Advance the future and become a martial saint on earth!

The Dragon Elephant True Sect, the Great Plain at the Mountain Gate!
The first in line among the three lineage leaders was Tuoba Yue, the "Mountain-Shattering Yama" with the pseudo-Martial Saint level of skill. At this moment, he stood leisurely on the Dragon Elephant Plain, carrying a bright silver hammer with a dragon coiled on his back, waiting with bated breath.

"coming!"

When Cangming Jun's strikingly large black-scaled dragon, carrying his master and his disciples dressed in white, traversed waterways and crossed mountains and rivers, they arrived...
Tuoba Yue's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he suddenly spoke.

After Xu Longxiang entered Zhonghuangtian and became a martial arts giant, he and Wang Xuanyang dragged the 'Three-Five Slaying Evil God Mansion' back into the Great Xuan Beicang.

After following his military campaign against the Second True Sect, the disciples of the Dragon Elephant True Sect returned to the Dragon Elephant Mountain Gate and brought the weathered body of the former Dragon Elephant Daoist, Ye Wenjiang, to the ancestral mausoleum for a proper burial.

However, because the grandmaster 'Dragon Elephant Giant' had not returned, the funeral had not been held for a long time.

As the turmoil surrounding the Impermanent Yuan Prefecture subsided, news of it spread from Jiangyin Prefecture to the prefectures of Beicang, and even to the Changbai Mountains and the Heilongjiang River region.
The disciples of the Dragon Elephant True Sect were filled with excitement!

Tuoba Yue was the first disciple of Xu Longxiang after he betrayed Zhenwu Mountain and founded his own sect.

He was of the same generation as the second chief Zheng Luo, the third chief Shen Gang, and the former Daoist 'Ye Wenjiang'.

As expected, Ye Wenjiang, who had been taken in and nurtured by the Dragon and Elephant Giant with all his heart and soul, would undoubtedly rise to the level of a fledgling dragon and aspire to become a Martial Saint in the future.

To become the pillar who inherits the mantle of the Dragon and Elephant Giant and supports the second generation of the Dragon and Elephant True Sect.

However, because he was caught in the enormous vortex of the 'Change of the Mysterious Ruler', he met his demise.

As a result, the second generation of the Dragon and Elephant Sect is now facing a lack of successors, and the entire sect does not even have a single true "titled martial arts master" or "martial saint".

Fortunately.
Jiang, the successor of Ip Man, has now forged a martial arts body that can break through the four limits. If I remember correctly, his bone age is only seventeen years old, which means he has unlimited potential!

Even Xu Youwei, the most outstanding true disciple under his own tutelage, and even the entire Dragon Elephant True Sect
He was eight years older than him before he even reached this level, and even so, he was still a leading figure in the state and his reputation soared!

It's easy to imagine that once Ji Xiu grows up, he will be an even more dazzling star than his senior brother, Ip Man Kong!

So, upon receiving a message from Xu Longxiang informing him of a funeral to be held for his senior brother, Jiang, and that he would be returning with Jiang's only disciple from a later generation, Ji Xiu, to bestow upon him the officially appointed title of 'Dragon Elephant Daoist,' with the entire Dragon Elephant Mountain sect, soon to be formally ordained, attending the ceremony.
Having met Ji Xiu before and knowing some of his charm and temperament, Tuoba Yue readily agreed and made preparations well in advance, timing it precisely when the grandfather and grandson were about to return.
He then ordered his disciples, who were scattered all over the mountains and plains, to wait at the Dragon Elephant Plain. Everyone was dressed in white mourning clothes!

The funeral and the ceremony for renaming Michiko were held together.

This is absolutely a unique sight among the Three Mountains and Five Sacred Peaks, bearing the name of a Daoist.

"The patriarch! It's the patriarch!"

"And Ji Daozi too!"

When the black-scaled dragon landed on the mountain, many of the sharp-eared and sharp-eyed disciples of the Dragon Elephant Sect, who had accompanied the three chief disciples to Anning County, recognized the newcomer at a glance!
As for the second-in-command Zheng Luo and the third-in-command Shen Gang, both being beings who had reached the pinnacle of the Dragon-Tiger realm, they immediately saw through Ji Xiu's strength, realizing that it was far more than the rumored 'Four-Limit Treasure Body,' but clearly...
Breaking through the five realms, a genuine transformation, a flawless master of the sect!
Moreover, from a distance, one can see that its spine, formed by twenty-four real dragon bones, has a powerful and majestic appearance.

