Free Web NovelChapter 685: Chapter 683: Lin Xuan, the Victor!
When they heard this, everyone was stunned. This kid actually dared to look down on the Spirit of the Thunder Crane. This was simply too arrogant. The blazing Spirit of the Thunder Crane possessed infinite power; how could he possibly resist it?
"This guy is too arrogant," the senior disciples said, rendered speechless.
The elders also shook their heads and sighed. It’s over. This kid is too arrogant. Does he think being a quasi-Saint Body means he can be so reckless? How foolish. He can’t possibly block the blazing Spirit of the Thunder Crane... unless he has a Dragon Soul.
"Haha, this kid is too foolish!" Gu Xinghe exclaimed excitedly.
Elder Lei snorted coldly. "Courting death. His defeat is certain."
"Die, kid!" Jin Ze roared, his excitement reaching a fever pitch.
Just as the blazing Thunder Crane was about to descend upon Lin Xuan, he finally made his move. He took a single step forward and roared at the sky as he summoned the Soul of the Cyan Dragon.
A Dragon Soul emerged from his body, coiling around him. A terrifying dragon’s might swept outwards, causing the entire mountain to tremble.
All the Demon Beasts within the mountain, whether they were one-star, two-star, or three-star, prostrated themselves on the ground. They couldn’t withstand this power at all. Myriad beasts submitted.
Even the disciples’ bodies trembled, and they nearly fell to their knees. The elders felt their scalps tingle in shock.
"Heavens, what is this power? It’s terrifying!"
"Look! A Dragon Shadow just appeared around Lin Xuan!"
"A Dragon Soul! It’s actually a Dragon Soul!" the Vice Dean exclaimed, his face a mask of astonishment.
A Dragon Soul... That’s the stuff of legends. To think Lin Xuan actually possesses one. This is unbelievable!
"What? A Dragon Soul?" Hearing the Vice Dean’s words, everyone else stared, dumbfounded. The disciples were stupefied, and the elders were profoundly shocked.
Elder Lei’s face changed instantly. How is this possible? How could this kid possibly possess a Dragon Soul? He shook his head wildly, unable to accept the reality before him.
Gu Xinghe nearly fainted from fright. A moment ago, he had been mocking Lin Xuan for being an idiot, but it turned out he was the idiot all along. Lin Xuan wasn’t being foolish; he was truly confident. He actually has a Dragon Soul... How could this be? His confidence shattered.
Ning Xue cheered with excitement. "That’s great! Junior Brother Lin had another ace up his sleeve!"
Lu Jiu was also thrilled. "It’s really the legendary Dragon Soul! Lin Xuan’s abilities are incredible!"
"Lin Xuan will definitely win now!"
A heaven-shaking dragon’s roar echoed through the air.
Lin Xuan waved his hand, and the Soul of the Cyan Dragon flew forward, crashing into the Spirit of the Thunder Crane. The Thunder Crane’s body trembled violently; it was no match for the Dragon Soul at all and immediately fell prostrate on the ground. The Soul of the Cyan Dragon then extended a claw and tore the Thunder Crane to shreds.
How could this be? Jin Ze was utterly broken. My strongest attack was just neutralized so easily? I can’t accept this! Damn it, just how many aces does this kid have? Every time I think he’s about to lose, he pulls out another super trump card and reverses the situation! This is just heaven-defying!
While he was still in a daze, Lin Xuan struck out with his palm. The Cyan Dragon’s Sky Splitting Claw slammed into Jin Ze once more. Unable to resist any longer, Jin Ze was sent flying. His body was grievously wounded, and his blood stained the sky.
He was defeated. Utterly defeated, with no strength left to fight back.
The entire crowd was in shock. Everyone who witnessed this scene was dumbstruck. The fearsome Spirit of the Thunder Crane had been defeated just like that. It was truly incredible. This Lin Xuan was simply too powerful.
