Chapter 774: Trump‑Card Commanders
"I… gave you permission to leave?"
Lin Langtian's voice exploded beside the enchanting woman's ear, making her delicate body instantly stiffen. She then turned to look at him, smiling bewitchingly. "Commander Lin, is there something you require of me?"
Lin Langtian slowly set down the teacup in his hand and said softly, "The Heavenly Demon Sect's charm arts are indeed unique. To silently manipulate another's mind without a trace… but did you truly think such childish tricks could deceive my eyes?"
Since the other party wanted to test him, she had to bear the price of offending him. Lin Langtian might enjoy beautiful things, but he did not mind ruthlessly crushing a flower.
Hearing this, the enchanting woman sensed the chill in his tone, and a hint of gravity flashed in her beautiful eyes. She then laughed, her voice like flowing water. "Commander Lin misunderstands. I meant no offense. Our Heavenly Demon Sect has always been on good terms with the Qiankun Sect…"
"That is not an excuse. Without a proper explanation, I do not mind crushing the flower," Lin Langtian replied, his voice calm yet filled with killing intent.
The Dragon‑Kun Realm would be a place where dragons and snakes mixed together, with countless strong experts. To avoid endless trouble, displaying a forceful stance was clearly a good choice.
Lin Langtian would not provoke others without cause, but neither would he show mercy.
Realizing how difficult he was to deal with, the enchanting woman's pretty face changed. She had only intended a simple probe, never expecting him to be so cold and ruthless.
Having drawn the ire of such a troublesome man, she now found herself in an awkward position, unable to advance or retreat.
Her strength was considerable, but most of it lay in bewitching and manipulating hearts. In front of someone as cold and murderous as Lin Langtian, she was naturally at a disadvantage.
"Hmph, what a big mouth. Miss Daji, do not worry. A mere commander of the Qiankun Sect is not nearly so capable."
A cold shout suddenly rang down from the upper floor.
A handsome man in white slowly rose to his feet. The teacup in his hand quietly cracked into countless fine lines before turning completely to powder and drifting away.
Expressionless, he brushed his hands together and then stood up.
As his figure rose, the atmosphere within the Dragon‑Kun Pavilion immediately grew oppressive.
This man was none other than the Heaven Pavilion's trump‑card commander, Liu Tianxing.
The Heaven Pavilion was a top‑tier power on the Qiankun Continent, located in the eastern region. It was a faction on par with the Qiankun Sect and the Temple of Desolate Earth.
A trump‑card commander, as the name implied, was the strongest commander of one of these top forces. In terms of battle power, they were almost no weaker than king‑level experts, having truly stepped into the ranks of Fifth‑Grade Sovereigns.
Liu Tianxing's name was well known throughout the Qiankun Continent. Rumor even had it that he once slew a king‑level expert, proof of his terrifying strength.
High above in the Dragon‑Kun Pavilion, Liu Tianxing's figure did not appear particularly imposing, yet the very moment he stood, an invisible pressure spread through the building.
A formless oppressive force expanded outward—the weight of Liu Tianxing's presence.
As a trump‑card commander of the Heaven Pavilion, his reputation on the Qiankun Continent far outstripped Lin Langtian's. In the eyes of many, the two were simply not on the same level.
Although Lin Langtian had dispatched Song Zhongyang with thunderous methods earlier, very few truly believed he could be a match for Liu Tianxing.
From his elevated position, Liu Tianxing looked down indifferently at Lin Langtian and said faintly, "Show mercy when possible. Commander Lin, is it not rather ungentlemanly to press Miss Daji so hard?"
At his words, the enchanting woman known as Daji immediately turned to him with a dazzling smile. "So it is Elder Brother Liu. I had a small misunderstanding with Commander Lin. Many thanks, Elder Brother Liu, for speaking up on my behalf."
Hearing how quickly the two of them had cast him as the villain, Lin Langtian arched a brow, then said lightly, "Looking to play the hero saving the beauty, are you? The only question is whether this lapdog has the strength to back it up."
"Lapdog?"
Liu Tianxing was momentarily taken aback, but quickly understood the implication of the word. A glacial chill gathered in his eyes.
The pressure he radiated intensified, focusing wholly on Lin Langtian.
The air around Lin Langtian seemed to freeze, spiritual force descending from above in an attempt to crush his body outright.
