Ch. 645 - I Challenge All of You

When the voice echoed from the sky, Xu Zimo frowned slightly.

But he didn’t leave the ruins. Instead, he continued heading toward the location of another token.

Just after leaving the sea and stepping onto land, he encountered a group of Divine Heaven Mountain disciples on the plains ahead.

He didn’t see Shen Yu among them.

As he approached the group...

“L-Lin Qiu,” someone stammered, calling out Xu Zimo’s name.

After all, they had heard the announcement just moments ago.

“Junior Brother Lin Qiu, we’ve never had any conflict with you and don’t intend to fight over the token. Please don’t kill us,” a disciple quickly pleaded.

“I won’t kill you,” Xu Zimo smiled. “But help me pass along a message. Tell all the disciples within the ruins, including all the Imperial Sons from every peak: Three hours from now, I, Lin Qiu, will be waiting for them at the valley three miles south of here. I challenge the entire younger generation of the Nine Heavens Imperial Sect. I will bring all nine tokens. If they defeat me, they can kill me, eliminate the threat I pose, and take the tokens. But if they’re afraid, they can crush their tokens and flee like cowards. From now on, if they see me, they better avoid me. Otherwise, I’ll beat them up every time I see them.”

After speaking, Xu Zimo turned and left, leaving the group stunned and speechless.

Watching his departing figure without having struck them, one disciple hesitated and asked, “Senior Brother, what should we do now?

Leave or deliver the message?”

“How interesting. He’s challenging the entire younger generation of the Nine Heavens Sect? Of course we spread the word! When will we ever witness something this exciting again?” the senior brother said with a laugh.

“But what if...” a nearby disciple hesitated.

“You fool. If the sky falls, the tallest get crushed first. If anyone dies, it’ll be those Imperial Sons. He doesn’t care enough to kill us small fry,” the senior brother replied. “Let’s go spread the message. Strength in numbers.”

A great man once said, the world never lacks people who love watching drama.

As that group began spreading the message through the ancient ruins, more and more people heard it and passed it along.

Ironically, fewer people were now crushing their tokens to leave.

Meanwhile, guided by the old turtle, Xu Zimo had already obtained the remaining eight tokens.

Each of those eight was guarded by a different demonic beast, and each encounter was a trial.

“Sir, can I leave now?” the turtle asked cautiously.

“Take me to the valley I just mentioned, then you’re free,” Xu Zimo said.

The turtle didn’t dare argue and quickly headed in that direction.

“Have you beasts always lived inside the ancient ruins?” Xu Zimo asked curiously along the way.

“Yes. Long before the Nine Heavens Empyrean Sect discovered this place, we were already living here. After the ruins were found, we weren’t strong enough to resist the Supreme Void Grand Empyrean, so we struck a deal. He let us stay, as long as we didn’t harm any disciples.”

“Supreme Void Grand Empyrean, that must be the Grand Empyrean from the main sect,” Xu Zimo smiled and asked, “Then who was the original owner of this ruin?”

“We don’t know either. We’ve never met the ruin’s true master. Even from a distance, the aura he emitted was so oppressive we dared not approach,” said the turtle.

“So we beasts have always assumed it was a Godly Monarch.”

Xu Zimo chuckled. “Do you know what’s beyond the Godly Monarch realm?”

“That’s only something you’ll learn once you cross the Immortal Dao Bridge. It’s not a level we should touch,” the turtle replied, shaking his head quickly.

As they spoke, the two had arrived at the valley.

Though the battle had yet to begin, Xu Zimo could already see more and more disciples arriving.

…………

Back on Dao Mountain, Mu Changge saw this and frowned deeper.

“What’s going on?” he asked everyone. “I clearly said it already, why have so few people come back? What are the rest doing?”

“This Lin Qiu really knows how to scheme. Challenging everyone at once? Sure, he’s at Fusion Heaven, but that confidence is over the top,” Qin Hansheng sneered.

“Let’s just see how it plays out. I’ve already given the warning. Still, that many people against one Fusion Heaven cultivator, there’s a chance,” Mu Changge said.

As word of Xu Zimo’s open challenge spread, disciples from every peak rushed to inform their Imperial Sons.

In a mountain hollow, Lin Feng stared at Xue Qingming in disbelief. “You’re sure he’s at Fusion Heaven?”

“Yes, the news is everywhere. He’s really in the spotlight now,” Xue Qingming nodded.

“My good little brother... No wonder Yang Cheng failed. You really kept this hidden from me,” Lin Feng laughed softly.

“Then should we leave? There’s still that conflict between you two...” Xue Qingming said.

“No. We’ll contact the other Imperial Sons. He’s shining too brightly, and tall trees catch the wind.” Lin Feng said coldly, “I bet the others are more anxious than me. They won’t allow a threat like him to exist.”

By a riverside, the Imperial Son of Scenery Heaven Mountain, Qi Ye, cradled a vertical harp. His two fingers were slender and pale.

He strummed slowly, and upon hearing the report, smiled and said, “So our Nine Heavens Sect has someone like that.”

“What do you intend to do, Imperial Son?” someone asked nearby.

“No matter what, I must meet him,” Qi Ye smiled.

Meanwhile, in a forest, the Imperial Son of Divine Heaven Mountain, known as the most famous among the Nine Mountains, heard the news and smiled, waving it off.

“No big deal. No one can stop me.”

After everyone left, Shen Yu slowly stood up.

He looked into the distance with deep eyes and murmured, “They probably don’t realize yet that I, Shen Yu, am the true Chosen One.”

…………

More and more people gathered in the valley where Xu Zimo sat. Of course, before the nine Imperial Sons arrived, everyone held back, not daring to act recklessly.

Xu Zimo sat atop the valley, placing the nine Nine Heavens Tokens in front of him while meditating calmly.

“That guy is Lin Qiu, right? I heard he used to be a total waste. This is some serious hidden strength,” someone whispered.

“So what if he’s Fusion Heaven? Doesn’t make him invincible. Still young, doesn’t know how to hide his edge.”

As the crowd grew, the nine Imperial Sons still had yet to arrive.

Some people started getting impatient.

“What are you all afraid of? If you won’t move, then we, the Five of Divine Heaven, will test him first!” several loud voices echoed from the valley walls.

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