The reason the Starry Sky Emperor's Robe is the Ling Clan's inherited Dao artifact isn't solely because it contains starlight and looks incredibly flashy.
No,not just because it possesses terrifying defensive capabilities.
The most important point is that it can completely conceal the aura of its wearer.
Even if Elder Ling was a Venerable Realm powerhouse in his past life, his physical body was now shattered, his soul damaged. While his perception might rival a Divine Emperor's, he wasn't omnipotent.
Of course,to be safe, Ling Xiao also exchanged for a Fifth Grade Divine Talisman that concealed aura from the system shop and carried it with him.
Now, standing hidden in the shadows, he watched the despicable master and disciple pair below him, his eyes filled with amusement.
These Sons of Destiny were truly no good.
They spent their days with nothing better to do than scheming how to steal others'opportunities.
Fine,steal if you must.
But after stealing,they never forgot to spout lines like, "Since we tread the immortal path, we contend with the heavens, contend with the earth, contend with mankind."
When Sons of Destiny did this,it was complying with the Heavenly Dao, perfectly justified.
If a villain did it,it was all "Holy crap, so cruel, so sinister."
Alright then.
You steal first. After you're done, I'll steal from you. How about that?
Ling Xiao grinned sinisterly. Below him, Lin Xi had already taken a black puppet from his Qiankun Bag and casually placed the ring on its finger.
For a moment,Ling Xiao considered just snatching the ring directly.
But judging by Lin Xi's current realm,he had probably developed a very deep bond with the old grandpa in the ring.
Moreover,finding that spiritual fire later would likely still rely on him.
Snatching it now wasn't ideal.
After all,even after losing a thousand Luck Points, Lin Xi still had a thousand left.
"Elder Ling, I'm counting on you." Lin Xi took a deep breath, and the black-armored puppet immediately shot out from the forest, heading towards the ravine.
BOOM!
At the same moment,a terrifying fluctuation at the Divine Marquis level instantly surged forth.
An enraged roar immediately echoed from within the ravine below.
Blazing flames filled the sky.The black-armored puppet didn't hesitate in the slightest, turning to flee.
"Trying to run? Too late!!" The flames filling the sky parted, forming the shape of a wolf.
"Dare you kill me?I am from the Ling Clan!!" To Ling Xiao's surprise, the black-armored puppet suddenly shouted angrily before frantically fleeing into the distance.
"The Ling Clan?" The Fire Wolf hesitated for an instant, but ultimately, a flash of killing intent appeared in its eyes as it chased after the black figure.
If it was someone from the Ling Clan,letting them escape would likely expose its purpose for hiding here.
Even if it eventually fused with the Dao Principle Spirit Fruit,it probably couldn't escape the Ling Clan's grasp.
In that case...better to go all the way.
A mere Divine Marquis,daring to act arrogantly in front of it?
How audacious.
Ling Xiao watched the two figures vanish into the distance and grinned, understanding the vicious scheme of the despicable master and disciple pair.
He had to admit,Lin Xi and his master's plan was quite meticulous.
First,release a wisp of Divine Marquis aura, successfully provoking the Fire Wolf's vigilance and alarm.
Then,announce the Ling Clan identity, truly inciting the Fire Wolf's killing intent.
Otherwise,if the iron puppet escaped, the next Ling Clan expert to come might be at the King realm.
Lin Xi would seize the opportunity to steal the spirit fruit and pin all the responsibility on the Ling Clan.
Not bad.This despicable master and disciple pair, worthy of being Sons of Destiny, were quite slick at using the "borrowing a knife to kill" tactic.
Right now, in the entire Sunset Mountain, only Ling Xiao, a single member of the Ling Clan, was present.
Even if the Fire Wolf eventually found Ling Xiao,it probably wouldn't dare act recklessly.
It would have to swallow its broken teeth and bear the grievance.
Besides,this kind of thing wasn't exactly honorable; no one would voluntarily admit to it.
