Lin Xun paused.

He had sensed the terrifying aura before Huo Lan had.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The heaven and earth quaked turbulently violently and the void churned with chaos.

In the far distance, a fiend spirit towered like a mountain. It looked like a colossal crocodile. Its massive limbs were as thick as pillars, its head was enormous like a house, and its body gleaming with striking red scales. Fiendish qi flowed down its body like lava.

Even its eyes were as big as millstones, scarlet-red and ice-cold, emitting a savage and vicious aura.

It was a fiend spirit transformed from a giant crocodile in the ancient times. With each step, it moved like a floating expanse of land, making humans look minuscule and powerless next to it.

Roar!

It roared skyward, its soundwaves sweeping the land like a rolling thunder. The devastating power struck fear deep into the soul of anyone who heard it.

Huo Lan, who thought that the appearance of the fiend spirit would curb Lin Xun’s arrogance, suddenly turned ashen-faced and screamed, “Lin Xun, what are you standing there for? Quickly run!”

Her voice was laced with worry and concern.

After years spent exploring the fifth level, she had clashed with the giant crocodile multiple times. But each encounter ended the same—she was forced to retreat in a panic, avoiding a head-on battle.

Contrary to her expectations, Lin Xun responded calmly, “Miss, no need to panic. It’s just a beast that has awakened its intelligence. If it dares to get in my way, I won’t hesitate to kill it.”

Huo Lan could not believe what she heard.

This guy...is not only arrogant, he is simply insufferable!

She snapped furiously, “Do you really want to die? That beast possesses strength on par with a cultivator at the half-step Emperor Stage. It might not be as strong as a true Emperor, but a supreme quasi-Emperor stands no chance against it!”

As she scolded, she rushed forward to grab Lin Xun to stop him from throwing away his life.

Helpless, Lin Xun moved away and said, “Miss, how about you just watch the battle?”

In truth, he was rather touched.

They were just passing acquaintances, yet Huo Lan had warned him again and again. Even if her tone might have seemed condescending, her genuine kindness and warm-heartedness made it impossible to take offence.

“Watch the battle? Watch you die?!” Huo Lan seethed with anger.

She had never seen such a clueless guy!

“What’s with the ruckus? Why don’t you two die together?”

In the distance, the giant crocodile spoke, its voice rumbling like thunder, dripping with amusement and coldness.

Boom!

A blood-red chain as thick as a python launched out from the giant crocodile and shot towards Lin Xun at a terrifying speed.

It immediately disrupted the void.

The blood-red chain, condensed from great dao law power, brimmed with unfathomable fiendish qi and exuded an unmatched tyrannical force.

Clang! Clang!

Huo Lan’s face contorted with urgency as she unleashed the pair of fiery red curved blades to fend off the incoming strike.

To her dismay, Lin Xun had already charged forward unarmed. With a nonchalant motion, he caught the blood-red chain mid-lash and gave it a gentle shake as though it was nothing 𝘙âɴồꞖΕ𐌔

The blood-red chain that was imbued with an aura comparable to that of the Emperor Stage suddenly exploded like a dead python.

Lin Xun rushed forward. With a clang, the dazzling Dao Lawless Blade appeared in his grip and slashed through the air.

Shua!

Brilliant blade qi erupted without warning, illuminating the sky and the earth in a boundless expanse of white light!

The unstoppable blade qi tore through everything in its path, exuding a domineering aura that pierced directly into the soul. It radiated the might to destroy the shackles of eternity and cleave through all that confined it.

Huo Lan only felt her eyes stinging with pain before she heard a muffled sound and the giant crocodile’s piercing cry of agony.

By the time she strained her eyes open, she saw the sky was stained with blood and the giant crocodile was left with a ghastly wound across its huge body, screaming sharply.

She turned to Lin Xun and saw his tall figure standing like a pillar of unyielding light, blade in hand, advancing fearlessly.

Compared with the giant crocodile, he looked tiny and insignificant, but she could feel a majesty and superiority emanating from him, a demon-god-like aura that sent a shiver of fear through her.

Shua! Shua! Shua!

Blade qi swept across the sky, white and boundless, dancing between heaven and earth, tearing everything in its way and utterly overpowering the giant crocodile. Its desperate counterattacks and resistance were nothing but futile efforts.

𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Chunks of flesh were sliced off and dropped to the ground. Very quickly, the towering crocodile was raining blood and left with just skin and bones.

Huo Lan was frozen with disbelief.

Was that still the terrifying fiend spirit that had made her flee in terror many times? Why was it like an animal being slaughtered, its flesh constantly being hacked off and its bones exposed?

Boom!

With a thunderous boom, the giant crocodile, now reduced to a massive skeleton, crashed to the ground, letting out a final cry filled with bitterness and despair.

This jolted Huo Lan out of her shock. Suddenly, her beautiful face flickered with changing expressions, as a wave of uncontrollable feeling of confusion surged within her.

A fiend spirit with strength equivalent to a half-step Emperor was...killed in the blink of an eye!?

It felt completely unreal, like a dream.

“Miss, do you believe me now?” A bright and cheerful voice rang in her ears.

Huo Lan looked up subconsciously and saw the arrogant guy standing in front of her, smiling.

