In a primeval forest in the Southern Region of the Eastern Wasteland, ancient trees towered overhead, lush and verdant, and the place was serene and secluded.
Lin Yu sat cross-legged inside a cave abode.
After his fierce battle with the Yaoguang disciples, he had deliberately fled over a thousand miles and painstakingly carved out this hidden refuge amid the boundless forest. A moment of inattention was all it took to pass right by it.
Lin Yu had done this to make the act convincing. If he had remained where he was after fighting the Yaoguang disciples, would that not have made it obvious something was amiss?
The Yaoguang Holy Son was an experienced angler, so naturally Lin Yu had to think as he thought and worry as he worried.
That was why he had come here and opened up another cave abode.
As for those several dozen knights, he had left them where they were and had not killed them. They would give the Shaking Light Sacred Land the impression that Lin Yu was weak and lacked confidence, too afraid to kill them.
Besides, once Lin Yu's scheme succeeded, they would become his subordinates anyway. He still had a strong sense of ownership.
With all the groundwork laid, Lin Yu believed that if the Yaoguang Holy Son was nearby, he would certainly come to investigate.
After all, he had stacked quite a few buffs on this "customer": sacred medicine, Divine Spring, a young genius, exceptional comprehension, formidable combat power, and dark-gold blood. He was using all that to test a cadre—what cadre could withstand such a test?
Suddenly, Lin Yu sensed visitors approaching. He left the cave abode and saw two streaks of rainbow light flying in from the horizon.
One was shrouded in holy radiance, with one hundred and eight divine halos circling his body. He outshone even the divine moon in the sky, like a deity beneath the night moon. He was the Yaoguang Holy Son. The other was the Great Halberd Warrior who had fought Lin Yu before.
"Holy Son, this is Lin Yu, the one I mentioned to you." The Great Halberd Warrior stepped aside and respectfully addressed the Yaoguang Holy Son. Then his blade-like gaze viciously gouged into Lin Yu as he shouted, "Boy, you are utterly audacious! You dared to beat the people of our Shaking Light Sacred Land! Now that the Holy Son has come in person, why are you not surrendering at once?"
"Hmph, your Shaking Light Sacred Land truly clings on like a ghost." Lin Yu spoke furiously.
"Besides, your Holy Son has not even spoken yet. What right does a defeated underling like you have to interrupt?"
He turned toward the Yaoguang Holy Son and said loudly:
"You are the Yaoguang Holy Son? I have heard that you are a genius of the Eastern Wasteland. Today, I will properly weigh your worth!"
Not only did the enemy refuse to surrender, he even dared to resist?
The Great Halberd Warrior's expression changed in fury. Just as he was about to speak, the Yaoguang Holy Son smiled. "I came here precisely to exchange pointers with Brother Lin."
The divine halos above his head shone brilliantly, and his smile carried an inviting warmth. This was the effect of the Immortal Heavenly Art—his charm had been stacked to the fullest.
"Good, then take a spear from me first!" Unfortunately, Lin Yu remained utterly unmoved. Holding the Spear of the Underworld God, with phantoms of Underworld Ghost Gods swirling around it, he pierced through the air and stabbed at the Yaoguang Holy Son.
"Shaking Light Sacred Light Technique!"
At the critical moment, the Yaoguang Holy Son instinctively unleashed this protective divine ability.
Clang!
In an instant, dazzling holy radiance erupted like crashing waves, barely blocking Lin Yu's sudden and fierce strike.
Lin Yu's sneak attack had nearly scared him into a cold sweat. Once he steadied himself, the Yaoguang Holy Son swiftly counterattacked. The power of the Four Extremes condensed, and amid flashing light, a divine seal instantly formed and shot toward Lin Yu like a meteor.
Wherever the divine seal passed, the surrounding space was suppressed by an invisible force and twisted out of shape.
"Hell Furnace!"
Lin Yu showed no fear. A furnace materialized from thin air and collided violently with the divine seal.
Boom!
Destructive ripples instantly spread in every direction, forcing the Yaoguang Holy Son back again and again.
"Wings of the Demon!"
Lin Yu moved like a phantom, flashing before the Yaoguang Holy Son. At the same time, the Spear of the Underworld God in his hand instantly expanded to dozens of zhang in length, sweeping toward the Yaoguang Holy Son like a black bolt of lightning.
