A vast and profound aura suddenly descended upon the cave dwelling. Even though all the Heavenly Ranking Sun-Roamers present were prepared, they were momentarily choked by it.

Zong Shou also felt oppressed by the presence, yet he raised his eyebrows sharply, retorting, "My Zong Shou's way of the sword strives ceaselessly for self-improvement. A mere Heavenly-Man barrier, why should I rely on the strength of outsiders?" Since he had started speaking, he had been deep in thought for quite some time, feeling his mental energy growing increasingly fatigued.

His mind felt foggy and sleepy, yet Zong Shou suddenly swung his sword once more. The seventy-fourth strike, the seventy-fourth scratch, appeared vividly upon the mural, lending even greater spirit to the dragon's image.

Only after carving this stroke did a trace of pleased satisfaction cross Zong Shou's face. He hurriedly swallowed several pills, closed his eyes to stabilize his inner breath, nourish his heart's blood, and rest his spirit.

After a moment of silence, the voice followed with a laugh: "Indeed, you have some spirit. But I, Longying, believe in you!

Striving ceaselessly for self-improvement? I hadn't expected you, little fellow, to be such a true swordsman.

To endure the torment of dual meridians twisting daily and yet cultivate martial arts to this realm. To glimpse the true subtleties of the sword at this age and level.

To stand unyielding before my Zhaobi and unleash the seventy-fourth strike. Someone like you truly needs no external aid." Then, his tone suddenly shifted to realization: "That's right, you want to decipher the True Dragon image I left behind—are you aiming to grasp the Sword Soul?

You little fellow, your ambition is truly boundless, but I like it! However, with your current cultivation, you are still far short of truly deciphering this carving—" Zong Shou couldn't be bothered to reply, remaining silent for a long while.

He stood motionless for a full fifteen minutes before opening his eyes again. The sword in his hand was swung out once more!

The seventy-fifth strike! The seventy-sixth strike!

The seventy-seventh strike! Three consecutive strikes were unleashed, shaking dust and chips from the stone.

Zong Shou's complexion had turned utterly pale, all color drained from his face. He had used almost every last ounce of potential within his body to unlock the profound mysteries contained in these three strikes.

Now, only four more etchings were missing from the mural! —Just four more swords, and he could completely unlock this riddle!

"—Seventy-seven strikes! Your mastery of the sword has reached such a state of communion!

Damn it! This place is simply too far—" It was unclear how many worlds the old man Longying had traversed in that instant, but his voice was now even clearer.

However, that voice seemed to carry a hint of weariness as well. "Hey!

Kid, forget about the last four strikes. You need to have already achieved Spirit-Martial Unification, or possess the potential for it, to break those.

With your talent, you are already worthy of being my Longying's disciple. How about you take me as your master?" Zong Shou didn't listen to the old man's words at all; he filtered them out as mere noise.

At this moment, in his mind, there was nothing else but the sword in his hand and this massive stone dragon carving before him! Unexpectedly, he had thought the final four etchings, following these three, would be much harder, requiring more time for contemplation and calculation.

But contrary to expectation, these last three strikes seemed almost immediately apparent after only a brief moment of thought. It was almost instinctual; he knew precisely how to execute the sword movements!

He hesitated slightly, verifying the idea repeatedly in his heart in disbelief before moving again. The purple sword light was brilliant, tracing a splendid and gentle arc.

The seventy-eighth strike, the seventy-ninth strike, the eightieth strike! Three more sword lines were drawn, making the entire body of the dragon suddenly appear full and rich.

Those observing felt the change most acutely. It was as if the dragon on the stone wall now possessed flesh and blood, brimming with vitality, seemingly ready to burst forth from the wall at any moment.

Yet, this dragon stone carving still seemed to lack something; it was missing the final, most crucial stroke! And the true dragon above was the same: wanting to soar into the void, yet constantly bound by some unseen force, unable to take flight.

Zong Shou felt satisfied, his features radiating pleasure. He hadn't expected these three strikes to be so simple.

The final three riddles set by the Elder Longying on this stone wall were truly beneath his standard. Now, only the very last etching remained before him, which he presumed would be the most difficult sword strike!

—It must be the sword of the Nine-Nine Return to One! The final secret mantra of the Nine-Nine Dragon Shadow Sword must lie within this last strike!

It was only then that he vaguely recalled the Elder Longying mumbling something near his ear moments before. But in trying to recall it now, he couldn't grasp anything.

His spirit had been too purely focused; no worldly thing could leave any trace in his mind at that time. "What else could I say?

You wretched boy, do you want me to suffer qi deviation and die, or simply work myself to death before you quit? You've already reached Spirit—" The voice started with a curse before abruptly cutting off.

Zong Shou was utterly bewildered, but the voice had grown clearer, and the intent pouring from the dragon felt much more powerful and unfathomable. It was no less potent than Wei Xu's.

—While his Senior Brother hadn't used his full strength that day, this old man was also separated by countless eons of time and space. "—Cough!

