A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 111 The Dragon God's Secret
After the sealing was completed, Elder Tianxuan placed Yin Feng in a jade coffin, using jade to nourish her body and preserve her life force.

After Elder Tianxuan reported back to the clan leader, he set up a barrier around the stone cave where the jade coffin was placed, making it difficult to break through from the outside, in order to prevent clan members from accidentally entering.

"The seal is complete, the treasure has been refined, and our mission is finished. The rest is up to our descendants," the clan chief sighed.

"Has the clan leader chosen the next clan leader?" Elder Jin asked.

They are all nearing the end of their lives and need to make arrangements for their funerals before they die. Therefore, the selection of the new clan leader must be done with utmost care.

"There are a few candidates, please take a look, elders," the clan leader said, taking out a bamboo scroll and placing it on the table. Elder Jin was the first to take it, and after reading it, he handed it to the other elders.

After a short while, all six elders had examined the three men. Elder Shui said, "Tong Zheng, Tong Hui, and Tong Du are all quite good, but Tong Zheng is the most suitable. Shuiyue Cave Heaven needs to recuperate now. As long as we follow the plan we made before step by step, it won't be difficult to restore it to its former glory."

"Tong Zheng is mild-mannered and not impulsive, and he also enjoys considerable prestige among his clansmen, making him capable of undertaking important responsibilities."

After Elder Shui finished speaking, the other elders fell into deep thought. Elder Huo, however, said, "Although Tong Zheng is mild-mannered, he is also the most likely to lack a firm stance. If a powerful elder were to force him, could he still hold on? In my opinion, Tong Hui is more suitable."

At this point, Elder Huo reminded, "Clan leader, among the three elders, Tong Hui has the highest cultivation level. The clan leader must suppress the elders in cultivation, otherwise it won't be a good thing."

The clan leader nodded upon hearing this. Strength is the only true measure of power. He himself had gone through the same process. Elder Huo was right. Shuiyue Cave Heaven had already suffered one calamity and could hardly withstand a second one. The internal situation must not be chaotic.

Thinking of this, the clan leader looked at Elder Jin, who, upon seeing this, said, "Elder Huo is right. Although Tong Hui is a bit impatient, it's not impossible for him to change. Clan leader, I agree with Elder Huo's suggestion."

The clan chief remained silent, glancing at the elders. After a moment's thought, the other elders also agreed to let Tong Hui succeed him. The clan chief immediately took out a blank bamboo slip and wrote down the clan decree appointing Tong Hui as his successor.

After writing it down, the clan chief wrote his own name and handed it to the other six elders. The six elders signed their names, and finally the bamboo slip returned to the clan chief's hands.

"Elder Tu, choose an auspicious day to hold the clan leader inauguration ceremony at the Prayer Square. Also, Elder Jin, please inform the clansmen of this matter as soon as possible."

Elders Tu and Jin responded and accepted the order.

After the seven discussed many things, it was already dark. Just as the elders were about to leave, Elder Jin was called by the clan leader and immediately stopped.

After the others left, Elder Jin looked at the clan leader and asked, "Clan leader, did you ask me to stay because you have some instructions?"

"Although today we have confirmed the next clan leader and put one of my worries to rest, I am still somewhat uneasy."

"Is the clan leader still worried about the great calamity five hundred years from now?" Elder Jin replied in a deep voice.

“Indeed, the Tong clan reveres Heaven and Earth and protects the human world, but now they have been utterly defeated by the Supreme Dao and the Demonic Dao, and are in danger of extinction in the future. I, Tong Yuan, am truly ashamed before my ancestors,” the clan leader said with a sorrowful expression and a hoarse voice.

"Clan leader, there's no need to blame yourself. This is all the will of Heaven. The Tong clan has nothing to be ashamed of before Heaven and Earth. We only hate that the court is corrupt, listens to slander, and acts perversely. They will reap what they sow sooner or later."

Elder Jin felt an uncontrollable rage whenever he thought of the Supreme Path's evil deeds.

"We've done everything we could. As long as our descendants live peacefully and don't concern themselves with worldly affairs, we'll be fine. Even if things get really bad, Master Gu Xu has some connections with us, and if the Tong family faces annihilation, he won't stand idly by."

Upon hearing this, the clan chief shook his head and said, "I know the Daoist Master's character very well, but we cannot entrust the survival of our clan entirely to him. If we ourselves fail to live up to his expectations, how can outsiders help us?"

"Does the clan leader have any ideas?" Elder Jin asked, sensing from the clan leader's tone that he seemed to be discussing a decision with him.

