The Prodigies War

The plain-clothed man stopped again and uttered, “Sorry then.”

Immediately following that was the sound of a sword being drawn.

The plain-clothed man had probed his palm into the void and made a pulling gesture.

This tenth level of Dark Hidden Purgatory was suddenly infused with a deadly sword aura. It scattered the clouds in all directions and threw the atmosphere into disarray.

The drunkard and Big Yellow instantly knew that the situation had become critical, looking as if they were facing their greatest enemy.

“Rise!” The drunkard man's sleeve fluttered, and a bizarre flying sword as pale as the moon appeared between his brows and illuminated the vast terrains.

“Doh!” shouted Big Yellow. A gorgeous violet-gold bell emerged, shining with billions of divine lights. From it, chants of gods could faintly be heard.

Right at this moment, an illusory sword intent coalesced in the hand of the plainly dressed man.

His clothes fluttered behind him as he stood in the middle of a waterfall of sword intent. He resembled a dazzling sun whose might was that of a deity.

The drunkard and Big Yellow shared a glance before striking out together without any hesitation.

“Execute!” With an indifferent expression, the plain-clothed man casually chopped out the sword intent in his grasp.

From that moment, the entire tenth floor of Dark Hidden Purgatory sank into turmoil.

……

In the ninth level.

When the plain-clothed man's terrifying aura had awakened and rushed up from the eighteenth floor, Lin Xun had also sensed a fatal threat.

He had had a hint of hesitation before about leaving, but that had disappeared as he was using everything he had to teleport away with the Old Bronze Tree.

“It's useless, this lightning forbidden zone has been enclosed by the power of my Spirit Refining Kettle. Why do you think the Sacred Kunwu Tree didn’t try to flee before?” rang Underworld Son's voice with contempt and frost.

Indeed, Lin Xun noticed right away that the lightning forbidden zone was not only covered with horrendous Kunwu Lightning Fire but also a new, obscure energy that formed a large net.

Lin Xun was about to try breaking through it when he suddenly sensed a violent tremor from the net of obscure energy. It was showing signs of collapsing.

It gave him a new idea, and he quickly turned around to see Underworld Son’s conceited expression flash imperceptibly with a hint of dismay.

Only a flicker, but Lin Xun had keenly captured it.

He immediately stopped moving.

“Fellow Daoist, we’re not running?” The Old Bronze Tree looked bewildered and confused, not sure what Lin Xun wanted to do.

“There's no need to. Is that right, Treasure Delivery Boy?” Lin Xun smiled as he gazed deeply at the distant Underworld Son.

“Bastard Lin, I dare you call me that one more time!” bellowed an exasperated Underworld Son with a clouded expression.

“Treasure Delivery Boy,” repeated Lin Xun.

Underworld Son was speechless.

The veins on his forehead popped up violently, and he was so angry that his lungs almost exploded. Despite this, it was imperative that he must hold down his rage and killing intent.

In the end, a sentence came out from his mouth with difficulty, “You will definitely die!”

Facing this, Lin Xun’s smile widened and became more relaxed. “Your Spirit Refining Kettle is in trouble, isn't it? How about giving it to me so I can take a look at it for you?”

The Old Bronze Tree finally understood. It chuckled, “Heheh, I thought he was using some formidable technique, but it turns out to be a silvery spear with a tip made out of wax. Looks good but is useless.”

Lin Xun was stunned. Why is this old guy's laugh so despicable? Is this still the same ferocious Emperor fiend spirit I know?

Underworld Son took a deep breath and said coldly, “My kettle is in trouble, you say? What makes you so sure this isn’t just a smokescreen to make you let your guard down?”

In fact, he had been secretly making desperate efforts to catalyze the Spirit Refining Kettle’s power through a secret art, but the response from that ‘senior’ had been sporadic and fragmented, making him anxious.

“A smokescreen? Then I really need to take a closer look.” While saying this, Lin Xun had already approached the other party. His eyes were deep and cold like abysses.

Underworld Son instantly panicked inside, but he maintained a tough attitude, “DIE!”

Kaboom!

He flipped his palm, and a fan so red it looked like it was refined from lava appeared. With a fierce wave, a boundless rain of divine flames poured out, blotting the sky as it swept toward Lin Xun.

Nanli Sacred Fan of Fire!

Once again, it was an Emperor-grade weapon with marvelous properties and appearance. Although it couldn’t compare to the Origin Spirit Gourd, it was still a league above ordinary Emperor-grade treasures.

Lin Xun couldn’t stop a smile from spreading on his lips as he summoned the Treasure Bind Golden Rope. With a whoosh, the rope pierced through the sky full of flames, aiming for the fan in Underworld Son’s hand.

Normally, Underworld Son would have been able to avoid this strike, but the current situation was that his whole strength and mind were focused on urging the Spirit Refining Kettle. As a result, the Treasure Bind Golden Rope directly swept the Nanli Sacred Fan of Fire out of his grasp.

The feeling of watching his treasure zoom past his vision and fall into the hands of his most hated enemy made Underworld Son want to go crazy.

“Why didn’t you evade? Perhaps something has happened to the Spirit Refining Kettle, so you no longer have the mind to care?” asked Lin Xun as he came closer.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Underworld Son waved his arm. From his sleeve, three dao seals, engraved with the words ‘heaven,’ ‘earth,’ and ‘man’ respectively, whistled out in a zigzag pattern. As they did, they actually created a grand scene of dividing up the sky and earth in a world where living beings started to develop.

This was clearly another set of Emperor-grade weapons!

