Chapter 325: The Origin of Yuan Gate
High above the mountain, a shadowed figure suddenly appeared—none other than the familiar yet cold face of Qin Lang.
"Oh, Senior Brother Qin, you're here. And the others, along with the Shadowed Seven?" Lin Langtian's gaze narrowed slightly as he greeted Qin Lang with feigned nonchalance.
"Heh, we faced off with Yang Li and his men for half an hour or so. Yang Li probably assumed his men would finish you off and decided to head back to their base to await the news," Qin Lang replied with a smile, surveying the scene of destruction. His gaze flickered as he looked at the fallen bodies of the Shadowed Seven's three assassins. "It seems he didn't expect you to turn the tables, given your meager Seven Yuan Nirvana stage. Killing a Nine Yuan Nirvana and two Eight Yuan Nirvana warriors is quite a feat."
Hearing this, Lin Langtian couldn't help but feel a wave of relief. The Shadowed Seven were notorious, with their leader, Yang Li, halfway to the Life Profound stage. Had he joined the pursuit, Lin Langtian knew he would have had little choice but to flee.
But now, as Qin Lang moved toward him, closing the distance to only a few meters, Lin Langtian's gaze sharpened. "My thanks for your support, Senior Brother Qin," he said evenly, bowing slightly.
Qin Lang's expression shifted as he smiled faintly. "What are you talking about, Brother Lin? As your senior, helping you is my duty," he replied. But the smile faded as a chilling glint appeared in his eyes.
Lin Langtian sensed the shift instantly, his face tightening as he launched himself backward, his wings of demonic flame unfurling as he shot into the air.
A moment later, a deadly wooden spike, several meters long and glowing with a piercing cold light, erupted from where Lin Langtian had just stood, tearing through the air like a spear.
Had he been even a second slower, the spike would have impaled him. Lin Langtian's gaze hardened as he looked back at Qin Lang. "Senior Brother Qin, what's the meaning of this? Are you here to harm your own junior?"
"Oh, you're quick on your feet." Qin Lang's eyes narrowed in disappointment. Shaking his head, his gaze darkened. "Let's drop the pretense, Brother Lin. I'm sure you already guessed my intentions."
"Yes, I suspected as much," Lin Langtian replied coldly. "All of this—it's a scheme by Mu Ku, isn't it?"
"You're sharper than I thought," Qin Lang said with a laugh. "Yes, it was Master Mu Ku's plan. You refused to join the Wood Division, so this was your fate. But really, you brought it on yourself."
"Hmph, whether I join Wood or Fire Division was my choice," Lin Langtian replied icily. "You'd go so far as to plot against me? Aren't you afraid the sect will punish you?"
Qin Lang scoffed. "You misunderstand. To the sect, you were killed by the Shadowed Seven. Our own Wood Division disciples can confirm it. And Fire Division's own Zhang Hao—he, too, will vouch for it."
Lin Langtian's eyes grew colder. Given their past grudges, he knew Zhang Hao would hardly defend him if the truth came out. Qin Lang was counting on that.
"If you surrender the 'Threefold Emperor Wood Technique' you obtained in the ancient battlefield, perhaps I'll spare you," Qin Lang said, his gaze locked on Lin Langtian.
"So it is the Threefold Emperor Wood Technique you're after," Lin Langtian murmured. "Yuan Gate is the most powerful sect in the Eastern Profound Domain, and Mu Ku is a high-ranking leader within it. Why this obsession with an ancient technique?"
Qin Lang smirked. "Curious, are we? Fine, I'll let you die enlightened. Tell me, Brother Lin—how much do you know about the origins of Yuan Gate?"
"The origins of Yuan Gate?" Lin Langtian echoed, shaking his head. "I've heard nothing."
"Not surprising. Only the higher ranks know of it." Qin Lang chuckled, clearly confident in his advantage, while Lin Langtian listened intently.
"The history of Yuan Gate is simple, almost brutishly so. It was founded by the three Masters who, with their overwhelming power, swallowed up the Eight Great Sects of the Eastern Profound Domain at the time."
Qin Lang paused, watching Lin Langtian's reaction, then continued, "These Eight Great Sects were the premier sects in the domain, and our three Masters conquered and absorbed them into what became Yuan Gate. Since that time, Yuan Gate has been the dominant superpower here in the Eastern Profound Domain."
Lin Langtian's brow furrowed as he absorbed this, only for Qin Lang to drop the final piece of information.
"And those Eight Great Sects? They're now Yuan Gate's Eight Divisions. And Wood Division? Its predecessor was none other than the Wood Emperor Sect."
"What? The Wood Emperor Sect? I thought it was destroyed!" Lin Langtian's eyes widened in shock.
While he wasn't particularly surprised that Yuan Gate had formed through domination—it fit well with the ruthless reputations of the three Masters—the revelation that Wood Division was the remnant of the ancient Wood Emperor Sect was a surprise.
Noting Lin Langtian's shock, Qin Lang laughed lightly. "Yes, Wood Division descends from the Wood Emperor Sect. Although the original Wood Emperor Sect was wiped out ages ago, our division was formed by a surviving disciple of the sect, one who managed to preserve part of its legacy and rebuild it enough to attain first-tier status in the Eastern Profound Domain."
He went on, "But that revival eventually drew the attention of the three Masters. The sect was swallowed into Yuan Gate, reemerging as the Wood Division."
"So that's why Mu Ku covets the Threefold Emperor Wood Technique so deeply," Lin Langtian murmured, finally understanding. To Mu Ku, he represented the true lineage of the Wood Emperor Sect.
"Now, Brother Lin," Qin Lang said, his voice cold and patronizing. "Knowing this, will you not hand over the Threefold Emperor Wood Technique and preserve your life?"
Lin Langtian laughed bitterly. "Hand over the technique? You must be dreaming, Qin Lang."
Qin Lang's expression twisted, his eyes narrowing in malice.
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