Died?

Ye Lingtong was taken aback. Could the Lin Xun she saw and the Lin Xun mentioned by the Old Ancestor be different people?

However, after she described Lin Xun’s appearance, Ye Qingtian’s response told her that these two Lin Xuns were the same person.

“I never imagined that he actually survived and returned from the Spirit Burial Sea…”

Even a Life Death Stage King like Ye Qingtian could not help but feel his heart stir when he ascertained that Lin Xun was alive.

From the information he had received, Lin Xun had been pursued by a group of old Life Death stage monsters several months ago in Spirit Burial Sea!

Under such circumstances, almost no one would believe Lin Xun would survive. In fact, Ye Qingtian had also sighed in pity when he heard the news.

It could be said that Lin Xun was the most dazzling and outstanding heaven pride among the empire's younger generation!

He had accomplished many glorious and miraculous feats.

If such a heaven pride were to die, it would be a terrible loss for the entire empire.

Who could have imagined that the supposedly dead Lin Xun would actually be alive?! It was shocking, to say the least.

He had been chased by a group of Life Death Stage Kings! Even Ye Qingtian had to admit he would have been hard-pressed in Lin Xun’s situation.

Most inconceivable of all was that he had returned alone from the treacherous depths of Spirit Burial Sea. This was already an unbelievable feat.

After all, it was common knowledge that only Life Death Stage Kings and above could cross Spirit Burial Sea.

Any other cultivator who entered would be dead nine out of ten times.

Despite this, Lin Xun survived without a single injury!

A group of Life Death Stage Kings could not take his life, and even the immeasurably dangerous Spirit Burial Sea could not stop him from returning to the Ziyao Empire!

How could Ye Qingtian not be shocked by this?

He was a Life Death Stage King, so ordinary matters would not stir his heart. However, the things that had happened to Lin Xun were far too outrageous that even Ye Qingtian could not help but feel amazed.

The atmosphere in the ancestral shrine was somewhat silent.

Ye Lingtong could sense that after ascertaining Lin Xun’s identity, the Old Ancestor seemed to be in shock.

This made her grow increasingly curious. Who was…this Lin Xun? He only appeared to be a youngster with overwhelming combat ability so why did the Ye Clan higher-ups have such a huge reaction at the mention of his name?

Ye Lingtong secretly decided that she would gather information about him in the future and learn about this mysterious youngster.

“It’s been half a year since he disappeared, and many things happened in the Forbidden City when news of his death spread. But now…”

Ye Qingtian’s eyes became as deep as the night as a strange expression appeared between his brows. “Everything is going to change. When he returns to the Forbidden City, a huge storm will follow!”

……

Swoosh!

The Grand Universe Ark flickered across the sky at high speed like a flashing spark. In the blink of an eye, it disappeared into the ends of the sky.

Finally returning to the Ziyao Empire made Lin Xun feel relaxed and happy like a bird returning to its nest.

With his current cultivation and the Grand Universe Ark, even a Life Death Stage King would not be able to contain him.

At the same time, as long as he chose not to face someone directly, anyone cultivator below the Life Death King Stage could no longer threaten him!

This was why Lin Xun neither bothered to conceal himself nor was he worried as he returned to the Forbidden City.

“It’s been about half a year since I left. I wonder how Xia Zhi, Uncle Zhong, Xiaoke, Mister Spirit Vulture, Third Old Zhu, and the others are doing…”

Various thoughts swirled in his head as he recalled his many friends and family. He wondered what kind of changes had occurred to the Lin Clan of Mind Cleansing Peak over the past half year.

“Eh?”

Suddenly, battle undulations spread from the distance, rousing Lin Xun from his thoughts.

He found himself at a rugged mountain range with no trace of human settlements or nearby cities, making it appear very primitive.

A battle had erupted in the desolate area!

A merchant group of about thirty to forty people was being besieged by countless monster-beasts in a valley, leaving them no choice but to desperately fight for their lives.

“Since when did so many monster-beasts appear in the Ziyao Empire?”

Lin Xun was somewhat surprised and slowed down the ark.

Monster-beasts were intelligent variant species that knew how to cultivate. They could also be called monster-beast cultivators.

These monster-beasts were far more powerful than the usual savage-beast. Some beast king level monster-beast cultivators were comparable to the great cultivators among the humans and could summon wind and rain with a thought.

However, from what Lin Xun knew, monster-beasts were rare in the Ziyao Empire and you would usually only find ordinary savage-beasts around.

And yet, the valley was currently flooded with monster-beasts. There were golden avian creatures and all kinds of land-based beasts that gave off extremely ferocious presences.

A cacophony of bestial roars filled the air, making anyone who heard it shiver involuntarily.

This was far too unusual!

“Could some kind of change have happened due to the coming Great Dao Catastrophe?”

Lin Xun frowned.

He soon made another surprising observation. The merchant group was bearing the Stone Cauldron Alms flag!

