"Old Gambler, you're the Dean of the Four Symbols Academy, and Xin Ci is a disciple of your academy. Why don't you trust him?"
"Who says I don't trust him? It's just that the gap between a Saint Emperor and an Emperor is not ordinary."
"Old Gambler, have you forgotten? Back in Mingguang City, you said that if Xin Ci became a Saint Emperor, you'd give him your title of the Strongest Saint Emperor."
"Moreover, I can feel that the young man's current strength is such that even I might not be able to defeat him."
Dao Yuanming's heart skipped a beat with surprise upon hearing this. "Does Xin Ci already have the power to contend with an Emperor?!"
Shen Wei merely smiled without a word.
Back then, during the trial in the Sacred Dragon Tower in Mingguang City, Xin Ci had defeated a clone of the Ming Emperor, displaying potential far exceeding Shen Wei's.
"Trust that young man. The little girl beside him cares about Xin Ci the most. She's so calm, she must know Xin Ci has a sure-win method," Shen Wei continued, a smile appearing on his face.
Mu Qingqing knew very well that although Xin Li was a one-star Emperor, he had remained at this level for over twenty years.
His mastery of Emperor's power was incomparable to those who had just entered the Emperor realm.
However, she believed in Xin Ci.
As Xin Ci's second personality, Mu Qingqing could naturally sense Xin Ci's progress and true combat power over the years.
Besides, this was a conflict between Xin Ci and Xin Li; she had no intention of interfering.
Seeing that Xin Ci was serious, Xin Li burst into laughter, as if mocking Xin Ci's overestimation of his abilities.
"Since you seek your own death, do not blame this seat for burying you here."
Just as he was about to make a move, the Twelve Luo Yue suddenly flew into the sky and intervened.
The Twelve Luo Yue's gaze was chilling, radiating a cold killing intent. She looked directly at Xin Li and said sternly, "I don't care what hatred you have with Xin Ci, but your Xin family was also involved in the destruction of the Puppet Sect back then."
"As the sole survivor of the Puppet Sect, I will also challenge you to a battle of life and death today!"
The appearance of the Twelve Luo Yue caused Xin Ci and the others to frown.
Before they could react, the Twelve Luo Yue transformed into a white light and rushed towards Xin Li.
However, her path was blocked by a figure midway.
The Twelve Luo Yue's cold eyes fixed on the person blocking her way, and she said in a deep voice, "Get out of the way!"
Everyone was astonished by this intervening figure.
Especially Xin Ci, who looked at the person with flickering eyes and a complex expression on his brow.
The person blocking the Twelve Luo Yue was none other than his sister, Xin Huanyan!
Mu Qingqing was very surprised by Xin Huanyan's actions. Why, as Xin Ci's sister, wasn't she helping Xin Ci, but instead siding with Xin Li?
In Mu Qingqing's original memory, Xin Huanyan had already learned the truth at this point. Why was she still working for Xin Li, essentially aiding and abetting evil?
What was even more troublesome was that the person Xin Huanyan was blocking was the Twelve Luo Yue.
Mu Qingqing found the Twelve Luo Yue to be quite troublesome.
Unlike others who came to help Xin Ci, the Twelve Luo Yue's willingness to side with Xin Ci was purely a matter of cooperation.
Her main reason was her hatred for the Xin family. It was precisely because of this that Mu Qingqing considered the Twelve Luo Yue the most uncontrollable element in their group.
If she were to face Xin Huanyan, she would likely show no mercy.
This was now a difficult situation.
Mu Qingqing observed the situation between Xin Huanyan and the Twelve Luo Yue, sighing inwardly.
Xin Huanyan seemed not to have heard Twelve Luo Yue's warning. Her expression was blank as she looked at Twelve Luo Yue and said coldly, "Don't even think about disturbing the Patriarch's battle."
But how could the Twelve Luo Yue listen to Xin Huanyan?
Anyone who stood in her way, regardless of who it was, the Twelve Luo Yue would resolve them without mercy.
Soon, dark blue threads of true essence were brandished.
One by one, grotesque puppets were guided by the true essence threads and appeared beside the Twelve Luo Yue.
A total of twenty puppets, each possessing the combat power of a peak Heavenly Venerate.
This was the method of the Puppet Sect; one person commanded a puppet army.
Under the control of the Twelve Luo Yue, these twenty puppets moved like living beings, attacking flexibly.
Xin Huanyan's clear and cold face showed no trace of emotion. Paper cranes floated around her. Each paper crane was the size of an adult and exuded an aura no weaker than a peak Heavenly Venerate.
This was Xin Huanyan's supreme true artifact, the Golden Paper Feather Crane.
Coupled with the top-tier true meaning art she practiced, the Paper Crane Art.
For a time, Xin Huanyan, with the Golden Paper Feather Cranes, confronted the Twelve Luo Yue's puppet army, neither side gaining the upper hand.
Xin Ci's pupils contracted sharply.
In his opinion, the battle between the Twelve Luo Yue and Xin Huanyan was entirely unnecessary.
Just as he was about to intervene, Xin Li would not allow it.
Xin Li formed his fingers into a claw, his true essence surging, and lunged directly at Xin Ci's chest.
"Little beast, you will surely die today!"
Seeing this, Xin Ci could only focus on dealing with Xin Li first.
Sixth layer of the Cultivation Battle Technique!
As the supreme true meaning art of the Cultivation Hall was unleashed, Xin Ci was enveloped in a blood-red aura, like a descending Purgatory Asura.
Wrapped in the bloody aura, Xin Ci charged directly at Xin Li.
A punch infused with Asura's malevolent energy met Xin Li's palm head-on.
The area where they clashed erupted, with fierce winds scattering everywhere.
As their fists and palms met, a surge of wild energy washed outwards.
The entire Xin family stronghold, in the face of this terrifying energy, was like a small boat adrift in a storm, on the verge of collapsing at any moment.
The power of an Emperor transformed into a beam of light that shot straight into the sky, and the entire Sacred City could feel the immense fluctuations emanating from the direction of the Xin family.
However, due to the fierce storm stirred up by Xin Ci and Xin Li's battle, a large number of walls and buildings collapsed in an instant, with debris flying everywhere.
The entire Xin family stronghold was on the verge of collapse.
Those present below the Saint Emperor realm were subjected to immense pressure from the surging energy, their limbs crushing into the earth.
They could hardly look up to observe the battle; they couldn't even open their eyes.
Seeing this, Mu Qingqing quickly used her true essence to create a spatial barrier, sealing the entire Xin family stronghold within it.
This stabilized the energy surge caused by Xin Li and Xin Ci's battle, preventing the entire Xin family stronghold from being leveled by the immense energy.
After their clash,
Xin Ci and Xin Li separated by several hundred meters simultaneously. Even though both adjusted their stances promptly, after flying out, their footsteps still staggered back a few steps before they steadied themselves.
"How can this be? You are merely a four-star Saint Emperor, how can you possess such immense power!"
After the exchange of blows, Xin Li's eyes widened as he looked at Xin Ci, his face full of disbelief.
Although he had only used a simple surge of true essence to attack Xin Ci, he was still a one-star Emperor, and the power he wielded was not something a four-star Saint Emperor like Xin Ci could resist.
Xin Ci's power had shattered his understanding.