[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-dao-dust-pearl":3,"chapter-the-dao-dust-pearl-the-dao-dust-pearl-chapter-34":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Dao Dust Pearl",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2359535,4614,"Chapter 34: The Sovereign Fist of the Azure Heaven","the-dao-dust-pearl-chapter-34",34,"\u003Cp>At this moment, Hong Sihai finally broke free from Qian Chen’s qi entanglement and spoke calmly: “Dragon Head, Red Buttocks Divine Lord, do you really think three monkeys performing a play can frame me? You’re insulting the entire martial world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“On what basis do you accuse me? Just because a tied oath knot was stolen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You dare accuse me of being the Dragon Head…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How absurd and ridiculous… Who can prove it? You, Red Buttocks Divine Lord, hiding your face—dare you provide proof?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Qian Chen finally spoke—he no longer used the original voice of the Mist-Riding Divine Lord, but his own: “I can prove it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Chen suddenly tore off his mask, revealing his true face. Below, Kang Qiandeng, Li Qianqiu, and even Bai Yuanliang—all who had just realized they weren’t poisoned—leapt to their feet in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Yuanliang cried out in terror: “I said it! I said he was the Dragon Head!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am not the Dragon Head!” Qian Chen said calmly. “How old am I? What status do I hold? Before yesterday, how many people even knew me? How could such an obscure nobody be the Dragon Head—who has committed countless earth-shattering deeds and endless bloody crimes? The Dragon Head must possess astonishing courage, vast influence across the land, supreme martial skill, and boundless wealth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do I have of any of that? My martial skill is merely passable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I were the Dragon Head, why would I plunder such immense wealth only to remain alone, relying solely on my fists to fight my way?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you say that, then I do seem more like the Dragon Head,” Hong Sihai shook his head. “But you’re only speculating—you have no proof at all. You killed my brother Tu Beihai right before my eyes, witnessed by all. So no matter who you are, no matter whether you once fought alongside me against the Twelve Zodiacs—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We are now irreconcilable enemies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And the Red Buttocks Divine Lord? He’s a notorious member of the Twelve Zodiacs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much truth can there be in your words?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am willing to listen,” Master Kongming suddenly raised his head. “My younger brother, the Laughing Maitreya, infiltrated the Twelve Zodiacs for three years and understands these villains somewhat. Forgive me for speaking plainly, but Qian’s words are not without merit—the Dragon Head must be a figure of immense power in the martial world, and could never remain unknown.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For a man, a peerless master like the Dragon Head, to remain unknown for thirty years—that is too difficult!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the Dragon Head had such patience, he never needed to form the Twelve Zodiacs in the first place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Sihai smiled. “Then since Master Kongming finds it plausible, I am willing to hear what Master Qian has to say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My first suspicion of you arose when I examined your wounds. The injuries you suffered were nowhere near as severe as you pretended. Even your actual strength far exceeded what you revealed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with prior preparation, the power of Hong Sihai’s right fist during our clash still surpassed Qian Chen’s expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With the Twelve Zodiacs’ attack imminent, if I didn’t hold back a trick, wouldn’t I easily fall into your traps?” Hong Sihai said, arms behind his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Chen smiled. “So at the time, I merely suspected. But one thing deepened my suspicion—I encountered the Mist-Riding Divine Lord on the road, fought him desperately, and killed him. From him, I learned some secrets. For instance, the Twelve Zodiacs’ attack on Sihai Hall was aimed at the Thousand Autumns Secret Treasure of the Demon Cult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Demon Cult had stored countless divine weapons and secret manuals in a hidden vault. The last time the Twelve Zodiacs all acted together was to ambush and kill the Demon Cult’s leader’s family, seeking the vault’s secrets. They obtained part of the hidden knowledge, only to learn the other key part was held by the leader himself. After the Demon Cult’s leader was slain by the righteous, that key naturally fell into the hands of the righteous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yet for ten years, the Twelve Zodiacs remained silent—as if they’d forgotten. Only recently did the Dragon Head send word that this key was in the hands of the Martial Alliance’s leader—namely, Hong Sihai, the former head of Sihai Hall. Hence this attack on Sihai Hall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Kongming nodded. “That is true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First question: The Twelve Zodiacs dared to assassinate the Demon Cult leader’s family—why have they done nothing about the vault for ten years? None of the righteous elders who killed the Demon Cult leader vanished or were murdered. If the Dragon Head had been secretly investigating all this time, that hardly fits the Twelve Zodiacs’ nature.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And if such secret investigation could uncover that the key was in Master Hong’s hands, then the Dragon Head must hold immense power within the righteous camp.