The Great Dragon Heavenly Cult governed seven islands and thirty-six caverns. Those caverns were further divided into the three Upper Caverns, the nine Middle Caverns, and the twenty-four Lower Caverns. Among them, Liyang Cavern was one of the Lower Caverns.
That day, Guo Jiuling, the master of the Liyang Cavern, finally erged from seclusion.
"Congratulations, Cavern Master. Congratulations on achieving Advanced Mastery in the divine art."
Many disciples of Liyang Cavern bowed respectfully as they welcod Guo Jiuling out of seclusion.
"Good, very good. This period of seclusion has finally allowed to reach the Hundred Cauldron Realm. When the next ranking of the thirty-six caverns arrives, Liyang Cavern will have a chance to enter the Middle Caverns."
He looked delighted. The thirty-six caverns were ranked once every ten years. The Upper Cavern rarely changed, but the Middle Cavern often saw major shifts. Only when a cavern master reached the Hundred Cauldron Realm did they qualify to contend for the Middle Cavern. As Guo Jiuling swept his gaze across the crowd, he did not see his most valued thirteenth disciple, Li Ji.
Li Ji had been born with divine strength and was highly favoured by Guo Jiuling. Before entering seclusion, Guo Jiuling had sent Li Ji away from Liyang Cavern to seek the upper volu of the Nine-Character Mantra, rumoured to be called the Nine-Character Thunder Chant.
Only by combining the upper and lower volus could one access the complete Nine-Character Mantra. This secret technique was extrely renowned even among Divine Strength Realm techniques; its origins were special.
After receiving the news, Guo Jiuling had sent Li Ji out, believing that obtaining the Nine-Character Thunder Chant would not be difficult.
Guo Jiuling asked, "Where is Li Ji? Why has he not co?"
At that, everyone looked at each other. In the end, the eldest disciple clenched his teeth and reported, "Master, Junior Brother Li Ji was ambushed by bandits in Nanyang Prefecture... He's dead..."
"What? Li Ji is dead?"
Guo Jiuling's gaze flashed like lightning as he stared at the eldest disciple. Everyone stood frozen, almost unable to breathe.
"Master, one of Junior Brother Li's subordinates, a Bone Tempering martial artist, made it back alive. He personally testified that Junior Brother Li was killed by an Organ Refinent martial artist. It's already been more than a year."
"What a joke. An Organ Refinent martial artist? Who could possibly kill Li Ji?" Guo Jiuling sneered.
He had many disciples, but Li Ji had been among the most outstanding, with great potential to advance to the Divine Strength Realm. The idea that he had been killed, and worse yet, by an Organ Refinent martial artist, was absurd.
"And you. Did any of you try to avenge Li Ji?" Guo Jiuling went on, his fierce gaze piercing everyone.
No one answered. Everyone lowered their heads. Li Ji had not been particularly well-liked in Liyang Cavern, and Guo Jiuling had still been in seclusion. No one had even thought of going out to act on their own.
"Hmph, forget it. Did Li Ji obtain the Nine-Character Thunder Chant?"
"Master, according to Junior Brother Li's subordinates, he apparently did obtain the Nine-Character Thunder Chant. However, it seems the manual was lost after his death."
Guo Jiuling said nothing further, but his gaze grew colder and colder.
"Very well. I will personally go to Nanyang Prefecture to retrieve the Nine-Character Thunder Chant and avenge Li Ji. Third, Fifth, Seventh, Eleventh, you will accompany down the mountain."
The nad disciples imdiately stepped forward. "Yes, Master."
***
At the headquarters of the Myriad Poison Cult, candle flas flickered as a chilling aura filled the hall.
Vrrrrr...
A massive stone door slowly rose, and from within stepped a man wearing a faceless mask. The great hall was already filled with martial artists. All of them were high-ranked figures of the Myriad Poison Cult, every single one a guardian elder.
"Greetings, Master!"
The Myriad Poison Cult Master lifted his hand slightly, and everyone stood. "Enough, rise."
"Where is Xu Mao?" the cult master demanded.
"I am here, Master."
A rather portly elderly man knelt on the ground. Xu Mao was the very Xu Steward from Xu Manor. He had been at the Myriad Poison Cult headquarters for a long ti, but this was his first ti eting the cult master.
"Xu Mao, have you heard of Zhuang Shisan in Nanyang Prefecture?"
"Uhhh... Only recently, Master. He seems to have co out of nowhere. However, word has it that Zhuang Shisan can turn blood qi into silken threads. Back then, the martial artist who killed Left Envoy Zhao Xing was also able to do the sa. Perhaps there is so connection between the two."
