Chapter 308: First Ascension to Dragon and Tiger

Nestled against mountains and bordering the sea, a colossal city rises like a mighty peak; from over ten li away, its outline is already visible, a magnificent sight. Three great canals, flowing from various prefectures and even other Dao regions, are crowded with vessels as dense as a forest.

At Pier Nineteen, Fang Fang Yunxiu approached slowly, clad in a practical martial robe, a long sword on her back, and a Dragon-Tiger Outer Sect disciple token hanging at her waist.

Having entered the sect a year ago, she passed the trial during the last Outer Sect assessment and successfully advanced to Outer Sect disciple.

Gazing out at the Grand Canal, she stopped and waited. Before long, the expected boat did not arrive; instead, a figure in black robes, with a stern expression, approached carrying a bow and a spear: Qiu Qiu Changying.

"Senior Sister Qiu."

Fang Fang Yunxiu clasped her hands in greeting. The latter responded with a sound, her expression softening slightly.

"Has Junior Sister Fang gone on a mission again?"

"I just returned from Yuan Pingshan. Hearing that the sect has sent someone, I came to welcome them," Fang Fang Yunxiu said softly.

She and Qiu Qiu Changying had originally had little connection, but after coming to Dragon-Tiger Temple, they grew quite close, meeting occasionally whenever they returned to the mountain.

She had never had much to do with Qiu Qiu Changying originally, but after arriving at Dragon Tiger Temple they had grown considerably closer, and whenever she returned to Huishan they would gather for small reunions from time to time.

Qiu Qiu Changying scanned the surroundings, hesitated slightly, yet still did not utter the title 'Junior Uncle'.

"I just went to notify Junior Brother Li. I heard he was invited by Lord Nie to the Surging Waves Hall to discuss the forging of divine weapons."

Fang Fang Yunxiu replied casually. Behind her, a shout rang out.

Turning around, she saw Liu Zheng, Wang Wang Peiyao, Gao Gang, and over ten others—disciples from the Original Divine Weapon Valley who had come to Mount Hengshan City with them.

Every three years, the Dragon-Tiger Inner Sect has four recommendation slots: one for an Outer Sect disciple and three for menial disciples.

Lord Master Gongyang Yu had already allocated those slots nine years in advance.

"Where is Junior Brother Li?"

Gao Gang arrived in a rush. He still had two years before he could enter the Dragon-Tiger Outer Sect, but he had not been idle this past year; through Li Yuan's connections, he became a caravan leader at Master Fuyuan Escort Agency.

Fang Fang Yunxiu glanced at him. Only after everyone had arrived did she explain why Li Yuan had not come.

Fang Fang Yunxiu glanced at him, and only after everyone had assembled did she explain once more why Li Yuan had not come.

Gao Gang sighed with emotion.

During the year he traveled with the Master Fuyuan Escort Agency, he had grown significantly. The vague concepts of 'Lord' and 'Grandmaster' he once held in his mind now carried real weight.

Nie Xianshan, master of the Tiger Gate, a top Grandmaster ranked among the top five in the upper echelons, with numerous disciples under him, is truly a giant of a Dao. Qiu Qiu Changying and the others all showed changes in expression. In this past year, Li Yuan's name had grown louder and louder; although they met occasionally, they felt the distance between them had become extremely vast.

Nie Xianshan, master of the Tiger Sect, a top-tier Grandmaster ranked among the top five, with a great many disciples beneath him—a true colossus of a figure. Qiu Qiu Changying and the others' expressions all shifted somewhat. Over this past year, Li Yuan's reputation had grown ever louder; although they had occasionally met, they felt the distance between them had already grown extremely far.

Fang Fang Yunxiu, with sharp eyes, spotted the familiar Five-Toothed Great Warship flying the 'Divine Weapon Valley' banner.

Before long, under the welcome of the group, the great warship docked. The helmsman was Feng Feng Zhongyi; it seemed he had returned and immediately brought people over without rest.

Before long, under the welcome of several people, the great vessel docked at the shore. The one at the helm was Feng Feng Zhongyi; it seemed that after returning he had, without pausing for rest, brought people over again.

Seeing the familiar face, Fang Fang Yunxiu and the others all offered greetings. Even Qiu Qiu Changying, with her cold nature, could not help but show a few smiles on her face.

