The Prodigies War

Xiluo City.

This was one of the many cities under the control of Region Lord Zhenjue[1], one of the six region lords in the Dongkong Region.

By the window of a tavern in the city, Lin Xun was dressed in a moon-white robe, his aura as quiet and gentle as clouds floating by. He was drinking alone while recalling the map in the Guiding Copper Mirror.

Since leaving the Frosty Air Region, he had crossed the territories of five regions and been traveling nonstop for more than one month.

According to the map to the Dark Lair, he was more than halfway there, and if nothing went wrong, he would arrive in about twenty days.

A group of people came into the tavern, led by an old man with snow-white hair and beard and an imposing, immortal-like bearing.

He was followed by a group of men and women.

Their arrival drew the attention of many customers in the tavern.

This was because they exuded an aura very different from the rest of the people who had been living in the Underworld for years. They radiated grace, pride, and unmasked brilliance like the rising sun.

Generally speaking, cultivators who had spent a lot of time in the Underworld were savage, violent and ruthless, just like hungry wolves. They were ready to fight with their lives on the line at any time, and their every move was always merciless.

Those were a group of newcomers to the Underworld, still untainted by the bloodshed and turbulent nature of the world.

Many people’s expressions changed when this thought came to their minds.

Lin Xun also noticed the change in the tavern and he could even sense the surprise, greed, and murderous intent surging in many people’s hearts.

It was like a pack of hungry wolves targeting a flock of fat sheep that had suddenly stumbled into their paths.

However, Lin Xun could also tell that, if those people were to take action, they would surely die.

Because the old man who led the group was a true Emperor!

Moreover, the majority of the men and women following him possessed strength of the Supreme Quasi-Emperor Stage, with the weakest being at the third-level Quasi-Emperor Stage!

This fact alone made it difficult for Lin Xun to not take notice of them.

After all, it was already extremely rare to find supreme quasi-Emperors, but now, several of them appeared together and they evidently were from the same sect.

The white-haired old man and the others sat down and ordered some food and drinks.

Among the group, a breathtakingly beautiful woman, dressed in splendid attire adorned with a jade belt threaded with gold, swept her gaze across the tavern. Frowning, she uttered, “This place reeks, it’s truly repulsive.”

Many people in her group agreed with her statement.

A young man in a golden robe waved a jade fan, smiling. “Junior Sister Lan Ling, this is the Ancient Nebula Underworld after all—a wasteland populated by rough and wicked people. How can it compare to our Primordial Chaos World?”

His words showed his immense sense of pride and superiority.

The nearby diners stopped chatting and their eyes flashed, but they said nothing in the end. Only they themselves knew what they were thinking.

The woman called Lan Ling nodded. “Senior Brother Fei Lang is right. I have also heard that the Underworld is called the land of all evil. Only the most wicked, who are too vile for the world, would flee here to hide.”

They spoke freely, without holding back or hiding anything, and seemed unafraid of being overheard, showing their confidence and power.

The old man suddenly chuckled, “If you find it uncomfortable here, just take action. Grace and morals do not belong to the Underworld.”

These words made the eyes of the men and women light up.

Bang!

The waiter came over and rudely slammed plates of food onto the table. “The total is ninety thousand dao crystals. Who will pay?”

Fei Lang, Lan Ling, and the others were taken by surprise.

On the table were only two jars of wine and four dishes. In the outside world, they would at most cost a few thousand dao crystals.

Yet here, someone actually demanded ninety thousand dao crystals for them!

“Are you treating as fat lambs to be slaughtered?” Fei Lang’s face darkened.

The waiter sneered, “Everyone, this is the Ancient Nebula Underworld, where resources are limited, and it is plagued by extreme poverty. In such a turbulent place, tremendous capital is required to open a tavern, so the prices of wine and food here are naturally higher than those in the outside world."

Fei Lang and the others looked doubtful.

A nearby diner said in a strange, mocking tone, “You guys are new here, right? Ninety thousand dao crystals is not expensive at all for what you ordered. If you don’t believe me, why don’t you ask other people?”

“You all are so well-dressed, I thought you guys were extraordinary characters. Who would have thought...that you would quibble over ninety thousand dao crystals? How embarrassing.”

“If you can’t afford it, then get lost.”

Some other diners joined in.

Lin Xun watched on. He knew that the test had begun. If these newcomers showed any sign of fear or nervousness, they would be targeted.

However, he also knew that this kind of test...was really low.

Fei Lang, Lan Ling and the others all donned stormy expressions. It was not that they did not have enough dao crystals, but instead they felt that they were being ripped off.

However, although they were skeptical that ninety-nine dao crystals was the market price, if they were wrong, wouldn’t they be unfairly accusing the waiter?

Bang!

The white-haired old man simply raised one hand, and the first man who spoke sarcastically dropped dead at a table not far away.

Although his body was intact, his spirit had been obliterated!

