Chapter 426

"Open the bets! Open the bets!"

Seeing the crowd of roaring monks and Lin Kai, he was stunned—he hadn't even reacted in time, and had been dragged straight from the Sensing Qi platform.

"W-what kind of bet is this?"

Lin Kai's head throbbed like a drum—he was terrified by how gambling-obsessed these monks were.

"Liao Kong!"

At that moment, Master Da Ding's voice rang out; he scolded sternly, and all the monks fell silent, lowering their heads.

"Master."

Monk Liao Kong bowed his head in shame.

"You all…"

Master Da Ding felt utterly drained; he couldn't even muster the energy to scold further, waved his hand, and told them to get out of his sight.

Long Xi Xiang and others halted nearby; the surrounding crowd instinctively stepped back, clearing a wide open space.

"Apologies for the spectacle."

Master Da Ding sighed inwardly—every time the Dao Sects held their martial demonstrations, he felt more acutely the gap between his sect and the others.

This gap wasn't just in Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing—it was also due to the missing pieces of Jiao Shen Gong.

"Just a minor vice among the young ones—harmless."

Ying Chan brushed it off lightly; he knew full well this was a flaw of Fo Wo Du Zun Gong—back then, Master Da Ding had been even more extreme than Liao Kong is now.

The difference was that the old monk had better eyesight and luck—he won more than he lost.

"Enter the Pagoda."

Long Xi Xiang spoke in a low tone, growing impatient.

Even though Li Yuan had drawn his blade twice and had long stabilized in the Internal Organ Refinement realm, this Ink Dragon was no mere blade intent—he couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Ying Chan naturally understood his thoughts; he merely nodded, glanced around, and only when he saw the small black-and-white tiger cub ambling over did he say: "Enter the Pagoda."

"What is this old monk up to?"

As Qin Shixian followed step by step into the Pagoda, she frowned inwardly—she was puzzled by Ying Chan's response.

Was an Ink Dragon really worth such elaborate planning?

Wan Wan Zhuliu's spiritual form was still not Wan Wan Zhuliu himself—why go through all this trouble?

"This old brat has a lot of schemes."

A voice reached her ear.

"Hm?"

Qin Shixian blinked: "What do you mean?"

"So far, this old brat doesn't want direct conflict with the imperial court, yet he's also trying to use the court's pressure to rally his allies."

"Allies?"

"On the surface, the Wudadao Sects stand united, but in truth, they're riddled with internal conflicts. Just now, Qinglong Pavilion and Changhong Sword Sect were clearly watching from the sidelines."

"Ying Chan's repeated concessions make the imperial court seem aggressive—just as Brother Zhongli Wang Luan said, if they demand entry to Longhu Pagoda today, tomorrow they'll demand you open the Sanmei Cave…"

Qin Shixian pondered for a moment and understood.

"So those few families still harbor hopes of appeasing the court?"

"Even within a single family, there are divided loyalties—how much more so among the Wudadao Sects and millions of martial artists? If the court shows even a hint of weakness, countless people will waver."

The elder sighed: "Who wants to fight and kill if they have a choice?"

"Are there really people this foolish?"

Qin Shixian frowned deeply.

"People like Ying Chan are rare—most martial sects are filled with men who just train in silence, with no cunning, easily deceived—like…"

The elder shook his head inwardly.

This disciple of his belonged to that category—if he didn't point it out, she might one day be sold by Ying Chan without even realizing it.

"Some people really are foolish."

Qin Shixian nodded inwardly, then grew curious: "What does he plan to do?"

"He's doing it now."

The elder couldn't help but sigh.

"You mean this kid?"

Qin Shixian suddenly realized.

"Wan Wan Zhuliu uses people as whetstones to polish his blade intent—for decades, countless individuals of high rank and immense martial skill have been tormented by it. Grandmasters are not rare; even Supreme Grandmasters have fallen... Imagine if someone suddenly emerged who defeated Wan Wan Zhuliu's Dragon Spirit on equal footing—what would happen when the news spread?"

