Soul Emperor Awakening

Lin Xuan taught them a harsh lesson. A few slaps sent Fang Qingyu reeling, nearly knocking him unconscious.

The second guard quickly caught him, his face a mask of terror as he stared at Lin Xuan. "A-Aren’t you afraid of the Fang Family’s retaliation?!" He didn’t dare to make another move. ’Even my boss was crippled. What can I do?’

"The Fang Family’s retaliation?" Lin Xuan snorted. "If I were afraid, I would have run away long ago! Shall I see you off?"

Terrified, the second guard scrambled to grab Fang Qingyu and his boss, then leaped onto a horse and fled down the road. Even with an injured wrist, he could still carry two people and escape.

As he fled, he threw a parting threat over his shoulder: "You’ve crossed the Fang Family! You’re dead!"

"I’ll be waiting!" Lin Xuan snorted. He had anticipated this outcome. Whether he killed them or not, he would have earned the Fang Family’s enmity.

The only difference was how the Fang Family would choose to act. By not killing them, they would likely just send a few experts to capture him. In that case, he figured he could have the Fifth Elder step in and easily smooth things over. But if he had killed them, unless he were a Core Disciple, even the Fifth Elder would have had a hard time protecting him.

After all, he would have killed the Fang Family’s future heir. How could the Fang Family possibly tolerate that?

’Compared to the many outstanding disciples in the Inner Hall, these guys are pathetic.’ Lin Xuan recalled the fight. The two guards were too weak. Even though they were at the Fifth Layer of the Spirit Refining Stage, they were still inferior to an Inner Hall Disciple at the second or Third Layer.

That was to be expected. Every Inner Hall Disciple was exceptionally talented. Their Martial Techniques and Weapons were all top-tier. Killing idiots like them would be a piece of cake. ’If I can’t even beat scum like this, I might as well just go ram my head into a Stone Stele and die.’

"Mister... thank you." Just then, the little girl who had fallen ran out from the crowd. She held out an apple, her small face beaming with excitement.

Lin Xuan’s cold expression immediately softened. He took the fruit and gently patted the little girl’s head. "Thank you. I’ll accept this as my payment."

"Mister, you’re so strong! I want to be as strong as you someday..." The little girl had clearly witnessed Lin Xuan’s heroic display and was still buzzing with excitement.

"You will be, as long as you work hard," he said. "Now, hurry back to your mother." He gestured for her to leave quickly. Lingering here would only attract unwanted attention.

It could bring disaster upon her and her family. It was better for her not to be near him. Who knew if the Fang Family had spies watching?

He took a bite of the crisp, sweet apple, a warmth spreading through his chest. ’These people have done nothing wrong, so why must the powerful be so cruel?’ he thought. ’But to them, the only crime is being weak!’

The looks from the surrounding crowd said it all. Their eyes were filled with pity, as if they were certain Lin Xuan wouldn’t live much longer. After all, he had provoked the Fang Family.

He continued eating the apple as he turned and vanished into the depths of the street, disappearing from sight.

...

It took Lin Xuan some effort to find the Liu Family estate. When he arrived, he saw several carriages parked outside the main gate. More importantly, one of the warhorses looked extremely familiar.

No, it wasn’t just familiar—it was the very same one the guard had ridden while escaping with Fang Qingyu. ’Enemies really are bound to cross paths,’ he thought. It had only been a short time, and here they were again, at the Liu Family estate of all places.

As he drew closer, he saw the second guard get kicked out of the main gate. The man spat out a mouthful of blood, clutching his stomach as he writhed on the ground.

"Useless trash! You can’t even protect your own Young Master! What’s the point of keeping you around?!" a deep, commanding voice boomed from within the gates.

"Father, Father! I-It was him! He’s the one who hit me!" Fang Qingyu cried, emerging from the gate with a middle-aged man. The moment he saw Lin Xuan, he pointed a terrified finger at him.

Lin Xuan didn’t try to flee. Instead, he sized up the middle-aged man. This had to be Fang Qingyu’s father, the current Clan Leader of the Fang Family, Fang Feng.

"So it’s you!" Fang Feng’s expression turned vicious. The formidable aura of a Spirit Pill Stage expert washed over Lin Xuan, a crushing power that threatened to force him to his knees.

In an instant, Lin Xuan felt a terrifying pressure slam down on him. It was so sudden he nearly buckled to his knees. The fact that Fang Feng could almost force him to kneel with his Elemental Power pressure alone was a testament to the staggering gap between their strength.

He had anticipated this. Escape was impossible. Fang Feng could kill him instantly with a flick of his finger.

’A Spirit Pill Stage expert... truly formidable!’

Lin Xuan forced his legs to straighten, stubbornly resisting the pressure. The joints in his legs creaked and groaned under the strain, but he held firm. He would rather have his legs crippled than kneel before a man like this!

"Oh? Quite resilient. No wonder you were able to handle these two pieces of trash." Fang Feng continued to exert his pressure as he walked slowly toward Lin Xuan. A light glowed on his fingertip, ready to strike.

If that finger hit him, he’d be half-dead, if not worse.

Just then, he prepared to activate the Soul Pearl. ’Even if it’s the last thing I do, I’ll land a heavy blow on Fang Qingyu.’

"Young Master Lin?!" A familiar voice called out, followed by an urgent shout. "Father, quickly, save Young Master Lin! You were only able to recover because of him!"

The next moment, a handsome, middle-aged man stepped in front of Lin Xuan. With a casual wave of his hand, the immense pressure vanished.

"Clan Leader Fang, I’d advise you to tread carefully here," said the man. "Killing this young man will only bring disaster upon yourself." The man standing before Lin Xuan was Liu Qing, Liu Menghua’s father. His Cultivation might have been slightly inferior to Fang Feng’s, but if the two of them were to truly fight, the outcome would be hard to predict.

Lin Xuan stared coldly at Fang Feng. He feared no one, no matter how great the disparity in power. Of course, he wasn’t reckless either. ’If I reveal my identity, even Fang Feng will have to think twice.’

"Oh? And what identity could this boy possibly have for Clan Leader Liu himself to speak on his behalf?" Fang Feng retracted his aura, though the cold glint in his eyes remained. His son had been beaten. Even if the boy were the son of the Jade Emperor himself, he would still be furious, though he wouldn’t let it show on his face.

The boy’s Cultivation was too low to be of any concern, but with Liu Qing speaking for him, he had to be cautious.

"Who is the most famous newcomer in Qingcheng Mansion’s Inner Hall these days? Surely Clan Leader Fang has heard a few things, no?" Liu Qing said with a faint smile, a mocking glint in his eyes.

"Lin Yunlong!"

Fang Feng froze. The cold light in his eyes was replaced by shock. He clearly knew of Lin Xuan.

This didn’t surprise Lin Xuan. These two men were the heads of major families. If they didn’t even keep up with this kind of news, their families would already be in decline. A family that couldn’t stay informed was a family destined for a swift downfall; staying informed was how one recruited talent and staved off collapse.

The most prominent figure recently was undoubtedly Ling Tian, but the one newcomer who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him was Lin Xuan. That was why Liu Qing had specifically added the words "most famous newcomer"!

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