The World-Honored One and the Dao Lord were prodigies of the previous era, each having refined themselves to the level of gods and Buddhas. If the Divine Bridge had not broken, both would have long since ascended in a blaze of glory, leaving this world behind.
Emperor Evan, though a latecomer of this era, possesses the nine dragon veins and cultivates in the imperial capital, enjoying natural advantages that make his progress twice as fast for half the effort. His cultivation soars to the heavens and penetrates the earth—he is without doubt one of the greatest powers alive today!
The Everpeace Empire is hailed as the greatest sacred land of this age, and he, along with the Imperial Preceptor, are its sect master and cult master!
Yet even so, he is still a notch below the World-Honored One and the Dao Lord. Their joint attack is not because they fear his strength, but because if it were one-on-one, Emperor Evan could easily escape—neither of them could keep him here alone.
But with both of them working together, all paths of escape for Emperor Evan are cut off.
Crack! Crack! Bolts of azure lightning crashed down from the clouds above, sizzling and crackling as they coiled around Emperor Evan. Dazzling light erupted, swirling, and in the sky true dragons soared—suddenly, nine dragons roared as one and clawed toward the Dao Lord and the World-Honored One!
The World-Honored One chuckled, flipping his golden alms bowl so its mouth faced upward. Instantly, golden light blazed forth, and a host of heavens surged out—countless gods and Buddhas filling the sky to battle the true dragons.
"Old Daoist friend, I'll leave slaying the emperor to you," the World-Honored One said with a smile.
The Dao Lord pressed his sword, and sword-light rippled with a strange rhythm, channeling all the workings of the mortal world. He murmured, "The Dao nourishes all heavens and earth, grants myriad laws, all things return to One! Your Majesty, this half-move..."
Before he could finish, two streaks of light flashed overhead and suddenly halted. The Dao Lord quickly held his sword back, eyes narrowing. He saw an old man in blue-black robes and a blind man leaning on a bamboo staff standing in midair.
"World-Honored One, fighting again?" Grandpa Blind said with a grin.
The World-Honored One held back the golden light surging from his bowl and smiled, "King Ma, Blind Daoist, what brings you two here?"
Grandpa Mark replied coldly, "Looking for someone!"
Grandpa Blind tapped his bamboo staff, making the sky shudder. All the battling elites froze, startled, and quickly stopped fighting. Grandpa Blind grinned, "A great wind rises, clouds fly high—such a hasty battle, gentlemen! My respects to you all; sorry for the interruption. May I ask if any of you have seen a certain woman?"
Warren Quan, trapped and battered, finally caught his breath and shouted, "Blind man, who are you looking for?"
"A woman—exceptionally beautiful, the kind you can't forget after a single glance, who scratches at your heart all day long," Grandpa Blind replied.
Grandpa Blind sighed, "She's formidable—there's an old demon living in her heart, committing evil, obsessed with her beauty, and planning to seize her body, become her. As the saying goes, 'A beauty's face is like jade, a golden house hides a lovely one.' We took her to Great Thunderclap Temple, hoping the World-Honored One could subdue that old demon..."
He rambled on for a while, but nobody quite understood. Grandpa Mark cut in, "Blind man, get to the point."
Grandpa Blind scratched his head. "She's the former Cult Mistress of the Cult of the Heavenly Demon, former Saintess. The World-Honored One wanted to kill the emperor, so he let her go."
The World-Honored One chuckled, "Even an old monk can't be everywhere at once—I'd love to help, but I can't."
Grandpa Blind snapped, "If you couldn't do it, you should've said so earlier. Now look at us—she's nowhere to be found. Fellow cultivators, has anyone seen the former Mistress of the Cult of the Heavenly Demon? She's exceptionally beautiful, and when she speaks, she could charm you to the bone. Anyone seen her?"
Everyone shook their heads.
Bianca Xue felt a glimmer of hope and called out loudly, "We're from the Cult of the Heavenly Saint—please, we beg your help!"
The World-Honored One grew wary, and the Dao Lord asked, "Who are they?"
"My eldest disciple and the Spear God," the old World-Honored One replied.
The Dao Lord was surprised. "So it's the three-eyed King Ma and the legendary God-Eye—have they grown this old already?"
Grandpa Mark shook his head. "Your troubles aren't as urgent as our search. We're not interested."
"Whether you kill or save the emperor, it's still not as important as finding her."
Grandpa Blind sighed, "If the emperor dies, they'll just pick another. But if that enchantress gets loose—tsk tsk—the whole world will suffer. Emperor, have you ever met the Mistress?"
Emperor Evan's face was grave; he slowly shook his head. "I've never met her. May I ask the two seniors for help?"
Grandpa Blind looked disappointed. "Not interested. It's just as well you haven't met her—otherwise, you'd be waiting for your country to fall and your home to be ruined. King Ma, let's go. She can't have run far!"
Grandpa Mark nodded, and the two of them howled away, vanishing without a trace.
Everyone was left dumbfounded. "What strange old masters!"
The sounds of slaughter rose again.
The World-Honored One unleashed the golden bowl's radiance; the Twenty Mahayana Heavens soared into the sky. The Dao Lord let loose his sword-light, the power of the Fourteenth Dao Sword erupted—its brilliance explained the laws of heaven and earth, the sword became sky, the sword became earth, the sword transformed into myriad arts, the sword turned into the stars and the cosmos. This sword embodied the unity of all daos under heaven!
Emperor Evan activated the Nine-Dragon Emperor Art; nine auspicious dragons coiled around him, his feet stepped on rainbow clouds. Every strike was unimaginably powerful—splitting mountains, overturning seas, reversing heaven and earth. He was a master of countless divine arts and dao techniques, able to casually unleash the Dao Sword of Dao Gate, the Victorious Battle Dharma of Great Thunderclap Temple. Any art or technique in his hands could turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, wielding power beyond belief.
Even the Sword of Longing from the Palace of Parting—a sword art only women could cultivate—he could wield, and with even greater force.
Even the simplest moves became devastating in his hands!
Spells, sword arts, even physical divine techniques—all could be unleashed by him, and every blow was like moving mountains and overturning seas!
The Nine-Dragon Emperor Art—he had refined it to the level of a god!