Chapter 200: Refining the Dragon Spine Splitting Heaven Bow!

Bang!

The wooden eight‑sided table split into four or five pieces!

In the flickering‑lit secluded cottage, Xiao Yinglin's face was ferocious, his eyes full of hatred and killing intent.

"Qin Shuo, I will surely tear your corpse into ten thousand pieces."

His chest heaved violently, his knuckles turned white from clenching his fists, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably from excessive anger.

"Yinglin, a gentleman may wait ten years for revenge—do not be impulsive."

Inside, an elder with gray‑tinged temples urged caution in a low voice.

"Not bad. For now we must first find a way to leave Yunzhou City; otherwise, if the Demon Suppression Office fixes its gaze on us, the consequences would be unthinkable."

Another Xiao clan elder of uncertain age also spoke, urging Xiao Yinglin to keep his composure.

Whoosh~

Xiao Yinglin closed his eyes, striving to calm his emotions; only after a long time did he speak again:

"Where is the Dark Moon Dharma King?"

"The Wood魅 Spirit was entrusted to my Xiao family by her to raise; because of this, my Xiao family has suffered calamity—does the Guimu Sect plan to just watch and do nothing?"

"We have left a sign, but the Guimu Sect's movements are mysterious; it's hard to say whether they'll be willing to help us at the outset."

Xiao Heng, his temples streaked with gray, shook his head, his look gloomy.

"What are you saying, clan elder?"

"The Xiao family is a vital ally of my Guimu Sect; having suffered such a disaster, how could the Sect Leader just sit idly by?"

"Huh?"

Xiao Yinglin and the two others' pupils shrank as they instinctively reached for the swords at their waists.

But before the three could unsheathe their weapons, a black shadow had already flown in from outside the courtyard.

The black shadow landed, forming a graceful silhouette, but only its outline could be seen—clothes and face unclear, the entire figure like a dim shadow under a lamp, vague.

"Dark Moon Dharma King!"

Xiao Yingqi furrowed his brows, then objected discontentedly: "The Dharma King possesses great supernatural powers—why does he watch my Xiao family perish without lending aid?"

"It's not that I won't save you; I just happen to be out of the city today and missed the opportunity."

The indistinct black shadow gave a brief explanation, then said: "Come, the Sect Leader wants to see you."

"Is the Sect Leader also in the city?"

Xiao Yinglin and the two clan elders felt a sudden stir in their hearts.

If that Esteemed Sect Leader were also present, then the Xiao family, and even his father Xiao Changgong, might still have a way to survive.

"Of course."

The Dark Moon Dharma King turned away gracefully, once more becoming a black shadow that flew out, leaving only a single, emotionless sentence reverberating in the room:

"Follow."

Xiao Yinglin and the two others exchanged a look, then silently nodded and followed closely behind.

Whoosh—whoosh!

In the night wind, four black shadows darted like ghosts through the streets and alleys.

They moved swiftly; even as they changed form, should they merely brush past, the night‑watch soldiers could not spot them.

Soon, under the lead of that graceful black shadow, Xiao Yinglin and the two were taken on a winding route, ending up in a small lane in the southern part of the city.

The Night Moon Dharma King knocked gently on the door—one heavy knock followed by three light—and entered only after hearing a reply.

It was a small courtyard with earthen walls, packed‑earth floor, three rooms, and a lone tree.

At this hour the night was deep; only the study's lamp was still lit.

"Come in!"

A low, solemn voice emanated from the study, dignified and forceful.

The Dark Moon Dharma King pushed the door open; in the modest chamber, a man in refined robes stood with his back to the four, hands clasped behind him.

"Xiao Yinglin?"

The refined man spoke calmly, yet it made Xiao Yinglin's heart clench and his scalp tingle.

"A person's name, a tree's shadow."

Over these years, the Guimu Sect's fame in Yunzhou has grown immensely and resounded loudly.

Not to mention the Sect Leader—even the Dark Moon Dharma King is someone he normally has no right to approach.

His father Xiao Changgong had worked with the Guimu Sect for years, but had only ever caught sight of the Dark Moon Dharma King.

Yet the person standing before him was none other than the Sect Leader of the Guimu Sect.

He is the chief culprit behind the mountain‑ghost rebellion that has plagued Yunzhou these past years, and even the Demon Suppression Office can do nothing against this demonic path titan.

Even if his father were present now, he would have to turn pale and respond with the utmost caution.

"Sect Leader!"

Xiao Yinglin forced himself forward and bowed deeply: "I earnestly plead with the Sect Leader to save my father!"

"I summoned you three here precisely for this reason!"

The refined man slowly turned around.