Lin Xuan strode forward and arrived before the stone platform. He picked up the crown, placed it on his head, and asked coldly, "Does anyone else object?"
Zisu and the other two contenders lowered their heads. They all submitted. The new disciples at the foot of the mountain were even more convinced. The senior disciples exclaimed repeatedly, "Too strong!"
"He won! Lin Xuan won! Wonderful!" Ning Xue and the others cheered excitedly.
The elders clapped continuously. "Truly spectacular! I never expected a new disciple to put on such a wonderful battle. It’s unbelievable!"
"Excellent, excellent." The Vice Dean also nodded in satisfaction. "Lin Xuan, this Newcomer King truly deserves the title."
Gu Xinghe kept his head lowered in fear, not daring to speak. His face had been metaphorically slapped so many times it felt swollen.
「On the other side」
Elder Lei’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He turned and left without a word. This time, he was utterly disgraced. Not only had his disciple been defeated, but he had also misjudged, accepting a fake quasi-Saint Body as his apprentice. He would likely become the laughingstock of the Holy Land. At this thought, he wished he could kill Jin Ze with a single slap.
After putting on the crown, Lin Xuan retracted his aura, reverting from his dragon-like state to his normal form. He then stood silently to the side to wait.
Soon after, Zisu and the other two reached the mountaintop. Following them, the other disciples scrambled frantically up the peak. When the tenth person reached the top, the Vice Dean announced that the Newcomer Assembly was over. The top ten had been decided.
First place naturally went to Lin Xuan, second was Jin Ze, and third was Zisu.
Lin Xuan earned 5,000 points. Jin Ze and Zisu each received 3,000 points, while the rest of the top ten received 1,000 points each.
The new geniuses were elated. For them, 1,000 points was a great fortune. Zisu, in particular, was all smiles.
Jin Ze, however, was extremely depressed. His defeat had been too crushing. Worse, his deception of faking a quasi-Saint Body had been exposed. Elder Lei would surely not let him off. He felt a deep sense of unease, wondering what kind of fate awaited him.
Meanwhile, a smile touched Lin Xuan’s lips. Another 5,000 points in the bag. Not bad at all.
At this moment, the Vice Dean approached him again. "Young man, congratulations on becoming the Newcomer King," he said. "In addition to the 5,000 points, you will also receive an additional reward. This is a reward that every generation’s Newcomer King receives."
"Oh? There’s an additional reward? What is it?" Lin Xuan’s eyes lit up with anticipation. He hadn’t expected such a pleasant surprise.
The Vice Dean said with a chuckle, "You may go to the Holy Heaven Pavilion and choose one Martial Art."
"Really?" Lin Xuan’s eyes lit up again, and he was overjoyed. The Sacred Institute had countless Martial Arts and Ultimate Skills, but obtaining them required a large number of points. The higher the level of the skill, the more points it cost. Now, he had a chance to obtain one without spending a single point. This really is a pleasant surprise!
Extremely delighted, Lin Xuan couldn’t wait and immediately headed for the Holy Heaven Pavilion. At the same time, the surrounding disciples and elders began to disperse.
With their departure, news from the Newcomer Assembly spread to every corner of the Sacred Institute. This time, Lin Xuan’s name truly became known throughout the entire institution. No one could have expected that this year’s Newcomer King would be Lin Xuan. It was unbelievable.
The name Lin Xuan was not unfamiliar to them. News that he was a Dragon Warrior had also caused a stir in the Sacred Institute previously. At that time, everyone believed Lin Xuan had no future and that his joining the Sacred Institute was futile. But against all odds, this young man had become the Newcomer King. Even more unexpectedly, he had trained his physique to the level of a quasi-Saint Body. It was truly heaven-defying.
Some people grew hopeful, wondering if this Lin Xuan could finally break the curse. Could he break through to become a Grandmaster?
Some felt that since this kid was so extraordinary, he might really be able to break the curse.