Cough! To think you are already a Spirit Master of the Returning Yang Realm.

Fine, this place is too remote, and my strength is nearly depleted. If I continue pushing myself, I might damage the source of this physical body.

So listen closely, boy: are you willing to become my Longying's direct disciple?" Zong Shou's brow twitched, then he slightly shook his head, without hesitation replying, "I'm afraid I must decline. I, Zong Shou, already have a lineage.

The Seventh Disciple, a direct heir of the second generation of the Cang Sheng Dao!" Though he desperately wished to take on more masters and learn more sword techniques, he understood the principle of respecting one's teacher. As for his identity, before such a Saint Realm expert, Zong Shou knew he had no secrets to hide, so it was better to state it openly.

"A direct heir of the second generation of the Cang Sheng Dao?" Longying was clearly quite shocked, but what astonished him wasn't that Zong Shou already belonged to a sect, but the phrase 'second-generation direct heir': "That fellow Xi Zi died thousands of years ago. How could he still take disciples?

It must be that Wei Xu took a disciple on his master's behalf, or perhaps you joined the sect of Lin Xuan Shuang?" Zong Shou raised an eyebrow, thinking that the Elder Longying's guesses were nearly spot on. He nodded slightly: "Zong Shou's master is indeed named Lin Xuan Shuang!" The Elder Longying let out a cold "Tch" laugh: "Your Senior Brother Wei really knows how to scheme!

It speaks to the rising fortunes of the Cang Sheng Dao that they managed to snatch a treasure like you right under the noses of the established orthodox sects." Zong Shou's gaze sharpened slightly; he displayed the appropriate indignation. Truthfully, he was also quite displeased with Wei Xu, but he couldn't let this outsider see it.

"Forget it! Let's not discuss that.

For Wei Xu to be willing to grant you the status of a direct heir of the main hall, he certainly paid a price." The Elder Longying's voice still carried a tone of annoyance, but listening closely, one could detect the complex mix of envy, jealousy, and resentment within it. "Boy, since I left the secret mantra of the Nine-Nine Dragon Shadow Sword here, how could I not foresee that a ninety-nine percent chance existed for this sword technique to be learned by disciples of your major sects?

I simply could not bear to see the peerless sword art I created vanish entirely! I set up the Upper Dragon Gate merely to find a suitable inheritor of the sword art, not to pass on any particular doctrine.

Therefore, it's fine even if you are a direct heir of the Cang Sheng Dao—" Zong Shou considered this, but still shook his head, remaining utterly unmoved: "This matter is of great importance; I must consult with Senior Brother Wei Xu first!" "Your Senior Brother Wei Xu? That senior brother of yours would likely jump at the chance." The resentment in the Elder Longying's tone deepened: "To use you as bait to lure me out—he's ruthless!

Did you come here on Wei Xu's orders this time? What is there to discuss then?" Zong Shou blinked, still showing some hesitation.

The primary reason was that he was about to completely extract all the secrets of the Elder Longying's sword art. Once he deciphered this last carving on the stone wall, he could thoroughly master all the profound secrets of the Nine-Nine Dragon Shadow Sword.

If, over these ten thousand years, Longying's cultivation had remained stagnant, stuck at the Saint Realm without any further significant achievements in swordsmanship, then taking him as a master might not be worthwhile. Who would willingly take on an ancestor figure whom they would have to pay filial respect to daily for no apparent gain?

However, Longying then fell silent for a long time. Just as Zong Shou was wondering secretly if this Martial Sage had finally given up out of anger, the aged voice returned: "Eh?

You little fellow, you are truly remarkable. To think you are the ruler of a city and a nation, the Demon King of Qiantian Mountain.

After inheriting your father's legacy, in just a few months, you have already swallowed several provinces, taking control of nearly a third of the East Lin Cloud Continent. However, you have made quite a few enemies among the Eastern Lin sects, especially with the Shang Xiao Sect, and someone named Long Ruo—" Zong Shou immediately rolled his eyes; it turned out the old man had gone to investigate his background.

"Heh! To break the Bright Sword Terrace in one hundred and sixty breaths, and even draw that 'Fortune' character.

Letting someone like you go freely—it only benefited the Cang Sheng Dao. Should I say the people of Lingyun Sect are unlucky, or just incredibly foolish?" At this point, the Elder Longying chuckled again, but this time, it was with an air of settled confidence: "Little fellow, although the Cang Sheng Dao is powerful, since Xi Zi's passing, they have merely been struggling.

You currently lack a true pillar of support, correct? If something were to happen to your Qiantian Mountain, the Cang Sheng Dao might find it inconvenient to step in—" Zong Shou's breath hitched.

These few sentences from the Elder Longying had struck right at his vulnerability. While the foundation of Qiantian Mountain was still weak and its influence not yet fully established, the Cang Sheng Dao indeed had too many reservations to act on his behalf.

With Longying's help, both he and Qiantian Mountain would benefit. But immediately, he reined in his focus.

Just then, an inspiration struck him—the inspiration to break the final etching on the stone wall.