Feng Feng Zhongyi jumped off the ship impatiently, waved his hand casually. Behind him, Fang Fang Bao Luo followed, disembarking and clasping his hands in a bow.

"Junior Sister Qiu, Junior Sister Fang... Where is Junior Brother?"

"Junior Brother!"

Fang Fang Bao Luo's muttering was drowned out by a voice full of vigor. An eight-foot-tall figure, still imposing yet showing a hint of humanity, strode out of the cabin: "Eighty Thousand Li."

Fang Fang Bao Luo's muttering was drowned out by a voice brimming with vigor. A man eight chi tall, still robust though with a touch of the world-weary about him, strode out of the cabin with steps covering eighty thousand li:

"This oaf came too?"

Qiu Qiu Changying frowned inwardly, while the others all offered their greetings.

"Lord of the Valley?"

Suddenly, Fang Fang Yunxiu exclaimed in shock. The one who finally emerged from the cabin was none other than Lord Master Gongyang Yu. "Lord, why did you come in person?"

Qiu Qiu Changying was startled first, then looked toward the cabin.

"Stillness breeds movement. With no trivial matters lately, I simply came to see the excitement. Junior Niece Qiu, do not look further; Elder Qiu has not come."

Lord Master Gongyang Yu stroked his long beard, seemingly in high spirits. He glanced around the shore, his brow furrowing slightly:

Master Master Gongyang stroked his long beard, seemingly in excellent spirits. He surveyed the shore, his brow slightly furrowing:

There we go; whoever comes asks the same question.

The group on the shore thought this inwardly. Fang Fang Yunxiu felt somewhat helpless but explained once more.

The people on shore muttered inwardly to themselves. Fang Fang Yunxiu, somewhat helpless, still explained once more.

Lord Master Gongyang Yu was visibly moved but did not ask further. He ordered the disciples to load the items and take carriages into the city.

... On the road, Fang Fang Bao Luo asked about everyone's recent circumstances. Eighty Thousand Li walked on foot, looking around, occasionally letting out exclamations of awe.

Entering the city, Liu Zheng led the group back to the Weapon-Forging Shop and ordered someone to prepare a banquet. "Replying to the Lord of the Valley,"

Fang Fang Yunxiu was organizing her words; having spent most of her time outside on missions, she did not know how to answer at first. Wang Wang Peiyao took over the conversation:

"These are some intelligence records I have compiled. Would you care to take a look?"

Speaking to Lord Master Gongyang Yu, Wang Wang Peiyao was still somewhat trembling with fear.

She was merely a menial disciple in the Divine Weapon Valley; how could she have imagined one day sitting at the same table as the Lord of the Valley?

In the Divine Weapon Valley she had been nothing more than a menial disciple—how could she ever have imagined that one day she would sit at the same table as the Valley Master?

Lord Master Gongyang Yu nodded slightly, took the booklet, and flipped through it casually. Wang Wang Peiyao explained and reported from the side: "Before the New Year, during the sect assessment, Senior Sister Qiu advanced to Outer Sect disciple."

"... As for the two of us, ahem, we remain menial disciples."

Liu Zheng, standing nearby, felt slightly embarrassed. Was this even worth mentioning?

"Did Junior Nephew Li forge a Quasi-Divine Weapon?"

Suddenly, Lord Master Gongyang Yu's eyelid twitched. Fang Fang Bao Luo, Feng Feng Zhongyi, and the others were all shocked. Regarding intelligence on Dragon-Tiger Temple, they truly knew very little.

Suddenly, Master Master Gongyang's eyelid twitched. Fang Fang Bao Luo, Feng Feng Zhongyi, and the others were all equally shocked and horrified; regarding intelligence on Dragon Tiger Temple, they truly knew very little.

"... This, how long has it been? Is Junior Brother about to become a Divine Artificer?"

……"Th-this, how long has it been? Junior Brother, surely you're not about to become a Divine Craftsman?"

"A quasi-Divine Weapon."

The visitors who had come from afar were all somewhat shocked; only Lord Master Gongyang Yu started in surprise, then furrowed his brow, worried that Li Yuan would be distracted from forging weapons and fall behind in Wu Gong.

