Chapter 38 Xiao Ming, the Holy Son of the Heavenly Demon Sect!

Xiao Ming looked at Lin Fan, who appeared like a crazed demon with a somewhat unstable aura. He shook his head and sighed softly, as if in regret:

"Junior Brother Lin, why bother with this? Fine, since you have already made a Breakthrough, then... as you wish, let it end!"

Before his voice had even faded, Xiao Ming moved.

Facing Lin Fan's earth-shattering strike, Xiao Ming merely shook his head gently. The look of "regret" on his face deepened, as if lamenting the other's lack of self-awareness.

At the very moment the massive palm print was about to reach him, Xiao Ming stepped forward instead of retreating! The entire arena seemed to tremble slightly! He slowly raised his right palm, and within his palm, a terrifying aura of nirvana and total annihilation suddenly coalesced. The surrounding light seemed to be sucked into it, turning dim and lusterless! It was precisely one of the nine laws of the Heavenly Demon Sect, the Great Nirvana Soul Palm!

There was no earth-shaking momentum, nor any dazzling brilliance. There was only a sense of dead silence and nothingness that made the Soul tremble!

"One Palm Nirvana!"

Xiao Ming gave a low shout. His slowly extended palm struck later but arrived first, clashing head-on without any fanfare against Lin Fan's grand, wind-and-thunder-entwined demonic palm!

"Boom—!!!!!"

A terrifying boom, as if the heavens and earth were splitting apart, echoed above the square!

Under everyone's incredulous gazes, that seemingly matchless wind-and-thunder giant palm melted away inch by inch the moment it touched Xiao Ming's nirvana palm print, like snow under a scorching sun! The power of wind and thunder within it was directly "annihilated" into nothingness!

The madness and sneer on Lin Fan's face instantly froze, turning into extreme horror and disbelief!

"This... how is this possible?!" Lin Fan's expression was incredibly vivid. He knew the power of this palm strike well; it was his life-saving trump card, something he had picked up for a bargain from a street vendor in a market. Although he wasn't at his Peak, this single palm strike was comparable to the full-strength blow of an Early Nascent Soul stage expert. Yet, such an attack was being dismantled inch by inch under Xiao Ming's nirvana palm.

But even more shocking than the scene on the arena was the reaction of the powerhouses on the high platform!

Vice Sect Master Luo Hongyi, who was seated beside the main seat, suddenly sat upright from her lazy posture on the throne the moment the nirvana aura appeared in Xiao Ming's palm! Her charming phoenix eyes widened instantly, her pupils constricted, and the calm smile on her face slowly vanished, replaced by unparalleled shock and horror! She even cried out in a low voice:

"This palm technique... is... the Great Nirvana Soul Palm? How is this possible?!"

Luo Li, sitting beside her, also had a violent reaction! As that deathly aura—which seemed capable of annihilating all things and making the Soul tremble—spread, her cold peach-blossom eyes were filled with disbelief. She stared fixedly at Xiao Ming's slowly extending palm, her red lips slightly parted as a stormy wave surged in her heart: 'This... isn't this the Great Nirvana Soul Palm from the Modian Pavilion? That... Wicked Disciple actually mastered this Cultivation Technique as well!' She knew better than her Senior Sister how difficult it was to practice this technique; she had tried it herself back then but couldn't even reach the entry level!

"What?!"

"This... this is?!"

"The intent of nirvana, a Soul-extinguishing palm."

On the high platform, one uncontrollable cry of shock after another rang out! Nearly half of the Peak Revered Masters and Elders, who had been sitting as steady as mountains, suddenly stood up!

Several of the older Elders also changed expression, their faces filled with shock, wild joy, and deep nostalgia!

At this moment, a name suddenly surfaced in everyone's minds,

—"Nirvana Demonic Lord" Li Cangtian!

This name was like a heavy brand, etched deep into the memories of all the older generation powerhouses present! He was a legend of the Heavenly Demon Sect from hundreds of years ago! He was also the previous Saint! With his superb mastery of the Great Nirvana Soul Palm, he had roamed the Xuanhuang Continent; wherever his palm struck, Souls were silenced, making him invincible among his peers! He once fought three Soul Transformation Peak giants of the Righteous Path single-handedly. Using this technique, he forcibly caused one of them to have his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering and severely injured the other two. During his era, he slaughtered his way through the righteous Sects until they all trembled with fear, establishing the illustrious and fierce reputation of the Heavenly Demon Sect for that period! It was also he who made the Great Nirvana Soul Palm the number one killing Demonic Technique among the Heavenly Demon Sect's supreme legacies!

