Chapter 552: Returning to the Eight Directions Temple

Only one of the five sacrificial beasts' blood was missing; Master Li Dao felt somewhat urgent—the priority of the Heaven-Granted Script was far higher in his heart than the Eight Directions Temple!

Thus, after obtaining the Crimson-Eyed Divine Rooster's blood, Li Yuan made no delay, turned around, and returned to the Eight Directions Temple; he prepared to find a way to seek

that Daoist Yuan Qing and ask him a question!

Wuu wuu!

At the peak of Eight Directions Mountain, the breeze blew gently!

Li Yuan walked quickly to the cliff edge, scanned with focused intent, but could not help but be stunned; through the layers of mist, not a single human figure was visible below the mountain!

Where are the people?

Li Yuan's brows furrowed!

The mist in the mountains could block perception, but whether people were present could still be seen; yet with a single glance, on the mountain path and at the foot of the mountain, where was even half a human figure!

"They all left? That's impossible."

Li Yuan's heart tightened; he activated the token, and with a single hum, he arrived inside the passage; he walked quickly around Dong Dong Ershisan and observed closely!

There were many stone steles at the foot of the mountain, yet he truly saw no human figure!

"This... there seem to be no traces of a fight either; where did the people go?"

Li Yuan felt somewhat surprised and doubtful; below Eight Directions Mountain lay a plain; with a single glance, within dozens of li, there were no other traces whatsoever!

He could not believe the imperial court's people, having paid such a huge price, would vanish and retreat without gaining anything; after a moment's thought, he changed his command, donned armor, and walked out of the passage!

At the foot of the mountain were several piles of campfire embers, long extinguished!

"This..."

Li Yuan frowned, looking at those stone steles; with a quick glance, he could not help but be stunned!

Stele of Qin Yunzhi

Bloodline: Human Race

Realm: Divine Palace Fourth Heaven

Talent Potential: Peerless (Upper)

Divine Endowment Potential: Upper

Spiritual Resonance Potential: Divine Grade (Extreme)

Climbing One Hundred Steps, Comprehended "Eight Directions Map" One

"Divine Palace Fourth Heaven, so high?"

Li Yuan was startled and somewhat speechless!

The realm of this Great Yun Ancestor was actually higher than that Prison Dragon?

"Peerless (Upper), Divine Endowment Upper-Upper, truly worthy of being an Unparalleled Grand Master!"

Li Yuan observed closely!

He was not surprised that Qin Yun comprehended the Eight Directions Map; after all, what Ling Yin saw indicated he had stayed in the Eight Directions Map Record left by the Dragon Demon Daoist for at least several hundred years!

What amazed him was that this old man, at least fourteen hundred years old, could still climb one hundred steps.

"Could it be I guessed wrong before, that climbing has nothing to do with bone age? Climbing one hundred steps... pity, he didn't want my token!"

Li Zhou turned thoughts in his heart, but immediately this regret and amazement were cast aside; he saw the very bottom of the stone stele, where a line of text was emitting a faint glow!

Already entered the Dao Soldier Tower... Ninth Layer

"Dao Soldier Tower?"

Li Yuan frowned, looking at other stone steles, and discovered that including Wan Wan Zhuliu, the steles left by many Grand Masters and Grand Masters who had previously entered the temple all displayed the Dao Soldier Tower!

Just at different heights!

The lowest was the second layer; the highest were Qin and Wan Wan Zhuliu, both at the ninth layer; as for Dragon Long Daozhu and the others, they were all at the fourth or fifth layers!

"This Dao Soldier Tower!"

Li Yuan felt somewhat amazed!

The trials of the Eight Directions Temple had no guidance; he had previously been exploring and searching for other trials and passages, but found nothing; he never expected the imperial court to have found it!

Indeed, many people make things easier!!

Is this Dao Soldier Tower another kind of climbing trial?

Li Yuan scanned the other stone steles, finally fixing his gaze on his own stele; at the bottom of the stone stele, there were also the words "Dao Soldier Tower," but there was no glow!

Memorizing the information on the stone stele, Li Yuan attempted to touch the "Stele of Yuan Qing" before him; the instant he made contact, he sensed a faint, elusive spiritual resonance!

Hum~

As he was examining it, he felt a tremor in his chest; that Eight Directions Temple token erupted with dazzling light, as if responding to that spiritual resonance!