The Yaoguang Holy Son's expression turned grave. He used the Sacred Light Holy Sword, coordinating it with his earlier Sacred Light Technique as he struggled to block Lin Yu's attacks. He no longer looked as calm and ethereal as before.
"How could this be?" The Great Halberd Warrior could not believe it. The Yaoguang Holy Son, invincible among his peers in his eyes, had actually fallen into a disadvantage.
The Yaoguang Holy Son was unwilling to accept this. He had come in high spirits, intending to devour a grand feast, only to nearly crack his teeth instead.
He abruptly unfolded the Sacred Light Domain. In an instant, holy radiance filled the domain, becoming a dazzling ocean.
Within this domain, an opponent's spiritual energy circulation was severely suppressed, while his own combat power was greatly enhanced.
Yet Lin Yu remained calm in the face of it all. The Hell Furnace suppressed the surrounding heavens and earth, while its powerful Force Field twisted wildly.
The moment the holy radiance entered the Force Field, it was sucked into the furnace and could not pose any real threat to him.
"Impossible! The holy light is ineffective against him. The Holy Son is in danger!" Seeing this, the Great Halberd Warrior was frantic with anxiety.
As the battle continued, Lin Yu fought with increasing valor.
Seeing the situation grow ever more perilous, the Yaoguang Holy Son realized that if this continued, he would be defeated by someone weaker than himself.
Buzz!
A sacred sword at the level of a Sacred Lord Weapon was summoned, blazing with brilliant light. Holding the longsword, the Yaoguang Holy Son used the Shaking Light Sacred Sword Technique. For a time, sword qi crisscrossed the air like bolts of fierce lightning, screaming toward Lin Yu.
A trace of disdain flashed through Lin Yu's eyes. He controlled the Hell Furnace and collected every strand of sword qi.
Upon entering the Hell Furnace, the sword qi sensed danger and suddenly erupted, transforming into countless surging streams of power that spread in all directions, seemingly about to tear the Hell Furnace apart in an instant.
"Hell Furnace, Lord of the Underworld, Power of the Gods, refine the deity!"
Hell True Flame blazed fiercely, refining the sword qi into nothingness in the blink of an eye.
He would rather take out a Sacred Lord Weapon to fight than expose the Ruthless Cultivation Method? Lin Yu thought. There may be people watching nearby.
Then let this end now!
In an instant, terrifying vital energy surged into the heavens like an erupting volcano, and an awe-inspiring might burst forth.
The Yaoguang Holy Son's expression changed at once!
The phenomenon of Divine Elephant Suppressing the Great Thousand appeared from thin air. The Divine Elephant radiated a sacred and majestic aura, as though it could suppress all things in the world.
The Divine Elephant's power blessed the Spear of the Underworld God, causing it to blaze with light. Platinum runes flickered across it, like the glory bestowed upon it by the gods.
Lin Yu condensed all his essence, energy, and spirit into a single point. The Power of the Ancient Giant Elephant from twenty-nine giant elephants concentrated, restrained, and compressed. Terrifying battle intent erupted as he thrust a spear toward the Yaoguang Holy Son.
The Ghost Gods of hell cursed, while the gods of heaven delivered judgment!
Struck by this terrifying attack, the Yaoguang Holy Son's body was instantly pierced through. At the same time, demonic music from hell rang out, suppressing his mind.
Black snowflakes drifted down like goose feathers, slowly sealing the Yaoguang Holy Son inside the Hell Furnace.
"You dare!"
A furious shout rang out. Then a giant hand the size of a small mountain appeared above Lin Yu, seeking to capture him alive. The hand rubbed against the air and emitted piercing explosions.
"Old bastard, no sense of martial honor!" The Wings of the Demon behind Lin Yu fluttered as he evaded the hand's reach.
Rumble!
The giant hand struck empty air, and violent currents burst outward, whipping up a fierce gale.
"Youngster, hand over the Holy Son!" The Grand Elder of Shaking Light had originally followed behind with the intention of tempering the Holy Son. He had not expected Lin Yu to erupt so quickly; before he could react, the Holy Son had already been suppressed.
Lin Yu said nothing. A strange smile suddenly appeared on his face. The Grand Elder's heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding welled up within him.
Lin Yu took out the Hell Furnace and gave it a gentle shake. A pile of ashes slowly drifted out from within...
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