Chapter 391: Fame Shakes the Jianghu, The Path to Becoming a God

Stacking Talents!

Li Yuan's mind made its calculation.

"A peerless-tier talent can ignore the trial and directly become a True Disciple. Then, stacking even higher should allow ignoring the rules and directly becoming a Dao Child, right?"

Recalling the comments on the stone stele earlier, Li Yuan felt it was very likely.

As long as the talent is high enough and the potential sufficient, no trial rules count as rules...

"A peerless-tier talent; the Longhu Temple has likely never produced one. Going even higher..."

Li Yuan felt it would be difficult, but compared to the Dao Child trial itself, it seemed somewhat simpler. After all, with the Command of Heavenly Soldiers Talisman in hand, this was his greatest advantage:

"Several paths. First, command another Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing. Stacking across the ages, plus my innate talent, should make it possible to break through the scope of peerless-tier talent..."

Secondly, continue merging weapons. With a body full of supreme-grade divine hammers, plus my continued alteration of my root bone, perhaps there is also a chance?"

How could Li Yuan have any desire to sleep?

He leaned against the head of the bed, squinting, pondering in his heart.

"My own talent, upon gathering one hundred and thirty forms, transformed to the peerless level. Then, what about the eternal level? Does it require a thousand forms?"

Thinking of Dragon Demon Daoist, he felt it very likely. That figure was the only peerless powerhouse in legend who had altered ten thousand forms, suspected to be above peerless...

"A hundred forms for peerless, a thousand forms for eternal, ten thousand forms for peerless?"

Li Yuan's thoughts scattered; thinking of himself, he felt it very likely.

He himself only transformed to the peerless level upon gathering one hundred and thirty forms, likely because his original root bone was merely average or below.

"A thousand forms is one of the conditions to fully command the Sea-Splitting Shan Xuan Whale Hammer. Whether I do it or not, I must gather them anyway. Whether it works or not, trying will tell."

Li Yuan squinted; a thousand forms were not actually that far from him.

After commanding the Crimson Blood Patterned Dragon Armor and altering the body into the Crimson Dragon Body, he now possessed one hundred and eighty-five forms, plus the nearly perfect Dragon-Snake Nine Changes, the accomplished Cloud-Dragon Nine Appearances, and other Wu Gong.

Before this Long Hu Longhu Dadan is consumed, he can at least gather two hundred and thirty forms. Adding the Mirage Dragon Body, a thousand forms would be one-third complete.

"The conditions to command the Mirage Dragon Belt are three. Among them, the Spirit Dragon Form and the Serpent-Dragon Change, I can satisfy. The only limitation is the Wind-Cloud Form..."

Pondering for a while, Li Yuan had no desire to sleep at all. He rolled over and rose, heading to the courtyard to practice.

"??"

On the windowsill, the little tiger cub looked up, tossing and turning. This fellow's energy was simply too vigorous.

Mount Hengshan City, East District, Fish-Dragon Restaurant.

Chu Hun Tian Zhu strode in, waved his large hand, and ordered every signboard wine and dish in the shop.

Inside the private room, Chu Hun Tian Zhu buried his head and ate heartily, disregarding the dignity of a Sanmei Cave True Disciple, his mouth greasy.

Brother Zhongli Wang Luan, with a face full of big beard, merely drank cup after cup of wine.

"Junior Uncle Zhong, the Cave Master was delayed by some matters on the road for over half a month. Counting the time, he should have arrived today."

Several disciples of Sanmei Cave attended nearby.

"Eat first."

Brother Zhongli Wang Luan set down his wine cup, picked up his chopsticks, and tasted the restaurant's signature dishes.

The speaking disciple spoke cautiously: "Junior Uncle, after you and Senior Brother Chu were detained, the Cave Master also sent a letter to the Longhu Temple. When he arrives, he will surely demand an explanation from the Longhu Temple!"

"What explanation?"

Brother Zhongli Wang Luan waved his hand: "We caused quite a big scene on their grounds. Lord Daoist Long was magnanimous and did not blame us. All treatment was good. What is there to say?"

Glancing at Chu Hun Tian Zhu who was burying his head in his meal, the several disciples exchanged glances; how could they believe it?