However, fate is unpredictable. Since the Nirvana Demonic Lord fell for some reason—some rumors say he failed to break through to a higher Realm, others say he was ambushed and killed by various forces—no one in the Sect had been able to fully Revered Master this palm technique since then. At most, they only grasped its form but not its spirit, with less than a tenth of its power remaining. Over time, this palm technique almost became a legend within the Sect, representing a period of brilliance and regret. The position of Saint had also remained vacant for hundreds of years due to the lack of a successor after the disappearance of the previous Saint!

This was why the two Pavilion Guardians of the Modian Pavilion had rarely appeared together recently to issue the order to Vice Sect Master Luo Hongyi to restart the selection for the position of Saint and appoint Xiao Ming as the Saint. When Luo Hongyi initially saw Xiao Ming using the Magic Light Escape and Heavenly Demon Phantom Body—two top-tier Demonic Techniques of the Sect—during the competition, she thought that was why the two Pavilion Guardians favored him for the Saint position. While those two top-tier Demonic Techniques were indeed mysterious and unpredictable, they were mostly used for assassinations and life-saving, far less shocking than the Great Nirvana Soul Palm. However, she never expected that Xiao Ming would actually Revered Master this ultimate technique, which was considered the most difficult to Revered Master in the Sect. Furthermore, judging by the power of his palm intent and the richness of the nirvana aura, he hadn't just scratched the surface; he had clearly grasped its very essence!

"So... so when the two Senior Pavilion Guardians said 'he has already obtained the core Legacy,' they weren't just referring to those two movement and escape techniques, but also this incredibly coveted Great Nirvana Soul Palm!" Luo Hongyi realized, followed by a surge of uncontrollable wild joy and excitement! "The Nirvana Palm reappears! This is a sign of the Sect's great prosperity! The position of Saint belongs to no one but him! Even if he were appointed Saint on the spot, no one would object, let alone now that he has taken the top spot on the heavenly demon ranking!"

Just as the high platform was in an uproar and everyone's hearts were racing...

The duel on the arena had already been decided!

Xiao Ming's palm, carrying the aura of nirvana, struck Lin Fan's chest squarely!

There was no flying flesh or shattering bones. But Lin Fan's aura, which had surged from his forced Breakthrough, instantly withered and dissipated like a punctured balloon! The madness on his face froze instantly, and he flew backward like a kite with a broken string, slamming heavily into the edge of the arena. The terror of the Great Nirvana Soul Palm was fully displayed.

He slumped on the ground, his eyes quickly dimming as if all his energy and spirit had been drained in an instant. In reality, this was a sign of his Soul gradually dissipating. Nirvana, nirvana—annihilating the Soul without harming the Physical Body!

Fortunately, he had recently obtained an inconspicuous, simple jade pendant by chance. It was a Soul defensive treasure that barely protected his last shred of Soul, but the Magic Treasure was now covered in cracks, clearly nearly ruined.

Deathly silence! The entire square fell into a deathly silence once again!

Everyone was stunned by this Heaven-Defying reversal. Lin Fan, who had already broken through to the Golden Core Peak, was actually so vulnerable before Xiao Ming's single palm strike? The crowd buzzed with discussion.

"Eh! He doesn't seem to be injured!"

"Tsk, you don't understand, do you? Nirvana, nirvana—that Nirvana Soul Palm specifically targets the soul body; naturally, the Physical Body is fine."

On the arena, Xiao Ming slowly withdrew his palm. He looked indifferently at Lin Fan, who was now lying on the ground with only half a breath left, and walked forward with slow steps.

Watching Xiao Ming approach step by step, Lin Fan's consciousness, blurred by the severe Soul injury, was now completely swallowed by endless fear! His desire to survive overwhelmed all hatred and resentment. He used all his strength to raise a trembling hand and pleaded in a weak voice:

"Junior... Junior Brother Xiao... spare... spare my life... I... I admit defeat... I was wrong... I beg you... let me go... I can acknowledge you as my Revered Master... become your slave or servant... please don't kill me!" His eyes were filled with despair and supplication.

