Chapter 429: Tremors, Aftermath

Dragon-Tiger Health Nurturing Furnace, already recognized its master!

Condition One for Mastery: No Mastery Effect at Tier Eleven (Mystic Color): Physical Talent, Cultivation Talent, Longevity, Star Dragon-Tiger.

Condition Two for Mastery: Peerless Talent, Body of a Thousand Forms, Disciple of the Nurturing Dao, Fifth Layer of the Nurturing Scripture.

Mastery Effect at Tier Twelve (Black): Action at Tier Eleven (Mystic Color): Dragon-Tiger Union, Health Nurturing.

The strong prevail!

As the dazzling mystic light surged like a tide, a thought suddenly rose in Li Yuan's heart.

Back then, for the Black Whale Hammer to recognize him as master, he stacked talents, locked himself in a small dark room, tried every method, yet the Black Whale Spirit remained unwilling and disdainful.

But now, after defeating the Ink Dragon, the Mystic Weapon came of its own accord.

Even without slaughtering through the sixty-eight-thousand-level Ascension Ladder, all rules were no longer rules.

"To hammer iron, one must be strong oneself!"

Suppressing the throbbing in his heart, Li Yuan lightly pressed his brow; just from the incense smoke constantly rising from the Land of Spiritual Light, it was clear that the number and quality of spectators now were far greater than what he saw before his eyes.

"Daoist Dragon."

At Li Yuan's thought, the scene of the fourth floor of the Dragon-Tiger Tower appeared before his eyes: Brother Zhongli Wang Luan, Yuan Ding Dao, Old Dragon Head, Nie Lao Dao, Great Determination Chan Master, Daoist Dragon.

Crack!

The light and shadow of the fourteenth floor instantly dispersed; looking at Daoist Dragon's face full of shock, Li Yuan immediately felt pleasure; this taste, satisfying!

In the instant the Dragon-Tiger Health Nurturing Furnace recognized its master, he could already, through the health-nurturing qi omnipresent in the tower, feel everyone inside and outside the tower, even the entire Dragon-Tiger Inner Sect.

Daoist Dragon's hobby of spying has thus become history, ended by him!

"Li..."

On the Ascension Ladder, Pei Pei Xingkong and others were about to speak, but saw that Li Li Yuanba, shrouded in clouds and mist, whose face was unknown!

【Bowed to the crowd with clasped hands.

Afterwards, he grabbed the Ink Dragon's corpse, tore off the inner armor from its body, clenched the Great Sun Heaven-Monitoring Mirror in his hand, and then walked toward the end of the Ascension Ladder, seeming slow but actually fast, his silhouette blurred.

"Eldest Senior Brother, Senior Brother Xin."

Long Long Xinglie and the other two turned their heads, seeing only the very top of the Ascension Ladder.

The two exchanged glances, both seeing each other's twitching eye corners.

"I-it's over?"

Looking at the corpse on the Ascension Ladder, Li Yuan's face was full of terror.

"It's over."

Pei Pei Xingkong steadied his mind, looking at this newly promoted true disciple of the Dragon-Tiger Temple; by sheer coincidence, this one also carried a heavy hammer; even more coincidentally, as soon as Li Li Yuanba left, this one arrived.

The true disciples of the various Dao Sects on the Ascension Ladder were somewhat suspicious, somewhat fearful, and finally looked at each other in silence.

"Li Li Yuanba."

Looking at Li Yuan, the newly promoted true disciple of the Dragon-Tiger Temple whose face was full of astonishment, Shi Shi Qingyi clenched the long spear in her palm.

Crack! Inside the fourteenth floor of the Dragon-Tiger Tower, the light and shadow dispersed.

The various Dao Sect elders also remained speechless for a long time, looking at each other, their hearts deeply shaken.

Since Wan Wan Zhuliu's three elements merged into one, no, since he entered the Dao, in the years that followed, countless famous experts became stepping stones, forging his name as the number one under heaven with their flesh and blood and reputation.

To this day, no one has been able to shake him, even breaking the balance between the Wudadao Sect and the imperial court.

If not for the Great Battle of the Divine Capital forty-odd years ago, when the previous master of the Star-Picking Tower died and severely injured him, the martial world of today would long ago have been trampled flat by the imperial court.

When he emerged from seclusion, the world shook, and countless people within the Wudadao Sect were terrified.

But now...

"The Ink Dragon is dead!"