When Ji Xiu lifted his foot and stepped onto the soil of the Dragon Elephant True Sect's mountain gate, he was like an ancient primordial creature that had subdued a true dragon and captured and killed a wild elephant. His aura was incomparable, and it seemed that he could shake the earth three times!

On breath
The only difference between him and Xu Longxiang beside him was that Xu Longxiang's martial arts cultivation was inferior.

But at first glance, the old man and the young man look exactly alike, as if they share the same origin!
"Ji Xiu... he... he mastered the 'Nine Dragons and Nine Elephants Suppressing Prison Mystic Art'!?"

Second-in-command Zheng Luo's eyelids twitched. As an elder of the Dragon Elephant lineage, he couldn't possibly be unfamiliar with this flawless profound technique that could only be practiced at the fifth level of martial arts!

But that's precisely why it's so hard to believe, even to the point of being speechless!

And as soon as he said that...
Also known as the Dragon Elephant True Disciples who had been to Anning County and met Ji Xiu, they frequently glanced sideways at the three chief disciples.

Those who had previously had contact with Ji Xiu, especially Xu Youwei and Jiang Yue, were completely bewildered.

Xu Youwei was alright; she had witnessed Ji Xiu's audacity in challenging the Martial Saint and venturing into the Yellow Heaven the first time she met him.

She knew he was extraordinary and that his future would not be confined to one state or one corner of the country. He would surely rival Bai Yujing in the Northeast and become famous throughout the land.

Therefore, although they were greatly surprised when Ji Xiucheng achieved the true skill that only the previous generation Daoist Ye Wenjiang had mastered, they could still accept it.

As for Jiang Yue, he was trembling inside, and even somewhat relieved:
"I actually intended to compete with such a person for the throne, and even said that he was unworthy?"

Just how difficult is the Nine Dragons and Nine Elephants Prison Suppression Technique to master?

As disciples carefully nurtured by the three contemporary masters, Xu Youwei and Jiang Yue were perfectly aware of the details.

Once this method is mastered, one can undergo nine transformations without leakage. What does this mean?
It should be understood that in this era, breaking through the fifth limit of martial arts requires only six transformations!
A martial artist from a major sect or school who can achieve the sixth transformation can be called "breaking the five limits and having no flaws in his body".

Then, one cultivates the aura of a dragon and tiger, ascends to the pinnacle of martial arts, and embarks on the 'path to being crowned a title' that countless martial artists dream of, ultimately becoming a martial arts saint!
However, this profound skill of his own can undergo nine transformations, which is already breaking the shackles of the human body, allowing him to rival gods and demons with a human body!

Legend has it that if one can master this technique, one can undergo nine transformations to defeat the Dragon and Tiger Masters, and even emerge victorious!
However, the corresponding price is also extremely high, requiring the collection of a massive amount of 'alien blood' that can temper the body.
That thing is even harder to find than local treasures.

They must be either deep-sea dragons or giant demons from remote mountains, or even those with unparalleled martial arts skills or dragon and tiger prowess, before they can be used!
Otherwise, the results will be minimal or completely useless. In fact, using it for transformation and baptism may even pollute one's muscles, bones, and flesh, causing one's progress to regress instead of advance.

In short, it's difficult, difficult, difficult!

But since you were able to figure it out...
Even if it meant exhausting all the resources of the entire clan.
We must also bring this Daoist to the forefront!

If you run out of martial arts supplies, you can look for them or steal them.

But the figures who could have sustained the family for centuries are gone.
But it's really gone!
And clearly, the three leaders understood this principle even better.

Upon seeing this, the Third Chief, Shen Gang, was overjoyed and clapped his hands repeatedly. Then, as if remembering something, he suddenly looked at Tuoba Yue:
"Brother, didn't you just hunt down a wild elephant a few days ago that broke out from the gap in the boundary gate and had the aura of a dragon and tiger?"

"Perfect for dismantling the tendons and bones, stewing it for the Daoist, and then using it as another way to refine our resources!"

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Yue raised an eyebrow:

"You reminded me."

"Then you two should take the patriarch and his disciple into the sect. I'll be right back."

"Now that Ancestor Longxiang has been promoted to a great master, his cultivation is already stable. He will stay at the mountain gate for a short while and then head to Beicang to help our Longxiang lineage ascend to orthodoxy and establish a foothold in the state city."

