Chapter 98

As the night quietly crept in, the gem-like stars gradually shimmered with dazzling brilliance, and the huge round moon eagerly revealed itself on the horizon. The setting sun, unwilling to retreat, burst forth with its final light and heat, creating a spectacular scene of the sun and moon shining together!

It seemed as if even the heavens were foretelling the extraordinary night ahead, but few people could appreciate this marvel, as all their attention was focused on the cold dome of the imperial palace!

"Why don't you let us in!" someone shouted, causing a commotion around them.

At the palace gate, a dense crowd had gathered. Although this scene easily evoked images of bloodshed, it was indeed the reality. Looking down from the gate tower, one could only see the hairstyles of the crowd, not even their fat or thin figures!

Ling Xiao was quite looking forward to the movie-like scene of running over people's heads from back to front, but reality was cruel. Just as a few young heroes started to step forward, they were pulled down before taking three steps, followed by a gruesome scene!

With that shout, the crowd was on the verge of erupting, and it seemed a conflict was about to break out!

Ling Xiao shook his head and looked around. Zhuge Zhengwo was chatting amicably with Wuqing and Tieshou, his expression changing rapidly like a Sichuan opera face-changing performance. No matter how Ling Xiao looked, he wouldn't turn back! "You're just pretending to be talkative!"

Looking at Boshen, he was actually meditating with the Four Great Detectives behind him! "You can pretend to meditate even in this noise! Why don't you become a monk!"

Baihu was the only one who responded, but his helpless look was piercing to the eye!

Before Ling Xiao could turn to Lu Xiaofeng, he said, "Don't look at me, I'm just a guest invited by the Eighth Prince, and I have no authority to manage the internal affairs of the imperial palace!"

Ling Xiao's face fell. I haven't even said anything, and you're already refusing me!

Looking behind Lu Xiaofeng, Mudaoren, dressed in a black and white robe, was reciting scriptures with his eyes closed. Lao Shi, in a bright yellow monk's robe, was also reciting scriptures with his eyes closed. Sikong Zhaixing, disguised as a bearded guest, was reciting scriptures with his eyes closed. Huamanlou, who was strikingly handsome, had his eyes open... damn, he's blind!

"Fine! You all are afraid of offending people, right? Simple, I'll be back in a moment!" He huffed, rolled up his sleeves, and descended from the gate tower. The crowd was slightly surprised, then they all chuckled in unison.

After a short while, Ling Xiao swaggered to the palace gate. Looking from above and from below, the crowd was a completely different concept. Here, it was even more awe-inspiring and noisy! The crowd stretched from the ground to the sky, and while many martial artists believed they had the right to watch the duel, they hadn't reached ten thousand in number. However, their collective momentum, driven by the same purpose, was remarkably united!

Especially when the purpose was a tangible human body, it was even more shocking!

Ling Xiao's body stiffened for a moment, then he returned to normal. "Ha! Even the auspicious golden dragon couldn't intimidate me, let alone you bunch of fish!"

He glared at the unscrupulous people on the gate tower, cursing them in his heart. No wonder they all hid, they were afraid of becoming the target of everyone's anger!

"Hey? Is Ling Xiao's strength that strong? He shouldn't have reached the innate realm yet!" Tieshou was surprised to see that he wasn't affected by the momentum.

"This isn't strange. He's the only genius I know who has comprehended the sword intent at the acquired realm! And the sword intent he comprehended is the domineering 'Heavenly Flying Immortal'! This kind of momentum can't intimidate him," Lu Xiaofeng said calmly.

Zhuge Zhengwo nodded with a smile, satisfied with Ling Xiao's talent as an elder.

"But I remember his talent wasn't very good, right?" Baihu asked, puzzled.

"His body is very strong. Even the eighteen bronze men of Shaolin Temple are slightly inferior to him in physical strength!" Lao Shi, who had been reciting scriptures with his eyes closed, suddenly said with interest.

"That's a bit exaggerated! The eighteen bronze men of Shaolin Temple can even fight with grandmasters at the innate realm. Are you trying to flatter him to death?" Mudaoren opened his eyes and joined the discussion.

"Amitabha! Lao Shi is the most honest and always speaks the truth," he said slowly.

"His body is indeed very strong. Although I didn't see how he killed Fake Ling Linggong, I did see him clash with the fully accomplished Fake Ling Linggong without falling behind!" Boshen opened his eyes and agreed with the opinion upstairs.

"Then his body cultivation technique must be extraordinary!" Mudaoren said, looking at Ling Xiao below with great interest.

"Unfortunately, body cultivation techniques are hard to reach the grandmaster level. Even when fully accomplished, they only reach the innate realm. The path of martial arts is not long!" Baihu sighed, knowing Ling Xiao's situation best. Internal cultivation wasn't his forte, and finding an external cultivation method was already quite good.

Body cultivation is hard to reach the grandmaster level! This was a widely accepted rule in the martial arts world, and everyone sighed. Even Zhuge Zhengwo, who was confident in Ling Xiao, was worried and frowned. The Four Great Detectives, however, looked pleased, as if they could become grandmasters themselves!

"Several months ago, he already entered the innate realm!"

A clear and cold voice rang out, and everyone looked in surprise. Wuqing said calmly, "If you carefully observe the earth's energy around him, you'll notice it slowly and weakly entering and leaving his body. This is a symbol of the innate realm's interaction with the earth!"

