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https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-302-Triflower-Ablaze-Returning-to-the-Basics-Today-s-Opening-of-the-Heart-Core-Martial-S/12987979/
Chapter 302: Triflower Ablaze, Returning to the Basics, Today's Opening of the Heart Core, Martial S
Chapter 302: Triflower Ablaze, Returning to the Basics, Today's Opening of the Heart Core, Martial Saint's Breakthrough【Seeking Monthly Votes】 (Part 1)
Whoosh—
The northern gale howled, bringing with it a surging cold current that spanned across the mountains and valleys, freezing the entire Lingnan region.
Snowflakes as large as hands tumbled in the air, then fell, landing on the thick layer of snow that had accumulated on the ground, making a dull sound as if pebbles were falling on a snow-covered coat.
Many scattered snowflakes were blown up like dust, forming a cold current that resembled swirling clouds, enveloping the snowy mountains like silk scarves.
The entire Heavenly Origin Dao City stood amidst this frozen landscape, resembling a crystal-clear ice sculpture city.
The black tiles were covered in snow, and icicles hung menacingly.
Thunder Listening Alley.
Inside the Independent Workshop Courtyard.
The entire courtyard was spotlessly clean, not a single snowflake had fallen, as they were all evaporated by the scorching hot blood energy before they could land, rising into the air and forming a misty haze.
Li Che stood in the courtyard, and with each breath, his body seemed to expand and contract.
It was as if arcs of lightning were constantly flashing across his skin.
"The place of breakthrough..."
Li Che's eyes narrowed, his pupils glowing like bright lanterns, with golden smoke flowing like incense.
He was considering the location for his breakthrough to the Martial Saint realm.
In Li Che's mind, various place names flashed one after another.
If he were to break through to the Martial Saint realm, the possibility of triggering the Martial Saint Tribulation Thunder was extremely high. Li Che's foundation was too solid, and the heavens would not easily allow him to break through.
Cultivators were, after all, going against the natural order of the world.
It was only natural for them to be unwelcome by the heavens.
With such a solid foundation, once he broke through, the amplification and improvement he would gain would be immense, resulting in a significant contrast.
It was like a waterfall cascading from a great height; the greater the gap, the more powerful the impact when the waterfall crashed down.
"If I break through, the five Mystic Seeds will undoubtedly be exposed. Otherwise, I could wear the Ox Demon mask and break through near the Dao City..."
Li Che pondered.
However, he had just acted in the guise of the Netherworld King, whose symbol was the five Mystic Seeds. If the Ox Demon also revealed five seeds, it would undoubtedly ruin his previous plans.
"Moreover, there are too many powerful cultivators in the Heavenly Origin Dao City. Once I break through to the Martial Saint realm and the Heavenly Connection forms, it might attract the attention of peak experts. If they interfere, it could be dangerous."
"Hoo—"
Li Che exhaled, his breath resembling a scorching heat wave from a forge, rippling incessantly.
"Therefore, for my breakthrough, it's best to choose a remote location without the presence of peak experts."
With this thought, Li Che smiled.
"The Heavenly Origin Dao City is filled with powerful cultivators, including Martial Saints and Divine Embryos. However, looking at the entire Lingnan Dao, only the Heavenly Origin Dao City has this many experts."
"I'll break through outside the boundaries of the Heavenly Origin Dao City."
A glimmer of anticipation and reminiscence flashed in Li Che's eyes.
"I've been in the Dao City for more than two years..."
"Xi Xi was four years old when we came to the Heavenly Origin Dao City, and now she's six. As for me, it's time to break through to the Martial Saint realm."
Li Che exhaled, his breath thundering.
He stood in the courtyard, raised his hand, and placed two fingers on his brow.
Ding—
In an instant, the Heavenly Chessboard rose from above his head, spinning and expanding, covering the entire sky!
The black and white lines intertwined, as if countless mountains were compressed within the chessboard.
The vast land and rivers were hidden within the chessboard.
Li Che's black hair danced in the wind, his eyes shimmering with golden smoke, and he clenched his five fingers.
Humm—!!!
It was as if even space was rippling with vibrations.
A pure white Divine Flying Thunder Chess Piece slowly appeared in Li Che's palm.