Li Yuan took it out and approached that stone stele; instantly, he felt that invisible spiritual

resonance emit a trembling hum, weaving and transforming before his eyes into a light screen as tall as a person!

Within the light screen was a new earth reaching the heavens, a "giant tower" like a heavenly pillar!

That giant tower was towering and magnificent, with extremely intricate divine patterns inter

weaving on top, emitting a vast, ancient aura!

"There is actually a Dao Soldier Tower inside this Eight Directions Temple?"

After returning to the Eight Directions Temple, the little female dragon had already awakened from her slumber; seeing the giant tower reflected in the light screen, she could not help but exclaim in shock: "This, this!"

The little female dragon was very shocked!

When entering the temple, she had been astonished that this Eight Directions Temple differed from the "cosmic wonders" she had imagined; now seeing this Dao Soldier Tower, her heart immediately confirmed her speculation!

Inside this Eight Directions Temple, there must be the inheritance of some Unparalleled Strong One!

Cosmic wonders might manifest as artificial structures, such as temples, monasteries, or Taoist halls, but they could not have a Dao Soldier Tower for cultivating guardian Dao Soldiers; this was absolutely left behind by someone.

Cosmic wonders might manifest as man-made structures like temples, monasteries, or observatories, but a Dao Soldier Tower for cultivating guardian Dao soldiers? That could never arise naturally—it was definitely left by someone.

"You recognize it?"

Li Yuan's heart stirred, and he asked!

"The Dao Soldier Tower is a trial ground used by sects to cultivate Dao Soldiers within their sacred grounds. This, this…"

The little mother dragon was somewhat horrified. Could it be that what the gods had seized was not a cosmic wonder, but the supreme powerhouse inheritance contained within the Eight Directions Temple?

"A trial ground for cultivating Dao Soldiers?"

The little mother dragon was quite startled. After a good while, Li Yuan finally learned from her words what Dao Soldiers were!

Dao Soldiers can be spirit puppets, demon beasts, humans, or any race. They are the dharma-protecting force within the sacred-ground sects of the San Yuan Fa Jie!

Not only can they garrison the inner grotto-heavens, they can also assist in Tribulation Crossing, search for cultivation resources, and attack the grotto-heavens and blessed lands of others…

"Sect Dao Soldiers?"

Li Yuan understood at once. This was similar to the Divine Guard Army of the Divine Weapon Valley and the Dragon-Tiger Army of the Dragon-Tiger Temple—the greatest reliance of a sect beyond its disciples!

"An eighty-one-story Dao Soldier Tower."

The little mother dragon calculated briefly and grew even more horrified!

Which sect had left behind this Dao Soldier Tower? It actually reached a height of eighty-one stories.

The Dao Soldier Towers of ordinary sect blessed lands only have eighteen stories. Even a powerful place like the Poison Dragon Academy, its Dao Soldier Tower is said to be only thirty-six stories!

"This Dao Soldier Tower, can it be considered a soldier-training ground?"

Li Yuan was pondering in his heart, but the light-shadow rapidly changed. The perspective shifted from large to small, and in the blink of an eye, the figure of Daoist Yuan Qing had appeared within the light screen!

Seven-Story Dao Soldier Tower: Challenger, Daoist Yuan Qing

The sky darkened and the earth went dim!

Amid a stretch of scorched earth, Daoist Yuan Qing stood with sword in hand. Behind him, true qi interwove with heaven and earth, and myriad sword-lights surged like tides, as if facing a formidable enemy!

About a li away, armored figures over twelve feet tall, clad in black armor and wielding various weapons, formed a fan-shape and encircled him!

Those armored figures were silent as iron and stone. Behind them, dim lights flickered as well—some were dragons and tigers, some were blades and swords, and there were even a few wolf-like, tiger-like exotic beasts!

Their auras were powerful, almost on par with Daoist Yuan Qing!

And their number reached as many as twenty-one.

"The grotto-heaven sects of various realms use the Dao Soldier Tower as a trial and selection ground. Those who enter the tower are not judged by talent, but by combat and slaughter as the selection criterion."

The little mother dragon also stared fixedly at the light screen, muttering nonstop;

"Three-by-three advance. This seven-story Dao Soldier Tower requires fighting twenty-one same-realm Dao Soldiers at the same time. This swordsman is ferociously strong—I can't beat him!"