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have a theory…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That the Demon Cult’s vault has long been in the Dragon Head’s possession. For ten years, he has been absorbing its gains, until he believed his martial skill was perfected. Only then did he begin plotting again—he believes his power is now overwhelming, and no longer needs the Twelve Zodiacs. He can now legitimately dominate the martial world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And this time, summoning the Twelve Zodiacs may be merely to eliminate all witnesses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And to use their heads to elevate his prestige further—while removing obstacles on his path to martial supremacy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He also suspects that by now, one or more of the Zodiacs have guessed his true identity, so he decided to test them—to see if any of them realized Hong Sihai is the Dragon Head, and sensed something amiss in this mission.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He truly caught a fish…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Chen pointed to the monkey play on stage. “That’s the Liang-Noise Divine Lord. That clever, crafty rat must have sensed something. But you, the Dragon Head, noticed and swiftly killed him—that’s why Liang-Noise Divine Lord never appeared. But you didn’t know your actions alarmed another cunning Zodiac—the Red Buttocks Divine Lord!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Red Buttocks Divine Lord investigated Liang-Noise Divine Lord’s death, discovered the hidden clues, and confirmed your identity. He immediately fled, leaving only this monkey play as his final move. I believe he has more plans against you—but he’s too cautious. He knows if he shows himself, you’ll kill him. So he hides behind the scenes, manipulating events from afar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Kongming added suddenly: “Liang-Noise Divine Lord was none other than the martial world’s greatest thief—Si Zhaixin. The monkey representing the Rat just now stole the tied oath knot from the monkey representing the Dragon Head using Si Zhaixin’s unique technique—the Magic Fingers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qian Chen continued: “Of course, all this is hindsight, with some forced reasoning. What truly made me suspect you was Huang Yu’s death! Huang Yu was meticulous—he wouldn’t have died so easily even if he’d walked into the Twelve Zodiacs’ trap at the funeral hall. Unless the person who sent him there was someone he deeply trusted and revered… Only one person could guarantee the funeral hall would become Huang Yu’s sole vulnerability.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That person is you—the master of Sihai Hall, Huang Yu’s benefactor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And there’s one thing few know: Huang Yu’s martial skill was already equal to any Grand Master. Even if ambushed, he wouldn’t die without warning. Unless he chose to die—he committed suicide.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When the Sun-Stepping Divine Lord struck in the funeral hall, Huang Yu had already pieced together all the causes and consequences.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The clearest thing he understood was who was the mastermind behind his death—you—Hong Sihai. Huang Yu was too intelligent. He was too close to you. Most importantly, though loyal to you, he possessed a righteous heart. You knew your future schemes for martial supremacy couldn’t escape his notice—and you knew he would never join you in your crimes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So this time, you used the Twelve Zodiacs to kill him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After realizing this, Huang Yu must have suffered great inner conflict—loyalty versus justice—leading him to choose suicide. He willingly allowed the Sun-Stepping Divine Lord to kill him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s why, when I saw his body, I noticed his serene expression—and immediately understood. I truly began to suspect you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did Huang Yu discover his benefactor might be the Dragon Head?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because he knew a secret: Ten years ago, the Demon Cult leader had a closest friend. This person’s identity was extraordinary—though a confidant of the Demon Cult leader, no one in the cult besides the leader knew who he was. One day, the Demon Cult leader acquired a rare treasure, and this friend learned of it. A few days later, Hong Sihai led the righteous in besieging the Demon Cult, and the leader sent his family to flee.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The man who ambushed the Demon Cult leader’s family was his closest friend—the Dragon Head leading the Twelve Zodiacs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But how could the Demon Cult leader, given the Twelve Zodiacs’ infamy, consider the Dragon Head a close friend? And who could earn such trust while keeping his identity secret? Even the Demon Cult valued loyalty and righteousness. So this man must have been a powerful figure with an excellent reputation but opposing allegiance—the future Martial Alliance leader: Hong Sihai.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you recall the siege of the Demon Cult, didn’t the Demon Cult leader seem nearly mad at the end? And who among you witnessed his final duel with Hong Sihai?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sadly, the Demon Cult leader believed you betrayed your friendship—but he saw it as a righteous-versus-demon divide. Though heartbroken by his family’s murder, he never suspected his closest friend was the Dragon Head who slaughtered his kin. He died still protecting your secret.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the righteous elders truly began to suspect Hong Sihai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The duel between Hong Sihai and the Demon Cult leader had felt strange… as if the two shared an odd unspoken understanding. At the end, when the Demon Cult leader faced death, his gaze at Hong Sihai was too peculiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It held more than mere hatred…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Sihai remained calm. “These are all your speculations, plus the Red Buttocks Divine Lord’s one-sided claims. They sound plausible, but in substance, they’re mostly forced.