Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

"How dare you call me a junior? Yang Xiao, you're dead!"

Lu Fangxing's eyes were crimson as he roared in fury.

He lunged forward like a terrifying Barbaric Giant Tiger, his entire body radiating a fearsome white light filled with Greater Yang Power. Before Lu Fangxing even drew near, Yang Xiao felt a dreadful, scorching heat.

An ordinary person standing here would have been instantly incinerated to ash.

'An Upper-Grade Treasure Body Level Greater Yang Body… not bad at all. It's surprisingly not much weaker than Lu Fangliang's after he fused with the Golden Crow Skeleton. But you think you can take me on with just this? You're not even close.'

Yang Xiao snorted softly.

Without dodging or evading.

He simply raised a palm as fair as white jade and casually swatted down.

Instantly.

BOOM!

Lu Fangxing's charge was brought to a dead halt by the phantom image of Yang Xiao's descending palm.

Then, with a loud THUD...

...he was sent flying backward.

As if struck by an invisible force, he tumbled and rolled before crashing to the ground. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and for a long moment, he couldn't get back up, cutting a truly pathetic figure.

Seeing this, the expressions of Second Elder Lu and the other Lu Family members changed drastically.

'What's going on? He's clearly only at the First Level of the Small Divine Ability Realm. How can he be this powerful?'

The Lu Family Elders' faces were etched with astonishment. In their hearts, they were all screaming that this was impossible.

Just then, the Great Elder's voice echoed in their minds.

"The Human Emperor Disciple, the Saint Prince handpicked by Human Emperor Xuanyuan himself—is he someone you lot can possibly comprehend? Even I, in my esteemed position as a Divine King, wouldn't dare to underestimate him. Yet you actually conspired to seize the Saint Prince's title from him. You truly don't know your own limits. Or do you think Human Emperor Xuanyuan is blind? That he would accept a disciple who is utterly worthless, someone not even on par with Lu Fangxing? If that were true, would Lu Changhe have acknowledged him as master? Would Lu Changsheng have died by his sword? How utterly absurd!"

Had these words been spoken earlier...

...the Lu Family Elders, especially Second Elder Lu, would have likely felt unconvinced, even if they paid lip service to agreeing.

But now...

...having witnessed with their own eyes how Yang Xiao, a mere First Level of the Small Divine Power Realm cultivator, had so easily sent Lu Fangxing flying with a single blow. Lu Fangxing, who was at the Great Divine Power Realm Third Stage Peak and considered a prodigy of the Lu Family's younger generation.

That display of power was likely equivalent to the Great Divine Power Realm Fourth and Fifth Levels at the very least. Moreover, it wasn't the power of an ordinary cultivator at that level, but a Genius Level one. Otherwise, with Lu Fangxing's strength, it would have been impossible for him to be sent flying so easily.

Thus, in that moment, after the Great Elder's voice faded...

...those Elders who had harbored other intentions, Second Elder Lu included, all bowed their heads deeply.

They had finally realized the consequences of their actions.

Leaving aside whether Yang Xiao won or lost, or if he could truly secure the title of Saint Prince, just the act of coveting the position—would that not provoke the wrath of Human Emperor Xuanyuan?

If the Human Emperor were to become enraged...

...could the Lu Family truly withstand his fury?

At this thought, it was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over them, jolting them back to their senses.

They felt an immense sense of shame for their earlier, ignorant thoughts.

'A moment ago… I don't know what came over me. I suddenly felt that this young man was weak and easy to bully, unworthy of being the Saint Prince. Thinking back, it's as if I was possessed.'

One of the Lu Family Elders subconsciously muttered under his breath.

The moment he said this...

...the expressions of the many Elders present all changed.

Their thoughts had been exactly the same as his.

Even Yang Xiao felt his Heart Spirit stir.

The power contained within the Time Divine Pill activated, allowing him to peer into the recent past.

As he looked back...

...his expression changed dramatically.

After a careful examination, he clearly saw several wisps of black energy emerging from the void around him and flowing into the bodies of several of the Lu Family Elders.

The thickest and largest streams went into Second Elder Lu and Lu Fangxing.

'Could it be this Demonic Qi acting up again?'

