Leo raised two fingers, “Now I’ll give you two options. The first is for Iron Sword Sect to submit to me and follow my commands. The second is for me to kill all of you here and then go destroy Iron Sword Sect!”
Leo’s words were filled with confidence and dominance.
As soon as he spoke, Serene Dark, Theodore, and the others’ faces changed drastically. They stared at Leo with widened eyes, thinking they had misheard him.
“You brat! How dare you!” As the sect leader, Theodore was furious.
“You dare threaten Iron Sword?!” Skyfire’s temper flared up; he wanted nothing more than to tear Leo apart limb by limb.
Iron Sword Sect had been around for nearly a thousand years. After finally becoming a top-tier Martial Arts Sect and establishing themselves as a superpower in their region, how could Theodore and the others not be angry when someone dared make such arrogant demands?
Leo anticipated their reactions. He chuckled lightly before saying calmly, “Submit or die. Don’t waste any time; make your decision quickly.”
“Young man, what you’re doing is outrageous,” Serene Dark said with an uncertain expression on his face.
“Is that so? When you plundered the Pater family’s mine, forced them into a marriage alliance, and coerced them to submit to the Iron Sword Sect, was that outrageous?” Leo countered.
His retort left Serene Dark and the others speechless.
Jason’s face turned red with excitement.
He never expected that Leo’s purpose in defeating the experts of the Iron Sword Sect wasn’t just for show, but to subjugate the sect.
“Now, I’ll give you a choice, an opportunity. But remember, even if you kneel and beg me to take the Iron Sword Sect under my command in the future, I won’t spare you a glance,” Leo’s words were not an exaggeration. As a Cultivator, he was fundamentally different from Martial Cultivators and Espers.
Once Leo’s cultivation broke through to the Spirit Ancestor realm, he could effortlessly crush Martial Cultivators in the Warrior King realm.
At that point, killing a Martial Cultivator in the Warrior King realm would be as easy as squashing an ant.
Skyfire seethed with anger, shouting, “Would I kneel and beg you? Are you out of your mind?”
“This brat has gone too far. Let’s fight him together, even if it means going down with him!” Cold River, who was injured but had somewhat recovered, shouted.
Serene Dark stared sharply at Leo and said, “Young man, although you have injured us, do you think you can kill us when we join forces?”
After Serene Dark finished speaking, he restored a bit of his elemental energy and erupted once again. The rusty iron sword in his hand glowed red-hot as if it had just been taken out of a furnace.
Seeing these stubborn individuals, Leo sneered, “Elder, you are now at your wits’ end. Furthermore, from what I observed, you experience a burning pain in your chest at sunrise, a pain that makes you wish for death, am I right?”
“Nonsense! The Elder is in good health, there’s no…” Skyfire’s words came to a halt because he noticed something off about Serene Dark’s expression.
Theodore, Ocean Source, and the others all turned their attention to Serene Dark, trying to discern from his face whether Leo was spouting nonsense or telling the truth.
The burning pain in the chest was a secret hidden deep within Serene Dark. He had never told anyone about it.
The reason for the burning pain was the result of Serene Dark forcibly breaking through to the Warrior King realm. Without considering any consequences, he had only halfway succeeded in his breakthrough, merely stepping into the threshold of the Warrior King realm.
This half-step into the Warrior King realm had cost Serene Dark a great price. Not only did he nearly lose control and fall into demonic cultivation, but he also suffered from the burning pain in his chest.
Whenever the sun rose, the sensation of burning pain was even more terrifying than being on hot coals or in boiling oil. It was an agonizing pain that made him wish for death.
Initially, the burning pain lasted for only three minutes, but later it extended to five minutes, ten minutes, twenty minutes…
Now, whenever the burning pain struck, it lasted for at least half an hour, with a tendency to increase further.
Hence, when Leo exposed his ailment, Serene Dark’s expression became so peculiar.
“How did you know about this?” Serene Dark stared at Leo intently, questioning him.
Leo calmly replied, “How I know doesn’t matter. What you need to know is that I can cure your burning pain in the chest.”
“Is that true?” Serene Dark’s spirits lifted, as if a drowning person had found a lifeline to cling to.
Many times, Serene Dark had contemplated death, longing for relief from the burning pain in his chest. If it continued, it wouldn’t be long before he would completely collapse.
After a moment of futile hope, Serene Dark became deeply skeptical because he had previously sought out a Seventh-rank Alchemist, who had clearly told him that even a Ninth-rank Alchemist might not be able to cure his burning pain.
Leo replied, “Do I have any reason to deceive you?”
Jason interjected, “Serene Dark, I was afflicted with the Yin Cold Inner Power by the Second Elder of your Iron Sword Sect, and it was Mr. Bloomer who saved me. Mr. Bloomer not only possesses formidable cultivation, but also extraordinary medical skills. He can definitely cure your ailment.”
With someone vouching for Leo’s ability to cure him, Serene Dark gained a bit more confidence. However, he still sighed and said, “Young friend, even if you can cure my illness, as the Elder of the Iron Sword Sect, I cannot allow the sect to submit to you.”
Though Serene Dark refused, his tone had clearly softened. Leo shifted his gaze to Theodore and asked, “Are you the Sect Master of the Iron Sword Sect?”
“Yes, I am Theodore, the current Sect Master of the Iron Sword Sect,” Theodore replied, meeting Leo’s gaze directly.
“I’ve checked your cultivation. You’re currently at the pinnacle of the Mid-tier Warrior Sect realm. With your normal cultivation speed, it would take at least three years for you to break through to the Upper-tier Warrior Sect realm.”
“Not only can I cure the Elder’s illness, but I can also help you achieve a breakthrough to the Upper-tier Warrior Sect realm within three days. Do you believe me?”
A breakthrough to the Upper-tier Warrior Sect realm within three days?!
Theodore’s face immediately showed a look of astonishment.
Ocean Source, Cold River, Skyfire, the four Elders standing beside him, were equally shocked.
If what Leo said was true, it meant that all four of them also had the chance to break through. By then, the strength of the Iron Sword Sect would undoubtedly reach new heights.
Leo’s gaze swept over Ocean Source, Cold River, and Skyfire, as he continued, “As for the three of you, I can help you achieve a breakthrough to the Upper-tier Warrior Sect realm within a month.”
One month to reach the Upper-tier Warrior Sect realm!
Ocean Source, Cold River, and Skyfire’s hearts raced.
The path of martial cultivation was incredibly arduous, with each promotion often requiring a life-or-death struggle.
But now, an excellent opportunity for advancement was presented before them.
To be honest, Theodore, Ocean Source, and the others were already tempted.
The allure was simply too great.
In this world, there were few who could resist temptation. If there were any, it was because the temptation wasn’t strong enough.