The Prodigies War

Despite being grief-stricken, Ji Leng quickly regained his composure.

He was, after all, an ‘old-timer’ with many years of experience in the Ancient Nebula Underworld. After regaining control, the first thing he did was apologize to Lin Xun.

In a sorrowful and pained voice, he said, "Dao Friend, I thought the plan would go smoothly and never imagined that I would be tricked by that trashy old bastard Daoist Croc. I...will stake my life on the line in order to buy you a chance at survival!"

Lin Xun’s expression remained impassive. He merely glanced at Ji Leng and nonchalantly declared, "You will pay the price for your actions."

Ji Leng's expression momentarily stiffened before fluctuating indeterminately like a flickering flame. In the end, he gritted his teeth and turned to Daoist Croc. "I admit defeat. Kill me or chop me up, it's up to you, but can you let this Dao Friend go?"

Daoist Croc displayed a clearly superficial smile and said, "Do you think...that’s possible?"

The others also sneered.

"Then I have no choice but to fight."

Ji Leng took a deep breath, looked at Jin Die's mangled remains, and murmured, "Maybe it's better to die. At least I won’t have to suffer anymore in this god forsaken Ancient Nebula Underworld..."

Dong Jinrong shouted, "Ji Leng, stop with your phoney act! Everyone knows that you are full of tricks and have a glib tongue but you won’t be able to escape death no matter what you say today!"

Daoist Croc glanced at Lin Xun and chillingly said, "My friend, I can see that you’ve been hoodwinked by that traitor Ji Leng. Unfortunately, you’ll have to be buried together with him."

He waved his hand and ordered, "Kill them!"

Rumble!

The experts immediately moved without hesitation. Ferocious auras swiftly spread from them along with the stench of blood.

These were Daoist Croc’s most capable subordinates. They had followed him for many years in the Ancient Nebula Underworld and were highly experienced in bloodshed and killing.

In the eyes of ordinary cultivators, they were no different from fiendish monsters!

"Attack!”

There was no way that Ji Leng would willingly allow himself to be killed. His vital energy rose like steam and terrifying divine light spread from him as his aura suddenly shot to its peak.

A blood-red spear emerged from his hand and swung across the air with great force.

Rumble!

Unparalleled blood light swept forth like a raging sea. The front few experts had no time to avoid and were swallowed by the blood-red power, marking their demise.

"That old bastard has advanced to the Supreme Big Saint Stage...he's hidden his power well!"

Daoist Croc’s eyes narrowed, realizing that Ji Leng had dared to turn coat because his cultivation had increased.

On the battlefield, Ji Leng loudly shouted as he fought as if berserk, "Dao Friend, leave quickly! I will open a path for you!"

An earth-shaking aura stormed around him as his dancing spear took down opponent after opponent.

Boom~

The numerous arrays enveloping the area shuddered as if unable withstand such dreadful power.

“Leave? Dream on!"

Dong Jinrong and a group of experts menacingly rushed at Lin Xun.

In Lin Xun's eyes, however, their assault wasn’t the least bit threatening.

The scene resembled a group of ants trying to attack a dragon in the sky...

How ridiculous!

Lin Xun, who had been watching like a spectator, softly sighed as he suddenly realized something.

Ever since arriving at the Ancient Nebula Underworld, he had tried to steer away from trouble and potential problems. Was this too...low-key?

While pondering such thoughts, Dong Jinrong and the other experts arrived.

However, Lin Xun didn’t show any indication of moving from the spot. He resembled a solitary pine tree on the cliff, indifferent to the rest of the world.

Despite his inaction, the rapidly approaching attacks suddenly stopped mid-way as if they had been restrained by some invisible power and exploded with deafening booms.

Bang bang bang!

Regardless of whether they were in the form of gorgeous dao arts or brightly glowing treasures, all of the attacks popped and disappeared like bubbles.

Only Lin Xun’s solitary figure remained.

"This..."

Dong Jinrong’s and the others' pupils shrank.

The incredible scene had completely overturned their view of the world.

After all, how could cultivators at their level possibly understand the powers of a supreme quasi-Emperor?

Strong!

In the midst of battle, Ji Leng's eyes lit up.

Shit!

Daoist Croc’s expression abruptly changed as an indescribable sensation of danger surged in his heart.

It was at this moment that Lin Xun finally moved.

He reached out a single hand and casually waved.

Rumble!

The sky and land were flipped as endless explosions rocketed across space.

On the battlefield, figure after figure was splattered to a pulp as if a giant hand was smashing them from above.

From a distance, it looked like a string of bloody firecrackers blossoming one after another, creating a poignant yet beautiful scene that would make anyone’s heart tremble.

In the end, only Daoist Croc remained amidst a thick fog of blood. Everyone else had been utterly destroyed in both spirit and form.

It was a bloodbath!

Moreover, this was merely the power from a wave of Lin Xun’s hand.