This was extremely rare, as the teleportation guidance of the Flying Thunder Chess Piece, which was almost a conceptual force, usually took only an instant.
But this time.
Li Che took three breaths to complete the process.
The Divine Chess Piece marked with the anchor point was finally grasped by Li Che.
Space seemed to ripple like the surface of a lake, with a stone thrown in, causing slight fluctuations.
And with the blurry halo flickering.
Li Che's figure disappeared from the Independent Workshop.
...
...
Heavenly Origin Dao City.
Snowflakes danced in the air, freezing the land for a thousand miles.
Dao Lord Mansion.
In the leisure pavilion, a hot stove boiled water, with a few green tea leaves swirling in the pot.
Sitting in the pavilion was Hu Li, wearing a starry mask, accompanied by the Young Dao Lord Yue Weizheng and the Dragon God's son, Ao Lie.
The three were having tea and chatting.
"In four days, the Mysterious Temple of the Two-Hearted Sage will open..."
"It's rare for Lu Tai Bai to open the Mysterious Temple of the Two-Hearted Sage."
"I thought it would take some effort."
Ao Lie, dressed in luxurious clothes, with dragon horns on his forehead, took a sip of winter tea and said softly.
Yue Weizheng laughed, "The Great Inspector from the Divine Capital mentioned that the divine weapon in the Mysterious Temple of the Two-Hearted Sage is related to the Heaven-reaching Temple... The Heavenly Origin Divine Sect can't monopolize it."
"After all, the Great Inspector once said... The Mysterious Temple of the Marvelous Dao Manifestation Three-Eyed Sage, suppressed by the Heavenly Origin Divine Sect, has the potential to advance from the Four Guardians' Temple to the Three Purities' Temple, and may become the future Heaven-reaching Temple."
"If Lu Tai Bai truly claims the Willful Iron Divine Pole for himself and doesn't even give others a chance to try, it will only arouse the suspicions of the Great Inspector. After all... The majestic Heaven-reaching Temple, dominating half the world with the power of a single sect..."
"The current Great Inspector does not wish to see such a situation."
"Whether it's His Majesty, the National Teacher, or the Great Inspector, they don't want another Heaven-reaching Temple to appear in the world."
As the Young Dao Lord of the Heavenly Origin Dao City and a court official, Yue Weizheng analyzed the situation from the perspective of the court.
"Indeed, it seems that way."
"Lu Tai Bai is well aware that although he possesses formidable strength and is listed in the Divine Ranking and Heavenly Gate Pass, he will also be under the scrutiny of various factions."
"The higher you stand, the more your every move will be magnified and scrutinized. A slight misstep could lead to a complete loss."
"If Lu Tai Bai were to truly monopolize this divine weapon, it would be like handing a handle to the world."
Ji Li Shou, wearing a mask, spoke calmly.
"By doing this openly, he allows the major powers to compete based on their abilities and opportunities. It's hard to find fault with his approach, and it's no wonder Lu Tai Bai is so bold."
"Father has an extremely high opinion of Lu Tai Bai..."
The pavilion fell silent for a moment.
Yue Weizheng put down his teacup, his eyes glinting as he said, "The Little Ling Yin Temple from Xiling Dao has also sent someone. It's a Divine Eagle Demi-Saint, apparently a disciple of the Divine Falcon Master Huang Mei Great Mage from the Little Ling Yin Temple, known as Huang Tuo Demi-Saint."
"Huang Tuo Demi-Saint?"
Ji Li Shou put down his teacup, and the eyes beneath his mask flashed with a faint light.
"As the strongest divine sect in Xiling Dao, the Little Ling Yin Temple has turned the entire Xiling Dao into an iron bucket. Among the various Daoist sects, the court's control over Xiling Dao is the weakest."
"This is because the Little Ling Yin Temple has almost transformed Xiling Dao into a Buddhist country on earth..."
Ji Li Shou's words carried a hint of mysterious meaning.
"Xiling Dao is adjacent to the Western Regions' Buddhist land and is deeply influenced by the ancient Buddhist clan there... When Father was young, he traveled to Xiling Dao on foot to train in martial arts. With his umbrella spear in hand, he defeated many arhats from the Little Ling Yin Temple."
