Demon Cultivator with Celestial Book

Chapter 357: Chapter 252: Successor of Zhixuan Temple, 1 Phoenix Suppresses 2 Dragons (Part 2)

Yelv Hong was inwardly surprised. Of the four great sacred lands, the Great Snowy Mountain was currently the most powerful, revered by the Liyang as their state religion.

During the Liyang’s war of annihilation against the Great Enterprise, His Majesty had summoned mages from the Great Snowy Mountain to repel the successor of Xuanji Temple. After that, the temple had sealed its gates.

"Could it be that Xuanji Temple is making a move?"

Wanyan Cai fanned herself, speaking softly,

"The imperial family of the Great Enterprise was nearly wiped out. Since Xuanji Temple claims to be a sacred land of the Central Plains with a Dharma Lineage from the higher gods, they can’t just stand by and do nothing."

Yelv Hong laughed.

"The imperial family of the Great Enterprise was decimated long ago—not even one in ten survived. It’s a little late for a rescue mission, isn’t it?"

But Wanyan Cai shook her head.

"There’s something you don’t know, Brother Yelv. The mages of the Great Snowy Mountain once said that the imperial bloodline of the Great Enterprise is extraordinary. It can produce a ’Vessel of Tribulation,’ which can be used to summon a higher god from beyond the heavens.

When His Majesty ordered the imperial family of the Great Enterprise to be exterminated, he secretly kept some of them alive. They were raised in confinement so they might be useful later."

’There really is a difference in our stations,’ Yelv Hong thought, raising an eyebrow. ’I’ve never heard of such a secret, yet she speaks of it so casually.’

He asked in a low voice,

"So you’re saying someone from Xuanji Temple has come to demand the surviving members of the Great Enterprise’s imperial family?"

The chief steward attending to them spoke in a frontier accent,

"That’s right. Six months ago, the Great General’s estate received an invitation. The current successor of Xuanji Temple announced his intention to pay a visit to the Great General, which is the reason for this Da Long River Martial Competition."

Understanding dawned on Yelv Hong. ’So that’s what this is all about.’

’Is the Great General planning to use the successor of Xuanji Temple to hone Sheng Hailong’s Martial Arts?’

’If his sworn son could defeat the successor of Xuanji Temple, it would not only bring glory to the Great General’s house but also shatter the last vestiges of hope for the remnants of the previous dynasty.’

’And if Sheng Hailong lost...’

A thought struck Yelv Hong. ’No wonder both of Liyang’s Twin Dragons have come to Swallow’s Rock.’

’They must be here for the current successor of Xuanji Temple.’

"Yan Fei of Xuanji Temple... He was already at the Tenth Transformation of the Mortal Realm ten years ago. After all this time, I wonder if he has entered the Spirit Refinement Realm."

Wanyan Cai’s eyes shone. She had always been intensely curious about the world’s greatest masters; otherwise, she would never have risked her father breaking her legs to run away from home and roam the martial world.

"Yan Fei of Xuanji Temple, the Twin Dragons of Liyang... this martial competition is bound to be spectacular."

Yelv Hong, his interest piqued as well, settled in to wait patiently.

In the meantime, many heroes of the Green Forest and decorated warriors from the frontier took to the stage. Blades, spears, and staves clashed in a flurry of exchanges.

As Yelv Hong watched with growing excitement, his gaze suddenly fixed on the Da Long River.

"Tuoba Long is the first to arrive?"

A lone boat appeared on the churning river, gliding forward at a steady pace.

Seated at the bow was a towering man clad in armor. His ink-black cloak fluttered wildly in the wind, along with his long, dark hair.

A great spear, the color of blood, stood upright beside him. It looked like a general’s standard and radiated an aura of pure slaughter.

The moment he appeared, the drizzling rain around him evaporated, unable to even touch his body.

"Tuoba Long has arrived!"

"One of the Twin Dragons of Liyang is here!"

"Such an imposing presence! Has he already reached the Twelfth Transformation of the Mortal Realm—the Spirit Refinement Realm?"

Tuoba Long’s solitary arrival sent shockwaves through the crowd, like a single stone stirring a thousand waves, and drew gasps of astonishment.

"Yan Fei! You’ve come all the way to Zhenbei Province. Why don’t you dare to show yourself?"

Tuoba Long’s gaze was chilling. His voice boomed like thunder, echoing for miles around.

The Da Long River roiled, its waves crashing violently against the shore.

On Swallow’s Rock, the assembled masters were so shaken by the force of his voice that their qi and blood roiled. Their vision swam, and many felt on the verge of fainting.

"So this is Tuoba Long, one of Liyang’s Twin Dragons? He’s already at the Great Perfection of the Tenth Transformation!"

Yelv Hong drew a sharp breath. ’If I were to face him, I wouldn’t last a single exchange.’

"Tuoba Long cultivates the ’Army Breaker True Form.’ The more advanced his Martial Arts, the more overwhelming his presence becomes. He is utterly unstoppable. Opponents of a slightly lower Realm can’t even muster the will to fight when facing him."

Wanyan Cai knew the details well. The Army Breaker True Form was hailed as one of the ten greatest divine arts in the world, and it was truly fearsome.

"I possess the art of dragon-slaying. Why would I fear a little worm like you?"

As Tuoba Long’s voice faded, a figure in a green robe appeared on the Da Long River. He drifted slowly forward, treading on thin reeds as if borne by the current.

It was none other than the successor of Xuanji Temple, Yan Fei!