When Xiao Yinglin and the two Xiao clan elders saw the middle‑aged man's face clearly, they were instantly shocked.

The former's face showed utter disbelief:

"City Lord?!"

……

【Refining Ingredient: Dragon Spine Splitting Sky Bow!】

Qin Shuo's thoughts turned; within the Taotie cauldron, blood light shot up to the heavens, turning into blazing flames that completely submerged the Dragon Scale Great Bow.

The cloud sea surged, cliffs towered.

It seemed merely a momentary daze, and Qin Shuo's vision became an expanse of emptiness; as far as the eye could see, the cloud sea was boundless, and looking all around, it was only the summit of Lofty Heaven Peak.

The mountaintop was narrow yet flat, covered with snow and frost, unusually smooth.

An old man holding the Dragon Scale Great Bow stood beneath a tall green pine, facing the cloud sea afar, slowly drawing his bow.

"Xiao Teng, we have no teacher-student bond, yet you have done me the kindness of saving my life."

"That day on the Pinglan River, had you not rescued me in time, with my grave injuries I would not have lived to see today."

"I have spent my life pursuing divine weapons, possessing nothing of worth; today I will teach you a single archery form as repayment."

The old man's voice was vigorous and powerful, even overpowering the howling wind at the peak, echoing across the summit of Lofty Heaven Peak.

"This is…"

Qin Shuo's heart stirred, and the scene before him rapidly zoomed in,

He then saw a dark-skinned youth standing behind the old man, staring intently at the old man as he drew his bow.

"This archery form is named Collapsing Cloud Shattering Moon, obtained by me after ascending the Myriad Ren God Mountain as the inheritance of the Arrow God."

"The Sun-Shooting Arrow Method consists of nine forms,"

"Unfortunately, my dull talent meant I spent years just to grasp the first form."

"I will pass it on to you; how much you comprehend will depend on your own fortune."

Hum!

As the Dragon Spine Splitting Sky Bow was drawn, a terrifying aura as heavy as a mountain spread from the old man.

"Martial Dao Grand Master…"

Qin Shuo was startled.

The old man was unprepossessing and short in stature, yet unexpectedly he was a Martial Dao Grand Master.

That aura was even stronger than Nie Jin Feng's by a margin.

Moreover, from the old man's words it is not hard to infer,

that he too is a pursuer of the Divine Bow of Shooting the Sun, having once ascended the Myriad Ren God Mountain and received its inheritance.

"Each of the Nine Sun-Shooting Arrows, when mastered to perfection, possesses power rivaling that of a Martial Saint's divine abilities."

At the mountaintop, the old man slowly spoke:

"Now, close your eyes and feel the will within my arrow."

"If you can comprehend even thirty percent of this arrow, you may roam freely across the world."

Hum!

As the words echoed, a sudden gust rose on the summit, and countless leaves swirled and fell.

In the rising wind and surging clouds, the fallen leaves fluttered about.

The next moment, a strange sight occurred.

The leaves swept up by the wind, as if controlled by some will, hovered like arrows in midair, retreating slowly together with the bowstring.

From Qin Shuo's perspective.

At this moment, the boundless airflow over the mountaintop seemed to merge with the arrow on the string.

Arrow is heaven and earth; heaven and earth are arrow!

Thus, when the old man drew his bow, it gave him the strange illusion that the entire mountaintop was moving backward with the bowstring.

"This arrow can actually unite with heaven and earth…"

Qin Shuo sucked in a cold breath.

The dark-skinned youth beneath the green pine was even more shocked, dropping to his knees and shouting "Immortal!"

"To wield the power of heaven and earth with one's own will is somewhat akin to Gong Gong's fist."

Qin Shuo saw clearly that the old man, when drawing his bow, did not mobilize his true essence but instead used pure martial dao will to command the power of heaven and earth.

Thus, everything within the scope of his will became part of his arrow.

Hum!

As the bowstring was pulled to a full moon, the dark shaft suddenly blazed with light.

This was because the airflow over the entire mountaintop was suddenly gathered into the shaft, causing its temperature to soar instantly, turning it red-hot like a branding iron and emitting a blinding glare.

Bang!

Like heaven collapsing, like thunder exploding!

At the instant the arrow was shot, Qin Shuo felt the air atop Lofty Heaven Mountain suddenly emptied, as if it had been swept away by that arrow.

In an instant, the cloud sea split in two.

From the summit to the horizon's end, a terrifying arrow path a kilometer wide and endless stretched, as if cleaving heaven and earth in half.

Boom—!

The arrow flew an unknown distance before exploding violently at the edge of sight.

Everything visible in that area was shattered and flung aside, leaving only a huge circular void of nothingness.

…