The Prodigies War

“His brilliance fills the capital.”

What a huge claim!

The appraisal set off another uproar in the Forbidden City. Many cultivators disagreed and thought it was a huge exaggeration. Lin Xun was just a teenager and did not deserve such huge praise.

However, some people scoffed at the naysayers and thought that those people were only jealous and envious of Lin Xun.

The majority of cultivators agreed with the evaluation.

It had only been three years since Lin Xun had come to the Forbidden City, but he had created countless miracles, achieved many amazing feats and forged many splendid achievements.

Young rune founder!

Instructor of the Qinglu Academy!

The master of Mind Cleansing Peak!

He had many halos on his head.

Now, he had even defeated six Cyclic Derivation cultivators with a spear and forced the Zuo and Qin Clans, two high clans, to return in defeat.

How would a young genius like him not deserve such praise?

The young master is unrivaled, his brilliance fills the capital!

Lin Xun deserved the praise!

Some people were happy, but some were sad. The Zuo and Qin Clans were shrouded in a miserable and gloomy atmosphere. It was rumored that when Qin Cangjia returned to the clan, he broke several valuable teacups and the entire Qin Clan became as silent as winter cicadas.

There were also reports that the patriarch of the Zuo Clan, in a fit of anger, almost became possessed by demons during his closed-door cultivation. The senior members of the Zuo Clan were also sent into a state of panic.

Regardless, the impact of the storm began to brew and ferment, spreading from the Forbidden City to throughout the empire and the entire world!

……

While the uproar continued, Zhao Tailai brought Lin Xun, Lin Zhong and the others to a very remote place.

The place was called Rotating Stars Hibernating Moon House.

The otherworldly name was the name of...a restaurant.

Rotating stars, hibernating moon…only immortals could be so free and detached. But the place was indeed a restaurant.

A bony and bad-tempered old man owned the restaurant. He clearly had nothing in common with an immortal.

Zhao Tailai called him Lone Man.

In short, he was an old man who always preferred to be alone.

Seeing Zhao Tailai and the others arrive, he rolled his eyes and cursed with disgust, “The debtor has come to eat free food again, is that right?”

Zhao Tailai grinned and reassured him with a pat of his chest, “This time someone will pay the bill. Serve us your specialties please.”

Lone Man snorted coldly, went into the kitchen, and started cooking.

“Kid, remember him.”

Zhao Tailai smiled mysteriously at Lin Xun, “He is whom I was referring to, the only old monster who has abandoned the great dao and cultivated himself. Even though he has no cultivation base, no one in the lower domain world can kill him.”

Lin Xun trembled inwardly. He had paid little attention to Lone Man at first, but Zhao Tailai’s words made him realize that the man was a remarkable existence.

Abandon the dao and cultivate himself!

That fact alone was enough to fill Lin Xun with shock.

He couldn’t help asking, “Not even a saint?”

Zhao Tailai shook his head. “I’m not sure, but I can tell you that the old man once inadvertently said that the so-called Saint Path in the world is inferior to his method of self-cultivation. Of course, he may also be exaggerating.”

Lin Xun pondered this quietly.

Before long, dishes were brought to the table. The presentation was neither amazing nor bad, but they were all foods that Lin Xun had never seen before.

Zhao Tailai’s eyes shined brightly as he lifted the chopsticks in his hand and started to gorge on the food. “Quickly, quickly, eat. I have lived for so long, but this is only my third time eating this old man’s food.”

Lin Xun, Lin Zhong, Xiaoke and Third Old Zhu didn’t hesitate when they heard his serious and seemingly exaggerated words.

After just one mouthful, Lin Xun’s eyes went wide and his heart palpitated. He felt as though all the taste buds on the tip of his tongue had been set off and an indescribably wonderful taste exploded in his mouth.

So delicious!

Lin Xun wanted to ask what the name of the dishes on the table was and find out about the seasonings and ingredients. But he couldn’t care anymore. Just like Third Old Zhu, he frantically devoured the food.

It was the same with Lin Zhong, Xiaoke, and Third Old Zhu. They all looked like they had been starved.

Only chewing noises could be heard in the room.

It should be mentioned that every one of them was an experienced cultivator with a very high level of cultivation. They could survive without eating, but now they looked like gluttons.

After a few minutes.

The dishes on the table were cleanly finished. Zhao Tailai smacked his lips and sighed, “I don’t know when I will be able to eat such delicious food again.”

“It’s simple. Pay off all your debts and you can eat whenever you want.” Lone Man stood at the door like a ghost, staring coldly at Zhao Tailai.

Lin Huaiyuan couldn’t help but say aloud, “Boss, how much for the dishes on the table? I’ll pay for them.”

Lone Man sneered. “How arrogant?! Do you know how much this table of food costs? How dare you make that claim?”