Xiao Ming didn't stop until he reached Lin Fan. He looked down from above at this Child of Fortune, who was slumped on the ground like a pile of mud, his gaze indifferent and devoid of any pity.

Seeing how calm Xiao Ming was, Lin Fan trembled violently, the fear in his eyes intensifying. Suddenly, as if grasping at a final straw, he sent a voice transmission with suppressed malice: 'Xiao Ming! You... you can't kill me! I... I know everything about you and your Revered Master! If you dare to kill me... even if I die... I will make the scandalous affair between you and your Revered Master public! I'll ruin both of your reputations!'

Hearing Lin Fan's threat, a trace of mockery and playfulness flashed in Xiao Ming's eyes. He slowly leaned down, brought his mouth close to Lin Fan's ear, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Don't be so excited!"

Hearing this, Lin Fan was overjoyed. He was afraid! He really was afraid of the matter being exposed! An incestuous affair between Revered Master and Disciple would be despised even in a demonic Sect. Although people wouldn't dare say anything openly, they would surely condemn it in secret.

He hurriedly sent another voice transmission, his voice trembling with the urgency of a survivor: 'Junior Brother Xiao! As long as you are willing to let me go! I, Lin Fan, swear by my Heart Demon that I will remain tight-lipped about you and your Revered Master. If you're still not satisfied, I can even acknowledge you as my Revered Master! I only... only ask that you spare my life!'

His gaze was sincere, as if he were truly willing to submit.

Xiao Ming sneered repeatedly. How could he not know that a Child of Fortune was not someone who would willingly serve others? The mockery at the corner of his mouth became more apparent. Xiao Ming slowly reached out and gently patted Lin Fan's shoulder. His movements were slight, but his voice carried a cat-and-mouse playfulness as he sent a faint transmission:

"I might as well tell you..." Xiao Ming's voice was like a curse, "That cold Revered Master of mine, she is actually quite willing. In fact... sometimes, she's even more proactive than I am. Tell me, how is this a scandal? It's clearly a case of deep affection and mutual love between Revered Master and Disciple!"

"You're lying! Impossible! Peak Master Luo... how could she..." Lin Fan's mind was shaken, and he instinctively wanted to retort. How could that cold, majestic, and unattainable Peak Master Luo...! Then he immediately realized that his life was still in Xiao Ming's hands; Xiao Ming could say whatever he wanted right now!

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"Senior Brother Xiao is right! You and Peak Master Luo are truly a match made in heaven, a natural pair, like the sun and moon shining together, like stars and clouds reflecting each other. How could the word 'well-matched' possibly do it justice?"

Seeing him so willing to bend and stretch, Xiao Ming sighed inwardly, 'As expected of you, Child of Fortune!'

He then leaned in closer again and, in a tone only the two of them could hear, slowly spat out a few words: "Yin... ji... Ghost... Way!"

Upon hearing these words, Lin Fan's fawning and obsequious expression instantly froze, and his pupils suddenly constricted!

When the four words "Yinji Ghost Way" were spoken from Xiao Ming's mouth, all his previous suspicions were confirmed. The person who had beaten him to the Legacy he had worked so hard to find, and who had nearly caused his death, was indeed Xiao Ming!

These words, like the final straw that broke the camel's back, instantly shattered the emotions he had been desperately suppressing!

Endless resentment, jealousy, and unwillingness erupted like a volcano!

"It... it's you! It really is you! Xiao Ming! I f*** you..." Lin Fan's eyes were splitting, roaring and cursing!

Seeing him so agitated, Xiao Ming curled his lips, leaned down to his ear, and said in a playful yet cruel voice: "You know, my Revered Master Luo Li... she is truly... very moist!"

These few light words pierced precisely into the depths of Lin Fan's remaining Soul!

"Urgh... hoh... hoh..."

As his voice fell, Xiao Ming's palm suddenly shot out, and he roared: "Heaven-Swallowing Demon Art!"

"Urgh ahhhh—!!!" Lin Fan let out a shrill, agonizing shriek!

A moment later, Xiao Ming slowly straightened up, leaving only a hideous, terrifying corpse at his feet.

"He... he won! Senior Brother Xiao won!"

"My god! It's this move again, so terrifying, even Senior Brother Lin Fan after his Breakthrough turned into a corpse!"

