Soul Emperor Awakening

Their bloodline was both their greatest strength and their greatest weakness. The Lin Family’s bloodline was like that of a Divine Beast, coveted by all who wished to absorb it. It was a terrifying fate, born from an utterly monstrous deed. And yet, they had done it—specifically targeting the purest members of the main family, people like Lin Xuan.

As for the others like Lin Xue, they had no Bloodline Power to speak of, or at least a negligible amount. If it had been useful, the entire Lin Family would have been wiped out long ago.

They were surrounded by a Communication Shield, which blocked not only transmissions but also any physical escape. Destroying this barrier would require a significant amount of power.

But standing before them was Xu Qianlong, a Core Formation Stage expert. A true, physical Core Formation Stage expert, not just a disembodied soul. He was on a level far beyond what they could ever hope to match.

"Have you thought it over? I advise you to choose the first option. If you become my slave, I guarantee the Lin Family will face no trouble. They will even prosper, and I will ensure your family line continues. At the same time, I will also help you raise your Cultivation. What a wonderful deal. All you need to do is provide me with your Bloodline Power." Xu Qianlong smiled faintly, his gaze on Lin Xuan like a predator eyeing a prize slab of meat.

’After nurturing him for so long, he’s finally matured, and his Bloodline Power has reached a decent level. Absorbing it will be of immense benefit to me.’ Xu Qianlong’s Cultivation had hit a bottleneck. If he absorbed this Bloodline Power, he might be able to achieve a breakthrough.

If he didn’t break through soon, he would truly die of old age. For a powerful expert, this was an absolute nightmare. Xu Qianlong, of course, did not want to die, nor did he want to relinquish his power. He wanted to maintain this feeling of absolute dominion forever.

But reality was cruel. When one’s Cultivation was hard to advance, one’s lifespan was hard to extend. That was why he had immediately chosen to "protect" Lin Xuan after discovering his identity—all to raise him slowly like livestock. Who would have thought there’d be a small accident along the way, and Lin Xuan would be blinded? That had been a definite blow to his plans.

It was impossible for him to destroy the Lin Family personally, so he could only secretly manipulate the Eldest Prince to do it for him. But who would have known that Lin Xuan’s performance would become more and more astonishing afterward? Even when he changed his name, it was easy to investigate his true identity.

This Empire belonged to Xu Qianlong, after all, so discovering Lin Xuan’s identity was nothing difficult. Though Lin Xuan’s Bloodline Power hadn’t fully matured, Xu Qianlong really couldn’t wait any longer. This time, under the false pretense of a summons, he personally intercepted Lin Xuan on his way to the Imperial Palace!

It was the perfect opportunity. At least, for now, it seemed utterly flawless.

"Is there no third option?" Lin Xuan asked, his face grim. He didn’t want to choose either of the first two.

"There is a third option. And that is to become my slave!" Xu Qianlong’s gaze shifted to Liu Yue’Er beside him, and he added with a faint smile, "The same goes for her. If you want to live, sign this Slave Contract for me. Consider it my gift to you. Then, when you bear children, if their Bloodline Power is pure enough..."

Xu Qianlong let out a savage grin. So that was his intention. No wonder he wanted to let Liu Yue’Er live. A Slave Contract couldn’t be signed unilaterally if the other party was unwilling, so it couldn’t be done by force. Some people, desperate to live, could only bite the bullet and become slaves. From then on, their lives would not be their own—a fate worse than death.

BOOM!

The moment his voice fell, the power of the Phoenix erupted, slamming forcefully against the isolation barrier. A single, ultimate strike from the Peak of Essence Pill Stage actually managed to put a hairline crack in the Communication Shield!

Xu Qianlong’s expression changed. He hadn’t expected Lin Xuan to make such a choice, and it infuriated him. "You’re courting death!"

He launched an attack, but instead of targeting Lin Xuan, his figure flashed and appeared directly beside the Phoenix. With a gentle wave of his hand, a red light enveloped the creature, immobilizing it completely. The next moment, with a loud POP, the entire Phoenix exploded, turning into a cloud of dust that scattered in the air.

’It’s not a real Phoenix? Could this be some advanced Puppetry Technique?’ Xu Qianlong was stunned. He had originally intended to forcefully absorb the Phoenix’s Essence Blood, but it had exploded the moment he tried. All it gave him was a surge of pure Elemental Power.

It was incredibly easy. In the blink of an eye, Xu Qianlong had destroyed an Essence Pill Stage Level Phoenix, which had offered almost no resistance. This was a complete and utter rout.

"It seems you won’t cooperate. In that case, I’ll have to use the second method: turn you into a Puppet!" Xu Qianlong sneered. With a flash, he was beside Lin Xuan, and with a gentle wave of his hand, a red light enveloped him.

Lin Xuan truly had no time to react. The speed was simply too fast. He had just been about to use Soul Possession when the red light enveloped him. A stream of red Energy surged into his body and began to seal his meridians, seeking to completely control his body without causing any damage.

Xu Qianlong would certainly not harm Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan was his personal blood bank; he couldn’t afford to waste even a single drop.

"Don’t you dare touch him!" Liu Yue’Er roared. A golden light flashed from her entire body as Golden Dragon Scales materialized on her skin. She unleashed the full might of her Golden Dragon Power. The incredibly thick Golden Dragon Scales far surpassed the effect Lin Xuan had displayed. This was a true Golden Dragon Body!

The moment her transformation was complete, she viciously swung a fist downward. A golden radiance flashed from her hand as she smashed it toward Xu Qianlong.

Faced with this sudden change, Xu Qianlong merely raised his hand, releasing a similar red mist that swept toward her. But the moment the red mist appeared, it was dispersed by a golden gleam. At the same time, her fist continued on its path, smashing toward Xu Qianlong’s body.

Xu Qianlong could only raise his hand to block, but Liu Yue’Er’s punch was incredibly tyrannical, instantly exploding with the force of a million jin—a Heaven-Defying and monstrously powerful blow. With a loud BANG, Xu Qianlong was sent flying backward. The red light controlling Lin Xuan vanished at the same time. As his palm took the heavy blow, Xu Qianlong felt as if the bones in his hand were about to shatter.

What incredible, raw power was needed to achieve such a feat!

"The Golden Dragon King... I never expected you to be a child of the Golden Dragon King. This is wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! Absorbing your power will definitely boost my own Bloodline Power!" Far from being angry, Xu Qianlong was ecstatic.

He hadn’t known that Liu Yue’Er was a descendant of the Golden Dragon King, but now that she had unleashed her full power, he knew instantly. Now, Liu Yue’Er had also become one of his targets for absorption!

"Dual Soul, Maximum Fusion!"

Seizing the opportunity, Lin Xuan roared. The Soul Pearl in his body began to spin madly as two Core Formation Stage souls instantly possessed him. His terrifying aura immediately eclipsed Xu Qianlong’s—in fact, it completely overwhelmed it! However, his actual power was still far inferior to Xu Qianlong’s.

Following this, a colossal Staff Martial Intent materialized. Lin Xuan thrust violently toward the sky, and the giant Staff Martial Intent followed, striking outward with a force that could shake mountains and rivers!

BOOM!

Under the heavy blow, which landed on the exact spot the Phoenix had previously attacked, the Communication Shield shattered with a deafening CRASH!

In that instant, Lin Xuan crushed the Communication Jade in his hand, sending out a distress signal.