The Oriole Lurks Behind, Luring the Snake Out of Its Hole!

Only Saint Sects could possess sacred weapons...!

Yet such a supreme treasure had appeared in the bottom three levels of the Yunmeng Dragon Grotto.

None of the eastern region's great Profound Sects had expected this!

Li Daochen knew it wasn't that the Profound Sects' top cultivators were fools, but that nothing like this had ever happened before.

Still less did they know that the Yunmeng Dragon Grotto had an extraordinary history: it had once been an ancient battlefield!

"The Yunmeng Ancient City is beginning to awaken. More and more sacred weapons will appear in the future, but most of them will fall into the hands of Nangong Meng'er when she becomes the city's master." Li Daochen's eyes flickered as he stared straight at the dragon claw.

The sacred weapon, the Void Desolate Dragon Claw!

This sacred weapon wasn't meant for offense. Its destructive power was, in fact, extremely limited.

But the Void Desolate Dragon Claw had an almost absurd ability: it could take objects from a distance!

It was a spatial sacred weapon, and it also involved the mysteries of cause and effect. As long as an object was within sight and the user had enough power, it could be taken directly.

Even if restrictions or the like sealed it off, the claw could take it by expending more power.

If someone fully refined the Desolate Dragon Claw and brought it to great mastery, they could even snatch treasures that had recognized someone else as their master. It was an indispensable sacred weapon for robbery, murder, and treasure-stealing.

In his previous life, Xie Tianfu had obtained the Desolate Dragon Claw, but it had ultimately fallen into Yang Chen's hands. Yang Chen had later refined it to great mastery, and during one battle, he had even plucked a Demonic Dragon Bone from Li Daochen. It was absurd.

It was precisely because of that incident that Li Daochen had investigated afterward and learned of this Thousand Sect Grand Competition.

I have to get the Void Desolate Dragon Claw. It'll be immensely useful for obtaining all kinds of inheritances and supreme treasures in the future. You could even call it a trump card. Li Daochen's heart burned, but he concealed his presence ever more carefully.

At that moment.

Xie Tianfu and the others had already come to blows.

Though they hadn't recognized the Void Desolate Dragon Claw, a true dragon skeleton this large was a heaven-defying opportunity in itself!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Xie Tianfu, Lu Tianqiu, Qi Muyang, and Qi Kongyue fought fiercely, none willing to yield an inch.

But soon.

Xie Tianfu's eyes flickered, and he said calmly, "There are plenty of dragon bones. We can easily divide them equally. If we keep fighting, it'll be hard to determine a winner unless we fight to the death."

Lu Tianqiu and the others paused for a moment.

Indeed!

They were evenly matched, and without fighting to the death, it really would be hard to determine a winner.

They still had the Thousand Sect Grand Competition ahead of them, so it wouldn't do to suffer serious injuries.

"All right!"

"No objections here!"

They spoke up one after another.

"The True Talisman Profound Sect only wants that dark red dragon claw. You can divide the rest among yourselves," Xie Tianfu said immediately.

"Anyone can see that claw is the most unusual part. Clever of you, Xie Tianfu," Lu Tianqiu sneered.

"Can't you see the runes flowing over that claw? They'll be a tremendous help to my Dao of spirit talismans. Otherwise, why would I give up such an enormous dragon skeleton?" Xie Tianfu remained composed. "Name your terms. I only want the claw. It might be completely useless to you, so you'd be better off giving it to me!"

As he spoke.

Xie Tianfu's face betrayed little, but the hand hidden in his sleeve was trembling!

A sacred weapon!

That might be a sacred weapon!

The others couldn't tell, but Xie Tianfu had recognized those runes as the legendary sacred talismans!

And what kind of treasure would have sacred talismans circulating over it?

Nine times out of ten, it was a sacred weapon!

Qi Muyang and Qi Kongyue exchanged glances. Though they were genius disciples of the Nine Artifact Sect, neither could see anything extraordinary about the dragon claw.

After so many years, even if it truly was a supreme treasure, it was probably damaged.

On the other hand, the larger their share of that enormous dragon skeleton, the more treasures they could forge.

But seeing how badly Xie Tianfu seemed to want the claw, they naturally made exorbitant demands.

After that.

The group argued back and forth, finally settling on a division after Xie Tianfu paid a "painful" price.

Xie Tianfu took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement.