Boom—

Within the light screen, divine light dazzled the eyes. A fierce, tragic battle erupted in an instant. Li Yuan watched, his eyelids twitching wildly. This intensity was far greater than that of the Dragon-Tiger Tower!

Those Dao Soldiers were admittedly inferior to Daoist Yuan Qing, but they were also well-versed in slaughter. Not only were they fearless of death, they were also proficient in joint-strike techniques!

Even though Daoist Yuan Qing had exerted every trick he had, upon contact—

He had already fallen into an absolute disadvantage, danger lurking at every turn.

"This is only the seventh story!"

Li Yuan was somewhat shocked. To reach the top of the Dao Soldier Tower, wouldn't one have to fight—

Two hundred and forty same-realm opponents?

Who could possibly beat that?

Li Yuan thought for a moment and felt he couldn't beat it either. The grades of these Dao Soldiers were too high!

To fight through this tower, the difficulty was probably even higher than climbing Dengshan.

Li Yuan's thoughts wandered as he focused and observed carefully!

Those Dao Soldiers were by no means ordinary. Their killing aura was fierce, their martial arts shocking. The spirit phases they cultivated, viewed with his current eye, probably wouldn't fall short of Old Long Tou by much!

Boom—

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Daoist Yuan Qing, who had given his all—

Was still coughing blood and collapsing. His protective true gang, along with his spirit phase, had been blasted apart over the scorched earth!

Had those Dao Soldiers not held back from pursuing, he would likely have died here!

"Pfft."

The light-shadow shattered, and the scene within vanished!

Li Yuan frowned tightly, looked toward the other stone steles, and activated the Eight Directions Temple token. One after another, light screens rose up, within which were reflected the Yigan Sect Masters and Grand Masters currently challenging the trials!

Long Long Yingchan, Fang Fang Sanyun, Grand Master Master Dading, Shen Shen Qisheng, Qin Li Shixian!

"Ah."

Suddenly, the little mother dragon shrieked: "Dragon, there's a dragon here."

"Roar—"

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

Li Yuan focused his gaze and saw, upon the scorched earth, an azure dragon roaring furiously—sometimes soaring into the sky, sometimes diving down—battling twelve black-armored Dao Soldiers!

This was not a He Yi Jing Grand Master transforming into an exotic beast; he could be certain, because on this "Stele of Ao Cang," the bloodline of this—

Grand Master was written: 【Bloodline: Jiaolong Race】

North Sea Azure Dragon.

Li Yuan barely restrained himself from locking the little mother dragon in a small dark room. Her voice was too shrill, constantly urging him to go in and take down this azure dragon!

Li Yuan couldn't even be bothered to pay her any attention!

In the four-story Dao Soldier Tower, Ao Cang was in a very sorry state. Dragon scales and dragon blood were torn and scattered across the ground, but the combat strength he displayed was in no way inferior to that of the other Grand Masters!

How could he possibly fight that?

"Ah, stop fighting. If you keep hitting him, you'll beat him to death."

The little female dragon shrieked and screamed!

"Shut up."

Li Yuan yanked her from his waist, letting her roar on her own, while he watched the various light screens!

Among them, the lowest tower-climbers were the two veteran grand masters from the imperial court; they were likely accustomed to a life of ease, struggling fiercely on the second floor, surrounded by peril!

Furthermore, Fang Fang Sanyun and the Great Stability Zen Master were both on the fifth floor, yet both were in dire straits, having no power to counterattack, able only to shift and block!

What surprised him slightly was the Dragon Dao Master!

"Is the Dragon Dao Master this fierce?"

Li Yuan was somewhat shocked!

Within the light screen, clouds and mist churned, hurricanes howled, the azure dragon and Bai Hu merged into one; the Dragon Dao Master's form drifted, and even as twenty-one Dao Soldiers wove through and attacked in unison, they could not reach him!

Finally, with dragon and tiger upon his body, wind and clouds united, he forcibly broke the encirclement and tore apart a black-armored Dao Soldier with his bare hands.

【Long Yingchan breaks the Dao Soldier Tower's seventh floor.】

【Reward: True Form of the Heavenly Dragon (Image) x3】

An old, decrepit Dragon Dao Master who never engaged in direct combat had actually fought his way to the eighth floor of the Dao Soldier Tower.