"What was that palm technique just now? Too terrifying! It directly annihilated the Soul Origin!"

"Wow! Junior Brother Xiao Ming won, he is so handsome!"

"I love you, I want to have your babies, Senior Brother Xiao Ming!"

"Ahem, from now on, Senior Brother Xiao is the number one person of the younger generation in our Heavenly Demon Sect!"

Exclamations, praises, and countless gazes mixed with awe, fanaticism, and worship swept across the entire square like a tsunami!

The Disciples of the Demon Sect naturally revered the strong, and the absolute strength and ruthless methods displayed by Xiao Ming matched their imagination of a "strong person"!

Many Disciples had eyes full of heat and worship, as if looking up at a newborn Demon God!

On the high platform, the various Peak Revered Masters and Elders had different expressions.

The beautiful faces of the Vice Sect Master and Peak Master Luo were full of gratification and appreciation, their phoenix eyes shining with brilliance.

Seeing Vice Sect Master Luo Hongyi take a step, it was as if there were invisible stairs beneath her feet, walking through the air, her figure graceful yet carrying supreme majesty, instantly appearing above the central arena.

Her flaming phoenix-patterned long dress fluttered slightly amidst the churning Devilish Qi around her.

Her gaze swept over the still-boiling crowd below, and her clear, majestic voice instantly suppressed all the clamor, clearly spreading throughout the entire venue: "Silence!"

The entire square quickly quieted down, and tens of thousands of gazes focused instantly on that peerless figure in the air.

Luo Hongyi cast her gaze on Xiao Ming, a smile appearing on her face, her voice carrying an unquestionable tone: "This year's heavenly demon ranking competition ends here! Heartless Peak Disciple, Xiao Ming, has topped the list... The top of the list shall be heavily rewarded!"

Luo Hongyi waved her jade hand lightly, and suddenly, three dazzling rays of light flew out from her sleeves, hovering in mid-air, emitting heart-palpitating energy fluctuations and profound Dao Rhyme!

The first item was a crystal about the size of a fist, dark gold in color, with natural dragon-shaped patterns on the surface.

Faint, deep dragon roars could be heard from within, emitting a terrifying aura as heavy as a mountain and incomparably sharp!

It seemed that with just a little refining, it could become the core material for a peerless divine weapon!

"This is... the 'ancient dragon-vein crystal'!" A knowledgeable Elder exclaimed, "This is a peerless divine material for refining top-tier Emperor Weapons! It is said that only when a powerful Dragon Clan expert falls, and after ten thousand years of tempering in the Earth's core, can a fingernail-sized piece be formed! Even the Dragon Clan can enhance their own Bloodline Power if they obtain it. Such a large piece is simply a priceless treasure!"

A collective gasp of cold air erupted from below the stage, and countless gazes became incredibly heated!

The second item was a palm-sized jade pendant with a simple, ancient design.

Neither jade nor stone, the surface was smooth and reserved, with no light shining, yet it seemed to be able to swallow the surrounding light.

It hovered there quietly, without any powerful energy fluctuations, but emitted a profound aura of "shrouding the heavenly secrets" and "invulnerability to all laws," making anyone who looked at it feel at peace, as if their own sense of existence had been blurred by it.

"What kind of treasure is this? Why can't I sense any aura fluctuations?"

"It looks ordinary, but it gives me a feeling of being unfathomable..."

The vast majority of Disciples looked confused, not recognizing this item.

Only a few very Senior and knowledgeable Elders on the high platform, as well as some Peak Revered Masters, saw their pupils constrict upon seeing this jade pendant, and their faces revealed even more intense shock and disbelief!

"The... the sky-shrouding jade!" An Elder said with a trembling voice, "A legendary treasure capable of obscuring heavenly secrets and avoiding tribulations and disasters! Huh, I originally thought this item was just a legend, but I didn't expect... the Vice Sect Master to actually take out such a Heaven-Defying item as a competition reward!"

An suppressed commotion erupted on the high platform!

At their level, they knew the terrifying value of the "sky-shrouding jade"!

Being able to avoid the investigation of heavenly secrets, conceal one's own destiny, and even... avoid the Heavenly Tribulation!

For any Cultivator, this was practically a second life!

Its value far exceeded ten, or even a hundred, weapon Magic Treasures!

