Chapter 866: Invitation to Battle Ye Zhi Long

Yang Qing and Yang Lan exchanged a glance, and both felt a chill in their hearts.

The old man coughed twice, forced his breath steady, and said in a deep voice, "If the two of you truly wish to find him, you'll probably need the aid of a cultivator with extremely high Martial Dao attainment… Moreover, it must be someone who has previously fought him; perhaps then there's a chance."

"But…."

"That's all; there's nothing more I can say, please leave!"

After Yang Qing and Yang Lan departed, they felt that this senior, who was at the Refining Void Stage, spoke very oddly; if a Martial Dao cultivator could perform divination and the like, would he still be called a Martial Dao cultivator?

Yang Lan knit his brows: "Although the senior's words were vague, he likely meant that only a Martial Dao cultivator can locate him. In the Nan Ting Mountain Region's cultivation world, Martial Dao cultivators are already scarce, and those who can match him are even fewer…"

Yang Qing's eyes flashed as if recalling something, and he whispered, "Wait, isn't there a Martial Dao prodigy who just returned from the Outer Realm within the Mysterious Gate?"

Yang Lan was startled, then recovered, "You mean… Ye Zhi Long?"

Mysterious Gate, Martial Dao Peak.

At the summit, clouds and mist swirled, the fierce wind howled, and a tall, spear‑like figure stood on the cliff edge, bearing a jet‑black long spear whose shaft was wrapped in a faint aura of killing intent, with a low dragon's roar faintly echoing.

The person was Ye Zhi Long, the disciple with the highest Martial Dao talent that the Mysterious Gate had taken in five hundred years. He had roamed the Outer Realm for a century, traversed the five domains, and slain countless strong foes. His Martial Dao cultivation had reached the Divine Transformation pinnacle, and his combat power could even rival that of a novice at the Refining Void Stage!

What was even more shocking was that during his trials in Youming Jie, he encountered the Fu Hai Gate Sect Master Hong Yuan!

Back then, Ye Zhi Long followed the Fu Hai Gate Martial Dao cultivator Hong Chengtao to Youming Jie to seize the Huang Tian Soul. Although they later faced a Great Vehicle cultivator from Youming Jie who blocked them, Hong Yuan and another Martial Dao powerhouse, the martial zither, intervened in time.

Amid the Chaos, Ye Zhi Long inexplicably obtained the Huang Tian Soul, delivered it safely to Hong Chengtao, and then escaped Youming Jie.

Later, Hong Chengtao brought the promised reward and gave Ye Zhi Long a Martial Dao manual that recorded some Dao martial techniques of the Shenlong Sect and the great Image‑Transforming Heaven Technique that the martial zither had specially bestowed upon him!

Along with Hong Chengtao, the Great Vehicle Stage Martial Cultivator Hong Yuan also came. Hong Yuan valued Ye Zhi Long highly and wished to invite him to join Fu Hai Gate, but Ye Zhi Long flatly refused, saying the Mysterious Gate had not treated him poorly.

Hong Yuan did not press him; instead, he presented Ye Zhi Long with a secret technique titled "Qi Tian Martial Secret!"

The Qi Tian Martial Secret originated from Hong Yuan's hand; back then, Hong Yuan had comprehended the wondrous Martial Dao secret from the Mixed‑Origin stone inscription of the Martial Ancestor, allowing a Martial Cultivator to employ predictive divination abilities. Though not as powerful as Magical Cultivation, it still forged a new path.

After receiving it, Ye Zhi Long cultivated for a long time before finally mastering it. He intended to train for a while, but suddenly foresaw his opportunity in the Nan Ting Mountain Region, so he ended his training and returned to the Nan Ting Mountain Region.

Yang Qing and Yang Lan stepped through the air and landed on the summit. Ye Zhi Long did not turn around, merely saying coolly, "You two, what business?"

Yang Qing clasped his hands in a bow and said solemnly, "Senior Brother Ye, we have come to ask you to act, to help us find a person."

Hm?

Ye Zhi Long looked at Yang Qing oddly and said, "I am a Martial Cultivator."

"Yes, but a senior said only a Martial Dao cultivator can help us locate that person, and moreover I believe Senior Brother Ye should know him."