It was not until Wang Wang Peiyao handed him a copy of the "Mount Hengshan Dragon-Tiger Ranking."

"He's broken through to Great Mastery of Channel Opening?!"

Feng Feng Zhongyi sprang to his feet with a whoosh, nearly flipping the table, even though his own round trip had taken only a little over half a year.

He'd gone from Body Transformation all the way to Great Mastery of Channel Opening?!

"What Great Mastery of Channel Opening?"

Ba Ba Wanli, who had been burying his head in his food, looked up, saw Fang Fang Bao Luo's stunned expression, and only then caught on:

"Junior Brother has broken through to Great Mastery of Channel Opening?!"

The two martial brothers who had only barely broken through to Channel Opening on the ship exchanged a glance, their eyelids twitching wildly.

"Thirty-six."

Lord Master Gongyang Yu pinched his beard, deeply shaken within.

The rankings of Cloud-Relax Tower might have errors and omissions, but on the whole they could be trusted; this ranking, even if limited to those under sixty, was still somewhat terrifying.

This was a ranking that encompassed all young martial artists from over a hundred sects across Mount Hengshan Dao, from Daozhou down to the prefectures and commanderies. Li Yuan was only twenty-two this year, and had only joined Dragon Tiger Temple a year ago.

"A once-in-an-age talent!"

Lord Master Gongyang Yu was dazed for an instant; just as he was about to speak, footsteps came from outside the door:

"Second Shopkeeper, Elder Gong has arrived."

"Elder Gong?"

Liu Zheng immediately rose, and everyone in the room was somewhat taken aback.

"Valley Master, you…"

"Let us go together to greet him!"

Before he could finish, Lord Master Gongyang Yu had also risen; everyone went out the door and, in the distance, saw Gong Gong Jiuchuan and the others. "Valley Master Lord Master Gongyang has come in person, why didn't you notify Gong?"

Gong Gong Jiuchuan smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

"How would I dare trouble Elder Gong?"

Lord Master Gongyang Yu smiled and cupped his hands, inviting him inside.

Gong Gong Jiuchuan waved his hand: "Gong has already set a banquet in the mountain; would the Valley Master care to step over?"

"Elder Gong is too courteous."

Glancing at the composed Feng Feng Zhongyi, Lord Master Gongyang Yu suddenly realized that what this old fellow had said before—drinking and chatting happily every day with the elders and helmsmen of Dragon Tiger Temple—was probably true.

"Li Yuan."

Valley Master Lord Master Gongyang was deeply shaken within; of course he wouldn't think the elders of Dragon Tiger Temple were warm and hospitable. Back in Dechang Prefecture, he had sought an audience several times but had never been able to meet this Elder Gong.

But naturally he would not refuse; with a shake of his sleeves, his face glowing, he went with Gong Gong Jiuchuan to attend the banquet.

Feng Feng Zhongyi led a group of disciples behind, with Fang Fang Bao Luo and the others at the very back. He glanced at Liu Zheng and Wang Wang Peiyao, who were used to it all, and only then realized that his Junior Brother Li was far more than just having gained a firm foothold…

Spring warmed and flowers bloomed, the sunshine bright and beautiful.

After winter, the Dragon Tiger mountains were all green, their scenery beautiful. Elders and disciples from other sects, led from time to time by Dragon Tiger disciples, toured the mountain scenery.

"This place is Hun Tian Peak; it governs six helms, and the Hundred Herbs Helm is among them. Most of the sect's spiritual pills are produced by this helm; its status is special, and ordinary people cannot approach."

On the mountain path, Yue's weight led a group of Fire Dragon Temple elders, introducing the mountain scenery.

With Dragon Tiger Temple opening its mountain gates, apart from forbidden grounds, all halls and offices could be entered and exited.

"What about Dragon Chant Peak?"

The current Fire Dragon Temple Sect Master Zhang Jing stroked his long beard and asked,

"That over there is Dragon Chant Peak."

Yue's weight introduced it to him: in years past, a patriarch of Fire Dragon Temple had once joined Dragon Chant Peak, and he himself was now in the Listening Wind Helm governed by Dragon Chant Peak.

What about over there?

A sharp-eyed disciple saw a towering Gao Ta amid the clouds and mist.