The eyes of those who knew its value became incredibly scorching and greedy, but they were quickly forcibly suppressed.

However, when the third item that flew out of Luo Hongyi's sleeve appeared, the entire square, including everyone on the high platform, fell into a death-like silence!

It was a token.

The token was entirely dark blood-red, as if cast from solidified Demon God blood, with a simple and hideous design, and roaring demon dragon patterns on the edges.

In the center of the token, there was only one ancient and domineering Demon character— "Saint"!

The moment this token appeared, an indescribable, supreme majesty that stood above all living beings, like a Demon God who had been sleeping for eons waking up, descended with a boom, covering the entire square!

All Disciples, regardless of their cultivation level, felt an urge to prostrate and worship deep within their Souls at this moment!

"The... the Heavenly Demon holy son token!!!"

The entire square completely exploded! It was more frantic and boiling than any time before!

Many people might not have known what the second reward was, just feeling it was extremely profound, but this third item, even if they hadn't seen it, hearing the surrounding discussions and the Sect's past deeds, they couldn't help but gasp in cold air.

"The holy son token! It's the holy son token! It is rumored that the Sect's Saint position has been vacant for hundreds of years, could it be that today...!"

"I remember the Heavenly Demon Sect rules state that those who obtain the holy son token are the Saint of our Heavenly Demon Sect! Their status is noble, second only to the Sect Master and Vice Sect Master, and they can mobilize most of the Sect's resources. Seeing the token is like seeing the Sect Master!"

"My god! The Sect is going to appoint a Saint! Senior Brother Xiao Ming... will be the future helmsman of the Sect!"

"Wow, a Saint! Junior Brother Xiao Ming actually became the Saint!"

Countless Disciples were trembling with excitement, their faces flushed, and their gazes toward Xiao Ming were filled with endless fanaticism and awe!

A Saint! This meant that the future landscape of the Heavenly Demon Sect would completely change, and an era belonging to Xiao Ming was about to arrive!

On the high platform, several Peak Revered Masters and Elders who supported Tu Gang and Xing Lao stood up abruptly, their eyes staring fixedly at the dark blood-red holy son token.

Someone even questioned repeatedly: "A Saint? Why! Vice Sect Master Luo! How dare you privately..."

But before he could finish his words, he felt several cold, piercing murderous auras coming from the side.

It was Luo Li and several Elders from the Sect Master's faction.

Those emotionless gazes, and Luo Hongyi's smiling yet absolutely majestic stare, made him swallow the rest of his words.

His face turned livid, his eyes filled with horror and unwillingness, but more of a deep powerlessness.

The Saint position had been restarted, which meant that the Sect Master's faction had already obtained the support of the deepest power in the Sect!

It seemed that their overall situation was now lost!

Luo Hongyi was very satisfied with the effect on the scene.

She swept her gaze across the audience and finally landed on Xiao Ming again, her voice carrying majesty: "Xiao Ming, your talent is unparalleled, your Heart-Nature is resilient, and you have even comprehended the Sect's lost supreme technique. This is Heaven's will! Today, I, together with the various Peak Revered Masters and Elders of the Sect, have decided to bestow upon you the holy son token! From this day on, you are the 367th generation Saint of our Heavenly Demon Sect! I hope you will Cultivate diligently, do not fail the Sect's high expectations, and in the future, lead our Heavenly Demon Sect to reproduce the ancient glory!"

As her voice fell, the three rewards emitting dazzling brilliance and majestic auras slowly flew toward Xiao Ming on the arena.

Xiao Ming looked up, gazing at the three rewards in the air that were enough to drive the outside world crazy, especially the holy son token representing supreme authority.

His eyes remained calm, but a trace of undetectable dark light flashed in their depths.

He bowed slightly, stretched out his hands, his voice steady, echoing clearly over the quieted square: "Disciple Xiao Ming will certainly not fail the Sect's high expectations!"

Finally, under the gaze of tens of thousands of complex and incredibly heated eyes, the three heavy treasures slowly fell into Xiao Ming's hands and were put into his storage ring.

Thus, the heavenly demon ranking competition ended!

After the competition, Xiao Ming exchanged pleasantries with a group of Heavenly Demon Sect Peak Revered Masters and Elders, and finally, under the faint gaze of his Revered Master Luo Li, followed her back to the Heartless Peak sleeping palace.