His tone carried a hint of teasing.

Taking a deep breath, Huo Lan suppressed her shock and snorted coldly, “Show off!”

She turned around and stormed away.

“Are you angry?” Lin Xun looked confused.

Huo Lan waved her hand without turning her head around. “You’re so capable, I don’t need to worry about you anymore. So why should I stay around? Just to be mocked by you?” she said irritably.

Lin Xun scratched his nose, amused. He did not expect this bold and heroic woman to have such a fiery temper.

“Hey!” Lin Xun shouted.

“What is it now?” Huo Lan still didn’t look back.

“Thank you for your reminder earlier. When I return from the ninth level, I will definitely apologize to you properly.”

As his voice faded, Huo Lan saw a blur, then a dazzling Dao Essence Crystal as big as a bowl fell into her hand. It was a substantial weight and emanated a pure and concentrated great dao aura.

Huo Lan abruptly turned around and grumbled, “I’m not that petty, why did you compensate me with this thing?”

Lin Xun smiled and waved. “We fought together, so I naturally have to give you half of the spoils. This is a rule of mine so you have no choice but to accept it. Farewell.”

He chuckled and quickly left, as if worried that Huo Lan would return the Dao Essence Crystal to him.

“Hmph!”

Huo Lan glared at his figure as he disappeared into the distance, then she looked at the Dao Essence Crystal in her hand, mumbling, “What a precious treasure! It would be a waste if I just throw it away.”

Then, it finally struck her and her eyes narrowed.

What did that guy just say? He’s going to the ninth level?!

Does he want to die?

“Hey—!”

Huo Lan called out to stop him, but she noticed that Lin Xun was nowhere to be seen in the boundless world. Only her voice remained, echoing through the vast heaven and earth.

Her expression changed, and after a while she stomped her foot hard. “Let’s see if you will come back to apologize to me! I’ll be waiting!”

……

The sixth level of the Dark Hidden Purgatory.

For the first time, Lin Xun finally felt the suffocating weight of the oppressive energy.

The world was crimson, dilapidated and barren, shrouded in a dense oppressive darkness.

Advancing through it required Lin Xun to draw upon his true strength, and only then was he able to fend off and dispel the oppressive force that permeated every corner.

He came to a conclusion: Ordinary third-level supreme quasi-Emperors coming here were no different from seeking death!

In other words, only Emperors should train in the sixth level of the Dark Hidden Purgatory.

“This is only the sixth level, but it’s already so terrifying. Back then, my second senior brother was able to reach the ninth level with just a cultivation of the Supreme Quasi-Emperor Stage. He is indeed exceptionally strong…”

Only now did Lin Xun truly realize how amazing his second senior brother Zhong Qiu was.

After taking a deep breath, he continued onwards.

Along the way, the oppressive force between heaven and earth pressed upon him like a relentless tide, forcing him to activate his cultivation to fight his way forward.

“Interesting. This is the first time in many years since I’ve seen a little quasi-Emperor creature dare to come here to die. Did his elders not tell him that the sixth level is not suitable for ants below the Emperor Stage?”

Suddenly, a fleeting and unsettling voice echoed across heaven and earth, but when one listened carefully, it was impossible to know where it came from.

“No, this is the second time. In the primeval era, there was also a quasi-Emperor who broke in. He was more terrifying than the average Emperor.”

“Oh, is that so? Then, how do you think this little piece of trash is compared to that guy back then?”

“Haha, let’s see if he has what it takes to make it out of here alive first…”

“Everyone, no need to fight. This little prey belongs to me. I like his young body and his blood has an alluring aroma.”

“Old man, you’re not even human anymore!”

The chaotic murmurs were like the whispers of vengeful ghosts, their hushed tones carrying an unsettling chill.

The sound drifted between heaven and earth, as if countless evil spirits were hiding in the darkness, ready to rush out at any time.

Lin Xun looked unfazed, as if he heard nothing. His tall figure strode across the vast world alone, a sword case on his back exuding a soft, muted light.

Out of nowhere, a ghastly pale hand shot out from the ground, its razor-sharp fingertips glowing an ominous blood-red light as it clawed toward Lin Xun.

This scene would scare anyone witless.

However, Lin Xun seemed to have expected it, or rather, the second that the huge pale hand appeared, he swiftly launched into action.

Shua!

The Dao Lawless Blade erupted in brilliant blade qi, resembling a cascading river of stars, slashing downward with unstoppable might and illuminating the world with unparalleled dao light.

Pu!

The ghastly pale hand was severed, the ground was cleaved apart, soil was flung skyward, and the earth quaked without end.

From the depths of the crack, a muffled groan of pain sounded, carrying a hint of seething anger.

The whispers that had been echoing ceaselessly between heaven and earth fell still as if in shock.

The atmosphere suddenly turned tense and stifling.

Despite that, Lin Xun still seemed unaware. He swept a glance at the depths of the crack and continued onwards, his solitary silhouette radiating unparalleled grace.

His nonchalant and calm attitude was like a silent provocation and a deliberate display of disdain, which agitated the vicious creatures hiding in the darkness.

Frightening murderous intent swept across the world like the all-consuming darkness of an eternal nightfall.