A man from the Big Dipper, starting his charlatanship at Mount Tai.

They've only just arrived at the mountain gate, not even entered Zhuofeng yet, and Lin Xiu has already gained something? Is he even human?

"No. It's something else." Lin Xiu shook his head.

"This gate is built on the mountain, taking advantage of its momentum, and will stand for ten thousand years. Observing the atmosphere of the mountain gate, I suddenly had a feeling and comprehended a Taoist art related to the mountain."

"Young Master's extraordinary talent is truly admirable," Yan Ruyu said with a sudden smile, genuinely praising him.

......

Just then, a figure appeared at the bend in the mountain path not far away.

It was a woman, wearing a light blue dress, tall and slender, with fair skin, delicate features, and a cool and aloof demeanor.

It was Li Xiaoman.

Li Xiaoman also saw Lin Xiu and Yan Ruyu in front of the mountain gate. Her gaze lingered on Lin Xiu for a moment, then fell on Yan Ruyu beside him.

Yan Ruyu was dressed in a green robe, her black hair cascading down her back. Her beauty was unparalleled, and she was surrounded by a faint aura of blue lotus, like a fairy descending from the moon palace.

A hint of surprise flashed across Li Xiaoman's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.

What women were around Lin Xiu was completely unimportant to her; what mattered was that she had finally seen Lin Xiu again!

Thinking of the recent rumors about Lin Xiu, a hint of urgency flashed in Li Xiaoman's usually cold eyes.

Lin Xiu... is now her greatest hope!

A few seconds later, Li Xiaoman took the initiative to step forward, walked up to Lin Xiu, and bowed slightly.

"Master Lin, it has been almost a year since we parted ways in the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land. I am truly delighted to meet you here today." Li Xiaoman greeted him with a clear and melodious voice and a respectful tone.

Lin Xiu looked at her and smiled:

"So it's young friend Li! Long time no see. Are you cultivating at the Tai Xuan Sect now?"

"Yes." Li Xiaoman nodded.

“Meng Xingfeng valued Xiaoman and took her under his wing. I usually cultivate at Xingfeng, and occasionally come to Zhuofeng to observe, hoping to have an opportunity.”

At this point, Li Xiaoman paused, looked up at Lin Xiu, her eyes full of admiration.

"Master Lin, your reputation has spread throughout the Eastern Wilderness. In the battle of the Holy City, Elder Hualong was defeated by Master Lin with a single punch. You are even recognized as the number one among the younger generation."

"I've even heard that you've achieved some success in the art of Origin Arts, defeating a master Origin Arts expert who came to challenge you. I wonder if these rumors, Xiaoman, are true?"

Lin Xiu smiled and shook his head. He knew that while Li Xiaoman's question had an element of flattery, it also contained a significant element of probing and intelligence gathering.

Only if he gave Li Xiaoman a definite answer that satisfied her would she be willing to move on to the next step.

However, since he had already done those things, and it had even reached Li Xiaoman's ears, Lin Xiu made no attempt to hide his actions and directly admitted it:

"Just an empty title. As for you, how are you doing at the Tai Xuan Sect?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xiaoman sighed softly:

"Thanks to Master Tuolin, Xiaoman's cultivation has been relatively smooth. However, although the Tai Xuan Sect is a great sect, its heritage is ultimately not as profound as that of the Holy Land. With so many disciples, the allocation of resources inevitably leads to competition."

"As for you, Immortal Master Lin, having joined a holy land like the Tianxuan Holy Land, and with the newly emerging supreme powerhouse 'Dao Master' as your Holy Lord, your future will surely be smooth sailing."

Li Xiaoman asked the question very naturally, but Lin Xiu knew the answer in his heart.

Li Xiaoman was testing whether the Dao Lord was the Heavenly Pivot Saint Lord, and what the relationship was between her and the Dao Lord.

Because Lin Xiu's face was covered when he put on the puppet armor, most of the cultivators in the Eastern Wilderness, like Li Xiaoman, thought that the Dao Lord and Lin Xiu were two different people.

After all, one is a supreme expert with an imperial weapon, and the other is a young genius in the Dragon Transformation Realm. They shouldn't be the same person, right?

At most... because they are in the same holy land, they are master and disciple?

Li Xiaoman... is a staunch believer in the "Master-Disciple Theory of Lin Xiudao".

Because only by believing this can she escape the current vortex!

.......

Just like in the original novel, Li Xiaoman had a very good relationship with Hua Yunfei after joining Xingfeng.

And then... they became like grasshoppers on the same rope.

Hua Yunfei was the furnace prepared by the Holy Son of Yaoguang, while Li Xiaoman was Hua Yunfei's henchman and cannon fodder.

The path of ruthless expansion is destined to be bloody. Hua Yunfei himself is in dire straits; if he falls, Li Xiaoman's fate will be absolutely tragic.

Therefore, she wanted to contact the "Dao Lord," a supreme being who possessed an imperial artifact, through Lin Xiu.

Because only a supreme expert with an imperial artifact has the ability to protect them from the pursuit of the Ruthless Clan!

Furthermore, most of the top experts who possess imperial artifacts are cultivators from large families. Only emerging forces like the "Dao Lord" are likely to accept them, rather than exploiting them like other large families do.

This Dao Lord who has only recently risen to prominence, this Dao Lord who is said to be in the same Tianxuan Holy Land as Lin Xiu... has become Li Xiaoman's greatest hope!

........

Yan Ruyu stood beside Lin Xiu. Upon hearing the words "Dao Lord," the corners of her lips curved almost imperceptibly. She naturally knew that the "Dao Lord" who was renowned throughout the Holy City was none other than Lin Xiu himself, wearing the special puppet armor.