With Liu Tianxing's strength, he could have forced any ordinary Third‑Grade Sovereign, even some Fourth‑Grade Sovereigns, into a miserable state with such spiritual pressure alone.
But Lin Langtian was clearly not in that category.
Black spiritual radiance flickered faintly over his body, and there seemed to be faint dragon roars and kun cries echoing from within him. That mountain‑crushing weight of spiritual pressure had no effect on him whatsoever.
Their gazes met in mid‑air, the chill between them enough to make the temperature inside the Dragon‑Kun Pavilion plummet.
"You do have some strength. No wonder you behave so overbearingly," Liu Tianxing said icily, his tone carrying a faint trace of killing intent. His eyes suddenly sharpened as he pressed his fingers together and pointed into the air.
"But with your Third‑Grade Sovereign cultivation alone, you are still not qualified to be arrogant before me."
Boom!
The instant his fingers thrust out, the surrounding space rippled with visible waves, and an icy blue light swept outward like a blossoming lotus of frost.
"Icefiend Finger."
As Liu Tianxing's cold voice sounded, a massive ice‑blue finger condensed within that radiance.
The creaking of frozen air echoed as its frigid aura filled the entire Dragon‑Kun Pavilion with an almost bitter chill.
Boom!
The ice‑blue giant finger pierced through the void and pressed down toward Lin Langtian.
Seeing this, the experts nearest to Lin Langtian shot backward in panic.
None of them dared remain within the range of Liu Tianxing's terrifying strike. In the end, only Lin Langtian remained where he was, motionless.
The enchanting woman called Daji also retreated, smiling as she watched the confrontation, a hint of schadenfreude at the corners of her lips.
The Heavenly Demon Sect was never known for overwhelming strength, but for its unmatched ability to stir and ensnare the human heart.
Rumble!
Lin Langtian lifted his head to look at the descending, crushing finger of ice. His dark eyes were utterly calm as he brought his hands together, twin streams of opposing demonic spiritual power rising from his palms.
Bang!
In the same instant, a thunderous sound rang out as two beams of demonic light shot from his hands, transforming into a pillar of demonic lightning and a pillar of demonic flame that smashed head‑on into the ice giant finger.
Boom!
A deafening explosion tore through the air. Violent waves of spiritual power surged outward, making the very space inside the building tremble.
The twin demonic pillars erupted with blinding fire and lightning, shattering the ice finger along with themselves into countless fragments.
The shockwaves rolled back toward the two combatants, but both casually dispersed them with a wave.
As the turbulent energies in the air gradually faded, Liu Tianxing's gaze only grew sharper.
Although he had struck casually, such an attack was more than enough to suppress any Third‑Grade or even many Fourth‑Grade Sovereigns, yet Lin Langtian had shattered it just as effortlessly. This outcome clearly left him extremely dissatisfied.
Everyone present could feel the increasingly cold killing intent and terrifying spiritual pressure radiating from Liu Tianxing, and their expressions shifted slightly.
If a Fifth‑Grade Sovereign truly went into a rage, the entire Dragon‑Kun Pavilion might be dragged into the disaster.
Many people watched the scene with great interest. The Dragon‑Kun Realm had drawn almost all of the Qiankun Continent's commander‑level elites. To witness such a spectacle before the realm even opened was more than worth the trip.
Lin Langtian looked up at Liu Tianxing, cold light flickering in his eyes. He knew that fighting here was not the wisest choice.
However, if Liu Tianxing insisted on making a move, even as a Fifth‑Grade Sovereign he would not inspire the slightest fear in Lin Langtian.
"If you do not want to be thrown out of the Dragon‑Kun Pavilion, you had best leave under your own power right now," Liu Tianxing said loftily, pointing a finger toward the main entrance.
Lin Langtian chuckled. "That is exactly what I wanted to say to you."
"Ignorant fool. If the Qiankun Sect's trump‑card commander were here, I might give some face. But a mere Third‑Grade Sovereign like you—truly courting death."
Liu Tianxing's eyes turned to ice. His body moved, and a terrifying wave of spiritual power burst from him like a storm.
His figure, wrapped in that monstrous power, shot forward in a streak of light straight at Lin Langtian.
It seemed he intended to go all out.
Lin Langtian's eyes narrowed. The space behind him quivered as his Sovereign‑level Demonic Sea flickered into view, surging demonic spiritual power howling out.
