Republic of China Era: Entering the Dao through Divine Strike.

He has diligently practiced the Juntian Staff Technique for decades, refining his moves and honing his strength day after day.

With this set of staff techniques, he easily overwhelmed a group of Imperial Guard masters and secured his place among the Six Great Masters of the Capital.

He had been proud of this for half his life, believing that he had already mastered the essence of this ancient stick technique.

But it wasn't until he witnessed Li Xin's actions today that he finally realized the truth...

All his hard work over half his life had amounted to nothing more than learning a set of empty, superficial staff techniques.

They only know rigid moves and routines, never touching the true core and essence of the Juntian Staff Technique.

"I see... I only practiced the form, not the spirit."

Gong Yutian murmured softly, his voice hoarse, but a light shone in his eyes.

Li Xin completely ignored his awakening and reflections.

He held the staff in one hand, his imposing aura completely concealed.

He stepped steadily across the rubble and debris scattered on the ground, walked to the young emperor's side, and gently patted the other's shoulder.

"That's all I can do."

Li Xin's voice was flat and emotionless, revealing no emotion.

"Whether you live or die ahead is up to you."

This is not a well-intentioned suggestion, but simply an objective and straightforward conclusion.

Upon entering the palace today, he struck down the old monk's skeletal incarnation, completely eradicating the biggest hidden pawn that had lurked within the palace for decades.

This removed the most deadly threat from the heart of the young emperor, who was essentially a puppet.

Before this, the young emperor lived deep within the palace, constantly controlled and manipulated.

Powerful officials at court, old factions within the palace, and hidden evil forces created layers of constraints, making it impossible for him to control his imperial power. He could only rely on external forces to implement forceful reforms.

But Li Xin knew in his heart that this slight change could not shake the foundation of the dynasty.

Today, the deep-seated problems within the government have become ingrained, and ordinary people struggle to make ends meet year after year.

Foreign powers, eyeing the country covetously, used their powerful ships and cannons to invade, ceding territory, paying indemnities, and gradually encroaching on the land.

With crises piling up one after another, the company is basically finished.

After this battle, if the young emperor can fully wake up, completely abandon his weakness and naivety, and put away his womanly compassion, then...

Always wary and ruthless, they secretly endure and bide their time, quietly cultivating their own trusted forces and firmly grasping the only power they have.

Perhaps they can gradually break free from the constraints imposed by all sides and bring about the final demise of the dynasty.

It shouldn't be too humiliating or too hasty.

But in the end, none of this had anything to do with Li Xin.

From the very beginning, he never intended to support this rotten dynasty, nor did he want to get mired in the murky mire of the court.

I will not bear unnecessary responsibility for this chaotic world full of devastation.

The rise and fall of dynasties, the rise and fall of imperial power, the turmoil in the court and the country...

To him, they were all external things.

All he ever sought was a peaceful life, to withdraw after accomplishing his goal and coldly observe the final outcome of this chaotic world.

The moment his mind was completely settled, Li Xin's consciousness suddenly stirred.

The unruly, mad, and uncontrollable golden-armored monkey shadow in his sea of ​​consciousness instantly withdrew all its divine power.

The dazzling golden light faded completely, instantly transforming into the phantom image of a young man in red.

The red silk ribbons around the boy floated gently, concealing a terrifying, surging power within.

The air trembled slightly, and a gust of wind swirled around his body. As his clothes fluttered, several afterimages appeared one after another.

Without pausing, Li Xin turned and strode straight out of the Qianqing Palace.

He lightly touched the smooth white jade plaza with his toes, his movements light and silent...

It moved at an extreme speed, instantly crossing layers of palace paths and vermilion gates, speeding all the way.

They rapidly approached the tall and imposing walls of the imperial palace.

Just as he was about to step out of the imperial city's barrier, the sky above him suddenly changed.

The once clear and bright sky was instantly and completely covered by thick, dark clouds.

The sky suddenly darkened, as if day had abruptly turned into night.

A deafening rumble of thunder exploded deep within the clouds.

Streaks of white and blue lightning tore through the thick clouds, crisscrossing and covering the entire sky, looking ferocious and terrifying.

Immediately afterwards, a torrential downpour began...

A dense curtain of rain instantly enveloped the entire imperial city, and the misty atmosphere completely trapped the deep palace.

This sudden and extreme change in the weather was not the reason why Li Xin was in a hurry to evacuate.

What truly alerted him instantly and made him desperately try to escape was that the Great Array of Peace and Prosperity had fully awakened.

Just now, he completely annihilated Wang Cheng's white bone avatar with a single blow, and also absorbed all the remnants of the souls of the five giant dragons in his sea of ​​consciousness. His own divine soul power surged by several points, and his spirit made considerable progress.

At that very moment, a furious roar that resounded deep within one's soul was heard.

Black and yellow dragon energy surged and rose from the ground in all directions, frantically converging on the center of the imperial city like a tidal wave.

In just two or three breaths, a massive black dragon phantom, obscuring the sky and the sun, condensed in the void.

The black dragon's body stretched across the entire cloud layer, almost obscuring the entire imperial city and spreading throughout several gardens.

Its imposing and majestic presence is so overwhelming that one dares not face its power directly.

Upon closer inspection, Li Xin discovered that the black dragon was already badly damaged...

Large patches of scales have fallen off its body, leaving it mottled and incomplete. The dragon's body is missing and hollow in many places, and its muscles and bones are withered.

Most strangely, layers of dark red flames were tightly wrapped around the dragon's body.

It relentlessly devours the pure dragon energy.

Tearing apart the foundation of the dragon vein...

The two forces, originating from the same source, devoured each other, resulting in continuous internal friction.