Pale-faced, Daoist Croc stiffened in fear as his lips quivered uncontrollably, unable to believe his eyes. Indescribable fear swallowed his heart like a tsunami, making him feel as if his heart and liver were about to burst!

It was simply far too terrifying!

In the snap of a finger, everything had been obliterated from existence!

Ji Leng was also stunned, his eyes bulging from their sockets in shock. While fighting earlier, the enemies around him were suddenly vaporized into bloody mists.

In that moment, he had nearly shrieked in terror.

Although he already knew that Lin Xun was an extraordinary ‘dragon,’ he never imagined that the ‘dragon’ would possess such terrifying capabilities.

This was completely beyond his imagination!

Amidst the spreading blood mist, Lin Xun stood with his hands behind his back and calmly said, "Isn’t it boring that a thrilling internal fight ended so suddenly?"

Daoist Croc shuddered, fell to his knees, and said in a trembling voice, "I was blind and ignorant, please forgive me, Elder!"

He repeatedly banged his head on the ground with loud thuds.

Lin Xun glanced at him and asked, "Do you think...that’s possible?"

Daoist Croc’s earlier words were now being returned to him.

On the ground, Daoist Croc’s eyes flashed ominously as he lowered his voice and said, “Elder, people make mistakes, and it’s never bad to forgive them when possible. No matter how useless I am, I am still the lord of Nightmare City and I have close relations to some of Region Lord Heikong’s trusted subordinates. If it’s discovered that I’m dead...it would only cause unnecessary trouble for you!"

"How dare you threaten Elder when your death is imminent. I’ll kill you, old bastard!"

Suddenly, Ji Leng lunged forward and stabbed his blood spear at Daoist Croc.

Just as Daoist Croc was about to dodge, he felt himself being firmly restrained by an invisible force, making it impossible to move.

In the next moment, the blood spear pierced his head.

Bang!

Blood spurted like a fountain as Daoist Croc twitched for a brief moment before falling into a pool of his own blood.

Ji Leng was momentarily stunned by how easily Daoist Croc had been killed. Soon after, he threw down his spear and knelt on the ground.

His face was full of gratitude as he loudly said, "Thank you, Elder. Thank you for helping my poor daughter get revenge! I have no regrets even if I die now!"

Presently, only he and Lin Xun were left.

Lin Xun's eyes appeared unfathomably deep as he said, "Then why don't you die?"

Ji Leng was taken aback. He looked up at Lin Xun and asked with a stiff expression, "Elder, are you...joking?"

Lin Xun nonchalantly asked back, "Do you think I'm joking?"

Ji Leng's expression was uncertain. He bitterly said, "Elder, are you blaming me for trying to use you? That was indeed a huge mistake, but I never expected that old bastard Daoist Croc to do that."

Lin Xun's eyes remained ice-cold. "Did you truly not anticipate it?"

Ji Leng suddenly had an ominous feeling.

Lin Xun continued, "With your cultivation, it shouldn't be difficult to rescue Jin Die from Dong Jinrong. Yet, you didn't do so."

The day before, Lin Xun witnessed Dong Jinrong fearlessly whipping the already wounded and dying Jin Die on the street.

From the combat power Ji Leng had shown, he could have easily rescued Jin Die if he took action at that time, yet he didn’t do so.

"Additionally, you tricked me into coming here today because you were aware that Daoist Croc, who was already suspicious of you, would never tolerate you bringing an outsider into his treasury.

"Or rather, it was precisely because of my appearance that Daoist Croc became increasingly suspicious of you and your motive for bringing me to his treasury.

"In that case, it would be easy to understand why Daoist Croc set up an ambush here in advance."

Even before Lin Xun finished, Ji Leng's face had already turned pale as he sweated profusely.

With an ashen expression, he bitterly said, "Elder is right, I did anticipate that all of this would happen. However...I did this in order to avenge my daughter Jin Die. Elder, you also saw that my daughter was tortured to death by them and even her corpse wasn’t spared in the end. It was unforgivable!"

Lin Xun's eyes were cold. "I said that you had the ability to save her earlier, but you didn't. Her death is entirely on your hands."

Ji Leng summoned his courage and said, "Would I have dared to use Elder’s power if not to avenge my daughter?"

"But you weren’t avenging your daughter at all."

Lin Xun appeared indifferent. "You will be the biggest beneficiary if Daoist Croc dies and the entire Nightmare City will fall under your control."

After a pause, he continued, “At that time, even if Region Lord Heikong’s subordinates who have close ties to Daoist Croc find out about this matter, you can just put the blame on me."

"You get to kill Daoist Croc with a borrowed knife and kill multiple birds with one stone, while I, an outsider, take the blame. Why wouldn’t you go for it?"

Ji Leng prostrated himself on the ground, trembling uncontrollably as his expression filled with panic. "Elder, I genuinely didn’t have such insidious intentions. I swear upon the heavens!"

"If the heavens are unfair, what’s the point of swearing in their name?"

Lin Xun inwardly sighed as he recalled the taboo order power that had regained control over the world and the new Nameless Esteemed Emperor.