Chapter 684: Is It True?

In the blink of an eye, the father and son, Qin Lingtian and Qin Batian, who possessed immense strength, were already beheaded. Meanwhile, Liu Chuan, the lord of Qing Island, had collapsed on the ground, his legs trembling, with a mixture of yellow and white fluids flowing between them.

A dignified soul warrior at the Awakening Realm had been so terrified by Lin Qian that he lost control of his bodily functions, making for a rather absurd sight.

Of course, Lin Qian's overwhelming imperial aura and presence played a large part in this, but it also highlighted that Liu Chuan was clearly a coward, fearful for his life.

"Spare me! I have been foolish and reckless. Please, great one, have mercy on me and treat me like a passing wind!" At this moment, Liu Chuan scrambled over to Lin Qian's feet, clutching his legs and begging for his life, completely abandoning any sense of dignity.

Liu Chuan was tall and broad-shouldered, with a strong, muscular build. His bare torso bore the tattoo of a fierce beast, and his bald head had a terrifying scar running across it.

Yet, this towering, scarred brute was now clinging to Lin Qian's leg, crying like a child, a sight that even Lin Qian found unexpected.

Bang!

The next moment, Lin Qian, with a look of disgust, lifted his foot and kicked him away, sending him flying. He waved his hand and said, "Kill him!"

Lin Qian felt nothing but revulsion toward Liu Chuan and thought that personally dealing with him would be an insult to himself.

"Yes, sir!"

As Lin Qian issued the command, the plaza was instantly filled with shadows. Dozens of hooded figures, Night Shadows, emerged from the darkness like phantoms.

With swift and ruthless efficiency, the Night Shadows showed no mercy, slitting the throats of the Qing Island soul warriors and piercing their dantians.

Though there were fewer than a hundred Night Shadows, they moved with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, the entire group of Qing Island soul warriors had fallen to the ground, their bodies set aflame by fireballs, turning to ash and vanishing from sight.

Before burning the bodies, however, the Night Shadows meticulously searched the corpses, collecting all valuables—a strict order from Lin Qian. Leaving behind spoils without gathering them was, in his view, unforgivable.

After dealing with the Qing Island soul warriors, Lin Qian finally turned his attention to the young man standing before him.

Five years had passed, and the once young boy had grown into a robust young man. His face was fair, though still tinged with a bit of youthfulness. However, he now exuded a strong and powerful presence.

There was no denying that Tongzi Xuan, standing before him, had impressive potential. Although the technique Lin Qian had given him was not of the highest grade, it was perfectly suited to his unique physique.

Nevertheless, the fact that Tongzi Xuan had managed to cultivate to the peak of the Life and Death Realm in just five short years, and was only a step away from the Awakening Realm, was proof of his remarkable talent, something that greatly satisfied Lin Qian.

Over the years, Lin Qian had been aware of everything Tongzi Xuan had done, thanks to reports from Night Cat and Shen Yang.

Unbeknownst to Tongzi Xuan, Lin Qian had been observing him from the shadows. His natural and unpretentious behavior had left Lin Qian quite pleased.

Furthermore, Tongzi Xuan's conduct in the face of life and death had deeply impressed Lin Qian, which was why he had chosen to publicly acknowledge Tongzi Xuan as his disciple.

At this moment, Lin Qian stepped forward and handed a bottle of healing elixir to Tongzi Xuan. "Take this."

"Thank you, Master!" Despite his severe injuries, Tongzi Xuan's voice was strong and clear. Being acknowledged by Lin Qian filled him with immense joy.

Without hesitation, Tongzi Xuan took the crystal bottle that Lin Qian had given him and drank the crimson elixir in one gulp.

Instantly, a warm, soothing sensation spread throughout his body, penetrating his muscles and bones.

The immense medicinal power exploded within him, and his once-serious injuries began to heal at an astonishing rate.

To his amazement, Tongzi Xuan realized that the damage to his internal organs had stabilized, his wounds had stopped bleeding, and they were visibly healing before his eyes.

"Disciple Tongzi Xuan thanks Master for the gift of the medicine!" The next moment, Tongzi Xuan knelt before Lin Qian, kowtowing respectfully nine times.

Lin Qian stood still, accepting the grand gesture from his disciple without protest.

"Heaven be my witness, I, Tongzi Xuan, hereby swear an oath bound by the heart demon. I pledge my loyalty to Master Lin Qian for life. I will serve as a horse or ox, without complaint or regret. Should I harbor even the slightest resentment, may the heart demon devour me, leading to my death and the destruction of my path."

Tongzi Xuan's heart demon oath took everyone by surprise. Rather than simply swearing allegiance as a disciple, it seemed he had completely entrusted his life to Lin Qian, almost like a servant.

In response, Lin Qian could only smile wryly and shake his head. He reached out to help Tongzi Xuan up. "Why take such a heavy oath?"

"No, Master, if it weren’t for you, I would have died long ago. How could I have reached where I am today?" Tongzi Xuan shook his head repeatedly, convinced that the oath was completely justified. "Thus, it is only right for me to make such an oath."

Seeing Tongzi Xuan's sincerity, Lin Qian didn’t argue further. He could only smile and shake his head. "Since you insist, I won't say any more."

"Master, your disciple has one more humble request." After standing up, Tongzi Xuan hesitated for a moment, then spoke awkwardly, "There are still many Qing Island soul warriors on Ren Island. Master, would you be willing to save the remaining people of Ren Island?"

At this point, Tongzi Xuan felt slightly embarrassed. He had just reunited with his master and confirmed their master-disciple relationship, yet he was already asking his master for help. He found it hard to bring himself to ask.

However, thinking about the people of Ren Island, who were still likely in mortal danger, made Tongzi Xuan's heart race with worry for their safety.

While his injuries had stabilized and were healing rapidly, it would take some time before he could fully recover.

As for his master's strength, Tongzi Xuan had seen it clearly. With just his aura, Lin Qian had rendered Qin Lingtian and Qin Batian immobile, proving his supreme cultivation.

If Lin Qian were to take action, Tongzi Xuan believed that the Qing Island soul warriors could be dealt with swiftly, minimizing casualties among the people of Ren Island.

"You think I can’t handle such a small request?" Seeing Tongzi Xuan’s cautious expression, Lin Qian chuckled. "You don't need to worry. The Qing Island soul warriors on Ren Island have already been eliminated by the Imperial Army."

"The Imperial Army?" Only now did Tongzi Xuan come to his senses. Since the moment he had confirmed his relationship with his master, he had felt that he had overlooked something, but he hadn’t been able to put his finger on it.

Now, hearing Lin Qian's words, Tongzi Xuan suddenly recalled Qin Lingtian addressing his master by name. Stunned, he looked at Lin Qian, stammering, unable to speak clearly.

"Master, are you... truly... truly the Ren Emperor of the Hua Xia Empire?"

Previous Chapter | | Next Chapter