Chapter 511: Within the Eight Directions Temple

"Crack!" With a single sound, the jade coin in Gui Gui Laoxian's hand instantly became powder, and the dense incense-offering aura exploded outward, rising like clusters of cloud and mist into the air!

"How could there be an error?"

Ao Cang started in surprise and hurried forward, only to hear Old Fish's aura roiling, his lips muttering nonstop—clearly his emotions were in turmoil:

"Brother Gui? You…"

"I'm—I'm fine!"

Gui Gui Laoxian swayed, opened his mouth and swallowed the scattered incense-offering into his belly, his face still extremely ugly. His fingers twitched unconsciously, his thoughts thrown into utter disarray!

The 'Shan Xuan Yin Divination' he had so painstakingly studied was founded upon his divine realm, the 'Shan Xuan Yin Hall,' an ancient secret art. Ever since its

method reached great completion, there might be people and things he could not divine, but whatever he did divine would never be wrong!

But now…

"Master?"

Qi Qi Benchu hurried forward: "What's wrong with you?"

"How could this be!!!"

Looking at the deeply worried Qi Qi Benchu, Gui Gui Laoxian gripped his umbrella handle tightly, his chest heaving several times, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief!

In his search for that 'person of fate,' he had divined dozens of times, even slaughtering several Hairy Gods here for the purpose, and only at last found Qi Qi Benchu!

He had also clearly discerned that man's origins—he was a marvel reborn in human form!

Therefore, he had spent an enormous price to refine and temper his body, but now…

"Could it be that this old man found the wrong person?"

"Brother Gui?"

Ao Cang's brows knit tightly. Before he could ask further, Gui Gui Laoxian's figure had abruptly vanished from the spot, carrying the incense-offering aura all over his body, plunging into a streak of suddenly-appearing ghostly light: "This old man will be back shortly!"

"He really went in."

On the Shan Xuan Whale Path, in the gloom not far from the ancient tower, watching Li Yuan step into the Eight Directions Temple, Zhou Ying—whose form flickered in and out of visibility—trembled all over, too excited to contain himself: "The gods are merciful."

Even at this moment, Zhou Ying's heart could not conceal its surging!

This was the Eight Directions Temple!

The Eight Directions Temple, which since time immemorial no one had ever entered, had actually been awaited by him until a person of fate truly arrived.

"Fortunate, so fortunate!"

Excitement surging in his heart, Zhou Ying turned and swept his gaze across the surrounding darkness. After forcibly driving the Shan Xuan Whale Hammer to deliver a strike, much of his accumulated reserves were spent, but what remained was still enough to sweep away the strange beasts all around!

"Wait for the lad Li to return!"

Just as Zhou Ying was muttering this in his heart, he suddenly heard the sound of a bell ring out from afar!

"The Great Sun Jin Lin Bell."

Zhou Ying inwardly cried that things were bad, and vanished into the darkness without a second thought!

Through several conversations with Li Yuan, he had a thorough grasp of the current era's Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing, the divisions of power, and the mighty figures. The moment this bell rang, the imperial court's people would be arriving!

Boom.

As Zhou Ying dodged, another tremendous explosion rang out from afar, and then in the darkness a pillar of light appeared, shining toward where the Eight Directions Temple stood!

In the darkness, the Eight Directions Temple rose and fell. After Li Yuan entered, this ancient temple did not disappear—only its gates had closed,

that was all!

"I heard the lad Li say that every time the Eight Directions Temple reappeared, it was because of the imperial court's sacrifices!"

Zhou Ying's heart tightened slightly, and he did not retreat directly back to the small temple!

"Roar."

From within the darkness, a dragon's cry rang out!

Zhou Ying focused his gaze and saw that, beneath the pillar-like mirror-light, the strange dragon he had repelled earlier now danced wildly in the air, its thousand-zhang

body lashing about and raising wave after wave of raging surges!

"Vile beast."

From within the darkness, a shout of rebuke exploded first, followed by the sound of surging waters. A dazzling divine blade came slashing out from nowhere, wrapped in a skyful of baleful ghostly aura, and with a single slash cleaved that strange dragon clean in two midair.

Roar!

The strange dragon bellowed and vanished once more.

