Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

”Alright, Ye Chengzong. No one should be stopping our life-and-death duel now. Come on, let me see what you’re made of.”

Yang Xiao said calmly.

However, to Ye Chengzong, these words sounded incredibly harsh.

’It made sense. Even his father, Ye Lingtian, a Martial Arts Grandmaster, couldn’t withstand a single punch from Yang Xiao. What chance did he have?’

’Wasn’t this just a blatant humiliation?’

”Yang Xiao, I surrender. How about you spare my life?”

Ye Chengzong took a deep breath and said with his head lowered.

He was truly afraid.

After seeing his own father—a newly-ascended Martial Arts Grandmaster—killed by a single punch from Yang Xiao, no matter how arrogant or conceited he was, he couldn’t muster the slightest bit of courage to fight.

All he wanted was to survive this ordeal.

”A life-and-death duel only ends when one lives and one dies. Since you can no longer fight me, what’s the point of letting you live?”

But Yang Xiao had no intention of letting him go.

’The Ye Family had bullied me relentlessly. First, there was Ye Chenghao, who caused the death of my predecessor. Then Ye Zongling hunted me down, nearly killing me. And now Ye Lingtian, who ignored the sect rules and interfered in my duel with Ye Chengzong, all to kill me. Even this seemingly harmless Ye Chengzong in front of me—hadn’t he been the one clamoring for this life-and-death duel just moments ago? If I were to spare people who plot against me at every turn, people who want me dead... I might as well be dead myself.’

So, there was no way Yang Xiao would let him go.

He raised his hand, and with a point of his finger, an orange flame shot out.

For the first time, he used the Innate True Qi inside his body.

With this move, everyone present finally sensed the true state of his internal aura.

Innate Realm First Layer.

Just the Innate Realm First Layer.

Before, had they sensed this, they would have likely mocked Yang Xiao.

But now, after witnessing his true combat prowess, not a single person dared to utter a word against him.

As for Ye Chengzong, seeing that Yang Xiao was still determined to kill him, he naturally wanted to resist.

Especially when Yang Xiao pointed his finger, it allowed him to see that Yang Xiao’s aura was only at the Innate Realm First Layer.

’This kid is so overconfident! I have to seize this chance!’

A sliver of hope sparked within Ye Chengzong.

But that hope was instantly extinguished.

For the flame coalescing on Yang Xiao’s fingertip had already shot forth.

Though he was prepared and had raised his Protective True Qi to its absolute limit...

The result, however...

was that it was still utterly useless.

The True Qi from a mere Innate Realm First Layer expert effortlessly pierced his own Protective True Qi.

It was just like when Yang Xiao’s punch had shattered Ye Lingtian’s Gang Qi.

With ease.

”Terrifying!”

”How can he be so terrifying!”

”He’s only sixteen…”

Whether it was the audience below or those on the high platform in the distance;

whether it was the ordinary Inner Sect Disciples or the lofty members of the Elder Council;

even a Sect Leader like Lin Nantian—

all of their faces showed the same expressions.

Shock.

Confusion.

Disbelief.

And awe.

Because Yang Xiao’s performance was simply monstrous.

But as Yang Xiao stood on the stage, seeing that nothing else was happening, he felt a tinge of disappointment.

’That old bastard Ye Zongling still hasn’t shown himself. I’ve killed his son and now his grandson.’

’Is that old bastard afraid I’ll kill him too, so he’s just cowering in his shell and refusing to come out?’

Yang Xiao was truly exasperated.

’I did all this, first, for revenge. And second, to lure out Ye Zongling. That shameless bastard chased me all the way to the Celestial Cloud Mountain Range. He’s the one I want to kill most of all. I can’t believe I’ve gone this far and he still won’t show his face.’

’Fine, if you won’t come out, then I’ll just secure my spot in the Nine Sects Grand Competition first.’

The Nine Sects Grand Competition featured the Upper Three Sects and the Lower Six Sects.

Every sect was eligible to participate.

However, not all True Disciples were able to attend.

This was especially true for the Lower Six Sects, whose participation was based on their ranking.

The Purple Sun Sect, being ranked last, only had a single slot.

Yang Xiao had learned all of this from Yang Ziling.

And Yang Xiao was determined to claim that single slot.

To get it, he obviously had to become the number one True Disciple.

In other words, the Junior Sect Leader!

The Junior Sect Leader of the Purple Sun Sect.

