Tianlong Daoist spoke, his voice not loud but resonating like a thunderclap in Long Qisheng’s ears, stunning him into stillness.
He was Long Shengzhe’s own brother, serving as the leader of the Imperial Guards in court. His status and position were prominent; in the entire Dragon Country, few dared to show him disrespect.
Moreover, he had reached the threshold of the legendary Celestial God Realm. He had even released his aura before Tianlong Daoist just moments ago!
Under such circumstances, Tianlong Daoist told him to scram?
Under the scorching sun, he stared at Tianlong Daoist with wide, incredulous eyes, his expression conveying a silent question: Are you insane?!
Insane?
Tianlong Daoist, ignoring Long Qisheng’s shocked expression, turned and left.
Seeing this, Long Qisheng snapped back to reality and roared, “Old Daoist Tianlong, do you know what you are doing? I represent the Great Elder and the Dragon Country!”
“In this world, no one can change my disciple’s decision, nor can anyone dictate my disciple’s life.”
Tianlong Daoist paused, speaking to Long Qisheng with his back turned, “Let alone you, even if Long Shengzhe himself came, as long as my disciple did not wish to see him, he would only be able to return defeated.”
“Old Daoist Tianlong, you are too arrogant!”
Long Qisheng was utterly enraged.
How noble was Long Shengzhe’s status, yet Tianlong Daoist dared to speak so?
Tianlong Daoist did not respond, continuing his ascent up the steps, as if Long Qisheng’s words were mere wind.
“Heaven’s arrogance brings rain, man’s arrogance brings disaster!”
Long Qisheng glared at Tianlong Daoist’s retreating back, his body radiating golden light, his true qi surging, his words filled with fury.
However—
Despite his anger, he did not attack.
Firstly, the Daoist sect was the most deeply rooted and ancient martial arts lineage in the Dragon Country, a banner of the nation’s martial arts world.
Tianlong Daoist was also a titan in the Dragon Country’s martial arts scene. If he were to forcefully attack Tianlong Daoist, he feared reprisal from the martial arts community.
Secondly, he was here on a mission from Long Shengzhe – to coerce and entice Jiang Wuming to appear and face the foreign martial arts prodigies!
As it stood, he hadn't even met Jiang Wuming. If he attacked Tianlong Daoist, or even injured him, it would completely enrage Jiang Wuming, which would be detrimental to his mission!
Whoosh!
With his words, Long Qisheng’s figure flashed, like a streak of golden light, vanishing from his spot instantly.
Whoosh!
At this moment, a piercing sound ripped through the air!
Tianlong Daoist, with one hand behind his back, flicked his finger, sending out a streak of azure true qi, forming a threshold of true qi behind him.
“If you cross this threshold, I will consider you to be attempting to force your way into Longhu Mountain!”
As the threshold of true qi appeared, Tianlong Daoist’s voice followed, filled with a warning.
Long Qisheng’s footsteps halted, stopping before the azure threshold of true qi, and he roared:
“Old Daoist Tianlong, although you are a banner of the Dragon Country’s martial arts world, I have already told you, I represent the Great Elder! I have already shown you sufficient respect, yet you repeatedly provoke me, which is like refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit—forget this threshold, no threshold in this world can stop me!”
“Then you may try.”
Tianlong Daoist turned, looking at Long Qisheng expressionlessly. If Long Qisheng dared to cross the threshold of true qi, he would act.
“Since you are so confident that you can stop me, I will give you an opportunity – let us spar. If you can defeat me, I will turn and leave, never setting foot in Longhu Mountain again! Otherwise, you will go and persuade your disciple to face the foreign martial arts prodigies!”
Long Qisheng proposed, his face grim.
“You are not worthy.”
Tianlong Daoist replied blandly.
“Old Daoist Tianlong, Heaven’s arrogance brings rain, man’s arrogance brings disaster, I wish to see where your confidence stems from?!”
Long Qisheng was utterly furious. He no longer cared about Tianlong Daoist’s status, nor did he consider the mission. He let out a low shout.
With his shout, Long Qisheng took a step forward, crossing the threshold of true qi.
Swish!
At the same time, Tianlong Daoist, with his left hand behind his back, suddenly swung his right hand. Streaks of azure true qi surged out, instantly engulfing the surroundings, like a vast azure ocean.
