As Hann Shan’s words faded, a significant commotion rippled through the tens of thousands of people below the arena. They seemed to have noticed the figure standing outside the plaza.
The man was dressed in an apricot-yellow Four-Clawed Dragon Pattern Robe, a Python Patterned Jade Belt clasped around his waist. A leisurely, confident smile graced his gentle face. He simply stood there quietly, yet he naturally exuded the elegant nobility of a ruler, an aura cultivated over many years.
Lingyun, the current Crown Prince!
The young man outside the plaza looked up at Lin Huang on the arena. A nonchalant smile touched his lips, giving him an air as free and unrestrained as the sweeping breeze.
It was as if... Lin Huang was completely beneath his notice.
"Greetings, Crown Prince!"
Everyone in the plaza shouted in unison, parting like the sea to clear a path for him. Their voices swept through and beyond the plaza like crashing waves.
This seemingly gentle young man possessed an unshakeable status. He was the current Crown Prince, the heir apparent of the Great Xia Dynasty. Although still residing in the Eastern Palace, he had been acting as regent for two years.
His every word and deed could dictate the life or death of anyone within the dynasty.
Meanwhile, Lin Huang stood on the arena, his gaze locked on the noble figure below. Under the sunlight, the young man’s radiant and handsome figure was exceptionally eye-catching, looking every bit the favored son of heaven.
"The Crown Prince is finally going to make a move. This time, Lin Huang won’t be so lucky!"
"Even if Lin Huang successfully entered Piaoxue Palace, he can’t escape the calamity of this life-or-death battle!"
"It’s just a pity for that Floating Snow Order, wasted in vain like this!"
Watching the dazzling figure approach the arena, the crowd in the plaza immediately broke into excited chatter. Their faces were flushed with anticipation; they had been looking forward to this life-or-death battle for a long time.
Even if Lin Huang had the backing of the Divine General’s Mansion and had obtained a Floating Snow Order, he would still be incredibly vulnerable before Crown Prince Lingyun.
A year ago, Crown Prince Lingyun was already at the Human Element Ninth Heaven.
At that time, Lin Huang had just begun his cultivation. How could he possibly compete with Crown Prince Lingyun? Not to mention, the Crown Prince possessed a Profound Tier Middle Grade Heaven-Serving Martial Soul.
"Young Master, it’s been a while!"
Crown Prince Lingyun stepped onto the arena, a gentle smile lifting the corners of his mouth. "Time flies so fast. I wonder if the Young Master still remembers what he said at Tianxiang Tower a year ago?"
"I said I would give the Crown Prince a surprise!" Lin Huang smiled, his expression quite calm.
"It’s rare that the Young Master still remembers," Crown Prince Lingyun said with a smile. "But today, do you still think so? Do you think that with your mere Human Element Seventh Heaven Realm, you can contend with me!"
As he spoke, Crown Prince Lingyun’s voice grew icy, a trace of disdain lacing his tone.
"As for the result, the Crown Prince will know once he tries!" Lin Huang smiled coldly.
"I didn’t expect you to be so eager. You really don’t know life from death." Crown Prince Lingyun twirled a strand of hair by his temple with a finger, his thin lips emitting a cold breath like a blade. "It’s just a pity that you’re going to die at my hands right after becoming a disciple of Piaoxue Palace."
"Doesn’t the Crown Prince think it’s too early to say these words now?" Lin Huang clapped his hands and laughed, turning to look at the Four Sect Elders behind him. "For today’s life-or-death battle with Crown Prince Lingyun, I’ll have to trouble the elders to bear witness."
Hann Shan, Shen Diexin, and the others all nodded.
As an elder of the Celestial Thunder Sect, Hann Shan was naturally very happy to see this. Although Crown Prince Lingyun was not from his sect, he was the heir apparent of the Great Xia Dynasty and Ling Huangyi’s older brother. Moreover, since Lin Huang was now a disciple of Piaoxue Palace, he naturally deserved to be killed.
Shen Diexin, however, had some worry in her eyes. Her dark pupils fixed on Lin Huang, and her jade-like hands were clenched so tightly they turned pale.
After coughing twice, the elder of Qianying Valley spoke hoarsely, "You two should prepare first and adjust yourselves to your peak conditions as soon as possible. The life-or-death battle will begin in the time it takes an incense stick to burn!"
Lin Huang grunted in agreement and immediately sat cross-legged on the arena, entering a state of cultivation.
Below the arena, the tens of thousands of spectators looked at the two quietly adjusting their breathing, all feeling a bit anxious. As time passed, a commotion and murmurs broke out in the crowd.
"What’s the point of adjusting his breathing at this time? Could it be that he can break through right before the battle?"
"Lin Huang is just struggling in vain. He has only been cultivating for less than a year since he woke up. How could he possibly defeat Crown Prince Lingyun!"
"If he really defeats Crown Prince Lingyun, then the martial artists in this Great Xia Dynasty might as well smash their heads into a block of tofu and die!"
"He doesn’t know his own limits!"
Facing the mocking discussions below the arena, Lin Huang remained perfectly still. All his thoughts were focused in his Profound Sea. Just as everyone said, Lin Huang was truly trying to break through to the Human Element Ninth Heaven!
But how could it be that simple?
Crown Prince Lingyun, who was feigning sleep to the side, couldn’t help but reveal a mocking smile and a surge of deep-seated joy.
He thought, "Even if you were given three more days to adjust your condition, you still wouldn’t escape death. You might have survived Lin Cangyun’s Gu poison and Crazy Cui’s pursuit, and you might have passed the three rounds of screening by the Four Great Sects, but you will never get past me.
