help the others like this?


    If only�� if only he was already at Golden Core Stage 1, wouldn''t he be able to be of more help?


    Bang!


    The sound of fight startled Prince Lin San. He glanced to the side and saw Prince Lin Yan and Mu Xiao Ya were still in heavy fight. However, Mu Xiao Ya was no longer moving swiftly as it seemed that there was a damage internally.


    "Demonic Puppet is a good method, but it''s dangerous because you have to split your soul." Prince Lin Yan sneered. He looked at Mu Xiao Ya. "Now that you have lost your puppet, your soul is no longer complete."


    Mu Xiao Ya glared at Prince Lin Yan and roared, "What do you know? You''re all so high and mighty! You have powerful cultivation and capable of fast cultivation! But what about me, huh?"


    Bang!


    The two of them executed high level technique as their figure flashed here and there. Thankfully, the stone path was strong or it would have been destroyed by these two countless times during their fight.


    "Low talent?" Prince Lin Yan glanced at Mu Xiao Ya and sneered. "I don''t give a damn about your condition. Do you think that you''re the only person with low talent in the entire world? Since you have decided to attack us, you have to be ready to face the repercussion."


    "You..."


    Thunder of Judgement!


    Thunder crackled from Prince Lin Yan''s hand as it headed towards Mu Xiao Ya. Lighting was fast and it was universally acknowledged to be the most destructive element of all others.


    "Kyaaaaaaaa!"


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    Unable to escape, Mu Xiao Ya''s body was subjected to the numerous thunder as her body laid to the side. It moved a few times before stopped moving altogether. Dark color began to permeate and spread across her body.


    Prince Lin Yan coughed a few times. The move was strong but it drained him of his Qi and was quite demanding.


    He glanced at Mu Xiao Ya and shook his head. She had many other options but since she decided to follow the Demonic Cultivation and targeted them, he would naturally retaliate.


    Demonic Cultivators were naturally powerful but their mind was corroded the more they learned their skills. It would continue until they were unable to see anything anymore and would only have one thought in their mind:


    KILL!


    Prince Lin Yan coughed a few times and glanced into the distance where Hu Fei was fighting Sang Guan and Pei Chuan. From the way it looked like, Hu Fei was also focusing on defense and not in any danger.

 Chapter 335: Resolution

    Bang!


    "Is that all you got?" Hu Fei asked as he swiftly moved. He had learned various skill and with the good quality of weapons in his arsenal, it would be hard to defeat him in a one on one battle.


    Sang Guan roared and punched forward.


    Bang!


    "Pei Chuan, circle around him! Damn it!"


    Swish!


    Pei Chuan, one of the two people who have been following Sang Guan from the very beginning, strike forward. His face flushed red as he was unable to follow Hu Fei''s speed.


    Bang!


    "You two, if you want to continue sparring, we can continue outside. Unless you want to stay here forever." Hu Fei landed in the middle and spread his hands carelessly. It was clear that he didn''t want to fight them but he had to stall these two in case they ended up interrupting the fight of the others.


    While Sang Guan and Pei Chuan were weaker than Mu Xiao Ya and Lei Xing Yi, the two of them were still Golden Core Stage 2 and had some treasures in their hand.


    If they were to attack rapidly, it was clear that Hu Fei wouldn''t be able to stop them either.


    "You��"


    *pant**pant*


    "Brother Sang�� we still need to give report." Pei Chuan was already tired. He had used a lot of his skills during the fight but not a single one of them managed to land on Hu Fei''s body properly. Even if some hit Hu Fei, it was blocked by the armor that the young man used.


    Sang Guan gritted his teeth and looked at Hu Fei. "I don''t want to stop here! Damn you Hu Fei! You dare to hide the fact that you''re already at Golden Core Stage 2!"


    "Ah��" Hu Fei scratched the back of his head. In his eyes, it was too troublesome to reveal to others his real cultivation rank. He glanced at Sang Guan. "You''ve also advanced after you come to this Secret Region. Do you want to continue let me torment you so that you can''t enjoy the benefit of advancing or do you want to scram now?"


    "Damn you!"


    Bang!


    Sang Guan had little hesitation as he stormed forward. On the other hand, Pei Chuan looked at the entrance and then moved there.


    Swish!


    Within a moment, his figure had disappeared.


    "Ah." Hu Fei smirked. Now that his opponent was only one left, he could finally fight to his heart''s content. Once they had gotten out of this Secret Region, they wouldn''t be able to enter again until five years'' time again.


    "You��"


    "Goodbye, Sang Guan!"


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Trading a few more blows, Hu Fei punched Sang Guan out of the barrier. Without the help of Pei Chuan, Sang Guan was unable to fight against Hu Fei. Between the path, there was a dark and deep cliff that no one knew how far it was. Within a short few seconds, Hu Fei had already thrown Sang Guan there.


    "Hu Feiiiiiiiiiiii......"


    Roaring until his body was torn to shreds, Sang Guan could never understand how he failed to defeat Hu Fei.


    "That was close." Hu Fei never treated these two seriously because they were not strong enough. He glanced to the back and was stunned when he saw the others. "Damn! They''re this strong?"


    Prince Lin Yan was already sitting down near Lin Xiao and the others. Even when he had finished his fight, he never had any intention to help Hu Fei at all. "Why don''t you try to fight against Demonic Cultivator next time?"


    "Ugh, they''re fighting maniac. I''m not that crazy enough yet to fight them unless I''m ready to fight to death!"


    "You know that and you still ask?" Prince Lin Yan sneered and focused on healing his wounds and recovering.


    Hu Fei laughed lightly and didn''t say anything else. Whatever he said now would only incite the other party''s wrath. He glanced at Prince Lin San, who was also sitting and trying to recover his energy.


    For some reason, the young man exhibited different kind of aura now that he saw him once again.


    Time passed as they all recovered their Qi and energy.


    "San."


    Prince Lin San was startled. He looked at his older brother with puzzled expression. "What is it, Big Brother?"


    "Be patient. Cultivator is a long road. Haste make waste," Prince Lin Yan said calmly. He stood up and walked towards Lei Xing Yi, who fell on the edge after the battle with Lin Xiao and the others. Crouching near Lei Xing Yi, he could sense that the Qi around her body was still unstable.


    She must have only made her breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 2 not long ago.


    However, even though she had only made her breakthrough, the use of Demonic Puppet allowed her to be much more powerful than normal Golden Core Stage 2. But the repercussion was clear:


    Her foundation was damaged.


    It was unclear whether she could even maintain her current stage as there was possibility that she would regress back to her previous stage with her damaged foundation.


    ''One have to be careful when making friend.''


    Prince Lin Yan shook his head lightly and stood up, returning back to the place where the others were resting. He could see Prince Lin San was looking back at him. Being the youngest, it was clear that Prince Lin San was the one most protected by others.


    Well, he was no longer the youngest now that Lin Xiao was found, though.


    "Made your decision?" Prince Lin Yan asked.


    Prince Lin San let out a faint laugh. "Even though I''m the one who have the Eyes of Truth, it seems that you''re the one who managed to find out what I''m thinking most of the time, Big Brother."


    "You''re my younger brother, why wouldn''t I know? But of course, it''s only because I have similar thoughts as you in the past."


    Prince Lin San looked at Prince Lin Yan as realization struck him. Right, when their parents were still alive, it was only normal that Prince Lin Yan had the same mindset as him.

 Chapter 336: Long Road as Cultivators

    "You''re my younger brother, why wouldn''t I know? But of course, it''s only because I have similar thoughts as you in the past."


    Prince Lin San looked at Prince Lin Yan as realization struck him. Right, when their parents were still alive, it was only normal that Prince Lin Yan had the same mindset as him.


    Their parents were powerful. With them around, it was clear that Prince Lin Yan always felt protected and it never mattered so much to him about getting stronger. He was not one who got the chance to become the Emperor either. But when they fell, it was clear that Prince Lin Yan had to take the burden by himself.


    It was only then he realized that he needed to be more powerful. Cultivators, no matter how strong they were, were still human.


    They could die.


    Prince Lin San was always protected by Prince Lin Yan and also Prince Lin Xian. He did learn to become strong but he never put it as his priority because he had two brothers who will protect him.


    But after this fight, he felt that such thinking was foolish. If he was not strong enough, he wouldn''t be able to protect himself. His brothers couldn''t always be there to protect him. He couldn''t just focus on getting some powerful skill like Eyes of Truth whilst abandoning the others'' aspect.


    He wouldn''t be able to survive that way.


    He had to become stronger, strong enough so that no one would be able to stand on his way and prevented him from doing what he wanted.


    "Thanks, Big Brother." Prince Lin San smiled.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded and sat down once more. He looked at Lin Xiao, who was still sleeping carelessly and shook his head. It was out of his expectation that his youngest brother would end up the one receiving the Emperor''s Inheritance.


    And from the way it looked like, Lin Xiao was indeed still a childish young man��.


    He was only 18, though.


    It didn''t take long before Lin Xiao woke up. He still felt his heart hurt and Lin Hu immediately scolded him like there was no tomorrow.


    "Damn you, Lin Xiao! How many times do I need to remind you that you''re not powerful enough to use the ancient words like that? I know you''re using dragon words but the concept is the same! You''re already reaching your limit by helping Xia Ye and also maintaining that damn lake! If you dare to try this stunt again, I''ll roast your brain and eat it!"


    "Can you even roast my brain? You''ll also die that way." Lin Xiao scorned.


    "Damn you! That''s not the point."


    Lin Xiao let out a dry laugh and nodded. When he saw Princess Lan Yi Hua, he couldn''t help himself and used this last resort. It was the only method that he could think of that could boost his power within a short period of time.


    Looking at his own hands, Lin Xiao gritted his teeth. He was still not strong enough.


    "You''re awake. Are you alright?" Prince Lin Yan asked.


    "Ah yeah, I''m not wounded at all." Lin Xiao hopped up and grinned. Of course, with Nourishing Lake Technique operating at maximum power in his body, it would be a miracle if he ended up dying because of physical wounds.


    Prince Lin San swept his gaze to Lin Xiao, feeling perplexed. "Your wounds are already healed from some time ago. But why did you only wake up now?"


    "Of course, that''s because I need to rest!"


    "Scram!"


    Lin Xiao laughed. He looked at his twin brother and shrugged. "I''m not really wounded physically as the wounds stem mostly from overuse of mental energy."


    "Mental energy?" Prince Lin San blinked his eyes and turned to look at the others.


    Hu Fei looked stunned. He glared at Lin Xiao. "Nonsense! How come you know how to use Mental energy when you''re still at Foundation Establishment Stage? Even when I reach Golden Core Stage, I only have basic inkling about mental energy!"


    "That''s because I''m a genius!"


    "Genius? I would rather believe a chicken can fly than you''re a genius!"


    "Damn you! Am I that untrustworthy?!"


    Bletak!


    "Stop it you two." Prince Lin Yan resisted the urge to beat them up for good. "It''s not impossible to sense mental energy when you''re at Foundation Establishment but only some people can do that. Besides, the use of dragon words and ancient words all rely on mental energy, so the descendant who were born with ancient power all have higher mental energy talent."


    Hu Fei looked hurt. He had been working under his great teacher for so long and yet he was still unable to sense that mental energy. Now his sworn brother was telling him that they all have higher talent than him?


    How could he accept this, ah?


    "Then you��."


    "I can use it in limited amount. San has higher talent than me since Eyes of Truth also relies more on mental energy. His current mental energy might be the highest amongst all of us here even though he still doesn''t know what he uses is mental energy," Prince Lin Yan explained calmly.


    Prince Lin San was stunned when he heard that. He was already using it and yet he didn''t know? Ugh, it seemed that he really did have to reevaluate his power once more.


    Lin Xiao was listening with interest. This was the first time he understood that there was more than one type of energy in this world. Aside from Qi, he had only heard about Dragon Power and also Ancient Power but he was never clear on their form or uses.


    "That''s not fair, ah!"


    "You already have high talent to forge weapons. Give the others a chance for higher talent too."


    "Damn you! You don''t need high talent!"


    "Hmph."


    Lin Xiao glanced to the back and saw Princess Lan Yi Hua stirred. He swiftly moved to her side and reached out his hand to help her up.

 Chapter 337: Long Road as Cultivator (2)

    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s body stiffened for a moment before she realized who was the person helping her. Out of instinct, she nearly beat up the person who dared to get close to her to pulp.


    "Are you alright?" Lin Xiao asked.


    "Yes." Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. She narrowed her eyes. "That Lei Xing Yi?"


    "She''s unconscious and the Demonic Puppet skill has been negated. She might be able to wake up soon."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded and sat up. Inspecting her body, she realized that some parts of her wounds were already healed. She glanced at Lin Xiao for she only knew him who could possibly do this.


    Lin Xiao grinned. "I just insert some of my Qi to help you heal faster."


    "You should focus more on your wound." Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows. But looking at Lin Xiao, he didn''t seem to be wounded in the slightest bit.


    "Don''t worry! I''m as healthy as a bull!"


    For some reasons, Princess Lan Yi Hua began to imagine a bull with Lin Xiao''s head�� she quickly raised her hand to cover her mouth as she tried to stifle her laugh.


    Pfft!


    Lin Xiao was perplexed. "Did I say something wrong?"


    Prince Lin San analyzed the words Lin Xiao used as his face turned strange. He then looked to another side. "She might be imagining you with a bull form."


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    Hu Fei was stifling his laugh too when he heard what Prince Lin San said. For some reasons, that image was quite funny, especially if he thought about Lin Xiao.


    After messing around for some more time, Xia Ye also woke up. He was not wounded that heavily and Lin Xiao helped to tend to his wounds. With the Qi that was full of lake element, it was not hard for Lin Xiao to heal others.


    "Are we going to wait for her to wake up?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. "Pei Chuan already come out. It''s not hard to imagine what he might be saying to the other elders outside regarding things that happen here. Rather than letting that stupid Hu Fei to do the explanation, it''s better to let Lei Xing Yi be the one to do it."


    "Will she do it?" Prince Lin San was doubtful. Even though she was controlled by Demonic Puppet, she used to be Mu Xiao Ya''s best friend who had been staying with that person for a long period of time. Would it be possible for her to help them when it was the case?


    "She will."


    "Why are you so sure?"


    "Because she will not want to be used by others." Prince Lin Yan looked at the others with a faint smile. He was sure of this point because he knew very well that it would be impossible for Lei Xing Yi to fight back against the Demonic Puppet control back then if she didn''t have strong will.


    Thanks to her fighting back against those control, it was still possible for them to defeat her in the end. Though, her strength was fairly low and it was hard for someone to notice that she was fighting against both sides.


    "Oh."


    "I''ll help her recover from her wounds first." Lin Xiao stretched his hand and put it on Lei Xing Yi''s back. This would help him greatly to be able to master the skill of healing others.


    Hu Fei blinked his eyes. "You know, you can also sign up to become a healer with such skill. It''s such a waste to let him rot in this kind of place."


    "Rot?" Prince Lin Yan narrowed his eyes.


    "I mean, it''s a waste to not let his ability known by others! Damn it, don''t attempt to beat me up again!"


    Prince Lin Yan snorted as he watched the fleeing Hu Fei. Of course, it was such a glorious thing to be able to heal others but with Lin Xiao''s current identity, it would only work the opposite way. It would be impossible for others to not want him to die because they didn''t want to watch the rise of Sun Kingdom.


    They all rested and recovered their Qi to the fullest. After some time, Lei Xing Yi woke up and looked around. Her gaze rested on the group before her before she gritted her teeth. She could sense that her wounds were already healed.


    But her foundation��


    It would require more healing and ordinary healing would not do.


    She stood up and cupped her fist in salutation. "Thank you very much for helping me recover."


    "We only do what''s needed for our own survival." Prince Lin Yan waved his hand and looked at Lei Xing Yi. "Now, what do you plan to do?"


    "What I plan to do?" Lei Xing Yi repeated the question and swept her gaze across the field before rested on Mu Xiao Ya''s body. Her gaze turned dark for she could remember every single thing that occurred in the past.


    Rage boiled within her heart.


    "I''ll tell them the truth," Lei Xing Yi spat out coldly and took out Spirit Stones before using it to recover her Qi. It would take some time but she didn''t seem to care in the slightest bit that there were others watching her.


    Mu Xiao Ya''s body was still there and looked the same as before. Her body was turning black and emitted some kind of black smoke, the type that could only be emitted by the body of those demonic cultivators after their death.


    It was the sign of corrosion or corruption or whatever one would say it that occurred within the body of the cultivator.


    Simply by showing her body would be more than enough to tell others that she was a demonic cultivator.


    The others looked at each other and nodded.


    That would be a good outcome.


    Prince Lin Yan passed a look at Hu Fei. "We''ll be borrowing your name for a while."


    Hu Fei nearly spat out blood when he heard what Prince Lin Yan asked from him. He glared at the other party resentfully.

 Chapter 338: Drama Unfolded

    Hu Fei nearly spat out blood when he heard what Prince Lin Yan asked from him. He glared at the other party resentfully.


    "Damn you! Can''t you think of something else to do aside from using me to be your shield?"


    "You''re the best cover and I did come here because of the invitation that you send to me." Prince Lin Yan didn''t have any hesitation to use this point.


    Hu Fei rolled his eyes and waved his hand. He knew that it would be impossible for him to even try to negotiate with Prince Lin Yan when the latter had already decided about what he planned to do.


    "How about the others?"


    "Just say that they''re lucky to be able to survive since you''re a coward."


    "Damn you! Who''s the coward?" Hu Fei really wanted to strangle Prince Lin Yan right here, right now. This young man was terribly annoying!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua blinked her eyes when she watched their interaction. Her gaze then landed to Lin Xiao. "I think I know who you take after from."


    "Yes?"


    "You''re very similar to your Big Brother."


    Lin Xiao: "��" He''s more shameless than me, alright!


    Prince Lin San nearly couldn''t resist laughing when he heard what Princess Lan Yi Hua said. It was true that Prince Lin Yan might be cold on daily basis but when he was with his friends, he would be warm and also like to banter. In addition, he often used the situation for his benefit.


    In a way, he was similar to Lin Xiao or vice versa.


    It could be said that even Prince Lin San was not as similar to him as Lin Xiao in this regards. In fact, he rarely saw this side of Prince Lin Yan too because the other party was often away from home and couldn''t be seen most of the time.


    "Am I that similar?" Lin Xiao felt his face turned dark as he turned to look at Prince Lin San and Xia Ye.


    Prince Lin San didn''t hesitate and nodded.


    Xia Ye looked like he hesitated for a moment before he nodded carefully.


    Lin Xiao: "��" damn it!


    Lin Hu was already laughing like crazy inside Lin Xiao''s head. It seemed that there would not be any question regarding Lin Xiao''s relationship with the Lin brothers at this point if they were that similar to each other like this.


    Lin Xiao immediately cut off his communication connection with that damn annoying dragon so that he would not be hearing the laughter.


    "We should go." Prince Lin Yan noticed that the others were still bantering and shook his head.


    "Yes."


    It was only after they heard him that they changed their mindset and became more serious. Looking to one side, they could see that Lei Xing Yi had finished with her Qi recovery.


    Lei Xing Yi looked at Mu Xiao Ya''s corpse as her gaze turned chilling cold. Even if it was only a corpse and no longer a person, it was clear that the hatred Lei Xing Yi had was very deep. She stretched her hand and grabbed Mu Xiao Ya''s clothes at her neck.


    She didn''t want to touch the woman again.


    Just a few days ago, the two of them were best friends who would be spending their time together most of the time and didn''t even want to leave each other''s side. But now, it was clear that she couldn''t even stand the thought of staying in the same area with Mu Xiao Ya anymore.


    The thought of what had happened disgusted her to the core.


    "I''m leading," Lei Xing Yi said coldly.


    Hu Fei raised his hand and if saying that Lei Xing Yi could go first if she wanted. He would not fight for this matter.


    Hmph!


    Walking out of the secret region, Lei Xing Yi stood proudly. The moment she bypassed the barrier, she could see a lot of people were looking in her direction. Pei Chuan was also there and he looked like he was secretly happy for her misfortune.


    Misfortune?


    Heh, she would make them see who would be the one falling this time!


    "Lei Xing Yi! Explain what happens inside!" A middle aged man screamed and pointed at her.


    Lei Xing Yi was calm. She pulled Mu Xiao Ya''s boy, which was still decomposing with black aura around it to the front.


    Thud!


    "Is that enough for explanation?" Lei Xing Yi asked in a cold voice.


    "That''s��"


    The crowds were looking at Mu Xiao Ya''s corpse with disbelief. They were all familiar with Mu Xiao Ya and almost everyone knew the sweet girl who was also very powerful. In fact, they always thought of her as a kind and sweet girl.


    But the corpse in front of them��.


    That black aura was painfully clear to them. It was the sign of demonic cultivator!


    "No way!"


    "That''s impossible!"


    "How could such a sweet girl can possibly be a demonic cultivator?"


    Many people were screaming yet the truth laid bare in front of them. Many of them turned their head to look at Mu Xiao Ya''s father, who was also standing there. His face was dark when he saw his daughter''s corpse.


    The black aura��.


    Damn it!


    With the proof presented before everyone, it was clear that it would be impossible for them to even be able to deny such matter. He was ashen face as he looked at the cold Lei Xing Yi before him.


    "What do you want?" Mu Xiao Ya''s father asked coldly.


    Lei Xing Yi sneered. "Do you know that not only your daughter practice Demonic Cultivation and become Demonic Cultivator, she''s also using Demonic Puppet to control me?"


    Demonic Puppet!


    Everyone was looking at the Lei Xing Yi with stunned expression. They couldn''t believe that there would be the case of someone using Demonic Puppet in front of them and that it would happen to the younger generation!


    "You! Don''t speak nonsense! You don''t have proof that��."


    "Proof, are you talking about this?"

 Chapter 339: What a Good Performance

    Lei Xing Yi stretched her hand and took out several strands of thread. It was the thread that Mu Xiao Ya used in the past to start controlling her. She found some of them and managed to keep it.


    "If you try to use it, wouldn''t you be able to recognize your daughter''s Qi within the thread?" Lei Xing Yi asked once more in a cold tone.


    The man couldn''t say anything else. He was looking in their direction with tongue tied and really itching to snatch those threads for himself. If only he could destroy the evidence, it would be easy to say that it was nothing more than Lei Xing Yi framing them.


    "You''re only bluffing! You have been staying with Mu Xiao Ya for a long time! How can we be sure that you''re not saying that for your own convenience?" a middle aged man screamed.


    Lei Xing Yi looked at the man coldly. "Of course, I have eyewitness."


    Swish!


    The Secret Region door was open and several more figures walked out. Hu Fei looked at the crowd and whistled lazily while Prince Lin Yan followed beside him with calm expression. Behind them were Princess Lan Yi Hua, Lin Xiao, Prince Lin San, and Xia Ye.


    Pei Chuan''s expression changed when he saw Hu Fei. "No way!"


    Hu Fei glanced at Pei Chuan. "Ah, so you''re here, you b*stard Pei Chuan. Collaborating with Mu Xiao Ya and Sang Guan to kill me, you sure have a lot of guts."


    Pei Chuan was stunned. "Nonsense! What are you talking about? I didn''t��"


    "What nonsense? If not because I managed to break the control of the Demonic Puppet, the two of us will have died. Even with the help of Brother Yan, it''s still an unfair fight!" Lei Xing Yi had changed the story.


    "No, you��"


    "What? You still want to refute when I clearly see that you''re collaborating with Mu Xiao Ya? Do you want me to show you the recording during the third stage when you all talked about how you want to kill Hu Fei to take the treasure he got during his visit to the Secret Region?" Lei Xing Yi asked aggressively.


    Pei Chuan was horribly stunned. He naturally knew that he did talk with Mu Xiao Ya and Sang Guan before they attacked Hu Fei and the others. Because they were four Golden Core Stage 2 Cultivators, he believed that they would win.


    But the truth was not that beautiful.


    "There''s no way you can record that conversation! You''re already controlled by Mu Xiao Ya with Demonic��." Pei Chuan nearly blurted out everything. His face turned pale when he saw the elders were looking in his direction.


    He''s screwed.


    Lei Xing Yi sneered. She had long known that Pei Chuan was not really a good person who knew how to keep a secret. In fact, he was one of the most loose lipped ones. Just by exerting enough pressure would be more than enough for him to speak the truth.


    She glanced over at Hu Fei. "Thank you for your help to fight the Demonic Cultivator. When there''s time, I''ll pay a visit to you."


    Hu Fei waved his hand. "It''s nothing much. Since they''re also targeting me, isn''t it only natural for me to help out?"


    Lei Xing Yi didn''t continue with the conversation and walked over to her own group. She glanced at the others coldly. "I''m sure that you understood the repercussion of Demonic Puppet. In a weeks'' time, I''ll come with the others to your house. You better be ready, Elder Mu."


    Elder Mu, Mu Xiao Ya''s father, was already on the verge of losing his sanity when he saw how Lei Xing Yi acted and the way she did everything. So arrogant! So domineering!


    He really wanted to flip table.


    If not because he understood that Demonic Puppet would destroy the puppet''s foundation, he would probably have lost control. Lei Xing Yi was a rare genius and yet she exposed her own condition to the crowd.


    It was clear that the halo of the genius wouldn''t be that high anymore.


    "What a good performance." Hu Fei stretched his hand. "But now that I don''t have any business here anymore, it''s time to leave."


    He walked forward and the elders were trying to think for a method to make him stay. However, they didn''t think that there was anything that they could say to him anymore. The truth that Pei Chuan blurted out had told them so many things.


    One of them was the fact that Hu Fei managed to gain some benefit and advanced to Golden Core Stage 2 and that he was also very powerful.


    The story Pei Chuan said and Lei Xing Yi''s words didn''t match up, so the elders would need some investigation to find out the truth. However, asking Hu Fei to stay behind was a bit��


    The thought of Marquis Hu paying them a visit because of this matter was proven to give them a bit of a headache.


    "What is it?"


    "Would you please give the story of the fight to us?" One of the elders asked carefully because he was afraid of offending Hu Fei.


    Hu Fei''s eyes narrowed. He knew very well that Lei Xing Yi was capable to create a story on her own without even relying on him. Besides, if his story didn''t match with Lei Xing Yi, that would only spell more trouble


    He waved his hand. "Just ask her what happened."


    Lei Xing Yi''s eyes flashed as she looked at Hu Fei. In the past, she always thought of Hu Fei as someone incompetent because of how famous he was with that reputation. But now that she met him directly and saw part of his fight��


    She felt that he was more cunning than what he let out.


    However, there was still a gap in their story because they could use soul search to investigate Pei Chuan''s soul directly. At that moment, they would be able to find out that Hu Fei was indeed very powerful.

 Chapter 340: Marquis Hu

    However, there was still a gap in their story because they could use soul search to investigate Pei Chuan''s soul directly. At that moment, they would be able to find out that Hu Fei was indeed very powerful.


    Though, Hu Fei was not bothered. He would leave with his teacher within a month''s time since it would be time for him to practice outside these small four kingdoms.


    Even if they knew he had some secrets, it would no longer be that important anymore in near future.


    As for the direct fight with Mu Xiao Ya, they would need to search Lei Xing Yi''s soul for that but she could simply pass it to Prince Lin Yan. After all, it was also the truth that the one who fought against Mu Xiao Ya was neither her nor him.


    Those elders wouldn''t be able to do anything.


    "Let''s go."


    Hu Fei waved his hand and they walked a distance away before he activated his Teleportation device.


    Swish!


    Despite the frustration of the elders there, they didn''t dare to do anything but watch as Hu Fei disappeared with his friends.


    "We''re back��" Hu Fei''s words stopped in the middle because he could sense a kind of oppressive pressure. He gulped down his saliva and looked at the others. "I��.I''ll be back��."


    Swoosh!


    Watching Hu Fei rushing out, Lin Xiao was perplexed. "Why is he running in the opposite direction?"


    Opposite direction?


    Prince Lin Yan turned his head to the back as his lips curled up to form a sneer. As he had expected, Hu Fei was still a coward in front of his oppressive father. Well, it was a good thing for him though.


    Looking at the other side of the room, they saw a middle aged man walked inside. He looked like he was in the middle of contemplation but the powerful gaze he had prevented others from looking away from him. The servants didn''t dare to raise their head and their body trembled just from having him walked near them.


    Prince Lin Yan cupped his hand. "Marquis Hu."


    The middle aged man, Marquis Hu, raised his head and looked at Prince Lin Yan. His gaze deepened. "My son troubled you once more, Prince Yan."


    "It''s nothing like that. I''m also the one who asked him for help." Prince Lin Yan kept his composure.


    However, Lin Xiao and the others could naturally feel the oppressive power coming from Marquis Hu. It was far more than any other cultivators they have met before�� no, it reminded Lin Xiao to the time when he met with Ye Jian and that mysterious man who were in the forest.


    Was Marquis Hu truly someone at Golden Core Stage 3?


    He was not the only one to think that way because Lin Xiao noticed that Princess Lan Yi Hua was also staring at the marquis deeply. In the past, she had seen him from a distance away but the pressure he gave off�� was never this much.


    Her father was also at Golden Core Stage 3, so naturally she knew this feeling very well. It was as if she was facing a cultivator that was far above Golden Core Stage 3. One that had stepped into the middle or even the high state of Golden Core Stage.


    But��. Shouldn''t it be impossible for one to make their breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 4 in this place?


    Marquis Hu lowered his gaze and looked in Princess Lan Yi Hua''s direction. His pupil showed surprise. "I never expected the little princess to come out to play."


    He knew?


    Lin Xiao was instantly on guard. Even when they were meeting Hu Fei before, the man didn''t manage to recognize Princess Lan Yi Hua''s real identity. He accepted her fake identity without asking so much because of Prince Lin Yan.


    But this man�� could see through Princess Lan Yi Hua''s guise in just a gaze.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua took a deep breath and opened her hood. Her beautiful and breathtaking face could be seen clearly. Even with the bang covered her complexion, when she looked up, her fair complexion was still one that could bring down cities.


    "It''s been a while, Marquis Hu."


    "Yes, it is." Marquis Hu nodded, clearly not expecting to see Princess Lan Yi Hua in this group. Even if he already knew about their appearance since his son was close with Prince Lin Yan, he would never dream of seeing Princess Lan Yi Hua in their group.


    His eyes landed on Lin Xiao as he could see the distance between him and Princess Lan Yi Hua was the shortest. It was clear that the two of them must be close to each other. Being a careful person, Princess Lan Yi Hua would not get close to anyone in normal situation.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Marquis Hu. "Please keep this a secret from my father."


    "Naturally."


    He agreed just like that?


    Lin Xiao was still stupefied but Princess Lan Yi Hua had already covered her face with her hood once more. It seemed that she was also being careful when she was dealing with Marquis Hu.


    Prince Lin Yan waited and pointed to the direction where Hu Fei had left. "I still need a help from your son to fulfill his promise of making the weapon. Would you mind if I borrow him for some time?"


    Lin Xiao glanced at Xia Ye and the latter nodded. It seemed that Xia Ye also managed to find a precious metal of dark element when he was in the Secret Region just now. Since that was the case, it was all good for them.


    Thinking that he would finally have a specialized weapon made Lin Xiao a teeny bit excited.


    Marquis Hu let out a faint laugh. "For someone of his stature, do you think that my son will be able to forge strong enough weapon?"


    Prince Lin Yan''s pupil constricted as he looked at Marquis Hu carefully. "Marquis Hu, are you suggesting that��"


    "His Master will come tomorrow. Ask him to forge the weapon for that young boy."

 Chapter 341: Specialized Weapon

    Ask him��


    Lin Xiao was stupefied that Marquis Hu would be looking in his direction when he said that sentence. It felt as if the marquis had already figured out his identity and had no qualms of speaking about it.


    Not only Lin Xiao, even Prince Lin Yan was wary of this middle aged man. Marquis Hu was known to be a person who was obsessive with martial arts and often disappeared for seclusion. The place he picked was always unknown to many other people and despite being a noble, he rarely appeared in public.


    It was a known fact that many people from Hua Lan Kingdom knew.


    But if he were to find out about Lin Xiao''s real identity, would he try to kill Lin Xiao? That was something that Prince Lin Yan was worried about.


    At their current strength, they wouldn''t be able to do anything even if they ganged up to attack Marquis Hu together.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua took a deep breath. "He won''t harm him. Thank you for your kind offer, Marquis Hu."


    Lin Xiao looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua but she didn''t explain to him. It was only after they had walked out of the room that they felt the oppressive aura disappeared. The power that Marquis Hu accidentally showed to them was one that they could not contend easily.


    "Xiao Hua��" Lin Xiao called.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua took a deep breath. "Marquis Hu is one of the pillars of Hua Lan Kingdom and naturally, he''s also very familiar with ancient power."


    She knew this for sure because she had seen his contemplative look when he looked at both her and her sister. At that time, she still didn''t understand much but she figured out later that he had some kind of ability that would allow him to see through the layer of guise.


    It was similar with Eyes of Truth but it was even more powerful.


    "Did he��?" Lin Xiao wanted to ask about it but he didn''t dare to speak about the matter. Unless one was sure that they would be save, one should never speak about the Emperor''s Inheritance.


    "No." Princess Lan Yi Hua shook her head resolutely. She glanced at Lin Xiao. "Your aura had faded a bit, which makes it a bit unclear."


    At that word, Prince Lin San also used his Eyes of Truth at Lin Xiao. He was stunned when he sensed that the Dragon Power within Lin Xiao''s body had decreased a lot. It didn''t seem to be any different than him or his older brothers now.


    Even if Lin Xiao were to appear with this kind of power, it was clear that he wouldn''t attract any attention at all.


    "Xiao, this��"


    "I learn a method to conceal it." Lin Xiao shrugged, not wanting to explain too much.


    Prince Lin San was speechless when he heard that. Was he the only one who didn''t get much benefit from that Secret Region? The others seemed to be growing even more powerful after they had returned back from that place.


    "But this favor."


    "That�� might be because of me." Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes gleamed. She looked at the back and sighed. "He must have realized of my lofty dream and our relationship."


    Back when she met him in the palace before she departed to Sun Kingdom, Marquis Hu was one of the few officials who were looking at her with kind look. He didn''t seem to be giving her scornful look like what many others would do and instead gave her kind look that seemed to be saying something else.


    She didn''t understand why but he looked more in favor of her than her sister, totally unlike many others who only saw her as nothing more than a burden and a weak cultivator who could never go against her sister.


    "What? He realized that I was courting��"


    Bletak!


    "You better keep your voice down." Prince Lin San stopped Lin Xiao before the young man declared to the entire world that he was trying to court Princess Lan Yi Hua. It was already embarrassing enough to hear him openly confess his feeling so bluntly from time to time.


    Added with the dog food, Prince Lin San always wanted to beat up Lin Xiao once for this.


    Now, this punch felt really good!


    Lin Xiao looked at his twin brother resentfully. He was thinking whether it was clear that he was trying to court Princess Lan Yi Hua or not. Did he give away something?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao, who was trying hard to think, and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. He might not realize it himself but the distance when someone stood with other people speak a lot about that person''s relationship with others.


    Kreet!


    Prince Lin Yan opened the door and saw Hu Fei crouching near the table in his workshop. It seemed that he was determined to hide when he saw his father was near.


    "Your hiding place sucks."


    "Do you really think I can hide from him?" Hu Fei was speechless. It was already good enough if his father didn''t come and drag him to the training room to beat him up. The memory of him being beaten up senseless resurfaced once more as he grimaced.


    He didn''t want to repeat that ever again.


    Prince Lin Yan sighed and looked at Xia Ye. "Ask him to make your weapon first."


    Xia Ye nodded and showed a lump of metal that he took out from his Spatial Ring. He looked at Hu Fei. "Is this enough?"


    Hu Fei''s eyes shone when he saw the metal that Xia Ye was holding. "AHhhhhhh! That''s Darkened North Metal! It''s one of the rare metals that will be rarely seen! Damn it! How did you manage to get something so good?"


    Xia Ye blinked. "I was lucky."


    "Tsk." Hu Fei clicked his tongue. Right now, he completely forgot that he also got some kind of good metals from the Secret Region when he was with Lin Xiao. "Don''t worry, I''ll make the good weapon for you. One edge, thin and the length is��"

 Chapter 342: Teaching the Calming Heart Technique

    Looking at how Hu Fei turned serious, the others chose not to bother with him. He would take some time to finish the sword based on his current capability. They should wait for some time before they visited him again.


    "Now that we''re back, do you all want to rest?" Prince Lin Yan glanced at the others.


    Lin Xiao shook his head. They already rested enough before the drama with Lei Xing Yi and the others not long ago. There was no need for them to have more rest anymore now that they were already feeling much better.


    "Big Bro, there''s something I need to show you."


    "Hmm?"


    "In the training room."


    "Alright."


    Heading to the training room that was prepared for them, Lin Xiao stood in the middle. He took a deep breath before he started to execute the movement of Calming Heart Technique that he saw in that treasure room. He didn''t know whether the others also see the same technique or not but it would be better for him to show them first.


    The movement was not long and Lin Xiao didn''t have any difficulties in executing the movement.


    It only took a short moment for him to completely finish the entire set of Calming Heart Technique.


    "What''s that technique?" Prince Lin San could see some profoundness from the simple movement''s technique but he couldn''t put his words into it. It felt as if there was some kind of mystery within despite the simple movement.


    In addition, he felt that Lin Xiao did look a bit different after executing that set of movements.


    "Calming Heart Technique."


    "Calming Heart Technique?" Prince Lin Yan was the most surprised one of them. He looked at Lin Xiao in amazement. "This must be one of the few techniques that are used to train a cultivators'' heart and will. You should practice it a lot because it''ll help you to overcome your weakness in your heart and also allow you to be stronger."


    Lin Xiao nodded. "You should do it too, Big Brother."


    "Are you willing to teach it?" Prince Lin Yan''s eyes shone. He was clearly also interested in this set of movement.


    "Yes. I only managed to get the first set but I guess this should be enough for the time being." Lin Xiao guessed that the rest of the movement was in that Secret Region if they chose to continue.


    But since his current rank was pretty low, he didn''t have any intention of courting death by comparing notes with those high geniuses. When the time was ripe, he would figure out a method to return back to that place and obtained more steps of this Calming Heart Technique.


    "Will you teach me too?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked hopefully.


    "Of course!"


    "Then count me in too."


    "Master, I want to learn too."


    "Alright, let''s all learn together."


    Thus, they all spent the day to practice Calming Heart Technique. The more Lin Xiao executed the movement, the more he felt his willpower getting stronger. It was amazing as he never expected that his soul power would be growing so rapidly like that.


    Inside his consciousness, Lin Hu was also watching Lin Xiao with interest. The others who were training with Lin Xiao certainly didn''t improve as fast as Lin Xiao, thus it made the contrast quite big.


    ''The technique is suitable for Lin Xiao.''


    That was the only conclusion Lin Hu could get after he watched for some time.


    The next day, the group visited Hu Fei, who had finished making the sword. He looked very proud as he pointed to the sword on the table. "Heh! I managed to make earth grade weapon of dark element!"


    "That''s only because of the metal."


    "Damn you! Can''t you allow me to have the credit for once?"


    While Hu Fei was bellowing angrily, Xia Ye stepped forward and took the sword. It was light and thin, most importantly, Xia Ye could sense his Qi was responding to every move of the sword.


    Ah, it was really a sword that was specialized for him.


    "It''s faster than before," Princess Lan Yi Hua commented. She clearly remembered that Hu Fei used to take a long time to finish her and Prince Lin San''s weapons.


    "Your mental ability had increased because of that Calming Heart Technique." Lin Xiao looked at Hu Fei. "Mental strength is important to make weapon, right?"


    "Of course it''s important��" Hu Fei''s words faltered. "Ah, you damn brat! Why did you have to reveal the fact that I trained in Calming Heart Technique?"


    Lin Xiao looked at Hu Fei with strange expression. "The others have already learned it too. Why did it matter?"


    "It''s a high grade skill and you pass it over to them just like that? Don''t you know that if you write the skill and sell it, you can get thousands of Spirit Stones?" Hu Fei felt like bellowing to the clueless Lin Xiao.


    Such valuable skill�� was passed to others so easily.


    "They''re my brothers, my men, and my future wife, why can''t I pass it to them?" Lin Xiao felt that it was stranger that Hu Fei would pester him about this. In his eyes, they were all his people and it would be good thing for his people to grow stronger, right?


    After all, being the strongest alone would not be a good thing.


    He needed others to help him out and naturally it would mean that he needed to make them stronger too. Since he could share this technique with them, why not?


    "You��" Hu Fei was speechless. "Are you not worried that they''ll betray you?"


    "Are you implying that I''ll betray my own brother?" Prince Lin Yan''s eyes narrowed and he looked at Hu Fei with murderous intent.


    "Wait, not you! I didn''t mean you! Ahhhh! Help me!"


    Prince Lin San looked at Hu Fei as if he was seeing an idiot. He and Xia Ye had already sworn an oath to follow Lin Xiao, so naturally they would not be betraying him.


    Even though Prince Lin Yan didn''t swear an oath, it was clear that he would not do anything that would harm Lin Xiao.


    As for Princess Lan Yi Hua��.

 Chapter 343: Weapon that was Capable to Grow

    Prince Lin San glanced at Princess Lan Yi Hua who was standing at the side. He knew very well that Lin Xiao trusted Princess Lan Yi Hua to a certain extent and had been pursuing her so far.


    She also had been helping Lin Xiao in many occasions. Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t show her affection so bluntly and idiotically like Lin Xiao, but she clearly had some affections for Lin Xiao. From the way it looked like, Prince Lin San would not doubt her betraying them.


    Boom!


    Being thrown by Prince Lin Yan, Hu Fei was now a sorry figure. He looked at Prince Lin Yan and pointed his finger, feeling aggrieved. "Is this how you treat your sworn brother, ah?"


    "That only apply to idiots." Prince Lin Yan rubbed his fist together. He really wished to give Hu Fei another beating since this young man kept on asking for one.


    "You��."


    A laughter interrupted their banter.


    Everyone turned their head and saw Marquis Hu walked with a young man beside him. The young man didn''t look any older than 30 years old and yet the oppressive feelings he gave out was one that was even more than Marquis Hu yesterday.


    Hu Fei quickly knelt down. "Master! Father!"


    The others bowed respectfully, "Respected Elder, Marquis Hu."


    "There''s no need to be so polite to me." Hu Fei''s Master looked in their direction. His gaze landed on everyone before he stopped in front of Princess Lan Yi Hua and Lin Xiao. It seemed that he had taken special interest on this pair.


    "Princess Lan Yi Hua."


    "Yes?" Princess Lan Yi Hua answered. She cupped her fist respectfully, not daring to do anything funny. In front of absolute strength, any kind of tricks were useless! If they still dared to play around and try to do tricks, one might even lose their lives.


    Hu Fei''s Master looked at the young girl and nodded. "You''re not like what people said."


    What people said?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua naturally knew that her reputation was at the rock bottom in Hua Lan Kingdom. It was one that might not be able to be salvaged anymore no matter what was done. She could only let out a bitter smile.


    "It''s good that they look down on me as it means that they''ll finally wake up that their so called genius is actually just a pebble on the road."


    Hu Fei''s Master was stunned for a moment before he laughed out loudly. "Good, very good. Princess Lan Yi Hua, you''re really a good person. How unfortunate that my disciple had no fate with you."


    Hu Fei, who was kneeling down, clearly felt sudden chills on his back. Several pairs of eyes were already directed at him as if they couldn''t wait to tear a piece of his meat and torn it brutally.


    "Master! What are you talking about! I liked sweet girls and not someone like��Princess Lan Yi Hua��." Hu Fei''s words faltered at the end before he looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua. There was some kind of feelings that he had seen her before but he never thought too deeply.


    From all he knew, she was nothing more than the Night Assassin��.


    Wait, Night Assassin was actually Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    She��


    "YOU''RE THAT USELESS PRINCESS?" Hu Fei couldn''t stand it anymore and screamed.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows but before she could even move, Prince Lin Yan had helped her.


    Bletak!


    A slap landed on the back of Hu Fei''s head. Prince Lin Yan shook his head. "Pardon him, he''s a bit of an idiot."


    Hu Fei''s Master also looked at his disciple and shook his head. This disciple of his really had good talent in terms of forging weapons, which was the main reason that he chose to take him to be his disciple.


    But the downside was the fact that his IQ was a bit on the low side.


    "Yes, she''s that useless princess. Do you want me to give you a beating too?" Lin Xiao asked in clear annoyance.


    Hu Fei looked at Lin Xiao and rolled his eyes. "Just with your Foundation Establishment Stage and you wish to defeat me? Do you really think that I would lose against you?"


    "Why not?" Lin Xiao asked back. He sneered. "Do you dare to fight?"


    "You��"


    Seeing the others had no intention of stopping Lin Xiao, Hu Fei was looking at Lin Xiao warily. He had the feeling that the fight would not be an ordinary fight. Not to mention, it was also true that Lin Xiao managed to defeat Lei Xing Yi even though she was at Golden Core Stage 2 before.


    "Stop that." Princess Lan Yi Hua tugged Lin Xiao''s clothes. "If he dares to look down on me, I''ll be the one to defeat him."


    Seeing how Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes gleamed, Lin Xiao could guess that she also wanted to give this man a good beating. He glared at Hu Fei before stepping back.


    Hu Fei wanted to cry. "You�� you won''t be able to catch up and��"


    Ugh wait, those two were also pretty good at cultivation and he was also someone who focused more on forging rather than cultivating. He then turned to look at Prince Lin Yan but the latter had no intention to help him.


    Ahhhh, help himmmm!


    Hu Fei''s Master looked at Lin Xiao. "So this is the one you set your eyes on?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was startled and she hurriedly replied, "Replying to Esteemed Elder, yes, this is the one."


    Lin Xiao felt a bit cold when he saw Hu Fei''s Master''s eyes landed on him. There was a hint of surprise within the old man''s eyes.


    "He seems to have some kind of ancient power within him but it''s weak. His cultivation is more or less the same as you�� Hmm, did he have some kind of rare elements?" Hu Fei''s Master asked again.


    "Yes."


    "What is it?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao, waiting for him to answer the question by himself.

 Chapter 344: Weapon that was Capable to Grow (2)

    Lin Xiao looked at Hu Fei''s Master and felt a bit conflicted. Hu Fei might not know about the existences of rare elements but it didn''t mean that others wouldn''t know about it. And being the esteemed elder, it was clear that Hu Fei''s Master would know about it.


    Should he reveal it?


    Taking a deep breath, Lin Xiao''s brain was thinking rapidly. He looked at Hu Fei''s Master. "Would I please ask you to promise that you will never divulge to others if you were to figure out more about my identity nor killing me?"


    Hu Fei''s Master and Marquis Hu were both stumped when they heard Lin Xiao''s request. It was rare to see such a youth who dared to pose such a question to them, especially when he was far weaker than them.


    Not only them, even Hu Fei was stunned.


    Back when Hu Fei asked about Lin Xiao''s element, he had been willing to tell him without asking anything else. He glanced at Prince Lin Yan but he saw that his sworn brother didn''t even try to stop Lin Xiao. His heart sank.


    He knew that there must be something special about Lake Element even though he had no knowledge about it right now.


    "Young man, don''t you think your request is a bit too much?" Hu Fei''s Master asked while taking out a fan and fanned himself.


    Lin Xiao looked at the young man and shook his head. "I''m sorry but cultivation world is dangerous and I don''t know whether I can trust you or not."


    "If I want to figure out your real identity, do you really think that I can''t use force to figure it out?" Marquis Hu also asked with narrowed eyes. Was the man Princess Lan Yi Hua picked problematic?


    "You can." Lin Xiao was calm.


    Hu Fei''s Master was watching Lin Xiao and thought for himself. He had already guessed that Lin Xiao must be related to Prince Lin Yan and Prince Lin San based on their similarities in their countenance. However, he never thought too much about it.


    His request was strange but it might be because he was of Sun Kingdom.


    He was not from these four kingdoms either, so he was not exactly interested in the dispute here. For him, it was not really a big matter for him to make such promise.


    "Alright. I''ll not leak out your real identity nor killing you."


    Lin Xiao took a deep breath of relief and then turned to look at Marquis Hu. He knew that he was trying to challenge himself and bet with his life when he asked such thing to them but he couldn''t possibly let them be his enemies in the future.


    Marquis Hu then looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua then sighed. "Fine, I''ll not leak out your real identity should I figure it out nor killing you."


    "Not even a clue?" Lin Xiao asked once more and only calmed down after the two men had nodded. The promise would not be able to affect them that much but it would restrict their future cultivation if they break their promise.


    After they had made the promise, Lin Xiao took out the Lake Glass Metal that he had obtained in the Secret Region. "My element is Lake and I would need a suitable weapon if I want to grow stronger."


    Lake Element.


    There were no servants around and Hu Fei''s Master had already blocked the entire area even before he asked them about this. Looking at the precious lump of metal in Lin Xiao''s hand his eyes widened in surprise.


    Similarly, Marquis Hu also seemed to realize something before he let out hearty laugh. "Princess Lan Yi Hua, I never expected you to be able to attract the person with the most potential when you''re only out for such a short period."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at the two men and pursed her lips. She didn''t do anything and only be herself, alright?


    However, she knew very well that to be able to be chosen by Lin Xiao to be by his side was an honor. She would be the one closest to him and able to watch over him as he grew stronger in his path as a cultivator and also when he became an Emperor.


    Hu Fei''s Master looked at Lin Xiao as a peculiar glint appeared within his eyes. "To think that I''ll be able to meet you. It''s truly an honor."


    Lin Xiao let out a forced smile. "I''m still nothing��"


    Yes, he was still nothing. However, Hu Fei''s Master knew very well the significance of Emperor''s Inheritance more than anyone. Many of them only thought of the rise of their kingdom with the existence of a Dragon Emperor.


    But it was more than that.


    Much more than that.


    "Since you''re the one who asked, I naturally will do my best." Hu Fei''s Master took a deep breath. He then looked at Lin Xiao. "In return, I would like you to help Hu Fei in his future cultivation when you two meet again in the future."


    "He''s my friend and I''ll naturally help him if I can." Lin Xiao treated Hu Fei well because the young man was also Prince Lin Yan''s sworn brother. Besides, he had seen for himself that Hu Fei was a good person.


    Hu Fei''s Master nodded. He pointed to the workshop. "Come with me and watch. I would require your blood later."


    "Ah?"


    Blood?


    This was the first time Lin Xiao ever heard of someone requiring blood for forging weapon. But since he had practically zero knowledge regarding forging and all, he chose not to ask too much and followed them into the workshop.


    Hu Fei''s Master took the Lake Glass Metal and sighed. It has been such a long time since he ever touched such precious metal and to think that he would be making the future emperor''s his sword��


    It was truly an honor.


    An honor that he didn''t believe could belong to him in this lifetime since the appearance of Emperor''s Inheritance was really rare.

 Chapter 345: Weapon that was Capable to Grow

    Looking at his disciple, Hu Fei''s Master knew that it was really Hu Fei''s luck to be able to be acquaintance with Lin Xiao. Other people might not even have a chance to meet with the Dragon Emperor in their entire life.


    It was an existence that was simply too high.


    "You can reinforce the weapon in the future with this Lake Glass Metal as the base. Also, for the current you, having too high grade of weapon will be too eye catching."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He had thought about it too and understood that if his weapon was too high of a grade, there would be too many people chasing after his tail. Naturally, he didn''t want such thing.


    "I''ll make you growth sword, a type of weapon that can grow stronger along with the user." Hu Fei''s Master looked at Lin Xiao. "Of course, that''s only if you agree with this."


    Lin Xiao hurriedly nodded. Of course that would be the best for him. He was not someone who was eager to show off and with his current identity, having a weapon that was too good would only bring countless troubles he was not ready to face.


    If the weapon''s grade could be improved along with his own improvement, it would be for the best.


    "It''ll be for the best Esteemed Elder."


    "You can call me Master Huo." Hu Fei''s Master, Blacksmith Master Huo, looked at the lump of metal and sighed. "I''ll need your cooperation."


    "Yes."


    Standing in the middle of the room, Master Huo began to work. His hand was moving quickly as he melt the metal in the fireplace. His eyes looked at Lin Xiao for a moment.


    "What type of weapon do you want?"


    "Double edge. The length is this long and then��" Lin Xiao began to describe the weapon he wanted. His eyes were watching the lump of metal as Master Huo began to control fire freely.


    The scorching temperature forced many others to use their Qi to protect themselves. They would die if they didn''t protect themselves because the Qi would penetrate deep into their skin and burn them.


    ''So hot.''


    Lin Xiao was the one who could withstand the fire the best after Princess Lan Yi Hua, who had fire element. With his Lake Element operating at high speed, he didn''t even feel it was scotching hot in the slightest bit. By operating his own Qi to the fullest, he made sure of that.


    Master Huo looked at the description Lin Xiao made and nodded. He then turned his attention back to the lump of metal and began to move it to an anvil he summoned out from his Spatial Ring. Before long, the sound of metal hitting metal began to form in the place.


    The process repeated several times before the shape of the sword was formed.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes were glued to the sword because he could already clearly feel the superior power of the sword even from a distance.


    "Come here and pour your blood and Qi."


    "Yes!"


    Stepping forward, Lin Xiao didn''t hesitate to slit his own hand poured his blood into the sword. At the same time, he allowed his Qi to combine with the Lake Glass Metal in front of him.


    As more and more blood was poured out, the sword''s surface began to change color to that of red. However, it was still sucking Lin Xiao''s blood as if it didn''t want to stop in the slightest bit.


    Lin Xiao''s face had turned pale and yet the sword was still absorbing his blood.


    "Just a little bit more." Master Huo also noticed this and felt a bit bad. Those with more powerful bloodline usually took more time to produce this kind of treasured sword because it would require more blood.


    The others were watching nervously.


    Drip! Drip!


    The blood continued to pour and when the sword finally shone, Master Huo shouted, "Done!"


    Lin Xiao utilized his Qi and closed his wounds in that instant. He was thankful that he had sufficient skill to control his healing ability or his wounds would have closed almost immediately after he cut it open. He had only started practicing Recovery Lake Technique last night but the effect was already so evident��


    He had to learn how to control his Qi better.


    Master Huo then used his fire to seal the Qi and blood within the sword and hammered it a few more times until the light disappeared. The aura within the sword was repressed and no longer as much as before.


    However, Lin Xiao could clearly feel a connection between him and the sword. It was as if he had grown another limb.


    "The sword is done."


    Master Huo didn''t pick up the sword from the anvil. He looked at the sword and sighed deeply. This would be the first time in his life he felt this satisfied when he was making treasured sword. The grade was a bit lower than what he thought but he knew that Lin Xiao might be able to upgrade this sword in the future.


    Lin Xiao looked at the sword. His hand was already itching to pick it up but he still remembered to look at Master Huo and cupped his hands. "Thank you very much, Master Huo!"


    "Hahaha, it''s my first time making treasured sword like this. I''m still unable to make better one but this will do for now." Master Huo sighed and felt a bit bad that his skill was not good enough to create the best sword in the world.


    If only he could make it, he would have already make one for Lin Xiao.


    And if there was any better material, he would have used it. Such a sword was truly unworthy for an Emperor.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Yes. I''ll treasure it."


    "Would you please bestow a name for the sword?" Master Huo looked at Lin Xiao with expectation.


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao was stumped. He looked at the sword for a moment before he replied, "Tianze. This sword shall be called Tianze."

 Chapter 346: Returning to Sun Kingdom

    "Tianze��" Master Huo repeated the name before nodding. "That''s indeed very suitable for it."


    The sword had cooled down and the red color had completely disappeared. Instead of red, it now turned to blue, which was far suited the word Lake Glass even more. The surface was smooth and clearly reflected the light around it.


    Beautiful and sharp.


    Lin Xiao smiled and picked the sword up. He felt as if he could hear the sword itself was calling at him. It was such a weird feeling but before long, he noticed the aura of the sword had calmed down considerably and then it settled down, looking no different than ordinary sword.


    "Having specialized treasured sword like that might prevent you from understanding Sword Intent," Princess Lan Yi Hua suddenly remarked.


    "Sword intent?"


    "It''s often termed as Sword Qi too. It''s the Qi that''s formed because of your understanding of your own weapon." Princess Lan Yi Hua took out her own twin swords. As she closed her eyes and then opening it once more, there was sharp aura around her, one that was completely different from Qi.


    Lin Xiao looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua in astonishment before he looked at his own sword. Right, since he could already sense his own sword''s movement and felt it was part of him thanks to the connection made by the blood and Qi connection, it might instead stop him from understanding Sword Qi.


    He had never tried to understand one if he had to be honest as he merely used the sword as a weapon and not understanding that deeply.


    Master Huo laughed. "Don''t worry. It''ll be nothing more than an ordinary sword without Sword Qi. The only reason why it reacted just now is because it just formed. But for Master Lin to fully unleash the sword''s capability, he would need to understand Sword Qi."


    And it might take a long time.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. "That''s good then."


    Looking at the two of them, Master Huo smiled lightly and waved his hand. He glanced at his disciple. "Now that the matter is done, you should be ready to leave."


    "Yes, Master!" Hu Fei glanced at Prince Lin Yan and grinned. "Don''t miss me."


    Prince Lin Yan arched his eyebrows. "Why should I miss you?"


    "Damn you!"


    "See you sometime in the future."


    "Tsk."


    They talked a bit more before they walked out of the room. Princess Lan Yi Hua glanced once more in the direction of Marquis Hu but said nothing. They could talk again in the future when she formally returns to Hua Lan Kingdom.


    Prince Lin Yan looked at the group. "We''re returning to Sun Kingdom."


    "Already?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    "First, you''ll be visiting your lake. Secondly, it''s time for your practice in the areas within Sun Kingdom since there''s no more any good betting place for the time being." Prince Lin Yan squinted his eyes.


    They had been eliminating the useless young masters so far and it would take a few more years before they had more people who would participate. During this time, there wouldn''t be anyone who could use this method to train.


    Not like everyone liked to bet with their lives either.


    The group rested for the day and left the day afterwards. During the journey, Lin Xiao spent his time understanding more of Recovery Lake Technique and also Calming Heart Technique. The two technique would be vital for him in the future.


    And after several days of journey, the sight of the familiar mountain felt really good for Lin Xiao.


    "I wonder how the others'' condition now."


    "Let''s come in."


    "Mhm."


    Entering the cave, Lin Xiao suddenly stopped. He could see there were several people lying for an ambush in front of them. Since they were still quite a distance away and the cave was dark, it was clear that the other party would not recognize them.


    Lin Xiao raised his hand and signaled for them to make formation.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua, Prince Lin San, and Xia Ye recognized it as the sign that Lin Xiao used back when they were in the cave and prevented other people from coming in. They lightly grinned to each other and swiftly moved.


    "They found us!" Lin Yun screamed.


    "Damn! I have told you that my skill to hide in the darkness is bad but you still want us to hide!" Han Jiang cursed and then rushed forward, his body moved like a large bull that had nothing to hold it back.


    "Tsk." Lu Jian clicked his tongue before he started singing. His poor singing still hadn''t improved in the slightest bit, making those who heard him grimaced.


    On the other hand, Fan Ling had taken out her fan and swiftly moved.


    Lin Xiao felt that being the receiving end of Lu Jian''s attack always felt weird. Unfortunately, such restriction was nothing for him. He lightly muttered under his breath, "Break!"


    The word said in Dragon Word completely broke the restriction that was placed on him. Lin Xiao''s body swiftly moved.


    Moon Evasion!


    Moving right behind Lin Yun, he noticed his younger brother also noticed him and raised his hand. A pouch was on his left hand while his right hand was holding his sword.


    ''A poison?''


    Lin Xiao had been practicing Calming Heart Technique and now facing the sudden danger of being killed by his younger brother''s poison, he swiftly readied his sword before the chilling aura spread.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Sixth Stance!


    Bang!


    Before Lin Yun''s attack could even reach Lin Xiao, he discovered that the other party had already attacked. Putting his own sword in defensive position, his face turned strange as he was pushed to the back.


    His life was not in any danger as the attack was directed at his side and not at him. Not to mention�� that technique felt familiar.


    "Brother?"


    Lin Xiao merely grinned at his brother''s greeting. "If I have been a real enemy, you would have died, Lin Yun."

 Chapter 347: Improvement

    Lin Yun looked at his older brother resentfully. While it was true that he would have died if it was not Lin Xiao, he still felt that his brother''s words a bit annoying. However, he was astonished at how fast Lin Xiao moved.


    "The others��"


    At this moment, Princess Lan Yi Hua had moved to behind Fan Ling. Despite her using the wind element to obstruct Princess Lan Yi Hua, it didn''t stop Princess Lan Yi Hua''s movement in the slightest bit.


    Tsk!


    Clicking her tongue, Fan Ling swiftly changed her course of position and then the trajectory of her attack. The wind and fire element swirled around her before it all rushed over in Princess Lan Yi Hua''s direction.


    Fire Storm Wind!


    Bang!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t try to fight head on and used her own movement''s technique to evade to the side. She then charged forward in between the time Fan Ling used her technique to shorten the distance.


    "Damn you!" Fan Ling used her other hand to control more fire.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua moved once more and then grabbed Fan Ling''s hand before her body moved to Fan Ling''s back before she used her other hand to grab her and put her sword before Fan Ling''s neck.


    "Checkmate," Princess Lan Yi Hua said playfully.


    Hearing the familiar voice, Fan Ling was stunned. She nearly dropped her fan as she whispered, "Princess Lan Yi Hua?"


    "Yep."


    She nearly cursed out loudly but then a realization struck her. She had already advanced to Golden Core Stage 1 not long ago and yet she still failed to defeat Princess Lan Yi Hua? Did the princess advance to Golden Core Stage?


    But the power she showed so far was only at Foundation Establishment!


    While Fan Ling was locked by Princess Lan Yi Hua, Xia Ye had swiftly moved to evade Han Jiang. The brute slammed his large axe to the ground while Xia Ye had already moved once more.


    Tep!


    A sword was pointed at Han Jiang''s chin from below, preventing him from moving.


    "You lose."


    The cold and succinct words also stunned Han Jiang greatly. He didn''t dare to move his head but he swore that the voice was so familiar. "Xia Ye."


    "Mhm."


    It''s really him? But when did Xia Ye be this fast?


    From what Han Jiang could remember, Xia Ye was indeed fast but not to this point where he couldn''t even follow the other party''s movement. How did this brat''s improvement become this big even though he only left for a few months, ah?


    Bang!


    While they were in deadlock too, Lu Jian''s condition was not any better. He noticed that his opponent was not affected by his song, so he swiftly took out his sword to defend against the attack.


    However, a leg swept him from below and the next thing he knew, a sword was pointed at his neck.


    "Your close range battle ability is still as poor as ever," Prince Lin San commented. He didn''t think that it would be this bad but after seeing them up close, he realized that it was indeed bad.


    Lu Jian was stumped. "Prince Lin San?"


    "Who do you think it is?"


    "Wha��.?"


    Prince Lin Yan watched from the back and shook his head. "Those who stayed here needs some practice too it seems."


    "True."


    "Agree."


    "Totally agree!"


    The three of them immediately voiced out their agreement while Xia Ye nodded vehemently. As Princess Lan Yi Hua used her Qi to generate fire, it was clearer to them that those who stayed in the cave were all pinned down to the ground and failed to even fight back properly.


    "What''s your practice?" Lin Yun have a bad feeling when he saw Lin Xiao''s smile. He knew very well that whenever Lin Xiao had that smile, it would mean that he was scheming something bad.


    "Nothing much. You just need to fight against some powerful enemies." Lin Xiao shrugged. "Oh right, I have something for you."


    "Yes?"


    Lin Xiao took out the Rainbow Petal Yang Flower from his Spatial Ring. It had been sitting there for months and thankfully Spatial Ring would freeze time so it was still as good as when he plucked it up.


    "This should help you reach Golden Core Stage 1."


    Lin Yun''s eyes shone with happiness. Unlike many others who would need to bitterly train, his own physique made it possible for him to advance so much faster than others as long as he has the required medicine, which was herbs with Yang attribute.


    "Thank you very much, Bro!"


    "You have to process it yourself, though." Lin Xiao had no talent when it came to alchemy. The last time he did it�� he nearly poison all of them with his concoction.


    It was to the point that Lin Yun wondered how in the world a recipe for medicine suddenly turned into poison in Lin Xiao''s hand?


    "No problem." Lin Yun laughed heartily.


    Prince Lin San used his Eyes of Truth and scanned his friends before he realized that there were two people who were born with special constitution. He blinked his eyes. "Why don''t you two just sleep together? Both of you will be able to reach higher cultivation stage if you do that?"


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao looked at his younger brother. "Do you want me to kidnap her."


    "NO!" Lin Yun was exasperated when he heard what his older brother said. Why did he have to say it upfront, ah?


    Fan Ling noticed that Prince Lin San was looking at her. She sneered. "It seems that you have too much free time in your hand, Your Highness Prince Lin San. Do you mind having a spar with me?"


    "I won''t lose against��." Prince Lin San was stunned when he saw Lin Yun also started attacking. "Ah, don''t gang up to fight me! You''re already Golden Core Stage and you''re still asking for others to cooperate! Whoa! HELPPPP!"


    Lin Xiao watched as his twin was attacked and chose to stay out of their problems. How tactless of him to mention it so bluntly.

 Chapter 348: They Finally Make the Move

    He walked inside and looked at the lake. After obtaining some benefit from helping Long Hao, he naturally noticed that the lake was not as good as before anymore. Slowly he erased the word and the Qi started to disperse.


    Slowly, he raised his hand and started to write in Dragon Words.


    "Heaven and earth, please listen to my humble request. Gather the Qi in the surroundings to help us train inside the lake. Let us grow stronger so that we will be able to protect our loved ones."


    The Qi began to swirl while Lin Xiao was watching the words fused with the lake with interest. He naturally made the words his own and didn''t follow any other rules like that Long Hao did. However, the result was still far better than when he randomly wrote before.


    "Is it because it''s politer?"


    "That''s because you''re arousing the Qi." Lin Hu was speechless by Lin Xiao''s conjecture. "By making request to both the Heaven and Earth, you''re asking them to grant you help in this very lake."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes and looked at the lake once more before shrugging. He didn''t really understand the significance and in his eyes, it was good that they could train much faster now.


    "Your priority now should be how to use your skills more efficiently in a battle, though." Lin Hu was not that concerned in terms of Lin Xiao''s advancement. After all, it would naturally come in time. The most important thing for him right now was to build stronger foundation.


    "I know."


    Lin Xiao took a deep breath and waved to others, telling them to start practicing once more in the lake.


    With the plentiful Qi inside the lake, they found themselves really enjoying this rare occurrence. But of course Prince Lin Yan didn''t allow them to just rest within the lake without doing anything.


    He forced them to practice and Lin Yun and the others finally understood what kind of hellish training the others experienced before. This time, they took turns to visit the betting arena to make sure that half of them would be protecting the lake and cultivated.


    Within a week''s of Lin Xiao''s return, Lin Yun finished making the medicine and consumed it.


    He made swift breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 1, much to the others'' annoyance.


    "You''re too fast!" Lu Jian complained when he saw Lin Yun had broken through. He felt that it was so unfair considering that Lin Yun was much slower than them in the past.


    "I have special physique," Lin Yun said without remorse. As long as he could make up for the Yang deficiency in his body, he would be able to breakthrough faster. After all, his constitution was quite special.


    Han Jiang looked at Lin Yun before he shook his head and focused on his training.


    Lu Jian gritted his teeth and felt that the world was truly unfair. He was not that much difference in age compared to these two but he could clearly see that Lin Xiao was better in terms of fight while Lin Yun could advance quickly with the help of medicine.


    While he had to work much harder��.


    "When you reach higher stage, it''ll be comparing more of your understanding of cultivation than your talent." Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lu Jian and tried to help him accept this fact.


    "It''s still��ugh."


    "Just train much harder." Fan Ling snorted. She had good talent and she knew that but when it came to comprehension, she needed some time.


    If there was anyone among them who have monstrous speed in terms of comprehending techniques�� that would be Lin Xiao.


    If not for some element limitation, they were sure that their technique would have been stolen by that brat just from him watching them battling or sparring with him.


    "The practice is not over yet."


    "Yes."


    Prince Lin Yan only stayed for a few more months to help them visit the underground arena before he left.


    The others were now capable to protect the lake better and the people who came to take over the lake were defeated with ease. Time passed swiftly and it was around a year and a half since Lin Xiao took the mission.


    More and more people had sensed the strange rich Qi in the mountain, thus they wanted to make their way there. Thanks to that, they have to fight against a lot of humans. For Lin Xiao, it was a chance that he couldn''t miss.


    "Get out of my way!"


    Lin Xiao looked at the man and arched his eyebrows. He rushed over and brandished his sword, which directly killed the man.


    "Now all kind of Foundation Establishment Cultivators can''t make you perplexed, huh?" Prince Lin San was astounded.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Is there any news from Brother Lin Xian?"


    "He''s still busy with his new mission. As you know, when you reach Golden Core Stage, what''s important is to change your Qi so that it''ll be the purified one. But of course, you have to make sure that you won''t lag behind in your progress," Prince Lin San said in leisure tone.


    "Don''t you need to return back?"


    "I still have a few months left," Prince Lin San shrugged. "I come here to join my brother in the middle, so only a month before you come, and I have already submitted my part to the guard. There''s still enough time. How about you?"


    "The three years'' deadline for my bet is in around half a year." Lin Xiao stretched his body. he would be turning 19 soon too.


    "Hmm, I see."


    Lin Xiao got a message from Luo Lan that their elders were gathering for a meeting in Wang Luo Sect. The exact location was not divulged but it should be within the sect.


    "They finally make the move?" Lin Xiao asked with his Communication Jade.


    Luo Lan''s voice was low. "I can''t contact you for long, but Yue Da Sect was attacked not long ago. Because the opponent use Moon Evasion, they''re suspecting there''s spies, so there''s a bloodbath in the sect. Now, some of the elders are asking for meeting."

 Chapter 349: Back to the South

    Lin Xiao listened to Luo Lan''s explanation before he cut off the communication. Thinking about Yue Da Sect, he could only remember that one youth who was so arrogant and unwilling to stay any longer. However, he had never met with that person anymore and it was already almost five years since then.


    He then proceeded to contact Sui Wenyan and Wenren Yu, asking them to meet with him in Feng Yi City. They have already created chaos, so it was time for them to return back and meet with each other.


    "Lin Xiao, is there anything wrong?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked with concern.


    "It''s time. There''s going to be a meeting not long from now in the three sects. I need to head there. Who wants to come with me?"


    They all looked at Lin Xiao and stood up. Only Prince Lin San and Xia Ye looked a bit unwilling to leave this place.


    Lin Xiao could notice that and laughed. He walked to the lake and wrote several more sentences. "You can stay here for another half a year at most. Afterwards, the lake will turn back into normal. Will that be enough for you?"


    Xia Ye nodded. "I should be able to make my breakthrough to Golden Core Stage in half a year."


    "Me too."


    The others looked at the two of them with widened eyes. Prince Lin San was around the same age with Lin Xiao, so they were not that surprised with his claim since Lin Xiao himself was also close to make his breakthrough. The others too, though they still need a bit more time.


    "How about you two, Lu Jian, Han Jiang?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Lu Jian shook his head. "I never thought about making my breakthrough so quickly. However, I would like to return back to the academy and settle the problem of our followers. I''m sure that once you show your prowess, a lot of people will try to get close to you. Before that, I also want to start scouting all the seniors."


    "Ok, you may return back."


    Unlike the others who were so fixated on getting stronger, Lu Jian didn''t have that much talent. He did get a lot of benefit from the lake, but it was not enough for him to make his breakthrough. The most important thing for him was to establish solid connection with other nobles that might be important for Lin Xiao.


    In terms of social skill, he was indeed the best in their group. Not to mention, he had the advantage of his skill that allowed him to outtalk others and pull them to him with his voice alone.


    Han Jiang looked at them and then to Lin Xiao. "I don''t really have much to do, so I''ll follow you and be of help to you."


    "Alright."


    Both Lin Yun and Fan Ling had already broken through to Golden Core Stage, so the lake was not that beneficial for them anymore. What they needed was to train the Qi in their body and purified it bit by bit.


    Once it was already purified to a certain degree, they would be able to breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 2.


    ''How nice it is if I can make Spirit Stones.'' Lin Xiao thought to himself as he led the others out, leaving Prince Lin San and Xia Ye. But of course, Prince Lin San chose to call his brother to help him arrange someone to help guarding them. It would be harder to fend against those greedy people when they came in the future.


    Inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness, Lin Hu snorted. ''You''re not Mountain Dragon Emperor, so you can''t make it.''


    ''Mountain Dragon Emperor can make Spirit Stones?''


    ''Yes.''


    It was now Lin Xiao felt that all of the Emperors must have their advantages. After asking a bit more to Lin Hu, he found out that it was true. Mountain Dragon would be the richest because of Spirit Stones. Fire Dragon would be the one with the greatest destruction because of the amplified attack. Water dragon would be the one with the greatest defense and so on.


    All eight of them have their own advantage and disadvantage. For example, the four basic element dragons could be summoned at any time without limitation, but their rank would be the same as their master. On the other hand, Lake Dragon, Mountain Dragon, and the other two could only be summoned in their specific place but their power would be one rank above their master.


    Swish!


    Returning back to the place, Lin Xiao headed straight to the Teleportation station. "I would like to head to Feng Yi City. We''ll pay for the cost."


    By now, the expensive fee of the teleportation circle didn''t amount anything for Lin Xiao. It was just like a drop in a bucket with his resources.


    "Why Feng Yi City?"


    "It''s the nearest location to that place."


    Swish!


    As they got teleported, Lin Xiao walked out of the place. The houses and buildings where he used to stay for a short period of time in the past looked quite unfamiliar now. However, he knew that the two auctions houses were still as popular as ever.


    "What''s your plan now?"


    "Figure out when the meeting will be." Lin Xiao shrugged. Luo Lan only knew that they would hold the meeting next week but didn''t know the exact date. It would be impossible for them to sneak into Wang Luo Sect for a long time, right?


    "Why don''t we just walk into the sect and destroy it?" Fan Ling asked with confusion. She didn''t mind flaunting her power a bit. Those three half Golden Core Stage wouldn''t be able to defeat her.


    Lin Xiao glanced at Fan Ling and sighed. "Even if we do that, we might not be able to achieve our goal completely. I need to figure out the exact time when they hold the meeting or our plan will be useless."


    "Tsk, how troublesome." Fan Ling clicked her tongue.

 Chapter 350: Meeting with Old Friends Again

    Lin Xiao smiled bitterly. After advancing to Foundation Establishment, Fan Ling''s temper was worse. It was to the point that he felt it was really astounding. She was so reckless and violent, totally unlike normal girls.


    Of course, he would never mention it unless he was itching for a beating from her.


    "What''s your plan right now? I mean, how do you plan to figure out when they want to hold the meeting?" Fan Ling asked while rubbing her fan, lamenting the fact that she couldn''t just barge in and tried to get close.


    "I know a harmless method."


    "Huh?"


    "Follow me for now."


    Leading the others, Lin Xiao headed to the back alley. He had never contacted Zhongsun Shan and Qiu Si after separating from them. Now thinking about it, how were their condition now?


    The two houses were still in good condition. However, Han Jiang was looking at the place with a frown. "What are we going to do here?"


    "This is my house." Lin Xiao pointed to one of the houses. Afterwards, he walked to the other one and knocked.


    "Yes?"


    "Miss Qiu Si?"


    "Who is it?" Qiu Si opened the door and saw the group before her. Looking at Lin Xiao, who hadn''t changed that much after several years, her eyes widened in surprise. "Lin Xiao?"


    "Hey Miss Qiu. Is your husband here?"


    "He''s in the auction house because there''s work today." Qiu Si smiled, giving off the impression of a kind young lady. She welcomed them inside and then looked at the other two insides. "Sui Wenyan, Wenren Yu, your friends have arrived."


    "Ah?"


    Sui Wenyan opened the door and looked at them. Her eyes widened in surprise before she smiled brightly. "Master, you''re back."


    "En." With a swept of his gaze, Lin Xiao was sure that Wenren Yu was already close to break through while Sui Wenyan was already at Golden Core Stage. One year and a half had passed and it seemed that their progress was bountiful.


    "I heard about what you did to Yue Da Sect. What did you find from them?"


    "Ah, we figure out their plan back then." Sui Wenyan welcomed them to sit down while Qiu Si was also preparing some food. While they were already advancing, it was clear that Qiu Si still didn''t manage to make her breakthrough yet. In fact, she looked like she had been hitting a bottleneck.


    Wenren Yu noticed Lin Yun and his eyes widened in disbelief. He knew Ln Yun progress better than anyone because when he first came, Lin Yun was not even as strong as Lin Xiao. But now that he looked at this youngster again, it was clear that Lin Yun had already advanced to Golden Core Stage.


    "How come you''re so fast?" Wenren Yu asked at Lin Yun.


    "My brother found a plant that''s suitable with me." Lin Yun grinned. It was partially luck that his brother managed to find it.


    Wenren Yu blinked his eyes and then pointed at Fan Ling. "And here I thought that the two of you make out��."


    Bang!


    With one punch, Wenren Yu was sent flying. Lin Yun''s face was red because he did figure out about Fan Ling''s physique not long ago. However, he had no intention to get close to her just because of it and wanted them to be like normal couple. But of course, that was a matter of other time.


    Lin Xiao sighed when he saw them and focused to the story that Sui Wenyan told them. It turned out that the plan was as simple as barging in. They didn''t really need to do anything special because the other sects nearby wouldn''t make their moves and those other forces were silenced.


    "The Royal Family is the one behind it?" Lin Xiao asked in a low tone.


    Sui Wenyan nodded and sighed. "There are several factions in the Royal Family and one of them is dissatisfied with how things are going on with Taiyi Sect. As the result, they ordered the three sects to make a move against the sect and annihilated everyone who were affiliated with them."


    "Which one?"


    "The one who followed Lin Bo Wang."


    Lin Bo Wang�� Lin Xiao had heard his name a few times in the past but he didn''t know much about this prince. Unlike the other two princes whom he had met before, this prince was always so silent that there were not even any ripples of his news. However, it was clear that he was one of the few who had the most followers and supporters behind his back.


    After all, there was one incident when he confronted with Prince Lin Fei and the result was that the two of them tied. That was the moment when no one dared to underestimate this seemingly quiet prince.


    "His parents?"


    "His parents are the third prince but they have already died when Lin Bo Wang was young. He''s now under the care of the Fifth prince and also have some other princes'' help to stabilize his current position."


    "Who are they?"


    "Aside from the Emperor�� there''s no clear indication of the others."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. He thought that the Emperor would favor his own son, but it turned out that he was actually leaning toward another prince?


    "Why is he helping another prince and not his son?"


    Sui Wenyan shook her head. "I don''t know for sure. Probably we''re going to need to try our luck in asking the three sects when they gathered together."


    "Ok. By the way, how''s the ability of the Yue Da Sect?"


    Hearing that, Sui Wenyan tilted her head. "Well, just average. You don''t have to worry so much about Yu Da Sect either. They''re not going to go against you nor worth so much anymore."


    "Yes?"


    "I already killed the leader and the internal dispute made it impossible for anyone to survive there. Only some elders were escaping towards Wang Luo Sect and we''re all going to kill them soon too."

 Chapter 351: Staying and Watch

    Silence


    Lin Xiao did know that there was some chaos in Yue Da Sect., but he never expected that the chaos was actually that much. Looking at how calm Sui Wenyan was, he knew for sure that it was nothing much for her to destroy the sect back then.


    He didn''t say anything for a while before he looked at Sui Wenyan and the other. "Do you want to do it by yourself or do you want me to help?"


    "By ourselves."


    No matter what, Lin Xiao himself was not involved in the matter of Taiyi Sect back then. In fact, Lin Xiao was only an outsider who was wishing to enter the sect when he was young, yet he couldn''t because he was too weak back then. Now that he could, the sect had disappeared.


    Besides, Sui Wenyan and the others wanted to settle the grudges that they have by themselves before they build the new Taiyi Sect.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Alright, I''ll just watch from a distance. In case you''re in any danger whatsoever, I''ll barge in to help."


    "We''ll be fine."


    At this time, the door was opened and Zhongsun Shan walked in. he arched his eyebrows when he saw the guests sitting in the living room. "Why are there so many people here today?"


    "We''re here to discuss the plan to annihilate the three sects."


    "Oh? Didn''t we already agree to enter the sect by disguising ourselves as their disciples?"


    Lin Xiao was looking at Zhongsun Shan with bewilderment. Just a few years ago, Zhongsun Shan was still at weakened state at Foundation Establishment. Now that he met with the young man again, he could clearly sense that Zhongsun Shan was already at Golden Core Stage.


    It seemed that returning back to one''s stage was faster than when one first attempted to enter a particular stage.


    Well, that was quite obvious.


    However, looking at how calm Zhongsun Shan was, Lin Xiao could guess that the young man didn''t feel that much burdened by the fact that he used to be genius but now he was more mediocre. In fact, he looked much better than Qiu Si.


    "How did you plan to sneak in?" Fan Ling asked.


    "And you are?"


    "Ah��" Lin Xiao proceeded to introduce them all to Zhongsun Shan and also Qiu Si before they proceeded with their talk. Zhongsun Shan also trusted Lin Xiao, so he didn''t care whether he knew or not because it wouldn''t change anything from his planning.


    "I''ll use some medicine to trick them. Besides, make up is quite easy with Sui Wenyan''s help." Wenren Yu grinned. Medicine was used to make sure that they didn''t look much difference while make up was to imitate their appearance.


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. "How about their personal relationships?"


    "Don''t worry, Qiu Si had already scouted there." Zhongsun Shan smiled. Since he was used to work in the auction house, Qiu Si also got the chance to interact with some groups there and there was a group that they were targeting to get inside the sect.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Alright. Need any help?"


    "Just make sure that no one knew we have left from here. I''m taking a leave next week to attend to my sick wife."


    Qiu Si nodded. "I''ll be staying at home."


    "Well, I guess I''m just a busy neighborhood who just returned and keep helping to watch over you two." Lin Xiao smiled helplessly. He didn''t really like to act, but if it was necessary, he didn''t mind to do so.


    They chatted with each other a bit more before Lin Xiao returned to his own house with the others. He glanced at his younger brother. "What do you think of their plan?"


    "It''s not bad at all. However, I don''t know whether they''ll succeed or not." Lin Yun furrowed his brows. "Besides, there''s also the problem whether they could handle the difference in number or not."


    "Number is not a problem. Both Zhongsun Shan and Sui Wenyan have already advanced to Golden Core Stage while the other two were at peak of Foundation Stage. Even if they got a bit overwhelmed, they would be able to cover it up with the use of poisons. Wenren Yu will be able to hold it well."


    "True��"


    Just like Lin Yun would be able to use poison, Wenren Yu would be able to do it at an even better efficiency and also effectivity.


    "The problem is whether they could catch them unprepared or not." Fan Ling played with her fan. She smiled. "Even if they managed to get inside and stay there, it''s not certain that they''ll be able to strike in time at the most appropriate time. That''s the biggest problem they have."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He looked at the other house and sighed. Because it didn''t really involve him, he would not be able to participate directly in the fight. However, he would like to watch them in order to make sure that they would be able to stay alive and survive well in their task.


    "Would you like to help them out, Brother?" Lin Yun asked.


    "Even if I want to help, I don''t think that they will want my help. We''re just going to watch for the next few days, then. In the meantime, maybe we can try to get our chance to make our breakthrough after some time?"


    The others: "..." do you think that people can make breakthrough as easy as drinking water?


    Looking at their expression, Lin Xiao chose to retreat back to his room and no longer try to speak with the others. Their expression looked as if they were itching to give him a good beating.


    ''Lin Xiao.''


    ''What?''


    ''you''re an idiot.''


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    On the other hand, those outside were looking at each other. Lin Yun sighed. "Let''s just make sure that we''re not treated as weird people here while protecting Brother."


    "Ok."


    "I''ll check if there''s more room first."


    "There should be enough rooms here. It''s not like this house only have one room."


    "Oh, right."

 Chapter 352: Sneaking In

    The next day, they all still did their activities as usual while Lin Xiao stayed behind to stay in the house. He had no intention of going out and mostly stay behind in the house because there was nothing much that the wanted to do.


    While he was worried, he did get their report about the small group of disciple that they have been targeting. It was a group of four and often bullied the local people here. Since Wang Luo Sect didn''t really care about what their disciples do, they often created trouble in the area.


    The group was targeted because they often disappeared for a long period of time. Besides, it was a group of four, which was suitable for them.


    The days passed quietly while Lin Xiao waited patiently. He felt that he made a mistake by coming so early, but he had no intention of going back to the mountain. While complaining internally, Lin Xiao spent the day by practicing.


    "The group had entered the brothel again. We might be able to make our moves today." Sui Wenyan leapt to their house to pay a visit.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Be careful."


    "We will."


    After taking care of the permission to leave, Zhongsun Shan stayed still in his house and waited for the night to come. When it was nighttime, the four of them started to make their move.


    Swish!


    In the quiet night, the four of them disappear from their place and travelled in the darkness. No one saw them as they entered the lively brothel through the backdoor and headed to one of the rooms that was located there.


    "Wenyan."


    Tring~


    The melodious song was covered with the background noise that was made in the brothel. NO one noticed when the strange sound was mixed with the songs. However, those within the room that they had targeted fell down to the ground with a loud thud when the song entered their ears.


    From the viewpoint of others, they just fell down because of the alcohol that was too much for them to handle.


    Qiu Si walked to the four of them and rummaged their clothes before returning back. She acted naturally and very quickly. In addition, she also took their Spatial Ring because they would need the items inside.


    "Yu."


    Wenren Yu took out a bottle and poured it on top of the four people. Almost immediately, they all decomposed and left no trace whatsoever that they have been there. It was a medicine that was used to decompose a corpse and to make sure that there was no mark left.


    It was quite useful at times like this.


    The four of them changed their appearance and Wenren Yu also used herbs that would allow one''s sense to be dulled slightly around them. That way, no one would notice the minute differences between them and the others when they got near to each other.


    "Alright, it''s should be enough."


    "Wait." Qiu Si pointed to their clothes. "Don''t forget to make sure that you''re smelled like alcohol."


    The four of them like do drink so it was instead weirder if they smelled like medicine instead of alcohol. The four of them immediately dipped their hand into the alcohol and rubbed it to their clothes. While they didn''t'' drink, but the smell made one think that they must have already drank a large amount of wine when they got close to them.


    "let''s go."


    After they have finished their preparation, they walked out of the room and then meet with the manager there.


    "You''re out so quickly?" the manager asked in surprise.


    "There''s some emergency in the sect that we have to return back soon. Thank you for taking care of us for the past few days." Wenren Yu tossed a gold coin to the manager, who smiled at their tip. The four of them always paid first before entering, so the manager had already had enough money from the very first time they came inside.


    "Time to go."


    The four of them walked out in leisure pace and even staggering as they walked as if they were drunk. Some people stayed away from them because they were not really famous for their good deeds and more lie because of their notoriously bad action.


    After they got out of the city, they immediately used their martial arts to pass through the forest as fast as possible. Wang Luo Sect was located not far from Feng Yi City, so after some time rushing in the dense forest, they clearly arrived in the Wang Luo Sect without much difficulties.


    "There''s not much beasts anymore."


    "There are a lot of people who are busy hunting for the past few days. It''s clear that they''re not going to let the beasts roamed too much near the city."


    "True."


    Taking the disciples token that they took from their pockets, they could easily enter the sect once more. The people there were stunned to see them returning back so late, but seeing their identity and the heavy smell of alcohol, they could guess what these four has been doing for the past few days.


    ''I don''t understand why the girls also like to drink so much,'' Sui Wenyan grumbled as they entered the sect. She was hiding her power when they entered because all four disciples were all still at Foundation Establishment.


    It would be strange if the two of them suddenly turned to be Golden Core Stage, right?


    Walking around the place for a while, they finally managed to familiarize themselves. Others only looked at them as if they were drunk and unable to find their dorm, though. It was quite the usual for them.


    "Hey, Feng Yu, you''re finally back."


    Zhongsun Shan furrowed his brows then he recalled that the name of the man that he took the identity was Feng Yu. He turned around and arched his eyebrows.  The man was named Huang Shao and he had seen the young man a few times in the auction house as customers.


    "What is it, Huang Shao?"


    "Geez, the teachers are wondering where did you end up sleeping. Anyway, follow me to report first."

 Chapter 353: The Meeting

    Zhongsun Shan furrowed his brows then he recalled that the name of the man that he took the identity was Feng Yu. He turned around and arched his eyebrows.  The man was named Huang Shao and he had seen the young man a few times in the auction house as customers.


    "What is it, Huang Shao?"


    "Geez, the teachers are wondering where did you end up sleeping. Anyway, follow me to report first."