"The Longhu Temple did not mistreat us; it is just that the mountain's food and drink truly do not suit our taste."

Chu Hun Tian Zhu put down his bowl and chopsticks, wiped his hands, and offered an explanation. He did not wish to mention the matter. Seeing this, the several Sanmei Cave disciples changed the topic:

"By the way, does Senior Brother Chu know Li Yuan?"

"What?"

Chu Hun Tian Zhu looked at them.

"You just... you just came down the mountain, so you might not know. It has already spread through the city, saying that the night before last, Longhu True Disciple Li Yuan fought and killed against that Yan Yan Chunyang..."

"It is said that Yan Yan Chunyang was hammered to death by Li Yuan's heavy hammer, leaving not even a complete corpse."

"Hmm?"

Chu Hun Tian Zhu's heart shook, feeling somewhat terrified: "Li Yuan killed Yan Yan Chunyang?"

They were only sent down the mountain by carriage today. Regarding what happened the night before last, they did not understand, only knowing that Yan Yan Chunyang was dead.

Hearing Li Yuan's name now, even Brother Zhongli Wang Luan was somewhat surprised.

He actually remembered Li Yuan quite well. Just now, having accomplished the Organ Refinement, could he actually kill Yan Yan Chunyang?

"Divine Weapon?"

"Correct. People say that night, Li Yuan wore a set of crimson armor, rumored to be a supreme-grade Divine Weapon!"

"No, I heard several Divine Weapons. He even used the Jiang Mo Chu of Master Master Fulong!"

"I heard it was a spear?"

The several disciples spoke in a jumble about the events of that night.

"This, this..."

Chu Hun Tian Zhu was somewhat dazed.

Divine Weapons are naturally extremely important to martial artists. Most cross-rank battles in the Jianghu relate to Divine Weapons, but Yan Yan Chunyang did not lack Divine Weapons either.

Or perhaps, before the duel, Yan Yan Chunyang's Divine Weapons were all detained?

"Good!"

Brother Zhongli Wang Luan gulped down wine by the mouthful, his spirits soaring.

"Junior Uncle, do you think there is a hidden hand of Daoist Long in this?"

Chu Hun Tian Zhu was still somewhat startled and suspicious.

Although he had never fought Yan Yan Chunyang, many years ago he had witnessed Long Long Xinglie in action; that scene remained unforgettable to this day.

And the matter of Yan Yan Chunyang fighting him seven times and drawing seven times had spread like wildfire.

"What does it matter?"

Brother Zhongli Wang Luan glanced at him:

"Who do you think the Grand Commander of the Dragon Shadow Guard is? That is a spiritual form cultivated by Wan Wan Zhuliu through a secret technique, not inferior to any great grandmaster of the current age!

Even if Daoist Long has a hidden hand, could he deceive him?"

Chu Hun Tian Zhu gripped his wine cup, his heart unsettled: "Disciple is not envious or jealous; it is simply that this matter exceeds expectations..."

Divine weapons can indeed elevate a person's blood qi and true qi to an extremely high level in a short time, but they cannot improve martial arts techniques or combat prowess.

"The Martial Arts Tournament of the Various Paths does not permit the use of divine weapons."

A disciple could not help but speak up, only to be glared back into silence by Brother Zhongli Wang Luan. Just as he was about to speak again, a massive burst of clamor suddenly exploded outside.

He pushed open the window and looked toward the sound, seeing only a surging crowd, voices boiling over; several long streets ahead and behind were in an uproar, filled with martial artists carrying swords and knives.

Good heavens!

Inside the carriage, hearing the clamor and shouting all around, Li Yuan was somewhat dazed; the aftermath of killing Yan Yan Chunyang was far greater than he had imagined.

"Yan Yan Chunyang traveled all the way from the Henglong Dao, killing countless famous martial artists along the way. There are countless martial artists who hold grudges against him or resent the imperial court."

Inside the carriage, Fang Fang Yunxiu explained briefly; she too had never seen such a spectacle.

This roar like a tidal wave of celebration was more exaggerated than the departure of the top courtesan of the Ten Thousand Spring Pavilion, truly leaving her somewhat shocked.