Thus,the master and disciple's plan would be perfectly executed.
However...
No matter how much Lin Xi calculated,he never figured that Ling Xiao had left a soul mark on him.
And right now,Ling Xiao was directly above his head!
"This despicable master and disciple pair is so meticulous. It seems the thing in this valley isn't ordinary. A Dao Principle Spirit Fruit?"
"Now's the time!" Seeing the Fire Wolf leave, a smile instantly appeared on Lin Xi's face. Without hesitation, he flashed, preparing to dash towards the ravine.
But at that very moment!
He distinctly felt a shadow envelop him from above.Then, it seemed a foot stepped on his head, kicking him directly to the ground.
Meanwhile,that figure used the force to land within the ravine.
"Damn it!! Someone else is here!!!" Lin Xi was furious enough to burst his eyes, but the kick carried such immense force that, given his cultivation, he couldn't react in time and crashed onto the ground.
"Huh? There's a barrier?" Ling Xiao landed in the ravine, saw a small fiery-red tree with a single spirit fruit on it, and a look of surprise flashed across his face.
The spirit fruit shimmered with strange colors,surrounded by what seemed like spiritual mist taking form. Getting closer, the faint sounds of the Great Dao could be heard.
Suddenly,the spiritual mist around the fruit slowly rose, then merged into the fruit itself.
At the same time,a strange fragrance quietly began to spread.
"Good stuff. It seems that Lin Xi and his master also calculated the ripening time of this spirit fruit accurately." Ling Xiao grinned, reaching out to grab the spirit fruit.
In this world,what barrier could withstand the power of the World-Breaking Stone?
Especially one set up by a mere Divine Marquis level demon beast—its methods were crude.
But just as Ling Xiao grasped the spirit fruit, an utterly furious roar suddenly came from the distant forest.
"Who!Who dares steal my opportunity!!!"
A terrifying,bestial aura swept from the sky. Ling Xiao grinned, glanced back at another furious figure shooting towards the ravine from above, and immediately stopped hesitating, dashing towards the place where the spiritual fire had emerged.
"Who! Who dares steal what's mine!!" The rage in Lin Xi's heart at this moment was no less than the Fire Wolf's.
After all,this spirit fruit meant he would gain a Venerable Realm follower.
Moreover,he and Elder Ling had planned this for so long. Having it snatched right before his eyes—how could mere 'frustration' describe his feelings?
But before he could even land in the ravine,he saw a white-robed figure flash out from within and flee into the distance.
"Damn bastard,let's see where you run!" Lin Xi gritted his teeth, chasing closely after Ling Xiao.
Though,a trace of doubt flickered in his eyes—why did that retreating figure look somewhat familiar?
"ROAR!!!"
Deep within Mount Sunset,demonic energy suddenly pressed down for miles.
The Divine Marquis Fire Wolf looked at the empty spirit tree in the ravine,flames instantly roaring to life in its fierce eyes.
It sniffed the air,then chased in a specific direction.
"This spirit fruit's aura is quite unique, faintly carrying a hint of the Great Dao's essence." Ling Xiao sped through the forest. He was acutely aware of the presence chasing him from behind, his eyes filled with mockery.
Only when loud commotion suddenly arose in the distance did Ling Xiao's figure finally descend from the sky,walking towards Fu Yunyao and the others.
"Huh? Young Master, you're here?" Fu Yunyao smiled sweetly, then glanced somewhat bitterly to the side.
Ling Xiao followed her gaze and saw Nian Qingyun standing alone outside the crowd.Within a ten-zhang radius around her, there wasn't a single person.
Her eyes had now returned to their usual calm and aloofness.
She didn't even spare Ling Xiao a second glance when he arrived.
"Heh. It seems our Divine Maiden's Dao Heart is quite resilient." Ling Xiao sneered coldly, then turned to look at the sky behind him. He saw Lin Xi's figure flash into view. After a slight hesitation, Lin Xi walked towards Nian Qingyun.