Chapter 398: The Illusions of the Evil Eye
"Yang brothers… Luo Zhan?" Lin Langtian murmured, unaffected by their presence. A chilling glare fixed on the three men as his cold, deadly words left his lips, "If you want to live, get lost."
The two brothers, standing on the cliff above, narrowed their eyes, icy malice glinting as they sneered down at him. "A mere Nine-Yuan Nirvana brat dares speak to us like that? Doesn't know his place."
"Hey, beauty, a weakling like him can't protect you. Why not come with us? The Taiqing Immortal Pool would be all yours to enjoy," one of the brothers taunted Ling Qingzhu with a twisted smile, his words growing bolder.
Ling Qingzhu's face went cold with anger, her graceful features tightening. But her silent rage only seemed to amuse the brothers further, their gazes lingering with open desire.
"Start healing. I'll take care of them," Lin Langtian said, his eyes turning sharp with a barely-contained murderous edge.
The audacity to covet what was his. They wouldn't leave here alive.
Ling Qingzhu hesitated, her expression caught between doubt and resolve. Remembering Lin Langtian's record of victories, though, and his immense power, she felt a surge of confidence unlike anything before.
She bit her lip and nodded, slipping into the Immortal Pool. Her graceful form glided into the shimmering depths like an elegant white koi, her figure soon obscured by the gentle ripples of the pool.
As Ling Qingzhu disappeared below the water's surface, Lin Langtian's faint smile faded. Turning his gaze back to the two brothers on the cliff, his eyes darkened.
"Don't worry, beauty. My brother and I will be with you soon," one of them called after her, their eyes fixed greedily on the pool's glowing waters.
"There's no need," Lin Langtian replied, his voice cool as steel. "You'll be keeping each other company underground."
He waved his sleeve, summoning two Corpse Warriors to block every possible escape route. Lin Langtian had no intention of giving them the slightest chance to survive.
"Oh, Corpse Warriors? Who are you?" Seeing the killing intent in the air, Luo Zhan's expression changed slightly. Even in the Eastern Xuan Domain, one of the most powerful regions, few could control Corpse Warriors—especially not in this Exotic Demon Domain. The man before him seemed more dangerous than expected.
"Enough talk. Capture him first, then we'll see what's what," one of the brothers barked, and the pair lunged at Lin Langtian from either side, hands raised.
"Soul-Crushing Palm!" The icy chill of their shadowy energy gathered in their palms, shadowy wisps trailing as their hands closed in on his most vulnerable points.
Flames erupted from Lin Langtian's body as his fiery armor appeared, encasing his arms and legs. His fists clenched, and a surge of fire-powered energy burst out from within him, unrestrained.
Bang!
With raw power, he met their darkly shaded palms head-on. A wave of force rippled outward, and the Yang brothers staggered back, shock flashing in their eyes.
"This kid… what a monster of a body," one of the brothers muttered, their plan thrown into disarray by Lin Langtian's raw physical strength.
"No more delays! Finish him!" the other snapped, their eyes flashing with killing intent.
Dark gray energy surged from their bodies, forming an immense shadowy figure that loomed behind them, pulsating with power.
"Heh, kid, you're lucky. My brother and I picked up some ancient techniques in the past, and now you get to see them in action. Consider it a final honor."
Gray energy condensed into a massive shadow, and the two brothers began chanting together. "Emperor's Martial Art: Destruction Fist!"
From within the towering gray figure, a giant fist formed, its surface etched with ancient symbols. The fist rushed forward, tearing through the air with terrifying force, sealing off any escape paths.
But Lin Langtian only snorted at the incoming attack.
He thrust his hands forward, releasing a burst of flame that condensed into the shape of a mighty qilin. The fire-beast roared to life, charging at the shadowy fist.
"Emperor's Flame Technique: Qilin!"
Boom!
A blazing storm erupted as the qilin collided with the shadowy fist. The fire intensified, swallowing the gray shadow in an inferno, shattering it effortlessly.
"Go!" Lin Langtian's eyes sharpened as he flicked his hand, sending the qilin streaking toward the Yang brothers.
The massive qilin bore down on them like a scorching mountain. Faced with its overwhelming power, the brothers stumbled back, desperately mustering their shadowy energy for a final defense.
But Lin Langtian smirked as he felt their feeble resistance collapse. With the qilin's fiery strength compressing them, they were utterly at his mercy.
With a deafening boom, the qilin crashed down on them, engulfing them in a blazing sea of flames, their terrified screams swallowed by the fire.
A muffled crash echoed out as two figures flew backward, crashing heavily against the distant mountainside with a resounding thud. Staring at the motionless Yang brothers sprawled out, Lin Langtian gave a quick wave, and two Corpse Warriors darted forward to secure them.
Seeing the brothers taken down so decisively, Luo Zhan couldn't help but draw a sharp breath. Even he would have struggled to subdue those two so quickly. He stared hard at Lin Langtian, a sudden realization dawning in his eyes.
