Soul Emperor Awakening

After Lin Xuan and Liu Yue’Er vanished, Xu Qianlong went completely berserk. He didn’t know where the Teleportation Array led, but he knew it would be difficult to find them now. For one, he had no idea where they had been teleported. For another, even if he did know their destination, he wouldn’t be able to find them.

As long as Lin Xuan wasn’t in the Soaring Dragon Empire and was in someone else’s territory instead, Xu Qianlong would never be able to find him, no matter what resources he deployed. Not unless Lin Xuan delivered himself to his doorstep.

"They actually got away! Damn it! AAAAARGH!" Xu Qianlong began to frantically attack the Bone Dragon Ruins, causing the entire structure to tremble. Under his furious bombardment, most of the buildings were blasted from a state of ruin into utter rubble.

As for the Cultivators who were already heavily injured, they were now well and truly dead. In their final moments of consciousness, they finally understood that those who had stayed outside had been right. Lin Xuan hadn’t been lying—he had been telling the truth!

Unfortunately, they would never have a chance to feel regret. It was true that one must seek their own opportunities, but ignoring the advice of others would only lead to death.

Besides, even if Xu Qianlong hadn’t appeared and they had been allowed to enter, the final result would have been the same: death. The other side was the Demon Race Continent. The opportunities there were far greater than on the human continent, and the resources were incredibly abundant—but only if one had the necessary strength!

Without strength, one could never hope to capitalize on any opportunity, no matter how great. If a person only thought of finding windfalls to raise their Cultivation, without putting in the effort to grow stronger on their own, they were certain to die on the road to seeking their fortune. No one’s luck was so Heaven-Defying that they could succeed without strength to back it up.

"To think that all my hard work was for nothing!" Xu Qianlong’s eyes were bloodshot as he snorted coldly. "Since you’ve escaped, I’ll just have to destroy your Lin Family and kill everyone connected to you!"

He was incandescent with rage. Since Lin Xuan was gone, he would vent his fury on the Lin Family.

After venting his rage, Xu Qianlong stormed out. With a flick of his hand, he unleashed a terrifying blast of Elemental Power. A massive explosion followed, and more than half of the Bone Dragon Ruins collapsed! The people hiding outside were drenched in cold sweat when they saw this. They were thankful they had listened to Lin Xuan and stayed out; otherwise, they would have been dead for sure.

"Who on earth did that Lin Yunlong provoke? How could such a powerful expert be hunting him?"

"Heaven only knows. Let’s get out of here. What if he turns around and comes back for us..."

...

The Cultivators who had escaped with their lives fled, their bodies trembling. They would never dare to approach this place again. Besides, seeing that the Bone Dragon Ruins had collapsed, it would be difficult to even think about exploring inside anymore.

Upon his return, Xu Qianlong immediately launched a swift and decisive campaign. Qing Yunfeng cooperated fully, publicly announcing that "Lin Yunlong" was actually a disciple of the Lin Family, and his real name was Lin Xuan!

The announcement stated that because he had provoked a Super Race, Lin Xuan had brought immense losses upon Qingcheng Mansion. Qing Piaoyun and Qing Piaoxue had been killed, and Mansion Master Qing Deyun’s whereabouts were unknown. In light of this, Qing Yunfeng was immediately assuming the position of Mansion Master!

The news sent shockwaves through the entire Empire. Lin Yunlong’s real name was Lin Xuan, and he was a member of the Lin Family. The specific name itself was irrelevant; the fact that he was from the Lin Family was the truly crucial piece of information.

No one had expected the Lin Family to produce two great geniuses, with Lin Xuan being a genius among geniuses. But who could have known he would provoke a Super Race, leading to a devastating blow for Qingcheng Mansion? As for the Lin Family, its members seemed to have vanished into thin air, and no one knew where they had gone into hiding.

The Lin Family’s disappearance only lent more credibility to Qing Yunfeng’s announcement. Besides, nobody thought he would lie about such matters. After all, several Elders and the Mansion Master himself had vanished—how could anyone fake that?

Qing Yunfeng also issued a continent-wide warrant for Lin Xuan’s arrest. The official reasoning was that Lin Xuan had attracted a powerful enemy, bringing a devastating blow upon Qingcheng Mansion. Furthermore, it was claimed his joining the Mansion had been a conspiracy all along, intended to use Qingcheng Mansion as a shield. Therefore, he had to be captured and brought to justice.

The issuance of this warrant was an unexpected turn of events for many. In a matter of days, the number one genius of Qingcheng Mansion had become its most wanted fugitive—a truly lamentable fate. This also affected the interests of many people, with Zi Yi of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion being hit the hardest. Just as she had decided to elevate Lin Xuan to a position of utmost importance, this catastrophe had struck!

Instead of rising, Zi Yi’s status plummeted. Fortunately, she wasn’t cast out and was allowed to keep her post at the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, but her standing was a far cry from what it once was. After all, Lin Xuan had offended Qingcheng Mansion. Since the Mansion was hostile toward him, the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion immediately announced that all its branches would participate in the manhunt for Lin Xuan!

With no profit to be made, no one would continue to protect Lin Xuan, and the Third Prince was no exception. This sudden collapse dealt a massive blow to the Prince. He had thought the throne was within his grasp, but now his prize had been snatched right from under his nose!

Little did any of the Princes know, Xu Qianlong had never intended to give up the throne. He only wanted to create the illusion of a struggle for it.

Regardless, Lin Xuan had become a legend—one who had experienced a meteoric rise and an equally swift fall. Provoking a Super Race meant certain death; talent was useless in the face of such power, unless one was strong enough to be considered Heaven-Defying.

「Within the Lin Family.」

In a remote mountain cave where the Lin Family disciples had been relocated, many were deeply shocked to learn that Lin Yunlong was, in fact, the blind Lin Xuan from before. But more than shock, they felt resentment!

"I can’t believe that blind Lin Xuan is Lin Yunlong... and he’s the family’s Young Master, no less. This is just unbelievable, isn’t it?"

"So what if he’s the Young Master? He’s the one who forced us to hide here, unable to ever go out again! And who knows when Qingcheng Mansion will come to slaughter us!"

"That’s right, we’re doomed! We’ve provoked Qingcheng Mansion, there’s no way we’ll survive!"

...

Many of the disciples were deeply dissatisfied with Lin Xuan. They were shocked, to be sure, but their own safety was a far greater concern. What did his strength matter to them? It wasn’t like they saw so much as half a Primordial Stone from it. They were trapped here now, living in constant terror, not knowing when Qingcheng Mansion might find them. Each day felt as long as a year.

"Shut up!" one of the Elders roared. "What do any of you know besides how to whine and blame others? If it weren’t for Lin Xue and Lin Xuan, our Lin Family would have been devoured by the Fang and Huang Families long ago! You should count yourselves incredibly lucky just to be alive!"

Chastened by the Elder’s roar, the disciples all lowered their heads. As the lowest-ranking members, they didn’t bear the burdens of the family’s leadership; at the slightest provocation, they would start to whine and cast blame, never thinking about the deeper implications.

If it weren’t for the high status of Lin Xuan and Lin Xue, they really would have been finished long ago.

"I hope the Young Master is safe..." Lin Feng sighed deeply. All he could do now was pray.

...

「On the Demon Race Continent, in a remote mountain cave.」

’My injuries have finally healed. Now, I need to head north. If all goes well, I should be able to meet up with Yue’Er.’ Lin Xuan’s eyes shone with determination. All trace of confusion was gone, replaced by unwavering resolve.

’Blind rage won’t help me advance. Only by obtaining greater power—or by borrowing the power of others—can I get my revenge!’