Chapter 683: Chapter 684: This is My Primordial Spirit
The elder straightened his head and looked at Li Xiaobai, his eyes filled with astonishment.

Had he not experienced it himself, he would never have dreamt that this young man before him was at the same level—a powerhouse in the Void Merging Realm—just like him. It took him countless murders and several decades to reach this realm with his cultivation technique finally perfected, yet here was this young man, merely a teenager, who had also achieved this step. How could he not be filled with surprise?

His gaze towards Li Xiaobai grew even more fervent. He certainly didn’t think this was just due to the other’s extraordinary talent; the most likely explanation was that the Spirit Realm Technique allowed him to reach the pinnacle in a short period of time. If he could obtain this cultivation technique, perhaps he could even glimpse the mysteries of the Earthly Immortal Realm.

“The Grand Emperor is still alive!”

“The Grand Emperor is unharmed!”

“I knew it, the Grand Emperor is an incredibly strong cultivator in the Void Merging Realm, almost like a living immortal. How could he possibly be killed by the likes of Li Xiaobai? What just happened must mean the Grand Emperor was simply toying with his opponent!”

“But, what did the Grand Emperor just say—that Li Xiaobai is also in the Void Merging Realm?”

“How is that possible? That must be a mistake. The kid is only in his twenties. To say that he’s at the Refinement Void stage would be a stretch, let alone having the same level of cultivation as the Grand Emperor.”

“But if he isn’t a cultivator of the same realm, how could he easily twist the Grand Emperor’s neck?”

Witnessing the Grand Emperor’s actions, the civil and military officials all felt a thrill of horror.

To have one’s neck twisted 180 degrees and then to straighten it out easily as if it were merely a dislocated joint being put back in place—such ease was indeed characteristic of a warrior in the Void Merging Realm. Even with a broken neck, he seemed unharmed. This technique was surely that of a living immortal.

Yet the words he spoke were even more shocking to them. This living immortal claimed that Li Xiaobai was also a strong cultivator in the Void Merging Realm—wasn’t that just nonsense?

Though Li Xiaobai had indeed appeared almost invincible before, the idea of him being at the same realm as the Grand Emperor was something they absolutely couldn’t accept. In their hearts, the Grand Emperor was synonymous with invincibility.

“Impossible, impossible!”

“How could he be a cultivator of the Void Merging Realm? Just a few months ago he was merely at the Refinement Void stage, and besides, he shouldn’t have the latter part of the cultivation technique. How could he have advanced!”

“No matter how strong he gets, he’s just a junior cultivator after all. A lack of deep foundations is a serious weakness. The Ancestral Emperor will surely kill him. The only outcome for this demon head today is death!”

Chen Yuanyuan muttered to herself, her state bordering on madness. Li Xiaobai’s formidable capabilities kept defying her expectations, stirring her emotions. She felt she was almost beginning to not recognize him.

At this moment, the nearly crazed Li Xiaobai instilled deep fear in her. Without the Grand Emperor’s intervention, she had no doubt that she would have been torn to shreds by him by now.

“The Ancestral Emperor is invincible. This Li Xiaobai is undoubtedly doomed!”

Chen Yuanyuan kept comforting herself.

Once this demon head died, the world would belong to the Chen Family!

“Heh, who would have thought that I would have the honor of seeing such a young talent today? Given more time, maybe you really could surpass me. However, geniuses often meet an early demise. I will cripple your cultivation, extract the secrets of your technique under severe torture, and then send you to reunite with your dear junior sister!”

The elder’s tone was cold as ice, and a hint of killing intent had already emerged in his eyes as he looked at Li Xiaobai. To snap his neck in front of the crowd would be a crime far exceeding regicide!

But as soon as his words fell, he felt a warmth on his face. Before he knew it, Li Xiaobai’s large hands had once again climbed onto his cheeks. Then, a familiar colossal force came through, and his powerful Inner Strength effortlessly broke through the defenses of his neck. With a somewhat astonished look in his eyes, his head was skillfully and smoothly rotated 180 degrees, dangling behind his back.

“Enough talk; did I allow you to speak?”

Li Xiaobai’s eyes were fierce, and without lessening the force in his hands, he twisted the already rotated neck another full circle. The brutality of the act made onlookers shudder in fear.

The sounds of cracking echoed non-stop within the hall, sending shivers down the spine of those who heard it. Even as the elder braced for the attack, he couldn’t escape the fate of having his neck snapped.

As they watched his aged body with the head twisted at multiple angles, the civil and military officials were collectively petrified.

This time, they saw it clearly: the youth placed both hands on the elder’s head and forcibly twisted it off with brute strength. There were no fancy moves, just the most primitive visual impact.

The situation was different now. The Grand Emperor was clearly on his guard, yet his head was still twisted off by Li Xiaobai. Could this demon head truly be at the Void Merging Realm?

“It’s fake, right?”

“He actually twisted the Grand Emperor’s neck again, this time a circle and a half. The Grand Emperor won’t be harmed, right?”

“I have a premonition that an extraordinary battle of unparalleled scale is about to unfold here. If we continue to stay, it is very likely that we will be affected by the outcome. Perhaps…”

“It doesn’t matter who wins; we should withdraw first. We’ll support whoever wins!”

“The wind is tight, pull the sails!”

Many officials could feel the calm before the storm. In such life-or-death moments, it’s better to err on the side of caution. Should a battle ensue between two cultivators at the Void Merging Realm, not a single civil or military official within this hall would survive.

The best choice was to make a quick getaway.

“Hehehe, impressive courage you have there. For so many years, you are the first to have twisted my head off,” the elder cackled with a strange laugh.

“My interest in you has grown even greater now. I did not expect that, after my decade-long seclusion, such a genius and wondrous cultivation techniques would emerge in the world. But in the end, you are still too young. The essence of the Void Merging Realm lies in the refinement of the Primordial Spirit and solidifying one’s foundation; there are no shortcuts, only the accumulation and sedimentation over time.”

“I have reached this level today only after decades of tempering, and the solidity of my Primordial Spirit is not something a newcomer to the Void Merging Realm like you can compare to.”

“If I’m not mistaken, your Primordial Spirit is not yet substantial enough to manifest, right? Today, I’ll enlighten you on what it’s like to stand at the peak of the martial path!”

The elder’s eerie laughter continued as a golden light flickered between his eyebrows. A golden figure flew out, exuding a terrifying aura as it floated towards Li Xiaobai. It encountered almost no resistance as it entered his body.

“See? This is my Primordial Spirit. Decades have been spent to materialize it!”

“It will enter your body and devour your Dantian, which is as insignificant as dust, until there is nothing left. The feeling will surely be irresistible to you!”

“Speaking of which, when I slowly sliced open your sister apprentice’s abdomen on the bed, those agonizing screams were indeed unforgettable!”