Volume 3 - Chapter 413: Defeat (Part 2)
Lin Jinrou spoke softly, her eyes filled with a trace of resolve.
But the Immortal King before her blocked her path, slowly shaking his head, sorrow deep in his gaze.
If defeat was inevitable, why throw one's life away? Losing an Immortal City was a great cost, but better than sacrificing another young genius.
“If you still won’t send someone out, then it’ll be our turn to choose your opponent,” the purple-robed middle-aged man said coldly.
At those words, Su Zhenyuan, Jiang Qiuyu, Lin Daogong and the others conferred but came to no conclusion. Their faces grew grim.
No one had expected the demon prodigies to arrive one after another at such terrifying levels. Geniuses like Su Wanqing weren’t even qualified to enter the ring—sheer disparity in power had already drawn a dividing line.
Within the human race, there were only two or three talents at Su Muqing’s level. Jiang Xuming could barely be counted as one. Now that Su Muqing had lost, there was no one left to field.
“Lin Zhexuan still hasn’t emerged?” Jiang Qiuyu couldn’t help but ask.
Lin Daogong nodded slightly with a sigh. “The child is in the midst of a breakthrough. We can’t disturb him. But once he comes out, he’ll be able to sweep them all in one strike. We just need to buy time.”
Su Zhenyuan and Jiang Qiuyu exchanged glances, renewed confidence flashing in their eyes. They immediately shifted strategies.
Before long, they selected a disciple.
“Lin Beifeng, you go. Remember—do not fight head-on. Stall for time. Drag it out as long as you can. If things turn bad, concede immediately. Don’t throw your life away.”
Lin Daogong gave instructions to a young member of the Lin clan.
Lin Beifeng stepped out. He was handsome, with a refined demeanor and the face of a jade carving. With a nod, eyes flashing with killing intent, he leapt onto the platform.
Seeing the chosen youth, Li Hao frowned. He wasn’t privy to the strategy Su Zhenyuan and the others had devised, but sending this man likely meant sending him to die.
Had they already given up on winning, and were now just trying to lose with dignity?
In the arena, the battle had begun.
As soon as the sealing formation closed, Lin Beifeng erupted with all his strength. But instead of launching an attack, he focused entirely on defense, activating multiple Immortal artifacts and even swallowing two Immortal pills, causing his aura to soar.
Though he was stalling, he spared no effort—burning his foundation to do it.
The demon youth sneered. His nightmare power surged once more, quickly corroding Lin Beifeng’s Dao Domain. His body began to falter.
Not even three breaths had passed before Lin Beifeng coughed up a mouthful of blood and slurred out his surrender.
Seeing this, countless gazes grew complicated.
He had taken pills, pushed himself to the limit, activated over a dozen Immortal artifacts—yet he still couldn’t withstand that demon prodigy’s techniques. Was this youth truly going to crush them all single-handedly?
The Imperial Star fell into dead silence.
Su Zhenyuan and the others wore dark expressions as they sent a second challenger.
Soon, Lin Jinrou entered the fray.
But she too was swiftly defeated.
Next came the Jiang clan… Jiang Huanhuan… Su Wanxue…
All were quickly overwhelmed. Only by exhausting themselves to the limit could they utter their surrender and be rescued.
When it was Su Wanqing’s turn, Li Hao finally understood Su Zhenyuan’s intention. Coupled with the murmurs echoing through the crowd, he stepped forward and stopped Su Wanqing, coming before Su Zhenyuan.
“Hm?” Su Zhenyuan frowned at his return.
He thought highly of this youth’s potential. To reach such a realm with only a century of soul lifespan—his talent surpassed even the Lin clan prodigy. Precisely because of this, he would never allow Li Hao to die needlessly.
“Uncle, let me go. I swear—even if I have to burn my soul—I will not lose!”
Li Hao stared at him, enunciating every word.
No sooner had he spoken than Su Wanqing rushed over and pulled at his arm.
“What are you doing? I can handle this. I won’t die. If I’m outmatched, I’ll just surrender.”
But Li Hao didn’t even look at her. He continued to face Su Zhenyuan.
Letting Su Wanqing go out there would only delay things by a breath or two—and might still end in her death.
“You’re courting death. Know your limits.”
Su Muqing’s voice rang out, cold with a tinge of anger. But this was, in truth, a rare moment of goodwill.
Su Wanxue, who had recently been defeated, remained silent. She’d once looked down on Li Hao—but now, with him repeatedly stepping up to fight, his sheer courage had made her reevaluate him, discarding her previous prejudice.
“Who is that? He’s asking to fight?”
“He’s only at the second level of the Immortal Lord Realm? Is he insane? Going up there is suicide!”
“He probably won’t even get a chance to surrender before he’s obliterated.”
Countless murmurs rippled through the crowd. While many couldn’t understand Li Hao’s decision, none mocked him.
After so many swift defeats—each at the hands of top-tier prodigies—even if the other families sent out their best, they would still likely lose. At this point, it didn’t matter who went up.
On the contrary, stepping forward now meant risking your life.
At the very least, it showed courage—the kind of courage that was willing to bleed for the human race.
“You…”
Su Zhenyuan hadn’t expected such persistence from Li Hao. He looked helpless, about to refuse him once again—when suddenly, Li Hao’s aura began to surge, steadily climbing.
But before he could fully reveal his divine soul, a thunderous boom shook the heavens.
In the next instant, that thunder stretched across ten thousand miles and surged into the sky—arriving in a flash.
Countless eyes turned upward—and saw a figure appear out of thin air, his body surrounded by blazing heat and divine lightning.
The entire arena fell into a breathless silence. Then, all at once, cheers erupted from the young elites of the great families.
“It’s Lin Zhexuan!”
“He’s here! He’s finally here!”
“The true dragon of the Lin clan—he’s finally out!”
Cheers of joy broke out among the prodigies. After the defeats of Lin Jinrou, Jiang Huanhuan, and the others, despair had gripped their hearts. They were prepared to die for their cause—but now, Lin Zhexuan had arrived.
This foremost genius of the Lin clan—perhaps even of the entire Imperial Star—had come!
In the thirty-six thousand Immortal Cities, countless Immortal citizens were slower to react, but soon they too erupted in jubilation.
Everyone on the Imperial Star knew that young man’s face. In many cities controlled by the Lin clan, there were statues of Lin Zhexuan.
Countless people recognized this greatest prodigy of the age.
“Brother!”
Lin Jinrou, who had just lost and been healed, lit up with joy, her eyes filled with emotion.
The other Lin clan prodigies were like fish thrown back into water, instantly coming to life, faces beaming.
“Zhexuan…”
Su Muqing gazed at that radiant figure, her eyes dazed for a moment. But soon she returned to herself, her gaze soft and filled with relief.
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