Fang Hai and the others were stunned. Are we seeing things? The Earth Dragon is actually apologizing to Lin Xuan! What kind of joke is this? Why does it feel like the Earth Dragon is the one submitting, not Lin Xuan?

"Senior Earth Dragon, why are you apologizing to this boy?" Fang Hai interjected. "He’s just an ant! Even with the Divine Sword, he’s no match for you. You have nothing to worry about. You only need to make a move, and you can easily suppress him."

"You dare to be disrespectful to the Young Master?" the Earth Dragon roared, enraged. It swiped a palm at Fang Hai, sending him crashing to the ground.

Fang Hai spat out a mouthful of blood, utterly stunned. "Why did you hit me?"

"Why did I hit you?" The Earth Dragon snorted coldly. "I have already submitted to the Young Master. He is now my master. Since you challenged my master, it’s only natural that I would strike you!"

What? The Earth Dragon really submitted! Fang Hai was completely stupefied. The others were just as dumbfounded. That’s the Earth Dragon! A lofty, exalted being! And it submitted to a young man? This is too incredible...

"Why? Senior Earth Dragon, he’s just a wet-behind-the-ears kid! Why would you submit to him?" Fang Hai couldn’t understand.

Elder Vajra was equally baffled. "Master, are you confused?"

"Insolent! How dare you continue to disrespect the Young Master?" The Earth Dragon was utterly enraged. It said coldly, "The Young Master is the Young Dragon God. Following him offers a future of limitless prospects.

"I am giving you a chance to submit only because I consider the Netherworld Stone Race my subordinates. Submit and live, or resist and be shown no mercy!"

As it finished speaking, the Earth Dragon’s power erupted. It was an earth-shaking force. Under its pressure, Elder Vajra felt as if he had been struck by lightning, while the members of the Netherworld Stone Race collapsed to their knees in a great mass.

"We’ll submit! We wish to submit!" they cried, quickly bowing their heads.

Elder Vajra knelt fully on the ground. "I am willing to submit to the Young Master."

"Young Master, the Netherworld Stone Race has submitted. Will you spare them?" the Earth Dragon asked.

Lin Xuan nodded. "Then spare the Netherworld Stone Race," he said. "However, the members of the Fang Family cannot be spared. Slay all of them, except for Fang Qingyu."

"As you command!" The Earth Dragon roared, "Netherworld Stone Race, heed my order! Kill all the Fang Family Grandmasters here!"

What? The Fang Family members were in an uproar. Fang Hai’s expression changed dramatically. This Earth Dragon has gone completely mad!

"Run!" he yelled, turning to flee.

The members of the Fang Family scattered in every direction.

"Stop them," Elder Vajra commanded coldly as he stood up. He led the members of the Stone Race to charge forward, and a great battle erupted.

Lin Xuan said to the Earth Dragon, "You should make your move, too. End this quickly."

The Earth Dragon attacked. With a slash of its claw, the ground cracked open, and fissures spread out into the distance. In an instant, the fleeing Grandmasters were torn to pieces by the chasms.

The Earth Dragon’s figure then flickered, using a technique that seemed to shrink the earth to an inch, and it instantly appeared before Fang Hai. It raised its Dragon Claw, reaching for him.

Fang Hai’s scalp went numb with terror. He screamed, "I was sent by Fang Cangsong! If you kill me, Ancestor Fang Cangsong will not spare you!"

BANG!

The Dragon Claw descended. Fang Hai was obliterated, exploding into a mist of blood.

The Earth Dragon withdrew its claw. It returned to Lin Xuan’s side and reported respectfully, "Master, it is done."

「On the other side,」

Elder Vajra led the Netherworld Stone Race back to Lin Xuan. They knelt on one knee. "Reporting to the Young Master, all Fang Family Grandmasters have been slain."

"Well done," Lin Xuan nodded with satisfaction. He then looked at Fang Qingyu and asked, "How are you? Are you all right?"

Fang Qingyu stood there, stunned. I feel like I’m dreaming. She had been in utter despair, believing Lin Xuan had died in the Underground Palace. But unexpectedly, the tables had turned completely. Lin Xuan was still alive! Not only that, he had successfully subdued the Earth Dragon and killed Fang Hai and the others in a stunning counterattack! This is too unbelievable!

