The Prodigies War

After reaching the advanced Cyclic Derivation stage, Lin Xun was now a single step away from the Supreme King stage.

With one more advancement, he would exceed the boundaries of the five greater cultivation realms and enter a whole new stage: the Life Death King stage!

The essence of this realm was to decipher the mysteries of life and death and to tread the path of immortality.

With the battle for the great age fast approaching, it could be said that Lin Xun only needed to further refine his cultivation and bring it to the point of perfection. Then, he would be able to compete for the legendary Supreme King stage.

As for the half-step King stage...

Lin Xun now knew that the so-called ‘half-step King stage’ was what they called experts who had managed to take a single step through the door when attacking the boundary of life and death, but ultimately failed to properly forge their dao to become a true King.

In short, it was nothing more than a glorified title for experts who had failed to reach the King stage!

These experts might be strong since they had succeeded in breaking the shackles of the five greater cultivation stages. However, they were stuck at the entrance to the King stage, leaving them in a rather delicate position where they were unable to advance or retreat.

There were numerous half-step King experts in the Ancient Wasteland Domain. The fact that all of them were experts who had failed to reach the King stage proved just how difficult it was to become a King expert!

It wouldn’t be a surprise if no King stage existence was born from a million Cyclic Derivation experts.

To become a King expert, one needed to break through the metaphysical barrier of life and death, and forge the root of one’s dao...besides the extremely stringent requirements toward one’s foundation and strength, there was also the key aspect of ‘luck!’

Without luck, no one could become a King expert!

It was a consensus that had never been disproved since the beginning of time.

As for Lin Xun and the rest of the younger-generation supreme heaven prides, the Supreme King path they sought was even much more ungraspable and arduous.

After all, the Supreme King stage was akin to legend even in the ancient era.

There have been countless incredible and brilliant individuals throughout history, and innumerable heaven prides and demons that have shaken the world.

However, only a rare few were able to attain the Supreme King stage!

In fact, it wasn’t even possible to cite a single example that could be used to prove the existence of this path!

The reason was simple. It required great luck and fortune to reach the Supreme King stage.

If you were born at the wrong time, you would have no chance even if you possessed most heaven-defying foundations and talent.

However, that wasn’t true for the current era.

With the arrival of an unprecedented great age, all the ancient orthodoxies judged that a true Supreme King would be born!

Swish!

A glowing silver figure zipped over. It was initially indistinct but soon coalesced into a tiny person who was as tall as a palm.

The tiny person had eyes that shone like stars and straight sword-like eyebrows. His posture was straight as a spear, and his silver robe looked as if it was woven from starlight that gave off wisps of peculiar spirit power undulations.

His facial features could only be described as a masterpiece of the heavens that reached the extremes of handsomeness and perfection. Ink-black sword-like eyebrows, star-like eyes, a raised nose, and a mouth pursed in a knife-sharp arc.

His jet-black hair was tied up behind his head and fluttered with the night breeze. He gave off an untouchable and unearthly aura as if he could exist independently of the world.

This tiny person was more beautiful than the famous beauties of the world. Even the greatest beauty of an era would not possess such delicate facial features.

However, he didn't look feminine. His body was straight as a spear, and his eyes were cold and determined. He carried a sword on his back and gave off a sensation of icy haughtiness.

"Master, I’ve not brought disgrace to you and succeeded in carrying out your command!" The little person’s voice was clear, calm, and ceremonial.

Amazing!

Although it wasn’t the first time Lin Xun had seen Little Silver, he was still utterly amazed by the latter's appearance after he transformed. He even felt a little jealous and couldn't help but ask, ''Little Silver, I have to ask again whether you’re a male or female."

Little Silver brows furrowed as he coldly said, ''Master, a soldier can be killed but not humiliated! Are you still going to degrade me?"

At the lake bottom of Chaos Star Beach, Little Silver had consumed a ‘star core’ that contained pure spirit power. He completed his transformation and entered the third stage of his evolution.

He not only awakened the bloodline talent of the God Devourer Insect but also gained a human form and was no longer shackled by his original insect body.

According to Little Silver, it was only after attaining human form that he was considered a true God Devourer Insect and possessed his own cultivation and power.

"It’s just that your appearance is too beautiful. Are you...really a guy?" Lin Xun curiously looked Little Silver up and down.

"Master, where are you looking?" Little Silver's face darkened with anger when he felt Lin Xun's gaze focus on his crotch area as if trying to ascertain something...

"Eh, I’m not looking anywhere. That's quite a nice sword you have, haha." Lin Xun hastily withdrew his gaze and laughed. He could tell that Little Silver was on the verge of exploding.

The corners of Little Silver's lips rose in a proud arc. He said, "This sword was transformed from my original shell. It is imprinted with the core power of my clan and is called God Devourer!"

"May I have a look?" Lin Xun put away his teasing mindset. He could sense that the sword’s aura was extraordinary.

"You can't," Little Silver flatly refused. "Swords are meant to kill, not to be played with. Master, are you unaware of this simple logic?"

Lin Xun felt disrespected. However, he also understood that this was Little Silver’s nature. To him, dignity was life, and losing it was unforgivable.