Within his palms, eight distinct streams of demonic energy rapidly converged as pillars of demonic power roared up from his Sovereign Sea.
His body transformed in an instant into a form part dragon, part kun, golden light flashing as he stomped down and shot upward, charging directly to meet Liu Tianxing.
Countless experts in the Dragon‑Kun Pavilion watched with rapt attention.
Was a top‑tier battle about to erupt here before the Dragon‑Kun Realm had even opened?
Under the gaze of all those present, the two figures hurtled toward one another. But just as they were about to collide, a gentle voice suddenly rang through the Dragon‑Kun Pavilion.
"Gentlemen, this is not the place for a battle. Please, stand down."
As that soft voice sounded, a streak of blue light descended from above, passing precisely between Lin Langtian and Liu Tianxing.
The azure radiance expanded, slowing both of them slightly.
Though this power alone could not truly stop either man, the sound of the voice made Liu Tianxing's eyes flicker.
His body abruptly halted and flashed back to the upper level.
Lin Langtian also gradually landed, the spiritual power around him slowly dispersing as he turned his gaze to the upper left.
There, a breathtakingly beautiful woman had appeared, standing gracefully.
She wore a blue palace dress, her features as fresh and lovely as a spring blossom, in no way inferior to the woman in red. Yet her upright posture and serene air lent her a sense of pure, unstained grace.
The moment she appeared, Lin Langtian could hear a wave of hushed exclamations ripple through the entire Dragon‑Kun Pavilion.
In the many gazes turned her way, there was deep admiration and yearning.
"Gentlemen, information on the Dragon‑Kun Realm will be announced here in the Dragon‑Kun Pavilion shortly. I must ask you to set aside your quarrel for now," the blue‑robed woman said with a gentle smile.
"Hehe, so it is Fairy Lan Miaozhi."
Liu Tianxing looked at the woman in blue, a refined and courteous smile appearing on his face.
He nodded. "Since the fairy herself has spoken, I shall let him off this time."
Hearing this, Lin Langtian only let out a quiet laugh.
Liu Tianxing's eyes cooled at the sound, but he ultimately refrained from acting again, only allowing a faint sliver of killing intent to form in his heart.
Lin Langtian paid him little mind. He understood that Liu Tianxing was merely looking for a way to back down gracefully.
The Dragon‑Kun Pavilion was filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers; several of the auras here made even Lin Langtian feel a hint of danger, and Liu Tianxing would certainly have sensed the same.
If they truly fought here, no matter who won, the victor would surely pay some price.
At that point, someone else might very well take advantage of their weakened state. After all, once inside the Dragon‑Kun Realm, everyone would be a competitor.
In particular, many would be more than happy to eliminate a powerful rival like Liu Tianxing in advance if given the chance.
What surprised Lin Langtian more was the woman in blue. According to the information he had, she was a trump‑card commander from Misty Peak—Lan Miaozhi. No wonder her strength was so astonishing.
"Giggle, Elder Sister Lan, you truly ruined a fine show. How disappointing," a sultry voice chimed in.
The woman in red smiled adorably at Lan Miaozhi, her curved brows exuding such charm that many throats around them unconsciously bobbed.
"There will be no shortage of good shows in the Dragon‑Kun Realm. I am sure you will have your fill then, Younger Sister Daji," Lan Miaozhi replied with a soft smile.
With the two great beauties exchanging words, the Dragon‑Kun Pavilion grew noticeably quieter. Seeing that Liu Tianxing had given up on fighting, Lin Langtian simply sat back down.
The atmosphere in the Dragon‑Kun Pavilion gradually returned to normal. However, the gazes many cast toward Lin Langtian now carried a hint of apprehension.
In their eyes, even if Lin Langtian was not yet on par with the trump‑card commanders, he was likely the foremost among those just below that level.
Such strength was worthy of serious attention.
Lin Langtian, for his part, ignored the surrounding stares. As he secretly gauged the strength of those around him, a clear chime suddenly rang through the Dragon‑Kun Pavilion, and the entire building fell abruptly silent.
Countless eyes turned toward the upper floor, where an old man slowly stepped out. With his appearance, the gazes of all present grew heated.
The elder looked over the many powerful figures in the pavilion and smiled. "Everyone, this old man is Sima Qiu, master of the Dragon‑Kun Pavilion.
"Today, I shall personally announce the details of the Dragon‑Kun Realm…"
(END CHAPTER)
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