"They all say you're formidable, but I truly wish to test just how formidable you are. The foremost figure in the Hedao realm?"
Chen Xiao smiled strangely and said softly.
"Hmph, if you have the guts, then come out!"
Chen Sihai, or rather Lin Batian, declared haughtily.
"Noisy!"
Chen Xiao raised his hand and shattered the Hun Tian Bracelet on his avatar.
Immediately after, with a 'puff,' Chen Xiao's body turned into a withered branch.
At the same time, outside the Treasure Pavilion.
Many people were still standing outside the Treasure Pavilion, all waiting to see what earth-shattering treasures the champion of this year's Heavenly Pride Battle had obtained from within.
After all, treasures from the Treasure Pavilion offered immense boosts to personal combat power.
Just then, Lin Batian, who had been condescendingly standing at the back of the crowd, a figure with very low presence, suddenly his eyes flashed, and he strode forward.
As he passed, people collapsed to the ground. Figures in the Hua Xu realm or even the Hedao realm, their bodies became like soft noodles, all falling down.
By the time he reached the front of the Treasure Pavilion, there was no one left standing.
But that wasn't all. He glared fiercely, his eyes turning pure white, emitting a powerful light like the sun, making it impossible to look directly at him.
"Soul Technique, Forget This Memory!"
As these faint words were spoken, white light scattered from his eyes, flying towards everyone who had participated in this year's Heavenly Pride Battle.
They all fell into a deep sleep and would forget this memory upon waking.
After finishing all this, Lin Batian shouted towards the Treasure Pavilion, "Chen Xiao, you brat, hurry up and come out to die!"
"What's all the shouting? I didn't say I wouldn't come out!"
As soon as Lin Batian finished speaking, the doors of the Treasure Pavilion opened, and Chen Xiao walked out leisurely.
Entering the Treasure Pavilion was troublesome, but exiting it was not as complicated.
Chen Xiao looked at Lin Batian lightly, his lips curling into a cold smile, "Old man, I've finally met you!"
"Heh heh, why do you say it as if we've never met? Don't forget, your life was given by me!"
Lin Batian grinned.
"My purpose in creating you was to help me collect sacred relics. Now that your mission is complete, I can allow you to live, as long as you obediently hand over the sacred relics!"
"Even without the sacred relics, you are still a powerful expert, capable of dominating the mortal world."
"But if you don't obey obediently... Heh heh, I created you, so I can also destroy you!"
Lin Batian said chillingly.
"You keep saying you created me, but I'm very curious. How exactly did you create me? What am I? Am I the same existence as that mad monk Yuan Chen?"
Chen Xiao suddenly asked.
"You have quite a bit of self-awareness. In essence, there is no difference between you and the mad monk Yuan Chen, but you are clearly a better work than Yuan Chen!"
"That mad monk obeyed my commands without question, and that remained true even after decades."
"But you are different. You have your own consciousness. You are my creation, and you are like a real person. No... you have surpassed the human realm!"
"I must say, you are my greatest creation, a magnificent work of opportune timing, favorable location, and human harmony. Even if I were to replicate you, I couldn't do it!"
"However, a creation is still just a creation. It should not defy its master's orders and its original purpose. So, hand over the sacred relics."
Lin Batian continued to pressure Chen Xiao, tempting him with benefits. "Of course, if you still wish to do what you were doing before, you can follow me. Our goals are the same: to overthrow the Heavenly Dao. The only difference is that you must obey me. If I say east, you cannot go west; if I say south, you cannot go north!"
"My son, Chen Xiao, do you understand what your father is saying?"
After hearing Lin Batian's words, Chen Xiao burst into laughter. "Heh heh, you speak so beautifully. You keep saying you created me, and that I am your greatest creation, someone you couldn't replicate!"
"In other words, you're saying that my arrival in this world was merely through your hands. I am the chosen one, and you are, at best, a craftsman!"
After understanding this, Chen Xiao felt a surge of clarity and exhilaration.
Although he was reluctant to admit it, the fact that he was created by Lin Batian had always bothered him.
It was only at this very moment that he had a sudden realization.
He was indeed created by Lin Batian, but more importantly, he was born of destiny!
The greater the opportunity he encountered, the heavier the destiny he carried!
And his destiny was clearly not something that a 'craftsman' like Lin Batian could control.
"Lin Batian, I'll give you one chance too. If you are willing to join my ranks and obey me from now on, I can spare your life! Otherwise, today will be the day of your demise!"
Chen Xiao said domineeringly.
"The day of my demise?"
Lin Batian grinned. "Kid, with you? Your greatest trump card is merely the Seven Divine Manifestations. Do you think having the Seven Divine Manifestations can defeat me? How naive!"
"If the Seven Divine Manifestations cannot defeat you, then what about adding my Nine Heavens Divine Maiden Manifestation?"
Hearing this voice, Lin Batian was startled.
