153: Gray clothes fluttering, a first attempt at showing one's talent

Lin Fan took a step out of the Lin Family Ancestral Land formation, his gray clothes rustling in the morning breeze.

After seven days of seclusion, the outside world was already teeming with undercurrents.

He could clearly sense at least seventeen obscure Divine Thoughts locking onto the Lin Family Ancestral Land from different directions, three of which carried undisguised malice.

"Finally willing to come out?"

On a mountain peak thirty miles to the northeast, an old man in black robes slowly opened his eyes, a scarlet light flashing within them.

He was one of the assassins hired by the Shadow Kill Tower, codenamed "Blood Crow," a Mid-Stage World Lord, skilled in assassination and tracking, and had been lurking here for three days.

The order accepted by the Shadow Kill Tower was to take Lin Fan's life within three months, with a reward of five World Lord level treasures.

Such a bounty had not appeared for hundreds of years, enough to make all the assassins in the tower go crazy.

Blood Crow was just one of the first three to arrive.

The other two were lurking to the southwest and due east, forming a triangular encirclement.

As soon as Lin Fan left the range of the Great Clan-Protecting Formation, they would strike simultaneously to ensure a one-hit kill.

"Late-stage World Lord, possessing the Annihilation Inheritance... it is indeed worth this price."

Blood Crow licked his lips, his withered palm reaching out from his sleeve, holding a blood-colored feather in his palm.

This was his Lifebound Treasure, the "Blood Feather Thorn," which he had refined for a thousand years; once unleashed, it could ignore most Protective Aura and strike directly at the enemy's Divine Soul.

Seven World Lords had already died under this thorn.

At this moment, Lin Fan was standing at the edge of the formation, scanning his surroundings with a calm gaze.

"Young Lord, it's dangerous outside."

Lin Hai followed him out and whispered a reminder, "There have been many strange auras around the Ancestral Land these past few days, I fear..." before he could finish, Lin Fan raised his hand to stop him.

"It is fine."

He took a step forward, stepping out of the golden light range of the Great Clan-Protecting Formation.

The moment his foot landed, three killing intents erupted simultaneously!

From the northeast, the Blood Feather Thorn turned into a blood-colored line and broke through the air, moving so fast that the naked eye could not capture it.

From the southwest, a pitch-black dagger appeared silently three feet behind Lin Fan, stabbing directly at his back.

From the due east, seven silver needles formed a Seven-Star Killing Array, sealing off all space for evasion.

Three attacks, the full-force strikes of three Mid-Stage World Lord assassins, timed to perfection, blocking all of Lin Fan's retreat paths.

Lin Hai's expression changed drastically: "Young Lord, be careful!"

But Lin Fan did not move.

He did not even turn his head, simply raising his right hand and lightly tapping his index finger straight ahead.

At the tip of his finger, a wisp of gray Qi emerged.

That Qi looked weak, as if it would dissipate with a gust of wind.

But the moment it appeared, everything in the world seemed to freeze.

The Blood Feather Thorn stopped abruptly three feet from Lin Fan's brow, its blood-colored light rapidly dimming.

The pitch-black dagger hovered one inch from his back, unable to advance even a fraction.

The killing array formed by the seven silver needles solidified in mid-air, the silver light shattering inch by inch.

"This is impossible!"

Blood Crow's pupils constricted, as he felt his connection to the Blood Feather Thorn being forcibly severed by some force.

Wherever that gray Qi passed, the Divine Soul imprint within the Magic Treasure melted like ice and snow.

"Retreat!" Assassin instinct made him make the decision instantly, but it was already too late.

The wisp of gray Qi at Lin Fan's fingertip rippled gently, spreading out like a wave.

Wherever it passed, the Blood Feather Thorn, the pitch-black dagger, and the seven silver needles—all three World Lord level Magic Treasures—simultaneously turned into powder and drifted away with the wind.

Following that, the gray Qi continued to spread.

Thirty miles away, Blood Crow let out a scream, and a small gray dot appeared on his brow.

That dot spread rapidly, and wherever it passed, flesh, bones, Divine Soul, and all existence returned to nothingness.

"Annihilation, this is the true Power of Annihilation..."

He muttered one last time, and his entire body turned into fly ash, without even a chance for Reincarnation.

From the southwest and due east, two short screams were heard, and then silence returned.

Three breaths.

From the attack to their demise, the three Mid-Stage World Lord assassins had only lasted three breaths.

Lin Fan retracted his finger, and the gray Qi merged back into his body, as if it had never appeared.

He turned his head to look at Lin Hai: "Clean this up, and send the corpses to the gate of the Huangfu Family."

Lin Hai was stunned for a moment before reacting: "Young Lord, do you mean..."

