Soul Emperor Awakening

Lin Xuan might not have been the fastest to be promoted to Core Disciple, but he was definitely the first Core Disciple in history to challenge an Elder of Qingcheng Mansion! What’s more, he had just arrived and immediately picked a fight with Qingcheng Mansion’s Third Elder. It was hard to say if anyone would be so bold in the future, but for now, his audacity was unprecedented.

"Heavens, has this Lin Yunlong gone mad? He just finished challenging Rao Longtian, and now he’s challenging the Third Elder. They’re not even in the same league!"

"Does he actually think he can beat the Third Elder? If he could really beat her, he’d be the Third Elder himself!"

"I don’t know how Lin Yunlong is going to get out of this. All I can say is, what an idiot!"

...

After the crowd recovered from their shock, they all gasped, looking at him as if he were an idiot. Challenging someone of a higher Level was one thing, but a fight that crossed two Great Realms? The outcome was a foregone conclusion—he was guaranteed to lose. Qing Piaoxue could probably crush him with a single finger.

Even Rao Longtian, who was standing nearby, looked at him as if he were an idiot. He thought Lin Xuan had let it all go to his head; once his temper flared, he’d dare to challenge anyone. If he acted like this out in the world, he wouldn’t even know what hit him. So reckless!

Was Lin Xuan being reckless? Yes, he was very reckless. It was the wrong decision. But he couldn’t just swallow his anger and stay silent after seeing his woman injured. Others might be able to, but he couldn’t.

"Challenge me? You actually have the nerve to say that!" Qing Piaoxue’s face was ashen. Ignoring the White Pupil Rod before her, she stared at Lin Xuan and said coldly, "I was going to let you go on account of you being the Fifth Elder’s disciple, plus Xue’Er’s pleading. And now you dare to challenge me! You’ve got some real nerve. The rumors outside say that you, Lin Yunlong, fear no one. Now I’ve truly seen it for myself. It’s not just that you fear no one—you’re actively seeking death!"

Lin Xue’s face went deathly pale. She never expected Lin Xuan to say such a thing. She hurriedly stepped forward to intervene. "Master, he’s just joking! Please, forgive him! This disciple is willing to return with you and be placed in confinement, for however long you deem necessary." She was on the verge of tears. They had only just reunited, and Lin Xuan had already caused such a huge problem. It was just too reckless.

But sometimes, when a man acts recklessly for the woman he loves, isn’t that in itself a display of courage? No one is perfectly rational all the time. When someone is perfectly rational about everything, it’s actually quite pathetic.

It’s like encountering a thug. Under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t be able to win a fight, and you might even risk your life. But who would just stand by and watch their woman be assaulted? Fighting back might get you killed, but not fighting back means watching your woman be violated. Anyone with a backbone would choose to fight for their life!

Lin Xuan’s current mood was much the same. Lin Xue’s body was covered in scars. He didn’t know what kind of harsh Cultivation she must have endured to end up in this state. Under normal Cultivation, as long as you weren’t getting beaten, this kind of situation wouldn’t occur. After all, a Cultivator’s physique was far superior to that of an ordinary person.

For even a Cultivator’s body to sustain such injuries, it was clear her Cultivation was not simple, but also very dangerous.

"Pleading is useless now. You have thoroughly enraged me. If I don’t teach you a lesson, how can I maintain my standing in Qingcheng Mansion!"

Qing Piaoxue’s aura surged, and a frigid energy spread out in all directions. It seemed to form an Ice Domain in the area, causing many Cultivators to instinctively retreat while rubbing their arms. Even they were affected by the cold.

"Then let’s see you try. I won’t stand by and watch my woman get hurt. No matter who harms her, I won’t let them go. No matter who it is!"

Lin Xuan’s gaze was sharp. He didn’t regret his decision. He took a step forward, holding the White Pupil Rod, looking like a king surveying his domain, fearless!

Qing Piaoxue was taken aback. Seeing his determined expression, her aura actually receded for a moment, but it immediately flared out again. She sneered, "A fine ’no matter who it is.’ You talk big. Considering you’re a junior, you only need to withstand three of my moves. If you can take all three moves, I’ll drop the matter entirely! And I will approve of you two meeting, as long as you don’t cross any lines!"

"If you can’t, then you will pay the price for your words and actions. You will not be allowed to see Xue’Er for the rest of your life, and for the next half a year, you are forbidden from entering the Core Hall!"

It was a severe punishment. Being unable to enter the Core Hall... how was that any different from not being a Core Disciple at all?

"If I can’t take them, I’m willing to accept the latter punishment, but forbidding me from seeing Xue’Er is not something you, Third Elder, have the power to do!" Lin Xuan didn’t back down an inch, sneering, "Besides, I don’t believe for a second that I can’t take these three moves. If I can’t even withstand three moves, what right do I have to talk about protecting my woman!"

"Brother Xuan, don’t... You’ll get hurt. Just like before... I’m scared, I’m really scared..." Lin Xue grabbed Lin Xuan’s hand, her eyes red-rimmed. Her voice choked with sobs as she shook her head. "As long as I keep pleading, it’ll be fine! Master will be willing to listen to my explanation..." She never thought things would escalate to this point. Everything had changed too quickly.

Just then, Lin Xuan took a piece of cloth from his Storage Space. Embroidered on it was the message, "Wait for me"—the very words Lin Xue had stitched by hand. Lin Xuan had kept it safe all this time, waiting for the day he could take it out in front of her. Now, he finally had.

"This was the promise you made me, but I don’t need you to wait for me. Not for a single moment longer. If I just let you keep waiting, then what was the point of me entering the Core Hall?" A ball of Flame erupted in Lin Xuan’s hand, burning the strip of cloth to ash. He said with a determined gaze, "Trust me. Nothing will ever stand in your way again!"

With a gentle flick of his hand, he shook off the slender fingers gripping his arm. He turned resolutely and walked toward Qing Piaoxue, his White Pupil Rod held slanted at his side. At this moment, his figure stood protectively in front of Lin Xue, yet it brought her an incredible sense of peace. She didn’t know what exactly Lin Xuan had experienced all these years.

’But I know that while he was blind, Lin Xuan endured many trials. The struggle in the darkness was enough to benefit him for a lifetime! Only by experiencing true despair can one understand true hope!’

"Godslaying Domain, full release!"

Lin Xuan let out a low roar. In that instant, the soul of the God of Slaughter possessed him. A pillar of Killing Intent shot toward the heavens and erupted madly in all directions. He had never unleashed it so frenziedly before. Every last bit of the Killing Intent he had previously absorbed was released.

In a flash, the very ground seemed to be dyed red with blood. The effect spread rapidly outward, like a Hell on earth!

Lin Xuan looked up, his pupils already replaced by a crimson glow. A new generation’s God of Slaughter materialized before the crowd, causing them all to tremble uncontrollably. The Killing Intent was too terrifying.

The terrifying Godslaying Domain overlapped with Qing Piaoxue’s Domain, and the two immediately began to counteract each other. This would slightly weaken the effects of both. This was exactly the effect he wanted—to minimize the damage as much as possible.

"A little interesting. If you didn’t even have this much skill, you’d just be all talk." Qing Piaoxue’s eyes glinted. There was no Killing Intent in her gaze, but rather a different kind of interest.