Soul Emperor Awakening

Defeating Rao Longtian in a single move—the scene replayed in everyone’s minds, refusing to fade. What they had once seen as Lin Xuan’s arrogance was now clearly just their own ignorance.

Zheng Hua, who was aware of Lin Xuan’s strength, wasn’t too surprised, but he was still deeply shaken. ’If Ling Tian had done this,’ he thought, ’that battle would have ended long ago. No matter how strong the Power of Heaven and Earth, it’s as helpless as a chick before Lin Xuan, with no room to struggle.’

"Cough, cough... How is this possible..."

Rao Longtian slowly climbed up from the ground, coughing up a bit of blood. He struggled to rise; that single strike had been anything but light—it was incredibly heavy. The very fact that he could stand proved how formidable his physique was; anyone else would have been knocked unconscious long ago.

Once on his feet, his eyes were bloodshot, filled more with rage than shock. He had actually lost to a Cultivator at the Spirit Refining Stage—and one who had just come up from the Inner Hall! It was unforgivable!

His greatest pride was his Power of Heaven and Earth, but it was obvious that Lin Xuan could counter it with ease. Besides, he could barely continue the match. His entire body ached with unbearable pain. If he forced himself to keep fighting, his defeat would only be more humiliating.

"Nothing is impossible. There are just things you can’t imagine!" Lin Xuan snorted. It wasn’t that he went looking for trouble; more often than not, trouble came looking for him.

He had only just entered the Core Hall, and already someone had provoked him. Even if he hadn’t acted now, the other faction would have undoubtedly tried to suppress him in the future. The struggle between the two sides was never going to end that easily.

"I’ll kill you!" Rao Longtian roared, pulling an Elixir Pill from his Storage Space. The moment the crowd saw it, their expressions changed.

"Rao Longtian, if you dare to take that Elixir Pill, you will face severe punishment, even without us having to intervene!" Lin Xue said coolly from the side, her gaze turning to ice.

The Elixir Pill in Rao Longtian’s hand was a berserker-type pill. It could drastically increase one’s Cultivation for a short period, but the use of such pills was strictly forbidden in spars. For Rao Longtian to use it would be a clear violation.

Her icy tone made Rao Longtian hesitate. But when he saw the mocking gazes from the surrounding crowd, the rage in his heart threatened to shatter his reason. ’This is the height of shame! How can I endure this?’ But then again, what would he gain by winning? The price was expulsion from the Core Hall!

The Elders didn’t oppose competition, but they were dead set against such an extreme form of it. It was a reckless, life-endangering approach.

"Brother Xuan, are you alright...?" Lin Xue turned to Lin Xuan, looking him up and down, but saw no signs of injury.

What could be wrong with Lin Xuan? The most he had done was expend a little Elemental Power.

"What could happen to me? So, I didn’t disappoint you, did I?" Lin Xuan said with a faint smile that radiated boundless confidence.

Lin Xue looked at his smiling face and felt a blush creep up her cheeks. She remembered the words he had shouted earlier—his rough declaration that she was his woman. The thought filled her heart with a sweet warmth.

Just then, in full view of everyone, Lin Xuan wrapped his arm around Lin Xue, completely unconcerned.

"You silly girl, sneaking off to the Inner Hall," Lin Xuan said, his heart warming as he looked at the same Lin Xue he’d always known. "If you hadn’t left those two words, I would have thought you were ignoring me." He remembered the cloth strip embroidered with "Wait for me" and felt incredibly fortunate.

"How could I possibly...? Father said it was all for you. You’ve suffered so much all these years, but it was the only thing I could do. The only choice I had. Seeing you all alone in that little hut... I felt so awful, I really did..." Lin Xue’s eyes reddened as she buried her face in Lin Xuan’s chest and began to sob.

She had been watching over him all along; he just hadn’t been able to see her. Whether he was practicing his swordplay or eating his meals, she was always there, watching from the sidelines without making a sound.

Lin Feng had specifically instructed her not to approach Lin Xuan. The ordeal was destined to be painful. If Lin Xuan couldn’t even pass this test, how could he ever prove himself worthy of becoming the true Young Master of the Lin Family?

The burden Lin Xuan shouldered was far greater than what others had to bear. As long as the blood of the Lin Family flowed in his veins, that was a fact he could never change.

With this heartfelt confirmation, any lingering resentment in his heart vanished without a trace. Everything he had endured had been worth it!

Their shameless display of affection stirred pangs of jealousy in the onlookers. To be with Lin Xue meant gaining the benefits of her Ice Yin Body; dual cultivation with her would result in a massive leap in one’s own Cultivation! Why else would so many men pursue her? In this world, overwhelming strength was the ultimate rule!

Rao Longtian was so jealous it looked as if flames would erupt from his eyes, yet he didn’t dare swallow the Elixir Pill in his hand. If he did, he would undoubtedly be attacked by everyone present. Not only that, but he would also face the harshest punishment afterward. It really wasn’t worth the risk.

Just as he was about to say something, he looked up and saw a figure gliding toward them. His expression lit up with joy, and when he looked back at Lin Xuan, his eyes were filled with the gleam of vengeance!

"We respectfully welcome the Third Elder!" Rao Longtian announced loudly, his voice laced with malicious delight.

The moment he spoke, Lin Xue’s pretty face went deathly pale. She instantly pulled herself out of Lin Xuan’s arms and stood off to the side, not daring to remain in his embrace.

Lin Xuan froze. He looked up and saw an elegant woman gliding toward them. Her simple Body Technique seemed to contain a trace of the Great Dao itself, allowing her to merge seamlessly with the surrounding space. She was accompanied by waves of coldness, identical to the chill that had previously radiated from Lin Xue.

This was the Third Elder of Qingcheng Mansion—Lin Xue’s master!

"Xue’Er, what is the meaning of this?" Third Elder Qing Piaoxue’s expression was like frost. She had seen Lin Xuan and Lin Xue’s embrace, and her tone was utterly frigid. It was hard to tell if this was her natural disposition or if she was furious at what she had witnessed.

"Third Elder, they were shamelessly embracing right here in public! This Lin Yunlong even declared that Lin Xue is his woman, as if they were already married. I recall you specifically warning that anyone who dared to touch Lin Xue improperly would be severely punished, is that not so?" Rao Longtian fanned the flames from the side, adding as much fuel to the fire as he possibly could.

Qing Piaoxue’s face grew even colder. She had witnessed the scene herself, so she knew he wasn’t making things up.

"Lin Yunlong... So you’re Lin Yunlong," Qing Piaoxue said, her cold gaze fixed on Lin Xuan. "To think that you’ve only just become a Core Disciple, and you already dare to lay your hands on my disciple. You truly have some nerve! I will give you one chance to explain yourself. If your explanation is not to my satisfaction, I won’t mind teaching you a lesson!"

"What is there to explain? Xue’Er is my woman. Is there a problem with us being affectionate?"

’Others might be afraid of her, but I’m not. I’ll just tell her the truth!’ he thought. ’Judging by her expression, this woman won’t let any man near Lin Xue. Anyone who tries will get a harsh lesson. But Xue’Er is my woman—why can’t I touch her?’

’Especially after she interrupted our reunion. We finally had a chance to talk, and she just had to cut in.’ The thought stoked the flames of his anger even higher.