    Zhongsun Shan nodded and then waved his hand to the others, telling them to head back first. While they all wanted to help Zhongsun Shan, they knew that they would not be able to do so without arousing suspicions.


    While the four of them were in one group, the leader was Feng Yu. In addition, Feng Yu was the disciple of a renowned elder and naturally will be paid more attention than the others. His built was similar to Zhongsun Shan despite the difference in their faces.


    With makeup, they did look similar, though.


    Following Huang Shao, Zhongsun Shan arrived in the building. He clenched his fist and tried to stay calm and lowered his presence as much as possible. His current rank was Golden Core Stage while Feng Yu was only at Foundation Establishment.


    He had to make sure that his real rank was not found out because it would arouse their suspicion greatly.


    "We''re here."


    Entering the room, Zhongsun Shan could see one elder sitting on the chair while looking at the paper in front of him. He furrowed his brows as he looked at the disciple before him. The smell of alcohol was really annoying. "Didn''t I tell you not to drink so much?"


    "Master�� I��"


    "Forget it." The elder already knew that his disciple liked drinking so much. He looked at the young man before him and waved him to sit down.


    Following his arrangement, Zhongsun Shan tried to erase his nervousness. Even though he was actually wished that he could leave the place immediately, he knew that it would be absolutely impossible. He had to act as if he was Feng Yu and not Zhongsun Shan.


    "There''s going to be a meeting two days from now. I want you to participate inside and try to learn what you can. In the future, you''ll be part of the inner circle of Wang Luo Sect."


    "Yes, Master! Don''t worry, I won''t disappoint you." Zhongsun Shan tried to act as if he was ready to bear the burden of the sect. However, it was clear that his tone was somewhat uncertain as if he wasn''t really willing to do it yet he had no other choice but to.


    The elder sighed and waved his hand. "You''re still young, so you might not understand how important this is. However, bear in mind that our sect is no longer save."


    "Yes, Master."


    As Zhongsun Shan walked out of the room. He glanced back once more because he knew that there was someone else who was watching him when he was inside. However, he couldn''t pinpoint the exact location of that person.


    He could only hope the powder that Wenren Yu gave to him was enough to hide his real identity and capability.


    Walking back the route he took before with Huang Shao, Zhongsun Shan arrived back in the dorm. Wenren Yu was already waiting for him. The two of them were staying in one dorm while the girls were staying in different room.


    Signaling for him to enter, Wenren Yu waited patiently while walking inside. The moment Zhongsun Shan closed the door, Wenren Yu spoke out, "How is it?"


    "I don''t know. Feng Yu did have quite a high position because of his father. However, there''s someone else inside whose cultivation is quite high. He''s only at Foundation Establishment, though, but I feel that his senses are sharper."


    Wenren Yu nodded. Truthfully, aside from the sect leader, there shouldn''t be anyone who could see through their disguises. After all, Zhongsun Shan was also at higher cultivation than the others here so no one could see through his cultivation. He was instead faking it so that it would be lower than his real rank.


    The two of them talked a bit more before they went to rest.


    The next day, they chose to walk around the area and submitted the mission. Thankfully, the details of the mission and also the materials that they were supposed to submit were all in their Spatial Ring. Though, Wenren Yu had to say that these four were quite poor in overall.


    Afterwards, they purposely avoided the others. Wenren Yu was not an important disciple in his new identity, so he could only walk around the area. While the disciple might be Foundation Establishment, he was categorized to be quite weak.


    The same goes for the other two members and only Feng Yu was slightly better.


    But of course, the same couldn''t be applied to them.


    "Time pass so slowly." Wenren Yu felt like making the time faster if only it was possible. Unfortunately, they were all stuck with the same time and have to wait bit by bit. He walked around the academy while busy spreading some bottles when it was already near night time.


    The bottle would react to the sun, so when it was daylight, they would start to produce poison gaze. The poison was not deadly, but it would affect their movements. It would make them slower and easier to dealt with when the time came.


    Of course, he had already given the antidote for the others.


    "Be careful."


    "I will."


    Zhongsun Shan followed the master towards the meeting hall. The Elder, who was usually called as Elder Feng, was also Feng Yu''s father. However, from the way it looked like, he had lost hope for his only son. He couldn''t even recognize that the one he brought here was not his son at all.


    The room was large and looked quite luxurious. However, Zhongsun Shan''s gaze was locked onto the two leaders who were present there: Wang Luo Sect Head and also Yun Liu Sect Head.

 Chapter 354: The Meeting (2)

    The room was large and looked quite luxurious. However, Zhongsun Shan''s gaze was locked onto the two leaders who were present there: Wang Luo Sect Head and also Yun Liu Sect Head.


    The two sat at the very front. They looked like they were still as calm as ever with no change in their expression in the slightest bit. However, the rest of them looked a bit nervous and a little out of place.


    "Leader, we can''t just stay silent like this."


    "Yes! Yue Da Sect said that the mole must be someone sent from the Royal Family after we have finished our work before."


    Zhongsun Shan stood near the wall along with some other disciples. Those were the children of other elders who had quite a high position in this room and thus, they were allowed to come in. While they would not contribute much to this meeting, they would be the future generation and would not betray the sect.


    Well, at least, to a certain degree.


    But Zhongsun Shan himself was different since he only got in to eavesdrop and to tell the others about what he found regarding this place. Looking at how the elders were in state of panic and unable to calm themselves down, he knew that the blow to Yue Da Sect was quite big.


    The three sects contributed to Taiyi Sect downfall and naturally, they felt that something was fishy with the way Yue Da Sect got destroyed not long ago. With the sect''s specialty of running away known, it was indeed weird that they could fall so deeply and then got destroyed in the process.


    "There''s no concrete evidence. As far as we know, the culprit is someone who had learned the sect''s most profound skill, Moon Evasion." Wang Luo Sect Head looked to one direction.


    The elder who was looked at nodded. "Y..yes, they can use the skill very well. Not only that, they''re also very powerful�� more than our head."


    The last sentence was what caught their attention the most. If the opponent was even more powerful than their sect''s head, it meant that they were already at Golden Core Stage. The three head were only at half Golden Core Stage because they were incapable to make their breakthrough.


    None of the younger generation managed to make their breakthrough either as the most talented youngsters were already taken away by other powerful sects even before these three sects had the chance.


    And even after so long, the highest cultivator were always half Golden Core Stage Cultivators.


    "They''re not Yue Da Sect disciple." Yun Liu Sect head said in unhurried tone. However, the gravity of the matter just increased. "They must be someone sent from the Royal Family to eliminate us after we have finished cleaning up the Taiyi Sect."


    "But why?"


    "Dead man tell no lies."


    It was something that many people also understood and followed. Those from Wang Luo Sect especially would kill those who withheld their secret because it would put them in danger. Now that they were the one who held the secret��


    They were all worried.


    "What should we do?"


    Zhongsun Shan listened to them trying to concoct plan while looking at his Communication Jade. The other three would secure other elders and also spread the poison during the time the important elders were in this meeting. At the same time, they have to make sure that no one delivered the news to the elders here.


    Time passed slowly.


    The elders came up with several plans, yet there was not a single one of them that''s plausible.


    They all started to run out of ideas and asked the other youngsters who were in the room. The youngsters were mostly flustered because they couldn''t think of anything either and being in the spotlight put them in awkward position.


    "Feng Yu, perhaps you have other ideas?"


    Zhongsun Shan smiled bitterly. Just as he was about to say none, he saw the Communication Jade lit up. It was then he understood that the others have already finished their work.


    "May I ask what kind of problem we''re facing first?"


    Elder Feng didn''t notice the strange tone that Zhongsun Shan used. He only thought that his son was being more polite because they were in front of so many powerful elders in the two sects.


    "The two sects have been trying to figure out a method to get out of this tricky situation. We did get a message before in the past to get rid of Taiyi Sect, but we''re also unclear about who send the message."


    "Is it not possible to ask him for help again?" Zhongsun Shan asked slowly.


    Elder Feng sighed. "Yes, we can. But if the one who wanted our downfall is them, there''s no point in asking them to come here because we''re only going to end up courting our death."


    "There''s no need to worry. You can ask them."


    "Yes?"


    "Because the one who destroyed Yue Da Sect didn''t belong to the Royal Family, Elder Feng," Zhongsun Shan said with a brilliant smile.


    "What are you��?"


    Bang!


    The door was flung open and a messed up disciple rushed in. His appearance and expression looked as if he had just seen hell. "Master�� please help us!"


    "What happened?"


    "There are intruders who are killing everyone! Please help us deal with the lunatics."


    "Alright��"


    Bang!


    Before the elder could finish speaking, Zhongsun Shan had already raised his hand and killed him. The fluctuation of Qi in the air startled all of the elders. Aside from the two heads, who were at half Golden Core Stage, the others were only at Foundation Establishment Stage.


    That attack was simply too fast, but even the two heads couldn''t follow the trajectory of the attack before the elder was killed.


    "Well, now that the cat is out of the bag, isn''t it time for us to talk about our real business?" Zhongsun Shan asked in leisure tone. He looked at Elder Feng. "How did you communicate with the Royal Family?"


    "You��" Elder Feng was horrified.


    Zhongsun Shan looked at the other elders. "Well, one of you will surely know the answer. Don''t worry, I''ll take the time to ask you all one by one."

 Chapter 355: Return Back to Sun Dragon Academy

    The bloodbath in Wang Luo Sect caused the smell of blood to linger around the area for a long period of time. Lin Xiao and the others, who were keeping watch from a distance away, noticed it almost right away.


    "They really did it," Lin Yun murmured.


    "For gentleman, even 10 years is not too long for revenge." Lin Xiao looked in the direction of Wang Luo Sect. "It''s already around 4-5 years since they lost everyone around them due to the Royal Family and the three sects. That''s neither a long or short time."


    "True."


    For the four of them, what they wanted the most was simply to take the revenge of those who had caused their beloved sect to fall and build it again. Now that they were already capable enough, they could finish one and the other one will be done later.


    Swish!


    Four figures appeared not far from them. Aside from the lingering smell of blood, there was no difference of them from before.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Have you gotten the information about who''s the one instructing them?"


    "Yes. I''ll be making contact with them and create chaos," Zhongsun Shan replied with a smile. "In the meantime, you might want to return back to Sun Dragon Sect, Your Highness."


    "Can you do it by yourself?"


    "There''s no need to worry. Even if I''m unable to destroy them, I''m confident that I''ll be able to run away unscathed."


    "In that case, take care of yourself." Lin Xiao nodded and walked out of his house. He knew that Zhongsun Shan and Qiu Si wanted to finish their revenge by themselves without asking too much from others. After all, the debt of blood hadn''t been fully paid by blood from the other party.


    "Master, I��"


    "You can stay and help them. Four people is better than just two, right?" Lin Xiao added with a grin.


    Wenren Yu smiled and bowed. "Thank you, Your Highness."


    While Lin Xiao himself knew that he might need some help from them, he knew that it was not the right time. "Oh right, before I forget. If your target is the Emperor, please let him off for now. There''s another person who wants to kill him so badly."


    "Ah, I understand."


    Sui Wenyan smiled in understanding. She knew that Lin Xiao was talking about Xia Ye. While Lin Xiao himself didn''t have grudge against the Royal Family, probably with the exception of those who killed his parents, he allowed his people to take their revenge.


    The path to the throne was filled with blood.


    As they walked out, Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao with worried gaze. "Is it fine like this?"


    "Yes?"


    "I mean, you''re allowing them to spill so much blood."


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "The reason why those people from the Royal Family dared to make their move is because they have the support of whoever is closely related to the throne. We''re all simply fighting because we want the throne and to make sure we can survive."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was silent for a moment. While it was true that everyone was fighting for the sake of the throne, Lin Xiao never openly searched for opponent. He let them came to him while at the same time, allowing his men to take their revenge that they have been harbored.


    "You don''t actively search problem either."


    "There are already so many problems, why should I seek another one? Besides, if they didn''t provoke me, I don''t really see the need to fight them blatantly."


    "I see."


    They returned back to the teleportation circle and then asked for the people there to transport them directly to Sun Dragon Academy. Since it was that academy and they were the disciple returning for mission, they didn''t need to pay.


    Swish!


    The five of them had returned back to the academy. Aside from Lu Jian, who had already returned first and Xia Ye, who was still staying back in the cave, the others were all staying with Lin Xiao.


    "Hmm?" Lin Xiao noticed his Communication Jade lit up. He picked it up and heard the voice of his first brother. "I already talked to His Majesty about your real identity as the prince. Because Princess Lan Yi Hua is not considered as someone important, he had agreed to your marriage with her and will deliver the decree to the academy tonight."


    "Thank you very much for your help, First Brother."


    "It''s nothing much. Be careful during your stay in the academy because you''re going to be eligible to meet with the seniors soon."


    "Ah, I will."


    Submitting the mission, Lin Xiao told Princess Lan Yi Hua that they have to wait outside their dorm for a little bit. While she was confused, she still followed him with the others standing not far from them.


    Lu Jian soon joined in after he had heard of their return.


    "You should have told me that you''re coming back. It''s frustrating that I only know about it by scavenging for news," Lu Jian complained.


    Lin Yun shrugged. "It''s not like we''re concealing the news on purpose. However, you''re the one who''s slow."


    "Tsk."


    Han Jiang passed a glance at Lu Jian but he refrained from saying anything. Looking at his impassive expression, Lu Jian felt like his friend was also mocking him.


    At this time, Prince Lin San also came. He waved his hand but kept his demeanor as a prince before he came close to Lin Xiao''s location. There were not many people who were there but it seemed that they still needed to keep up with appearances.


    There was no way that they would not be suspicious to see Prince Lin San being so friendly all of the sudden.


    "Is there anything wrong?"


    Prince Lin San shook his head. "I come to see you. It seems that you have settled your problem?"


    "Yep. Oh right, help me prepare for betrothal gifts. I don''t know what I should prepare," Lin Xiao added.


    Hearing that, the others were speechless. Cultivators all lived for a long period of time, so it was natural that many of them would not get married until they were already quite old. But from the way it looked like, Lin Xiao was just like a child who was so eager to get married.


    "You''re only 20 years old and you want to get married so quickly?"


    "What do you know?" Lin Xiao retorted back. "Yi Hua is so perfect that I''m afraid there will be many eyes eyeing her! I''m not going to let her be taken away by anyone."


    Plak!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua, who was standing beside Lin Xiao, felt so embarrassed that her face turned red. How audacious of him to speak of that so openly in front of so many people. Looking at the expression of other students, she knew that they were laughing at Lin Xiao.


    Hmph, if they dared to belittle her husband in the future, she would beat them up.


    The princess hadn''t realized it yet, but she had already thought of Lin Xiao as her husband even though they hadn''t married yet.


    Prince Lin San laughed. "Don''t worry, I''ll ask for First Brother to help. Oh right, don''t it mean that your little princess need a residence?"


    The only reason Lin Xiao hadn''t proposed back when they were at the dorm was because everyone went against him vehemently. They always saw marriage as something extremely important. To send betrothal gifts in dorm��


    They wouldn''t be able to withstand being the laughing stock of others and Princess Lan Yi Hua might end up so embarrassed.


    "Oh, right."


    Lin Xiao stayed there until several people came. They were all wearing robes that signified their position in the palace, the eunuch.


    "Are you Lin Xiao?" the man at the front asked when he saw Lin Xiao.


    "This subject is Lin Xiao."


    "The Emperor has decreed!"


    With that, everyone present quickly kneel down. Seeing the decree was the same as seeing the Emperor himself, so they have to be very polite.


    "Prince Lin Xiao had suffered, getting lost in his childhood and only found later on. He''s a brave and courageous young man. Princess Lan Yi Hua is a beautiful and pretty young lady. The two are fated to be together and the Emperor decreed that this union might be the best for them."

 Chapter 356: Uproar

    "Prince Lin Xiao had suffered, getting lost in his childhood and only found later on. He''s a brave and courageous young man. Princess Lan Yi Hua is a beautiful and pretty young lady. The two are fated to be together and the Emperor decreed that this union might be the best for them."


    Prince Lin Xiao?


    By this time, everyone had a dull expression on their faces. They were not surprised that Princess Lan Yi Hua would end up with Lin Xiao because the two practically had been together ever since the very first day they met in the academy.


    However, Lin Xiao was a prince?


    A PRINCE?


    "Accept the decree," the man continued.


    Lin Xiao stepped forward. "This subject humbly accepts the decree."


    However, it was hard for him to erase the smile on his face. Those others could clearly see that he was happy to be able to end up with the princess. But that was not important to them right now.


    The news that Lin Xiao was a prince was quickly spread all across the entire Sun Dragon Academy.


    Who didn''t know Lin Xiao?


    A troublemaker who didn''t care about status and dared to even crippled Prince Lin Kai, who later ended up died because of some other princes. As one of the few who had the right to contend for the throne, it was clear that Prince Lin Kai had so many enemies back then.


    Now that Lin Xiao was also a prince, would he try to fight against the other two?


    Just the thought excites so many people.


    "Damn! When I first heard of a courageous disciple who dared to go against the princes, I was already shocked to death. Now that I know he''s actually a prince, my blood is boiling with anticipation."


    "Do you think that he''s going to try entering the Dragon Pavilion Hall to figure out whether he had the right to get the throne or not?"


    "Whoa! If he truly has the right, it''ll be more exciting."


    "Another opponent for the princes?"


    "Really?"


    "Hey, have you heard that he''s also getting married to Princess Lan Yi Hua? Why did he look so happy to be engaged to that trash, ah?"


    "Eh, you''re right!"


    The news about Lin Xiao being a prince caused storm in Sun Dragon Academy. It seemed that even if the sun was to rise from the west, it wouldn''t cause as much upheaval as the news brought by Lin Xiao being a prince.


    Naturally, the three other princes also heard about it but they didn''t say anything in response.


    As long as Lin Xiao didn''t have the capability to open Dragon Pavilion Hall, he was not their opponent. However, it was still true that the news about him still infuriated some people.


    Prang!


    "So that b*stard is a prince, huh?" Lin Hong smashed the cup in front of him. He was currently training and the news regarding the sudden imperial edict startled him.


    How could he forget the fact that Lin Xiao had humiliated him before. Now that the other party had the same status as him�� he found him to be an even bigger eyesore than before.


    "Your Highness, he might be a prince, but it''ll not erase the fact that he lived as country bumpkin for 18 years of his life."


    "Yes. He definitely can''t be compared to someone like you, Your Highness!"


    Lin Hong snorted and looked into a distance. His lips curled to form a sneer. "Spread the word. Don''t let him have easy time in Sun Dragon Academy!"


    "YES!"


    Looking at the front Lin Hong felt that things were not going any better for him. The other opponents for him were all too strong!


    The news that was circulated right afterwards was the bet Lin Xiao had with a teacher.


    The fact that the time for the bet was almost up was also quickly spread to everyone. They were all now feeling extremely excited and wanted to know how the result of the bet would be.


    At this moment, Lin Xiao was still receiving the edict.


    The eunuch looked at Lin Xiao with a complicated feeling. But no matter what storm was brewing in the palace, he was simply doing his job as the eunuch. "His Majesty also wished for you to pay a visit to Dragon Pavilion Hall in the future. If you don''t know the places, you may ask your brothers."


    "I understand."


    Lin Xiao naturally knew that the Emperor wanted to know whether he had the ability to open the pavilion or not. Lin Xiao could open it but he was not sure whether he should show it to the Emperor or not.


    He paused for a moment. "Do I have to do it now?"


    "There''s no need." The eunuch smiled. "Your Highness had just returned from the frontline and must be tired. Please take a rest for the time being."


    "Thank you very much." Lin Xiao smiled and chatted a bit more with the eunuch to get some information regarding the palace. From him, he found out that the palace was only calm on the surface while there were actually a lot of undercurrent battles.


    After he was done, Lin Xiao looked at his friends.


    "Let''s go inside."


    "Yes."


    The people who delivered the decree had already left, so Lin Xiao brought the decree with him inside. He glanced at Princess Lan Yi Hua. "Well, now that you''ll be mine, when do you want to hold the wedding?"


    "Wha��?" Princess Lan Yi Hua''s face turned beet red. She humped. "You haven''t even proposed to me and you want to have wedding straight away?"


    "Oh, right. I''ll prepare it right away."


    "You.. stop that! You have to finish your bet first!"


    "Ah, okay, okay!"


    The others watched the two of them bickered and smiled. For some reason, now they feel much better when looking at the two of them despite the fact that they were only engaged right now and Lin Xiao still needed to fulfill his duty to give betrothal gifts.

 Chapter 357: Uproar (2)

    The others watched the two of them bickered and smiled. For some reason, now they feel much better when looking at the two of them despite the fact that they were only engaged right now and Lin Xiao still needed to fulfill his duty to give betrothal gifts.


    Hmm�� would he do that in the dorm?


    After all, Princess Lan Yi Hua''s home was back in Hua Lan Kingdom��.


    While Lin Xiao and the others were having fun with each other, the other disciples were all stunned and tried to figure out which prince Lin Xiao was. The decree did say that he had gotten lost in his childhood, which was a clue for them.


    Which prince was lost when he was still a child?


    There were only a few of them and some of them were already confirmed to be dead, so the option was getting lesser and lesser.


    "Perhaps, he''s just some distance relative of a prince and not so important?"


    "If that''s the case, why is the Emperor allowing him to get Princess Lan Yi Hua?"


    "That''s��"


    Similar discussion played in several places in Sun Dragon Academy and even the seniors were not spared. The two princes, who were holding the best position, also got caught of the news.


    Prince Lin Fei snorted when he heard that. "It doesn''t matter even if he''s a prince. At most, he''s just some lowly prince who has been living at the edge of the village for a long period of time. He didn''t worth much."


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    While Prince Lin Fei didn''t think much of this news, Prince Lin Bo Wang had a completely different opinion. He had been carefully concocting his plan all this time and the sudden appearance of a prince out of nowhere might disrupt his grand plan.


    "Lin Xiao is prince and he''s close to Lin San and Lin Xian." Prince Lin Bo Wang''s eyes narrowed. "What''s the name of Lin San''s twin brothers who was lost in the past?"


    "It''s Lin Xiao, Your Highness."


    "Same name��"


    Prince Lin Bo Wang snorted and stood up. Thinking about Prince Lin San''s twin brothers, he had heard about that person ever since a long time ago. Because of the dragon power that was showing excessively ever since he was young, he was targeted by several people and ended up being in the list of assassination.


    Even he and Prince Lin Fei didn''t show that much dragon power when they were still a child.


    His father had once told him that the baby might be his biggest obstacle should the brat was allowed to grow. After all, the most important aside from their influence and power was their dragon power.


    Only the one with the most dragon power would be able to hold the throne.


    He thought that it would be his after he had eliminated Prince Lin Fei and also Prince Lin Hong. But now, he had gotten another additional pest that he had to kill.


    He had heard that in the mountain, Prince Lin San and Prince Lin Xuan suddenly showed some kind of affability to Lin Xiao. It was at that point he felt things to be strange.


    "Heh, to think that he''s actually a prince and that he''s the twin brother of Lin San." Prince Lin Bo Wang played with his sword and then grabbed it tightly. "But unfortunately, someone like him who have been at disadvantage all his life will never be able to catch up to me."


    His men were all waiting there patiently. They looked at the prince before them with uncertainty.


    "Your Highness. Would you like us to deal with him?"


    "He''s only a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator. Dealing with him will be as easy as swatting a fly."


    Prince Lin Bo Wang raised his hand. "There are too many princes who can''t even contend for the throne staying in Sun Dragon Academy. If I were to deal with all of them one by one, even if I have grown another pair of hand, I would never be able to have enough time.


    Rather than dealing with him personally, why not let him be the one to seek trouble. Such a person, who''s also capable of stirring wind personally, it''ll be better to let him meet his own demise."


    His men all felt that Prince Lin Bo Wang was also saying the truth. From the very moment Lin Xiao entered Sun Dragon Academy, he had been kicking up fuss one by another and didn''t seem like he would be resting anytime soon.


    He was also the one who dared to go against a teacher and had a bet with her.


    Come to think about it, the time limit was also very close.


    "Your Highness is wise!"


    Prince Lin Bo Wang merely waved his hand. He did feel some unease when he saw Lin Xiao in the past but he didn''t think that it was something that he had to personally step in. At least, until his preparation was complete, he had no intention of making any move that could put him in disadvantageous position.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang looked outside of his residence with his eyes narrowed dangerously. No matter what, he would never let anyone took the throne. "The throne is mine and mine alone. A country bumpkin like you will never be able to get it."


    It''s his and his alone.


    ��


    Princess Lan Yi Hua returned back to her room after she had finished talking with Lin Xiao. It was then she saw Princess Xiao Yue standing not far from the door frame. Her petite face looked even more beautiful after some time had passed, but it was clear that Princess Lan Yi Hua also grew even more dangerously enchanting.


    "Sister."


    "What do you want?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked back in stern tone. The two of them were both at Foundation Establishment and if they didn''t show their progress, no one would know who was better than the other.


    "Ah, don''t be like that Sister. I''m just concerned about you," Princess Lan Xiao Yue answered while blinking her eyes.

 Chapter 358: The Examination Ground

    Worried?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua would rather believe that the sun was rising from the west rather than believing that Princess Lan Xiao Yue was concerned about her. The words that spout out from the princess'' mouth were all lies and more lies coated with honey.


    "I''m fine. You can leave."


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s lips curled up. "Do you really think that you''ll be the Empress, Sister? Getting matched with an unknown prince while I''ll be engaged with the crown prince��"


    "Stupid."


    "What do you say, Sister. Don''t insult people��"


    "Prince Lin Fei is not the crown prince." Prince Lan Yi Hua didn''t beat around the bushes. "Why don''t you try to ask them who''s the most important prince among the three who are eligible for the throne?"


    "Wha..?"


    Before Princess Lan Xiao Yue finished speaking, Princess Lan Yi Hua had already slammed the door. Since the dorm was made so that no one could barge into other people''s room, Princess Lan Xiao Yue wouldn''t be able to break in unless he was more powerful than the teacher.


    Her face turned bad. She muttered to herself, ''What are you talking about? It can''t be that Prince Lin Xiao is the crown prince, can it? That''s no way it''ll be true.''


    Just as she was about to walk out, she heard the conversation of others.


    "Hey, is it true that Prince Lin Bo Wang is starting to make his move?"


    "Yes. I heard it from trusted news. It seems that the appearance of the new prince hastened his progress."


    "Didn''t it mean that we can finally see the most brilliant prince making his move? That''s awesome!"


    "Sssh! Don''t let anyone know about this. You know how low profile he wants to."


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue was stunned. She wanted to walk in the direction of the voice but refrained. However, her mind was clearly disturbed by the conversation that she just heard. It was true that Prince Lin Fei looked so dazzling that many others paled in comparison.


    However, there was still that Prince Lin Bo Wang, who was so low profile yet a lot of people already told her that he was one of the best options. After all, despite being so low profile, he had never been at disadvantages.


    ''Could it be��''


    As Princess Lan Xiao Yue rushed off, the two figure appeared on the side. Lin Yun looked at Fan Ling. "Do you think she''ll buy it?"


    "What we''re speaking is partially the truth. I''m sure that she''ll find out that it''s true after some time. There''s no need to hurry," Fan Ling said in leisure tone. She was actually a bit amazed with the plan that Lin Xiao concocted this time because that brat didn''t want to be the one being used by others.


    He would be the one using others first.


    "Well, our task today ends here. Let''s go."


    "En."


    ��


    The next day, Lin Xiao actually wanted to send the betrothal gift, but Princess Lan Yi Hua had dragged him to the Examination Grounds first. It seemed that she wanted him to finish other matters first before trying to propose to her. He had no other choice but to comply with her request.


    Looking at the Examination ground that was mostly empty, Lin Xiao knew that the others were not here today. They didn''t have any intention to take the test when they didn''t even have the qualification to try the one at higher stage.


    "I''m going in now."


    "Hmm. If you fail, I''ll be personally kicking you out."


    Lin Xiao looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua helplessly. Did she have that low confidence in him?


    Lin Yun was the opposite. "Don''t dazzle others too much, Brother."


    Teacher Su Luo also came to the Examination Grounds when she heard that Lin Xiao would be taking the test. She looked at him with scorn, clearly not believing his previous claim. In fact, most new disciples had only passed the fourth stage by now and couldn''t pass the fifth stage.


    Of course, Lin Xiao didn''t pay any attention to the teacher and walked into the tower.


    He was sent directly to the fifth stage since he had already passed the fourth before.


    "Oh, you''re here. Let''s start."


    Swish!


    This time, the examiner was the one who made his first move while Lin Xiao dodged quickly to the side. Even without using his movement skill and only relying on his physical reaction, he could evade perfectly.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows and then swiftly punched forward.


    Bang!


    The examiner blocked his attack as an astonished expression was formed in his face. This was the first time in his life that he felt the man in front of him was not any worse than him when he went all out.


    But how could that be? He was already at Golden Core Stage and yet, the brat was only at Foundation Establishment. He still restrained his power to be staying at Foundation Establishment as he attacked once more.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao was calmly calculating the attack and furrowed his brows. Mountain Punch, his skill that he had been using for so long, paled in comparison to many other more powerful skills when they reached Foundation Establishment. It seemed that he would have to use sword if he wanted to pass the fifth stage.


    Well, it didn''t matter to him.


    A sword appeared on Lin Xiao''s hand as he looked at the examiner before him. His lips curled up to form a smile.


    Mountain Sword, Fourth stance.


    Slash!


    Clang!


    The sword only managed to create a tear on the examiner''s clothes as he also used his sword. He was astonished at Lin Xiao''s power behind the attack that nearly wounded him if not for the fact that his real rank was higher.


    "You can pass already with this kind of strength."


    "Well, can we spar a bit more? I want to know your real power."


    "Oh?" The examiner arched his eyebrows. "You can fight more powerful people above this floor."


    "Nah, I don''t plan to head up yet today."


    "In that case, prepare yourself."

 Chapter 359: The Bet

    The aura around the examiner changed almost immediately. Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes when he sensed the power that belonged to Golden Core Stage. In the Examination Ground, this power would obviously only exist at floor 7 and above. Below that, the examiner would lower their rank to Foundation Establishment or even Body Training rank 10.


    "Be careful."


    Swish!


    The moment the examiner no longer held back, he used his movement technique to appear right behind Ln Xiao. His sword was thrusted towards Lin Xiao.


    Clang!


    Inserting his own sword in between, Lin Xiao was also focusing on the attack. The rich Qi was a bit overwhelming for him, but he himself had a large reserve of Qi after the long training in that cave.


    The only difference was the sheer quality and a bit of the amount.


    "You''re not bad at all!"


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    The sound of metal clashing with each other reverberated in the hall. The examiner was having fun, so do Lin Xiao. As Lin Xiao started to initiate his technique, the examiner was astounded.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fifth Stance!


    Ice formed on the edge of Lin Xiao''s sword and spread all over towards the examiner with the guidance of the Qi.


    Ss!


    The examiner couldn''t move and realized that Lin Xiao had rested his sword on his neck. He heaved a sigh. "Your skill is not bad, but you might want to learn how to do the technique faster. Other cultivator who are more powerful than me wouldn''t allow you the chance to initiate it."


    "Thank you for your guidance."


    Lin Xiao also feel refreshed and kept his sword away. He looked at the senior and grinned. "So, can I return back now?"


    The senior laughed. "Yes. You have passed the fifth stage. I''ll be waiting for the day you pass the other stages."


    "That won''t be that long."


    Swish!


    Getting out of the tower, Lin Xiao''s name had already changed in the board. He looked at Teacher SU Luo, who was watching the board with widened eyes. She couldn''t believe that Lin Xiao managed to do what many others couldn''t do.


    "You�� you must be cheating! There''s no way that you��"


    "How can the Examination Grounds allows student to cheat?" Lin Xiao asked in annoyance. He could see that the teacher had no intention of fulfilling the promise they made two years or so ago. "Do you not trust the Sun Dragon Academy, Teacher?"


    "That''s��"


    "Yeah, withhold your promise, Teacher Su!"


    "You have already signed the agreement back then! Why don''t you keep your words?"


    As the words were thrown to her face, Teacher Su Luo''s face turned dark and even darker. She was looking at Lin Xiao with hatred. "Do you think I''ll accept such result? Someone like you better be gone!"


    Swish!


    As they saw Teacher Su Luo attacked, the students were all shocked senseless. Who would have thought that the upright teacher would suddenly attack a student out of nowhere just like this?


    As Fan Ling was about to raise her hand, Lin Xiao waved his hand. It was the signal to say that he could handle it.


    Teacher Su Luo was at Golden Core Stage 2, which was also the same stage as most powerful cultivators in Sun Kingdom. To be able to become a teacher in Sun Dragon Academy, it had proven that she must be someone powerful too. It was quite unbecoming of her to attack a student.


    However, Lin Xiao had sensed that the power of the teacher was fairly low. In fact, it was so low that he couldn''t believe this person was a teacher in Sun Dragon Academy.


    After the brutal training with Prince Lin Yan and also the countless experience in the mountain to fight countless beasts, Lin Xiao was no longer the same youth as before. He had rich experience and also powerful ability that was able to allow him survive under the attack of normal Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivators.


    ''I have been keeping a low profile for so long.''


    Now that he had revealed his identity as a prince, Lin Xiao knew very well that keeping too low of a profile would only make him end up in trouble.


    Rather than keeping low profile forever, why not strike first and established his own dominance?


    With that in mind, Lin Xiao began to attack!


    Mountain Sword, Sixth Stance!


    As he initiated his own attack, Lin Xiao directed it towards Teacher Su Luo. With just one attack, their Qi collided and exploded in midair. The temperature dropped down and ice formed at the place where the two of them collided.


    It completely froze everything before the sword!


    After constant training, Lin Xiao finally grasped the true move and meaning behind the move''s name!


    Chilling Lake Sword, a sword that was capable to freeze everything in its path. In the early move, it was not apparent but as the higher the move was, it was clear that they had to be able to arouse the cold Qi in the air to form ice.


    Bang!


    Teacher Su Luo was pushed to the back as blood trailed on the corner of her lips. Her eyes, when she looked at Lin Xiao was filled with disbelief. She was over two ranks above Lin Xiao and naturally should have been able to defeat the brat so easily.


    But that one attack was so powerful that it effectively stopped her movement.


    Lin Xiao also creased his eyebrows. That was the strongest attack he could use from Mountain Sword. After all, he couldn''t enter the higher ranked place without passing the level seven first.


    "You�� how��?" Teacher Su Luo was confused and filled with disbelief. How come he managed to counter her move?


    Lin Xiao waved his sword carelessly but if one were to pay close attention, they would know that he never lowered his guard. Looking at the teacher in front of him, Lin Xiao sneered. "Do you still think of me as cheating, Teacher Su Luo?"

 Chapter 360: Famous

    Lin Xiao waved his sword carelessly but if one were to pay close attention, they would know that he never lowered his guard. Looking at the teacher in front of him, Lin Xiao sneered. "Do you still think of me as cheating, Teacher Su Luo?"


    Teacher Su Luo''s face turned ashen. She stomped on the ground and roused her Qi before storming forward once more.


    The guards were alarmed. They were all mostly only at Golden Core stage 1 and only some of them at Golden Core Stage 2. But even then, they were usually incapable of fighting against a teacher.


    Looking at the incoming Teacher Su Luo, Lin Xiao was calm.


    He noticed that his strongest move was incapable of harming Teacher Su Luo, but it didn''t mean that he was on his wits end when facing her. The corner of his lips curled up as he watched the incoming teacher before him.


    "You better watch closely." Lin Xiao pointed his sword to the front. "Not all geniuses have to be born with silver spoon!"


    Chilling Lake Sword, Sixth Stance!


    Bang!


    Chilling air began to spread towards the two of them. Lin Xiao was determined to use all of his understanding regarding Chilling Lake Sword in order to defeat Teacher Su Luo in his move.


    Even if Teacher Su Luo was of higher rank than him, so what?


    It didn''t change anything!


    The clash of the Qi pushed both Lin Xiao and Teacher Su Luo to the back. With the cover of the dust and everything, Lin Xiao swiftly moved.


    Moon Evasion!


    He had moved far away from Teacher Su Luo as he looked at the teacher icily. The attack failed to hurt him and only served to push him back a bit.


    On the other hand, Teacher Su Luo''s face was ghastly pale when she saw how Lin Xiao was capable of fighting against her on the even ground. It was to the point that she felt her face completely gone in front of Lin Xiao.


    "Not possible��"


    Bang!


    The guards who were stronger finally arrived and restrained Teacher Su Luo. They were coming here as fast as possible and managed to see the strike that Lin Xiao give to Teacher Su Luo just now.


    It was clear that the attack was more or less capable of hurting them too should they be the target.


    Foundation Establishment disciple defeating someone at Golden Core Stage 2?


    Somehow, the impossible sentence didn''t seem to be that impossible anymore.


    "You''re attracting too much attention." Fan Ling furrowed her brows. She was thinking of taking care of that Teacher Su Luo so that Lin Xiao wouldn''t be attracting too much attention but Lin Xiao didn''t allow her. Even though she was not in complete agreement, she had agreed to follow Lin Xiao, so she had to listen to his words.


    Lin Xiao let out a faint laugh. "Even if I didn''t do this, I already attract a lot of attention."


    "Right��"


    The others could remember that almost all students were talking about Lin Xiao yesterday. It was to the point that they were wondering just what kind of luck Lin Xiao stepped on to make him being the center of attention of so many students.


    Even just by having his identity as a prince revealed, he had attracted so much attention that it was impossible to contain.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao. "What do you plan to do now?"


    Lin Xiao was actually also thinking about that. Watching as Teacher Su Luo was restrained, he felt a bit funny. "I never know that there are people who didn''t want to do their end when they lost a bet."


    "Sun Dragon Academy is not living up to its name." Prince Lin San walked from the crowd and looked at Lin Xiao. He felt a bit complicated. For some reasons, he felt that whenever Lin Xiao was staying, he would surely attract the most attention from everyone around him.


    And he actually said that he wanted to be low key?


    Low key��heh.


    "Well, since she didn''t believe in my current strength, maybe I should show a bit more?" Lin Xiao asked with amused tone. He glanced at his friends, who were also staying there. "And you might need to challenge the tower too so that you can enter the Book Pavilion once more."


    Lin Yun waved his hand. "You can take the limelight first."


    "Yes, we''ll wait for you." Fan Ling also nodded.


    Lin Xiao smiled and turned his body around. He noticed that several other teachers were on their way here.


    "I was thinking of leaving you with dignity here. But since you want to go back on your words, I don''t think I should do that." Lin Xiao sneered. He walked into the tower once more since there was no restriction about when they should take their test.


    He was originally planning to make his breakthrough first before challenging it again. But since Teacher Su Luo was adamant to make him fail, he would show her that he was not someone that could be bullied.


    Hmm, when was the last time he showed his real power?


    Lin Xiao laughed coldly. He was already targeted by the other princes because of his new status. This would deter those weaker from making a move against him.


    After all, other than the three princes who still have the right to contend for the throne, there were many other princes who were staying in Sun Dragon Academy like Lin Xuan and Lin San. If not because they were incapable to open that Dragon Pavilion Hall, it was clear that they would be famous because of their power too.


    Clang!


    Teacher Su Luo was held back by the guards who came as fast as they could. However, she stayed still in her place while looking at the board before her. Lin Xiao''s name quickly passed the sixth and then�� the seventh��


    With that one move, he had officially become the first in the entire first batch.

 Chapter 361: What’s A Genius?

    Teacher Su Luo was held back by the guards who came as fast as they could. However, she stayed still in her place while looking at the board before her. Lin Xiao''s name quickly passed the sixth and then�� the seventh��


    With that one move, he had officially become the first in the entire first batch.


    Even Prince Lin Hong and Princess Lan Xiao Yue had only passed the sixth not long ago and they were still quite far from the seventh unless they made their breakthrough. But from the way it looked like, they would not make it until several months at the very least.


    It''s over.


    Teacher Su Luo knew that she wouldn''t be able to run away anymore.


    While the teacher was in despair, the students were all excited. That day, the name Lin Xiao swept the academy as the new powerhouse who was so powerful that he managed to cross rank and defeated the one at a rank higher than him.


    "Damn! That new prince is actually so powerful!"


    "Hearing his story of how he used to live in countryside makes it hard to believe that he can be so powerful!"


    "True. How did he get so many resources to cultivate to such heights?"


    "I think he fought a live and death''s battle and got a lot of benefits?" One of them tried to guess but the others ignored him.


    Little did he know that it was really the truth.


    For nearly a year''s time, Lin Xiao and the others kept on challenging those who were at the rank stronger than them in a life and death''s arena. They won a lot of money and experience even though they have been brushing against death for so many times during that time.


    The rich experience they had allowed them to get used to various type of attacks and let them reacted at the shortest time possible.


    Lin Xiao originally wanted to pass the eight stage too, but since he already had the qualification to enter the third floor of Book Pavilion, he stopped. It was already good enough for him.


    When Lin Xiao walked out of the tower once more, he noticed that a lot of people were staring at him. Everyone was looking at him with heated gaze. Their gaze was a bit�� disturbing.


    As a youth, Lin Xiao had to admit that their gazes were a bit intimidating. But at the same time, he had already seen the gaze of so many people during the life and death''s arena. Though, at that time, he was mostly focused on fighting and naturally will not pay much attention to others around him.


    ''You have to get used to this. In the future, you''ll meet with a lot of people and stand at the very top.'' Lin Hu felt that it was interesting Lin Xiao felt bothered with those people referred him when he was used to them mocking him.


    Lin Xiao nodded his head faintly. When those villagers mocked him for his poor comprehension and ability, he could easily ignore them. When many people were doubting his capabilities, he could also ignore them.


    It was easy.


    But when he saw a lot of people looking at him as if he was a fresh meat that could be devoured at any time, he felt a bit loss.


    "Number one of the entire new student batch." Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded her head and looked at Lin Xiao teasingly. "It seems that I will need to work hard to match with your current status."


    Lin Xiao let out a strained smile when he looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua. She was clearly much smarter than him and their power was more or less the same. It wouldn''t be easy for him if she decided to stand firm and reveal her geniuses too.


    But what''s actually make someone a genius?


    Capable of fighting those at higher stage, advancing at rapid speed, or able to comprehend so many skills so easily?


    ''Not all geniuses will showcase their power to let others see them.''


    Lin Xiao passed a glance in the direction of the older students. His lips curled up to form a smile. In the future�� he would make sure that he could defeat them soundly and told everyone his real power.


    But for now�� it was enough to be the first in his batch.


    "Well, since he''s already at the first place, can we also make our move?" Lin Yun asked with a frown.


    "You''re already at Golden Core Stage. If you can''t pass the seventh stage, it''ll be weirder."


    "Well, true enough."


    With that, both Lin Yun and Fan Ling passed the seventh stage, putting them at the second and third position. This made many others baffled because they just realized that those near Lin Xiao had all progressed so quickly that it was insane.


    Did they found a treasure trove?


    That was the only thing they could think when they saw how fast these people advanced.


    With the first, second, and third all belonged to Lin Xiao and his friends, they were famous overnight. Many people were waiting for them to make another earthshattering news but none of those happened.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua glanced at Lin Xiao, who stood stiffly and let out a faint laugh. "Not used with the attention."


    "You can say it like that." Lin Xiao scratched the back of his head. If they were only mocking him, he could easily ignore them and showed hostility. But if they were instead looking at him with reverence�� he was not sure how he should act.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua giggled. She passed a look at the tower.


    In fact, Princess Lan Yi Hua could already defeat the seventh floor too, but she didn''t do it because she had to keep low profile for a bit longer.


    ��


    Tower floors'' ranking in case you forget:


    1-3 for Body Training


    4-6 for Foundation Establishment


    7-9 for Golden Core Stage Rank 1


    10-15 for Golden Core Stage Rank 2

 Chapter 362: The Positions

    In fact, Princess Lan Yi Hua could already defeat the seventh floor too, but she didn''t do it because she had to keep low profile for a bit longer.


    "You also want to try?" Lin Xiao asked in low tone.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua passed a glance at Lin Xiao before shaking her head faintly. There was no need for her to attract so much attention right now. Her sister was still eyeing her on the back and her father was waiting to make use of her.


    If she ended up useful for them, wouldn''t they try to pull her into some annoying schemes?


    It was too tiring.


    "I''ll wait a bit longer. There''s not much difference even if I make my move now and attract so many attentions either." Princess Lan Yi Hua was as calm as ever.


    Lin Xiao nodded. Watching Princess Lan Yi Hua''s side profile only made his heart thumped harder. He felt that no matter which side she showed to him, he would always find her to be the most beautiful person in the entire world.


    With a faint smile, Lin Xiao took Princess Lan Yi Hua''s hand and brought it to his mouth before kissing the back of her hand. His move caused Princess Lan Yi Hua''s body to turn stiff.


    "You��"


    "No matter what your decision is, I''ll also support you." Lin Xiao smiled.


    The two of them would be husband and wife after their marriage but they were also two individuals who have their own goals and ambitions. He wanted her to be by his side and at the same time, he would be the one to support her in her decision no matter what it takes.


    The saying that a woman should just wait for their man was too old in his opinion. He wanted her to be free and able to make her own decision. After all, she''s also a cultivator and a person who have her own ideals and personality.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was stumped by Lin Xiao''s sudden proclamation. A smile formed on her lips, showing her beautiful dimples.


    Before Lin Xiao could say anything else, Princess Lan Yi Hua leaned in and gave him a peck on his cheek. The stunned Lin Xiao couldn''t move and stood frozen in his place. He never expected her to be the one to make the first move��.


    Lin Yun watched his brother and laughed out loudly. "Bro! Your face looks really good right now!"


    Lin Xiao glared at his younger brother. He noticed that Fan Ling had finished her tower challenge too, so he decided that it was time to leave.


    Lin Xiao quickly pulled Princess Lan Yi Hua away to the book pavilion. Watching Lin Xiao trying to avoid staying there any longer to hide his embarrassment made Princess Lan Yi Hua felt he was so cute.


    "Why are we here?" Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao in confusion. She didn''t challenge the tower gain and naturally it shouldn''t be possible for her to pick any book yet.


    "I can pick some skills for you since you''re already eligible to learn. What''s the name of the skill you want to learn?" Lin Xiao then paused for a moment when he realized not everyone would be comfortable letting other people knew what skill they were learning.


    He quickly added, "That''s only if you don''t mind."


    "I don''t mind." Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled. The one who asked was Lin Xiao and having him being the one to memorize the books would not be against her principle at all. He was someone who would be staying by her side forever and she wanted to be his support too.


    Being able to learn the skill this way would be convenient for her since she didn''t want to alarm her sister and father.


    Wrapping her voice with Qi, Princess Lan Yi Hua sent a voice transmission to Lin Xiao. "Twins'' Horns, Sky Steps, Lotus Pond Swords Move."


    These three were the main skills that Princess Lan Yi Hua had been learning all her life. They were not secret skills and naturally Sun Dragon Academy also had a large and extensive library that allowed her to learn some important things.


    These skills also existed in Hua Lan Kingdom but not too widespread. There were also some academy in Hua Lan Kingdom and naturally these skills were also there. As for how the two kingdoms could have similar skills��


    It all because of some agreement and trade they made in the past.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Alright."


    "So, are we going to stay in the third floor when we return back?" Lin Yun asked. They already claimed the first place and aside from some punks who might pose some trouble to them, they were already capable to dominate the rest in Sun Dragon Academy.


    "Change to the fifth floor." Lin Xiao paused for a moment. "For six rooms."


    "Six?"


    Lu Jian hadn''t changed the room he was staying after his return because he was not as strong as the others. His best skills were to fight against several people at once while when it came to a one to one fight��


    He still needed a lot of improvement. There were already a lot of close calls during the time Prince Lin Yan put him to the front to fight in the bet. It was hard to make him grow stronger with that fight because his skill was really mostly on crowd control.


    Of course, Lin Xiao told him that he had to develop more skills and ended up pairing him to spar against Princess Lan Yi Hua and Xia Ye the most.


    After all, his weakness lies when he faced with fast opponents.


    Han Jiang returned back with them but so far, he had been busy challenging some people to fight. He had been itching to grow stronger and with his current skill, it was clear that he would attract a lot of attention.


    Lin Yun pondered a bit. "I have been meaning to ask this, Bro."


    "Yes?"


    "How much do you trust all of us?"


    "Huh?"

 Chapter 363: The Positions (2)

    Hearing the unexpected question, Lin Xiao failed to react and looked at his younger brother with confusion. What did Lin Yun meant by how much he trusted them?


    Lin Yun noticed his brother''s gaze and felt like letting out an awkward laugh. He could see that Lin Xiao never thought about it too much as he simply asked those who followed him to be loyal to him and that was all.


    He didn''t care for their past but if they wanted him to help them, he would. If they didn''t want him to know, he wouldn''t ask.


    It was good and all because Lin Yun felt Lin Xiao was close to them but at the same time, it roused another question within his heart. How much would his brother trusted them in the important matters?


    Did Lin Xiao put on his guard when he was facing them?


    He had grown up with Lin Xiao, so he could see that his brother was the type that would not trust anyone easily like that either and put his life on other people''s hand. However, he had seen that Lin Xiao trusted them a whole lot.


    The other four who joined them from Sun Dragon Academy were all strangers but Lin Xiao trusted them and even arranged formation to them.


    So Lin Yun had to ask.


    How much would Lin Xiao trusted them?


    Lin Xiao looked at Lin Xiao then at Fan Ling, who was staying beside him. He then glanced at Princess Lan Yi Hua who stood silently there. The two girls were not saying anything but it was clear that they were also curious about the answer that Lin Xiao would give.


    "If it''s you three, I know I can trust you." Lin Xiao looked at them and faintly smiled. "Probably not all of my private matters will be made known to my brothers but I don''t have any intention to hide some things from you."


    Lin Yun nodded. He definitely would never ask about Lin Xiao''s relationship with Princess Lan Yi Hua either. It would be breaching his brother''s privacy and it was not something he wanted.


    "If I ask you to trust me with your life, will you, Bro?"


    Lin Xiao looked at Lin Yun and tilted his head. "Sure."


    The answer was short and concise that Lin Yun nearly chocked on the air. Did his brother not feel anything from such important question? From the way it looked like, Lin Xiao didn''t seem to think of it as something important.


    Looking at his younger brother, Lin Xiao felt a bit funny. "Didn''t we already show each other''s back during fight a lot?"


    Right.


    Lin Yun was often there when Lin Xiao was still weak and had to tend on his big brother''s wounds. The two brothers were already a brother of life and death and naturally Lin Xiao trusted his younger brother as much as Lin Yun also trusted him.


    Realizing that made Lin Yun felt his question was a bit stupid. He rubbed his nose. "Forget I ask then."


    "But of course, this will not apply to others." Lin Xiao passed an apologetic look at Fan Ling.


    Fan Ling naturally knew that her position in Lin Xiao''s mind was different from Lin Yun and didn''t mind it in the slightest bit. She knew that even though she decided to follow Lin Xiao, it was also because she had her own selfish goal.


    He trusted her to some degree but not completely.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao and felt her heart warmed for some reasons. She knew that the moment Lin Xiao told them about Calming Heart Technique, he was actually willing to let them knew about his secret.


    When they returned to the cave, the only person whom Lin Xiao told about the Calming Heart Technique was only Lin Yun.


    The others were not told.


    It was clear that the circle drawn by Lin Xiao amongst them was also clear. He trusted his brothers, Xia Ye, and her. However, Lin Xiao didn''t fully trust Fan Ling, Han Jiang, and Lu Jian. As for Wenren Yu and Sui Wenyan, probably only to some degree too as Lin Xiao never divulged the matter of this technique to them.


    This trust, Princess Lan Yi Hua vowed to herself that she would never betray him. She would not say this out loudly but she would prove it to him with her action that she would always stay by his side.


    "Is this answer good enough, Lin Yun?" Lin Xiao looked at his younger brother and asked once more.


    Lin Yun nodded. "That''s good enough."


    Probably, this was also the reason why Lin Xiao still didn''t tell them about his real identity as Emperor''s Inheritance''s Inheritor. The only ones who knew about this matter was only Lin Xiao''s real blood related brothers, him, Princess Lan Yi Hua, and probably Xia Ye?


    He was not sure about Xia Ye, though.


    But since Xia Ye had already sworn an oath to Lin Xiao, Lin Yun believed that Xia Ye would not betray his brother and helped him to become the Emperor in the end.


    "Are you also going to come in?" Lin Xiao changed the conversation and pointed to the Book Pavilion with his thumb.


    "Yes."


    Fan Ling also nodded. "Yes, I need to upgrade some of my skills."


    "In that case, let''s go!"


    As Lin Yun watched his brother walked in while Princess Lan Yi Hua chose to pick a seat to wait for him, he smiled lightly. He then passed a look at Fan Ling. "About my brother�� he''s��"


    "I know he''s a prince and that he''s aiming for that but my grandfather will never allow me to completely follow someone who didn''t have a chance to obtain it." Fan Ling''s gaze was solemn.


    Her grandfather doted on her greatly but he still put a restriction.


    She had to follow someone who will obtain the throne with no exception. If Lin Xiao had a shot to get the throne, she would then pledge her loyalty to him as his subject.

 Chapter 364: Book Pavilion

    Lin Yun paused for a moment when he heard what Fan Ling said. He then asked in low tone. "Dragon Pavilion Hall?"


    "Yes." Fan Ling took a deep breath. Her grandfather had turned blind eyes when she told him that she wanted to follow unconventional way. However, now that news about Lin Xiao being a prince spread, she knew that her grandfather would ask for her to meet him once more.


    The fact that Lin Xiao was a prince might be able to break the delicate balance between the current three princes so far.


    Lin Yun nodded. If he had to be honest, Lin Xiao was capable of opening that Dragon Pavilion Hall, but he didn''t know whether his brother would be willing to showcase that ability to others or not.


    After all, once he did that, he would be on the radar of the other princes.


    He had crippled Prince Lin Kai. The others surely wouldn''t let him off if he was proven to be a hindrance to them.


    For now, Lin Yun naturally didn''t say it to Fan Ling yet. He had to wait for his own brother to say it by himself because he didn''t want to spread this secret to anyone else.


    Inside the book pavilion, Lin Xiao headed to the third floor. The guards glanced at him for a moment before letting him inside. There were only a few people inside and they were all seniors who had been staying in Sun Dragon Academy for a considerable amount of time.


    ''I better search for the books I need first.''


    Lin Xiao was intending to search for the books since his time was limited when he caught the pillar in the middle of the book pavilion. Ordinary pillar wouldn''t attract his attention but this pillar was somewhat special. There were marks of blades on the surface of the pillar and it looked really unusual.


    "First time here?" A senior asked when he saw Lin Xiao stared at the pillar in the middle.


    Lin Xiao cupped his hand. "Yes. This is my first time here and I noticed that the pillar seems different than others."


    "That''s because the pillar has a skill written. Don''t take me wrong, it''s not the marks are written into words but more like, it''s the result of some ancient sword movement. But not everyone can learn it and it''s just left here for those who might be able to comprehend it in the future." The senior shrugged. "If you''re interested, you can try but you might just waste your time with it."


    "Thank you for your reminder, Senior."


    "It''s nothing much."


    As the senior walked away, Lin Xiao thought for a moment before heading to search for books for him and Princess Lan Yi Hua first. He would not have much time to search if he were to try watching that pillar first.


    On the other hand, Lin Yun and Fan Ling had just entered the Book Pavilion and their gazes naturally landed on that pillar too. They heard what the senior said and felt intrigued. Similarly, like Lin Xiao, they picked the books they wanted to memorize first before they headed to the pillar.


    Lin Yun especially picked several new books that was of water element. He felt helpless when he saw that most of them were a bit leaning towards healing and supporting than attacking.


    His brother was even more miserable than him as those skills that was related to lake was even fewer in number.


    "He''s not done?" Fan Ling was stunned when he saw Lin Xiao was still browsing the books. They didn''t learn so many skills, right?


    Lin Yun looked at his brother as his brain thought for a moment. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "He might be searching for someone else."


    Someone else?


    Oh!


    Fan Ling nodded in understanding before she focused on the pillar. The marks on the pillar looked like it was in disarray with no clear intention of what the purpose was nor what kind of movement that could make it like this.


    It was confusing.


    Yet at the same time, they could feel strange power that was embedded deep within the marks.


    Lin Xiao finished browsing and picked Mirror Lake Wall that was useful to increase his defense. Mountain Sword and Chilling Lake Sword was already more than enough for attacking. While those skills like Calming Heart Technique was rare that there was none lke that in this place.


    ''You should learn more about Lake Mirror.''


    Hearing Lin Hu''s words, Lin Xiao felt a bit helpless. He was more used to Moon Evasion to escape but in truth, he had already memorized another Lake related technique that was used for evasion, which was Lake Mirror.


    It was an evasive technique, in which he could duplicate himself but the skill was so hard that Lin Xiao only managed to form a bit when he was moving a bit faster. He found it at the lower area but it was tucked at an abandoned corner and didn''t seem to be that popular.


    The technique also only had one level back then and Lin Xiao only memorized it because he found it interesting.


    ''Are you sure it''ll be useful? Also, duplicating oneself is relying mostly on speed, right?''


    Lin Xiao was thinking about those images that one formed when they moved too fast. However, Lin Hu scoffed.


    ''if you can master Lake Mirror, your shadow will last longer.''


    ''And how is that going to be useful?''


    ''It is useful when you''re trying to escape from a powerful cultivator, ah!''


    Lin Xiao resisted the urge to scowl as he browsed the bookshelf. Soon, he found the copy of Lake Mirror once more and memorized the content. His face turned strange when he realized that there was some difference with the one that he found below this floor.


    The essence was the same but there were some differences.


    ''Did someone change the book?''


    ''It''s not changing but simplifying it for those at lower rank. Too bad that you can''t understand it at all." Lin Hu scoffed.

 Chapter 365: The Secret Sword’s Art

    ''Did someone change the book?''


    ''It''s not changing but simplifying it for those at lower rank. Too bad that you can''t understand it at all." Lin Hu scoffed.


    Lin Xiao really wished to beat up a certain dragon that kept on undermine him. Tsk, when would there be a day when he could beat someone up in his consciousness? If there was such skill, Lin Xiao would have learnt it from a long time ago.


    The Lake Mirror skill that Lin Xiao learned before was simply a skill that allowed him to move faster. But the skill that he learned this time said that evasion was not only about speed.


    Not only about speed?


    Lin Xiao was intrigued as he wanted to know how advance this skill could be when he learned the more complex one.


    After memorizing the Lake Mirror Skill, Lin Xiao then walked to the middle. He could see both Lin Yun and Fan Ling were both in trance, so he didn''t bother them and only looked at the swords marking there.


    ''What skill is this?''


    Lin Xiao looked at the markings and suddenly felt that it was cold. The marking had been left for so long, but he was sure that the mark has been left by someone who was learning or at least have water element. It was because the concept behind the marking here was clearly that of water.


    Water��


    For a moment, Lin Xiao could faintly see the movement of the cultivator that left these marks. The water was controlled this way and then��


    After a few minutes of closing his eyes, Lin Xiao then conjured the shadow in his mind. The markings that was left on the wall was suitable with the one he saw in his mind as he tried to think about it.


    His face turned strange.


    Didn''t that senior said that there was no one who could master this skill?


    ''Lake and water is related. Even though you''re not that suitable to use water element, it''s undeniable that when you encounter water related skill, you will definitely be able to understand the movement faster.'' Lin Hu yawned.


    Lin Xiao pondered and felt that it was quite true. ''In that case, which one is more powerful, Lake Dragon or Water Dragon?''


    Lin Hu felt his eyelids twitched a bit when he heard Lin Xiao''s question. "We have our own advantage and disadvantages, you brat! Don''t you dare to try comparing the two of us!"


    Lin Xiao gave up trying to ask and noticed that the other two were already stopped looking at the markings. It was clear that they could only guess what kind of move that might make certain mark but they can''t grasp the entirety.


    "You should stop learning, Fan Ling. It''s of water element and you will never be able to execute it properly even if you learn it," Lin Xiao suddenly said.


    "Oh, it''s water��." Fan Ling''s words paused before she looked at Lin Xiao. "How did you know that it''s of water element? How could water element create markings that are this powerful?"


    "Nothing is impossible." Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. Did this woman forget that his skill was also that of Lake Element and yet his sword skill was more powerful? Water and lake were not synonym of weak, alright?


    Lin Yun''s eyes shone. "Brother, does it mean you can see the movements?"


    "Yes. It''s pretty easy." Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed. Now that he thought about it, Lin Yun''s element was also water, right? "I''ll teach you after we come out. I can''t really use the skill that well either."


    Though, Lin Xiao would still learn it a bit.


    "What''s the name of the skill?"


    "The name?" Lin Xiao thought about the move once more before he looked at the markings. There was no words that was left in the pillar but when he was doing the set of movement just now, he felt that there was word that could describe it very well.


    "Sword River Bearing."


    "Sword River Bearing," Lin Yun repeated and nodded his head.


    Tak!


    A book fell down not far from them. A senior, who was reading the book peacefully not long ago, turned his head to look at them with disbelief. The three of them were still fairly young and naturally would not be here for long.


    "How did you know the name of the skills?" The senior asked.


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. Who was this?


    "Ah, pardon my lack of manner. My name is Lan Qing Xi and I''m one of the students here. It''s my sixth year here and I''m currently 23 years old��" The senior, Lan Qing Xi introduced himself.


    "Hello." Lin Xiao nodded. He thought for a moment before doing the introduction. "I''m Lin Xiao, this is my younger brother Lin Yun and this is his girlfriend Fan Ling."


    Girlfriend?


    Lin Yun nearly smacked his brother''s head for real when he heard what Lin Xiao said. They hadn''t formalized their relationship, ah!


    Fan Ling''s face turned slightly red but she didn''t try to correct Lin Xiao. Later, she would just defeat him using her fist because of his words.


    Lan Qing Xi didn''t seem to care that much about what they were thinking. He pointed at the pillar. "It''s not really an open secret but most people will not know about the skill''s name and only after asking teacher would they know. How did you manage to guess the skill''s name?"


    Lin Xiao looked at Lan Qing Xi and thought for a moment before he chose to reply. There was nothing really important about him knowing the name of the skill either.


    "I just felt that it''s the best words to describe the skill and thus, I choose the name." Lin Xiao shrugged.


    "The best words?" Lan Qing Xi was stunned. He looked at Lin Xiao with bewilderment before he asked in quivering voice, "Did it mean�� you can see the skills'' movement?"


    "Yes." Lin Xiao''s answer nearly caused the senior''s head to explode in surprise.

 Chapter 366: A Strange Senior

    "You�� you really could?" Lan Qing Xi nearly couldn''t believe his ears as he looked at Lin Xiao with bewilderment.


    Lin Xiao looked at the strange senior and nodded. "You just need to follow the set of movements to understand what kind of move it is about. If you have water element, you should be able to understand it as well, Senior."


    "Water element?"


    Seeing the surprise on Lan Qing Xi''s face, Lin Xiao was sure that the senior didn''t even think of connecting the sword''s move with the water element. He already knew the name and yet he didn''t try to connect the dot?


    Lin Xiao felt it was strange.


    Lan Qing Xi looked at Lin Xiao and smiled sheepishly. "Ah, pardon me. I did think that way when I heard the sword''s name but I still can''t find any clue. When you master the skill, could you please allow me to see it?"


    "See?"


    "Yes. I wish to see the skill being performed."


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows then turned to look at Fan Ling and Lin Yun. He was not sure what kind of response he should give right now. Some skills were always kept in secret because it could be their trump card but some other skills could be seen by others because it would be weirder if it was not seen.


    This Sword River Bearing was a secret sword skill.


    Fan Ling stepped forward. "Sorry, but your request is too strange. How would we know that you will not use this chance to spread it to your friends?"


    "Ah, I''m really��" Lan Qing Xi looked at Lin Xiao once more before he sighed. "Alright, I''ll not ask for that�� Uhm, how about if we talk more in the future or something? I might be able to provide some useful information and��"


    "There''s still a year before we can interact with seniors." Lin Xiao looked at Lan Qing Xi and smiled apologetically. "I have to refuse your kind intention."


    They were new students.


    It was the only thought that crossed Lan Qing Xi''s mind as he looked at the three youths before him. Because of the rules here, it was harder for senior to meet with the new students before three years was up. The rule was set up so that the senior would not bully the new students before they had a chance to grow a bit more in the academy.


    After three years, the academy turned blind eyes to whatever they wanted to do.


    "Alright, I''ll not bother you��" Lan Qing Xi actually still wanted to know more about that Sword River Bearing move but he knew that it would mostly depend on his luck to be able to understand what it was about.


    "In that case, we''ll be leaving first."


    There was still some time left but they could divide the time and used it for next time. Lin Xiao naturally didn''t want them to use up their chance completely in one go since the stone pillar would be beneficial for Lin Yun.


    The three of them walked out of the book pavilion and reported the time they spent inside. Looking at the few hours left, Lin Xiao heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Do you plan to come here again?"


    "If I want to learn new skill, it''ll be good rather than having to challenge that tower again." Lin Xiao shrugged.


    Lin Yun nodded, agreeing with that. "Oh right, why didn''t you try to talk more with that Lang�� Eh, Lan Qing Xi?"


    "I don''t know him that well, do I?" Lin Xiao asked back and shrugged. "Besides, even if he''s interested in the skill, why do I have to teach him when I know nothing about him. If he''s one of the other princes'' follower, I''ll only court trouble for myself."


    The other two: "��" right.


    They walked out and saw Princess Lan Yi Hua was still sitting there gracefully. She had her head lowered and her bangs covered part of her face. Added with her long hair that was slightly moving to the front, it blocked most people''s sight.


    That way, not many people knew that Princess Lan Yi Hua was actually very beautiful.


    "Xiao Hua!" Lin Xiao waved his hand and called out.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua raised her head and smiled. "Are you done?"


    "Yes. I already memorized your skills. Let''s go back and I''ll write it down for you. Oh right, where''s Lu Jian, I want him to do some investigation."


    Lin Yun let out a laugh. He could guess that Lin Xiao wanted to investigate that Lan Qing Xi man. "I''ll ask him on your behalf. You can return first and got our rooms, Bro."


    "Got it."


    They all only moved to the fifth floor except for those who hadn''t returned back yet. And the disciples there all were scared so they gave up their rooms immediately when Lin Xiao said that he wanted it.


    With his power, no one was daring enough to challenge him even if they have nine lives like a cat.


    It was the same as others.


    So, the news continued to float around while the main character was locking themselves away in their dorm room. Princess Lan Yi Hua benefited from having Lin Xiao copied her skill sets and trained in the skills inside her room.


    Lin Xiao himself also itching to train on the new skills he had learned not long ago.


    ''You can try to advance to Golden Core Stage first.'' Lin Hu reminded Lin Xiao from within the latter''s consciousness.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed. "Now?"


    "Hmm, in a few days your Qi accumulation will be enough at this rate. This place is really a good place for you to train."


    The fifth floor was richer in Qi compared to that of the third floor. Even though Lin Xiao didn''t stay here for a long period of time, the benefit was already clear to the eyes. Too bad that he couldn''t create a lake out of nowhere to help him practice.


    "I''ll train in Chilling Lake Sword first then."


    "Don''t destroy your bed."


    "��I''m not that idiot!"

 Chapter 367: Reaching Golden Core Stage 1

    Time passed swiftly, Lin Xiao''s room.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Sixth Stance!


    The chilling air completely spread across the room and freeze everything in front of the sword. Lin Xiao nodded in satisfaction. The seventh stance up to the ninth stance was very similar to the fourth up to sixth. However, the demand of the Qi and the profound skill behind it was much more.


    "Hmm?" Lin Xiao could sense that the Qi inside his body had started to overflow. The corner of his lips curled up to form a smile.


    It was time.


    Golden Core Stage was the stage where the cultivator would condense their Qi to form a ball in their dantian. The ball would be the source of their Qi in their battle. It was also capable to condense Qi better and eventually, it would be able to be purified further so that they would be able to use lesser Qi for same result.


    Lin Xiao sat down cross legged and focused on his dantian, further condensing the Qi in his body to form a sphere.


    The Qi around his body began to flow towards him.


    The movement attracted those who were staying near his room. But since they were all his friends, no one made their move. They only knew that Lin Xiao was in the midst of breaking through, so they have to protect him.


    Lin Xiao focused on his cultivation. The feeling of the Qi that was coming towards him and filled his body, focusing in his dantian, felt so wonderful. It was really a good feeling but then he felt as if he was bloated.


    The amount of Qi was clearly too much for such a small place.


    It was time for him to condense the Qi to form a ball. The ball would be called Golden Core, which was the core of their entire martial arts. It contained all the essence of their martial art that they had thorough the years.


    Bang!


    As the surge of Qi flew outwards, the others knew that Lin Xiao had successful. They didn''t bother him and just stayed still in their room and continued their training. However, it was clear that everyone was in happy mood.


    They were also feeling a bit more motivated to hurry and get stronger as fast as possible.


    "So this is Golden Core Stage."


    Lin Xiao smiled in satisfaction at his newfound strength. Now that he had grown stronger, he felt that he would be ready to face other people.


    ''You''re still fairly weak. Also, don''t forget that once you''re already three years in Sun Dragon Academy, there''ll be ranking battle with the other seniors.''


    ''Ah��''


    Those who were not present would naturally be placed at the bottom. While Lin Xiao himself didn''t care much about that, he knew that he had to show himself. There were already some people who were following Lu Jian for the past few weeks, asking to join Lin Xiao''s groups.


    Of course, Lu Jian had to eliminate those who were not true to their words.


    With his voice, it was easy for him to make them talk the truth after some tries. Only those whom they could trust would be accepted.


    ''Don''t you want to help him out too?''


    ''Well, I don''t think that I''ll be able to do anything to help them in terms of skills. Many of us have different skill. Also, it''s not possible for me to suddenly create a lake out of nowhere, right?''


    ''Seniors have their own residence. The higher the ranking, the bigger��.''


    ''Let''s go out now.''


    Lin Hu was speechless and felt like spanking this idiotic master of his. ''Stabilize your power first, idiot! You won''t be able to do anything even if you go out in this state! Also, that princess of yours is about to make her breakthrough too.''


    ''Ah��''


    Lin Xiao slumped on the chair once more and grinned sheepishly. He sat down cross legged and focused on his cultivation.


    Other matter aside from his cultivation could be pushed back. It was not as important as his own training. Besides, it would still take some time before he could participate in the ranking arena since they were not three years in Sun Dragon Academy yet.


    After a few more days, Lin Xiao noticed faint ripples from the room next door. His lips curled up to form a smile.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua had reached Golden Core Stage 1.


    The two of them were already close to break through before they returned to Sun Dragon Academy, so this was only a matter of time before they could finally advance.


    As Lin Xiao felt that his cultivation was already good enough, he walked out and visited Lin Yun''s room.


    "Bro, what is it?"


    "I want to know your progress in your other skills."


    Lin Yun had picked the three skills that others recommended to him back in the cave, which was Moon Treasure, Splitting Water Sword, and Water Wave Punch. The first one was defensive skill, the second one was attack skill with sword while the last one was an attack skill with his punch.


    Since he would be learning from the beginning again, it was clear that Lin Yun would take some time to master the skills.


    "I only manage to comprehend a little bit." Lin Yun looked at Lin Xiao curiously. "Brother, are you going to teach me Sword River Bearing?"


    "Yes." Lin Xiao had practiced that Sword River Bearing a few times but didn''t really focus in it. After all, it was not going to be his main skill or anything like that. He only learned a little bit in order to teach his younger brother.


    Lin Yun''s eyes shone. "Really?"


    "Pay attention."


    With that, Lin Yun clamped his mouth shut and his eyes were completely focused on his brother, afraid that he would miss even a single move.


    Lin Xiao smiled and began to move. The skill relied on its fluency just like the water current that flowed unobstructed. Several slashes were formed at the wall and at the end, Lin Xiao moved the sword horizontally as if he was cutting off someone''s neck.


    Bang!

 Chapter 368: Investigation

    Lin Yun sucked deep breath when he saw his brother''s move. It was amazing! And even though Lin Xiao was not that suitable for water element even though lake was formed with water, the power within Lin Xiao''s move was so powerful that it completely outclassed others.


    He then narrowed his eyes. "Bro, with you being in Golden Core Stage 1, I don''t think that I can fight against you anymore."


    "Hmm?" Lin Xiao lowered his sword and smiled faintly. He had noticed it himself but it seemed that he was indeed growing a bit too fast for others to follow. Looking at how Lin Yun was looking at him, he couldn''t help but chuckled.


    "Bro?"


    "Your cultivation will be faster than me, Yun. There''ll be more herbs soon and I''m sure that you can reach Golden Core Stage 2 in no time."


    Lin Yun nodded. "Yeah, but my skill is nothing compared to you."


    While Lin Yun could indeed advance faster due to his special body constitution, his skill couldn''t advance as fast as Lin Xiao. He needed to practice more and it would take time. It was impossible to master a skill overnight.


    "You can practice. And if our gap in cultivation is so big, you can easily crush someone at lower cultivation no matter how good their skill was." Lin Xiao laughed and patted his younger brother''s shoulder.


    In front of absolute power, any kinds of tricks were useless!


    "Alright. I''ll practice. Bro, can you repeat the move again?"


    "Sure."


    It didn''t take long for Lin Xiao to repeat the moves a few times. Lin Yun memorized it by heart and then stayed in his room to continue practicing. The only problem with this method was the fact that their room was not that spacious enough and they could accidentally destroy a furniture if they were to practice here.


    After finishing with his instruction, Lin Xiao went out and noticed Fan Ling had come out. He nodded to her. "Finished practicing?"


    "Not yet but I sense you coming out. Lu Jian had finished his investigation regarding that�� ugh�� what''s his name?" Fan Ling scratched the back of her head, feeling slightly frustrated. "Oh right, Lan Qing Xi."


    "Oh, that strange senior." Lin Xiao nodded. "Where''s Lu Jian?"


    "Taking care of our new factions."


    Lin Xiao: "��" I''m considered a faction now?


    But thinking about how he had already attracted so much attention plus the fact that he crushed Lin Hong and Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s position, he could only smile wryly. Those two, who used to be placing first, were now only at the fourth and fifth position thanks to him, Lin Yun, and Fan Ling.


    It was no doubt that they would be angry and annoyed at him.


    "Lin Hong had already advanced to Golden Core Stage 1." Fang Ling passed a look at Lin Xiao. "He''ll surely take his position back along with that princess. She''s adamant on challenging the eight floor."


    "Eight?" Lin Xiao was stunned then he shook his head. Even though it was designed for Golden Core Stage 1, it was not as easy as it sounded. If it was ordinary cultivator, they would never be able to pass the stage no matter how hard they tried when they were in Golden Core Stage 1.


    The only perquisite was that they had to be a genius!


    Strong foundation, strong skill, and strong comprehension.


    It was all required if they wished to defeat the guardian at the eight floor. Lin Xiao had seen his senior''s skill and even though not all of them were good, those who were picked to guard the tower all had considerably high skill.


    Defeating them would not be easy.


    "I can only wish for her luck." Lin Xiao merely used that move of challenging the tower to increase his presence. There was no point in him keeping the first position either since he didn''t have the intention to challenge his way up in this ranking.


    Maybe he would work a bit harder in the next ranking but not this one.


    Fan Ling nodded. "I''ll call Lu Jian then I''ll return back to train."


    "Ok."


    Lu Jian came a few minutes later while looking a bit haggard. He glared at Lin Xiao because he knew that Lin Xiao had no intention of managing the new faction that was built. The other students were mostly divided into three with some minority groups and it was only now the fourth faction was emerging.


    But not many looked favorably upon his chance of obtaining the throne.


    "Lu Jian." Lin Xiao waved his hand. "Busy?"


    "Of course I''m busy! There are a lot of people who want to join your faction but most of them are spies!" Lu Jian rolled his eyes.


    Ah��


    It was not that rare for spies from other factions to come. Lin Xiao had already expected this and it was precisely because of this point he was too lazy to think about managing the faction.


    Too bad that it was impossible because he would need people if he wished to become the Emperor.


    "I know you can do it." Lin Xiao gave a thumbs up.


    Lu Jian: "��" Do you know how annoying you look like when you''re saying it like that?


    Of course, Lin Xiao had no plan of bantering with Lu Jian all the time. "What did you find regarding that strange senior, Lan Qing Xi?"


    "Oh, he''s one of the rare genius who had the qualification to graduate but still stay in the academy."


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. "He''s 23, right?"


    Lu Jian laughed. "Yes. In fact, there are a lot of seniors who actually can advance but they choose to stay in the academy to enjoy the benefit of being student."


    Benefit of being student?


    For some reason, Lin Xiao felt that there was none. The Academy was stingy!


    ��


    Tower floors'' ranking in case you forget:


    1-3 for Body Training


    4-6 for Foundation Establishment


    7-9 for Golden Core Stage Rank 1


    10-15 for Golden Core Stage Rank 2

 Chapter 369: Paying A Visit to Other’s Family

    Lu Jian rolled his eyes and passed a document to Lin Xiao. "Anyway, that''s all information about him. Is there anyone else you actually want to know?"


    Lin Xiao took the document and while reading, he asked, "What''s the benefit of being in the academy."


    "First student status."


    "What''s the use of that?"


    "Of course it''s useful! While you''re a student, you can roam around the world without people being suspicious of you! After all, if you said that you''re a student taking mission, you can head to many places ordinary people can''t."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao recalled the mission that was occurring in that mountain once more. At that time, Lin Xiao didn''t think too much but almost everyone whom he met and tried to attack them for the lake were disciples. Their strength was not too high, which was why they could defeat the others easily.


    Right�� it was a dangerous place and ordinary cultivator couldn''t enter easily without having their identity checked.


    But being a disciple meant that their identity was already guaranteed. At least, to a certain degree.


    "I see."


    "Anything else?"


    Lin Xiao finished reading and didn''t really find anything special. The reason why Lan Qing Xi still stayed in the academy was obviously because he wanted to learn more about the special skills here and also some other mysterious things. For the time being, Lin Xiao still couldn''t see any of them because the area he could reach was limited.


    "There are several more people whom I would like to figure out more."


    "Oh, who?"


    "You."


    "��Me?" Lu Jian was stunned that he failed to react in time. Looking at Lin Xiao''s serious expression, he let out an awkward smile. Well, they did spend a long time with each other but Lin Xiao barely knew anything about him nor the other three.


    Oh, probably Lin Xiao had already had some guesses if it was Xia Ye but not the others.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Yep."


    "What do you want to know?" Lu Jian asked carefully. He naturally had shown his skill to Lin Xiao so it must be not that point. They had been working together with each other for some time that it would be impossible for Lin Xiao to not know his capability.


    "Your reason to follow me. At first, you come to me when I was an unknown nobody but now that I''m a prince, do you have any second thoughts?" Lin Xiao bluntly asked.


    He never liked to ask while going around and around. It was useless in his opinion because the best way was to ask bluntly and have them answer the question which he had been wondering for some time.


    Would they still follow him after they knew that he was someone who might be eligible for the throne?


    "Oh." Lu Jian let out a faint laugh. He shrugged. "It didn''t matter, isn''t it? From the very beginning that has been your target and I have no qualms with your identity being a prince, a beggar, or even an idiot cultivator."


    Lin Xiao: "��" I would be fine if you didn''t include the last one.


    Lu Jian grinned. "How about this, come see my family members. We have some holidays day that we hadn''t used yet."


    They have a week''s holiday each year and since it would be their third year soon, they would have three weeks'' holiday in which they could go to the capital city. But of course, they were not allowed to go further away than that.


    "Your family members?" Lin Xiao thought for a moment then nodded. "But aren''t your family in Hei Lu Province?"


    "You still remember?" Lu Jian was speechless. He believed that he only ever mentioned that province once in his lifetime. "It''s been more than 10 years ago they were there. Now they''re staying in the capital city to take care of some stores."


    Stores.


    Now that Lin Xiao thought about it, he didn''t know what Lu Jian''s family did for living either. He felt a bit bad when he thought that he really knew very little about his people even though they were staying near him.


    But then again, who in their right mind would come around asking other people''s family members'' condition?


    "I''ll call the others to see if they want to tag along."


    "They''re busy training. I''ll come by myself."


    "Ah, alright."


    Lu Jian knew that Princess Lan Yi Hua had just advanced to Golden Core Stage 1, so it naturally meant that she was still busy consolidating her newfound strength. Han Jiang was still busy challenging other people while Fan Ling and Lin Yun were busy to train.


    Thinking of how these people just dump him the whole work of managing the faction, he really wished to kick them all.


    They''re so heartless!


    Since Lin Xiao had decided to go out, he applied for leave right away and the two of them come out. Lin Xiao only applied for a day''s leave, which meant that he had to return back to the academy by tomorrow''s afternoon.


    Lu Jian thought for a moment. "There should be some empty rooms in my residence which you can use to sleep for the night."


    "I can go to an inn if it''s really needed." Lin Xiao was speechless.


    "Don''t worry about it! My house is not that small!" Lu Jian let out a laugh.


    The two of them walked on the street of the capital city until Lu Jian stopped in front of a residence. The residence was brown in color and the smell of wood was very prominent. There were two guards who were guarding in front of the gate.


    "Young Master!" one of them was surprised and greeted.


    Lu Jian waved his hand with a smile. "Yo! It''s been some time since my return."


    "Ah, you''re not kicked out from the academy, right, Young Master?"


    "What do you mean kicked out, ah? I''m applying for a day''s leave!"


    "Hahahaha!"


    Looking at how warm the atmosphere was, Lin Xiao''s lips curled to form a smile.

 Chapter 370: Lu Jian’s Family

    It was out of his expectation that even the guards were close with Lu Jian. Was it because Lu Jian was also an easy going person who could easily make friends?


    Lin Xiao wondered about that.


    "Is Grandfather home?"


    "Old Master Lu is home." The guard nodded and pointed inside. He then noticed Lin Xiao who was following Lu Jian. "And this is?"


    "This is my friend and also the one I followed in the academy," Lu Jian introduced. "His name is Lin Xiao."


    "Hello." Lin Xiao nodded.


    The two guards were stunned. They naturally had heard the additional name of the prince that was only recently found and quickly saluted politely. They didn''t dare to act impolite in front of an Imperial Family member.


    Lin Xiao was stunned and waved his hand. "There''s no need to be so polite��. Lu Jian, let''s just go in."


    Lu Jian laughed when he saw how awkward Lin Xiao acted. Since Lin Xiao still just got his newfound identity as a prince, it was clear that Lin Xiao was not used to be respected all the time. He patted Lin Xiao''s shoulder. "You''ll get used to it soon."


    "Tsk."


    The two youngsters walked into the house and Lin Xiao quickly noticed the garden. It had the faint smell of nourishing herbs and also peaceful atmosphere. Recalling how the guards were also treating them warmly, Lin Xiao felt that it was indeed very suitable for Lu Jian.


    Warm family was indeed the best.


    The building had ancient feeling but at the same time, it was still in very good condition. The structure was made out of wood and certainly gave off comfortable atmosphere, one that Lin Xiao personally liked too.


    "Grandpa! I''m back!" Lu Jian shouted when he was near the main entrance.


    "That''s Lu Jian''s voice!"


    "Wha-? Third Brother Lu is back!"


    "Really?"


    "Where''s he?"


    Hearing the sound of youngsters, Lin Xiao was stunned. He glanced at the back of the main building before him. There were children?


    But before the children could scramble out, there was a roaring, "LU JIAN! WHAT ARE YOU DIONG HERE?"


    Lu Jian''s body shuddered. His face turned pale as he stood stiffly. "T��that''s my father."


    Lin Xiao could guess that Lu Jian''s father was a strict person based on how Lu Jian acted. Probably Lu Jian was not allowed to return back unless it was emergency and told to focus on his cultivation in Sun Dragon Academy.


    Bang!


    The main door opened and a middle aged man walked out. He had 60 to 70 percent similar appearance with Lu Jian that Lin Xiao could say for sure that he must be Lu Jian''s father. The middle aged man was planning to scold his son when he noticed that there was someone else there.


    He grunted but felt a bit weird since he clearly didn''t sense the youth''s presence.


    Lin Xiao was using the ancient power to block the Dragon Power and at the same time, it helped to erase his presence. Unless he wills it, it would be hard for anyone else to detect his presence.


    "Father." Lu Jian quickly cupped his hand. "This is my friend and also the man I follow in the academy, Lin Xiao."


    "Lin Xiao greets Elder Lu." Lin Xiao nodded but didn''t act overly polite nor humble. He had been given some crash course by Prince Lin San before that Imperial family members would not bow down to anyone easily. They held the prestige of the royal family and naturally it meant that they couldn''t be forced to bow down if it was not to the Emperor or to the Heaven or to their parents.


    Elder Lu, Lu Jian''s father, was stumped when he heard what Lu Jian said. The Lu Family naturally knew that Lu Jian followed a no named kid called Lin Xiao. However, the recent uproar not long ago revealed that Lin Xiao was actually a long lost prince.


    As for whether he had qualification to fight for the throne, it was still undetermined.


    "Your Highness, there''s no need to be so polite." Elder Lu quickly changed his tone and smiled.


    Lu Jian resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Father, why are you here? I thought that you''re still working."


    "Haih, the court is not too peaceful lately and there are a lot of work. I''m doing my work from home because of some order." Elder Lu then turned around. "Come in first, the wind is cold outside."


    Naturally cultivators would not care whether the wind was cold or whatever. It was simply for politeness sake that Elder Lu said that and invited them in.


    The hall was spacious and there was one main seat. Lin Xiao could see an aged man sitting there. The aura around him told the others that he was a powerful cultivator but his old age signified that he was already reaching the end of his life. Not to mention, his current body condition might not be able to support him in a bitter fight against a cultivator at the same rank anymore.


    As the old man raised his head, Lin Xiao could feel some pressure but he was not afraid. He had already advanced to Golden Core Stage 1 and normal Golden Core Stage 2 would not be able to defeat him. As for those at Golden Core Stage 3�� he was confident that at the very least, he would be able to run away.


    "Grandpa," Lu Jian greeted. He proceeded to introduce Lin Xiao the same way he introduced the young man to his father before.


    Old Master Lu looked at Lu Jian then to Lin Xiao. He nodded faintly. "Your Highness, this old bone is already old and can''t stand up to greet you."


    "It''s fine." Lin Xiao smiled. "It''s an honor for me to be able to meet with you��"


    He really didn''t know how he should call the old Master as. Glancing at Lu Jian, the latter quickly whispered, "Grand Elder Lu.''


    "Grand Elder Lu."

 Chapter 371: Lu Jian’s Family (2)

    The two of them naturally noticed the small interaction that Lu Jian and Lin Xiao had. They had heard that Lu Jian was originally planning to stay away from the throne''s battle. But it didn''t seem to be possible any longer because of his interaction with Lin Xiao. In fact, it would be weirder if they didn''t get into trouble.


    Old Master Lu nodded. He looked at Lu Jian. "It''s rare to see you return back. You haven''t returned back at all for the past two years and I thought you would have forgotten about me."


    Lu Jian''s face changed. "What are you talking, Grandpa? I naturally will not forget about you! Didn''t I send you letter occasionally."


    "Mhm��" Old Master Lu checked on Lu Jian again and finally realized why he felt a bit strange. When Lu Jian was going to Sun Dragon Academy, he was clearly still a Body Training Stage punk who was only slightly better than his peers. But only two years or so had passed and the little punk was already close to breaking through to Golden Core Stage 1?


    That was too fast.


    Did this brat consumed some kind of treasure or encountered a Heaven defying accident?


    "Why did you return this time?" Elder Lu, Lu Jian''s father, asked in stern tone. When facing Lin Xiao, it was clear that he had to soften his tone a bit, but when facing his son, Hehehe, there was no way he would do that.


    Lu Jian smiled bitterly. "Father, I''m accompanying Lin Xiao around��"


    Bletak!


    "Why did you say his name carelessly?" Elder Lu felt his son really didn''t know his place. Didn''t he know that the person before him was a prince now?


    Lu Jian was stunned then he recalled Lin Xiao''s new identity and nearly cursed. How could he forget that they had to address Imperial Family members with full respect if they didn''t want to be accused of slighting them.


    "This��"


    "Elder Lu, there''s no need. Lu Jian is my friend and we got along well." Lin Xiao stopped Elder Lu from beating up his son. He felt that his knowledge regarding the Imperial Family really need to be renewed as he himself often felt that he was being disrespectful to others��


    Elder Lu nodded. "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."


    Lu Jian rubbed his head resentfully. He should have known that Lin Xiao would not be accepted being addressed so formally. If it was a few more years from now, Lin Xiao might feel nothing.


    But he was only a 19 years old brat and also someone who had only gotten a status for a short period of time. How could he accept getting addressed so politely like that?


    "Father, I would like to bring Lin Xiao to tour my house a bit. He''ll be staying here for the night."