"Tell Huangfu Tian." Lin Fan's tone was flat, "If you want to kill me, come yourself. Sending these small fry is just a waste of resources."

"Yes!" A fanatical look flashed in Lin Hai's eyes.

He had seen that scene clearly just now.

The Young Lord had only been in seclusion for seven days, yet his strength had improved to such a terrifying degree.

What kind of power was that gray Qi?

It could instantly erase three Mid-Stage World Lord experts!

This could no longer be explained by talent; this was a monster!

Lin Fan did not explain, turning and walking towards the depths of the Ancestral Land.

He could feel that the strike just now had intimidated most of the prying eyes.

Among the remaining Divine Thoughts, the malice had decreased by eighty percent, but there were still a few more obscure and deep auras that had not retreated.

"The Shadow Kill Tower will not give up."

"The Huangfu Family and the Dark Moon Divine Cult should also be finished with."

Half an hour later.

Outside the gate of the Huangfu Family, three corpses were neatly placed on the steps.

To call them corpses was actually just three piles of ashes, barely maintaining a human outline.

If not for the identity tokens of the Shadow Kill Tower assassins placed beside them, it would be impossible to recognize who they were.

The gatekeeper Disciples turned pale and scrambled into the mountain gate to report.

A moment later, the entire Huangfu Family was shaken.

In the council hall, Huangfu Tian looked at the three piles of ashes before him, his face so gloomy that water could drip from it.

"Blood Crow, Shadow Ghost, and Granny Silver Needle, the first three gold-rank assassins sent by the Shadow Kill Tower, didn't even last a quarter of an hour."

Huangfu Hai gritted his teeth: "That brat Lin Fan must have used a forbidden technique from the Annihilation Inheritance! Otherwise, with his Late-stage World Lord cultivation, how could he instantly kill three gold-rank assassins?"

"Forbidden techniques also require strength to support them." Huangfu Chuan said in a deep voice, "It seems we underestimated him. The Legacy of the Great Emperor of Annihilation is even more terrifying than we imagined."

"What do we do now?" Huangfu Hai looked at the Family Head, "The Shadow Kill Tower lost three gold-rank assassins; according to the rules, they will send stronger ones, but they will also demand we increase the price."

"Increase it." Huangfu Tian said coldly, "Increase it to ten World Lord level treasures."

"Ten?!" Huangfu Hai gasped, "Family Head, that is nearly half of the Family's foundation..."

"As long as we can obtain the Annihilation Inheritance, everything is worth it." A madness flashed in Huangfu Tian's eyes, "In addition, send someone to contact the 'Black Demon Abyss.' Tell them I am willing to pay any price, as long as they send a Demonic Lord level expert to strike."

Black Demon Abyss!

Upon hearing this name, even the most irritable Huangfu Hai fell silent.

That was a power supported in the shadows by the Demon Realm in the Human Realm; it was said that a true Demon Realm power stood behind them.

Trading with the Black Demon Abyss was like seeking skin from a tiger.

But Huangfu Tian could no longer care about that.

Lin Fan's growth speed was too fast, so fast that it made him feel fear.

If he gave that kid another few months, I'm afraid even he, a Peak World Lord, might not be able to suppress him.

"Also," Huangfu Tian continued, "Spread the news: Lin Fan possesses the complete Annihilation Inheritance of the Great Emperor of Annihilation; obtaining it allows one to glimpse the secret of transcendence. I want to make every force in the entire Six Realms target him."

"The Family Head is brilliant!" Huangfu Chuan's eyes lit up, "In this way, Lin Fan will become the target of all. Even if he is strong, he cannot resist the greed of the entire Six Realms."

"Go." Huangfu Tian waved his hand, "Remember, be quick. I have a premonition that we don't have much time left."

At the Lin Family Ancestral Land, Lin Fan did not know that the Huangfu Family was already preparing to flip the table.

At this moment, he was standing on the martial arts field in the depths of the Ancestral Land.

Standing in the field were three hundred core Disciples of the Lin Family, the lowest cultivation being the God Realm, and the eighteen leaders had even reached the Early Stage of the World Lord level.

This was the elite force of the Lin Family, known as the "Eighteen Guards" and their subordinate teams.

"Greetings, Young Lord!"

Three hundred people knelt on one knee in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

Lin Fan scanned the crowd and spoke slowly: "Everyone, rise."

Everyone stood up, their eyes filled with reverence and fanaticism.

The scene of Lin Fan slaying Huangfu Xiong with one sword seven days ago at the Ancestral Land had already spread throughout the Family, and coupled with the news of him instantly killing three assassins just now, the prestige of this young Young Lord had reached an unprecedented height.

"I know you have many questions in your hearts." Lin Fan's voice was calm, "For example, what kind of power I used just now, or what the Family will face next."