Lin Xun immediately stopped. Without any hesitation, he stored away the Grand Universe Ark and descended toward the valley.

……

“Miss Wansu, we’re probably going to be wiped out this time…”

Wang Lin bitterly said with a despairing expression. He was a treasure appraiser and did not know much about fighting, but even he could see that their guards were falling one after another.

The monster-beasts were terrifying and bloodthirsty, and there were far too many of them. They surrounded the valley so tightly that not even water could seep in.

There was no doubt that they would all die to the monster-beasts if this terrible situation continued.

Boom!

A flash of blood-colored light suddenly shot toward Wang Lin and narrowly missed his body, leaving a giant hole in the ground amidst an explosion of dirt.

It caused Wang Lin’s face to turn deathly white as his body trembled uncontrollably. Wouldn’t he have died if he was hit?

“How hateful! For

By his side, Mu Wansu gritted her teeth in anger. She was dressed in a black dress and was still as beautiful as before, like a seductive black rose.

Her expression was ashen. Even someone with her mental fortitude and tenacity could only feel powerless in the face of this situation.

“Could the rumors be true that a huge change is about to happen to this land?”

Mu Wansu shivered.

Natural disasters and human disasters were the most terrifying disasters of all, especially for cultivators. A natural disaster could easily bring destruction that was unforeseeable and unable to be estimated!

A shriek suddenly brought Mu Wansu back to reality. Soon after, her face turned deathly pale.

The elite guards accompanying her had all been killed. There was nothing left of them but bones, chunks of flesh, and blood that was still being torn and trampled on by the many monster-beasts. The cruel scene would make anyone look away.

“Roar!”

The monster-beasts charged at her with deafening roars, their cold eyes filled with blood-thirsty brutality that would make anyone shiver.

It made Mu Wansu and Wang Lin completely fall into despair.

Was there any hope of survival surrounded by a sea-like army of monster-beasts in this godforsaken wilderness?

“Humans, this mountain has been occupied by me, the Scarlet Eagle King. If you do not wish to die, surrender and serve this king.”

Suddenly, a giant hundred-foot-tall eagle descended from the air. It looked as if it was made from molten lava and its wings burned with fiery light.

With a light flap of its wangs, fiery light poured out and burned the mountains on one side of the valley, creating a horrifying scene of endless terror.

The tide-like army of monster-beasts trembled in fear and lay on the ground as if they were welcoming a king.

This made the Scarlet Eagle King appear increasingly terrifying.

“Surrender and serve you?”

Mu Wansu was surprised.

The Scarlet Eagle King indifferently said in a tone that did not allow refusal, “That’s right. This king has just awakened from a deep sleep and needs to learn about this world. You guys are the people this king has chosen.”

“You want a human like me to surrender and serve a feathered bastard like you?”

Mu Wansu’s entire body felt cold as if she was in an ice cave. She gritted her teeth and said, “Whatever, if I die, I die. However, I will bring some of you bastards along with me to accompany me in the afterlife!”

Upon seeing that Mu Wansu was about to throw away her life, Wang Lin’s eyes bulged their sockets as he sorrowfully cried out, “Miss Wansu―!”

“You’re courting death!”

The Scarlet Eagle King rose into the air and flapped its wings, creating a ten-thousand-foot-tall pillar of fire that seemed capable of burning all matter.

It was a superior existence whose intelligence and power was already equal to the great human cultivators.

Wang Lin once again felt himself plummeting into despair. The Scarlet Eagle King was too frightening, and Miss Wansu had zero chance of survival.

Screeeeee!

A dazzling silver blade suddenly approached at extreme speed.

What was that?

Wang Lin jumped in alarm.

“Eh?”

The Scarlet Eagle King was also alarmed. It turned its attention away from Mu Wansu and quickly shifted direction in an attempt to avoid the attack.

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

However, the blade was too swift and fierce. It flowed through the sky at an inconceivable speed like a reverse starry river pouring down from space.

The Scarlet Eagle King failed to dodge. Its lava-like wings were struck, leaving a large bloody wound that splattered blood onto the ground.

“My god! Did a great cultivator come to our aid?”

Wang Lin cried out, nearly unable to believe his eyes. All of his despair and sorrow had been swept away, replaced by excitement and other emotions.

Mu Wansu was also shocked by the turn of events. She had originally given up and sought to at least bring a few monster-beasts along with her before she died. Who could have imagined that a silver blade would suddenly descend from the heavens and change everything?

Even an existence as powerful as the Scarlet Eagle King had failed to avoid the attack. It was an unbelievable miracle that would excite anyone.

Who had come to their aid at this timely moment?

As if hearing Mu Wansu’s thoughts, a figure floated down from the sky and entered her vision.

His eyes were as deep as the abyss, and his black hair flowed behind his shoulder. Dressed in moon-white clothes, his figure stood elegantly like a pine tree as it gave off a transcendental aura.