Chapter 272: A Saint from the Xiao Clan?
Silence.
A deathly silence.
The wind blew gently across the battlefield.
Li Xun stood in the void, his robes fluttering, his hair swaying in the breeze. A transcendent aura surrounded him—pure, untainted, utterly divine. He didn't move, didn't posture, didn't even raise his voice.
He simply stood there, and that alone felt as though it suppressed the heavens and the earth.
Within hundreds of miles, countless cultivators held their breath, afraid to make even the faintest sound.
A Divine Palace Realm expert—and not just any, but one from the Xiao Clan, one of the most powerful lineages in existence—had been crushed in Li Xun's hand like an insect. Effortlessly. Instantly.
The remaining Xiao clansmen were so terrified they didn't dare utter a single word, not even a curse or protest.
Li Xun's expression remained calm, detached, immaculate. His body shimmered with Dao light, his presence so holy and pure it almost hurt to look at. Yet when his gaze swept over the crowd, each person whose eyes met his—instinctively looked away.
Even the previously arrogant patriarch of the Spirit Clan, who had been the loudest in mocking him before, now bowed his head and fell utterly silent, pretending as if nothing had happened.
As for the Golden Crow Clan and the Star-Moon Divine Sect, their people had long since withdrawn to a safe distance.
This wasn't their home turf, and to provoke Li Xun now would be no different from suicide. If even Xiao Ming had been killed with a single strike, what chance did they have?
. . .
'Now that I think about it…'
'Our preparations still weren't enough.'
Wei Xian lowered his head deeply. Hidden in his eyes was a flicker of poisonous resentment—but he didn't dare let Li Xun see it.
Inside, his mind raced, trying to figure out how to deal with this monster.
Before the Demon-Sealing Conference, the Star-Moon Divine Sect, the Great Chu Empire, the Golden Crow Clan, the Spirit Clan, and even the Xiao Clan had formed a secret alliance.
More than ten Divine Palace Realm experts had conspired together, their plan perfect from every angle.
No matter how strong Li Xun might be, they believed there was no possible way for him to survive.
And yet…
He had.
Li Xun had truly done the impossible.
Even with only mid-stage Divine Palace Realm cultivation, he had overturned their entire scheme, leaving them completely unprepared.
For an ordinary cultivator, advancing from the early to mid-stage of the Divine Palace Realm brought only a modest increase in power—a small step forward.
But for Li Xun?
That "small step" was like leaping across an entire major realm. His breakthrough had rewritten what was possible.
'Maybe…' Wei Xian thought grimly, 'it's time to ask a Saint to step in.'
But as soon as the thought surfaced, he gave a bitter smile and dismissed it.
He was just an ordinary elder of the Star-Moon Divine Sect. He had no authority to summon a Saint.
The sect was not a family—it was an organization riddled with rival factions. Even if his entire faction agreed to act against Li Xun, other factions would surely interfere.
And besides, given Li Xun's terrifying strength and limitless potential, the higher-ups of the sect were probably already considering something else entirely:
How to mend their broken relationship with him before it was too late.
While Wei Xian and the others were lost in thought, Li Xun calmly put away the Azure Dragon Halberd.
Then, his voice echoed softly through the air:
"Is there anyone else who wishes to fight the Ancient Immortal Sacred Physique cultivator?"
The words weren't loud, yet they reverberated for miles around, sinking into every listener's bones.
"Uh…"
Everyone exchanged uneasy looks.
The young prodigies—who had been so eager to prove themselves earlier—now looked away, pretending to find something fascinating in the distant mountains.
Fight Lu Qingxian now?
They'd have to be insane.
It wasn't that they were afraid of Lu Qingxian.
Every one of the young geniuses present came from a Holy Land or an imperial dynasty, each a peerless prodigy in their own right. None of them truly believed they were weaker than Xiao Zhan.
If they were to fight Lu Qingxian, they might not necessarily win, but it wouldn't be an utter defeat either. Even if they went at her one after another, what could she do? Lu Qingxian might win one match, or two, or three… but could she really win dozens in a row?
There were so many Holy Son–level figures gathered here—surely one of them would eventually defeat her.
But the problem was—
The fight itself wasn't the issue.
What if someone accidentally got killed? Then it would be over for them.
With Li Xun around, even the elders of their clans wouldn't dare to seek revenge.
Wouldn't that mean dying for nothing?
At that thought, every young genius present suddenly turned timid, like quails shrinking into their feathers—no one dared to step forward.
The entire place fell into an eerie silence.
"Since no one wishes to challenge, let today's matter end here."
Li Xun's voice was calm and clear.
With a light wave of his sleeve, he summoned the Golden Divine Chariot, cupped his hands in farewell to a few acquaintances, and then turned toward Lu Qingxian.
"Miss Lu," he said mildly, "would you care to leave with me?"
"Ah?"
Lu Qingxian blinked in surprise. After glancing around, she immediately understood Li Xun's intention.
If Li Xun were to leave alone, and she remained here, then before she even left the borders of the Crape Myrtle Holy Land, she might be ambushed by countless Divine Palace Realm experts.
But if she departed at Li Xun's side, it would be an entirely different story.
With him escorting her, the road ahead would be peaceful. No one would dare provoke them.
"Then I'll trouble Daoist Brother Li to take me along," Lu Qingxian replied with a graceful smile.
Together, the two stepped onto the Golden Divine Chariot and departed.
. . .
As they disappeared into the sky, the others could only stare at each other in silence.
Not much had happened today in number, but every single event was earth-shattering—enough to cause a massive uproar once word spread.
It wouldn't take long before the entire continent would know what had occurred within Crape Myrtle Holy Land:
First, an Ancient Immortal Sacred Physique cultivator had broken through to the Life and Death Realm.
Then, a member of the Xiao Clan—a Divine Palace Realm expert—had fallen, along with a Life and Death Realm prodigy.
The entire Xiao Clan would not take this quietly.
"Now that Li Xun has left, I suspect his next goal will be to head for the Abyssal Demons' Burial."
An elder of the Golden Crow Clan turned toward the Spirit Clan Patriarch, secretly sending him a voice transmission.
"Daoist friend, it seems our earlier plans will have to change."
If they continued following the old plan, their dozen or so Divine Palace Realm experts, even with a grand formation, would only be able to trap Li Xun at best—not kill him.
If the fight dragged on, the situation would inevitably turn in Li Xun's favor.
"Li Xun won't stay arrogant for long."
The Spirit Clan Patriarch's eyes gleamed coldly as he gazed in the direction Li Xun had departed.
"Just now, word has already reached the Xiao Clan of what happened here."
"It won't be long before a Saint from the Xiao Clan leaves seclusion to personally slay Li Xun."
"Wh-what? A Saint from the Xiao Clan?"
The Golden Crow Clan elder froze for a moment, then a faint gleam of delight crossed his aged face.
If a Saint took action, and Divine Palace Realm experts assisted from the sides, then everything would be settled.
This time, Li Xun would surely die!
Even if he were at the mid or even late stage of the Divine Palace Realm, even at its peak, so what?
Before a Saint, all who have not ascended to sainthood are but ants.
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