Seizing the Initiative, Nine Truths and One Lie!

The young man's engagement had been broken off, and shame had spurred him to courage.

That was common enough!

But Yang Chen was ruthless too. He would come to the Supreme Qian Sect in about a month, and when he did, he would not only take Ye Suzhen's Supreme Profound Sacred Eye but also destroy the sect.

Li Daochen knew that Yang Chen had been preparing for this five-year appointment for a long time.

When Yang Chen had taken his Holy Dragon Bone, none of the truly extraordinary prodigies of Night Ruins had made a move. They had all been preparing for this five-year appointment.

It was not merely to help Yang Chen wipe away his past humiliation, but also because a great treasure lay hidden beneath the Supreme Qian Sect.

One could even say that Yang Chen wiping away the humiliation of his broken engagement was merely a cover for their attempt to seize the treasure.

Li Daochen had come this time to lie in wait at the Supreme Qian Sect and kill Yang Chen!

And now.

Li Daochen had to climb Soaring Dragon Peak and meet Ye Suzhen!

Yang Chen's attack on the Supreme Qian Sect would be massive in scale, and his methods would be exceptionally ruthless. Li Daochen had to win Ye Suzhen's trust beforehand so he could make his preparations within the sect.

However, as the Supreme Qian Sect's eldest senior sister, Ye Suzhen was not someone just anyone could meet.

Climbing Soaring Dragon Peak was Li Daochen's quickest and easiest option now.

Reaching the Soaring Dragon Stairway, Li Daochen exhaled softly, most of his face hidden beneath his hood. His gaze sharpened considerably.

Since he intended to cooperate with Ye Suzhen, he naturally had to show her his strength first.

Boom!

A dragon's roar seemed to sound within Li Daochen's body, and power surged through his limbs as he crossed ten steps in a single stride.

The cultivators around him were all startled.

"Where did this madman come from? Is that any way to climb Soaring Dragon Peak?" they cursed, having been affected by his ascent.

The pressure on the Soaring Dragon Stairway was already immense, and crossing several steps at once caused it to stack.

Those who attempted the stairway generally climbed one step at a time. Doing what Li Daochen had done was bound to be a thankless struggle.

They thought Li Daochen was merely grandstanding, and that this was already his limit.

But soon, the cultivators below widened their eyes.

Li Daochen crossed the first three hundred steps ten at a time, at an outrageous speed.

The Soaring Dragon Stairway had nine hundred steps, with a threshold every three hundred, where the pressure would double.

Li Daochen slowed slightly, but he still crossed five steps in each stride, leaving the cultivators around him dumbstruck.

"Damn it, what prodigy is that?" They stared fixedly at Li Daochen, but could not make out his face.

In just half an incense stick's time, Li Daochen reached the summit, likely breaking the record for the fastest ascent.

Above the clouds.

Li Daochen exhaled heavily.

The pressure on the Soaring Dragon Stairway was indeed immense, more than ten times that of White Dragon Mountain, and it grew more terrifying the higher one climbed.

If Li Daochen had not possessed two Holy Dragon Bones and one Demonic Dragon Bone, he would not have dared climb the mountain this way.

Even an ordinary Divine Bridge Realm cultivator would have a hard time getting up here, Li Daochen thought.

Just then.

"Haha, brother, reaching the summit at the eighth level of Spirit Foundation is rare enough, but to break the speed record as well—you truly have extraordinary talent," a bright, hearty female voice rang out.

Li Daochen looked up.

A stone platform had been built on the summit, with an old locust tree beside it.

A woman sat cross-legged in the shade of the tree.

She wore a loose white robe, and her long hair hung casually down her back, giving her a free-spirited, unrestrained air.

The woman wore no makeup, yet she was exceptionally beautiful. Her skin was translucent and flawless, and her features were exquisite, without the slightest blemish.

Judging by her features alone, she should have been the sort of beauty who stirred pity at first sight.

But the woman had a pair of sword-like brows, and her golden eyes were bold and commanding, giving her an overall heroic bearing.

The woman was none other than Ye Suzhen, who was watching Li Daochen with great interest.

When Li Daochen looked her way, she immediately extended a hand, inviting him onto the stone platform for a conversation.

Li Daochen nodded, walked over and sat down before her.

Seen up close, Ye Suzhen struck Li Daochen as even more extraordinary. Her whole being gave off a clear and pure air, and her golden eyes were brilliant and profound, as though they could see through everything.

This was the Supreme Profound Sacred Eye, which had shone brilliantly in ancient times.

Li Daochen also knew that Ye Suzhen possessed more than just the Supreme Profound Sacred Eye.

In fact, her eyes were twin eyes.

Once the Supreme Profound Sacred Eye was gouged out, the Chaotic World Demonic Eyes would immediately emerge.

In his previous life, Li Daochen had met Ye Suzhen once and seen her bearing at that time.

Unlike her majestic purity now, Ye Suzhen's fearsome might had reached the heavens then. With her Chaotic World Demonic Eyes, she had thrown the world into turmoil and become one of Yang Chen's most terrifying enemies.