"The Dragon Dao Master has hidden his great abilities."

Li Yuan's teeth even ached from the envy!

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, who could have thought that the usually sluggish Dragon Dao Master was actually stronger than Yuan Qing True Person, the number one of the Dao Sect on the surface?

But even more fierce was Wan Wan Zhuliu!

Li Yuan had looked over all the stone tablets; when he turned back, Wan Wan Zhuliu had already slain his way to the tenth floor. At this moment, within the light screen, blackness filled the sky, a dragon swam within it, and the battle was intense!

One person, one blade, under the encirclement of thirty obviously stronger Dao Soldiers, he neither retreated nor dodged, meeting force with force.

【Wan Wan Zhuliu breaks the Dao Soldier Tower's ninth floor.】

Reward: True Form of the Heavenly Sky Blade (Image) (4)

True Form Image.

Li Yuan blinked in a daze; climbing the Dao Soldier Tower had rewards, and it seemed the rewards were given according to the tower-climber?

"True Form Images!"

The little female dragon also looked over; before Li Yuan could ask, she replied:

"True Form Images are methods for cultivating Spiritual Phases. No wonder these people are all climbing the tower; in the Ten Thousand Treasures Alliance, the price of these True Form Images is quite high."

She looked at the light screen and sighed with relief: "I thought these people could truly fight many and win completely; it turns out one only needs to break the combined attack and kill one Dao Soldier!"

Just now, she had been truly terrified, thinking these natives were all so ferocious, each capable of fighting ten!

"Killing one is equally difficult!"

After looking around the whole circle, Li Yuan's understanding of this Dao Soldier Tower was already quite deep; he walked to his own stone tablet, and reflected in the light screen beside it was an old turtle!

The old turtle Gui Gui Laoxian's tower climb was unique; he did nothing but retract his four limbs, turning into a fearsome turtle shell, letting the Dao Soldiers beat and bombard him!

He didn't even show his face, yet he had clearly fought his way to the ninth floor.

"This old turtle's shell is hard enough!"

Li Yuan couldn't help but look again; he suspected this old turtle could climb even higher than Qin Yun and Wan Wan Zhuliu in the end; techniques of the same realm simply couldn't break his armor!

Moreover, this old turtle also had a shell-shedding technique!

"Do you want to climb too?"

The little female dragon was somewhat resistant; her previously broken part hadn't fully healed yet!

Try it!

Li Yuan was mainly curious about those rewards; he had not yet entered the Dao, and enemies of his realm were hard to find; if he climbed after entering the Dao, it would be even harder to climb!

"Sweep up some rewards!"

Master Li mumbled to himself, feeling quite interested in this Dao Soldier Tower; he reached out to touch his own stone tablet, and heard a trembling sound; the stone tablet trembled and sounded: 【Challengers do not need to climb the Dao Soldier Tower】

Li Yuan, rejected from entering the tower, frowned slightly; this meant the Dao Soldier Tower was not the place for challengers?

"This is interesting!"

Li Yuan's expression was somewhat subtle, but he still wanted to try; thinking for a moment, he took out the Eight Directions Temple token and pressed it against a nearby stone tablet!

The trials of the Eight Directions Temple offered absolutely no guidance, relying entirely on exploration; he could only attempt it!

This trial of the Eight Directions Temple offered no guidance whatsoever, relying entirely on trial and error, so he could only try his hand!

Blazing light erupted from the stone tablet, forming a

light door before him!

"As expected, the Eight Directions Temple token is very useful!"

Li Yuan relaxed slightly, retrieved the token, turned, and walked to Yuan Qing's stone tablet; he pressed it lightly, and light appeared again, forming a light door!

Ascend the mountain to enter the temple, the Dao Soldier Tower!

Li Yuan glanced back at Eight Directions Mountain, adjusted the weapons he commanded, and stepped into the light door!

Li Yuan glanced back at Eight Directions Mountain, adjusted the weapons he wielded, and strode into the light gate!

In the next instant, light and shadow flickered, and the sky suddenly grew dark!

Opening his eyes again, Li Yuan had arrived in a desolate, scorched earth!

Opening his eyes again, Li Yuan found himself in a desolate, scorched wasteland!