Soul Emperor Awakening

This sudden development left everyone stunned. It wasn’t just how formidable Lin Xue’s Cultivation was; the most important thing was that she had personally moved to shield Lin Xuan. It was a known fact that Lin Xue had never shown the slightest interest in any man. She seemed to have no interest in men whatsoever.

They assumed it had something to do with the Third Elder. The Third Elder would never allow Lin Xue to choose a partner casually; everything had to be done according to her wishes. Therefore, they could understand that Lin Xue’s lack of interest in men was likely a result of the Third Elder’s influence.

But what was happening now was beyond their comprehension. It was already a miracle for Lin Xue to speak to a man, let alone protect one.

’Xue’Er, you...’ Lin Xuan was inwardly astonished. He knew Lin Xue was exceptionally talented, but he never expected that, complemented by her Ice Yin Body, her Cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds to reach the Second Layer of the Essence Pill Stage. Her speed was nothing short of staggering.

When she joined the Inner Hall, she was only at the Peak of the Body Refining Stage. Now, she had already reached the Second Layer of the Essence Pill Stage, a level sufficient to overwhelm countless other geniuses. Lin Xuan himself had only reached his current achievements by relying on various lucky encounters and the assistance of the Soul Pearl.

It had to be said that the explosive growth triggered by a fearsome constitution combined with astounding talent was truly terrifying. Of course, having a powerful Elder as a master on top of that was like adding wings to a tiger.

"Brother Xuan..." Lin Xue called out a name she hadn’t said in years, as if she had returned to her younger, more innocent days.

A familiar face filled her vision. Tempered by time and experience, the face that was once somewhat boyish had now become incomparably resolute. He exuded an air of masculine dominance, and his broad shoulders looked as if they had long been strong enough to bear any great burden.

"Lin Yunlong... Lin Xuan..." The moment she saw Lin Xuan, her eyes instantly reddened.

She had never believed that Lin Yunlong was Lin Xuan; after all, Lin Xuan had gone blind long ago. But hearing the constant talk about Lin Yunlong reminded her of the figure who had once stood in front of her, protecting her. ’Perhaps,’ she thought, ’if not for what I said back then, he could have achieved all this on his own.’

Now that Lin Xuan had appeared before her, everything became clear. The one who had forged this legendary path was the same Lin Xuan who had protected her all those years ago! And now, he was standing in front of her again, wanting to protect her.

Now, it was her turn to protect him. This was one of the reasons she had joined the Inner Hall in the first place! Her other goal was to protect the Lin Family, so it was all related.

With a single casual strike, she effortlessly forced Rao Longtian back. There was no sign of strain; this was Lin Xue’s true power. Lin Xue rarely took action, but when she did, it shocked everyone present. No one had expected her to be so formidable.

However, what was most shocking was that she had protected Lin Xuan.

"What is this? You’re actually protecting that piece of trash!" Rao Longtian was furious. He wasn’t angry that Lin Xue had attacked him, but that she had protected Lin Xuan.

For so many days, he had been actively pursuing Lin Xue, not only to no avail, but now she was protecting the Inner Hall trash who had mocked him!

Lin Xue’s face became an icy mask. Just as she was about to say something in rebuttal, a powerful arm gently pulled her into an embrace. Pressed close against a firm chest, a voice spoke softly by her ear, "Thank you for protecting me, but I want to be the one protecting you, just like before..."

Lin Xue shifted shyly, her lovely face flushing crimson. The icy aura around her vanished completely, replaced by a mixture of bashfulness, sweetness, and anticipation, but above all, deep satisfaction!

The onlookers stared, their eyes wide enough to pop out of their sockets. The scene was simply too shocking; they had never seen such an expression on Lin Xue’s face. Not only did she not struggle when Lin Xuan embraced her, but she leaned into his chest like a shy young woman, offering no resistance at all!

Everyone gasped. They couldn’t help but think: ’Could it be that Lin Yunlong and Lin Xue already have a thing going on?’

They recalled what Lin Xuan had said earlier—that Lin Xue was his woman, and anyone who wanted to touch her had to get through him first! It wasn’t a joke; it was the truth!

Lin Xuan then turned his gaze to Rao Longtian, his gentle expression turning cold. "She is my woman. I’m sorry, but you never stood a chance!"

He had wanted to say those words for a long time. But back when he was blind, he had lost the courage, feeling unworthy of Lin Xue. Now, believing he finally had the strength to deserve her and protect her, he could at last say them out loud!

This was a responsibility, a promise!

Lin Xue gazed at his resolute profile, her eyes hazy. Lin Xuan had always held a place in her heart; she had never once forgotten him. Now, as his masculine scent washed over her, she felt her heart begin to pound. She never imagined this day would come so soon.

The road to the Spirit Pill Stage was long and arduous, but she was determined to break through as fast as possible, cultivating day and night. She did it all to protect the Lin Family and to find a cure for Lin Xuan’s eyes!

Now, perhaps that was no longer necessary. He had even forged a legendary path for himself. His soaring fighting spirit told her that Lin Xuan hadn’t changed.

"H-How is this possible? You’ve known each other all along! No wonder you kept rejecting me, you shameless pair!" Rao Longtian’s eyes were bloodshot, his rage reaching an unbearable peak. How could he tolerate some Inner Hall trash winning over Lin Xue?

Immediately, his aura surged. The surrounding Power of Heaven and Earth was rapidly pulled toward him and absorbed into his body, causing his already formidable aura to rise even further.

Lin Xue’s expression changed. She quickly moved out of Lin Xuan’s embrace, stepped in front of him, and said coldly, "Show some respect. If you insist on fighting, don’t blame me for being merciless! Forcing a duel will result in severe punishment!"

She didn’t think Lin Xuan could defeat Rao Longtian. The latter was an expert at the Second Layer of the Essence Pill Stage, while Lin Xuan was only at the Eighth Layer of the Spirit Refining Stage. The gap was simply too vast.

"This is just a friendly spar!" Rao Longtian had already gone mad. His eyes bloodshot, he stared at Lin Xuan and snarled through clenched teeth, "You coward! All you know is how to hide behind a woman. If you have any guts, step out and face me!"

The onlookers couldn’t help but roll their eyes. Zheng Hua was filled with utter contempt. ’Challenging a Cultivator at the Eighth Layer of the Spirit Refining Stage to a fight?’ he thought. ’He must be out of his mind. How could he have the gall to suggest a duel with such a massive power gap? Has he no shame at all? This is what happens when embarrassment turns to rage—you lose all reason and become capable of anything.’

Under normal circumstances, a spar required the consent of both parties. If Lin Xuan agreed, the Elders wouldn’t intervene even if he got injured, as long as it wasn’t fatal.

At this moment, Lin Xuan gently moved to stand in front of Lin Xue. A confident smile appeared on his face as he said, "Is that so? Then I accept your request. To deal with you, I only need one move."

Yes, against an opponent who could manipulate the Power of Heaven and Earth, one move was truly enough!