Others shook their heads. "It’s useless. No matter how powerful he is now, he’s just a Grandmaster. His peak will be a Nine-star Grandmaster; he’ll never achieve the next major breakthrough. This kid still isn’t worth our attention or resources."
Alas, many shook their heads and sighed. But there were still some who held out hope, believing Lin Xuan might create a legend.
While they were all discussing this excitedly, Lin Xuan had already arrived at the Holy Heaven Pavilion.
It was a pavilion that floated in the air, resembling a celestial palace as it radiated a faint light. As soon as Lin Xuan arrived, he felt a mysterious force descend upon him, making his body tense. Someone is probing me. However, the gaze merely flickered over him before it withdrew after confirming his identity. Only then did Lin Xuan breathe a sigh of relief and make his way toward the Holy Heaven Pavilion.
Lin Xuan entered the pavilion but didn’t act rashly. Instead, he spoke respectfully, "Newcomer King Lin Xuan, here to choose a Martial Art."
"So you are this year’s Newcomer King?" a faint voice echoed from the void.
Immediately after, an old man materialized out of thin air. He was dressed in a long robe, his white hair dancing in the wind. He sat upon an auspicious cloud, looking down on Lin Xuan like a lofty deity surveying a mortal. The sight left Lin Xuan deeply shocked. This man is incredibly strong, simply unfathomable.
"I am," Lin Xuan answered respectfully.
The old man said, "I am the Guardian Elder of the Holy Heaven Pavilion. Follow me."
"Yes, Elder." Lin Xuan followed the Saint Heaven Elder into the depths of the Holy Heaven Pavilion.
The depths of the pavilion glowed with a brilliant light, and numerous scrolls floated in the air. Each scroll contained a powerful Martial Art.
The Saint Heaven Elder pointed to the scrolls ahead and said, "You may choose one from the Martial Arts before you."
Lin Xuan hurriedly looked, seeing the information displayed on each of the scrolls. A cursory glance told him that the Martial Arts here were of a very high grade. The weakest were of the Mystic Tier, and there were even some of the Earth Tier. He didn’t see any Celestial Tier ones, not because there weren’t any, but because he wasn’t yet qualified to train in them.
Which Martial Art should I choose? Lin Xuan’s eyes flickered as he pondered.
Suddenly, he froze. He noticed one scroll that wasn’t emitting any light at all, making it look extremely out of place. He turned and asked, "Saint Heaven Elder, what’s the matter with that scroll? Is it broken?"
The Saint Heaven Elder glanced at it and said calmly, "It is not broken. That scroll is special because the Martial Art recorded within it is a soul attack. Moreover, it is a sound-based soul attack."
A soul attack... how mysterious and unpredictable! If I could obtain a soul attack, my strength would increase dramatically! The thought made him very excited.
The Saint Heaven Elder beside him, however, shook his head. "Young man, I advise you not to get any ideas about that one. Soul Martial Arts are all very particular, especially the one on that scroll. To learn it, you must first gain its recognition. You may be the Newcomer King, but your cultivation is only that of a Five-star Grandmaster. I estimate your soul is at most at the five-star level as well. Gaining its recognition will be as difficult as ascending to the heavens. Forget you, even a Grandmaster of the next realm might not gain its approval. To be recognized by it, one’s soul must be either extremely powerful or exceptionally unique. Kid, you only have one chance. Don’t waste it on this soul scroll."
So that’s how it is! Hearing this, Lin Xuan smiled. "Thank you for the reminder, Elder, but my soul is indeed very special."
Lin Xuan had, after all, cultivated the Rising Dragon Technique. His soul could transform into a dragon, which was an incredibly miraculous ability. It was completely different from the souls of others—one could even say it was exceptionally special.
However, the Saint Heaven Elder didn’t believe him. In his view, Lin Xuan was likely boasting and had no chance of success. It seemed the boy was determined to waste this opportunity.
