Lin Dong.
The black-robed man's pupils contracted slightly. " The Unfettered Sword Emperor... what brings you here? How dare you invade my territory?"
He was certain that what he had done was flawless and that Lin Dong would not suspect him.
Lin Dong raised his eyelids, glanced at him, and asked in a tone as indifferent as if he were talking about the weather, "Where to?"
The man in black robes sneered, his imperial aura booming. "Where I go is none of your business. Get out of my way, or war will break out!"
Lin Dong didn't get up, but simply shifted his posture. "If you're thinking of causing trouble for my son, you're mistaken."
A cold glint flashed in the black-robed man's eyes. "What makes you so sure I'm going to see him? Couldn't it be something else?"
Lin Dong finally stood up.
He brushed off non-existent dust from his robes, his tone remaining calm yet carrying an undeniable sharpness. "I've long seen through your shady dealings, but I simply couldn't be bothered with you."
"Do you really think your little tricks hidden in the shadows can fool everyone?"
The black-robed man's pupils contracted slightly.
"Nonsense."
His voice turned colder, "I act with integrity and uprightness; how could there be any talk of 'shady dealings'? Don't you dare make false accusations!"
"Get out of here!"
The Law of Darkness surged, their power rising, directly threatening Lin Dong's position.
Lin Dong's tone remained calm, "Oh? In a hurry? What are you rushing to do? If you want to leave, then let's start the war."
The man in black robes remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, "It seems your Lin Clan is determined to wage war against my Darkness Immortal Hall?"
"Give it a try?"
Lin Dong tilted his head, a hint of nonchalant provocation in his smile, "That's what your Darkness Immortal Hall's ancestor said to me back then."
"Then what?"
"Then I hacked him down to almost death."
The black-robed man's pupils contracted sharply.
He stared at Lin Dong for a long time before finally speaking slowly, " Lin Dong, aren't you being a bit too nosy?"
"Is that generous?" Lin Dong's smile faded. "You sent people to kill my son, and I came to stop you. Is that generous?"
"Let's start the war!"
Lin Dong raised his right hand, his five fingers together, and the ancient longsword in his hand had already been drawn three inches from its sheath.
The moment the words left his mouth, a flash of sword light appeared.
This time, it was no longer the gentle silvery moonlight, but a cold sword light that stretched across the sky, like a celestial river pouring down, carrying Law of the Sword Dao powerful enough to sever stars, and slashing down at the black-robed man.
"Boom!"
The man in black robes' expression changed, and he suddenly raised his hands. Dark laws condensed in his palms into a thick, dark light shield, blocking his way.
boom!
The sword light struck the light shield, producing a deep, muffled boom.
The entire palace trembled violently, and the surrounding void was cracked with countless fissures, spreading in all directions like a spider web.
A large section of the ground beneath the black-robed man's feet shattered, and his figure sank slightly under the pressure, but the dark light shield remained intact.
He actually caught Lin Dong's sword.
Lin Dong raised an eyebrow. "Hmm? You've got something."
The man in black robes gritted his teeth, forcing out the words, " Lin Dong... you, you'd better not go too far."
"Too much?"
Lin Dong sheathed his sword casually, his tone nonchalant. "Is this what you call going too far? You haven't seen what I'm truly going too far for."
He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the man in black robes, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable air of dominance. "Stay obediently in your palace and don't go anywhere during this time."
"Otherwise, I wouldn't mind turning this temple into a real tomb."
The man in black robes stood still, his fists clenched, and dark laws surged wildly around him, like an ocean of oil that had been ignited.
But he ultimately did not make a move.
After a long silence, he gritted his teeth and said, " Lin Dong... you can't protect him forever."
Who said I had to protect him for life?
Lin Dong turned and walked towards the gates of the Emperor Pass: "He just needs some time, until he truly matures..."
He turned around and glanced at the man in black robes. "You Darkness Clan, you probably won't even have time to cry."
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure disappeared into the depths of the night like a stretched silver thread.
The man in black robes stood alone in the void outside the hall, gazing in the direction where the silver line had disappeared, remaining motionless for a long time.
Damn it!
A dark red light surged in his eyes, like two flames suppressed to their extreme, burning slowly and steadily.
"Sir, are we just going to swallow this loss like this?"
"It was said by an elder."
The man in black robes remained silent for a few moments before slowly speaking, " Lin Dong is more troublesome than I imagined. We can't completely break off relations yet! But it doesn't matter. Lin Fan's entry into the pass is only the first step. The waters of the Emperor Pass are so deep; it's only a matter of time before he, a Mid-Stage Quasi-Emperor, drowns."
The man in black robes raised his hand. "Since a direct assault has failed, let's try another method. We must also find a way to make someone 'disappear gracefully' within the Emperor Pass. Go find the people at the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion and spread the news that the Lin Clan son possesses Immortal Seed. The more details the better."
The gray-robed monk was taken aback. "Sir, are you going to release this information publicly? Are you trying to muddy the waters?"
The man in black robes smiled slightly, "There are so many people in the Emperor Pass, and we're not the only greedy ones. Once the news gets out, plenty of people will step in to help us."
"At that time, Lin Fan will not only be facing an assassin organization, but also the covetousness of all the powerful figures in the Emperor Pass."
"No matter how good he is at fighting, how many people can he take on?"
The gray-robed monk bowed and said, "Understood."
He turned and retreated, his figure disappearing into the black mist outside the palace gate.
Inside the hall, the man in black robes sat alone under the eerie green firelight, his gaze piercing through the void, as if he could already see a storm about to erupt within the Emperor Pass.
" Lin Fan..."
His voice was hoarse and deep, "The waters of the Emperor Pass are far deeper than you think. You'll understand once you're inside."
"I'd like to see how long you can survive in Emperor Pass."
The wind howled.
As night fell, the pitch-black palace slowly sank into shadow, as if it had never existed.
at the same time.
Inside the Emperor Pass, amidst the ancient and majestic palaces, a message is spreading at an alarming speed.
" Lin Fan, the imperial son of the Lin Clan, is about to arrive at the Emperor Pass."
He possesses Immortal Seed.
" The Jin Clan, Tang Clan, and Ouyang Clan laid an ambush at the Mysterious Pass Ancient Road, but were repelled by the Unfettered Sword Emperor with a single sword strike."
"The three races suffered heavy casualties, and two Immortal Artifact were damaged."
"Even the Peak Quasi-Emperor assassins sent by the Seven Kills Hall fell to him."
The news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the Emperor Pass.
Some were shocked, some sneered, and some remained silent. Many young prodigies also opened their eyes from seclusion, their gazes fixed in the same direction.
" The Lin Clan son?"
"I heard he possesses three strands of Immortal Qi."
"And there are complete Immortal Artifact."
"Interesting..."
"Once he enters the pass, I'll see if he's really as strong as the legends say."
The night wind at the Emperor Pass is colder than that of the Three Thousand Provinces.
Lin Fan stood at the end of the last section of the ancient road, looking up at the majestic city wall that was slowly growing larger, a slight smile playing on his lips.
" Emperor Pass... This Imperial Prince has arrived."