Han Xiaoya couldn't help but look at Ling Fan deeply, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
She knew that Meng Nanxing and the others were all ninth-tier Heavenly Emperors, while Ling Fan was only an eighth-tier Heavenly Emperor. How could he possess such immense power to kill those ninth-tier Heavenly Emperor powerhouses?
"Young Palace Master, did you hear that? He admitted it himself! Please do not interfere in this matter! We are sworn enemies!"
The Meng family patriarch and several other powerhouses roared through gritted teeth.
Ling Fan sneered, "Meng Nanxing and the others were jealous of the favor I received from my master, viewing me as a thorn in their side. They colluded to set a trap to eliminate me, but because they were too incompetent, I killed them instead. How dare you come here to demand an explanation? Your families' powerhouses were all involved, and I haven't even pursued your wrongdoings yet."
"You dare to deal with my disciple!"
Upon hearing this, Han Xiaoya's voice turned cold, and her beautiful eyes fixed on the Meng family patriarch and the others.
They immediately felt immense pressure.
However, with things having reached this point, they had no retreat. They braced themselves and said, "Young Palace Master, please quell your righteous anger. This person is ruthless and wicked, committing all sorts of evil. He is utterly unworthy of being your disciple. Please consider the overall situation of Qizhou and uphold justice by punishing your own kin, for that is what the people of Qizhou desire!"
"Are you trying to coerce me with this so-called 'overall situation' and 'upholding justice'?"
Han Xiaoya leaned back, her jade hands resting on the dragon head armrests on either side. She smiled enigmatically, like an empress of supreme authority.
"We dare not! We simply ask the Young Palace Master to decide what is more important! We are all prominent families of weapon forging in Qizhou. Many kings and great sects from various Heavenly State continents have invited us to join them. However, we have always been loyal to the Myriad Artifact Palace, thus we dismissed these invitations with disdain. We implore the Young Palace Master to consider our loyalty and not let our hearts grow cold!"
"You wish to know what is more important in my eyes?"
Han Xiaoya chuckled softly.
For some reason,
Hearing her laugh,
Everyone's hearts leaped into their throats.
Han Xiaoya then declared, "My disciple is important, you are not!"
Her words were spoken with absolute finality.
To everyone's ears,
It was no less than a thunderous blow.
"Guards, the Meng, Tong, Jiang, and Zhen families are plotting treason. Execute these four families!"
With Han Xiaoya's command, the vast array of Myriad Artifact Palace powerhouses filed out in an orderly fashion.
"Han Xiaoya! Are you truly seeking a fight to the death with us? Do not think that your Myriad Artifact Palace can cover the sky with one hand. We great weapon forging families are not to be trifled with! Do you truly intend to fight us to the bitter end for a mere brat? You must consider the consequences of such actions carefully!"
The Meng family patriarch roared ferociously.
"With just you, you are not qualified to fight me to the death."
Han Xiaoya sneered and pressed her delicate jade hand downwards.
Instantly, a terrifying pressure erupted,
Sweeping across all realms.
The Meng family patriarch's expression changed drastically. He also extended a palm, and the two clashed. The Meng family patriarch, an old-time half-step Emperor Venerable, was actually forced to spit blood and retreat by Han Xiaoya's palm.
"Quick, go! Go!"
The powerhouses of the several families desperately rushed outwards.
Han Xiaoya's beautiful face was filled with icy coldness. At this moment, she resembled a decisive, world-conquering empress as she rose from her throne.
"Why are you still standing there, scared after causing trouble? Help out! Do you think I don't know you've been hiding your strength?"
Han Xiaoya glanced at Ling Fan.
Ling Fan was stunned. "Ah? Oh!"
Han Xiaoya strode forward, pursuing them.
Ling Fan also smiled faintly, shook his head, and followed.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
A terrifying battle erupted within the Myriad Artifact Palace.
By the time Ling Fan had suppressed all the ninth-tier Heavenly Emperors from the families,
Han Xiaoya returned from the heavens, clad in blood-stained, elegant battle armor.
"This is the origin of a half-step Emperor Venerable, though a portion has been lost. Absorb it."
Han Xiaoya tossed a ball of light towards Ling Fan.
Ling Fan didn't react in time.
"What, you want both?"
Han Xiaoya frowned.
"No, no, no, one is enough!"
Ling Fan came to his senses and chuckled.
"Aren't you going to ask why I hid my strength?" Ling Fan thought for a moment and scratched his head.
Han Xiaoya said indifferently, "You are a disciple accepted by my master. If you don't even have this much ability, then get lost."
Ling Fan was dumbfounded.
So fierce!
So direct!
"Master is generous." Ling Fan seized the opportunity to flatter her.
After Ling Fan refined and absorbed a small portion of the half-step Emperor Venerable's origin, his inner world expanded significantly, exceeding eight thousand five hundred zhang.
"Indeed, the further one progresses, the more difficult the expansion and strengthening of the inner world becomes. It seems I don't know how much vast resources will be needed to break through the limit of ten thousand zhang and enter the realm of Heavenly Venerable. Even at the eighth-tier Heavenly Emperor level, I need to absorb the origin of a half-step Emperor Venerable to see results. Then, by the time I reach the ninth-tier Heavenly Emperor or even Emperor Venerable realm, will I need to kill Heavenly Venerables to cultivate?"
Of course.
There was also another path.
That was to continuously upgrade the level of the Supreme Ancestral Dragon Seal within his body.
For example, when the Supreme Ancestral Dragon Seal advanced to a top-grade Emperor artifact, Ling Fan would also gain immense benefits, possibly even seizing the opportunity to leap into the Emperor Venerable realm.
However, this path was no easier than cultivating by killing powerful beings.
Ling Fan had just finished refining and emerged from seclusion.
Han Xiaoya immediately summoned him.
"Why haven't you broken through to the ninth-tier Heavenly Emperor yet? I gave you a small portion of the origin of a half-step Emperor Venerable. Did you waste it all?"
Han Xiaoya's beautiful eyes stared at Ling Fan, her tone laced with a hint of disdain.
Ling Fan replied, "I'm still far from it. My cultivation as a genius like me is not comparable to ordinary people. I'll probably need three to five more portions of half-step Emperor Venerable origin before I can break through to the ninth-tier Heavenly Emperor."
Han Xiaoya said, "Stop being so flippant. Do you know that the Heavenly Court is about to hold a genius competition? I plan to participate. If you can break through to the ninth-tier Heavenly Emperor before I leave, I'll bring you along to witness it."
"Heavenly Court Genius Competition? I seem to have heard of it, but isn't this Heavenly Court Genius Competition held only once every hundred years? It should still be a long way off, right?"
Ling Fan asked.
"The Heavenly Court Genius Competition is indeed held once every hundred years, but the Heavenly Realm is undergoing changes, and everything has accelerated. Moreover, I heard that another major event has occurred in the Heavenly Realm."
Ling Fan asked, "What major event?"
Han Xiaoya replied, "A monstrously talented genius has ascended from the lower realms. Upon her ascension, she shook the Heavenly Court. One of the Heavenly Court's titans, Yuan Wu Heavenly Venerable, personally took this woman as his adopted daughter and issued a decree to select a suitable husband for his adopted daughter during this Heavenly Court Genius Competition."
What!
Upon hearing this, Ling Fan's expression changed drastically.
"What is the name of that genius woman who ascended?"
Ling Fan quickly pressed for details.
Han Xiaoya looked surprised. "Why are you so concerned? Is there something between you and this woman?"
"No, I'm just curious. To think there's someone as monstrous as me in this world." Ling Fan quipped.