The sky trembled.
Two young figures stepped out from a twisting spatial distortion—one radiating a razor-sharp sword intent, like a peerless divine blade drawn from its sheath; the other towering and steady as a mountain, his aura not fierce, yet incomparably weighty—like an entire world resting quietly upon his shoulders.
They were Qing Shan and Lin Dong.
Even with countless powerful experts watching, neither man's expression changed. Their eyes remained calm, still as unruffled water.
"Qing Shan, the Sword Saint, has arrived as well. As expected of the master of the Sword Domain—worthy of the Great Thousand World!"
"And the one beside him… that must be the Martial Ancestor Lin Dong, who single-handedly suppressed three Heavenly Sovereigns of the Ice Spirit Clan!"
"..."
The crowd erupted with whispers.
Even among a gathering of elites, Qin Tian and Qing Shan stood at the very forefront. Lin Dong, though slightly weaker than the two, was still astonishingly powerful—after all, he was someone who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Sword Saint himself.
With Qing Shan present, Lin Dong's prestige only grew stronger. From this day onward, anyone who spoke of Qing Shan would undoubtedly remember Lin Dong as well.
And Lin Dong truly deserved it.
Although Liu Xi had stolen the kill of the Hundred-Battle Emperor—robbing Lin Dong of one chance to boost his reputation—given Lin Dong's frightening potential, rising to prominence was only a matter of time.
Qin Tian stared at the two unexpected arrivals, surprised.
"Brother Qing Shan, Brother Lin Dong… you two actually came too?"
Qing Shan's usually indifferent face curved into a rare smile.
"The Sacred Abyss Continent concerns the safety of the entire Great Thousand World. How could I ignore it—and how could I let you face it alone?"
A deep hatred flashed in Lin Dong's eyes. Though his expression remained calm, his voice was cold as he gazed toward the raging Demonic Energy in the distance.
"The extraterritorial fiends—all of them deserve death. I have only one wish: one day, I will slaughter every last one of them."
Qin Tian and Qing Shan paused, but not in shock—they already knew Lin Dong's plane had once been invaded by the Fiend Clan. Lin Dong had slain the Demon Emperor and entered the Great Thousand World only to search for his wife.
Their respect for him grew from that very history.
Refusing them now would be hypocritical. Qin Tian laughed heartily, arms spread wide.
"Since that's the case—then let the three of us break into the Sacred Abyss Continent together! We'll see which Heavenly Demon Emperor orchestrated this attack!"
The three exchanged a smile.
In the future, all three would become towering figures known throughout the Great Thousand World. Their unbreakable bond would be forged right here, at this moment.
"Haha… heading to the Sacred Abyss Continent without me? You three really don't give me any face."
A lazy chuckle rippled through the air, its sound waves spreading gently like water, echoing across heaven and earth.
The void trembled.
Ripples spread—then a burst of brilliant golden light erupted like a newborn sun, radiating supreme majesty and terrifying spiritual pressure.
Moments later, the golden glow faded.
Liu Xi stood with hands clasped behind his back, a faint arc at the corner of his lips. His azure robe fluttered in the wind, and his entire presence exuded a peerless elegance. Endless Spiritual Energy circled him, forming ripples that expanded outward as though the heavens themselves were beneath his feet.
He stood aloof and untouchable—like a god descending upon the world.
"Qing Lian…"
The clan leader of the Ancient Maha Clan—Maha Tian—spoke through gritted teeth. Yet fear flickered in his eyes. Once hailed as a prodigy, he had reached the peak of Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign at a young age and had been only a step away from Saint Grade.
But after being repeatedly defeated—solo—by Liu Xi, not only had his reputation plummeted, he had even developed inner demons.
Without an unbreakable, invincible heart… How could one ever ascend to Saint Grade?
Liu Xi, however, had long since cultivated such a heart—his strength allowed him to suppress Saints with a flick of his hand.
Unless Maha Tian could defeat a Saint head-on, he would never advance in his lifetime.
As Liu Xi appeared, countless gazes instantly locked onto him—filled with shock, curiosity, awe…
He had always existed as a myth—rumors spreading farther and louder each year, transforming doubt into respect, and respect into fear.
At last, they saw the real person.
First—his looks. Even in the Great Thousand World, he was peerlessly handsome.
Second—his aura. Beneath that gentle exterior was a terrifying mixture of depth, heat, tyranny… everything that made one's heart tremble.
Then—
From within the gathered crowd, a silent burly figure stepped forward. He stared at Liu Xi for a long moment before speaking in a deep voice:
"Young friend… you've broken through to Saint Grade Physique?"
Silence descended.
Then—
A wave of gasps.
"What?!"
"Saint Grade… physique?!"
"..."
Liu Xi raised a brow, slightly surprised. After taking Qing Yanjing's first blood, his Nine-Turn Profound Art had reached the Seventh Turn, allowing him to break into Saint Grade Physique. Normally he concealed it well—ordinary experts couldn't detect a thing.
But this man could.
Liu Xi studied him carefully. Beneath the man's skin lurked immense, terrifying physical strength.
"You're also Saint Grade Physique. To achieve that in this era… may I ask which senior of the Ancient Desolate Clan you are?"
The burly man made no effort to hide it.
"Ancient Desolate Clan's leader—Huang Qiu."
"Oh?" Liu Xi nodded in realization and smiled. "I've long heard your name, Senior."
Qin Tian couldn't stay calm anymore.
"Brother Qing Lian, when did you break into Saint Grade Physique?!"
There was a hint of reverence in his tone. A Saint Grade Physique was far harder to achieve than a Saint Grade in Spiritual Power. If Liu Xi already crushed Saints before… wouldn't he now absolutely dominate them?
Liu Xi heard the awe but smiled as usual. Walking calmly toward the trio, he said.
"Not too long ago. Don't worry—this time, I'll bring all three of you out safely… and bring you back safely."
Qin Tian, Qing Shan, and Lin Dong exchanged helpless smiles. The atmosphere had been solemn and heavy a moment ago. But with Liu Xi's arrival… Why did it suddenly feel like they were going sightseeing?
All sense of looming danger vanished.
Liu Xi flicked his sleeve and turned toward the spatial passage. "Come. With the four of us together, we might even slay a Heavenly Demon Emperor or two—and truly show them what we're made of."
Qin Tian, Qing Shan, and Lin Dong followed behind him, expressions firm, though a subtle pressure crept into their hearts.
A pressure not from the path ahead…
But from Liu Xi himself.
(End of Chapter)
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