Lin Xiu also knew Li Xiaoman's purpose in seeking the Dao Master, and nodded, saying:

"I have indeed heard of the Dao Lord; he is the protector of my Tianxuan Holy Land. What brings you to him?"

When Li Xiaoman saw Lin Xiu admit it, a hint of joy flashed in her eyes. She then lowered her voice and took half a step forward.

"To be honest, Immortal Master Lin, some time ago, Xiaoman obtained an ancient scripture by chance. According to Xiaoman's judgment, the scripture should be the incomplete imperial scripture lost by the Tianxuan Holy Land."

"Oh?"

"The lost imperial scripture of the Tianxuan Holy Land?" Lin Xiu raised an eyebrow.

Li Xiaoman observed Lin Xiu's expression and continued:

"Xiaoman knows she is not fortunate enough to keep this to herself. She has also heard that the Daoist Master is knowledgeable and powerful, so she wishes to offer this scripture to make friends with him. If the Daoist Master is willing to come and meet her in person, Xiaoman is willing to present it to him without hesitation."

Li Xiaoman spoke eloquently and adopted an extremely humble posture.

"Young friend Li, are you sure what you're going to hand over... is the lost Imperial Scripture of the Tianxuan Holy Land?" Lin Xiu asked with a smile.

Li Xiaoman's heart tightened, but her face remained calm:

"Xiaoman is not very knowledgeable and can only recognize that it has some similarities with the fragments of the Tianxuan Emperor Scripture. As for the specifics, we need the Dao Master to make a personal assessment."

"it is good."

Lin Xiu nodded.

"Since there is hope for the return of the Tianxuan Emperor Scripture, as a disciple of Tianxuan, I cannot sit idly by."

"Give me a time and place~ I will contact the Daoist Master to keep the appointment."

Li Xiaoman breathed a sigh of relief and immediately said:

"The day after tomorrow at Hai hour, three hundred li east of Tai Xuan Gate, there is a dilapidated ancient temple. Xiao Man will be there to wait for the Dao Master."

"Your Excellency's presence is greatly appreciated."

"Yes, I will make sure the Dao Lord keeps the appointment as much as possible."

Lin Xiu's eyes darted around, but he ultimately agreed.

Li Xiaoman showed gratitude on her face and bowed to Lin Xiu again.

"Thank you for your help, Immortal Master Lin. This scripture is a fragment of the Heavenly Pivot Emperor Scripture. I hope you can give it to the Dao Lord so that he can verify it personally."

After saying that, Li Xiaoman gave a fragment of scripture, then turned and drifted away, her figure quickly disappearing at the end of the mountain path.

Clearly, she was very careful and didn't want others to know that she had taken the initiative to contact Lin Xiu.

To be precise, it's about not wanting the ruthless people around them to know.

.......

“Little Ancestor, what she said... is clearly untrue.”

Yan Ruyu had been listening quietly the whole time, and only now did she speak softly.

The lost scroll of the Imperial Scripture from the Tianxuan Holy Land? What a coincidence! So much time has passed, and neither the Tianxuan disciples nor other extreme forces have discovered it, yet Li Xiaoman found it?

Yan Ruyu trusted Lin Xiu's intelligence; if she could figure it out, Lin Xiu could certainly too. However, she didn't understand why Lin Xiu had agreed to meet with Li Xiaoman.

"Of course she doesn't have the Tianxuan Emperor Scripture."

Lin Xiu gazed in the direction Li Xiaoman had left and said calmly.

"But... what she offered up was indeed an Emperor-level secret technique."

"She possesses a portion of the legacy of the Ruthless Great Emperor."

Upon hearing this, Yan Ruyu's beautiful eyes narrowed sharply, her stunning face filled with shock.

Ruthless Emperor!

She was one of the most brilliant and talented emperors in history, who attained enlightenment with a mortal body, devoured kings, and achieved immortality in the mortal world. Every part of her legacy was enough to cause bloodshed.

A few seconds later, Yan Ruyu glanced around before leaning close to Lin Xiu's ear and whispering:

"If that's the case, then she's a true successor of the Ruthless Man?"

Yan Ruyu knew that Lin Xiuxiu had a method similar to the Devouring Heaven Demon Art but a more advanced one, which could condense chaotic energy using only the blood of cultivators. However, this was the first time she had encountered a true successor of a ruthless person.

Seeing Yan Ruyu being so cautious, Lin Xiu smiled and said:

“You don’t need to be so cautious. I sealed off the surrounding space as soon as she got close, so there’s no risk of the news leaking out.”

"As for her, she can't be considered a successor of the ruthless man; at most, she's cannon fodder among his successors."

Lin Xiu thought of the Holy Son of Yao Guang and Jiang Yifei. These two gentle and refined young prodigies were the true successors of the Ruthless One. Of course, if one had to rank them, Hua Yunfei would be considered a successor of the Ruthless One. If he could defeat the Holy Son of Yao Guang, he could replace the Holy Son as the successor of the Ruthless One. Unfortunately, he really couldn't win.

As for Li Xiaoman... well, she was Hua Yunfei's lackey, or rather, cannon fodder.

......

"At first, she probably just wanted to practice some top-tier techniques, thinking that she could bear the risks."

"It wasn't until later that she realized how deep the water was, and she began to think about getting out."

"However, how difficult is it to break free from the control of the Ruthless lineage? Even with the protection of a powerful figure, it is almost impossible. Only a powerful figure with an imperial weapon has the right to do so."

"And I... am the only thing she has to rely on to reach such an existence."

Seeing that Lin Xiu already knew so much detail and didn't need her reminder, Yan Ruyu nodded slightly.