"Elder Jin, I plan to set up a school to teach some gifted children magic, which can also be considered as preserving the Tong clan's lineage. In the event of an accident, this will not only protect ourselves but also safeguard our clansmen."

"Clan leader, you must think this through carefully. Once this decision is made, it will affect the entire Tong clan. You must understand the stakes involved."

Elder Jin was taken aback by the clan leader's words, and then replied solemnly.

This art of magic has always been practiced only by those at the guard level and above. If the restrictions are loosened, it could easily cause chaos. In a worse case, it could lead to internal division and instability. After all, human nature is unpredictable, and those with ability are naturally unwilling to be subordinate to others.

"I made this decision after careful consideration. As the saying goes, there can be no construction without destruction. If the new clan leader is unable to unite the clan members, then he will have failed as clan leader. On the contrary, if he can do this well, it will be entirely beneficial to the Tong clan."

"What the clan chief says makes sense. In the past, when we fought against the Supreme Dao, we were always at a disadvantage. One reason for this was that there were relatively few people in the clan who practiced magic."

The Supreme Daoist is skilled in crafting puppet soldiers, which cannot be harmed by ordinary weapons. Only magic can cause damage. However, in the previous battle with them, although the Supreme Daoist suffered considerable losses, most of the Tong clan's guards were killed, and even some ordinary elders lost their lives.

"We'll talk to the other elders later. You should prepare in advance."

"Yes"

A few days later, the clan chief issued a clan decree, ordering the Tong clan members to bring their children aged five to ten to the prayer square. Although the clan members did not know what to do, they understood that the clan chief must have his reasons, so they all brought their children over.

After a thorough inspection, the clan chief left behind twenty-two people, spoke a few words to their parents, and then led them away.

This happened in the library. Gu Xu had just put down a bamboo scroll about formations when the clan leader arrived with several elders.

"Excuse me, Daoist Master."

Originally, the clan leader did not want to bother Gu Xu, but for the sake of the Tong clan, he still swallowed his pride and hoped to get some help from Gu Xu.

"You flatter me, clan leader. May I ask what brings you all here?" Gu Xu knew that the clan leader must have something to ask of him, so he asked.

With a gesture of invitation, he led them into the library. After they were seated, the clan chief glanced at Gu Xu and earnestly said, "Old Xiu has come today with a request, and I implore you, Daoist, to grant it."

He then rose and bowed, but Gu Xu quickly stopped him, saying, "Clan leader, please speak freely. If I can find out, I will do my best."

After a moment of contemplation, the clan chief explained his purpose: he hoped that Gu Xu could take some time to teach the children some magic.

Currently, besides the seven members of the Tong clan, there are only a dozen or so people left who understand magic, and their skills are not profound. If they were to teach those children, their future achievements would be limited, which is not the outcome the clan leader wants to see.

"Originally, the seven of us would have been the best choice, but the Soul Purification and Mind Cleansing Mirror requires us to nurture it frequently, and I'm afraid we won't have the time. We can only ask the Daoist for help."

After listening, Gu Xu pondered for a moment, then said solemnly, "I'm afraid I don't have much time to teach you; at most, I can only teach you for three years."

"That's enough," the clan chief thought with delight. With three years, given Gu Xu's personality, he would surely teach them diligently. Once the children had laid a solid foundation, the rest would be left for them to study and comprehend, thanks to the teachings left by their predecessors. As long as they had a master to guide them through this crucial step, the rest would be easy to learn.

Upon hearing Gu Xu's agreement, the other elders breathed a sigh of relief, while Elder Tianxuan gave Gu Xu a grateful look.

"Master, you only need to teach them for three hours each day. As for the teaching fees, you can use fire crystals to pay for them. Is that acceptable?"

"I have no objection, so I will do as the clan chief says," Gu Xu said without refusing, for it would be unseemly if he did.

After the matter was settled, the clan chief said a few more words and then got up and left with the elders.

After everyone left, Gu Xu continued to study the bamboo slips of formations. He was currently looking at a defensive formation called the Mist-Locking Cloud-Covering Formation, which was mainly used to isolate the five senses and prevent outsiders from eavesdropping.

"While utilizing natural energy is time-saving and labor-saving, its drawbacks are also obvious. Once the flow of natural energy is cut off, the formation will not function smoothly and will inevitably reveal flaws. Ordinary people may not notice them, but experts in formations will see them clearly. This formation still needs improvement."