    "Alright, I''ll ask the servants to prepare an additional room."


    "Sorry for the trouble, Elder Lu."


    "It''s nothing, it''s nothing."


    After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Lu Jian proceeded to bring Lin Xiao to tour the house. The house itself was not that big but it still had several buildings because there were several families living here. His father was the second child and Lu Jian himself was the only child but he was called the third brother because he had two older cousins.


    While Lin Xiao was touring, Old Master Lu glanced at his son. "What do you think of that new prince."


    "He''s different, probably because he''s unaccustomed with the arrogance other princes have embedded deep into their bones." Elder Lu stroked his beard and glanced out of the window. His eyes were watching the movement of Lin Xiao and Lu Jian carefully. "If only he''s not a prince��."


    "Are you worried?"


    "Yes. Lu Jian is my only child and if something happens to him��" Elder Lu sighed. He was naturally proud that Lu Jian could enter Sun Dragon Academy when his two older cousins failed at the entrance examination. However, he was worried.


    Amongst geniuses, his son was not particularly extraordinary and naturally, Elder Lu only wished that his son would be able to graduate safely.


    Of course, if his son could perform spectacularly, he would be very proud as a father. But how many children could achieve that? Not to mention, Elder Lu didn''t want to put Lu Jian''s life in danger.


    He didn''t want to lose his only child.


    Old Master Lu knew that his second son valued Lu Jian greatly. Amongst the youngsters in Lu Family, Lu Jian was naturally the one with the best qualification to become powerful cultivator and him being able to enter Sun Dragon Academy was only to prove that point. After all, even though everyone above Body Training Rank 6 and below 20 years old could try, majority of youngsters actually didn''t have any hope of entering.


    The real cultivation barrier was much higher than Body Training Rank 6 when one tried it for real. Most of them could only enter when they were already at Body Training rank 9 or even 10.


    Lu Jian was lucky that he managed to enter when he was only at 19 years old, barely approaching the upper limit.


    But compared to many other geniuses, Lu Jian was naturally not that eye catching and couldn''t be counted to be that great.


    "He''s about to make his breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 1."


    "Breakthrough�� what?" Elder Lu was stunned when he heard what his father said. Looking at his father''s aged face, he could see that the latter was serious. "How come he can make his breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 1 so quickly? He should have only entered Foundation Establishment after he entered Sun Dragon Academy and�� and��."


    It was only 2 years or so since the time Lu Jian entered Sun Dragon Academy.


    Even if Lu Jian make his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment right from the time he entered the academy, it still didn''t make sense for him to be about to make his breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 1 so quickly.

 Chapter 372: Dream

    Even if Lu Jian make his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment right from the time he entered the academy, it still didn''t make sense for him to be about to make his breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 1 so quickly. It was also very unlikely for Lu Jian to make his breakthrough right away as those who stayed with him knew that he was nowhere close to breakthrough when he entered Sun Dragon Academy.


    Didn''t most people only capable to make their breakthrough after 4 to 5 years in Foundation Establishment Stage?


    It was too fast!


    Elder Lu narrowed his eyes. "Did he eat some kind of treasure or anything? I had already told him that he should refrain from using medicine."


    "It''s not medicine." Old Master Lu naturally sensed that Lu Jian''s power was stable and powerful. It was nearing Golden Core Stage and didn''t seem to be power that was obtained by using cheap means. Rather, it was the accumulation of strength overtime.


    The only question was: how did he get stronger so fast when he had only been away from Lu family for a bit more than 2 years?


    "Stable type of medicine? Treasure herbs?" Elder Lu also knew that there were some precious herbs that could be consumed that could help cultivator to advance quickly.


    "I don''t know. But I can guess that Lu Jian greatly respect Prince Lin Xiao." Old Master Lu leaned on the back of his chair. "If this is that brat''s decision, I''ll support him. Lu Family will never abandon any of its family members."


    Elder Lu''s face turned solemn and he patted his chest. "I understand, Father."


    There were many geniuses at Sun Dragon Academy but to be able to help other advance quickly�� Lin Xiao might be the only one. After all, a cultivator was also selfish and naturally would use the good things for themselves too before giving to others.


    If Lu Jian had already made his decision, the two of them would not pry into the boy''s decision.


    They would only silently support that youngster.


    ��


    Lu Jian finally entered the backyard and pointed forward. "This is the training field. Everyone from the younger generation trains here. Lu Family is not that big but there are a lot of children here."


    Lin Xiao walked inside and see 10 odd something children there. He nodded his head. "Do you also train here in the past?"


    "Naturally." Lu Jian let out a faint laugh. "Everyone have to train here until they reach Foundation Establishment. My parents originally didn''t want me to try entering Sun Dragon Academy without reaching Foundation Establishment but I sneaked out and still participate in the assessment."


    Lin Xiao: "��" Why did you look so proud?


    "In any case, I''m glad that I have passed the examination. Tsk, my old man said that it''s impossible for me to pass the examination before reaching the Foundation Establishment but I had showed to him that I can pass when I''m still in Body Training Stage." Lu Jian puffed his chest.


    "There''s no saying that you can only pass when you''re at Foundation Establishment."


    "Tsk, you don''t know because you''re also improving at rapid speed but if I didn''t experience your�� brother hellish training." Lu Jian''s body shuddered when he recalled the painful days of being forced to be nothing more than an item and challenged those cultivators. "I might not be able to improve this much now."


    "You''re just lucky that things turn out well for you."


    "Tsk, are you implying that I''ll die if it didn''t turn out well?" Lu Jian rolled his eyes. Though, he also understood that if there was something wrong during their training, it would spell their death.


    Prince Lin Yan was seriously leaving them to die in the arena if they were not strong enough.


    "Both your father and grandfather are worried about you." Lin Xiao looked at the group of youngsters in front of him. His eyebrows furrowed a bit when he watched the way they trained themselves.


    "Hmm?"


    "Will you continue to follow me even knowing that point?"


    "They can''t decide for my life." Lu Jian took a deep breath. He grinned. "Besides, I might be able to become a powerful minister if I stay by your side. Rather than staying at low position for my entire life, isn''t it better for me to aim high?"


    Lin Xiao smiled back. "In that case, you need to work harder to reach Golden Core Stage 1. The others are going to keep moving forward."


    "Ugh��" Lu Jian messed his own hair. He naturally knew that his own talent was not strong enough, which was why he could never be able to contend against other geniuses. But during the short a year and half he spent in that mountain, he started to see hope.


    Even if his talent was lower, he could overcome it by having more resources.


    Many people who had better living condition was simply advancing faster because they were all having better resources. Their talent was not as good as others but they could advance faster.


    "Are you going to form the lake here too?"


    "Here?" Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. "You''re thinking of making a lake in Lu Family residence?"


    "Well, I can make it the base of our factions��" Lu Jian''s voice trailed off. It was clear that he was trying to take advantage of this situation too. After all, Lin Xiao couldn''t possibly make a lake inside the academy where his room was equally small.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "I''m thinking of buying a house."


    "You want to buy a house even though you only have one day''s off?"


    "I''ll pick it with Xiao Hua after she had finished stabilizing her cultivation."


    Lu Jian was speechless. Did Lin Xiao just feed him with a dog food out of the blue? Damn it! they were discussing something serious, alright?


    But then he realized something else.


    "You''re not planning on having the base of your factions to be in your home, right?" Lu Jian''s face was incredulous.

 Chapter 373: Lin Xiao’s Plan

    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes. "Do you think I''m crazy?"


    He naturally wouldn''t want so many people to be bothering him when he was about to train. It was already enough for him to have to speak with Lu Jian and the others because of some matter occasionally. He didn''t want to be bothered by having to handle the matter of factions too.


    "Then��"


    "Can we roam around outside when we''re already more than 3 years in Sun Dragon Academy?"


    "Hmm, yes. The 3 years'' restriction is mostly to temper the new disciples so that they can get stronger. At the same time, they''re also trying to make us accept missions to be able to get out since our break time can only be used inside the capital city." Lu Jian shrugged.


    But after they stayed for three years, they could naturally roam around the capital city freely. But if they wanted to get out of Capital City, they would need to have missions or some kind of special permissions.


    It was not like the rules were that lax either.


    "You want to set it here?" Lin Xiao did notice the pond that was located at the courtyard but thinking about turning this place into a base where a lot of people will be passing through�� he didn''t have the intention to do so.


    Lu Jian was speechless. He naturally knew that Lin Xiao could make that Qi gathering array but didn''t know the details. New disciples would only able to learn more of the other occupations after three years to make sure that they would not focus too much on other matters when their foundation was the weakest.


    "But you can make that Qi gathering array, right?"


    "It''s similar but different." Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. He looked at the main house and shook his head lightly. "This place is too peaceful and I don''t want to destroy this place by making it the base."


    "Ah, then��"


    "I''m thinking of visiting Fan Ling''s house."


    Lu Jian: "��" wtf, you want to visit hers?


    He naturally knew that Fan Ling was one of the few nobles in Sun Kingdom and her family was big. However, it was also because of that things would be complicated if Lin Xiao wanted to set it there.


    "That��"


    "What, you don''t think it''s possible?" Lin Xiao asked as he walked in the direction of the main house.


    Lu Jian smiled bitterly. "You''re intending to pull Fan Family to your side?"


    Fan Ling''s grandfather�� was indeed a powerful figure in Sun Kingdom. If he were to support Lin Xiao, there was no doubt that Lin Xiao''s chance to obtain the throne would be higher.


    However, that old fogey was not easy to convince. He did pamper Fan Ling but he would not want to place his bet on someone who might not be able to obtain the throne. In addition��


    "From what I know, Fan Family is leaning towards Lin Bo Wang."


    Lin Bo Wang.


    Lin Xiao pursed his lips. That prince was moving stealthily but he was building up power faster and more powerful compared the other two. He waved his hand. "I''ll see to it first."


    "Ah, why are you not trying to win Lu Family instead?"


    "You alone is enough."


    "Damn you! My family is not that bad."


    "Of course it''s not bad but it''s because of that I think just having you to help me out a bit is already more than enough."


    Lu Jian really itched to kick Lin Xiao out of his residence but had no real courage to do so. For the rest of the day, Lin Xiao was introduced to Lu Jian''s family members and stayed there. He had to admit that Lu Jian''s family was really warm and even though they all brothers, they all stayed harmoniously.


    It seemed so wonderful.


    When Lin Xiao talked to Lu Jian before heading back to rest, Lu Jian simply told him, "My grandfather told us that if we''re all divided, we won''t be able to grow strong. We''re all still just a small family and if other people attack us but we''re not united, we''ll just fall. Without a bowl, there wouldn''t be anything that could be filled inside."


    It was a good metaphor and Lin Xiao had to agree that the thing they had to pay attention the most was the unity inside a family. He shook his head lightly and felt that he would also needed to make that a strong point of his faction.


    Unity.


    ''You have good follower.''


    ''Yes, I know.''


    ''However, it''s uncertain how long and how far he''s going to follow you.'' Lin Hu warned.


    Lin Xiao nodded. He realized it after Lin Yun asked him how much he trusted the others. It was then he started to reevaluate his opinions of those who were around him and knew that there were some of them whom he could trust wholeheartedly but not everyone would be his closest one.


    He had to evaluate them one by one.


    "An Emperor can''t stand alone. You need subjects whom you can trust to follow you." Lin Hu licked his claw and commented. Since Lin Xiao had advanced to Golden Core Stage 1, he naturally grew stronger too.


    "I know."


    Lin Xiao closed his eyes. Being an Emperor�� really was not easy. He really just wanted to be a free cultivator who could do whatever he wanted. But with the burden of being the leader of a kingdom rest on his shoulder, it was now impossible.


    The next day, Lin Xiao didn''t stay for a long time. Even though the house was warm and comforting, he still had many other things that he needed to finish. Staying inside all the time was clearly not an option.


    Lu Jian bade his farewell to his parents and other family members. They all felt sad that Lu Jian was leaving so quickly but they knew that Lu Jian couldn''t stay with them for a long time.


    In the long road to be a cultivator, it was hard for them to stay close to their family members all the time.

 Chapter 374: Fan Ling’s Family

    "Did you get out without telling us?" Fan Ling was speechless when Lin Xiao and Lu Jian returned back to the academy.


    Lu Jian nodded. "Master wants to visit my family members, so I bring him there."


    "Your family members?" Fan Ling was stumped and she looked at Lu Jian with confusion. "Why would he want to visit your family members? There''s nothing special about your family members."


    Lu Jian: "��" do you have to be so blunt?


    "I''m trying to figure out more about all of you." Lin Xiao smiled faintly when he saw them bantering with each other.


    "All of us?" Fan Ling repeated the question and felt a bit strange. She then turned to look at Lin Yun, who was dragged out by her. "Did you say something strange to your big brother? He''s different from usual."


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    Lin Yun didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. "I didn''t say anything strange ah. Anyway, since you want to get to know the others, how about visiting Fan Ling''s house too? I have been wanting to visit there too."


    "That''s a good idea."


    "Sure!" Lu Jian voiced his opinion.


    Fan Ling nearly tripped on the ground when she heard what they were saying. Hey! She didn''t even agree yet!


    "What the hell, why do you want to visit my family, ah?"


    "I''m curious about the place where you live," Lin Xiao answered seriously because he was still in the middle of considering how to pull Fan Family to support him instead of Lin Bo Wang.


    If there was a fight break out between him and Lin Bo Wang, Fan Family would be in trouble if Fan Ling were to support him. He certainly couldn''t possibly let them have such dilemma.


    "I want to visit my father in law and also mother in law."


    "You! Who''s your father in law!"


    Lu Jian laughed at Lin Yun and Fan Ling''s banter. The two of them were growing closer without even the others noticing. Though, he had to admit that Lin Yun''s taste was a bit�� strong since Fan Ling was such a fiery and hot tempered girl.


    Since there was such an obvious reason, the four of them applied for another leave. The guard was speechless when he saw Lin Xiao took a week''s leave almost immediately.


    "Oh right, I need to leave a message to Xiao Hua first."


    "You can just use your Communication Jade, you know��"


    "I forgot."


    The others: "��"


    They came out of the academy with Fan Ling''s face still beet red. It was clear that she didn''t want to visit her family right now but with Lin Yun asking it, she couldn''t just refuse. If it was Lu Jian who asked, she could easily beat him up but since it was Lin Yun�� she was not that heartless.


    Lin Xiao put his hands on the back of his head, considering the matter. If Fan Family was adamant in supporting Prince Lin Bo Wang, it would be hard for them to pull them over no matter what they said. He had to see how their family condition first.


    Looking at Lin Yun, Lin Xiao sighed.


    To think that this would also end up in such problem like this. He hoped that it would not escalate into further conflict.


    "Which side do you think those two will take if the two sides can''t reconcile. I wonder if they will end up fighting against each other." Lin Hu was watching without any intention to interfere in the slightest bit.


    Hearing the dragon''s words, Lin Xiao really wanted to pull the dragon''s tail. "What the hell! Don''t jinx things!"


    "I''m just saying." Lin Hu scoffed. He had lived for a long time�� wait, that''s wrong. He was only born when Lin Xiao got Emperor''s Inheritance, but he had inherited the memory from his predecessor.


    At their generations, there were many of such cases and naturally, it didn''t end well in the end.


    Lin Xiao cut of his connection with the dragon as he followed Lu Jian, who took the lead to Fan Family residence. As expected of someone who was good at collecting information, he could find Fan Family Residence easily.


    Fan Ling glared at Lu Jian. "When did you investigate me?"


    "Is there even any need to investigate?" Lu Jian''s lips twitched. He looked at Fan Ling with an odd expression. "Come on, Fan Family is famous in the capital city. It''ll be weird if I can''t find your home."


    "These two idiots can''t find it!"


    The two "idiots": "��"


    Lin Yun sighed. "I have asked around about Fan Family residence so saying that I can''t find my way here is a bit harsh."


    Fan Ling pursed her lips and said nothing more.


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao chose to stay silent because he knew that he didn''t know the location of Fan Family residence. It was just�� why did he have to get hit when he was staying silent, ah?


    "Second Young Miss!" The guards naturally recognized Fan Ling as they greeted her.


    Fan Ling waved her hand. "I''m taking a week''s break from the academy, so I''m staying at home for the time being. Inform that to Grandfather and also Father."


    "Yes, Second Young Miss."


    Fan Ling then turned to look at the other three. "Let me remind you, Fan Family has a lot of people. Aside from the direct descendants, there are many experts whom Grandfather took in to become part of Fan Family."


    "Experts?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion.


    Lu Jian proceeded to explain. "When Fan Family first come here, they''re still relatively weak. In order to be able to contend with other families in the capital city, they have to use money and hire experts. Some of them who are loyal to Fan Family are allowed to change their surname and become part of Fan Family."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao was stunned. It seemed that the Fan Family was indeed not simple.


    To be able to gather so many experts to serve their family and gain their loyalty�� it was not an easy matter.

 Chapter 375: Fan Ling’s Family (2)

    To be able to gather so many experts to serve their family and gain their loyalty�� it was not an easy matter. Lin Xiao knew that if a cultivator wanted to join another family and served them, it meant that they also needed to abandon their previous identity and completely accepted their newfound identity.


    It was not an easy thing to do.


    After all, many people would not easily switch their surname easily. It was an identity that they didn''t want to abandon if they didn''t have significant reward.


    "I see."


    Fan Ling swaggered into the residence. The servants all bowed when they saw the young miss and naturally made way for her. In this residence, it was clear that Fan Ling was respected and would not be slighted in the slightest bit.


    But she was not the only one.


    "Oh, the little princess is back."


    The voice of a youth attracted their attention. Lin Xiao could see a young man around 20 or so years old stood not far from them. He was tall and had long hair that was tied neatly to form a bun on his back. Smiling lightly, he gave off the image of a scholar to the people who saw him.


    But of course, the four of them knew that he was a cultivator based on the aura he gave off.


    "Fan Pei, what are you doing here?" Fan Ling asked with a scowl.


    Fan Pei, the youth, looked at Fan Ling with an arched eyebrow. He laughed faintly. "Since you can take a break, why can''t I?"


    Fan Ling growled and turned to walk from the other side. However, Fan Pei swiftly moved and blocked her route.


    "Fan Pei, what do you want?"


    "To just leave when you see my face, is not good, isn''t it?" Fan Pei let out a faint laugh. "Big Bro left you a present for when you return. Don''t forget to take a look at it."


    "I don''t want anything from you." Fan Ling was prepared to take out her fan in order to kick Fan Pei out of the way.


    Fan Pei swiftly moved to the side and waved his hand. "Don''t be so feisty, Second Sister, you''re only going to make things hard for your brother."


    "You''re not my brother," Fan Ling spat out before she walked away. Her expression was clearly dark.


    Lin Xiao turned to look at Lu Jian but the latter merely shook his head while shrugging his shoulder. It was a clear indication that Lu Jian knew things would be like this but he didn''t have any other way to solve it. It was personal matter inside Fan Family that he naturally couldn''t get involved in.


    Understanding that, Lin Xiao sighed.


    The condition of Lu Family and Fan Family was the complete opposite.


    Fan Ling continued to proceed inside. When she had entered the room, she quickly saw an old man walking in her direction. Her eyes lit up. "Grandpa!"


    "Little Ling." Old Master Fan looked at his granddaughter and his eyes softened a bit. He spread his arms and hugged Fan Ling, who ran towards him. It has been some time since the last time he saw his treasured granddaughter. He patted her head tenderly while looking at the three youths who came with his granddaughter.


    His eyes naturally recognized Lu Jian as his family had established themselves in the capital city not long ago. They naturally came to Old Master Fan to make sure that the Fan Family will not make things difficult for them.


    "Old Master Fan," Lu Jian quickly cupped his hands and greeted.


    "Old Master Fan," the other two quickly followed suit. Lin Yun was the most nervous one because he wanted to court Fan Ling and seeing how Old Master Fan doted on her��. he felt a bit unconfident.


    "Grandpa, these are my friends from Sun Dragon Academy." Fan Ling beamed.


    Old Master Fan nodded and squinted his eyes. The powerful aura of a Golden Core Stage 3 Cultivator burst forth for a split second towards the three of them.


    Lu Jian broke in cold sweat and felt his legs turned weak. Lin Yun was surprised but he gritted his teeth as he didn''t want to show his weak side. Only Lin Xiao felt calm as he didn''t think much of the aura, but he was complaining in his mind.


    ''Why do these old fogeys liked to showcase their power, ah?''


    ''They''re assessing their grandchild''s friend.'' Lin Hu scoffed. If Lin Xiao and the others were not deemed to be suitable for their descendant friends, they would be escorted out very soon.


    Naturally, Lin Xiao''s performance caught Old Master Fan''s eyes the most. It was rare to see Golden Core Stage 1 capable to withstand the pressure a Golden Core Stage 3 Cultivator''s pressure. He didn''t give it his all but it was still rare.


    "Grandpa, don''t scare my friends." Fan Ling pouted. She knew that Lu Jian would faint soon if her grandfather continued to pressure them. After all, Lu Jian was still only at Foundation Establishment and naturally would not be able to withstand as long as the other two.


    Old Master Fan restrained his aura and looked at his granddaughter helplessly. "Why did you return back today, Little Ling?"


    "Hmm, I want to��." Fan Ling''s face turned a little red. "Introduce my boyfriend?"


    Her voice was so small that if Old Master Fan was not a cultivator, it would be impossible for him to hear her. He nearly chocked on the air when he heard what she said.


    His sweet Little Ling�� was getting a boyfriend?


    Thinking of how sweet and lovely his granddaughter is, Old Master Fan felt that it was too quick for her to get a boyfriend. She was only 18 or 19 years old and she''s already getting a boyfriend.


    The thought of Fan Ling leaving Fan Family house caused Old Master Fan to be heartbroken.


    He didn''t want to let his granddaughter go!


    With that, his pressure came towering towards the three youths once more. He definitely didn''t want to let his granddaughter in the hand of an incompetent man!

 Chapter 376: Fan Ling’s Family (3)

    Facing the sudden powerful pressure, Lu Jian nearly cursed out loudly as his legs turned weak and he flopped to the ground. His face turned red as he was embarrassed for his poor resistance to the sudden pressure outburst.


    Why are you so indecisive, ah?


    Lin Yun''s back was filled with cold sweat as his teeth chattered. He felt that he was facing a huge mountain before him and there was no chance for him to fight back.


    Motherf*****


    Why did he have to test them again?


    Lin Xiao was also getting annoyed. He took a deep breath before he released his skill.


    Mirror Lake Wall!


    The pressure around them was lightened to a certain degree as Lin Xiao cupped his hands. "Old Master Fan, please don''t make things difficult for my brother."


    "Grandpa!" Fan Ling also called out. She rushed over to Lin Yun as she knew how powerful her grandfather was. Seeing him broke off in cold sweat made her worried too. Her grandfather really didn''t hold back in the slightest bit.


    Old Master Fan looked at his granddaughter tearfully. "After attending Sun Dragon Academy, now Little Fan no longer wants her grandfather."


    "Grandpa! It''s not like that, I��"


    "Little Fan has already grown up and didn''t need her grandfather anymore."


    "Grandpa!"


    Seeing the drama in front of him, Lin Xiao really wanted to bury his face to the ground. It was the first time he saw a grandfather acting so shameless. The way he acted really could convince them that he didn''t want to hand his granddaughter to anyone.


    Those who dared to try would have to face his wrath first.


    Lu Jian was also speechless. He got off the ground and then stood behind Lin Xiao, determined to not get involved in the drama.


    The two of them waited as the three people enacted a drama of a grandfather who acted pitiful just so that his granddaughter would not go with her boyfriend�� Come on, they were only visiting and it was not like Fan Ling and Lin Yun would get married right away, right?


    RIGHT?


    But Lin Xiao didn''t say anything. When everything was over, he could clearly see that Lin Yun was already exhausted.


    "Bro, convincing Grandfather in law is��really difficult." Lin Yun muttered under his breath.


    Lin Xiao was speechless. Should he be glad that Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t have good relationship with her parents or should he be feeling pitiful that he didn''t have a chance to play such a drama with his in laws in the future?


    ...He would think about it in the future.


    "So, you''re Lin Yun?" Old Master Fan came to the crux of the matter. In all honestly, even if Fan Ling wanted to have a boyfriend, she didn''t have to introduce them to him. But after hearing their name�� he felt a headache.


    "Yes, Old Master Fan." Lin Yun still kept his distance because he didn''t know which side Old Master Fan in.


    Old Master Fan then looked at Lin Xiao, who was coming with Lin Yun. He sighed. "I know you come because of your brother''s matter, but I can''t give my word."


    Lin Yun had already expected this, so he was calm. Lin Xiao and the others similarly also thought about this matter, which was why Lin Xiao''s real purpose was to figure out how deep the Fan Family relationship with Lin Bo Wang was.


    "How many nobles family in the capital city do you know?" Old Master Fan asked.


    That��


    Lin Xiao knew none, so he had to turn to look at Lu Jian. Aside from Fan Family, he honestly didn''t know any others.


    Lu Jian sighed. "Aside from Fan Family, there are 6 others noble family who had at least 2 Golden Core Stage 3 experts inside."


    6��


    "Fan Family is considered still neutral since I didn''t take any stance yet." Old Master Fan was relatively calm. He looked at them and let out a laugh. "Or did you think that I have taken a stance?"


    "There''s a saying that you''re close to His Highness Lin Bo Wang." Lin Xiao thought for a moment before deciding to be blunt in this matter. He was never good when it came to politics whatever, so it would be best if he just asked straightforwardly to get the answer he wanted.


    Old Master Fan sighed. He looked at his granddaughter. "It''s that Little Pei and his brother Little Pan who were following Prince Lin Bo Wang. I myself didn''t take a stance yet."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao squinted his eyes. "Fan Family is divided?"


    "I''m already old and my children have their own family."


    That one sentence already told them that Old Master Fan might be powerful but he couldn''t control his son. Not to mention, there were also many experts within Fan Family Residence who might not be following his words but rather loyal to the family as a whole.


    "In that case, what do you want?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Old Master Fan was surprised by Lin Xiao''s bluntness. He laughed faintly. "Prove yourself."


    Two words.


    That was all.


    Fan Ling pursed her lips but couldn''t do anything but looked at Lin Yun helplessly. In this matter, she had to stand by her grandfather and naturally couldn''t do everything she wanted.


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao smiled faintly but didn''t make any move. He had thought about what kind of things he needed to do but it never crossed his mind that Old Master Fan simply wished for him to show that he was the right one for the throne.


    He sighed. "Alright, but not now."


    It was not the right time, yet.


    Old Master Fan glanced at Lin Xiao then nodded. He could at least accept this much.


    "In the meantime, would you please let your granddaughter stay with us in our little adventure?" Lin Xiao asked with a beaming smile.


    Fan Ling''s eyes flashed and she also looked at Old Master Fan with puppy eyes.

 Chapter 377: Staying in Fan Family Residence

    Facing his granddaughter''s attack, Old Master Fan had to relent and agreed. Even though he didn''t want to, he loved his granddaughter a bit too much and only wished for her happiness.


    Looking her genuinely bright smile, he could only sigh.


    Fan Family hadn''t been that peaceful. Even though the little girl was short tempered and loved to create trouble, she was a sensible girl within the residence. The only reason why she chose to wreak havoc was to make sure that her cousins would never see her as a mild tempered person and bullied her.


    This way, she would not be blamed even if she continued to challenge her cousins who often created trouble for her.


    In the eyes of others, she was simply the pampered princess but Old Master Fan always felt that behind his granddaughter''s bright eyes, she had noticed the dark side of the world.


    "The other nobles'' family are already divided." Old Master Fan chose to remind Lin Xiao. He knew that Lu Jian was good at collecting information but the youth was still young and there were still many things he might miss out.


    "Everyone?" Lin Xiao frowned.


    "Jiang Family is neutral but they''re always the hotheaded in Sun Kingdom, so you can''t really expect much from them," Lu Jian replied with a bitter smile. Jiang Family was also an odd one who stood by themselves. They seemed more like an independent family inside this kingdom who didn''t rely on others.


    "Then, the five others?"


    "Qi Family is supporting Prince Lin Fei because they''re his mother''s family members. Tu Family is supporting Prince Lin Hong but they''re relatively the weaker one. You Family used to support Prince Lin Kai but recently they moved to Prince Lin Bo Wang. Feng Family is said to be neutral and Guo Family is slightly leaning towards Prince Lin Fei from what I heard. Lastly, Su Family and Fan Family were said to be following Prince Lin Bo Wang."


    Lin Xiao was speechless when he heard the division��


    So it meant that the power was already concentrating on Prince Lin Bo Wang.


    "There are also several smaller nobles who are following them. Of course, I have been extending invitation but��" Lu Jian looked at Lin Xiao bitterly. Unless Lin Xiao do something, those people would not be moved.


    Lin Xiao pursed his lips. He thought about Dragon Pavilion Hall and felt that it might be time for him to visit that place once more.


    "I''ll do something soon."


    "That''ll be for the best." Lu Jian heaved a sigh of relief.


    Old Master Fan listened to their conversation and could see that Lin Xiao was relying or could be said using his men quite well. Most other princes usually loved to rely on themselves the most because they were all already very powerful and knowledgeable.


    But Lin Xiao was different because he didn''t have the necessary knowledge.


    He had learned a lot in the cave�� but it was mostly about beasts and their weakness along with some battle tactics that was useful for them.


    "Grandpa, they''re my guest and they''re staying here for the next week, ok?" Fan Ling asked coquettishly.


    Seeing the usually rash Fan Ling acted like a spoiled child, Lin Xiao felt shiver. He glanced over to look at Lin Yun but could only see that his younger brother was looking at Fan Ling with mere astonishment.


    Lin Xiao: "��" It would be impossible for him to convince his younger brother in the future should they fight against Fan Family..


    He had to make sure Fan Family chose him, ah!


    "I''ll ask the servants to prepare dinner first."


    Lin Yun cupped his hands to thank them along with the others. He then looked at Fan Ling. "Are the guest room near your room?"


    "Scram!"


    In the end, Lin Yun was once more subjected by the terrifying pressure from Old Master Fan. Of course, Lin Xiao and Lu Jian tacitly agreed to let that young man faced the old master''s terrifying wrath by themselves. They had no intention to come over and let themselves be beaten up for no reason at all.


    That day, Fan Ling arranged for them to stay inside. However, Lin Xiao couldn''t sleep peacefully.


    The reason?


    Someone sneaked into his room in the middle of the night.


    Lying on his bed, Lin Xiao could clearly sense someone was coming. After he advanced to Golden Core Stage 1, his senses were further heightened and this allowed him to sense his opponents when they were close enough.


    Swish!


    Just as the opponent approached his bed and attacked, Lin Xiao had sprung from the bed and used the blanket to cover the opponent''s eyes. His hand moved to take out his sword and slashed it forward as the Qi in the surrounding moved at rapid speed.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fourth Stance!


    Bang!


    Lin Xiao had no intention of freezing things inside this room, so he chose the relatively lower stance. It was also the stance that was easier to do because of his limited amount of Qi. His eyes were icy as he looked at his opponent who crashed onto the wall.


    "Who sent you?" Lin Xiao asked coldly.


    The man was stunned but he swiftly moved. Lin Xiao merely let out a cold laugh before he struck once more.


    Lake Mirror!


    He moved swiftly and appeared right before the man could even respond. Lake Mirror allowed him to move faster with less Qi than Moon Evasion. The only downside was the distance limitation for the shadow to be formed.


    The man didn''t even notice because what he saw was the shadow Lin Xiao in front of him. By the time he realized, Lin Xiao had already struck once more.


    Mountain Sword, Fourth Stance!


    BAM!


    The man was sent flying out of the room through the window.


    Looking at the destruction Lin Xiao had caused, his face turned awkward. He forgot to hold back�� as he had just advanced, he forgot that the same skill could exude greater might.

 Chapter 378: Assassins

    Swish!


    Using Moon Evasion, Lin Xiao reappeared beside the assassin outside. He felt a bit strained because of the terrain, though, as it was not easy to move so fast from the third floor to the first floor.


    The assassin noticed Lin Xiao and tried to escape. However, how could Lin Xiao let him?


    Chilling Lake Sword, Sixth Stance!


    The mighty and chilling aura completely permeated the area as Lin Xiao struck forward, rendering the assassin unable to move. The ice spread on the ground, freezing the assassin.


    After gaining enough mastery and advancing his rank, Lin Xiao could now control the freezing attribute. Added with his good sword and also his understanding of the skill, it was now possible for him to freeze a part of his opponent''s body that got hit by his sword''s attack.


    Clang!


    The assassin desperately tried to destroy the ice.


    Lin Xiao hadn''t yet to move when he sensed someone had already moved. The wind fluttered before it completely trapped that assassin.


    Wind Cage!


    Bang!


    The assassin was pushed down as if there was an invisible force above him. He helplessly laid on the ground without moving in the slightest bit. His eyes reflected fear as he knew that it would be hard for him to avoid punishment or even death.


    "Sorry for disturbing you in the middle of the night," Lin Xiao said calmly.


    Fan Ling, who woke up in the middle of her cultivation due to the noise, had rushed out. With her wind element and also her movement skill, she arrived out the fastest out of everyone. Seeing Lin Xiao fought, her instinct made her move to restrain the enemy first.


    "No big deal." Fan Ling flicked her hair. "Who did you offend this time?"


    "I wonder about that too. I was about to go to sleep when someone disturbed my beauty sleep and tried to kill me."


    Beauty sleep?


    Fan Ling''s lips twitched. If they were not facing an assassin right now, she would seriously consider smacking Lin Xiao for his choice of words. At this time, Lin Yun and Lu Jian had also appeared and naturally looked over to the man who were restrained by Fan Ling''s technique.


    Lin Xiao bent down and pulled the assassin''s mask. An unfamiliar face greeted him but it was not the same for Fan Ling. Her eyes turned icy. "What do you think you''re doing Du Si An?"


    "Du Si An?" Lin Yun asked.


    Lu Jian furrowed his brows as his brain sorted out many names that he had memorized. It didn''t seem to match with any people�� oh wait.


    "Fan Pei''s right hand? Du Si An, 24 years old, Golden Core Stage 1 and also a servant in Fan Family?" Lu Jian asked, listing out the information he had memorized before.


    Lin Xiao nearly vomited when he heard Lu Jian listed someone''s information so easily. Did this man possibly memorize everyone''s information inside his head?


    However, he didn''t ask Lu Jian in fear that the answer would be yes.


    Fan Ling nodded. "That''s him."


    "So, did your cousin wants to kill me?" Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "My, I didn''t know that my worth will be that much."


    "Heh, it seems that things have been too peaceful lately." Fan Ling sneered. She felt that she really needed to teach them a bit of lessons to make sure that no one touched her guest. Not to mention, the person they attacked was Lin Xiao.


    "What happened here?"


    Everyone turned to look behind and saw Old Master Fan came out with several others. He was calm because he had noticed the fight ceased but upon seeing the person on the ground, his expression was not good.


    He didn''t mind having the youngsters chose to support different princes but he wouldn''t allow them to openly kill each other in his own house.


    "What are you doing, Du Si An?" Fan Pei acted as if he was surprised and angry.


    "Master, I��." Du Si An noticed the glare on Fan Pei''s face and gritted his teeth. "This one is wrong and will��."


    Tak!


    A stick landed on Du Si An''s mouth, stopping him from killing himself. Lin Yun clicked his tongue. "It''ll be too easy for you if you chose death, isn''t it?"


    Lin Xiao nodded at Fan Ling and Fan Ling grinned. She had been wanting to beat up this little b*stard for some time now and now that the chance had come, how could she miss this chance?


    Bang!


    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"


    Shrill screams filled the courtyard. Fan Pei''s face was pale while Old Master Fan also didn''t look too good but he didn''t stop his granddaughter. "Little Ling."


    "Grandpa, this servant is too unruly to attack an Imperial Family members." Fan Ling naturally knew that her grandfather didn''t want to punish her cousin. She might be his doted granddaughter, but he was also the family''s head. "Since he dared to do it, he had to be punished."


    "I have already reported this matter and some people will take him away." Lu Jian smiled. "Don''t worry, it''s just a case of a servant acting on their own, right?"


    "Yes." Fan Pei gritted his teeth. He had no other choice but to play along even though he was the one who commanded for this matter to be done.


    Lin Xiao watched the play and laughed coldly. He waved his hand. "I''ll leave it to you, Fan Ling, Lu Jian."


    "Yes, Master." Fan Ling willingly addressed Lin Xiao as Master in front of the other elders. This was to show her stance. She realized that if she didn''t do this, her family members didn''t seem to realize where her stance was.


    "Little Ling��" Old Master Fan looked at his granddaughter and sighed. She had truly grown up. "Fan Pei, come with me."


    Fan Pei''s face turned pale. He knew that the moment his grandfather chose to call him by his full name and no longer with ''little,'' it means his grandfather''s patient had run out.

 Chapter 379: Buying a House

    After the small incident, the people whom Lu Jian called came to the Fan Family Residence very quickly. For cultivators, working overtime was not a problem at all and naturally there were several of them who were working midnight shift.


    Old Master Fan dismissed everyone and didn''t let them talked about it.


    "Why didn''t you let them play the drama first, Big Brother?" Lin Yun was more curious about it.


    Lin Xiao glanced at his younger brother before he shook his head. "It''ll just be a waste of time. Besides, who''s in the mood to watch a performance in the middle of the night? I still want to rest and not complain with them again."


    "But��" Lin Yun felt that it would be a waste of their acting skill to not even have a chance to perform as Lin Xiao cut off their words and rushed for the result.


    "I''m not here to play a game with Fan Family but to see their stances. Anyway, since your little wife is choosing you, I''ll think of a way to deal with that pair of brothers."


    "Alright."


    Lin Yun didn''t know what Lin Xiao was planning but he believed in his brother.


    The rest of the night was peaceful. When they all have breakfast together, it was clear that Fan Pei''s expression was not good but he still forced himself to attend the breakfast together with the others.


    His brother was in Sun Dragon Academy and will not be able to help him settle the matter in his residence.


    "I''ll be going out for a bit." Lin Xiao could see that the Old Master Fan would be cooking up another drama and choose to flee. He had been forced to watch the drama of him and Fan Ling before with Lin Yun. Naturally, he had no intention of watching another drama unfolded before him.


    Lin Yun and Lu Jian followed him while Old Master Fan called his granddaughter. "Little Ling, about last night��"


    "It''s alright, Grandpa. We''ll be able to settle the problems by ourselves." Fan Ling smiled then she waved her hand. "I''ll be following Lin Yun and the others. I might return late later, Grandpa."


    Seeing his granddaughter left, Old Master Fan could only sigh.


    The four of them walked to the street and Fan Ling looked at Lin Xiao guiltily. "Grandpa really like to orchestra a drama and can be a bit infuriating at times. Please don''t take it to heart, Master."


    "You don''t have to call me that way��" Lin Xiao felt uncomfortable to see the unruly girl called him that way. Not to mention, if Lin Yun and Fan Ling did end up together, he would be her brother, no?


    "Then."


    "Call be Brother Xiao!"


    "Brother!"


    Fan Ling was stunned then laughed. "Yes, Brother Xiao."


    Lin Yun resisted the urge to kick his own brother when he saw the smug smile on Lin Xiao''s face. His brother was taking advantage of him!


    "Also, I have seen his ability to create drama but unfortunately, I don''t have any intention to play along with him." Lin Xiao shrugged. He had seen a lot of people back in the village would create drama just to gain attention and because they loved to see everyone acting in accordance to the way they wanted.


    It can be fun.


    But for him, it was simply tiring. Rather than being forced to watch such soap opera, he would rather spend his time doing something else.


    "It''s alright, I''ll stop him from the unnecessary one." Fan Ling nodded.


    "Why are we going out today?" Lu Jian asked.


    Lin Xiao took out his Communication Jade. It was shining slightly, the indication that someone was calling him. "Yes, Xiao Hua?"


    "I''m outside the academy. Where are you?"


    "I''ll pick you up."


    "Ok."


    Seeing Lin Xiao answering the call smoothly, Lu Jian was speechless. Fine, so the great Lin Xiao was picking up his wife��


    The group returned back to the academy and saw Princess Lan Yi Hua standing there gracefully. She was waiting while slightly leaning her back to the wall behind her but it was clear that she was not relaxed as she looked like. If there was an enemy approaching her, she would make her move instantly.


    "Xiao Hua!" Lin Xiao waved his hand.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua raised her head. Her lips pursed. "I''m just cultivating for a few days and now you''re missing?"


    "Well, I''m trying to get to know Lu Jian and Fan Ling''s family better. Anyway, now that you''re already out of seclusion, come accompany me to pick a house."


    "Pick a house?" Princess Lan Yi Hua blinked her eyes in astonishment. Afterwards, she looked at Lin Xiao suspiciously. "Do you even have enough money to buy a house?"


    "That''s��"


    Now that Lin Xiao thought about it�� how much was a house''s price? He didn''t know and naturally turned to look at Lu Jian for help.


    Lu Jian resisted the urge to scowl at Lin Xiao. He sighed. "Houses in the capital city are expensive. They''re at least several hundred thousands of Low Grade Spirit Stones."


    Several hundred thousands of Low Grade Spirit Stones?


    Lin Xiao felt his back turned cold as he calculated his earnings. With Prince Lin Yan''s unscrupulous exhorting, they managed to get a few thousand Low Grade Spirit stones each day. Minus the money he used to buy some things, Lin Xiao could only cough up around 400,000 to 500,000 Low Grade Spirit stones.


    He glanced at Lin Yun but the latter shook his head. Lin Yun had used his money to buy herbs to help accelerating his cultivation. It could be said that he was the poorest among them.


    Lu Jian himself didn''t have that much. He didn''t fight as much as others and naturally didn''t have high bet.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao and tugged his sleeve. "I have some money. We can split the bill into two."


    Lin Xiao looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua as he wanted to cry. His effort of trying to make himself looked cool had failed thorough and thorough.

 Chapter 380: Meeting with the Emperor

    Through some negotiating skill, Lu Jian managed to help Lin Xiao secure a good house that was priced around 300,000 to 400,000 Low Grade Spirit Stones. He could pay it off by himself but Princess Lan Yi Hua insisted on splitting it in half because it would be their house and not just his.


    Besides, he still needed some money to prepare for the betrothal gifts.


    Lin Xiao''s face was rigid when the matter of betrothal gifts was mentioned. He had absolutely no idea what he should prepare. He didn''t have any experience in this matter, ah!


    "You can present her with a gift that can astound her." Lu Jian looked at Lin Xiao and tried to advise him.


    "��Who do you think is more knowledgeable about the world between me and Princess Lan Yi Hua?" Lin Xiao glared at Lu Jian.


    Hearing that, Lu Jian shut up. Naturally, it would be Princess Lan Yi Hua. She had been living in the palace ever since she was young. Even though she was not favored, she had seen countless treasures and probably many others.


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao had rarely seen any treasure and even the amount of treasure he had in his hand�� was terribly poor. He didn''t even know what he should give to Princess Lan Yi Hua to impress her anymore.


    "Well, work hard, Big Bro."


    Lin Xiao: "��"


    They all returned back to Fan Family Residence for the night and there was no longer any accident. However, it was clear by the next morning that Fan Ling and Fan Pei''s relationship turned for the worst as the two of them showed their hostility openly to each other.


    "Did something happen at night?" Lin Xiao asked clueless.


    Lin Yun smiled bitterly. "They have some argument at night. Do you not notice it, Big Bro?"


    "No."


    Last night, Lin Xiao consulted with Lin Hu about what kind of betrothal gift that would be suitable for him to give to Princess Lan Yi Hua. The dragon did have a lot of knowledge but many things he suggested was unrealistic for the current Lin Xiao. He had to think for a better method.


    Lu Jian sighed. "They''ll always argue no matter what. The conflict is just escalated further because of some outside force."


    Outside force = succession matter.


    Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. "Hmm, since I have already given my word, shouldn''t I try to strive to become a worthy person for the support of nobles?"


    "Brother?"


    "Master?"


    Seeing them looking at him, Lin Xiao let out a low laugh. He shrugged. "His Majesty has been asking for my audience to him. It''ll be impolite of me to not respond."


    The other four changed their expression when they heard what Lin Xiao planned to do. It was true that after that Imperial Edict, the Emperor wanted to meet with Lin Xiao but if that particular Emperor knew of Lin Xiao''s true identity, it would be a big problem.


    Lu Jian and Fan Ling were only worried that Lin Xiao would cause trouble.


    But Lin Yun and Princess Lan Yi Hua were worried that the Emperor would choose to kill Lin Xiao because of his intention to keep the throne for himself. They couldn''t possibly do nothing, could they?


    "Do you need us��?"


    "Prince Lin Yan is in the palace, right?" Lin Xiao blinked his eyes.


    Lu Jian paused for a moment before nodding. Not long ago, he received news that Prince Lin Yan had returned back to the capital city. If Prince Lin Yan was to be in the palace, it would be the best for Lin Xiao.


    "Yes."


    "In that case, it should be fine."


    "You��" Princess Lan Yi Hua hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Please be careful."


    "Don''t worry too much. I''ll be fine."


    Lin Xiao grinned. He walked out of Fan Family Residence and walked towards the palace with the others. Ever since he arrived in the capital city, he had been curious about what kind of person the Emperor was. He was someone who stood at the very top, the one who could dictate a person''s fate with just a word.


    He naturally had some expectation.


    Besides, Lin Xiao knew that if he really wanted to build his power, he could not stay completely nameless.


    Just like Prince Lin Bo Wang.


    Many people knew that he had the qualification to become the Emperor but he never made any earth shattering move and often laid low.


    Lin Xiao himself couldn''t possibly completely turn invisible but he could make himself less impressive.


    Probably.


    There were already too many problems Lin Xiao created for himself.


    Clang!


    The guards blocked the way towards the road that was near the Imperial Palace. Not everyone was allowed to pass by the road.


    "Prince Lin Xiao wished to request an audience with His Majesty." Lin Xiao then turned to look at the others. "Wait here for me."


    The others nodded.


    At their current identity, it was implausible for them to request an audience along with Lin Xiao, so the four of them didn''t try to seek for trouble. Lu Jian''s family was quite low while Fan Ling''s family was pretty good but the one who could possibly request an audience within her family was her grandfather alone.


    Lin Yun naturally didn''t want to seek trouble so he chose to stay silent. Princess Lan Yi Hua was a royalty from another kingdom and her position as the princess was fairly low. It would be hard to request for an audience.


    The guards were stunned when they heard him called himself as a prince. After all, Lin Xiao never changed his attire from his casual clothes.


    Sensing their gazes, Lin Xiao smiled coldly.


    He took out the pendant he was wearing, which instantly caused the guard to swiftly move. That was an irrefutable evidence that someone was of royal family.


    "P��Please wait for a moment. We''ll inform His Majesty."


    "Please." Lin Xiao smiled and acted polite.


    Fan Ling snorted when she saw the guards'' reaction. They were too used to judge people based on appearance.

 Chapter 381: Meeting with the Emperor (2)

    "Please." Lin Xiao smiled and acted polite.


    Fan Ling snorted when she saw the guards'' reaction. They were too used to judge people based on appearance.


    There were many other people who got attracted by the commotion. Some people pointed at Lin Xiao''s clothes and whispered to themselves but not many dared to speak openly. After all, they didn''t want to court death yet.


    However, for a cultivator at Lin Xiao''s rank, their voices were as clear as day.


    "He''s a prince?"


    "Seriously? Is there any prince who love to act low?"


    "Maybe he''s just some long distance relative of the Emperor so he didn''t have much connection with the Imperial Family."


    "Hmm, that''s possible."


    Fan Ling grunted when she heard them saying that. She rolled her sleeve. "I wonder what they would say if I turn them into a meat paste."


    "Don''t be reckless!" Lin Yun quickly stopped Fan Ling before she went into her berserk mode and possibly killed a lot of people.


    Lin Xiao smiled faintly, his eyes showing hint of coldness. "There''s no need to pay any attention to them. It''s only natural that your first impression is simply based on what it looked at the surface. If it''s uninteresting, do you think that you can still attract people to come?"


    "But��"


    "People are shallow and do you think someone will pay so much attention to a stranger?" Lin Xiao asked once more, his tone didn''t change in the slightest bit.


    Lu Jian let out a faint laugh. "I didn''t know you have good understanding of people at times, Your Highness."


    "Do you think I''m stupid?"


    "Eh��"


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes when he saw Lu Jian''s hesitation. He glanced at the other three but they simply smiled and refused to answer. If they hadn''t thought of him as stupid, they would surely answer that way just now.


    Tsk, his friends were really.


    At this time, the guard had returned. "Your Highness Prince Lin Xiao, His Majesty said that you may come in with your friends. However, he asked for them to identify themselves."


    "Ah."


    Lin Xiao glanced at his friends, asking them to introduce themselves in the most comfortable way for them.


    Princess Lan Yi Huan stepped forward, "Princess Lan Yi Hua, the first princess of Hua Lan Kingdom."


    Fan Ling continued right afterwards, "Fan Ling, Second Young Miss of Fan Family."


    "Lu Jian, Third Young Master of Lu Family."


    "Lin Yun�� Prince Lin Xiao''s adopted brother and I''m not sure which number of prince I am."


    The other four glanced at Lin Yun but the latter could only smile helplessly. He really didn''t know because his parents didn''t really report him when he was young. Or they did but they were soon forgotten.


    Seeing the guards looking at him with inquiry, Lin Yun took out a necklace too.


    The necklace was brown in color as if it was made of bronze. In the center of the necklace was a small dragon. The entire color of the necklace was brown, which made it looked like a cheap accessory.


    It was his, given by his parents after he was born and bound with his blood. Only those of Royal Family could ever have this pendant and it couldn''t be stolen by others because those who dared to keep it would receive curse and ended up dying within a day. It could also be left alone in a place for safekeeping like that Lin Yun''s parents do to Lin Xiao''s pendant before.


    No one knew the significance of this necklace aside from the fact that it would help them determine who was part of the Royal Family.


    As for the shape of the dragon, it was obviously because of the people in Sun Kingdom Imperial Family all believed that they were the descendant of a true Emperor a long time ago.


    No one could replicate the necklace either since it was made with special material.


    "Ah, alright, we''ll make our report. Please come with us."


    The five of them nodded and entered the palace. Lin Xiao looked around curiously as this was his first time entering this place. Thinking that the annoying dragon wanted him to become the owner of this grand place��


    He felt a bit of unease just thinking about that matter.


    ''Are you not excited?''


    ''Excited, you damn dragon, didn''t you sense the power of those who were hiding away?'' Lin Xiao really wished to slap this dragon away.


    Lin Hu merely snorted. Those people were only guards at Golden Core Stage 2 or even Golden Core Stage 1. The number of Golden Core Stage 3 were rare and Lin Hu would not think they were of any problems to Lin Xiao with the young prince''s current power.


    The only advantage they had was their overwhelming number.


    But Lin Xiao will solve that problem soon.


    He was gathering followers on his own and their number would soon increase.


    The five of them were led to the front of a magnificent building. Just standing in front of the building made Lin Xiao felt that he was so small and insignificant. Probably, it was the purpose of making this building so big since it was impossible for them to live inside this grand place and used every inch that was possible.


    Also, the Emperor was not a giant to make the ceiling so high, right?


    The guard was looking at Lin Xiao''s expression and felt that this prince was really someone who didn''t know the world. Just looking at a grand palace and he was already acting as if it was the most impressive thing in the world.


    Really a country bumpkin.


    While Lin Xiao completely ignored the guard, Fan Ling glared at the annoying guard, scaring the hell out of his mind.


    "Your Highness, we can''t escort you any further than this��."


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Let''s go."


    Fan Ling snorted and Lin Yun tugged her sleeve lightly to remind her to behave herself. At the back, Lu Jian smiled helplessly. Fan Family princess was really brave.

 Chapter 382: Meeting with the Emperor (3)

    The oppressive feelings that came from the palace was not one to be ignored lightly. However, Lin Xiao still tread forward and looked around curiously. It was unclear whether he was ignorant or stupid.


    By the time he arrived before the hall, a man stopped him.


    "We need to announce your arrival first, Your Highness."


    "Oh?"


    "That''s the rules." Fan Ling shrugged. She naturally knew about these so called rules but she never cared too much about it. In her opinion, it was simply there for regulation, though she still normally followed those regulations.


    Lin Xiao nodded and allowed the man to announce his arrival.


    "His Highness, Prince Lin Xiao had arrived!"


    The moment the words were said, several pairs of eyes turned in their direction. Lin Xiao could sense that they were all looking towards him as if they wanted to take a piece out of his body.


    The feelings�� were not completely pleasant.


    However, Lin Xiao pushed down whatever kind of feelings he had and stepped forward. His eyes were looking at the man who sat on the throne curiously.


    Just what kind of place was this to make so many people were willing to spill blood of so many people? Looking at the majestic hall, Lin Xiao could see that it was a really good place.


    Not to mention��


    The rich Qi in the hall could easily make one feel comfortable. But it was impossible for such rich Qi to gather in one place without using some kind of means.


    ''Lin Hu, is it Dragon Words?''


    ''As if! They''re all too low in levels to use dragon words!'' Lin Hu berated Lin Xiao in annoyance. ''They''re only using common Qi gathering array to make sure that the Qi can squeeze here. Hmm, it''s really poor.''


    Lin Xiao was speechless. He was sure that a lot of people would want to train here and yet Lin Hu was saying that this was bad. But upon thinking about his own lake, he knew why Lin Hu said it.


    It was simply because there was indeed sharp contrast between this Qi gathering array with the one Lin Xiao made. Even though Lin Xiao was only using few dragon words, the result was already unexpectedly good.


    On the other hand�� this array was constructed by countless forms of engravings on the wall.


    ''Knell on the ground,'' Prince Lin Yan sent voice transmission.


    Lin Xiao had noticed Prince Lin Yan stood amongst the official but he didn''t move forward to greet the other party because he didn''t think that it would be necessary. The moment he received the reminder, Lin Xiao stopped and kneeled in accordance to custom.


    "Prince Lin Xiao greets His Majesty."


    The current Emperor could be considered as his uncle, so it was not that weird for him to greet the other party politely.


    Fan Ling, Lin Yun, Princess Lan Yi Hua, and also Lu Jian also kneeled in succession. "Fan Ling/ Lin Yun/ Lan Yi Hua/ Lu Jian, greets His Majesty."


    The Emperor waved his hand. He didn''t look much different from many other middle aged man aside from the fact that he had some kind of oppressive power around him. As he looked at the group below, his eyes landed on Lin Xiao.


    There was slight confusion.


    If he was not wrong, Lin Yun''s twin was someone who had high Dragon Power inside his body. As the Emperor, he had a treasure that could help him to see through the dragon power inside someone.


    But��


    The dragon power within Lin Xiao was only slightly better than most princes. It couldn''t be compared to many others.


    ''Was it decreasing during the time he''s away from the Capital City?''


    The Emperor naturally didn''t know the reason, and he had no intention of pestering Lin Xiao about this. "I have heard about you from your older brother, now that I look at you, you don''t look bad at all."


    Lin Xiao had a blank expression.


    Ehm, what should he said?


    Prince Lin Yan naturally saw Lin Xiao''s dilemma and couldn''t help but send another voice transmission. The other officials naturally saw him helping the young brat but they turned blind eyes to it. Not a single one of them didn''t know of Lin Xiao''s previously poor background.


    "Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty," Lin Xiao replied politely.


    The Emperor looked at Lin Xiao up and down. He then glanced at Princess Lan Yi Hua for a moment but his gaze didn''t linger long. It was impolite to look at a woman''s body, especially if that woman belonged to someone else.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua naturally noticed the Emperor''s gaze but he didn''t speak to her. Her lips curled up slightly to form a mocking smile as she could guess that even if it was a matter related to her, he would not bother to speak to her.


    He tapped the armrest while his eyes didn''t leave Lin Xiao in the slightest bit. "Do you have any request, Prince Lin Xiao."


    "Replying to Your Majesty, this prince is satisfied with the arrangement." Lin Xiao''s words were in accordance to the tradition. However, his heart was actually complaining. Why in the world did he have to use so many polite words, ah?


    It was so��


    Ugh.


    Lin Hu merely snorted and laughed inside Lin Xiao''s head. He was having fun watching Lin Xiao was forced to restrain his speech.


    The Emperor nodded. "Now that you''re here. Will you try to open Dragon Pavilion Hall?"


    Here we go.


    Almost everyone wanted to look at Lin Xiao direction in order to hear his answer. It was a question that many people had long wanted to know. If Lin Xiao could open the door, it meant that there would be another person who could possibly get the throne.


    The battle for the throne would be fiercer.


    Not that the Emperor would let them run amok, though. The position that they would be given if they won the battle would be the crown prince.


    They had to wait until his death first.


    And he had no intention of dying fast.


    Lin Xiao raised his head to look at the Emperor before he gave his answer.

 Chapter 383: Dragon Pavilion Hall Again (1)

    Lin Xiao raised his head to look at the Emperor before he gave his answer. His voice was paid attention by so many people in the hall.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. As the prince of Sun Kingdom, I naturally will not miss this chance."


    Lu Jian glanced at Lin Xiao for a moment but didn''t raise his head. He didn''t know what Lin Xiao was planning but he could guess that it meant Lin Xiao wanted to use his own influence.


    Hmm, it meant that he would have to start work harder to gather more people to Lin Xiao''s side.


    On the other hand, Fan Ling''s eyes glinted. She understood that Lin Xiao was also trying to pull her family over to his side with this move. But it meant that there would be an internal war because her cousin would naturally not want to leave her alone.


    Heh, if he wanted a battle, she would give him a battle he would remember for his entire lifetime.


    With that in thought, Fan Ling''s eyes were burning with the fire of fighting spirit. She wanted to see how that cousin of hers would suffer in her hands and be defeated by the person he hated so much.


    "Is that so?" the Emperor then passed a look at Prince Lin Yan. "Bring your brother there."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Prince Lin Yan cupped his fist as greetings before he led Lin Xiao and the others away. The other officials were itching to find a reason to go out but they could see that the Emperor had no intention of ending the court yet.


    Well, they had their own servants and naturally such a big news would not pass without reaching them.


    As they walked, Prince Lin Yan sent a voice transmission.


    "What''s your plan right now, Lin Xiao?"


    "I''m going to pull the supporters first." Lin Xiao smiled faintly. "If they only follow me because of my identity as Emperor''s Inheritor, there''s no point. I want them to follow me and me alone."


    Not because of identity but because it was him?


    It would be hard and Prince Lin Yan knew that pulling supporters without revealing Lin Xiao''s real identity would put the brat in danger. However, he knew that Lin Xiao had his own plan.


    He might be the brat''s brother but he was not his nanny nor would he be trying to influence all of Lin Xiao''s decision. At most, he would help from the side as a brother and also a subject.


    "In that case, please be prepared to face the harsh reality. Not everyone will want to follow you."


    "I know. I''m taking a bet." Lin Xiao smiled.


    Looking at the confident smile, Prince Lin Yan seemed to understand something. it seemed that Lin Xiao simply wanted to gather some forces that would support him in his early stages. Those who chose his side from the very first would be those who would receive the best benefit from him.


    As for those who only followed later, they would not get as much benefit as those who decided to follow first.


    Hmm, it seemed that his little brother had his own thinking.


    The street where the Dragon Pavilion Hall was located was fairly empty. There were only some people walking here and there. But from the moment Prince Lin Yan, Lin Xiao, and the others walked in, more and more people swarmed in.


    It was clear that they were curious about the performance that Lin Xiao would show to them.


    "This is the Dragon Pavilion Hall. Every princes will have a chance to enter when they''re young and if they can open it, they may come at any time they want." Prince Lin Yan looked at Lin Xiao. "I don''t know what kind of benefit you will get from this Dragon Pavilion Hall as only those who can get in will know."


    "I see."


    "You can try now."


    "Mhm."


    Stepping forward, Lin Xiao faintly recalled that two to three years ago, he was also coming to this very Dragon Pavilion Hall. At that time, he was sneaking around while trying to make sure that there were no one who followed him.


    Standing before the Dragon Pavilion Hall, Lin Xiao still felt that the building before him was very big. It was dark brown in color and seemed to be slightly shinning under the sun. But now, all that was left was the dark glittering and also the suppressive force coming from the building.


    Lin Xiao walked closer to the building and then stood before the main door. The main door was over two meters tall and had circle handle at the front. The door itself also dark in color and there was faint glimmering that was written at the front.


    "My Children, The World Emperor, Only those who are qualified shall enter into the Dragon''s Abode."


    The writing was still the same as before and Lin Xiao let out a faint smile when he saw it. His gaze looked at the familiar messages.


    ''Lin Hu, will the ancient power affect my ability to open the door?''


    Now that Lin Xiao thought about it, he remembered that he had used the ancient power to hide the dragon power.


    What if he couldn''t open the door?


    Even having the Emperor Inheritance would only make him a joke.


    Those people would not question him as long as he had enough power, but it would be better to be safe than sorry. And if he failed to open the door because of the ancient power�� he would really want to cry.


    Lin Hu was speechless at Lin Xiao''s question. "Idiot, how could the ancient power stop you from opening this Dragon Pavilion Hall? It''s made by using the dragon power and no matter what kind of method of disguising you use, you won''t be able to dupe it."


    "Really?"


    "Yes!"


    Thus, Lin Xiao put his hand on the door. Upon seeing the door opening, Lin Xiao relaxed. He could feel faint familiar mystical power from inside the room. Yep, it was opening once more.

 Chapter 384: Dragon Pavilion Hall Again (2)

    "He really did it��" a man muttered when he saw the Dragon Pavilion Hall''s door opened. How many years has it been since there was a prince who could open the Dragon Pavilion Hall?


    After the other four princes there, it was clear that there hasn''t been anyone who had enough Dragon Power to open the door. Now, they were clear that there was another prince who could possibly contend for the throne.


    Four princes, down to three, now back to four.


    How lively would it be?


    "He opened it��" Lin Yun thought that his brother would not open the door and only stood there, acting as if he couldn''t open the door. He furrowed his brows. This would make them even more eye catching, wouldn''t it?


    Lu Jian took a deep breath. His eyes twinkled with mischievous glint. "Heh, it seems that it''s time for me to pay a visit to some families."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua passed a look at Lu Jian. She naturally could see that Lu Jian was someone who liked to socialize and didn''t have that much importance placed on his own cultivation. Thanks to his decent talent, he was able to reach this far.


    If his talent was lower�� he might not be able to get good result in his cultivation.


    Fan Ling turned her head around. There was a servant from her family who was standing not far from her, watching the Dragon Pavilion Hall with a dumbstruck expression. When he sensed the Fan family princess looking in his direction, he let out a dry laugh.


    Cupping his fist, he then flew away.


    ''Hmm, Grandfather will hear about this news soon. I wonder how he would react afterwards.'' Fan Ling was also having fun guessing how her grandfather reaction would be.


    Many other servants were heading back to their respective master.


    No matter what, it was clear that from today on, there would be an additional prince who could be the Crown Prince and contend for the throne. An unexpected variable had suddenly appeared.


    But it was not a matter for the current Lin Xiao.


    Once he was inside, Lin Xiao closed the door. The previously dark room turned dim as if there was source of light inside the room that would immediately lit up upon detecting someone entering.


    At this time, Lin Hu also spoke, ''Oh, you can get in. And here I thought that you won''t be able to get in again.''


    ''LIN HU!''


    The dragon didn''t even bother looking at the annoyed human beside him. He glanced into the room with interest. "How long since it been that I entered Dragon Abode? I didn''t think you can enter this room again so quickly."


    Lin Xiao was annoyed. "What do you mean by that? Didn''t you only need to have enough Dragon Power inside your blood if you want to enter? Also, you''re the one who tells me that the ancient power will not hinder me to enter this Dragon Pavilion Hall again"


    "Naturally, that''s what people usually said, but in truth, you''re tested every single time you try to enter this place. If you used to pass but then you didn''t, it meant that there''s something inside of you that no longer suitable for this place anymore." Lin Hu passed a look at Lin Xiao.


    "I did say that the Ancient power will not hinder you to enter but I never said anything whether your qualification used to be the same."


    Lin Xiao no longer paid any attention to the dragon. Talking with this dragon was also testing his patience and he was sure that if there was a lake and he could defeat the dragon, he would have long asked for the dragon to have a duel.


    He was looking at the room, which had lines separating eight section. Looking at it made him felt as if he was looking at a large compass because the room was split into eight with one center in the middle. At the floor, Lin Xiao could see different drawings on each path.


    He glanced down and noticed that the engravings on the floor below him depicted mountains. It was a faraway mountain that he couldn''t recognize and the picture seemed to be blurry. There was a layer of fog that prevented him from seeing the true picture.


    It was the same as before.


    Lin Xiao mulled internally as he felt that the place was not any different than before. But now that he had already reached Golden Core Stage, would there be something different when he come here?


    He was curious.


    Slowly, Lin Xiao walked to the lake section.


    Lin Xiao glanced around and noticed that right in front of him, which was the opposite of the mountain''s section, was the picture of a lake. Different from other pictures that seemed to be covered in fog, the lake was crystal clear to him. The lake was dark blue in color, sparkling as if it was real water while the surroundings were filled with greenery.


    It was so beautiful despite it was only being a picture.


    Lin Xiao found himself drawn into the picture unconsciously as he began to walk closer. This time, Lin Hu didn''t disturb him as the dragon understood that Lin Xiao was truly the Lake Emperor. The Dragon Abode recognized him as one and allowed the brat to see through the illusions.


    ''He''s still being acknowledged even though he''s so mischievous and bratty?'' Lin Hu felt so helpless. After the first acknowledgement, he had already felt that the brat was so lucky. Now that Lin Xiao had experienced so many things, he was still being recognized once more��


    *sigh*


    The Heaven''s will was something that he couldn''t understand in the slightest bit. But whatever the reason was, he knew that as long as Lin Xiao could survive until the end, the seat was his.


    Swish!


    The Qi in the air began to move.


    Wind blow and ripples in the air disrupted the surroundings. However, it was not done coarsely, instead, it was like they were singing and dancing to welcome the new Emperor who came here. Even though the new Emperor was still very weak and couldn''t do anything yet, the nature had already noticed him.

 Chapter 385: Dragon Pavilion Hall Again (3)

    Now that Lin Xiao had reached Golden Core Stage 1, he was different from when he first sneaking inside the Dragon Pavilion Hall.


    The nature had taken notice of him even more and seemed to rejoice just from his presence. It was unclear what they were saying to each other but Lin Hu could hear melodious music played by his ear as they were inside the Dragon Pavilion Hall.


    The Dragon Pavilion Hall- no, the Dragon Abode was welcoming his return and revealed more of the secrets of the picture.


    Lin Xiao was completely immersed in the picture. He could clearly see that the picture allowed him to see a completely different world. At the same time, it was giving him the picture of what Lake Dragon actually was.


    Healing, greenery, and also water.


    The three important essence of Lake Dragon was completely depicted in the picture and shown to Lin Xiao. It allowed him greater understanding of what Lake Dragon was and what it meant to be the Lake Emperor.


    Every Emperor had their own power and ability, Lake Dragon was known to be the best support Emperor with its kingdom prosper because of his ability.


    Shua!


    Even though the ancient power was there and fused with Lin Xiao''s dragon power, it couldn''t stop the tremor that the Dragon Power within Lin Xiao had. It was responding to the understanding that Lin Xiao had towards his path as the Lake Dragon Emperor.


    His Qi was meant for healing as the Lake Dragon Emperor was often said as the best support.


    Those who had him in their group would not be able to die.


    That was the true power of his healing. As long as someone still had a wish of breath left within him, Lin Xiao would be able to bring him back to live.


    But it was still a long stage away from him.


    Greenery��


    For this one, Lin Xiao knew that it was related to the power he had that helped him to be able to make the plants grew faster and richer. Even when the one who took care of the plants were Lin Yun, Lin Xiao''s Qi and existences alone was more than enough to let the plant grew.


    If it affected the plants around Lin Xiao, wouldn''t it meant that whenever he walked in the future, it would be filled with rich plants?


    Food, herbs, and eventually, animals that were attracted.


    It was the source of prosperity.


    But the power was still not something Lin Xiao could control as of yet. He had only started to learn a bit of it and probably will understand more in the future.


    The last one.


    Water.


    A lake was formed by water and the water was the place of so many living creatures to live within. It was filled with nutrition and also giving the best environment for the fishes to be able to live and grew.


    The water in lake was different from water in river.


    It stayed still but it gave lives to those around him. Lake Dragon was known for its ability to nourish. It meant that in the kingdom where Lake Emperor resided, plants would be able to grow much better. With better quality and also larger quantities, it could be said that Lake Emperor''s kingdom would flourish in time.


    As the thoughts swirled inside Lin Xiao''s body, the Dragon Power within Lin Xiao''s body burst out even more and filled his body. it was giving him strength in different parts of his body.


    The Dragon Power filled Lin Xiao''s body and made the youth emanated a different type of pressure as the young man stared at the picture before him. The ancient power was helpless facing the torrent of Dragon Power that gushed out of Lin Xiao''s body.


    Time passed in this fashion.


    Lin Xiao had unknowingly used his Dragon Power while staring at the picture before him and allowed himself to submerge into the picture before him.


    Tep!


    The moment Lin Xiao closed his eyes, the phenomenon stopped. It was already the time for the celebration to be over and the wind calmed down. The Qi also no longer get attracted to Lin Xiao''s body while his dragon power also laid dormant once more after giving the great gift to Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao opened his eyes and now, the golden light within his pupil grew clearer and brighter. However, if one didn''t pay close attention to him, they still wouldn''t be able to notice that additional feature.


    At his current power, it was still not enough for him to use the entire Dragon Power he had within his body.


    "Lin Hu, just how much Dragon Power was there in my body?" Lin Xiao had noticed the sudden torrent but ignored it because he was immersed in his thoughts. Now that he had come out of his trance, he knew that he had grown stronger.


    Previously, his flesh was already so strong.


    Now that the Dragon Power had strengthened him even more, Lin Xiao knew that even if he only used raw power, he might not necessarily lose against those at Foundation Establishment Stage or even those at Golden Core Stage 1.


    "I don''t know." Lin Hu was honest. The amount of Dragon Power within Lin Xiao''s body was far more than what ordinary people could dream to have. Even when compared to many other princes, it was still much more.


    He knew that the Dragon Power was sealed within Lin Xiao''s body from his birth but as for how much it was, Lin Hu had no idea.


    "Will I be able to open it all?" Lin Xiao asked once more.


    "If you continue in this way, you''ll be able to obtain all of them. You just need to grow stronger since you''re still so weak right now."


    Lin Xiao: "��" do you need to be so sarcastic?


    Taking a deep breath, Lin Xiao looked at the lake before him and cupped his fist. From the visit today, he had gained so many things.

 Chapter 386: War Declaration?

    Afterwards, Lin Xiao bowed down as thanks for what the picture had shown to him. He was grateful that he could learn more about what it meant to be the Lake Emperor.


    While Lin Xiao was having fun inside, the outside world was not in the same state. The news spread and naturally the Emperor, Fan Family, other influential families, and even the students in the academy heard about it.


    The new prince, Prince Lin Xiao, had the qualification to become the Crown Prince!


    The news naturally set the world in uproar.


    ��


    In Fan Family


    "That brat really does it." Old Master Fan heard the news and sighed. He was the one who told Lin Xiao that he would surely support him if he could give him proof of his words that he was reliable.


    And it was very soon that the young man obtained the very qualification for him to contend for the position of the Crown Prince.


    "Old Master, about this��"


    Old Master Fan waved his hand, stopping his guard from continuing his sentences. He naturally knew that it would mean that his family would be placed at the forefront because the two geniuses in Fan Family wanted to support different people.


    As for himself��


    "Let them fight and we shall see the result."


    "Yes, Old Master."


    ��


    In the academy


    "What do you mean by the new prince can become the Crown Prince?"


    "It''s true! He managed to open that Dragon Pavilion Hall, so it meant that he would have the qualification to become the Crown Prince and possibly inherit the throne in the future!"


    "Even if he can open it, can he be more powerful than the other princes?"


    "He beat Prince Lin Kai."


    "Don''t count him. That prince has never been one of the favored one to succeed. Even if you compare Prince Lin Xiao with him, there was no benefit in doing so."


    "How about the first place of the new student?"


    The other student sneered instead. "How could it be so easy? Prince Lin Bo Wang and Prince Lin Fei were both older students. Their strength far surpassed that of Prince Lin Hong."


    "Yeah, even when Prince Lin Hong came to the new ranking, it''s not likely for him to win."


    "True, true."


    Their conversation was just one of the many other conversations. And of course, the princes naturally heard about what had happened and had their own thoughts regarding this matter.


    The angriest one was obviously Prince Lin Hong.


    "Damn it! What do they mean by I''m too young compared to others, ah? Even that damnable Lin Xiao is older than me!" Prince Lin Hong was around a year younger compared to Prince Lin Xiao and Prince Lin Kai. This had been going against him from the very moment he had the qualification.


    The youngest.


    And naturally, the least favorable after Prince Lin Kai.


    Now that Lin Xiao had come, it was unclear whether he could still hold his advantage against Lin Xiao or he would be the least favorable amongst the student once more.


    It was infuriating.


    "Your Highness, there''ll be a test from His Majesty soon. At that time, you will be able to show that you''re the best amongst the four of you," one of his follower spoke up.


    Prince Lin Hong snorted. He waves his hand. "Of course! I will naturally be the best!"


    While the other princes didn''t react as much as Prince Lin Hong, they naturally became warier to this new prince. Aside from the low background Lin Xiao had, his power was by no means much lower than them.


    They had to be careful when they were facing him.


    Some people began to silently move as the princes knew their undercover battle would only grow fiercer.


    ��


    Back at the Dragon Pavilion Hall''s area.


    There were a lot of people there and naturally, the four people who followed Lin Xiao was still there. They were waiting for Lin Xiao to come out of the Dragon Pavilion Hall.


    Swish!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows and turned her head around. Upon seeing Princess Lan Xiao Yue stood there, her expression grew somber.


    "Sister," Princess Lan Xiao Yue smiled sweetly.


    "It''s been some time." Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded and didn''t have any intention to entertain the annoying woman any longer. She turned her attention back to the Dragon Pavilion Hall.


    Despite being ignored, Princess Lan Xiao Yue was not angry. Instead, she sneered to her sister. "To think that you will be able to find a small pearl amongst the trashes, it''s really unexpected Big Sis."


    "It''s better than someone who''s forced to be at the front shield." Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t even look at her sister.


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue snorted. "Just wait and see. I''ll show you that finding such a trashy fianc�� is nothing to be proud about."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua merely smiled. Compared to having a political marriage, she preferred this way. Lin Xiao had never mistreated her in any way and pulled her closer to him with his idiotic act.


    How could she not notice when he was trying to act cool but most of the time failed miserably? It was his sincere act that moved her the most.


    The other princes put the two of them as bargaining chip, but she felt the sincere expression from Lin Xiao. Because of that, Princess Lan Yi Hua had vowed to herself that she would definitely help Lin Xiao to obtain the throne.


    "Hmph." Princess Lan Xiao Yue harrumphed and glanced up, looking at the Dragon Pavilion Hall. Finding a village bumpkin as a fianc��, her sister was truly an idiot.


    The door slowly opened and Lin Xiao walked out. At this time, the Dragon Power inside his body had calmed down but the image of him walking out of the Dragon Pavilion Hall looked as if there was a majestic person who walked out.


    It was the image that was seen by the people there.

 Chapter 387: The New Faction

    Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled when she saw Lin Xiao walked out. Lin Xiao also spotted her and smiled but his gaze was icy when he saw Princess Lan Xiao Yue there. He naturally knew the bad relationship between the two sisters under their harmonious fa?ade.


    Now that the younger sister was showing herself here, did she want him to personally kick her out?


    He didn''t mind, but it might reflect badly on him to openly offend a royal family from another kingdom. Not to mention, he currently lacked supporters.


    "Xiao Hua," Lin Xiao called out and beamed like a little kid. "I succeed!"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua felt her mind blanked for a moment before she realized what Lin Xiao was trying to do. She put on a sweet smile on her face. "Yes, you''re great."


    "In that case, can we speed up the��."


    "No, the date is already settled."


    "Aww."


    Lin Xiao walked with light steps towards the group. Lin Yun, Lu Jian, and Fan Ling were all smiling. Only they knew that they were dissing Lin Xiao internally because they knew how fake Lin Xiao''s act was.


    ''Brother''s act is quite good this time.''


    ''He''s usually bad at acting but if it comes to just show how he''s a foolish man in love, it''s easy, huh?''


    ''Hmm, should I use this as a material to recruit people too?''


    The three of them had different thoughts inside their mind but neither one showed it on their faces.


    Prince Lin Yan looked at Lin Xiao and smiled. "Congratulations, Prince Lin Xiao for your success. I''ll report this to His Majesty."


    "Thank you for your help, Prince Lin Yan."


    "I didn''t do anything." Prince Lin Yan laughed. He looked at his youngest brother and then recalled something. "Since you have succeeded, I''m sure that there''ll be call for you to participate in some matters. As you might know, princes are not just an empty title."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He had guessed that these princes must have something that they had to do for the position they were in. If they were simply given the position and do nothing, wouldn''t it be a waste for people to point them as their leader?


    Even a powerful cultivator had to be wary if there were thousands of people who were fighting against him.


    Unless one had absolute strength, it would be a fight where the cultivator definitely ended up dying!


    "I''ll be waiting for the news then." Lin Xiao cupped his fist.


    "You don''t have to be so polite. In the meantime, it''ll be good for you to settle down a bit." Prince Lin Yan let out a laugh and looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua teasingly.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua kept a poker face but it was undeniable that there was a trace of blush at the edge of her cheek. She was not as calm as she portrayed herself to be.


    "I understand. Thank you for the advice." Lin Xiao beamed. It was also his intention to settle down as fast as possible in order to avoid any complication in the future. If there were any other problems, he would just settle it in the future.


    Prince Lin Yan didn''t stay there any longer as he had no intention to meddle in this matter. The other people who were crowding the area had started to disperse as it was clear that they didn''t want to be late to deliver the news to their respective masters.


    Lin Xiao then passed a look at Princess Lan Xiao Yue beside Princess Lan Yi Hua. "Is there anything that I can help, Princess?"


    "No, congratulations Prince Lin Xiao," Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s voice was very rigid and impolite. She looked at the two of them with scorn within her eyes. "I''ll excuse myself now. See you later, Sis."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua merely nodded and didn''t even bother to look at Princess Lan Xiao Yue. Towards the indifferent attitude that Princess Lan Yi Hua gave her, Princess Lan Xiao Yue didn''t care and strode away quickly.


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes. "Your relationship is really good."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua let out a faint laugh. "Didn''t you already know that? Let''s go, we''re the center of attention here."


    "Alright."


    The five of them walked and after some time, Lin Xiao glanced over to look at Fan Ling. "Does it mean that your family will start to have some internal strive?"


    "Hmm?" Fan Ling grinned. "Don''t worry, my grandfather will set it up so that it will only be directed to those at the younger generations. Those older will not interfere at all. That said, I will be asking for some days leave."


    At the mention of the last sentence, Fan Ling''s eyes grew cold. She could naturally remember her cousin whom she met not long ago and how much she had longed to beat him up. Since the chance had finally come, she would not let this chance go to waste.


    "Can you do it on your own or do you need help?"


    Lin Xiao''s voice was calm and unperturbed. He looked at Fan Ling, waiting for the young lady to answer.


    Fan Ling looked back at Lin Xiao as her mind recalled the matter of Sui Wenyan and also Wenren Yu. The two of them obviously also asked for Lin Xiao to let them handled their own matter on their own because they didn''t want to let other people involved.


    They had the capabilities and naturally, they would settle their own problem if they could.


    If they couldn''t even settle their own problem, what''s the use of them to be a cultivator? They would be better off being a villager with nothing much to do.


    "Don''t worry." Fan Ling grinned. "It''s my family and naturally I''ll be able to settle it myself. If somehow things escalate until I can''t handle it, I''ll seek for your help."


    "Alright."


    Lin Yun looked at Fan Ling worriedly. "Will you be alright?"


    "Of course!"

 Chapter 388: The New Faction (2)

    Fan Ling let out a hearty laugh. She grinned. "I''m not going to be bound by them and naturally, I''ll try to do what I could on my own. There''s no need to worry that I wouldn''t be able to do anything because I know what I do."


    Before she met with them, Fan Ling had always been very unrestrained. She was also known to be a very fiery girl of Fan Family and many people knew about her bravery and also bad temper.


    Now that there was something that occurred in her home, how could she step back and not settle it?


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Go."


    "Alright!"


    Turning around, Fan Ling returned back to her house vigorously. For the next few days, the turmoil in Fan Family would be for all of them to hear. The younger generations in the Fan Family were having a bout against each other.


    Lin Yun looked at Fan Ling''s back with complicated emotions. He looked at his own brother. "Brother, is it fine to let things be like this?"


    Lu Jian passed a look at Lin Yun. "And what do you want to do? Meddle with her family problems."


    "That''s��"


    "You can meddle if you want but do you think she''ll like it if you meddle too much?" Lin Xiao shook his head. "We''re all cultivators and I''m sure that you have your own pride and also path as to why you choose to become a cultivator. What would you think if you follow someone and that person keep on treating you as if you''re just a useless person that need his help all the time?"


    Lin Yun''s face changed. If that was the case, he would be annoyed. It would look as if the person whom he followed didn''t trust in his capabilities as a cultivator.


    "Ah��."


    Lin Xiao smiled when he saw Lin Yun''s face of understanding. He had his own consideration when he chose to let his friends finish their own problems. They all have their own private lives and it was impossible for him to be part in their every lives.


    Damn, he would need to learn the skill of multiplying body if he wanted to know everything.


    It was enough for him that they were accompanying him during training and set up a goal together. As for their private lives, their secret encounter, their secret technique, and their own family matters, he would leave it to them.


    Unless they have a problem that they wanted to ask for help from him, he would not meddle.


    "I trust Fan Ling will be able to win over Fan Family." Lin Xiao smiled. Fan Ling dreamed to be able to recreate her grandfather''s legend from many years ago. The first step that she would need to do in order to be able to achieve the dream would be to lead her own family members.


    If she couldn''t even lead her own family members, how could she possibly create a strong force out of nowhere?


    The Fan Family was readily available and what she needed was strong power and potential, enough to move those people to follow her readily. Only then would she be able to truly become a force to be reckoned with.


    A lone cultivator would find it hard to reach the peak unless they have so many special encounters.


    "I understand." Lin Yun took a deep breath and also nodded heavily. Fan Ling was powerful and knew herself well. If she said that she would be able to do it, he believed that she would be capable enough to convince those people from Fan Family.


    "Now that it''s already like this, how do you plan to set up your force?" Lu Jian asked as he looked at Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao passed a look at Lu Jian. "That will be your job."


    "Me?"


    "Didn''t you say that you want to prove yourself? This will be a good time for you to start poaching the noble families. If you can''t bring them over, you can also go over to the smaller families." Lin Xiao thought for a moment.


    Inside his mind, Lin Hu scoffed. "Are you thinking of winning majority of people rather than merely the powerful families?"


    ''It can''t be helped, the powerful families'' powers are already mostly split among the three princes. If I want to poach them, I have to show them that I''m more beneficial to follow compared to the other princes. It''ll be too hard.''


    ''Just show your mark~.''


    ''And got myself killed early, huh?''


    ''Well, you''re already stupid enough most of the time. What harm would it be for you to be even more stupid?''


    Lin Xiao was speechless at the dragon inside his mind and refused to say anything else. He looked at Lu Jian. "For the time being, talk with them. We''ll see how it is afterwards."


    "How about our base?"


    "I''m still thinking of making the Fan Family as the base, so we''ll wait a few more days until Fan Ling settled her problem."


    Lu Jian''s expression turned strange. Fan Family''s mansion was not one that would let ordinary people come in easily. Did Lin Xiao think that it would be successful this way?


    But seeing that Lin Xiao was confident, Lu Jian chose not to say anything and just began his mapping to plan things over.


    "What are you planning to do now?"


    "Now? Move out to the new house and prepare betrothal gifts!" Lin Xiao said seriously. He might not stay in the house for a long time but he would need to make it their homes. At least, for formality sake since it would be weird for him to prepare betrothal gifts to the dorm.


    Lin Yun: "��" you''re seriously going to prepare it right now?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua: "��" you''re not going to strike while the iron is still hot to convince many more people to join your side?


    Lu Jian: "��" what did I expect from him?


    The three of them felt that Lin Xiao was sometimes�� really unreliable.

 Chapter 389: Settling the Fan Family

    Lin Xiao really did what he said that he would do. The other three took off their hat to him when they watched how he settled the new residence and formally proposed to Princess Lan Yi Hua in public.


    He spared some time to visit Princess Lan Yi Hua to propose formally and send her a large amount of betrothal gifts. Marriage when cultivators were still a student was rare, so a lot of people were camping out outside when Lin Xiao came over with the gifts.


    Looking at the row of gifts, many of them wondered how did Lin Xiao prepare them all. Did he empty all of his savings from his Spatial Ring?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was equally speechless when he saw the row of gifts. They were all precious herbs, ah!


    "Did you really empty your Spatial Ring to prepare this all?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked with frown.


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "They''re just some other herbs that Lin Yun couldn''t make into pills."


    He had many more but they were all less valuables. These were all already the best that he could prepare for Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    "If he couldn''t even make it into pill, do you think that I can make it into pill?" Princess Lan YI Hua was speechless. At times, she felt that she really need to knock Lin Xiao''s head with a hammer to know what was inside his mind.


    Lin Xiao shook his head. "You''re from Lan Hua Kingdom, so I guess you might know some other recipes for them."


    "Are you giving gifts for me or you''re using me?" Princess Lan Yi Hua was amused at Lin Xiao''s answer.


    "Giving gifts, of course!"


    At the side, Lin Yun was resisting the urge to roll his eyes at his brother''s shameless remarks. It was obvious that Lin Xiao was giving it all because the two of them both didn''t know what to use of these valuable herbs.


    Since they couldn''t use it for the time being, Lin Xiao chose to add it to the gifts. They were all very valuable and naturally worth much.


    And Princess Lan Yi Hua was also part of them, so Lin Xiao didn''t mind it that much for the herbs to move hand.


    "Right." Princess Lan Yi Hua recalled that Lan Hua Kingdom did have some recipes. However, her talent in pills were not exactly that good since she didn''t have much time to learn. She pursed her lips. "I''ll show you the library when we all head over to Lan Hua Kingdom in the future."


    "That''s a promise then!"


    "Mhm."


    Lu Jian, who came to give his report, was speechless upon seeing the two of them. He had already finished talking with some other nobles aside from the few big families. Some of them were willing to follow Prince Lin Xiao but there were many who were more skeptical of his chances.


    He was late.


    Compared to many other princes, who had already started to build their forces since they were young, Lin Xiao was late for so many years. Even the younger Prince Lin Hong was at a more advantageous position compared to him in terms of influential.


    That was why Lu Jian hadn''t been so successful.


    "Your Highness."


    "What is it, Lu Jian?" Lin Xiao turned to look at Lu Jian.


    "I have already visited most of the smaller families and there''s only a few left. Also, Fan Ling just contacted me to tell that she had settled the Fan Family."


    "She had settled it?" Lin Yun was stunned. Unlike Lu Jian who went away to pay a visit to many other places, Lin Yun was staying around Lin Xiao in order to protect his brother. There was nothing that happened for the past few days, though.


    It was so peaceful.


    The nobles didn''t seem to be that interested in the news of Lin Xiao being one of the few who could open the door. Only some of them expressed their interest when Lu Jian paid a visit to them.


    The other princes also didn''t seem to be so petty as to make a move immediately. They were all waiting for the right moment to strike. After all, they still have several opponents and Lin Xiao was considered to be beneath their notices.


    Lu Jian nodded.


    "How did she do it?" Lin Xiao was curious.


    Beside him, Princess Lan Yi Hua kept the Spatial Ring that Lin Xiao gave to her. Due to some missions that they took when they moved from one city to another, Lin Xiao managed to collect some Spatial Rings from their opponents. After erasing their mark, he used the Spatial Rings to divide his things.


    "Competition between the younger generation." Lu Jian smiled lightly. It was not that weird for Fan Ling to win the competition. After being tempered by the hellish training version Prince Lin Yan, she had long used to life and death battle.


    Compared to that battle where she had to face those at higher cultivation at her and win at all cost, fighting against her clan youth was much easier.


    She trashed all of them easily and claimed to be the number 1 genius of Fan Family.


    "Being the number 1 genius of Fan Family is just the first step." Lin Xiao nodded and smirked. "In that case, shouldn''t I also showcase my weapon to them so that they would want to follow?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua thought for a moment before she faintly recalled the lake that Lin Xiao had made in the past. Her lips curled up to form a small smile. If she was not wrong, that lake was formed by Lin Xiao''s special method.


    One that was undetectable.


