The Prodigies War

“Run!”

After a short period of dead silence, the Water Tribe army broke into a hubbub and fled in utter fright. Each and every one of them wished that their parents had given them two more legs.

Seeing three Brute Kings so lightly obliterated was simply a nightmare!

Anyone with a normal brain knew that it was pointless to continue this war as it was already concluded by the presence of the young man from the sky.

This was the power of a King expert as one King expert could replace a million soldiers!

And Lin Xun wasn’t just a normal King expert.

“What are you waiting for? Attack!” bellowed Changsun Xiong at his soldiers with a trembling heart.

The war had been going on for over a month, and today, the imperial army’s defense had been on the verge of being breached.

At the critical moment, a young man had descended from the sky like a god, and saved the day with his strength alone in just a few breaths!

How could Changsun Xiong not feel emotional?

“Kill!”

“Kill those brute bastards!”

The spirits of the imperial soldiers burned with renewed vitality as they charged forth and pursued victory. The sound of battle horns echoed between the heavens and earth.

“Young Master, may I have a word with you?” Changsun Xiong looked at Lin Xun with heartfelt respect.

With his experience, he could tell at a glance that Lin Xun was by no means an old King monster who had lived for a long time.

It was precisely this that made the situation even more shocking as he wondered if this little monster had been a graduate of the empire’s Qinglu Academy.

Thanks to the drastic changes over the years, a large number of amazingly talented young people had emerged in the empire, leaping into the King stage and earning themselves world-shaking fame.

Over half of them came from Qinglu Academy, hence Changsun Xiong’s speculation.

Lin Xun nodded and left the battlefield with Changsun Xiong.

He had just returned, so there were many things that he needed to catch up with. After all, over a decade had gone by since he had left the lower world, and he needed to know what had become of it.

……

A banquet was set up in a camp, and Lin Xun was invited to take a seat at the upper table, being accompanied by Changsun Xiong himself.

Sitting on the two sides were the important military personnel of the empire’s north defense line.

Changsun Xiong proposed a toast to Lin Xun before asking, “May I know our name, Young Master?”

“You can just call me Lin Twelve,” replied Lin Xun casually. This was his identity number in Blood Kill Camp, and he had been known by this name in the Blood Kill Battlefield.

“Lin Twelve…” Changsun Xiong quietly repeated this name as he instantly thought of Blood Kill Camp, but no matter how hard he rummaged through his memories, he couldn’t find when the camp had produced such a heaven-defying young man.

Lin Xun didn’t think much of it. He got right to business. “General, I had been traveling in the Ancient Wasteland Domain and have only returned today. I would like to understand the empire’s current situation, so I hope that you can enlighten me.”

Traveling in the Ancient Wasteland Domain!

Everyone’s heart jerked as their guesses had turned out to be wrong. This young man in front of them had actually returned from the Ancient Wasteland Domain!

“So you went to cultivate in the upper world, Young Master Lin. It’s no wonder you are so formidable,” said Changsun Xiong in realization.

The high-ranking personnel of the empire naturally knew a thing or two about the Ancient Wasteland Domain, which was regarded as the holy land of cultivation that every cultivator dreamed of traveling to.

And the fact that Lin Xun had returned from that place made them look at him in a new light once again.

They were well aware that every cultivator who had been able to leave the lower world for the Ancient Wasteland Domain was anything but simple!

In the ensuing conversation, Lin Xun was able to gain a rough understanding of the situation.

For example, the impact of the dramatic changes within heaven and earth, the riots and turmoil caused by the demonic beasts running rampant, and the full-scale war started by the nine tribes of the Brute Warriors that had been spreading like wildfire across the major borderlands of the Ziyao Empire…

Lin Xun sighed in his heart. After being away for more than a decade, the lower world had also become different from what he had known.

The empire had still been peaceful and secure when he had departed, but now, it was facing endless internal and external problems!

Everything, in the end, was due to the drastic changes of heaven and earth.

Lin Xun had heard about this as early as when he had left the Ancient Wasteland Domain, and he even knew that these changes were actually variables that arose from the advent of the great age.

Unlike the Ancient Wasteland Domain, the Ziyao Empire didn’t end up in an optimistic position in this great age. With demonic beasts rampaging its territory and all of the Brute Warrior tribes invading the borderlands, it could be described as stormy and turbulent.

“Farewell, General.” Lin Xun took his leave after the banquet ended.

Too many changes had occurred in the lower world over the years. He intended to return to the Forbidden City and check out Mind Cleansing Peak at the first opportunity to see how the Lin Clan was doing. While he was at it, he planned on investigating the massacre of the Lin Family back then.

Changsun Xiong and the high-ranking officers personally saw Lin Xun off.

Watching as he disappeared into the horizon, a fierce-looking middle-aged man suddenly said, “I remember, about sixteen years ago, the leader of the Lin Family in the Forbidden City, that young man who was hailed as ‘his brilliance fills the capital,’ left the lower world for the Ancient Wasteland Domain to advance in his cultivation path.”

