Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

”What’s wrong? Are you scared?”

Seeing Lu Tiansheng hesitate, Yang Xiao let out a derisive laugh.

His words finally snapped the surrounding people out of their daze.

The younger disciples of the Lu Family, in particular, could no longer hold back and began to break out in fervent discussion.

”Has he lost his mind? A mere pipsqueak who hasn’t even stabilized his cultivation in the Small Divine Ability Realm dares to challenge the Eighth Elder to a duel? The Eighth Elder is a Tier Seven True God, a mighty expert at the Divine Marquis Level!”

”Heh, didn’t you hear him? This Saint Prince is brimming with confidence. From his words and his expression, it’s clear he thinks he has the Eighth Elder in the bag. Maybe he really does have an ace up his sleeve.”

”An ace up his sleeve? No way. Even if he is His Majesty the Human Emperor’s disciple, the high and mighty Saint Prince, the gap between them is just too vast. What kind of trump card could possibly let him pull off an upset victory?”

Each and every one of the Lu Family’s younger generation was utterly baffled, and the looks they gave Yang Xiao were incredibly strange.

What Yang Xiao hadn’t expected was this: he had assumed his challenge would make the Lu Family members see him as arrogant and reckless, causing a slight dissipation of his Power of the Emperor. But when he’d just sensed it, his expression turned quite strange.

’The Power of the Emperor didn’t dissipate at all. In fact, it’s become even more focused, and its strength seems to have grown by half a notch?’

Yang Xiao was a little surprised.

Still, this was a good thing. It also made him realize just how truly unfathomable the human heart was.

You might think doing something would make others lose faith in you, but instead, it doesn’t. On the contrary, their increased attention causes their hearts and minds to rally behind you.

You might think doing something else would earn you their admiration, but that could just be an illusion; for other reasons, their support might crumble away.

’No wonder in my past life, Father Emperor often sighed, saying that the human heart is unpredictable, and that until one becomes a Saint Emperor, the Power of the Emperor is ultimately rootless duckweed. He also said that the will of the people is like water and the Human Emperor is the boat; water can carry the boat, but it can also capsize it. This path of the Emperor Dao is not like the orthodox Martial Dao; it’s difficult to use as a foundation. Now, I’m finally starting to understand.’

Yang Xiao sighed inwardly.

But his gaze remained fixed on Lu Tiansheng.

Although the Power of the Emperor was like rootless duckweed, right now, it was his greatest reliance.

If not for the Power of the Emperor, he probably would have been utterly humiliated by Lu Tiansheng’s earlier scheme.

Besides, once he became the true Human Emperor and ascended to the rank of Great Emperor, he could command the destiny of the Human Race. At that point, the Power of the Emperor would become stable.

It would no longer be as it was now.

Besides, even if the Power of the Emperor was an insufficient foundation, the two Human Emperor Secret Techniques he cultivated—the Emperor Golden Dragon Secret Technique and the Emperor Dao Celestial Venerable Map—were both first-rate techniques. Moreover, neither was a Secret Technique that primarily focused on cultivating the Power of the Emperor.

Even for the sake of these two Secret Techniques alone, Yang Xiao could not abandon the Power of the Emperor.

Not to mention, his own progress was constrained by the advancement rules of his Heaven and Earth Origin Fire, making it extremely difficult to raise his cultivation. The Power of the Emperor was a form of strength he could acquire without needing to train for it.

Why wouldn’t he take advantage of it?

’Since I’ll be leaving the Profound Sun Continent soon anyway, I might as well let this Emperor’s True Body shine. It will also serve to intimidate the petty cowards!’

A glint flashed in Yang Xiao’s eyes.

The derision in his gaze as he looked at Lu Tiansheng grew even heavier.

It was as if he were truly looking at a dog.

This made Lu Tiansheng flinch inwardly, but he quickly started laughing. He shot a meaningful glance at a Tier Five Divine General in the distance, one who had also entered the True Dragon Nest.

Instantly, that Divine General stepped forward.

”The Saint Prince is powerful, but I’m afraid you’re still a ways off from challenging the Eighth Elder, aren’t you? However, since the Saint Prince is eager for a fight, how about you let me, Lu Yicheng, take the Eighth Elder’s place?”

As he spoke, the Divine General Level expert didn’t wait for Yang Xiao’s consent. His aura flared and instantly locked onto him.

A Tier Five Divine General, and a Tier Five Peak Divine General at that.

That terrifying aura lock was no laughing matter.

Even Yang Xiao probably wouldn’t have been able to withstand it without using his Power of the Emperor.

After all, his true cultivation was still too weak.

However, the moment he circulated the Power of the Emperor within him, he stood his ground firmly.

’He does have some skill, but what a pity. He’s still too arrogant, daring to provoke the Eighth Elder. He’s simply asking to be humiliated.’

Lu Yicheng sneered inwardly.

But his face showed an expression of amazement as he said, ”The Saint Prince is truly extraordinary. To be able to remain so composed under my aura’s suppression... it seems you really do have something to rely on. In that case, I won’t be polite. Saint Prince, please receive this move of mine.”

With that, he attacked directly.

The entire sequence—from stepping out to challenge him, to suppressing him with his aura, to attacking now—gave Yang Xiao no opportunity to refuse.

His goal was to catch him completely off guard.

He even wanted to force Yang Xiao to reveal his trump card. That way, whether the Eighth Elder or someone else stepped up next, they could secure a stable victory over Yang Xiao.

They would be able to humiliate him.

Therefore, Lu Yicheng was naturally putting his all into it.

This strike contained nearly all his strength.

Seeing this, Lu Tiansheng also smiled with satisfaction.

He was cautious by nature.

And exceptionally afraid of death.

Yang Xiao’s sudden challenge and demand for a duel had been insulting, but having lived for so many years, Lu Tiansheng was incredibly thick-skinned.

After his initial impulse, his instincts had immediately told him something was wrong.

Naturally, he was unwilling to be the first to step forward.

Besides, if even those youngsters could tell that Yang Xiao must have a trump card, how could he possibly fail to see it?

’But now, with Yicheng on the stage, this Elder would like to see just how much longer you can act so arrogant.’

Lu Tiansheng sneered inwardly.

In contrast, Lu Fangliang was probably the most worried person present for Yang Xiao.

He was frantic with worry.

He wished he could fight in Yang Xiao’s place.

But against a powerhouse at the Peak of Fifth Tier Divine General, even if he went up, could he even block a single strike?

Obviously not.

Seeing that he was powerless to change the situation, Lu Fangliang grew even more anxious. At the same time, he sent a telepathic plea for help to several of the elders he was close with, including the Lu Family Master.

But it was like a stone sinking into the ocean; he received no response.

He could only watch as Lu Yicheng’s attack arrived. The terrifying Greater Yang Power transformed into countless palms that could incinerate the heavens and extinguish the earth, striking at Yang Xiao from every direction.

It seemed as if it intended to take his life.

This made his heart clench even tighter in panic.

Just as he couldn’t stop himself from intervening—thinking that even if he failed, he could at least block some of the force for Yang Xiao—a voice echoed in his mind.

”Don’t worry. Watch me defeat this guy in a single blow!”

The moment the voice faded,

a resounding dragon’s roar echoed in Lu Fangliang’s ears.

Immediately after, he saw a terrifying Golden Dragon fly out from Yang Xiao’s body.

Its majestic, sharp claws casually swiped out and seized the charging Lu Yicheng—who had unleashed his full power—firmly in their grasp.

The sky full of flaming palms instantly dissipated.

Everyone present stared, utterly dumbfounded.

What... what kind of Magical Treasure was that?