    If he could recreate the pond in Fan Family, would the Fan Family not want to support him?


    That would be very interesting.


    But this method would surely put Lin Xiao in attention because a lot of people would be wondering how he do that. Endless troubles will follow afterwards.

 Chapter 390: Convincing the Elders

    Fan Family


    Fan Ling looked at her grandfather with a grin on her face. Winning against her cousin was very easy. Even though his cultivation was the same as her, Golden Core Stage 1, she had been fighting against many Golden Core Stage 2 cultivators.


    As the result, the fight was completely one sided. She had a good time beating her cousin up.


    Fan Pei''s face was now like a pig. His scholarly image that he had portrayed before was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he looked so miserable that one might even mistake him for a beggar with how dirty his clothes were. After being tossed around by Fan Ling and burned, it would be a wonder if he didn''t look so bad.


    His eyes when he was looking at Fan Ling were filled with hatred and unwillingness. For a proud person like him, it was clear that this was a humiliation he couldn''t stomach.


    "You have grown, Ling''er." Old Master Fan was naturally surprised. He knew his granddaughter for a long time and seeing her growth delighted him.


    Her progress was much faster for the past few years.


    "It''s all thanks to His Highness!" Fan Ling said proudly.


    "His Highness?" Fan Pei was looking at Fan Ling with hatred. "You''re saying that country bumpkin can even help you, an arrogant genius��"


    Bang!


    Flames covered Fan Ling''s fist as she punched Fan Pei once more. Her beautiful face was looking at her cousin icily. Towards this annoying cousin, who was actually could also be categorized as a genius, but it was nothing much in her eyes, she only felt hatred and annoyance.


    *cough*


    The already pitiful Fan Pei looked even worse after getting another punch from Fan Ling. His eyes were filled with coldness as he stared at Fan Ling before him. To think that he couldn''t even defeat Fan Ling even though he used to be stronger than her.


    She was growing too fast.


    "I don''t really mind your decision," Old Master Fan said with a hearty laugh. Some elders were looking at their father/uncle/master helplessly. They were already used with Old Master Fan bias to his granddaughter.


    After all, Fan Family only have two girls, one was already much older than Fan Ling, the second young miss.


    Some elders'' face turned dark. It was clear that they disliked Fan Ling. After all, she was such a brash person and easily offend people with her bluntness and upfront personality. They would prefer calmer person to lead their family rather than such a��. spoiled girl.


    "But Master, she''s��"


    "But naturally I would like to hear what can that brat offers us." Old Master Fan looked at his granddaughter.


    Fan Ling showed a grin. "His Highness is coming here and you''ll know by then. However, I would like to meet with Fan Pan first."


    Fan Pan was Fan Pei''s older brother. He was also someone who chose to support Prince Lin Bo Wang and had been seen close to Prince Lin Bo Wang many times in the past. It was to the point that others ended up associating Fan Family with Prince Lin Bo Wang.


    Among the younger generation, it was not an exaggeration to say that Fan Pan was one of the best geniuses here. He was already at Golden Core Stage 2 but still didn''t apply for graduation yet since he accompanied Prince Lin Bo Wang in Sun Dragon Academy.


    He was there to protect him.


    Fan Pei''s eyes widened. "You want to challenge my brother too?"


    "Why not?" Fan Ling blinked her eyes, feeling that it was only natural for her to challenge him. If she didn''t defeat him, it was clear that she wouldn''t be able to take the position as the best genius among the younger generation.


    "You must be an idiot if you think that you can defeat my brother! He''ll skin you alive and show you what kind of utter humiliation it is to��"


    Bam!


    Fan Ling felt that her cousin''s mouth was really bad. His usual attitude showed nothing but now that he was in this state, there was no more filter in his words.


    "Little Ling, there''s no need for that." Old Master Fan waved his hand. "Fan Pan''s decision will not be the same as me."


    "Old Master!"


    "Master!"


    The elders were stunned when they heard that Old Master Fan stated that he would rather support Fan Ling rather than Fan Pan. Everyone here knew how much of a genius Fan Pan was and thus, it was no brainer for them to pick that young man.


    But why would Old Master Fan pick Fan Ling?


    "This old bone is already too old and would rather have my girl to stay here to accompany me. That Pan brat is already outside for too long and never even returned back," Old Master Fan complained.


    Fan Pei was stunned. He looked at his father and the latter gritted his teeth before contacting Fan Pan. It was true.


    Ever since Fan Pan headed to Sun Dragon Academy, it has been nearly 10 years and yet the brat had never even returned home even once. What he did was simply to do whatever he wanted by staying close to Prince Lin Bo Wang.


    Since he was already known to be of Fan Family, it was clear that the Fan Family ended up associated to Prince Lin Bo Wang.


    "Uncle, I''ll call Fan Pan to return back." Fan Pei''s father said respectfully. Even if he was actually very annoyed, it was clear that he would pull his son back to Fan Family at the cost of anything.


    Old Master Fan waved his hand. "Then we shall see how the two of them react when they meet each other."


    "Ah?"


    It was only now they realized that Fan Ling must have called Lin Xiao to come too. Does it mean that both Fan Pan and Lin Xiao would be meeting each other now? That��. would it end up badly?

 Chapter 391: Convincing the Elders (2)

    The elders didn''t know but the two entourage did meet right in front of Fan Family gates.


    Lin Xiao noticed a young man in his twenties walking towards the gate. He had the air of a powerful expert and at the same time, an unapproachable man. However, if one didn''t pay him any close attention, they wouldn''t even be able to detect him in the crowd.


    The young man had handsome appearance but as he walked, he attracted no attention. Only Lin Xiao seemed to be looking straight at him directly when he saw the other party.


    The young man, Fan Pan, looked at Lin Xiao for a moment before he cupped his fist. "May I know if there''s anything you need from me?"


    It was only after the young man spoke did Princess Lan Yi Hua, Lin Yun, and Lu Jian noticed him. They were looking in his direction with a dumbfounded expression as if they were seeing a strange thing.


    If not for him talking, they wouldn''t notice him even if he was standing before them.


    What kind of sorcery was that?


    "This is Fan Family gates and I''m wondering whether you''re part of the family or not since I''m thinking of visiting them," Lin Xiao replied with a smile.


    Inside his mind, Lin Hu interrupted, "Be careful."


    "Hmm? Is he that dangerous?"


    "He had special cultivation that might be a bad match for you."


    Lin Xiao''s heart tightened slightly as he became warier. However, he still looked at the young man in front of him with a polite smile. In front of his friends, it didn''t matter much even if he messed up but in front of his enemies, he must not show any weakness!


    "My name is Fan Pan, and you''re��.?" Fan Pan looked at Lin Xiao with inquiring expression. There was no contempt or even disdain that was usually present in many other people when they were looking at Lin Xiao for the first time. After all, Lin Xiao was still being the skimp he usually was, dressing in clothes that didn''t actually worth much.


    Lin Xiao himself didn''t care much about the brand of his clothes and only thought that as long as it was good enough to wear, it was good.


    Thus, many other vain cultivators often looked down on him because of his appearance.


    "My name is Lin Xiao. Nice to meet you, Fan Pan," Lin Xiao also greeted the other party politely.


    "Let''s come in."


    "Thank you for your hospitality."


    Fan Pan merely nodded as they walked inside. Behind him, Princess Lan Yi Hua was staring at Fan Pan''s back as her palm began to sweat. There was some kind of indescribable unease that she felt from Fan Pan.


    When she couldn''t sense him, she didn''t know anything. But after she could sense his presence and talked to him, there was discomfort and unease. It was also similar to that feeling of danger.


    Was this man so dangerous even for her?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua kept her thought inside her mind as she followed Lin Xiao and the others inside. The guards were also very respectful to Fan Pan even though they felt that the youth had changed.


    It didn''t take long for them to reach the main hall.


    Fan Ling''s eyes widened when she saw Fan Pan walked inside with Lin Xiao walked beside him and the others behind them. She even felt that her eyes were playing tricks with her because it was hard to believe that Lin Xiao would walk with Fan Pan knowing full well that Fan Pan was someone by Prince Lin Bo Wang''s side.


    "Grandfather, Father, Elders, I''m back." Fan Pan cupped his fist. His greeting was done in flat tone without any feeling whatsoever.


    It was so cold.


    "You''ve finally returned back! Brother, Fan Ling want to challenge you because she didn''t want Fan Family to be in�� ugh, I mean she didn''t want you to be the next successor for the head seat." Fan Pei had no choice but to change his words at the last moment because his father was glaring at him.


    He couldn''t be spewing nonsense in front of everyone and possibly destroy all kind of images he had.


    Fan Pan looked at his younger brother then turned to look at Fan Ling. Right now, Fan Ling was also staring at him, no, she was looking at the person beside him.


    "Your Highness, you''ve come so early."


    Your Highness?


    Fan Pan looked at Lin Xiao from the corner of his eyes. So this person, whom he met in front of the door was also another prince in Sun Kingdom who could notice him even though he tried to stay invisible all the time.


    "I got news from you." Lin Xiao then glanced at Lu Jian. It didn''t seem to be over, yet?


    Lu Jian smiled helplessly. Fan Ling did tell him that it was done just a few minutes earlier. How could he possibly know that she didn''t mean that everything was done but only about to be over?


    "Fan Pan, I would like to be the next successor in Fan Family, would you like to have a fight for that?" Fan Ling asked directly.


    Fan Pan''s eyes swirled with thoughts before he chuckled lightly. "Since it''s what my little cousin wants, how can I reject you?"


    "In that case, please."


    "Let''s head over to the arena." Old Master Fan also looked at Fan Pan curiously. Many years ago, Fan Pan was already one of the few great geniuses within Fan Family. It was to the point that he felt Fan Family was so lucky.


    However, Fan Pan was a quiet person and didn''t like to speak much. Unlike the two faced Fan Pei who often acted like a scholar but his true nature was that of a noisy brat, Fan Pan was always genuinely alone. He didn''t like to stay with other people and prefer solitude.


    He wanted to know how much Fan Pan had grown over the years.

 Chapter 392: Battle Against Fan Pan

    They all walked out to the arena and Lin Xiao walked over to Fan Ling. "If you can''t defeat him, announce your resignation right away after you''re put in dangerous spot."


    Huh?


    Fan Ling was stunned by the warning Lin Xiao gave to her. In her eyes, Fan Pan was nothing more than another genius within Fan Family and she would show them who''s the better one. However, it seemed that this Fan Pan was dangerous to the point that Lin Xiao warned her specially.


    Hmm, she''s pumped up now.


    The two people stood in the middle of the arena while the rest scurried to the side. Lin Xiao was watching the two people as he focused his attention on the youth named Fan Pan. He was ultimately curious just what was the young man''s trump card.


    "Ready?" Old Master Fan asked.


    The two youths nodded at once and Old Master Nan also wasted no more time to start. "Begin!"


    Bang!


    Scorching heat blaringly appeared from Fan Ling''s body as she swiftly moved her body. Using the wind to hasten her speed, her fan moved beautifully to form an arc as countless blade wind that was covered in fire was shot towards Fan Pan.


    Fan Pan raised his head as his eyes narrowed dangerously. He smiled faintly and raised his hand.


    Bang!


    Something struck down the blades but it was too fast for most people to see. They only saw that Fan Pan had raised his hand and he blocked the attack.


    "It''s fire." Lin Xiao furrowed his brows.


    Right, fire would be a bad match for him considering that fire was the polar opposite of water. If their strength was different, it would be hell for the one with lower strength and right now��


    It seemed that Fan Pan was already at Golden Core Stage 2, a rank higher than Lin Xiao.


    He would surely suffer if he tried to go against Fan Pan right now with his current rank as their element clashed against each other.


    ''That''s not all,'' Lin Hu added from within Lin Xiao''s consciousness.


    ''What is it?''


    ''You''ll notice it soon.''


    ''Hmm?''


    While Lin Xiao wanted Lin Hu to tell him the truth faster, Lin Xiao still cast his gaze on the arena. His eyes widened as he saw Fan Ling spread her arms and enveloped the entire arena in the sea of flames.


    "Your control over flames are not bad for Golden Core Stage 1," Fan Pan commented. He looked at Fan Ling quietly. "But you''ll run out of Qi if you do this."


    "It doesn''t matter!"


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Violently and brutally, Fan Ling continued to attack Fan Pan, trying to find gap in his posture. It was quite unfortunate that Fan Pan''s reaction was fast as he managed to notice where she was attacking and blocking at narrow margin.


    Lu Jian took a deep breath, faintly recalling the days when he was tortured under Fan Ling''s dual element brutal attack.


    "Damn Lin Yun, your taste is quite something."


    Lin Yun''s face darkened. "What the hell are you talking about, ah?"


    Lin Xiao chose not to comment as he saw Lu Jian tried to swagger his way out of Lin Yun''s attention. He knew that there were variety of personality and it would be impossible for everyone to fall for the same type.


    Besides, what was the fun if everyone was the same?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua narrowed her eyes. "The battle is about to be over."


    "That fast?"


    "She''s not his match."


    Lin Xiao nodded and sighed.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The wind blades from Fan Ling continued to strike down, hurling down like storm. It was all directed towards Fan Pan, who stood at the same place and blocked the attack with ease. His hand movement remained the same as he stood in place.


    The attack was concise and precise. Despite standing on the same place, Fan Pan didn''t seem to be having any difficulties at all. He also didn''t exert any strenuous strength and remained mostly the same.


    "Why don''t you attack?" Fan Ling asked loudly.


    Fan Pan raised his eyebrows. Facing the flurry attack of Fan Ling, how would one have the chance to attack. He also didn''t want to risk lowering his defense just to launch an attack.


    He chuckled. "Would you let me have a chance to attack?"


    "Of course not!" Fan Ling laughed back and then moved swiftly to execute one of her strongest attack.


    Fire Storm Wind!


    Fan Ling ultimately used her strongest move and brutally attacked Fan Pan for the last time. At the same time, she jumped to the back as she watched Fan Pan dismissed the fire around him with ease. Her lips pursed in frustration and unwillingness.


    Looking at his cousin, Fan Pan was come. His entire body was covered in Qi as it formed a protective cover around him.


    "I''m not a match for you, Cousin," Fan Ling finally admitted. Her Qi was almost drained from her attacking continuously not long ago. Whilst her attacking power was very high, to the point that many other people would run away when they saw her rampage, her Qi consumption was high.


    She wouldn''t last for long in a prolonged battle.


    Prior to this, she thought that she could finally match against Fan Pan but reality proved otherwise. Despite being at the attacking side all this time, she could not even breach his defense with her strongest attack.


    "You''re not bad, Xiao Ling." Fan Pan nodded and looked to the others.


    Fan Pei was happy. Even though his face right now was like that of a pig, he was laughing freely and pointed his finger at Fan Ling. "See! You''re not a match for Big Brother! He can even defeat ten of you with ease."


    "Oh?" Fan Ling cracked her fist together. She still has some Qi left. "I might not be able to defeat your brother, but I would have no problem to beat you up. Would you like to taste my fist again, Fan Pei?"


    "You brute!" Fan Pei was stunned and quickly created a distance between him and Fan Ling.

 Chapter 393: I Have No Interest

    Fan Ling humped, her tone was filled with disdain. "Coward!"


    Fan Pei''s face turned dark but he couldn''t say anything else. If one were to list their names based on their strength, he was undoubtedly the weakest out of the three of them. He wouldn''t be able to do anything if either one of them wanted to beat him up.


    "You bully!"


    "Tsk." Fan Ling clicked her tongue, clearly not in the mood to quarrel with her double faced cousin anymore. She passed a glance at Fan Pei before she leapt out of the arena towards Lin Xiao.


    She lowered her head and then said in low voice, "Fan Ling failed to fulfill your mission, Your Highness. Please punish me."


    "It''s fine." Lin Xiao waved his hand. He was merely looking at Fan Pan in the arena and thought for a moment. "I''ll no longer pester you about your position in Fan Family, but I would like to trade one blow with Fan Pan if you will allow me."


    In the past, it was only natural that Lin Xiao had sparred with Fan Ling. However, she couldn''t match up to him anymore, so it was not that fun to spar with her. Now, he was a bit curious about Fan Pan''s strength.


    "One blow?" Fan Pan repeated. He looked at Lin Xiao before he cupped his hand. "If Your Highness wished for it, I would naturally not mind in the slightest bit."


    Despite acting respectful, Lin Xiao could sense the deep rooted pride that existed within Fan Pan. As a genius, it was clear that he was also someone who was also very prideful and would not bow down his head easily.


    He smiled. "Thank you."


    With a faint step, he had arrived in the arena. The Moon Evasion Skill was displayed to the perfection even without anyone to guide him and this was not his fastest speed. There was no way Lin Xiao would show his trump card so easily. The others were all stunned to see Lin Xiao appeared several meters away.


    Did he use movement skill?


    Why did they not notice anything?


    A realization struck the younger generations as they looked at Lin Xiao in horror. If they couldn''t even see his movement, how would they supposed to block his attack and defend themselves?


    It was very likely that they would die even without knowing why.


    "This��." Old Master Fan was dumbstruck. He didn''t know whether he should approve them or not.


    Fan Ling looked at her grandfather and urged him, "It''s just one punch, Grandpa. There''s no way they will be wounded badly if it''s just one punch."


    You mean one attack.


    Both Lu Jian and Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Fan Ling but didn''t voice out their correction. They knew that Fan Ling purposely said that to mislead others into thinking that it would just be a harmless exchange.


    Old Master Fan sighed. "Be careful you two. Ready? START!"


    Unlike before where Fan Ling immediately leapt forward from the moment the word start was said. The two young men were standing on their places and looked at each other without any intention to do sneak attack.


    "Would you like to attack first?" Fan Pan asked in light tone.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Would you allow me."


    "That''ll depend on your attack."


    "In that case, I won''t be polite."


    Taking out his sword, Lin Xiao began to channel his Qi. After entering Golden Core Stage, his Qi had grown richer and the skills he could display with his swords increased rapidly. One of them was obviously the Chilling Lake Sword.


    "Be careful."


    In that moment, the temperature seemed to drop several degrees as the ordinary Fan Family members began to feel cold. Still, they all started intently to the arena as if they were afraid that they would miss any detail.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Fourth Stance!


    The fourth move was not supposed to drop the temperature that much but Lin Xiao''s understanding of the move coupled with his suitable Qi pushed the technique to display beyond its rank.


    Swish!


    Fan Pan''s eyes narrowed as a sword appeared on his hand. It was clear that he had kept his sword away in his Spatial Ring and didn''t plan to use it in this exchange. However, he had to use his sword if he wanted to fend off Lin Xiao''s attack.


    The sword was instantly covered in flames before it moved swiftly.


    CLANG!


    The two swords met in the middle as ice and fire spreads to the two sides.


    Crack! Bang!


    "Gah!"


    The ground on the arena was destroyed, half scorched and the other half was covered in ice. It was a contrasting sight and those who were in the middle felt that half of their body was hit by both hot and cold wave.


    It was damn painful!


    Not to mention, these two were basically very powerful and those who were under Golden Core Stage 1 stage would definitely feel it the most.


    They would suffer greatly when they were in front of them.


    Swish!


    The two sides didn''t last long in their locked exchange as they jumped back to their original position. Their robes swayed by the wind but aside from their slightly rough breathing, there was no other changes.


    It seemed that the two of them didn''t seem to be intent on finishing the fight and really only tried to gauge each other''s strength.


    "You''re really strong, Young Master Fan." Lin Xiao cupped his fist. "I won''t bother you anymore, then. Thank you for fulfilling my selfish wish."


    Listening to Lin Xiao speaking so formal, Lin Yun felt goosebumps. Over the past few months, Lin Xiao did learn some etiquette but really...


    It didn''t match his image!


    Fan Pan cupped his fist back. "You''re also strong, Your Highness."


    "Big Brother, now that you''re Fan Family successor, you can choose to kick Fan Ling out!" Fan Pei added from the sides.


    Fan Ling felt like beating up that annoying cousin of hers once more. Couldn''t he stay silent at this time?


    But Fan Pan''s answer startled them.


    "I''m not interested."

 Chapter 394: Decision

    Not interested?


    Almost instantly, everyone was looking at Fan Pan. He was still standing in the middle of the arena with placid and cool expression. It was clear that he was also being serious.


    But��


    What was he talking about?


    Did he mean that he didn''t want to kick Fan Ling out?


    Fan Pei''s face turned dark. "But Brother, she''ll try to take your position as the Fan Family successor once more if you let her stay here! Besides, she''s the one who use the resources of Fan Family the most."


    Old Master Fan''s face turned a shade darker as he shot a glare at Fan Pei''s father. The man was flustered as he stepped forward to stop Fan Pei from spouting more nonsense. If this continues, the drama would never end.


    "I use the most resources? Fan Pei, are you not talking about yourself?" Fan Ling jeered. "I''m not even staying at home for the past three years and do you really think that Sun Dragon Academy will let me use my family''s resources?"


    "What the hell, do they not allow you to return back?"


    "I can only return back for 7 days per year damn you! I don''t even care about the resources here anymore since I already have much more of others that I can use!"


    "What the hell are you talking about, you��"


    Bletak!


    In the end, Fan Pei''s father slammed his own son''s head to stop him from talking. He looked at Fan Ling. "He''s just spouting nonsense. Don''t mind him that much. That said, Fan Pan, now that you''re Fan Family successor, you should return back home more often. You''re already Golden Core Stage 2 and it''s only natural that you can graduate."


    From the attack between Lin Xiao and Fan Pan just now, the others could already see that Fan Pan must be Golden Core Stage 2 at the very least since he didn''t have any difficulties fending off the attacks at all.


    When a student reached Golden Core Stage 2, they could choose to graduate and that was why Fan Family wanted Fan Pan to graduate.


    Fan Pan looked at his father. "I''m not interested."


    "You��"


    "Fan Ling can become the family successor."


    What?


    It was like a bomb dropped from the sky as everyone looked at the indifferent Fan Pan with their mouth opened wide. If not from hearing it themselves, they would have never thought that Fan Pan would just give up his position as the successor like that.


    "Brother, what are you talking about?" Fan Pei struggled to stand up as he looked at his brother in disbelief.


    Why?


    Why would Fan Pan give up this honorable position just like that?


    Fan Ling was also looking at her cousin with frown on her forehead. She felt as if she was also dreaming.


    "I''m not interested in the position," Fan Pan reiterated. He furrowed his brows and then looked at Lin Xiao for a moment before turning his body around. "I''m leaving now."


    "Wait there, Fan Pan! What do you mean that you''re not interested? You''re the genius of Fan Family and it''s your responsibility to work for the family and become the family head!" Fan Pan and Fan Pei''s father roared in anger. He dreamed to become the father of the family head ever since a long time ago and now his own son was actually saying that he didn''t want it?


    How did he even give birth to this ungrateful son?


    However, Fan Pan didn''t answer his father and continued to walk away, his steps were firm as if he was saying that there was nothing that they could do to shake his thoughts.


    "Fan Pan! Stop right there! If you dare to step even another step, you''re no longer part of Fan Family!" Fan Pan''s father continued to roar even louder. From his flushed expression, it was clear that he was extremely angry.


    Fan Pan stopped then turned his head around. "You can erase me from the family register if that''s what you wish."


    "You ungrateful brat! Do you really think that you can leave just like that?" Fan Pan''s father suddenly moved. In his anger, he sprinted right towards Fan Pan in an attempt to immobilize the young man.


    Even though he was not that talented compared to his son, he had lived longer and naturally his cultivation was also more stable. He had reached Golden Core Stage 2 many years ago, so it could be said that their cultivation rank was the same.


    Swish! Bang!


    Punching forward, Fan Pan received his father''s blow with cold expression.


    And the one who was pushed back��


    Was his father.


    Thud!


    Tumbling to the back, Fan Pan''s father was looking at his son in disbelief. He had long known that his son was a genius, which was why Fan Pan could enter Sun Dragon Academy since young age.


    But this�� was clearly out of his expectation.


    He couldn''t even withstand one blow from Fan Pan?


    "This��" Old Master Fan also furrowed his brows. He also didn''t like Fan Pan''s attitude but he would not act rashly. "Fan Pan, do you plan to return back to Fan Family in the future?"


    Fan Pan paused for a moment before he let out a faint laugh. "My dream is in the vast sea. This place�� is too small."


    After saying the sentence, Fan Pan turned and continued to walk with light steps. Before long, he had disappeared from everyone''s gaze and blended into the crowd unnoticed. His naturally weak presence aided him in disappearing into the crowd.


    Old Master Fan looked at the gate and finally sighed.


    Indeed.


    Sun Kingdom was small. The four kingdoms are smalls.


    If one really wanted to mark their names in history and achieve greatness, their goal was always to go beyond the mountain and sea. If they stayed here, the most they could achieve was only Golden Core Stage 3.


    Only when they go outside would they reach further and become a real expert feared by the world.

 Chapter 395: The Small Pond

    Lin Xiao looked at the back of Fan Pan for a moment before moving his gaze away. If it was before, he would not understand Fan Pan''s decision. But after coming into contact with powerful experts who came from outside the four familiar kingdoms, he understood the reason.


    This place was limiting.


    For geniuses like them who had the chance to enter higher stage than just Golden Core Stage 3, their dream would not be in this small place but outside. They would want to go outside and venture deep into the world.


    "Father, he''s��." Fan Pan''s father wanted to complain.


    "It''s enough." Old Master Fan waved his hand. "You can''t control him and he has his own decision."


    "But��"


    "Even if you force him, he would not agree to return back."


    Old Master Fan then turned to look at Fan Ling. "Ling''er, you''re the future successor of Fan Family now. It''ll soon be 3 years'' mark of your coming to Sun Dragon Academy. After participating in their battle ranking, I would like you to return back here to learn about some other things."


    Fan Ling smiled brightly. "Alright, Grandpa! Don''t worry!"


    Cultivators didn''t only consist of battle maniacs who only knew how to fight and battle. There were many other side jobs and even there were those who took up positions in order to pass down their skills. After all, they all still have limited lifespan.


    Even though they all wished that they could attain immortality, Golden Core Stage Cultivators still have limited lifespan.


    Old Master Fan nodded then looked at Lin Xiao. "Your Highness, do you mind this arrangement?"


    "You can do as you wish." Lin Xiao had no qualms with Fan Ling having to spend more time with her family since he had no interest restricting her actions. Though, Old Master Fan''s action of asking Fan Ling first before him showed that the Old Master still didn''t hold him in much regard.


    Well, it would soon change.


    "Grandpa, Your Highness has a request!" Fan Ling quickly added.


    "Your Highness, is there anything I can do to help you?" Old Master Fan quickly asked.


    "Is there any pond here?"


    "Pond?"


    While the others were perplexed, Princess Lan Yi Hua passed a knowing glance at Lin Xiao. She knew very well that he was planning on using the formation like what he did back at the mountain. The others thought that he only coincidentally found the lake but it was actually a formation made with Dragon Language.


    Now that he planned on making the lake here, wouldn''t it mean that he was increasing his followers'' ability?


    That was not a bad idea.


    "There''s a pond at the back." Fan Ling grinned. "It''s mostly unused. If you want it, I can take you there."


    "Ling''er." Old Master Fan was helpless at his granddaughter. But looking at her expression, he knew that he would only restrict her movements if he didn''t allow her to do it. Besides, he was also curious about what Lin Xiao wanted to do.


    Lin Xiao passed a glance at Lu Jian. "I''ll hand over it to you later."


    Hearing that, Lu Jian merely let out a wry smile but he nodded. He understood what Lin Xiao wanted to do.


    Old Master Fan dismissed the younger generations and only some elders followed Lin Xiao to the back. The back courtyard was tended well but there was barely anyone there, creating a sense of desolation.


    The pond was located in the middle and the water was not entirely clean. There was some mud that was mixed inside.


    "Eh, the pond is not usually this dirty." Fan Ling scratched the back of her head, feeling confused.


    "What do you plan to do?" Lin Yun was also curious. He knew that Lin Xiao was the one who made the lake had a lot of resources before, but he didn''t know how Lin Xiao do that.


    After all, he came after they were done.


    "I have the opportunity to stumble upon a formation." Lin Xiao crouched near the small pond. Even though the water was still dirty, he didn''t mind in the slightest bit. It couldn''t be called lake yet, but Lin Xiao was still able to use the dragon language to set it up to be Qi filled lake.


    His hand moved and created word with his Qi before he put it on top of the water. There was a faint smile on the corner of his lips as the Qi in the air began to move and entered the lake. The previously muddy water turned clear.


    It was a miraculous sight as the change was so sudden.


    "From now on, Lu Jian will be the one to assign task to you to do. Whenever you get something done, the reward you can get is to practice here. I''m sure that most of you are still at Foundation Establishment, so you lack resources the most, right? With this lake, breaking through to Golden Core Stage wouldn''t take that much time."


    Breaking through to Golden Core Stage would not take that much time?


    The people there were speechless when they heard what Lin Xiao said. Looking at the lake filled with Qi, they all truly wondered whether Lin Xiao had somehow stumbled across some kind of ancient formation that would allow him to gather Qi.


    The speed in which he set up his formation was too fast for it to be normal formation.


    However, being an experienced cultivator, Old Master Fan knew very well that it was a genuine Qi Gathering Formation. His keen senses told him that the dense aura of the Qi was gathered in the lake.


    This is��


    Lu Jian was also stumped but knowing that they had once experienced this, he pushed down all questions and grinned. "Of course, Your Highness. Leave it to me!"


    "This is Fan Family but you''re the one who''s handling this?" Fan Ling glared at Lu Jian.


    "If it''s left to you, do you really think that you can do it?" Lu Jian passed a glance at Fan Ling as if challenging her.

 Chapter 396: Lin Xiao’s Marriage

    "If it''s left to you, do you really think that you can do it?" Lu Jian passed a glance at Fan Ling as if challenging her.


    Fan Ling glared at Lu Jian, but she also knew that it was true. When it came to deal with something like this, Lu Jian was much better than her. However, how could she possibly take this lying down?


    "Hmph, if you really want to guard this place, enter Golden Core Stage 1 first, idiot!"


    Lu Jian was stumped then his face turned awkward��. Right, he was still at Foundation Stage and certainly couldn''t be compared to the others. Looking at the other three looking in his way�� he vowed to make his breakthrough to Golden Core Stage before it was the time for the battle ranking.


    There should be enough time.


    "In the meantime, what do you want to do, Your Highness?"


    "Get married, of course." Lin Xiao grinned. He didn''t want other people to covet what was his, so he wanted to make her his first.


    The others were stumped and Princess Lan Yi Hua was looking at Lin Xiao speechlessly. How in the world did he come to that decision so quickly just like that? But it was not like they were not planning this for quite some time.


    "Do you want to make it grand?" Fan Ling asked quietly.


    "That''s��" Lin Xiao looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua, asking for her opinion. Princess Lan Yi Hua would be deciding on this because he didn''t really care whether a wedding was grand or not. In his opinion, as long as he could get her, it was all good.


    On the other hand, Princess Lan Yi Hua might have different opinion since marriage was an important matter for a woman. In that case, he better just waited for her opinion.


    "Just make it simple." Princess Lan Yi Hua passed a look at Lin Xiao and smiled faintly. What was the use of making it grand when she was still having such a low reputation? There was no need for her to ask others to come and mock her because her wedding ceremony was grand. It was already good enough for her if she could stay with Lin Xiao legally.


    "Alright. Time to prepare it, boys."


    "I''m a girl!" Fan Ling complained.


    "Oh, whatever."


    Seeing that Fan Ling was getting ready to ask for a spar with Lin Xiao, Lin Yun quickly stopped her from doing that. He smiled bitterly at the thought that this fiery girl was still losing his temper.


    Lu Jian looked at the lake for a moment. "Is it fine to leave the lake as it is?"


    "Don''t worry, if they didn''t have your or mine permission, they can''t use it." Lin Xiao grinned. He had set the restriction for the lake. With the restriction, no one would be able to use it.


    Adding words of explanation to the pool would make it only eligible for those whom Lu Jian allowed to come inside. Besides, since Lu Jian also lacked time in the training pool because the time was up back then, this would help him to advance to Golden Core Stage faster.


    Hearing his words, the drooling elders on the side felt as if there was a bucket of water splashed on top of their head, dousing all their imagination. They were thinking of being able to use this lake since it would take a few more weeks before Lin Xiao officially entered three years in the academy.


    But��


    Now that he said that there was a restriction, it meant that they wouldn''t be able to use it.


    Lin Xiao noticed them and he grinned. He patted Fan Ling. "If you want your family members to be able to use it, you can ask for permission from Lu Jian. But of course, there has to be payment."


    Fan Ling''s eyes shone when she heard what Lin Xiao said. She knew that this would be another method that they could use in order for her to be able to fully lead the Fan Family. Since he had given her such a good weapon, she had to use it well.


    "Rest assured Your Highness."


    "Let''s go."


    "Grandfather, I''ll be leaving first." Fan Ling still couldn''t stay here for a long time since she hadn''t stayed for three years in Sun Dragon Academy. After she had finished with the ranking battle, she would surely return back to her family mansion and began to learn everything that was necessary.


    The group left the Fan Family while the elders were still looking at each other. One of them sighed. "Young Miss really have good eyes."


    Old Master Fan nodded while caressing his long beard. He thought that the little girl would only end up in countless troubles. Little did he expect that she would end up getting the attention of one of the princes'' brother.


    And maybe even securing high position in the future.


    "I just hope that lass could be happy."


    ��


    As they headed to the mansion where Lin Xiao was staying, Princess Lan Yi Hua looked like she was deep in thought. There must be something that was inside her mind since she didn''t usually fell into deep thought randomly.


    "Hmm."


    "Is there anything in your mind, Yi Hua?"


    "There''ll be a banquet with Hua Lan Kingdom in a few more months. I''m worried about that matter."


    Banquet?


    Originally, Lin Xiao would not be invited to those kinds of events. But with his current identity as a prince and also Princess Lan Yi Hua''s fianc��e, he would have to participate and show his face there much to his annoyance.


    "Well, it didn''t really matter that much. When will the banquet will be held?"


    "It should be in three months."


    "Well, Phoenix Inheritance is not long after the banquet, right? Once you get it, everyone will try to get you." Lin Xiao held a helpless expression. He didn''t want other people to covet what was his, so he wanted to make her his first.

 Chapter 397: Lin Xiao’s Marriage (2)

    "Well, Phoenix Inheritance is not long after the banquet, right? Once you get it, everyone will try to get you." Lin Xiao held a helpless expression.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao. "You''re so confident that I''ll get it?"


    "If not you, who else?"


    In his eyes, the most suitable one for the Phoenix Inheritance will be Princess Lan Yi Hua. Besides, Lin Hu did look at this princess back then when he was talking about a large amount of ancient power.


    Since Lan Yi Hua''s ancestor got Phoenix Blood, he thought that the power within her was not dragon power but instead Phoenix. Since she already had such affinity, it should be her who got the inheritance by the end of the ceremony.


    "You''re really." Princess Lan Yi Hua put her hands around Lin Xiao and kissed him deeply. Of course, Lin Xiao would not waste this chance and responded before taking over, ravaging her mouth violently.


    *cough* *cough*


    "Brother, can you please jut get a room for yourself?" Lin Yun asked with a bitter smile. Did his brother forgot that he and Fan Ling were still following them?


    Even though Lin Xiao was reluctant to release her, Princess Lan Yi Hua jabbed his stomach as if telling him to stop. He had to stop and then looked at his younger brother with a scowl. Couldn''t he just pretend that he didn''t see anything?


    However, he could see that there were other people there, so he didn''t press the matter any longer.


    "Anyway, I''ll come to your residence soon."


    "En."


    ��


    Their marriage was set two weeks afterwards in a simple ceremony. The reason why it was set to be simple was because Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t want to bring her parents over for the ceremony. They never treated her as their daughter, so asking them to come was not really something she wanted.


    Lin Xiao did as she wanted and the three princes helped him covered the matter. By the time the Emperor heard the news, it was already too late.


    They had simply asked for permission by sending a letter to inform them about the matter.


    "But really, I can''t believe that he only asked us to be the guests," Lu Jian commented when he saw the scarce people in Lin Xiao''s small residence.


    Lin Yun pointed to the living room. "With so little space, do you really think that they could invite a lot of people to come here?"


    "Well, no."


    "But it''s still so small!" Prince Lin San was not content with the arrangement. He thought that if it was Lin Xiao, the one who would become the Emperor, his wedding should have been very grand and lively. This wedding was just like a drop in a bucket and didn''t really attract that much news.


    Well, the red decoration was everywhere, though.


    That was the only indication that there was a wedding ceremony held in Lin Xiao''s residence at this time.


    Lin Xiao was dressed in red robe. the color that was usually only reserved for royalty and during marriage. He brought Princess Lan Yi Hua came inside to his residence, which was actually also hers since they didn''t bother buying another one. Normally, the bride would be brought with carriage and following it, they did prepare it and used it, albeit only for a few breaths of time.


    The groom brought the bride out then they would stand to perform the three bows. Since Lin Xiao''s parents have already passed away, they used memorial stone while skipping the one for Princess Lan Yi Hua''s parents.


    Afterwards, the two of them would head to the bridal chamber. Of course, Lin Xiao had to come out and be forced to drink by his friends first.


    "Come on, time to drink a lot!" Lin Yun brought out a glass.


    Lu Jian nodded. "We won''t let you off until you''re drunk!"


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Are you sure that you can make me drunk? Do you forget how cultivators are tolerant of alcohol?"


    Even when they were still at Body Training, their body had developed some resistance to alcohol. Now that they were already at Golden Core Stage�� how many gallons of wine would be needed to make Lin Xiao drunk?


    The others couldn''t imagine it.


    "Just drink." Prince Lin San finally shoved the wine. They had already bought some strong wine, but whether it would make Lin Xiao drunk was another question.


    "Alright, alright."


    Complying to the others, Lin Xiao kept on drinking. However, he could see that those at Foundation Establishment had gotten drunk first even though they didn''t drink as much as him.


    In the end, even Lin Yun gave up when he felt a bit tipsy. "Damn you, your resistance is too high, Brother."


    "That means you lack practice."


    Fan Ling scoffed and then nudged Lin Yun, asking him to stop. He had already looked quite bad because of drinking and they still needed to stay alert, so getting drunk completely was out of the question.


    Inside Lin Xiao, Lin Hu scoffed when he saw how Lin Xiao bluffed his way. The reason why he didn''t get drunk was because of the Nourishing Qi Technique, which was also useful to keep the body sober. It would also be effective against low level poison, which make it harder to poison Lin Xiao.


    But of course, for some other poisons, he had to develop his own resistance first.


    "I''ll be going then~."


    Walking to the bridal chamber, he could see Princess Lan Yi Hua had been waiting for him. She was sitting patiently as he approached and tugged the veil open. Her breathtaking face was visible to his eyes as he smiled happily. A blush was also formed on her cheek as she looked back at him, her eyes were also smiling.


    His hand moved to open the hairpin on her head before he kissed her deeply, unwilling to let her go. The two of them continued to entangle themselves on the bed as they enjoyed each other''s presence.

 Chapter 398: Lin Xiao’s Marriage (3)

    The next morning, Lin Xiao continued his practice as usual. This time, Princess Lan Yi Hua was accompanying him and also followed him in the practice. Even though their movements were different, they still could spar with each other.


    So when Lin Yun and the others came to visit, the scene they saw was the couple sparring against each other.


    "Did you have to much fun at night that you end up sparring at the morning?" Lin Yun asked speechlessly.


    Prince Lin Xian, who had purposely taken the time to visit too, was amused when he saw the two of them already diligently train again. "It couldn''t be that Lin Xiao was so bad that he can''t satisfy her, right?"


    "Eh? There''s no way he''ll be lacking in that depart��"


    Bang!


    The Chilling Lake Sword Qi nearly penetrated through Lin Yun''s hand if only he was not fast enough. Looking at his brother who was annoyed, he smiled and waved his hand. "Brother, how are you?"


    "Pretty good." Lin Xiao put his sword down and looked at his older brother with arched eyebrows. "What are you doing here?"


    "Did you forget that in the morning the bride had to greet the groom''s parents? Well, since our parents have died, I choose to come over to give her the red packet." Prince Lin Xian was speechless at Lin Xiao''s lack of knowledge. But thinking about it more, he knew that his younger brother didn''t live in the upper society for so long. Probably this kind of matter was not that common in the village��


    It can''t be, right?


    The tradition should have been the same everywhere.


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes then looked at Lin Yun, who tried his best to not laugh. There was indeed that tradition in the village but since he was still a youngster back then, why would he care about such things?


    He never paid much attention to it because it was not useful.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled bitterly at Lin Xiao''s lack of knowledge. She tugged his sleeve while looking at Prince Lin Xian and Lin Yun. "I''ll bring the tea over. Please have a seat."


    "Yes!"


    "Your wife is the best!"


    Lin Xiao shot a glare to the two of them, which shut them off. Prince Lin San came when Princess Lan Yi Hua was still preparing tea and seated himself too. Before long, Princess Lan Yi Hua came out and served tea for them as they gave the red packets to her.


    Usually it would be jewelries for ordinary people but since they were all cultivators, the two of them prepared weapons and materials. Prince Lin Yan also sent some High Grade Spirit Stones over for Princess Lan Yi Hua as his gift that he delivered through Prince Lin Xian since he couldn''t attend in person.


    "Do you really have to come in person?" Lin Xiao asked curiously as he also sat down.


    "It''s called etiquette! Etiquette! Do you not know how to be polite with each other?" Prince Lin Xian was speechless. He waved his hand. "Forget it, you''re as idiot as ever."


    Lin Xiao scowled when he heard what his brother said.


    Lin Xian smiled. He didn''t come just because Lin Xiao got married obviously. "After the arena battles, the Emperor will welcome guests from Jade Snow Kingdom and Bing Yue kingdom. You and Prince Lin Hong will be appointed to welcome them."


    "What?" Lin Xiao was stunned. He thought that he could finally relax a bit but now, out of nowhere, came such an astounding piece of news.


    This��


    "Are you sure you''re not wrong? I''m not a person who knew etiquette well." Lin Xiao was obviously stunned by this.


    Prince Lin Xian shook his head. "Unfortunately, this is the truth. There will be a lot of people who wants to see you fail of course, but I''m sure that you will be able to deal with them well."


    "That''s what you said but every kingdom must have different traditions. Are you expecting me to be able to memorize everything completely and act in accordance?" Lin Xiao was speechless. He was a cultivator and not politician, ah! How was he supposed to do that?


    "It''s not necessary for you to know all of them." Prince Lin Xian laughed. "However, I would like to remind you to keep polite demeanor. As for the banquet preparation, I''ll handle it."


    "Can you?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Prince Lin Xian nodded. "I''m here to inform you so that you''ll be prepared. The one who will prepare the banquet were naturally not the four princes who had a chance to contend for the crown prince''s position but the other princes under them or even the princess."


    Hearing that, Lin Xiao subconsciously turned to look at Lin Yun. Even though Lin Yun was growing up in the small village, it didn''t erase the fact that he was also of Royalty and naturally a prince.


    "Yes, he can help too."


    Lin Yun took a deep breath. "Brother, let me help so that I can familiarize myself with it. While I might not be able to help much regarding the protocol whatsoever, I''m sure that I can make sure that the foods are not poisoned."


    Lin Xiao nodded in agreement. When it come to medicine and poison, other than Wenren Yu, he only trusted Lin Yun. These two were really good at medicine and poison.


    "In that case, I''ll leave it to you."


    "I''ll do my best."


    At this point, Princess Lan Yi Hua had returned. Her eyes flickered when she saw them as she smiled faintly. "The teachers are also sending us message, telling us to prepare ourselves for the arena battles in a month''s time."


    "Got it."


    "The banquet will be held a few months afterwards. It seems that my Imperial Father is also preparing for a grand celebration." Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes held mocking expression. It was clear that she knew her father would surely want to use that banquet to announce to the world about Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s participation in the Phoenix inheritance along with the man who was chosen to be her fianc��.


    What a joke.

 Chapter 399: The Arena Battles

    "The banquet will be held a few months afterwards. It seems that my Imperial Father is also preparing for a grand celebration." Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes held mocking expression. It was clear that she knew her father would surely want to use that banquet to announce to the world about Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s participation in the Phoenix inheritance along with the man who was chosen to be her fianc��.


    What a joke.


    A hand came over and held her hand tightly. Lin Xiao''s face appeared before Princess Lan Yi Hua and before she knew it, he had pressed his lips onto her.


    Beside them, Prince Lin Xian was resisting the urge to slap his forehead. Did this younger brother of his really didn''t know etiquette? Why did he have to show off his love in front of him, ah?


    He already knew that they were married!


    That was f*cking enough!


    Lin Yun was also resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Thankfully, Fan Ling was not here because she was busy training while Lu Jian was also fighting with time in order to breakthrough to Golden Core Stage. If they were also here, he was sure that they would all have the same urge to beat up Lin Xiao so badly that his face would be unrecognizable.


    Stop torturing singles like them, alright?


    "Xiao��" Princess Lan Yi Hua called out when Lin Xiao retreated. Her cheeks were slightly flushed.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be with you. They won''t be able to look down on you ever again in the future," Lin Xiao promised. He grinned.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s fingers no longer clasped as she instead held Lin Xiao''s hand. A smile formed at the corner of her lips. A married daughter was like a thrown water and for the rest of her life, she would be following her husband instead of returning back to her family.


    They didn''t matter to her anymore. She nodded slightly. "Yes."


    "Brother�� now that it''s done, can we return back to the matter in hand?" Lin Yun smiled with a dark expression. Could these two please spare singles like them and not show off so much?"


    *cough*


    "Sorry, what are we talking about before?"


    "It''s about the arena battles now. What do you plan to do for the arena battles? The same as before?"


    "Ah?" Lin Xiao knew very well that before he didn''t care so much about his face since he only wanted to do whatever he wanted. But now that he had to build his prestige, he knew very well that he wouldn''t be able to do that anymore.


    "How''s the system?"


    "Elimination. There are only 1000 people and the higher the rank, the more reward you can get. Also, if someone above you is eliminated, your rank will be pushed down. It''s different from when you''ll directly replace that person and have your ranking far below the other party."


    "How much is the reward?" Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. From what he knew, Sun Dragon Academy was so stingy in the new student ranking before. Just how many Spirit Stones could they even offer?


    "The first place will get 1000 Spirit Stones per month and also 50 hours'' chance to study in either one of the rooms."


    "Rooms?" Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows.


    Prince Lin Xian nodded. "There are various types of room that you can borrow, including the library and also training room. In general, the places that many students wanted to go is the training room. It can be tailored to suit your cultivation and training there will give you double the result with half the effort."


    "Oh?"


    Now, Lin Xiao was interested. If he could get the first place and spend his time in that training room, wouldn''t it mean that his cultivation would also soar within a short period of time.


    Now the ranking didn''t seem to be so bad anymore.


    "If you didn''t want to use the training room, there''s also the tower where you can learn the formation and runes there. Of course, aside from getting it as the price from each month''s ranking, you can also obtain it by paying Spirit Stones or even exchanging treasure."


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Is it expensive?"


    Prince Lin Xian passed a look at his younger brother. "100 Spirit Stones for each hour in training room."


    100 Spirit Stones?


    Lin Xiao nearly vomited blood. He had already used up most of his money to buy the house and also to enhance himself. He wouldn''t be able to stay for a long period of time inside that training room no matter what he do.


    It seemed that he had to work harder and get rich if he wanted it.


    "As for the tower, it''s the same too. However, you can also get a chance to enter inside if there was a student who wanted to challenge the higher level. Of course, there''ll be test for those who want to be the tower guardian."


    In the past, Lin Xiao had also encountered such student. He didn''t think that it was that weird anymore and nodded his head.


    "How many students are there in Sun Dragon Academy?"


    "How many students?" Prince Lin Xian held a weird expression. "In your batch alone, there are around 600 students, and coupled with other who are already seniors, I think the number should be close to 5,000."


    5,000?


    Lin Xiao was stumped. The ranking was only for 1000 students, right?


    It meant that 80% of them wouldn''t even get any reward even after they become seniors?


    "Geniuses world are full of deaths." Prince Lin Xian looked solemn. "When you walk in this path, you have to be ready to walk on a path that''s filled with blood."


    "Heh, do you think I''m afraid?" Lin Xiao let out light laugh. He smiled mischievously. "Tell me the reward for other ranks first."


    "Oh. I better list it down for you in case you forget about it in the future."


    "Ok."

 Chapter 400: The Arena Battles (2)

    "Oh. I better list it down for you in case you forget about it in the future."


    "Ok."


    First place: get 1000 Spirit Stones per month and also 50 hours'' chance to study in either one of the rooms


    Second to fifth: get 900 Spirit Stones per month and also 45 hours'' chance to study in either one of the rooms


    Sixth to tenth: get 800 Spirit Stones per month and also 40 hours'' chance to study in either one of the rooms


    Eleventh to fifty: get 650 Spirit Stones per month and also 30 hours'' chance to study in either one of the rooms


    Fifty one to one hundred: get 500 Spirit Stones per month and also 20 hours'' chance to study in either one of the rooms


    One hundred one to five hundred: get 250 Spirit Stones per month and also 10 hours'' chance to study in either one of the rooms


    Five hundred one to one thousand: get 100 Spirit Stones per month and also 1 hours'' chance to study in either one of the rooms.


    Aside from that, those from the first to the fifty would be able to get a good residence that was rich in Qi. Those at fifty-one to two hundreds get a slightly better residence but not as good as those from the first to the fifty. And starting from two hundreds one to the five hundred would get a nice residence but quite normal. The rest would get a normal residence.


    And those outside the ranking would have to fork their own money to stay in the academy because they could stay in the dorm prepared but they have to pay.


    The difference was so huge that it really could make one wanted to cry.


    Lin Xiao looked at the list.


    "The last one�� only 1 hour?" Lin Xiao was utterly speechless when he saw that. What could they possibly do within one hour in the training room? It would surely not very beneficial for them.


    Prince Lin Xian let out a bitter smile. "Only the strong can get the resources. Do you think that Sun Dragon Academy will let you enjoy a lot of resources without working hard? Also, your ranking will reset each month, so you will have to be at the academy if you wish to enjoy the privilege."


    "How do they determine the ranking, then?" Lin Xiao asked in confusion.


    "They''ll use the previous month''s ranking but if there was someone who didn''t attend, their name will be crossed and thus the number of people who could be challenged will decrease." Prince Lin Xian looked at Lin Xiao. He was about to say more when his communication jade suddenly lit up.


    "Oh."


    "What is it?"


    "I have to go." Prince Lin Xian furrowed his brows. "Some people are creating ruckus and need my help."


    Lin Xiao waved his hand. "In that case, be careful."


    "Don''t worry. I''ll be fine."


    "Good."


    Lin Xiao didn''t see Prince Lin Xian off because he had to return back to the academy. He passed a look at Princess Lan Yi Hua. "Yi Hua, are you ready to show off some of your capabilities?"


    "Mhm?" Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes gleamed slightly before she let out a faint laugh. "Why not?"


    She had been hiding for such a long time. If she didn''t get some benefit from this ranking, it would be all for naught. But of course, she still couldn''t showcase her real ability completely and only get good enough ranking so that she would be able to use the rooms.


    There were some training rooms back in Hua Lan Kingdom but she didn''t have the time to enjoy it back then. Now, she wanted to try the one in Sun Kingdom.


    "Mhm, in that case, I should also prepare some surprise."


    When they all returned back to Sun Dragon Academy, they all stayed within their dorm in order to train.


    Thus time passed quietly.


    ��


    After a few more weeks, Lin Xiao and the others finally got out. The battle ranking had already started with the seniors and the people in their year was already crowded out because they were not as powerful as their seniors.


    "There are only this much?"


    "If you''re not powerful enough, your name won''t be written in the list and naturally, you won''t get any resources nor residence."


    "Oh. In that case, let''s begin our challenge."


    "Eh? Can''t we wait for Lu Jian first?"


    "It''s fine." Lin Xiao stretched his hand. He grinned lightly. "Make sure all of you can enter the top 1000, alright? I don''t want to fork money for you to rent a dorm."


    "Alright."


    Top 1000?


    It was quite easy.


    Most of the new students who were there were only at Foundation Establishment and only less than 30 of them were already at Golden Core Stages 1. The seniors who were there were also mostly only either at Golden Core Stage 1 or at Foundation Establishment.


    Those who were already at Golden Core Stage 2 were no longer eligible for the ranking.


    Because of that, it was mostly a battle of their battle skill and also comprehension. Amongst those 1000 students, Lin Xiao had noticed that only 70% of them were at Golden Core Stage 1.


    It was quite a lot but it was quite normal considering that many of them have been in the academy for years.


    "Are we not aiming for better position?" Fan Ling asked curiously. She had been honing her offense skill so far and naturally, she would have no qualms to try getting higher position.


    Lin Xiao shook his head. "Not this time."


    "This time?"


    "Do you still need so many resources? The ranking will only give you Spirit Stones and better residence. We can get it at any other time later. As for the training room, we won''t be able to stay in the Academy for a long time right now. Even if you get good position, you might not be able to use your privilege to the fullest."

 Chapter 401: The Arena Battles (3)

    Lack in Qi?


    They only needed to build a small pond inside the residence and Lin Xiao could make it to a lake filled with Qi. That would be much better than them having to fight against the others so much.


    Besides, those at Golden Core Stage only needed more Spirit Stone not for their own use but to exchange for classes. Lin Xiao had no intention of taking the paid classes and would just opt for the free one.


    In addition, it would be the time for the Phoenix Inheritance battle soon.


    The training ground would be a bit a waste though, but they all had just reached the Golden Core Stage 1 and needed to settle their cultivation first. Princess Lan Yi Hua and Lin Xiao might still be able to use the training ground more effectively but Lin Yun still needed to familiarize himself with his own skill, so having a residence was enough since there was also an ordinary training room inside.


    Lu Jian would have only reached Golden Core Stage 1 and naturally would need to train himself first. A residence would be enough. Han Jiang�� prefer real missions rather than those rooms since he liked to see blood. Xia Ye had too many secrets and couldn''t train effectively under surveillances.


    Fan Ling would return back to Fan Family after getting some Spirit Stones. She and Lu Jian would then take care of that pond.


    "Damn, and here I thought that I can be a full fledge student again." Han Jiang sighed and felt that it was really too bad.


    "Right, where''s Xia Ye?" Fan Ling hadn''t seen the young man again after returning back to Sun Dragon Academy. She thought that he was missing but the teacher told her that he had reported back from mission.


    "He''s outside now since he''s already three years here." Lin Xiao chuckled.


    "Why?"


    "Why?" Lin Xiao tilted his head as his eyes gleamed. That was obviously because Xia Ye had to train in missions but his missions couldn''t be the ordinary mission that he took from the academy. Instead, it was killing mission that was required for him to grow much stronger.


    "He needs a different method to grow stronger."


    "Oh."


    That answer was already more than enough for them. Lin Xiao stretched his hand then walked to the stage. "I''m going to fight first."


    "Who are you going to challenge?"


    "Hmm, whoever deem me worthwhile their time."


    The others were speechless by Lin Xiao''s words. Why did it sound as if Lin Xiao didn''t mind whoever he had to fight in the arena? Seriously?


    But before Lin Xiao could step onto the arena, he heard his name called.


    "Lin Xiao!"


    Lin Xiao heard the call and turned around. A smile formed on his lips when he saw Prince Lin San, who had finally returned. Looking at the aura around his body, it was clear that he had advanced to Golden Core Stage.


    Golden Core Stage at mere 20/21 years old already made him one of the forefront genius.


    Of course, Lin Xiao hadn''t revealed that he was also at Golden Core Stage yet. Only some of them who had keen senses had realized that he was already at Golden Core Stage by this point.


    "Third Brother, you''re finally back."


    Prince Lin San nodded. He was surprised at Lin Xiao''s address to him but soon, he was happy. "First Brother had settled the matter?"


    "Yep, don''t you already know that when you welcome me back then?"


    "I don''t know. I''m a bit busy lately." Prince Lin San shrugged.


    Lin Xiao then recalled that Prince Lin San had to settle the matter of his followers. In addition, it seemed that Prince Lin San had quiet some gain from the Secret Region back then.


    It would be more than enough for the time being.


    "I would like to catch up with you, but I want to stretch a bit in the arena."


    "Oh?" Prince Lin San smiled faintly. "I would like to challenge you too but I guess you would not be interested in my low ranking."


    "Do you participate in the ranking last month?"


    "Yeah, just to keep the residence, though." Prince Lin San shrugged. He simply attended then left again, so his ranking was hovering in 900 something. He hadn''t had the time to challenge those above him and now that he was already at Golden Core Stage 1, it was clear that he would want to start fighting.


    "I''ll start first, then."


    Lin Xiao walked to the stage and looked at the other person in the arena. He didn''t know who it was but he knew that the other party was a cultivator at Golden Core Stage 1.


    "Who are you? Do you also want to challenge me?"


    "I just want to get into the ranking and have good position." Lin Xiao smiled. "I''m a new student, my name is Lin Xiao."


    Lin Xiao?


    Most of them naturally knew this name. The name that had been discussed greatly for the past few weeks have been Lin Xiao and Lin Xiao alone.


    The student was stunned but he soon beamed. It seemed that his luck was really good to be able to meet with Lin Xiao in this battle. If he could defeat Lin Xiao, wouldn''t it mean that his name would be discussed greatly as someone who defeated a prince?


    That would be very good.


    "In that case, I accept your challenge!"


    "Alright."


    Lin Xiao stretched his hand as he was also curious just how much his skill would he be able to use effectively. This time, his aim was not to kill his opponent but to defeat him.


    Hmm�� he should be able to do it, right?


    "Start!"


    The moment the referee said that, Lin Xiao had disappeared from his position as the other students had appeared before him and punched forward.


    The student was startled that his sneak attack missed but he sensed Lin Xiao was diagonal back of him. He swiftly raised his leg and kicked backwards.


    Bang!

 Chapter 402: The Arena Battles (4)

    The student was startled that his sneak attack missed but he sensed Lin Xiao was diagonal back of him. He swiftly raised his leg and kicked backwards.


    Bang!


    It hit the air.


    Lin Xiao had disappeared once more. The student was annoyed but he used his senses as he retracted his position. His hand began to form seals as he scanned his surroundings and noticed that Lin Xiao had somehow ended up at the other end of the arena.


    How in the world Lin Xiao moved that fast?


    At this time, Lin Xiao was watching the student carefully as he wanted to know the level of skill of students in Sun Dragon Academy. But looking at how the students were using complicated seals that might take a long time, Lin Xiao''s expression turned strange.


    Swish!


    Before the student could finish his seal, a kick appeared before him. He tried to block but the angle was one that he wouldn''t be able to defend easily.


    Bang!


    In just one move, he had landed outside the arena.


    ''Weak��''


    ''That''s because you''re already used to extreme battles thanks to your first brother.'' Lin Hu scoffed. Without those life and death battles that Lin Xiao was subjected to, Lin Hu was sure that the one who would be lying on the ground would be Lin Xiao.


    After all, without sufficient experience, it would be hard for ordinary people to compete with real geniuses. Life and death battles were proven to be the best method to allow someone to grow much faster.


    And that was how Lin Xiao could end up much stronger like this.


    ''Well, that didn''t change the fact that I''ll be able to rise in ranks, right?'' Lin Xiao grinned slightly.


    Lin Hu scoffed once more. ''Don''t grow complacent. If you''re being too proud of yourself, you''ll end up dying the next minute.''


    ''I know.''


    Lin Xiao looked at the student who was looking at him with disbelief before turning to the referee. The referee seemed to understand as he quickly announced. "Lin Xiao won the battle, thus he''s now rank 860."


    860?


    It was still pretty low. Lin Xiao stretched his hand then eyed the other students in other arena. It seemed that he would have to fight a few more battles.


    After three more battles, Lin Xiao was officially at the rank of 577 and it was also at this time Lu Jian came to the arena. He looked proud of himself since he managed to reach Golden Core Stage 1 after training tirelessly.


    But then he realized that no one was paying attention to him.


    "Hey, are you not surprised by my new rank?" Lu Jian complained.


    The others passed a look at him then they returned back their attention to the arena. Lin Xiao had just defeated his opponent and walked down. Those who were below the rank 500 were not a big deal to him.


    "You might want to set your target higher after all the warm up." Princess Lan Yi Hua passed a pill to Lin Xiao. It was the Qi replenishment pill that many cultivators used and also the teacher prepared for them. They all already knew that during the last few days, the battle would be intense.


    Thus, they prepared the Qi Replenishment Pill for after the battle and they only needed to pay with 1 Spirit Stones.


    Each person was only limited to 3 pills before they had to pay the normal price of 10 Spirit Stones per pill.


    "You''re right. Do you want to try?"


    "Hmm sure."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua then challenged the one at the position above Lin Xiao, who also forfeited. He didn''t want to offend Lin Xiao and even though he didn''t know the princess'' real power, he had no intention to fight.


    Looking at her opponent, Princess Lan Yi Hua blinked her eyes then turned to look at Lin Xiao and the others. "That''s�� not my intention."


    "Well, it''s good that you''re in 576 rank now." The others laughed.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was helpless and she shook her head. Anyway, it was good that she didn''t have to fight bitterly and show her real power yet. With this ranking, it meant that she would be able to get a residence.


    That was good enough.


    "Well, shall we also try?"


    "I doubt you''ll be as lucky as her." Lin Xiao shook his head.


    As he had thought, the other had to fight when it was their turn. However, they didn''t aim for high rank and only around 600 to 700, which was why the battle was not that fierce. In fact, neither one of them showed their real power.


    The students at this rank couldn''t force them to use their real ability.


    "This is the first time I feel that the training given to us is really good." Han Jiang swung his axe happily. Fighting to protect the lake from those greedy people were proven to be very good as he continued to surpass his limit. Now, he didn''t have any problems defeating those at Golden Core Stage 1.


    The feelings were really good.


    "Don''t get complacent too easily." Lu Jian walked down the stage after using his bad voice to win the battle. The opponent was struck dumb when they heard his bad singing and immediately forfeited.


    What a joke, his voice alone was more than enough to cause destruction in their opinion.


    "But this is not fun." Fan Ling pursed her lips. She had scorched her opponent so badly that the latter ran off the stage hurriedly in order to not be burned to death. She wanted a proper opponent who could face her off.


    "If you want something fun." Lin Xiao thought for a moment. "Come with me during the meeting with those from other kingdoms. You''ll have to fight overnight."


    Overnight?


    The others instantly knew that he was talking about assassins. But thinking that it would be a real battle, they were all pumped up.


    "Of course!"

 Chapter 403: The Arena Battles (5)

    Fan Ling was now fired up. Looking at how Fan Ling was excited to beat up people, Lin Yun was utterly speechless. He could only sigh and reminded Fan Ling to be careful.


    Lin Xiao sighed and looked at Prince Lin San who was watching from the side. From time to time, his eyes would turn golden, the mark that show he was actually using his ability to inspect the students there.


    As someone who didn''t have much advantage in fight, Prince Lin San''s advantage came from the fact that he would be able to easily found his opponents'' weakness. It was why when dealing with him, they had to defeat him fast.


    If he found a loophole, they would be doomed.


    "Don''t you want to fight too, Third Brother?"


    "But of course!"


    Unlike Lin Xiao and the others who only aimed for the rest, Prince Lin San immediately challenged those at higher position. He was already at rank 900 something, so now he challenged someone who was at rank 447.


    The student looked at Prince Lin San. He cupped his fist. "To be challenged by Your Highness, it''s my honor."


    "Let''s start."


    "Yes."


    The referee was looking at the two of them then he waved his hand, instructing for the battle to begin.


    Swish!


    The young man didn''t hesitate at all as he moved towards Prince Lin San. His eyes gleamed with ruthlessness as he moved swiftly. From the very moment, his punch directly aimed towards Prince Lin San''s abdomen.


    Prince Lin San was still smiling as usual before his body suddenly jerked. His eyes were gleaming in gold color and afterwards, he waved his sleeve in extremely casual manner.


    Slash!


    But the young man didn''t think that it was casual at all because he could see that there was a new gash on his shoulder. The wound was deep enough to cause him bleed but not enough to stop the fight.


    "You��" The young man then swiftly moved once more. This time, several knives suddenly appeared in his hand before he threw it towards Prince Lin San''s direction. At the same time, fire suddenly sparked from the ground and also on the surface of the knives.


    Each of the knives were heading towards vital point of Prince Lin San.


    But those who were watching were not worried at all. Sneak attack was the most useless type of attack when facing Prince Lin San. With his Eyes of Truth, he could definitely tell if someone wanted to sneak attack at him and thought of the best countermeasure at the shortest time possible.


    Thus��


    Peng! Peng! Peng!


    All of the knives stopped midair as if there was some kind of barrier blocking them. This move was the defensive move that Prince Lin San was most proficient in.


    Air Dragon Shield.


    It could effectively block attack as long as it was not above his win manipulation ability. It was also thanks to this ability of his that he managed to stay alive in many of his life and death battle in the arena.


    The student was still punching forward as his fist was covered in flames.


    But unfortunately.


    Swish! Slash!


    Prince Lin San easily used his Air Dragon Shield to push the punch to the side while he moved to the other side. At the same time, his sleeve rushed forward.


    Air Dragon Shield!


    Dragon Sleeve Sword!


    The two skills were used almost simultaneously and the student was unable to block it in time. The sword nearly cut off his arms as it cut deep gash on his hand, reaching his bone. Blood flowed out like a waterfall while the youth decisively stepped back, his eyes reflected fear.


    "I give up!"


    "Huh, you retreated quite fast." Prince Lin San looked at the youth and nodded before laughed faintly. He then stretched his hand then looked at the referee.


    "Prince Lin San win the battle. His rank is now 447."


    After it was announced, Prince Lin San didn''t even bother to stay even a second longer on the arena as he jumped down. Today was the last day of the arena battles. In truth, the so called arena battles would only last for three days but the last day was always so fierce.


    Sometimes, the result could even change so swiftly that no one could believe it.


    "That person aim to kill you," Lin Xiao said in solemn tone.


    "I know."


    "Why?"


    "He''s from Prince Lin Bo Wang''s faction." Lu Jian was the one to answer the question. He looked at Lin Xiao with a bitter smile. "Do you not properly investigate the seniors before you come here?"


    "��.No."


    Where in the world would Lin Xiao even have the time and energy to investigate the seniors? There were thousands of them and he was not someone who was good at searching for information. Rather than torturing himself, it would be better for him to spend his time training.


    Prince Lin San let out a laugh. "Don''t worry, I''m only here to create some troubles for them. After all, they''re also seeking trouble for us."


    "Hmm." Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows before he nodded faintly. That seemed to be the case. Prince Lin Fei and Prince Lin Bo Wang were the two most likely people to obtain the position of Crown Prince. With him appearing out of nowhere, it was clear that they would be searching for trouble.


    "But it''ll be good for you if you have good relationship with some other princes." Prince Lin San looked at Lin Xiao helplessly. He and his two brothers definitely couldn''t do everything by themselves.


    "The other princes?" Lin Xiao was speechless. It was then he recalled that the current Sun Dragon have more than 100 princes��


    How in the world was he supposed to build good connection with those people? Just the thought that he would have to spend a long of time to talk with them already make him have a headache.


    "This�� do you have any good idea?"

 Chapter 404: The Arena Battles (6)

    Prince Lin San was amused when he saw Lin Xiao''s lifeless expression. He shook his head. "Rather than poaching them, it''ll be better to lure them in. Why don''t you show some of your skills? I''m sure that in a few days, some will come to see you."


    There were some princes in Sun Dragon Academy who would naturally pay close attention to the arena. They normally lived by being low key as they were afraid of attracting trouble but it was clear that they would also have to search for the right person to support.


    If they chose the wrong person, they would immediately die when the battle of succession was over.


    "Hmm, that''s a good��."


    "Sister, do you want to have a spar?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes narrowed when she heard that nauseating voice. She slowly turned her body around and saw her younger sister stood there with a bright smile on her face. If she had to be honest, she really wanted to puke on top of Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s face.


    That expression was so fake!


    "I''m not interested."


    The challenger and the one who were challenged have the right to refuse. Naturally, they could not refuse all the battles that were thrown to their faces. However, being new person who entered the ranking, Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t have any obligation to entertain others who wanted to take her rank.


    She was allowed to refuse up to three people.


    Thus, Princess Lan Yi Hua was decisive in declining Princess Lan Xiao Yue.


    Hearing the swift answer, even Princess Lan Xiao Yue was taken aback. Right afterwards, her lips formed a sneer. "Imperial Sister, are you afraid?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t answer her and merely took Lin Xiao''s hand before she leaned her head. "I''m tired."


    "Then you should rest." Lin Xiao was cooperative as he held Princess Lan Yi Hua close to him and glared at Princess Lan Xiao Yue. Since he had already become Princess Lan Yi Hua''s husband, it was only right for him to protect her.


    Seeing that, Princess Lan Xiao Yue was taken aback before she put on a pitiful expression on her face. From any angle people saw her, they would only see a white lotus girl who was very pitiful and easily invoke pity in their heart.


    "She didn''t want to battle with you. If you want to fight, I��"


    "Your Highness, it''s below you to fight with someone like her. if she wanted to fight, I can entertain her!" Fan Ling interrupted and said in righteous manner. She had already gotten a rank, albeit not too high. And as someone who proclaimed herself as someone who followed Lin Xiao, how could she let this chance to vent her anger go?


    There was no way Lin Xiao would stop her from pummeling this woman into ashes, right?


    The thought was so good in her mind that she couldn''t help but form an even more beautiful smile on her face.


    Not far from them, Lin Yun noticed the woman''s expression and his body shuddered a bit. He knew very well that whenever Fan Ling had that beautiful smile, she must be up to something no good. He could only silently lit a candle to Princess Lan Xiao Yue who came at the wrong time.


    "In that case, I''ll entertain you." Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s eyes shone with ruthless light. She was trying to make things difficult for Princess Lan Yi Hua but since her attempt had failed, she could just direct it to this arrogant woman.


    Hmph!


    Does she think that she was someone just because she followed that arrogant country bumpkin? Fan Ling was nothing more than an arrogant young lady of the Fan Family who didn''t have any worth!


    Swish!


    The two girls landed on the arena while Lu Jian was lamenting at the bottom. "I also want to challenge her. Fan Ling is moving too fast!"


    Lin Yun looked at Lu Jian. "Do you want to create a name for yourself as woman''s bully?"


    "That doesn''t really matter, does it?" Lu Jian then looked at Lin Yun. He shook his head lightly. "It''s not like I have good reputation anyway."


    That sentence��


    Didn''t seem to be untrue.


    After listening to some other students, Lin Yun naturally knew that Lu Jian''s reputation was not that good because this young man had often scammed others for information. Most of the time, they would not realize that they had unknowingly shared some vital information.


    It was only later on that they realized what they had said.


    But they could not take it back. And if they attempted to beat Lu Jian up, he would release the news of their weakness to their opponents��. Thus the one who suffer would be the student who tried to beat Lu Jian up.


    It was thanks to this that in terms of gathering information and affecting students, Lu Jian was clearly placed at the top.


    No one among the student dared to claim first if he said that he was second.


    "Leave it to her."


    "Why?"


    "Because when it comes to beating b*tches, I''m sure that Fan Ling is the best." Lin Yun smiled wryly.


    This time, it was Lu Jian''s turn to be speechless.


    And this sentence��


    Also didn''t seem to be untrue. He had long heard of Fan Ling infamous reputation back then and how much she had created trouble. That young woman even dared to beat up some other noble ladies.


    So what if the other party was a princess?


    If she was not careful enough, she might end up disfigured because of facing the reckless Fan Ling.


    "Right��"


    At this moment, the two women were already staying at the arena. The referee was looking at the two of them before he shouted, "Start!"


    BANG!


    Loud explosion could be heard almost instantly as a figure flashed from one side to the other side. Princess Lan Xiao Yue was looking at Fan Ling in front of her with ruthless glint.


    To think that there was someone who dared to sneak attack on her!

 Chapter 405: The Arena Battles (7)

    Bang!


    Soon afterwards, flames began to dance in the arena as the two girls were both using fire elements. Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s movement was elegant as she controlled the fire element to aid her in attacking Fan Ling. On the other hand, Fan Ling''s movement was very lively as she appeared and disappeared very quickly.


    Fire Storm Wind!


    Fire Gale!


    The two girls both unleased their techniques as the scorching temperature began to spread outside. The referee had no other choice but to activate the shield in order to protect the spectator.


    Many of them were still at Foundation Establishment.


    Clearly, the fight of two women at Golden Core Stage 1 could even spell their death if they were not careful enough.


    Bang!


    The two girls fought in the middle. Fan Ling''s eyes gleamed as her fan began to flutter. At this moment, her movement suddenly began to be even faster.


    "This��" Some students who were watching were stunned.


    "It''s Fan Family''s Great Skill!"


    "F*ck! Are you saying that Fan Ling can already use it even though she''s only at Golden Core Stage 1?"


    "I thought that the perquisite to learn it is Golden Core Stage 2?"


    Flames began to rapidly spread from Fan Ling at the center, creating violent storm. At this moment, her eyes had long turned into red color as she stared at Princess Lan Xiao Yue as if she was looking at an ant.


    "Die!" Fan Ling shouted.


    Fan Family Ultimate Technique, The Raging Storm, First move!


    BANG!


    Sound of explosion could be heard as Princess Lan Xiao Yue raised her hand and began to use the strongest defensive skill she could muster. At this moment, Princess Lan Xiao Yue really wanted to curse under her breath.


    To think that this spoiled daughter of the Fan Family could use the move.


    And without any preparation beforehand to boot!


    Wasn''t this the same as saying that Fan Family had already produced another genius who was only 20 or so years of age but already so powerful?


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s face turned awful at the thought but she was simply focusing on fending off the storm in front of her right now.


    Hold on!


    Hold on!


    She had to hold on!


    But at this time, Princess Lan Xiao Yue knew that she wouldn''t be able to hold on. The jewelry she used suddenly shine as a shield formed around her body, completely blocked off the attack from Fan Ling.


    BOOM!


    Still, the impact pushed Princess Lan Xiao Yue nearly off the stage. She gritted her teeth with unwillingness but she knew that from the moment one used life saving items, it meant that they had forfeited the battle.


    "Princess Lan Xiao Yue had lost the battle. Fan Ling retained her rank," the referee looked at the commotion and couldn''t help but took a deep breath. For a moment, he felt as if he was looking at another youth from Fan Family who had made a commotion just a few years prior.


    Was the Fan Family truly managed to procure another genius out of nowhere?


    Many already knew that Fan Ling was talented but because she was a spoiled and very arrogant girl, they didn''t really think much of her. But now that Fan Ling showed she had high comprehension, many began to think otherwise.


    "You lost." Fan Ling looked at Princess Lan Xiao Yue and smiled smugly. "You can''t even defeat me, how can you have the cheek to try battling my Master?"


    Master?


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue was looking at Fan Ling with cold expression but she didn''t have the face to stand on the arena any longer. Right now, she was thoroughly humiliated and she knew that this would be a stain that she could not wash for her entire life.


    For a genius like Fan Ling to submit to someone else, wasn''t it the same as saying that the person whom she submitted to was actually stronger than her?


    And that person was even around the same age as them?


    How could she call herself as a genius again? Princess Lan Xiao Yue felt that she had thoroughly lost all the face that she previously had. She didn''t want to stand on the arena, not even a second longer.


    Fan Ling watched Princess Lan Xiao Yue left and let out a cold laugh. That arrogant princess had now tasted defeat.


    She leapt down from the stage.


    Lin Yun quickly walked towards her and handed a pill, in which Fan Ling gulped down quickly. She was actually already drained of Qi and yet she was still acting as if she was very powerful.


    "You did great," Lin Xiao praised Fan Ling.


    Fan Ling grinned cheekily. "Of course. That Princess Lan Xiao Yue is nothing much, Your Highness."


    "Tsk, keep on bragging." Lin Yun was speechless at how Fan Ling still had the energy to brag even though it was clear that she was exhausted.


    "What? Are you unhappy?"


    "No, no, no, I''m happy, I''m happy!"


    "Hmph!" Fan Ling snorted yet she was still grinning happily. It was clear that she was not genuinely angry at Lin Yun.


    Lin Xiao smiled faintly then looked at the departing Princess Lan Xiao Yue. It seemed that the princess would not want to challenge anyone again. He looked at the arena as he thought for a moment.


    "Lu Jian, how about if you think of someone from other factions in the ranking of 400 to 500 whom I could challenge."


    Lu Jian arched his eyebrows. "There are several of them. What element do you want to face, what cultivation base would you prefer to be your opponent?"


    Lin Xiao was quite surprised that Lu Jian could ask him such detailed question. Does it mean that Lu Jian actually had detailed information of these people? He thought that Lu Jian would only have some general knowledge but it seemed that he was actually quite detailed.


    In that case, he should try his luck.


    "I��"


    "Lin Xiao, I challenge you!"

 Chapter 406: The Arena Battles (8)

    In that case, he should try his luck.


    "I��"


    "Lin Xiao, I challenge you!"


    Hearing the sudden war declaration, Lin Xiao furrowed his eyebrows. He was just about to fight and now someone was already challenging him. He turned his head to the back and arched his eyebrows when he saw a familiar face.


    "Prince Lin Hong, I didn''t expect to see you here." Lin Xiao smiled faintly.


    "I want to fight you."


    Right now, Prince Lin Hong was already feeling so annoyed that he wished he could kill the other princes. He was one of the few princes who have the qualification and yet he was actually fallen so low that even the country bumpkin was regarded higher than him.


    How could he accept this?


    He was the genius! He would soon surpass his older brothers and first thing first, he had to defeat Prince Lin Xiao and prove himself!


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Sure."


    He had no qualms accepting Prince Lin Hong''s challenge. At most, he would prove it to this annoying prince once more that he was more than capable to earn the position as one of the few princes.


    "Good."


    Prince Lin Hong could still faintly remember the humiliation he suffered in Lin Xiao''s hand back in the forest. He had long wanted to defeat Lin Xiao in order to redeem himself. After advancing to Golden Core Stage 1, his confidence was boosted and he naturally wanted to challenge Lin Xiao.


    Swish!


    The two of them landed on the empty arena. The referee in that place looked at the two of them, trying to remember their name before he asked, "Are you ready?"


    The two of them nodded.


    "Start!"


    Bang!


    The sound of explosive punch landed near Lin Xiao. He had already swiftly retreated but his lips curled up to form a smile. He would have never thought that Prince Lin Hong would actually attack from a distance.


    "Golden Core Stage 1?" Lin Xiao asked in low voice.


    Prince Lin Hong sneered. "You won''t be able to defeat me now."


    "Is that so?"


    The word Lin Xiao said was extremely nonchalant as if he was fighting against ordinary people and not a talented prince. This made Prince Lin Hong enraged once more. He shouted loudly and pounced forward, his hands rapidly punched forward in order to destroy Lin Xiao.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The wind element clearly told Lin Xiao that Prince Lin Hong had considerable achievement in this regard. However��


    ''He''s too slow.''


    Lin Xiao could evade with ease. Even without using too much of his body''s movement, he could evade the attacks. His eyes were looking at Prince Lin Hong as he smiled faintly. There was no need to play around so much.


    Swish! Tep!


    Disappearing, Lin Xiao appeared beside Prince Lin Hong and stretched his sword. The tip reached towards Prince Lin Hong''s neck as faint red line was formed. Even though Lin Xiao didn''t exert any strength to hurt the prince, his movement just now had already caused fear to stem from within Prince Lin Hong''s heart.


    He was already Golden Core Stage 1 but he still couldn''t see through Lin Xiao''s movement?


    How could it be?


    "You��"


    "What is it?" Lin Xiao asked back in low tone. "You''ve lost, Your Highness."


    The word ''Your Highness'' seemed to be mocking Prince Lin Hong when he heard Lin Xiao said. His eyes turned red as he looked in Lin Xiao''s direction. He couldn''t accept this. How could someone as genius as him be defeated in Lin Xiao''s hand.


    "I''m not lose, yet!"


    Clang!


    A sword appeared and knocked Lin Xiao''s sword. If only Lin Xiao wanted to kill Prince Lin Hong, he could have done it because the move from Prince Lin Hong was filled with flaws. However, he had already killed one prince and it had given him enough trouble.


    There was no need to kill another one so blatantly in front of everyone again.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao jerked his hand as his lips curled up to form a sneer. It seemed that this Prince Lin Hong still hadn''t tasted enough defeat. In that case, it was time for him to show a little bit of his skill.


    Mountain Sword, Third Stance!


    Bang!


    The stance that was mostly only used by those at Body Training exploded with strength as Lin Xiao strike Prince Lin Hong. The prince was stunned and quickly raised his hand in an attempt to block the attack as he shouted in his mind.


    Dragon Turtle Shield!


    Bang!


    It''s useless!


    The skill barely able to block Lin Xiao''s attack and Prince Lin Hong''s body flew to the other side of the arena like a kite. Unable to hold onto the ground, Prince Lin Hong''s body slipped even further, falling outside the ring.


    Lin Xiao watched the prince fall and snorted. They did come to Sun Dragon Academy at the same time but now it was clear that Prince Lin Hong didn''t manage to grow as much as Lin Xiao.


    When they first came to Sun Dragon Academy, he was not Prince Lin Hong''s match. In fact, he was far from it.


    But in short three years, he had gained ability that far surpassed Prince Lin Hong. Their rank was still the same right now but would it continued that way in the future? Lin Xiao highly doubt it.


    He had to advance faster��.


    The world is vast and there were more powerful people. If those powerful people treated him as a nuisance, he wouldn''t be able to survive for long.


    Lin Xiao took a deep breath as he gathered his thought back. While there were many things that he thought, it all occurred within split second as his brain could think much faster than normal human. This was one of the benefit from one who become a cultivator.


    He turned to look at the referee.


    "This�� Prince Lin Xiao win and retained his rank," the referee quickly announced.


    Lin Xiao nodded and swiftly went down from the stage.

 Chapter 407: The Arena Battles (9)

    "You''re great, Brother! But you should have hold back a little bit more," Lin Yun praised his brother the moment Lin Xiao came down.


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes. "I already hold back enough."


    "Tsk. You don''t really have to hold back. There are a lot of people who want to see you show your prowess." Fan Ling shook her head. She had noticed that there were a lot of people who wanted to challenge Lin Xiao and only waited for him to recover.


    After all, if Lin Xiao gave reason that he was too tired, their scheme would fall.


    "If they want to come, they''re free to do so." Lin Xiao laughed. He smiled faintly and looked at Lu Jian. "Names."


    "Ah, alright."


    In the end, Lu Jian gave the list to Lin Xiao and Lin Xiao randomly picked one. As it turned out, the young man was still far from reaching Lin Xiao''s capabilities and unable to defeat him. It didn''t take long for him to be kicked out of the stage.


    "If this is life and death''s arena, there will be a lot of corpses," Prince Lin San muttered, somehow recalling the nightmare when he had to fight in that life and death arena for some petty money.


    A prince�� had to bet his life just to earn money��


    He would never reveal this matter to anyone in the future. It was such an embarrassment for him to be put into such perilous situation just because of money. He didn''t lack any money at all, alright?


    "He''s already at rank 456." Lin Yun looked at the other side of the arena. "If those people want to seek him for trouble, they would have come today."


    "Prince Lin Bo Wang never present for the arena battles," Prince Lin San informed. "He''s a low key person and only his followers could be seen here. In fact, there was no one who knew how powerful that prince is."


    "Did he not use the training room?"


    "He can buy it easily, do you believe it?"


    Lin Yun''s lips twitched. If one could get it for free, why would they chose the difficult one? However, for the sake of hiding one''s power, Lin Xiao himself didn''t reveal too much of his ability either.


    Well, everyone had their own thoughts, then.


    "Who''s first place?"


    "Prince Lin Fei."


    "��"


    The others sighed at the thought of Prince Lin Fei being so high profile while Prince Lin Bo Wang was the complete opposite. It seemed that they had to make sure that they were careful enough when dealing with those two princes.


    "His Highness is not planning to get the first place, right?" Prince Lin San asked in low tone.


    Lu Jian shook his head. He had heard that Lin Xiao himself told them that he would only try to get somewhat good position but would not try too much. It was not the time for him to reveal his card.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao jumped down the arena. "It''s so boring. I thought that Prince Lin Fei will send his men to challenge me."


    "They''re at rank higher than you. It''s unbecoming of them to come and challenge you." Prince Lin San was speechless. If there were any cultivators who tried to challenge those at lower rank than them, they would be mocked.


    No one here was that brainless, alright?


    Lin Xiao then thought about it before nodding. Right, those people were all at rank higher than him. It seemed that his goal of provoking the two princes today would have to stop. He had already battled with Prince Lin Hong and some of the other weaker folllowers.


    With his current ranking, he could enjoy some time in the training room.


    "Your Highness."


    Hearing the call, Lin Xiao was startled. He turned to turn around and noticed Lan Qing Xi stood not far from him. It took him some time before he could remember him as a strange senior who asked him about the ''Sword River Bearing'' skill back at the library.


    Back then, he didn''t really treat this senior seriously because he didn''t know much about the other party. But little did he expect that Lan Qing Xi would end up searching for him.


    "Is there anything, Senior Lan?"


    Lan?


    Fan Ling then turned to look at Princess Lan Yi Hua but it was clear that she didn''t know this senior. It was then he recalled that there was various writing for Lan and their surname must be different.


    "Since you''re planning to leave, do you mind if I ask for some pointers?" Lan Qing Xi asked.


    Lin Xiao blinked his eyes then signaled to Lu Jian to tell him more about this senior. He barely knew anything about him.


    Lu Jian then sent voice transmission. "Senior Lan is already at Golden Core Stage 2 and already have qualification to graduate. He''s still staying here because he wants to learn the skill from the library."


    Even though Lin Xiao had already read the information beforehand, his memory was indeed not too good when it came to things that he barely paid any attention to. Because of that, he only knew bits and pieces regarding this Senior Lan Qing Xi whom he only met once.


    "Ah�� in that case, shall we talk somewhere else?" Lin Xiao asked while scratching his head.


    Lan Qing Xi smiled and nodded. "Sure."


    As the group walked further, several people who were watching from the sidelines moved. Some returned back to their residence while some followed behind the two of them secretly.


    They wanted to know what these two were planning to do.


    ��


    Prince Lin Bo Wang''s side.


    "Lan Qing Xi is coming over to Lin Xiao''s side?" Prince Lin Bo Wang asked in low tone. He was playing with the sword in his hand as he stood in the middle of the training room. This training room belonged to himself but it was outside the academy.


    "Yes, Your Highness." The man kneeled on the ground, not daring to look at Prince Lin Bo Wang in fear that he would be killed because of petty reason.

 Chapter 408: Sword River Bearing

    Prince Lin Bo Wang''s eyes gleamed in the darkness. "That Lan Qing Xi is a rare genius since he managed to reach Golden Core Stage 2 since last year but he''s such a simple headed person who only want to pursue martial arts. Investigate the reason why he''s interested in Lin Xiao!"


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    Prince Lin Bo Wang raised his sword as he concentrated to train again. He had been wanting to get many talented individuals into his side but many have their own lofty ambitions or their own goal, making it difficult.


    Lan Qing Xi was one of them.


    He was a rare genius who was not affiliated with any of the big families in Sun Kingdom. In fact, many were curious where he came from as he seemed to pop out of nowhere. He told them that he came from Stone Village, a small village located deep in the wilderness and it would take months just to verify this because of the long distance and the fact that there was no map.


    For the past two years, Prince Lin Bo Wang had tried to get close to Lan Qing Xi and even challenged the other party. However, Lan Qing Xi refused to look for him nor asked him to spar.


    And now, that Lan Qing Xi was trying to create good ties with Lin Xiao?


    Slash!


    Prince Lin Bo Wang''s sword cut through the air several meters before him. His eyes gleamed in ruthlessness. There was no way he would let Lin Xiao grew stronger and took the people he wanted to pull to his side to the other side.


    He would make sure of this!


    ��


    Lan Qing Xi brought them to his residence and then activated some mechanism. Almost immediately, Lin Xiao turned to one direction as he could sense the rich Qi that was covering the place.


    There was a formation here.


    "Is it a formation to protect this house?" Lin Xiao asked curiously. Due to the fact that he couldn''t use these lower ranked formations no matter what he do, he could only ask what it was used for.


    "Yes." Lan Qing Xi was quite surprised. He looked at Lin Xiao. "I didn''t know you''re also good at formation."


    "I only have some superficial knowledge." Lin Xiao chose to be humble.


    The others rolled their eyes when they heard what Lin Xiao said. Who would believe that he only had some superficial knowledge when he could even arrange a formation that was commanded by one person? They would not believe it.


    "This shouldn''t take much time. You can return back to the arena after it''s done." Lan Qing Xi was quite apologetic since he took Lin Xiao''s time.


    Lin Xiao waved his hand. "There''s no need to worry so much. My ranking is already good enough."


    "In that case, shall we start?"


    "Here?"


    "Yeah, the courtyard should be big enough, no?"