"Father also holds the Little Ling Yin Temple in high regard."
Ji Li Shou's words once again brought silence to the pavilion.
"On the surface, the Divine Eagle Demi-Saint from the Little Ling Yin Temple has come with the goal of targeting Li Che. He wants to challenge Li Che through a Divine Eagle confrontation, intending to knock the newly born Divine Eagle Demi-Saint of the Heavenly Origin Divine Sect off his pedestal."
Yue Weizheng didn't know much about the Little Ling Yin Temple, but he was listening with great interest.
"This Divine Eagle Demi-Saint from the Little Ling Yin Temple... dares to be so arrogant? This is the Heavenly Origin Dao City. If he wants to suppress Li Che in Divine Eagle techniques, isn't he afraid of being killed by Lu Tai Bai's sword?"
Yue Weizheng asked curiously.
Ao Lie, from the Dragon God Clan, laughed, "If Lu Tai Bai truly kills Huang Tuo, it would be like exposing a handle to the Little Ling Yin Temple."
"Huang Tuo wants to defeat Li Che, but he will only compete in Divine Eagle techniques. If Li Che loses, it will be because of his inferior skills. You, Lu Tai Bai, as the Great Divine Apex, if you kill Huang Tuo..."
"Then, one day, the Divine Apex of the Little Ling Yin Temple can also act without any reason and secretly kill the cultivators of the Heavenly Origin Divine Sect."
"The Divine Apex is too powerful. If there weren't some customary rules to restrain them, things would have been chaotic long ago."
Ao Lie said with a smile.
Yue Weizheng understood.
Ji Li Shou, sitting nearby, spoke calmly, "The Little Ling Yin Temple's search for Li Che under the pretense of the Divine Eagle confrontation is a facade. Their true target is likely the Two-Hearted Sage's Mysterious Temple and the Willful Iron Divine Pole within it."
"The Little Ling Yin Temple has always claimed that the Two-Hearted Sage's Mysterious Temple is a Buddhist temple, and the Two-Hearted Sage within is a monkey from the Buddhist realm who should be guided to the Western Regions..."
Ji Li Shou's words made Yue Weizheng shake his head, "This is indeed a bit exaggerated. The Two-Hearted Sage's Mysterious Temple first appeared on Divine Eagle Ridge and has always been there. What does it have to do with the Little Ling Yin Temple?"
"The Little Ling Yin Temple has always been like this. As long as there's a connection to Buddhism, they consider it a Buddhist matter and believe they should guide them into the Little Ling Yin Temple."
"Even the Qi Tian Temple is considered part of Buddhism by the Little Ling Yin Temple. If it weren't for the fact that the Qi Tian Temple is currently occupied by various cultivators, the Little Ling Yin Temple might have already sent monks to reside in Qi Tian City."
Ji Li Shou spoke calmly.
"The Little Ling Yin Temple's arrival in the Little Ling Yin Temple..."
"Is likely for the same purpose as Father's assignment to me."
After speaking, both Ao Lie and Yue Weizheng turned to look at Ji Li Shou, who was wearing a mask.
Yue Weizheng, in particular, felt a slight tremor in his heart.
King of Pacification, Ji Mali, had sent Ji Li Shou here for a purpose.
What purpose?!
...
...
Heavenly Origin Divine Sect.
Tai Bai Peak.
Tai Bai Palace.
Within the palace, a dense aura of incense permeated the mountain.
The palace, adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, stood majestic.
Lu Tai Bai, dressed in white, had lightly fluttering silver hair. Behind him stood a five-meter-tall statue of the Heavenly Origin Ancestor, carved from spiritual wood.
Xi Xi, with her small body twisting on the meditation cushion, felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.
Every day, Lu Tai Bai would spend about an hour teaching Xi Xi cultivation. He would sit quietly on the meditation cushion, calming his mind and guiding her to regulate her breath.
This was Lu Tai Bai's firm requirement, just like his insistence on reading the Sage Book in the Great Elder's courtyard.
Great Elder Fang Hanchu, with his loose-flowing white robe and scholarly demeanor, approached the Tai Bai Palace from outside.
