Chapter 321: Defeating Ling Longzi in Three Moves, the Other Three Sons of the Western Sky Battle Hall
"Roar!"
A beastly roar echoed across the plains, 300 miles from Luoshui City on the Western Sky Continent.
Ling Longzi suddenly broke free from the spiritual array binding him, unleashed by Xiao Tiance, and threw a fierce punch at him.
The terrifying fist carried a powerful gust of wind, strong enough to ruffle Xiao Tiance's hair.
"Heh, you've got some skill, but you're still far too naive," Xiao Tiance said with a chuckle.
With a simple sidestep, he dodged Ling Longzi's attack and muttered to himself, "Mountain Crasher!"
"Boom!"
In the next moment, Ling Longzi's body was hit as though a massive mountain had slammed into him. He flew backward like a kite with a broken string.
Mid flight, his face turned pale, and a mouthful of blood sprayed out.
"Damn it, how could there be such strength?"
Ling Longzi was horrified. His body, refined through years of physical cultivation, was so formidable that even higher level Earth Supremes couldn't compare to him. Yet, the body he prided himself on was injured in a single hit a shocking and inexplicable development.
As he flew backward, Ling Longzi hoped to create some distance from Xiao Tiance and seize the chance to escape. Though he'd failed to capture Gu Xun'er and secure a merit, at least he could avoid being captured himself.
Unfortunately, he underestimated Xiao Tiance.
Just as Ling Longzi's body was sent flying, Xiao Tiance moved swiftly, grabbing him by the wrist mid air. The tremendous force halted Ling Longzi's momentum, pulling him back instantly.
"Bang!"
With a forceful knee strike, Ling Longzi's body bent like a shrimp. Blood spurted from his mouth again, and his aura weakened rapidly.
Although the battle seemed simple, Xiao Tiance's strength as a peak Earth Supreme, combined with the support of two master grade spiritual arrays within and around him, made each of his attacks devastating.
Earlier, Ling Longzi had relied on his physical cultivation to break free from the spiritual array, but now, heavily injured, his spiritual energy was quickly drained.
In one decisive move, Ling Longzi rolled his eyes back and fell unconscious.
Seeing this, Xiao Tiance gestured, and Qing Hou quickly stepped forward. He grabbed the limp Ling Longzi, carrying him like a dead dog.
"Tiance, you're getting stronger and stronger!" Xiao Xuan exclaimed excitedly.
"Uncle Tiance, you're incredible! Someone like Ling Longzi, a lower Earth Supreme, couldn't even withstand three of your moves," Gu Xun'er said admiringly.
"It's just a matter of technique. The gap between our levels is too large. If I had trouble dealing with someone two ranks below me, I wouldn't have the confidence to challenge someone like the Western Sky Battle Emperor, a celestial grade Heavenly Supreme," Xiao Tiance replied humbly with a wave of his hand.
He then turned to Gu Xun'er and asked, "Earlier, you mentioned a pinnacle ninth grade puppet. Was it Tianluo?"
"Yes, Uncle Tiance, it was Lord Tianluo," Gu Xun'er replied with a nod. "To cover my escape from the Western Sky Battle City, Lord Tianluo held back Ling Feizi and two other ninth grade Supreme experts. That's how I was able to escape."
Though Gu Xun'er had reached the Dou Di level while in the Dou Qi Continent, she learned of Tianluo's origins during her time in the Western Sky Battle City. This knowledge also answered a question that had puzzled her.
Normally, demon puppets were known for their physical power but lacked the ability to speak. Tianluo was a unique exception.
She eventually discovered that Tianluo's body was Xiao Xuan's physical vessel, forged into a puppet using a fraction of Xiao Tiance's soul. This made Tianluo an extension of Xiao Tiance himself.
Since learning this, Gu Xun'er had subconsciously regarded Tianluo as part of Xiao Tiance and addressed him as Lord Tianluo.
Hearing her explanation, Xiao Tiance nodded. "Xun'er, don't worry about Tianluo's safety. I can sense that the restriction inscribed in his mind is still intact, meaning he's likely just been captured, not destroyed.