    The residence where Lan Qing Xi stayed was indeed really large. Lin Xiao didn''t know precisely the size was but he knew that there was no problem with him practicing here. He nodded his head and took out his sword.


    Seeing that, Lan Qing Xi clamped his mouth shut and his eyes were completely focused on Lin Xiao, afraid that he would miss even a single move.


    Lin Xiao smiled and began to move. The skill relied on its fluency just like the water current that flowed unobstructed. Several slashes were formed midair. It hit nothing but the sheer power was more than enough to shake them and at the end, Lin Xiao moved the sword horizontally as if he was cutting off someone''s neck.


    Bang!


    The rock that was located a distance away was blown apart.


    Lin Yun was the most shocked. He had been practicing the skill ever since Lin Xiao showed it to him but he swore that he couldn''t even do half of what Lin Xiao did just now.


    Worse still��


    He knew that Lin Xiao didn''t practice this skill that much and only occasionally trained with him. Lin Xiao barely even do the move and only moved around in accordance in order to teach him, but when Lin Xiao executed the move just now��


    It was clear that he had high mastery.


    Ever since they were in that small village, Lin Yun had already seen that Lin Xiao had great observation ability. But this was the first time he noticed that his brother could even master a skill that he only learned halfheartedly.


    Looking at the sky, Lin Yun felt that it was really unfair. Just how hard should he work in order to surpass his brother? This couldn''t do, he would have to repeat this set of movement countless times to study more.


    "Have you seen it?" Lin Xiao turned to look at Lan Qing Xi.


    Lan Qing Xi had been watching Lin Xiao just a moment ago. Right now, he closed his eyes as if he was in some deep contemplation. When he opened his eyes again, there was light from deep within his pupil.


    "Your Highness, do you mind if I spar with you just using this move?"


    "Not at all." Lin Xiao could see that Lan Qing Xi was someone who concerned himself wholeheartedly in martial arts. From the investigation that Lu Jian did, Lan Qing Xi didn''t support either one of the princes.


    If by helping him, Lin Xiao could rope him in, that would be great.


    But if not, he could just get a friend.


    "In that case, please be careful." Lan Qing Xi summoned his sword out. It was a long sword and from the gentle aura around it, it was clear that the sword was somewhat close to water element.


    It was not really water but Lin Xiao had no time to ponder because Lan Qing Xi had already charged forward.


    Swish! Clang!


    The two sword met in the middle after beautiful arc. The movement didn''t look like it contained any power but the two men were doing their best to hold their ground.


    The force was bigger than what they expected.

 Chapter 409: Sometimes, it’s That Simple

    The two sword met in the middle after beautiful arc. The movement didn''t look like it contained any power but the two men were doing their best to hold their ground.


    The force was bigger than what they expected.


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    The two swords continued to clash with each other. The others who were watching from the side only felt as if the two of them were having a performance. They didn''t look like they were in the middle of fighting just based on the way they fought.


    But the two of them knew very well the might was much more than what others could see.


    Bang!


    "Fuu��" Lan Qing Xi took a deep breath. "Internal power, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, this is the sword skill that didn''t only attack the outer layer but instead the inside." Lin Xiao smiled. "You have good observation skill, Lan Qing Xi."


    "It''s nothing compared to you. Also, I have to thank you."


    "Yes?"


    Lan Qing Xi didn''t say anything else but he put his sword in front of him. The Qi within his body erupted as it enveloped his entire body.


    The others were stunned but they quickly moved away in case they would end up getting caught. Looking at the power that was emanating around Lan Qing Xi''s body, they all nearly cursed out loudly.


    "You breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 3?" Lin Xiao was surprised.


    Lan Qing Xi laughed and nodded his head. "From Golden Core Stage 2 to Golden Core Stage 3, you only need deep understanding of what your real path is."


    This was the reason there were many people who couldn''t breakthrough to stage 3 after they had reached stage 2. They were muddled and couldn''t understand what their real goal and what was deep within their heart.


    Not everyone could found it.


    Only those who stayed true to their path would be able to know what their real path in cultivation would be. And after knowing it, they had to understand, even if it was only a fraction of it, in order to make their breakthrough to Stage 3.


    It was what Lan Qing Xi lacked.


    "You''re indeed a genius," Lin Xiao praised. Internally, he was thinking that if only he didn''t have to feed the greedy dragon, he could have already advanced to Golden Core Stage 2 and then breakthrough to Stage 3 not long afterwards after consolidating his power.


    Inside Lin Xiao, Lin Hu was shouting angrily, "What do you mean greedy, ah? I''m not greedy!"


    "Stop reading my thought, you damn dragon!"


    "Damn you! Get a lake over here and set up a formation, I swear you''re going to make your breakthrough swifter!"


    Lin Xiao rolled his eyes at Lin Hu''s words. If only he could carry a lake around, he would have done that since a long time ago. Who would not want to summon Lin Hu out and just smash through his way to the top?


    That would be the easiest method.


    Not to mention, the rich resources from the lake would allow him to make his breakthrough faster.


    But if he really do that, everyone would come searching for him. Those people who were far above Golden Core Stage 3 would come knocking their door and attempted to seize him because of his ability.


    He couldn''t do that.


    No way.


    Lan Qing Xi looked at Lin Xiao and smiled wryly. "Since I have already reached Golden Core Stage 3, I''ll be leaving."


    "Leaving?"


    "Yes. I come here to recuperate and in order to gain my strength back." Lan Qing Xi looked at his hand as his eyes gleamed ruthlessly. "Come to the 20 Years Ancient Battleground, it''s the arena battle for all kingdoms to be recognized and to obtain resources. I''ll help you pass and allow Sun Kingdom to soar."


    "20 Years Ancient Battleground?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    Lan Qing Xi nodded. "As of now, neither one of the four kingdoms here have the qualification to even know what it is. However, once the suppression array is broken, you''ll know about it, Your Highness."


    Suppression Array.


    Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes as he could guess that it must be the array that didn''t allow them to make their breakthrough above Golden Core Stage 3.


    "What do you mean once it''s broken?"


    "There are already some people who are working to break it. You''ll meet with them soon." Lan Qing Xi looked at Lin Xiao knowingly and then laughed faintly. "Only if you enter the 20 Years Ancient Battleground and pass it would you be able to be recognized as a genius in this continent."


    Continent?


    The word nearly made Lin Xiao jumped in surprise. The continent was fast and Sun Kingdom�� was not even 0.001% of it. If this kingdom was not even categorized as a kingdom that was deemed to be worth it to even participate, it meant that the starting point was simply too low.


    Recalling Long Hao, his disciple who had already attained Foundation Establishment at the mere age of 12�� Lin Xiao didn''t think that it was that strange anymore.


    Those from big kingdoms would be much more powerful than those with pitiful resources like them.


    "The suppression array is a test and also a form of protection. Any kingdom who break the array will have to face wars against kingdoms outside, but in order for the array to be broken, there can only be one king in the entire land." Lan Qing Xi took a deep breath and cupped his hand.


    "I can''t thank you enough for your help but I can only give you this information for the time being. When the time is ripe, we shall meet again."


    Lin Xiao nodded. "That''s enough for me for now."


    He knew that if he wanted to put the Sun Kingdom to be in better position, he would eventually meet with other kingdoms outside the barriers. At that time, they would have to be ready to be facing countless experts.


    This was only the beginning.

 Chapter 410: The Training Room

    "Do you have any question left?"


    Lin Xiao then looked at Lan Qing Xi for a moment. "Does it mean you''re not going to be a citizen of this kingdom?"


    "I was never Sun Kingdom''s citizen and I only come here through sheer luck. But if it''s within my capabilities, I''ll help Sun Kingdom if it''s for you, Your Highness."


    His meaning was clear. If it was for Lin Xiao, Lan Qing Xi didn''t mind helping Sun Kingdom. But if it was for other people, he would not even think of coming to this place ever again and just continued with his path forward.


    "That''s great." Lin Xiao smiled.


    "Anything else?"


    "Yes. Are you leaving with Fan Pan?"


    Fan Pan?


    The name startled Fan Ling so much that she nearly tripped on the air. She looked at Lin Xiao with bewilderment, not understanding what makes Lin Xiao uttered her cousin''s name so suddenly.


    On the other hand, Lan Qing Xi was silent for a moment before he sighed. "It seems that you''re not as stupid as you look like."


    "I don''t look stupid!" Lin Xiao denied.


    Lan Qing Xi chuckled. "Yes, we''ll leave together."


    "I see. Should I assume that I will meet you again during 20 Years Ancient Battleground?" Lin Xiao asked.


    "if you make it in time."


    "Oh."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He no longer asked anything else from Lan Qing Xi and the group left the residence. On their way back, Fan Ling looked like she was dying to know how Lin Xiao even made the connection with her cousin.


    He didn''t answer her, though. After all, he was only thinking about the possibility since Fan Pan looked like someone who had heard so much about the outside world even though he was still so young. His guess must be that Fan Pan had already come into contact with someone from outside.


    And his guess was true.


    That someone was Lan Qing Xi, another genius who was quite eccentric.


    "You should return back to Fan Family while I have my preparation to meet with those from Jade Snow Kingdom and Bing Yue Kingdom."


    "��Yes, Your Highness."


    Even though Fan Ling still wanted to know more, she had no choice but to return back.


    In the academy, Lin Xiao didn''t meet with anyone who wanted to challenge him and his ranking settled at 488. He managed to get the reward:


    One hundred one to five hundred: get 250 Spirit Stones per month and also 10 hours'' chance to study in either one of the rooms


    Five hundred one to one thousand: get 100 Spirit Stones per month and also 1 hours'' chance to study in either one of the rooms.


    The others chose to spend their time in the library in order to understand more of their skill while Lin Xiao borrowed their specialized training room for 10 hours. He was curious about how they would set it up.


    "This is the Training Pavilion?" Lin Xiao didn''t see anything different from this massive building.


    The manager who was staying there chuckled when he saw Lin Xiao. "Is this your first time here?"


    "Yes."


    "The training room inside is made from the formation. When you come inside, you can imagine what kind of training you want and it''ll direct the specific type of Qi while also changing the environment."


    Lin Xiao was stunned. "That''s possible?"


    "Yes."


    "I have 10 hours of training, let me use it all."


    "You can use the room number 4, it''s empty."


    "Ok."


    Lin Xiao walked in the corridor while looking around. Before he was three years in the academy, he didn''t have the chance to come to this area. Now that he was here, he could say for sure that the academy was really big and they tried to provide everything to their students.


    It was not bad.


    He walked to the room number 4 and could faintly sense the rich Qi inside. The elements were mixed.


    Silently, he tried to imagine lake.


    Swoosh!


    The training room environment changed greatly. Watching the change that occurred, Lin Xiao was dumbstruck. He never expected that it would really change in physics. Was it real lake in front of him?


    ''No, it''s not real lake�� It''s just that the picture change and the Qi here is converted to that of lake element.''


    Lin Hu mused. ''The formation is not bad but it''s just deception. Go to train.''


    ''Fine~.''


    Lin Xiao took out his sword as he began to think about what he wanted to train. He could recall the look on his younger brother when he used Sword River Bearing. While it did look like he had grasped the key essence, it was still faintly different from the real one.


    After all, he mixed his understanding about lake rather than that of river when using the skill.


    Those who could really use the Sword River Bearing skill might mock him if they saw his pitiful progress. His real skill has always been Chilling Lake Sword recently as it suited him very much.


    Taking out his sword, Lin Xiao began to practice.


    The cold permeated from him began to fill the place. He curled up his lips as he was determined to train up until the ninth move, the move that was supposed to be only for Golden Core Stage 2 or 3.


    He had to train it.


    Bang!


    Sounds of swords moving around could be heard even from a distance away.


    But since it was normal for the training room to be filled with the sound of training, no one paid attention to him. Swords were the most common one and naturally, it meant that they would not be paying more attention to him.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Seventh Stance!


    The chilling air completely spread across the room and freeze everything in front of the sword. Lin Xiao nodded in satisfaction. The seventh stance up to the ninth stance was very similar to the fourth up to sixth. However, the demand of the Qi and the profound skill behind it was much more.


    With the aid of the Lake Qi in this room, his progress was faster.


    Hmmm, he should learn how to use the Dragon words to create similar environment in the future.

 Chapter 411: Setting the Lake Qi and the Rules

    The 10 hours was up.


    Lin Xiao left the training room and felt much better. At the same time, he knew that he was already in the middle of Golden Core Stage 1 and probably would only need a few more months in order to make his breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 2.


    Such speed was already insane enough.


    He soon met up with the others outside. "Have you used up your training chance?"


    "Yep."


    "The library is a good place to train."


    "That''s good. Where are the other students?"


    "Most students chose to roam around in the capital city since they finally didn''t have to be confined within the academy or just leave when they have mission." Lu Jian shrugged.


    Lin Xiao nodded in understanding. He knew that it was just as such, so he felt that the academy rules were really good. It was accommodating to what they needed. Most importantly, it also allowed them a lot of freedom, which made of them badly needed because of their cultivation method and so on.


    "Now that we already got the residence, it''s time to move on to the next move." Lin Xiao put his hand on the back of his head and grinned. He had been wanting to set rules for those who wanted to follow him and this was quite good.


    "Yes?"


    "Follow me and Lu Jian, call them all to Fan Family residence."


    "Huh?" my residence?


    Fan Ling was astounded, but looking at the way Lin Xiao looked at him, he knew that Lin Xiao was dead serious. She soon understood the reason, though. After all, that pond was still in Fan Family Residence.


    Lu Jian smiled brightly when he thought of that pond.


    As Lin Xiao made his way to his residence, he checked the place. It was only around 30 meters x 30 meters, which was fairly big. It was quite something that the lowest ranked disciple was still able to get such accommodating residence. The ones at higher rank obviously got better treatment than him.


    But then again, the academy didn''t lack the space at all.


    After checking it, Lin Xiao came to understand why most students didn''t want to stay here and instead borrowed place from outside. Unless they could get a good ranking, the training environment was not as good as the specialized training room they could borrow outside.


    No wonder.


    After checking the others'' residence for a bit, Lin Xiao then led them to Fan Family Residence. Lu Jian came with around 100 or so students behind him.


    Lin Xiao looked at the students behind Lu Jian. His eyes swept them as invisible pressure seemed to seep through. It was as if the pressure was capable to penetrate deep into their mind. As someone who was a rank higher than them, Lin Xiao was not much difference than the other teachers in the student''s mind.


    That feeling created fear to develop deep inside their mind unconsciously.


    "I have the opportunity to stumble upon a formation." Lin Xiao crouched near the small pond. Those who were there could definitely see that the Qi in the lake was so dense that it was hard to imagine there was such a treasure here.


    "From now on, Lu Jian will be the one to assign task to you to do. Whenever you get something done, the reward you can get is to practice here. I''m sure that most of you are still at Foundation Establishment, so you lack resources the most, right? With this lake, breaking through to Golden Core Stage wouldn''t take that much time."


    The student''s eyes turned red in excitement when they heard Lin Xiao''s words. Practicing in this pool that contained dense Qi��. Everyone wanted it so badly.


    "Any question?"


    "How about the time?"


    "It''ll depend on the task that you did. The reward will vary and Lu Jian will be in charge of everything." Lin Xiao decided on the spot, throwing all the work to Lu Jian.


    Lu Jian, who was standing at the side, was utterly speechless. He had been working hard all this time because of work and now Lin Xiao just practically added another burden to him. Could he call a time out, please?


    Seeing Lu Jian''s face, Lin Xiao glanced to the back then pointed at Han Jiang. "Han Jiang will be helping out for the time being until I find someone more suitable."


    Someone more suitable?


    They all looked at each other and thought that it might be directed to them. It took them some time to calm down as they fired up numerous questions such as the task that they have to do. Some of the easiest task was to pass the tower, do missions, even included to pay fees.


    "Is it fine to leave the lake as it is?"


    "Don''t worry, if they didn''t have your or mine permission, they can''t use it." Lin Xiao grinned. He had set the restriction for the lake. With the restriction, no one would be able to use it.


    As he repeated what he had said before, the students gave up the thought of snatching the lake for themselves. They knew that with such restriction placed upon the formation that made the Qi gather, they would have no chance of obtaining the lake illegally.


    It would be better for them to just obediently follow the rules.


    And since it was also in Fan Family Residence, naturally Fan Ling also had a say in this matter. She was also staying there, making the quiet place quite bustling in activity.


    "This will surely spread from word to word."


    "That''s my goal." Lin Xiao smiled faintly. If there were a lot of people who heard about this lake and knew it''s goal, they would surely try to come there to train. Even those at Golden Core Stage 1 or 2 might be tempted to use it in order to be able to get stronger.


    It could be said that with this lake, Lin Xiao had started to gain more footing.


    And of course, the busy Lu Jian didn''t have the time to rest.


    When it was night time, Lin Xiao ceased the talk and shamelessly returned back to his residence with Princess Lan Yi Hua trailing behind him. She looked at him curiously. "Will you be fine?"

 Chapter 412: Meeting with Those from Other Kingdoms

    "Yes?"


    "You''ll have to meet with the others from other kingdoms." Princess Lan Yi Hua pursed her lips. She naturally knew that if Lin Xiao were to meet with those from other kingdoms, he might not be able to be himself. After all, he would be representing Sun Kingdom to welcome them.


    "Nah, I''ll be fine." Lin Xiao grinned. "Why should I bother too much about them? If they don''t like me personally, there''s nothing that I can do to change my personality so much."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was speechless.


    She poked her husband. "Don''t create enemies out of nowhere. I know you''re a very lively person but try to make friends with them. You might need their help too."


    "Alright, alright," Lin Xiao replied helplessly.


    Time passed swiftly and the time when Lin Xiao and the others were summoned to the palace drew near. This time, Princess Lan Yi Hua paid special attention to his appearance and helped him to wear tailored robes.


    Unlike his usual days where Lin Xiao would not care much about his appearance, this time, he was wearing long white robe. There were faint cloud markings on the sleeve, which looked like it was alive. Right now, Lin Xiao looked like a proper prince rather than the usual annoying man he was.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded as she looked at his appearance. "Try to behave, ok?"


    "I''m not that bad, right?" Lin Xiao was speechless.


    Hearing that, Princess Lan Yi Hua chose not to answer. She would be coming with him and naturally, she was dressed for the occasion. Wearing long white dress, Princess Lan Yi Hua''s clothes were similar to Lin Xiao but modelled for women. It was clear that they were a pair just from a distance away.


    "Any reason for choosing white?" Lin Xiao asked when they made their way to the palace.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua passed a look at Lin Xiao. "It''ll make you look a bit weaker."


    "Huh?"


    Lin Xiao was stunned but when he arrived at the palace, he came to understand what she meant. Prince Lin Bo Wang was wearing black clothes and looked inconspicuous in the crowd. If not for the faint menacing aura around him, no one would be able to notice him.


    On the other hand, Prince Lin Fei was wearing red robe, color of nobility. It was clear that he was trying to say that he was the best one amongst the royal family just from his arrogant stance. The last one, Prince Lin Hong, was wearing purple robe, which made him look quite regal.


    In contrast, Lin Xiao wearing white did make him look a bit white even though it instead changed his image to be more elegant.


    ''I didn''t know clothes can be so deceiving��'' Lin Xiao was speechless.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua merely smiled faintly as the two of them gave their greetings to the Emperor. After that, they walked to the side, waiting for the instruction.


    The Emperor swept his gaze across them before he spoke out, "Lin Hong, Lin Xiao."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    The two of them quickly cupped their fist as a way to indicate that they heard him. Looking at the Emperor, Lin Xiao could faintly notice the strong aura around the aged man. It seemed that even though the Emperor was no longer as powerful as before, he was still someone that was worthy of respect.


    Golden Core Stage 3.


    After advancing to Golden Core Stage 1, Lin Xiao could now gauge the Emperor''s strength.


    It was above him, nevertheless and defeating him was not something that he would be able to do by himself. Besides, the one who will do this task was not him but someone else.


    "The entourage from Jade Snow Kingdom and Bing Yue Kingdom will pass through the border soon. You two will be the one who will greet them first."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Prince Lin Hong looked respectful but his eyes shone with ruthless glint. Finally, he got a chance to prove that he could do this right. Those people from the two kingdoms would not be able to look down on him.


    "Lin Xiao will meet those from Jade Snow Kingdom while Lin Hong will meet those from Bing Yue Kingdom."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    The Emperor then looked towards the other two princes. "Upon their arrival in the Capital City, Lin Fei will bring those from Jade Snow Kingdom to the palace and entertain them while Lin Bo Wang will bring those from Bing Yue Kingdom in."


    The other two princes quickly bowed down and kneeled. "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Prince Lin Hong''s eyes gleamed when he heard the instruction. His hand clenched into a fist as he understood that the Emperor was not trusting him fully. By making him and Lin Xiao be the first two to greet, their task was simply to give first impression and to lead them back to the Capital City.


    It was like they were nothing more than escort.


    The one who would have to work harder would be those who were setting up the banquet, in which fall to Prince Lin Bo Wang and Prince Lin Fei. How could he not understand the Emperor''s intention?


    It was very clear.


    He wanted to make Prince Lin Bo Wang and Prince Lin Fei had good relationship with those from other kingdoms. That way, they would be leaning more towards them and when either one of them become the Crown Prince, they would have substantial backing.


    Damn it!


    Lin Hong swore internally but he showed nothing on the surface.


    The Emperor said a few more words before sending them out as he didn''t have any intention to make them stay there. Also, Lin Hong and Lin Xiao were given Transportation Token to be used to transport those entourages.


    After he was done, the four princes were kicked out of the hall.


    "Let''s go back," Lin Xiao said while playing with his token. He didn''t think that he would actually be acknowledged like this. It was not bad.

 Chapter 413: Meeting with Those from Other Kingdoms (2)

    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. "En."


    "Lin Xiao."


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. He swore that these people really like to create trouble with him. Whenever he was about to leave, there would be someone who was calling him back. He turned around and looked at the prince before him.


    "Is there anything I can do to help, Prince Lin Fei?"


    Prince Lin Fei looked at Lin Xiao''s face and scowled. He really didn''t like this country bumpkin and looking at the young man dressed in such good clothes, it didn''t suit him at all.


    If only they were in the academy, he might have already issued a challenge to Lin Xiao.


    "Don''t think that just because you''re allowed to welcome them in, you''re already someone great. You''re just an unworthy prince," Prince Lin Fei spat out.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. If he had to be honest, he didn''t care about what the Emperor was thinking at all. He snickered. "Then, I should be happy that at least, I''m still considered to participate in this matter."


    "You��"


    "If there''s nothing else, I''ll leave, Prince Lin Fei."


    Right after he said that, Lin Xiao turned around and ignored Prince Lin Fei. Princess Lan Yi Hua followed behind him and also ignored the prince. She naturally knew that the relationship of these princes were not that good. So naturally, she would not bother with the other princes.


    Her husband is only Lin Xiao, so why should she care for other princes?


    Prince Lin Fei glared at them coldly and left afterwards.


    After they walked out, Lin Xiao headed straight to the teleportation array in order to be transported to the border. Those people from the Jade Snow Kingdom would come soon, so he had to hurry.


    When he reached the place, he saw Prince Lin Xian and Prince Lin San were already there. They cupped their fist when they saw him.


    "Your Highness."


    "Why are you so polite?" Lin Xiao was not used to see these two being so polite with him. They were already fighting together in many occasion, so how could he accept them treating him so politely?


    Prince Lin San smiled faintly. "We''re here to help you welcome Jade Snow Kingdom Representatives."


    "I see." Lin Xiao nodded. He would welcome all help he could get. Besides, his two brothers were good to him and had already told him that they would help him, so why should he reject?


    "What''s the purpose of the representative coming this time?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked in faint voice.


    Prince Lin Xian smiled. "It''s regarding the Phoenix Inheritance and also the restriction."


    Phoenix Inheritance?


    Lin Xiao passed a look at Princess Lan Yi Hua because he knew very well that she was aiming for Phoenix Inheritance too. Sensing her husband''s gaze, Princess Lan Yi Hua smile faintly. "The location for the inheritance is not just one. However, usually they want to have competition amongst the successor afterwards."


    "Why?"


    "For resources." Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes gleamed. The resources that was suitable for those who gained Phoenix Inheritance was severely limited. The other two kingdoms naturally would not want to miss out in this.


    Lin Xiao then nodded. He knew very well that the resources in many places were limited. It was because of that he didn''t think that everyone would be able to stay peaceful. Even the formation that he could make was only gathering the Qi that had already existed.


    He couldn''t produce Qi by himself.


    That was an absurd thought in the first place.


    "How about that restriction. Do they have any idea to lift it up?" Lin Xiao asked curiously. In truth, he was a bit lacking in knowledge when it came to those restriction, so he had to gather as much information as possible.


    He didn''t want to be limited to only Golden Core Stage 3.


    He wanted to reach the peak!


    "We believe that they have some information." Prince Lin San''s eyes gleamed. "That''s why we''re going to negotiate by using the information we also have."


    "I see."


    "Let''s chat when we reach there."


    "Ok."


    Entering the teleportation formation, Lin Xiao waited for a while as the person in charge activated it. Afterwards, they all reappeared at the border of Sun Kingdom, just a distance away from the wall that separated Sun Kingdom with Jade Snow Kingdom.


    Prince Lin Xian thought for a moment. "Right, I forgot to ask. Do you not need anyone else from your group to come?"


    "You mean the others?"


    Lin Xiao''s mind recalled Lu Jian and Han Jiang, who were busy to handle the matter of those who wanted to use the lakes and shook his head. They have a lot of things to do and naturally it wouldn''t be possible for them to take days off in order to participate in this matter.


    Fan Ling was also still busy learning in her home while his brother, Lin Yun, was also busy doing some things. Xia Ye hadn''t returned back after reporting in and Lin Xiao had already asked that young man to do something else.


    The others�� who else?


    "They''re all busy."


    Prince Lin San passed a look at his twin brother and shrugged. "It''s just too bad that the banquet plan that we create will not be used."


    "Oh, you have a plan for the banquet?"


    "In case you''re selected to host it, yes."


    Lin Xiao was speechless. He felt that his brothers were putting him in too high of position. As a ''country bumpkin'' who had only regained his position, would it be possible for the Emperor to put him in such prestigious position?


    Considering how the Emperor was such a frigid person, he doubted it greatly.


    "Let''s just welcome them." Lin Xiao then walked out of the building.


    "Xiao, mind your walking," Princess Lan Yi Hua reminded.


    "Eh."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled bitterly. "Come on, walk more slowly and elegantly. You''re representing Sun Kingdom this time."


    "Alright, alright��"


    Prince Lin San and Prince Lin Xian were speechless when they watched these two. Can''t they go somewhere else to show off their love?

 Chapter 414: Jade Snow Kingdom’s Representative

    But unfortunately, Lin Xiao didn''t seem to know what Prince Lin Xian and Prince Lin San were thinking as he continued to chat with Princess Lan Yi Hua happily. His action seemed as if they didn''t exist in the slightest bit.


    ''I really want to smash his head��'' Prince Lin Xian sighed.


    Prince Lin San couldn''t say anything and led Lin Xiao inside to the wall and brought him to the top. From there, Lin Xiao would be able to see when the representatives from Jade Snow Kingdom came.


    "Is there anything I need to pay attention to?" Lin Xiao asked curiously.


    "Jade Snow Kingdom might have snow in their name but they''re not specialized in water element. In fact, their most remarkable aspect is jade."


    "Jade?"


    "Yes, Jade Snow Kingdom people were mostly very powerful just like jade but they didn''t look strong." Prince Lin San paused for a moment. "You can imagine that they''re very powerful but they didn''t look like one."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He knew that some cultivation techniques could make their bodies still look the same as ordinary people. While it might not be that common, it was very popular amongst the girls. After all, the girls would want to keep their body fit.


    Who would want to look like a hulk?


    These women preferred for them to look petite and beautiful.


    "There are a lot of beautiful women in Jade Snow Kingdom too." Prince Lin Xian added while looking in Princess Lan Yi Hua direction. He wanted to know what the princess would be thinking if she knew about this.


    However, Lin Xiao merely gave an oh and didn''t seem to be particularly interested. On the other hand, Princess Lan Yi Hua''s aura grew slightly denser. It was clear that if there was anyone who dared to have any deign on Lin Xiao, they would have to face her.


    Covering what was hers?


    She would make sure that they paid horribly!


    Drap! Drap! Drap!


    The sound of horses could be heard from a distance away. Lin Xiao was startled but as he looked into the distance, he could see a group of people coming in his direction. They were a group of soldiers along with a carriage in the middle.


    It looked imposing.


    "Our group look very lacking in contrast��" Prince Lin Xian gulped down.


    Lin Xiao merely snorted. Even if they were lacking, those people from the Capital City would have already prepared everything that was needed. He tugged Princess Lan Yi Hua''s hand and brought her down.


    One of the proper etiquette would be to welcome them on foot directly and not by showing off their sovereign. They were not here for war but instead to welcome friendly people. There was no need to act all lofty and powerful.


    Swish!


    They all reached the gate and from a distance away, Lin Xiao could hear the guard asking the group for their identity.


    "Prince Fu Liang from Jade Snow Kingdom is here with Elder Kang Huang."


    Fu.


    It was the surname of the princes from Jade Snow Kingdom. Lin Xiao knew that they have a lot of princes too but Fu Liang was one of the most famous one. He was 21 years old and currently at Golden Core Stage 2, one of the best experts in Jade Snow Kingdom.


    As for Elder Kang Huang, he was one of the few protectors of Jade Snow Kingdom. He was already fairly old but his power was certainly among the top.


    Lin Xiao instructed for the gate to be opened and he walked out to welcome them. Prince Fu Liang had already walked out of the carriage and upon seeing him, Lin Xiao nearly cursed out loudly.


    Pale and smooth skin, along with fairly thin body and long hair that was only half tied to be a bun�� if one didn''t know better, they would think he''s a princess rather than a prince. He had long eyelashes and fair complexion, which definitely could rival women.


    Even Princess Lan Yi Hua was stunned when she saw his face.


    "Prince Lin Xiao greets His Highness Prince Fu Liang and Elder Kang Huang," Lin Xiao quickly greeted formally with his fist cupped.


    "Lin Xiao?" Fu Liang asked in surprised tone. He then passed a look at Kang Huang because this name was unfamiliar to him. He was expecting either one of the three famous princes to be here to find him but the one standing before him was instead an unknown prince.


    Did the Sun Kingdom forgo their courtesy?


    Kang Huang''s eyes flashed as he sent sound transmission to Prince Fu Liang, letting him knew who the young man before him was.


    Afterwards, Fu Liang nodded his head in understanding. "I see, it''s nice to meet you, Prince Lin Xiao."


    "The pleasure is all mine��" Lin Xiao kept a polite smile but the corner of his lips twitched. Facing a man who had a face as beautiful as a woman, he really couldn''t keep his calm. In fact, he felt as if he was about to continue cursing out loudly.


    He couldn''t help it.


    This man''s face was really�� too much.


    If he was not a prince, maybe there would be a lot of women who wanted to kill him for having face that was more beautiful than them.


    Prince Lin Xian sighed and he stepped forward to talk with Elder Kang Huang in order to let them knew about the basic rules and what they were supposed to do. The main person who was tasked to come here was only asked to entertain the prince.


    Hehe��.


    What an easy job.


    "Right, are you in a hurry?" Prince Fu Liang asked while he waited for Kang Huang and Prince Lin Xian to finish their talk.


    "Of course not, Your Highness." Lin Xiao looked at Prince Fu Liang and averted his eyes once more. He was really not in the mood to look at this man who was more beautiful than women.


    It would be better for him to just stare at Princess Lan Yi Hua all day long!

 Chapter 415: Secret Negotiation

    Prince Fu Liang chuckled. "In that case, care to have some tea?"


    "Sure?" Lin Xiao replied, but then he realized that he was being impolite since his answer sounded like question. He coughed and answered once more, "I mean, yes. Would you like some tea, Your Highness?"


    "It''ll be good." Prince Fu Liang laughed.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua listened to their conversation from the back. Her eyes flashed for a moment as Prince Lin San brought them to a nearby teahouse and booked a VIP room. It seemed that he had already memorized the entire map of the city before coming here.


    "What do you want to talk about, Your Highness?" Lin Xiao asked in faint tone. He could sense that Prince Fu Liang didn''t ask him to come here just because he wanted some tea.


    Prince Fu Liang looked at Lin Xiao as the corner of his lips curled up. "Don''t be in a hurry. Do you not have any method to seal voice?"


    "What method do you want me to use?"


    "A formation will be sufficient, Xiao." Princess Lan Yi Hua tugged from the side as if telling him to be careful.


    Lin Xiao pondered for a moment. Because he had already used Dragon words in the lake back then and didn''t retract it back, he wouldn''t be able to use his ability excessively. It meant that he could only use some simple method.


    He really needed to figure out a method to make sure that the formation was independent and not connected to him.


    Slowly, he thought about the method that Long Hao used and began to speak in weird language.


    "Heaven and earth, please listen to my humble request. Block the sound from within so that my enemies will not be able to hear what I''m talking about. Prevent my secrets from leaking out and protect me from harm."


    ''DAMN YOU LIN XIAO, WHY ARE YOU USING ANCIENT WORDS AGAIN?''


    ''Shut up! You''re ruining my concentration!''


    ''Shut up my *ss! You''re going to be in trouble if you can''t fight after this!'' Lin Hu roared back in anger.


    Lin Xiao''s current ability had increased and naturally, this also meant he could use the ancient power to a certain degree. Asking to form a simple formation like this was not hard but it would drain his power.


    If he was not careful enough, his secret of having so much Dragon Power would leak out.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows but she didn''t stop him. On the other hand, she was paying close attention to the movement of Prince Fu Liang before her, wanting to know what he wanted to do.


    Prince Fu Liang was looking at Lin Xiao. He laughed out loudly without caring for his image.


    "To think that I would meet with another person who can use the ancient word. Brat, when did you find out that I can use i?"


    "Brat? I''m only one or two years younger than you." Lin Xiao was speechless. He was only 20 years old, which meant that he was not much younger than Prince Fu Huang. How could the prince call him a brat that way?


    He couldn''t accept it.


    "It''s the same either way." Prince Fu Liang waved his hand as he was looking at Lin Xiao with interest. He clearly didn''t expect to see someone like Lin Xiao. "A country bumpkin but can use Ancient word, you must be hiding your power."


    "You can say it to the other princes. After all, who would be stupid enough to reveal all of their cards?" Lin Xiao replied back unhurriedly.


    "You haven''t answered my question."


    "Oh, you have those words written in your carriage." Lin Xiao shrugged. He recognized them from the very moment the carriage came within his sight. Even though Prince Fu Liang himself might not be someone who could use it, someone he knew or other Imperial Family members might be able to.


    "Oh, you can also read it, so it''s not wrong when I see you stare at those words." Fu Liang nodded. He looked at Lin Xiao and grinned roguishly. "Are you not afraid that I''ll leak it out?"


    "If you do want to leak it out, you would not try to sound me out over here. Speak, what do you want?" Lin Xiao asked back.


    Lin Xiao, Princess Lan Yi Hua, and Prince Fu Liang were the only three within the room. With the formation made out of ancient words formed around them, there was no way their words would be leaked out of this room.


    "Only those who can read these words can possibly destroy the restriction." Prince Fu Liang smirked. "This is the information I got from the area."


    "You want me to participate in destroying the restriction?" Lin Xiao asked back.


    "Yes~." Prince Fu Liang leaned back and crossed his legs. He looked more like a bandit rather than a prince this way, though his beauty was still disturbing. "But of course, I might also ask the others who can read the ancient word."


    "Oh, you''ll be happy to find out that the others can also read Dragon Language," Lin Xiao said derisively.


    It was an open secret that the Royal Family members of Sun Kingdom was able to understand Dragon Language to a certain degree. There was nothing about the ancient language, though.


    Instead, it was Jade Snow Kingdom that has some experts that could learn a bit about the ancient language.


    What Lin Xiao didn''t know was that their ability would be far lesser than him.


    They could only use one or two words at most and forming a sentence would already put them at the pedestal.


    "That said, you''re not afraid I''ll leak this out?"


    "I can erase your memory." Lin Xiao smiled brightly. This was one of the few things he found out that he could do with ancient power, but he had never done it before. "I have never done it before, so I might even cause damage on your mind, but you don''t have to worry because the worst that can happen is that you turn into vegetable."

 Chapter 416: Secret Negotiation (2)

    Vegetative State?


    Prince Fu Liang was staring at Lin Xiao carefully. He knew very well that what Lin Xiao said just now was a blatant threat. Since Lin Xiao dared to show his card in front of him, it meant that Lin Xiao was somewhat confident of defeating.


    "Can you defeat me?" Prince Fu Liang asked slowly.


    "Do I need to?"


    Glancing to the side, Prince Fu Liang noticed that Princess Lan Yi Hua was still staring at him. He coughed dryly as he knew that this low key princess was by no means weak. There were some people who were already suspicious of her back in his kingdom but they never tried to do anything.


    After all, they didn''t really want to create trouble for Hua Lan Kingdom.


    Now that Princess Lan Yi Hua was by Lin Xiao''s side, Prince Fu Liang knew that it would not be easy for him to defeat these two. Even though he had quite the considerable strength, it would not be an easy move for him to resist if Lin Xiao were to use the ancient power.


    Just from the formation just now, it was clear that Lin Xiao had quite the attainment in terms of ancient word.


    "I can help you get the throne."


    "I don''t need your help."


    "Tsk, how cold." Prince Fu Liang snorted but he didn''t press the matter. Since Lin Xiao himself was powerful, he could guess that this young man had other cards. "Alright, I''ll be honest. The other three princes can''t read this, so I would need your help if I really want to succeed."


    "How do you know they can''t?" Lin Xiao asked slowly.


    "That''s because I have already tested them." Prince Fu Liang shrugged. "In fact, I already tried to test other princes from Bing Yue Kingdom too but they''re not too good either."


    Lin Xiao was speechless at the blatant information that Prince Fu Liang presented to him. Does this prince didn''t worry that he would spread this to other princes and leak out what he had did behind their backs?


    But right now, he really didn''t have any intention to do something like that.


    "Then why you come here?"


    "Of course, that''s to borrow forces." Prince Fu Liang smirked. "Do you really think that it''s possible for me to breach all the four corners in one go? I will need help but if you can help me, it''ll be even faster to break those restrictions."


    Lin Xiao looked at Prince Fu Liang coldly. "And why should I help you?"


    "Oh please, I know that you wouldn''t want that restriction to be exist."


    "I don''t have any qualm destroying it by myself."


    Prince Fu Liang was speechless. Thinking of how Lin Xiao could easily use the ancient power, he didn''t think that Lin Xiao was boasting. After having enough information, it might only take a few months or years for Lin Xiao to completely break the restriction.


    Having him or not would only led in difference of the information at the very beginning.


    "Tsk�� you''re quite an ambitious man." Prince Fu Liang looked at Lin Xiao coldly.


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "If you''re unconvinced, we can always spar. I don''t really mind having to have a battle with you."


    "This place is not suited for us to have a battle. Unless you can prepare an arena, it''ll be unlikely for us to be able to fight." Prince Fu Liang knew that the best way for him to be convinced was for Lin Xiao and him to fight directly.


    But in this teahouse��


    How were they supposed to fight?


    The others would surely stop them and if there was any chaos, they would be reprimanded by the Emperor of both kingdoms.


    "In that case, I''ll welcome you back in the future." Lin Xiao spread his arms. "After I become the Emperor, let''s meet again."


    Prince Fu Liang arched his eyebrows. The current Emperor of Sun Kingdom was still fairly young and energetic. It would be very unlikely for Lin Xiao to become the Emperor so soon. If that was the case, there was only one method for him to be able to get the throne.


    A smile formed at Prince Fu Liang''s lips. "I see."


    "But of course, you can proceed with whatever plan you have for now." Lin Xiao didn''t mind them making backup plan. Besides, he knew that he could only make his move after the Phoenix Inheritance.


    Because it was the day when Princess Lan Yi Hua would officially show her prowess too.


    He didn''t want to change this either.


    "That didn''t sound bad."


    Lin Xiao looked at Prince Fu Liang and raised his finger. A streak of power formed a word and entered Prince Fu Liang''s body before the prince could react and settled in his consciousness.


    The move startled Prince Fu Liang greatly. He glared at Lin Xiao. "What did you do?"


    "I can''t possibly let you run off your mouth, can I?" Lin Xiao smiled faintly. "You won''t be able to talk about today''s conversation with me to anyone else or I''ll destroy your soul."


    "How ruthless." Prince Fu Liang inspected his consciousness and realized that the strange few words had settled there. He naturally knew that ancient power was another type of power that borrowed the Qi of the world and also universally known to be a power that was the highest manifestation of Qi.


    Those who could control it were only those favored sons of the Heaven.


    They were also geniuses who have great fate waiting for them.


    Prince Fu Liang sighed and then waved his hand. "Alright, let''s talk again after you become the Emperor."


    Lin Xiao nodded and waved his hand to retract the formation. Beside him, Princess Lan Yi Hua silently helped him to stand straight. While Prince Fu Liang couldn''t see it, Princess Lan Yi Hua could see very clearly that Lin Xiao had clearly exerted himself in order to impress Prince Fu Liang.


    She rolled her eyes internally while keeping her face straight. Princess Lan Yi Hua really wanted to reprimand her husband to not do anything recklessly.


    He was really��. Only seeking troubles wherever he went.

 Chapter 417: Returning to the Capital City

    After coming into terms with Prince Fu Liang, Lin Xiao also gained some information regarding the restriction. After all, Prince Fu Liang couldn''t just provoke Lin Xiao without giving anything in return.


    The information would be soon given to the Emperor and the other princes to, so it was not really a top secret.


    But other than them, it would not be made known to the public.


    In short, the restriction was a type of formation that was using the ancient power to keep it in place. It was not known who placed it but from some people who came to visit the place and from the transcription that was left behind, Jade Snow Kingdom managed to infer some things.


    First, it was a form of protection because once the formation fell, they would have to face other kingdoms outside this region. They would attack recklessly and made sure that there was nothing that they could do.


    Why?


    Of course, that was in order to be able to gather more people to work for them. In other words, they were gathering slaves in order to do their dirty work.


    Second, the restriction was made to be lifted only if there was someone who could understand the words and had sufficient power to bring the entire land up. If they were not powerful enough, how could they expect to be able to survive in this cruel world?


    Third, the restriction was placed in 4 areas, north, south, east, and west. Sun Kingdom was in direct access to the south restriction pole, which meant that they could easily destroy it if they want. Jade Snow Kingdom was nearest to the North while Hua Lan Kingdom was nearest to the East one. Bing Yue Kingdom was place for the West one.


    In other words, they needed the cooperation of the entire land.


    Or just simply dominate the entire land.


    "I see." Listening to Prince Fu Liang telling the story, Lin Xiao nodded. It seemed that he would either need cooperation or simply forced them all to be under him.


    Under him��


    That was quite the goal but Lin Xiao felt that it was not that bad for a goal. Lin Xiao didn''t know how long it would take him to be able to finish his goal, though.


    "Is that all?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked in low tone.


    Prince Fu Liang glanced at the young princess and nodded. "Yes. the detail of the collaboration is not something that I plan to divulge to you first. However, I can tell you that the time limit is quite short."


    "Don''t worry." Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "I won''t take long."


    Prince Fu Liang nodded and took the cup before him. After hearing what Lin Xiao said and how he showed his card, Prince Fu Liang knew that there must be still many others that Lin Xiao kept to himself. The tea tasted very bitter and he was not really in the mood to taste it anymore.


    If Lin Xiao was really as powerful as he claimed himself to be and able to gain control of the entire Sun Kingdom��


    He heh, Jade Snow Kingdom might not be able to be their match.


    "Let''s go out. I still have to waste a lot of time to talk with the others."


    "Alright."


    Lin Xiao stood up with ease. After talking with Prince Fu Liang for a while, his energy had returned. Right now, he shouldn''t have any problem even if he had to create another formation.


    Though, it would be best if he didn''t have to form another formation right now.


    He really didn''t want it.


    Silently, Lin Xiao practiced Nourishing Lake Technique inside his body. He might not use his Qi but it was clear that this technique was also useful to calm his mind. Since he was quite tired mentally, it would help him to be able to stay calm and refreshed. That way, his fatigue would not be seen.


    "Your Highness, you''re done?" Prince Lin San asked. He was guarding the door the entire time but he didn''t look like he was wronged at all.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Yes, let''s return back."


    "Alright."


    As they walked to the teleportation array, Prince Fu Liang sent a voice transmission to Elder Kang Huang who came with him.


    "Prince Lin Xiao is more interesting than what the information had gathered. Just watch, it''ll be very interesting in the future."


    Kang Huang didn''t have any change in his expression but his eyes flickered.


    The group didn''t really have any trouble in the city at all. Besides, they didn''t stay there for a long time before they headed to the teleportation array and sent back to the Capital City.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao noticed the huge number of people outside. His lips curled up to form a smirk. "Your Highness, my task here is done."


    "Done?" Prince Fu Liang was surprised. He glanced at the door before nodding. It seemed that the battle for the throne in Sun Kingdom was quite intense. There were a lot of people who were qualified to earn the position as the Crown Prince among the younger generation.


    And they were all fighting quite openly.


    "Yes."


    "In that case, thank you for your hospitality. I hope we''ll meet again in the future."


    Lin Xiao nodded then he left directly. When he walked out, he could see that Prince Lin Bo Wang had brought large procession with him. It was clear that this prince wanted to impress Prince Fu Liang.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang glanced at Lin Xiao but didn''t even bother to greet him. With the battle grew fiercer, he had slowly started to reveal more and more of his true nature.


    Of course, Lin Xiao didn''t mind at all.


    In fact, he felt that it was more interesting this way.


    Prince Lin San and Prince Lin Xian were following behind Lin Xiao. From their stance, it was not difficult to guess that they were following Lin Xiao and had chosen to be in his side.

 Chapter 418: Preparation for the Banquet

    When they had walked a distance away, Lin Xiao passed a voice transmission to the two princes who were following behind him. "Are you sure it''s fine for him to know that you two are following me?"


    He could notice that Prince Lin Bo Wang was looking in Prince Lin Xian and Prince Lin San''s direction coldly. That prince must have been trying to pull his brothers to be on his side too in the past.


    After all, not all princes were capable enough to be able to enter Sun Dragon Academy. Prince Lin Yan, Prince Lin Xian, and Prince Lin San were among the few who successfully entered.


    Their lineage was proven to be quite capable.


    "It''s fine." Prince Lin Xian smiled faintly. "It''s already time that we start to show our stances. Besides, aren''t you also pulling a lot of people to be on your side?"


    "Right."


    Lin Xiao was not really doing things too covertly. The news of him having obtained a formation had spread in the capital city and quite a number of smaller families had expressed their willingness to follow him.


    Of course, they were mostly screened by Lu Jian and Han Jiang who were working hard.


    Prince Lin San also nodded. "It''ll be a good thing for us to start working too. After all, Brother is very lazy."


    "Who''s lazy?" Prince Lin Xian was speechless. "You''re the lazy one! I''m clearly very hardworking."


    "What hardworking? You''re mostly only lazying around all day." Prince Lin San held disdainful expression. "Even now, I can defeat you."


    "Damn you!"


    After enduring the harsh training under Prince Lin Yan, Prince Lin San was already much more powerful than before. It was clear that the training bore fruit very well. Thanks to that, Prince Lin Xian couldn''t defeat his younger brother anymore.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua giggled as she listened to their conversation.


    "Let''s return back."


    "En."


    What happened at the banquet was not spread but Lin Xiao heard that the negotiation fell through. It seemed that the three kingdoms couldn''t decide on who would be the leading one. In addition, there was some news that there was a dispute between the princes because of Prince Lin Fei''s mistake.


    But the detail was kept hidden.


    Lin Xiao was not interested either and kept his schedule to mostly locking himself to train and listen to the report from the others.


    Time passed swiftly and soon, it was time for the banquet in Hua Lan Kingdom.


    "The banquet is next week. Since the location is quite far, we''ll be using the teleportation circle." Prince Lin Xian came and informed Lin Xiao. "I want you to prepare yourself because the distance is quite far and you will be quite uncomfortable with the etiquette."


    "Ah?"


    "As Princess Lan Yi Hua''s husband, you might be subjected to critique if you couldn''t handle yourself well." Prince Lin San smiled bitterly. "You can choose not to care, but the Emperor might not like it."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He didn''t care much about the Emperor, but he didn''t want people to start saying that Princess Lan Yi Hua married a rogue. He looked at the three of them and cupped his hand. "In that case, I''ll be relying on you to help me with my manners."


    "I have the time to teach you, but I''ll be strict."


    "Well�� I''ll do my best."


    For the last week before the banquet, Lin Xiao spent the time to prepare himself for the banquet by memorizing the important etiquette and also manner of speech. While it was not perfect, he did look better.


    "My plan is not to do anything in the banquet." Lin Xiao smiled, his eyes were chilling cold. Prince Lin Yan told him back then that the one who ordered his assassination was Prince Lin Fei. And now that he was in the academy, there were some attempts that didn''t even manage to get close from Prince Lin Bo Wang.


    Since the two princes were so adamant to make things hard for him, he would be the one making the first move against the two of them.


    "Are you sure you can rile that Prince Lin Bo Wang?" Prince Lin San asked when he helped Lin Xiao to prepare himself. "He''s the epitome of wall. No matter what you say to him or taunt him, he would not show much expression on his face and defused everything quickly without the need of so much effort."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He had met with Prince Lin Bo Wang directly not long ago and the description was very apt for him. The prince was very cold but it was not hard to detect the competitive nature within his heart.


    "I''m thinking about that but there''s just one matter that I can think of to rile them up. Don''t worry, the preparation is complete and I only need to make sure that I''m invisible during the party."


    Lin Yun looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua, who had dressed herself beautifully in purple dress. The color would make young children look old but in the princess, it looked so elegant as if the color had suited her the most. With her looked like that, she was much more enchanting than anything else.


    She didn''t seem to be hiding much of her countenance but her bangs were still put on quite low. It didn''t fully showcased her beauty.


    ''Would you be able to keep low profile with such a beauty beside you?''


    While Lin Yun was unsure, Lin Xiao finished his preparation. He was dressed in purple robe too and combed his long hair neatly. In truth, he rarely cared for his appearance but since they were in formal banquet, it would be better for him to look good.


    "Don''t worry, Brother. You''re handsome."


    "Of course, I''m handsome!"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows when she looked at Lin Xiao. "Don''t go and charm other girls."


    "I won''t!"


    "Let''s go and use the teleportation circle. The others might have been waiting for us."

 Chapter 419: Banquet

    "Let''s go and use the teleportation circle. The others might have been waiting for us."


    "Ok."


    Aside from the Royal Family members, some influential families were also invited. Lu Jian and Fan Ling''s family were also included while Lin Yun tagged as Lin Xiao''s guard. He could easily reveal that he was also a prince, but his low status made him unwilling to be put as another enemy by other princes.


    It was already enough that Lin Xiao was placed at danger most of the time because of his position as one of the princes.


    Swish!


    As they reached a building, Lin Xiao could see that the hall was filled with people. Those who had just arrived would all appear here. Looking around, there were several teleportation circle that could be seen.


    "Let''s move so that the teleportation circle can be used again."


    "Oh."


    Lin Xiao moved with Princess Lan Yi Hua right beside him. The two of them attracted some attention and the nobles from Hua Lan Kingdom already knew Princess Lan Yi Hua since she had showed herself a few times in the past. Right now, they were discussing the man who was standing beside her.


    The news of their marriage did enter the ear of Hua Lan Kingdom and the only letter Princess Lan Yi Hua sent to them only contained one sentence.


    "I''m the one who asked for it to be this way."


    That obviously set them to rage because of how ungrateful she was. In their opinion, no matter whether she was treated badly by them or whatever, she still has to adhere to their words and respected them greatly. This decision of hers to not tell them until the deeds was done was unforgivable.


    However, the little princess was no longer afraid of them and didn''t even return. Even when she came to the banquet, she came with her husband.


    "It''s her."


    "She did come here."


    "The princess marry an orphan prince?"


    "Yes, I heard that he''s just an abandoned prince who''s around the same age as the princess. He''s even so poor that he didn''t learn much about etiquette��."


    "Geez, the first princess is always being an embarrassment."


    "Would the host even allow her to step inside��"


    More and more people recognized them and even some nobles from Sun Kingdom didn''t have good impression of them. In their eyes, the two of them were both equally unworthy of each other.


    Even if Lin Xiao had showed that he was quite great as a genius, there were simply too many other geniuses who were capable to be of the same feat as him. Thus, many people simply looked down on him along with Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    "They''re talking about you," Lin Xiao said in low tone while looking at Princess Lan Yi Hua with concern. Obviously, he wanted to beat them all up for talking bad about his woman. They didn''t have the right to say those words to Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    "It''s fine."


    Lin Xiao''s fist clenched tightly. Damn them. If only it was possible, he wanted to make sure that they eat their own words by showing that Princess Lan Yi Hua was actually very capable. However, he had to be patient and wait for the right time.


    It was not the time yet.


    The building where the teleportation circles located were not far from the main hall where they held the banquet this time. This place was right at the border between the two kingdoms as it would be dangerous if either side declared war.


    Though, as far as they knew, no side wanted to make this relationship sourer since the two of them wanted to achieve peace from this union.


    As Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua stepped into the hall, some nobles and also powerful cultivators swept their gaze to them. Lin Xiao detected most of their ranks and felt astounded because they were only between Golden Core Stage 1 and 2.


    ''Is it that hard to advance to Golden Core Stage 3?''


    ''Advancing to Golden Core Stage 3 requires you to fight against the Heavens. It means that there''ll be tribulation in their heart and most people will not dare to trigger the tribulation in fear that they fail and end up dying in the process.'' Lin Hu was the one who explained. The tribulation was more like to further their understanding of their path, though.


    It was usually invincible to the naked eyes.


    In fact, after Golden Core Stage 3, there would be another tribulation if they wanted to advance further.


    During tribulation, they were not allowed to be assisted by other people and have to rely on their own strength. Because of this point, many people didn''t dare to attempt it and could only stared at the rank with longing without any capabilities to pass it.


    However, Lin Xiao could see that the Emperors were both already at Golden Core Stage 3 just based on the pressures they exerted.


    ''To become the Emperor, you need to become Golden Core Stage 3?''


    ''Not really, but if you''re not the most powerful one, how could you expect the others to follow you?''


    There were only very few cultivators at Golden Core Stage 3 since it was a stage that required much more power and luck. If they didn''t dare to go against the Heaven, they would never be able to reach that stage. It was that simple.


    A middle aged man noticed Lin Xiao and smiled. "So, you''re Lin Xiao?"


    "Yes." Lin Xiao''s brows creased at the middle aged man''s impoliteness, but he still kept a smile on his face.


    "Thank you for taking care of my son. He can''t stop talking about you whenever he visits back." The middle aged man smiled helplessly.


    Son?


    Lin Xiao glanced back and saw Lu Jian walked over. The expression on the young man''s face was that of embarrassment.


    Lin Xiao also had no intention to make things difficult for Lu Jian. He nodded. "Your son is the one who helps me a lot."


    "You''re quite a polite young man." The middle aged man laughed and then talked a bit more with Lin Xiao. To his surprise, Lin Xiao was capable to keep polite speech thorough the entire conversation.


    It didn''t look like he was talking to someone who came from the village at all.

 Chapter 420: Are You Truly Her Parents?

    "It''s truly a pleasant surprise to meet you, Prince Lin Xiao." Lu Jian''s father had good impression of Lin Xiao after talking for some time. He nodded to the young prince before him. "I wish you luck."


    "Many thanks for your well wishes, Mr. Lu."


    Lin Xiao felt a bit exhausted talking with polite speech but he continued to greet others. There were many people whom he didn''t know but those who came with good intention would naturally be greeted with him politely. Those who didn''t have interest in him didn''t even get close to him.


    After some time, he glanced over to Princess Lan Yi Hua. "Are you tired?"


    "This is nothing."


    Banquet like this was not that uncommon for Princess Lan Yi Hua. For her, staying in the same place and acted polite was something that was very common and didn''t require much effort. She did act polite to those who were polite to her, but towards others, she had wooden expression.


    "It''s quite a surprise, though," Princess Lan Yi Hua added at the end of her sentence.


    "Yes?"


    "There are more polite people who are greeting us than what I expected at first. The nobles in Sun Dragon are much better than the one in Hua Lan Kingdom."


    Lin Xiao really wanted to hug Princess Lan Yi Hua right now and soothe her so badly. He could guess that the treatment she got back in Hua Lan Kingdom was bad because the Emperor didn''t care for him. Since the Emperor openly didn''t favor his daughter, the others clearly didn''t show any favor to her at all.


    But right now, she was also the wife of a prince. While the prince''s position was not that low, he was also quite a genius. Many of them didn''t want to make an enemy out of nowhere and since the Emperor himself didn''t say anything, they also didn''t make any move.


    "Hmm?"


    As they walked to one corner, Lin Xiao sensed faint pressure. He glanced to the side and saw a middle aged man, whom he quickly recognized as the Emperor due to the sheer pressure he generated, looked at the two of them. The gaze he gave was not friendly at all and Lin Xiao felt Princess Lan Yi Hua tensed up beside him.


    "You finally return back, you ungrateful daughter." The man''s tone was harsh. Even though they were in front of so many people, it didn''t look like he had any intention of showing love nor kindness to the girl.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked back at the middle aged man, the Emperor, without any fear whatsoever within her gaze. "I never have any plan to return back. Didn''t your plan of sending me to Sun Kingdom is simply to sell me away."


    "You''ll return back and divorce him."


    "I won''t."


    "Do you really think that you can go against me?" As Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor asked, he released a huge amount of pressure from his body. His eyes were looking at his daughter with fury and rage.


    Swish!


    Faint Qi spread from Lin Xiao, soothing Princess Lan Yi Hua beside him. They were two ranks below the Emperor, but Lin Xiao''s Qi characteristic was more than enough to help Princess Lan Yi Hua to calm down considerably.


    In the past, she never thought of going against her father so openly. But since things were already like this, why should she be afraid of him?


    "Your Majesty, don''t you think it''s unwise of you to just step up and berate your daughter in public?" Lin Xiao asked in low tone. His tone was dangerous and if things did come to the worst, he didn''t mind exchanging some moves.


    On the side, Elder Wang and also Prince Lin Yan were also preparing themselves for a fight. They might not be able to match against the Emperor, but it would be much better than nothing at all.


    "This is not your business, Young Man. Step away."


    "I won''t. You''re talking rudely to my wife, why can''t I talk back to you?" Lin Xiao asked back and looked at the Emperor before him with his clear gaze.


    "Wife? If you��"


    "Stop it. I''m no longer your daughter. Didn''t you already agree that from the moment I step onto Sun Kingdom territory, I would no longer be your daughter?" Princess Lan Yi Hua cut him off. "Don''t say that you don''t know it at all because I still have the agreement you signed back then. If you have conscience, stay away from my life."


    Turning her body around, Princess Lan Yi Hua walked to the door. Lin Xiao walked with her while glancing towards the Emperor with disgust. To think that this man actually threw his daughter away simply because she was not accomplished enough.


    Children were not tools for their parents to use.


    The Emperor was seething with rage, but he knew that what Princess Lan Yi Hua said was the truth. It was just that, he never told others about that nor released the news in public. Having her reveal that was truly like slapping him in the face.


    "Ungrateful daughter!"


    "Father, don''t be angry." Princess Lan Xiao Yue came closer and hugged her father''s hand. "Sister is just saying that in a heat of a moment."


    "That''s saying in the heat of the moment?"


    "Father."


    "Your Majesty."


    With so many people calming him down, the Emperor finally calmed down. He waved his hand. "Forget it, there''s another more important matter for us to attend to."


    "Yes." Princess Lan Xiao Yue smiled sweetly.


    Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor nodded at his beloved daughter before looking towards Sun Kingdom Emperor as if asking for permission. The two emperors had already talked to each other before this and agreed to marry Princess Lan Xiao Yue to the one who would become the next Emperor.


    While it was still unclear who it would be at this point because the three princes were not that powerful enough yet, the distribution of power was already quite clear.

 Chapter 421: Princess Lan Xiao Yue’s Decision

    Lin Xiao followed Princess Lan Yi Hua outside the hall before he pulled her to his embrace. She might not show much in her wooden expression that she showed back in the hall, but he could notice that her body was trembling slightly. No matter what was said or done, Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor was still her father.


    It was truly unthinkable for a father to think so low of his own daughter to the point that he wanted to throw her away.


    Lin Xiao knew that he would never be able to understand something like that. But he understood that children would want parents'' care because that was what he longed when he was a child. After all, his parents were not his real parents but they still cared for him greatly which was enough for him.


    "You alright?"


    "Yeah." Burying her head into Lin Xiao''s embrace, Princess Lan Yi Hua felt much better. She felt saver in his embrace. Despite the fact that the two of them were not a match against her father, she knew that he would protect her.


    Lin Xiao sighed and didn''t release her. He only stepped to the side so as to not block the route out at all. Before long, the others, Prince Lin Xian, Prince Lin San, Lu Jian, Prince Lin Yan, and Lin Yun also came out.


    "The party is inside and not here," Lin Xiao said helplessly.


    "Well, it''s almost the time for the main event. Don''t you want to watch how the other princes will fall for your husband''s scheme?" Fan Ling also came out and asked teasingly to the princess.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua had heard about Lin Xiao wanting to sow seeds of discord between the two princes. She raised her head. "Now?"


    "Yes. Just listen in."


    At this moment, Sun Kingdom Emperor had stood up and then looked at the Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor with a smile. It was clear that he was planning to give an announcement right now.


    "Everyone, I''m here to give you all an announcement regarding the collaboration between Sun Kingdom and also Hua Lan Kingdom. We have agreed on marriage union between the two kingdoms. And today, we would like to agree on the engagement between a prince from Sun Kingdom with the Second Princess of Hua Lan Kingdom."


    The people were all looking towards Sun Kingdom Emperor. They were all curious as to who the Emperor would pick to be the princess'' fianc��.


    Looking at the surroundings people, Sun Kingdom Emperor looked at his son. "Would you like me to say it first or you say it yourself?"


    Prince Lin Fei, who had dressed elegantly for the purpose of this event, walked towards Princess Lan Xiao Yue. He looked at her and smiled brightly before extending his hand. "Would you like to be engaged with me, Your Highness?"


    Now, everyone''s attention was shifted to the two.


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue should have been accepting Prince Lin Fei under everyone''s gaze and answered their expectation. However��


    "No."


    "Princess Lan Xiao Yue?" Sun Kingdom Emperor was stunned.


    Even Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor was surprised at his daughter''s sudden answer that was out of the expectation.


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue didn''t pay any attention to their faces as she walked across the hall. Ever since she had heard about Prince Lin Bo Wang, she had been trying to figure out more about the prince. Just like what those people said, he was low profile, yet he never been put into disadvantages.


    In her eyes, Prince Lin Bo Wang was more suitable than the arrogant Prince Lin Fei.


    In this grand hall, the prince didn''t look eye catching because he was keeping a low profile. Staying at one place while striking some deals with the noble families here and there, Prince Lin Bo Wang silently and stealthily increased his influence over the Hua Lan Kingdom''s circle.


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue has been watching him, so she could pinpoint his location without the need to search for him anymore. Her eyes lit up upon seeing the young man she had been wanting to get close to.


    "Prince Lin Bo Wang, would you like to be engaged instead?"


    Silence.


    Everyone was stunned to see Princess Lan Xiao Yue be the one to ask. Usually, she was very timid and lovable to the point that they couldn''t bear to see any blemish on her. but now�� she was the one who asked for the hand of a prince who was only staying at one corner.


    She''s�� so bold.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang looked at Prince Lan Xiao Yue silently. He had been trying to keep low profile because it was not the time for him to go against Prince Lin Fei yet. Unfortunately, the princess took note of him first.


    Should he accept or not?


    If he didn''t, he knew that he wouldn''t be able to get the princess again in the future when he finally made his move. On the other hand, if he accepted, Prince Lin Fei would be raging because he was discarded by the princess.


    How troublesome.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang kept on a gentlemanly smile to the princess. "Of course."


    Sss!


    Some people sucked up long breath when they heard what Prince Lin Bo Wang said. Those who were siding with Prince Lin Fei were annoyed and trying to scheme how to kill this annoying nuisance in front of them.


    ''Damn it!''


    Prince Lin Fei''s eyes were red when he looked at the two of them. If only this was not the public venue, he would have long exploded and then tried to get back Princess Lan Xiao Yue.


    For the past four years, he had been trying his best to get close to the princess and made his presence known to her. He had tried everything just to make sure that she would only remember him and him alone.


    But now��


    ''LIN BO WANG! I WON''T FORGIVE YOU!'' Prince Lin Fei screamed inside his mind as he turned around in rage.

 Chapter 422: Prelude

    "Ha ha ha��" Prince Lin Hong silently laughed when the nobles started to clap. Those who were at Prince Lin Bo Wang''s side naturally feel happier when they saw how Princess Lan Xiao Yue even took their sides and not Prince Lin Fei.


    This gave them a boost of confidence that they never thought before.


    On the other hand, Prince Lin Hong felt as if he was already pushed to the background without any warning. Everything only revolved between Prince Lin Fei and Prince Lin Bo Wang, leaving no chance for him to get inside.


    It was so frustrating.


    Clasping his hand tighter, Prince Lin Hong felt as if he was truly reduced to the background. Why?


    Was it because he was simply the youngest and had no remarkable achievement whatsoever? He hated it. It was never his decision to be born a few years younger than the two other princes.


    With his eyes burning in rage and discontent, Prince Lin Hong silently retreated from the party. He was no longer in the mood to enjoy the banquet that promoted the two powerful princes while he was nothing more than a piece on the background.


    He wanted to be the one at the spotlight.


    Outside.


    "Well, that surprisingly goes well," Lin Xiao commented with a smile.


    Prince Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao with arched eyebrows. "You planned for this?"


    "Yes." Lin Xiao''s eyes gleamed as he looked towards the two princes. "They never see me as a threat, yet they tried to kill me in numerous occasion. If I didn''t pay them back for their kindness, I''m not a gentleman."


    Lin Yun looked at his brother and shook his head. "Are you sure that you can be called a gentleman, Brother?"


    "Tsk, are you looking down on me, Yun?"


    "I''m merely stating a fact."


    Lin Xiao scoffed and looked inside again. "Princess Lan Xiao Yue wouldn''t like to be used as a pawn. She had long gotten used to get whatever she wanted with her act and status. Because of that, when she knows that she would be used as pawn by the Emperors from the two kingdoms, she refused."


    "Pawn?" Fan Ling was stunned.


    Prince Lin San also blinked his eyes. "I''m afraid I don''t understand."


    "Prince Lin Bo Wang planned to use the princess only after it''s settled that she got phoenix inheritance," Prince Lin Xian added from the side. He pursed his lips. "He''ll never make a bet on something that''s not totally sure. Because of that, he allowed the Emperor to point Prince Lin Fei as her fianc�� without worry.


    Because he knows that he could take her back when he revealed his prowess to her later and take back what ''belongs'' to him."


    Fan Ling was speechless when she heard they were talking about Princess Lan Xiao Yue as if she was an item. As a fellow woman, she didn''t really like the way they were talking. But as their group member, she had to admit that she didn''t really value Princes Lan Xiao Yue that well. She hated her, in fact.


    "Now that his plan is disrupted, he''ll stick with Princess Lan Xiao Yue all his life." Lin Xiao shrugged and turned around. "But of course, we should try to incite Prince Lin Fei to make his move before the phoenix inheritance."


    "Oh, I''ll get that one."


    "Ling''er, I don''t think that you''re suitable.."


    "What? My element is fire! So of course I''m suitable!" Fan Ling protested. Every woman in the entire Sun Kingdom and Hua Lan Kingdom were allowed to participate in the Phoenix Inheritance. Because of that, Fan Ling had been waiting for her chance to enter too and probably getting the inheritance.


    Lin Xiao glanced at the two of them then at Princess Lan Yi Hua. He landed a kiss on her forehead. "I''m sure you can get it. Let''s go back first."


    "Ok."


    "The show is over."


    There was nothing that they could watch from this banquet anymore as the party was over. It was time for them to return back and silently prepare for what they were supposed to do.


    The inheritance''s day will be very lively.


    "First Brother, I need your help."


    "Yes?"


    "I would like you to praise Prince Lin Bo Wang in front of His Majesty and Prince Lin Fei. I''m sure the two father and son will meet with each other sooner or later." Lin Xiao smiled.


    Prince Lin Yan looked at his youngest brother and sighed. He nodded his head. "Fine. I''ll do it. However, I think that your transformation is a bit too much."


    "Eh?"


    "You''re getting more and more cunning."


    Towards that statement, Lin Xiao couldn''t do anything but to scratch the back of his head. It was not like he wanted himself to be like this, but he knew that he had to learn if he wished to survive. Those two princes have been making their move, yet there was no lead that could point to them.


    If he wished to make a mess in the Royal Family without inciting trouble for himself, this was the method that he had to use. It was also the best method that he could think of if he had to be honest.


    Lin Xiao took out his communication jade when they had returned back to Sun Dragon Academy and contacted his friends.


    "Your Highness?"


    "Wenyan, are you already ready to make your move?"


    "Anytime. We''re already at our position and the preparation is complete. All we need to do is to make our move at the right time."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He had seen the list of people they were targeting. "On the day of Phoenix Inheritance, I want you to make your move."


    "Oh~. Alright."


    "Don''t make a mistake. If you can''t succeed, retreat."


    "We know."


    Lin Xiao sighed when he heard how easy going their tone was. He did feel worry, but he chose to not bother them again. Using his communication jade, he contacted another person to ask him to make his move.

 Chapter 423: The Royal Family Problems

    Putting down the communication jade, Lin Xiao walked out of his residence and then walked to the residence not far from his. The bustling people who were busy in this area hadn''t changed, but the aura they emanated had grown stronger after a period of time.


    "You''re here?" Lu Jian was stunned. He did come back with Lin Xiao, but he returned back to his residence directly, so he thought that Lin Xiao wouldn''t pay a visit.


    "I have a task that you can do."


    "What is it?"


    "Bring a group of people to take a mission in the Sha Mountain right beside the capital city. When there''s a chance, destroy the dam."


    "Huh?"


    Lu Jian knew that there was a river in Shan Mountain not far from where they were staying. However, the water was diverted so that it would form the river outside the capital city. If the dam was destroyed, it would flood the north area of the capital city, which was also the closest to the Palace.


    Those who dared to do so would be making enemies with the Royal Family.


    "That''s��"


    "Not now. I want you to do that when I make a call to you."


    Hearing that, Lu Jian knew that it was the time for Lin Xiao to make his move soon. Sighing, he could only nod. "Fine. But make sure that I won''t get punished for doing that."


    "You won''t."


    "Tsk, you''re so annoying."


    "Ah?"


    Lin Xiao only laughed and returned back to his own residence. He settled some other matters and arranged plans for him to make sure that he would be able to stay alive on the day of phoenix inheritance because there would be a lot of things that would be going on.


    ��


    In the palace.


    Prince Lin Fei''s face was turning even sourer. During the morning court, it was clear that the officials were all praising Prince Lin Bo Wang to the sky. Even some other princes who were usually neutral were now singing praise for Prince Lin Bo Wang.


    Looking at how the prince was basking in light, Prince Lin Fei''s eyes were filled with even more hatred.


    ''Why? Why? Why is it have to be him?''


    He couldn''t'' accept this ending at all.


    Prince Lin Yan silently watched Prince Lin Fei''s expression. Prince Lin Bo Wang was not present today because he had to pay a visit to Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor with Princess Lan Xiao Yue. As the result, only Prince Lin Fei was present here along with Prince Lin Hong.


    Looking at the two princes'' expression, he could guess that they were doing whatever they could to hold back their rage and surging emotion. If they didn''t hold back, it was clear that they would have created a mess in the palace.


    ''Arrogant princes who can''t even take a setback.''


    That was the best description that Prince Lin Yan could think of them. Unlike Lin Xiao who had to face many adversities ever since he was young, the four princes were placed at pedestal and always treated themselves as they were the best.


    Prince Lin Fei was already famous since young as the best one.


    While Prince Lin Hong always treated himself just slightly below Prince Lin Fei while above the other two princes.


    When Prince Lin Kai fell from his graze and finally died along with his followers because their enemies didn''t let them be, they didn''t feel anything. In their eyes, it was only logical for someone as muscle headed as Prince Lin Kai to fall down.


    But when Prince Lin Bo Wang attracted more attention from the beautiful princess, they couldn''t hold it back anymore. Their heart was not content because in their eyes, they were much better than Prince Lin Bo Wang.


    Unfortunately, the reality proved that they were not any better than him.


    ''if any of them become the Emperor, I''m sure that Sun Kingdom''s day will be numbered.'' Prince Lin Yan sighed. He looked at the Emperor, who was also distressed.


    The Emperor had long known that Prince Lin Bo Wang was more superior than his own son. However, he couldn''t accept that and silently made his move. However, Prince Lin Bo Wang was also smart as he always did his things at very low profile, making it difficult to catch him.


    Now that things have developed to this stage, it was clear that it wouldn''t be easy to turn things back around again.


    "Court dismissed."


    "First Brother, let''s go back." Prince Lin Xian pointed outside. The two of them were still students of Sun Dragon Academy, so they still stayed in the academy even until now. Prince Lin San didn''t participate because he wanted to focus more on his training because he was one of the youngest.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded and sighed. "What do you think will happen in the next few days?"


    "Hmm? If there''s no chaos, it''ll be weird instead."


    Prince Lin Xian had noticed how the two princes behaved and knew that things wouldn''t go well. If Prince Lin Bo Wang was not hard to deal with, they would have been able to deal with him by themselves.


    Now, using borrowed sword would be much better.


    "Do you think he can make peace with the other two?"


    "No."


    "Why?"


    "Because all of them want the same thing and it means that whatever they do, they''ll never be able to be at peace with each other." Prince Lin Yan looked into the distance. Now that he thought about it, Lin Xiao didn''t try to enter the Dragon Pavilion Hall at all. Did his younger brother didn''t have any interest in it or he didn''t want to show the fact that he was also eligible for the throne?


    Prince Lin Yan was not totally sure, but whatever it was, he would support his younger brother''s decision. Getting embroiled in the fight right now was not really wise since Lin Xiao''s supporters were still quite low in number.

 Chapter 424: Day H

    Time passed swiftly.


    Lin Xiao didn''t have any plan to get involved in so many complicated matters and threw it to the one who was more capable. While he did learn some things, he would not force himself on things that in his eyes, only making his head hurt.


    "I could never understand why the tax rate is like this," Lin Xiao grumbled when he was reading the finance book in front of him. In his opinion, the high number was a bit bizarre and hard to understand.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at her husband helplessly. When it came to the nobles'' intention, Lin Xiao could guess and even counter. But when it came to finance and things like this, he couldn''t understand the detail.


    He knew the basic, though.


    "There''s no more time to study. It''s already the time for the inheritance. We should leave," Lin Yun reminded from outside. If he didn''t manage to call Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua, Fan Ling would roast him alive because she had been itching to reach the destination.


    "Coming."


    Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua walked out of the house. Han Jiang wanted to follow, but Lin Xiao had arranged him to stay in Sun Dragon Academy. When things turned for the worse, they would be saver to stay in Sun Dragon Academy since the Royal Family didn''t dare to make complete mess.


    They only dared to be slightly arrogant.


    The teleportation center was filled with people. Prince Lin Yan would come with him but Prince Lin Xian and Prince Lin San would stay in the academy. There was no need for them to come along because their ability was not sufficient enough.


    Swish!


    Lin Xiao opened his eyes and scanned the area around him. It was far away from the previous location where he was staying near the capital city. If he had to say, it might be miles away because the terrain was completely different.


    The only thought inside his mind at this time was: SO HOT!


    "Gah, why is this place so hot? Even if I''m already a cultivator, I feel like my skin is burned." Lin Xiao looked around in confusion.


    The place was desert and there was nothing but sand around the building. However, everyone walked in one direction.


    "The Phoenix Fire is so strong that it can penetrate your defense." Prince Lin Xian smiled bitterly while trying to regulate his Qi better to make sure that he would not die because of the heat. It was indeed so hot that one would wonder whether they were dreaming or not.


    After all, once one had become a cultivator, they would no longer feel hot and cold temperature that much. Unless the temperature was extreme, they would not be affected that much. Only some people such as alchemist would pay close attention to the temperature in their surroundings because it was important for them.


    "Damn, can''t the phoenix contain her fire?" Lin Xiao mumbled as he also followed the crowd. No matter how much he disliked it, he still had to follow to the direction of the inheritance.


    ''You''re weaker when facing fire because your element is lake. If it''s water, you might be able to cool yourself better.''


    ''Why are you not water dragon instead of Lake Dragon, ah? That way my life will be better!''


    ''Nonsense! The Water Dragon Inheritor is still alive!''


    ''Ugh, it''s so hot!''


    Lin Xiao was already circulating his Qi, but he still could feel the scorching hot temperature on his skin. Looking at the surroundings, he felt as if he was nothing more than a weak lamb because the others were faring better than him.


    But Lin Hu''s words also reminded him that he was not the only Emperor''s Inheritance''s Inheritor. There were several of them all across the world. To be exact, there were eight of them in total.


    Would they meet each other in the future?


    Lin Xiao didn''t know. He didn''t have any interest to meet with those people, though. They might not able to hold themselves back and tried to fight him. As someone with low ranked cultivation, Lin Xiao refused to be placed in dangerous situation and fought against those people.


    He had enough of being chased and had to keep low profile.


    They all soon reached an area where there was a large rock at the front. The rock was protected by some kind of Qi layer that prevented everyone from coming in. However, the girls were all gathered at the front with hope that they would be able to get the Phoenix Inheritance.


    "I''ll be going now." Princess Lan Yi Hua pointed to the front.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Take care."


    Looking at the number of woman, Lin Yun felt worried on Fan Ling''s behalf. "Are you sure you''ll be fine?"


    "It''s not like those who fail will die." Fan Ling''s lips twitched when she saw Lin Yun''s gaze. She shrugged. "If I don''t see the chance to succeed, I''ll retreat before falling deeper. But if I have the chance to succeed, I''ll move forward."


    "You��" Lin Yun felt helpless when facing Fan Ling''s fiery temper. He knew for sure that it was not easy to make Fan Ling willingly gave up since Phoenix Inheritance was simply too rare.


    Lin Xiao looked at the crowd then asked, "Can men participate too?"


    "HUH?"


    "You''re asking whether men can obtain Phoenix Inheritance?"


    "Yep."


    "Well, it''s not impossible." Prince Lin Yan looked at Lin Xiao. "But do you really want to fight against these girls for the sole inheritance that women could possibly have?"


    "Ah��"


    It was not like men couldn''t get the phoenix inheritance, but it was because women couldn''t get the other inheritance that the men willingly step back. If they took the inheritance, they would be taking an inheritance that was supposed to be able to make a woman get stronger.


    Not everyone was that shameless and desperate to try taking the inheritance in front of so many people like this.

 Chapter 425: The Beginning of Chaos

    It was not like men couldn''t get the phoenix inheritance, but it was because women couldn''t get the other inheritance that the men willingly step back. If they took the inheritance, they would be taking an inheritance that was supposed to be able to make a woman get stronger.


    Not everyone was that shameless and desperate to try taking the inheritance in front of so many people like this.


    Lin Xiao nodded and watched at the front, hoping that nothing bad would happen to Princess Lan Yi Hua. He believed that his wife would be able to get the inheritance, though. It was the most suitable for her.


    Cheering sound suddenly emerged from the side. He looked and narrowed his eyes. Princess Lan Xiao Yue and Prince Lin Bo Wang had arrived on the scene.


    "Now that he''s no longer keeping low profile, he''s attracting attention wherever he goes," Prince Lin Xian commented.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "That''s why he''s even more adamant to kill me."


    "There''s more assassination?"


    "Don''t worry, First Brother handles them well."


    Because the opponents were fellow Golden Core Stage 2, Prince Lin Yan had to be the one making his move. Elder Wang did help a bit, but if there were too many people who were trying to kill Lin Xiao, the two of them would move together and try to fight back with all they got.


    So far, there hasn''t been any incident where Lin Xiao had to fight by himself. He still kept his ''low profile'' and stayed in his residence.


    Though, his name had spread quite a bit in the residence.


    "So, you''re also here, Sister." Princess Lan Xiao Yue smiled brightly and looked at his older sister. After getting the acceptance of Prince Lin Bo Wang, she came to realize that this prince was very capable. He was also so powerful that not many people could come close to him.


    To think that the low profile prince was actually already at Golden Core Stage 2 and only hiding his strength. She never thought of meeting such a young genius and that person would be her future husband.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at her sister and nodded. "Every woman is allowed to participate in this event."


    "Even if you did participate, do you really think that someone like you will be worthy to get the Phoenix Inheritance?"


    "Let the result speak for themselves."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua never liked to deal with her younger sister. She turned her body around and walked away. However, this notion of hers made her looked as if she had been defeated in a vocal battle with Princess Lan Xiao Yue.


    Of course, those who were near and heard their conversation wouldn''t think that way.


    It was just the oldest princess was too lazy to deal with the younger one.


    "Sister, are you still��"


    "Can you shut your crap?" Fan Ling''s patience was running out. She never had much patient when dealing with other women, especially when her friend was attacked like this. "Do you really think that she even cares for you? Just live your own life! Didn''t the two of you already cut ties with each other?"


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s eyes watered, looking as if she had gotten hurt by the statement.


    Some people there looked at her with pity but most women obviously knew how women''s strength worked. They simply looked at her in disgust and then moved away from her. They would not be played with her game.


    "But I just want sister��."


    "What sister, sister. You''re clearly only trying to make things difficult for her. if you truly care for your sister, you can just shut your mouth and then go away from here." Fan Ling snorted.


    Swish!


    As a gust of Qi flew between them, Fan Ling stepped back. She looked to the side and crossed her hands. "Oh, so you''re here Su Miao. And here I thought you disappear after failing to stay in Sun Dragon Academy."


    The woman named Su Miao, who Fan Ling had met back in Feng Yi City and quarreled in front of the auction house, felt her face burned in red. She looked at Fan Ling icily because the matter of her failure had made her the laughing stock of the noble ladies for some time back then.


    "Damn you. Do you think you''re the best just because you can enter Sun Dragon Academy? Just see that I''ll be surely defeat you!"


    "You? Just with your puny brain? You won''t be able to defeat me unless you throw out your pride and try to fight fair and square. But then, you''ll be afraid so you will never try to fight fairly��"


    "You��"


    The chaos grew bigger and bigger as the girls started to curse each other. At this time, Princess Lan Xiao Yue felt that things had gone south. She was only planning to provoke Princess Lan Yi Hua to make things difficult for her older sister��


    But this�� had she known that Fan Ling was such a troublemaker, she would not try to provoke her here. Before entering Sun Dragon Academy and followed Lin Xiao everywhere, Fan Ling had long gotten used with fighting daily with the other women.


    For her, this was nothing more than daily exercise that didn''t even require much effort on her side.


    But of course, other people would not think the same way with her. They were already speechless when they saw the girls quarreled with each other and heated up the atmosphere.


    "This is the first time I see the girls fight so fiercely," Prince Lin Yan commented.


    Lin Xiao raised a thumbs up to his younger brother. "Yun, your wife is the best!"


    "Of course!"


    Prince Lin Xian listened to their conversation and felt speechless. Also, Lin Yun, you''re not married, yet, right? She''s still your girlfriend and not wife!


    Thankfully, the fight between the girls didn''t last for long because the door to the inheritance was opened. They all collected themselves as they rushed in as fast as possible.

 Chapter 426: The Battle between the Two Princes

    Prince Lin Xian listened to their conversation and felt speechless. Also, Lin Yun, you''re not married, yet, right? She''s still your girlfriend and not wife!


    Thankfully, the fight between the girls didn''t last for long because the door to the inheritance was opened. They all collected themselves as they rushed in as fast as possible.


    "It''s quiet now."


    "Yes. We''ll need to wait until they''re finished. It might take several hours," Prince Lin Xian informed. He had heard the news regarding the previous Phoenix Inheritance, which took place around 5 years ago. He didn''t remember the detail that much because he was still young and weak back then, but he knew that it also took some time for the inheritance to be finished.


    After all, there were quite a lot of people who participated too.


    "Don''t worry, we can sit back and watch the next performance." Lin Xiao sat down on the sand while grumbling internally because he felt as if his ass was burned. Damn it, the sand was also very hot!


    ''Lin Hu, do something about the temperature, will you?''


    ''I can''t do anything, you idiot!''


    While Lin Xiao was complaining internally, the other also sat down while many others chose to return back to the teleportation building. At the very least, that place offered shade rather than waiting here under the scorching sun.


    Lin Xiao glanced to the side and noticed Prince Lin Bo Wang looking in his direction with murderous gaze. It seemed that the prince had long realized that it was Lin Xiao''s scheme that made him failed to follow his original plan.


    Seeing his gaze, Lin Xiao merely passed a smile as if mocking him.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, loud sound came from the side. Prince Lin Bo Wang furrowed his brows when he saw Prince Lin Fei standing not far from him with his men all equipped weapons. His heart sank when he saw that.


    "What are you doing, Lin Fei?"


    "What I''m doing? I''m merely taking back what''s supposed to be mine!" Prince Lin Fei roared and pointed at Prince Lin Bo Wang. The men who were following him immediately lunged forward to fight.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang gritted his teeth and had to order his men to defend while himself rushed to Prince Lin Fei in an attempt to stop this mad prince from making things grew even worse.


    Bang! Clang!


    The sound of their fight reverberated in the desert.


    Lin Xiao looked amazed then glanced at Prince Lin Yan. "Did you add something? He didn''t seem to be that perfectly sane."


    "I dissolved one group of his followers and add the medicine Yun prepared. It affected his mind a bit," Prince Lin Yan admitted. As Golden Core Stage 2, it was easier for him to make the move against Prince Lin Fei''s followers. Many of his followers were of weaker stage, so he only needed to make a move against them.


    As for the others��


    That didn''t matter that much.


    He only needed to sow a seed of discord for the prince and let things developed naturally to make sure that they could achieve his goal.


    Since Prince Lin Fei''s mental defense was already quite low due to the setback he received, it was not that hard to make him got more affected with the medicine and all. It only needed a little bit more tampering from Prince Lin Yan''s side to make sure that he could get what he wanted to.


    "That''s great!"


    Bang!


    The sound of the fight grew louder. Prince Lin Fei twisted his swords and then rushed over to Prince Lin Bo Wang, his eyes were red and seemed to be screaming the word crazy.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang gritted his teeth and initiated his movement skill.


    Swish!


    The attack failed and Prince Lin Bo Wang turned around. Looking at his older brother, who already looked like he lost his mind, Prince Lin Bo Wang felt as if he was looking at a lunatic. "Lin Fei, are you stupid? Do you really think that you can get her if you act like this?"


    "If I can''t get her, no one can." Prince Lin Fei rushed over without caring for his men and attempted to kill Prince Lin Bo Wang. If only he could think rationally, he would realize that the fight was not over. However, everyone around him already treated Prince Lin Bo Wang as if he was the next successor.


    Even his follower had started to hesitate and a number of them chose to withdraw from his side.


    That made him feel the crisis. It was as if if he didn''t do something, they would all leave him alone. That made him frustrated because he had been working so hard for decades in his entire life, and yet, the result was only leaning towards Prince Lin Bo Wang.


    How could he accept it?


    Thus, he chose to make his move at the time Prince Lin Bo Wang would least excepted it. They were all only here to watch over the girls who were trying their best to achieve Phoenix Inheritance. But today, it was not the only thing that mattered the most to him.


    He had to make sure Prince Lin Bo Wang paid for what he took.


    Bang!


    As Prince Lin Fei launched attack after attack, Prince Lin Bo Wang felt stifled. If only things were going according to his plan, Prince Lin Fei would not have enough manpower to go against him.


    This would have never happened.


    But unfortunately, things didn''t go according to the way he wanted and Prince Lin Fei looked as if he had lost his mind.


    Bang!


    The sound of fight continued to reverberate in the desert. In the end, Prince Lin Bo Wang took out his sword and looked at Prince Lin Fei. "I didn''t want to do this so early, but since you''re already courting death��"


    He murmured something as the sword gleamed before it was completely enveloped in fire. Afterwards, Prince Lin Bo Wang swung the sword in Prince Lin Fei direction and scorching heat created layer of ash on the ground towards Prince Lin Fei.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAA!"


    It directly burned everything on its path.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang''s eyes were icy as he looked at Prince Lin Fei, who had finally died and fell on the ground.

 Chapter 427: The Unexpected Things

    It directly burned everything on its path.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang''s eyes were icy as he looked at Prince Lin Fei, who had finally died and fell on the ground.