In truth, Xu Mao suspected that the person who killed Zhao Xing was likely Zhuang Shisan's disciple or relative, soone very close to him. Otherwise, how could they possess such a unique art as Blood Qi Silk Transformation?
As for the notion that Zhuang Shisan himself was the one who killed Zhao Xing, Xu Mao had never given it any thought at all. After all, Zhuang Shisan was a Divine Strength martial artist capable of killing Elder Zhao Wuji. In contrast, the one who killed Zhao Xing had been nothing more than an Organ Refinent martial artist. With only a few months separating the two events, such a leap was simply inconceivable. The idea of advancing from the Organ Refinent Stage to the point of killing Elder Zhao Wuji in just those few months was utterly absurd.
"Elder Zhao Wuji was killed by Zhuang Shisan of Nanyang Prefecture. When has the Myriad Poison Cult ever been provoked to such a degree? We must have our revenge.
"However, Zhuang Shisan of Nanyang Prefecture is no weakling. Since Elder Zhao Wuji fell at his hands, he has most likely already reached the Hundred Cauldrons Realm. After all, a lion will use all its strength even when hunting a rabbit. And our target isn't a rabbit, but a martial artist in the Hundred Cauldrons Realm.
"I will personally go to Nanyang Prefecture and bring four guardian elders with . With such a lineup, there should be no room for error. Zhuang Shisan will fall."
The Myriad Poison Cult master made his decision. It was one thing for an ordinary martial artist to be killed, but Zhao Wuji had been a Divine Strength Realm elder. His killing was utterly humiliating for the Myriad Poison Cult.
Zhuang Shisan of Nanyang had to die!
***
Divine Dragon Transformation: Perfection. Perception 18
A line of small text appeared before Lu Changsheng's eyes.
The Divine Dragon Transformation has reached Perfection? And my Perception has increased by 18 points? That ans the martial technique is of the eighteenth tier.
A trace of surprise flickered on Lu Changsheng's face, but after thinking about it, it made sense.
One could bring the Divine Dragon Transformation to Perfection only after unlocking the Third Transformation, which doubled one's physical prowess. Naturally, no ordinary technique could do that.
SWith Lu Changsheng's current foundation of sixty cauldrons of strength, a twofold increase ant an increase of one hundred and twenty cauldrons of strength, reaching a staggering one hundred and eighty cauldrons of strength. If he also unleashed Second Wave and gained an additional fifty percent boost, then, with an all-out strike, Lu Changsheng could unleash the force of two hundred seventy cauldrons!
Regardless, it's still not the ti to attempt leaping over the Dragon Gate again. My spirit, vital essence, and qi still haven't returned to their optimal state. Attempting the leap now would just result in failure. As for the Threefold Waves, it should have reached Perfection long ago, and it still hasn't. Sothing is clearly missing.
Lu Changsheng frowned deeply. Two months had already passed since he created the Blood Qi Sword Crafting Secret Technique. He had also advanced to the Third Dragon Transformation and pushed the technique to Perfection, but progress with the Threefold Waves seed to stagnate. Given his level of Perception, sothing was clearly not right.
Lu Changsheng racked his brains trying to find the reason for this. One idea after another flashed through his mind, and eventually, he figured it out.
Intent! The technique imitates surging waves. This isn't about Perception. Without witnessing the true waves of the great sea, it's impossible to grasp the true intent behind waves. That's the condition for bringing the Threefold Waves to Perception.
Nanyang Prefecture was not by the sea. To see the ocean, he would have to go to Zhanhai[1]. Prefecture.
Lu Changsheng knew that Zhanhai Prefecture was not far from Nanyang Prefecture. The journey would only take two or three days by horse. Since this matter concerned his own Dao of Martial Arts cultivation, he did not hesitate and quickly made his decision.
Before setting out, Lu Changsheng first went to visit his master. Wu Jing remained much the sa as before, his body frail and weak, and it was unclear how ti he had left.
After seeing Wu Jing, he entrusted Wang Ruhai to look after Miaoren Hall.
Once he had made all the arrangents, Lu Changsheng led out the gentle young mare.
"Let's go see the sea," he said as he patted it gently.
As if sharing his excitent, the horse burst into motion. Its hooves pounded the ground as it galloped away. In the blink of an eye, it charged out of Nanyang City and disappeared into the distance.
1. 湛海 is an actual place na and literally ans “clear sea” in English. ☜
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