Ye Zhi Long narrowed his eyes, snorted coldly, "Back then you caused chaos in the mortal world; I could have let you go without trouble, yet you still dare to come to me?!"

It is said that back then Ye Zhi Long, on the Kan Path, was also a member of the siege of Zhi Sheng Dian. He, once called 'General Dragon Might', had never let any enemy escape under his command, yet they fled, which led to Ye Zhi Long being mocked and suppressed in the court for quite some time, with people saying he could not even deal with wandering martial artists.

Yang Qing and Yang Lan's faces darkened; you still remember the affairs from your mortal days?

But they also remember.

"Senior Brother Ye, the past is bygone; now that we have stepped into the cultivation world, it should be cut off. We are now of the same sect, why act like this?"

Ye Zhi Long looked at them and apparently didn't realize he had learned the Qi Tian Martial Secret, wondering who exactly it was.

If I also knew him…

Ye Zhi Long shook his head, his gaze as sharp as a blade, and said in a low voice, "Who are you looking for?"

"Yan Buji, the former Sect Master of the Blood Flow Sect who went by the alias Ji Bu!"

When that name was spoken, Ye Zhi Long's eyes suddenly hardened, his aura instantly became as sharp as a sword, and the surrounding air seemed to be sliced into fragments!

"He… is still alive?"

Yang Qing nodded, "Not only alive, but he's stirring up turmoil in Nan Ting, provoking various forces to clash, and even wielding a strange Six‑Turn Celestial Accumulation to slaughter people! Senior Brother Ye, you could go investigate; in the Nan Ting Mountain Region there's a new great demon called 'Hu Mo'!"

Yang Qing watched Ye Zhi Long's face turn dark; she knew his temperament was just and strong, yet he never bullied the weak and would even deliberately protect mortals. Though many in the Mysterious Gate frowned upon his status as a Martial Dao cultivator, he had also earned much praise through his strength.

Ye Zhi Long was silent for a moment, then let out a cold laugh, his eyes brimming with battle intent like a tide: "Back then I fought him; he was defeated by my spear yet luckily escaped. Now he still dares to appear?"

Yang Lan hurriedly produced the complete Blood Essence Skill, and said, "Senior Brother Ye, this person's cultivation has advanced greatly and he conceals heavenly mechanisms; ordinary divination techniques are ineffective against him, only a Martial Dao cultivator can pinpoint his whereabouts!"

Ye Zhi Long's gaze flickered slightly, he reached out and snatched the Blood Essence Skill from Yang Qing's hand into his palm. He flipped the pages, scanning only a few, then sneered even more, "Sure enough, it's the Blood Essence Skill. Those damned demons have killed countless people in pursuit of evil cultivation!"

Having said so, he violently closed the book, his qi and blood churning, a towering surge of Martial Dao true intent shot upward, True Essence flowed within his body, instantly triggering the Qi Tian Martial Secret!

"Deduce!"

He let out a low roar, formed seals with both hands, and countless fine Martial Dao runes materialized around him, swirling like stars. These runes resonated with the aura stored in the Blood Essence Skill, gradually sketching a vague figure in the void—it was Yan Buji!

Yang Qing and Yang Lan held their breath, focusing, and saw the phantom gradually sharpen, finally fixing upon a deep mountain range.

"It's nearby…" Ye Zhi Long's eyes were cold, "He's bold, probably because he relies on divination techniques that can't find him, making him so daring!"

A flash of cold light appeared in Yang Qing's eyes: "Senior Brother Ye, when shall we set out?"

Ye Zhi Long rose, his long spear quivered, and a dragon's roar rang through the clouds: "Now!"

Having said that, Ye Zhi Long lifted his long spear and charged out of the Mysterious Gate; Yang Qing and Yang Lan exchanged a glance and hurried after him.

Regardless, Ye Zhi Long was willing to act, and Yang Qing and Yang Lan were naturally pleased to see it happen.

This time we must not let that smoke slip away; we must capture him!

A hint of greed flashed in the two's eyes.

Since Yan Buji guessed they possessed the Dao Scheme Profound Chapter and dared to ambush them for it, now, turning the tables, isn't this their chance to obtain the Dao Scheme Profound Chapter from Yan Buji's hands?