"This place is too small. Follow me."
Ling Xiao gave a sinister smile and waved his hand abruptly.
Above his head, the Domain World's gate materialized, causing looks of shock and awe to appear in the eyes of the gathered prodigies.
"Is that… a secret realm entrance?"
"Is the competition about treasure hunting in a secret realm?"
"This is our great opportunity!!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
The sound of breaking wind instantly filled the air as streams of light shot across the sky, vanishing into the Domain World.
Ling Xiao merely glanced calmly at the Xia Emperor and said in an icy tone, "Notify the Grand Tutor. Tomorrow, mobilize the troops and come with me to the Great Zhou border."
"Yes! Lord!!"
Ling Xiao's figure vanished from the spot, and the previously bustling square instantly became empty.
Thousands of prodigies stood on a vast plain within the world, their eyes filled with intense curiosity.
Above the plain, several figures stood quietly, their spiritual light forming a formation that sealed the surrounding space.
The void rippled silently as Ling Xiao stood high in the sky, softly saying, "Begin. You have one day. The hundred who survive can become my servants."
"What?!"
Upon hearing this, the faces of the prodigies instantly changed dramatically.
Is… this a competition?
What about the promised heaven-defying opportunity?
Are you sure this isn't… a demon sect selecting disciples?!
"I want to go home!! Let me out!!"
"I withdraw!! I withdraw!!"
"If you don't kill, then you can only… be killed."
Ling Xiao shook his head with a cold laugh, extended a finger, and gently swiped it down.
A sharp sword light instantly tore through the clouds, falling towards the crowd.
In an instant, dozens of youths turned into bloody mist, their bodies and heads separated.
Gulp.
Quite suddenly, spiritual light began to flicker between heaven and earth, and the scent of blood quietly spread.
Ling Xiao didn't even glance at the crowd, stepping towards a distant spiritual mountain.
Since he was selecting those with luck, he didn't have time to check each one individually. Letting them slaughter each other meant the survivors would either be powerful with resilient minds or have luck protecting them.
Only then would they be worthy of being nurtured.
While subduing powerful experts, he could also train a group of luck-bearing death warriors. Only then could the Heavenly Demon Palace truly reappear in the world one day!
---
In the Yun Meng Immortal Pavilion in Dragon Fortune City.
Qiu Qinghan, dressed in white, sat by the window, drinking a pot of warm wine.
Her eyes revealed confusion.
Another true demon had appeared in the world.
Again, in the Great Xia Imperial Dynasty.
Was it a coincidence, or… was someone deliberately creating a smokescreen?
No trace of demons had been seen in the Sacred Continent for three hundred years.
But now, within just a few days, two demons had appeared consecutively in Great Xia.
Something was wrong. It seemed she had to notify that lord to come.
---
One day passed in the blink of an eye.
Within the Domain World, Ling Xiao stood with his hands behind his back in the void, looking down at the blood-soaked earth below.
A black blade fell from the sky, plunging into the soil.
Then, a terrifying scene unfolded.
The previously dried blood and scattered dismembered limbs suddenly began to churn, eventually forming a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood that submerged the black blade.
The number of surviving Great Xia prodigies was now less than a hundred.
More than ten of them were severely injured and on the verge of death, their faces filled with despair.
Ling Xiao smiled faintly, extended a finger, transforming it into a peerless sharp edge, directly sending those dying individuals into the cycle of reincarnation.
"Very good. Now, you will become the first batch of shadow guards of my Heavenly Demon Palace. Die Ying."
"Master!"
The void trembled as Die Ying's figure appeared.
Her cultivation realm was now evidently at the third grade of Divine King.
"These people are entrusted to you. Extract a wisp of their soul consciousness and train them into death warriors."
After speaking, Ling Xiao looked down and selected ten individuals from the eighty-three Great Xia prodigies who carried luck. "You, follow me."
Even though they were said to carry luck, it was only around one or two hundred points.
These people couldn't become protagonists of heaven and earth, but they still had luck protecting them, and their comprehension and talent were considered superior.