The Old Bronze Tree’s eyes turned yellow with greed, and its breathing became labored. Is this kid carrying with him a huge treasure trove or something? How can he have so many Emperor-grade armaments?

It was impossible to not get jealous and then refuse to admit it!

The Old Bronze Tree had seen Lin Xun use many Emperor-grade treasures during their journey together, but the amount was far less than what Underworld Son had taken out. It was simply endless, like a constant stream of pleasant surprises.

The Old Bronze Tree dared to say that if this kid was targeted by Emperor bigwigs, then he would definitely die without a corpse because he would have been eaten alive!

Lin Xun held nothing back as he summoned the Dao Endless Pagoda to counter. After a burst of collisions and explosions, the three dao seals followed their predecessors’ footsteps and entered his pocket.

“Do you have more? Continue.” Lin Xun laughed. He was getting addicted to the thrill of seizing treasures.

Of course, only the opulent Underworld Son was capable of giving him this kind of pleasure and no one else.

Watching Lin Xun coming closer and closer, Underworld Son completely panicked to the point he couldn’t care about the financial pain. He hissed, “Senior, Senior, save me!”

His entire body glowed and he desperately urged the Spirit Refining Kettle.

Lin Xun narrowed his eyes. Senior?

Does he mean the terrifying aura who was fast approaching but had suddenly disappeared just now?

While pondering, Lin Xun didn’t slow down. His palm struck out through the air.

Boom!

A palm print like a sky bridge was manifested, diffusing all sorts of Law Powers. The blinding radiance easily blasted away Underworld Son, who groaned in pain.

Lin Xun's eyes lit up. Something’s definitely gone south with that kettle!

This meant that Underworld Son who had yet to become an Emperor was no longer a threat to him.

“Don't you come here—!” shouted Underworld Son angrily. He looked panicked.

It gave the Old Bronze Tree an urge to rush up and pillage this humanoid treasure trove.

Boom!

Lin Xun deployed another powerful palm strike that sent Underworld Son flying again. The latter’s face became red and swollen, his teeth fell off, and blood flowed from his lips.

“Lin Xun, you will die, definitely!” He impelled the Spirit Refining Kettle like crazy, as if grasping for the last straw to save his life.

Lin Xun couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Apparently, Underworld Son had run out of suitable Emperor-grade weapons, otherwise, he wouldn’t be looking this powerless.

“Give me the Spirit Refining Kettle,” Lin Xun said as he strode forward and kicked Underworld Son to the ground.

When he proceeded to reach for the Spirit Refining Kettle, however, there was a terrifying spatial fluctuation. From it, a big yellow dog abruptly leapt out, its mouth grabbing Lin Xun by the thigh, and they vanished in place.

Boom!

Almost at the same time, a terrifying sword intent swept through at the place where Lin Xun had originally stood. It shattered the air to pieces, creating a long and narrow crack.

Lin Xun broke out into a cold sweat when he saw that.

If it wasn't for Big Yellow coming in time, the sword intent might have reaped his life!

“Kid, you cannot take that Spirit Refining Kettle, the karma tangling it is too great.” Big Yellow's expression was full of gravity instead of the usual arrogance.

Only then did Lin Xun notice the sword cuts and bloodstains all over Big Yellow. Its aura was ferocious and carried a pungent smell of blood.

Big Yellow, a powerful expert under his Second Senior Brother, had actually been injured!

“Big Yellow is correct.” The drunkard also appeared. His face was pale and his bright, sword-like eyes were similarly filled with gravity.

Previously, in the tenth level of Dark Hidden Purgatory, he and Big Yellow had joined forces only to be able to fight the plain-clothed man to a standstill.

In that moment just now, the latter had suddenly gone mad, bursting with power and knocking them away all of a sudden to go to the ninth floor.

If it wasn't for Big Yellow's timely arrival, then a great disaster would have befallen Lin Xun while he tried to snatch the Spirit Refining Kettle!

“Senior—!” the bruised and disheveled Underworld Son let out a cry that shook the sky, so excited and emotional that he was incoherent.

The next second, an illusory figure in plain clothes appeared and stood in front of him. His figure was thin and frail, but he emitted a blazing aura resembling that of a great sun.

In his hand was an illusory sword intent, while his entity dispersed a stern, murderous energy.

When Lin Xun saw this plain-clothed man, his pupils shrank. He only felt a stabbing pain to his mind and soul, which made his blood run cold in terror!

As for the Old Bronze Tree, it had long been paralyzed to the ground, shivering and scared out of its wits.

Whether it was Big Yellow, the drunkard, or the plain-clothed man, the might emanating from them was so terrifying that the old tree was suffocated.

The plain-clothed man glanced at Underworld Son, then at Lin Xun in the distance, and suddenly let out a long sigh, seemingly somewhat dispirited.

“You and him are both supreme quasi-Emperors, but the difference between your battle prowess is worlds apart. Do you know why?”

His voice was like a sword, transmitting supreme majesty.

He continued, “Because you only have treasures in your mind, and all of them were only gained in exchange for an immense amount of your own luck! How can this be the right way to seek the Great Dao?”

His remark got the approval of Lin Xun. Without the Spirit Refining Kettle, Underworld Son's strength was simply terrible.

Meanwhile, Underworld Son was sweating profusely. His face was as white as a sheet, his lips quivering as if he wanted to say something.

However, a clang interrupted him as the plain-clothed man put away his domineeringly sharp sword intent.

Then, the man gazed at Lin Xun and suddenly asked, “What’s your relationship with Taixuan?”