    Afterwards, he lowered his sword. Many of the men who followed him were injured at this time, but thankfully Prince Lin Fei''s men had also failed miserably. They all died following their master as they were unable to withstand the attack from the other party.


    "Lin Xiao!" Prince Lin Bo Wang gritted his teeth and looked in Lin Xiao''s direction. His eyes were burning with hatred and rage. How could he not know that everything was going according to Lin Xiao''s plan? He would be the stupidest person in the entire world if he still didn''t understand that at this point.


    Lin Xiao looked up as his lips curled up to form a smile. He didn''t want to hide it from Prince Lin Bo Wang too. Besides, it was already too late for that prince to know everything at this point of time.


    Thud!


    Prince Lin Fei and his men all dropped dead while the people around hurried away. They didn''t want to get involved in this matter and possibly lose their lives just simply because being in the wrong place at the wrong time.


    Even until the end, Prince Lin Fei didn''t realize that he was being used by other people.


    "Are you happy, Lin Xiao? You��" Prince Lin Bo Wang was about to curse when he noticed his communication jade lit up. He took it and upon hearing the piece of news, his face turned pale.


    Glancing towards Lin Xiao, who was still giving him a faint smile, he knew that things had gone south. Everything that occurred now was not within his plan at all.


    "Is that��?"


    "It should be."


    Lin Xiao lowered his gaze and looked at his communication jade. He smiled bitterly. In the end, that man chose this path, huh?


    ��


    Just a few minutes'' prior, palace of Sun Kingdom.


    Sun Kingdom Emperor was staying in his study. The morning court had ended with them all deciding to do some important matter, but it was not really done quite well. There were quite a lot of loopholes in the plan that they couldn''t patch.


    He was currently feeling quite annoyed because things were not going that well.


    It was then, he felt that he was not alone in the study. As Golden Core Stage 3 Cultivator, Sun Kingdom Emperor naturally had higher senses and will not be affected by ordinary medicine to the point that he was unable to detect when someone got close to him.


    Just as he was about to call his guards, pain flashed on his neck.


    Slash!


    Bang!


    Releasing large amount of Qi, he heard dull sound on his back. At the same time, he felt that blood was gushing out of a wound on his neck. It was hitting his artery and blood poured out like a waterfall.


    "Who''s there?"


    Swish!


    The sound of wind rippling was heard and Sun Kingdom Emperor quickly raised his hand to block the attack. However, he felt pain from his back towards his stomach. His eyes widened in surprise.


    This��.


    Bang!


    As he punched backwards with his Qi, the figure behind him was thrown to the wall, creating a small crater there. Wiping the blood on the corner of his lips, Sun Kingdom Emperor turned to look at the young man there. His eyes widened.


    "You�� who are you?"


    The young man, Xia Ye, smiled lightly as dark Qi gathered on his hand. Aside from the basic element, there was also the possibility of someone harnessing dark element. It was the element that Xia Ye practiced and was born with.


    This element, which was often called as shadow or dark element, was mostly used by assassins. With that element, they could conceal their presence even if they were in the presence of someone who has cultivation far higher than them.


    "Have you forgotten about me, Your Majesty?" Xia Ye asked in eerie tone as he rushed over. His hand collected the dark Qi as his body disappeared before he reappeared right beside Sun Kingdom''s Emperor. There were faint desperation and madness deep within his eyes when he looked at the other party.


    Bang!


    The two of them collided and Sun Kingdom Emperor soon realized that something was wrong. To his horror, his dantian was corroded by the dark Qi and dissolved. It would take a long time for him to recover because the dark Qi was penetrating deep into his body.


    His eyes were staring at the dark Qi that emanated on Xia Ye''s hand as a woman''s figure appeared on his mind. A woman whom he took because she belonged to a powerful dark element cultivator...


    "No way! You should have died that day!"


    "I''m alive." Xia Ye wiped the blood on the corner of his mouth. "And I''ll take back your life to pay for what you have done to my parents!"


    Swish!


    Moving rapidly with his movement technique, Xia Ye soon arrived by the Sun Kingdom''s Emperor side. His sword that was coated in dark element slashed towards the Emperor without any mercy.


    The Sun Kingdom Emperor was desperate as he burned whatever Qi he had left and tried to block the attack.


    Slash!


    But it was futile. At this amount, his ability was not even comparable to Xia Ye, who was two ranks below him in cultivation.


    "Guards!"


    Clang!


    Resisting desperately, Sun Kingdom Emperor tried to call the guards who were supposed to be waiting for him. However, no one came and Xia Ye continued his attack while watching Sun Kingdom Emperor fought back violently.


    The two wounded each other but neither side managed to fatally injure the other.


    Bang! Thud!


    "No one will come." Xia Ye wiped the blood on his face as he looked at Sun Kingdom Emperor. His mind could recall similar event in the past but with the opposite position. "I had killed them all."

 Chapter 428: Road Paved with Blood

    His father was the one lying on the ground with the Emperor threatening him with powerful force. It was a humiliating sight but Xia Ye was forced to witness his family being destroyed.


    "You��"


    *cough* *cough*


    Sun Kingdom Emperor felt that his body was weakening at rapid speed and his heart was filled with fear. Ever since he had become the Emperor, this was the first time he ever felt fear from deep within his heart. And the source of his fear was none other than this youth who was not even half his age.


    How laughable.


    Xia Ye looked at the Sun Kingdom Emperor before him. "Desperate? That''s what you have done to me back then. Killing my father in front of my eyes, cutting off any straw of hope that I can possibly have�� You really like collecting woman only to kill them in the end."


    At the end of his sentence, Xia Ye couldn''t bring himself to continue anymore. What happened back then was forever engraved in his heart, unable to be forgotten. He only knows that everything he had was taken away from him just because of the Emperor''s whim.


    Just a whim. Heh.


    Grabbing the sword tighter, Xia Ye lunged forward and stabbed the Sun Kingdom Emperor. At the same time, he allowed the emperor to wound him.


    "This is the end."


    "You''re a lunatic, you��" Sun Kingdom Emperor was about to try releasing himself when he realized that he was stuck near Xia Ye. At the same time, the dark Qi was flowing backwards on Xia Ye''s body as the young man looked at the front.


    His face turned pale at realization at what Xia Ye wanted to do.


    When a cultivator at Golden Core Stage destructed themselves, the destruction they made would be very big. At the same time, their soul would also be destroyed.


    "Goodbye."


    Xia Ye closed his eyes, feeling the warmth from his parents that he had missed a long time ago coming back to him.


    Bang!


    Dark Qi enveloped the entire area, corroding everything. As the one closest to the destruction, Sun Kingdom Emperor was wounded heavily and already at his last breath. His soul was thoroughly damaged and his body was badly burnt with many chunks of flesh missing from its original place.


    The destruction was big and naturally attracted the guards that were located far away. They quickly rushed over in an attempt to help Sun Kingdom Emperor to recover.


    "Call the princes to come!"


    "If His Majesty can''t survive, we''ll need to prepare for the new Emperor right away."


    "Yes!"


    ��


    Back in the desert.


    Lin Xiao noticed that Xia Ye''s Qi that was inserted into the Communication Jade for them to communicate with each other was flickering. It was the clear indication that the young man was on the verge of dying.


    "Mutual destruction?" Lin Yun asked with a hoarse voice.


    Lin Xiao shook his head. It was similar to that but it was not mutual destruction. While he had told Xia Ye that it was fine even if he failed, Xia Ye didn''t come to him just because Lin Xiao needed followers. What Xia Ye wanted was simply revenge, revenge against someone who had made his life miserable back then.


    As for what had happened, Lin Xiao didn''t know everything for sure. What he knew was that Sun Kingdom Emperor had done something towards Xia Ye that made the young man adamant to do revenge.


    Even at the cost of his own life.


    "Things should have been able to end more peacefully if only there''s another way." Prince Lin Xian sighed. However, it was Xia Ye''s decision and there was no way for them to change the young man''s mind when he had decided on something.


    Lin Xiao didn''t say anything. Whether Xia Ye would be able to survive or not depends on fate. He would only come searching for the young man in the future.


    "Well, we''re also busy here."


    Prince Lin Bo Wang, who received the news looked as if he was hit by a large boulder with no chance for him to recover. Looking at his complexion, everyone could say that he was already feeling extremely bad and probably will falter at any time.


    "How about Wenyan and the others?"


    "They?" Lin Xiao shrugged. "They should have been able to finish their work and disappeared right now. What''s important for us right now is to wait for the Phoenix Inheritance to be finished and the selected one come out."


    Thud!


    Several women were already thrown out of the space while they were all waiting here. Those who didn''t last long were people who didn''t have much affinity with the Phoenix and naturally had no chance to be accepted.


    Both Fan Ling and Princess Lan Yi Hua hadn''t come out at all.


    "He''ll wait and we should wait too."


    "What if he attacks us?" Lin Yun pointed at Prince Lin Bo Wang with worried tone. If the prince attacked them too, it wouldn''t do them anything good. They would be forced to fight an unfair battle.


    "He won''t."


    "Yes?"


    "He needs to concoct better plan first. Besides, with his people wounded like that, do you think that he''ll immediately attack?"


    "Reinforcement��."


    "They''re all heading towards the capital city, to the palace to be exact. No one will be left behind here. Our problem later will not be him." Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. He knew for sure that the one who would fight them later would not be Prince Lin Bo Wang but someone else who was also very powerful and might threaten their lives.


    Prince Lin Yan looked at Lin Xiao and sighed. "You should stop provoking people."


    "I''m not."


    "And the opponent who will fight you later, did you not provoke him?"


    Lin Xiao''s lips curled up to form a sneer. "I didn''t provoke him at all, but someone else in our group will."


    Looking at Lin Xiao''s eyes and where he looked at, the others naturally knew who he meant. However, they all stayed silent as they watched Prince Lin Bo Wang, who was trying hard to be patient in this place. If only he was not waiting for the result of the Phoenix Inheritance, he would have returned back to the palace right away.

 Chapter 429: The Result

    Looking at Lin Xiao''s eyes and where he looked at, the others naturally knew who he meant. However, they all stayed silent as they watched Prince Lin Bo Wang, who was trying hard to be patient in this place. If only he was not waiting for the result of the Phoenix Inheritance, he would have returned back to the palace right away.


    Thud!


    As another batch of people were thrown out, Lin Yun noticed familiar face. He swiftly ran to the front and helped Fan Ling up. "Are you alright?"


    "Yeah. I got some treasures, but I''m not qualified enough to obtain the Phoenix Inheritance." Fan Ling grinned and showed her fist. She smiled lightly and then brushed the sand off her clothes.


    "That''s good enough."


    "Hehe."


    "Fan Ling!" Su Miao yelled. She was also thrown out at the same time as Fan Ling. However, her expression looked as if she had just eat shit and didn''t obtain any benefit from entering the Phoenix Inheritance in the slightest bit.


    "What?" Fan Ling asked back.


    Su Miao clenched her fist. "You dare to take what''s supposed to be mine! You should have never taken that pill!"


    "Too bad that it''s already mine now. You can''t get it anymore."


    "You b*tch!"


    Swish!


    Qi floated in the air as the two of them stood at two sides. Lin Yun felt the scenes to be highly familiar because it was just like how when he first met the two of them back then. However, the aura around them had grown stronger by now and Fan Ling was getting even more attractive compared to that time.


    Su Miao snorted. Her slender hand took out her weapon, which was a long sword.


    The sword was swung in Fan Ling''s direction as fast as the wind. It was as if there was nothing called resistance in the air as she moved effortlessly, launching countless sword blades attack towards Fan Ling.


    Swish! Swish!


    With her fan, Fan Ling evaded the attack perfectly. Her dress fluttered lightly, yet there was not even a crease. The attack completely missed her. Noticing the stance Su Miao was in, Fan Ling closed her fan and pointed towards Su Miao.


    Just like the legendary phoenix, a red figure strike from the tip of her fan. It was scorching hot yet at the same time, the light looked so magnificent that everyone''s breath was taken away by it. Back then, the figure was already so enchanting but now, it had grown even more powerful and realistic.


    Beautiful! Powerful!


    Su Miao''s expression changed as she raised her sword and then placed it in front of her while shouting. The Qi around her body was pulled over to form faint layer of defense, but it was useless.


    The attack hit her as if there was nothing to block it at all.


    Bang!


    The light hit the center of her sword, yet Su Miao was pushed back several meters. Her expression was pale as her figure trembled.


    Thud!


    *Cough* *cough*


    Fan Ling looked at Su Miao with a faint smile on the corner of her lips. "I''m only using the same move as back then but you fail to block it even now. Too bad that you''re so poor at using your pitiful strength."


    "You b*tch�� You''re��"


    Thud!


    At this time, pressure was shot out of the stone and Fan Ling swiftly evaded. Her eyes were looking towards the stone with arched eyebrows. There were only a few women who were staying inside and the one thrown out was in the middle of destructing herself.


    "Run!"


    Lin Yun swiftly grabbed Fan Ling''s hand and initiated Moon Evasion as he reappeared not far beside Lin Xiao. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he watched the figure of the woman there.


    The woman looked like she was in despair but once someone initiated their self destruction, there was practically nothing that could stop them anymore.


    "No!" Su Miao shouted as she turned around.


    Bang!


    With that explosion, those within the attack radius was attacked violently. Large crater was formed on the sand as several sorry figure of girls were revealed. Many of them suffered burnt wounds and it was unclear whether they could recover again because some of them even lost their limbs.


    "How violent."


    "That''s just how it is when someone self destruct." Prince Lin Xian glanced over to Lin Yun. "Are you alright?"


    "Yeah. I just need some rest and I''ll be fine." Lin Yun forced a smile. This was the first time he escaped this far using Moon Evasion and he had to exert the power in his body a bit.


    Fan Ling looked at Lin Yun and bit her lower lips. "Sorry."


    "Ah, I''m totally fine. You don''t have to worry."


    "Eat some medicine."


    "I know, I know."


    Lin Xiao watched the two of them before he glanced over to look at the crater once more. He murmured, "If even someone like Fan Ling can''t even get the Phoenix Inheritance, the requirement must be very high."


    "For sure it has to be someone with fire element."


    "Fire element?" Lin Xiao pondered. If he had to say the truth, he had never asked Princess Lan Yi Hua about her element before. Naturally, he thought that the princess element was wind because of how she controlled her attack flawlessly before.


    But now that he was thinking about it��


    It didn''t seem to be that way at all. Since she could last this long inside the Phoenix Inheritance place along with the other candidates, it meant that her element must be fire and that she was quite suitable for the inheritance.


    ''She''ll get it.''


    That was what inside Lin Xiao''s mind. As light started to shine from within the stone, Lin Xiao noticed that a figure came out from inside. Several girls came out but only one was wielding fire on her hand along with a faint smile on her lips. Her beautiful figure took everyone''s breath away as many of them stared at the group with disbelief.


    How come��?

 Chapter 430: Battle with Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor

    Bang!


    Something shattered on the ground as everyone was looking at the last batch of girls who came out of the inheritance ground. From the way it looked like, everyone had come out and the one who wield the fire was naturally the one who got the inheritance.


    "Ugh��"


    "WHY IS IT YOU?" Princess Lan Xiao Yue, who was standing at the side, looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua with hatred and disbelief. At this point, she no longer cared for her beautiful image that she had been protecting in front of others and looked at her older sister with tone filled with accusation.


    The other girls also looked at the two of them but they simply sighed. Only five girls were selected for the last part of the selection, so naturally they knew how hard the test was.


    While they were also filled with disbelief at the result because the one who got it was Princess Lan Yi Hua instead of Princess Lan Xiao Yue, they still accepted that it was impossible for them to be the one to receive it.


    "Why can''t it be me?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked back and kept the fire away. Her eyes were filled with amusement when she looked at her younger sister, who looked like she was about to explode from rage and disbelief.


    "No! It can''t be you! It should have been me!"


    "Are you blind?"


    "You''re not even fire element!" Princess Lan Xiao Yue screamed.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua arched her eyebrows and laughed lightly. "Are you thinking that I''m not fire element because you have never seen me wielding fire in the past? Unfortunately, my real element has always been fire."


    "You��"


    Swish!


    As fire covered her surrounding, Princess Lan Yi Hua looked as if she was shining. Her figure, that was usually covered in the darkness as she hid away, had disappeared. Replacing that wooden expression was a brilliant smile that was filled with confidence and happiness.


    Her aura, that was previously had only reached Golden Core Stage 1 was now already at Golden Core Stage 2. She had immediately jumped rank when she got the Phoenix Inheritance.


    ''Lin Hu, she jumped rank so quickly��. Why can''t you be more generous when you give me the inheritance back then?''


    ''That''s because it''s different!''


    Lin Xiao scoffed as he rushed over to Princess Lan Yi Hua''s side. He maintained his speed while keeping his eyes on the others. There were a lot of people here who had realized that the one who gained the Phoenix Inheritance was not Princess Lan Xiao Yue like what they expected but instead the unremarkable Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    The news felt as if a bomb was detonated right in their head.


    No one could believe that the outcome of the things would be like this. They all thought that it was Princess Lan Xiao Yue who would be the winner. And the reality slap it away.


    Bang!


    "You ungrateful daughter! How come you take the chance that''s supposed to be your sister?" Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor finally exploded.


    When he saw that the result was not Princess Lan Xiao Yue who got the Phoenix Inheritance, he was already filled with disbelief. Now that the news had sunk in, he knew that he had to kill her.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua laughed out loudly. "Even if you kill me, the inheritance will not fall on the hand of an unqualified person."


    "You b*tch!"


    Bang!


    Lin Xiao stood before Princess Lan Yi Hua as he flexed his hand. There was a faint frown on his forehead. While the attack looked casual, the power behind Golden Core Stage 3 was truly different from that of Golden Core Stage 1. He could feel his arms going numb.


    "Lin Xiao."


    "You can take your time to deal with that woman." Lin Xiao didn''t even bother calling out Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s name. In his opinion, it was not important what name she has because she was not an important character. "We''ll deal with him."


    "Ok." Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled.


    Lin Yun stepped out with Fan Ling beside him. He shook his head. "My my, Brother, you should try to remember that you are not allowed to provoke someone much stronger than you."


    "Tsk, if he creates trouble, it just means that we have to clean it up." Fan Ling sighed and took out her fan. Flames began to gather around her.


    Prince Lin Yan and Prince Lin Xian were also getting ready not far from Lin Xiao. They were all below Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor at their cultivation stage, but they would work together to make sure that they could win this fight.


    "You all ignorant bastard!" Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor was so angry that he slammed the ground with his hand. The earth shook and the other people who were nearby instantly used their movement technique to run away.


    The inheritance ground had become too lively for them.


    Bang!


    Lin Xiao took out his sword as he grinned lightly. Muttering the name of the technique in his mind, he slashed his sword out.


    Chilling Lake Sword, ninth stance!


    Swish!


    Almost immediately, the entire road was covered in ice and the temperature, that was previously scorching hot, dropped until many were freezing. Even those near Lin Xiao felt that the temperature''s change was so drastic that they were gritting their teeth.


    ''Can''t this man warn them beforehand?''


    While the group of people were preparing to fight, Prince Lin Bo Wang looked at Princess Lan Xiao Yue once more. She was not useful.


    That was the only thought flashed in his mind as he turned his body around. "Let''s go back to the palace."


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    Before disappearing, Prince Lin Bo Wang sneaked a glance towards Lin Xiao as he snorted. It seemed that the stupid new prince was now seeking his own death. It was not worth it to endure the wrath of a Golden Core Stage 3 Cultivator''s wrath just for a mere woman.

 Chapter 431: Battle with Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor (2)

    Before disappearing, Prince Lin Bo Wang sneaked a glance towards Lin Xiao as he snorted. It seemed that the stupid new prince was now seeking his own death. It was not worth it to endure the wrath of a Golden Core Stage 3 Cultivator''s wrath just for a woman.


    Bang!


    As the Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor unleased his aura, the others were also getting ready. Their determined expression showed as if they were ready to a fight until their death with the Emperor.


    "I''m first." Fan Ling stepped forward and lightly lifted herself up. While those at Golden Core Stage would be able to learn how to fly, it was quite taxing. However, she could do it easy thanks to the wind element she also wielded alongside her fire element.


    Fire prison!


    Fluttering her fan, the fire spread towards Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor and seemed to trap him, which prevented him from getting even closer. Fiery bird images appeared from the fire element, making one wonder why she was not the one who got the Phoenix Inheritance.


    Mountain Sword!


    Without the need of instruction, Lin Yun stepped forward and performed Mountain Sword technique to the highest degree that he had mastered. The sound of sword Qi flashed through the air filled the area.


    Clang!


    Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor raised his own saber, which blocked the attack.


    Shua!


    From behind, Prince Lin Yan had appeared. His face was stoic as he stretched out his hand and faint Qi spread like thread from him. Beside him, Prince Lin Xian had also come closer and punched forward.


    Bang!


    Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor raised his hand, blocking their attack as the thread circled into his hand and sharp pain appeared on his hand. He furrowed his brows as he could sense that his Qi and life force was sucked out.


    "Damn you! To think a prince from Sun Kingdom would learn a treacherous skill like Sucking life thread!"


    Prince Lin Yan merely snorted. "To be able to survive, it didn''t matter what kind of skill we should learn."


    Swish!


    Bang!


    This time Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor punched forward, pushing the two princes back as they were incapable to withstand the full attack from Golden Core Stage 3.


    "Hmph! Just this much won''t be able to deal with me!"


    With a roar, Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor brandished his saber and made large swing towards the group below him.


    Lin Yun''s eyes widened as he shot out his Qi, forming barrier. ''Qi barrier!''


    Layer of Qi formed around them. This was a defense skill that he had painstakingly learned after he managed to enter that Book Pavilion. Beside him, Fan Ling also used her fan and pulled them away from that point.


    Bang! Bang!


    The entire area was filled with devastating mark. Destruction seemed imminent just from the scale of the things.


    Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor snorted and then moved away from his position as he dispelled the thread on his hand.


    Swish!


    The sudden attack from Prince Lin Yan ended in failure.


    At this point, the chilling temperature had come once more. Both Prince Lin Yan and Prince Lin Xian performed their movement technique while the wind around them moved as Fan Ling created another prison, this time with her wind element.


    Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor looked forward and saw Lin Xiao wielded his sword. There was something that spell danger from his eyes.


    "Damn you!"


    Chilling Lake Sword, Ninth Stance!


    The ninth stance was the highest stance that someone at Golden Core Stage 1 could possibly learn. Lin Xiao had gathered all of his Qi into this one attack, making sure that it would freeze everything on its path.


    Bang!


    The attack went straight towards Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor as the penetrating ice stabbed into his body. Blood spurted out, yet there were also faint chills on Hua Lan Emperor''s face as he looked towards Lin Xiao.


    He hated this young man.


    Beside them, Princess Lan Yi Hua was spreading her fire, trapping Princess Lan Xiao Yue in an endless sea of fire.


    "You won''t be able to get away, Xiao Yue," Princess Lan Yi Hua said in calm tone. Her eyes were staring at her younger sister, whom she would never want to acknowledge in her entire life ever again.


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue was looking at Princess Lan Yi Hua with horror on her face. "You can''t do this to me! You b*tch! You''re supposed to be always under me! You''re destined to just become my stepping stone and will never recover no matter how many times it takes!"


    "Destiny?" Princess Lan Yi Hua snorted. The twin swords she wielded made crossing movement as fiery Qi shot out from her. "I''m writing my own destiny."


    "AAAAAa!"


    Bang!


    The fire hit Princess Lan Xiao Yue directly, pushing her back several meters away. Her clothes were burnt and some parts were visible, yet she didn''t have the time to care as the fire around her was creeping closer and closer to her.


    "No! Don''t come close! Get away from me!"


    Bang!


    Punching forward with whatever power she had left, Princess Lan Xiao Yue was using the Qi she had to finally fight back. Fear and discontent was still written on her beautiful face while those who were watching from the distance lamented that they couldn''t see her figure close enough.


    But they didn''t dare to get close at all.


    The right side was ice world while the left side was fiery flame. Usually, fire would be associated with yang while ice would be associated with yin, but this time it was turned around.


    But despite that, no one dared to get closer at all.


    They knew that the difference in temperature might even destroy their body if it was used together. Because even though the two sides looked as if they were the polar opposite, there was still sense of harmony between the two of them. It was as if it was already a given that the two sides had to exist together.

 Chapter 432: Battle with Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor (3)

    They knew that the difference in temperature might even destroy their body if it was used together. Because even though the two sides looked as if they were the polar opposite, there was still sense of harmony between the two of them. It was as if it was already a given that the two sides had to exist together.


    "Let''s end this."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua stomped forward as her body flickered in the air. Before one knew it, she had arrived right behind Princess Lan Xiao Yue as her twin sword stabbed toward her stomach, penetrating deep inside.


    There was not even any chance for Princess Lan Xiao Yue to react to this speed.


    "You��"


    *cough* *cough*


    Spitting out blood, Princess Lan Xiao Yue could feel weakness coming from her stomach. The area that was supposed to be providing her with power was now looking as if it was hollow.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at her younger sister and shook her head. "I won''t kill you. Death is too easy for someone like you."


    Swish!


    As she stepped back, Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s figure landed on the barren desert ground. Her eyes were staring back at her older sister with hatred and unwillingness. It was clear that if it was not because of this event, she would have been the one who had the power along with all the glory.


    Why?


    Why did it have to end this way?


    Tears streamed out of the corner of her eyes as she tried to stand up. However, the sudden loss of power made her unable to control her body well. She could only silently lie on the sandy ground while staring with hatred.


    The sense of helplessness was so suffocating.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked back at her younger sister and smiled. "Is it hard? That''s what you did to me back in the past when I was nothing more than a powerless young girl."


    For many years, Princess Lan Yi Hua had to withstand the poor treatment her family gave her. They all poured all their loves to Princess Lan Xiao Yue and pushed all the blame onto her head as if she was the only person who would ever make mistake. Yet, there was nothing she could do to avoid it.


    She could only wait and wait until the very end.


    "You b*tch is nothing more than��"


    Bang!


    Kicking the sand, it covered Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s mouth, preventing her from speaking any further and coughed out loudly. The gaze that Princess Lan Yi Hua gave when looking at her was hollow and filled with nothing more than indifference.


    There was never any feeling when she was talking about her younger sister anymore.


    Swish!


    Her figure moved towards Lin Xiao. In her opinion, it was better to use her power to help Lin Xiao rather than fighting against Princess Lan Xiao Yue, who was already as good as dead person.


    "Yi Hua?" Lin Xiao called out.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. "En, I''m here."


    Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor''s eyes widened when he saw them. His eyes were filled with rage as he initiated his Qi and broke through the ice layer that stabbed through him. Even though there were so many ice that pierced into his body, his eyes were still filled with energy.


    "You b*tch! What did you do to my daughter!" Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor roared in anger and fly towards them faster than ever.


    Lin Xiao''s gaze hardened.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Eight Stance!


    Bang!


    Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor clashed into a wall of ice as Prince Lin Yan also stretched his hand. The thread was spreading even faster and now they looked like a large worm that was swarming towards him. He had no intention to hide this technique anymore since their lives were all in danger.


    Stab! Stab! Stab!


    The thread was stabbing into his skin as if there was no defense, but Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor could care less about that as he swung his saber forward.


    Clang!


    *cough* *cough*


    Blocking the attack, Lin Yun felt as if his inside was churned upside down. The remaining Qi was more than enough to disrupt the flow of Qi inside his body and put his entire being into a mess.


    "Yun!" Fan Ling used her fan as wind and fire enveloped Lin Yun to provide defense. With that as the cover, Lin Yun hurriedly escaped to the side with Moon Evasion. He was in a coughing fit as blood was also spat out.


    Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor snorted as he suddenly felt pain on his back.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua had appeared before him and her twin sword was stabbed into his body as flames started to burn his blood. His eyes turned red as he swung his hand to swat her away and Princess Lan Yi Hua used her movement technique to move away.


    At the same time, Lin Xiao appeared before him and stabbed his sword forward and the ice began to spread from within. He attacked right when Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor was still so busy with Princess Lan Yi Hua, thus failed to react in time to block him.


    Both ice and fire were raging madly within Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor, disrupting his Qi and also his blood.


    "You bastard!"


    Bang!


    Lin Xiao was fast enough to evade by using Moon Evasion. He stood beside Princess Lan Yi Hua who nodded her head as the two of them performed their skills together. Both fire and ice began to form on their hand as the Qi was heading towards Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor.


    "You��"


    Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor attempted to run away, but he noticed that his legs was caught with something. Prince Lin Yan''s thread was stronger than ever, putting him in the same place.


    At the same time, the wind around him moved as if caging him. Fan Ling would never let him get away without paying for the price.


    He could do nothing but pull up his defense up as the two attacks headed straight towards him.


    Bang!

 Chapter 433: Hiding

    Bang!


    The fire and ice created large explosion as one side turned into sea of fire while the other one turned into ice statue. The two extreme was gathered in one person, threatening to break him apart.


    No matter how high Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor cultivation was, he was still human being. When his internal Qi was already disrupted thanks to their continuous battle that strike deep into his body, it was clear that his fighting prowess was going down. Now that it was already low, the combined attack from both Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua turned deadly.


    They both performed attack that was already at the peak of their stage, draining their Qi, in order to strike the Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor so badly that the man would never have a chance to recover.


    Bang!


    His body was ripped apart with the two extreme elements going against him.


    On the ground, Princess Lan Xiao Yue watched with despair as her father died in such horrible way. There was not even any intact corpse because the destruction power had shattered his body.


    It was the end.


    "Fuu, finally it ended." Lin Xiao grinned and lowered his sword. His body was aching and it was good that he could defeat Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor without the need to rely on Lin Hu.


    ''Not relying on me? Your Qi is being supplied by me! If not because of your difference in Qi, do you think that that annoying Emperor will be more superior than you?'' Lin Hu screamed.


    He couldn''t appear thanks to the restriction. However, he still could transfer the Qi that was inside his body into Lin Xiao. Since a dragon had more Qi reserve, it allowed him to transfer more Qi into Lin Xiao''s body to allow the brat to survive.


    ''Fine, fine, you did help.''


    ''You ungrateful master!''


    ''Come on, you should have appeared just now so that I can flaunt to the world that I''m the Emperor who got the Emperor''s Inheritance.''


    Lin Hu snorted. How could he not know that Lin Xiao would not want to show him yet. The reason why he was adamant to kill Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor was simply because it was the need to give revenge for his wife. However, he still needed to keep the dragon away until it was the last battle with Prince Lin Bo Wang.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at her father. She thought that she would feel sadness because he was still her father, but she currently felt nothing. Even as his daughter, he never treated her well and always wanted her to be his second daughter''s stepping stone.


    It was to the point that she wanted to ask what was wrong with her being unable to achieve the same accomplishment. But in the end, she never had the chance.


    "Now that it''s over, we need to find a place to recover our Qi."


    Lin Xiao ignored the fact that the two extreme world were still exist in front of them. It was as if the place before the Phoenix Inheritance would keep the two extreme land that might be dangerous for ordinary people to come closer.


    "We can get inside."


    "Inside?" Fan Ling was stunned. Looking at the direction Princess Lan Yi Hua pointed at, her lips twitched. "Don''t tell me that you want us to enter the Phoenix Inheritance ground�� the others didn''t have fire element and��"


    "We can enter a secluded space inside. Everyone who had obtained Phoenix Inheritance will be given a residence inside the inheritance ground where we could practice for a period of time," Princess Lan Yi Hua explained.


    "In that case, let''s go in."


    "There are too many people watching us and in this condition, neither one of us is in the position to fight."


    "Got it."


    Swish!


    They all disappeared from their place, creating commotion outside. People were still looking at each other before they slowly got closer. However, the two extreme land was clearly giving pressure to their body.


    "I can''t believe I can''t even get close."


    "They''re already at Golden Core Stage. The technique at that stage might even affect the environment."


    A man was looking at the two lands before him and shook his head. "Hey, when they reach Golden Core Stage 3, do you think that they''ll be able to reshape an entire island? When they''re at Golden Core Stage 1 and 2 the destruction is already this wide."


    It was more than 1 kilometer land of ice and fire.


    Inside the world of fire, Princess Lan Xiao Yue was still lying there with tattered clothes. Without Qi, she wouldn''t be able to get away, but the fire around her didn''t seem like it would kill her.


    They were only guarding her to stay there as if she was forced to stay there in humiliating position.


    "Oh, that''s Princess Lan Xiao Yue."


    "My, my, such white skin."


    "So beautiful."


    "Ah, if only we could get closer, I would like to take closer look."


    Princess Lan Xiao Yue''s face turned black as she tried to cover her body. Much to her annoyance, it was proven to be impossible because she couldn''t even move her hand. Her figure was presented before eyes of so many people, which was so humiliating for her.


    ''Damn you, Yi Hua!''


    Gritting her teeth, Princess Lan Xiao Yue struggled to get out. However, the fire would burn her hand whenever she moved even a millimeter of her finger. Thus she failed to move even after a long period of time.


    By this point, it was already unknown how many people passed by this area and watched her from a distance. While the main attraction was the two world that somehow still kept their position without the owner there, some lecherous men were aiming for the princess inside.


    Time passed swiftly in that fashion.


    No one outside Sun Kingdom Capital City had realized yet that right now, there was another battle in the palace for the throne.

 Chapter 434: Dispute for the Throne

    Bang!


    In the palace, Prince Lin Bo Wang was looking at the destruction in one area of the palace. He was sure that someone had destroyed the study where the Emperor usually stayed, which made it impossible for the Emperor to survive.


    He walked into the room where the Sun Kingdom Emperor was located and could see the wound on the man''s body. It was so horrible that it looked as if his entire skin was corroded, leaving none of his original appearance intact.


    "What happened?" Prince Lin Bo Wang asked in low tone.


    "There''s an assassin who come after His Majesty. Based on the way it looked like, he destroyed himself because he failed to kill His Majesty thus resulting in this fashion."


    However, destroying himself proved to be an even worse condition.


    Looking at how badly Sun Kingdom Emperor looked like, Prince Lin Bo Wang could certainly guess that the assassin must be someone with shadow element. The element was so rare that if they managed to grow powerful, they would be valuable assets to the kingdom.


    Unfortunately, the assassin had died.


    And they didn''t even know who the perpetrator was.


    No�� he knew but there was no prove.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang could clearly remember how calm Lin Xiao looked at. The faint smile on that annoying new prince''s face was even more deeply attached into his mind as he thought about that incident. No matter what happened, he didn''t want to tell the others about his speculation yet because he knew that it would only make things worse without any prove whatsoever.


    "Where''s Prince Lin Hong?"


    "His Highness Prince Lin Hong is in the main hall. He''s saying that he will be the new Emperor should His Majesty passed away��" the guard said in trembling tone.


    "Oh? My little brother is going ahead on his own." Prince Lin Bo Wang smiled sinisterly and looked at the guard with chilling expression. After he had killed Prince Lin Fei, his aura looked even more threatening than before and didn''t seem as if he was someone who was about to kill everyone around him.


    The guards were all trembling in fear. They didn''t dare to cross this prince before them in fear that they would be thrown outside the residence without any intact corpse. Many of them felt that the most dangerous thing in the entire world was the anger of these moody princes.


    No one could know what they were thinking.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang snorted and walked away from the place towards the hall. He could see that the Emperor''s life force was thinning away as they spoke, so there was no need for him to stay here any longer. Sun Kingdom Emperor will die and the new emperor had to be chosen fast.


    He glanced at his men and counted internally. Thanks to Prince Lin Fei creating trouble this morning, he had already calculated that around half of them were no longer in good condition to fight.


    Not to mention��


    "The entire summer palaces are destroyed?" Prince Lin Bo Wang asked in cold tone. He had gotten the news afterwards that the entire Summer Palaces were destroyed. The palace was located far from the main palace where the Emperor stayed but it was where most of other princes stayed, including his men.


    There were also other princes staying there in several different areas.


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    "Casualties?"


    The guard was trembling under Prince Lin Bo Wang''s gaze as he stuttered in his report. "There.. are no survivors, Your Highness. Those who stay home all died."


    "All died?"


    Prince Lin Bo Wang''s eyes turned icy as he stretched his hand. A scroll was given to him as he quickly browsed it with his eyes. Just a glance was more than enough to let him know that those who stayed behind in the Summer Palaces were those from his side, Prince Lin Fei''s side, and Prince Lin Hong''s side.


    Those who were neutral or didn''t seem to have any opinion yet, ''coincidentally'' were out during the time the sudden massacre started.


    "How funny. To think that they all conspired against me."


    There was anger and rage deeply embroiled within Prince Lin Bo Wang''s eyes. He had never expected that the young new prince would be so ruthless as to destroy the entire Summer Palace and involved those from all three factions.


    Was he not afraid that he would retaliate?


    Oh, that ignorant brat didn''t even flinch when Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor, who was at Golden Core Stage 3, attacked him. How could he be afraid of a mere prince who was at Golden Core Stage 2.


    "Well, well, since it''s already up to this point, let''s sweep the rest."


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    The guards retreated while Prince Lin Bo Wang entered the main hall. He noticed that Prince Lin Hong was already standing at one side, looking back at him warily. Seeing that figure was acting so cautious, Prince Lin Bo Wang wanted to laugh.


    You''re acting so cautious when you see me but you''re declaring yourself as the next emperor?


    It wouldn''t be that easy.


    "So, I heard that you want to proclaim yourself as the next Emperor, my little brother?" Prince Lin Bo Wang asked.


    Prince Lin Hong furrowed his brows when he heard how Prince Lin Bo Wang spoke. There was no malicious intent or anything like that that could be heard. However, he still felt faint chills on his back.


    "Yes! I''m more suitable to become the Emperor than you." Prince Lin Hong retreated back behind an official at Golden Core Stage 3, who was also supporting him. The official let out a sigh because he didn''t expect this brat to move back but considering that Prince Lin Hong had only managed to breakthrough to Golden Core Stage after stuffing himself with a lot of Qi, it was clear that his cultivation hadn''t caught up with Prince Lin Bo Wang yet.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang chuckled. "Well, since you also want to become the Emperor, let''s fight."

 Chapter 435: Getting Stronger Faster

    Prince Lin Hong retreated back behind an official at Golden Core Stage 3, who was also supporting him. The official let out a sigh because he didn''t expect this brat to move back but considering that Prince Lin Hong had only managed to breakthrough to Golden Core Stage after stuffing himself with a lot of Qi, it was clear that his cultivation hadn''t caught up with Prince Lin Bo Wang yet.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang chuckled. "Well, since you also want to become the Emperor, let''s fight."


    The moment the phrase ''let''s fight'' was sounded at, several officials took out their weapons and pointed it at the officials who supported Prince Lin Hong.


    The official who was at Golden Core Stage 3 sighed and looked at Prince Lin Bo Wang. "Must it end like this?"


    "If he also wants the throne, we have to fight fair and square, right?" Prince Lin Bo Wang''s eyes glinted with ruthlessness. "Kill them all!"


    "Yes!"


    With that, bloodbath had started as the two sides were engaged in brutal battles.


    ��


    Inside Phoenix Inheritance.


    "Waa!"


    Thud!


    Lin Xiao was the only one who was unable to keep up with the sudden change of place and fell down from the air. The others were still hovering by making use of what was left on their Qi.


    "Are you alright, Lin Xiao?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked in worry as she crouched down near him.


    "Yeah�� I just run out of Qi." Lin Xiao smiled bitterly.


    Internally, he was scolding Lin Hu. ''Can''t you just transfer a bit more of your Qi so that I can''t stay floating? I''m losing my face here!''


    ''Tsk, didn''t you say that you don''t need me? Why are you asking me for more Qi now?''


    ''I never said that I don''t need you, you stupid dragon.''


    ''Stupid master.''


    In annoyance, Lin Xiao cut off the connection between him and Lin Hu. He scanned the area with curiosity and then his eyes landed on the small house along with the pond at the front. His eyes blinked. "It looks like a very good residence."


    "I''m asking for a pond because I know that you''ll need it. Shall we start to train and recover our Qi?"


    "Ah, before that, I need to do something."


    Taking out a Spirit Stone, Lin Xiao absorbed the Qi then walked towards the pond. He paused for a moment. "Is it fine if I make a time array?"


    "Time array?"


    "So that we can spend longer here while in real world, it''ll be much slower. That way, we''ll be able to catch up with Prince Lin Bo Wang." When talking about Prince Lin Bo Wang, Lin Xiao''s eyes glinted. He could guess that the two sides must be in a battle right now and he had to make sure that they were fast enough to recover and getting stronger so that they would be able to put up a good fight.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded. "Yes, it''s fine. But are you sure that you can set up something like that?"


    "It''s possible."


    Lin Xiao had asked Lin Hu about that but the dragon merely looked at him in annoyance. It was not impossible, but the price would be his lifespan getting reduced with the same amount of time he spent in the time array.


    It was quite costly but since he would be living hundreds of years, just a few years didn''t seem much for now. If he could get stronger, he didn''t mind losing a few years of time.


    "However, your real age will be the time you spend in this array. While your appearance will follow the time you spend outside, your lifespan will depend on the time you spend in this array. Is it fine for you?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Since it didn''t only affect him but also others, he had to ask first.


    "Sure."


    "It doesn''t matter that much. It''s not like we want to stay here for a hundred years, right? It''s too long."


    "Yeah, just a few years so that we can grow stronger is fine."


    No one was against it, so Lin Xiao nodded and started to form the array. In truth, it was just him writing some sentences into the lake and then inserted it before faint layer of Qi spread onto the entire residence.


    "How is it?"


    "It''s working. I make it so that an hour outside is the same as one year here."


    "One year?" Princess Lan Yi Hua was stunned. Why did he make it so long? At the same time, she could feel the continuous stream of Qi towards the pond from the surroundings.


    "I want to make breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 2." Lin Xiao smiled. If he made his breakthrough, Lin Hu would be at Golden Core Stage 3, which was practically the strongest rank that existed in Sun Kingdom. As long as he could make his breakthrough, he would be invincible.


    As long as there was lake nearby.


    "I should make my breakthrough too." Prince Lin Yan nodded. He was also close to make his breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 4. Now that they had plenty of Qi here and spacious area to train, he was sure that he could make his dash.


    There was no restriction in this place either.


    The others were looking at him with heated gaze. If there was someone among them who could enter Golden Core Stage 4, wouldn''t it mean that they would be invincible?


    "Your cultivation would be suppressed to Stage 3 when you come out, though." Lin Xiao looked at Prince Lin Yan.


    Prince Lin Yan was silent for a while then smiled. "It''s fine. At least, it meant that I''ll have some head start when the restriction is lifted."


    "Right."


    The others would also try their best, so they all began their training.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua then created a sea of fire near the pond. "Phoenix fire is good for purifying. While not all of you can use it as effectively as me, you can still make use of it to help you purify your Qi."


    "That''s great!"


    "Let''s train!"


    "Yes!"

 Chapter 436: Getting Stronger Faster (2)

    Time flowed like water inside the space. There were more than enough food for them inside their Spatial Ring but Golden Core Stage cultivators didn''t really need to eat. They only eat as a way to stave their boredom from only having to practice and practice inside this seemingly eternal space.


    In just one year''s time, Prince Lin Yan was the first to make his breakthrough as he summoned the tribulation of fire.


    Everyone watched from the side as no one was allowed to disturb one''s tribulation. First, they could even die if the fire strikes them. Second, if they got wounded because of the tribulation, their soul would also be incomplete, thus making them closer to get completely annihilated without the chance for reincarnation.


    So, it was a tacit agreement that no one would try to disturb one''s tribulation.


    Fire seemed to spread from the sky towards Prince Lin Yan and attacked him from all sides.


    Tribulation of fire.


    After this there would be tribulation of lightning when they advanced to the next cultivation stage. However, it would definitely take years before they could finally reach that point because the process was extremely long.


    Shua!


    As the fire was absorbed into Prince Lin Yan''s body, his skin looked scorched. The defense of Qi he had started to fall through. Fortunately, the fire seemed to be over and Prince Lin Yan safely passed the tribulation.


    "That was close," Lin Yun murmured while watching from the side.


    Lin Xiao passed a glance at Lin Yun. "You can pass it easily as long as you fixed your body constitution."


    "�� Could you please not remind me of that?"


    "I''m only telling the truth!"


    In fact, Wenren Yu had told him that if Lin Yun managed to overcome the barrier of his physique, he would advance by leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, the two sides were shy with each other and didn''t seem to make any progress at all even after some time had passed.


    "Let''s go back and train."


    "Ah, it''s not enough?"


    "Our goal here is to advance to Golden Core Stage 2!"


    Prince Lin Xian, who had just finished watching his brother: "��" f*ck you, do you think that we can advance immediately just because you say so?


    Prince Lin Yan spent more than four years practicing in Golden Core Stage 3 before he could finally advance to Golden Core Stage 4. Prince Lin Xian had no confidence that he would be able to advance that fast considering that he had only advanced to Golden Core Stage 1 not long ago.


    "Let''s go back to practice!"


    In the second year, both Lin Yun and Fan Ling advanced to Golden Core Stage 2 to the surprise of others. Not only that, the power they exuded made it looked as if they were much more powerful than that rank.


    Prince Lin Xian watched from the side before sighing. "I can''t believe that there''s such cultivation that required two people from different gender."


    "That''s called dual cultivation."


    "And Lin Xiao, didn''t you say that you want to advance faster? Two years have passed and you''re still in Golden Core Stage 1!"


    "Shut up!" Lin Xiao was also vexed. If not because of the fact that the Qi reserve of Lin Hu was so big that he couldn''t purify them all so quickly, he would not be lagging behind like this. Even though Lin Hu had been working too, his progress was still slower than the others despite the help they had received.


    "Those who are already at Golden Core Stage 2, time to spar." Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled brightly. She was also training to reach Golden Core Stage 3, but she knew that it would take some time because of the phoenix blood that was mixed into her body. In addition, she would have to trigger it outside because the tribulation of fire would certainly destroy everything in her case.


    She didn''t want to destroy this special place.


    "Sure." Fan Ling took out her fan and smiled. She looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua with a brilliant smile. "I have never felt better than now!"


    Swish!


    Bang!


    The two girls were busy sparing with each other while the others were staying still in their cultivation. No matter what, they had to progress faster. While outside here only two hours had passed, they had already spent two years in this space.


    After two years and three months:


    Prince Lin Xian finally advanced to Golden Core Stage 2. If not for the wrong place and time, he would have called Prince Lin San over to brag over his achievement.


    "You''re staying in Foundation Establishment longer than Lin San." Prince Lin Yan looked at his younger brother. "So it''s only natural that you should be faster to reach Golden Core Stage 2."


    "That''s because Lin San is not training to the peak!"


    "He''s already good enough as he is."


    "But��"


    "Every cultivator have their own path. Their strength and weakness differ from each person. Trying to have a contest of strength with someone who''s focusing on his intelligence is not something to be proud of."


    After being rebuked by Prince Lin Yan, Prince Lin Xian returned back to his training with sullen expression. He truly had no grounds to be proud.


    After two years and five months inside the special space.


    Lin Xiao finally advanced to Golden Core Stage 2. He felt as if so much time had passed while he was staying here because he was practically the last to make his breakthrough after the bitter training.


    "Are you ready now?" Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at her husband and smiled.


    Lin Xiao nodded. His appearance didn''t change from two years ago, but he knew better that his mental age was already 23 and no longer 21 like before. Spending time training here was quite taxing.


    ''You better cancel the formation soon or you''ll be exhausted. Even though it''s channeling the power of the world, it''s still connected to you and naturally will use your dragon power within your body.''


    ''Ah.''

 Chapter 437: Returning to Sun Kingdom Capital City

    ''You better cancel the formation soon or you''ll be exhausted. Even though it''s channeling the power of the world, it''s still connected to you and naturally will use your dragon power within your body.''


    ''Ah.''


    Lin Xiao waved his hand and the flow of time returned to normal. At the same time, he felt a sudden pain on his head as if something dull hit it. Furrowing his brows, Lin Xiao swiftly asked Lin Hu.


    ''Did I feel pain because of the formation?''


    ''More or less. Don''t worry, your dragon power will recover in time but it''ll be better if you don''t use the formation for the time being.'' Lin Hu looked at Lin Xiao and only shook his large head.


    Even though he wanted to tell Lin Xiao more about it, he didn''t think that this young man would understand. Besides, it was better for Lin Xiao to not think too much about it.


    ''There''s a limit?''


    ''Do you really think that you''ll be able to use the formation without any limit? It''s consuming your dragon power just like formation is consuming its maker mental energy.''


    Lin Xiao looked at Lin Hu but he didn''t bother with the dragon anymore.


    "Let''s go out and head to the capital city."


    "Alright."


    "Do you need to adjust your power first?" Prince Lan Xian pointed at Lin Xiao since Lin Xiao hadn''t tested his power at his new rank.


    "There''s no need. I have better tester out there."


    Prince Lin Xian: "��" if Prince Lin Bo Wang knew that he was treated as a tester by Lin Xiao, who knew what that young man would think.


    Swish!


    They all disappeared from their place and reappeared outside the inheritance ground. Princess Lan Yi Hua glanced in the direction where Princess Lan Xiao Yue was located at and found the young girl was still there, in her tattered dress that barely cover anything. She turned away without caring for the other person.


    "Shall we head into the town?"


    "Sure."


    They all sped up to the town. Those who saw them involuntary stepped back without any intention to fight them. Just seeing them appearing much stronger from the inheritance ground had already made them unwilling to even cross their path.


    And the fact that they were back to their peak after spending just two to three hours inside the inheritance ground had made them perplexed.


    What kind of treasure was within the inheritance ground?


    "Sun Kingdom Capital City." Lin Xiao told his destination to the man who guarded the teleportation runes after paying the fee.


    The man nodded and then activated the circle, sending them all to their destination.


    Swish!


    "Hmm?" Lin Xiao could already sense the faint sense of blood and the thick pressure just as he arrived in the capital city. His eyes were directed towards the direction of the palace as he pursed his lips.


    Taking out his communication jade, Lin Xiao contacted Han Jiang. "Han Jiang, now."


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    "What did you order him to do?" Prince Lin Xian asked curiously.


    "Something important." Lin Xiao pointed to the palace and smiled faintly. "Shall we check what''s going on there?"


    "Ok."


    Walking towards the palace, they noticed that the people who usually did their activities on the street all had returned back to their homes. After all, they were all also feeling unwilling to get involved in the matter of the Royal Family.


    No one wanted to lose their lives yet.


    The road to the palace was quiet but the smell of blood was getting thicker and thicker. Lin Xiao had noticed that there were so many people who had died just from the smell that was gradually become even more unbearable.


    "I can''t believe that so many people die just for the throne��" Lin Yun murmured. His eyes were fixated at the gate where even the two guards had already lost their lives.


    Fan Ling sighed. "From the moment they decided to participate in this battle, they''re basically putting their lives on the line. There will be only one winner in the end and those who didn''t want to follow that person will have to die."


    There was no exception.


    Because of that, those who were ambitious will try to get closer to the candidates who they thought will win. That way, they would be able to secure their position and probably got into more important position in the future.


    On the other hand, those who wanted to play it safe will stay behind and not try to do anything weird. They would just follow the person who finally took the throne so that they could avoid the bloodbath.


    Both sides had their own advantages and disadvantages and it was up to them to determine which one was more suitable for them.


    "Let''s go inside."


    The sound of fighting was faint but Lin Xiao still could hear it from the main hall. It seemed that he came at the right time, which was the time when the battle was not over yet but it had already lasted for a long time.


    Walking into the hall, the sight of bloody mess greeted the group. Fan Ling sucked in deep breath at the devastating scene before her as she held herself back to make sure that she would not faint. It was so cruel.


    There were so many body parts thrown here and there. The once glorious hall in the palace was now filled with pieces of flesh and blood.


    Only a group of people were still standing there with their weapon in their hand.


    "Ah, you''ve finally arrived, Lin Xiao."


    The sound of the greeting only made goosebumps on their back. Lin Xiao''s gaze landed on the figure at the middle, Prince Lin Bo Wang. Right now, Prince Lin Bo Wang''s figure was completely soaked in blood while a familiar body had fallen right beside his legs, Prince Lin Hong


    Lin Xiao nodded. "You seems to be confident that I''ll come here."


    "It''ll be great if you died in the hand of that Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor." Prince Lin Bo Wang shrugged as he swung his bloodied sword. "But since you managed to survive, didn''t it mean that I just need to finish you off?"

 Chapter 438: Battle Against Prince Lin Bo Wang

    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. He signaled the others to spread. While he had thought that this plan would weaken Prince Lin Bo Wang considerably, he didn''t expect that the followers who followed Prince Lin Bo Wang was more than the number he got before.


    Some people, who claimed that they were neutral was actually siding with Prince Lin Bo Wang.


    "I really don''t understand this." Prince Lin Bo Wang placed the sword on his shoulder, looking at Lin Xiao with condescending tone. "You''re nothing more than a country bumpkin, who got his status back after a blood test with the three siblings. What makes you think you have the right for the throne?


    You''re nothing more than a low blood slave who should have just died back then in the backwater village."


    Lin Xiao chuckled. "Given the fact that I''m already put in the assassination list even before I know what''s going on around me, is it already proved that I actually had the qualification to fight with you for the throne?"


    "Tsk��"


    What Lin Xiao said was correct. it was not a secret that Prince Lin San''s twin sibling was lost because there were a lot of people who were aiming for the young prince''s life just because of the fact that the young prince had so much dragon power even in his youth.


    People feared that he might be the Emperor even though the first prince came from the branch without much power. In the end, it only led them to hire people to assassinate the young baby.


    "True, but you''ll never get the throne! It belongs to me!"


    Bang!


    As Prince Lin Bo Wang screamed loudly, his men also started to make their moves. There were two people who were already at Golden Core Stage 3 present there and Prince Lin Yan quickly engage one of them. As for the other one, Lin Yun and Fan Ling teamed up to fight him. Princess Lan Yi Hua and Prince Lin Xian quickly engage with the other elders in the room.


    "Leave him to me."


    Elder Wang, who was staying as spectator at first, stepped forward. The man in front of him looked at the elder with widened eyes. Elder Wang was at Golden Core Stage 3, which meant that the power will be tilting to Lin Xiao''s favor.


    "You''re on his side, Wang Jun?"


    "I''m on the side of the right one." Elder Wang looked at the three youngsters. "You go deal with the others."


    "Yes!"


    With their power as Golden Core Stage 2 Cultivators, the fight soon turned in their favor. In the first place, Prince Lin Bo Wang''s followers were already tired and added with the fact that these youngsters were so energetic, they soon unable to catch up.


    In the meantime, Prince Lin Bo Wang was facing Lin Xiao.


    His sword crackled as lightning started to form on the surface of the sword he wielded. Lightning, the element that was known to have the most destructive power and also the element that Prince Lin Bo Wang had practiced so hard.


    "Lightning��" Lin Xiao looked at the ripples on Prince Lin Bo Wang''s hand and nodded. "it''s no wonder that you win against Prince Lin Hong."


    "Heh. Enough chit chat!"


    Swish!


    With his movement technique, Prince Lin Bo Wang disappeared and reappeared near Lin Xiao. His hand brandished the sword that was covered in lightning as he attempted to take Lin Xiao''s life.


    Chilling Lake Sword!


    Clang!


    The two swords clashed against each other as ice began to block the lightning. Prince Lin Bo Wang watched the ice formed and laughed. "Ice? How come you have such a cute element that''s more suitable to woman?"


    Swish! Bang! Clang!


    As Prince Lin Bo Wang attacked, Lin Xiao blocked the attack with ease. His eyes were looking back at the prince before him. If only the time and place was right, he would have uttered his complaint.


    It was never his intention to have this element, alright?


    The inheritance that he somehow got after wandering into the lake ended up to be the Lake Emperor''s Inheritance, which was the source of his element in the end.


    And why they picked him, he never understood in the slightest bit.


    Bang!


    "You''re too noisy," Lin Xiao spat out. He clearly didn''t want to lose face by saying that it was not the element that he wanted to pick.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang snorted and swung his sword once more as the lightning crackled on the air before spreading around.


    Clang!


    Looking at the shattered ices, Lin Xiao clicked his tongue. It was hard to defend against lightning, especially because the attack power was so big. However, he only needed to stall for time.


    Swish! Clang!


    "How about you give up, Prince Lin Bo Wang? Your men wouldn''t last that long." Lin Xiao twisted his body and evaded the attack.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang snorted and then created a distance between him and Lin Xiao. He had obviously seen how his men were struggling because they were already mostly exhausted. "It''s time to end the game."


    "Game?" Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows.


    Bang!


    At this moment, faint pressure came from behind them. He turned his body around as the others also stopped their attack and regrouped with him at the center. With a glance, he could see that the person who came had the power of Golden Core Stage 3.


    "Another Golden Core Stage 3 Cultivators?" Lin Xiao was shocked.


    "He''s the Emperor''s right hand and normally stay neutral. His name is Yu Shi." Wang Jun was the one to give the explanation. He looked at the middle aged man before him with bitter smile. "Who would have thought that he''s actually siding with Prince Lin Bo Wang."


    Lin Xiao nodded and looked at Prince Lin Bo Wang. As expected as the prince who has most influence. He couldn''t be underestimated.


    The middle aged man, Yu Shi, looked at Prince Lin Bo Wang. "His Majesty had passed away."


    Prince Lin Bo Wang nodded. "I''ll be the next Emperor. Help me get rid of them."


    "Yes, Your��.Majesty."

 Chapter 439: Dragon! Dragon! Dragon!

    Wang Jun''s face fell when he heard how Yu Shi called Prince Lin Bo Wang. He looked at the middle aged man and then spoke with disbelief. "The result is not clear yet, Yu Shi. You can�� just wait."


    "I can''t. Sun Kingdom can''t possibly crumble at this point." Yu Shi looked back at Wang Jun and smiled bitterly. "With our agreement with Hua Lan Kingdom fell through, we''re at vulnerable position. If someone weak become the Emperor, the war will never stop."


    "You��"


    "What makes you think that Lin Bo Wang is the right one?" Lin Xiao asked and for the first time, he didn''t use honorific when addressing Prince Lin Bo Wang. His gaze was filled with resolution and also determination.


    Yu Shi was silent as he looked at Lin Xiao. "I can''t trust a person who appears out of nowhere."


    In the eyes of most of them, Lin Xiao did appear out of nowhere. They knew that when he was young, he had a lot of dragon power that was comparable to even the Emperor. But years had passed and Lin Xiao never once attempted the Dragon Pavilion Hall.


    Many of them were not sure whether this new prince, who came back when he was already an adult, would try to fight for the throne or not. And even if he did try to fight for the throne, would someone who used to spend his life in backwater village, be capable enough?


    "Hmm, right?"


    "Enough chatting. Kill them all." Prince Lin Bo Wang''s eyes glinted with ruthlessness. It was always the case of if he couldn''t use someone of great talent, that person had to be destroyed with his own hand.


    "Yes."


    Swish!


    Clang!


    Elder Wang swiftly blocked the attack. His eyes were still looking at Yu Shi with complicated gaze. He actually wanted to reveal that Lin Xiao was actually Emperor''s Inheritance''s Inheritor.


    But he didn''t know when Lin Xiao was actually planning to reveal that.


    "Move."


    "No. I can''t."


    Yu Shi frowned. Just as he was about to attack again, they all felt the ground shook. The tremor was so big that it seemed as if it was threatening to destroy the entire capital city apart.


    "This��?"


    "Cover me!" Lin Xiao shouted as he rushed out of the main hall.


    The opponents, including Prince Lin Bo Wang, was stunned to see Lin Xiao ran away like that. Did the prince was afraid of earthquake or something? As cultivator, they would be going against the Heaven, so how could he be afraid of such minor thing?


    Swish!


    Flames spread on the ground as Princess Lan Yi Hua stood with a smile. She knew what Lin Xiao wanted to do and obviously, she had been waiting for this day.


    She had showed her real talent and glory, stunning everyone.


    Now, it''s Lin Xiao''s turn.


    Let everyone see who''s the real capable one!


    "Kill him!" Prince Lin Bo Wang ignored the earthquake as he attempted to rush forward. With Princess Lan Yi Hua blocking him, the two powerful element clashed with each other. The building started to collapse.


    *rumble*


    "Get out!"


    Swish!


    They all swiftly came out and Prince Lin Yan along with the others stopped those people who were about to come out in order to chase after Lin Xiao. They didn''t know Lin Xiao''s exact plan, but they knew that they had to stall for time.


    "Move, you damn princess!"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled but she still stretched out her hand, blocking Prince Lin Bo Wang''s route.


    At this time, the water from the dam that was broken had already reached the palace and flooded the lower ground. The main hall was located quite high with thousands stair steps. Lin Xiao was already flying towards the lower ground as he watched the water with happiness.


    Finally!


    For the past few years, he had always been in tetterhooks because of the secret he wielded. Now that the time had come, it was time for him to show what he was actually capable of.


    Splash!


    Getting into the water, Lin Xiao pulled his headband and placed his finger on his forehead as he called out, "LIN HU!"


    Everyone could hear him scream, but they didn''t recognize the name. Just as they were thinking that Lin Xiao had turned crazy, they saw light coming from Lin Xiao''s direction. It was so blinding that it made them unable to see clearly.


    A majestic dragon appeared right before Lin Xiao. It was several dozen feet tall and was flying with majestic aura spreading from within as if telling them that no other beast shall exist in front of it.


    As human beings, they all felt so small in front of such majestic dragon.


    "Dragon��" Yu Shi was stunned and muttered one word. Any other exclamation words that he was about to utter couldn''t come out as his eyes were completely fixated on the dragon before him.


    Prince Lin Yan and Prince Lin Xian had long known that those with Emperor''s Inheritance would be able to summon a dragon. But whether Lin Xiao could do it from a long time ago or he had only able to do it just now was unknown.


    They also never asked.


    "It''s a dragon," Prince Lin Xian said numbly.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. "Finally."


    "Yes?"


    "Finally our little brother is showing to the world what he''s capable of."


    By now, everyone was staring with disbelief at the dragon. Not only the people who were at the palace, everyone from hundreds of kilometers radius were capable to see the living dragon with their own eyes.


    And they all knew that the dragon had truly appeared in Sun Kingdom.


    It meant that someone had obtained Emperor''s Inheritance! Everyone knew that as long as the person was alive and leading them as the Emperor, Sun Kingdom would prosper.


    "There''s a living dragon��" Fan Ling was also looking at the dragon numbly then turned to Lin Yun.


    Lin Yun nodded and laughed faintly. "No one will look down on us anymore."


    Fan Ling''s lips twitched.

 Chapter 440: Who’s More Suitable Now?

    That was what inside his mind? In her heart, Fan Ling understood that not only no one would look down on them, they would be trying to curry favor with them to the best of their abilities to make sure that they would be able to stay alive and well.


    Those who dared to offend the one who obtained the Emperor''s Inheritance in Sun Kingdom will receive the wrath of everyone around them. Everyone loved their kingdom and naturally they wished that their kingdom would be able to prosper. Because of that, they would want to protect the one with Emperor''s Inheritance.


    Any enemies will be killed immediately.


    "How did you get so big?" Lin Xiao mumbled when he saw Lin Hu getting so much bigger.


    ''I''m already at Golden Core Stage 3, which meant that I have recovered my original size.'' Lin Hu moved his body slightly to stretch out. But in the eyes of others, he looked so threatening that no one dared to breath without permission.


    Lin Xiao shook his head and then looked at the figure on top of the stairs, who were still staring at Lin Hu with a dumb expression. Without the headband, the crown mark on his forehead was printed clearly and no one would dare to say otherwise.


    At that moment, everyone knew.


    Lin Xiao is an Emperor chosen by the Heaven.


    "Lies!" Prince Lin Bo Wang screamed. "That''s not possible! How come you''re the one who''s selected by the Heaven!"


    Lin Xiao shrugged. He actually wanted to ask the same question when he first got the inheritance because it was so bizarre in his eyes. For someone like him, who felt that it he was not supposed to get it, it was quite a nice surprise.


    "I got it, didn''t I?" Lin Xiao replied back.


    Prince Lin Bo Wang knew that with the appearance of the dragon, it was clear that those who chose to side with him would die. After all, no one could ignore the appearance of the legend that hadn''t appeared in their kingdom for a long time.


    This was their chance to become even more powerful so that they would be able to rise.


    But how could Prince Lin Bo Wang give up everything? He had already sacrificed so many things in order to be able to become the Emperor from when he was young. And now that someone else took it and he couldn''t do anything, could he accept it?


    Besides, Prince Lin Bo Wang knew that even if he gave up, Lin Xiao might not necessarily spare him.


    Swish!


    Using his Qi, Prince Lin Bo Wang appeared before Lin Xiao. Lightning cracked on the air as he slammed his sword towards Lin Xiao.


    Clang!


    Ice began to form as Lin Xiao raised his hand that was holding the sword. He blocked the attack from Prince Lin Bo Wang with a sneer. "Do you really think that you can defeat me with just that?"


    "Kill him!" Prince Lin Bo Wang shouted desperately.


    Some of those who followed him had fallen to the knees, feeling immensely regretful. Only a few of them were still wielding weapon and reacted to the word that Prince Lin Bo Wang uttered.


    As they rushed over, Elder Wang raised his hand to stop the youngsters. "It''s already over. You don''t need to worry about him."


    "Why?"


    "He can''t fight alone."


    "He''s not alone." Elder Wang smiled. He had seen the power of that dragon with his own eyes in the past. It was so powerful that no one should ever hope to ever contend with it unless they were more powerful than it.


    Roar!


    The dragon roared angrily and the shockwave sent all of those who followed Prince Lin Bo Wang back. They spat blood as their insides were completely churned with just one powerful attack from the dragon.


    "No!" Prince Lin Bo Wang swung his sword and retreated a few steps. He looked up and noticed Yu Shi, who was staring back at him with pity. At this moment, he finally realized what it meant to truly have nothing.


    The temperature was still dropping as Lin Xiao waved the sword near him.


    "The throne is never yours, Lin Bo Wang." Lin Xiao looked at the prince with a faint smile without mirth in his eyes. If he had never appeared, of course the one who would become the Emperor would be Prince Lin Bo Wang. However, by some kind of fate, he got the inheritance.


    From that moment on, it was already destined that Prince Lin Bo Wang will never be able to hold the throne.


    "I''ll never give it to you!"


    Swish! Clang!


    The fight continued to rage on while at the top, the people who were no longer willing to fight had already dropped their weapon. Some of them gave up immediately, some fainted, and Lin Xiao''s group members were all cheering for him.


    Wang Jun looked at Yu Shi. "Now you know."


    Yu Shi nodded dumbly. He was already in his middle age and also quite powerful himself, but this was the first time he felt that he received news that''s out of his scope of knowledge. "You know about this?"


    "I found him when I''m in that backwater village." Elder Wang laughed. The image of Lin Xiao running around in the village to escape beating flashed within his mind. "I have seen him even before he got the inheritance and he''s quite a remarkable youngster if I had to say."


    The most remarkable thing would be his ability to attract trouble, but Elder Wang would never say this out loudly. He didn''t want to get a beating for spreading some kind of news around. Even if Lin Xiao is a troublemaker, they could simply associate it with him being young.


    Yu Shi nodded. "I see. Do you think he''ll forgive me?"


    "I''m sure he will. Many of you are only following Lin Bo Wang because you thought that he''s the right one. However, in front of the one chosen by the Heaven�� no one could possibly contend with him."


    "Yes."

 Chapter 441: Rebuilding Sun Kingdom (1)

    Watching the fight that continued to turn one sided, they all only felt pity towards Prince Lin Bo Wang. Under the sheer pressure from the appearance of the dragon, Prince Lin Bo Wang didn''t last long and finally met his end in Lin Xiao''s sword.


    Slash!


    As blood spilled to the ground, Lin Xiao lowered his sword. His eyes were still looking at the water that was flowing in their direction and smiled wryly. "Well, your appearance is majestic, but you''re creating huge problem for me here, Lin Hu."


    Lin Hu snorted. It was Lin Xiao''s plan to flood the entire capital city. "I''ll announce my arrival to the other kingdoms first."


    "Ah?"


    Lin Xiao watched as Lin Hu soar to the sky and roared loudly. It was as if he wanted to tell everyone that from now on, Sun Kingdom will have an Emperor protected by a dragon. No one could stay away from looking at the dragon as the message traveled thousands of li away into faraway distance.


    There were only eight Emperors chosen by the Heaven and each of them will bring their kingdom to a new height. Their authority was something that could not be replicated by others.


    As Lin Hu disappeared into the clouds, it formed light and entered Lin Xiao''s forehead once more. At the same time, Lin Xiao walked out of the water. He looked at the group of officials before him.


    "My name is Lin Xiao and I''ll be the next Emperor, who is with me?"


    "I''ll always stay by your side, Your Highness!" Princess Lan Yi Hua fell to her knees right away, her eyes were smiling as she looked at Lin Xiao.


    Lin Yun and the others followed suit before the officials all acknowledged Lin Xiao. It was quite the spectator to see the high ranking officials all kowtowed to one person. Many of those who had survived because they were hiding from this incident rushed over to the palace right away.


    They knew that this time, there would never be any dispute anymore.


    The first task to do: repair the palace and capital city.


    Lin Xiao contacted Han Jiang and his third brother, who had successfully done their mission. Their mission was obviously to make flood in the palace because without a ''lake'' Lin Xiao couldn''t call Lin Hu. Thankfully, the requirement for being a lake was quite... relaxed.


    "For the time being, you can just stay in Sun Dragon Academy. There''s no need for you to return back with me because you hadn''t finished your education."


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    "Alright, Lil Bro."


    For Prince Lin Yan and his siblings, Lin Xiao asked them to not be formal with him. He had enough having so many people treated him so politely. As someone who was not used to such formalities due to living in the backwater village for so long, it was torturing.


    "The palace is in such a tatters. Is it really that difficult to fight while making sure that there''s no such damage?" Prince Lin Xian was heartbroken when he saw the palace. The majestic palace�� was now reduced to rubbles.


    Well, not completely.


    At least half of it was destroyed due to the repeated battles. The walls were filled with holes and there were many sign of the furniture decomposing. He was even more confused when he saw the gold melted.


    What could possibly cause the gold to melt this way?


    "It looks as if there''s an explosion of a cultivator here," Princess Lan Yi Hua passed a look at Lin Xiao as if asking him what actually happened here. From what she knew, there were only two people under Lin Xiao who were of fire element and could possibly cause this huge explosion.


    She or Fan Ling.


    However, the two of them were still alive and kicking. Hell, they even came to this place together. There was no way that the two of them could possibly sacrifice this place and caused this huge destruction.


    "Oh, it''s Xia Ye."


    "Excuse me?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    While the others were dumbfounded, Lin Xiao didn''t bother to explain. He walked to the other side and then to the other buildings.


    A palace always had several buildings and Lin Xiao had noticed that there were a lot of them here. In fact, he had been wondering where Xia Ye could possibly hide after causing such a huge explosion that killed the previous Emperor.


    It didn''t take long for him to find the slightly abandoned building.


    ''Is it here?''


    ''Why are you asking me?''


    ''I''m asking because you''re the one who give that thing to Xia Ye.''


    Lin Hu snorted. During the frequent life and death battle that Lin Xiao had to forcefully endure under Prince Lin Yan''s supervision, there were several incidents in which the opponent tried to blast themselves. That way, they would die along with their opponents.


    It was a desperate move but these slaves were already lost their hope to live from the very moment they become a slave. Thus, they would inevitably initiate this method when they were at their wits end.


    That way, they would not have to be subjected to harsher punishment.


    Lin Hu could absorb their power, allowing Lin Xiao to survive. Of course, the other members had different way of dealing with this incident. For example, Prince Lin San would use his dark element and hid within the shadow and acted as if he had traveled to the other side of the room.


    That way, he would not be questioned.


    Lin Xiao had Lin Hu, who could absorb those energies. However, he couldn''t use it for himself and thus, Lin Hu condensed them to form a ball of energy.


    The one he gave to Xia Ye was precisely that ball of energy.


    It could fake him exploding his own cultivation to kill his opponent. If it had been Xia Ye''s body that was exploding, the traces would be filled more with dark element rather than the fire element like what he had seen in the palace.

 Chapter 442: Rebuilding Sun Kingdom (2)

    It could fake him exploding his own cultivation to kill his opponent. If it had been Xia Ye''s body that was exploding, the traces would be filled more with dark element rather than the fire element like what he had seen in the palace.


    ''So, is he here? I can sense both dark element and fire element nearby.''


    ''Yes, he should be here.''


    Lin Xiao nodded and strode inside. He scanned the surrounding and felt a bit helpless as he turned to look at Princess Lan Yi Hua. "Help me to look for him. You have an attribute of light element, so you should be able to sense him. Even if it''s only for a little bit, it''s fine."


    Princes Lan Yi Hua nodded. She focused on her surroundings, trying her best to sense the dark element. Due to her light element, she was exceptionally sensitive towards dark element from others.


    After a few seconds, she pointed to one direction.


    "I think that way."


    "Let me check."


    Lin Xiao walked in that direction and he stopped on a room. On top of the bed was Xia Ye, who was badly injured. He swiftly moved forward and put his hand on top of Xia Ye''s chest, inspecting the latter''s condition while infusing his Qi.


    The Lake Qi was dense and quickly repaired the damage that was done on Xia Ye''s body.


    However��


    "It''ll take some time for him to wake up and recover. I''ll need to arrange someone to look over for the time being." Lin Xiao sighed. He thought that he could heal someone completely immediately.


    But the truth was not that beautiful.


    The damage was done towards Xia Ye''s soul, which was the core of his life. Since it was damaged, it also meant that Xia Ye wouldn''t be able to wake up so quickly even if his body recovered.


    Lin Xiao was helpless towards his condition.


    "Let''s focus on other matters first."


    "Alright."


    Since Lin Xiao would be taking over as the Emperor, there were a lot of matters that he had to do. Thankfully, the nobles were on his side thanks to the Fan Family influencing them.


    Lin Xiao had to admit that the shameless old man was indeed suitable for such task.


    The acceptance was also easy thanks to Lin Hu''s appearance on that fateful day. But of course, Lin Xiao had no intention of showing off Lin Hu out like a performance.


    The progress was going smoothly and Lin Xiao asked for a large lake to be built around the palace, which was connected to his residence. They didn''t ask why but built it nevertheless and only very few knew that it was because Lin Xiao needed it to be able to summon his dragon.


    After all, the limitation that was placed on some dragons were not revealed to the public.


    Besides, Lin Xiao knew that the limitation only existed for four of them. The other four could reveal their dragon anytime but the power of the dragon was the same as them. Unlike him where Lin Hu was a stage higher.


    "I''ll have preferred it if you can be summoned at any time even if you''re only as strong as me."


    "Heh, as if I''ll believe you."


    Wenren Yu and the others paid a visit to the palace half a year afterwards. They asked for permission to build Taiyi Sect again, which Lin Xiao agreed on. He also sent Elder Wang to help because Wang Jun used to be the honorary elder of the sect.


    Staying inside the palace, Lin Xiao felt a bit emotional. He had been working so hard for the past few years and finally he could step here.


    Right now, the hall was already cleaned and half a year had already passed. There were not many things that he did aside from cleaning up the palace. Those things were mostly done by the others, though.


    ''It''s time to make my breakthrough to stage 3.''


    Looking straight forward, Lin Xiao was thinking of the day when he first obtained the Emperor''s Inheritance. His curiosity led a youth, who didn''t know anything, to enter a sacred place.


    In that place, he obtained the Emperor''s Inheritance.


    Thus, began his journey that was filled with many things.


    Training, being chased, doing missions, plundering, hiding his ability�� Every single event flashed for a moment before Lin Xiao broke into a smile. From the very first time he entered that place, his cultivation path has already been decided.


    To be an Emperor.


    That was his path.


    Boom!


    The Qi around his body rippled as Qi surged madly inside. The fluctuation alerted some people outside but they didn''t try to come inside. After all, they knew that the one who made the commotion was their Emperor.


    The Qi took some time before it finally calmed down.


    Lin Xiao opened his eyes and sensed that things were somewhat different for him. He could sense the Qi more clearly and right now, he felt much better.


    ''Now that you have reached Golden Core Stage 3, you should hurry and destroy the restriction.'' Lin Hu looked at Lin Xiao with a mocking expression. For the past half a year, Lin Xiao also settled so many things for Sun Kingdom.


    ''Why are you in such a hurry. I already become an Emperor, right?'' Lin Xiao was speechless at the dragon''s words.


    ''Not yet.''


    ''You��''


    ''At best, you can only be called a king.'' Lin Hu snorted. He looked at Lin Xiao with disdain. ''Do you even know why there''s the term Emperor and King? Emperor is the one who lead a kingdom that''s as big as several kingdoms. The first Emperor gained his title because he united several kingdoms into ones.


    As for you, you''re only taking the throne of Sun Kingdom and yet you already want to claim to be an Emperor. What an embarrassment.''


    Listening to Lin Hu, Lin Xiao got the urge to smash it to the ground.


    Why didn''t this annoying dragon told him about such an important matter sooner, ah? He thought that it was already the end by him taking this throne!

 Chapter 443: A Deal (1)

    Lin Hu knew what Lin Xiao was thinking and snorted once more. "If I had told this to you when you''re such a weakling, do you really think that you can survive? The goal will be too far etched for you to even dream of getting."


    "You damn dragon! What else do you want to say? I have to be the Emperor of the entire continent?" Lin Xiao roared in annoyance.


    "Yes."


    "$%^&*()_!"


    Right now, Lin Xiao really considered whether a roast dragon would be delicious or not. It seemed to be far better to just roast Lin Hu right here, right now.


    Knock! Knock!


    A series of knocks disturbed Lin Xiao''s thinking. He glanced outside. "Yes?"


    "Your Majesty, Prince Fu Liang from Jade Snow Kingdom is here." An attendant was the one who told Lin Xiao.


    "Lead him to the hall."


    Lin Xiao changed his clothes and hid his Qi. Right now, he was already 22 years old but his mental age was 2 years older thanks to the training he had in the Phoenix Inheritance Ground.


    It didn''t take long for him to arrive. Prince Fu Liang was still the same as before. If one didn''t know better, they would think of him as a princess. The prince turned his head around to look at Lin Xiao and his pupil dilated slightly.


    "Your Ma3jesty, congratulations."


    "I should say the same to you." Lin Xiao could also notice that Prince Fu Liang was already at Golden Core Stage 3. He began to wonder whether it was actually very easy to make breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 3 now.


    Prince Fu Liang let out a faint laugh. "Now that you''re already the Emperor, I think that we can proceed with the deal we have before."


    "Does Jade Snow Kingdom have any objection?" Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows.


    "Sun Kingdom and Hua Lan Kingdom are already allies. Or should I say that�� Sun Kingdom is already annexing Hua Lan Kingdom?" Prince Fu Liang''s eyes narrowed.


    Just a few days ago, the annexing process was done. Princess Lan Yi Hua was staying in Hua Lan Kingdom to make it part of Sun Kingdom. She would return soon since the process was done and some other princes are the one who took care of it.


    After killing Hua Lan Kingdom Emperor, Hua Lan Kingdom fell into chaos. Those who used to support Princess Lan Xiao Yue were all kicked out of the kingdom by Lan Yi Hua as she declared that the kingdom was now under Sun Kingdom.


    As for Princess Lan Xiao Yue, she disappeared after that humiliating incident and probably will not appear ever again.


    Besides, she could no longer cultivate normally anymore.


    By the time they had time to care about that princess, she had disappeared from that cage of ice and fire. Lin Xiao didn''t know where she had gone and didn''t have any time to care for her.


    He chose to let the matter rest for the time being.


    "You''re free to think whatever you want." Lin Xiao smiled back.


    Prince Fu Liang snorted. He took out a scroll and tossed it to Lin Xiao. "That''s the location of the two restriction pillars in Sun Kingdom and Hua Lan Kingdom. It''s up to you how you want to disable it but once the pillars are gone, Jade Snow Kingdom will be yours."


    "Do you think I''m stupid, Prince Fu Liang?" Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows and looked at Prince Fu Liang. "Why should I help you when you''re only giving an empty promise?"


    Who would know what would happen when the restriction was finally lifted? There were a lot of Golden Core Stage 3 cultivators in Jade Snow Kingdom and if Lin Xiao didn''t deal with them first, things would be bad.


    "You��"


    "Show your sincerity first and I will consider it. If not, I don''t mind modifying the restriction instead just for Sun Kingdom." Lin Xiao smiled.


    Prince Fu Liang furrowed his brows but he stood up and cupped his hand. "In that case, we shall meet again soon."


    "I won''t see you off."


    Lin Xiao didn''t even bother to care about Prince Fu Liang. He might be young but he was not a na?ve idiot. Once the restriction was lifted, there would be a lot of people who made their breakthrough.


    If Sun Kingdom was not stronger than Jade Snow Kingdom, wouldn''t it mean that they would be put in predicament?


    He wanted to avoid it.


    "Xia Ye."


    Swish!


    A figure appeared from the darkness and Xia Ye figure stood there. After the unfortunate incident where he bet with everything to kill the previous Emperor, he had grown calmer. Back then, Xia Ye used the destruction power of fire element that Lin Xiao had.


    In fact, it was something that Lin Hu absorbed but couldn''t use, so he put the power into a sphere and gave it to Xia Ye. It was to be used by the young man to kill the previous Emperor.


    Thanks to Xia Ye''s innate ability to hide within the shadow, he managed to survive the blast. However, it took him a long time before he could return back to prim health. It was also thanks to Lin Xiao healing him that he managed to survive.


    Right now, his cultivation had also soared.


    It seemed that his talent was always very good but it was because he had been suppressed by his hatred that he couldn''t advance. Xia Ye was already at Golden Core Stage 2, just one stage below Lin Xiao and it didn''t seem that it would take a long time for him to reach Stage 3.


    Most of the time, Xia Ye would be following Lin Xiao like a shadow. After all, he didn''t have much work to do aside from training and protecting Lin Xiao.


    "Follow Fu Liang and find out what they''re up to." Lin Xiao looked at the content of the scroll and smiled faintly. "If possible, rope them in."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Within a moment, Xia Ye had disappeared.

 Chapter 444: A Deal (2)

    Lin Xiao proceeded to walk to the courtyard and towards the lake. Thanks to the lake and the management that Lu Jian made, it seemed that a lot of people were already trying so hard to earn his respect.


    He looked at the lake and sighed. It took him a long time to divert the ancient power and the dragon power needed to form the formation from himself to the surroundings. Thanks to that, he was no longer restricted from going away from the lake anymore.


    It was time to leave.


    "Brother, you''re here?" Lin Yun was surprised to see Lin Xiao there.


    Lin Xiao turned around and looked at Lin Yun. Over the past few months, Lin Yun was the one who had been helping him the most. As an alchemist, he also had great prestige and after passing the examination, he was one of the youngest alchemist in the entire Sun Kingdom.


    For politics and so on, Lin Xiao mostly left it to Prince Lin Xian since his second brother was the most familiar one with it.


    "Yun, I''m going to leave."


    Lin Yun froze. He looked at Lin Xiao with bewilderment. "Brother, you mean��?"


    "I''m going to deal with the restriction and then earned the qualification to participate in 20 Years Ancient Battlefield." Lin Xiao knew that to be able to participate there, there must be some kind of qualification that he had to obtain. Since he wanted to bring Sun Kingdom to a much higher height, it was time for him to leave.


    Hearing that, Lin Yun took a deep breath. "In that case, we''ll be waiting for you here?"


    "You''ll take the role as the Emperor for the time being."


    "��Brother, you can hand it to Prince Lin Xian."


    "Fan Family prestige has been higher and you''re also a promising alchemist. Prince Lin Xian might be good at handling the paperwork but in terms of popularity, you''re better." Lin Xiao smirked. "Or do you think that you can''t do this?"


    Hearing the taunt, Lin Yun was speechless. This was the first time he felt that his brother was still treating him like a kid who would fall for such petty tricks. He shook his head and smirked. "Who said that I can''t? I can do it!"


    The two brothers looked at each other before they burst into laughter.


    "Are you going to leave by yourself?"


    "I''m taking Prince Lin San, Xia Ye, Xiao Hua, Prince Lin Yan, and�� I want to bring that prince from Jade Snow Kingdom." Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. That prince might look like a frivolous prince and looked so pretty but he had sensed the power deep within that prince was not ordinary.


    Even he felt slight threat.


    If Prince Fu Liang could be trusted, he wanted to bring him along with him.


    Lin Yun nodded. He thought for a moment. "How about your disciple?"


    "��He''s found by his family members and had long been taken away." Lin Xiao''s face was a bit ugly when he mentioned this. He only found out later on that Long Hao was taken back to his kingdom, which was why that boy never appeared before him. It seemed that it would take him some time before he could meet with his disciple again.


    Come to think about it�� Long Hao was already 15 or 16 years old by now, right? Just how much stronger would he have been?


    Lin Xiao was a bit curious but at the same time, he thought that it would be better for him to not know.


    "Alright, take care brother. Don''t shook them too much. I''ll take care of that Fu Liang."


    "Got it. Of course!"


    After settling some matters, Lin Xiao conveyed his words to the others. Xia Ye had no problems. Princess Lan Yi Hua also didn''t mind since she was only accompanying her husband. Prince Lin Yan had been planning to participate in that 20 Years Ancient Battlefield even without him saying anything, so there was no problem.


    The only one who was confused was Prince Lin San.


    "You want to bring me along?" Prince Lin San asked in a low tone. He looked at Lin Xiao as he couldn''t understand what Lin Xiao was up to.


    "Yep."


    "Why?"


    "Because you can''t develop your full potential here." Lin Xiao shrugged. Prince Lin San was advancing faster and not long ago, Prince Lin San even reached Golden Core Stage 3 faster than him. In fact, Princess Lan Yi Hua was also the same as she had advanced to Golden Core Stage 3.


    Only Prince Lin Yan was a stage higher but his cultivation was slightly suppressed when he was within this place.


    Prince Lin San was speechless. "Why not Brother Xian?"


    "He''s not suited to follow."


    "��"


    Just because of that?


    In the end, they didn''t ask Lin Xiao more and just prepared themselves. Princess Lan Yi Hua was staying with Lin Xiao and snuggled in his arms. She had been away from him and he also missed her greatly.


    "Do you mind leaving this place?"


    "Not at all." Princess Lan Yi Hua knew that Lin Xiao''s goal of becoming an Emperor of Sun Kingdom was nothing but a small goal. From the way Lin Xiao planned every steps and executed it a few months ago, she could see that he already had the power to take control of the entire kingdom even beforehand.


    But now that Lin Xiao was planning to go out, it meant that there would be more dangers.


    "Are you afraid?" Lin Xiao chuckled.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua arched her eyebrows. She looked at Lin Xiao and smirked. "With you around, why should I be afraid?"


    Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. It seemed that he would have a long night today.


    ��


    - Jade Snow Kingdom -


    Prince Fu Liang conveyed what Lin Xiao said and waited for the elders to come into decision. He knew that the one who had the most power in the entire kingdom was not him.


    The only reason why they sent him was because among the younger generation, he was the strongest.

 Chapter 445: A Deal (3)

    "Is there no other way?" another elder asked in faint tone.


    "I''m afraid there''s no other option. We can also wage a war against Sun Kingdom but with the two kingdoms'' resource is pooled together�� do you think we can win?"


    "They also have that magical formation. The number of Golden Core Stage 1 Cultivators in Sun Kingdom have increased drastically. If not because that formation is filled with restriction, I would have long taken it for ourselves."


    "That��"


    The elders were debating with each other and finally knew that if things prolonged that they would not be the one to benefit. Not to mention, the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield would be open not long from now.


    They��. Might not have any chance in the future.


    "Let''s do this��"


    ��


    Lin Xiao certainly didn''t know anything about the Jade Snow Kingdom''s conflict. He had already offered them option but of course, he didn''t plan to mistreat them if they had decided to join with him.


    After Jade Snow Kingdom was annexed, it would be easier for him to take control of the entire land and probably�� be able to be proclaimed as the Emperor?


    Lin Hu snorted when he heard what Lin Xiao said. ''You''ll fulfill the condition if you become the Emperor of the four kingdoms. But is this the extent of your dream?''


    The extent of his dream?


    Looking outside, Lin Xiao could see the vast sky and land below him. To be able to reach this far was not without hard work but he knew that to become an Emperor, being strong alone was not enough.


    He had to grow stronger.


    "No."


    It was not the end of his goal.


    Lin Hu nodded in appreciation. "Good, in that case, get your *ss over here and begin to inspect the restriction."


    "Fine, fine."


    Handling the matter of the palace and negotiation with Jade Snow Kingdom to Prince Lin Xian, Lin Xiao left the palace with Princess Lan Yi Hua, Prince Lin San, and Xia Ye towards the first restriction pillar.


    They transported to the city near it before heading towards the location.


    "Is this the place?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked curiously. It didn''t look much different from an ordinary forest.


    Prince Lin San''s eyes turned golden as he inspected the area. The Eyes of Truth would reveal more than what ordinary people would see, but this time, he couldn''t see anything worthwhile.


