Emperor’s Domination

"Well said!" More chimed in.

These two behemoths were dreadful entities. Expressions would change whenever their names were brought up. This applied to the ancestors, not just the young generation. But now, Dong Ling dared to criticize both sects together.

For some of the spectators, they were happy to see someone taking the vanguard. It would be best to see a battle with heavy losses on both sides. It would give them more openings to enter the island.

"What a hero, worthy of being one of the ten. A heaven's favorite indeed." A last-gen expert praised happily.

"Dong Ling, you're right, everyone is on your side! We will go against the tyrannical sects that have fallen to the evil path." Others chimed in.

"Don't be afraid, we're right behind you!" More shouted.

Of course, they were only paying lip service. No one was actually moving closer to stand behind him or explicitly stated their intention of fighting Nine-wheel and Sea Emperor.

Nonetheless, their cries still annoyed Abyss Scion and left him in a difficult position. These men dared to challenge his sect's authority.

He gazed at Dong Ling and uttered coldly: "You spoke as if justice is on your side. If they're only words, then we'll still forgive you if you stand aside right now but if you actually want to do something, I suggest that you think twice first."

"Think twice? No need for that. I've heard of your Abyss Sword Dao and its power, I wish to see it today." Dong Ling smiled, directly challenging the scion.

These circumstances weren't easy for the youth since he risked the wrath of two behemoths later. However, this could be construed as a competition between two youths.

Sects would normally turn a blind eye to this. It would be a different story if a member of the last generation such as Ling Jian were to get involved. Ling Jian had a lot to think about before making a hasty decision.

"I bet Dong Ling is the most decisive and courageous out of the ten!" A crowd member shouted.

"Yes, he puts us to shame." A genius said.

Rumor has it that Dong Ling came from an ancient sect, but either way, it shouldn't be able to match Nine-wheel and Sea Emperor. Thus, his challenge was quite commendable.

"You wish to fight me, Daoist Dong Ling?" The scion wasn't afraid of Dong Ling, merely angered that he was being challenged.

He was potentially the strongest of the ten so he was confident in his chances.

"That's right, I don't want to miss seeing a top sword dao. Please give me pointers." Dong Ling tapped the sword hanging by his waist.

"Very well, I'll help you out if you seek death! This is no longer a duel!" The scion said murderously.

Listeners realized that the scion was serious in upholding his sect's authority.

"Fine, till death then." Dong Ling's eyes narrowed as he took one step forward.

The scion scowled and did the same. The two gazed sternly at each other.

"There should be a ranking for the ten." One youth said.

"There are only eight now." Another replied.

Both Starshooter Prince and Hundred-Blade Noble were killed by Ninth. Nonetheless, people were still curious about the rest.

"Can Dong Ling win? The scion has all the advantages." A genius said.

Dong Ling's ancient sect was Heaven Silkworm with top weapons and techniques. Alas, so did Sea Emperor. Moreover, Dong Ling hasn't displayed anything special compared to the scion.

If they were to rank him, he would not be among the top five. In fact, most would list him among the bottom three spots along with Qingcheng Zi and Pendant Sword Maiden.

These three had the weakest background among the ten prodigies. Qingcheng Zi came from Mount Qingcheng, only a vassal sect of Sea Emperor. This was the case for the maiden's clan as well.

"The scion is top three, Dong Ling's chances are low." One expert who was unhappy with Sea Emperor still had a high evaluation of the scion.

"I feel the same way, except that the scion might be first place, not just top three." A fan of the scion replied.

The majority supported Dong Ling voicing his grievances towards the two behemoths. However, they thought that he had no chance against the scion.

"Stop flattering Abyss Scion, he ran away from Li Qiye like a dog that has lost its master." A vagabond who hated Sea Emperor and nobles commented.

Weaker cultivators couldn't afford to provoke Sea Emperor. Thus, they were happy to see Li Qiye take them down a notch.

"Yes, nothing is absolute in this world." A youth from a small sect added: "People hated Li Qiye and thought that he would lose to Abyss Scion back then. Hell, he took down the scion and even killed the ancestors from Sea Emperor."

Thinking back on this event brought joy to some spectators.

"You can't compare Dong Ling with someone as devilish as Li Qiye." Another replied.

"Just wait and see, we'll find out soon enough." One ancestor patiently said.