He turned to look and saw that it was the Ziwei Dao Master who had stood up.
And it wasn't just the Ziwei Dao Master who had stood up.
"Adding my Wine Sword Immortal Manifestation, Lin Batian, do you dare to fight?"
Yun Lan bowed, holding his sword, his back to the crowd, and said proudly.
"With such a commotion in the Immortal Hidden Realm, how could I, one of the Three Dao Masters, be absent? Ling Tian Battle God Manifestation, requesting to engage!"
Duan Yanzhuo flexed his muscles, his fighting spirit blazing.
"You, how did you wake up!"
Lin Batian looked at them in disbelief.
He was not surprised that Chen Xiao was unaffected by his soul technique, attributing it to Chen Xiao's bloodline.
But for these three to be unaffected, he had never expected it.
Unless they already knew his identity and had taken precautions in advance.
Lin Batian's guess was correct. The Ziwei Dao Master had indeed taken precautions because Chen Xiao had given her a heads-up yesterday.
Furthermore, she had followed the clues and discovered Lin Batian's true identity!
Therefore, she not only took precautions herself but also informed the other two of the Three Dao Masters.
"Heh heh, Lin Batian, or should I call you White Emperor?"
The Ziwei Dao Master said softly.
Lin Batian froze instantly, then he chuckled freely, "Heh heh, my identity has indeed been guessed by you! No wonder you took precautions in advance!"
With the strength of the Three Dao Masters, if they had taken precautions, his soul technique would indeed be unable to affect them.
"White Emperor, the leader of the ancient White Pupil Divine Race, known for soul techniques and puppet arts!"
"However, the tribesmen were insidious and cunning, adept at sowing discord, manipulating rulers to command lords, causing the populace to suffer. Thus, the Eternal Immortal Emperor exterminated their entire race. However, the leader, White Emperor, narrowly escaped death and eventually submitted to the Eternal Immortal Emperor, becoming the Immortal Emperor's slave!"
"Until five hundred years ago, when human cultivators moved into the Immortal Hidden Realm, he suddenly disappeared."
The Ziwei Dao Master spoke as if reciting from memory, then sighed, "I must say, your White Pupil Divine Race's soul techniques are indeed extraordinary. If this information wasn't recorded in historical texts, I would never have remembered it."
"Hmph!"
The White Emperor snorted indignantly.
The Ziwei Dao Master's words were undoubtedly a slap in his face.
"If you want to fight, then fight. Stop the nonsense. The Immortal Sect is no longer what it used to be. What are the Three Dao Masters? In my eyes, they are nothing!"
The White Emperor declared proudly. Judging by his expression, he truly didn't take the Three Dao Masters seriously.
And coming from ancient times, having fought the Eternal Immortal Emperor, he indeed had the confidence!
"Senior White Emperor, actually, this junior still has some questions that are not entirely clear. Before we begin, could Senior White Emperor please enlighten me?"
The Ziwei Dao Master suddenly became polite.
"Heh heh, you want to ask about my purpose in collecting sacred relics, right?"
The White Emperor asked with a cold smile.
The Ziwei Dao Master did not speak, but nodded, admitting it.
"Because I want to slaughter a group of beasts, a group of beasts who have ascended to the Heavenly Human Realm, which are your masters and grandmasters!"
The White Emperor said indignantly.
Ascended to the Heavenly Human Realm?
Hearing these words, Chen Xiao was suddenly stunned.
He was referring to those traitors who had sided with the Heavenly Dao, the human cultivators.
But why would they use the word 'ascended' when they went to the Heavenly Human Realm?
"I admire the Eternal Immortal Emperor, but your masters and grandmasters, I despise them from the bottom of my heart. What right do they have to be above me, to lord over me?"
A deep hatred appeared in the White Emperor's eyes.
"Hmph, White Emperor, don't forget your identity. You are merely a slave of the Eternal Immortal Emperor, a mere prisoner. How dare you call yourself 'this Emperor'?"
Duan Yanzhuo interrupted the White Emperor with dissatisfaction.
The White Emperor snorted coldly, "You and them are birds of a feather. Fine, before I kill all of them, I'll kill all their disciples and grandchildren. Although they might not care about your lives anymore!"
"How outrageous! I will not allow you to slander my masters and grandmasters!"
Yun Lan drew his sword with a clang. He seemed somewhat enraged.
The reason for his anger was that he knew the White Emperor was not slandering them.
The masters and grandmasters of the Three Sects truly did not care about the lives of their disciples and grandchildren.
This was their so-called 'transcendent detachment'!
This was also Yun Lan's consistent principle. He thought he had already achieved it, but why was he feeling this anger now?
Perhaps even he himself could not explain it.
At this moment, Chen Xiao suddenly interjected, "Wait, what do you mean by 'ascended to the Heavenly Human Realm'?"
The White Emperor grinned at him. "Silly boy, haven't you figured this out yet?"