He paused and continued: "I can tell you that it is a new power formed after the Fusion of Eternity and annihilation, which I call the 'Eternal Annihilation Body'. Cultivating this Dao allows one to control existence and termination; a single thought brings life, a single thought brings death."

A collective gasp sounded in the field.

Although they did not understand the specific meaning, the implications of the words "Eternity" and "Annihilation" were enough to shock everyone.

"As for what we will face next," a cold light flashed in Lin Fan's eyes, "The Huangfu Family will not give up, and the Dark Moon Divine Cult, Golden Sun Sect, and Netherworld Hall are also eyeing us covetously. More troublesome is that the news of me obtaining the Annihilation Inheritance will soon spread throughout the Six Realms, and at that time, countless greedy eyes will be fixed on the Lin Family."

Everyone's expression was grave.

"Therefore, from today on, the Lin Family enters a wartime state."

Lin Fan raised his hand and waved, and eighteen gray Jade Slips flew towards the leaders of the Eighteen Guards.

"This is the introductory chapter of the Eternal Annihilation Body; although it cannot form a complete Dao body, it can increase the strength of your Physical Body and Divine Soul by three times. You have three days; everyone must master the basics."

The Eighteen Guards leaders took the Jade Slips, probed their Divine Thought inside, and were shocked.

The methods recorded in the Jade Slips were incredibly profound, far exceeding any Cultivation Technique currently held by the Lin Family.

If they could master it, their strength would undergo a qualitative leap.

"Thank you, Young Lord, for the technique!"

"Don't rush to thank me yet." Lin Fan said lightly, "Three days later, I want to see results. At that time, I will take you to a place."

"May I ask Young Lord, where to?" A leader of the guards asked.

Lin Fan looked to the northwest, where the depths of the Yao Beast mountain range lay.

"Although the Nirvana Divine Palace has collapsed, the 'Annihilation Battlefield' outside the palace still exists. Countless experts who fell during the ancient wars are buried there, and their Legacy and Magic Treasure remain."

He turned to look at the crowd: "I want to take you there for a one-month life-and-death trial. Those who can survive will become the true backbone of the Lin Family. Those who die there... the Lin Family will treat your families well."

The field was dead silent, and then a heaven-shaking Battle Intent erupted.

"We are willing to die for the Young Lord!"

The voices of three hundred people converged into a torrent, shaking the formation of the martial arts field.

Lin Fan nodded and turned to leave.

When he walked out of the martial arts field, Clan Leader was already waiting outside.

"Faner, isn't doing this too risky?" Clan Leader's eyes were filled with worry, "A place like the Annihilation Battlefield, even I dare not enter it easily. Letting these Disciples go in..."

"Father, true experts cannot be raised in a greenhouse." Lin Fan said calmly, "If the Lin Family wants to survive and even rise in the coming storm, it must experience the baptism of blood and fire."

He looked at the distant sky: "Moreover, I have a premonition that a bigger storm is coming. The Six Realms Prodigy Road is about to open, and at that time, we will face the top Prodigy and forces of the entire Six Realms. Without sufficient strength and courage, the Lin Family... might become history."

Clan Leader was silent for a long time, and finally sighed: "You have grown up and have your own judgment. Father supports you. But remember, no matter what you encounter, the Lin Family will always be your backing."

"I understand." Lin Fan bowed slightly, "Father, rest assured, I will bring them back alive."

After speaking, he turned into a gray light and disappeared into the depths of the Ancestral Land.

Clan Leader stood in place, watching the direction his son left, his eyes filled with both relief and worry.

He always felt that what Lin Fan carried was far more than what appeared on the surface.

And at this moment, Lin Fan had returned to the seclusion chamber.

He did not continue to Cultivate, but took out the nirvana sword.

The pitch-black blade reflected his gray pupils.

["System, activate check-in."]

[Ding! Detected that the host is at the place of Annihilation Inheritance insight, do you want to perform a special check-in?]

["Yes."]

[Check-in successful! Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Annihilation Battlefield holographic map (marking thirteen ancient Legacy sites, seven forbidden dangerous areas, and three secret exits).]

A stream of information flooded into his mind, and a sharp light flashed in Lin Fan's eyes.

With this map, the trial in a month would be twice as effective with half the effort.

He put away the nirvana sword, sat cross-legged, and began to deduce the next plan.

The Huangfu Family, Shadow Kill Tower, and Dark Moon Divine Cult were only enemies on the surface.

In the dark, the major forces of the Six Realms were likely already stirring.

"Come on."

A cold arc curled up on the corner of Lin Fan's mouth.

"Let me see just how deep the waters of the Six Realms are."

Outside the window, dark clouds pressed down on the city, and a storm was coming.

And the young man in gray clothes, fluttering in the wind, was ready to welcome every storm.