Chapter 535: At the Mountain Peak, Looking Down Upon the Heroes

Feeling the gazes upon her, Chi He Lian's body trembled, her heart filled with regret.

When she first arrived here, she had been cautious and careful, not even daring to set foot in the Divine Capital where Wan Wan Zhuliu resided, yet she never expected to run into such a jinx.

Who could have imagined that in this realm cut off from the outside by the Eight Directions Temple, not only had a Temple Opener appeared, but also a hidden expert of the Divine Palace level.

Such a colossus had virtually no rival in this realm, yet instead of standing at the pinnacle of the world, worshipped by all living beings, he lay dormant in the shadows, his fame obscure—it was simply unreasonable.

"There's no rush."

Glancing at the rows of Yun Xiang Ding before the altar, Qin Yun thought for a moment, then looked at the bronze mirror: "Do you know when Wan Wan Zhuliu will enter the Temple?"

"Should be within the next few days."

From the other end of the bronze mirror, Qin Li Shixian replied: "After that day, the Divine Capital became extremely lively. Many noble clans and Chao Ting Zhong officials fought fiercely over the quota to enter the Temple. Today it suddenly went quiet—the quotas should have been settled."

"Within the next few days?"

Qin Yun nodded and said: "Before the imperial court holds this sacrifice, you must evacuate the Divine Capital as well."

"Why?"

Qin Li Shixian was quite puzzled: "Once Wan Wan Zhuliu leaves, it's a perfect opportunity for revenge—how can I withdraw?"

"Precisely because of that, you must withdraw immediately."

Qin Yun had to patiently explain: "You know Wan Wan Zhuliu has been away for decades, leaving the imperial court hollow—how could the imperial court not know this?"

"You mean?"

Qin Li Shixian caught on: "The imperial court might be laying a secret ambush?"

"It's not impossible."

Qin Yun stroked his long beard, his gaze deep and somber: "If nothing unexpected happens, Yan Yan Tianxiong, Long Long Yingchan and others should also travel with Wan Wan Zhuliu this time, leaving no hidden dangers for the imperial court."

"The imperial court allows Long Long Yingchan and others to enter the Temple together?"

Qin Li Shixian was half-believing, half-doubting.

"Whether it is or isn't, we'll know in the future."

Qin Yun shook his head inwardly. Martial training strengthens the spirit and body, but shrewdness doesn't grow in tandem.

"What about you, then?"

Qin Li Shixian was somewhat suspicious: "All these years you've been hiding in the Mi Jing—is it because of that old ghost inside Wan Wan Zhuliu?"

"Can't explain it in a word or two."

Qin Yun lowered his eyelids, neither denying nor confirming, only telling her to come find him quickly. Without giving her another chance to speak, he cut off the communication.

"Li Yuan."

While the grandfather and granddaughter were talking, Chi He Lian beside them stayed silent, but her thoughts churned ceaselessly, regretting so much she wanted to dash her head against the wall.

Earlier, when Qin Yun used the Great Sun Monitoring Heaven Mirror to project the purple qi scroll above the Divine Capital, she had seen it all the way to the end, personally witnessing that Temple Opener.

"He turned out to be the Temple Opener."

Even now, recalling it, Chi He Lian felt her heart wrench with pain. Back then, this kid had delivered himself right to her door, yet she hadn't given him a second look.

"Bai Xiang."

Qin Yun spoke.

Bai Xiang Wang, who had been sitting silently on one side of the altar, hurriedly stood up.

"Are these the only incense offerings left in your sect?"

"Reporting to you, Senior."

Bai Xiang Wang's face turned bitter: "That day, the Wudadao Sect launched a sudden sneak attack. In one battle, the main altar was shattered. Sect members died or fled. A batch of those minor divine lords were killed, and the rest each grabbed some incense offerings and fled..."

"Just scattered like that?"

Qin Yun glanced at him.

