On the mountainside of Julong Mountain, once both the outer and inner gates were fully shut and barred. The area was deserted, save for a few Eighth-Rank powerhouses who remained outside the gates.

They showed no intention of leaving, each selecting a spot to sit. Some closed their eyes in silent meditation, while others gazed down at the sea of clouds below, lost in thought. Their demeanors varied, yet they waited silently.

However, this tranquility was shattered in the next moment. A streak of crimson light suddenly descended from the sky, moving at a terrifying speed. It had only just appeared on the distant horizon, and in the next instant, it materialized above the summit.

There stood a young woman clad entirely in red, holding a crimson umbrella, hovering in the air as she squinted toward the inner gate.

“Fairy Taiyuan?”

Xuan Taiji, the acknowledged leader among them, narrowed his eyes slightly, cautiously assessing the young woman who had risen to fame in only a few decades.

He then bowed slightly. “Taiji greets Fairy Shui. May I ask the purpose of your visit here?”

Strictly speaking, they were peers. Yet, among cultivators, reverence was accorded not just by seniority but by sheer strength.

This Shui Lingbo had reached a realm comparable to the world's foremost experts in a mere thirty years, far surpassing those of her generation, which commanded his respect.

At this moment, the surrounding Eighth-Rank powerhouses also turned their gazes toward her, curious yet tinged with caution. Shui Lingbo ignored them. Frowning in deep thought for a moment, she shook her head. “Nothing important. This Fairy has come for one person only. That fellow is my fellow sect member. He’s bound to cause trouble again this time, so I came ahead to prevent him from being bullied—”

Noticing their wary expressions, she let out a cold laugh. “Rest assured, your so-called direct disciples are not worth my notice, Shui Lingbo! This Fairy would hardly travel a thousand miles for mere minnows.”

Xuan Taiji immediately breathed a sigh of relief; it was a good thing it wasn't about them, as they truly couldn't stop her if she intended harm.

He knew that although Shui Lingbo hailed from the Taiyuan Sect of the Cangsheng Dao, her word was absolute, and she disdained lying. His expression softened, and he chuckled lightly. “Fairy overstates things! It is our fault. Then, Fairy Taiyuan, you must be here for Zhao Yanran, correct? That girl’s potential is extraordinary, and her progress has been divine. The Seven Spirits Sect has found a worthy disciple who will surely continue their lineage—”

“How could it be Yanran? You don't need to flatter her. While the child has decent talent, she wouldn't cause such a scene. If something happened to her, her own sect elders would handle it; why would I need to come?”

As she spoke, Shui Lingbo’s expression became unusually gloomy. “That fellow is the one person I never wish to see in my entire life—”

While speaking, she sighed internally. Wei Xu truly deserved death; taking the person was one thing, but why force him to enter the second generation’s lineage? She used to view herself as a senior, but now she would have to call him Great-Great-Martial-Uncle Ancestor—how vexing!

Xuan Taiji let out an “Ah,” bewildered.

Shui Lingbo seemed unwilling to say more, her delicate eyebrows arching coldly as she sneered. “It’s truly a disgrace to you all. Merely a small Julong Mountain and the inheritance of the Dragon Shadow Martial Saint, yet no one has managed to claim it in ten thousand consecutive years. The various sects of the East Lin Cloud Continent are far too incompetent! I wonder if you gentlemen have any confidence this time? The spiritual tide is currently strong, which might shorten the mountain’s opening time. But waiting for the next opportunity will still take another twenty years! Must we wait until a Divine Emperor emerges to seize the inheritance?”

At these words, the expressions of the surrounding Eighth-Rank powerhouses, led by Ling Lie, drastically changed, tinged with barely concealed anger.

Xuan Taiji’s face also flushed slightly. Although the foundation of the Haoxuan Sect lay in the East Lin Cloud Continent, Shui Lingbo’s words swept him and his sect into the same criticism.

However, unless necessary, he was unwilling to easily offend this woman. He could only frown and say, “Fairy’s words are excessive! I, Xuan Taiji, am ashamed. A century ago, I also entered the lower regions of Julong Mountain and gained some enlightenment. The martial path of the old man Dragon Shadow is indeed profound and unpredictable. I am ashamed that even after ten days, I only managed to comprehend eleven sword diagrams. To my knowledge, even those with the highest talent only managed to grasp thirteen diagrams at most.”

Shui Lingbo let out a sharp ‘hiss’ of derision. In the next instant, True Man Ling Lie of the Lingyun Sect spoke with an equally solemn expression.

“Two hundred years ago, Ling Lie also had the fortune to enter and witness the Martial Saint’s residual image. I entered the upper levels of the inner gate and gained much insight, leading to seventy years of secluded cultivation until I finally reached the Body Forging realm. However, even then, I felt that absolutely no one in this world could fully comprehend the Martial Saint’s residual image in a mere ten days. As for the Dragon Shadow Elder’s Nine-Nine True Dragon Sword, one shouldn't even dream about it. Gaining even one or two essential principles of his martial path would be fortunate. To state it boldly, while Fairy Taiyuan’s martial talent is unparalleled under the heavens, attempting to obtain the true inheritance of this Martial Saint will likely end in failure—”

The others nodded slightly, clearly concurring. Another elder stroked his beard and gave a wry laugh. “I have visited the ruins left by other sages and predecessors more than ten times. Long ago, I felt that Julong Mountain was different from other places. Rumor has it that when the Dragon Shadow Elder left the Cloud Realm, he had no lingering attachment. It was only because a friend persuaded him that he left the Nine Gate True Dragon Sword Art and parts of the Nine-Nine Shadow Dragon Sword at his secluded residence for others to comprehend. However, due to resentment in his heart, the conditions for comprehending the nine kinds of True Dragon Sword Intent are extremely harsh and deliberately difficult.”

