Chapter 298: Sect Leader Lin Dong, Please Strengthen My Dao Sect!
Xiao Xuan felt like he hadn't woken up yet today.
He even suspected he had suffered from a Qi Deviation during his resurrection, and this was all a dying hallucination.
He had waited thousands of years in this desolate Heavenly Tomb for someone from the Xiao Clan, but no one ever came. His soul had nearly faded to dust, his obsession the only thing tethering him to existence.
[Inorin's Note: The Heavenly Tomb (Tian Mu) is a separate dimension where the strongest experts of the continent are laid to rest, and where their remnant spiritual imprints reside. Xiao Xuan, an ancestor of Xiao Yan, trapped his own remnant soul there.]
Then, one day, suddenly...
Someone finally arrived. A descendant.
Yet, this descendant claimed he was a 5-Star Dou Sheng, with combat power comparable to a legendary Dou Di.
This young man, his own offspring, looked down on the Dou Di Bloodline—the very thing Xiao Xuan had sacrificed his life and the entire clan's future to protect.
He even manually created a Physical Body for him, pulling his remnant soul from the brink and resurrecting him—a feat that not even the ancient gods could claim.
Then, after performing this heaven-defying miracle, he earnestly told him...
Told him, the Xiao Clan's greatest ancestor, to... proliferate.
To find some women and have many, many descendants.
Xiao Xuan truly began to doubt his life. Was this the burden of the new generation?
While he was still bewildered, his new body feeling strange and his mind reeling from the absurd conversation, Xiao Yan had already come up and patted his shoulder with a heavy, reassuring thud.
"Ancestor, don't overthink it. Just enjoy your new life."
"I'm afraid I'll Ascend before long. When that happens, you'll be the hope of my Xiao Clan. Don't disappoint me!"
"After I leave, the Xiao Clan will depend on you to support it... But don't worry," Xiao Yan added with a grin, "before I Ascend, I will deal with the Hun Clan and all those other annoying forces."
[Inorin's Note: The Hun Clan (Soul Clan) is the primary antagonist faction in Battle Through the Heavens, an ancient clan that devours souls. They are responsible for the Xiao Clan's original decline and Xiao Xuan's death.]
"Ah?"
Xiao Xuan was even more bewildered. Deal with the Hun Clan? The behemoth that had destroyed him? Just like that?
He said with a bitter smile, his voice hoarse from millennia of disuse, "What I sought by enduring this endless loneliness... by staying here as a wisp... was not to be resurrected. It was to pass on the Bloodline Power of the Xiao Clan, to give our descendants one last chance..."
"Yet, I never thought that fate would play such a trick. I never imagined... I would have a chance to see the light of day again!"
Xiao Yan chuckled, his smile bright and confident. "Isn't this great? The person is resurrected, and the Bloodline Power has also been passed down!"
"You get to live again, and you still get to fulfill your duty. Go find a few wives, Ancestor. The Xiao Clan needs to grow!"
...
While Xiao Yan was busy beating up an old-timer (Gu Yuan) and educating his resurrected ancestor, Lin Dong, his good friend in the chat group, was also educating an old-timer at this very moment...
Inside the main hall of the Dao Sect, the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.
"What's going on?" Lin Dong's voice was not loud, but it cut through the silence, filled with great dissatisfaction.
He stared directly at the man at the head of the hall, Ying Xuanzi.
"I passed on so many powerful Cultivation Techniques to you. I even provided you with so many Medicinal Pills—pills refined by Fang Han himself, pills that could raise the dead—yet you still can't defeat the Yuan Gate?"
[Inorin's Note: The Yuan Gate is one of the eight 'super sects' of the Eastern Xuan Region, and the primary rival of the Dao Sect.]
Lin Dong had joined the Dao Sect according to the original plot's trajectory.
However, because of his overwhelming strength and contributions, the plot had also undergone some significant changes.
He missed the entire tragic experience of being framed and forced out of the Dao Sect, as depicted in the original work.
After joining the Dao Sect, he stayed there continuously.
He passed down many profound Cultivation Techniques from the chat group, and even had Fang Han help refine a batch of Medicinal Pills that were considered divine treasures in this world.
