Soul Emperor Awakening

The appearance of the nine Ice and Snow Badges proved Lin Xuan had successfully completed the mission, silencing every Demon Cultivator who had denied him. Who said a Reincarnation Level mission was impossible? Lin Xuan had just done it.

Lin Xuan glanced at them but said nothing. He turned and dragged his battered body toward the nearby Recovery Chamber, not bothering with whatever they had to say. He was severely injured and needed to recuperate; everything else could wait.

"Nine Ice and Snow Badges… He's shot straight from the Sixth Layer to the Ninth! He doesn't even need to challenge anyone to get there. It's unbelievable! I've been here for so long and only have seven Ice and Snow Badges, yet he already has nine…"

"I've been here even longer, and I just barely managed to get eight badges. He hasn't even been here for half a year, and he's already on the Ninth Layer… If he keeps this up, is he going to become the next City Lord?"

"Th-That's actually possible… By the way, I wonder if what Mo Qianyun said earlier still holds true?"

...

One Demon Cultivator brought up a crucial point. Lin Xuan obtaining nine Ice and Snow Badges was astounding, but it didn't have much to do with most of them. It did, however, matter to those who had placed bets. They thought they were guaranteed to lose, but the tables had turned, making the Zhuang Family grin from ear to ear. They had expected a loss, but it turned out to be a win after all!

Beyond that, the most critical issue was Mo Qianyun. Before Lin Xuan had entered, Mo Qianyun had declared that if Lin Xuan emerged successfully, he would hand over the position of Sixth Layer Floor Master. Now that Lin Xuan was truly back, would he really hand over the position?

Mo Qianyun's expression was grim. Without saying a single word, he turned and left, not lingering for a moment longer.

This left the crowd of Demon Cultivators staring at one another, wondering if he would actually relinquish his position. Since he hadn't made any kind of oath, he wouldn't face any punishment for going back on his word. If he did renege, it would only prove that Mo Qianyun was a man who couldn't be trusted.

Whatever the final outcome, they could only watch from the sidelines. It had nothing to do with them. Many of the Demon Cultivators were envious of how quickly Lin Xuan had acquired the Ice and Snow Badges, but they weren't jealous. The rewards were there for the taking; if they succeeded in the challenges, they too could receive such treatment.

While the number of badges capped at ten, that didn't mean one's power stopped growing; the Energy Value would still increase. It just meant that at that point, you'd become a juicy target. Right now, Lin Xuan was an enormous juicy target, an irresistible temptation for the Black Dragon Race.

Several days passed in a flash. When Lin Xuan finally emerged from the Recovery Chamber, his entire aura was so perfectly restrained that none of the Demon Cultivators could discern his level of Cultivation. After that great battle, Lin Xuan's Cultivation had broken through once more, leaping from the Sixth Layer of the Essence Pill Stage to the Seventh Layer!

His breakthrough speed was staggering, but the price he'd paid was equally immense. He had fought one hundred consecutive opponents, each one in the later stages being more formidable than the last. With a bloodline that used combat to trigger breakthroughs, how could his Cultivation possibly fail to advance?

'It's time to collect what's mine. Someone's offering up the position of Floor Master, so why shouldn't I take it?'

A faint smile on his face, Lin Xuan walked toward the arena in the Floor Master's palace. His appearance immediately drew the attention of the numerous Demon Cultivators, especially since he was heading straight for the palace.

The Demon Cultivators quickly spread the word, telling their companions to come and see what was about to unfold.

When he stepped into the Floor Master's palace, he immediately saw Mo Qianyun seated on the Floor Master's throne, looking down on him. A cold light glinted in his Snake Eyes as they fixed on the entering Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan didn't waste any time. He stepped onto the arena and declared, "You said it yourself. If I successfully completed the Reincarnation Level mission, you would hand over the Floor Master position. Now, I wonder, are you willing to make good on that promise?"

He wasn't afraid that Mo Qianyun would refuse the fight. As the current Floor Master of the Fifth Layer, he had the right to issue one mandatory challenge to the Floor Master of the Sixth Layer. There was no way for Mo Qianyun to decline.

Mo Qianyun leaped from his throne, landing steadily on the arena. The protective barrier around it shimmered to life, signaling the start of the challenge. At this point, Mo Qianyun could still concede. If he did, the Floor Master position would become Lin Xuan's.

But instead, he retrieved a Snake-shaped Soft Sword from his Storage Ring. It looked much like the one Mo Qianji had wielded, but this one was Divine Artifact Level.

FWOOSH!

The Yulan Sacred Fire erupted from his arm, and the icy flame caused the temperature in the arena to plummet. As the Floor Master of the Sixth Layer, he possessed a grand total of eight badges! His Yulan Sacred Fire was incredibly potent, easily dozens of times stronger than the one Xiong Ba had displayed.

If Xiong Ba's Yulan Sacred Fire was a match flame, then Mo Qianyun's was a blazing torch. Beyond that, the Sacred Fire clung to his body, drawing the surrounding Ice Elemental Power into him and manifesting as a layer of solid Ice Armor on his skin.

This was an advanced application of the Yulan Sacred Fire, an effect that would only manifest with the ninth badge. By this point, the Yulan Sacred Fire had completely fused with his body. If he were to give up or lose his Ice and Snow Energy now, he would be unable to fully unleash its power.

Mo Qianyun only had eight badges, but as a Floor Master, he received a bonus that allowed him to wield the Yulan Sacred Fire at a level equivalent to a Demon Cultivator on the Ninth Layer.

No wonder the Black Dragon Race had only sent members from the Eighth Layer or below to deal with Lin Xuan. If cultivators from higher levels were to lower their badge count, their insufficient Yulan Sacred Fire would prevent them from unleashing its true power.

In the later stages, the true difference between cultivators lay in their application of the Yulan Sacred Fire and their personal combat skills. Their Cultivations were all at the Peak of the Essence Pill Stage; it was difficult to strengthen themselves any further. They had already reached the limit, unless they could achieve another breakthrough in their Cultivation.

Someone at the Peak of the Essence Pill Stage might be able to fight a cultivator at the second or third layer of the Spirit Pill Stage, but they could never defeat an expert at the fourth or fifth layer. No amount of time spent here would change that. Consuming Spirit Medicine or using other methods to forcibly boost one's strength was equally useless.

The body has its limits; once a certain point is reached, it becomes incredibly difficult to break through. Only by advancing one's Cultivation can a true qualitative leap be made. It's like trading a bucket for a cistern—only then can you hold more water.

"It seems there's no room for negotiation. I never thought the Floor Master of the Sixth Layer would be so shameless as to go back on his word," Lin Xuan said with a smile. 'With an aura and flames like that, who would believe he's about to surrender?'

"A joke!" Mo Qianyun sneered. "I worked my ass off for this position. If I just let you take it, how could I ever show my face again? You passed the King's Purgatory, did you? We'll see just how strong you really are, and whether you're truly qualified to take this seat. If you're not… you die!"

Mo Qianyun going back on his word didn't surprise Lin Xuan in the least. He knew that if he were in the same position, he wouldn't have handed over the seat either—not when his opponent was the man who had killed his brother. Who would ever do that?

"Don't worry," Lin Xuan said as he brought out the Chi Dragon Heavens Rod. A faint, confident smile remained on his face. "I am far more qualified for this seat than you will ever be!"

He hadn't just survived the King's Purgatory—he had gained immense insight!