Chapter 332

It seems the world is truly about to descend into great chaos.

And our Wu Dangpai must also make the most thorough preparations.

At the same time, in the distant Great Sui Dynasty, at Di Ta Peak, Cihang Jingzhai.

This immortal realm sanctuary, hailed as the holy land of the Wu Lin's righteous path, which for centuries appeared detached from worldly affairs but actually secretly influenced the world's balance of power.

At this moment, however, gloomy clouds prevailed, the atmosphere was solemn to the extreme, as if even the mist in the mountains carried a trace of sorrow.

Inside Cihang Jingzhai, the current abbot, Fan Fan Qinghui, upon hearing the news from the Eastern Sea regarding the Heavenly Monk and Earthly Nun, two ancestral elders of their sect, both perishing at the hands of the sea dragon on Taohuadao.

Her entire being was struck as if by a bolt from the blue, filled with shock, rage, grief, and pain!

Her beautiful face was filled with incredulous horror and boundless fear!

She never expected that the two ancestral elders of her sect, who had long ago reached the Immortal Realm of the Land, possessed unfathomable strength, capable of suppressing the entire Jianghu and safeguarding Cihang Jingzhai's peace for centuries, those pillars of stability.

How could it be... how could it be that he fell so easily?! How could it be... how could it be that he fell so easily?! How could it be... how could it be that he fell so easily?! How could it be... how could it be that he fell so easily?!

And moreover, they were killed by that... that legendary demonic dragon?!

Even their Jin Dan and sariras were swallowed by the enemy as war spoils!

"No! This is impossible! This absolutely cannot be!"

Fan Fan Qinghui screamed in a broken voice, her voice becoming sharp and piercing due to extreme anger and fear, long since losing her usual dignity and composure.

In her rage, her heart overwhelmed, she suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, staining the pristine white ground before her with a layer of glaring crimson.

"My Fomen... does my Fomen truly... have no powerful ones capable of subduing this lawless demonic dragon?!"

"Must we just watch helplessly as it does whatever it pleases in this world, slaughtering the innocent and desecrating the gods and Buddhas?!"

She let out a mournful cry filled with unwillingness and despair.

But immediately, she recalled that sea dragon's terrifying strength, which could suppress several Land Immortals with a mere flip of its hand and withstand the heavenly tribulation without dying.

And that demonic god technique that defied heaven and attacked the Dao, refining the entire Songshan Songshan Shaolin into "resources".

In her heart, a deep sense of helplessness inevitably rose.

She gave a bitter smile, collapsed to the ground, her eyes filled with nothing but desolation and confusion.

She knew that from now on, her Cihang Jingzhai, and indeed the entire Zhenggefu Sect, would probably never again be able to claim the title of "Leader of the Righteous Path in the World," hold the reins of the Wu Lin, and select the Emperor on behalf of Heaven.

Worse still, they would constantly have to worry whether that unpredictable, decisive, and ruthless Sea Dragon Lord of the Eastern Sea, due to the offense by the Heavenly Monk and Earthly Nun, would personally march up to her Di Ta Peak and, like Songshan Shaolin, completely... erase her Cihang Jingzhai from this world.

For a moment, boundless fear and despair enveloped this current abbot of Cihang Jingzhai.

However, at this moment, the place in the entire world with the most silent and oppressive atmosphere.

Was that Beiliang Wang Fu located in the northwestern frontier, filled with the iron-blooded and ruthless air...

When the news of the death of the Spear Saint Xu Yanbing, the fall of the White-Clothed Soldier Immortal Chen Zhibao, and the total annihilation of the 200,000 Great Snow Dragon Cavalry.

Was transmitted back to Beiliang Wang Fu through the mouths of those Jianghu travelers who had luckily escaped.

The entire Wang Fu fell into a death-like silence.

Those 300,000 Great Snow Dragon Cavalry, who had once swept across the world and feared nothing, upon learning this news.

All fell silent, but in their pair of crimson eyes burned an overwhelming fury capable of incinerating the entire heaven and earth, and... a hint of fear that was difficult to conceal!

Beiliang Prince Xu Xiao, this "Human Butcher" who had once spent his life in military campaigns and killed like a madman.

Upon learning this news, in a single night, his beard and hair turned completely white!

He locked himself alone before the tomb of his deceased wife, Wu Su, for a full day and night, speaking not a word, eating or drinking nothing.

No one knew what he was thinking during that time.

They only knew that when he emerged from the tomb again the next day.

On that face which had originally carried a degree of majesty and dominance, there remained nothing but endless... exhaustion and madness!

Before Wu Su's tomb, he talked to himself, murmuring apologies, his voice hoarse and filled with pain.