"For now, we won't rush to rescue him. Let's first return to Luoshui City and regroup with Uncle Tianming. At the end of this month, an ancient secret realm will open in the Western Sky Continent. I've promised someone to assist them there. After that, we'll head to the Western Sky Battle City.
"By then, your Dou Qi should have fully transformed into spiritual energy. With Ling Longzi as a bargaining chip, rescuing Tianluo shouldn't be too difficult."
Though Gu Xun'er was anxious to rescue Tianluo, she trusted Xiao Tiance's judgment and could only agree.
"Alright, Uncle Tiance, I'll follow your arrangements," she said respectfully.
"Good. Let's go," Xiao Tiance said.
He made a gesture, and a spatial vortex appeared before them. The group stepped inside and disappeared instantly.
Meanwhile, in the Western Sky Battle City, inside a luxurious golden palace.
Two men and one woman sat on ornate chairs. Judging by their auras, all three were Earth Supremes. The man seated in the central throne was even a higher level Earth Supreme.
Despite their youthful appearances, these three were none other than the other Sons of the Western Sky Battle Hall: Ling Zhanzi, Ling Jianzi, and Ling Feizi.
Ling Zhanzi, the higher level Earth Supreme, wore a black robe and had an unremarkable appearance. However, his eyes burned with intense battle intent, as if hiding a ferocious beast waiting to unleash its power.
To his left sat Ling Jianzi, whose aura was nearing the threshold of the higher Earth Supreme level. He carried a three foot long sword on his back. Unlike Ling Zhanzi, Ling Jianzi was strikingly handsome, with a tall, elegant build, starry eyes, and sharp eyebrows. His entire being radiated an unparalleled sword intent, like an unsheathed divine sword poised to cut down all before it.
On the right sat a woman named Ling Feizi. Though her strength had only recently advanced to the lower Earth Supreme level, achieving such a feat at her age made it clear she was a true prodigy.
Ling Feizi was a stunningly beautiful woman, her figure curvaceous and alluring. A particularly striking detail was the tear shaped mole near her eye, which added an extra layer of charm to her already captivating presence. She was a living embodiment of beauty.
Beauty is often a form of power, and though Ling Feizi's strength did not rival Ling Zhanzi, Ling Jianzi, or Ling Longzi, she had the most admirers of the four Sons of the Western Sky Battle Hall. Over a dozen Supreme experts followed her commands, and even Ling Zhanzi, the strongest among them, dared not offend her lightly.
These four were not just the Sons of the Western Sky Battle Hall but also disciples of the formidable Western Sky Battle Emperor himself. Their status was second only to the Battle Emperor and the hall's most powerful elder, Winter Elder, a peak Earth Supreme. Even Xiong Ba, an upper Earth Supreme, held less sway than these four in the Western Sky Battle City.
Returning to the moment at hand, Ling Feizi giggled sweetly and asked, "Do you think Senior Brother Ling Longzi will succeed in bringing Miss Xun'er back?"
"Yes," Ling Zhanzi replied curtly, sparing only a single word before falling silent again.
Ling Jianzi, on the other hand, glanced at Ling Feizi and spoke in a serious tone. "If Ling Longzi fails to bring back a weakened Miss Xun'er, I'll personally request that our teacher hand him over to me for sword practice."
"Heh, fair enough," Ling Feizi said with a charming laugh. "But if he doesn't return soon, and our teacher emerges from seclusion before he brings Miss Xun'er back, we'll all be in trouble if the teacher loses his temper."
One couldn't help but notice how breathtaking Ling Feizi looked, every gesture and expression brimming with feminine allure. Her every move, from her smile to the way she held herself, radiated charm.
Especially when she placed her hand on her chest and leaned forward, the movement was so mesmerizing that anyone without strong self control would find it hard to look away.
This was understandable, considering Ling Feizi was naturally beautiful and had cultivated the Xuannü Supreme Physique, one of the most exquisite physiques among the ninety nine ranked Supreme Physiques. Only the Luoshen Supreme Physique surpassed it in elegance.
This explained why so many powerful individuals sought to win her favor; surely, all of them hoped to claim such a beauty for themselves.