Stone, tempering the intent of the blade; for decades, countless ones have been tormented by his blade intent, and all were of high status and immense power, with great martial arts—let alone Grand Masters, there were many among the Supreme Grand Masters... Imagine, if suddenly such a person emerged, defeating Wan Wan Zhuliu's Dragon God Aspect within the same realm; once the news spread, what would be the consequences?"

Qin Shixian's heart trembled slightly—she'd had similar thoughts before, but never pursued them deeply, for her position, even with Li Yuan in hand, could never carry out such a thing.

Qin Li Shixian's heart trembled slightly; she had previously had similar thoughts, but had not delved deeply into them, for given her identity, even with Li Yuan in hand, she could not bring herself to do such a thing.

Those who survived a single slash from Wan Wan Zhuliu were at least the likes of Chang Lao of the Dao Sect, the Zhou Sect's leader, or the Grand Elder Chang—how could they not be high-ranking and powerful?

"If he makes such a public show, won't Wan Wan Zhuliu…"

Qin Shixian frowned—had it been her, she'd have made secret contact.

"What is blade intent? Three Yuan unified, forged by will—Wan Wan Zhuliu couldn't possibly miss the repeated draws. You underestimate Ying Chan, and you underestimate Wan Wan Zhuliu."

The elder looked toward Longhu Pagoda: "Let's see whether this kid has the ability to subdue the dragon."

A faint, elusive ripple spread.

The black scales on the Ink Dragon stirred without wind, rustling with a hua-hua sound; an invisible, colossal force descended the instant he stepped into Longhu Pagoda.

The black great wings on Ink Dragon's body stirred without wind, producing a rushing sound, and an invisible, vast, tremendous force descended the instant he stepped into the Dragon Tiger Pagoda.

This was the oppression emanating from Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing.

In an instant, Mo Long felt as if mountains were pressing in from all directions — not only suppressing his aura, but severing his connection with heaven and earth.

"Dragon-Tiger Longevity Furnace."

Mo Long was neither angry nor startled. He slowly raised his head, his gaze seeming to pierce through layer upon layer of the tower's peak, and saw a cauldron burning fiercely, wreathed by dragon and tiger.

He lowered his head. The Great Sun Monitoring Heaven Mirror in his palm had already dimmed, and the connection with the other mirrors seemed largely severed as well. No matter how he urged his true qi, only a faint glow remained.

"One Monitoring Heaven Mirror cannot withstand the oppression of Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing, even when masterless. If all nine Great Sun Monitoring Heaven Mirrors were combined, could they resist? I'm afraid not either…"

Weighing the mirror in his hand, Mo Long felt a tremor in his heart.

A supreme grand master, who exhausted the power of the world to forge this precious mirror, and a thousand years of worship — none of it could withstand it. Who on earth forged this Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing?

Crack. Crack. Crack.

Mo Long slowly stepped forward, feeling the surrounding space binding him like solid matter. Every step required dozens or even hundreds of times the usual effort.

Severed within and without, a great mountain pressing on his body, space itself binding him.

With all three layered together, even he felt extremely ill at ease. Since his birth, he had never been so weak.

"Viscera Refinement Great Completion?"

Mo Long sensed briefly, suppressed the disorientation from his plummeting power, and raised his eyes to survey his surroundings.

On the surface, this was a martial arts arena paved with yellow earth, but in his perception, it was a wall of iron and bronze — the space vast, with a bronze-colored furnace lid at the very top.

And at this moment, he was in fact standing on the first step of a massive spiral staircase that ascended all the way to the top of the furnace.

"The Longevity Furnace's Recognition-of-Master Staircase."

Mo Long was no stranger to Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing. He had personally seen the Demon-Subduing Dragon God Blade and the Sea-Suppressing Mystic Tortoise Shell, even handled them, and had visited Qi Zhong Mi Jing within them.

He had even personally witnessed the Prince blast through all manner of trials and suppress the Sea-Suppressing Mystic Tortoise Shell.

"Mystifying tricks."

Mo Long sneered, ignoring the illusion before him, and was about to climb the steps.

Suddenly, a flash of flowing light.

Mo Long halted his steps, and saw it was a nine-foot-tall great man, gripping a massive hammer, face flushed with excitement as he looked around.