"Sususu... I am sorry to you... It was me... It was me who failed to protect our Fengnian..."

"It was me... It was me who was too arrogant, who underestimated the heroes of the world too much, causing him... causing him to fall into such Perilous situations and suffer such extreme humiliation!"

"Rest assured, Sususu, I... I will definitely avenge Fengnian! I will definitely tear that evil dragon to pieces, grind its bones to dust, and scatter the ashes! I will use its blood to wash away the shame of my Beiliang!"

Then!

Xu Xiao's eyes erupted with overwhelming fury and insane killing intent!

He issued a mad command capable of shaking the entire world!

He wanted... to withdraw all defenses on the Northern Mang Border!

To gather the 30,000 Great Snow Dragon Cavalry and all the troops of Beiliang together!

At any cost, he would... seek revenge!

"Prince! This cannot be done!"

The Poison Strategist Li Yishan, upon hearing Xu Xiao's mad decision, was so terrified his soul nearly fled his body and immediately rushed forward to plead desperately.

"Prince! You are about to place the entire Beiliang in a situation from which there is no return!"

"Once the defenses against the Northern Mang are withdrawn, the tiger and wolf armies of the Northern Mang will Dingran Society take advantage of the void and advance deep into our territory! At that time, the millions of common people of our Beiliang will all become lambs awaiting slaughter! This... this Wan Wan cannot be allowed!"

However, Xu Xiao at this moment, his mind already clouded by anger and hatred, had become stubborn and single-minded.

He simply would not listen to any persuasion!

He let out a roar filled with threat and madness towards the direction of the Liyang Imperial Capital:

"Issue the order! Tell that Emperor Your Majesty of Liyang!"

"This Prince gives him only seven days!"

"Within seven days, if he does not dispatch a massive army to take over our Beiliang's defensive line on the Northern Mang Border!"

"Then I, the Prince, will immediately open the borders and allow the North Mang's million iron cavalry to march into the Central Plains!"

"When that happens, the blame for the chaos across the land and the slaughter of countless lives will fall entirely on the Liyang imperial family!"

He actually… actually intended to threaten the Liyang imperial family with the safety of the entire world!

He planned to gather all the strongest warriors and all the armies of Beiliang, at any cost, to fight a final, mortal battle against the dragon of Taohuadao!

Li Yishan looked at Xu Xiao, who seemed possessed by madness, and could only let out a helpless, bitter laugh.

He knew that he could no longer persuade this Beiliang Prince, whose eyes were blinded by hatred.

Beiliang is in peril! The world is in peril!

Xu Xiao no longer paid attention to Li Yishan.

He stepped forward, walking straight toward the Tingchao Pavilion—the symbol of Beiliang's highest martial achievement and also its most mysterious place!

He went directly to the very bottom level of the Tingchao Pavilion!

It was a place even he dared not easily set foot in—a forbidden zone!

Because there, a true… Sword God was imprisoned!

He stared at the stone door, sealed shut and forged from ten-thousand-year-old black ice, drew a deep breath, and in a hoarse, commanding voice, barked:

"Li Chungang! The debt you owe Beiliang is due… to be repaid!"

…

And at this moment, on Taohuadao.

Brother Ning Chuan was in seclusion within his small courtyard, cultivating in stillness.

The turmoil beyond and the approaching cataclysm seemed… utterly unknown to him, or perhaps, utterly indifferent.

These past days, he had immersed all his spirit and focus into refining and perfecting the 【Nine Tribulations Dragon Transformation Method】.

He carefully observed the shifts in celestial phenomena, felt the movement of sun, moon, and stars, and comprehended the profound mysteries of heaven and earth's laws.

He cross-referenced the Daoist scriptures he had obtained from Congquanzhen Sect and the 【Xiaoyao Scripture】 of the Xiaoyao Sect with his own knowledge, imprinting them one by one until they merged into one.

In his mind, flashes of insight constantly appeared; his understanding of the Dao of heaven and earth, and of life's evolution, grew ever deeper.

Finally, after expending countless spirits and inspirations, and vast quantities of demonic power for deduction,

he successfully deduced the third tribulation of the 【Nine Tribulations Dragon Transformation Method】—the True Dragon Tribulation!

Though still only a prototype, with many aspects still needing refinement,

it was undeniably another monumental, milestone-level breakthrough!

Brother Ning Chuan's heart swelled with indescribable joy!

"True Dragon Tribulation!"

"Once I successfully pass the Shape-Shifting Tribulation, refine the demonic power within my dragon pearl to the ninth and final rotation, and fully stabilize my human form,"

"I will be able to summon this third tribulation—the True Dragon Tribulation!"