Shui Lingbo then raised an eyebrow, somewhat half-believing, half-doubting. She wondered if Julong Mountain was truly that formidable?

Immediately, she thought of Zong Shou. If the inheritance was this difficult, perhaps that fellow wouldn't be able to obtain the true martial inheritance of the Dragon Shadow Elder either.

This time, it seemed likely that her trip was in vain—

Within the Misty Caves of the lower outer gate, inside a cavern located in the southwest quadrant.

Yan Feibai was also staring intently at the stone wall before him, his brow tightly furrowed into the character ‘Chuan’ ().

It was incredibly smooth and extremely hard. The punch he just delivered, carrying hundreds of thousands of pounds of force, could not shake it in the slightest.

It appeared unremarkable, yet Yan Feibai had been standing there for half the day. Behind him stood several Lingyun Sect disciples, most of whom were a rank higher in cultivation than Yan Feibai, yet they all wore solemn expressions, showed no dissatisfaction, and spoke not a single unnecessary word.

“Were you perhaps a bit too excessive outside the outer gate earlier?”

The speaker’s voice was soft and pleasing, and it was indeed Ge Hanyun. She currently looked expressionless. “No matter how naive you are about human affairs, you should know those words were deeply hurtful—”

“You finally asked that question.”

Yan Feibai remained expressionless, still fixed on the front, as if a flower had bloomed on the stone wall.

“This person crippled his own cultivation, clearly having resigned himself to giving up. Coming to Julong Mountain was likely a final gamble. If I hadn't done that, how could I have provoked him? In the East Lin Cloud Continent, there are only three or five rivals that Yan Feibai deems worthy of my attention. Losing this one would make things rather dull. Now, has that anger in your stomach subsided at all?”

Ge Hanyun gave a choked laugh of exasperation. “Who is angry? I just feel your ten-year pact is overly confident! In my opinion, Zong Shou will surpass you in less than three years.”

“As expected, women in love are all brainless. But that’s fair; the longer the time, the greater the gap between him and me. Ten years is indeed somewhat unfair.”

Yan Feibai finally turned back, his voice solemn. “Instead of dwelling on this, you’d be better off helping me figure out a way to open this passage together. It concerns the advancement of Martial Uncle Long’s black flood dragon; it is a major event for our Lingyun Sect and cannot be delayed!”

“Tch! Aside from waiting for the final few days when the restrictions weaken, what method can I possibly have against the Martial Saint’s seal?”

With another cold snort of annoyance, Ge Hanyun showed no doubt that this unremarkable stone wall was the entrance to that blank region.

As she frowned in thought, Ge Hanyun suddenly felt a stirring in her heart and turned back sharply, smiling enchantingly. “Perhaps we don’t need to wait. These two should be enough to break this seal.”

In the distance behind them, two graceful female figures were approaching slowly. The first was Zhao Yanran, and the second, equally curvaceous and with a face like a heavenly fairy, was none other than Xuan Yunlan.

At almost the exact same time, also in the southwest of the lower level, deeper within the Misty Caves.

“What’s the saying? Even if you’re as treacherous as a ghost, you still have to drink the foot-washing water of Jin Buhui. True Dragon essence blood—you can’t buy it even if you have the money—”

The voice was extremely familiar; wasn't it Jin Buhui?

Muttering to himself, full of smug satisfaction, he rounded a corner a moment later.

Then, upon seeing Zong Shou, he froze on the spot.

Zong Shou chuckled, unhurriedly blowing on the Dao talisman in his hand. Then, he carefully tucked it into his Qiankun Bag, saying lightly, “I’m sorry, Brother Jin. Zong Shou has already taken that True Dragon Blood; you’re just a step too late.”

Jin Buhui’s face immediately cycled from red to blue, then to pale, before he managed to ask with great difficulty, “May I ask what that talisman in Brother Zong’s hand was? Was it also left by Venerable Xuanlang? And what rank is it?”

“That talisman? It’s said to be called the Grand Profound Heart-Locking and Spirit-Fixing Talisman, made in Jue Long City.”

Zong Shou said this while pretending to ponder. “As for the rank, I don’t know. I only know this talisman must be above the Immortal rank!”

“An Immortal Talisman?”

At this moment, Jin Buhui felt an urge to spit blood. If he had known this, why did they separate? Following Zong Shou, he could have at least shared a portion.

Then, Zong Shou asked curiously, “Oh yes, Brother Jin, how did you get in? Did you also comprehend the nine types of True Dragon Sword Intent?”

“Nonsense, True Dragon Sword Intent! I used nearly ten Eighth-Rank Barrier-Breaking Talismans consecutively—I lost a fortune!”

Jin Buhui couldn’t help but curse out loud, then his mind flickered. “True Dragon Sword Intent? Did you comprehend the nine types of True Dragon Sword Intent?”