"The Subduing-Demon Dragon God Blade—this man, is he the foremost expert of this age, Wan Wan Zhuliu?"

Zhou Ying's eyelid twitched. That slash had not even driven the Subduing-Demon Dragon God Blade!

The newcomer had merely borrowed the blade's sharpness, combined with his own

world-shaking saber art, and with one slash had repelled this strange dragon.

This had already faintly surpassed Grand Grandmaster!

Supreme level?

Zhou Ying silently retreated!

Whooosh!

The gale howled, and a foul, stinking bloody aura spread!

Wan Wan Zhuliu came forward with his blade, his violent baleful aura shaking for a hundred li; the strange beasts in the darkness were all cowed by his presence, some retreating, some freezing in place!

"The Eight Directions Temple is still here."

Wu Wu Yingxing held the Great Sun Monitoring Heaven Mirror, and with the light of incense-offering illuminated the ancient temple in the darkness, which had only been faintly glimmering!

"Your Majesty!"

Wan Wan Zhuliu cupped his fist in salute!

"Dispense with the ceremony!"

Emperor Qian's face was very unpleasant: "Just now, I have already sent people ahead. Though the Eight Directions Temple is still there, it is like a flower in a mirror or the moon in water—untouchable!"

"This time the Eight Directions Temple has appeared in the world, it is likely only to welcome that one person."

The latter half was spoken by Wu Wu Yingxing. He too had noticed Emperor Qian's displeasure, but in truth the shock in his heart was even greater. After his last closed-door cultivation, he had pored through many ancient scrolls in the library concerning the Beyond and the Eight Directions Temple!

Regarding the Eight Directions Temple, since the beginning of recorded history, countless Grand Masters had pursued it. Even the four Supreme Grand Masters had sought it for years. Strong ones like Dragon Demon Daoist, who pursued it until death, were not few in number!

But after searching through all the ancient texts, he had never seen such a situation!

"The Qi mechanisms within You Jing are in disarray, making it impossible to track that person!"

Wan Wan Zhuliu furrowed his brow slightly, released the hilt of his blade, and looked behind him: "Might you have some method to drag this person out?"

"The heavenly mechanisms of You Jing are in disarray. Not to mention myself, even the experts of the Divine Palace who are skilled in the arts of divination would find it hard to calculate anything!"

A figure stepped out from the darkness—it was none other than Huang Huang Longzi!

This was his first time using the imperial court's channels to reach You Jing, and he could not help but feel some astonishment!

Spiritual treasures capable of opening a path to You Jing are not something just anyone in Tian Shi Yuan can buy. To cleave open a complete path like this Great Sun Jin Lin Bell is even harder!

And spiritual treasures of this level—how could there be as many as twelve in this realm?

"That Cloud Demon clan truly wants to monopolize the Eight Directions Temple!"

His peripheral vision swept over Wan Wan Zhuliu and Emperor Qian's silver hair and dragon patterns, and Huang Huang Longzi lowered his eyelids!

"There is absolutely no way?"

Emperor Qian's gaze turned slightly cold as he forcefully suppressed the fury and killing intent in his heart: "Find this person, and I will offer one hundred Yun Xiang Ding."

For this great ritual, he had not only mobilized the incense offerings of the realm, but also deployed the imperial court's reserves, paying such an enormous

price, and even invited the world to witness the ritual!

Yet someone had rushed in ahead!

"One hundred."

Huang Huang Longzi's eyelid twitched. He was quite tempted, yet could only shake his head helplessly: "Your Majesty, who this person is is actually of no consequence. The pressing matter now is to use this person to fully open the Eight Directions Temple."

"Hmm?"

Emperor Qian was stunned, recalling the "tower opener" this person had mentioned earlier!

"In your opinion, has the great ritual not yet failed?"

Wu Wu Yingxing's expression shifted!

"This person bursting onto the scene to open the temple and enter—perhaps it is a tremendous blessing for us!"

Huang Huang Longzi steadied his breathing, speaking from the heart: "Without this person, whether the Eight Directions Temple can be opened, I truly have little confidence. But with this person, this great ritual may have a thirty percent chance of fully opening the Eight Directions Temple."

"Only thirty percent?"

Emperor Qian's face grew even uglier!

"Thirty percent is still not enough?"

Huang Huang Longzi nearly choked, and could not help but mutter inwardly!