Under his quiet leadership, the Dao Sect's overall strength was immensely greater than in the original work.
Then, a while ago, Lin Dong went into seclusion.
He needed to deduce the Great Desolate Imprisoning Heaven Finger, aiming to elevate the rank of this ancient Cultivation Technique by several levels.
[Inorin's Note: The Great Desolate Imprisoning Heaven Finger (Da Huang Wu Qiu Tian Zhi) is the Dao Sect's ultimate Manifestation Martial Art, famously wielded by the sect's founder.]
He was only in seclusion for a short period, and the Dao Sect was severely beaten by the Yuan Gate, losing territory and countless disciples.
Lin Dong felt that Ying Xuanzi was indeed a bit disappointing.
This Sect Leader was a failure.
Ying Xuanzi, the supreme leader of a super sect, was a bit embarrassed. A generation's Sect Leader was being scolded like a dog by a disciple in his twenties, and he couldn't even refute it.
"I couldn't help it," he sighed, his face weary. "Originally, we were evenly matched. We were even slightly superior to them, thanks to your help."
"But suddenly, the Yuan Gate displayed an extremely terrifying, dark strength. Ordinary super sects were no match for them at all."
"Of the eight super sects in the Eastern Xuan Region, only our Dao Sect and the Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace remain standing... The others have either surrendered and submitted to the Yuan Gate, or... they were destroyed by them."
"If you don't believe me, ask Huanhuan..."
Ying Xuanzi immediately brought up his daughter.
Although he was the Dao Sect Leader, his strength was weaker than Lin Dong's. He couldn't stand firm in front of this monstrous disciple.
What's more, Lin Dong also provided them with countless Cultivation Techniques and Medicinal Pills.
He was practically the Dao Sect's "God of Wealth."
Lin Dong's words now carried more weight, far more, in the Dao Sect than Ying Xuanzi's.
Ying Xuanzi had no confidence at all when facing Lin Dong.
He could only "sell his daughter for glory"!
"Father is right..." A graceful figure in the meeting room stood up.
This figure wore a light white dress, with a slender physique. Her ice-blue long hair cascaded down like a frozen waterfall. A pair of ice-blue eyes, devoid of their former mischief and now filled with a chilling coldness, looked at Lin Dong.
"The Yuan Gate's strength has indeed suddenly increased significantly... I suspect they are connected to the Yimo."
[Inorin's Note: The Yimo (异魔), or 'Demonic Creatures', are the primary overarching antagonists of the Wu Dong Qian Kun world, beings from an outer plane that feed on worldly energy.]
Ying Huanhuan stated her guess, her voice as cold as her hair.
Another Elder from the Dao Sect stood up, his face grim. "Indeed. This is not our first confrontation with the Yuan Gate. We are very familiar with some of their people..."
"And in these recent times, those people's strength has undergone great, twisted changes. Someone, or something, has helped them raise their cultivation..."
"Between our Dao Sect and the Yuan Gate, there is now an irreconcilable, blood-soaked enmity..."
Several Elders spoke one after another, their expressions dire.
They all looked at Lin Dong.
In the world of Wu Dong Qian Kun, especially in this Eastern Xuan Region, the concept of a Sect is extremely important. Once one enters a Sect, it is like entering a family.
The atmosphere among Sect Disciples has always been very good, very loyal.
Although Lin Dong's time in the Sect has been very short, he has already gained the support of everyone.
His figure, his name, has taken root in the hearts of all Dao Sect Disciples and Elders, becoming a belief...
Whenever anyone felt despair, as long as they heard that name—Lin Dong—hope would surge forth again in their hearts.
As long as that name was heard, no matter how great the danger, it would be resolved easily.
Now that Lin Dong has come out of seclusion, everyone in the Dao Sect hopes that Lin Dong can lead them to a magnificent victory.
As soon as Lin Dong came out of seclusion, Ying Xuanzi, the Sect Leader, was sidelined.
However, he had no objections. He welcomed it.
The situation was too grim now; he really couldn't withstand the Yuan Gate's demonic attacks.