"That is the Dragon Tiger Tower."

Yue's weight's face showed reverence, with longing in his eyes:

"That is the trial tower for our Dragon Tiger inner-gate elite disciples. Anyone who can be ranked upon it is without exception a heaven-gifted talent." "Dragon Tiger Tower?"

Among the crowd some were puzzled, while others understood in their hearts; a disciple inquired:

"Senior Brother Yue, with your talent you must surely be ranked…"

Before that disciple could finish, he was pulled by the sleeve by the martial brothers on either side. Yue's weight's expression soured slightly, but he quickly composed himself:

"The Dragon Tiger Tower is different from the Dragon Ranking. The latter only records inner-gate disciples under sixty, but on the Dragon Tiger Tower's list, even the Dao Master himself is included."

"A newly entered disciple, even a heaven-gifted genius like—"

Yue's weight's voice cut off abruptly; thinking of Li Yuan, he suddenly felt a weight on his heart. He had almost forgotten that he and Li Yuan were disciples who had entered Dragon Tiger Temple's inner gate from the same place, in the same batch.

"Let's go take a look."

Zhang Jing sighed inwardly and spoke up first.

He had been in Mount Hengshan City for some days now, and naturally knew of Li Yuan's current reputation. By comparison, although Yue's weight was also a genius, he inevitably paled somewhat.

In fact, as early as hearing that Li Yuan had triggered the manifestation of the Azure Dragon Shadow upon entering the sect, he and the Iron Sword Sect had each folded their wings, no longer daring to contest with the Divine Weapon Valley over Dechang and Dianlong Prefectures.

"This Elder Nie demands too much; if we keep discussing like this, even three more months may not be enough to start forging."

Coming out of the Surging Wave Hall, Li Yuan was still a bit dizzy and muddled; the squabbling of Elder Nie and those four Divine Craftsmen had given him quite a headache.

At that time, only two people in the world could forge top-grade Divine Weapons, and both held posts in the imperial court. Although Wan Chuan and the others were all Divine Craftsmen of their generation, they had never forged a Divine Weapon of this caliber.

Added to that, Elder Nie's obsession ran deep, and several discussions had ended on an unhappy note.

"Best case, the final quality would be upper-grade divine weapons at most," Li Yuan squinted his eyes, looking into the distance.

Beneath the towering pagoda wreathed in mist, a sea of people crowded together—nearly everyone who had come to pay a visit had to come here.

Li Yuan was somewhat curious about the Dragon Tiger Pagoda. Seeing the surging crowd beneath the great pagoda, his heart could not help but stir with interest.

"The Dragon List's top forty only get a share of four spiritual pills per year, while the top thirty get eight."

Ranked thirty-first, just one spot short, Li Yuan could not help but feel some lingering concern.

"Junior Brother Li, you've come to challenge the Dragon Tiger Pagoda too?"

Suddenly, Shi Shi Yu Shu's voice rang out, drawing sidelong glances from many nearby. Seeing it was Li Yuan, quite a few familiar disciples greeted him one after another:

"Is Uncle-Master Li going to try as well?"

"Brother Li, it's been a long time."

"Is Uncle-Master Li about to push for the top thirty of the Dragon List?"

Li Yuan paused slightly. That name had already gone dark, and then a crack opened in the pagoda's gate as Yan Xiong stumbled out, his face looking quite unwell.

"Didn't enter the first floor."

Li Yuan heard someone mutter and looked toward the stone stele. Sure enough, Yan Xiong's name had vanished—he hadn't even qualified to be listed on the stele.

"Junior Brother Li, won't you give it a try?"

The Monk Douyue had arrived at some unknown time. Li Yuan cupped his hands in greeting, and before he could speak, he heard Shi Shi Yu Shu's startled voice.

"Pei Jiu has reached the fifth floor!"

Li Yuan followed the sound and looked, only to see the name 'Pei Jiu' on the stone stele leap upward all at once, surpassing quite a few inner disciples of Dragon Tiger.

"Pei Jiu of the Changhong Sword Sect?"

Seeing the Monk Douyue's expression turn quite unpleasant, Li Yuan's heart stirred, and only then did he cup his hands:

"Senior brother, I'll give it a try."