C6: Entering the Dragons Den

The journey to the Heavenly Cloud Sect took two full days. Lin Xiao’s small force of thirty elite Lin Clan members moved with deadly efficiency, plundering every minor bandit group and rogue cultivator they encountered along the way. Each kill fed the Eternal Grind System and strengthened his followers through shared resources.

By the time the massive floating mountains of the Heavenly Cloud Sect appeared on the horizon, Lin Xiao had reached Spirit Condensing 7th Stage. Red and black chaotic lightning now flowed more naturally through his veins, making his long black hair in its high ponytail constantly drift as if stirred by an invisible storm.

He stood at the front of the group, staring at the towering gates and the countless disciples moving like ants on the lower peaks.

【Enemy Scanner Active】
【Heavenly Cloud Sect Outer Region: 12,847 cultivators detected. Hostile intent toward Lin Clan: High. Potential threats: 47 individuals at Spirit Condensing or above.】

Thousands of them, Lin Xiao thought with a cold, arrogant smirk. Good. The more the better. I will turn this so-called dragon’s den into my personal grinding ground.

Flashback – One year ago.

Lin Feng had returned from a visit to the Heavenly Cloud Sect’s outer branch, boasting loudly in the Lin Clan hall. He had kicked Lin Xiao in the stomach in front of everyone.

“You see this token?” Lin Feng had waved a glowing blue medallion. “With connections here, I will become an inner disciple soon. And you? You’ll stay a pathetic dog for the rest of your short life. Maybe I’ll bring back a servant girl from the sect to warm my bed while you watch.”

The entire hall had laughed. His uncle had nodded approvingly, already planning to use Lin Feng’s rising status to further suppress Lin Xiao’s branch of the family.

That memory played clearly as Lin Xiao approached the grand outer sect gate. The humiliation no longer hurt. It only fed the fire.

A group of outer sect guards blocked their path. The leader, a smug man at Spirit Condensing 4th Stage named Qian Hu, looked at the bloodstained group with open contempt.

“State your business, countryside dogs. The Heavenly Cloud Sect is not a place for trash clans to come begging.”

Lin Xiao stepped forward alone. His black robes fluttered, and red-black lightning crackled softly around his shoulders.

“We are here to settle accounts,” he said calmly. “Your envoy Zhou Wei delivered my message. I am Lin Xiao, new ruler of the Lin Clan. I’ve come to collect what your sect owes me.”

Qian Hu stared for a moment, then burst into loud laughter. Several dozen outer disciples gathered behind him, drawn by the commotion.

“Did you hear that? This madman claims he crippled Young Master Zhou and killed our patrol! He must be tired of living.”

One particularly arrogant disciple, a tall youth named Wang Jun with a scar across his cheek, stepped out. He was at Spirit Condensing 5th Stage and known for bullying new recruits.

“Boss Qian, let me handle this trash. I’ll break his legs and drag him to the punishment hall as tribute.”

Wang Jun charged without waiting for permission, drawing a curved blade that gleamed with wind-attribute qi.

Lin Xiao didn’t move until the last second. Then he activated Shadow Step combined with the first form of Chaos Emperor Sword Art.

His spirit sword appeared in his hand in a blur. Red and black lightning exploded along the blade as he executed **Chaos Severing Slash**.

Schiiiing—BOOM!

Wang Jun’s curved blade shattered instantly. The chaotic slash continued forward and carved a deep, smoking wound across his chest. He screamed as corrosive energy ate into his flesh.

Lin Xiao followed up instantly. He grabbed Wang Jun by the throat and lifted him high.

“You like bullying the weak?” Lin Xiao whispered, eyes glowing with red lightning. “How does it feel now?”

He slammed Wang Jun into the stone ground hard enough to crack the pavement, then stomped on his dantian, crippling him completely. The Plunder Module activated automatically, sucking away the youth’s cultivation base.

【Plunder successful. +1400 System Points. Wind Attribute Talent Fragment acquired.】

The surrounding outer disciples froze in shock. Qian Hu’s face turned ugly.

