96: I got the short end of the stick from that bastard, and you bunch of scoundrels won't get away with it either!

He was already at the Early Stage of the God King Realm, a standout among the younger generation, yet before Ao Lietian, he was as insignificant as an ant, unable to withstand a single blow.

Seeing this, the Dragon Clan prodigies felt a chill in their hearts and lowered their heads, not daring to say more. They could sense the malevolence and suppressed fury emanating from Ao Lietian; no one dared to cross him now.

Ao Lietian snorted coldly and closed his eyes again, but his thoughts became increasingly chaotic. He knew in his heart that although he was no match for that monster Xu Jinhuan, he could easily crush ninety percent of the prodigies present. Even top figures like the Butian Saint Son and Li Xuanyang were only his equals; none could truly best the other.

That slap just now was both a way to vent his internal frustration and a means to intimidate the crowd, preventing anyone from prying further and exposing the truth of his crushing defeat.

But in the end, he couldn't hide it from everyone.

Not far away, the Butian Saint Son slowly opened his eyes, his gaze landing on Ao Lietian, filled with curiosity.

With a flicker of movement, he arrived at Ao Lietian's side, his voice calm yet penetrating:

"Brother Ao, your injuries are quite severe, and your Divine Power is in disarray. I wonder which expert could wound you like this?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the other top prodigies looked over, their eyes full of curiosity.

Probably no one present could have wounded Ao Lietian to such an extent.

They desperately wanted to know who this greatest competitor was!

Ao Lietian sneered inwardly.

This fellow appeared to care for him on the surface, but in reality, he only wanted to learn the identity of that truly peerless Prodigy from him.

Since that's the case, I simply won't tell!

I suffered at that bastard's hands, you bastards shouldn't expect an easy time either!

A trace of cunning flashed in the depths of the True Dragon's eyes.

"It's nothing."

Ao Lietian spoke indifferently, his tone deliberately nonchalant as if it were a trivial matter.

"I just discovered an undeveloped ancient Immortal Cave on my way here. It was protected by a Saint Realm level guardian Formation. When I entered to retrieve the treasure, I was accidentally grazed by the aftershock."

"An ancient Immortal Cave? A Saint Realm Formation? To still be so full of life after such an attack, Brother Lietian's strength seems to have improved significantly!"

A flash of surprise crossed the Butian Saint Son's eyes, and the surrounding prodigies immediately nodded, breathing a sigh of relief.

As long as it wasn't some hidden powerhouse. Given this stupid dragon's proud nature, he probably wouldn't stoop to lying.

Li Xuanyang took the Opportunity to scan the crowd behind, seemingly looking for someone, before finally withdrawing his gaze in disappointment.

Seeing this, Ao Lietian chuckled inwardly, though he maintained a proud and self-satisfied expression on his face.

"Indeed, indeed. I obtained several Saint Medicines inside. Once I leave, I'll be able to attempt a Breakthrough to the Saint Realm immediately!"

The interlude ended, and after a few more words of conversation, the Butian Saint Son's last shred of doubt vanished.

He could see that this stupid dragon's Physical Body had been heavily damaged, nearly beaten into dragon meat patties.

The Dragon Clan's Physical Body was peerlessly strong; even the most terrifying Prodigy at the same Realm could not possibly achieve this.

It must indeed be a Saint's Immortal Cave.

"Hehe, once you all suffer at that kid's hands, I won't be the only fool anymore!"

Watching the Butian Saint Son walk away, Ao Lietian sneered in his heart, already impatient to see the other top prodigies being humiliated by Xu Jinhuan!

"No, I must also hurry and Cultivate, comprehend the Great Emperor Laws, and strive to defeat that beastly scoundrel as soon as possible to rescue Linger!"

"Linger, you must hold on. You can't fall victim to that bastard's clutches so quickly!"

...A white dragon tore through the void, shining across the Nine Heavens.

The figure arriving late atop the white dragon's head instantly attracted the attention of everyone present.

He was clearly just a small human, yet he was as handsome as an immortal and otherworldly. His appearance alone was enough to enchant beings of all races.

"Hehehe, what a handsome man..."

Feng Lingxi, the little princess of the Divine Phoenix Clan, was instantly infatuated by Xu Jinhuan's handsome appearance. Drool couldn't stop leaking from the corner of her mouth, and her phoenix eyes were full of obsession.

This display immediately drew the dissatisfaction of a loli Prodigy beside her.

"Hey! You stinky bird, I saw this guy first. Don't even think about stealing him!"

"Stinky woman, I'm going to take him, so what?!"

With just a single glance, the two formerly inseparable best friends instantly turned against each other. A silent clash of Divine Thoughts began, and the air was filled with a faint scent of gunpowder.

"This youth has an extraordinary bearing, with an aura nearly like that of an immortal or god. He will certainly be a major enemy in the future!"

The Butian Saint Son's pupils contracted, his mind shaken. Looking at Xu Jinhuan's back, he gave a very high evaluation.

"So this is the person who killed my cousin Jiaoyang? I originally thought his claim to 'suppress all enemies' was just arrogant talk, but now it seems he truly has the talent and potential. However, compared to me, he is still a step behind!"

Li Xuanyang's expression was also grave, but he didn't back down at all. Instead, a blazing Battle Intent rose within him.

His goal was also the position of Great Emperor in this life. Even if Xu Jinhuan was a heavenly genius, he would never belittle himself, let alone be intimidated before the fight.