So, after killing Ye Chengzong and seeing that Ye Zongling had not appeared, Yang Xiao’s gaze turned to the high platform.

It landed on Lin Nantian.

”Sect Leader, am I a True Disciple now?”

This time, when questioned by Yang Xiao, Lin Nantian showed no trace of displeasure.

Yang Xiao’s strength had already proven his worth.

”That’s right. You are now a True Disciple of the Purple Sun Sect.”

Lin Nantian nodded.

”I recall that True Disciples can compete for the Junior Sect Leader Position, and that the Junior Sect Leader represents the Purple Sun Sect at the Nine Sects Grand Competition in six months’ time. Is that correct?”

Hearing this, Lin Nantian’s expression soured.

What he had been worried about was finally happening.

Nevertheless, he still nodded. ”Yes, that is correct.”

”In that case, I see plenty of True Disciples here. Let them all come up. I, Yang Xiao, will hold this stage for three days. Anyone who can defeat me can have the Junior Sect Leader Position. But if no one succeeds, the position is mine. You have no objections, do you, Sect Leader?”

These domineering words.

made all the higher-ups of the Purple Sun Sect on the platform stiffen.

’So arrogant.’

’He’s just a mere True Disciple.’

’Yet he dares to just throw out the Purple Sun Sect’s rules.’

’Setting up his own challenge arena.’

’Where does that leave them, the leaders of the sect?’

They, however, failed to consider that the rules had been broken long before this.

When Yang Xiao challenged all the Core Disciples by himself, they all thought he would lose.

Why didn’t they stand up and cry foul then?

Ye Chengzong and Yang Xiao’s life-and-death duel also went against the rules for a top Core Disciple challenging a True Disciple.

They thought Ye Chengzong would kill Yang Xiao, which would give face to the Ye Family.

So they agreed without a second thought.

Why didn’t they speak of broken rules then?

Even more outrageous was what happened next.

When Ye Chengzong lost, Ye Lingtian took the stage uninvited to kill Yang Xiao.

This was more than just breaking the rules.

It was a blatant display of disrespect for everyone present.

But because of the Ye Family’s influence,

they remained silent.

Why didn’t they speak of broken rules then?

And now that Yang Xiao had won,

had killed Ye Lingtian and Ye Chengzong,

and was once again challenging all the True Disciples—

*now* these people felt the rules had been broken.

How laughable.

”What’s the matter? Do the esteemed Elders have an objection?”

Yang Xiao chuckled as he watched their reactions.

It was a cold laugh.

A chill ran down the spines of the Elders who were weaker than Ye Lingtian.

Even the members of the Elder Council, all of whom were Martial Arts Grandmasters, fell silent.

’The Yang Family didn’t just have this one arrogant brat, Yang Xiao. They also had that madman, Yang Zhentian.’

’But were they really going to let these outsiders walk all over them?’

’They were indignant.’

’But they didn’t dare to speak out.’

Their gazes all turned to Lin Nantian.

Lin Nantian frowned, equally reluctant.

But suddenly, a voice transmission entered his ear.

Lin Nantian’s frown vanished, replaced by a smile. ”True Disciple Yang Xiao is right. As for this open challenge... we can forget about it. As Sect Leader of the Purple Sun Sect, I’d like to think I have some discernment. With the power he displayed by killing Ye Lingtian in a single punch, True Disciple Yang Xiao is clearly first among the True Disciples. It is only right that he should take the Junior Sect Leader Position.”

This declaration sent the crowd into an uproar.

This was especially true for the Elders allied with the Ye Family.

They shot to their feet, their eyes burning with anger.

They wanted to protest.

To demand an explanation.

But Lin Nantian’s next sentence made them all sit back down.

Because Lin Nantian said, ”However, the Junior Sect Leader Position requires the approval of the Supreme Elder. Since True Disciple Yang Xiao is now first among True Disciples, he shall accompany me to an audience with the Supreme Elder.”

With that, Lin Nantian rose to his feet.

And all the Elders on the high platform smirked knowingly.

They looked at Yang Xiao as if he were already a dead man.

Yang Xiao, however, remained unconcerned. ’If they think they still have some trump card, if there are still those who are outwardly submissive but inwardly rebellious...’

’...then I’ll just keep fighting.’

’Fight until they’re all beaten into submission!’

(P.S. We’re just a few bookmarks away from 400! I’ll release a bonus chapter for every hundred we hit, so if you haven’t already, please add this to your collection!)