"And Daozi just happened to be there during the 'Mysterious Official Advancement Ceremony,' which will give him a boost in cultivation and allow him to undergo another transformation. Let those youngsters from the prefectures see for themselves that the geniuses outside the prefectures can also overshadow Beicang, and even the White Mountains and Black Waters!"

After saying this, Tuoba Yue lifted his foot and headed towards the Dragon Elephant Treasure Vault, moving with the force of a tiger.

at this time.

Ji Xiu followed closely behind Xu Longxiang and ascended the Longxiang Mountain Gate together.

He looked around and saw the undulating mountains, brimming with spiritual energy. The earth's veins seemed to suppress a long abyss, clearly a martial arts sect that suppressed the 'boundary gate'. He couldn't help but secretly admire it.

This place surpasses even the Golden Turtle Island of the Heavenly Blade True Sect in terms of spiritual energy. Whether one is a master of Qi Sea cultivation or a high-level Taoist practitioner, their cultivation will be twice as effective.

Those waiting on either side were all familiar faces, people who had once accompanied the three leaders to Anning County.

So Ji Xiu wasn't unfamiliar with him at all, and they greeted each other with laughter and conversation.

It wasn't until the second-in-command, Zheng Luo, opened his mouth that his tone was filled with mourning and reminiscence:

"Ancestor, the remains of Senior Brother Ip Man Jiang have been buried in the ancestral mausoleum. Do you wish to proceed?"

As soon as he opened his mouth, he mentioned the martial arts master who had once taught Ji Xiu the martial arts technique "Ye Long Xiang Shou" and who had formed an inextricable bond with the Dragon Elephant True Sect.

Ji Xiu noticed that his master, the Dragon Elephant, beside him had become depressed and silent for a moment, so he immediately shut his mouth.

Upon hearing this, Xu Longxiang's tone became somewhat heavy:

“That’s exactly right.” he said.

He then took Ji Xiu, along with the two chief disciples and many disciples dressed in white mourning clothes, and headed to the ancestral mausoleum.

The Dragon and Elephant Ancestral Mausoleum.

The sky and earth are vast, the grass is long and green, and apart from birds flying by, there is only silence.

The Longxiang Clan was established only a century ago, and there are not many tombstones standing in the ancestral mausoleum.

But at the very front stands a newly erected epitaph, inscribed with the words: "Offering incense from all directions, sprinkling sacrificial wine, setting up an altar for worship, and preaching and reciting precepts."

[The second-generation Daozi of the Dragon and Elephant, Ip Man-kong]

Xu Longxiang has always been as majestic as a mountain. Whether he fought and killed the Martial Saint or destroyed the True Sect, his straight spine never bent in the slightest.

At this moment, in Ji Xiu's eyes, he visibly swayed and hunched over a little.

He walked to the tombstone, silently took the libation wine from the altar, and gently poured it down.

Finally, after a long silence, he let out a soft sigh:
"Decades ago, I was merely a titled Martial Saint. After leaving Zhenwu, I looked around and found that in the vast world, there was no one I could rely on for help."

"Your ambitions are sky-high, and you are unwilling to be confined to the corner of the White Mountains and Black Waters, Beicang. You are single-mindedly thinking about breaking into the Jade Capital and making a name for yourself, so that one day you will be no less than the chief of the Heavenly Pillar."

“I know you want to stand up for your teacher.”

He looked dejected and silently took a sip of his drink.
"But back then, I couldn't protect you."

“Those powerful clans and the state garrison in Beicang have pinned a charge of ‘treason’ on you. If I had been a great cultivator back then, I would have risked sinking the state to save you!”

"It's also my fault for being too stubborn back then. I'd rather hold my breath than go back to Zhenwu Mountain and submit. Otherwise, perhaps you wouldn't be in such a miserable state."

"Throughout my life, I've strayed from the right path time and again, but rest assured, this lad who has inherited your mantle..."

"I will never let him repeat the same mistake."

Ji Xiu listened silently from behind, and was deeply moved.

It turns out that the reason Xu Longxiang's voice was so heavy the day before, and he preferred to bow his head and return to Zhenwu Mountain rather than suffer any loss, was because of the lessons learned from the past.

The second generation Daozi perished, and he did not want the third generation to suffer the same fate.

All of this deeply moved Ji Xiu, who vowed in his heart that if he had the chance in the future, he would strive to become the chief of Zhenwu, the current leader of the Young Dragon Stele, and the young martial saint.

