The Strong Reigned Supreme
Lin Xu sneered, lightly tapping the mirror with his fingertip. A shadow vanished from Chen Hao's body and instantly fell into the mirror. "I hereby appoint you as the Mirror Slave, the Protector of the Lin Lineage. From this day forward, as long as the Lin Lineage exists, you will exist; if the Lin Lineage perishes, you will perish with them."
As his reflection entered the mirror, Chen Hao felt a sudden lightness in his soul, as if a part of his life had been severed, and an invisible shackle had been placed deep within his consciousness.
"What... what have you done?" Chen Hao stared at him in shock and anger. "I'm warning you, my Chen Lineage is the overlord of Meng City. How dare you humiliate me like this? Aren't you afraid that the Chen Lineage will use all its strength to crush you into dust?"
Lin Xu's gaze turned cold. "Does the Chen Lineage not care about you, their eldest son? It seems you have no value. What's the point of living if you have no value?"
Before the words were finished, the bronze mirror gleamed with a faint light.
The intense pain caused Chen Hao to scream and fall to the ground, his body convulsing violently, his face contorted in agony, and white foam spilling from the corner of his mouth.
The surrounding crowd retreated in terror, Chen Hao's screams echoed in the empty square, like the dying cry of a wild beast.
The incident happened so suddenly that Jiang Wanqing and Mother Lin didn't even have time to react.
"Stop!" A furious shout rang out, and a teacher rushed forward.
Jiang Wanqing glanced around and saw it was Director Zhang from the Academic Affairs Office. His face was ashen, and he hurriedly pushed through the crowd. "Where did you come from, adventurer? How dare you hurt someone on campus?"
Lin Xu's expression remained unchanged. He lightly turned the bronze mirror in his hand, and Chen Hao's screams stopped abruptly. "Senior Three, Class One, graduating students return to school."
Director Zhang was taken aback, his expression changing slightly. "Class 1, Grade 12? Graduates? Returning to school? You're one of this year's Spirit Realm Trial?"
Lin Xu didn't answer, but coldly looked at Chen Hao, who was slumped on the ground. "You'd better show you're worth existing. Tell me Liang Hu's location within 5 minutes, or you know the consequences."
Director Zhang's expression changed several times. The name Liang Hu made his heart tremble. "You, you are Lin Xu? You passed the Spirit Realm Trial?"
"Hmm~ Not bad luck." Lin Xu said casually, his expression softening as he looked at his delighted Mother Lin and Jiang Wanqing. "Mom, Wanqing, I'm back."
Mother Lin nodded tremblingly, and Jiang Wanqing held her hand tightly, tears still glistening in her eyes.
Director Zhang glanced at the disheveled Chen Hao with a stern face, then looked at Lin Xu: "Lin Xu, Chen Hao is the eldest son of the Chen Lineage. The consequences of your actions will be severe. The Chen Lineage will not let this go easily—don't underestimate the power of these Lineage. In this era, power and fist are intertwined."
Lin Xu smiled and said, "I know, thank you for reminding me."
"Release my young master at once!" A furious voice came from outside the crowd. A middle-aged man dressed in black pushed his way through the crowd and rushed in, his face filled with anger and Sha Qi.
"Uncle Wang, save me!" Chen Hao was overjoyed when he saw the person who had arrived. "Kill him! Kill this madman!"
Uncle Wang's gaze was sharp as a knife, and his heart was burning with anxiety.
He couldn't be bothered to watch his young master bully others, so he took a nap. He never expected that such a thing would happen on the safe campus!
Uncle Wang locked his gaze on Lin Xu, his inner energy surging within his palm, ready to launch a sudden attack in the next instant.
Director Zhang hesitated for a moment, then quietly took half a step back.
Lin Xu's expression remained unchanged. The bronze mirror in his hand disappeared, replaced by a bright glass lamp. "A level 3 martial artist? Tell me the whereabouts of Liang Hu of the Black Tiger Gang, and I'll spare your young master's life."
Uncle Wang's pupils contracted, and he lunged at Lin Xu without hesitation.