Lao Shi tried it first, "Amitabha, this child is truly a genius in body cultivation! To enter the innate realm with external cultivation at such a young age, and to have such deep roots, he is destined to have a connection with the Buddha!" He clasped his hands in praise.

"Your sister!" Zhuge Zhengwo was angry. How could the son of an old friend become a monk! He then realized he had overreacted and coughed, "Ling Lingfa is an only child! If you dare to snatch his disciple, he will bombard the gates of Shaolin Temple!"

Everyone laughed, not taking it seriously. They also disliked the monks' habit of claiming "a connection with me"! Lao Shi continued to stare at Ling Xiao below, while Wuqing looked at Zhuge Zhengwo with surprise, realizing he had already discovered Ling Xiao's true identity!

The Four Great Detectives' faces turned grim!

"Everyone, quiet down! Listen to me!" Ling Xiao raised his hands and shouted.

"Why should we listen to you? Who are you? We want to enter the palace! We want to see the duel!"

The crowd's noise grew even louder, not giving him any face!

"Damn! That troublemaker again! Think I can't see you in the crowd? My eyesight is excellent!" He cursed, pulled out a pistol from his waist, and fired a shot into the sky!

Bang!

This kind of firearm was still rare, and the crowd, startled by the loud noise, fell silent!

"Ahh!" A scream echoed from the crowd.

Everyone was shocked and made way, revealing a young man with a big knife, rolling on the ground and clutching his ear. Bright red blood gushed from between his fingers!

Ling Xiao was stunned, looking at the pistol in his hand. He had never felt it was so cute! The shot he fired into the sky was meant to intimidate, but the bullet, after rising and falling, hit someone's ear! More surprisingly, it was the same troublemaker who had shouted earlier! Could it be that even the heavens couldn't bear it and used Ling Xiao's hand to punish him?

"Wow! How did he practice his gun skills? Truly amazing! No wonder he's Ling Lingfa's disciple!" Lu Xiaofeng genuinely praised, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"He's always very accurate when he doesn't aim!" Wuqing muttered softly.

Seeing the effect, Ling Xiao said, "A few brothers, take that guy rolling on the ground to the Iron Blood Prison, charge him with inciting ignorant citizens to cause trouble! Investigate his background, see if he has any criminal record or if he has done anything shameful like peeping at old ladies bathing in the neighboring street!"

Everyone shuddered, this person was ruined!

Ling Xiao sneered, "The guy with the ear just asked me why! I'll tell you, it's because of the Iron Blood Army's spirit behind me! And the dozen grandmasters on the gate tower!"

As he spoke, countless soldiers drew their bows and unsheathed their swords! Looking at the row of intimidating figures on the gate tower, the crowd's momentum fell.

Seeing the scene calm down, Ling Xiao continued, "Of course, there are other ways to enter the palace besides seizing the token!"

"What ways?" everyone asked eagerly.

Ling Xiao grinned, "First, you must be able to ignore the rain of arrows from the Imperial Guard!"

The army behind him raised their bows and shouted, the glint of the arrowheads even more terrifying in the shout!

The crowd suddenly swallowed their saliva!

"Then, you must withstand the combined ten moves of the grandmasters on the tower," Ling Xiao pointed upstairs, looking expectant.

Unfortunately, no one dared to challenge! The crowd muttered for a long time but couldn't come up with a plan!

Ling Xiao huffed, "I've laid out the conditions. If anyone can do it, I'll let them in immediately. Is there anyone who wants to challenge? You! You! Or you!" He pointed around with his pistol, and everyone took a step back in surprise, afraid of losing their ears!

"That's the situation. Either challenge or stay quiet. You might even see some flying sword qi here! If anyone causes trouble, the women will be sold to Huixian Yaxu, and the men will be thrown into the Iron Blood Prison to pick up soap!" This statement was the most threatening. The soldiers behind him leered and licked their lips, making a 'slosh slosh' sound! Many heroes stepped back in fear, clutching their chests tightly.

"Hmph! Cowards!" he sneered, then turned and went up the gate tower.

Boshen, with a grim face, said, "The Iron Blood Prison doesn't pick up soap!" The Four Great Detectives nodded in agreement behind him.

"No need to explain, I know!" Ling Xiao nodded in understanding.

"Know my sister! If you know, why did you say it!" The Four Great Detectives roared in their hearts!

At this moment, Lao Shi said, "It's dark!"

As if responding to his words, the sun reluctantly disappeared, and the last ray of warm sunlight vanished! The night had completely fallen, and the huge moon was climbing. When it reached its highest point, one person would become the world's first swordsman!

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Black figures, as if in agreement, rushed out of the crowd. "Hmph! I knew you wouldn't be honest! Fire the arrows!" Ling Xiao shouted, and a rain of arrows descended on the black figures.

"You dare..." The black figures' words were cut off as half of them were knocked down by the arrows!

"Don't hit us!" The arrows unfortunately hit the innocent people in the crowd. Ling Xiao could only mourn in his heart, why did you stand so close!

Many black figures remained, but they were already exhausted and fell back into the crowd. The guards threw out several large nets, pulled them tight, and the black figures were taken to the Iron Blood Prison to pick up soap!

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