Coming back to her senses, Fang Qingyu quickly replied, "I’m fine." Then she asked, "So, did you get the Dragon Pearl?"

Lin Xuan smiled and nodded. "I got it!"

Wonderful! Fang Qingyu was overjoyed. The stronger Lin Xuan became, the greater her hope of escaping her family.

She said, "Then we must leave here quickly. I expect my grandfather will soon find out what happened."

"Alright, let’s go." With a wave of his hand, Lin Xuan sent the Earth Dragon back into the Dragon Pearl. Then he looked at the members of the Stone Race. "You are to leave Panshan Ridge first. Find a place to hide and await my command," he instructed. "Qingyu, you go with the Stone Race and hide for now."

Fang Qingyu nodded.

After that, the group split up. The members of the Stone Race and Fang Qingyu left Panshan Ridge, heading toward the distant mountains. Meanwhile, Lin Xuan soared into the sky. He intended to find a place to achieve a breakthrough. Having slain so many Grandmasters from the Fang Family, he had obtained numerous Storage Rings filled with a wealth of cultivation resources. Lin Xuan planned to use them to raise his cultivation level.

After Lin Xuan departed, Panshan Ridge fell silent once more.

「Meanwhile, at the Fang Family’s residence.」

Fang Cangsong’s brow was deeply furrowed. What is going on? There’s no news from the second team I sent, either. How can this be? He had a terrible premonition.

He was about to send a third team to investigate when an elder rushed over. "Ancestor, something terrible has happened! Fang Hai is dead!"

"What?" Fang Cangsong shot to his feet, his expression changing drastically. "Fang Hai is dead? Are you certain?"

"I’m certain," the elder said. "Just a short while ago, Fang Hai’s Soul Jade Pendant shattered. That means he is dead."

How could this be? Fang Cangsong’s expression instantly turned grim. Fang Hai was at Panshan Ridge, responsible for guarding the Earth Dragon Pearl. He’s dead... so what about the Earth Dragon Pearl? Could something have gone wrong?

At this thought, he shot into the sky, flying toward Panshan Ridge with extreme speed. But upon his arrival, his heart sank like a stone. The area was too quiet, blanketed in a deathly silence. This shouldn’t be. Panshan Ridge had plenty of experts—dozens of Grandmasters! Besides them, there were also the members of the Netherworld Stone Race. All told, there should have been nearly a hundred people. How could it be this quiet?

He dashed into the depths of Panshan Ridge like a bolt of lightning, and in an instant, he was dumbstruck. The ground was split open by deep fissures, and the bodies of the Fang Family’s Grandmasters were strewn across the earth. Blood stained the ground red. Fang Hai’s body was there, too.

Truly dead! Fang Cangsong’s pupils constricted sharply. He rushed into the Underground Palace.

Upon entering, he froze. The Underground Palace was empty. There was nothing inside. The Earth Spirit Pearl was gone.

"AHHH!" Fang Cangsong howled at the sky in a furious rage.

He searched frantically, nearly turning the Underground Palace upside down, but found no trace of the Earth Spirit Pearl. He was driven to despair, absolutely frantic.

"Who was it?" he roared. "Who on earth stole the Earth Spirit Pearl? I will not let you get away with this!"

Fang Cangsong roared like a crazed beast, venting the murderous rage in his heart. After a long moment, he gradually calmed down. Panshan Ridge is a very ordinary place. The men I sent were not particularly strong; the most powerful was only a five-star Grandmaster. It’s unlikely they would have attracted any attention. Unless... someone knew the Earth Dragon Pearl was here. Otherwise, there would be no reason for anyone to come here. But even within the Fang Family, very few knew about it. Damn it, who could it possibly be?

Suddenly, he thought of something. Fang Qingyu’s whereabouts are unknown. Could someone have captured her and forced the location of the Earth Dragon Pearl out of her? That must be it. The Ye Family obtained the Stone Box, and Fang Qingyu disappeared while searching for them. This all has to be related to the Ye Family.

He muttered aloud, "Could it be that the Ye Family obtained the Earth Dragon Pearl?"

The more Fang Cangsong thought about it, the more likely it seemed. He shot into the sky, leaving the Underground Palace behind as he charged toward the Ye Family’s territory. This time, he would flatten the Ye Family and take back the Earth Dragon Pearl