Soul Emperor Awakening

Another one-hit kill, executed with no difficulty whatsoever. It was even more domineering and ferocious than before. He hadn’t moved from his spot—he hadn’t even let go of Lin Xue’s hand—when a phantom image rushed forward. All anyone saw was a giant, somewhat transparent humanoid figure charging over.

Its outline was clear, looking like an enlarged version of Lin Xuan. After hitting Rao Longtian, the Martial Intent dissipated. This kind of attack was a one-shot deal; once used, its energy was completely expended and it would naturally disappear.

Such domineering strength left them dumbfounded. After half a year, Lin Xuan had become much stronger—worlds stronger than before. They had originally thought that even if Lin Xuan won, it wouldn’t be so easy. ’As long as he can’t use the Power of Heaven and Earth, what advantage does Lin Xuan have?’

Now they knew they were wrong. He had plenty of advantages. He hadn’t used the Power of Heaven and Earth at all, but instead had drawn upon a form of energy they had never seen before!

They had never encountered Martial Intent, so they didn’t realize this was a use of Spiritual Power. A person possessed three types of power: Spiritual Power, physical strength, and Elemental Power. Theoretically, physical strength and Elemental Power were somewhat overlapping, yet they could be separated. Without using Elemental Power, one could smash anything with pure physical strength alone.

However, if one’s physical strength was exhausted, it was difficult to use Elemental Power. After all, if you couldn’t even move, how could you launch an attack with Elemental Power?

Spiritual Power didn’t have as many restrictions. Even if you were sent flying, you could still launch a Spiritual Attack! Most importantly, knowing how to utilize Spiritual Power was like having two separate energy reserves. When one was nearly depleted, you could use the other.

This was exactly Lin Xuan’s situation. Many people didn’t know how to use their Spiritual Power, at most employing it to carve inscriptions—an immense waste. Therefore, the moment he had first encountered Martial Intent, he knew it could make him much stronger.

Facts proved him right. After developing his Spiritual Power, as long as the difference in Cultivation wasn’t too great, escaping would be no problem at all. He could use a Spiritual Attack—namely, Martial Intent.

However, Martial Intent was just one type of Spiritual Attack. There were no specific training methods for Spiritual Attacks available here. That wasn’t to say such methods didn’t exist, just that they couldn’t be found in this place.

"Brother Lin, you’re amazing!" Lin Xue’s eyes widened, this scene having far exceeded her expectations.

"This is nothing. You’ll be able to learn it too in the future." Lin Xuan said with a faint smile. He swept his gaze over the crowd and declared, "If anyone else has a problem with me, feel free to step forward. I’ll take you all on!"

The entire area fell silent. Not a single person dared to object. The truly powerful Core Disciples were not present, so no one else was going to step out and challenge him.

Upon seeing this, the members of the Genius Sect quickly rushed off to inform their own people. Likewise, members of the Inner Hall Sect hurried back to report to their companions.

As for Rao Longtian, when he was dragged away, they discovered many of his bones had been shattered. He was practically crippled. It would take him at least half a year to recover. After this incident, he would surely never dare to provoke Lin Xuan again—not that he would have the ability to, anyway.

As they neared the house where Qing Piaoyun was in seclusion, Lin Xuan told Lin Xue to return to her own master, saying he would handle things here alone. Lin Xue nodded and turned to leave.

Lin Xuan collected his thoughts and headed toward Qing Piaoyun’s residence. Stepping into the courtyard, he found an elegant and refreshing environment. It was surrounded by a small bamboo grove, with a small pavilion and a fishpond to the side. It all looked rather ordinary, yet its simplicity gave it a tranquil feel.

He glanced around, then walked to the center of the courtyard. Cupping his fists, he announced in a clear voice, "Disciple Yunlong has returned safely from the Demon Cloud Sea. I have made Master worry!"

The words had barely left his mouth when—BANG!—the front door flew open. Qing Piaoyun emerged, his hair disheveled, looking as if he had just woken up.

When he saw Lin Xuan, a bit of light finally returned to his eyes. But with his untidy appearance, he looked nothing like an Elder. His face was much more haggard than before. Even the strong could become haggard; if one’s Heart Spirit was in turmoil, it could easily affect their Cultivation.

"This disciple has been remiss and made you worry, Master!" Seeing Qing Piaoyun’s expression, Lin Xuan knew his master had worried a great deal for him. He had truly caused him concern.

"Follow me!" Qing Piaoyun uttered two words, then executed the Cyan Cloud Step and vanished. The next moment, he reappeared behind Lin Xuan. After waiting for a brief moment, he continued drifting forward with the Cyan Cloud Step, though his speed was much slower than usual. This was to accommodate Lin Xuan; if he moved at full speed, there was no way Lin Xuan could keep up.

Lin Xuan was startled. ’Where is he taking me?’ He was puzzled, but he still used the Cyan Cloud Step to quickly follow.

Following Qing Piaoyun’s lead, they arrived at a tall mountain beside the Core Hall. Lin Xuan stayed close behind him the entire way. He wasn’t sure how much of his full speed Qing Piaoyun was using, but Lin Xuan himself could barely keep up. Unless he used Soul Possession, it would be difficult for him to keep pace with the Cyan Cloud Step alone.

Soon, they reached the summit. When he arrived, he was surprised to find a small hut hidden in the woods, completely invisible from the base of the mountain. The hut looked ancient but had clearly been repaired many times. On the hard, rocky ground near the hut, Lin Xuan saw numerous footprints embedded in the stone.

According to the memories from Qing Liuyun, he realized that this humble hut was where Qing Liuyun had lived. The footprints on the ground were all made by him! Without using any Elemental Power, he had simply practiced and refined the Cyan Cloud Step here. This was the very birthplace of the technique!

CREAK...

The hut’s door opened, and a familiar, graceful figure walked out. Lin Xuan was surprised to see it was Qing Yiyi.

Qing Yiyi was stunned for a moment when she saw Lin Xuan, then she offered a calm smile. "Lin Yunlong, I knew you wouldn’t die so easily... Fifth Elder, it seems you have made your decision."

’Made his decision?’

Lin Xuan stood to the side, confused. He had no idea what riddle they were speaking of, yet Qing Yiyi clearly did.

"Yes, I have made my decision." Qing Piaoyun clasped his hands behind his back and turned to face Lin Xuan. A strong gust of wind swept by, whipping his hair into the air and giving him the profound air of an immortal.

"Master, this disciple doesn’t understand what you’re talking about. Could you please explain?" Lin Xuan asked.

"This decision is about something I have been pondering for the last six months, during your absence," Qing Piaoyun said calmly. "And that is this: today, you and I, master and disciple, shall have a duel!"

"A duel?!" Lin Xuan was stunned. He never imagined Qing Piaoyun would make such a request.

This was a duel between a master and his disciple!