Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

The words "Emperor of the Underworld" immediately sent a chill down the spine of the injured Second Elder, who was lying on the ground.

He forcibly suppressed the churning blood within him, stood up, and stared intently as Xia Jin retreated step by step.

On the high platform, apart from the Seventh Elder who had already recognized Xia Jin's identity, the remaining five Qingyun Sect elders exchanged glances almost simultaneously, a look of horror appearing on their faces.

"Afraid... what are you afraid of? With the sect leader here, this brat can't cause any trouble!" The elder unconsciously swallowed, his fierce expression masking his inner fear as he gripped the hilt of his sword.

"The First Elder is right! No matter how strong this kid is, as long as he hasn't reached the Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm, he will die today!" The Third Elder, standing to the side, also gritted his teeth and took a step forward.

Ling Shanxiao carefully examined Xia Jin, then suddenly burst into laughter.

The aura emanating from this so-called "Emperor of the Underworld" seemed to have only touched the threshold of the Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm.

If he were truly only at the half-step Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm as rumored, he would indeed have suffered a major setback today. But unfortunately, his true strength is at the second level of the Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm.

"I, the sect leader, have long wanted to meet you, the legendary 'Son of the Underworld' of Great Xia, and see if you truly live up to your reputation! Unexpectedly, before I even set out, you've delivered yourself right to my doorstep!"

"Speak! Where are Elder Zhao of my Qingyun Sect, and Young Master Lin who was traveling with him?!" Ling Shanxiao's smile vanished, and he stared coldly at Xia Jin.

"Elder Zhao of your Qingyun Sect?" Xia Jin raised an eyebrow, then seemed to remember something. He patted the black coffin beside him and looked at the other party with a smile: "I remember now, you mean that old ghost who doesn't know his own death, and that young master?"

He sighed and shook his head.

"Why didn't you say so earlier? I thought those people were deliberately disguised as members of the Qingyun Sect to sabotage the relationship between our two sides, so I couldn't help but kill them on the spot."

"What?"

"You just said...you killed Elder Zhao and Young Master Lin!?" The First Elder and several other elders stared at Xia Jin in disbelief, while Ling Shanxiao, who was standing in front of them, turned completely gloomy.

The veins on his forehead were faintly visible, and the aura emanating from his body began to surge uncontrollably.

"good!"

"good!"

"good!"

Ling Shanxiao gritted his teeth and said "good" three times in a row, each time colder and more ferocious than the last, his eyes filled with killing intent that was almost tangible.

"You killed an elder and a distinguished guest of my Qingyun Sect, and even dared to send a coffin to my enthronement ceremony... Boy, do you really think the Qingyun Sect can't do anything to you?"

"Today, you will remain here and be buried with Elder Zhao and Young Master Lin!"

Ling Shanxiao slowly drew his sword, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground, and walked towards Xia Jin step by step.

With each step he took, the oppressive aura intensified.

"Not only you, but the Great Xia Dynasty behind you will also be buried with you for your foolishness, for the humiliation my Qingyun Sect has suffered today!"

"You? You think you can do that?" Xia Jin tilted her head slightly, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "A mere second-level cultivator of the Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm?"

"What? The sect leader is at the second level of the Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm?"

"That can't be right, wasn't it said that the sect leader was at the half-step Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm?"

"Perhaps the sect leader is hiding his true strength!"

The Qingyun Sect disciples nearby immediately began to whisper among themselves. In the eyes of these ordinary disciples, a half-step into the Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm was already a top expert who could dominate a region, and the second level of the Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm was even more unimaginable.

However, the expressions of the Qingyun Sect elders on the high platform changed the moment Xia Jin uttered those words.

They were thinking even further ahead—the sect leader had concealed his true strength without them even noticing, yet Xia Jin had seen through it at a glance! Didn't that mean… his strength might even be above the sect leader's?!

Ling Shanxiao's steps abruptly stopped the moment Xia Jin finished speaking.

His gaze was fixed on Xia Jin, as if trying to see through him completely, and for the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.

"Huh? Why did you stop?" Xia Jin's lips curled up slightly as she beckoned to Ling Shanxiao. "Didn't you just say you were going to kill me and destroy my Great Xia? You weren't... really scared by my words, were you?"

"Kid, you...!"

The slight fear in Ling Shanxiao's eyes was immediately dispelled by his anger.

Being cowardly before even engaging in battle is not his style!

"You're playing tricks! Die, you sect leader!"

With his full power unleashed at the second level of the Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm, the stone slab tens of meters long between him and Xia Jin cracked inch by inch even before the sword's momentum arrived. The terrifying pressure caused the Qingyun Sect disciples not far away to retreat involuntarily.

"The momentum is acceptable, but the sword intent is too rough."

Before he could finish speaking, a beam of azure sword light completely engulfed him!

"boom--!"

A deafening roar erupted, and smoke and dust billowed into the sky. Several elders of the Qingyun Sect held their breath.

However, as the dust settled, a scene that sent chills down everyone's spines appeared—Xia Jin was still standing in the same spot, her body enveloped in a layer of pale golden light!

"Didn't you eat?" Xia Jin asked casually.

"Hmm?" Ling Shanxiao's eyes narrowed, and he was somewhat shocked. He hadn't seen clearly how the other party had blocked his sword.

However, the fact that he was able to withstand the sword strike unscathed clearly shows that his opponent's cultivation level was no weaker than his own.

The surprised looks from the surrounding Qingyun Sect disciples made him lose face. His eyes turned bloodshot, and he poured all his true energy into the sword!

The longsword in his hand shone brightly with azure light, and a ferocious azure dragon phantom could be faintly seen, charging towards Xia Jin!

"Is this all you've got? It's a pity, it's still a bit lacking." Xia Jin shook her head, seemingly somewhat disappointed.

He raised his right hand, spread his fingers, and gently clenched them towards the sword light.

"Click—"

Everyone seemed to hear the illusory azure dragon let out a mournful cry before instantly disintegrating.

The longsword that Ling Shanxiao had used for decades was actually held by Xia Jin with her bare hands.

That wasn't all. The moment Ling Shanxiao's gate opened wide, his left hand reached directly for the other person's chest.

"Pfft!"

Ling Shanxiao was shocked and looked down in disbelief.

A long, slender, fair hand emerged from his chest.

"You...the Free and Unfettered Heavenly Realm...four..." Before his consciousness faded, Ling Shanxiao looked at Xia Jin with some fear and a trace of regret.

If I had run away just now, would I have had a chance to live?

"Too weak!!" Xia Jin slowly withdrew her hand, and Ling Shanxiao's body slumped down.

He casually picked up the other person's corpse and tossed it nonchalantly into the black coffin next to him.

"Bang."

The body fell into the coffin with a muffled thud.

Xia Jin looked down into the coffin, and that chilling smile reappeared on her face:

"Great, this size...it fits perfectly."

The audience was silent.

On the high platform, the sword in the Grand Elder's hand clattered to the ground, and his face turned ashen.

The other elders also felt a chill run down their spines, as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

Among the hundreds of Qingyun Sect disciples in the square, not a single one dared to utter a sound.

They could only stare intently at the smiling figure standing beside the coffin.

"The sect leader is dead!!"