Lin Xun asked, ''What sword dao do you cultivate?"

"Killing," Little Silver replied with a single word. It made him look incomparably arrogant when paired with his handsome face.

Lin Xun inwardly remarked, "What a self-important little guy."

"Master, I'm going to cultivate."

Little Silver said as he flew into Lin Xun's mind-sea, "By the way, don't call me out for mere rabble in the future. Such people don't deserve to die by my sword."

"......" Lin Xun's lips twitched. People called him the arrogant Demon God Lin, but Little Silver was clearly much more arrogant than him!

Then again, it was a breeze for Little Silver to kill peak Cyclic Derivation experts after evolving.

Moreover, his fighting style was extremely unique. He was basically undetectable and specialized in targeting the spirit. Under the right conditions, he was more than capable of killing half-step King experts!

This was the terror of the God Devourer Insect Clan.

Of course, it would be a different matter if he encountered an opponent who practiced spirit cultivation methods or possessed a spirit treasure.

However, the probability of such situations occurring was extremely small.

At the very least, Lin Xun knew that spirit treasures were extremely rare and scarce. Only the likes of Yu Lingkong, Shun Baixuan, Ji Xingyao, and other unrivaled experts would be in possession of such treasures.

……

The night sky was as black as ink.

When Ling Hongjin regained consciousness, the first thing she saw was Lin Xun standing across from her.

Her slender body immediately tensed up and stiffened as her beautiful face paled.

In her eyes, Lin Xun had become a terrifying beast.

Despite her fear, she couldn't help but wonder why she was still alive.

However, she soon understood why. Lin Xun said, "I believe there must be someone in charge of this operation. Hence, I’ve left you alive to obtain some information. If you cooperate, I might allow you to keep your life." There was nothing but iciness in his eyes.

Although Ling Hongjin was a great beauty, it wasn’t enough to soften his heart.

In his eyes, an enemy was an enemy regardless of gender.

"So that's what you're after." Realization dawned upon Ling Hongjin. She frostily replied, "But do you think that I will tell you?"

Lin Xun calmly said, "Having a backbone is very admirable. However, I’ve already placed a restriction on your spirit that makes it impossible for you to commit suicide."

"Not being able to die doesn't necessarily mean I'll give in." Ling Hongjin was also very composed. There was a resolved light in her beautiful eyes.

Lin Xun said, "In that case, don't blame me for using torture."

"How laughable." Ling Hongjin was filled with disdain. "Go ahead and try. You’ll see if I’ll yield."

Lin Xun laughed and said, "Ordinary torture may not faze you, but what if I strip you and hang you naked at the gates of some city?"

His tone was casual, but it made Ling Hongjin tremble as her expression abruptly changed. ''You dare!"

Although she was prepared for death, the thought of being hung naked and seen by countless cultivators made her feel indescribable humiliation and panic.

Lin Xun nonchalantly said, "I've always been someone who doesn’t speak empty words. "Try me if you don’t believe me."

"Despicable! I never imagined that you would be such an underhanded and shameless person!" Ling Hongjin's eyes were practically spitting fire as she gnashed her teeth so hard that they nearly shattered.

"I'm despicable?"

Iciness surged in Lin Xun's black eyes. ''Is Heaven Axis Holy Land not despicable for relentlessly trying to hunt me down? What a joke. Are you guys only allowed to kill me while I’m forbidden from fighting back?"

Ling Hongjin angrily said, ''Even if you’re fighting back, you don't have to resort to such humiliating tactics. Kill me if you have the guts!"

Lin Xun didn't bother talking any further and began to take action.

Rip!

The cloth on Ling Hongjin's shoulder was torn, revealing fair, smooth shoulders and the gleaming white skin on her collar bones. Her skin seemed to gleam with a crystalline luster in the darkness of the night.

"Lin Xun, you're shameless and vulgar!" Ling Hongjin screamed. She never imagined that Lin Xun would actually dare to do this. To make things worse, she was completely powerless and could not even move her fingers, let alone struggle.

Rip!

Another piece of her clothing was torn off, revealing the glossy white skin of her thighs.

Ling Hongjin panicked. Her pretty face was ashen with fear and rage. Her eyes nearly popped in anger. ''Lin Xun, you're also a notable expert who has attained the supreme path. Don't you have any honor?! Aren't you afraid of Heaven Axis Holy Land’s retaliation? Aren't you afraid of being spurned by all the cultivators in the world?"

Rip!

Lin Xun was unfazed. His actions were neither fast nor slow as he tore off Ling Hongjin's clothes, exposing her gorgeous body bit by bit...

It was a sight that would give any normal man a nosebleed. As one of the four ‘prided ladies’ of Heaven Axis Holy Land, Ling Hongjin was naturally an undisputed beauty who was adored and pursued by countless young cultivators.

She had a beautiful face, skin that was fairer than snow, a supple waist no one could resist grabbing, and a slim body with curves in all the right places. She was a saintess who would take anyone’s breath away.

If it was any other cultivator, they wouldn’t dare to show the slightest disrespect, let alone strip off her clothes.

However, all of this was useless in front of Lin Xun.