"Senior also knows, we came from other sects, gathered for profit, and have no sense of belonging to the Baishen Sect itself. Facing calamity, naturally they scattered like birds and beasts. Even the Sect Master doesn't care much—let alone the others?"

Bai Xiang Wang sighed inwardly.

If not for fear of death, who would want to join the Xieshen Sect and be hunted by everyone?

Precisely for this reason, when the main altar was suddenly attacked, aside from some who fought to the death, most scattered like a gust of wind. He was among the slow escapers.

As for that Chi Yan Dragon King, he barely showed himself at all.

"Senior."

At this moment, Chi He Lian seemed to recall something: "When I was searching for incense offerings earlier, I did encounter quite a few minor divine lords, but they had all been slain, their last incense offerings forcibly taken..."

"Oh?"

Chi He Lian lowered her head: "From what I know, the one slaying the minor divine lords and seizing the incense offerings is a spirit turtle. It should currently be in Yanshan Dao as well."

"The spirit turtle of the side hall?"

Qin Yun squinted slightly. He didn't mind her borrowing a knife to kill, but his interest in that spirit turtle was considerable: "Can you find it?"

Chi He Lian nodded: "This junior is willing to give it a try!"

Whoosh, whoosh.

In the mountains at dawn, the mist was hazy.

In a dense forest, Qi Qi Benchu started a campfire. With deft hands, he skinned two deer, cleaned them out thoroughly, and set them over the fire. Before long, they were sizzling with oil.

By a nearby stream, Ao Cang sat quietly on a rock, circulating his true qi. He frowned slightly and looked at Gui Gui Laoxian, who sat cross-legged, idly toying with a coin in his hand, muttering to himself: "How could it be? There's no reason for it!"

"Brother Gui, what did you encounter on this trip out of the mountain? You seem out of sorts."

Ao Cang couldn't hold back any longer.

These past few days, Gui Gui Laoxian had been traveling everywhere, felling mountains and breaking temples, slaying countless minor divine lords and forcibly taking their incense offerings. He had been fine before, but now...

"A few days ago, a grand sacrifice was held in the Divine Capital!"

Gui Gui Laoxian calmed his state of mind and recounted the news he had obtained from outside the mountain: "This old man has already divined it—the news is accurate. The one who opened the Eight Directions Temple is surnamed Li, named Yuan."

"Li Yuan?"

Ao Cang, upon hearing this, instinctively glanced at Qi Qi Benchu, who was roasting a deer.

"I have calculated many times, expending great effort to find this young Qi—he possesses extraordinary talent, truly a child born of miraculous omen; logically, he should be the one to open the temple, for the Eight Directions Temple once appeared in Tian Shi Yuan!" Here, the Old Immortal suddenly fell silent, sighing: "I misjudged him. I misjudged him."

Ao Cang frowned tightly, saying nothing, yet felt a pang of regret for the essence blood he had sacrificed.

"Ah."

The Old Immortal toyed with the jade coin in his hand, his mood extremely poor.

Ao Cang could only comfort: "Young Qi's talent is not lacking, and he is quite filial—just consider him your disciple..."

"Enough, enough."

The Old Immortal drew a deep breath: "The incense offerings have been gathered nearly enough; I am ready to perform the ritual and enter the temple. Brother Ao, will you accompany me?"

"This..."

Ao Cang wished to refuse, but under the Old Tortoise's unblinking gaze, he could only grit his teeth and nod.

"Good then."

The Old Immortal did not look at Qi Qi Benchu; even glancing at him made his heart ache: "This ritual is not complex, the incense has been gathered, but Brother Ao must still shed some blood—nothing much, three or five vats will suffice... Brother Ao, rest assured, I, the Tortoise, will not slight you."

Ao Cang's expression was blank.

Seeing his agreement, the Old Immortal wasted no words, immediately stated the required amount, dismissed him to prepare, then rubbed his hands: "Hmm, let me cast the first divination."