Everyone’s eyes narrowed as they were reminded of the heaven-defying genius from the Lin Family back then. Relying on his own strength, he had risen in the Forbidden City that was packed with big clans and countless powerful cultivators.

The younger generations might have forgotten about his deeds, but those like Changsun Xiong would never forget how that young man had called the shots in the Forbidden City and made a name for himself!

“You mean he’s very likely to be Lin Xun?” Changsun Xiong’s eyes flickered.

The fierce-looking middle-aged man nodded. “I served in the Blood Kill Battlefield more than ten years ago and had heard of the name Lin Twelve. However, that person was only at the Heaven Ascension stage, so I just couldn’t believe that it was him. After all, the difference in the cultivation is just too big…”

Everyone else nodded.

The difference was more than just big. To be able to leap from the Heaven Ascension stage to a peerless Supreme King in just over a decade was undoubtedly unbelievable!

“If this Lin Twelve is really the master of Mind Cleansing Peak from back then, then I’m afraid that his return…will throw the Forbidden City into an uproar…” commented a person, their eyes flashing with a strange gleam.

“Care to elaborate?” Changsun Xiong frowned.

“A few years ago, a rumor was prevalent in the Forbidden City that the drastic changes in heaven and earth had completely severed the connection between the lower world and the Ancient Wasteland Domain, and those who had traveled there would never be able to return,” said the person a deep voice. “The news put the Lin Clan in a delicate situation as Lin Xun was their backbone. If he couldn’t return…then what do you think his clansmen would think?”

Hearing this, everyone’s eyes flickered. A big power without its pillar and leader was destined to welcome storms from all directions!

“The enemies of the Lin Clan had been deterred by the threat of Lin Xun even though he had left. After knowing that there’s no way for him to return anymore, how could they pass by this opportunity to take revenge on the Lin Clan?” the person sighed. “As far as I know, their situation has become increasingly difficult since the rumor started spreading.”

“The Lin Clan has many enemies?” asked someone in bewilderment.

“Have you forgotten? Who among the seven high clans that Lin Xun hasn’t offended?”

This reminder caused everyone to sigh.

Lin Xun had had many rivals during his rise to prominence in the Forbidden City, and just among the seven high clans alone, he had made an enemy out of six, namely the Zuo, Qin, Chi, Hua, Song, and Xie Clans!

“If that’s really the case, then I’m afraid that the Forbidden City would really be in chaos…” muttered Changsun Xiong. A chill inexplicably ran down his spine as recalled the scene where Lin Xun had killed the three Brute Kings.

When such a character of such caliber learned of the Lin Clan’s situation, he would definitely set off a monstrous storm of blood!

……

In the vast sky, the Grand Universe Ark transformed into a streak of light heading southward.

On the treasure ship, Lin Xun, Toady, and Zhao Jingxuan were chatting.

“The power in the air is indeed different. The aeth qi is dozens of times denser than when I was in the empire back then.” Lin Xun clicked his tongue.

“The presence of the great dao has also thickened. This makes it much easier for cultivators to perceive it…” Zhao Jingxuan nodded.

“But in the end, it’s still far inferior to the Supreme Realm,” commented Toady, who then suddenly frowned. “Have you guys noticed? There’s an indescribable oppressive force in the Law Power of this world that’s making me really uncomfortable.”

Lin Xun and Zhao Jingxuan glanced at each other and both nodded.

“If I’m not wrong, this is the heavenly will power of the lower world. The stronger a cultivator is, the more clearly they will feel it. Once our cultivation reaches a certain level, we will definitely be subjected to its suppression and even obliteration!” Toady mused, “I suspect that this threshold is the Saint stage. Saints can cause unimaginable consequences with their destructive power, so they would be spurned by this world.”

This was actually quite understandable. If the lower world was like a pond, then a Saint would be equal to a true dragon. How could a small pond possibly withstand the tossing and turning of a huge dragon?

That was why the heavenly will of this world would not allow a behemoth to appear in it!

“Not necessarily.” Lin Xun shook his head, recalling what Meng Qiujing had told him about Quasi-Emperor Baqi bringing Yun Qingbai down to the lower world.

Moreover, Baqi had said that there was a true Emperor hibernating in this world!

An Emperor was above the Saint stage. If this world didn’t allow them, then how could they even enter or exist here?

There had to be some sort of mystery behind this.

“Boss, I can’t accompany you to the Forbidden City,” Toady suddenly said, “I need to make a trip to the Dao Burial Sea Mound in the Spirit Burial Sea. As you know, I had awakened there, so I want to find some…truth.”

Lin Xun was stunned. Speaking of the Dao Burial Sea Mound, he was instantly reminded of the bizarre blind monk and the blurry mysterious maiden.