Chapter 133: Vengeance with One's Own Hands

Two powerful energies converged, generating a violent gale that roared toward the center of the hall. Everyone present held their breath, eyes wide, unwilling to miss a single moment of this heart-stopping spectacle.

With a thunderous crash, the two distinct energies collided. A series of secondary impacts followed, and in a heartbeat, a colossal fire dragon swallowed the swirling purple shadows, lunging straight at Liu Yingfeng.

"How is this possible?" Liu Yingfeng’s eyes bulged in shock. He could not comprehend how Lin Xiaobao’s spiritual power could be so formidable. The moment their attacks met, he felt a potent, corrosive force within Lin Xiaobao’s energy, which dismantled his own assault with ease.

Was this truly just a sixth-level Spiritual Dao practitioner? Not only was Liu Yingfeng stunned, but every person in the hall found it impossible to believe their eyes; the unfolding scene defied their understanding.

Only Chen Zhong allowed a faint smile to touch his lips. He alone knew that Lin Xiaobao had refined countless exotic flames within the ancient seal. Each flame possessed its own unique properties, which Lin Xiaobao had seamlessly integrated into his own natal true fire. While the output was less potent than the raw, unrefined flames, it was more than enough to deal with a ninth-level Spiritual Dao expert.

The crimson fire dragon grew ever larger in Liu Yingfeng’s pupils. Though he struggled to swing his Purple Firmament Tyrant Sword, it was clearly the desperate thrashing of a trapped beast. The dragon’s massive body coiled around him, and as it tightened, a series of agonizing screams pierced the air. When the flames finally subsided, a charred and unrecognizable Liu Yingfeng collapsed, lifeless.

Lin Xiaobao descended to the ground, quickly consuming medicinal powder to replenish his spiritual energy. His breathing remained ragged. Although he had defeated Liu Yingfeng by leveraging his various advantages, the massive gap in their cultivation levels had drained him significantly—especially the immense mental strain of keeping his own spiritual consciousness fluctuations perfectly synchronized with Liu Yingfeng’s.

Glancing at the lifeless body on the floor, Lin Xiaobao slowly raised the Pale Flame Sacred Sword and pointed its tip toward the Second Elder. "You’re next!"

The Second Elder froze. In his estimation, Lin Xiaobao should have paused to recover his strength before issuing a new challenge. He had not expected Lin Xiaobao to forgo any rest and proceed immediately to the next fight.

Not only the Second Elder, but everyone present was taken aback by Lin Xiaobao’s iron resolve. Even Chen Zhong’s lips twitched slightly; with his cultivation, he could see deeper than the rest. Though Lin Xiaobao’s victory had been spectacular, he had already exhausted seventy to eighty percent of his spiritual energy. Even with the medicinal aid, he had regained at most half of his power, yet he insisted on continuing against a peak ninth-level Spiritual Dao powerhouse. Chen Zhong could not help but feel a twinge of concern.

Staring at the fallen Liu Yingfeng, the Second Elder hardened his resolve and leaped into the yellowish light barrier. He understood now that he had only two choices: fight or die. Even if killing Lin Xiaobao did not guarantee his own survival, he was determined to drag Lin Xiaobao down with him if he were to fall.

With this thought, his fear vanished. "I never imagined you would grow so quickly. Perhaps the Wind and Snow Pavilion was truly wrong in its attitude toward you."

"It is too late for such words now!" Lin Xiaobao pointed his sword at Liu Yingfeng’s corpse. "He... is your example."

"Given your current condition, do you really think you can kill me?" the Second Elder asked with a sneer, his voice calm now that he had accepted his fate.

"What makes it impossible? Before I fought him, did anyone believe I could kill him?" Lin Xiaobao continued to provoke the Second Elder, simultaneously pushing himself to his limits.

Ever since the appearance of the demonic cultivators, Lin Xiaobao sensed that while he gained benefits from the two elders, the enemies he would face in the future would be more powerful than he could imagine. Only by relentlessly forcing his own potential could he grow rapidly. Only in this way could he ensure that Elder Mo would not suffer the same fate as Elder Wu.

Thus, today, at the sixth level of the Spiritual Dao, he was challenging three peak ninth-level experts. Firstly, it was for his master’s revenge. Secondly, the silent passing of Elder Wu had been a profound shock to him. He would not allow such a tragedy to repeat; he had to protect those around him, and all of this required the backing of immense power.

"Since you are bent on seeking death, I shall grant your wish!" As the Second Elder spoke, a dozen talismans appeared in his hand.

These were no mere low-grade talismans like those used by the disciples; each one was a genuine mid-grade Profound-tier talisman. During the previous Pavilion Tournament, Geng Zhiyi had nearly killed Lin Xiaobao—who was then only at the ninth level of the Innate Martial Realm—with a single mid-grade Yellow-tier Illusion Talisman. Now, even though Lin Xiaobao had reached the Spiritual Dao, the Second Elder’s talismans were a full grade higher than what Geng had used.

With a flick of his wrist, the Second Elder sent the talismans hovering around him. Enveloped in his powerful spiritual consciousness, their auras were masked, making it impossible for anyone to sense their specific properties.

For an ordinary person, this maneuver would necessitate a defensive stance. But for Lin Xiaobao, who had cultivated his Mind Wave technique to the third level, such precautions were futile. The moment the Second Elder made his move, Lin Xiaobao exerted his own powerful spiritual consciousness. By sensing the frequency of the Second Elder’s consciousness, Lin Xiaobao quickly matched it, and in an instant, he discerned the attributes of every talisman.

"Rest assured, Lin Xiaobao will win this fight!" Seeing Si Mengling’s face darken as the Second Elder unleashed the talismans, Chen Zhong offered immediate comfort.

"Why do you say that, Senior Chen?" Before Si Mengling could speak, Yun Keke, who had arrived at Chen Zhong’s side, asked with concern. Though she addressed Chen, her gaze never left Lin Xiaobao.

Chen Zhong looked at Yun Keke and paused slightly. "And you are...?"

He Xinran, noticing the peculiar look Si Mengling cast toward Yun Keke, seemed to grasp the situation. She intervened, saying, "If someone asks you, just answer them properly. Don't blame me if your brother comes down and gets angry at you later!"

Chen Zhong understood instantly, looking at Yun Keke as he asked, "Are you also a sister-in-law?"

At this question, a flush rose to Yun Keke’s cheeks, leaving her at a loss for how to respond.