To be honest, Chu Yang's sword strike just now was truly stunning.
Xiao Ge, the top prodigy of Xuanjian Sect, couldn't even withstand the might of that single sword. Ling Xiao was still a few years younger than Xiao Ge—and in everyone's eyes, despite his mysterious background, his cultivation level… was unlikely to be much higher than Xiao Ge's. Clearly, Chu Yang hadn't even used his full strength, so it was understandable that Ye Qingchan had faith in him.
"A smart woman."
Even so, Ye Qingchan still dared not defy Ling Xiao to his face. She only brushed off the question with those six words: "I dare not presume to judge."
"Ling Xiao! If you have the guts, fight me fairly! Whoever loses must leave Xuanjian Sect on their own… and stay away from Qingchan! Do you dare?!!"
Chu Yang looked up at Ling Xiao, his sword aura howling and swirling above his head. Hatred surged in his chest!
If it weren't for this suddenly appearing "Young Master Ling Xiao," today should have been the day he confessed his love to Ye Qingchan. Though the two had long held affection for each other, they'd never gotten Sect Master Ye Liuyun's approval. For three years, he'd endured in seclusion, sparing no effort to cultivate.
Now, he'd brought the prestige of the Sword Path and claimed the greatest treasure of Xuanjian Sect—he should have been the most dazzling prodigy in the sect, even the entire Northern Wasteland! But this unexpected Ling Xiao had stolen all his glory. And that wasn't even the worst part—Ling Xiao was also trying to take away the woman he loved most!
In truth, Chu Yang was deeply misunderstanding Ling Xiao. How could Ling Xiao fail to see that this woman's heart belonged to Chu Yang? Besides, he wasn't some man driven by blind lust. If Chu Yang hadn't provoked him, he wouldn't have even glanced at Ye Qingchan.
After all, stealing another man's beloved wasn't the act of a gentleman—but…
Ling Xiao thought to himself: You're trying to step on me to fulfill your destiny as the Chosen One. If I still play the "gentleman" now, I'd be asking for death!
As a "stepping stone," if he didn't want to become nothing but background noise in this era, he had to plunder the destiny of these Chosen Ones!
The woman will be mine, and all the treasures you hold will be mine too!!
"Do you… even deserve to?"
Ling Xiao shook his head casually, stood up, and fixed his gaze on Chu Yang in the square.
"You!!!"
Chu Yang's aura faltered sharply. To be honest, even if he hadn't obtained the sect's inheritance, he was confident he could crush this arrogant young noble from the Holy State—because he hid a great fortune no one else knew about. So what if Ling Xiao was from the Holy State? Was that such a big deal? Would even a dog from the Holy State be worshipped by everyone?
What he didn't expect was that Ling Xiao was still putting on such a haughty act at a time like this.
Fine, keep showing off! We'll see how I crush you later!
Chu Yang calmed his temper and held up three fingers toward Ling Xiao.
"Planning to take me down in three moves?"
Ling Xiao laughed—genuinely laughed.
Sure enough, all Chosen Ones followed the same arrogant script: first, they're looked down on by everyone; then they make a "three-move bet," brutally humiliate the arrogant villainous young master, and in turn gain the sect's respect and the admiration of their beloved.
Well, logically speaking, that's how the plot should go.
Unfortunately, Chu Yang had run into Ling Xiao—a transmigrator who used to write villain roles.
"No need for all that trouble. Taking you down won't even take one move."
Ling Xiao shook his head, and a wisp of cyan light suddenly radiated from his body.
And then!!!
The world seemed to darken in an instant, and an indescribable, terrifying aura swept across everything in the blink of an eye. In the next moment, violent winds raged through the entire square, spiritual patterns flickered on and off, and the faint rumble of thunder echoed as if descending from the heavens!!
Even Ye Liuyun, Sect Master of Xuanjian Sect, turned deathly pale. This aura… was fucking terrifying!!
"Young Master Ling Xiao… is truly formidable…"
With his cultivation at the Soul Sea Realm, Ye Liuyun was already a top-tier powerhouse in the Northern Wasteland. Yet even he felt overwhelming fear now—let alone the disciples below, whose cultivation barely reached the Xuling Realm.
At this moment, everyone looked at the black-robed young man standing before the main hall, who seemed like a god descended to earth. Their eyes were filled not only with admiration, but also endless dread.
"Pfft!"
Under Ling Xiao's pressure, Chu Yang couldn't hold on even for a second. His body trembled violently, and he suddenly dropped to his knees—like a beaten dog, gasping for breath heavily.
"This aura… he… he's actually at the Nine Nether Realm!! The Nine Nether Realm!!"
Chu Yang roared frantically in his heart, while desperately calling out a strange name. But there was no response…
Ling Xiao watched with amusement as the boy knelt on the ground like a stray dog, his eyes glinting with mockery as he noticed the cyan jade pendant hanging around Chu Yang's neck.
Coming from a small clan, Chu Yang had fought his way to where he was now—defeating enemies across cultivation realms and climbing to the peak of the Sword Path. No one would believe he didn't have some kind of fortuitous encounter or hidden treasure.
Clearly, there must be a powerful expert guiding his cultivation behind the scenes. The techniques and martial arts he practiced were definitely not from this region—they were probably from the Holy State too.
But so what?
Ling Xiao's background and status were enough to make even people in the Holy State look up to him. The cultivation techniques he practiced were all top-tier in the Holy State. Not to mention, he himself was a once-in-ten-thousand-years peerless prodigy across all Five Domains!
"Ding!"
"The Chosen One has suffered mental trauma. Congratulations, Host, on successfully plundering 30 points of Destiny Value and gaining 300 points of Villain Value."
Just as Ling Xiao sneered silently, a strange, emotionless voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
"Fuck! A system? Destiny Value! Villain Value?!!"
Ling Xiao's expression froze.
After merging the original owner's memories earlier, he had already learned what his trump card was: the True Demonic Body.
This was a forbidden constitution that had only appeared once across all Five Domains. It was so powerful that the top experts of the Holy State had to unite just to barely destroy the last person who possessed it. That battle had killed more than half of the Holy State's strongest powerhouses. Even now, people still trembled at the mention of this forbidden constitution.
Only a few close relatives in his clan knew Ling Xiao's secret—otherwise, he would never have survived until now. And the reason he'd come to the Northern Domain this time was because he'd received a certain summoning. That summoning must have been related to his Demonic Body.
What he hadn't expected was that besides this heaven-defying constitution, he actually had a system too. And Destiny Value had always been a symbol of Heavenly Dao—once he plundered enough of it… what chance would anyone else have?
Ling Xiao was dying to laugh, but reason told him to hold back. At the same time, his reason told him that this Villain Value would definitely be of great use!
"Young Master is mighty!!"
"That's just crushing him! Young Master Ling Xiao didn't even lift a finger!"
"Chu Yang is really asking for death!"
"Terrifying! Truly worthy of a young noble from the Holy State!!"
Hearing the flattery from the crowd in the square, Ling Xiao remained calm and composed. His black robes fluttered gently, and his expression was lazy. That demeanor was truly no different from that of a divine being.
How ridiculous that Chu Yang had relied on his talent and dared to provoke Young Master Ling Xiao! Now, he'd been crushed into a beaten dog by nothing but a wisp of Ling Xiao's aura!
"Now, do you understand the gap between me and him?"
Ling Xiao turned his head, and a playful smile suddenly curled up at the corner of his lips as he looked at Ye Qingchan—who had long been dumbfounded beside him.