But with Lin Dong, it was different.
No one ever knew... how strong Lin Dong truly was.
Ying Xuanzi stood up and looked at Lin Dong with a solemn expression. "The hidden strength of the Yuan Gate is truly too strong. The Dao Sect alone is definitely not their opponent... Only you can confront the Yuan Gate now."
"I have decided," Ying Xuanzi announced, his voice echoing in the hall, "to pass on this position of Sect Leader to you. From today onwards, you will officially lead the Dao Sect and fight a decisive battle against the Yuan Gate!"
"A Dao Sect Disciple once said something to you... Now I want to say it to you again, on behalf of the entire sect!"
He took a deep breath and bowed deeply.
"Sect Leader Lin Dong!"
"Please strengthen my Dao Sect!"
Ying Xuanzi was very decisive, wanting to directly pass the Sect Leader position to Lin Dong.
Lin Dong was speechless upon hearing this. This old-timer still knew how to pass the buck.
Being a Sect Leader was too troublesome. It meant paperwork, managing people, and endless meetings. Lin Dong wanted to refuse.
Anyway, being Sect Leader or not wouldn't affect his ability to lead the Dao Sect to prosperity, or his decision to wipe out the Yuan Gate.
Just as he was about to refuse, Ying Xuanzi saw through his thoughts and then transmitted a sound message directly to his mind:
"This Sect Leader position of mine is for my future son-in-law. If you refuse, then you can forget about ever being with Huanhuan... Dream on!!!"
Lin Dong was even more speechless upon hearing this.
Bundled sales, huh? Forcing a marriage through a job offer?
This old-timer is truly cunning.
He was still hesitating, weighing the pros and cons...
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The dense crowd of Dao Sect Disciples gathered outside the hall, having heard the announcement, all knelt down at this moment.
In the undulating sea of people, every single face was filled with a deep, burning hatred for the Yuan Gate, and an even more intense, religious fanaticism for Lin Dong.
"Sect Leader Lin Dong, please strengthen my Dao Sect!"
"Sect Leader Lin Dong, please strengthen my Dao Sect!"
A low, thunderous sound echoed through the sky, shaking the very mountains of the sect.
The sound converged, a tidal wave of voices, as if even the mountains themselves trembled for it.
"Sect Leader Lin Dong, please lead my Dao Sect Disciples to attack the Yuan Gate!"
No one was sad for the abdicated old Sect Leader; everyone was filled with a desperate, strong hope and anticipation.
They were all fanatically supporting the new Sect Leader's ascension.
Lin Dong looked at the sea of kneeling figures, at their desperate, trusting faces. He took a deep breath. He knew he couldn't refuse.
Looking at the bright, sparkling, icy eyes of Ying Huanhuan, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
"Good!"
...
The cheers and deafening commotion within the Dao Sect continued for a long time before finally calming down.
The Hall Masters and Elders of each hall smilingly sent the ecstatic disciples away, and only then did the Dao Sect Disciples finally disperse, their morale higher than it had been in months.
Lin Dong was a bit dumbfounded, standing amidst the remaining elders. His clothes were almost torn to shreds by the fanatical crowd.
The Disciples and Elders were... too fanatical.
He had to admit, he quite liked this situation.
Being surrounded and trusted by so many... it felt warm.
Lin Dong was very happy.
The Elders and Disciples of the Dao Sect were also very happy.
During this time, Lin Dong's position in their hearts had long become extraordinary, almost deified.
Now that Lin Dong had become the Sect Leader, it was what everyone had hoped for.
With Lin Dong leading the Dao Sect, defeating the Yuan Gate was just around the corner!
The only one who was sad was Ying Xuanzi.
He stood to the side, feeling completely defeated.
He had carefully protected the Dao Sect for many, many years. He had protected countless young Disciples like his own juniors, and had sacrificed too much for the Sect...
But now, the Sect was passed to Lin Dong.
And his precious daughter was also charmed away by this same Lin Dong.
Pain!
It was too painful...
...
After they finished talking, some Elders very consciously cupped their hands, gave Lin Dong a knowing smile, and left, intentionally or unintentionally leaving the space for Lin Dong and Ying Huanhuan.
