A tremor ran through Taiyi City as all sorts of discussions arose. In a restaurant a Great Emperor who had participated in the trial lamented, “I think Lin Xun has lost his life in the Dao Ruins. You don't know how overwhelming the situation was, sky-blotting evil spirits were rushing toward him and him alone like crazy...” “It can't be helped. We were unable to fend for ourselves at the time, let alone coming to his rescue.” ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novｅlfire.net “Speaking of which, us survivors should all be grateful to Lin Xun. If it hadn't been for him attracting the vast majority of the enemies by himself, very few trialists could have made it back from the Dao Ruins!” Similar talk resounded in different parts of Taiyi City. Since Lin Xun hadn't returned in a long time, everyone thought that this supreme Great Emperor, whose notoriety had once shaken Taiyi City, had fallen in the Dao Ruins. This made people sigh with emotions. However, this was the Great Thousand Battle Domain. The number of dazzling Great Emperors who were buried here in eons could not be counted. In the end, they turned into a pile of bones and vanished into the river of ages. Perhaps many years later, they would be gradually forgotten. “If you ask me, Lin Xun wouldn’t be able to live for long if he returns anyway. Don't forget that he has thoroughly offended the Immortal Imperial Wen, Heng, and Luo Clans.” In the city, a man who was dressed luxuriously sneered, “Who, in all history, ever has a good ending after they go up against Immortal Imperial Clans?” “What the f*ck did you say?” Peng Tianxiang was furious after he heard that from a distance, pointing and cursing at the man. Next to him, Dugu Youran was gazing at the sky in a daze. The well-dressed man slightly faltered, but he still stubbornly stuck his neck out, “I'm just telling the truth. No matter how angry you are, Fellow Daoist, it can't change the fact that Lin Xun has fallen.” Dugu Youran suddenly said, “The trialists from the Wen, Heng, and Luo Clans, I haven’t seen any of them return alive.” Peng Tianxiang was stunned, “That indeed seems to be the case.” The well-dressed man, on the other hand, laughed out loud, “With the power of these three Immortal Imperial Clans, it is absolutely impossible for them to fall.” As he was speaking, there was a sudden cry of alarm nearby. From beyond the sky, three rainbows were streaking toward them with eye-catching brilliance. The one at the head of the group was clearly someone that no one had expected. “Lin Xun!?” The well-dressed man's jaw dropped at once. His expression belonged to someone who was seeing ghosts in broad daylight. “Brother Lin!” shouted Peng Tianxiang excitedly, his eyes glowing with heartfelt delight. Dugu Youran’s lips curled up as she secretly heaved a sigh of relief. As I thought, this fellow...cannot die so easily. “Didn’t they say he was surrounded by an army of evil spirits? Don’t tell me he killed his way out?!” The area boiled as many people opened their eyes wide. At this moment, countless people in the entire Taiyi City had also noticed this, and without exception, they were all stunned. He actually survived under such a desperate situation? Specifically, the trialists who had personally seen Lin Xun being besieged felt like they were witnessing a miracle at the moment. It simply felt surreal. Lin Xun swiftly landed among the people. The well-dressed man blurted out, “How could you possibly still be alive?” Before Lin Xun could speak, Yue Duqiu said coldly with a frown, “You couldn’t wait for all of us to die in the Dao Ruins, did you?” The man quickly shook his head and smiled awkwardly, “I... I was just so surprised that I said the wrong thing. Please don’t misunderstand.” Xiang Xiaoyuan asked, “You’re from the Wen Clan?” “Eh...” the well-dressed man instantly looked uncomfortable. Peng Tianxiang also understood and laughed coldly, “So you are. No wonder you talked so unpleasantly just now!” The well-dressed man’s manner became even more awkward. He hurriedly turned, intending to leave the scene. Lin Xun suddenly and good-naturedly advised him, “You don't have to wait. Before I returned, I saw with my own eyes the experts of the Wen, Heng, and Luo Clans get annihilated.” The whole area was thrown into a commotion as the news frightened countless people. Trialists who were weaker than those from the three great Immortal Imperial Clans had escaped with their lives, while they were wiped out? “There is no way!” the well-dressed man's face drastically changed. “It's up to you whether to believe it or not,” commented Lin Xun who then paid no more heed to this man. He walked toward Dugu Youran, “Thank you for your reminder earlier, Miss.” Dugu Youran was taken aback, simply never expecting to receive words of gratitude from Lin Xun. She wondered if he had been stimulated by something that made him abnormal in the head because otherwise, how could he...thank her? Too strange! Completely unlike his character! After holding her tongue for half a day, she grunted, “Who told you to be my benefactor? How would I return the favor if you die, right?” Lin Xun was dumbfounded. This woman was still thinking about repaying him? Didn’t this mean that this trouble magnet would keep popping up around him in the future? He hurriedly said, “Please don't! We’re already even after this, so you don’t need to return anything.” Dugu Youran burst out laughing as the normal Lin Xun in her impression had returned. She raised a brow and smiled teasingly, “We are only even if