"Sect Master."
Fang Hanchu bowed and said, "Xiling Dao's Little Ling Yin Temple has also sent someone... They've even sent a challenge letter."
"That challenge letter was directly delivered to Elder Jiao Shaoqiu at the outer gate."
"They requested a Divine Eagle technique competition with Elder Li to see if the twenty-six-year-old Divine Eagle Master is truly worthy of the title."
Fang Hanchu explained.
Lu Tai Bai, amidst the lingering incense, slowly opened his eyes.
Not far away, Xi Xi, sitting on the meditation cushion, secretly opened and closed her eyes, listening intently.
She seemed to have heard news related to her father! This made it hard for her to continue her cultivation calmly, as her curiosity was piqued.
Lu Tai Bai and Fang Hanchu's words, paying no attention to Xi Xi's eavesdropping.
"Little Ling Yin Temple..."
"It's probably Huang Mei Great Mage's disciple, the Divine Eagle Demi-Saint, right?"
Fang Hanchu nodded, "His name is Huang Tuo, a Divine Eagle Demi-Saint with the cultivation base of the Divine Embryo. He's also a Qi Sea Martial Saint."
Lu Tai Bai nodded slightly, "As expected."
"Ji Li Shou, Huang Tuo, one serves under the King of Pacifying Rebellions, while the other is from Little Ling Yin Temple. There's also the Heaven Essence Divine Sect, the Seven Treasures Sect, the Dragon God lineage... and the Corpse God Sect, which was unearthed from the Netherworld."
"The number of forces that have arrived is quite impressive."
"Are they here for the divine weapon, or are they targeting our Heavenly Origin Divine Sect?"
"Or perhaps, they're here for me?"
Fang Hanchu's hand paused as he stroked his magnificent beard, and his slender eyes widened slightly, as if the scholar's elegance had dissipated in an instant.
A hint of anger flashed in his eyes.
"How dare they?!"
Lu Tai Bai's silver hair fluttered in the wind as he gazed at the snow-covered sky beyond the grand hall.
"What can't Ji Mali do?"
"What does he dare not do?!"
...
...
Su Family Mansion.
Thick snow piled up at the entrance, as if even the snow-clearing workers had disappeared.
It almost covered half of the courtyard.
Su Leibao sat in the courtyard outside the ancestral hall, his eyes filled with sorrow and grief.
The Su family's ancestors had come to Heavenly Origin Dao City and established a family business that had lasted for three thousand years, witnessing the rise and fall of the Heaven and Earth River.
However, in the current generation, two consecutive heads of the Su family had been killed. It was known that Su Wenxi and Su Daoling were not useless leaders; they were both highly capable and had the potential to lead the Su family to greater heights.
Su Wenxi had shown great promise in martial arts, and opening his Qi Sea in the future would not be a problem.
As for Su Daoling, he was even more remarkable. The Su family had invested significant resources in cultivating him as a Divine Talisman Demi-Saint, and he had brought great feedback and rewards to the family.
Yet, both of them were now dead.
"Ancestors... it's my fault, Su Leibao..."
Su Leibao trembled as he stood up, shaking off the snow that had accumulated on his body. He entered the ancestral hall and knelt before the ancestral tablets.
The fragrant incense filled the air, but Su Leibao's face, like a withered old tree, was streaked with tears.
"The Su family... has reached a dead end..."
"We've provoked forces we shouldn't have. In Heavenly Origin Dao City, the Su family has no way out."
Su Leibao, in his old age, felt immense pain in his heart.
After all, for him to abandon the Su family's three-thousand-year-old ancestral business would require an immense amount of courage.
In the future family records, he might even be considered a sinner.
However, the Su family had to leave Heavenly Origin and relocate to the Divine Capital to have any hope of continuing.
Otherwise, if they remained in Heavenly Origin Dao City...
Eventually, they would meet the same fate as the Tang family, being divided and consumed.
In recent days, Su Leibao had sold off all the Su family's businesses within Heavenly Origin Dao City, many at discounted prices.
Even the two Deceptive Temples under the Su family's control had been abandoned and transferred to the Zhou and Zhong families.
(End of Chapter)
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