The glass lamp suddenly lit up, and a flame burst forth from the wick, turning into a crimson line of fire that shot straight towards Uncle Wang.
Before the internal energy in his palm could solidify, he was engulfed by the flames, screaming as he was sent flying backward, leaving a scorch mark several meters long on the ground.
By the time they landed, they were already about 70% cooked, and the aroma of them was wonderful.
The crowd erupted in uproar and scattered in all directions.
Chen Hao collapsed to the ground, his face filled with terror, unable to utter a sound.
Lin Xu approached slowly, lantern in hand, his gaze cold and stern. "Three minutes left."
The air was distorted by the high temperature, and the smell of burning filled the air.
Director Zhang gasped in astonishment. "A mid-level Daoist? You, you broke through to the mid-level in just one month?!"
He finally understood Lin Xu's confidence. With such talent and strength, how many people in the entire Meng City would dare to provoke him easily?
Even the Chen Lineage would have to think twice!
"A mid-level Daoist priest?" A gasp rippled through the crowd, followed by the exclamations of the young students, their burning gazes fixed on Lin Xu.
There is also a hierarchy of contempt among adventurers in the Spirit Realm: professionals look down on those without professions, combat professions look down on crafting professions, support professions look down on ranged professions, ranged professions look down on melee professions, and magic professions look down on everything.
Western arcane mages and Eastern Daoist priests are recognized as the strongest magical professions in the Spirit Realm.
"Intermediate level?" Jiang Wanqing's heart skipped a beat, and a look of surprise flashed in her beautiful eyes.
Lin Xu ignored Director Zhang's shock; the flame of the Glazed Lamp burned quietly in his hand, reflecting in his eyes like torches.
As the lamplight flickered, he stared at Chen Hao: "The time has come. How do you want to die?"
Startled, Chen Hao finally snapped out of his shock. His teeth chattered, and he screamed hoarsely, "I'll talk! I'll talk! Liang Hu is in the abandoned factory in the south of the city right now; that's the Black Tiger Gang's hideout!"
His back was soaked with cold sweat, and he struggled desperately but could not move.
A hint of murderous intent flashed in Lin Xu's eyes, but he slowly suppressed the boiling killing intent. The flame of the Glazed Lamp trembled slightly, reflecting his cold and handsome profile.
This person cannot be killed yet; if we must kill him, we must send his entire family on their way.
The Chen Lineage has been entrenched in Meng City for decades, with intricate and intertwined relationships. Killing Chen Hao alone would only bring disaster. He himself doesn't care, but Mother Lin cannot bear the consequences.
The campus was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only the wind rustling through the fallen leaves.
Just then, Li Fangxu, the homeroom teacher of Class 11, rushed into the crowd. He looked at the scene in astonishment. "Lin Xu, you're back? This..."
Lin Xu nodded. "Teacher Li, thank you for your help here. I'll be right back."
He glanced at Jiang Wanqing and Mother Lin, who seemed hesitant to speak, and said, "Wanqing, Mom, you two go home first. I'll talk to you in detail when I get back."
Lin Xu turned around with the lantern, tapped his foot, and a cloud appeared, carrying him away through the air.
Ah~
A gasp rippled through the crowd as Lin Xu's figure vanished into a sliver of light on the horizon, hurtling toward the south of the city.
The wind whistled past his ears, and the flame of the Glazed Lamp burned steadily in his palm, illuminating his cold and handsome profile.
Before the trial began, he was an ant that could be crushed at will, but now he is a powerful figure who can stir up the winds and clouds of the entire city.
The strong need to demonstrate their power to establish their position in the food chain, and the Black Tiger Gang, which they have a grudge against, is the best target for establishing their authority.
Unconsciously, several gazes converged from all parts of the city, fixed on the figure soaring through the air, making no attempt to conceal its presence.
As he pointed directly towards the south of the city, no one stepped forward to stop him.
This is an unspoken understanding, and also the unspoken rule for maintaining social order in this era of extraordinary rise—might makes right.