"In that case, let's break the talisman array around the dragon skeleton," he said.

A great array was circulating around the skeleton. Otherwise, they would probably have fought even harder and might well never have agreed to divide it.

After all, if someone grabbed it and ran, no one could do anything about it!

Time passed.

As the talisman array was steadily dismantled, they felt a faint dragon pressure.

Though seas had turned to mulberry fields and flesh and blood had rotted away, the skeleton alone still carried an ancient dragon pressure.

"This dragon skeleton will be our greatest harvest this time!" They all laughed. Soon, they would be able to break the array.

A hundred breaths later.

The great array vanished from all sides, one section after another.

Everyone's spirits rose.

But before they could make a move.

Boom!

Li Daochen's figure suddenly appeared.

His power erupted to its limits, and he unleashed three divine abilities in an instant!

Great Sun White Dragon Sacred Fist!

Great Sun Mountain-Burning Sword!

And the Myriad Saints Purgatory Sword!

Rumble!

Li Daochen's outburst this time was absolutely terrifying, and threads of blood seeped from his skin.

His divine abilities had erupted so fiercely that even his body could barely withstand them.

Of course, the effect was excellent!

Caught off guard, Xie Tianfu and the others were blasted aside, their arms and legs numb.

Li Daochen, meanwhile, charged beneath the dragon skeleton.

He struck out with a backhanded Great Yin-Yang Dragon Seal, shaking the skeleton.

Then.

The four Holy Dragon Bones flew out of his body and transformed into a Dragon-Imprisoning Cage. A phantom image also appeared, enveloping the dragon skeleton.

"Come!"

Li Daochen roared, his force seeming to swallow all eight directions and making the cavern shake three times.

Boom!

Under the others' stunned gazes, Li Daochen put the entire dragon skeleton away in one go.

Dead silence!

They couldn't recover for a moment.

Off to the side, Sun Yu of the True Talisman Profound Sect turned deathly pale.

He realized that Li Daochen had very likely followed him here!

The next moment.

"You're courting death!" Xie Tianfu snarled.

That was a sacred weapon!

How could he stand by and watch Li Daochen take it?

Boom!

Spirit talismans burst forth all around Xie Tianfu, densely packed like a swarm of locusts, and shot toward Li Daochen all at once.

Myriad Talisman Arrows!

This was the supreme divine ability Xie Tianfu was proudest of!

Lu Tianqiu, Qi Muyang, and the others nearby also came to their senses. Furious, they each unleashed powerful divine abilities.

Though they fell short of the Myriad Talisman Arrows, the difference wasn't great!

Li Daochen exhaled, then took up a fearsome fist stance.

Today, he would show them the Sea of Bitterness Devil Phoenix Fist at full power!

His strongest divine ability from his previous life would shine just as brilliantly in this one!

"Sea of Bitterness!"

Li Daochen let out a low roar.

Boom!

A pressure of immense bitterness and might suddenly appeared, and Xie Tianfu's Myriad Talisman Arrows, which had been speeding toward him, slowed.

And then.

Li Daochen struck with a fist, terrifying black Qi spreading around him like a suit of black armor.

Bang!

The Myriad Talisman Arrows shattered.

Li Daochen took just one step and charged up to Xie Tianfu.

He threw a punch, and a devil phoenix soared into the sky.

Bang!

Xie Tianfu was sent flying back in an instant, coughing up a mouthful of blood with a cry.

He was horrified.

In a direct clash of divine abilities, he had been utterly defeated!

It was simply absurd!

Lu Tianqiu and the others were shocked as well, but their attacks grew even fiercer.

However.

Li Daochen's gaze was sharp and fearsome. After driving Xie Tianfu back with one punch, he turned and took their divine abilities head-on.

Devil Phoenix Plays in the Sea!

The heavens collapsed and the seas roared!

The sizable cavern shook violently, as if it might collapse at any moment.

"What kind of divine ability is that? And what kind of body does he have?" Xie Tianfu and the others watched, their eyelids twitching.

Since when had a Lower Profound Sect genius become so terrifying?

And then.

"My turn!" Li Daochen shouted.

Sea of Bitterness Overturns the Heavens!

Devil Phoenix Descends upon the World!

Li Daochen's fist techniques were terrifying, and his movement techniques were equally profound!

This divine ability combined offense and defense with movement techniques, an intimidating pressure, and the power to corrode Spiritual Qi.