Ying Xuanzi didn't want to leave but was forcibly dragged away by the other elders.
Pain upon pain.
Losing the Sect Leader position was one thing.
He even had to make space for this brat to flirt with his daughter...
Ying Xuanzi felt that there was no one more miserable than him in all the Heavens and Myriad Worlds.
As the crowd dispersed, Lin Dong looked at Ying Huanhuan, who had remained silent. He somewhat curiously reached out and stroked her ice-blue long hair.
"Why has your hair turned ice-blue after such a short time since we last met...? Your demeanor... it has also become much colder!"
"I used the method you taught me to develop that power... and then my hair turned blue," she replied, her voice soft, but with a new, chilling distance.
[Inorin's Note: This refers to Ying Huanhuan awakening her powers as the reincarnation of the Ice Master (Bing Zhu), one of the eight ancient Primal Masters, and a key figure in the previous war against the Yimo.]
"Do you like my current appearance, or my previous appearance?" Ying Huanhuan's beautiful, ice-blue eyes fixed on Lin Dong, her crescent moon-like eyebrows raising with a hint of challenge, though joy hid deep within.
"I like both!" Lin Dong said without a fraction of a second of hesitation.
Ying Huanhuan used to be lively, fiery, and very cute.
Now she looked a bit cold, ethereal, and devastatingly beautiful.
"In Earth's terms, it's like a loli turning into an older sister, right?" Lin Dong secretly pondered in his heart. The mischievous, flat-chested girl had matured. Her curves were now defined, and this new cold, goddess-like demeanor... it was a completely different, and incredibly enticing, style.
He definitely liked both styles.
It would be great if she could switch back and forth.
"Hmph... Then do you like the old me more, or the current me more?"
Ying Huanhuan tucked a strand of her blue hair behind her ear, a gesture that contrasted with her cold aura. She then pursed her red lips and asked the timeless, deadly question.
Lin Dong was dumbfounded upon hearing this. How the hell was he supposed to answer that?
...
After Lin Dong officially became the Sect Leader, he immediately began to organize forces to prepare for a counterattack against the Yuan Gate.
Passively taking blows was not his style. Actively attacking and eradicating the problem was.
Just as the Dao Sect was mobilizing its forces, brimming with new vigor, information suddenly arrived.
The Yuan Gate had made a move.
However, they were not attacking the Dao Sect. Instead, they were besieging the Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace.
[Inorin's Note: The Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace is the sect of the other female lead, Ling Qingzhu. They are one of the eight super sects.]
Upon hearing the news, Lin Dong did not hesitate at all and immediately prepared to lead the Dao Sect's people to the Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace.
Lin Dong didn't really care about the threat of the Yuan Gate. He could wipe them out at any time.
He was thinking about something else.
There was also a woman in the Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace whom he could never, ever forget. The woman who had taken his virginity.
So, the question was...
If he, the new Sect Leader, took Ying Huanhuan, the daughter of the previous Sect Leader, to the Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace...
Then, in the words of Xiao Yan and their hometown Earth...
Was this a Shura field?
[Inorin's Note: 'Shura Field' (修罗场) is a modern slang term for a chaotic scene, often referring to a dramatic, high-tension confrontation involving a love triangle.]
Oh hell, Lin Dong thought, I hope they don't try to kill each other.
...
The sky was blue and the earth green. Majestic mountains sprawled like giant, sleeping Dragons, extending to the horizon. The entire world was like a fairyland, filled with pure Yuan Power.
This was where the Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace was located.
At this moment, this fairyland was already engulfed in the flames of war.
In the distance, thick, dark clouds rolled in the sky, from which a foul, evil Qi emanated, tainting the pure air.
Within those dark clouds were countless overwhelming figures, all of them Disciples of the Yuan Gate.
These Yuan Gate Disciples had a corrupt, evil light flickering deep in their eyes, and their appearances were extremely hideous, their bodies twisted by demonic power.
Countless people surrounded a massive, shimmering light barrier.
Inside the light barrier was a floating island, the main bastion of the Palace.