Almost simultaneously, Mo Long felt the tremendous force on his body surge once more, forcibly pressing him down a realm — was this only the Meridian-Opening stage?

"The number one under heaven…"

Eighty thousand li, hammer whirling, spirit ablaze with excitement — but the instant he saw the figure draped in the great banner, his vision went black and he was kicked out of the Dragon-Tiger Tower.

"Making a fuss over nothing!"

With a flick of his sleeve he sent that big oaf tumbling to the ground. Mo Long was about to lift his foot when another person charged in,

then a third, a fourth…

"Boom!"

Raising his hand to send yet another — he had lost count at dozens — tumbling to the ground, Mo Long finally grew somewhat angry.

"Roar!"

Pitch-black true qi churned and surged, emitting a furious dragon's roar. The void around him emitted a cracking sound, as if space itself were about to shatter.

The next instant, invisible force churned and surged.

The people kicked out of the tower had yet to recover from the exhilaration of challenging the number one under heaven, when they saw the entire Dragon-Tiger Tower seemingly trembling and glowing.

Like an ancient great demon, before being suppressed, putting up a world-shaking struggle.

On the fourteenth floor of the Dragon-Tiger Tower, light and shadow intertwined, presenting every scene within the tower to the assembled crowd.

Everyone present was a Rudao Sect master, but apart from the Dragon-Tiger Temple disciples, the rest were struck speechless by the sight.

A master merges with heaven and earth and can follow a single wisp of qi to track across a thousand li—but that yields only a vague impression. This kind of interwoven qi and projected vision, most of those present had never seen.

But at this moment, no one cried out in astonishment. Every person's attention was drawn to Mo Long.

"Wan Wan Zhuliu truly lives up to his name as number one under heaven — the struggle of his spirit image can actually shake the Dragon-Tiger Longevity Furnace…"

Grand Master Master Dading pressed his palms together, deeply moved.

He was both astonished at the wondrous use of the Longevity Furnace and amazed at the might of the Dragon God Image. This scene truly resembled an evil dragon great demon trying to break free from suppression.

"It has the power but lacks Wan Wan Zhuliu's heart and will."

Long Long Yingchan commented, and at the same time flicked a finger. An invisible ripple was immediately transmitted through the Longevity Furnace to that staircase.

Boom.

Like thunder exploding.

Mo Long's body jolted, the true qi coiling around him scattering. With this blow, he had actually been forced down to the Form-Shifting realm!

"Long Long Yingchan!"

Mo Long's face darkened. He stopped struggling, and merely casually sent the Form-Shifting warrior who dared challenge him tumbling to the ground, then strode toward the second step.

He saw someone on the step above, armored and sword in hand, as if having waited a long time.

"Long Long Xinglie?"

Mo Long's fury could barely be contained. That old bald donkey actually dared to use him as a means to temper his disciples?

"Lie De Wu Gong is still solid."

"Within this Dragon God true qi there are at least the shadows of nine or more divine-grade Wu Gong — impossible to resist."

On the fourteenth floor, elders from several great sects watched and offered commentary.

Long Long Yingchan kept his word, granting every entrant the qualification to challenge, and later even directly removed the concealment, revealing that staircase.

Long Long Xinglie, Yan Jiugong, Pei Jiu, Shi Shi Qingyi… disciples of the Wudadao Sect appeared one after another, employing all they had learned, fighting Mo Long at the same realm.

Higher up, Li Yuan stood holding his hammer, quietly watching the battle.

"The Natural Sword Physique is still fierce. If Pei Jiu settles in for a dozen or so years, he might well have a shot at contending for the top of the martial trial."

On the fourteenth floor, elders from several major Dao Sects watched the battle and offered their commentary.

Long Long Xinglie kept his word, granting all who entered the tower the right to challenge, and even later removed the concealment to reveal the Heavenly Staircase.

Long Long Xinglie, Yan Jiugong, Pei Jiu, Shi Shi Qingyi... disciples from the Wudadao Sect appeared one after another, employing all they had learned to fight the Ink Dragon on the same tier.