Two of them had even comprehended the Five Elements Dao Principles—one for fire, one for water.
Unfortunately, they had only just comprehended them; there was no point in devouring them.
The prodigies now lacked their previous arrogance, each with their heads bowed low, like slaves.
---
Deep within the Domain World, in a secluded valley within a green mountain.
Even before getting close, the scent of medicinal herbs assailed their nostrils.
Ling Xiao led the ten youths into the valley, immediately eliciting exclamations of amazement.
"It's the Multicolored Mountain Spirit Fungus!!"
"This is… the Snow Region Divine Lotus!!"
"Heavens… this valley is filled with heaven and earth spiritual treasures!!"
Rich spiritual energy, accompanied by the scent of medicine, filled the sky.
In the center of the valley, a young man dressed in black robes sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. Immortal mist seemed to swirl around him, his hands held before him, within which an Immortal Plaque shimmered with golden light.
It was none other than Han Zhan, the Son of Fate following the Mortal Stream, whom Ling Xiao had imprisoned here!
"Hmm?"
As if sensing Ling Xiao's presence, Han Zhan opened his eyes, stepped forward, and bowed deeply to Ling Xiao.
"Master!"
"Mm. These ten will follow you from now on, tending to the medicinal gardens of my Heavenly Hall. Divide the mark in your sea of consciousness into ten parts and plant them in their seas of consciousness," Ling Xiao said indifferently. "This is the Medicine God of my Heavenly Hall. Follow him and tend the herbs diligently. You will receive resources for cultivation monthly."
"Yes!"
Han Zhan, now branded with Ling Xiao's soul mark, had no room for resistance.
Soul light flickered in his eyes, instantly entering the eyes of the ten individuals.
A faint connection arose in Ling Xiao's heart; clearly, these ten had now become the servants of his servant.
With this, the Great Xia journey was successfully concluded.
He had slain one Son of Fate and released a treasure-hunting dog.
Two black pots firmly placed; for a short time, no one should pay him any attention.
Thus… it was time to rescue that good big brother from his cage.
---
Great Xia Border.
This area bordered Great Zhou's Northern Frontier, Great Qi's Southern Domain, and Great Qin's Eastern Wastelands. The junction of four dynasties, it was perpetually chaotic.
However…
Today, Great Xia's border fortress, Soaring Dragon City, was unusually lively.
Soaring Dragon City's commander, Great Xia's defending general Li Kuo, stood on the city walls in silver armor, gazing into the distance towards the capital.
Beside him, various Great Xia generals stood quietly, as if waiting for something.
"Have you heard? The Grand Tutor is personally leading troops to the border this time, saying they're going to attack Great Zhou."
"Why attack Great Zhou?"
"I heard it's because the Zhou Emperor falsely accused our Great Xia of harboring demons…"
"Falsely accused? Doesn't our Great Xia have demons? Didn't the eldest prince and the imperial son-in-law both turn into demons and disappear?"
"Shh! Silence! Do you have a death wish?"
"Screw you… didn't you bring it up first?"
Countless soldiers stood ready within the border city, their expressions solemn.
It wasn't until the sound of breaking wind suddenly came from the distant sky.
On the ground, the thunder of ten thousand horses galloping shook the earth, and everyone's eyes focused intently.
In the void above, a figure stepped forward slowly, his gray robes fluttering, as if a terrifying spiritual power was evolving into the primordium of heaven and earth.
At first, he was on the horizon, but with a single step, he reached the city walls.
Various strange phenomena floated and sank around him, his vast Emperor aura shaking the universe.
It was none other than the Grand Tutor of Great Xia, the dynasty's number one expert, the sixth-grade Divine Emperor, Qiao Yunli!
"We welcome the Grand Tutor!"
All the soldiers in the city bowed deeply.
Even the defending general Li Kuo, a second-grade Divine Emperor, bowed deeply at this moment, his eyes filled with reverential awe.
But!!
What made everyone feel astonished was that Qiao Yunli did not descend from mid-air but stood still in place, as if… waiting for someone else?
Dammit?
Could it be… the Emperor is leading the expedition personally?