"How terrifying this aura pressure is…"
Even though everyone had long known that Young Master Ling Xiao possessed formidable cultivation, it was only when they truly faced this young master that they understood what this so-called "formidableness" truly meant.
At this moment, even Xiao Yan, the Crown Prince of the Great Yan Dynasty, couldn't help but fall prostrate on the ground under this pressure—cold sweat dripping down his forehead, even his breathing becoming extremely labored.
"Please calm your anger, Young Master!!"
Suddenly, several figures emerged from the void. Among them, a white-haired elder in a golden robe trembled all over; a wave of spiritual energy spread out instantly, enveloping Huang Qi's figure completely.
"Oh? A Protector of the Dao?"
Ling Xiao let out a cold laugh. For any major cultivation force, an outstanding disciple would always have a Dao Protector by their side. It was called "protecting the Dao," but in reality, it was protecting their lives.
Yet a mere cultivator at the Late Spirit Sea Realm daring to act arrogantly in front of Ling Xiao—this was nothing short of overestimating their own strength.
"Courting death."
Ling Xiao sneered. Without making the slightest movement, the aura of the Huang Clan elder suddenly wilted.
What happened next was a scene of unspeakable terror. An invisible giant hand seemed to materialize in the void, suddenly grabbing the elder's figure. With a loud "boom," it crushed him into a shower of blood mist.
"Ugh!!"
A thick stench of blood filled the air instantly. Some timid prodigies from various forces had already fainted from sheer terror. Even Xiao Yan's eyes were filled with fear and shock—a powerful cultivator at the Late Spirit Sea Realm, crushed into pulp right before his eyes. And most terrifying of all, he hadn't seen Young Master Ling Xiao make a single move the entire time.
"What terrifying methods!!"
At this moment, the remaining Dao Protectors had turned deathly pale. As they looked at the black-robed youth sitting at the table, lowering his eyes to sip tea, nothing but fear remained in their hearts.
They were fortunate—fortunate they hadn't acted to protect their young masters just now. Otherwise, their fate would have been the same as that Huang Clan elder.
"Gulp."
All arrogance was gone from Huang Qi's eyes now; his entire body trembled uncontrollably. A wave of regret suddenly washed over him—why had he provoked such a demon? But there was no such thing as regret in this world. So he forced himself to stand, for he still had a trump card.
"I've never heard of the Huang Clan of Shengzhou," Ling Xiao said, taking a small sip of tea before looking up at Huang Qi, whose face had turned deathly pale. "But three hundred years ago, my Ling Family took in an outer-clan servant with the surname Huang—also from the Northern Wilderness."
This was the so-called "those who know nothing fear nothing."
"Thud!"
Huang Qi's vision went dark, and he suddenly fell to his knees. Three hundred years ago… surname Huang… from the Northern Wilderness… could it be such a coincidence? Could the ancestor who had protected the Huang Clan for three hundred years—the one he revered as supreme—actually be just a lowly servant of this Ling Xiao's family?
That's impossible!! Absolutely impossible!!
"Right! I still have the soul avatar bestowed by our ancestor!"
Huang Qi looked up at Ling Xiao, a sudden flicker of grimness in his eyes. He refused to believe his ancestor was anyone's servant. After all, his ancestor had been the proudest prodigy of the Huang Clan—how could he resign himself to being a servant?
"He must be bluffing! Trying to humiliate our Huang Clan with this lie!!"
With that thought, Huang Qi instinctively pulled out a golden talisman from his bosom. Taking advantage of Ling Xiao's supposed inattention, he threw it out directly. But Ling Xiao wasn't inattentive—he simply disdained to act. What trouble could a Void Spirit Realm cultivator stir up in front of him?
"Boom!"
A terrifying aura descended instantly—even more fearsome than Ling Xiao's earlier pressure. The heavens and earth seemed to split apart, and the void collapsed layer by layer. Then, a god-like figure appeared out of thin air in the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
"A Po Wang Realm powerhouse!!!"
In that instant, the entire pavilion fell completely silent. Everyone stared at the somewhat illusory, towering figure, their eyes filled with deep fear and awe. No Po Wang Realm powerhouses had appeared in the Northern Wilderness for three hundred years. Not even Po Wang Realm—even Xuanqing Realm experts mostly secluded themselves from the world, devoting themselves entirely to the Dao.
That was why a Spirit Sea Realm cultivator could run amok in the Northern Wilderness. It also explained why these Northern Wilderness prodigies had reacted with such shock and terror when the Huang Clan elder was slapped to death by Ling Xiao earlier. But now, the arrival of a Po Wang Realm powerhouse who had ascended to Shengzhou was nothing short of a miracle for anyone from any force. Even if it was just a soul avatar, in these Four Wildernesses, it was a god-like existence.
"Ancestor, save me!!"
Seeing the fear and awe in everyone's eyes, a smile instantly spread across Huang Qi's face. Ling Xiao—let's see how long you can keep being arrogant.
"Hm? A member of the Huang Clan. Why have you summoned me?"
The soul avatar didn't notice Ling Xiao; instead, it turned to look at Huang Qi, its brows furrowing slightly.
"Boom!"
In an instant, the heavens and earth suddenly darkened. Streaks of thunder fell like enraged dragons—like the might of the gods.
"Ancestor! Someone has insulted our Huang Clan, threatening to wipe out our entire clan!" Huang Qi exaggerated the story, his expression provocative as he glanced at Ling Xiao's seat. "He even said that you—you are just an outer-clan servant of his family!"
By this time, the entire Drunken Immortal Pavilion had completely collapsed, filled with dust and debris. Only the ten zhang area in front of Ling Xiao remained spotless, as if blessed by immortals.
"Presumptuous! Who dares to insult my Huang Clan like this?"
The illusory figure roared, instantly shattering tens of thousands of li of void above Qingfeng City. All the common people of Qingfeng City had fallen to their knees, kowtowing and praying nonstop. Even members of noble families looked up at the cracks and thunder in the sky with expressions of despair.
"What a terrifying aura… What's happening?"
"Huang Hong—it really is you."
Ling Xiao looked up at the elder's figure towering between heaven and earth, a playful smile lingering at the corner of his lips.
"Who?!"
The illusory figure froze, even its aura subtly tensing. Even collateral members of the Huang Clan didn't know his name. And why did that voice sound somewhat familiar?
Huang Hong lowered his gaze, sweeping it across the entire area. Finally, it came to rest on the black-robed youth sitting calmly at the table.
"Gasp."
For a moment, Huang Hong thought he was mistaken. How could Young Master be in this Northern Wilderness?
"Thud!"
"This old servant didn't know Young Master was here—my insolence just now, please forgive me, Young Master!"
The entire Drunken Immortal Pavilion fell deathly silent once again. Everyone stared at the Po Wang Realm powerhouse kneeling before Ling Xiao, swallowing hard.
"Young Master Ling Xiao… truly… unfathomably powerful…"
What did a Po Wang Realm powerhouse signify? A single strand of his divine sense descending was enough to overwhelm the Four Wildernesses. But now, a Po Wang Realm powerhouse—who was like a god in the eyes of Four Wildernesses cultivators—was actually kneeling before Young Master Ling Xiao. And one could tell from his tone that at this moment, he must be filled with terror and helplessness.