As the most talented Prodigy in the history of the Xuanyang Holy Land, he also had his own dignity and pride!

The Little Kunpeng and the Golden Crow Young Lord looked at Xu Jinhuan, their expressions equally grave, Battle Intent rising around them.

At this moment, the first batch of top prodigies to emerge from the Three Thousand Dao Provinces finally truly placed Xu Jinhuan on the same level as themselves, regarding him as the most powerful competitor on the path to becoming an Emperor.

However, Xu Jinhuan didn't take them seriously at all.

Facing a group of eager and battle-ready prodigies, he ignored them and looked straight up at the two battle projections beyond the starry sky that had spanned hundreds of thousands of years.

With just one glance, he saw through the fundamental Primal Dao of the Primal Supreme from back then.

"A power similar to Chaos, yet a step below. To think he cultivated this to the Peak of the Great Emperor Realm and was only one step away from Immortal Ascension; he truly was a hero of his generation."

After seeing through the Primal Dao, Xu Jinhuan felt a sense of admiration for this Primal Supreme.

To be able to reach such a height with an incomplete Dao was indeed remarkable.

"But, that's all."

After a moment of observation, Xu Jinhuan shook his head and looked away.

He had completely comprehended the Primal Supreme's Dao and Law, even transforming them into his own foundation.

The spiritual energy in his body surged and galloped, and an invisible Bottleneck shattered!

Boom!

Sixth Level of the Life and Death Realm!

A terrifying pressure far exceeding the Middle Stage of the God King Realm spread recklessly from him, sweeping across the entire palace star.

Instantly, stormy waves of shock rose in the hearts of all the prodigies present!

They never expected that Xu Jinhuan would have an Epiphany and break through his Realm just after arriving and taking a single look at the Great Emperor's projection!

One must know that as the top prodigies of this era, they had been diligently comprehending here for three days and nights, exhausting their mental efforts, yet they still had nothing to show for it, not even a single insight.

Just how inconceivable had this guy's talent reached?!

One step slow means every step is slow; time is what top prodigies compete for.

If this continued, even they, the fastest-growing prodigies, would soon find it difficult to even see his back!

For a time, the eyes of the prodigies were full of gravity. They all focused their minds and concentrated on comprehending the battlefield projection above to obtain opportunities.

At the same time, a heaven-shaking killing intent was rapidly brewing, silently enveloping the entire Supreme Palace star.

The struggle for the Dao has always been a matter of life and death.

"He is the greatest opponent of this generation!"

"This child must not be allowed to live!"

Almost instantly, the Butian Saint Son and Li Xuanyang exchanged looks, understanding each other perfectly, and prepared to launch a joint sneak attack.

Meanwhile, the Little Kunpeng and the Golden Crow Young Lord, both of Yao Race origin, cast questioning glances toward Ao Lietian. The True Dragon was the leader of all Yao; if this Dragon Clan Prodigy were willing to help, their chances of victory would undoubtedly increase greatly.

However, Ao Lietian, who was usually fearless and unruly, now rarely shook his head with a mysterious expression. Finally, he simply closed his eyes, pretending to comprehend the Dao.

Are you kidding me?

I barely managed to save my life from that freak and even lost the world's cutest sister. Now you want me to go and die?

Not even a dog would do it!

Without Ao Lietian's support, the two prehistoric beasts were somewhat surprised but did not back down. They merely gave Ao Lietian a cold glance and continued to secretly accumulate power, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Ao Lietian understood the gaze of his two former allies and sneered in his heart.

Hehe, this kid was already much stronger than me and could completely crush you. Now that his strength has reached a higher level, go ahead and fight!

Once this kid's big fist hits your heads, you'll know how precious life is!

As for Xu Jinhuan, after his Breakthrough, he seemed completely unaware of the impending crisis.

He looked down at the women beside him and actually began to lecture on the Dao on the spot.

"This Primal Dao lies in its subtlety. Primal is the original state of heaven and earth, which this Primal Supreme used to refer to his power Law that is close to Chaos. The key to this Law is to create something from nothing, to turn one into ten thousand..."

Xu Jinhuan's explanation was thorough, simple, and incredibly profound.

The Primal Law was like the most obedient toy in his hands, directed as he pleased and successful in everything.

Along with his lecture, flowers fell from the sky, golden lotuses surged from the earth, and various miraculous phenomena continued to emerge.

A wisp of Purple Qi broke through the Chaos from the east and shone upon him, making him look like an immortal or a god, independent and detached from the world.

Truly a Banished Immortal who has transcended the mortal Realm!

For a time, the women listened with rapt attention, completely immersed in the true meaning of the Dao, unable to pull themselves away.

Even Ao Linger, who had just transformed into human form and was standing to the side, was now completely entranced. Only Xu Jinhuan's figure remained in her eyes, and her heart fluttered like a startled deer, wishing she could throw herself into his arms.

Under Xu Jinhuan's guidance, the women's understanding of the Primal Power skyrocketed.

Among them, Jiang Luoyi, who listened most attentively, actually began to faintly condense the prototype of Primal Power around her body. Her aura also surged, clearly on the verge of a Breakthrough.

This scene instantly shocked all the prodigies who had been secretly watching this place.

"He can actually help others achieve an Epiphany? What on earth did he say?!"

"This child's talent is far beyond our expectations. Leaving him alive will surely lead to disaster! He must not be allowed to live!!!"

The killing intent became even more intense!