Yang Xiao's expression flickered.

He was about to probe more deeply, to see if he could uncover more of its secrets, when...

...in the distance, Lu Fangxing, who had been on the ground for a long while, finally struggled back to his feet.

His eyes were blood-red.

He looked as though he had suffered some infinite injustice.

He roared at Yang Xiao, "You… you dare to humiliate me like this! I want you dead! If I, Lu Fangxing, do not kill you, I am not fit to be a man!"

With that, he charged at Yang Xiao once more.

This time, his attack was even more ferocious, as if he were fighting for his life.

The surrounding Lu Family Elders were all stunned.

They couldn't understand. He had clearly already lost.

Why was Lu Fangxing still so persistent?

But then, they recalled what the Great Elder had said.

And they felt they understood.

'If that's truly the case...'

'...then it would be better to fight to the death.'

So, even though they had come to acknowledge Yang Xiao, Lu Fangxing was still their junior, a scion of the Lu Family. They instantly grew hesitant.

Should they stop him?

This included Second Elder Lu.

Only Yang Xiao...

...saw that something was amiss.

Lu Fangxing's condition was clearly identical to how Human Emperor Xuanyuan had been.

It was a reaction to being deeply afflicted by the Demonic Qi.

But he was puzzled himself.

'Why is this Demonic Qi surging out from around me?'

'And with so many people here...'

'...why are some people afflicted by the Demonic Qi—or rather, why does it provoke the Demonic Qi within them...'

'...while others remain unaffected?'

'Furthermore, the amount of black energy each person received was different.'

'Some, like Lu Fangxing, were afflicted by a thick, dense strand.'

'Others received only a thin wisp.'

An idea inexplicably formed in Yang Xiao's mind.

'Could it be malicious intent? When they harbor ill will toward me, it triggers this Demonic Qi? The deeper the malice, the denser the Qi?'

A realization struck Yang Xiao.

'If that's the case...'

'...doesn't that make me some kind of demonic catalyst?'

'Anyone who harbors ill will toward me becomes afflicted by Demonic Qi?'

'This is not good.'

Just as Yang Xiao had this thought...

...Lu Fangxing was already upon him.

His vicious appearance...

...sent a chill down Yang Xiao's spine, even though he was prepared for it.

Their initial conflict had been a simple squabble over pride, but the appearance of this bizarre Demonic Qi had turned it into a life-or-death battle.

Yang Xiao felt deeply unsettled.

'If this keeps happening, how much trouble am I going to face?'

'What a headache!'

Yang Xiao sighed internally.

"You dare to get distracted? You're courting death! In that case, just die!"

Lu Fangxing was overjoyed to see this.

He struck with even greater force.

His killing intent surged.

But just as his fist was about to connect with Yang Xiao...

...Yang Xiao let out a cold sneer.

'I'm already in a foul mood, and you dare to show killing intent. Even if it's because of the Demonic Qi, I can't let you off!'

Snorting coldly to himself, Yang Xiao raised his hand and brought it down in another palm strike.

This time, the blow was even heavier.

And it landed directly on Lu Fangxing's forehead.

A terrifying power surged from his palm.

Second Elder Lu's expression changed drastically.

His eyes flickered, and a dark gleam flashed within them. In the next instant, his figure blurred.

He appeared in front of Yang Xiao.

He raised his palm.

And struck.

In that instant, Yang Xiao felt as if a terrifying, great sun was crashing down upon him.

Even more terrifying, at that moment, his entire body, his internal aura, all of his power—it was all completely suppressed.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't even dodge.

Everyone else present turned pale when they saw this.

They never imagined it.

At this critical moment...

...the Second Elder, a Tier Eight True God and a powerful expert known as a Divine Venerable...

...had actually attacked a junior like Yang Xiao!

Even the Divine King Level Lu Family's Great Elder was caught completely off guard.

He was too late to intervene.

'Damn it! That fool, Second Elder, actually dared to attack the Saint Prince! Is he trying to bring about the Lu Family's destruction?!'

He roared internally.

But the Lu Family's Great Elder was helpless.

He could only watch as the palm strike descended upon Yang Xiao.