Lin Huaiyuan reddened with embarrassment, looking confused. Could there be something special about the dishes?

Zhao Tailai chuckled, “Only I can pay for the previous bills, but today’s meal has to be paid for by that kid.” He pointed at Lin Xun.

Lin Xun blinked blankly. He thought that there was a reason why Zhao Tailai had brought him there and let him enjoy those indescribably delicious dishes.

But he had never expected Zhao Tailai to bring him there to pay for the bill.

Lone Man turned to look at Lin Xun. His gaze seemed capable of seeing through all the secrets in his mind and made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

He couldn’t help but shudder. He was certain that the old man possessed no cultivation base and was similar to an ordinary person, but his gaze seemed capable of penetrating people’s hearts and fathoming the mysteries of the nine heavens.

Lone Man quickly retracted his gaze and said disdainfully, “He isn’t even fully grown yet. He can’t pay for the meal even if he goes to the Blood Kill Battlefield!”

Blood Kill Battlefield!

Finally, everyone including Lin Xun realized that the payment for the meal was not that simple.

However, where was Blood Kill Battlefield?

“We’ve eaten the meal and we need to pay the bill. We have to try to see whether we can pay it back.” Zhao Tailai’s expression turned serious. “I trust him.“

“Hmph!” Lone Man snorted coldly after a pause, then turned around and left.

Lin Xun and the others were all left baffled. They asked Zhao Tailai, but he didn’t tell them anything.

“Elder, you tricked me. Don’t tell me you refuse to even give me a reason?” Lin Xun said in discontent.

Zhao Tailai snapped, “Kid, I scared Qin Cangjia away for you. I saved your life. How can you speak to me like that?”

He resembled a cunning old fox, completely different from the courageous and mighty Zhao Tailai when facing Qin Cangjia.

Lin Xun smiled. “Save my life? That was the emperor’s arrangement. You are just following orders. Do you dare to take credit for it? Also, do you think I’m not capable of dealing with Qin Cangjia?”

His words stunned Lin Zhong and the others. Does that mean Young Master could protect himself at the time? Is he strong enough to fight against Life Death Stage Kings?

If true, it would be too unbelievable.

However, Zhao Tailai donned a strange expression as though he had realized something. With a flick of his fingers, a light screen emerged in the air.

The light screen casted the scene of Qin Cangjia appearing and about to kill Lin Xun!

“You were going to rely on that treasure in your palm, is that right?” asked Zhao Tailai.

There was an extremely subtle and illusory silvery glow in the crevices of Lin Xun’s left palm.

“Correct.” Lin Xun didn’t explain further.

It was the Grand Universe Ark. Although he couldn’t fight against Life Death Stage Kings, he had the means to avoid their attacks.

Even so, the fact set off waves in Lin Zhong’s heart. As I thought, Lin Xun could protect himself even when facing Life Death Stage Kings!

Perhaps, that was what he relied on?

“Even so, you should still thank those people when you see them because even if I didn’t make a move at the time, they would have helped you resolve the calamity.” As Zhao Tailai was speaking, he drew his finger across the air. The light screen rippled, presenting a different scene, including a burly fat man and an old man with sharp lightning-like eyes

When Zhao Tailai spoke, he swiped his finger again, the light curtain flowed and more scenes emerged, including an extremely burly fat man, an iron-willed old man with lightning-like eyebrows, and a thin middle-aged man wearing a black hat.

The three stood in different areas, but when Qin Cangjia appeared, each of them emitted intense fighting spirit, a sign they would attack at any time!

Lin Xun stood still, flabbergasted. The three were Fortune God Shi from Stone Cauldron Alms, Steel Blood King Ning Bugui, and Gong Bupo from the Gong Clan.

“It turns out that they were also there at the time...” An indescribable warmth flooded Lin Xun’s heart. He realized he hadn’t been fighting alone at the time!

Lin Zhong and the others were more shocked. Who would have imagined that there were three Life Death Stage Kings hiding in the dark to protect Lin Xun?

How great of a storm would this news cause in the Forbidden City?

“See, although you have many enemies, many people value you. But after this, no one in the Forbidden City will want to provoke you in the future,” Zhao Tailai said ruminatively.

Lin Xun shot an annoyed glance at Zhao Tailai. “Why do I feel like you have bad intentions?”

Zhao Tailai chuckled, and then he cursed out loud, “Stop talking nonsense!”

Halfway through, Zhao Tailai left, but before he did, he said that he would visit Mind Cleansing Peak sometime.

Lin Xun knew that after ‘some time’, Zhao Tailai might tell him his reason for making him owe a debt to Lone Man.

When Lin Xun and the others returned to Mind Cleansing Peak, the clansmen of the four collateral branches, North Light, West Creek, Cloud Weight and Flying Peak, as well as the villagers of Feiyun Village, were already waiting——

To welcome them back!