    This made him perplexed.


    "It''s weird that I can''t see anything."


    Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes. He couldn''t see anything either, but he could sense the dense ancient power coming in one direction. As someone who had long known about the ancient power, he was one of the few who could identify it just by staying around the area.


    "Follow me."


    "Oh, did you notice something?" Prince Lin San was curious.


    "Probably?"


    "��Say clearly, will you?"


    "I''m not sure what it is, but I''m sure that it''s in this direction." Lin Xiao didn''t bother to answer his twin brother. He stopped before a barrier and stood there, his eyes were looking towards the front. It was nothing but a forest but there was a formation right before his eyes.


    An intricate formation that was laden with ancient power.


    His lips curled up to form a smile. How interesting.


    Swish!


    As his hand moved, the formation before him shook and before long, a passage was formed in front of them. The others were watching in astonishment.


    "Damn! How in the world did you manage to find it when we can''t even see it?" Prince Lin San was stunned speechless. "My Eyes of Truth can''t even detect it."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was also looking at the passageway and furrowed her brows. She couldn''t sense anything until Lin Xiao showed this passage to them.


    "I have high sensitivity."


    "Towards pain?"


    "Get lost!" Lin Xiao was speechless. His twin brother had become more daring ever since he reached the Golden Core Stage 3 faster than him. Of course, most of the credit came from the fact that he was sent to stay in the Phoenix Inheritance world for a few hours (and a few years passed over there) and probably gained something.


    Though, Lin Xiao was unsure what it was since Prince Lin San was not suited to fire element.


    His element was wind and darkness.


    "I''m kidding." Prince Lin San laughed and his eyes turned golden once more. Now that he could see the passageway, he noticed that the ancient power swirling over there was plentiful. It meant that Lin Xiao was saying the truth when he said that he was more sensitive.


    The ancient power could be seen clearly by Lin Xiao but not by other people.


    "Are we going to come in?"


    "Yes."


    As they walked inside, the passageway was swirling with powers. Others aside from Lin Xiao were looking at the power that was swirling before them. It was magical and at the same time, they knew that if they could absorb it, it would be beneficial to them.


    Unfortunately, normal cultivation method was useless to absorb it.


    "We''re here."


    Lin Xiao''s words stopped their attempts to absorb the ancient power. They all turned to the front and noticed that they had arrived at the middle. There was a large pillar erected in the middle of nowhere and countless writings were written there.


    "Are you going to destroy it?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked faintly.


    "No."


    "No?" Prince Lin San turned to look at Lin Xiao. He also think that it would be a waste to destroy it but he didn''t expect that Lin Xiao didn''t plan to destroy it either. "What do you think will be the best option, though? If we didn''t destroy it, it''s very likely that we wouldn''t be able to get out of this place normally without the help of those outside and naturally, it meant you can''t participate in the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield."


    "��When did I say that I want to give up on that?"


    "Then?"

 Chapter 446: A Deal (4)

    Lin Xiao grinned. "I''m going to use this to benefit us. Since it''s blocking us from advancing yet at the same time protecting this area, I''m only going to change the wordings so that it would not block us anymore."


    "You can do that?" Princess Lan Yi Hua was surprised. She could only understand half of them but she didn''t think that it would be possible to replace the writings.


    "Yes��"


    Looking at the writings before him�� which actually looked like an essay, Lin Xiao smiled speechlessly.


    He raised his hand as he began to concentrate the ancient power within his body. For the past few months (and 2 years he spent in the Phoenix Inheritance World), his ancient power had swelled so much. It was increasing at rapid speed and by now, Lin Xiao knew that there was no one who could compare to him in these four kingdoms.


    It helped him to hide his Dragon Power and most importantly, it helped him to grow much stronger than what he was in the past.


    Swish!


    The writings suddenly changed as Lin Xiao began to change word per word. His eyes were looking at the essay solemnly as he tried to keep the wordcount the same. While he didn''t know why, he felt that if he changed the number of words, it would be castatrophic.


    The others were silent.


    They didn''t want to disturb Lin Xiao when he was making the changes.


    Bang!


    The sudden sound startled them but at the same time both Princess Lan Yi Hua and Prince Lin San naturally felt that the restrictive feelings they had in the past had disappeared. They could make their breakthrough anytime and the amount of Qi they needed was also provided in this place.


    Their eyes shone with surprise.


    Lin Xiao smiled happily. "Shall we make our breakthrough first?"


    "You''re already ready to make your breakthrough?" The others were stunned. They all knew that Lin Xiao had only made his breakthrough just yesterday.


    "Yep." Lin Xiao knew that to make the breakthrough from Golden Core Stage 3 to Golden Core Stage 4 meant that they had to undergo the tribulation. He was ready and tribulation of fire didn''t really mean much to him.


    His lake element was the perfect counter.


    But it would be a bit different with the next tribulation that one had to undergo when they make their breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 7 later.


    He would have to work a bit harder.


    "In that case, what are you waiting for?" Prince Lin San was excited. He pumped his fist. "Let''s all make our breakthrough first before returning!"


    "En."


    ��


    Back in Sun Kingdom.


    Prince Lin Yan was the most sensitive of the changes. Upon sensing that the restriction was partially lifted, the corner of his lips curled up. He then walked to the front hall and saw Elder Wang over there along with Prince Lin Xian.


    In front of them were some elders from Jade Snow Kingdom.


    "Your Highness," Prince Fu Liang also noticed Prince Lin Yan and greeted based on etiquette.


    Prince Lin Yan nodded and crossed his arms. "Can you make modification rather than destroying the restriction?"


    "That''s�� impossible." Prince Fu Liang looked at Prince Lin Yan in surprise. "To be able to make changes in the pillars, one had to understand more than 6000 ancient words that existed. That''s not possible."


    "In that case, what we''re going to offer is for all of you to be able to benefit from having the restriction lifted but the protection array is intact." Prince Lin Yan''s lips curled up to form a smile. "In that case, would you accept this condition?"


    The elders were stunned. They were looking at each other for a moment before coming to a decision.


    Prince Fu Liang noticed that Prince Lin Yan was looking in his direction and he could only smile bitterly. It seemed that no matter how Jade Snow Kingdom was trying to benefit with their knowledge, it was far lesser than what Sun Kingdom could do.


    They could only rescind to their fate.


    ��


    Another month passed by quietly. By now, Jade Snow Kingdom have long accepted the fact that they would not be able to gain the upper hand from the deal.


    They submitted.


    And with that, they transferred the information of the other two areas and agreed to cooperate. The Emperor was now was nothing more than a vassal and the kingdom was officially annexed by Sun Kingdom.


    The tiring process was not long as they were completely suppressed.


    Of course, the benefit of the lake that Lin Xiao made was apparent as more and more people wanted to come to Sun Kingdom Capital City.


    Bing Yue Kingdom wanted to stay firm at first but since the other two had already submitted and formally annexed, they couldn''t last long either. It only took some negotiations before Bing Yue Kingdom was also annexed by Sun Kingdom and some paperwork had to be done.


    In addition, Lin Xiao also didn''t let them easily.


    Only those who made the oath to the Heaven was accepted to stay by his side. Thus, there were more than 100 people who swear their oath from all three kingdoms.


    The number of people in Lin Xiao''s hand increased rapidly.


    The feelings�� was a bit strange.


    But since they were now following Lin Xiao, he would not mistreat them in the slightest bit. The formation also affected them and lifted their restriction, allowing them to reach the rank that they have never thought they would be able to reach in their entire life.


    Many people advanced to rank 4.


    And some lucky people even advanced to rank 5. Those who had been suppressed by the restriction now could proudly stick their chest out.


    But of course, they didn''t dare to do anything in front of Lin Xiao as their lives were basically in his hand.


    They were not stupid enough to court their death so early.


    Lin Xiao was busy to arrange everything and it took another few months before everything was ready.

 Chapter 447: 20 Years Ancient Battlefield

    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao and softly said, "Marquis Hu will come here soon. He''s going to talk about the necessary procedure for you to participate in 20 Years Ancient Battlefield."


    Lin Xiao, who had just finished his training, nodded. He had already reached Golden Core Stage 4 but there was not much difference in his body. All that he felt was that he had to absorb a lot of Qi in order to advance to the next rank.


    Since the four kingdoms�� now, it''s name are all Sun Kingdom now still have the protection array, the other kingdoms could only dream of taking them in. The array was designed to be able to even withstand the power of Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, so unless they were all powerful, they were only going to destroy themselves if they wanted to take Sun Kingdom down.


    "Now that all four kingdoms are under you, are you not going to change the name of the kingdom?" Prince Lin Xian asked. He was busy doing the paperwork and didn''t have much time to cultivate. Nevertheless, he was not lagging behind at all as he had already reached Golden Core Stage 4.


    It could be said that those around Lin Xiao were all already at Golden Core Stage 4.


    "I don''t have any good idea to change it." Lin Xiao''s mind was blank. It was only now that he realized that when the Emperor changed, it was possible to change the name of the kingdom. After all, he was not really from the previous Emperor''s direct lineage.


    "You can pick a name that suit you the most." Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled. "There''s no pressure for you to pick a name. You can take your time."


    "Hmm�� Xiao Hu Kingdom?"


    "��You really want to use your name?" Prince Lin San was speechless. Other Emperors were thinking of a way to change their name by creating some kind of domineering title but Lin Xiao was using his name directly.


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "Just try to ask the elders, if it pass, it passed but if not, it''s fine."


    "You''re surprisingly easygoing."


    "That''s just a name."


    "It''s not! Don''t you understand that you''re going to be put into the history and that there will be a lot of people who are going after you! Saying that you''re only going to name it like that will only backfire you. What if you regret it in the future and��."


    Lin Xiao was looking at his second brother�� He never knew that his brother could be so nagging.


    It took him some effort before he could escape. Thankfully, Marquis Hu came at the right time and they ushered him to the hall.


    "I hope I didn''t trouble you too much, Marquis Hu." Lin Xiao smiled bitterly when he saw Marquis Hu in front of him.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was the one dealing with the matter in Hua Lan Kingdom. As the former princess, it was easy for her to get the approval of the elders there and with the Emperor was no more and Princess Lan Xiao Yue had long disappeared and probably crippled, there was really not much they could do.


    Marquis Hu was one of the few whom they selected to stay in Hua Lan Kingdom as one of the grand elder.


    "It''s nothing much." Marquis Hu waved his hand. Being at Golden Core Stage 6, it was clear that when his cultivation no longer suppressed, he looked much more powerful.


    However, Lin Xiao was not exactly afraid.


    The lake surrounding the palace was not for a joke. He could summon Lin Hu anytime when he was in the palace. If someone tried to mess around with him, he didn''t mind letting them taste their own medicine.


    It was just��


    Lin Xiao wanted to advance to Golden Core Stage 5 faster.


    "Could you please tell me more about the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield?" Lin Xiao went straight to the point. He didn''t like to go around and around just to talk about one thing.


    Marquis Hu nodded. "As you might have known, resources are limited and in order to develop faster, they''re important. 20 Years Ancient Battlefield didn''t mean that you''re going to stay there for 20 years. In fact, it''s just 3 years."


    "3 Years?" Lin Xiao was stumped. That was actually quite long too for him.


    "Yes. 20 Years Ancient battlefield occurred once every 20 years, which is why they named as such." Of course, Marquis Hu didn''t know who come up with the name of the event.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "The participants?"


    "As long as you''re below 40 years of age, you can participate." Marquis Hu looked at Lin Xiao. "You''re new so you can submit the name of the participants you want to come along with you. It''s very likely that the number is limited, so make sure that you submit less than 10 people."


    "Why 10?"


    "Because small kingdoms mostly can only send up to 5 and there are only very few of them who can send 10. Since you''re new, they might make exception, but I can''t be too sure."


    Lin Xiao thought for a moment. He actually wanted to go with Prince Lin Yan, Princess Lan Yi Hua, Xia Ye, Prince Lin San, and Prince Fu Liang. But if they can only be 5 people��


    "Alright, I''ll send the list."


    "You can actually make a competition if you''re worried that people might think you''re unfair." Marquis Hu smiled. "I''m sure that you''ve already thought of a way."


    "Yes."


    Lin Xiao smiled brightly.


    "I''ll be waiting for your good news. I''ll inform them about your participation�� it''ll start in another month."


    "I understand."


    One month.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes burned with anticipation as he wanted to test his skills against those who were powerful.


    ��


    The next day, it was announced that everyone under 40 years old who have advanced to at least Golden Core Stage 4 could gather in the capital city for a chance to earn their kingdom more resources.


    But upon hearing the announcement, many people blanched.


    Just reaching Golden Core Stage 3 under 40 years old was already difficult enough. Not everyone dared to attempt to advance to Golden Core Stage 4 and even if some of them succeed, they all knew that they were not powerful.


    Thus, the number of participants were very few.

 Chapter 448: Competitions

    "Prince Fu Liang from Jade Snow kingdom is already Golden Core Stage 5��" Lin Xiao''s lips twitched when he read the information. He felt that after the restriction was lifted, he would be lagging behind soon.


    Towards this�� Lin Hu turned blind eyes. He knew very well that advancing from Golden Core Stage 4 to 5 required enormous amount of Qi. Added with him��


    Lin Xiao had to absorb the required Qi for two people, two geniuses to be exact.


    Those below 40 years old who had reached Golden Core Stage 5 in the entire place only amounted to two, which were Prince Fu Liang and Prince Lin Yan. The others couldn''t catch up to their insane speed.


    As for others��


    There were some who were above 40 years old and already an elder.


    Lin Xiao couldn''t ask them to join either way since there was age limitation to participate in that 20 Years of Ancient Battlefield.


    "You''re one of the few who didn''t have to participate, though." Prince Lin Xian glanced at Lin Xiao. No one would dare to try fighting against Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. "I should at least make an appearance at the very least."


    "Why not try to fight against your first brother. I''m sure that no one will try to stop you after they see that."


    "��Fine."


    The real reason why no one would want to compete against Lin Xiao was because of the dragon that appeared when Lin Xiao seized the throne just a couple months before. The incident was fresh in everyone''s mind, so no one would be stupid enough to challenge Lin Xiao unless they wanted to suffer the wrath from the dragon.


    So, while some people were preparing to participate in the competition to be able to get a spot from the two free spots (Prince Lin Yan, Prince Fu Liang, and Lin Xiao had confirmed a spot), Lin Xiao was instead sparring with Prince Lin Yan.


    Swish!


    "Be careful." Prince Lin Yan looked at Lin Xiao and deftly moved to the side. He glanced sideways as several threads began to form.


    Sucking Life Thread, Seventh Move!


    Lin Xiao pursed his lips when he sensed the threads. It was actually a very ominous move skill. Prince Lin Yan only used it but he didn''t try to kill Lin Xiao since they were merely sparring.


    After all, his thread was capable to suck lifeforce.


    If one was not careful enough, they would be sucked dry by this move.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Ninth Stance!


    Bang!


    The cold and chilling light permeated the entire training area, rendering those who wanted to move unable to. It seemed as if the air itself had frozen in time. Those who were watching were already livid as this was the first time someone ever used the sword skill to its fullest like this.


    With Lin Xiao''s current stage, it was easy for him to showcase the full power of this Chilling Lake Sword Skill.


    Bang!


    The threads were destroyed and Prince Lin Yan stepped back. He nodded at Lin Xiao. "Your skill did indeed can counter the threads but it''s not that effective."


    "I''m still not fast enough?" Lin Xiao furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Yes." Prince Lin Yan waved his hand and then turned around. "Come, let''s watch the competition."


    "Alright."


    From a far, Lin Xiao could see that the one standing on the arena this time was Princess Lan Yi Hua. After she had gained Phoenix Inheritance, she had started to showcase her full talent in fire element. With each of her move, fire danced and enveloped her opponent.


    No one was a match for Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    Bang!


    The opponent was flung outside the ring. From the way it looked like, Princess Lan Yi Hua was also not far from advancing to Golden Core Stage 5��


    Lin Xiao''s lips jerked at the thought because he felt that he would be lagging behind the others. No! This couldn''t do, he had to work harder so that he would be able to become much stronger.


    He didn''t want to be the one to be chasing after others.


    "Your Majesty," Prince Fu Liang greeted when he saw Lin Xiao.


    While Lin Xiao was indeed the Emperor, he hated the title. After all, he could only be called King at best, so the others were tactful enough to just call him with His Majesty. Sometimes, they even chose to revert back to call him with ''His Highness.''


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Has the competitions ended?"


    "There''s still one more fight for Prince Lin San." Prince Fu Liang cupped his fist. His lips curled up to form a smile as many others who were watching him squeal.


    Looking at the number of people who were watching Prince Fu Liang, Lin Xiao''s lips jerked. At least half of them were guys while the other half were girls. It seemed that Prince Fu Liang''s fame far exceed what he thought at first��


    "I see." Lin Xiao moved to one side and watched calmly.


    Prince Fu Liang was looking at Lin Xiao with bewilderment. Unlike usual Emperors where they would be wearing expensive clothes and follow procession that would signify their status, Lin Xiao looked so down to earth. He was dressed in normal robe that could be found anywhere and didn''t even make an attempt to make others respect him.


    This new Emperor�� was a bit strange.


    Bang!


    Prince Lin San walked to the arena. His eyes turned golden from the moment the referee said to start. While his cultivation did advance faster, he was still being very careful as he moved swiftly from one side to another.


    Swish!


    "Come and eat this!" The opponent threw a punch from a distance.


    However, the move was coarse in Prince Lin San''s eyes. Since he no longer needed to hide his element, his body moved sideways and disappeared into the darkness.


    Swish!


    Appearing from behind, he thrusted his sword forward.


    "Tsk, do you think that I''ll fall for the same trick?!"

 Chapter 449: Departure

    Prince Lin San didn''t seem to mind in the slightest bit. His body jerked to the side before he swung his hand.


    Dragon Sleeve Sword!


    Slash!


    The opponent gritted his teeth and moved forward. His two hands then slammed to the ground.


    Earthquake Fist!


    BOOM!


    Rocks and debris flew everywhere from the arena. It startled those who were watching as they swiftly moved away. On the other hand, the opponent used some hand seal as the rocks began to gather towards Prince Lin San.


    Prince Lin San smiled lightly.


    Shadow Teleportation!


    Swish!


    His figure blurred as he traversed across the shadows that was formed on the ground, making his way towards his opponent. The move was swift and fast and after arriving before the opponent, Prince Lin San jerked his hand.


    Wind Sword!


    Slash! Slash! Slash!


    The swords'' slashes ripped through the air towards the opponent and continuously hurt him. It was also clear that Prince Lin San didn''t aim towards vital points as it would only take a second for the battle to end if he had done so.


    The opponent was frustrated, but he knew that he had lost. He cupped his fist. "Your Highness, thank you for your leniency."


    "It''s nothing much." Prince Lin San waved his hand. He turned to look at the crowd and his eyes landed on Lin Xiao. He smiled brightly, he had earned the right to follow to the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield.


    On the stands, Lin Xiao also nodded.


    "All of those who stays with you all advance faster�� Do you have any secret for this, Your Majesty?" Prince Fu Liang felt a bit envious. He knew how much the royal family had invested on him in order to allow him to grow stronger.


    But Lin Xiao and his friends seemed to defy the nature as they all advanced faster.


    Lin Xiao merely let out faint laugh and didn''t answer. He naturally knew that the effect of the Qi gathering formation that he had laid around the palace. Those who were close to him had already benefited a lot, so naturally it also helped them a lot.


    Time passed and soon, Marquis Hu had returned back.


    He looked at the five people in front of him as he clicked his tongue. "To think that there will be a day when I''ll be the one delivering the youngster who will participate in the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Do you have anything that you don''t like from the arrangement?"


    "It''s just unbelievable."


    "Get used to it. You''ll see more things in the future."


    "Tsk, you speak as if you know how the future will unfold. In any case, there''s no teleportation array in this Sun Kingdom. We''re going to borrow the one at the top of the mountain that''s bordering with other small kingdoms nearby." Marquis Hu shook his head and didn''t try to argue with Lin Xiao.


    Truth had proved that the young man would always try to make fun of others and probably drive someone angry.


    ��How did he even become the Emperor with such personality?


    "Is it expensive to use it?"


    "You''ll need a large amount of Qi in order to use the teleportation array. It''s not easy to use it at all."


    "You can say if you want to extort us," Prince Lin Yan said with languid tone. He was looking at Marquis Hu as his lips curled up to form a sneer. "Do you really think of us as stupid, Marquis Hu."


    "You''ve grown braver, Prince Lin Yan." Marquis Hu narrowed his eyes. When he first met with Prince Lin Yan, the prince was more reserved. But now that he had grown stronger, it was clear that his confidence also grew.


    It wouldn''t take a long time for someone with Prince Lin Yan''s talent to grow much stronger, especially in a place like that 20 Years Ancient Battlefield.


    "You can''t use other things to replace the needs of the Spirit Stones?" Lin Xiao''s lips jerked when he saw Marquis Hu took a lot of Spirit Stones. There were at least 50 medium sized one over there or even more.


    Marquis Hu then looked at Lin Xiao. "What idea do you have?"


    "Ancient Power."


    "��Do you really think that everyone can use it?"


    "Why not?"


    The others snickered when they saw Lin Xiao''s clueless face. For Lin Xiao, using the ancient power now was the same as eating and drinking, which was very easy. But others would have to work hard if they wanted to use the ancient power.


    In fact, not everyone can even sense it.


    "As much as I want you to help, you need to reserve your strength. Next time when the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield is open again, I''ll ask for your help." Marquis Hu''s lips twitched as he turned around. He believed that he would have the urge to beat up Lin Xiao for real if he tried to stay here any longer.


    "Fine~."


    Operating the spirit stones, the teleportation array was activated. It was now shining in golden color as suction force could be felt from inside. There were no one else around the place aside from them, so no one would be able to witness it.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes widened when he saw the energy fluctuation. He could clearly felt the ancient power that seeped out from the teleportation array before him.


    It was very clear and powerful.


    He was tempted to walk inside and just take a stroll as he knew that it would surely be very beneficial to him.


    "Get in!"


    They didn''t need to receive the order twice as the five of them entered the teleportation array.


    Marquis Hu watched as the five of them disappeared and sighed. He looked at the distance, towards Sun Kingdom. If someone told him that there would be a young Emperor who could control the four pillars to protect the kingdoms, he would never believe him.


    But now��


    "The future of Sun Kingdom now lies in your hand, youngsters. I wish you luck."

 Chapter 450: The Ancient Battlefield

    Bang!


    "Ouch!"


    Lin Xiao arrived with his butt and couldn''t help but jump. He looked at the ground resentfully as if asking. ''Couldn''t you make the landing softer?''


    Princess Lan Yi Hua laughed when she saw Lin Xiao''s expression. She then turned her head around to look at the place where they were. They were in the middle of nowhere, to be exact, they were in the middle of a forest.


    The forest was filled with dense Qi and also some kind of ancient power that fluctuated, mixing in. With such dense Qi and ancient power, one would be an idiot if they weren''t able to sense it.


    "It''s such a good place to practice." Prince Fu Liang was also astounded. If one trained here, they would be able to get twice the benefit with half the effort.


    Lin Xiao nodded and silently asked Lin Hu to start absorbing the Qi. That way, he would be able to advance faster. Of course, Lin Hu was already maniacally absorb all the Qi around them and even tempted to ask Lin Xiao to find a lake.


    If there was a lake, Lin Xiao could build temporary array in order to absorb even more Qi.


    "Let''s find a place to stay. It might be dangerous for us to stay outside."


    "Alright."


    Swish!


    Traveling in the forest, the five of them rushed in one direction. It was clear that they were all already used to this as they began to move faster and faster. Even though they were tempted to rest, they didn''t want to stay in the middle of nowhere and possibly got attacked while they were training.


    After several hours, they finally spot a city.


    "Let''s go down."


    They walked to the gate and saw that there were a lot of other cultivators in the city. It was clear that there were a lot of people who had gathered there. There was also a commotion inside.


    "What happened?" Lin Xiao asked curiously as he walked pass the open gate.


    One of the cultivators there glanced at Lin Xiao and smiled bitterly. "Are you new? This is one of the resting city and some groups from powerful kingdoms are fighting for ownership."


    "Ownership?" Lin Xiao''s face turned strange. They could own a city?


    After asking for some more, Lin Xiao then understood that in order to stay in the city, there would be some group from more powerful kingdoms who would be trying to take control of the city. They would be asking for some ''money'' to let them stay there.


    But right now, this city was ownerless and there were two equally powerful groups who were fighting.


    "They''re all at Golden Core Stage 6." Prince Lin Yan furrowed his brows. Such rank was nothing much to him but their sheer number was the biggest problem. They were all only at Golden Core Stage 4 and 5, which meant that it would take some time before they could advance to Golden Core Stage 6.


    In normal times, it was hard enough for them to advance. On the other hand, those people seemed to be in their 20 years of age and yet they had advanced to Golden Core Stage 6. Such different in environment naturally would make one jealous.


    Comparison really hurt.


    "Well, we''ll just find a quiet corner to practice for now." Lin Xiao waved his hand. "Being low key is good enough."


    Low key?


    Somehow, Princess Lan Yi Hua, Prince Lin San, and Prince Lin Yan''s lips twitched when they thought about how ''low key'' Lin Xiao was in the academy before. He practically being so ''low key'' by putting himself at the last position for the first three years of his academic years.


    Only Prince Fu Liang was clueless about how low key Lin Xiao wanted to be.


    "We can stay low for now since we''re not strong enough to roam around. The city should be safe."


    "Hmm."


    They didn''t take long to find some places where they could stay. Lin Xiao actually wanted to find better place, but it was already good enough. Forming formation with the ancient power, Lin Xiao was stunned.


    ''There are also ancient power mixed in that got pulled?''


    ''It''s only normal considering the amount of ancient power in this place is a lot.'' Lin Hu yawned. ''Focus on training and absorbing the Qi. I''ll take care of the ancient power and the leftover Qi.''


    ''Ok.''


    There was no longer any restrain within Lin Xiao''s body that Lin Hu placed before. The surge of Qi continuously streams inside and circulated very quickly. With such speed, it would only take a few days for Lin Xiao to advance to Golden Core Stage 5 and probably a year to advance to Golden Core Stage 6.


    It couldn''t be helped, even with the dense Qi in this area and the formation, the amount of Qi needed to advance to Golden Core Stage 6 was enormous.


    One wouldn''t be able to advance without having enough resources.


    A few days passed by quickly.


    Bang!


    Lin Xiao could faintly feel that his dantian was getting strengthened. He opened his eyes and licked his lips. "This speed is really good. The others should also advance faster."


    ''They won''t be able to reach Golden Core Stage 6 without months of bitter training.''


    ''Right��''


    Prince Lin San would scout for news from time to time and allowed them to know about the current situation. As it turned out, the city was quite big, which was why the dispute last longer.


    If they could take control of the city, they would be able to get more resources from the exhorted disciples who were roaming around. Because of that, the dispute hadn''t ended even after a few days.


    Lin Xiao and the others all came from unnamed kingdom that had only broke through the barrier.


    How could they be compared to many other geniuses?


    Their starting point was extremely low as most of the cultivators who came to participate would at least be at Golden Core Stage 5 or even 6 even if they came from some remote area.


    Thus, it would be very dangerous for them to leave.

 Chapter 451: Phoenix Cry

    "How can I obtain more resources?"


    After a few more days, Princess Lan Yi Hua had advanced to Golden Core Stage 5. They only needed to wait for Prince Lin San to advance before they left the city. While it might be save, but if they were deprived of their Spirit Stones to stay in the city, it wouldn''t take long before they had to leave.


    Rather than staying here and become poor, they would rather spend their time in the forest.


    The dispute was heating up and before long, the power would be established in this place. They didn''t have much time left.


    "Xiao."


    "Yes, Xiao Hua?" Lin Xiao noticed that Princess Lan Yi Hua had walked out. After advancing to Golden Core Stage 5, she looked far more beautiful and seemed to be filled with energy. He couldn''t look away from her when he saw her looking so beautiful.


    If only the time was not wrong, he would have pulled her to bedroom and do the duties of a husband to his wife in bedroom.


    *cough*


    "There''s a Phoenix Inheritance place in this ancient battlefield." Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled bitterly. "And I''m afraid that I might miss it out."


    "How do you know?"


    "Can''t you hear the Phoenix Cry?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked back. "Ah, it might be because of my bloodline that I can hear it."


    Lin Xiao was stumped. He silently communicated with Lin Hu.


    ''There''s phoenix cry?''


    ''Yes. When it''s time for the inheritance to gather and prove themselves in order to become the sole inheritor, they would be able to hear the calling of the phoenix.''


    Lin Xiao nodded. "In that case, we''ll head over there after San finished his advancement."


    "Thank you."


    "Do you have to be so polite with me?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua giggled and then turned back to her room to practice.


    Seeing the current Princess Lan Yi Hua, Lin Xiao felt happy too. When he met her, she was more restrained and gloomy but now, he could see that she could also smile a lot. It was refreshing to see her like this.


    Time passed.


    Prince Lin San advanced to Golden Core Stage 5.


    "The battle for the city ownership is on the way." Lin Xiao glanced to the side and grinned. "Would you like to reap some benefit before leaving?"


    The others'' lips twitched when they saw the mischievous smile Lin Xiao had. Whatever plan he was concocting, it must be something that was disadvantageous for other people.


    "What do you plan to do?"


    "Robbing the resources that are left behind." Lin Xiao grinned.


    The others looked at each other before nodding with smile on each of their faces. Cultivation required a lot of resources and naturally, if they could get more resources this way, who would say no?


    They certainly wouldn''t.


    "Who do you want to target?"


    "Dead cultivators." Lin Xiao shrugged. "Their Spatial Ring will naturally be taken later, so if we take it first, we''ll be the one reaping benefits."


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. It was exactly the practice of mantis stalks cicada unaware of the oriole behind. They wouldn''t be offending anyone like this since they were just taking the leftovers.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The sound of fighting filled the city. Since staying in the city was safer and also gave them rooms, many people were fighting to be able to stay in the city. Those who came from higher ranked kingdom didn''t mind in the slightest bit to spend some efforts so that they could take control of the city.


    Besides, they could also charge people who come with Spirit Stones for their cultivation.


    "Die!"


    "Gah!"


    Bang!


    A body fell not far from Lin Xiao and his group. His eyes lit up as he slowly muttered lightly, "Heaven and earth, please listen to my humble request. Help me take the Spatial Ring��."


    ''LIN XIAO!''


    Inside Lin Xiao''s consciousness, Lin Hu was screaming in anger. This damned brat dared to use Ancient Power just to snatch a Spatial Ring from a dead body? Did he want to use up his Ancient Power within such a short period of time?


    "What?"


    "Can''t you use better method? If you''re so afraid of getting found out, you can just do it when the other cultivators are away. Using Ancient Power just to snatch one Spatial Ring, are you insane?" Lin Hu berated Lin Xiao heavily.


    He felt that Lin Xiao''s brain had been roasted right now.


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. "I didn''t say that I only want to take one Spatial Ring."


    "What?"


    The others were also watching Lin Xiao curiously when they saw him stopped talking. They hadn''t made any move at all and only watched as the cultivators were fighting against each other.


    Well, they were not the only one. There were many other cultivators who were hiding nearby. They were also aiming for the Spatial Rings that these cultivators left behind.


    "There are many who have the same mind with Lin Xiao." Prince Lin San looked around and felt a bit bad.


    "They''re waiting for the place to be safer." Fu Liang pursed his lips. With his appearance that looked like women, he definitely looked like an aggrieved lady. "Do you want to wait too or do you have some other plan?"


    "I can use my threads but I need to get close." Prince Lin Yan looked at Lin Xiao, who was silent.


    "Xiao?"


    "No need." Lin Xiao grinned. He recited once more, "Heaven and earth, please listen to my humble request. Gather all the unowned Spatial Rings in this city into my palms secretly. Prevent my secrets from leaking out and protect me from harm."


    Ancient Power


    The others were watching as they felt some kind of power spread from Lin Xiao. They noticed that it spread across the area and saw the Spatial Rings on the nearby corpse suddenly disappeared.


    It then appeared on Lin Xiao''s hand.


    Seeing that, Fu Liang''s lips twitched. "Ancient Power is sick��."

 Chapter 452: Leaving the City

    In fact, Fu Liang was not the only one who thought that way.


    The others were also looking at Lin Xiao while thinking whether they should beat him up or not. To be able to steal the Spatial Ring using that way, anyone who heard about it would be dying out of jealousy.


    Lin Xiao had gotten more than 20 Spatial Rings by now. He looked at the others and nodded. "We should leave now."


    "Tell us how you do that."


    "Uh��. I''ll talk on the way."


    "Deal!"


    The others would not let him off so easily. They also wanted to be able to use the Ancient Power, ah! If it could increase their ability even just by a little bit, they would not care about the hardship they had to go through.


    Unfortunately, not everyone was destined to be able to use ancient power.


    It was an exclusive power and only a select few would be able to use it. No matter how Lin Xiao explained until his mouth foaming, if they were not destined to be able to use it, they would never be able to.


    Lin Xiao then led them all out of the city since the dispute had started to take lives. In this 20 Years Ancient Battlefield, it was clear that there would be a lot of people who were fighting and would take others'' life when it was necessary.


    "So, you say that Ancient Power is a type of power that''s similar with Dragon Power?" Fu Liang asked for confirmation.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "But more people will be able to use it and it didn''t require you to have the necessary bloodline."


    "But it''s still so powerful."


    "��That''s only because I have a lot. Normally it wouldn''t be possible." Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. It was also because this place was practically filled with Ancient Power, but he didn''t know how to explain it.


    The others stopped pestering him when they realized only Princess Lan Yi Hua had some affinity. They also split the items from the Spatial Rings that Lin Xiao gathered from before. There were several treasures inside that might be proven to be useful.


    Walking in the forest was filled with danger.


    It was also the first time Lin Xiao then encountered with Magical Beast. It was the rank for the beast after the previous one. They were much more powerful and once they encountered one, they had to run.


    After all, Magical Beast rank 1 was at equal strength with Golden Core Stage 7.


    Five Golden Core Stage 5 were clearly not a match for them.


    After roaming for several weeks, they finally arrived at the destination. Relying on Princess Lan Yi Hua who could hear the voice, they made their way here. On the way, not a single one of them made their breakthrough but Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua''s ancient power had increased by a lot.


    By now, even Prince Lin San couldn''t detect the Dragon Power within Lin Xiao''s body. it seemed as if it was drowned and completely hidden.


    "It''s over there." Princess Lan Yi Hua pointed to one direction.


    Lin Xiao glanced and almost blanched. The area which Princess Lan Yi Hua pointed was filled with people. In fact, there were so many people that it would be hard to even find a person.


    There might be millions of people who were gathering there.


    "Are you sure that this is the place?" Even Prince Lin San was astounded.


    Prince Fu Liang looked into the distance with inquiry then pursed his lips. "There''s no way that it can''t be the location. There''s dense energy coming from the front. There might be more than the Phoenix Inheritance over there."


    "That means, we might be able to get some benefit?" Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. That was just right, he wanted to get stronger too.


    "Yes."


    "Shall we head on our ways now?" Prince Lin Yan then passed a look at the others. His lips curled up to form a smile. "We might be able to encounter some kind of fruitful encounter if we''re going alone rather than together."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. He looked at his first brother before he realized that Prince Lin Yan must have realized that only by sucking others of their lifeforce and Qi would he grew stronger faster.


    However, such method had its own disadvantage.


    He had to put his life on the line almost all the time. Being in a group would be saver but at the same time, it would drag the others down with him.


    "Be careful, First Brother."


    "Hmm." Prince Lin Yan waved his hand and disappeared into the crowd. It was unclear whether he wanted to mingle or he wanted to start his slaughter.


    Lin Xiao then passed a look at the others. "How about you all?"


    Princess Lan Yi Hua bit her lower lips. "I will come with you until I found the Phoenix Inheritance Ground. At that time, we might have to separate from each other."


    "Alright."


    "I''ll go on my way." Prince Fu Liang laughed in his girly voice.


    Even after seeing that for the past few months, they were all still feel shivers on their spine. For some reasons, they wanted to stay away from Prince Fu Liang as far as possible.


    "Alright."


    Swish!


    Within a moment, Prince Fu Liang had disappeared into the crowd. It was clear that he also had his own reason to be alone.


    And Lin Xiao was not interested to find out what it is.


    "How about you, San?"


    "I''ll stay with you for now." Prince Lin San shrugged. "Even if I''m powerful, I''m not as confident as the others."


    He might be at the same stage as others, but his weakness was also very apparent. With the Eyes of Truth, he could see others'' weakness, but it also meant that his cultivation and body strength was average at most.


    In fact, he shouldn''t have been able to come here if not because of his strong talent at learning skill and also the advantage he had from his Eyes of Truth.

 Chapter 453: River of Qi

    "Alright, we''ll stay together then."


    The next day was filled with them only waiting for the door to open. When it did, the cultivators all streamed inside as if they couldn''t wait anymore.


    As Lin Xiao was still at the bottom of the chain, he simply waited for them to go inside and followed the crowd.


    Swish!


    The moment he entered inside, Lin Xiao realized that he had entered some kind of cave. It was large and filled with Qi and ancient power, so much that it almost suffocating.


    "What a good place to train." Prince Lin San was also astounded.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Let''s go and find a place to train quietly."


    "Where?"


    "There''s sound of water nearby. Let''s head there."


    "Ok."


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    They all followed Lin Xiao and then arrived by the side of a river after turning around from time to time. Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at the river in front of her with arched eyebrows. "I can''t sense anything from a distance away, not even the sound."


    Prince Lin San nodded as if to stress the point.


    Lin Xiao smiled lightly. "I''m just a bit sensitive to water. Let''s cross the river and find a quiet place to stay."


    "Ok."


    Moving their body lightly, they three of them reached the other end of the river. They were all astounded when they noticed that the rocks were so solid and there was no trace of water. It was as if it was not beside the river but instead far away.


    Lin Xiao crouched down and put his hand on top of the ground. His eyebrows furrowed. "There''s some movement down there. There must be an unground cave."


    Prince Lin San was stunned and immediately activated his Eyes of Truth. Upon seeing that there was nothing that he could see, he felt frustrated. When it came to things that was very secretive, he found out that he was unable to even sense it.


    How frustrating.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua also searched around but she couldn''t sense anything.


    On the other hand, Lin Xiao walked to one side before he felt that his legs seemed to sink down. He smiled brightly. "Over here."


    Thud!


    Rushing inside, the three of them entered the chamber and they felt that the rocks seemed to close down. Princess Lan Yi Hua jumped up and tried to get out but she found out that she couldn''t.


    "Where are we?" Prince Lin San looked around. His eyes landed on the number that was written at the front. "7?"


    "Probably 7 days." Lin Xiao was also not sure. The chamber was mostly empty but it was big enough. The lake was right beside the chamber and he could feel the Qi seeped out from time to time.


    It was a good place to train.


    "Then we��"


    "We''re going to train here."


    "Ah?"


    "Wouldn''t we miss out other treasures if we stay here?" Prince Lin San furrowed his eyebrows. He was unwilling to stay behind and do nothing when others were scavenging treasures.


    "And if you go there, what do you think you can do?" Lin Xiao shook his head. "Only if you''re strong enough can you interfere with others. We only have 3 years in this place to catch up with those geniuses who have the best resources. Many of them are already above Golden Core Stage 7.


    Tell me, how do you want to beat them?"


    Prince Lin San was silent then he sat down obediently before he started to train. While it was true that he didn''t want to miss out on the treasures, he also knew that if he was too weak, his voice meant nothing.


    Only by being strong would he be able to earn them!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua also sat down and began to train diligently.


    Lin Xiao smiled and then leaned near the river before he began to train. He could feel the Qi stream continuously inside his body as he circulated it as fast as possible. Lin Hu also absorbed a lot of Qi.


    This place was even better than the city.


    If Lin Xiao could stay in this place for a month, he guessed that he could advance to Golden Core Stage 6.


    But it was not fast enough.


    "Heaven and earth, please listen to my humble request. Gather the Qi into our body and helps us to advance. Allow us to grow stronger faster."


    Lin Hu nearly tripped on nothingness in Lin Xiao''s consciousness. He roared, ''LIN XIAO! ARE YOU CRAZY?''


    Lin Xiao''s lips curled up to form a sneer. ''Yes, I''m crazy. Crazy enough to try this.''


    He had tried to ask Lin Hu in the past whether he could use the ancient power to help him advance faster. The answer was yes, but it would be very painful. Not to mention, the use of so much ancient power would drain him.


    But now that they were in this place, Lin Xiao could sense that the amount of the ancient power in this place was a lot. He simply used the ancient power in the air to help them to form the formation.


    Bang!


    The sudden influx of Qi startled the other two but they worked as fast as possible to refine it. The ancient power was burned and used inside the formation, draining the previously thick ancient power in the place thinner and thinner.


    The Qi was sucked into Lin Xiao from the lake behind him. It was streaming so fast that Lin Xiao felt his teeth hurt.


    However, a smile formed at the corner of his lips.


    It was really river of Qi but no one would dare to step on top of it nor to enter it. Their body would be destroyed if they dared to enter such a place with high concentration of Qi!


    Thus, they could only stay at the riverbank.


    Bang!


    Lin Hu was annoyed but he still continuously absorbed the Qi that was poured into Lin Xiao''s body as fast as possible.

 Chapter 454: The Phoenix Inheritance Ground 2

    7 days passed in a flash.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao and felt trepidation whenever she recalled the past few days. It was the first time in her life that she felt absorbing so much Qi was instead so burdensome that she didn''t wish to refine them at all.


    But if she didn''t want to die, she had to refine them.


    Thus, she worked so hard to refine all of them and achieved her breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 6. As long as she could obtain the phoenix inheritance once more, she knew that she would be able to advance again.


    That would be the same as skipping the tribulation.


    In front of her, Prince Lin San was not in any better condition. He was fully stuffed with the Qi that his skin turned red. If not because he managed to refine them quickly, he would have died.


    Thankfully, he also advanced to Golden Core Stage 6 in the process.


    On the other hand��


    "Why are you the only one who didn''t manage to advance?" Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at her husband with curiosity.


    Lin Xiao let out a bitter smile. It was the very question that he actually wanted to ask. The three of them have the same amount of Qi that they absorbed but why didn''t he manage to advance?


    Lin Hu had even helped him to refine them!


    "I think�� I need another day."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua and Prince Lin San blinked their eyes. They looked at the number at the side and saw that it had turned to 0. If Lin Xiao stayed here any longer, it would surely attract others to come.


    "We need to go or there will be others who come."


    Lin Xiao sighed. As much as he wanted to stay and try his luck to advance to Golden Core Stage 6, he knew that his time was up. He was vehemently complaining to the dragon within his consciousness who had absorbed the majority of the Qi that he gathered.


    As they walked out, they all sensed faint differences.


    The ancient power and Qi in this place had been thinning out. The difference was faint but they knew that if Lin Xiao did it again�� the place might not even last long.


    With that in thought, they all turned to look at Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. "What are you looking at, ah? It''s just some Qi and ancient power. No one will notice that it''s because of me."


    "Right, they''re also training��"


    But still, the percentage that was used by Lin Xiao must have been a lot. If not, there wouldn''t be such decrease of concentration in the air.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua then turned her head to one side. "The Phoenix Inheritance ground is over there. I''ll go first."


    "Alright."


    Lin Xiao watched as Princess Lan Yi Hua left before turning to look at Prince Lin San. "I''m going to find another chamber to train. What about you?"


    Prince Lin San had the feeling that if he was forced to follow Lin Xiao, he would end up killing himself because of stuffing too much Qi. He shook his head rapidly. "I''ll be searching for other opportunities."


    "Alright."


    Swish!


    Prince Lin San left as fast as possible while Lin Xiao picked another new chamber. This time, the number written was 30 days��


    Upon seeing that, Lin Xiao had the urge to smash the rock open. But he knew that the chamber was formed by array, so it would be impossible.


    Lin Hu laughed out loudly. ''WAHAHAHAHAH! 30 more days of refining Qi. You sure have good luck!''


    ''Damn you!''


    Lin Xiao was in bad mood as he cut off the connection and looked around the chamber. This time, the place was not empty as he noticed a rack and also a bottle over there. Walking closer, he noticed that there was a liquid inside the bottle.


    "What is this?"


    "Lightning Essence. It can help you to advance to Golden Core Stage 7 from Golden Core Stage 6."


    "Oh?" Lin Xiao was surprised. "That means I don''t need to accumulate Qi anymore?"


    "Yes, but Lightning Essence is very rare." Lin Hu rolled his eyes. "There are only few places where it can be gathered in and only limited number of people can get it."


    "Then why didn''t anyone get it in the past?"


    "Why are you asking me? I don''t think anyone will be stupid enough like you to enter the chamber without checking inside first." Lin Hu was speechless by Lin Xiao''s question.


    It was then Lin Xiao realized that they must have inspected it first. 30 days were too long and if they were trapped inside for a long time, they would be missing on other treasures. Not everyone was like him and didn''t care about other treasures.


    "Well, in any case, I now have method to advance faster."


    "Huh uh."


    "Heaven and earth, please listen to my humble request. Gather the Qi into our body and helps us to advance. Allow us to grow stronger faster."


    With that, Lin Xiao entered another state of rapid training.


    In the second day, he advanced to Golden Core Stage 6 and after resting for a while, he drank the Lightning Essence and successfully made his breakthrough to Golden Core Stage 7.


    Lin Hu was dissing him, though, saying that he was mad for trying to advance so quickly like that. But with his body overflowing with Qi, it was obvious that advancing helped him to absorb Qi faster and contained more Qi. That way, the risk of him exploding lessened greatly.


    Advancing from Stage 7 to 8 required a lot of Qi, so Lin Xiao continued his mad dash by using the ancient power to drag the Qi into his body.


    Thus, in the 28th day, Lin Xiao successfully advanced to Golden Core Stage 8.


    He had officially entered the rank of geniuses from many other kingdoms. But of course, it was still not enough.

 Chapter 455: Calming Heart Technique 2

    "After Golden Core Stage, it''s Nascent Soul Stage?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Lin Hu nodded. "Formally, there are only three stages for Nascent Soul Stage, which is early, middle, and advance. But in order to make it easier to differentiate from one another, it''s commonly differentiate from one to nine."


    "Why?"


    "The Emperor of the Continent is the one who decide this."


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. Why did he feel that the cultivation ranking was actually not that important? But in any case, he still has two days in this chamber. He should just use this chance to consolidate his state and slowly accumulate Qi in order to advance to Golden Core Stage 9.


    While Lin Xiao was training, the others were getting depressed. The amount of Qi and ancient power within the cave was no longer much different from outside. It was getting thinner faster than they expected.


    Even the ancient power seemed to be hard to detect now. Those who wanted to use this chance to train their senses and absorbed ancient power grew even more depressed because they knew that they would gain nothing from this training this time.


    It was so vexing.


    They braved through danger to arrive in time but they couldn''t even enjoy it for more than a month. In the past, they heard from their elder that they could enjoy the secret region for an entire year.


    Why was the time cut down so much?


    Prince Lin San naturally also detected it after he had obtained some benefit. He felt his lips twitched as he thought of his twin brothers. It seemed that the way Lin Xiao was training was the same as taking other people''s resources away for himself.


    In any case, now that he also had grown stronger, it was time for him to venture deeper.


    Lin Xiao only came out after the time was up. Now that he had reached Golden Core Stage 8, he also dared to venture deeper into the cave. There were a lot of benefit from this cave, so he also wanted to find out more.


    Swish!


    Using his speed alone already allowed to move much faster. The rich vitality within his body allowed him to move even faster to traverse the area. There were not many people who were staying within the cave.


    Some who were depressed had already left and some others chose to venture deeper.


    Bang!


    When the sound of fight rang out, Lin Xiao''s interest piqued up. There shouldn''t be many who were fighting at this depth, right?


    ''Let''s check it out.''


    Lin Xiao swiftly moved from one place to another. The cave was not only a straight one but with many branches. Though, it was hardly any problem for Lin Xiao who was very proficient in sensing and moving around. His powerful senses stemmed from the ancient power and the dragon power inside his body.


    Swish!


    He arrived inside a hall. There were several people inside but what attracted Lin Xiao''s attention the most was the pillar in the middle along with the treasures��


    Why did this place felt so familiar?


    The hall was filled with countless items and there was a text written in normal language.


    Yeah, the normal language that both he and people from Sun Kingdom used and also several other languages from many other kingdoms.


    "Take one item, one that you need the most then leave this room."


    Lin Xiao then looked down as he could see the engravings of ancient word there. His lips tugged to form a sneer as he realized that there was an array formed below them. It was stating that should one take more than one, they would trigger various trap that was set up in this room.


    Lin Xiao was still reading before he looked at the middle. The treasure was located in the middle but at the very center was a pillar with engravings of several movements. Looking at it now, Lin Xiao realized that it must be a set of movement and at the very top was when one sat on the lotus position.


    A voice rang in his mind.


    Mind Calm like Ocean without Waves, Heart Without Ripples. The second set of Calming Heart Technique.


    This was�� the next set?


    Lin Xiao was baffled. He could remember that he had encountered the first set when he was back in Hua Lan Kingdom''s secret region. To think that he would see the second set here.


    What luck.


    Slowly, Lin Xiao began to move. The position that the engravings showed all required high flexibility that Lin Xiao felt that he nearly pulled his own muscle. It was lucky that he was already a cultivator at Golden Core Stage 3 or it would be impossible for him to do the impossible movements.


    In the end, he managed to finish everything and sat down on the ground with the lotus position.


    A voice rang in his mind once more


    Mind Calm like Ocean without Waves, Heart Without Ripples. The second set of Calming Heart Technique. You have passed the requirement for the third set, you''ll be able to see the set soon.


    After completing the technique, Lin Xiao felt that he could sense his own heart and sense the ripples there.


    And the announcement that he could see the next set made him even happier. It seemed that he would be able to learn the next move.


    He was excited.


    ��


    Cultivation Stage:


    Body Training (Rank 1 to 10)


    Foundation Establishment


    - Early Foundation Establishment


    - Foundation Establishment


    Golden Core Stage


    - Golden Core Stage 1


    - Golden Core Stage 2


    - Golden Core Stage 3


    - Golden Core Stage 4


    - Golden Core Stage 5


    - Golden Core Stage 6


    - Golden Core Stage 7


    - Golden Core Stage 8


    - Golden Core Stage 9


    Nascent Soul Stage


    - Early


    - Nascent Soul Stage 1


    - Nascent Soul Stage 2


    - Nascent Soul Stage 3


    - Middle


    - Nascent Soul Stage 4


    - Nascent Soul Stage 5


    - Nascent Soul Stage 6


    - Advance


    - Nascent Soul Stage 7


    - Nascent Soul Stage 8


    - Nascent Soul Stage 9

 Chapter 456: Growth

    Raising his head, Lin Xiao noticed that it was true. The pictures he saw changed and no longer showing the second set but the third set.


    Slowly, Lin Xiao began to move once more. The position that the engravings showed all required high flexibility that Lin Xiao felt that he nearly pulled his own muscle. It was lucky that he was already a cultivator at Golden Core Stage 6 or it would be impossible for him to do the impossible movements.


    In the end, he managed to finish everything and sat down on the ground with the lotus position.


    A voice rang in his mind once more


    Mind Calm like Ocean without Waves, Heart Without Ripples. The third set of Calming Heart Technique.


    After completing the technique, Lin Xiao felt that he could sense his own heart and sense the ripples there. It was enough now. There was no more notification, so Lin Xiao could guess that he was not qualified to learn the rest of the technique or it was because there were only three moves.


    In any case, Lin Xiao felt that his heart had calmed down considerably.


    He raised his head and looked in the middle once more. The fight that occurred there hadn''t disturbed him in the slightest bit.


    "Do you really want to fight until death?" A familiar voice sounded from one of the youth there.


    Lin Xiao raised his head and his lips twitched when he saw Hu Fei. If he was not wrong, he saw Hu Fei last time when he visited Hua Lan Kingdom. Now, Hu Fei was already a cultivator at Golden Core Stage 7 and currently fighting against someone there.


    The other man was a cultivator at Golden Core Stage 8. He was standing there with an aloof expression, clearly looking down upon Hu Fei before him, who was at a stage lower than him.


    "Do you really think that you''re someone great? Pick a treasure for our Young Master or we''ll force you to do it."


    Hu Fei snorted. He crossed his hand. "Do you really think I''m a servant who will follow your order everywhere? I''m not going to pick."


    "You can''t leave!"


    Swish! Bang!


    Hu Fei''s body jerked to the side as if disappearing. The wind blew as there was lingering sharpness in the air. It was to the point that one could feel the chills inside their heart.


    Slash!


    A metal appeared and thrusted from behind. The Cultivator couldn''t even react before he dropped dead.


    Golden Core Stage 8, fall!


    Lin Xiao was astonished. He naturally knew that Hu Fei was a cultivator of metal element, but he didn''t expect that after a few years, Hu Fei would have grown so much. It seemed that everyone was working hard and have their own chance encounter.


    Right now, Hu Fei was no longer comparable to one he was in the past.


    "You dare!" The group of cultivators grew more enraged as they rushed forward. They were adamant to take him off.


    Bang!


    Sudden pressure stopped them from moving as another youth strike them from the sides. It was clear that he looked nonchalant but the air around him looked clearer than before.


    Hu Fei grinned. "You did great Lan Qing Xi."


    Lan Qing Xi nodded.


    It was only now Lin Xiao noticed that Hu Fei was not alone. There were three other youths and two of them were people whom Lin Xiao recognized as Lan Qing Xi and Fan Pan.


    It seemed that these group of people somehow met each other and teamed up.


    However, Lin Xiao''s heart skipped a beat when he saw them. He could see that Fan Pan was already Golden Core Stage 8, the same as him. Lan Qing Xi and the other man was at Golden Core Stage 7.


    They had all grown so much from the last time they met.


    "We''re attracting too much attention here. Finish this quickly." Fan Pan waved his hand towards the youth before them.


    "Easy for you to say that." Hu Fei''s lips twitched.


    "I''ll deal with the leader, you do the rest."


    "Alright."


    The fourth person stretched his hand before a zither appeared before him. It seemed that weapon based on sound had become more and more common lately. Lin Xiao had encountered several of them in his life.


    Tring!


    The moment the song started, even the spectators felt that they were disrupted. The flow of Qi in their body was faintly disturbed and that was only from the after effect. Those who were not strong enough swiftly departed back.


    The other group consisted of 12 people, well 11 now since Hu Fei had killed one of them. The strongest one of them was already at Golden Core Stage 9 and he directly attacked Fan Pan, who was undoubtedly the strongest in their group.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Sounds of fighting rang out.


    Lin Xiao chose to stay behind as he watched intently. He could see several swords behind Hu Fei that he controlled. It seemed that the path Hu Fei chose was that of swords.


    Clang!


    "Your swords are not a match for us!"


    Three people had surrounded Hu Fei as they attacked him.


    However, Hu Fei controlled his swords to block their attacks. Sweat began to form on his face, but he held on.


    Lan Qing Xi also swung his sword as cool sensation spread.


    Sword River Bearing!


    Slash! Clang!


    The sword cleaved through one of them who came to him. However, there were still three others who surrounded him. His Qi wouldn''t last long against three cultivators at Golden Core Stage 8 and 7.


    The last member was also struggling to fight against three cultivators.


    Lin Xiao then passed a look at Fan Pan and noticed that this time, Fan Pan was serious. Unlike the time when he was facing Fan Ling, he was concentrating all of his attention to his sword that was cleaving through the air, leaving afterimages.


    At the same time, scorching temperature spread.


    Bang!

 Chapter 457: Battle!

    Clang!


    Fan Pan furrowed his brows when he noticed that the youth before him was completely fine. The youth looked like he was a few years younger than Fan Pan (but a few years older than Lin Xiao), but his cultivation was so stable.


    He smirked. "Do you really think that such an attack will be able to defeat me?"


    Bang!


    With a wave of his hand, Fan Pan was pushed back. If not for his agile movement, he would have been injured.


    "Fire element, water element, metal element, and wind element." The youth nodded as he looked at the four of them. "How complete, but unfortunately, you''re not a match against me!"


    Earthquake of Disaster!


    Bang! Slash! Slash!


    The moment the move strike, the earth was rumbling, destroying their rhythm. Even though they were all trying their best to stand firm, the opponent managed to use this chance to wound them.


    "Damn it, Fan Pan, defeat him!"


    "Easy for you to say that." Fan Pan''s eyes narrowed as he brought his hand down with his swords that was covered in fire.


    Fire Storm!


    Bang!


    The youth blocked the attack and smirked. "Do you have misconception about Golden Core Stage 9?"


    Thud!


    Being pushed to the back, Fan Pan coughed lightly. His eyes narrowed as he gripped his sword tighter. Taking a deep breath, he had calmed down instantly as if there was nothing that could disturb him.


    The next second, Fan Pan had disappeared and there was sound of rumblings. The cave trembled as destruction spread from Fan Pan.


    Thunder of Judgement!


    BOOM!


    The youth''s eyes widened as he raised his hand.


    Turtle Shell Shield!


    BOOM!


    "Waa!"


    The spectators were all terrified as they moved further away to avoid getting involved. They were stunned when they saw that the walls were cracked. Some of them were even afraid that it would be destroyed.


    Thankfully, the walls were repaired at speed visible to the naked eyes.


    Lin Xiao was also surprised. But his eyes landed on them as his brows furrowed. "Golden Core Stage 9 is that strong?"


    "It''s not that that strong but that youth is fully equipped with treasure. You only have one slightly powerful weapon but his entire body is covered in treasure that could amplify his defense, attack, and even give him protection." Lin Hu shook his head.


    The differences between those who were born at the small kingdoms and those from bigger kingdoms were very clear.


    Their treasures were naturally very different.


    "Impossible." Lan Qing Xi was stunned when he saw Fan Pan was flung back and the youth remained unscathed. It was clear that he was very unwilling to see them loss so badly like this.


    Fan Pan wiped the blood on the corner of his lips as he looked at the youth before him. How could he forget that these rich nth generations were all very rich and had countless treasures.


    They would never lack in treasure.


    The youth smirked. "Done with your game? Now��."


    Before he could finish speaking, there was sudden attack from the back. His eyes widened as he swiftly deployed his skill once more.


    Turtle Shell Shield!


    Boom!


    "Who is it?" The youth yelled angrily. He didn''t expect that the spectator would suddenly jump in to help out.


    Lin Xiao naturally didn''t wish to reveal his presence so quickly. He had swiftly moved close to the youth as his sword stretched forward.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Ninth Stance!


    The cold air spread within the place. Everyone felt as if they were in the middle of ice age as they saw that at some unknown point of time, an attack that consisted of cold Qi had rushed towards the youth.


    Turtle Shell Shield!


    Bang!


    The attack was blocked but the skill was also broken at the same time. It clashed with the metal shield that the youth wore as he staggered backwards. His eyes turned red in anger.


    Lin Xiao was instead surprised. He didn''t expect that Chilling Lake Sword would be able to deal such heavy damage.


    "There are three reasons. First, you have high attainment in Chilling Lake Sword that your sword skill has invoked the will and filled with sword intent." Lin Hu didn''t know when Lin Xiao understood them but he could guess that it was when Lin Xiao was battling with others.


    "Second, you''re naturally gifted when it comes to lake element. Since you''re the Lake Emperor, your attainment naturally reaches even higher than what ordinary people can possibly hope to achieve. Because of that, you can display a skill of lake element twice the original power.


    Third, your Qi is denser even at the same rank�� which is the contribution of your constitution that you get after the inheritance."


    Some inheritance could change one''s constitution, but Lin Xiao''s current constitution was even rare in the biggest kingdom. Only some people such as Long Hao and some other supreme genius would be lucky enough to have it.


    It was only because Lin Xiao obtained it late and had some period where he had to adapt that he naturally couldn''t advance as fast as those people.


    "Do you have to explain everything so clearly?" Lin Xiao was speechless.


    Lin Hu snorted. He was only explaining so that Lin Xiao could understand why he was stronger. But of course, since Lin Xiao was stronger, it also meant that he advanced slower than others.


    The amount of Qi he needed was much more than normal people.


    "Impossible!" the youth was stunned and coughed out blood. He could feel that the defense of his body was faintly ruptured. He looked at Lin Xiao with hatred. "Who are you?"


    "Just a passerby," Lin Xiao replied as he circulated his Qi. Even though it was powerful, Chilling Lake Sword ninth stance naturally used up a lot of Qi.


    Fan Pan noticed Lin Xiao and his brows furrowed. "You''re here?"


    "Yes. I didn''t expect to see you, though." Lin Xiao grinned. He waved his hand nonchalantly to the other two as if he was not in the middle of a fight.

 Chapter 458: Fire and Ice

    Lan Qing Xi was dumbstruck when he saw Lin Xiao but he then waved his hand in excitement. It seemed that they were lucky enough to be able to see Lin Xiao again after several months.


    Hu Fei was even more in disbelief. He couldn''t forget that Lin Xiao was Prince Lin Yan''s younger brother. But what shocked him the most was that Lin Xiao''s cultivation rank��


    At that time, Lin Xiao was only at Foundation Establishment Stage but now, he couldn''t even fathom Lin Xiao''s rank. In just a short few years, his cultivation was already left in dust. This naturally made Hu Fei very frustrated.


    "Audacious!" the youth was angrier as he accumulated his Qi and strike towards Lin Xiao.


    In his eyes, Lin Xiao''s attitude was the same as courting death!


    Earthquake of Disaster!


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed as he swiftly executed his own technique.


    Mirror Lake Wall!


    The two force strike in the middle and the earth rumbled at their strike. The floor was thoroughly destroyed and rocks splattered everywhere, destroying the earth and dirt around the area.


    Bang!


    "Fan Pan!" Lin Xiao shouted!


    Fan Pan had already moved even before Lin Xiao attacked. His hand swung the sword in his hand towards the youth as he used the strongest skill he had learned.


    Sun Fire of Wrath!


    BOOM!


    The place was half fire and half ice with the youth located at the very middle. The spiritual armor he wore was slowly chipped away as he tried his best to executed his defense skill. But facing the two extreme temperature, it was thoroughly destroyed!


    Being at the center, the youth couldn''t do anything as the two attack reached him.


    Stab!


    A figure appeared before him and stabbed the sword towards his heart. Without the protection of the armor and Qi, the sword seamlessly entered his heart and killed him. In the next moment, he could fee his entire power disappeared as he fell to the ground.


    Thud!


    Lin Xiao watched as Fan Pan pulled the sword away and his eyes narrowed.


    Suction!


    He could clearly sense that Fan Pan was sucking all the life force and the Qi that remained within the youth''s body.


    Now that the youth was defeated, Fan Pan and Lin Xiao effortlessly killed the other youths along with the other three. Within few minutes, the battle was now over.


    "What are you doing here?" Lan Qing Xi asked in surprised tone.


    "That''s what I''m supposed to ask you." Lin Xiao was speechless. "You''re a representative of another kingdom?"


    "I''m from Southern Wind Kingdom." Lan Qing Xi nodded then pointed at the fourth member. "This is Yue Cha, the prince of Southern Wind Kingdom."


    "Lin Xiao from Xiao Hu Kingdom." Lin Xiao cupped his fist.


    "You change the name of the kingdom?" Fan Pan turned to look at Lin Xiao. Right now, he was not erasing his presence but he had sheathed his sword again.


    "As the Emperor, it''s fine for me to change it, isn''t it?" Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. "You''re also representing Southern Wind Kingdom?"


    Fan Pan looked at Lin Xiao as if looking at the biggest idiot in the entire world. "Xiao Hu Kingdom."


    "Huh? But there can only be 5 representatives, right?"


    "Normally, yes."


    "What do you mean normally? Hey, can''t you explain?" Lin Xiao was frustrated when he saw Fan Pan ignoring him and focused on his body. He couldn''t help but turn to Hu Fei since he only knew these three.


    Hu Fei''s lips twitched. "In short, there''s a competition for a certain region and the top 100 can come to participate in 20 Years Ancient Battlefield regardless where they come. We''re using this method to come here."


    "You''re good." Lin Xiao''s lips twitched.


    "This is another method to increase the quota for small and medium kingdoms. If not, we''re not going to be a match against the big kingdoms." Hu Fei shook his head and sighed.


    "These people?"


    "They''re from medium kingdoms." Lan Qing Xi sneered. "If they''re from big kingdoms, they would have a nascent soul stage cultivator to lead them rather than just golden core stage cultivators."


    "Nascent soul stage cultivator?" Lin Xiao was stunned. It would normally take a long time for one to become nascent soul cultivator, right?


    Looking at Lin Xiao''s expression, Hu Fei patted Lin Xiao''s shoulder. "Let me tell you one thing: big and large kingdoms didn''t lack in nascent soul cultivators at all. Many of them managed to reach that stage when they''re around 30 years of age."


    Lin Xiao''s lips twitched as he resisted the urge to curse. He was only 22 years old and even if he spent 3 years in this ancient battlefield, he knew that the chance for him to advance to Nascent Soul Stage was pretty low.


    Unless he made another array to slow down time in order to let him make his soul form since his mental age alone was already 24 years old.


    But this method was not without drawbacks.


    The longer he used it, the more his body might not be able to catch up with his real age and probably there would be some other problems. He couldn''t use it too often unless he wanted to create problems for himself.


    "Anyway, let''s pick a treasure and quickly leave." Hu Fei pointed to the stack of treasures.


    "Right."


    They all swiftly moved to the stack and began to pick. Lin Xiao was about to pick too when he saw Fan Pan threw four Spatial Rings to him. "This is?"


    "From them. You helped us so that''s your reward. I haven''t checked inside but it should be beneficial for you. Two from water element cultivators, one from an ice cultivator, and the last one is from that youth."


    Lin Xiao checked the content inside and saw some fire stones. Fire stones were one of the few materials that were only suitable for cultivators of fire element. He grabbed some of them and tossed them to Fan Pan.


    "You''ll need them more than me."


    Fan Pan nodded and kept them away before walking to the treasures'' pile.

 Chapter 459: Time Skip

    Lin Xiao also chose from the treasure. This time, he didn''t take long because he noticed that there was a skill book that seemed to suit him the most. He picked it up and then departed along with the other four.


    They didn''t want to stay behind too long in case the others began to chase after them if they stayed there for a long period of time.


    Swish!


    "So, how did you manage to advance so fast?" Hu Fei asked with his lips twitched. He still couldn''t believe that Lin Xiao managed to reach the stage he hadn''t even reached. This brat was too fast.


    "I''m using the chamber." Lin Xiao pointed to the river innocently. Of course, he would not say that he was also the one who caused the dense Qi to grow thinner in this location.


    "That shouldn''t help you advance this fast, right?" even Lan Qing Xi was doubtful when he heard what Lin Xiao said.


    Of course, Lin Xiao didn''t elaborate.


    "We''re going to go deeper. Thank you for your help."


    "It''s nothing. I didn''t expect that you''re all doing this for the entire kingdom." Lin Xiao smiled.


    Fan Pan passed a look at Lin Xiao. "How do you think the four kingdoms survive this long?"


    "�� Uh, because there''s no one who pay attention?"


    "There are always a group of people who were selected to participate." Lan Qing Xi laughed. "Those who are still under the cover can''t send on their own so they have to select some to be sent away. If they can''t pass and reached top 100, they''ll be sent to be slaves."


    Slaves?


    Lin Xiao was stunned. He turned to look at Fan Pan and Hu Fei but the two of them didn''t explain further. It seemed that behind the scenes, there were actually a lot of people who were actually working together.


    "I see��"


    "Don''t think too much and try your best to reach Nascent Soul Stage. There are more treasures inside."


    "Are there other Secret Region?" Lin Xiao asked.


    "There are a total of four secret regions in total inside this Ancient Battlefield. Two will open in the first year. One at the second year and one at the third year." Lan Qing Xi looked at Lin Xiao. "You''re lucky to enter this place so fast."


    "Right��"


    "Let''s go on our separate ways. I sensed fire element from there." Fan Pan took the lead once more.


    "Alright, good luck!"


    Lin Xiao took the opposite direction. He might be interested in fire element if he wanted to find some for Princess Lan Yi Hua but he was also sure that she would search for some by herself.


    Venturing deeper, Lin Xiao then reached the deepest region and saw a lake. At the same time, the Qi was denser once more. It seemed that his action at the river only affected the outer region.


    Lin Xiao took out the skill book he obtained from the treasure pile.


    Frozen Lake Sword.


    Why did he always take elements that''s closer to ice rather than lake? But no matter how perplexed he was, Lin Xiao knew that he could use this chance to train.


    As for the location?


    Hehehe.


    "Heaven and earth, please listen to my humble request. Form a protection around me that''ll help me to block water and attack directed at me. Allow me to practice in peace."


    Lin Hu almost spat blood when he saw what Lin Xiao did. He was speechless. Only this shameless brat could even think of using the ancient power to create such a barrier around him just in order to practice.


    Splash!


    Entering the water, Lin Xiao began to train.


    "Heaven and earth, please listen to my humble request. Gather the Qi into our body and helps us to advance. Allow us to grow stronger faster."


    Lin Hu: "��" MY MASTER IS CRAZY!


    For the next year, Lin Xiao didn''t come out at all. He continued to stay there and practiced the Frozen Lake Sword aside from understanding more Chilling Lake Sword. At the same time, he was gathering the Qi with the formation once more and with it, the dense Qi was diminishing so fast that it was even lesser than outside.


    Many cultivators had already long left this secret region because they couldn''t get any benefit.


    Lin Xiao only came out after he had broken through to Golden Core Stage 9 and stabilized his cultivation.


    He then ventured into the forest, killing some beasts for practice. Those magical beasts rank 1 to 3 all run away when they saw him after a few months since they were not his match. Afterwards, Lin Xiao reached the second Secret Region and repeated the same process.


    The chamber near the lake.


    Then the lake inside.


    Training was so peaceful for 2 years and 8 months then Lin Xiao spend his time to kill the beasts outside. He could feel that he was close to breaking through to Nascent Soul Stage but at the same time, he felt that there was a barrier that he couldn''t break.


    It made him frustrated.


    As he killed several beasts, Lin Xiao gathered their core and absorbed the Qi with Lin Hu help. Without Lin Hu, he would not dare to absorb the Qi because it was a bit too violent to absorb it directly.


    Lin Xiao sighed. "Lin Hu, how long will I take to breakthrough to Nascent Soul Stage?"


    "I don''t know."


    "Am I not powerful enough?"


    Lin Xiao was doubtful.


    The real reason why they could spend 3 years in this ancient battlefield was in order to let those who came from lower kingdom to try to catch up with their talent. But of course, many were unable to do so because their talent was low.


    But��


    Lin Xiao knew that his talent was good, but why he couldn''t make his breakthrough.


    Lin Hu was not sure then he looked at Lin Xiao. "That might be because you''re too powerful."

 Chapter 460: Message for Gathering of Geniuses

    "��Lin Hu, do you really believe that I won''t be roasting you?" Lin Xiao cracked his fist as he was thoroughly tempted to roast the dragon right now. Eating a dragon might be able to help him advance.


    Lin Hu was speechless. "idiot."


    "You''re the idiot one!"


    "I mean you''re too strong as in there are no beast that can be your match." Lin Hu scoffed. Hell, even magical beast rank 4 ran away because Lin Xiao could freeze them. It often made him wonder whether Lin Xiao was truly of lake element or other elements.


    Lin Xiao was feeling a bit pissed off with Lin Hu''s words.


    Was it his mistake that he was so strong? He was only training, alright? Also, there were many people who were already at Nascent Soul Stage when they came to this ancient battlefield.


    How could he be called strong when he was compared to those people?


    "Are you telling me that I should challenge Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators now?" Lin Xiao asked with narrowed eyes.


    "You might die."


    "You��."


    "Nascent Soul Stage cultivators are strong because they can use the power of their soul and create their projection. It''ll start from their soul is a baby up until their soul is the same age as their real body." Lin Hu passed a look at Lin Xiao.


    "Their cultivation rank depends on the soul projection that they can make. Baby to teenagers meant that their cultivation is only at Early Nascent Soul Stage (1 to 3), adult but not more than 2/3 of their real age meant that they''re at Middle Nascent Soul Stage (4 to 6), and lastly nearing the same age as them until the same is the Advance Nascent Soul Stage.


    While it might be rare, if your soul is too powerful, you can directly skip a rank or two. Or the opposite, if you''re too weak, you won''t be able to form Nascent Soul Stage."


    "��I really want to beat you up. Is my soul weak?" Lin Xiao furrowed his brows and inspected his consciousness. It was vast, so vast that Lin Hu was always swimming around from here to there. Even if the dragon was using his fastest speed, it would still take him an hour to circle around.


    Lin Hu''s lips quivered. Actually, it was the opposite. Lin Xiao''s soul was too strong that the amount of Qi that he needed to support forming the Soul Projection was much more than what other cultivators needed.


    He was not sure how high Lin Xiao would reach when he grew up in the future.


    But one thing for sure��. Lin Xiao would not be at Nascent Soul Stage 1.


    Lin Xiao was about to ask for more when he heard a sound rang in his ear. "All cultivators gather in Shui Yan City within 3 months'' time."


    At the same time, the projection of a map appeared before Lin Xiao. There was a red dot, which signified his location and an X that signified the location he had to head to.


    Looking at the map, Lin Xiao was dumbfounded. He turned to look at Lin Hu. "is it really possible to speak to countless people?"


    "It''s just an automatic message." Lin Hu was speechless by Lin Xiao''s lack of knowledge. "This is an ancient battlefield, an area that''s separated from the mainland. In other word, this place alone is a treasure that''s controlled by countless cultivators. If they want to control the cultivators here, it''ll be difficult but transmitting message should be easy."


    Lin Xiao was astounded. He had already guessed that the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield was located at different plane. But he didn''t expect that it would be a treasure.


    "The power who control them��."


    "Most of them are only at Nascent Soul Stage." Lin Hu passed a look at Lin Xiao. "What? Do you really think that they''ll be at higher cultivation level?"


    "��Yes."


    "Nascent Soul Stage is different than Golden Core Stage. At this stage, your talent meant nothing as what important is your comprehension. In order for your soul to grow, you need to have high understanding of your cultivation path and also high understanding of your chosen element, skills, and your own heart."


    Lin Hu went silent when he talked about that. Lin Xiao''s path from the very beginning had been chosen for him but what kind of Emperor he wanted to be, it was all his decision.


    In other word, it was still a path that belonged solely to him.


    "Well, I guess I should hurry and go to that Shui Yan City. There''s still 3 months but man, the distance is so long."


    Lin Xiao was located far away from the city because he had just exited the Secret Region and gained some treasures. Of course, most of them were not of use to him since he was already at Golden Core Stage 9.


    He would just kept them away and probably gave them to those who needed it back in Xiao Hu Kingdom.


    Swish!


    Traversing the forest, Lin Xiao used this chance to train his skill. Over this period of time, he also often spent his time to train and develop a unique skill because it was the only method for him to grow faster.


    By combining what he knew and also his understanding, he grew faster.


    ��


    Beast Ranking and the estimated strength:


    Unranked: Untrained people to Body Training Rank 3


    Rank 1: Body Training Rank 6 to 7


    Rank 2: Body Training Rank 8 to 10


    Rank 3: Foundation Establishment


    Rank 4: Golden Core Stage 1


    Rank 5: Golden Core Stage 2


    Rank 6: Golden Core Stage 3


    Rank 7: Golden Core Stage 4


    Rank 8: Golden Core Stage 5


    Rank 9: Golden Core Stage 6


    Magical beast


    Rank 1: Golden Core Stage 7


    Rank 2: Golden Core Stage 8


    Rank 3: Golden Core Stage 9


    Rank 4: Nascent Soul Stage 1


    Rank 5: Nascent Soul Stage 3


    Rank 6: Nascent Soul Stage 5


    Rank 7: Nascent Soul Stage 7


    Rank 8: Nascent Soul Stage 9

 Chapter 461: Meeting Old Acquaintance

    Swish! Slash!


    Killing a beast on the way, Lin Xiao took out the core and kept it in his pocket. There were several cores there and Lin Hu had been absorbing them from the very moment Lin Xiao stuffed those things there.


    It was in order to help him grew stronger faster and accumulate more Qi.


    "This is slow��" Lin Xiao groaned.


    Lin Hu scoffed. He was already working as fast as possible but Lin Xiao''s dantian felt like a bottomless abyss. No matter how much Lin Hu gathered the Qi and Lin Xiao accumulated it, it just kept on accepting more and more Qi that was given.


    He didn''t feel full.


    "Shui Yan City should be a day''s distance away." Lin Xiao looked into a distance. He had taken nearly 2 months in the journey to reach here. Of course, he was not using his fastest speed because if he did, he would have already arrived a month ago.


    He was taking his time to train and kill beasts.


    Hmm?


    Lin Xiao felt fluctuation of Qi and turned his head to the side. This scorching hot fire reminded him of Hell Fire, the special kind of fire that was very hot and brutal. At the same time, it was the type of fire that was capable of harming one''s soul.


    How come this signature Qi felt familiar?


    Every cultivator has their own signature Qi. In short, their Qi was different because of the aura that they emitted from their body. Even those with the same element could be differentiate from each other by their aura.


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows as he sped up through the forest and climbed one of the tree. He stood there as he could see several figures fighting in a distance away. The fire turned the forest into an open ground.


    A figure was fighting against several people.


    That person��


    Ye Jian?


    A name popped in Lin Xiao''s head. He could faintly remember that during his early time of training with Prince Lin Yan, he met someone who was so powerful yet he was wounded because of the Hell Fire in his body.


    After healing him, Lin Xiao then realized that the young man was indeed extraordinary and that the fire could be contained within him through special method.


    "Lin Hu, I''m not attracting injured people, right?"


    Lin Hu was speechless. "No. You''re an Emperor, though, so you''re still the last hope for some rare cases."


    Lin Xiao''s face turned dark as he didn''t feel like talking with Lin Hu anymore. He was simply staring into the distance, watching as Ye Jian fought with his opponents. From the power that he emitted, it was clear that he and his opponents were all already at Nascent Soul Stage.


    It was not like he didn''t want to help.


    But it was more like he couldn''t help.


    He had to wait until the fight was over if he even wanted to offer some help.


    It was at this time that Lin Xiao felt a bit helpless. Even though he was powerful, there were still many people who were more powerful than him. He couldn''t contend against their power in the slightest bit.


    Boom!


    The voice in the distance soon faded.


    Lin Xiao thought for a moment before he used his skill to get closer.


    Moon Evasion!


    After modifying the skill a bit, Lin Xiao could now no longer used as much Qi as before when he was using the skill. Additionally, he could use the skill to travel a certain distance before he needed to use more Qi.


    It was very useful for him.


    Landing on the tree, Lin Xiao could see Ye Jian stood there with menacing aura. He was staring at the cultivators before him with red eyes while his body seemed to emit smoke. However, it was clear that he was at his wits end.


    "You lost, Ye Jian! The Crow Organization will never let you off," the man coughed and spat out, revealing an eerie grin.


    Ye Jian snorted. "My Snow Mountain Kingdom didn''t only have me as their representative. Even if you want to destroy us, you won''t be able to do so."


    "Die!"


    The man swung his hand but before he could even finish his movement, Ye Jian''s hand shot out fire and the man died and turned into ash completely.


    *cough* *cough*


    Ye Jian was struggling. He glanced to one side. "I know you''re there, reveal yourself,"


    Lin Xiao: "��" his detection skill is still as good as it was many years ago.


    Swish!


    Without hesitation, Lin Xiao landed before Ye Jian. He was looking at Ye Jian with curiosity but at the same time cautious. After all, he didn''t know whether Ye Jian would remember him or not.


    "It''s you��" Ye Jian had excellent memory. He definitely still remembered Lin Xiao since he practically owed him a favor.


    "Same as before, I can help you but you owe me a favor." Lin Xiao felt that it was easy now that Ye Jian remembered him.


    "Bring me away too."


    "Two favors."


    "%^&*(!"


    "If you don''t want, I can leave you." Lin Xiao grinned.


    Ye Jian snorted. "Fine."


    Lin Xiao nodded and then grabbed Ye Jian before he executed his skill but enveloped Ye Jian''s body with his Qi in order to protect the man. It didn''t take long for him to appear many kilometers away from the crater.


    At this time, several people had appeared as the fight Ye Jian had was not exactly a quiet one.


    The fight between Nascent Soul Cultivators were definitely not one to be taken lightly.


    "He''s gone."


    "Someone is here first."


    "From Snow Mountain Kingdom? They should be hindered with the formation. How come they''re so fast?"


    A man was wearing black robe and he looked into the mess before snorted. "Unlikely. There must be someone else nearby. Find out who that Ye Jian has been friendly with recently."


    "Yes!"


    With that, they all disappeared into the distance once more.

 Chapter 462: Gather in Shui Yan City

    "You don''t look that good."


    Lin Xiao still had his skill but his target of healing has always been himself. It couldn''t be helped since he was practically staying alone for nearly three years. The others were all busy on their own opportunities to grow stronger in this ancient battlefield.


    Sometimes, it was better to stay together.


    But at other times, they have their own path and naturally it meant that they couldn''t stay together.


    Ye Jian glared at Lin Xiao.


    Lin Xiao shrugged and infused his Qi into Ye Jian''s body. It didn''t take long for the wound on Ye Jian''s body to be completely healed. Upon seeing this, Ye Jian was silent for a moment as he furrowed his eyebrows.


    It was much more powerful than before. Not only that, the puny Foundation Establishment kid from that time had already become Golden Core Stage 9 cultivators, only needing a bit of push to reach Nascent Soul Stage.


    "Lin Yan had good brother."


    "You sound close to my first brother." Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows and then sat down back. While Ye Jian''s body looked like it was wounded terribly, the truth was that it was not that bad. The biggest problem was because of his Hell Fire went out of control.


    He only needed to restore the formation within Ye Jian''s body and healed the wounds. It was not difficult at all.


    "Snow Mountain Kingdom is your kingdom''s neighbor." Ye Jian was speechless. He furrowed his brows as he heard that the name of the kingdom had changed recently. "Right, what''s the name of the kingdom now?"


    "Xiao Hu Kingdom."


    "You''re just using your name?"


    Lin Xiao shrugged as if admitting that.


    Ye Jian was speechless. Could he think better name for his kingdom? It was a name that would represent his kingdom in the years to come!


    However, it was clear from Lin Xiao''s attitude that he didn''t care that much about the kingdom''s name. in fact, he might even think that it was not really a problem even if he simply used the name ''Lin Xiao.''


    "What''s your current healing rank?"


    "Hmm?" Lin Xiao furrowed his eyebrows. "I don''t know, perhaps 6?"


    Since he never tried to regrow arms, he didn''t know whether he could be categorized as healer rank 7 or not. On the other hand, internal wounds were extremely easy for him to heal.


    After all, he kept on healing his own body from time to time.


    "You never test it?" Ye Jian frowned.


    "No."


    "After this is done, you should head to healer association. If you can become a member there, Xiao Hu Kingdom will gain another backer."


    Lin Xiao nodded. He was also thinking about upgrading the pillars now that he had almost reached Nascent Soul Stage. He believed that with his skill, there wouldn''t be any problem for him to upgrade the barrier to make sure that the kingdom would still be intact even after a long period of time.


    Ye Jian then thought for a moment. "Have you regrow an organ?"


    "Hmm? I did."


    Lin Xiao''s body experienced a breakdown because he forcefully stuffed the Qi inside. Since it was the case, he immediately activated his Qi to create new organ while dissolving the previous one.


    It was painful, though. Thankfully, it only happened twice for the past three years or he would not be able to survive.


    "Then you''re rank 8��" If not because of his family''s culture, Ye Jian had an urge to curse. All healers were very precious. It was to the point that there were many people who would want to poach them no matter the price. The higher the rank, the more precious they were.


    And if he was not wrong�� there were only less than 10 people at rank 7 and even lesser number of people at rank 8, probably less than 5. Now, in front of him was a healer at that rank at the tender age of 25 years old.


    That''s unbelievable.


    Ye Jian then looked at Lin Xiao suspiciously. "How did you train your healing skill while your ranking also rise so much?"


    Lin Xiao merely let out a faint laugh. Should he say that he nearly killed himself and had no other choice but to use his own body as experiment in order to survive? That way, he was actually only healing himself.


    Little did he know that healers rarely use themselves as experiment when it come to high ranking healers.


    It was all because even the slightest bit of mistake would be fatal and they might even die in the process if they were not careful enough.


    "I''m going to Shui Yan City. Are you going there too?" Lin Xiao asked.


    Ye Jian nodded. "Yes. Are you going to use the three favors I have to you?"


    "Hmm, not now." Lin Xiao shook his head. He didn''t really have anything that required Ye Jian''s help. Besides, he was not too familiar with Ye Jian nor did he know much about this young man.


    He would ask his brother about this young man more later.


    Ye Jian nodded.


    "Let''s go."


    "Ok."


    With his wound had healed, Ye Jian had no problem traveling in high speed. Lin Xiao also traveled calmly.


    In just a short few hours, they reached Shui Yan City.


    Shui Yan City was the biggest city in the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield. Every genius will have to gather in this city after they were done with their training. Thankfully, there would be the reminder that was sent to them 3 months before the deadline.


    But usually, 3 years were not enough to allow the geniuses who were from poorer area to overcome the barrier of resources.


    ��


    Healers ranking in case you need it:


    1-3: Disciple: Capable of healing light wounds such as normal wounds outside.


    4-6: Master: Capable of healing internal wounds up to the point of heavy internal bleeding and also heart failure.


    7-9: Grandmaster: Capable of regrow limbs, mend shattered mental power, and similar to it.

 Chapter 463: Gather in Shui Yan City (2)

    "It''s really big." Lin Xiao was quite curious as he looked around. This was not the first time he entered a city in the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield, but he had to admit that Shui Yan City was truly the biggest city.


    "This is the place for all genius to gather when the time is up." Ye Jian passed a look at Lin Xiao. "With your current rank, you wouldn''t be able to earn good ranking."


    "It doesn''t matter."


    Lin Xiao waved his hand. He came here because he wanted to learn some things and also obtain more resources for Xiao Hu Kingdom. In the past, he didn''t know that there were already many other geniuses who disappeared were actually coming here to fight for the kingdom.


    But now that he knew, he would at least make sure that he got decent ranking.


    "Don''t you want more resources?"


    "I do." Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed. "But being too high profile will kill me first."


    Ye Jian didn''t say anything.


    The youth before him was already 25 years of age and even though there were still traces of his mischievousness, he was no longer as brash as before. Even when he dealt with the last three princes, Lin Xiao had shown traces of maturity and after nearly three years in this brutal place, he was even more careful.


    Being alone helped him to understand more of the dangers around him. By utilizing his ability to the fullest, he managed to survive.


    "Come on, we need to sign up."


    "Sign up?" Lin Xiao was stunned.


    Following Ye Jian, they arrived in the middle where there was a large building in cylinder erected. There were several people who were walking inside and walked out again after a few minutes. It was clear that the building was the location for their registration.


    He walked inside and saw that there were several elders sitting behind a long table. The younger people were all very respectful as they infused their power and the elder would give them a token that represented their power.


    "There are three types of token." Ye Jian glanced at Lin Xiao. "Gold for those at Nascent Soul Stage, Silver for Golden Core Stage 7 to 9, and Bronze for those at Golden Core Stage 4 to 6."


    Lin Xiao nodded and walked forward. He understood that the requirement in order to be able to participate in this 20 Years Ancient Battlefield was for them to reach Golden Core Stage 4. If they couldn''t even reach that rank�� what right would they have to continue fighting in this place?


    They might as well go home because it was not their place to stay here.


    "Name, kingdom."


    Lin Xiao, Xiao Hu Kingdom.


    Lin Xiao wrote down the name and kingdoms before he got the token. Infusing his power inside, he noticed that the originally black token changed color to that of silver.


    The elder nodded and waved his hand, signaling for Lin Xiao to leave.


    Cupping his hand, Lin Xiao left the place with Ye Jian. He could see that Ye Jian was holding a golden colored token. There was only their name written on top of the token and there was nothing else.


    "After the battle start later, you''ll know the use of the token." Ye Jian didn''t want to become a babysitter. "I''ll leave now, you can roam around the city and do whatever you want. Your friends should come here soon."


    "Yes."


    Lin Xiao didn''t plan to stick with Ye Jian too long either. What if those people who chased after Ye Jian then changed their target? He wouldn''t know where to cry if that happened.


    Thankfully, the next few days was peaceful and Lin Xiao managed to meet with the others. To be exact, he met with his twin brother first.


    "San... you look energetic." Lin Xiao''s lips twitched when he saw Prince Lin San. Unlike him who still wear his headband, Prince Lin San didn''t really care about his face being known by anyone. Right now, he was grinning like a fool.


    Prince Lin San turned to look at Lin Xiao and showed his token. "Look, Xiao. I managed to advance through several stages."