"'Flame Emperor Technique'… you're Lin Langtian, the Little Flame King of Yuan Gate!" he blurted out, his voice low and wary.
"Oh? You actually recognized me." Lin Langtian raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his gaze.
"Of course. They say the Little Flame King's strength is extraordinary. Now that I've seen it for myself, the rumors don't do you justice. Today's clash was clearly a misunderstanding—how about we call it off peacefully?" Luo Zhan's voice held an edge of caution, his gaze darting between Lin Langtian and the exit.
"You think you can just leave as you please?" Lin Langtian's voice was cold, carrying a quiet finality.
Luo Zhan's face darkened. "Lin Langtian, don't get too full of yourself. Your skills might be impressive, but I am no pushover. Besides, word is Yuan Gate has already started attacking the Dao Sect. As the Little Flame King, is it really wise for you to waste your time here?"
"Oh, so Yuan Gate has actually started their offensive…" Lin Langtian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Yuan Cang was clearly growing impatient, already making moves against Lin Dong and his allies. This would mean the end was near for the 'Three Kings' and Yuan Gate's Seven Divisions. Lin Langtian couldn't suppress a cold smile—these were Yuan Gate's affairs, and he had no sympathy for those who weren't his allies.
"Thanks for the news. But…" Lin Langtian's expression turned dark. "It won't save you from death."
With a flicker, Lin Langtian disappeared, his silhouette vanishing like a ghost. Luo Zhan's face twisted as he scanned the area.
Whoosh!
In the next moment, Lin Langtian reappeared behind him, a hand wreathed in blazing flames slicing downward like a knife toward Luo Zhan's shoulder. But his target slipped away, only losing a few strands of hair.
"Impressive reflexes," Lin Langtian said with a cool smile as he feinted and then swiped toward Luo Zhan's throat.
Bang!
But just before Lin Langtian's strike could connect, Luo Zhan's hand shot up, cloaked in a powerful aura. He caught Lin Langtian's hand mid-air, his own energy pushing back against the fiery force.
Their grips locked as their strengths clashed. Lin Langtian's eyes narrowed, his face dark and focused. He summoned his flame essence into his palm, forcing it into Luo Zhan's hand, where it began to eat away at the man's defenses.
"Flame essence?" Luo Zhan's gaze turned wary. But he gritted his teeth, his own aura flaring wildly to dispel the flames, revealing his hardened combat experience. Energy surged, and a massive, glowing golden blade materialized in his hand, which he swung down at Lin Langtian with a killing intent as sharp as steel.
However, Lin Langtian's expression remained icy. Though Luo Zhan's power was formidable, it was clear he was nowhere near Yuan Cang's level. With a surge of his inner flames, Lin Langtian's right hand met the descending golden blade, his strength fully unleashed.
Clang!
Sparks flew in every direction as the golden blade clashed with Lin Langtian's fiery fist. The ground cracked beneath them, but Lin Langtian's unyielding physical power held firm against Luo Zhan's strike.
Seeing his own power falter, Luo Zhan's face twisted with frustration, as a terrible realization crept over him—he couldn't hold his ground.
With a loud explosion, Luo Zhan was thrown back, his footing lost, while Lin Langtian stood unmoving, his strength like a towering mountain.
"This brat's strength… he's insane! But don't think I'll go down that easily!" A deadly glint flared in Luo Zhan's eyes as he called upon his full strength. Energy pooled into his weapon as a golden tiger head formed at the end of his blade, radiating an intense killing aura.
"Golden Tiger Slash!" he roared, his blade emitting a piercing roar that sent cracks spiderwebbing across the ground.
"I have more power than you've seen, Lin Langtian. Do you really want to risk mutual destruction?" Luo Zhan's eyes flashed as he gripped his weapon.
Lin Langtian let out a cold laugh. "Mutual destruction? You're flattering yourself. Finishing you off will only take a moment."
Luo Zhan's face twisted in rage. "Then don't blame me for killing you!" With a furious shout, he brought the golden tiger blade crashing down, the force of it tearing open the ground in front of Lin Langtian.
But Lin Langtian showed no sign of panic. As the golden tiger blade approached, he calmly moved his fingers, forming a set of seals with lightning speed. A dark line emerged in the center of his brow, and with a faint ripple, the Evil God's Eye appeared.
Whoosh!
The evil eye's gaze turned toward Luo Zhan. The moment Luo Zhan's eyes met it, his face froze, his pupils clouding as he was pulled into an illusory world of nightmarish visions.
Taking advantage of Luo Zhan's dazed state, Lin Langtian dashed forward, his figure blending with the shadows as he slipped past him.
Thud!
A low, chilling impact resounded as the two men crossed paths. When Luo Zhan came to, his face had turned a ghastly shade of red. An enormous force surged through his chest, sending him crashing backward, blood spilling from his mouth.
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