Yuan Ding Dao was somewhat dazed, while the others knew he was not speaking of the Ink Dragon, but of Wan Wan Zhuliu.

This Ink Dragon contained the spiritual image, flesh and blood, and Wu Gong of that number one under heaven; killing this person within the same realm means that young man has already qualified to compete with Wan Wan Zhuliu for the future title of number one under heaven.

"Excellent, excellent."

Great Determination Chan Master clasped his hands together; the old monk now looked somewhat radiant; at this moment, he finally had in his heart...

confidence; this young man indeed has the ability to draw his blade.

His heart was shaken, yet he could not help feeling some regret.

If the Divine Weapon Valley had not migrated... no, that's not right; this young man hails from the Zhe Long Mansion; even if the Divine Weapon Valley had not migrated, it would not have been my turn.

"Remarkable, remarkable."

Brother Zhongli Wang Luan paced back and forth, his heart quite shaken.

For over ten years, he had always set defeating Wan Wan Zhuliu as his goal, and now, while he himself was still far from achieving it, a true disciple of the Dragon-Tiger Temple had accomplished it.

Even if it was only Wan Wan Zhuliu's spiritual image.

"Good!"

"Good young man!"

Nie Lao Dao glanced at Long Xi Xiang; this old fellow's face was flushed red, as if drunk, laughing loudly from time to time.

"This young man..."

Daoist Dragon pinched his brow, his expression moved.

At this moment, he could no longer perceive the activation of the Dragon-Tiger Health Nurturing Furnace; what this meant, he naturally understood clearly.

That young man, in this battle, gained the recognition of the Dragon-Tiger Health Nurturing Furnace...

"Rending Sea Black Whale, Dragon-Tiger Health Nurturing..."

Long Yingchan felt somewhat lost in his heart, yet also somewhat shocked.

Holding two Mystic Weapons is not an ironclad rule; after all, Wan Wan Zhuliu has already done it, but he knows the difficulty well; a Mystic Weapon with a spirit does not serve two masters; to break this rule, even a thousand-year-level talent probably cannot achieve it.

He alone harbored doubts about defeating Ink Dragon's Dao Lord, feeling this youngster must truly possess some special constitution he himself was unaware of—only thus could he have won the Dragon-Tiger Vitality Furnace's favor after defeating Ink Dragon!

"Congratulations, Dragon Dao Lord, Long Chan Master, on obtaining this Qianshan Qilin son!"

After the shock, the crowd did not stint on praise and flattery. Daoist Yuanding and Chan Master Master Dading cupped their fists in turn, and Brother Zhongli Wang Luan also cupped his fists in congratulation.

The crowd tacitly ignored the aura of the Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing that had flashed during the battle!

Rules have always been flexible.

"Honored guests, this old man will host a banquet—you must honor me with your presence!"

Long Xi Xiang cupped his fists in return, his mood exceedingly good. He normally almost never attended banquets, but at this moment he wished to open a thousand seats and widely invite the world's experts!

Glancing at Long Xi Xiang, who was like a peacock fanning its tail, the Dragon Dao Lord gave a soft cough and rose to speak as well.

The banquet, of course, had to be opened by him.

"No rush, no rush."

Chan Master Master Dading waved his hand: "Brother Dragon, please invite this young friend out for a chat first—this old monk truly wishes to meet him!"

"Indeed, indeed."

The others echoed in agreement, looking toward Long Long Yingchan. Compared to a grand banquet, they were more eager to meet Li Yuan.

"This... no rush."

Long Long Yingchan pinched his brow, calmly brushing it off, though in his heart he felt a touch of disappointment and awkwardness.

Now, where was there any room for him to teleport Li Yuan?

Even now, entering and leaving the Dragon-Tiger Pagoda, he had to climb the stairs floor by floor...

Outside the Dragon-Tiger Pagoda, voices rose in a clamor, with many onlookers gathered.

Although they could not enter the pagoda at all, it did not affect the crowd's speculation in the slightest.

Most disciples of Dragon-Tiger Temple felt worried in their hearts, but the majority of sects attending the various sects' martial display came with a watching-the-show attitude—some even with schadenfreude.

"That Ink Dragon was transformed from Wan Wan Zhuliu's flesh-and-blood spirit form. In his day he fought True Person Feng Yuanqing to a draw. What does Long Long Yingchan have to rely on, daring to let that man enter the pagoda?"

On a small hill not far away, Tianyingzi's eyes flickered; he still suspected the rumors were true.