An oppressive, heavy silence replaced the tavern’s lively atmosphere as all the customers involuntarily changed their expressions.

In their experience, newcomers to the Underworld, regardless of their strength, would show forbearance before they figured out the situation in the world.

Who would have thought the white-haired old man would kill without uttering a single word!

Sensing a bad feeling flooding his body, the waiter turned to leave, but just as he did, he saw a flash. The next second, he was on the ground, his eyes bulging with horror and bewilderment.

Lan Ling, Fei Lang, and the others were also taken aback by the scene.

The man who made the sarcastic remark might have deserved to die, but the waiter…seemed like he had met an unjust end.

It was at this moment that the white-haired old man spoke calmly, “In the Underworld, killing does not require a reason, nor does it need any remorse.

“Remember, we are not like them. They are wicked criminals who have fallen into darkness, and each of them has committed unforgivable violent crimes.

“It may be merciful to spare their lives, but killing them is out of justice, to eliminate harm for others in the world.

“Ultimately, as long as you are happy, even if you massacre everyone in the city, it is considered a good deed for the world, so you don’t need to have any scruples.”

The old man had an elegant presence that was matched by a calm voice, but there was an unmistakable undertone of deep disdain in his words.

The eyes of Fei Lang, Lan Ling, and the others lit up with understanding.

One by one, the diners’ expressions shifted, as if they were sitting on a bed of needles. They realized that the group were tigers in sheep’s clothing.

Many people quietly got up to leave the tavern.

Shua!

Suddenly, Fei Lang sprang up and his blade flashed out its sheath. Magnificent blade qi shot across the room and in the blink of an eye, several heads rolled to the ground.

The most amazing thing was that although the blade qi was powerful and domineering, it caused no damage to the tavern whatsoever. Otherwise, the building would have been destroyed in an instant under the power of that blade.

Blood spurted out and headless bodies fell to the ground.

Fei Lang sheathed his blade and exclaimed with excitement. “Master, it suddenly dawned on me that the Underworld is a good place to hone my martial arts skills.”

“In the outside world, one is bound by too many constraints and rules, but here, one can kill without restraint!”

Lan Ling and the others looked stunned at Fei Lang who seemed like he had become a different person, as if some shackles had been broken in his heart.

The white-haired old man smiled. “You did a good job. Only through enduring bloodshed and life-or-death battles can one become the sharpest. Many disciples of ancient sects and clans in the outside world choose to come to the Underworld to undergo trials in order to temper themselves. Such people are also called ‘trial-takers.’”

“Does that mean I can deal with them?” Lan Ling was eager to act.

The white-haired old man laughed, “Of course, you can treat them as weed, pigs, dogs, beasts... In short, just don’t treat them as people like you.”

Lin Xun, who had been watching on the other side, raised his eyebrows. That sentence was basically berating him as well.

The white-haired old man viewed the Underworld as a slaughterhouse and did not regard the people there as humans.

This made Lin Xun feel somewhat repulsed.

He had been in the Underworld for almost half a year, but he had never treated the people as animals. In his heart, he firmly followed the principle, ‘If others don’t provoke me, I won’t provoke them.’

He had never killed the innocent.

Even though he knew that almost no one in the Underworld was a good person, this was not a reason to kill as he pleased.

Of course, this was just a conflict of views, and Lin Xun would not be angry about it.

“Elder, please spare our lives. We are blind and ignorant, I beg you to spare our lowly lives!”

Terrified, the customers of the tavern all dropped to their knees, begging for mercy.

“How can trash like you be allowed to live?”

Lan Ling inhaled deeply and with a turn of her beautiful hand, a wave of fiery red light swept out.

In the blink of an eye, several people were burned to ashes, scattering in the air.

Some people leapt to their feet and made a mad dash for the door, but Fei Lang and others got rid of them all before they could.

The air became thick with blood and every one of their eyes glinted with exhilaration.

Someone’s eyes landed on Lin Xun, who had not made any movement, murderous intent flashing within them.

In fact, except for Fei Lang and others, Lin Xun was the only customer left in the tavern.

“Wait!” Suddenly, the white-haired old man stopped Fei Lang and the others.

He studied Lin Xun with a thoughtful expression, asking, “Why are you not begging for mercy or running away?”

Fei Lang, Lan Ling, and the others also stared at Lin Xun, but in their eyes, there was an eagerness to take action. They thought that, although Lin Xun looked different from the others, he was a target they could slaughter at will.

Lin Xun ignored them and finished the jar of wine on his table. Then he stood up, carrying a bronze sword box on his back, and headed out of the tavern.

From beginning to end, he did not so much as glance at them.

However, to the white-haired old man and the others, Lin Xun’s attitude could be summed up in one word: Arrogant!

1. Coincidentally has the same name as Emperor Ancestor Zhenjue in 2029, but not the same person ☜