Chapter 14544 The Watcher Arrives

"Holy Temple..."

Ling Xiao uttered a voice that was no longer human; instead, it sounded like the whisper of some indescribable, terrifying being from the abyss—hoarse, cold, and filled with an indifferent indifference that threatened to destroy everything.

"Ominous!" The hunched old man in the air quickly recovered from his shock and doubt, his arrogant indifference returning to his face, his tone tinged with disdain, "It's nothing more than a wisp of ancient remnant spirit manifested by the remnants of the Imperial Banner, yet it dares to obstruct the Holy Temple's punishment?"

Ling Xiao seemed to only then notice the threat in the air. He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze coldly locking onto the hunched old man, his eyes filled with extreme coldness and devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

"You want to kill him?"

He asked, his voice soft yet clearly carrying throughout the room, like the grinding of ice from the deepest abyss, devoid of any human warmth.

The hunched old man stood with his hands behind his back, his body radiating golden light like a blazing sun. Holy laws of order surrounded him, and his tone was filled with an unyielding arrogance: "Those who blaspheme the Holy Temple will surely die! If you know what's good for you, quickly disperse the remnants of the Imperial Banner and surrender, and I might spare a wisp of your soul..."

His words came to an abrupt halt, as if severed by a sharp blade!

Because Ling Xiao had appeared before him without his noticing... the space between them seemed to have been completely erased, so close that he could see the folds in the old man's gray robe. Ling Xiao didn't even draw his sword or use any weapon; he simply extended his right hand, which was shrouded in wisps of black smoke, his fingers slightly spread, and lightly reached for his neck!
The hunchbacked old man's pupils shrank to needle size, and the hairs on his body stood on end! The protective divine light around him, which had been condensed to the extreme, and the law barrier containing the supreme order of the Holy Temple, were as fragile as paper in front of that hand shrouded in black smoke. They collapsed silently without even causing a ripple!
He wanted to move, to fight back, to unleash his primal power and self-destruct, but he found that his body and soul were completely locked up by an invisible and intangible yet overwhelmingly powerful and terrifying sword intent. His limbs and bones were as if bound by billions of shackles, unable to move an inch!
"You..." He only managed to utter one word, his voice filled with disbelief and horror.

Click!

A sharp, teeth-grinding cracking sound suddenly rang out in the deathly silent battlefield!
To everyone's astonishment, Ling Xiao used that hand to easily twist off the hunchbacked old man's head as if breaking a withered branch! The severed neck was as smooth as a mirror, and golden holy blood gushed out like a spring, but when it touched a three-foot radius around Ling Xiao, it was instantly evaporated by an invisible destructive force, leaving not even a trace of blood mist!

He casually tossed aside the head, still bearing traces of horror and resentment. The head arced through the air before crashing heavily to the ground with a dull thud. Ling Xiao's figure flickered, as if he had never moved, and he returned to his original spot.

He glanced indifferently at Jin Yan, Dao Sha, Jian Sha, Ling Bi, and the others, whose faces were deathly pale and who were extremely tense. A faint smile suddenly appeared on his lips, and his tone was as relaxed as if he had just crushed an ant: "Gentlemen, were you frightened by what I did just now?"

Jin Yan: "..."

Ling Bi: "..."

The generals and soldiers of the Overlord Empire: "..."

The whole place was dead silent, you could hear a pin drop!
The expressions on everyone's faces were incredibly varied... from extreme shock to bewildered incomprehension, and then to the extremely eerie gazes they gave Ling Xiao.

Is this still Ling Xiao?

Although Ling Xiao has always been decisive and arrogant, the contrast before and after is too great! The peerless sharpness that he showed just now, disregarding everything and suppressing powerful enemies with a wave of his hand, is not the demeanor that a young man should possess!
Jin Yan felt his throat was a little dry and subconsciously swallowed... The decisiveness of the person in front of him was indeed just like his boss, but the deep-rooted arrogance and indifference made him feel a strange distance, and he always felt that something was not right.

At this moment, something strange happened again!
Behind the rift in the sky torn open by Ling Xiao, from the depths of chaos where only golden light had been falling, a deep, thunderous roar suddenly resounded! The sound seemed to come from the ancient primordial world, carrying the wrath of a ruler of all living beings, shaking the entire world!
Immediately afterwards, a giant claw, as large as a mountain and covered in golden scales, forcefully emerged from the crack... Holy divine patterns flowed across the scales, and the claw tip gleamed with a cold light that could tear through the void. The terrifying pressure, like a tangible tsunami, crashed down!

This oppressive aura was completely different from that of the hunched old man! It was more ancient, more tyrannical, and more pure, carrying an indifferent will that looked down upon all realms and dominated life and death! As soon as the oppressive aura descended, more than half of the martial artists in the arena had their knees buckle and uncontrollably kneel on the ground, cold sweat pouring down their foreheads, and the most primal fear and sense of submission rising from the depths of their souls, without even the courage to raise their heads!

Jin Yan's body also trembled violently, his blood and qi surged endlessly, and his internal organs seemed to be kneaded by an invisible giant hand. The absolute pressure originating from the level of life almost crushed his will!
"Monitors?!" He gritted his teeth and forced out the three words, his eyes filled with horror.

“The Watcher?” Ling Xiao repeated softly, a faint yet arrogant smile curving his lips. He slowly turned around, shielding Jin Yan, Ling Bi, and the others behind him, his gaze calm and unwavering as he met the colossal golden claw that blotted out the sky, as if he were facing not an apocalyptic disaster, but merely an insignificant artifact.

“There’s no need to be afraid.” He turned his head and spoke softly to the people of the Overlord Empire behind him. His voice was gentle yet carried a penetrating power, clearly reaching everyone’s ears. “Black can be white, and white can be black. When black and white are reversed, even evil spirits can don a holy cloak and call themselves gods.”

Jin Yan was deeply shocked and couldn't help but ask, "Then what about you? Who exactly are you? Are you still the boss Ling Xiao that I know?"

Upon hearing this, Ling Xiao smiled faintly, his eyes seeming to sparkle like stars, yet also harboring abysses: "Yes... and no." He paused, then added with a hint of reassurance, "I know what you're afraid of, but there's no need to worry."

Immediately, he looked up at the crack in the sky, his arrogance growing even stronger: "After beating up the small fry, a slightly more respectable one has arrived. Very well, let me see just how much this so-called 'watcher' of the era really is."

He extended his right hand and gave a perfunctory shake!
Buzz…!
A fundamental, primordial power within the universe was instantly activated! In an instant, the wind ceased, the clouds stopped, space solidified, and even the terrifying divine might pouring down seemed to be gripped by an invisible hand, abruptly halting!
Ling Xiao's robes fluttered without wind, and though no dazzling light emanated from him, an unparalleled sharpness that could eclipse the heavens and earth slowly awakened... It was an aura that transcended the laws of nature, looking down upon all living beings, causing both the Blade Fiend and the Sword Fiend to tremble involuntarily, secretly horrified. (End of Chapter)