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can prove it too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, a man wheeled a chair slowly out from behind the hall. The man had disheveled hair and grotesque scars across his face, yet one elder carefully recognized him and cried out: “The Sword Supreme, Liu Duxing—you’re the fourth of the Four Supremes and One Monarch, the Sword Supreme, Liu Duxing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Duxing laughed bitterly. “Did none of you expect the once elegant Liu Duxing to become this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Twenty years ago, the Twelve Zodiacs hunted me, repeatedly wounding me until I nearly died. It was the Rat Zodiac, Si Zhaixin, who thought I might be valuable—carrying a secret tied to the Dragon Head’s identity—and stole me from death, hiding me in a secret place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Duxing radiated a gloomy aura; his single remaining eye burned with deep hatred as he stared at Hong Sihai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For twenty years, I’ve reflected constantly. I sensed something, but couldn’t confirm his identity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Until the Red Buttocks Divine Lord found me—we confirmed the Dragon Head’s true identity, and the truth behind my elder brother’s death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My elder brother died strangely! Years ago, he acquired a rare treasure, on the verge of forging a divine weapon. We Four Supremes and One Monarch were overjoyed for Elder Brother Hanjun—we drank all night. After that drunken night, he vanished without a trace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the time, I never believed he’d abandon us over a single divine weapon… I always suspected someone murdered him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And it was one of our own brothers!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For forty years, my elder brother was silent. Now I can confirm it: someone murdered him! And that someone is you. That’s why you’ve never revealed your divine weapon; why you alone among us gained such fame; why… you want to kill me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because that was likely your first crime—and you left many traces.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Duxing clutched an old tied oath knot. “This is the evidence!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This was the tied oath knot belonging to my elder brother… You moved his body, but never imagined you’d accidentally drop this knot at his old home!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The truth is revealed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Liu Duxing’s single eye, hatred burned so fiercely it seemed ready to tear Hong Sihai apart, crush him into dust. At this moment, Hong Sihai’s image of righteous brotherhood finally collapsed—his painstakingly crafted bonds of loyalty became the fatal nail in his coffin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Sihai still stood with arms behind his back, speaking calmly: “I never intended to dominate the martial world through absolute force, for I knew countless would rise against me. I thought my reputation might soften resistance, uniting the martial world under my hand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But your stubborn blindness has wasted my goodwill!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed deeply, as if regretting it: “This time… the martial world will drown in blood!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No one can stop me—and the blood spilled will be dozens of times greater than my original plan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those who follow me prosper; those who oppose me perish!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Sihai clenched his fists and laughed with overwhelming might: “Fist is power! Strong fist is supreme power! Under my fist, there is no equal—I have surpassed the Grand Master, reached the pinnacle of the martial world!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why must you defy my goodwill? Isn’t it better to be deceived a little longer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke these words, Hong Sihai finally revealed his true self—his voice like thunder, his aura radiating terrifying dominance, sweeping across all!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his fury, Hong Sihai punched the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, the entire Five Lakes Hall was torn apart by the shockwave of his fist. The overwhelming aura flung everyone backward; the Grand Masters facing his punch directly spat blood and flew back—even Grand Masters turned pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This had fundamentally surpassed the Grand Master boundary, reaching a divine realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Kongming raised his nine-ringed staff and thrust it toward Hong Sihai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Sihai raised one fist and struck the staff. The nine rings clanged, shattered, and flew apart. Master Kongming spat blood and was flung backward, unable to stop even after dozens of steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His feet left deep imprints on the hard granite floor…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now did Hong Sihai reveal his true strength—his fist truly resembled the hegemony of heaven itself—vast as the sky, profound as the abyss, unfathomable… Several Grand Masters turned pale, their faces filled with shock and rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Hong Sihai truly resembled a martial legend!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unmatched!\u003C\u002Fp>",2407,"2026-06-21T05:39:58.326Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9aa5bcbf1b23bb33c81003275e3ef739ecd1c11402464f8abbf7ec2214612f21","the-dao-dust-pearl-chapter-35","the-dao-dust-pearl-chapter-33",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dao-dust-pearl-cover.jpg"]