These Cloud Demon descendants have truly fallen to being no different from natives, completely unaware that if this "thirty percent" were to spread to Tian Shi Yuan, it could shake Daoist Qun Xing and bring the gods themselves down!

"Your Majesty!"

At this moment, Wan Wan Zhuliu bowed and spoke: "In this servant's opinion, thirty percent is already enough to stake everything on one throw!"

"I understand!"

Glancing at Wan Wan Zhuliu, Emperor Qian's brow eased. A sweep of his peripheral vision, and the several Imperial Guard Commanders attending him had already bowed and retreated

to go make arrangements!

"Your Majesty will not regret this!"

Huang Huang Longzi cupped his hands in a salute, forcefully suppressing the trembling in his heart!

Originally, his interest in this great ritual was far less than his interest in those spiritual treasures, but that was because he knew very well that the chances of these natives' great ritual succeeding were too slim!

But now things were different!

With someone having entered the tower ahead, this great ritual could very likely allow them to enter the Eight Directions Temple along with him.

These natives did not know, but he knew very well, because the academy had records—when Martial Immortal Gate Master Feng Feng Qingcang entered the temple, several sects' great rituals followed, and many entered with him!

These natives did not know, but he was very clear, for the academy had records: when the Martial Immortal Sect Master Feng Feng Qingcang entered the temple, great sacrifices were performed by several sects, and many followed him in!

Emperor Qian said no more!

And Wan Wan Zhuliu, after the Imperial Guards returned, gripped his Demon-Subduing Dragon God Blade and strode toward the Eight Directions Temple!

And Wan Wan Zhuliu, after the group of imperial guards returned, pressed down on the Fumo Dragon God Blade and strode toward the Eight Directions Temple!

The instant he was swept into the temple by that invisible force, Daoist Li's heart turned cold, feeling he had truly been too careless!

"No, it was the Qi mechanisms of the Eight Directions Temple that affected my judgment."

In an instant, many thoughts flashed through Li Yuan's mind. His perception of the outside world had vanished entirely the moment he entered, as if the whole person had plunged into an abyss!

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Li Yuan's mind; his perception of the outside world had completely vanished the moment he entered the gate.

He did not know how long it had been before Li Yuan finally regained his perception of the outside world!

"This is the Eight Directions Temple?"

Li Yuan carefully surveyed his surroundings!

Before him was a narrow, long corridor, stretching out of sight. There were no torches or sources of light, yet it was exceedingly bright,

forming a stark contrast with what was behind him!

Behind him, the original temple gate no longer existed. Looking back, his line of sight was unobstructed, and he could see the dark, churning You Jing outside!

But reaching out to touch, he could feel an invisible barrier separating inside from outside!

Behind him, the original temple gate no longer existed; looking back, his vision faced no obstruction at all, revealing the dark, churning You Jing outside!

But reaching out to touch, he could feel an invisible barrier separating the inside from the outside!

"It really came in, it really came in."

Li Yuan was still carefully sizing things up, but the little female dragon, having come back to herself, was already trembling all over with excitement!

"If you keep shrieking, you can stay in there."

Li Yuan reached down and drew her from his waist; the little female dragon, seeing how things stood, immediately settled down!

"Tell me everything you know—any intelligence related to the Eight Directions Temple—say it all!"

Li Yuan didn't take a single step, merely reaching out to grab that pocket-sized blood elephant. The little elephant was swinging its trunk, as if it had lost its bearings, circling around at his feet!

"Just what I said before, nothing more!"

The little female dragon answered very obediently. Before, if pressed like this, she would have been annoyed in her heart, but now, the joy of entering the Eight Directions Temple overwhelmed everything else!

"Mm?"

Suddenly, Li Yuan seemed to sense something and turned his head. With just one glance, every hair on his body stood on end!

Outside the invisible temple gate, someone was striding forward, clad in armor shaped like a mystic turtle, with a divine saber at his waist that he knew all too well—even without seeing the blade's light, he recognized it!

"Wan Wan Zhuliu. The imperial court's reaction is way too fast."

Li Yuan's heart chilled, and he avoided the main entrance, because Wan Wan Zhuliu outside the gate had slowly drawn the Demon-Subduing Dragon God Saber from his waist!