He was determined to fight for his master, to complete the unfinished work of Master Ip Man, and to prove himself!

Ji Xiu silently recited the prayer in his heart, and stepped forward to perform the sacrificial ceremony, accompanying Xu Longxiang. He bowed repeatedly to the tombstone before whispering:
"Grandmaster, what exactly did Zhenwu Mountain do to make you so unwilling to return?"

Xu Longxiang's rare display of emotion this time.

Upon hearing Ji Xiu's words, he felt a sense of melancholy and began to speak:
“I have mentioned to you before that I have an elder brother.”

"This Nine Dragons and Nine Elephants Prison Suppression Technique also originated from his inheritance. After I integrated it, it became the secret transmission of the 'Dragon and Elephant Secret Treasure' as the foundation of the true sect."

"He was undoubtedly exceptionally talented, dominating an era and leading the rising stars of that time, and the contemporary leader."

"Our lives were difficult in our youth, just like yours and your sister Ji Wei. If it weren't for my brother Xu Baxian joining Zhenwu Mountain and taking me in, we would not have survived."

"In my entire life, let alone becoming a martial arts saint or a titled giant, even becoming a master of Qi Sea is a complete pipe dream!"

He gripped the tombstone tightly with his fingers, and his voice grew increasingly sorrowful as he spoke:

"Therefore, my admiration for my elder brother Xu Baxian has never wavered."

"If he hadn't gone mad on Zhenwu Mountain and died so quietly..."

"The pinnacle of human achievement, that's for sure!"

Standing beside Xu Longxiang, Ji Xiu could hear the clenched teeth and the anger in his voice, so he couldn't help but speak up:
"Zhenwu Mountain was one of the Ten Pillars of the World, the leading figure of our time, and the chief of the Young Dragon Stele, yet he died so hastily."

"Didn't the old ancestor in the mountains offer an explanation?"

Xu Longxiang shook his head, his tone filled with resentment, wanting to clench his fist and smash it down, but then he remembered that it was his disciple's tombstone, and he had to hold back.
"No, not a single explanation!"

"and"

"The last time I saw my brother, he had gone completely mad. He used to dominate the world and be invincible. I have never seen him since."

"Not only him, but almost every generation of the most outstanding chief practitioners of Zhenwu Mountain, as if under a curse, have never met a good end, and without exception, they have all met with no explanation!"

"I suspect that this 'True Martial Mountain' is actually a den of demons, and that the lifespan of each generation of True Martial Mountain patriarchs is extremely long!"

"So on the day of my brother's funeral, I could no longer bear it, so I burned the register, left the sect, and ceased to be a disciple of Zhenwu!"

Hearing such secrets about the ten pillars
Ji Xiu couldn't help but change his expression.

This Zhenwu Mountain
How could it be so sensational?
But after Xu Longxiang finished speaking with emotion, he couldn't help but seize on a detail.

If this has been the case throughout history.
Why is it that none of those contemporary top-ranking "True Martial Warriors" have ever defected, but instead all of them have willingly sacrificed their lives for their sects?

After thinking for a while, Ji Xiu shook his head. He was completely clueless about the secrets of the Heavenly Pillar. However, Zhenwu Mountain was far away and had little to do with him.

For now, let's focus on the immediate matters.

After hearing the secrets of Zhenwu Mountain, Ji Xiu poured libations on the tombstone and then solemnly kowtowed.

Although he had never met Ip Man before, he still whispered a vow:

"Master Ye, although your disciple Ji Xiu has never met you,..."

"The Dragon and Elephant lineage has shown me immense kindness."

"Although you have been laid to rest, the debt of revenge that led to your death has not yet been repaid."

"Today, I will forgo my offerings and instead carry a coffin to Beicang in person. If I cannot quell your past grievances..."

"This coffin is prepared for me!"

The words were solemn and resolute, and carried a sense of determination.
This moved Xu Longxiang deeply, and all the disciples of Longxiang present were filled with awe and respect.

Tuoba Yue, who had also been dragging a wild elephant along, heard the end of the story.

this moment.

Standing before the ancestral tombstone, I carry on the legacy of my ancestors, though I have no official hat or robes to adorn myself.
The son before me is, without a doubt, the genuine article—

Orthodox Taoism!

Meanwhile, in Jiangyin Prefecture, at Hun Tian Water Marsh! (End of Chapter)