It was precisely for these reasons that Li Daochen had called this divine ability his strongest in his previous life!

Boom! Boom! Boom...

The cavern seemed ready to explode.

Above ground.

Ancient trees all around exploded apart, and the surface trembled incessantly, becoming pitted and uneven.

Suddenly.

Bang!

A patch of ground exploded.

Lu Tianqiu, Qi Muyang, and Qi Kongyue flew out.

Only then came Li Daochen!

And... Xie Tianfu in his hand!

At that moment, he was not only unleashing the Sea of Bitterness Frenzied Devil Fist, but also the Great Sun White Dragon Sacred Fist on top of it!

Two fists, two divine abilities, both maintained throughout!

That required immense talent and a supreme understanding of divine abilities. Otherwise, the abilities would clash and his combat power would plummet.

Yet Li Daochen's combat power was soaring!

Lu Tianqiu and the others turned somewhat pale. Not only had they expended a great deal of strength, but Li Daochen had also frightened them.

"If you dare kill me, my master..." Xie Tianfu snarled.

Swish!

Li Daochen swung his hand back, and the Dragon-Slaying Sword suddenly appeared, sweeping across Xie Tianfu's neck.

Without even looking, he severed Xie Tianfu's fine head.

"You're next!" Li Daochen said coldly.

The three of them... and the geniuses behind them were both shocked and furious!

"Kill him!"

They roared.

Li Daochen was covered in blood now as well, and his condition was little better.

But the next moment.

Li Daochen stopped using his fists and gripped the Dragon-Slaying Sword tightly.

The great sun burned the mountains, reducing every blade of grass and tree in all directions to ash!

And then.

"Myriad Saints!"

Li Daochen let out a low roar, unleashing terrifying Sword Qi.

The divine ability had a deterrent might!

The Myriad Saints Purgatory Sword was unquestionably supreme among sword path divine abilities!

"A half-step saint sword? A supreme sword path divine ability?" Qi Muyang cried out.

He and Qi Kongyue possessed a saber and sword, and when they unleashed their power together, they could also strike with the might of a half-step saint weapon. He knew treasures of this kind well.

Clearly, the Dragon-Slaying Sword in Li Daochen's hand was one too!

And with a supreme sword path divine ability to complement it, Li Daochen's might was undoubtedly even greater now.

What did supreme mean?

Naturally, it meant there was nothing stronger!

Generally, a divine ability that displayed a deterrent might could be called supreme!

"What kind of freak is he?!" Qi Muyang's scalp went numb.

Against someone like that, probably only people with Sacred Physiques, such as Zhu Lingye and Zhao Jiuxiao, could deal with him.

"No more fighting! If we keep this up, we'll all die. Run!" Qi Kongyue shouted, turning and fleeing with Qi Muyang.

Lu Tianqiu's face turned green.

You're leaving me to bring up the rear?

Dream on!

He ran too!

Li Daochen could have slain Lu Tianqiu, but thinking that Lu Tianqiu could obtain a stroke of fortune here, he paused and let him escape.

Soon.

Li Daochen was the only one left there.

Huff, huff, huff...

Li Daochen kept gasping for breath. He had undoubtedly expended a great deal.

But at that very instant.

Sshk!

A pinpoint of cold light arrived first, followed by a phoenix cry that shook the heavens and flames that soared into the sky!

Boom!

Zhu Lingye appeared in an instant, thrusting out a sword that conjured a red-lotus celestial phoenix, as though a true phoenix had descended into the world!

The sword struck Li Daochen squarely in the chest, but failed to pierce through. The four Holy Dragon Bones in his chest erupted with boundless golden light, transforming into bone armor that blocked Zhu Lingye's sword. Li Daochen then retreated rapidly.

Zhu Lingye frowned. Zhu Lingye had not expected Li Daochen to react in time and make that deadly sword strike miss its mark.

After that pause, she did not continue attacking.

Tap, tap, tap!

Nangong Meng'er walked out from the distance, clapping her hands.

"Impressive, truly impressive. Not only did you fight Xie Tianfu and the others together, you even slew Xie Tianfu with your sword and drove Lu Tianqiu and the others back. In the end, you even managed to evade Yezi's killing strike..." Nangong Meng'er praised him, though her eyes were cold. "Li Daochen, so it turns out you were the biggest dark horse in this Thousand Sect Grand Competition!"