“Kill him! All of you! This bastard dares cause trouble at our gates!”

More than forty outer disciples surged forward. Some launched sword qi, others used fist techniques or threw talismans.

Lin Xiao laughed darkly. “Come then.”

He activated Heaven Defying Slaughter Domain.

A thirty-meter radius of red and black chaotic lightning erupted around him. All enemies inside it felt their speed drop drastically and their spiritual energy become unstable. His own followers stayed safely outside the domain’s edge.

What followed was a one-sided slaughter.

Lin Xiao moved like a demon god. His ponytail whipped wildly as he flashed between opponents. Every sword strike left trails of destructive lightning. Heads rolled. Limbs flew. Screams filled the air as he systematically dismantled the group.

Qian Hu, realizing the situation was dire, tried to flee toward the inner gates while burning a communication talisman. Lin Xiao noticed immediately.

“You think you can run?”

A chain of red-black lightning shot from his palm, wrapping around Qian Hu’s leg and yanking him back. Lin Xiao appeared above the guard leader and drove his sword straight through his shoulder, pinning him to the ground.

“Tell me,” Lin Xiao said coldly while twisting the blade, “how many weak cultivators have you humiliated here? How many women have you forced? How many times did you laugh while stepping on others?”

Qian Hu screamed and spat blood. “Y-you… will die… the Inner Elders will avenge—”

Lin Xiao cut him off by plunging his hand into the man’s chest and forcibly plundering his entire cultivation base. Qian Hu aged visibly, his life essence drained dry before he died.

【Major Plunder! +3800 System Points. System Level → 5. New Function: Basic Inventory Expansion unlocked.】

The remaining disciples who hadn’t died were now on their knees, trembling. Lin Xiao’s followers quickly moved in to finish the wounded and secure the gate area.

A soft voice suddenly rang out from the side path.

“Such ruthlessness… and power. You are the one who crippled Zhou Wei?”

Lin Xiao turned. Two female disciples stood there. One was Su Mei — the outer sect beauty who had been mentioned in earlier rumors. She had long flowing hair and a graceful figure, wearing blue robes that hugged her body. Her eyes held a mixture of fear and clear interest.

Beside her was a colder beauty named Murong Xue, an inner sect disciple at Spirit Condensing 8th Stage. Her expression was icy, but her gaze lingered on Lin Xiao’s bloodstained form and the chaotic lightning still dancing around him.

Murong Xue spoke first. “The sect has already been alerted. Inner elders are coming. If you surrender now and become a prisoner, you might live as a cultivation cauldron. Otherwise, death is certain.”

Lin Xiao wiped blood from his sword and looked the two women up and down without shame.

“Surrender?” He laughed arrogantly. “I don’t surrender. I conquer. You two… have potential. Serve me willingly and I will let you rise with me. Refuse, and you will end up like them.”

He pointed at the corpses around them.

Su Mei blushed deeply but didn’t look away. Murong Xue’s eyes narrowed, yet a hint of excitement flashed in them. Powerful men who dared challenge the sect were rare.

Before they could answer, powerful auras descended from the inner peaks. Five Inner Sect elders arrived, led by a bald, muscular man named Elder Tie — Zhou Wei’s father and a Core Formation Realm expert.

Elder Tie’s face was twisted with rage as he saw the carnage at the outer gate.

“WHO DARES MASSACRE MY HEAVENLY CLOUD SECT DISCIPLES?!” his voice boomed like thunder.

His eyes locked onto Lin Xiao, who stood casually amid the blood and bodies, ponytail swaying, red-black lightning crackling.

Lin Xiao met the elder’s gaze without fear. His inner monologue was filled with dark joy:

Finally. A real challenge. I will plunder everything this sect has to offer, starting with this fool’s son’s father.

“So you are Zhou Wei’s father,” Lin Xiao called out loudly. “Your son was arrogant and weak. He deserved everything I did to him. Now… come. Let me show your entire sect what true power looks like.”

Elder Tie roared in fury and attacked.

The real battle for the Heavenly Cloud Sect had begun.