Core Disciples!

Seeing the two core disciples heap abuse on him the moment they arrived, even Xu Xuan, good-tempered as he was, began to lose his composure.

"What? Do you think being core disciples makes you a cut above everyone else?"

"As far as I, Xu Xuan, am concerned, you're nothing but trash, throwing your weight around just because you've cultivated longer. And then what?"

"In the end, you're still nothing but rabid dogs. Trash! If you have the guts, go ahead and try!"

Facing their imposing auras, Xu Xuan showed not a trace of fear. Instead, he laughed aloud.

"Well? Do you two pieces of trash dare fight me? I can take you both on and still destroy you!"

His calm words carried boundless confidence.

The two core disciples froze on the spot. In the past, which inner disciple hadn't respectfully addressed them as senior brothers?

Who would dare be so rude to them?

Someone in the heavenly mansion realm?

Was he even worthy?

They regarded him with contempt, but neither could hold back in the face of his mockery.

"Fine! Then I'll personally kick you out today and see how much longer you can act so arrogant. Once you're outside the Nine-Level Palace, don't blame us for showing no mercy!"

A thread of murderous intent seeped into his tone.

If it weren't impossible to kill someone for good here, they would probably have attacked long ago.

Not only had this inner disciple before them failed to show proper respect to core disciples like them, he had even heaped insults on them!

How could they endure that?

Why would they endure it?!

"Who do you think you are?"

Sneering repeatedly, one of the core disciples reached out to seize Xu Xuan. Yet as that clawing hand came at him, Xu Xuan merely shifted sideways with casual ease, utterly unruffled.

"Hm?"

His grasp met empty air. The core disciple paused, clearly not expecting his attack to miss.

"You little brat! You actually dared dodge? Just watch how I deal with you today!"

As soon as he finished speaking, great swathes of spiritual energy emerged from his palms.

"Boy, don't blame me. If you want to blame anything, blame that mouth of yours. Now die!"

His murderous intent lay bare, and the full extent of his cultivation was revealed!

The second level of the purple mansion realm. A respectable cultivation level.

Yet, facing a core disciple whose cultivation far surpassed his own-

Xu Xuan unleashed his divine ability at once.

"Yin-Yang Twin Dragons!"

Yin and yang joined, their twin wheels converging!

Before his chest, two dragons gradually appeared, one yin and one yang.

"Hm? Isn't that Lin Ru's divine ability?"

The core disciple was inwardly startled. He had never imagined that Lin Ru's earth-tier divine ability, Yin-Yang Twin Dragons, would appear in the hands of the inner disciple before him.

"Who exactly are you? How do you know that divine ability?"

"Go outside and ask him yourself..."

Xu Xuan wore a half-smile. He had defeated a core disciple back when he was at the Third Heaven of the Heavenly Mansion Realm. Now that he had broken through to the seventh level, he believed he could handle two core disciples.

He wouldn't even need to use his full strength!

"Heh, so what? Without purple mansion realm cultivation to support it, you can't unleash its full power even if you possess an earth-tier divine ability!"

But the moment those words left his mouth, his expression changed completely.

Two enormous dragons, one white and one black, lifted him bodily into the air. He tried to resist, only to discover that all the power within him had vanished.

In its final form, Yin-Yang Twin Dragons would briefly drain the opponent's abilities if they failed to resist the moment it was unleashed.

That included their cultivation!

Now the core disciple truly panicked.

He had originally stood a chance of reaching the Eighth Level and gaining better rewards, but now...

"I refuse to accept this!"

As his final cry rang out, the two enormous dragons pierced straight through his chest. A flash of light followed, and the next moment, he appeared outside the Nine-Level Palace.

"You-how is that possible? You cheated! You definitely cheated!"

The core disciple beside him was dumbstruck. This was the first time he had ever heard of someone in the heavenly mansion realm defeating a purple mansion realm cultivator in a single move.

"You can get lost too."

Looking at the remaining core disciple, Xu Xuan unleashed Yin-Yang Twin Dragons again, killing him as well and having him transported out by the Nine-Story Palace.

All on his own, Xu Xuan had dealt with three core disciples.

"If nothing unexpected happens, there should still be seven core disciples in the Nine-Level Palace..."

Xu Xuan murmured to himself.

Meanwhile-

Outside the Nine-Story Palace.

The two core disciples were transported out just like that.

"Why are you two out as well?"

The palace master of the Mystic Universe Heavenly Palace was stunned. When Lin Ru had been transported out earlier, his elimination could have been attributed to carelessness.

But what had happened to these two core disciples?

One was at the second level of the purple mansion realm, the other at the third, yet they hadn't even made it past the Eighth Level.

In the past, core disciples had always been eliminated at the Eighth Level.

"Palace Master, we were both eliminated by the same person."

The two ground their teeth. "Xu Xuan eliminated us. Fine, we were outmatched, but what I want to know is why Lin Ru's divine ability is in his hands!"

"Palace Master, that Xu Xuan is definitely not as simple as he appears. He may have ulterior motives for coming to our Mystic Universe Heavenly Palace!"

"You wretched fools! You were outmatched, and now you want to slander someone else?"

The palace master of the Mystic Universe Heavenly Palace spared neither core disciple any dignity, lashing out with a slap.

"You two will go to the rear mountain and spend ten years in seclusion. You are not to come out before that time is up."

"And as for Xu Xuan, I've thoroughly investigated his life from the age of one until now. There is nothing wrong with him. You have only yourselves to blame for being outmatched!"

Hearing even the palace master say this, the two core disciples rose with dark expressions.

"We shall obey your command, Palace Master."

They left with heavy steps, their hatred for Xu Xuan so fierce that their teeth ached.

Once the two had finally left, the palace master of the Mystic Universe Heavenly Palace gave Mo Tianji, who was watching him with a half-smile, a long look.

"Elder Mo, what do you think of how I handled this?"

Mo Tianji knew this was a test, but he still said, "Mm, I'm very satisfied. It seems the palace master isn't an unreasonable man after all!"

The Mystic Universe Heavenly Palace's palace master's smile froze. He gave Mo Tianji a long look, but ultimately said nothing.

Elder Bai, however, sensed something beneath the surface. Since when had the palace master of the Mystic Universe Heavenly Palace become so good-tempered?

Could Mo Tianji truly be hiding some secret?

With that thought, he couldn't help looking toward Mo Tianji.

But Mo Tianji merely gave him a faint smile, a hint of amusement surfacing in his eyes.

This left Bai Jie feeling even less certain.

"Elder Bai, what is it?"

Bai Jie called Ouyang Quede over to her side.

"Let's step outside."