Chapter 269: The Bearing of an Emperor
The divine radiance lasted only a short while—within a few breaths, it had completely faded away.
Up in the heavens, Lu Qingxian's figure appeared. Her presence was ethereal, her beauty peerless—black hair like flowing ink, skin pale as snow—so breathtaking that it seemed to steal the very air from one's lungs.
At this moment, her aura surged to its absolute limit. The power of her Life and Death Realm cultivation spilled outward like a blazing sun, vast and overwhelming, making her seem like a celestial maiden from the Moon Palace itself.
"She doesn't seem to be injured…"
Someone murmured softly.
Indeed, looking at Lu Qingxian now, there wasn't the slightest trace of injury on her. It was as if the Ninefold Heavenly Tribulation she had just faced had left her completely untouched.
"If she truly passed through the Ninefold Heavenly Tribulation unharmed, then she may well be the strongest Ancient Immortal Sacred Physique user in hundreds of thousands of years." A Divine Palace Realm powerhouse spoke in a deep voice.
If Lu Qingxian could endure the Ninefold Heavenly Tribulation Life and Death Tribulation without suffering any harm, then in the future she would, at the very least, reach the Peak of the Divine Palace Realm.
At that level, before she even faced the Saint Tribulation, no obstacle could truly hinder her path.
A Peak Divine Palace Realm cultivator with an Ancient Immortal Sacred Physique was a being on a completely different level from one merely at the Peak of the Divine Power Realm—though their realms differed by only a single name, the gap in strength and value was like that between heaven and earth.
Though the Ancient Immortal Sacred Physique was spurned by the heavens themselves, its uniqueness remained terrifying. The fact that Lu Qingxian, while only in the Divine Power Realm, had already slain several Golden Crow Clan Princes was proof enough of that.
From that alone, one could already glimpse her potential.
If, in the future, Lu Qingxian truly ascended to the Peak of the Divine Palace Realm, then she would undoubtedly become a force that none in the cultivation world could afford to underestimate.
To call her invincible beneath the Saints would not be an exaggeration.
. . .
With a soft whoosh, a faint sound echoed.
Lu Qingxian's figure shimmered, and in a single step, she descended from the sky, landing gracefully before Li Xun.
In the depths of her eyes flickered a light of barely contained excitement.
She bowed slightly, her lips parting with gentle grace as she spoke in a soft, melodic voice:
"My thanks to Daoist Brother Li for lending your aid."
"I possess little of worth, but please—accept this small token of gratitude."
As she spoke, Lu Qingxian offered him a storage ring—ancient in design, understated yet refined.
The gesture, however, immediately stirred countless imaginations.
Beyond her famed Ancient Immortal Sacred Physique, there was another reason Lu Qingxian drew such attention—she possessed the legendary Dao Source Immortal Metal.
Now, as she gifted Li Xun a storage ring, no one could say for certain whether that divine material rested within it.
Of course, most people believed it did.
In fact, many thought that Lu Qingxian might have given away all the Dao Source Immortal Metal she had—after all, Li Xun's aid to her had been far too great to be measured.
"It was nothing more than a small effort."
Li Xun reached out and accepted the ring, a faint smile curving his lips.
Just as he had expected—inside, the ring was completely empty, save for a single fist-sized divine stone floating quietly in the void.
That divine stone was none other than Dao Source Immortal Metal itself.
Though it didn't appear large, a single piece like this, if revealed to the world, would be enough to trigger a bloody storm.
Even Saints would be tempted by it.
'Seems my efforts weren't in vain after all.'
Li Xun mused inwardly.
He had invested so much, and this was precisely the moment he had been waiting for.
With this Dao Source Immortal Metal in hand, even if he could not forge an Imperial Weapon or an Immortal Weapon, once he broke through to the Saint Realm, crafting a Peak-Grade Sacred Weapon would be well within reach.
"Since you've already broken through to the Life and Death Realm, there are certain matters you should now settle yourself. Today, with me here, no one will interfere with your actions."
Li Xun accepted the storage ring and spoke slowly.
As he did, his gaze swept across the gathered powerhouses of the Spirit Clan and Xiao Clan alike.
Everyone caught under his eyes felt an uncontrollable chill run down their spines.
It was as if a demon god had fixed his gaze upon them, and a bone-deep cold crept into their hearts.
This was a warning.
Everyone understood it perfectly, but none dared speak out.
Li Xun's identity alone commanded respect, and his true strength remained unfathomable.
No one in their right mind would choose this moment to provoke him.
"My thanks, Daoist Brother Li."
Lu Qingxian inclined her head lightly.
She did not refuse his kindness—which meant she had accepted the debt of his favor.
And this favor… was a heavy one, one she would have to repay slowly in the years to come.
"Xiao Zhan, are you not coming up to meet your death?"
Lu Qingxian turned around, her snow-white robes fluttering, black hair flowing like silk in the wind.
A glint of frost shimmered in her gaze, and in that instant, the atmosphere turned sharp and killing intent filled the air.
"A mere crippled cultivator dares provoke me? Truly courting death!"
Xiao Zhan's cold snort echoed through the heavens as he stepped forward into the sky.
His entire body was bathed in divine radiance, a long spear in his hand, and for a moment, he looked like a war god reborn, standing tall beneath the firmament.
Such a display made everyone turn their eyes toward him.
If not for Xiao Chen's overwhelming brilliance overshadowing him, Xiao Zhan's own reputation might have already reached even greater heights—enough to make the world remember that the Xiao Clan had another terrifying prodigy within its ranks.
"Peak Life and Death Realm?"
From the Star Moon Divine Sect, Wei Xian raised an eyebrow, surprise flashing in his eyes.
When Xiao Zhan first appeared, although his aura was formidable, most people hadn't paid him much mind—after all, he was merely another young genius.
But now, on closer inspection, something was clearly different.
His strength had already reached the Peak of the Life and Death Realm, equal to that of the Fourth Prince of the Golden Crow Clan, and he was on the verge of stepping into the Divine Palace Realm.
Such a prodigy—if he advanced even a little further—might soon be mentioned in the same breath as Li Xun himself.
"The Xiao Clan's foundation is indeed extraordinary," Wei Xian murmured in admiration.
"Even their lesser geniuses put the rest of our sects to shame."
His own sect's Holy Son was only at the mid-stage of the Life and Death Realm.
Compared to Xiao Chen, the gap was vast—and now, even compared to Xiao Zhan, there was no contest at all.
"Heh."
Xiao Ming stroked his beard and chuckled, his expression full of pride and condescension as he declared arrogantly:
"My clan's Xiao Chen possesses the bearing of an immortal—those who follow him are naturally no ordinary men."
"Xiao Zhan's talent may not match Xiao Chen's, but he too bears the bearing of a Great Emperor!"
His words instantly set the crowd ablaze.
In this age, no one could say for certain whether an Emperor still walked the world in secret—but at least on the surface, there was none.
And now, Xiao Ming's proclamation was as good as saying that the Xiao Clan would one day produce an Immortal—and an Emperor!
Many wanted to refute him, but in that moment, they found no words to do so.
After all, the aura Xiao Zhan displayed did carry a trace of that youthful, imperial might.
"Since he possesses the bearing of a Great Emperor," Li Xun said from a short distance away, a faintly amused smile tugging at his lips.
"Then surely, his strength must be truly impressive."
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