    He was only Golden Core Stage 4 when he first came here. But his token was silver, which meant that he had advanced several stages after separating from Lin Xiao. After all, he was merely Golden Core Stage 6 after their separation in that chamber.


    Lin Xiao swept a glance at Prince Lin San and noticed that Prince Lin San was now at Golden Core Stage 8.


    "You''re not bad." Surviving the tribulation to advance to Golden Core Stage 7 required meticulous preparation.


    "Heh." Prince Lin San smiled. "How about you?"


    Lin Xiao merely showed his silver token and Prince Lin San then scrutinized Lin Xiao heavily. Upon noticing that he couldn''t detect Lin Xiao''s cultivation, Prince Lin San cursed out loudly.


    This brat had to be at Golden Core Stage 9.


    "How in the world are you that fast?"


    "Are you really one to ask?"


    The two of them fool around for some time. Not long afterwards, Prince Fu Liang also came. Just like Lin Xiao, he was already at Golden Core Stage 9. As for how he managed to advance, no one asked.


    They also didn''t have the heart to ask.


    Prince Lin Yan was the fourth to arrive in Shui Yan City. He looked at the others and nodded his head faintly. The oppressive aura around him told Lin Xiao that his first brother�� was already at Nascent Soul Stage.


    "First Brother, do you have any tips about how to advance to Nascent Soul Stage?" Lin Xiao asked seriously when he noticed that Prince Lin Yan was at Nascent Soul Stage 1.


    Prince Lin Yan passed a look at Lin Xiao. "Prepare for your tribulation."


    "��That''s all?"


    "You need martial heart."


    The others: "��"


    They really didn''t want to talk to him. Even Prince Fu Liang felt like beating Prince Lin Yan up this time.

 Chapter 464: Gather in Shui Yan City (3)

    The others: "��"


    They really didn''t want to talk to him. Even Prince Fu Liang felt like beating Prince Lin Yan up this time.


    However, Lin Xiao genuinely thought about it as he was busy absorbing a lot of Qi. After all, he knew that he was lacking in Qi in order to advanced his rank.


    He should also prepare his heart.


    Hmm��


    There were not many days left and Lin Xiao was waiting near the cylinder building. After all, he hadn''t seen his wife at all. There was no way he wouldn''t be nervous.


    It was nearing the last day when Princess Lan Yi Hua finally appeared. She looked quite different from before as she was exuding pressure from her body. At the same time, there was a faint fire marking on her forehead.


    It was�� Phoenix Markings?


    Lin Xiao was staring with his mouth agape when he saw Princess Lan Yi Hua walked passed through the crowd. She was still as beautiful as ever�� no scratch that, she was much more beautiful than when he last seen her.


    "Xiao." Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled.


    "Xiao Hua." Lin Xiao smiled back. "I''m glad that you''re save."


    "Mhm."


    After that, Lin Xiao stepped forward and hugged Princess Lan Yi Hua. He missed her greatly for the past three years. Well, it was not full 3 years but it didn''t really matter to him. Because Princess Lan Yi Hua was slightly shorter than him, her head landed on his chest.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled and snuggled lightly. "Miss me."


    "How can I not miss my beautiful wife?" Lin Xiao smirked.


    "Glib tongue." Princess Lan Yi Hua stuck out her tongue. She pointed to the cylinder building. "Wait for me here, I''ll get my token."


    "Okay."


    Lin Xiao nodded and continued to stand there. He was still feeling happy upon reuniting with Princess Lan Yi Hua again that he nearly failed to notice when Lin Hu called him.


    "Damn it, Xiao! Can''t you hear my voice?" Lin Hu was frustrated. This annoying master of his was smitten by love.


    "Oh, sorry, what is it?"


    "Princess Lan Yi Hua is already Nascent Soul Stage 2."


    ... �� ��


    Wait, what?


    Lin Xiao was speechless. In his consciousness, he grabbed the large dragon. "What do you say? She''s already Nascent Soul Stage 3?"


    "Let go!" Lin Hu struggled and glared at Lin Xiao. "Yes, she''s already at Nascent Soul Stage 2."


    This time, Lin Xiao was speechless. In the past, the two of them were seen as a pair that equally useless and looked good to each other. Then after he showed that he could inherit the throne, there were some people who didn''t think that Princess Lan Yi Hua was good to him. It was only after she had obtained the Phoenix Inheritance that people started to say that they were a match made in Heaven.


    Now that Princess Lan Yi Hua surpassed him in his cultivation�� would it be his turn to be looked down on?


    Lin Xiao wanted to cry at the thought.


    Before long, Princess Lan Yi Hua walked out of the Cylinder building. Her hand was holding onto a gold token.


    "Did you encounter good thing?"


    "Mhm." Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded and rubbed her forehead slightly. "It''s a bit annoying but I can''t really hide it."


    If only she was like Lin Xiao, she might think of using headband to cover it. However, Princess Lan Yi Hua knew that she didn''t really like to wear one. It wouldn''t take long before she would be unwilling to use the headband and then got found out.


    In any case, she was not the only one with this mark.


    "We can speak later." Lin Xiao laughed lightly.


    "Okay." Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled and grabbed Lin Xiao''s hand, feeling his warmth. In any case, she didn''t want to leave him. The past three years hadn''t been easy but thanks to the Phoenix Inheritance, she managed to grow stronger faster.


    She would grow even stronger.


    But before they could even walk far away, there was a cultivator who blocked their way. His friends surrounded them with their eyes locked onto Princess Lan Yi Hua. It was clear that their target was her.


    A cultivator who held golden token and was extremely beautiful�� who wouldn''t be tempted.


    "What a beautiful lady." The cultivator who blocked the way smirked. He glanced at Lin Xiao but didn''t see anything remarkable about him. After all, Lin Xiao never paid much attention to his dressing.


    He didn''t look that bad but certainly couldn''t be compared to many rich young master.


    "Miss, why don''t you team up with us rather than him? He''ll just drag you down."


    Lin Xiao''s face turned dark. He just thought about it before but why did it seemed that the words came true? He really wanted to fight against this annoying young master here.


    "No need." Princess Lan Yi Hua was cold. When it was facing anyone other than Lin Xiao, she would never spare them another glance much less a smile. "Let''s go, Hubby."


    Lin Xiao smiled and took Princess Lan Yi Hua''s hand before they walked away. There was a rule that stated they couldn''t fight in this city. Since it was the case, why should he be worried that those people would find trouble with him?


    The cultivator was stunned. He turned to look at his follower. "What did she call him?"


    "I think.. husband?" his friend was also stunned.


    Cultivators all could live for a long time, so finding a husband at such young age become extremely uncommon. It made many people couldn''t put their fingers on why did they suddenly heard the woman called the unremarkable man as her husband.


    "She has bad taste."


    "Yes. He''s such a weakling but she chose to stay with him."


    The cultivator snorted, clearly no longer feeling willing to recruit that woman. He turned around and left. The others hurriedly followed him as they feared that they would be left behind.

 Chapter 465: Battle of Geniuses

    Lin Xiao looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua and sighed. "My wife is so beautiful that I have to be very careful when I''m outside."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was amused when she heard Lin Xiao''s words. "You don''t have to worry so much. I''m yours."


    "Mhm."


    Prince Lin San and Prince Fu Liang were speechless when they saw these two flirted right in front of their eyes. They only knew that Lin Xiao was going to wait for Princess Lan Yi Hua but they didn''t expect to see these two flirted again.


    To think that they would be forced to eat dog food again after three years.


    This couldn''t do�� they had to find a partner for them too so that they would not always be single anymore.


    "You''re also not allowed to look at other women." Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes narrowed. There were a lot of female cultivators and if Lin Xiao was so remarkable, they would surely try to get his attention. She would never let them succeed, hmph!


    Lin Xiao patted Princess Lan Yi Hua. "You''re the only one in my eyes too."


    Other women didn''t worth that much to him and having one woman was already more than enough. There was no need for him to care that much for others. If they were angry because he didn''t care for them�� he would just settle it using fight.


    Lin Hu: "��" can you even reason with them that way?


    The dragon chose not to comment on Lin Xiao''s way, though.


    But if there was one thing he knew about the Dragon Emperors is that they were all very possessive of their woman but they would only have one woman in their life. It was a trait that was known from generation to generation and would not change.


    Even if others liked them, they would not spare their glance to others once they have made their decision.


    "Let''s rest first. They''ll soon announce what we''re supposed to do."


    "Mhm."


    ��


    The next day, the cultivators all gathered in the hall. They were all looking towards the cylinder building with curiosity as they didn''t know why they were gathered here. Many pairs of eyes were staring towards the cultivators in the middle.


    They were all Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators.


    And certainly, not at the early stage.


    For Nascent Soul Stage, advancing even a stage might even take decades because it would depend on their understanding. It was because of this that once one advanced to Nascent Soul Stage, they didn''t usually advance again for a long period of time.


    Lin Xiao passed a look at Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    Well, there would always be an exception.


    "Now that you have gathered here, I would like to congratulate you for surviving. However, this is not the end. When I give the mark, you should enter the building as it''ll transport you to the Forest of Nothingness.


    In that forest, your task is to gather points. The way to gather points is by killing other cultivators or by asking them to transfer their points, your choice.


    Golden Token worth 100 points.


    Silver Token worth 10 points


    Bronze Token worth 1 point.


    If you didn''t get 10,000 points by the end of the day, you''re not qualified to enter Wang Wu Kingdom and meet the experts from there. The resources your kingdom get will be the lowest!"


    The lowest meant the resource for low kingdom.


    Prince Lin Yan narrowed his eyes. "In order to pass, you''ll need to either kill 100 Nascent Soul Stage cultivators or 1000 Golden Core Cultivators at the rank of 7 to 9."


    Either way, it would not be easy to gather points.


    These cultivators wouldn''t possibly travel by themselves but rather going in group. It would surely take some time before they could gather the necessary points.


    "You may begin now."


    "10,000 points, huh?" Princess Lan Yi Hua narrowed her eyes. She passed a look at Prince Lin Yan. "What''s the result of the previous one?"


    "Lowest resources." Prince Lin Yan didn''t plan to hide this.


    Prince Lin San arched his eyebrows. "If we''re targeted by Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, we might not be able to survive."


    Their eyes landed on Princess Lan Yi Hua''s golden token. It was easy to say that she looked like a fat meat for many other cultivators who wanted to try their luck. After all, the other cultivators in their group only possessed Silver Token aside from Prince Lin Yan.


    Two Nascent Soul Cultivators.


    Three Golden Core Stage Cultivators.


    Their number was not really advantageous and to advance to the next stage might not be that easy.


    "Let''s just try first."


    "Ok."


    Swish!


    Entering the building, they all landed on top of a forest. As Golden Core Stage Cultivators, they didn''t have any problem to fly on the sky. Thanks to that, they could see that the area was truly forest without anything remarkable��


    Wait.


    There was a blurry visage of mountain on the other side of the forest. The distance was several thousands of kilometers, though.


    They would need several hours to reach that place.


    "We should go."


    "Ok."


    Bang!


    But before they could go far, they heard the sound of fight. Turning their head to the side, they could see that there were several cultivators who have started to fight. In the first place, they only have one day to gather enough points.


    No one would want to be left behind.


    "Give your points." A cultivator stood before them. The fluctuation of aura around him signified that he was already at Nascent Soul Stage.


    Prince Lin Yan arched his eyebrows as he noticed that several other cultivators had surrounded them.


    Three Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators.


    Five Golden Core Stage Cultivators.


    "I''ll deal with two of them." Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled. "You can take care of the other one, right?"


    Prince Lin Yan nodded. He was already Nascent Soul Stage 1, so facing one cultivator at Nascent Soul Stage should be doable.


    "I''ll help you soon." Lin Xiao smirked and summoned his sword out.

 Chapter 466: Gathering Points

    The sword had started to change color ever since Lin Xiao started to use his Tianze Sword more often. Its bright blue color shone even brighter when Lin Xiao injected his Qi.


    "Tsk, go!"


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed when he saw the cultivators who were heading his way. His lips curled up to form a smirk. How long since it been for him to fight against cultivators at Golden Core Stage?


    Frozen Lake Sword, Fifth Stance!


    Bang!


    The attack blasted without warning as the opponent grew closer. As the opponent was trying to attack too, he failed to defend in time and immediately frozen stiff before destroyed into smithereens.


    Prince Lin San also didn''t stay idle. His eyes had long turned into golden as he swiftly maneuvered in the air. He casually swung his sleeve here and there.


    Dragon Sleeve Sword!


    Slash! Slash! Swish! Swish!


    The attacks were rapid and also without warning. One Golden Core Cultivator immediately died upon receiving his attack! The other one had swiftly escaped with fear visible in his eyes.


    How come this Golden Core Cultivator be so strong?


    Prince Fu Liang let out faint laugh that was quite feminine. His laughter chilled the others'' bone before he made his move. His movement was so elegant as if he was dancing.


    Swish! Slash!


    Dance of the Netherworld!


    The two Golden Core Cultivator in front of him died instantly!


    The three Nascent Soul Cultivators were stunned when they saw that their friends all died except on from one attack. They were all powerful to be able to survive until this long but they didn''t expect that the small group they chose to target was actually a tiger.


    Swish!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua moved swiftly to the two Nascent Soul Cultivators. She could faintly sense that they were both only at the first stage.


    Her hand stretched forward before twin swords appeared in her hand.


    Twin''s Horns!


    Bang!


    The two attack directly hit the two Nascent Soul Cultivators. They were not wounded hard but the attack alone startled them.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua disappeared and reappeared once more near the two cultivators. Her slender figure seemed to be brimming with power this time.


    Golden Shield!


    The first Nascent Soul Cultivator quickly took out his hand and executed his skill to protect himself.


    The second one was different as he brandished his spear and began to moved towards Princess Lan Yi Hua.


    Flurry of the ancient world!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes narrowed.


    Lotus Pond!


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Their attacks clashed with each other rapidly. The attack and counterattacks filled the sky as the two sides were at equal strength. In fact, it looked like their strength was very powerful.


    The first Nascent Soul Stage had only advanced, so he was quite weak. He furrowed his brows, intending to help, but he sensed danger.


    Chilling Lake Sword, Ninth Stance!


    BAM! Crack!


    The sudden attack startled him as the golden sphere around him cracked. His eyes widened when he saw the Golden Core Stage Cultivator before him, moving rapidly and brandished his sword once more.


    At the same time, Prince Fu Liang also stepped forward as he took out his fan and waved it in the direction of the first Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators.


    Dance of the Netherworld!


    Bang! Bang! Boom!


    The sphere was completely destroyed. The first Nascent Soul Cultivators quickly used his soul power and directly attacked the two of them as two beam of light reached their foreheads.


    Mental attack?


    Lin Xiao was stunned but he could sense that the surroundings changed rapidly. His eyes narrowed as he shouted.


    Break!


    This was nothing more than an illusion! How could I let myself be controlled by other people?


    Break! Break! BREAK!


    Bang!


    The moment the skill was broken, Lin Xiao realized that a split second had passed and the Nascent Soul Stage was performing his attack. For experts, even split second of hesitation would lead them in dire situation.


    Life and death could be determined within a moment of time!


    Lin Xiao''s eyes narrowed as he also took out his Tianze Sword.


    Frozen Lake Sword, Seventh Stance!


    The sword skill that he had only obtained recently was very powerful. The temperature outside didn''t change at all but the sword he held emitted chilliness that was capable to froze even one''s soul.


    The sword swung towards the first Nascent Soul Cultivator.


    Sword vs Sword!


    Boom!


    The two of them met in the middle and the freezing temperature seeped deep into the first Nascent Soul Cultivators'' body. His eyes widened when he sensed that even his soul had started to froze along with his body.


    Lin Xiao was looking at him coldly as he waved his hand.


    Crack! Boom!


    The frozen first Nascent Soul Cultivator was destroyed! He no longer had any intact body even after death and his soul was thoroughly destroyed!


    "He''s dead?" Prince Fu Liang was stunned.


    Lin Xiao nodded.


    "You can even destroy his soul?" Prince Fu Liang decided that he would not try to make fun of Lin Xiao again. Even though they were at the same stages, Prince Fu Liang knew that his attacks could barely affect someone''s soul.


    Nascent Soul Cultivator would not die unless their soul was destroyed. Because of this, even if their body was destroyed, they could simply rebuild it again.


    To fully kill a Nascent Soul Cultivator, they had to destroy the soul!


    Normally, Golden Core Stage Cultivator would never be able to destroy a Nascent Soul Cultivator but Lin Xiao had somehow managed to do it.


    Boom!


    From the side, fire spread and enveloped the second Nascent Soul Cultivator. Princess Lan Yi Hua was standing in the middle of the air as she watched the second Nascent Soul Cultivator slowly died in front of her.


    There were no emotions whatsoever within her eyes as she watched him died.


    In just a second''s time, the second Nascent Soul Cultivator was burnt to death, not even his soul remained! He had thoroughly died!

 Chapter 467: Gathering Points (2)

    Slash!


    On the back, Prince Lin San finally killed the Golden Core Cultivators. He sighed in relief and turned his head around to watch the other fight. Upon seeing that Lin Xiao had frozen the first Nascent Soul Stage cultivator while Princess Lan Yi Hua burnt the second one, his lips twitched.


    These two�� were abnormally strong!


    "Done?" Lin Xiao asked with smile.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua turned around. Her frosty expression turned into warm smile as she nodded. "En."


    Prince Fu Liang and Prince Lin San: "��" the contrast was�� too much.


    They then turned their head to look at Prince Lin Yan. At some point of time, he had already formed countless threads that surrounded the third Nascent Soul Cultivators. The threads were sucking the Qi and life force.


    Compared to the other two cultivators who were frozen and burnt, the third one dried up and withered like tree.


    The two princes were stunned.


    It seemed that the scariest one among them was actually Prince Lin San. He could easily suck out their life force without them noticing that the threads were already close. Very terrifying.


    "We get some points." Lin Xiao looked at his token and noticed that there was the number 100 at the bottom.


    "Do you plan on gathering 10,000 points?"


    "Why not?"


    Prince Lin San paused for a moment then shrugged. If these three wanted to farm for points, it didn''t seem to be implausible. They still looked very energetic even though they have killed three cultivators at Nascent Soul Stage.


    As for them�� they would be happy to just help with the cleaning up.


    Swish!


    On their way, they encountered several cultivators who tried to challenge Princess Lan Yi Hua. It seemed that beautiful cultivator could also easily attract problems. They gathered a lot of points but Lin Xiao was in bad mood.


    So many people were trying to hit on his wife, ah!


    How could he be happy when such thing happened?


    "That''s the mountain. Should we get close?" Prince Lin San pointed into the distance.


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows. Lin Hu had been absorbing the energy from the cultivator whom he killed. They didn''t amount that much but somehow, he started to feel full.


    "I think I need to find a secluded place first."


    "Ah?"


    "I''m going to make my breakthrough to Nascent Soul Stage." Lin Xiao smiled bitterly.


    The others looked at each other then nodded. "We''ll protect you."


    "Sorry for the trouble."


    Flying into a distance, Lin Xiao then sat cross legged. He focused his attention to his dantian that already felt full and also his soul in his consciousness. Nascent Soul Stage cultivator would connect the two of them and formed their soul projection out.


    The soul projection would be getting stronger, which would be equivalent in them getting stronger too.


    "First Brother, will it take a long time?" Prince Lin San asked.


    Prince Lin Yan shook his head. When he made his breakthrough, it didn''t take a long time. However, it would surely attract some people to come here in order to disturb the process. After all, another Nascent Soul Cultivator would mean another challenge for them.


    "Will we be able to gather enough points?" Prince Fu Liang also asked worriedly. He knew that gathering points wouldn''t be easy, so he was a bit worried.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked into a distance as several figures were making their way here. Her beautiful eyes narrowed. "If we can''t send all of us there, we can at least send one, right?"


    They could transfer their points too.


    "Right."


    "Prepare for battle."


    While the others were busy fighting, Lin Xiao felt strange when he connected his consciousness into his dantian. Its process seemed quick yet at the same time long. At the same time, he began to see his memories, starting from when he was a young baby.


    Two people whom he didn''t know was carrying him, but their striking appearance to his first brother told him that they were his parents.


    Soul memory.


    Normal babies would not remember anything when they were still a child and their memory started from when they were three or four years old. But it didn''t mean that their memory disappeared. It was simply locked and they would not be able to see it unless they advanced to Nascent Soul Stage where they would be able to take control of their own soul.


    The man, his father, looked worried as he spoke to his wife. "We''ve to go. They''re coming for us."


    "Again?"


    "We''re one of the few who arrange for the geniuses to go out and participate in the genius competition. The Crow Organization will not let us off."


    Crow Organization?


    Lin Xiao''s heart felt cold when he heard that. He had encountered Crow Organization in the past and knew how powerful they were. Little did he expect that he would be hearing the same phrase coming out from his parents'' mouth.


    "Little Xiao is still sleeping?"


    "He''s awake�� Is there not even enough time for us to take him back?" his mother asked worriedly.


    The man shook his head. "There''s no time. They''ll find us. We have to hide him for the time being. I''ll ask my cousin to help."


    "Alright."


    Soon, the two of them flew. Even though Lin Xiao was only watching from the perspective of a baby, he realized one thing.


    His parents were already at the peak of Golden Core Stage or even at Nascent Soul Stage. However, their cultivation was currently suppressed so that they couldn''t use their ability to the fullest.


    The realization struck Lin Xiao with apprehension. He finally knew why his first brother told him that it was not him that they were chasing in the past.


    They were chasing their parents because their parents were one of the few people who were arranging for the geniuses to be sent out and participate in the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield.


    He was only the casualties.

 Chapter 468: Breaking through to Nascent Soul Stage

    Lin Xiao felt as if he was watching a long movie. The start of the movie was when he was born. He could see that he was truly born in the palace and that he used to be staying with his brothers.


    His twin brother and him often quarreled when they were young.


    Then his parents took him in order to check his compatibility further with the Dragon Power when the Crow Organization struck. He watched as his parents fought then brought him away.


    By putting him into the care of Lin Yun''s family, he managed to survive.


    He watched as he grew up into teenagers and fought a lot. At that time, he only knew how to protect his younger brother and create troubles in the village. Then the news of Taiyi Sect destruction came to their village.


    He found the Emperor''s Inheritance, heading to Sun Dragon Academy, meeting with many new people, finding his lost brothers, training bitterly, and finally participating in this 20 Years Ancient Battlefield.


    Everything flashed in Lin Xiao''s mind and he accepted it all.


    It was his life.


    There might be regrets and things that he didn''t want to happen but it had happened. He couldn''t change the past as it was what made him who he was right now.


    And it all manifested in the form of his own soul projection.


    The nature danced.


    The Qi swirled around and Lin Xiao slowly opened his eyes. In front of him, a young teenager was smiling back to him. It was himself at the young tender age of around 10 to 12 years old. The turning point of his life when he lost his foster parents and forced himself to train bitterly.


    Right, it was the time for him to grow stronger.


    The soul projection then walked forward and merged within Lin Xiao''s body. He felt a bit strange but at the same time, he understood that he had grown stronger.


    "Lin Hu, what stage am I?"


    "You? Around 3 to 4." Lin Hu was uncertain too. After all, Lin Xiao was only 25 years old, which meant that his teenage ages was practically half of his life.


    Lin Xiao then stood up and noticed that they were already surrounded by cultivators. At this time, Prince Lin Yan and Princess Lan Yi Hua were at the forefront as they fought. The barrier of fire was protecting them all.


    "He''s broken through!"


    "Damn it!"


    The sound of cursing reverberated in Lin Xiao''s ear. He raised his head and swiftly raised his hand. Somehow, he felt as if he could attack them even though they were all several hundreds'' meters away from.


    Tianze Sword appeared in his hand and Lin Xiao didn''t hesitate to execute his skill.


    Frozen Lake Sword, Eight Stance!


    Boom!


    The cultivators who were trying to run were all unable to do so as they felt their soul shaken so badly. In the next moment, all they could see was that their body and soul were completely frozen before it was destroyed.


    Nothing was left.


    Dozens cultivators all died with one move.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua turned and rushed over to Lin Xiao. "Are you alright? Don''t use up your entire power."


    "I''m fine." Lin Xiao smiled. "I have never felt better."


    "Your soul projection��"


    "A teenager." Lin Xiao nodded.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua''s eyes widened. Her own soul projection was when she was still a kid but Lin Xiao was better than her.


    On the back, Prince Lin Yan''s expression turned strange. If he was not wrong, his soul projection was still in the form of a baby�� Even after he used many techniques and dealt with the other cultivators, he was still far away from advancing.


    His youngest brother had now surpassed even him.


    "Damn! You''re a freak! How did you reach Nascent Soul Stage 3 so quickly?" Prince Lin San was cursing. "Are we really twins? How come you''re much better than me?"


    Lin Xiao laughed out loudly. "Of course we''re twins. Or do you think that the brat who kept on arguing with me back then is not you."


    "Ah?" Prince Lin San was stunned then he came to realization. "Oh right, you can now access your soul memory, huh? I can''t remember much about you, honestly since all I know is from my brothers."


    It was not weird since Prince Lin San was not a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators yet. Lin Xiao then turned to look at Prince Lin Yan. "Our parents are the one who previously arrange for geniuses to participate in the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield."


    Prince Lin Yan''s eyes flashed. He then nodded. "They met in the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield 40 years ago."


    40 years ago?


    Lin Xiao was stunned but then again, he didn''t know how old his parents were. Besides, he didn''t have the courage to ask that question to his first brother.


    "And 20 years ago, they help to arrange for geniuses to participate, which is why they attract the attention of Crow Organization." Prince Lin Yan furrowed his brows. "I don''t know if you have ever seen it or not but they meet with several other kingdoms'' representatives. One of them is the Ye Family from Snow Mountain Kingdom since they''re the biggest kingdom nearby.


    The four kingdom, I mean Xiao Hu Kingdom create an alliance with them in order to allow us able to participate in 20 Years Ancient Battlefield and be protected. Crow Organization is an organization from the other medium kingdoms nearby who want to swallow the entire area.


    They want to stop us from getting benefit."


    Hearing the long explanation, Lin Xiao came to understand that things were really not as simple as they looked like in the surface. It seemed that his family and he himself had long been embroiled in battles that would affect the entire nation.


    But he didn''t know anything about that because he was ''lost'' when he was still a baby who didn''t know anything.

 Chapter 469: Distributing Points

    "I see."


    Prince Lin Yan then looked at Lin Xiao. "You''re just a bit unlucky because our parents brought you out to test your Dragon Power when the incident happen. Because of that, many people think that you''re the target."


    Dragon Power.


    But Lin Xiao himself also thought that way since his dragon power was overwhelming. He then thought for a moment. "Then, do you know about Fan Pan and Hu Fei''s participation in the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield?"


    "I know." Prince Lin Yan paused for a moment. "They''re not the only one who came to try but only 2 passed."


    Only 2 passed.


    It seemed that kingdoms that were still using the protective array were unable to properly participate and send a lot of people. If not because Lin Xiao changing the array, he knew very well that it would be impossible for him to even be here.


    Oh right, 3 years have passed in Xiao Hu Kingdom�� Lin Xiao hoped that they would be fine.


    "Now that I have broken through, it''s time to farm for points."


    "You''re going to target those kingdoms?" Prince Lin Yan noticed Lin Xiao''s tone and asked with certainty.


    Lin Xiao grinned. "Of course! Tell me where they are and then let''s fight."


    "Alright."


    Swish!


    For the next few hours, Lin Xiao kept on chasing after those medium kingdoms'' representatives. Many of them were only at Nascent Soul Stage 1, making it easy for him to deal with them. Even if there were some of them who were at Nascent Soul Stage 2, they would be killed easily by Lin Xiao.


    He didn''t have much feelings for his parents whom he had never met. He might remember them through the soul memory but it was vague. Not to mention, he only saw them for such a short period of time.


    The soul memory could be accessed but it was still part of a forgotten memory for him, one that was nothing more than a fleeting images.


    However, Lin Xiao wanted to destroy them because he wanted to make sure Xiao Hu Kingdom could be save. If these kingdoms couldn''t even get the lowest resources, it would be for the best.


    "That should be all." Prince Lin Yan looked into the pile of corpses indifferently. If it was only he himself, he would not dare to do this. After all, he was not strong enough to face several Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators by himself.


    But with Lin Xiao leading them, he didn''t have to worry that much.


    The youth who used to only fool around had started to grow up to become a fine man.


    Lin Xiao nodded. "Are there other nearby kingdom?"


    "There''s still a big kingdom but we''re not their match. Their cultivators are more powerful than us and if we try to attack them, we''re not going to fare well." Prince Lin Yan knew that they had to take things slowly, so he tried to remind Lin Xiao.


    "Alright, let''s leave it be for now."


    He would only attack them if they tried to make problems for him.


    Checking his token, Lin Xiao noticed that he had 17,450 points after killing so many Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators from several kingdoms. Added with those who were aiming to kill their lives, there were even more numerous.


    "How many points do you have?"


    "5,620." Prince Lin Yan furrowed his brows. He didn''t expect that gathering points would be that difficult.


    "9,770." Princess Lan Yi Hua glanced around, trying to seek for other cultivators at Nascent Soul Stages. She only needed three more.


    Lin Xiao nodded then he transferred his points to them. 230 to Princess Lan Yi Hua and 4,380 to Prince Lin Yan.


    That way, he only has 12,840 points left. It was still a lot but it wouldn''t be enough to bring another person into the core region.


    Prince Lin San and Prince Fu Liang both shook their heads. They both only have a bit more than 1,000 after combining their points together. Compared to Lin Xiao and the other two, they were far away.


    "Two people with lowest resources meant that we''ll still get some benefit." Prince Lin San smiled. "Besides, I don''t think that I can possibly contend against those Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators inside."


    "Alright."


    They moved to the front of the mountain, waiting for the announcement for the next stage. It was also at this point that Fan Pan and Hu Fei came to their group while waving their hands.


    Lin Xiao looked at the two of them and blinked his eyes in surprise. Fan Pan had advanced to Nascent Soul Stage 1 while Hu Fei was at Golden Core Stage 9. These two were advancing very rapidly over the past three years.


    The 20 Years Ancient Battlefield truly lived up to its name.


    "Damn, you''re already at Nascent Soul Stage?" Hu Fei couldn''t help but blurt out when he saw Lin Xiao''s cultivation was still one that he couldn''t read. He felt that the young man was really hard to read now.


    Fan Pan looked at Lin Xiao and nodded. In the past, he only slightly respect Lin Xiao because the young man was powerful. Now that he had seen Lin Xiao''s cultivation that far exceed his, he knew for sure that Lin Xiao was really powerful.


    For him to wield the title of an Emperor didn''t seem to be that strange anymore.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at them for a moment then turned her head back again. This Ancient Battlefield was very beneficial for them but advancing so quickly was not without drawbacks.


    Many cultivators felt that their base was somehow shaky.


    Unless they were like Lin Xiao, who practically stuffed himself until he couldn''t withstand it anymore, their foundation would be problematic.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua and Prince Lin San, who experienced that torture from Lin Xiao knew very well that the feeling of having Qi stuffed into their body and forcefully inserted was very painful.

 Chapter 470: The Final Stage

    "You have enough points?"


    Fan Pan nodded.


    Prince Lin Yan looked at Fan Pan. "Did you ask help from Snow Mountain Kingdom?"


    "There are some of them who have excess points, so I ask them to transfer to me." Fan Pan admitted. He might have reached Nascent Soul Stage but it didn''t mean that he was so powerful. In fact, he was not much better than Prince Lin Yan who only managed to earn half.


    Hu Fei clicked his tongue. He looked at them. "Damn you. You still can get enough points but I only have 1,120 points even before transferring it all to you!"


    Fan Pan merely passed a glance at Hu Fei and then didn''t care anymore. Advancing to the next stage before reaching Nascent Soul Stage would be very risky. It was the reason why Hu Fei didn''t hesitate to transfer his points away.


    "You can just ask me." Lin Xiao looked at Fan Pan and scratched the back of his head. "I have excess 2,000 points more."


    The others turned to look at Lin Xiao and chose not to say anything. Hu Fei was internally cursed under his breath. After all, he knew very well that Lin Xiao had grown more powerful just around three years ago.


    Now?


    Common sense would not work anymore.


    Prince Lin San grinned as he knew that Lin Xiao had excess of more than 7,000 points. It was only because he had transferred some to Prince Lin Yan and Princess Lan Yi Hua that the point excess was only 2,000 points.


    He planned on telling Hu Fei about this later when the others have reached the final stage.


    Gong!


    "Time''s up! Those who have more than 10,000 points might ascend the stairs!"


    At this moment, the mountain in front of them suddenly changed as a large stairs appeared before them.


    Lin Xiao was surprised but he felt as if he was back to the day when he first entered Sun Dragon Academy.


    "The ranking will be based on how high you can ascend in this 10,000 steps!"


    "I''ll be going now."


    The others nodded as many other cultivators had already started to step on the stairs. From the moment they stepped on the stair, they looked like ordinary human as they walked in the same pace and continued walking upwards.


    It was clear:


    They were seeing illusion as they walked up the stairs.


    Lin Xiao passed a glance at Princess Lan Yi Hua. "Isn''t this familiar?"


    "Yes." Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled faintly. She could certainly remember the few steps back at Sun Dragon Academy. At that time, there were only 10 or so steps but they all could be called good as long as they could pass even a step.


    Now, there were 10,000 steps.


    "Back then, we didn''t even showcase our ability. Isn''t it time for us to no longer hold back, then?" Lin Xiao let out a hearty laugh. He was feeling happy and refreshed. Not having to hide his real ability and talent was indeed a joyful feeling.


    After all, restraining oneself was not easy as it also didn''t feel too good.


    "Mhm."


    They slowly walked to the stairs. The moment Lin Xiao stepped up, he noticed that he could no longer hear the sounds nor sensing anything from outside. All of his attention was solely focused on the stairs before him. It was as if this stair had become the sole existence in the world.


    In the next moment, Lin Xiao sensed the flow of Qi as burst of lake Qi began to fill around him and countless images appeared before him.


    His eyes merely swept a glance across them.


    Before he advanced to Nascent Soul Stage, he might be interested in those images because they were provoking his desires and also his memory. But after advancing to Nascent Soul Stage, his memory was refreshed and his soul memory also resurfaced, letting him to know the truth of his birth, his missing childhood and many things.


    The position as the Emperor would be his because it was his destiny but how he achieved it all depended on him.


    He would not follow a route that others made for him. He was a free person and had his own thoughts. There was no way he wanted to do things in accordance to how others wanted it.


    It would be in accordance to how he wanted it!


    He would shape his own future!


    As the thoughts emerged within his mind, Dragon Power swirled around his body. Ordinary people would not be able to notice this as they would not even be able to sense it. All they could sense was that Lin Xiao looked more ethereal and powerful


    But the reason was totally unclear.


    "This Lin Xiao�� he finally gained the dragons'' total approval?" Lin Hu was shocked.


    He had been with Lin Xiao for more than a decade and naturally watched Lin Xiao''s growth from the closest possible distance possible. From an extremely annoying brat who only knew how to talk big but still preserve, to a reckless youth who learned how the world worked, then to a powerful martial artist and the Emperor of a small kingdom.


    Step by step, he was changing.


    But at the same time, he was still the same mischievous youth.


    He would do things in accordance to the way he thought it was right, he would take risk if it meant that he would grow stronger, he would protect his friends, and fight for what was his.


    But being an Emperor meant that there would be other responsibility he had to fulfil. Being strong was just one of the few requirements he would need in order to be able to govern the kingdom.


    Lin Hu smiled. Now, Lin Xiao had truly achieved the acknowledgment, Xiao Hu Kingdom would surely grow under his lead.


    And with the Dragon Power that he had, there was no doubt that he would grow even more stronger in the future.

 Chapter 471: Ranking

    While Lin Xiao was busy training, the movement of the Dragon Power didn''t go unnoticed.


    A youth around the age of 18 years old was standing near the window. Ever since the family guards found him, he was forced to return back and not stay to linger around there. At the same time, the people around him were increased in number.


    Thanks to that, he couldn''t get out.


    But because of his attainment in Ancient words, his family had been looking upon him favorably. Only Long Hao was feeling indignant because he knew for sure that without his teacher who taught him a bit back then, he would know nothing.


    At the same time, his Dragon Power was increasing.


    At this time, he sensed the rapid movement of the Dragon Power and his eyebrows creased. Such movement was unusual. It was as if the entire continent was feeling excited and heading towards one direction.


    "Young Master Hao."


    Long Hao waved his hand and walked out. He saw Elder Yu was standing not far from the door. Elder Yu glanced at Long Hao and rolled his eyes. "Hao, you''re not allowed to go out. It''s going to be the family competition soon."


    "I just want to take some breath of fresh air." Long Hao snorted. He might not focus much on cultivation but right now, he was already a Nascent Soul Stage 1 Cultivators. The Long Family had no trouble cultivating bunch of Golden Core stage 9 Cultivators but to advance to Nascent Soul Stage was a bit more difficult.


    Only those who were really good would be able to advance.


    And naturally, Long Hao was included in that number.


    "Anything wrong?"


    "Is it time for the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield?" Long Hao asked. He felt that such fluctuation could only come from his Master but since his master came from a remote kingdom�� the only way Lin Xiao could come near Wang Wu Kingdom was only if he participated in 20 Years Ancient Battlefield.


    Thus, Long Hao asked.


    "Yes." Elder Yu was surprised that Long Hao paid attention to this. "There will be some geniuses from some remote kingdoms. Some sects would want to recruit them. Do you want to come and see them?"


    "Sure."


    When the ranking was finalized, Long Hao knew that the geniuses had two options: one was to return back to their kingdom and gained resources equivalent to their ranking. Two was for them to be nurtured by the sects and their kingdom would obtain a percentage of resources that represent the sect''s importance to them.


    Many geniuses would have no qualm to leave their previous kingdom as they wanted to grow stronger but there were also many of them who chose to return back. After all, everyone has their own secret and special encounters.


    It couldn''t be forced.


    "I''ll ask for permission." Elder Yu looked at Long Hao once more and upon seeing that the young man was serious, he sent a voice transmission to ask for permission to bring Long Hao to the competition.


    ��


    Long Hao was not the only one who sensed the change.


    In Wang Wu Kingdom, an elderly was staring into the distance. His eyes were deep and he looked like he was sleeping but the other people in the same hall as him didn''t dare to even move their eyelids in fear that they would disturb the man.


    The man had the highest position among them all and naturally the highest cultivation too.


    Because of that, no one dared to disturb him.


    At this time, the elderly man''s brow creased. He was already very powerful and naturally it also meant that his cultivation was so high. There were many elders who were controlling the treasure where the ancient battleground was located.


    He was one of them.


    But this was the first time he encountered a genius who still could affect the real world even though he was currently within the Ancient Battlefield.


    ''Interesting.''


    ��


    Lin Xiao was clueless about all of that.


    His attention was solely focused on the images before him as his body was walking on the staircase without stopping. He knew that the first stage was testing. But how could these things possibly sway him?


    Money?


    He had enough


    Cultivation resources?


    Just give him a lake and he would not be greedy for others.


    Killing?


    Why should he kill when his own life was not threatened? He was not a maniac who would kill for fun.


    Women?


    He only needed Princess Lan Yi Hua and no others.


    Thus, Lin Xiao''s steps continued to reach higher and higher. But when the images started to show his friends, he began to waver. He knew very well that when facing his friends, family members, and Princess Lan Yi Hua, he would not be able to stay forever calm.


    Not to mention, they were currently attacking.


    Lin Xiao frowned but he didn''t find it difficult to attack his friends, especially those who were not too close to him. If they dared to harm him, he would naturally retaliate against them.


    Not to mention��


    This is not real.


    There was no restriction for him to kill them all one by one.


    Before long, Lin Xiao noticed that the person who was standing before him had changed to Princess Lan Yi Hua. She was smiling at him but her two hands were wielding her twin swords.


    It was clear, she was challenging him to a match.


    Lin Xiao faintly smiled and took out his Tianze Swords before he moved forward.


    Bang!


    The two people sparred against each other. In the real life, Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua had already sparred against each other for so many times. It was to the point that they were already familiar with each other''s move and knew the other party even with the slightest intention.


    Clang! Clang! Swish!


    It was a draw. The two of them moved a distance away. Princess Lan Yi Hua image had stopped and kept the twin blades away.

 Chapter 472: It’s My Decision

    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows as if asking whether she was already tired or something. "Do you still want to spar?"


    "No. Come here."


    Lin Xiao walked over obediently. Princess Lan Yi Hua image hugged him tightly. Even though it was supposed to be nothing more than illusion, Lin Xiao could feel Princess Lan Yi Hua''s body warmth clearly. He sighed as he knew that when it come to his wife, he really couldn''t reject her.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua image took out a knife.


    Lin Xiao knew that but he didn''t stop her and the next moment, the knife was plunged straight towards his heart.


    He smiled as he looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua in front of him. It was nothing more than an illusion but he couldn''t bring himself to attack her. Even though he knew that it was not real and that it was just an image that was conjured from his mind�� he didn''t mind.


    In this test, as long as it was about Princess Lan Yi Hua, he couldn''t bring himself to hurt her.


    "Xiao Hua," Lin Xiao called out softly. He raised his hand and caressed her cheek. It was warm as if the person herself was standing in front of him.


    People worked hard to get stronger and achieve immortality. But even Immortal could die when they were attacked by others and failed to defend themselves in time. Lin Xiao had long known about this, thus he only wished to be able to get stronger to protect those dear to him.


    Because he wanted to protect those dear to him, including Princess Lan Yi Hua, how could he bear to hurt her.


    If his brothers wanted to kill him, he still could retaliate even though his heart was hurt.


    But if it was Princess Lan Yi Hua, how could he?


    Princess Lan Yi Hua image blinked her eyes but then there was a drop of tear falling from the corner of her eyes.


    Swish!


    The image disappeared and Lin Xiao found himself standing on the stairs once more. He took a deep breath and laughed self depreciatingly. Maybe many people would mock him for having such a big weakness but he would merely smile.


    Rather than being a coldhearted person who would kill everyone on his path, he would rather being slightly ordinary but still has a heart.


    He glanced to the side and saw the numbers on the stair:


    8,930


    It was pretty high but he knew that there were many others who were at higher steps than him. He was quite surprised that his result was not bad, though.


    Before long, he noticed Princess Lan Yi Hua standing not far from him. She was looking up to look at him and there was a trace of tear on her eyes. Standing a few steps below him, Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled when she saw him turned around.


    "Xiao."


    "Xiao Hua," Lin Xiao greeted back. "You''re done?"


    "Yeah." Princess Lan Yi Hua nodded rigorously and wiped the tear from the corner of her eyes. "I thought that you''re going to leave me far away."


    Lin Xiao let out a hearty laugh. "How can I do that? My goal is here and naturally, I can''t possibly leave you behind."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled back but didn''t say anything else. People were selfish and cultivators were not an exception. If they were told that they could grow stronger by killing their loved ones, how many would accept it?


    Those coldhearted ones would have no hesitation.


    Those who have different path in cultivation might hesitate and chose not to or chose to avoid it.


    Those who kept their heart close and treasured their loved ones would never do it and might not even be able to accept it if they were betrayed.


    Lin Xiao knew that he was in the third one, the last one. He knew that it was a weakness of his but he accepted this weakness. Because of that, he would not let anyone use this weakness of his.


    He would grow stronger.


    So that he would be able to protect his loved ones and also the kingdoms he cared about.


    Turning his head to look at many other geniuses at the front, Lin Xiao simply sighed. He knew very well that there were many people who would not have any hesitation and abandoned the weakness of having a heart.


    Lin Xiao looked at Princess Lan Yi Hua and smiled. "Thank you for not leaving me behind either."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua laughed faintly. "I won''t leave you."


    The two of them looked at each other.


    From a distance away, Prince Lin Yan was staring at the two of them and felt that no matter what the occasion was, he would always be attacked by his younger brother''s dog food. Even though he really wanted to avoid looking at them, those two were at a distance further away than him.


    They passed the test better than him.


    Suddenly, the image distorted.


    Swish!


    They all returned back to the ground and noticed that in their token now there were two numbers. Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows in surprise.


    6 �C 8,930


    He turned to look at Princess Lan Yi Hua and saw that her number was not much different from him.


    8 �C 8,924


    "Is the first one ranking?" Lin Xiao asked in surprise.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua blinked her eyes. If she was not wrong, there were more than 10 people who passed them when she was waiting on the stairs just now. How could their ranking be this high?


    Lin Xiao quickly looked around and noticed that he was no longer within the same ground as before. There were only around 100 people in this place and it was clear that they were at the top 100.


    He tried to search for Prince Lin Yan and the others but he couldn''t find them. It seemed that the ranking worked differently from what he thought.

 Chapter 473: It’s My Decision (2)

    "What the f***! Why is my ranking only 11?" A man shouted when he saw the ranking he got.


    "What the hell! I nearly reach 10,000 but my ranking is only 39?"


    Similar curses were hurled out from time to time. It was clear that these geniuses were all stupefied when they saw their result because they could not comprehend why their ranking was so low.


    In the meantime, there were many of them who were also confused but also happy like Lin Xiao.


    After all, their steps were only at 8,900 or so and yet they were at the top 10.


    How could they not be happy?


    Boom!


    The men who wanted to complain suddenly realized that they could not speak anything. Some women cultivators were also stunned when they felt the pressure that was pushing their body.


    "Silence!"


    The moment the word was said, everyone couldn''t speak anymore. They were all looking forward where there were a lot of people stood there. Every single one of them was very powerful. Even looking at them made their heart hurt as their soul couldn''t withstand such pressure coming at them.


    "Do you really think that if all of you choose to be heartless that means that you''ll be the best cultivator in the world? Let me tell you that the score and ranking will depend on your martial path!" One of the cultivator sneered. He swept his gaze across them. "Do you think having thick willpower meant cutting down everyone you see even if they''re your friends?


    The thoughts that crossed your head is that they''re nothing more than illusions. But if they''re real, will you kill without any contemplation? Are you all walking the path of death? If you do, then it mean your decision is right!"


    The cultivators lowered their head as if they wanted to prove that the elder was right. Not all of them was walking in the path of death nor murder.


    Thus, if they become cold hearted like that, it would instead become their demon.


    They would not be able to advance in the future.


    Lin Xiao then looked at his ranking and realized that every cultivator didn''t necessarily have to walk the 10,000 path to be strong. It was just one of the path that was available to them.


    "You all will not be allowed to talk about this test. Swore an oath to the Heaven or you''ll not be allowed to leave!"


    They all quickly swear. It was not a big problem to not be able to talk about this test as Lin Xiao also didn''t have any intention to make it easy for the next people who come. They had to understand their martial path.


    That was the important message.


    The elders were watching for them to make sure that they would not do anything untoward. He nodded when he saw that they had all made their oath.


    "You can now choose to one, return back to their kingdom and gained resources equivalent to their ranking. Two was for you to be nurtured by the sects and their kingdom would obtain a percentage of resources that represent the sect''s importance to them.


    Move to the right if you wish to return and move to the left if you wish to enter a sect."


    Swiftly, the cultivators began to move.


    Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua moved to the right and noticed that there were only 8 people in their group. The majority of the geniuses chose to enter the sect because they didn''t want to return back to their previous kingdoms.


    After all, staying in the sect meant that they would be nurtured heavily.


    Being at Nascent Soul Stage meant that their cultivation resources would focused heavily on their understanding. Staying on their own kingdom would require them to work much harder because they couldn''t gain much inspiration on their own.


    Unless they were an absolute genius who could create their own method.


    But that kind of person was only a legend.


    Not everyone could create their own training method. The sect would provide them teaching from the teachers of various topics that would allow them to gain enlightenment of the law and the world.


    That way, they would be able to grow.


    Lin Xiao naturally knew this too, but he didn''t mind. His goal to come here had been achieved as he simply wanted to pave way for Xiao Hu Kingdom.


    The elders nodded then looked at those who wanted to return back. "Since you chose to return back, we''ll give you resources in accordance to your ranking. You can choose how you want to distribute them yourselves in your kingdom or use them by yourself. Mark your kingdom in the map!"


    As the large map unraveled before them, Lin Xiao was stunned. He focused his mind and thought about Xiao Hu Kingdom.


    He never learned geography of the entire continent�� he wouldn''t mistakenly pick the place, will he?


    Soon, his eyes landed to the southeast area.


    He found it.


    Both he and Princess Lan Yi Hua pointed using their Qi to the location of Xiao Hu Kingdom. The name also appeared on the surface while the other geniuses also pointed their fingers. Upon closer look, it was not hard to see that they came from medium and large kingdoms.


    It seemed that they were all had higher starting point than him.


    Well, it didn''t matter.


    The elder was surprised as he looked at both Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua. He would never think that there would be someone from the same place who could enter the top 100.


    Not to mention, this place was a small kingdom.


    He nodded in appreciation and waved his hand. "Crush this will transport you directly to your original kingdom. You may stay in Wang Wu Kingdom for the time being and this are the resources for you in accordance to your rank."


    Spatial Rings were thrown to them and seemed to be numbered.


    Lin Xiao looked at the ring number 6 and used his consciousness to check it before he nearly tripped on the ground.

 Chapter 474: Long Family

    Thousands of High Grade Spirit Stones�� A skill book related to lake, several jade contained teachings of law and the world, plus many other resources. These were all very precious and Lin Xiao naturally noticed that many of them were related to lake element.


    It seemed that they had noticed his element was lake and not just water.


    Swish!


    The barrier around them was dissolved and they realized that they were in the middle of a large hall. Outside the barrier, there were a lot of other students. Paying closer attention would tell them that they were those who participated in the stairs but didn''t manage to enter the top 100.


    There were tens of thousands people.


    It was only now Lin Xiao realized that the number of cultivators were actually so many. Well, it was not that weird considering that there were millions of people who were participating before.


    "First Brother." Lin Xiao noticed Prince Lin Yan and waved his hand.


    Prince Lin Yan swiftly moved to Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua. He looked at the token in their hand and was quite surprised. "You enter top 100?"


    "Yep~."


    "Yes."


    Fan Pan also walked forward. Hearing what Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua said, he could only faintly nod. Being the Emperor and also the one who inherited Phoenix Inheritance, these two were clearly not ordinary.


    He looked at his token. It was only displaying the number of steps he had taken and his position.


    349 �C 6,893


    It was nothing much compared to many of them.


    Prince Lin Yan sighed. He still could remember looking at the two of them from a distance. He kept his own token away because he knew that it was nothing compared to these two.


    653 �C 8,200


    "Are you going to return back?" Lin Xiao asked probingly.


    Prince Lin Yan shook his head faintly. "I''m not going to return back. I''m going to stay in a sect here and stay here. The only time I return back will be when Xiao Hu Kingdom is in trouble."


    "Fan Pan?"


    "I''m exploring the world." Fan Pan never had any intention to return back to Xiao Hu Kingdom. If not because of his decision, he would not have agreed to become one of the few geniuses who were chosen to participate in that brutal battle. There were many people who had died just simply because they couldn''t participate in this 20 Years Ancient Battlefield.


    His ranking was not really ideal but it was good enough to support Xiao Hu Kingdom.


    With Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua result to be added, it meant that the kingdom would flourish for a long period of time. The next time 20 Years Ancient Battlefield was opened, there might be already a batch of genius ready to participate.


    "I see." Lin Xiao nodded. "Where are the others?"


    "Those who can''t participate in the final stage have been sent back to their respective kingdoms. They should be in Xiao Hu Kingdom now." Prince Lin Yan looked into a distance and saw that there were several elders there. "I''ll see you later, Your Majesty."


    Lin Xiao froze for a moment when he heard what Prince Lin Yan said. He smiled bitterly and nodded. "Don''t worry. I won''t let Xiao Hu Kingdom be destroyed."


    Fan Pan nodded and left.


    In the massive hall, Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua didn''t leave yet. They would be returning back later but right now, they wanted to explore Wang Wu Kingdom first.


    "Shall we take a look around?"


    "Yes��" Lin Xiao''s eyes were directed towards one direction. He could naturally feel the fluctuation of Dragon Power in the air. Not to mention, such amount of Ancient Power could only come from someone who was terribly familiar with Ancient Power, got inheritance of some mystical beings, or their descendant.


    His line of sight landed on a youth around 18 years of age.


    Even though many years had passed, Lin Xiao still could recognize the youth in front of him as the same youth whom he had ''conned'' to become his disciple many years ago. His lips curled up to form a smile when he realized that.


    "Let''s go over there."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua was confused but when she saw the youth, her eyes also showed traces of surprise. They hadn''t met again ever since that secret region. She had thought that there was no chance for them to meet in the future.


    Who would have thought that Long Hao was actually in Wang Wu Kingdom?


    "Hello." Long Hao took the initiative and cupped his fist.


    Lin Xiao cupped his fist as greetings too and nodded. "It''s been some time. How''s your condition now?"


    Long Hao grinned. "I''m well. This is Elder Yu from Long Family. You come at the right time, it''s close to the time to select the successor of Long Family. Would you like to come with me?"


    "If you don''t mind me coming, I would like to."


    "Of course!"


    "Your Master Hao!" Elder Yu was utterly speechless. He could see that Long Hao somehow knew these brats, but he didn''t expect that Long Hao would be so respectful to them. From the way they were talking, it seemed as if Long Hao was not a match against Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua at all.


    While the Wang Wu Kingdom was the largest kingdom who accepted the influx of geniuses from other kingdoms, they prided themselves as being better than those. Because of that, the geniuses here would not accept being placed lower than the geniuses who passed the 20 Years Ancient Battlefield.


    Because of that, Long Hao''s attitude baffled him.


    "They''re the one who save me back then when I was schemed." Long Hao snorted. He waved his hand. "Don''t ask anything unnecessary, Elder Yu."


    Elder Yu was stunned but then he bowed. The standing of Long Hao was higher than him even though he was stronger. "I understand, Young Master Hao."

 Chapter 475: Teaching the Ancient Words

    No matter how curious Elder Yu was, Long Hao explained nothing. He simply brought Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua to Long Family, straight towards his residences.


    "Fuh, Elder Yu is very strict and will not let me get away from his sight." Long Hao sighed and then looked at Lin Xiao with sparkling eyes. "Master, now that you''re here, will you help me to learn the ancient words?"


    "Sure. But first, you need to tell me how far you have understood so far."


    "Okay!"


    Because Lin Xiao had decoded the formation that Long Hao used with ancient words before, he could use it as references for many others. This improved his ability to understand and use the ancient formation to the point that many other youngsters in Long Family felt jealous.


    With Lin Xiao teaching him more, Long Hao then realized that there were some mistakes from what he had learned.


    Hours passed and Princess Lan Yi Hua was learning patiently too. She might have inherited the Phoenix Inheritance but it didn''t come with the benefit of learning the Ancient words directly like Lin Xiao.


    Time passed swiftly.


    "How much time do you have until the test?" Lin Xiao asked curiously as he wrote another passage for Long Hao to learn.


    "Just a few more days." Long Hao was also very excited. Learning under Lin Xiao for the past few weeks was very beneficial, much more compared to his self learning or under the elders.


    He could already make many types of formation which didn''t exist in the family at all. Without Lin Xiao''s help, he knew for sure that he would never be able to do it at all since he couldn''t understand as much as what Lin Xiao taught him.


    And for Lin Xiao, it was extremely easy.


    While staying in Long Hao''s residence, he and Princess Lan Yi Hua also toured the capital city a few times in order to gain better understanding of Wang Wu Kingdom. It was only later on Lin Xiao also learned that after Nascent Soul Stage, the cultivators were called Immortal.


    Once they become an Immortal, they could choose to ascend to the higher realm or stay here and become a Loose Immortal.


    "Master, if you reach that stage in the future, will you stay here?" Long Hao asked curiously.


    Lin Xiao was silent. He had already advanced to Nascent Soul Stage 4 not long ago thanks to his deepening understanding of laws when he was staying with Long Hao. However, Immortal Stage was certainly still very long.


    If he became an Immortal, will he stay in this place or will he head over to the Immortal Realm?


    "I would stay here." Lin Xiao''s tone was full of certainty.


    Long Hao was astounded. "Why, Master?"


    "Because I''m Xiao Hu Kingdom''s Emperor." Lin Xiao smiled.


    But his answer only made Long Hao confused. Even if he was the Emperor, it didn''t mean that he had to stay there forever, right? However, Lin Xiao didn''t think of moving over to the Immortal Realm.


    "You see, you don''t always have to learn from stronger people in order to become stronger. There are many times when those who might be weaker than you in terms of strength have better wisdom." Lin Xiao laughed faintly.


    Cultivation didn''t only consist of honing one''s strength.


    After reaching Nascent Soul Stage, he and Princess Lan Yi Hua were no longer tempering their body because it would not change many things. Instead, they began to learn many other things while learning about the world.


    And to learn the laws, they didn''t need to always be taught by others as seeing the world with their own eyes was already one of the best methods.


    "I see��"


    "You''ll have your examination tomorrow. Are you ready?" Lin Xiao passed a look at Long Hao. Thanks to his teaching of Ancient words, Long Hao also managed to make his breakthrough to Nascent Soul Stage 2. But looking at how Long Hao easily make his breakthrough, Lin Xiao could only sigh.


    There were many people who could just live their lives as usual and the breakthrough would occur to them.


    "Yes!" Long Hao grinned. "Don''t worry, I''ll make you proud!"


    "I''ll be happy as long as you don''t write strange words."


    Long Hao was speechless.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua giggled when she heard their conversation. "Your Master is just making fun of you. Don''t take it seriously."


    Long Hao cupped his fist. "It''s alright Master''s Wife, I''ll do my best."


    After Long Hao left to the other side of the residence, Lin Xiao was still sitting on the bed. His eyes were looking into the distance as he thought about Long Hao''s words. He didn''t think about it too much in the past but now that he had grown stronger, it was indeed time for him to make more detailed planning for the future.


    "What are you thinking?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked as she poured a cup of tea. Lately, she had been immersed in the art of making tea. Her movements were very elegant and seemed to be moving in accordance to the nature''s law around her.


    It was enchanting.


    Lin Xiao smiled lightly and accepted the cup from his wife. "I''m thinking that once we return back, aside from reinforcing the formations, I want to have children with you."


    Princess Lan Yi Hua paused. Her eyes sparkled when she heard what Lin Xiao said as she nodded her head. "Sure."


    They would live for thousands of years as Nascent Soul Stage. Even though their lifespan was still limited and that they could think about it in the far future, building a family didn''t seem to be a bad suggestion.


    They were already 25 to 26 years old.


    It was not that bad.


    "Alright." Lin Xiao was also excited. He hugged his wife. "After Little Hao is done with the competition, we''ll return back to Xiao Hu Kingdom."


    "En." Princess Lan Yi Hua snuggled into Lin Xiao''s arm happily.

 Chapter 476: Long Family Competition

    The next day was very bustling.


    Lin Xiao came with Princess Lan Yi Hua and Long Hao to the venue. There were several people who were looking in their direction since it was rare for Long Family members to bring outsiders. Not to mention, Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua were both people from small kingdoms that was hard to even see on the map.


    But the three of them didn''t seem to care in the slightest bit.


    "Young Master Hao, you need to prepare for the examination." Even Elder Yi felt a bit helpless when he was looking at Long Hao. He had been trying to advise the young master to stop associating with people from low origin, but Long Hao didn''t listen.


    If not because Long Hao had high standing in the family, it was clear that Elder Yi would have long kicked both Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua out.


    Long Hao nodded and waved his hand. "I''ll be back soon."


    "Do your best."


    "Mhm."


    Lin Xiao looked at Long Hao as the brat jumped around happily and felt his face turned strange. For some reasons, he felt that when he was younger, he was not any better than that brat��.


    If Princess Lan Yi Hua knew what he was thinking, she would agree wholeheartedly. After all, Lin Xiao was really such a troublemaker.


    Not that he changed now, though.


    There were many youths in Long Family who was fighting for the head position. Long Hao was calm as he walked to the arena and looked at the others. There were many who were much older than him but some of them were also younger. After all, there was no definite age and they were qualified as long as they were of the younger generation.


    One of them looked at Long Hao and snorted. "And here I thought why I haven''t seen you lately. It turns out the peerless genius is now holed up to entertain two guests from lower kingdom."


    Long Hao narrowed his eyes. "It''s better to be holed up and learning rather than running around flaunting your dirty linen, Long Shui."


    Hearing Long Hao''s words, Long Shui nearly spat out blood. He glared at Long Hao. "Just watch, you might be good at the ancient words but someone like you will never be able to get the position."


    "You will never know who have better attainment before the real result." Long Hao snorted and ignored his cousin. His eyes were placed on the pillar in the middle of the arena.


    Long Family was unlike any other family in Wang Wu Kingdom. They were focused solely on Ancient Words in order to gain the wisdom from it. Thanks to their lineage, they didn''t have to worry so much about their cultivation but their attainment in the Ancient Words all depend on their comprehension.


    The words written in the pillar looked majestic and powerful.


    An elder watched the youth and waved his hand. "All of you will work together to understand the words behind this pillar. The more power you can produce from all of them, the better! You can start now."


    With that, everyone was silent.


    They were all looking at the pillar before them as they were reading and trying to comprehend it.


    Ancient Power could be used through the Ancient Words no matter who it was as long as they read it properly but those who could understand it would be able to unleash the real power that was hidden beneath the words.


    Not everyone could do it.


    Even those from Long Family could barely understand very few and it was all based on their limited understanding.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua looked at Lin Xiao. "How do you think Little Hao will fare?"


    "He should be alright." Lin Xiao had read the words in the pillars and naturally understood its meaning almost immediately. As a cultivator, it was easy for them to read thousands of letters in just a second.


    He knew that Long Hao would still need some time to decipher them but most of the words there were included in the words he had taught Long Hao before. That brat should be able to do well.


    "That''s good." Princess Lan Yi Hua smiled.


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. "Does my wife like that brat?"


    "What are you talking about? I''m happy that you''re such a good teacher." Princess Lan Yi Hua pursed her lips.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not that bad, right?" Lin Xiao didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. Even though he had to admit that in some areas his knowledge was still lacking compared to his wife, he had grown better.


    He turned his head to the side and looked at the large pond not far from the arena. It was the healing pond that Long Family set up. After all, if they were not careful enough, the Ancient Power could also harm them.


    At that moment, a youth suddenly screamed.


    The elder moved swiftly to carry the youth and then moved to the pond. He put the youth on the pond then shook his head. "He failed."


    "Yes." The youth''s parents quickly took the boy with disheartened expression.


    Lin Xiao watched and thought about Long Hao''s parents. Long Hao had never told him who his parents were and Lin Xiao also never asked it. After all, Long Hao lived by himself all this time.


    Many other youths also screamed and they were taken away swiftly.


    Looking at them, Lin Xiao shook his head. He could see that they were all attacked by the ancient words because they didn''t use it properly. Using Ancient Power had its limit too and they couldn''t go above the limit or they would be experiencing backlash.


    Boom!


    At this moment, Long Shui''s body lit up as the Ancient Power emerged from his body. He grinned and looked at Long Hao, who was still immersed before laughing loudly. The sight of the Ancient Power around him signified that he had fully utilized the entire words.


    "I''m done!"

 Chapter 477: I See

    The elders'' eyes lit up when they saw how quick Long Shui was and the Ancient Power that swirled around his body.


    "Congratulations, Young Master Shui!"


    "Young Master Shui is indeed the best!"


    "There''s no one who can compare to you, Young Master Shui!"


    The elders happily praised Long Shui. They knew that with this revelation, he had already won the competition. The competition was very short and the first person who could understand everything would win.


    The other youths were looking at Long Shui with unwilling expression. They were all still in the middle of decoding and trying to read but Long Shui was done.


    Only Long Hao was unperturbed as he continued to read and memorized them to his heart. Right now, he didn''t even seem to care about Long Shui, who was boasting not long from him.


    Not long afterwards, Long Hao finished and closed his eyes.


    It was indeed an ancient script that was rarely seen. To be able to read most of the letters were necessary in order to trigger the power and Long Hao could read around 80%. The rest were words he had never seen before.


    However, he didn''t recite it.


    "Long Hao! Now that I''m the family head, you should leave!" Long Shui turned to look at Long Hao and said haughtily.


    Long Hao arched his eyebrows. If it was him in the past, he would have long rushed to Long Shui to challenge him into a battle. But after meeting Lin Xiao and learned so much for the past few weeks, he had lost the desire to do so.


    The position as the head of Long Family was merely a mortal position.


    Even if the Long Family was powerful, they worth nothing more than a finger of his master. He didn''t even want to spare another second in this place if not because of his duty as the Long Family Young Master.


    "I see." Long Hao''s answer was placid.


    Long Shui was stumped. He thought that Long Hao would be angry and rushed over to fight with him. But Long Hao''s nonchalant words were clearly out of the expectation.


    "You��."


    "Long Hao."


    From the elders'' row, a man who wore different robe called out. Long Hao noticed him and bowed down. "Long Hao greets Long Family Former Head."


    Long Family Former Head, Long Shu Ting''s eyes flickered. He waved his hand. "Is that how you call your father?"


    Long Hao paused for a moment then repeated his greetings, "Long Hao greets Father."


    No one else was surprised by this turn of the event. They all knew that Long Hao was Long Shu Ting''s son but the real reason why Long Hao was always alone was because just seeing him would make Long Shu Ting remember his late wife.


    Thus, Long Hao had always been alone.


    Lin Xiao was listening with astounded expression. "I didn''t expect him to be the son of the former head."


    "Isn''t it obvious?" Princess Lan Yi Hua was instead speechless by Lin Xiao''s question.


    "is it?"


    "If his position is not high and he didn''t have strong backing, do you think he''ll be locked up in his residence for so long?" Princess Lan Yi Hua argued. Sometimes, she was amused by her husband''s way of thinking that could neglect such clear hint.


    Lin Xiao then realized that even though Long Hao was staying in the residence, it was clear that his overall position should be high. He was a genius, that was for sure, but considering that there were other geniuses, the protection he earned must be because his family was his backing.


    "Why don''t you show what you have understood from the pillars?" Long Shu Ting asked faintly.


    Long Hao looked at his father. "Because if I use my limited understanding to use it, it''ll definitely affect my future."


    He had seen the words in the pillars and naturally understood that it was a pillar that was used to increase one''s power and luck. If he didn''t read the full text, the effect would be reduced and he was unwilling to do it.


    After all, there was someone who could read it all. He would learn it with Lin Xiao first before reading the entirety of the pillars and used its ability.


    Long Shu Ting sighed. "It''ll take a long time for you to learn all of the words. Are you sure you want to do this?"


    "Yes!"


    "In that case, I and Long Hao will move out of Long Family."


    Long Hao was stunned when he heard what his father said. He looked at Long Shu Ting with a dumbfounded expression. "Father, why��."


    "Clan Former Head!"


    "There''s no need for this, right?"


    The elders were also alarmed when they heard what Long Shu Ting said. However, they could see that Long Shu Ting had already decided in his heart that he should leave Long Family.


    "You should know that when an ungrateful beast is the one leading the family, there will be no place for us here." Long Shu Ting shook his head.


    "Alright. In that case, how about if we move to Xiao Hu Kingdom, Father?" Long Hao grinned cheekily. "Master is going there and I have been wanting to head over there for a long time."


    "Master?" Long Shu Ting caught this keyword and his eyebrows arched. He didn''t mind going anywhere because he knew that his brother would surely try to kill him after seeing that Long Shui become the Family Head. What surprised him was that the arrogant Long Hao would actually have a teacher.


    "Master?" Long Shui also looked at Long Hao then his eyes moved to look at Lin Xiao before he burst out laughing once more. "That ordinary cultivator is your master? Just how desperate are you to have a youngster as your master?"


    Long Hao snorted. "At least, he''s much better than any other master in the world."


    "Pfft, how funny." Long Shui snorted. "But since you want to leave so much, I must first assure that you will not leak out the Long Family teaching, am I not?"

 Chapter 478: He’s the Emperor?

    "What do you want?" Long Hao was looking at them warily. He noticed that several elders have moved towards him, seemingly trying to get close to him in order to deal a blow to him. But how could he possibly let them do that?


    "Long Shu Ming, what do you mean by this?" Long Shu Ting asked in loud tone.


    Long Shu Ming, who was standing amongst the elders there, let out laugh when he saw Long Shu Ting angry. "Since he has the knowledge of the Ancient Power, shouldn''t we block it to prevent it from spreading?"


    "You dare!"


    Boom!


    The majestic power of Nascent Soul Stage 9 Cultivator directly attacked the elders there. Long Shu Ming snorted before the same pressure similarly exerted out of him.


    The two of them looked at each other before they become afterimages. The two of them were moving at speed that couldn''t be seen as they traded blow after blows.


    "They want to seal his mind?" Lin Xiao''s expression turned strange.


    "Yes." Princess Lan Yi Hua furrowed her brows. "Shall we help?"


    "No need. There wouldn''t be anyone who can seal his mind." Lin Xiao snorted. The Dragon Power within Long Hao was concentrated in his consciousness just like Lin Xiao. Their mind was practically their strong point.


    Even if there was a Nascent Soul Cultivator Stage 9 who wanted to seal their mind or erase their memory, Lin Xiao knew for sure that they would never be successful. His mind was so powerful that it would be unlikely for them to even be able to get close to harming him.


    Bang!


    Long Hao sprinted in the direction of Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua. However, the elder immediately launched Soul Attack towards him.


    The attack caused Long Hao to freeze for a moment. Inside his mind, he could feel that the power was trying to destroy the consciousness. He gritted his teeth and willed his Dragon Power to move.


    Roar!


    The sound of thunderous roar could be heard before the overwhelming dragon power spread from his consciousness. It blocked the soul attack and spread outside, creating pressure that even Immortal feared!


    Boom!


    The elders were all unable to launch another attack. They were watching with horror as the youth, who was barely Nascent Soul Stage 2, stood there while panting.


    "How did you use Dragon Power?" An elder, who was a distance away, asked in fear.


    Long Hao didn''t even bother to answer. He was looking at his master and said in pitiful tone. "Master, they want to kill me. As my master, shouldn''t you defend me?"


    Looking at Long Hao, Lin Xiao''s lips twitched. He shook his head and sighed. "Do you mind if there''s any casualties?"


    "Nope!"


    The elders thought that Long Hao was crazy after exerting so much pressure. How did he expect a youth, who was only at Nascent Soul Stage 4 to contend against them who were much more powerful than him?


    But in the next moment, Lin Xiao simply smiled and recited.


    "Heaven and Earth, please listen to my humble request. Enemies are approaching on my doorsteps, threatening to kill me and my disciples. With our power, we lack the means to defeat them with our own hand. Because of that, we required your powerful help��."


    "Kill him!" The elders were terrified when they heard the Ancient words. They knew very well what it signified if someone could recite those words without any backlash.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua snorted. "You dare?!"


    Flare!


    Fire spread from her hands to protect the two of them as the markings on her forehead flashed. Thanks to the Phoenix Inheritance and the Ancient words teaching that Lin Xiao gave to her, she had reached Nascent Soul Stage 3.


    She couldn''t defeat them but blocking them for some time should be possible.


    Besides, she also had ancient power!


    Boom!


    The fire melted everything it passed through. Even the ground was not an exception as it caved and melted down. Even if it was made out of rare metal, it was nothing in front of her Phoenix Fire!


    "Phoenix!" one of the elders shouted in horror.


    Long Hao also swiftly moved towards the lake in order to avoid the fire. Even though he knew that Princess Lan Yi Hua and Lin Xiao would never harm him, it would be better to stay away from that thing as far as possible.


    Lin Xiao was still continuing his words.


    "Vanquish those who harmed us. Destroy their souls and body for they did not deserve the reincarnation cycle for what they had done. This shall be their punishment for trying to kill this Emperor." Lin Xiao''s eyes flashed after he had done reciting.


    Seven sentences.


    Normally one would only require 3 sentences in order to use the ancient power but since Lin Xiao wanted to kill those who were stronger than him, he purposely used 7 sentences.


    The moment Lin Xiao was done, several elders who tried to harm them were engulfed in the Ancient Power as it destroyed them.


    The body, destroyed!


    The soul, destroyed!


    The elders who were planning to follow Long Shui''s elders now felt their legs turned weak. They were already Nascent Soul Stage and supposedly to have the best physical ability but at this very moment, they really felt weak.


    There were more than 10 people who had died in front of them.


    Many of them were much more powerful than them and they all died just like that? Just what did that youth do with the ancient words?


    Long Hao''s head was popped out of the lake. He exclaimed, "Woah! Master, you''re so powerful! You have to teach that to me later!"


    "You won''t be able to use this one." Lin Xiao shook his head.


    "Why? The 7 sentences of Ancient Words is more powerful." Long Hao pouted.


    Lin Xiao let out a faint laugh. "Because this can only be used by an Emperor."


    To be exact, him as the last sentences directly pointed at him.

 Chapter 479: He’s the Emperor? (2)

    Long Hao was speechless. "That''s discrimination!"


    "You''ll understand when I teach you the meaning later." Lin Xiao waved his hand nonchalantly as if he was not worried.


    Boom!


    While they were talking, the two Nascent Soul Stage 9 had finished their battles. There were only two Nascent Soul Stage 9 Cultivators in the entire Long Family, so when the two of them fought, it attracted the attention of so many people.


    They already knew that the Long Family were having the competition, so many were already prepared themselves to see that there would be an upheaval.


    Now that the two Nascent Soul Stage 9 Cultivators fought, many could only sigh.


    Several people had already arrived not far from the Long Family. They were waiting for the right time to appear.


    "How did you do this?" Long Shu Ming furrowed his brows when he saw the dead elders. Those were the elders who were close to him and his right hand. Without them, he wouldn''t be able to smoothly operate the Long Family even without Long Shu Ting in the picture.


    Long Shu Ting didn''t answer but he could guess that the Master who Long Hao accepted was not ordinary. The ancient words were recited in low tone but it could be heard even from a distance away.


    "The Emperor��" An elder said in quivering voice. "He''s addressing himself as the Emperor."


    "Nonsense! Even if he''s the Emperor of a small kingdom, how could he possibly use the Ancient Power by relying on his position?" Long Shu Ming shouted.


    Long Hao snorted. He then looked at Long Shui. "So, are you still going to hinder us?"


    "Kill them! I don''t believe that after using such complicated ancient words, you will still have the energy to fight."


    Lin Xiao arched his eyebrows. Well, it was true that the Ancient Power he used was quite a lot, but it was enough to drain him. Looking at the elders around him, he furrowed his brows before jumped back.


    Splash!


    Princess Lan Yi Hua saw his movement and didn''t hesitate to move towards the lake too.


    "Lin Hu!" Lin Xiao shouted.


    Everyone could hear him scream, but they didn''t recognize the name. Just as they were thinking that Lin Xiao had turned crazy, they saw light coming from Lin Xiao''s direction. It was so blinding that it made them unable to see clearly.


    A majestic dragon appeared right before Lin Xiao. It was several dozen feet tall and was flying with majestic aura spreading from within as if telling them that no other beast shall exist in front of it.


    As human beings, they all felt so small in front of such majestic dragon.


    "Dragon��" the elder was stunned and muttered one word. Any other exclamation words that he was about to utter couldn''t come out as his eyes were completely fixated on the dragon before him.


    Lin Hu snorted. "You really only summon me out when you need me, you brat?"


    "Tsk, just deal with them. I should be able to advance to Nascent Soul Stage 5 soon." Lin Xiao crossed his hand. He smirked. "Besides, when I''m here, how can I lack in power?"


    As soon as he said that, the Qi around them moved towards the pond where he was staying. Lin Xiao simply write few words of restrain and looked at Long Hao, who was grinning like an idiot.


    "Dragon Emperor."


    At this moment, who wouldn''t be able to recognize Lin Xiao''s real ability?


    The elders who wanted to fight immediately felt suppression before their body was frozen then turned into nothingness. Lin Hu was flying midair as he looked around at the other people from other clans who were watching.


    Right now, everyone was in the stage of shock.


    Many years ago, people had heard the sound of the dragon''s roar, signaling to them the appearance of the Dragon Emperor. But they didn''t know where the dragon was and even if they wanted to try finding it, their resources were limited.


    The continent was vast.


    How could they found the dragon that was hiding in such remote place?


    Thus, many gave up. After all, they knew that when it was time, the dragon would appear in the capital city someday. Who would have thought that the time would be now?


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows before he said in dragon words, "Spatial Lockdown."


    Bang!


    The elders who wanted to escape realized that their token turned gray. In the entire capital city, no one would be able to use any spatial ability under the suppression of Lin Xiao''s dragon power.


    Lin Hu looked at Lin Xiao and nodded. Right now, Lin Xiao was already acknowledged by the entire continent as the one and only Emperor. Even though he hadn''t sat in the rightful seat, it was clear that no one would dare to defy him in the slightest bit.


    Swish!


    A figure appeared not far from them. He was an elderly man and looked advance in age. However, the light in his eyes showed wisdom that far beyond the world. Right now, he was looking in Lin Xiao''s direction with a hint of astonishment.


    "Your Majesty!" the elders were quick as they bowed down to the elderly man.


    Long Shu Ting and Long Shu Ming also stopped their fight and bowed down.


    Long Hao was unwilling, but he used his Qi to levitate on the surface of the water and bowed down too.


    The man was Wang Wu Kingdom''s Emperor, the person with the highest position in the entire continent. No one dared to show blatant disrespect to him no matter what they were thinking in their deepest heart.


    "Your Majesty." Lin Xiao nodded but he didn''t bow down. He was instead curious about the Emperor in front of him because he had heard a lot about Wang Wu Kingdom.


    The Emperor of Wang Wu Kingdom sighed as he looked at Lin Xiao. The sheer Dragon Power around Lin Xiao and the fact that there was a living dragon flying around them already told him that the person in front of him was the one who should have earned respect.


    "I should be the one calling you as Your Majesty instead."

 Chapter 480: Conversation

    "Your Majesty?"


    Many people were shocked when they heard what the Emperor said. While they had recognized Lin Xiao as the Dragon Emperor, they thought that Wang Wu Kingdom Emperor would be trying to fight Lin Xiao because of that. Little did they thought that he would instead be respecting the youth.


    Lin Xiao tilted his head and grinned. "You don''t have to do that. Xiao Hu Kingdom is still smaller than Wang Wu Kingdom."


    Wang Wu Kingdom Emperor shook his head. "It doesn''t matter which kingdom you''re in. Back then, Wang Wu Kingdom is nothing more than a small kingdom but because of the Dragon Emperor, it can grow this big. As long as it''s the kingdom where you stay, it''ll eventually become the biggest kingdom in the entire continent or even become the only kingdom."


    "You have so much confidence."


    "I have seen so much in the world." Wang Wu Kingdom Emperor let out a faint laugh. "And since you''re here, it means that it''s already time for this continent to develop. I wouldn''t be able to stop it even if I want to."


    Lin Xiao was surprised by Wang Wu Kingdom''s Emperor''s words. From the way it looked like, he didn''t seem to be that attached of having Wang Wu Kingdom as the biggest and the greatest kingdom.


    It was a surprise to him.


    "You''re not going to stop me?" Lin Xiao asked with arched eyebrows.


    "I''m going to ascend soon."


    Oh��


    Now Lin Xiao seemed to understand why this emperor didn''t seem to care about his kingdom that much. Since he was about to leave this world, it was clear that he would only hope for Wang Wu Kingdom to be exist.


    Wang Wu Kingdom Emperor looked at Lin Xiao and sighed. Who would have thought that before he ascended, he would have the chance to see the next emperor?


    "I see."


    "Are you going to interfere in Long Family problems?" Wang Wu Kingdom Emperor asked while looking at the crowd before him with sidelong glance. For him, it was an easy matter to deal and didn''t really need him to do anything much.


    Lin Xiao shrugged. "I''m just here to accompany my disciple. Since he''s already being kicked out of Long Family, I''m planning to bring him with me."


    "I see."


    Long Hao noticed the emperor was looking at him and he stuck out his tongue playfully. At first, he did feel some grievances after accepting Lin Xiao as his master. But eventually, he understood that it was his luck to be able to have Lin Xiao as his master.


    Right now, the others were rather envious of him.


    Long Shui was the one who couldn''t accept this the most. His eyes turned red when he looked at Long Hao. Why? Why are all good things always fall for Long Hao while he, as his cousin, couldn''t get any?


    He couldn''t accept this!


    Bang!


    Before he could make a move, his body was suddenly being pressured.


    Lin Xiao was looking at him with sneer. "Do you really think that you can attempt to attack my disciple? Be grateful that I didn''t plan to kill you. You can have the Long Family for all I care but you are not allowed to touch Long Hao and�� what''s your father name?"


    Long Hao''s lips twitched when he heard Lin Xiao''s words. The opening was grand, but the latter half of the sentence�� was just like his master.


    "It''s Long Shu Ting, Master."


    "Right, those two." Lin Xiao nodded righteously.


    Right now, even Princess Lan Yi Hua felt like face palming when she heard what Lin Xiao said. But whatever. He''s the Emperor, he could say whatever he wanted and even if he didn''t know someone''s name, it was quite common.


    After thinking for a while, Princess Lan Yi Hua chose to shift the blame to Long Hao since the brat never told them the name of his father. There was no way Lin Xiao would know Long Shu Ting''s name if no one ever mentioned it.


    "You��."


    "Father, we''re going to stay in Xiao Hu Kingdom. There''s a large lake there that''s filled with Qi!" Long Hao had been told by Lin Xiao about the formation that Lin Xiao set up. He grinned. "Also, Master will help you to complete the ancient script! With that, you''ll be able to reach Immortal Realm."


    Immortal Realm?


    The words seemed to be tickling their ears. There were many people who had reached Nascent Soul Stage in this area but the number of people who could reach Immortal Stage was extremely few.


    Those who dared to attempt it mostly died and only 1 out of 100 would succeed. Such low number discouraged most of the cultivators from trying to breakthrough and be content with staying at Nascent Soul Stage 9.


    Besides, the number of Nascent Soul Stage 9 Cultivators were not that many.


    Even in Long Family, there were only 2.


    "Will you stop us from heading back to Xiao Hu Kingdom?" Lin Xiao passed a look at Wang Wu Kingdom Emperor. He didn''t have any intention to hide his identity since he knew that it would be utterly useless. With these people''s level of cultivation, it was extremely easy for them to check his background.


    Wang Wu Kingdom Emperor shook his head. "I don''t have any reason to do that."


    "In that case, that''s good. I would like to help my disciple finish that thing first."


    That thing?


    There were many other cultivators who were hiding but they could see that Lin Xiao was pointing at the large pillar that was filled with ancient words in front of them. At that moment, their heart skipped a beat.


    Those who were already in Wang Wu Kingdom naturally knew the significance of that pillar.


    It was the pillar that allowed Long Family to stay strong all this time.


    Long Shui was alarmed when he saw that. He quickly stood up. "That belongs to Long Family, you��"


    "Relax, I won''t take it." Lin Xiao was amused.

 Chapter 481: The Future [The End]

    Won''t take it?


    The others were confused but they saw that Lin Xiao had stood up before the pillars. He then turned to look at Long Hao. "Follow the words I tell you and recite it."


    "Yes."


    Long Hao turned solemn as Lin Xiao sent voice transmission to him. He knew very well that for Lin Xiao, reading the ancient words was as easy as reading normal text. It was to the point that people would feel jealous of him.


    They spent years just to decipher a page but he could read them as if it was his mother language.


    How vexing.


    Naturally, Lin Xiao didn''t pay attention to them as he passed the message to Long Hao swiftly. After some time, he finished and turned to look at Long Hao, who had just finished reciting.


    Swoosh!


    At that moment, it was as if the nature had heard the calling that Long Hao uttered as the ancient power swirled inside his body. At the same time, Long Hao felt as if his body had grown stronger but there was no noticeable change in his body.


    "Master, this is��?" Long Hao was stunned.


    "This is the true form of this text. If you emit light when you finish reciting, that means there are a lot of leakage that didn''t get absorbed properly. Cultivate properly and you''ll be unmatched under the Immortal Realm." Lin Xiao shrugged.


    Long Hao was excited. He bowed down swiftly. "Thank you, Master!"


    Thus, that concluded Lin Xiao''s visit to Wang Wu Kingdom.


    Well, not exactly as he still had to deal with the Wang Wu Kingdom Emperor to talk about some things. Some other powerhouses were also interested but he refused to meet with them, so Long Shu Ting became the one to mediate.


    After settling everything, Lin Xiao, Princess Lan Yi Hua, Long Hao, and Long Shu Ting returned back to Xiao Hu Kingdom.


    Some middle ranked kingdoms tried to create problems for them but naturally, Lin Xiao kicked them out. And with the addition of Long Shu Ting in their group, those kingdoms were the one who were destroyed in the end.


    Lin Xiao and Princess Lan Yi Hua stayed in the palace as they oversee the rest.


    The kingdom was flourishing with the addition of so many resources. Even if there were some people with ill intent appearing from time to time, they were dealt swiftly. There were no one who could stop Xiao Hu Kingdom from advancing.


    There was just one thing��.


    "''Tsk, why are you only allowing me to appear for such a short period of time and only when you need me? Why are you not letting me roam free?" Lin Hu was annoyed. After that time in Long Family, Lin Xiao always rarely called Lin Hu out. As the result, the dragon spent most of his time inside Lin Xiao''s bland consciousness.


    There was nothing there, ah!


    "That''s because I don''t need you to roam outside."


    "Tsk, you annoying Master!"


    "You annoying dragon."


    Lin Xiao glanced over to Lin Hu in his consciousness. ''Isn''t it clear that you don''t have any role that you can play out here? Just stay quietly there and help me to practice. Having the cultivation of a dragon carried by me is quite a big burden, you know?''


    ''Tsk.''


    Of course, Lin Xiao didn''t pay close attention to the dragon. He was looking at the row of books that was placed before him while rubbing his head. It was out of his expectation that the Emperor would have so many work to do��.


    "Can''t they give me lesser works?" Lin Xiao grumbled. It was already a year after he inherited the throne, to be exact a year after he started to properly become the Emperor. Before his visit to Wang Wu Kingdom, he often dumped all the work to Prince Lin Xian while learning little by little.


    Princess Lan Yi Hua glanced over to Lin Xiao and giggled. "You have the lives of so many people depending on your hand. That''s why you have to do your best to make sure that you will not disappoint them with your decision making."


    "Help me a little bit, Yi Hua��"


    "Didn''t you ask me to rest more because I''m carrying our child now?" Princess Lan Yi Hua asked with a laugh.


    Lin Xiao''s eyes landed on Princess Lan Yi Hua''s stomach as his gaze turned softer. He didn''t have any plan to have a child so early, but�� things happen. Of course, he would not allow Princess Lan Yi Hua to overexert herself during this period of time.


    Oh wrong, her status is now the Empress and no longer a princess.


    "Well, I just need a little bit of help." Lin Xiao pointed to the paper that contained the report of the tax that the officials gave to him. When it came to tax, he still needed help because he couldn''t understand everything fully.


    Lan Yi Hua laughed lightly and nodded. "Fine."


    She sat on Lin Xiao''s thigh while Lin Xiao hugged her carefully from behind. Her eyes were looking over the paper before her with amusement.


    "Will things turn for the better in the future?" Lan Yi Hua asked softly.


    Lin Xiao smiled and nodded. "I''m sure it will. I still have a lot to learn but with time, I''ll be surely able to do everything by myself."


    "The officials will cry if they didn''t have anything to do."


    "I''ll still give them some work. You don''t have to worry about that."


    Outside the door, Prince Lin Xian was listening in to their conversation. It was not like he wanted to but Lin Xiao didn''t even block his voice to prevent people from hearing what they were talking.


    He looked into the distance. Things were slowly changing in Xiao Hu Kingdom and he knew that it would continue to be so. Lin Xiao was not perfect, but he was someone who wanted to learn and devoted himself to make sure that he would be able to understand what they were talking about and learn many other skills to protect himself better.


    Slowly but surely, Xiao Hu Kingdom will turn towards the better and with the reward system that Lin Xiao provided by making the lake to be able to be filled with Qi and created a channel to a building outside the palace, it could be used as reward. Those who did great in their work would have the chance to use it and if they didn''t want to use it for themselves but for their children, it was also allowed.


    Since then, everyone was fighting hard to be able to get the chance to enter the small lake. Even if it was only a small one that was connected to the lake in the palace, it was still very valuable. The number of powerful cultivators increased as many people were even more loyal to Lin Xiao.


    With such tempting reward, who wouldn''t?


    With time, the number of powerful cultivators will increase and probably, Xiao Hu Kingdom will be able to become a large kingdom that no one would dare to look down anymore in the entire continent.


    - Fin


    ��


    A/N: Yes, this is the end of Rise of the Great Emperor. This is my first try in writing this kind of novel and there might be some things that didn''t seem to be that good. I hope that you all enjoyed the journey so far.


    I did think of expanding the realm and make more arcs but��. I don''t think I can do it for now.


    Thank you all for reading!