Ao Cang ignored him, merely carried over the large water vat he had already prepared, drew his fingertip across his wrist, and began draining his blood.

For his size, three or five vats of blood was nothing; soon, the vats were nearly full.

Suddenly, a muffled boom erupted.

"Hm?"

Ao Cang turned back and saw the coins in the Old Immortal's hand shatter into clusters of incense smoke; the Old Immortal leapt up as if his pants were on fire, as if he had seen a ghost: "Brother Ao, quick—begin the ritual!"

"Huh!"

"Hss!"

At the summit of the Eight Directions Temple, air currents surged violently.

Li Yuan sat cross-legged atop his peculiar rock, meditating and breathing; his breath was long and powerful, each inhalation and exhalation stirring gusts across the summit.

The young dragoness hid more than ten paces away; in her perception, Li Yuan resembled a furnace ablaze with roaring flames, radiating waves of intense heat.

Visible to the naked eye, his skin, muscles, and tendons rippled like waves.

Whooshing.

The sound of rushing blood echoed through his body.

Li Yuan focused intently, visualizing internally; his body moved naturally, his various hardening Wu Gong techniques operating in orderly sequence, his physical strength rising at a perceptible pace.

"The advantage of talent."

Li Yuan sighed inwardly.

His martial cultivation speed had always been extremely fast, but after his talent stacked to Tian Xing level, it surged again; in merely a few days, he had already achieved the union of Qi and blood.

As his blood flowed, it carried his already formidable true Qi, surging forward.

"Tian Yi Nine Refinements has reached the Eighth Refinement; the secret techniques in the Zuo Wang Xin Jing are truly extraordinary—Nine Refinements may not even be the end."

Li Yuan internally observed the flow of his blood while also practicing the Dragon Demon Xin Jing; his progress in Wan Xing Ru Xue had greatly increased due to the talent stacking.

Wan Xing Ru Xue was truly difficult; no one after the Dragon Demon Daoist had ever perfected the Zuo Wang Xin Jing at the Star-Picking Tower.

Li Yuan multitasked—practicing martial arts while planning—when suddenly, he felt something and opened his eyes.

"Hm?"

Li Yuan flipped his palm and retrieved the two tokens of the Eight Directions Temple.

His original token remained inert, but the one awarded from Dengshan glowed faintly; he focused slightly and discovered the remaining time allowed on the token was surging.

Originally only one and a half years remained—it suddenly jumped to two years, then jumped again to three years...

In moments, it had surged by a full fifteen years!

"What is this?"

Li Yuan thought for a moment, his gaze darkening: "The imperial court's grand ritual has increased my allowed stay."

He was slightly startled, picked up his original token—its remaining time had not changed.

"Favoritism."

He muttered inwardly, then stood up, stepped to the mountain's edge, and across the endless path below, faintly saw shadowy figures.

They hadn't taken the path—had they arrived directly at the mountain's base?

Hum...

Flowing light interwove and transformed.

In an instant, or perhaps after long, Long Long Yingchan perceived the existence of the outside world; he focused slightly, his vision sharpened, and he saw the earth, the mountains, and figures tumbling down from empty space.

"Eight Directions Temple!"

"This is the Eight Directions Temple!"

"The legendary Eight Directions Temple—we've truly entered!"

After a moment of silence, a chorus of suppressed, ecstatic growls erupted...

"Wan Wan Zhuliu."

Long Long Yingchan subtly retreated into the crowd; Wan Wan Zhuliu stood with hand on his blade, scanning the assembled crowd—wherever his gaze fell, people stepped back.

"Your Majesty."

Wan Wan Zhuliu bowed slightly, his guards flanking him on both sides.

"Eight Directions Temple."

The Qian Emperor held a palm-sized golden bell, took a deep breath, and his gaze fell upon the mountain path lined with stone steles.

The others followed his gaze and looked as well.

They saw mist shrouding the mountain peak, where a figure stood before the ancient temple, looking down with lowered eyes.