"No need to worry. Although Miss Xun'er has some unique abilities, Ling Longzi is strong enough to bring her back," Ling Zhanzi said, his tone calm yet resolute. "Even though Ling Longzi is somewhat incompetent, he's still one of the four Sons, like us.
"And even if he fails to bring back Miss Xun'er, he'll be the one to face the teacher's wrath, not us.
"Besides, I'm more interested in the puppet that you and your two ninth grade Supreme subordinates captured.
"That puppet isn't just lifelike; it's quite powerful. It withstood one of my sword strikes without a scratch. If our Western Sky Battle Hall could master the method to create such puppets, we wouldn't just rival some of the superpowers we could even challenge the ancient divine clans.
"It's a shame that the puppet is your prisoner and belongs to Miss Xun'er. Once the teacher marries Miss Xun'er, we won't be able to extract the puppet's secrets."
Ling Jianzi shook his head, his expression neutral.
At this, Ling Feizi chuckled softly and said in a gentle voice, "Senior Brother Ling Jianzi, I think that once the teacher marries Miss Xun'er, the method for creating such puppets will naturally belong to our Western Sky Battle Hall."
Before she could continue, Ling Zhanzi raised a hand, cutting her off. "There's no need to discuss this further. Let's focus on waiting for Ling Longzi to bring Miss Xun'er back.
"For now, the priority is preparing for the ancient secret realm at the end of the month. This time, powerful figures from surrounding continents will also participate.
"More importantly, the four divine clans under the Western Sky Battle Hall's banner have been anticipating this for a long time.
"The competition will be fierce. You two represent the Western Sky Battle Hall in this event, and your performance must not only outshine the others but also preserve the hall's honor.
"So, instead of worrying about whether Ling Longzi will succeed, spend your time preparing. We cannot afford to lose face."
Hearing Ling Zhanzi's words, both Ling Jianzi and Ling Feizi straightened up, their expressions turning serious.
Reports had already indicated that the ancient secret realm would attract no fewer than ten Earth Supreme level experts, and there might even be some whose strength remained unknown. Carelessness could easily lead to failure.
During the last ancient secret realm, Winter Elder and Ling Zhanzi had participated together, reaping great rewards that contributed to their current strength. If Ling Jianzi and Ling Feizi failed to meet expectations, they would face the wrath of the Western Sky Battle Emperor.
"Yes, Senior Brother Ling Zhanzi. Rest assured, we will give it our all," Ling Feizi said, bowing respectfully.
Ling Jianzi also bowed and said, "Senior Brother, you can count on me. Though I've just stepped into the upper Earth Supreme level, with this sword in my hand, I can hold my own even against newly ascended peak Earth Supremes. I will not disappoint you."
"Good," Ling Zhanzi replied. "Apart from the two of you, Xiong Ba will also join the mission. Additionally, the teacher has instructed Winter Elder to oversee the operation.
"If you succeed, Winter Elder will not intervene. But if you fail, he will step in to resolve the situation.
"In the Western Sky Continent, the Western Sky Battle Hall does not tolerate failure."
"Understood!" the two replied in unison.
Seeing their determination, Ling Zhanzi left.
After he departed, Ling Feizi smiled playfully and teased, "Senior Brother Ling Zhanzi's aura is becoming more and more intimidating. Sometimes, I feel like I'm facing the teacher when I'm around him."
"Heh, that's what happens when you cultivate the Ancient Battle Emperor Physique, ranked twenty fourth among the ninety nine Supreme Physiques," Ling Jianzi replied.
The Ancient Battle Emperor Physique was incredibly powerful. When activated, it unleashed a brilliant radiance accompanied by the sounds of endless slaughter, as if the entire battlefield's might was concentrated in one person.
Though formidable, it was notoriously difficult to cultivate. Among the four Sons, only Ling Zhanzi had succeeded.
Ling Feizi's reaction to his pressure was natural; even Ling Jianzi, an upper Earth Supreme, felt a chill when facing him.
"True enough," Ling Feizi said with a shrug. "Well, Senior Brother, I'm leaving. You're interested in the puppet's secrets, and so am I!"
(Chapter End)
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