"You said you’d give me a surprise, but I will make you kneel on the ground and beg for mercy like a dog!"
For this battle, Crown Prince Lingyun firmly believed that his victory was absolute!
At the Divine General’s Mansion, inside Tianyi Tower.
"Based on the hour, the life-or-death battle is likely about to begin. Is the Mansion Master really not going to take a look?" Qin Xuance, holding a scroll in his hand, asked mildly. "Crown Prince Lingyun is not simple. If my guess is correct, he should have already stepped into the Earth Element Realm."
Lin Beichen smiled bitterly. "You probably understood the reason long ago, so why bother asking?
"One is the current Crown Prince, and the other is the Young Master of my Divine General’s Mansion. If I go to watch the battle, then Emperor Shuntian will probably show up too...
"If His Majesty and I both appear, this life-or-death battle will become highly unusual. It will turn into a confrontation between the Divine General’s Mansion and the Royal Family!
"Regardless of who wins or loses, the Divine General’s Mansion and the Royal Family would completely sever ties. But now, with the fires of war rising all around Great Xia, the Royal Family no longer dares to make any major moves against the Divine General’s Mansion. Therefore, this duel can only be considered a personal grudge between Xiaohuang and Crown Prince Lingyun.
"Thus... I cannot go to watch the battle!" Lin Beichen explained. "Furthermore, I believe in Xiaohuang. Although he was a bit of a playboy in the past and hasn’t fought much this past year, he still has some strength. Against Crown Prince Lingyun, he is not entirely without a chance of winning."
Qin Xuance pursed his thin lips, smiled leisurely, and said, "I, on the other hand, believe the Young Master will definitely win!"
"Oh?" Lin Beichen looked at Qin Xuance in surprise, wondering why he would say such a thing.
Even though Lin Huang was his own grandson, Lin Beichen only thought he had a small chance of winning. He didn’t expect Qin Xuance to be so certain.
"I would like to hear Xuance’s reasoning!" Lin Beichen asked with a smile.
"This... let’s talk about it after the life-or-death battle is over," Qin Xuance laughed it off, trying to gloss over the question.
The scorching sun shone brightly high above!
The dazzling sunlight bathed the arena, enveloping the two opponents. The atmosphere in the air grew somewhat oppressive, whether because of the fierce sun or the two figures standing off against each other.
Under the sunlight, the cross-legged Lin Huang opened his eyes and curled his lips helplessly. He was still a bit short of the mark to break through to the Human Element Ninth Heaven.
"What, done adjusting your breath?" Crown Prince Lingyun asked leisurely, a faint trace of murderous intent already surfacing at the corners of his mouth.
Looking at the impeccably dressed young man before him, Lin Huang’s eyes gradually sharpened. His originally somewhat immature face now revealed a sense of determination and dominance under the sunlight. He clenched his fingers tightly into a fist and said with a solemn expression, "Today, I will surely kill you!"
Crown Prince Lingyun was taken aback for a moment before a smile broke out on his face. He looked at Lin Huang as if looking at a clown. A martial artist at the Human Element Seventh Heaven actually dared to boast about killing him?
"I only hope that when the time comes, you won’t crawl at my feet and become a stray dog begging for mercy!"
Crown Prince Lingyun’s expression turned frigid. He grasped his longsword and pointed it at Lin Huang from afar. A sharp aura vaguely rippled across the arena, making the oppressive air feel even heavier.
"Three Thousand Miles!"
At the exact moment Crown Prince Lingyun raised his sword, Lin Huang moved. As those words lightly slipped from his lips, a sudden flash of a blade appeared before him, and his entire body rushed rapidly toward Crown Prince Lingyun.
Human Element Eighth Heaven!
Crown Prince Lingyun was visibly startled when he saw the strength Lin Huang displayed. Half a month ago, Lin Huang was only at the Human Element Seventh Heaven. He hadn’t expected that in just half a month, the latter had already stepped into the Human Element Eighth Heaven.
However, Crown Prince Lingyun then let out a cold sneer. In his eyes, there was no difference between the Seventh Heaven and the Eighth Heaven.
In the blink of an eye, the sound of clashing blades rang through the air!
The two figures darted and weaved across the arena, exchanging blows back and forth. The radiant glimmers of their blade and sword were dazzling and sharp in the sunlight, sending waves of murderous intent sweeping out from the arena...
Below the arena, the tens of thousands of spectators stared at the two clashing figures in bewilderment.
Were they... seeing things right?
In everyone’s opinion, shouldn’t Crown Prince Lingyun be able to kill Lin Huang in just a few moves?
He was only at the Human Element Eighth Heaven, after all!
"I didn’t expect you to actually have some strength and be able to fight me for so many rounds," Crown Prince Lingyun sneered amidst the fierce battle. "But this is fine too. It would be too boring if you died too easily!"
With that said, Crown Prince Lingyun flicked the longsword in his hand. A surge of cold light shot out from the tip of the blade, thrusting straight toward the Iron Silver Armor on Lin Huang’s body.
"You think you can break my Divine General’s Mansion’s Iron Silver Armor with a Mortal Sword?" Lin Huang sneered, paying absolutely no mind to the thrusting longsword as he raised his blade and slashed at Crown Prince Lingyun.
"Is that so?"
Crown Prince Lingyun chuckled softly. The longsword in his hand suddenly accelerated, fiercely striking the Iron Silver Armor.
CLANG CLANG CLANG!
The longsword scraped across the Iron Silver Armor, tearing out a trail of sparks. Then, the blade’s edge abruptly shattered the silver armor and pierced sharply into Lin Huang’s chest...