Chapter 554 - 552: One Against a Host of Heroes

As Lin Xuan stepped into the passage, the scene before him remained unchanged, still shrouded in a thick fog. Peering down, he could faintly discern a deep abyss below. It felt as if a single misstep would send him plummeting.

This was a concern for any cultivator below the Spirit Pill Stage, but Lin Xuan was not worried. He possessed Elemental Power Wings and had no fear of falling to his death.

Of course, experts at the Spirit Pill Stage were unlikely to die from a fall. By circulating their internal Elemental Power, they could easily survive a drop from a great height without issue.

As they continued forward, the scenery began to transform. The view below changed, revealing clusters of simple houses. This was the domain of Medicine King Valley, inhabited by its disciples.

He could also spot several gardens where valuable Spirit Medicine grew. ’No wonder they blindfold visitors,’ he thought. ’It’s to prevent them from seeing the complete layout of Medicine King Valley. From here, you can see everything.’

The only part he couldn’t see was the area at the far end of the valley, which was also the most important region.

Normally, outsiders were only permitted into the main hall. After concluding their business or retrieving their items, they were expected to leave immediately, never to tour the Medicine King Valley. Their security was incredibly strict, and secrecy was paramount.

"So this is Medicine King Valley... It really is spectacular," Lin Xuan murmured in admiration. The sight was truly breathtaking. A rich fragrance of Spirit Medicine washed over him, and as they went deeper, the distinct aroma of Alchemy tickled his nose.

Their "Fourth Uncle" was saturated with the same scent, which he must have carried with him from this place. Every single disciple here practiced Alchemy, without exception. The only difference between them was their level of skill.

"Of course it is..." Long Yuwei’s lovely eyes shimmered with nostalgia. It had been far too long since she had returned.

When they reached the end of the path, a staircase appeared, leading downward. They descended the stairs and finally set foot on solid ground, a feeling of stability they had lacked while on the bridge.

The path they had just walked was, in fact, a bridge—one forged entirely from Elemental Power. If anyone ever tried to force their way into Medicine King Valley, the bridge could simply be severed, leaving no entrance and sealing the valley off completely.

However, the disadvantage was equally obvious: while others couldn’t get in, they couldn’t get out either.

"Hey, isn’t that the traitor? What is she doing back here! Get out!"

"Get out! Get out! Get the hell out of here!"

"How dare you show your face here after betraying our ancestors’ oath! Get out!"

...

They had only just descended when someone spotted Long Yuwei. Over twenty years had passed, but aside from the youngest disciples, most recognized her. It was impossible to forget the traitor of Medicine King Valley, the one who had defied their sacred ancestral oath.

The moment she set foot on the ground, she was met with a barrage of furious curses and accusations. Her return was not welcome in the slightest.

Long Yuwei fell silent. She knew she had been in the wrong, so she did not argue. But if they dared to involve her family, she would not be so passive. As long as the insults were directed only at her, she would endure them without a single complaint.

Their "Fourth Uncle" shot her a mocking look, as if to emphasize just how unwelcome she was. ’A traitor is always a traitor, no matter how much time has passed.’

"Look, she even brought a man back with her. He looks just like the late Patriarch of the Lin Family. To think her son is already so grown! The Lin Family was destroyed; I can’t believe he’s still alive. He must have a tough life!"

"So what if he survived? He’s just living in hiding! Do any of the Lin Family dare show their faces in public? The Yan Family and the Su Family would wipe them out in an instant!"

"I heard the Lin Family’s Bloodline Power is ’crippled’ in its early stages. I wonder if this son of the Lin Family is still in that pathetic state!"

"That’s right, a ’crippled’ Bloodline Power that only becomes powerful later. Who knows if it ever will? If she had married our Grand Elder, their child would surely have been far more exceptional!"

...

Long Yuwei’s expression grew darker and darker; she was on the verge of erupting. They had touched her last nerve. Just as she was about to unleash her fury, Lin Xuan stepped forward and stared at them with cold eyes.

"’Crippled Bloodline Power?’" Lin Xuan sneered. "Fine. I’ll stand right here and let you challenge me. Any of you whose Cultivation is at the Spirit Pill Stage, I’ll take you on without so much as blinking. If I lose, I’ll get the hell out of Medicine King Valley right now. If I win, you will all shut your mouths for good. Before you call others trash, you’d better take a good look in the mirror and see what’s staring back!"

His words sent a shockwave through the crowd. They never expected Lin Xuan to be so domineering or to dare make such a bold proclamation.

"Do you stand by those words!?" an Elder demanded, stepping forward with a grim expression.

"Absolutely. I won’t just get out—I’ll get out on my hands and knees! I am a man of my word. If I can’t even back this up, then I am unworthy of the Lin Family’s Bloodline Power and even more unworthy of my family name!" Lin Xuan’s voice was firm as steel, radiating an unmatched arrogance.

He intended to single-handedly challenge all the geniuses of Medicine King Valley. Or rather, anyone with Spirit Pill Stage Cultivation. By his terms, as long as they were at the Spirit Pill Stage, anyone could challenge him, regardless of age.

Medicine King Valley had no shortage of Spirit Pill Stage experts. They could wear him down and kill him simply by fighting him one after another.

The disciples exchanged glances, shocked that Lin Xuan would make such a ruthless vow, but it only fueled their anger. ’Who does this wet-behind-the-ears brat think he is, talking to us like that?’ they thought. ’He’s from a family on the brink of extinction. What right does he have to be so arrogant?!’

"In that case, I, Long Feng, will be the first to answer your challenge. Let’s see what your ’invincible’ Lin Family is made of!" Long Feng stepped forward. He was not old, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with a Cultivation at the Seventh Layer Spirit Pill Stage—a level higher than Lin Xuan’s.

The moment he stepped forward, he drew a longsword, his eyes filled with disdain. ’His Cultivation is lower than mine, and he has that crippled Lin Family bloodline,’ he thought. ’Beating him will be nothing to brag about.’

THUD!

Lin Xuan summoned the Chi Dragon Heavens Rod and slammed it into the ground. "I’ll stand right here," he announced coldly. "If any of you can force me back even a single step, I lose. You don’t even need to defeat me."

Arrogance. Pure, unadulterated arrogance. The only way to counter their arrogance was to be even more arrogant himself. He wouldn’t give them an inch of respect. ’To hell with their ancestral oath and their rigid, pointless rules!’

This was one man against a multitude. He was challenging every Spirit Pill Stage expert, every genius in Medicine King Valley, to prove that the Lin Family was not weak and that his mother, Long Yuwei, had made the right choice.

The Lin Family was powerful, too!