"This person has a problem with his brain."

Li Yuan reached out, pushed the head that had poked in through the carriage curtain back out, and shook his head inwardly.

Yan Yan Chunyang's style of conduct was something he truly could not understand; provoking trouble all the way along the journey, besides stirring up public resentment and enemies everywhere, what benefit was there?

"The direct disciple of the King of Suppressing Martial Arts, how would he care about the resentment of martial artists?"

Fang Fang Yunxiu chuckled softly:

"Junior Brother Li is now thoroughly famous throughout the martial world."

Fang Fang Yunxiu was teasing, yet also sighing with emotion.

How could it be just fame throughout the martial world?

With the Martial Arts Tournament of the Various Paths imminent, Mount Hengshan had gathered countless sects and experts; killing someone like Yan Yan Chunyang at this very moment, the magnitude of the shock was beyond imagination.

"Actually, this feeling isn't bad."

Before Fang Fang Yunxiu, Li Yuan was still open; hearing the shouts all around, his heart underwent some change, yet what he thought of was still Wu Gong.

Fang Fang Yunxiu glanced at him: "Wu Gong is the foundation; fame is merely an illusion. Junior Brother Li, do not be swept away by empty fame..."

"Senior Sister speaks correctly."

Li Yuan nodded; he did not value empty fame, yet this feeling of displaying one's power before others made his heart flutter somewhat.

"This feeling..."

Daoist Li almost couldn't hold back the corners of his mouth; he even wanted to go out and greet people, but that was just a thought; on the street, with hundreds or thousands of people, he couldn't nod to even ten of them.

He had descended the mountain this time because Senior Brother Yin Fa had already brought Old Lei and the others back; this was a proper matter.

Buzz~

Feeling the roar like a tidal wave and the gaze of ten thousand, the Long Kun formed by his meditated spiritual self within the Land of Spiritual Light emitted a joyful long cry.

'This scene is quite stimulating to my spirit; do I like displaying my power before others this much?'

Chatting with Fang Fang Yunxiu, Daoist Li's thoughts began to wander.

The stirrings of his meditated spiritual self had occurred several times before, but this time was different from all previous ones; it was not just the scale of the scene, nor just the changes in the Long Kun.

"There is a certain familiarity..."

Li Yuan pondered; his mind turned with incredible speed; with a slight thought, he had already located where that faint sense of familiarity came from:

"Is this the scent of incense offerings?!"

"Junior Brother Li?"

Seeing Li Yuan suddenly sit upright, Fang Fang Yunxiu was slightly stunned: "What is this?"

"Nothing, I have gained a slight insight."

Li Yuan relaxed, yet his heart was beating violently within.

That fluctuation was very small, merely a thread, yet he was confident in his perception; the trembling of the meditated spiritual self within the Land of Spiritual Light was not solely due to spiritual fluctuations.

His heart was far from calm; he had seen incense offerings many times, but this was his own incense offerings...

"The direction of the people's hearts... the Master of the Bronze Tower before did not deceive me; what she said was true. Incense offerings, incense offerings..."

With a 'Swish!' sound, before Fang Fang Yunxiu's bewildered gaze, Li Yuan lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out.

Hoo~

On the street, there was a moment of silence; Yu Yu Xuanji, various sounds came rushing in like a tidal wave.

"Young Hero Li!"

"Thank you, Brother Li, for avenging my Junior Uncle; I, Linghu Quan, will never forget this!"

"Great Hero Li, my Sect Master requests your presence..."

Buzz~

Liu Zheng, driving the carriage, pulled the reins to stop the horse. Li Yuan stood atop the carriage, feeling the gazes cast from all directions, and felt only heat at his brow.

In the land of spiritual light, the meditative spiritual self taking the form of a thunder dragon trembled lightly, then Yu Yu Xuanji transformed into human form, identical to Li Yuan.

This is the Worship-Deity Visualization Method.

Hum!

Li Yuan was momentarily dazed; as the Worship-Deity Visualization Method circulated, he sensed a stronger wave of incense fragrance than before. After a few moments,

a wisp of incense fragrance actually rose up!

"This is possible?!"