I say so. Otherwise, people will deem me an ungrateful brat and speak ill of me behind my back, which I cannot agree to.” Lin Xun’s head started to ache. Peng Tianxiang, on the other hand, laughed heartily, “Brother Lin, Youran is only saying all this because she considers you a friend. Now that you have come back safe and sound, it's undoubtedly a joyous event. Let’s go, we’ll have a big celebration, I'll be the host.” “Right, these two friends as well, please come along.” He enthusiastically extended an invitation to Xiang Xiaoyuan and Yue Duqiu. “Good.” Lin Xun was quick to agree. He needed to loosen up after such a ferocious battle. “Aren't I invited?” asked Dugu Youran. Peng Tianxiang gave a start. Then, he revealed the brightest ever seen on his face and said lovingly, “Youran, how could I possibly forget you?” When Lin Xun saw this, he suddenly no longer wanted to go... Even after they left, the well-dressed man still stood there with a lost look, waiting like a man who had turned to stone hoping for his wife to return. However, the curtain of night dropped without any trace of the trialists from the Immortal Imperial Wen, Heng, and Luo Clans. It hit him with the despairing realization that what Lin Xun had said was most likely true! In fact, on this very day, the news of Lin Xun’s return as well as the annihilation of the three Immortal Imperial Clans’ experts swept through Taiyi City like a storm. “Lin Xun’s coming back alive is already a miracle, but on top of that, none of the cultivators of the three great Immortal Imperial Clans has returned. Why does this feel...so surreal?” Many hearts were in turmoil. The three teams belonging to the three great Immortal Imperial Clans consisted purely of supreme Great Emperors and were presided by several Ancestors of a Path. Such lineups were considered top-tier among all the trialists, but despite that, none of those powerful experts survived! Someone speculated, “Maybe Lin Xun had a hand in this? After all, there is deep enmity between them.” However, this idea was quickly refuted. Someone snorted, “Are you kidding? Lin Xun was trapped deep in a heavy siege. It’s already inconceivable that he made it back. Where would he have the ability to hunt and wipe out the people of the three Immortal Imperial Clans? What nonsense! “With such a wild imagination, why didn’t you say that Lin Xun smoothed out the scourge in the Dao Ruins and resolved the crisis facing Taiyi City? Use your brains before making accusations!” If Xiang Xiaoyuan and Yue Duqiu heard this, they would have given a thumbs up and praised this person’s wisdom. Because while the person who had dealt with the scourge in the Dao Ruins wasn’t Lin Xun, he was inextricably linked to him. It could even be said that without Lin Xun, the chaos that would sweep through Taiyi City would have been avoidable! While the city was in an uproar, a restaurant was beautifully lit and filled with pleasant instrumental music. It was a banquet. On the table in front of Lin Xun, Xiang Xiaoyuan, Yue Duqiu, Dugu Youran, and Peng Tianxiang were precious brews and a wide variety of dishes, all of which were the restaurant's top-notch delicacies. Even for cultivators with abundant cosmic origin crystals, it was difficult to be able to enjoy these delicacies as many of the ingredients were in limited supply. Even noble figures from Immortal Imperial Clans like Peng Tianxiang needed to make reservations in advance. However, with the presence of Dugu Youran, all of this was no longer a problem. The restaurant even offered a divine brew that they had treasured for many years. It was said to be a superb product preserved from the previous epoch, obtained by chance from a forbidden cave by a trialist who had entered the Dao Ruins a long time ago. This banquet was an eye-opener for Lin Xun. There were no such ingredients on the Ancient Nebula Road, let alone having the chance to taste them. Wine cups touched raucously. Everyone had a great time eating and chatting. Only Dugu Youran seemed a little distracted. When the banquet was approaching its end, she suddenly raised her cup and looked at Lin Xun with a smile, “I’d like to propose a toast to Great Benefactor Lin.” Without waiting for him to agree, she threw her head back and poured all the wine down her throat. Lin Xun was stunned for a moment before he also raised his cup and drained it. Seeing this, Dugu Youran laughed so happily that her eyes became two crescent moons. She then poured herself another cup and said to the crowd, “This one is a toast to everyone.” By now, even Peng Tianxiang noticed that something was amiss. He couldn't help asking, “Youran, is there something on your mind?” Right at this moment, an invisible pressure suddenly surged in like a bitter wind, dispersing the lively atmosphere of the banquet. Everybody stiffened in unison. At some point, a tall, handsome man in refined clothing had appeared in the hall. With the might of a dragon and the elegance of a phoenix, his dashingness was unmatched! Accompanying his presence, a terrifying pressure spread out, elevating him up like a god from the heavens. He became the only light in this spacious hall. Peng Tianxiang stopped breathing for a moment. His fingers trembled, and the cup in his hand almost fell out. Xiang Xiaoyuan and Yue Duqiu both uncontrollably displayed deep apprehension. Their expressions carried shock and doubt. Even Lin Xun's pupils slightly constricted. This person is extremely dangerous! Meanwhile, Dugu Youran, revealed an imperceptible trace of helplessness.