The Disciples on the island desperately unleashed their Yuan Power, forming the light barrier, which barely resisted the invasion of the dark, demonic clouds.
The two sides were engaged in a desperate battle!
"All Disciples, set up the Formation! Once the Sect-protecting Formation is broken, immediately form up to meet the enemy!"
A clear, cold voice, amplified by majestic Yuan Power, spread throughout the Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace.
A slender figure in a green dress floated in mid-air. A gentle breeze blew, causing her green hair to flutter.
The girl had a graceful figure, skin like snow, and a perfect, willow-like waist. Her face was covered with a thin veil, but one could still discern her breathtakingly beautiful features.
The belief of the Dao Sect was Lin Dong.
The belief of the Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace, on the other hand, was Ling Qingzhu.
She was the most outstanding person in the Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace for thousands of years. As long as she did not fall, the Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace would be like the Nine Heavens Silver Moon, never setting!
She stood alone in the Void Realm, unleashing a powerful aura to confront the monsters of the Yuan Gate.
The Grand Elder of the Yuan Gate, a man cloaked in black demonic Qi, raised an eyebrow after sensing her aura. "Your Palace Master was defeated by me. How could a junior like you, who has just entered the Profound Life stage, be a match for this old man?"
Ling Qingzhu's gaze was extremely cold. She sharply slashed her long sword, and a brilliant green lotus light instantly pierced through the Void Realm.
It shot towards the Grand Elder of the Yuan Gate.
"Your strength is not bad," the elder sneered, shattering the lotus with a single, demonic palm. "But do you truly believe you can save the entire Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace by yourself?"
"All Yuan Gate Elders and Disciples, attack together! Thoroughly cleanse the Nine Heavens Supreme Purity Palace with blood!"
The Grand Elder snorted coldly and instantly led many experts to attack.
Ling Qingzhu was strong, but her strength was ultimately limited.
Facing so many powerful experts at once, she was under immense pressure and couldn't hold on alone.
"Great Yuan Heaven Slash!"
Several Yuan Gate Elders at the Profound Life stage combined their strength, using their hands as blades, and instantly slashed out.
Amidst the vast, dark Yuan Power fluctuations, three enormous blade lights directly tore through space, sealing all of Ling Qingzhu's escape routes and heading straight for her.
This attack was terrifying, and Ling Qingzhu, having already exhausted much of her power, found it difficult to withstand.
And at this moment,
The protagonist appeared.
The smoke and demonic dust began to disperse, and Ling Qingzhu stood there, unharmed.
Before her, a slender figure stood silently, having appeared at some unknown time.
This figure was not burly, yet he stood like an unshakable mountain, having blocked all the attacks with one hand.
"Lin... Dong!"
Ling Qingzhu looked at the figure that had appeared, this man who was so deeply entangled with her destiny.
She bit her red lips tightly, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of her mouth from the backlash. She stared intently at this figure, her mind a whirl of complex emotions.
Finally,
Lin Dong slightly turned his head, his eyes filled with a deep, complicated gaze—relief, apology, and a burning protectiveness.
"Don't worry," he said, his voice slightly hoarse. "With me here, no one can harm you."
Listening to this slightly hoarse whisper, this absolute promise... even with Ling Qingzhu's cold, unshakable personality, an unspeakable sorrow and grievance welled up in her nose at this moment, and tears, to her own shock, gathered in her eyes.
...
The two of them were playing out a dramatic "hero saving the beauty" scene.
Unbeknownst to them...
Someone watching from the Dao Sect's nearby flying ship was so furious their lungs were about to burst.
Ying Huanhuan stood at the bow, her ice-blue hair whipping in the wind. She looked at the scene before her, at the way that woman was looking at her Lin Dong.
She gritted her teeth, her voice a low, freezing murmur that perfectly mimicked Lin Dong's:
"With me here... no one can harm you!"
Although Ying Huanhuan had known about Ling Qingzhu's existence for a long time, seeing her in person...
Seeing that intimate, emotional reunion...
She still became anxious. And very, very angry. A layer of frost began to creep across the deck at her feet.
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