"Junior Brother Liu, Han Shuang, Junior Brother Xu! Watch closely—this is the inheritance I’ve obtained! A single sword technique! How much you comprehend depends on your own insight!"
Lin Xuan opened his eyes, a glint of sharp light flashing within them. His clear voice spread outward, stirring visible ripples in the air.
The next moment, Lin Xuan made his move. "Annihilation!"
With a low shout, the black sword in his hand slashed out. A jet-black sword beam shot forth, as if devouring all light, ethereal and void-like. Where it passed, endless ripples surged. It seemed even the void itself could not withstand it. Its speed was also pushed to the limit, as if traversing space itself, striking the vast torrent of incoming attacks.
*Pfft!*
But the moment they touched, a sound like water evaporating rang out. That massive torrent of attacks melted and vanished like snowflakes under the sun. Within a single breath, more than half had been annihilated. As if devoured. Unfathomably terrifying.
Everyone stared blankly at the scene, as if struck dumb. Another breath passed. The entire torrent of attacks dissipated completely under that pure black sword beam. It was as if the two sides were on entirely different levels.
Moreover, after shattering the massive attack torrent, the black sword beam showed no change, as if it had suffered no loss at all. It continued forward, charging at the Open Realm martial artists blinded by greed.
*Pfft! Pfft! Pfft...*
Instantly, it was like a wolf among sheep. Wherever it passed, Open Realm martial artists fell without any resistance, slain on the spot. Blood flowed and splattered freely, dyeing the entire ground a crimson red.
In the span of a breath, over a hundred martial artists who had coveted the inheritance were already more than half slaughtered. Only then did the black sword beam’s power finally fade and dissipate.
By now, the central expanse of the third floor was stained with blood, littered with broken limbs and bones. It resembled a battlefield after a fierce clash. The stench of blood filled the air.
Witnessing this, all the survivors stood frozen in shock. Their hearts trembled violently, filled with sheer terror. Their bodies shook, nearly scared half to death. Not a word could be spoken. Some even dared not meet Lin Xuan’s gaze.
None of them had expected that over a hundred Open Realm martial artists, joining forces to besiege Lin Xuan—including many late-stage Open Realm and a few peak-stage Open Realm—would end like this. Such a formidable force would be difficult even for an early Spirit Origin Realm cultivator to handle, requiring picking them off one by one.
But now? Facing the combined strike of over a hundred Open Realm martial artists, Lin Xuan had merely unleashed a single sword beam, annihilating the attack torrent. And its power far exceeded that. It pressed on, brutally slaying more than half of those hundred Open Realm martial artists. Against Lin Xuan’s sword, they had not even a shred of resistance. They couldn’t even flee.
Such attack power was utterly terrifying! Even an early Spirit Origin Realm cultivator could hardly achieve this. Yet Lin Xuan, an Open Realm martial artist, had done it. This showed just how horrifying Lin Xuan’s strength was!
Even the Four Young Masters, at the Open Realm, had never accomplished such feats. It further highlighted that Lin Xuan’s talent had already surpassed theirs—perhaps by a vast margin.
Everyone was utterly stunned by Lin Xuan’s talent, unable to contain themselves. Though this sword technique might owe something to the secret realm’s inheritance, without exceptional talent, how could he have comprehended and unleashed such power so quickly? It only emphasized Lin Xuan’s fearsomeness!
Moreover, Lin Xuan had slain over half of the hundred Open Realm martial artists with a single sword, yet his expression remained unchanged, unmoved. Such a cold, detached mindset only deepened the crowd’s fear and dread.
Those who had still harbored greed for the secret realm inheritance now felt terror, the red tint fading from their eyes. They retreated step by step, terrified that Lin Xuan might come after them next.
Behind him.
"This sword… too powerful!" "Yes, it’s not the inheritance that’s strong—it’s Senior Brother Lin himself!" "I never imagined Senior Brother Lin Xuan’s combat power could reach such heights—even surpassing an early Spirit Origin Realm cultivator!" "…"
After a long pause, Liu Qianyu, Chen Hanshuang, and other top disciples of Cangyuan Kingdom let out deep breaths, murmuring softly. But their pupils remained wide, their hearts still shaken beyond measure.
Lin Xuan, at the third layer of the Open Realm, had unleashed a sword strike whose power exceeded that of an early Spirit Origin Realm cultivator by more than a notch. It had crossed an entire major realm. Such a feat was beyond their comprehension. They suspected that for a long time to come—years, even decades—they would never forget this.
Nearby, Sun Yuwen finally snapped out of his daze, his eyes filled with shock and lingering fear. He, too, had never imagined Lin Xuan’s strength could be so terrifying. Though the current power of this sword might stem from the secret realm inheritance, it still spoke to Lin Xuan’s own formidable skill. He guessed that even before obtaining the inheritance, Lin Xuan could rival a weaker early Spirit Origin Realm cultivator. Far beyond his own ability to match.
And he had once thought of challenging Lin Xuan, of competing with him. Now, he realized that would have been asking for trouble. Before Lin Xuan, he was utterly insignificant, no match at all. Thankfully, Lin Xuan hadn’t accepted his challenge back then. Probably, Lin Xuan simply deemed him unworthy of notice.
Sun Yuwen couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. Compared to Lin Xuan, what was he, the so-called top of the potential rankings? If not for Lin Xuan’s current cultivation level being lower, he might rival the Four Young Masters—or even surpass them.
After this secret realm expedition, his top spot on the potential rankings would be taken by Lin Xuan. And Lin Xuan would become the next prodigy on par with the Young Masters.
Sun Yuwen’s heart churned with shock.
Not far away.
Duan Feichen, a thousand meters from Lin Xuan, wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth. His gaze toward Lin Xuan was also filled with shock and a hint of fear.
Earlier, he too had coveted the secret realm inheritance. But after being suppressed by the powerful gravitational field within three hundred meters for several dozen minutes, his body hadn’t yet recovered when the field vanished. Then he saw over a hundred Open Realm martial artists, blinded by greed and reason, charging to surround Lin Xuan. Such a force was something even he couldn’t withstand. So he had retreated to the side.
But he never expected Lin Xuan to shatter it all with a single sword beam, killing most of them in return. And he, caught in the residual shockwaves, had been flung away. Though not severely injured, he was far from unscathed. His aura had diminished by nearly half.
Feeling the surging blood and spiritual power within his body, he looked at Lin Xuan, his eyes now tinged with fear.