Putting down the bamboo slips, Gu Xu focused his mind on the jade pendant space to deduce the formation.

external
Since the Tong clan was abandoned by the court, the Long clan has also vanished without a trace. The court was furious and immediately dispatched people to search everywhere, but to no avail. The emperor searched in vain, and recently, many strange occurrences in various places have caused widespread panic. For the sake of the stability of the country, the emperor sent someone to the Supreme Dao for help. "Master Ning, where is the master?" Zhu Xia asked the black-clad Daoist in front of him.

Zhu Xia was entrusted by the emperor to ask that the Supreme Dao send some people to help the court resolve those strange events and maintain the stability of the nation.

“The Dao Lord has been in seclusion for many years, and I will be in charge of all matters for the time being. If the messenger has anything to tell me, please feel free to speak to me,” Ning Dao said calmly, glancing at him.

Zhu Xia was somewhat displeased upon hearing this. Ever since the Tong clan was expelled from the court, the affairs of the National Mirror had been entirely decided by the Supreme Dao. As an envoy of the court, representing the court, Qi Feng had not even come out to greet him. His so-called seclusion was nothing but an excuse.

Thinking about this, Zhu Xia couldn't help but wonder if driving away the Tong family back then was really the right thing to do. Now that the Supreme Dao is all-powerful, it's not a good thing at all.

"If that's the case, then please, Chief Ning, receive the imperial decree. The King has specifically ordered the Supreme Daoist to handle the strange events in Shangyuan Prefecture, Pingshan Prefecture, and Xiyuan Prefecture. After the matter is resolved, there must be no mistakes. A great reward will be given upon completion."

After hearing this, Ning Dao immediately stood up. Zhu Xia glanced at him and said, "The King is very concerned about this matter. Please send someone to handle it as soon as possible, Chief Ning. If it is delayed, it will be difficult to explain to the King." After saying this, he flicked his sleeve and left the hall with his entourage.

"Heh," Ning Dao sneered as he looked in the direction Zhu Xia had left. The strange occurrences in these three states were deliberately ignored by the Supreme Dao for the sake of its future.

"We still need to inform the Dao Master about this matter." Although the court is corrupt and the country is weak, the Supreme Dao does not want to expose itself so much, lest the court decide to fight to the death. We still need to put on a show.

Ning Dao turned and walked into the back hall, then through a corridor, and came to a stone cave. There were four black-armored soldiers and two black-clad Taoists in front of the cave. When they saw him coming, they immediately drew their weapons.

"I have something to ask the Dao Master to do," Ning Dao said, taking out the Dao Master's Seal and flashing it at the black-clad Daoist. The latter's scarlet eyes vanished instantly, and then the two of them worked together to open the stone door.

Ning Dao strolled into the cave, feeling a sudden chill. He tightened his robes, gripped the seal, and walked forward. The ever-burning lamps on both sides of the cave walls emitted a ghastly green light. A gust of cold wind blew, causing the lamplight to flicker and reflect grotesque ghost faces, which were extremely terrifying.

Ning Dao calmed himself and walked step by step along the bluestone path. After a while, his eyes lit up and he saw a stone gate opposite him. On each side of the gate hung a white bone lamp, which shone brightly but was not dazzling, illuminating an area of ​​about ten feet.

"Disciple Ning Dao has something to discuss with the Dao Master."

"Come in," a hoarse voice entered Ning Dao's ears as the stone door opened.

Ning Dao immediately got up and carefully entered the secret room. As soon as he entered, the door closed and the light went out.

"Ning Dao, what brings you here?" Qi Feng asked calmly from the stone platform.

Ning Dao bowed and recounted what had happened, "The imperial court has already sent someone to request assistance. Wushangdao must take action, otherwise it will be difficult to respond to the imperial court."

What are your plans?

"I will send people to the three prefectures to handle the situation and stabilize things for a while. It's not advisable to create any further complications now. We can discuss other matters once the situation calms down."

"Yes, go ahead and do this. As for the demon and monster factions, I'll give them a heads-up beforehand and deal with some minor demons who aren't worth much. That'll be enough to give the court an explanation."

"Thank you, Dao Master. This disciple will take his leave." Having received the confirmation, Ning Dao dared not disturb the Dao Master's seclusion and immediately withdrew. His return was quite smooth, and he did not encounter those ghost faces.

The following day, Ning Dao dispatched nine people to the three prefectures. Upon learning that the Supreme Dao had sent people to handle the situation, the court breathed a sigh of relief. Some ministers even stroked their beards and praised, "With the help of the Supreme Dao, those evil spirits and monsters will surely be courting death. Your Majesty can rest assured."

The others echoed this sentiment, with only a few showing signs of distress.