Unfortunately, after her Supreme Profound Sacred Eye was gouged out, Ye Suzhen had been suppressed beneath the Supreme Qian Sect for three hundred years. She missed her chance to rise, and in the end narrowly lost to Yang Chen and was killed by him.

"May I ask your name, brother?" Ye Suzhen asked with a smile.

Li Daochen paused and pulled back his hood, his gaze sharp. "I am Li Daochen, eldest senior brother of the Battle Sect! I came here... to slay Yang Chen!"

Ye Suzhen's sword-like brows rose at once, and her whole bearing became sharp as a sword.

"Brother Li, do you know about the grudge between Yang Chen and me?" Ye Suzhen's smile faded as she spoke calmly.

"That's right."

"This is between Yang Chen and me. Since he felt humiliated and declared that he would come to the Supreme Qian Sect to demand justice, I accepted, though it was not my intention, and I will face him in an honorable fight. If you want to join forces with me against him, you've come to the wrong person," Ye Suzhen said.

"What if Yang Chen plans to destroy the Supreme Qian Sect?" Li Daochen demanded.

Ye Suzhen immediately frowned. "I've met Yang Chen before. Though I know he's a devious man, he shouldn't be so ruthless, should he?"

Li Daochen smiled and said indifferently, "Three months ago, to awaken his Battle Holy Dragon Physique, Yang Chen gouged out my Holy Dragon Bone without cause and took my identity. Do you still say he isn't ruthless?"

Ye Suzhen's pupils contracted.

The Battle Sect's affairs had caused quite a stir recently, and she had heard something of them, but she had not expected Yang Chen to be involved.

Seeing this, Li Daochen continued, "In the end, I reclaimed my identity and forcibly swallowed thirty percent of the Holy Dragon Bone in his body. From it, I obtained some fragments of his memories..."

This was of course a lie, but it neatly explained why Li Daochen knew so much.

"First, Yang Chen has gathered many of Night Ruins' prodigies and plans to attack the Supreme Qian Sect in a month! The reason is that the Supreme Qian Sect was once the site of ruins left by the Azure Emperor, and a Demonic Emperor Bone was suppressed here! That Demonic Emperor Bone is what they're after!"

At Li Daochen's words, Ye Suzhen's expression changed drastically.

This was the most closely guarded of the Supreme Qian Sect's secrets. Had she not discovered some clues with her Supreme Profound Sacred Eye and remained utterly devoted to the sect, she would never have been told.

Yet Li Daochen knew about it too. Could what he said be true?

Li Daochen continued, "Second, Yang Chen wants to take your Supreme Profound Sacred Eye. He possesses the Dragon Transformation Emperor Scripture and wants to use the eye to peer into the mysteries of the human body and prepare to forge a flawless dragon body!"

Ye Suzhen's expression changed again.

Yang Chen possessed an emperor scripture?

No wonder he had risen so quickly in recent years!

"Anything else?" Ye Suzhen asked, her face taut.

"Third, there is a woman in Night Ruins named Yun Mei'er. She is half human and half fox, and skilled in the art of enchantment. She has already infiltrated the Supreme Qian Sect and is making secret preparations!" Li Daochen said. "The Supreme Qian Sect's Heaven and Earth Life-Seizing Formation is famous, but its weakness is that it requires a hundred people to maintain it. If Yun Mei'er enchants some of them and they stop maintaining the formation at a critical moment, what do you think will happen?"

Ye Suzhen's gaze immediately sharpened. "Is everything you've said true?!"

"You can investigate the Battle Sect's affairs and find out for yourself. Yang Chen once entered my Battle Sect in his true form; that cannot be faked. As for whether my words are true..." Li Daochen paused, then produced the reconstructed Holy Dragon Bone with a turn of his hand and tossed it to Ye Suzhen.

He said calmly, "Your Supreme Profound Sacred Eye can see through illusion and distinguish truth from falsehood. You should be able to tell that this Holy Dragon Bone was once destroyed. Hold my Holy Dragon Bone and question me, and you should know whether I'm lying."

The Supreme Profound Sacred Eye... looked straight to the source. Holding the Holy Dragon Bone would indeed allow her to determine whether Li Daochen was telling the truth.

Ye Suzhen's expression turned solemn, and she did not refuse. "This is a grave matter, Brother Li. Forgive the offense."

"Ask whatever you wish." Li Daochen did not mind in the least.

A little under half an incense stick's time later.

Ye Suzhen's expression turned utterly grim.

Li Daochen... had not lied!

After a moment's silence, Ye Suzhen said, "Brother Li, I believe you."

Li Daochen lowered his eyes, a look of expectation fulfilled flashing through them.

He had seized the initiative, making Ye Suzhen believe he had obtained fragments of Yang Chen's memories, then laid everything out and stunned her.

At this point... Ye Suzhen should not doubt the matter of the memories.

Then he proposed using the Holy Dragon Bone to determine truth from falsehood, making Ye Suzhen trust him further.

With nine truths and one lie, each step part of his scheme, Li Daochen had finally gained the trust he wanted.

At that thought, Li Daochen raised his head, his gaze sharp. "Then we can now discuss cooperating against Yang Chen!"