This has left the dragon vein that guards the dynasty's fortune constantly on the verge of collapse.

To the naked eye, all one could see was a dark sky with what appeared to be the shadows of dragons moving about.

Within Li Xin's illusory image, this remnant dragon still carried the accumulated national fortune over hundreds of years, its immense pressure permeating heaven and earth and enveloping the entire capital city.

With just a glance across the distance, the steady spiritual fire in Li Xin's sea of ​​consciousness began to flicker violently, its brightness uncertain.

The barrier of his soul continued to tremble, as if it would collapse at any moment.

Deep within the clouds, a massive dragon claw covered in thick, jet-black scales slowly emerged.

Without a sound of wind or thunder, it silently crushed down, carrying with it the ultimate power to suppress the dynasty's fate.

Li Xin knew perfectly well that this attack was neither an ordinary martial arts attack nor an evil technique, but rather the crushing force of the heavens and earth.

It is an absolute judgment on the very origin of the nation's destiny.

Even if he were at his peak, unleashing the perfect [Thousand Pounds] move with all his might.

It is still utterly powerless before this dragon's claw of national destiny.

In the end, they will be crushed into mud in an instant, without any chance of survival.

He pushed his movement technique to its limit, and in a flash, he instantly leaped onto the high palace wall.

The severed dragon head in the clouds suddenly turned, its blood-red, translucent eyes locking onto the figure of the boy on the wall.

The instant their eyes met, a violent, desolate, and deathly dragon's might crashed down, locking Li Xin's aura in place.

Li Xin remained calm and composed throughout, showing no sign of panic.

He raised his hand to block his forehead, his five fingers suddenly tightening and squeezing in mid-air.

Click!

A crisp cracking sound rang out, revealing an invisible and intangible force of national destiny.

He crushed it on the spot and it vanished.

"Within the formation, you are the boss and no one can mess with you. But once you leave the formation, you'll have to fight to find out who the younger brother is."

Li Xin snorted coldly, silently sensing the aura that had just emanated from the dragon's eye.

The remaining strands of power were as thin as a hair, appearing weak, yet their resilience was terrifying.

It penetrates his meridians and blood vessels along the skin's texture and pores, taking root, wandering, and lingering.

No matter how much he tried to cleanse it with his qi or crush it with his strength, he could not completely eradicate it.

Li Xin was slightly surprised. This power of national destiny transmitted remotely was both powerful and strange, far surpassing all the martial arts moves and evil techniques he had ever seen.

He had a slight understanding of the situation, but for the time being, he did not use any secret techniques to eliminate this wisp of energy.

I'll look into it again later.

He didn't linger, but leaped and landed steadily outside the palace wall.

Outside the palace, the rain continued to pour down, the wind and thunder roared incessantly, and a damp mist enveloped the entire long street.

Zhuang Hongxiu waited under the old locust tree outside the palace early in the morning. The hem of her dress was wet with dense rain, and her hair was slightly disheveled.

Her cultivation was limited, preventing her from seeing the most crucial and hidden changes within the palace, but she could clearly hear the earth-shattering roar coming from inside.

I also witnessed firsthand the strange phenomena of unusual weather changes and the appearance of dragon shadows above the imperial city.

She looked at Li Xin, who had landed steadily, her eyes filled with surprise and doubt, and asked softly, "Was that an illusion?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she shook her head in denial, her tone very certain: "It doesn't seem like it."

If it's just a normal celestial phenomenon or illusion, you don't need to retreat so hastily.

His actions just now clearly indicated he was trying to escape.

She is thoughtful and has extremely keen observation skills.

Li Xin appeared calm and composed, but his reckless and rapid retreat just now was enough to prove that the anomaly in the palace's celestial dome was extremely dangerous.

However, after escaping this time, he was not injured or weakened. On the contrary, his aura became more stable and profound, which should mean that he gained a lot.

Thinking of this, Zhuang Hongxiu also became happy.

Li Xin did not explain, but turned to look at the distance not far to his side.

Cheng Yuanhua had already stood by the bluestone road at some point, completely shedding his usual leisurely and lazy demeanor.

He stood tall and upright, with a straight back, and exuded a calm and solemn aura.

His pair of mandarin duck swords, which had been sealed away for years and rarely used, were now carried on his back, their dark scabbards exuding a chilling and murderous aura.

He raised his head and gazed at the gradually fading dragon shadow in the sky, his expression complex, his eyes filled with countless vicissitudes.

"Master, was the strange phenomenon in the sky just now an illusion or real?" Li Xin asked.

Cheng Yuanhua remained silent for a long time, the sounds of thunder and rain intertwining in his ears, making the surroundings even more tranquil.

After a long while, he slowly spoke, his voice low and hoarse: "I can't tell the difference between reality and illusion."

He turned to look at Li Xin, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "The Great Array of Peace and Prosperity has guarded the imperial city for hundreds of years, specifically to lock in the nation's destiny, suppress evil spirits, and stabilize the court."

For centuries, countless martial arts masters and overseas experts have failed to budge the formation's core. And you, with just one person entering the formation, have forced out the dragon vein's fortune? What did you do to that old monk?

"It was just killing one of his skeletal avatars; that old guy was too petty."

Li Xin shook his head.

Is it because they can't handle being so quick to overturn tables and start big arguments?

Cheng Yuanhua was silent for a moment, then asked, "The dragon you saw had a broken body, and two forces were devouring each other, right?"

“Yes.” Li Xin nodded in confirmation.

Cheng Yuanhua sighed and revealed a long-standing secret passed down through generations in the martial arts world: "It wasn't like this in the early days. Anyone who stirred up the political situation would have their soul devoured and their energy suppressed by the dragon vein on the spot, and be completely annihilated."