Surrounded by nine mountain ridges, the Li Long Dynasty boasted a magnificent masterpiece in the layout of the Nine Dragon Palace.
At this moment, Lin Hao and Ye Qinghan lay paralyzed in one of the ridges, heavily injured and on the verge of death. However, their regenerative abilities were astounding. After a few dozen breaths, they both forced themselves to sit up.
"Why did you save me?" Qinghan stared at Hao and asked.
Although he had torn through the void just in time, Di Zangtian and Di Lingtian had attacked simultaneously. If Hao hadn’t intervened, that strike would have absolutely claimed his life. Even though he practiced the Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger, he was no match for the two of them, let alone their combined assault. Hao’s intervention at that critical moment had been completely unexpected, and it was a question Qinghan still couldn’t figure out.
"I need a reliable and capable assistant, and you happen to fit the bill," Hao smiled with utmost sincerity.
Qinghan’s expression changed, and he replied with absolute certainty, "Impossible!"
Hao’s words held a hidden meaning: he needed an absolutely obedient subordinate, and Qinghan was the chosen one. True absolute obedience could only be guaranteed by a Blood Oath. Hao was subtly demanding that he swear a Blood Oath to follow him.
Born in the Li Long Dynasty and a practitioner of the Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger—the number one among the dynasty’s top three divine skills—Qinghan possessed an extreme pride deep in his bones. Making him pledge loyalty to someone else was nothing short of a fool’s dream. In fact, had Hao not saved his life, Qinghan would never have responded with just a single sentence; he would have attacked.
Hao continued to smile. His expression remained unchanged, exuding an unparalleled confidence. After two breaths, he finally spoke at a leisurely pace. "The meridians in your body are different from ordinary people. Among them is a hidden meridian beneath your bones. It originates from the lower Dantian, passes through the middle Dantian, and ends at the five fingers of your right hand. Finger techniques are the most suitable for you."
He paused slightly, while Qinghan’s body suddenly trembled. Being able to easily see through his meridians was something even Zangtian and Lingtian couldn’t do. Yet Hao had managed it, leaving him profoundly shocked.
"So what? Do you happen to have a suitable finger technique for me?" Having remained undiscovered in the Li Long Dynasty for many years, Qinghan was by no means an ordinary figure. He instantly recovered from his shock and fired back a question.
After asking this, a hint of mockery rose in his heart. If Hao claimed he did, that mockery would likely show on his face immediately. Having read extensively within the Li Long Dynasty, Qinghan had yet to find a finger technique more profound than the Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger. Naturally, it was even more impossible for Hao to possess one. To try and make him submit with a technique far inferior to his own seemed, in Qinghan’s eyes, like an arrogant overestimation of one’s own capabilities.
"When it comes to finger techniques, I probably can’t find anything more suitable for you right now than the Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger," Hao said with a faint, enigmatic smile.
"You..." This time, Qinghan was thoroughly astounded.
When he used the technique earlier, Hao definitely hadn’t been present. Yet now, the man casually named the exact technique he practiced. How could he not be shocked?
"It’s quite simple, actually. You opened your mind to me, letting me know that Di Zangtian practiced the Eight Desolates and Six Harmonies Fist, one of the Li Long Dynasty’s top three divine skills, while Di Lingtian practiced the Nine Heavens Divine Seal. The level of combat power I sensed earlier was definitely the result of those two attacking at the same time. For them to strike together, there is only one possibility: you used the Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger."
Hao spoke with calm assurance, his tone unhurried as a brilliant light flickered in his eyes.
"Well played, Lin Hao! We all underestimated you. But if you want me to submit, you are still not qualified." Though shocked, Qinghan quickly regained his composure and flatly refused, shaking his head.
"Refuse, and you will perish today. Submit, and you shall become the Li Long Crown Prince."
Hao stated simply. He had never forced others before, but upon meeting Qinghan today, he developed a strong desire to take him by force. For Hao, those were the only two possibilities for Qinghan. There would be no exceptions.
Hearing this, Qinghan snorted coldly. "You are too arrogant. Do you really think I am no match for you?"
With the Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger as the dynasty’s supreme divine skill, Qinghan was completely confident he could defeat Hao. Moreover, his cultivation was at the Fifth Layer of Yin Yang Realm, a level far beyond Hao’s reach.
The corners of Hao’s mouth curled up. "With just one glance, your strength is laid bare before me. If I want to kill you, you absolutely cannot escape."
These words were incredibly arrogant. Qinghan wanted to retort, but a formidable aura suddenly erupted from Hao’s body. It was an aura he had never witnessed from either Zangtian or Lingtian. He had only sensed something similar from a handful of people in the Li Long Dynasty, one of whom was the Li Long Saint Emperor.
Qinghan opened his mouth, but ultimately only managed to say, "Do you know what kind of existence the Li Long Dynasty is? You don’t."
"No, I do. There are terrifying existences within the Li Long Dynasty, and the layout of the Nine Dragon Palace is clear proof of that. I even know that the only reason I discovered the dynasty’s location is because someone intentionally led me here."
Qinghan’s expression changed upon hearing this. Clearly, every word Hao spoke was the truth.
Ignoring his reaction, Hao continued, "The Li Long Dynasty is sealed by the Dragon-Locking Grand Array, covering a radius of a thousand miles. If someone hidden in the shadows hadn’t deliberately caused the dynasty to manifest, even martial arts experts wouldn’t notice its existence upon entering this area."
"You... how do you know all this?! These are the absolute secrets of the Li Long Dynasty!" Qinghan could no longer maintain his calm. Hao’s words stirred up towering waves in his heart, because even he had only recently learned of this information.
"I know far more than you can imagine. I will give you thirty breaths of time to consider." Hao smiled enigmatically. Then, his tone shifted, and an aura of deadly intent filled the air.
Qinghan immediately shook his head. "Lin Hao, you are too naive. Even if you know all the secrets of the Li Long Dynasty, it is useless in the face of absolute strength. Do you have any idea what level the Li Long Saint Emperor’s cultivation has reached?"
"That has nothing to do with him. In his eyes, it makes no difference who becomes the Crown Prince, so he will not intervene." Hao’s expression was steadfast, as if he were the Li Long Saint Emperor himself.
"Why?"
Hao’s demeanor gave Qinghan the illusion that everything he said was true, yet he still managed to snap back to reality.
"There is no why, but that is absolutely what he thinks!" Hao’s answer was unexpected.
Qinghan’s reaction was equally surprising. He nodded, then shook his head, before saying, "I believe your words. It’s not impossible for me to swear a Blood Oath, but first, you must prove yourself. I, Ye Qinghan, only follow the strong—the absolutely strong."
An absolutely strong person. This requirement seemed simple, but in reality, it was incredibly difficult to fulfill. The standard existed solely in Qinghan’s mind, and he could change it on a whim.
But Hao just smiled.