Quinn Shepherd turned to look back and saw that the prince who had just been standing beside Lynn Ling was now behind them. He seemed to be Lynn's second brother, his expression calm as still water, watching the duel unfolding in midair.
Lynn Ling followed him down from the jade cliff, standing quietly behind the Second Prince.
Just as Quinn glanced back, Victor Kun plummeted from the sky, crashing hard onto the ground.
He had gone toe-to-toe with Lucas Lin, Dao Heir, but in the instant their palms collided, his yuanqi was shattered by the Innate Arcane Canon. His moves broken, he fell from the air.
Wayne Shen's eyelid twitched, a chill creeping through his heart. "I'm afraid I can't beat him. His combat power is terrifying—even with his higher treasuries sealed, even if he keeps only the Five Luminaries Realm, I'd struggle to win! No, the more he reveals, the more likely I am to spot a flaw. I'll keep watching awhile longer—maybe I'll find his weakness!"
Innate Arcane Canon.
It was the first time Quinn had seen a technique that could stand alongside the Overlord Three-Core Art.
The art Lucas Lin wielded was ferocious. Though his cultivation at the same realm wasn't as deep as Quinn's, the quality of his yuanqi was astonishing—far beyond his peers. Quinn had just noticed how impossibly pure Lucas's yuanqi was, which was why he asked.
The Grand Fostering Heavenly Demon Sutra was famed for forging gods and demons; Dao Gate's Innate Arcane Canon was its equal in reputation—a testament to its power!
Dao Gate and the Cult of the Heavenly Demon, one orthodox and one demonic, stood as the two great sanctuaries of the righteous and the heretical paths.
If you added Grand Thunderclap Temple from the Buddhist path, you'd have the three great sanctuaries. Beyond those, there were hidden holy lands—low profile but occasionally surfacing.
"Now that Dao Gate's Dao Heir has appeared, I wonder if Grand Thunderclap Temple will show up to block the gate and embarrass the Imperial Preceptor?" Quinn mused.
The Second Prince took a long breath and strode toward the mountain gate. Lynn Ling hurried after him, calling, "Second Brother, what are you doing out there?"
"I'm both an Imperial Academy scholar and royal blood. How could I not fight?"
A sharp light flashed in the Second Prince's eyes. "Our Ling clan forged our emperors through battle—we weren't propped up by officials and ministers!"
His voice rang out, forceful and clear. Quinn couldn't help but admire him—this was a true prince. The Ling clan's rise to royalty was no accident.
"Imperial Academy scholar Prince Luther Ling requests guidance from Dao Heir!"
The Second Prince stepped before Lucas Lin, Dao Heir, bowed deeply, then looked up solemnly. "Dao Heir, would you like to rest and recover your yuanqi first?"
Lucas Lin nodded. "Please wait a moment, Brother Ling."
Quinn clapped and praised, "If it were me, I'd take a breather too."