Before Long Qisheng could react, he was submerged by the azure ocean, simultaneously feeling a terrifying binding force. Horrifying energy waves covered the area within ten meters; within this radius, all life withered, as if the apocalypse had descended.
This discovery caused Long Qisheng’s face to change drastically. He looked at Tianlong Daoist as if he had seen a ghost, feeling as though everything unfolding before him was a dream.
Amidst his shock, Long Qisheng, relying on his powerful combat instincts, madly stimulated his true qi, conjuring a golden shield to protect himself, struggling to resist the attack of the azure true qi. However, he was trapped as if stuck in a mire, completely unable to move.
“You… you took that step?!”
Long Qisheng realized something and subconsciously asked.
At this moment, his face was devoid of arrogance and dominance; only terror remained!
No answer.
On the stone steps, Tianlong Daoist still had one hand behind his back, while his right hand swiftly formed a hand seal.
Boom!
With a deafening roar, the azure true qi that had enclosed Long Qisheng became turbulent like a storm-tossed sea, instantly surging like waves tens of meters high, completely engulfing Long Qisheng.
In an instant, the golden shield conjured by Long Qisheng’s true qi dimmed, his body subjected to terrifying tearing forces, on the verge of exploding.
“No… don’t kill me!!”
Long Qisheng screamed in extreme terror, feeling as if he were being escorted to the gates of hell by emissaries of the underworld, his life about to end.
This was a sense of impending death he had never experienced!
Swish!
In response to Long Qisheng’s plea, Tianlong Daoist waved his right hand again.
The violent ‘waves’ disappeared, and the azure true qi instantly gathered, condensing into a hand.
The hand was lifelike, radiating terrifying energy fluctuations, and directly grasped Long Qisheng by the neck, lifting him into the air like a hawk carrying a chick!
Long Qisheng remained stiff, floating in the air, not daring to move.
Indeed, he dared not move.
Because his reason told him that if he dared to struggle or move rashly, he would be crushed to death by the hand conjured by Tianlong Daoist!
At this moment, he stared at Tianlong Daoist with wide, terrified eyes, feeling as insignificant as a mortal facing a deity.
“I… I am not worthy to spar with you, nor did I intend to force my way into Longhu Mountain. I will not change your disciple’s mind or dictate his life. Please show mercy and spare my life!”
In his terror, Long Qisheng pleaded again, his voice trembling.
At this moment.
He had completely forgotten how imposing he had been when blocking Qi Wufu in the Red Wall Grand Courtyard!
He had also forgotten how domineering he had been when he forced his way into the Martial Department headquarters and sent Zhu Jian flying simply because Zhu Jian had shown him disrespect!
All he knew was that he was now like fish on a chopping block, at Tianlong Daoist’s mercy – as long as Tianlong Daoist had a single thought, he would vanish into thin air, erased from existence!
“Wuming cannot be bullied, the Daoist sect cannot be insulted. Convey this message to Long Shengzhe.”
Tianlong Daoist spoke indifferently, then turned, and with a sudden wave of his right hand.
The next moment.
The hand conjured from azure true qi released Long Qisheng, then slapped him across the face.
“Slap!”
The slap rang out loudly.
Long Qisheng was sent tumbling down the cliff by the blow.
Tianlong Daoist’s footsteps did not falter as he continued up the stone steps.
On the mountain.
Jiang Wuming and Li Lianyi stood on a peak, having witnessed everything that had just transpired.
“Indifferent to gains or losses, watch the flowers bloom and fall in front of the courtyard; unconcerned with coming or going, gaze at the clouds drifting across the sky.”
Li Lianyi looked at the frail old man on the stone steps and sighed involuntarily.
“Master is actually this strong…”
The young man’s eyes widened, he stared motionlessly at the old man ascending the mountain, murmuring to himself.
This was the first time the young man had seen the old man take action.
This was also the strongest battle he had witnessed since he began cultivating.
Long Qisheng, who even Qi Wufu, a five-star War God at the tenth stage, could not defeat, was like an ant before the old man, easily annihilated!
All of this brought him a shock that could not be described in words!
On the rugged mountain path.
As if sensing the young man’s gaze, the old man paused slightly, looked up at the young man, and a benevolent smile appeared on his wrinkled face.
If the sky falls, Master will bear it.
…