"When a country is about to perish, evil spirits will inevitably emerge." This was the thought in the minds of some people. Moreover, they thought of those supreme Taoists who served in the National Observation Platform. They were all eccentric and their behavior was not like that of the orthodox path. They were more like unorthodox sects. Compared with the Tong family before them, they were worlds apart.

"Alas, the safety of the imperial court and the nation depends on the Supreme Dao; what are those soldiers even good for?"

"Keep your voices down. Since the king has made his decision, let us obey."

Pingshan Prefecture

In a secluded valley, four people with different appearances were gathered around a tall, ancient tree.

They were called human, but they had heads shaped like heads. The leader, a tiger-headed human-bodied monster, seemed to be listening to something, nodding from time to time. After a while, the tiger-headed monster turned around and looked at the other four monsters, saying, "Just now, Lord Qingshan sent a message that the Supreme Daoist will be coming here today. Let's not make too much noise for now."

"What does the Supreme Dao want to do? Didn't our lord already reach an agreement with their Dao Lord that Pingshan Prefecture would be under our jurisdiction?" the pig-headed monster asked in confusion.

"Tiger, what exactly happened?" the wolf-headed monster asked in a deep voice.

"We were too ostentatious about hunting blood offerings before, and now the imperial court knows about it. They've ordered the Supreme Dao to deal with this matter. We need to keep a low profile, make a show of it, and keep things quiet for a while. Old Wolf, inform the subordinates that no one is allowed to hunt blood offerings at will during this period. Anyone who disobeys this order will be executed without exception."

"Yes"

The other two spirits were also slightly alarmed. No spirit dared to disobey Lord Qingshan's orders, so it seemed that they would not be able to eat fresh blood food for a while.

After saying a few more words, the four spirits dispersed.

In the Water Moon Cave, after Gu Xu finished his daily teaching duties, he spent the rest of his time studying array formations. After several months, he had finished reading all the bamboo slips about the Dao of Array Formations.

Apart from some formations that he believed would be used in the future, which he deduced, the rest were simply left as they were.

After leaving the library, Gu Xu arrived at the stone cave where Long Teng lived.

"The Taoist priest has arrived," Long Teng put down his teacup and stood up to greet him. Gu Xu smiled and said, "I've come today for two reasons: first, to check on the general's health; and second, to discuss the Dragon God Skill."

Upon hearing this, Long Teng nodded. After taking his seat, Gu Xu took his pulse and found that his body had recovered to about 70-80%, but his vitality was constantly fading away.

"Daoist Master, I know my own body well. Life and death are no longer important to me. Daoist Master, you asked about the Dragon Divine Skill. Is there a problem?" Long Teng sighed and then asked about the Dragon Divine Skill.

"When I was reading the Dragon God Skill, I discovered that only members of the Dragon Clan can unleash its full power. Is there any explanation for this?"

"Daoist Master, you may not know this, but the Dragon God Technique was originally obtained by the Dragon Clan's ancestor from a stone tablet that fell from the sky. He was also the first person to successfully cultivate it. Although the others present have also practiced it, its power is much weaker. The ancestor guessed that this technique recognizes its master, and the first person to successfully cultivate it is its master."

At this point, Long Teng glanced at Gu Xu and continued, "Since our ancestor, all those who are his direct descendants will find it twice as effective in cultivating the Dragon God Technique, and its power will be immense."

It was for this reason that some of those who had practiced the Dragon God Technique with him harbored hatred towards the Dragon Family. After a fierce battle, the Dragon Family annihilated all those families, but also suffered heavy losses. Later, due to the covetousness of the Supreme Dao, they suppressed the family relentlessly, leaving only one direct descendant in my lineage.”

"So that's how it is," Gu Xu finally understood the entanglement between the Long family and the Supreme Dao. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, so it's not surprising that the Long family and the Tong family are on the same page.

"Thank you for your understanding, General. I shall take my leave now."

"Taoist priest, please take care," Long Teng personally escorted Gu Xu out of the stone cave.

After returning to his residence, Gu Xu took out the bamboo slips containing the Dragon God Technique and studied them carefully. He immersed his mind in the space of the jade pendant and practiced the Dragon God Technique step by step according to the cultivation method. Then, a dragon-shaped aura gradually formed in the space. However, after Gu Xu practiced to a certain point, the dragon-shaped aura suddenly stopped for a moment.

Then the dragon's claws, which originally had five fingers, gradually became four claws, then three claws, and finally two claws. The original dragon horns and scales also disappeared one after another, eventually turning into an ugly serpent.

"Ha, the dragon has turned into a serpent, no wonder the power difference is so great."

(End of this chapter)