He appeared to be about thirty, with a plain, unremarkable face. Only his eyes were extraordinary—deep and so bright they seemed to reflect the entire world.

The two greatest masters of their generation had gathered on the Da Long River. As their spiritual wills clashed, the churning waves surged and burst apart.

’This is strange,’ Yelv Hong thought. ’Zhenbei Province is his home turf. How is it that Tuoba Long and Yan Fei have both arrived, but the Great General’s sworn son is still nowhere to be seen?’

"Enough idle talk."

Tuoba Long rose slowly to his feet. He gripped the great, blood-red spear in his right hand.

"Is Xuanji Temple plotting rebellion?"

Yan Fei remained composed, his posture so ethereal he looked as if he might take flight at any moment.

"Rebellion? Xuanji Temple is a Dharma Lineage of a higher god. Even heaven and earth in this realm cannot command us.

Liyang is merely a kingdom from beyond the frontier. Do you truly believe you rule over all, that the entire world bows to you?"

Tuoba Long roared in anger,

"Insolent fool, you dare to defy the Court! Believe it or not, I will lead my army to flatten Xuanji Temple!"

Yan Fei smiled faintly.

"Even the imperial family of the Great Enterprise couldn’t enter Xuanji Temple without permission. You could have an army of a million men capable of moving mountains and filling seas, and you still wouldn’t be able to find our front gate."

Their verbal barbs were as sharp as their clashing spiritual wills, which created an invisible wall of energy in the space around them.

The river’s current churned, and waves were forced away in every direction.

"I had intended to cut down both of Liyang’s Twin Dragons, but since Sheng Hailong has yet to appear, I’ll have you be the first to experience Xuanji Temple’s ’Flying Immortal True Form’."

Yan Fei’s eyes grew even brighter. His green robe billowed as powerful Essence Qi surged from every pore of his body, making his form seem to glow.

CHING!

It was like the cry of a dragon!

The three-foot sword at his waist shot from its scabbard. He leaped into the air with the flash of the blade, like a peerless Flying Immortal riding the wind on his sword!

Xuanji Temple’s "Flying Immortal True Form" was modeled after that higher god from beyond the heavens, capturing but a ten-thousandth of its divine grace.

Yan Fei abruptly channeled his Power, his bearing as extraordinary as a banished immortal descending to the mortal realm.

His sword cleaved the surface of the Da Long River, carving a chasm dozens of feet deep!

"Xuanji Temple is just a name. After producing four generations of Spirit Refinement Grandmasters, you haven’t had a single cultivator reach the Twelfth Transformation."

Tuoba Long’s cloak billowed behind him as he thrust his blood-red spear skyward.

A streak of white light shot across the sky, fast as lightning, and perfectly intercepted Yan Fei’s blade!

The ear-splitting shriek of metal on metal swept across the river. Waves shattered, filling the air with a heavy mist.

The small boat beneath Tuoba Long’s feet sank slightly before exploding into dust.

The peerless light of Yan Fei’s sword was stopped in its tracks. It slowly faded, forcing him to pull back.

In their first exchange, the two fought to a standstill.

"If Sheng Hailong were here to provide support, or if he attacked together with Tuoba Long, they might really be able to keep Yan Fei here."

Yelv Hong felt a pang of regret. In a one-on-one fight against Yan Fei, Tuoba Long seemed to be at a slight disadvantage.

’As expected of a successor from one of the four great sacred lands...’ Tuoba Long thought, his expression grim. He stood on the water’s surface, his blood-red spear held inverted in his hand.

It looked like he and Yan Fei had fought to a draw, but his opponent had mastered the "Flying Immortal True Form." His body was like a furnace, furiously refining the ambient Essence of the world.

’In a protracted battle, I will surely lose!’

’Why hasn’t Sheng Hailong made his move?’

Doubt crept into Tuoba Long’s mind. He had traveled hundreds of miles from the capital to Zhenbei Province, following the Crown Prince’s direct order to join forces with Sheng Hailong and execute the successor of Xuanji Temple!

WHOOSH!

Just as Tuoba Long was pondering this, the waters of the Da Long River began to rise, forming towering walls around them as if cast from bronze and iron.

The walls of water trapped not only him and Yan Fei, but everyone gathered on Swallow’s Rock as well.

"What is this?"

Tuoba Long looked at Yan Fei, only to see him frowning slightly as well. It was clearly not his doing.

A series of thunderous cracks echoed from the sky.

Faintly, a figure could be seen approaching at high speed.

The clouds churned and descended as the river water rose layer by layer!

In an instant, Yao Yun appeared—her posture heroic, her expression sharp and severe.

Her cold gaze swept over Tuoba Long and Yan Fei. These two masters, once pinnacles of power she had spent her life looking up to...

...now seemed...

’...nothing special after all!’

Yao Yun’s eyes were like ice, her devotion to the higher god deepening in her heart.

She raised her hand and tossed an object into the water. It fell with a splash, staining the river crimson.

Tuoba Long, who was closer, stared at the object, and his expression twisted in shock.

It was Sheng Hailong’s severed head!

"By order of the Higher God! Eradicate Jin Wushu and all his partisans!"

Yao Yun’s every word was sharp and cold as a blade.

For a moment, absolute silence fell over the entire scene!!

...

...

’Material for the Martial Fire... Her destiny has skyrocketed.’

Seated in his underwater manor, Jiang Yi opened his eyes, observing the events from afar.

’Just as I thought. The Zi-Wu Fire requires fate and destiny as catalysts to be drawn out.’