"Once one enters the Dragon-Tiger Pagoda, life and death are beyond one's control. Unless Ink Dragon brings the Subduing-Demon Dragon God Blade, he will surely be suppressed by the Dragon-Tiger Vitality Furnace."

Xie Xie Tongzhi watched the Dragon-Tiger Pagoda coldly.

The Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing is the true foundation of the Dao Sect. Relying on the Vitality Furnace, let alone Ink Dragon—even Wan Wan Zhuliu himself, without the Subduing-Demon Dragon God Blade, would certainly be unable to resist.

"Not necessarily."

Tianyingzi shook his head: "Long Long Yingchan is cunning and deep. He would never give the imperial court a pretext to make trouble—otherwise, he wouldn't have opened this Dragon-Tiger Pagoda."

"Something's odd."

Xie Xie Tongzhi frowned; in his heart he felt somewhat uneasy.

Earlier on the Qi-Sensing Platform, he had paid no little attention to Long Xi Xiang. He discovered that although this old fellow still appeared

to be in the twilight of his years, his condition had not worsened as he had anticipated.

It seemed he could hold on for many more years...

"If Long Long Yingchan wishes to use the Dragon-Tiger Pagoda's rules to trap and kill Ink Dragon, then he needs someone who can kill Ink Dragon at the same realm..."

Tianyingzi muttered to himself.

By all reason, after that old monster of the Star-Plucking Tower died, there was no such person left under heaven. But Long Long Yingchan had almost never suffered a loss in his life—dared he open the pagoda without some reliance?

Recalling Chan Master Master Dading's attitude, he felt a touch of suspicion and alarm in his heart.

The Xinyi Sect and Dragon-Tiger Temple did not have such deep ties. That Chan Master Master Dading was also an old fox—on what grounds would he stand with Dragon-Tiger Temple?

"He's out of the pagoda!"

Suddenly, someone cried out.

The two looked toward the sound and saw the group of Dao Sect true disciples who had entered the Dragon-Tiger Pagoda earlier filing out one after another—some in disarray, some in a daze, and some striding quickly away.

"Hm?"

Xie Xie Tongzhi frowned slightly.

Tianyingzi had already looked toward Shi Shi Qingyi, who was striding over quickly: "Shi Qingyi, that Ink Dragon..."

"Ink Dragon is dead."

Even as she spoke, Shi Shi Qingyi could not help but grip her spear tightly, the shock in her heart still uncalmed.

"Dead?!"

Both Xie Xie Tongzhi and Tianyingzi's expressions changed. Although neither had believed Ink Dragon could walk out alive, they still felt shock.

"Did Long Long Yingchan make a move?"

"How did he die?"

The two pressed for answers.

"Mystic Whale Hammer Master, Li Li Yuanba!"

From afar came an exclamation, and in an instant the exclamation spread. Soon the news from within the Dragon-Tiger Pagoda had spread throughout the area outside the pagoda, causing a great uproar.

"Li Li Yuanba!"

Xie Xie Tongzhi's eyelid twitched wildly. He turned sharply to Tianyingzi: "Dragon-Tiger Temple actually has a second Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing. Brother Brother Tianying, this matter..."

A Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing is not wielded by two—this is the unspoken rule among the Wudadao Sect, to prevent any one family from growing too powerful and harboring ambitions of swallowing up the jianghu Wu Lin.

The Azure Dragon Pavilion had suffered greatly from this in those years.

"This matter..."

Tianyingzi's expression was ugly. The rumors had been confirmed, but in his heart he felt a sudden clarity, understanding why that Chan Master Master Dading had stood on Dragon-Tiger Temple's side.

"Uncle Tianscan..."

Tianyingzi pinched his fingers, did not answer Xie Xie Tongzhi, gave his sleeve a shake, and was already heading down the mountain.

This matter was of too great consequence; he had to send a message to his senior brother Tian Tian Shezi…

Whooo— Dun Tian Zhou. In the quiet study, there seemed to be the whistling of wind.

The light on the Great Sun Heaven-Surveillance Mirror had already dimmed.

Li Li Yuanba, master of the Sea-Splitting Mystic Whale Hammer.

Wan Wan Zhuliu sat cross-legged, his face expressionless, neither sorrow nor joy, merely lightly stroking the Dragon God Demon-Subduing Saber. Behind him, the black tide churned, as if countless beast-forms wove and shifted.