Divine Smoke of Entering the Dao, Half-Step Grandmaster!

Divine Smoke of Entering the Dao, Half-Step Grandmaster! During the time Yuan Tianzong left and encountered Dorje.

The Yin Xu Mountain group had also successfully rendezvoused with the main force.

Inside the tent, when the Yin Xu Mountain sect master learned that Liu Mei and Elder Xia had been slain, his gaze sharpened. "Tell me everything in detail. Do not leave out a single word."

"Yes, Sect Master!"

As the disciple recounted how Yuan Tianzong had controlled a sword with a wave of his hand, killing Elder Xia from afar, ignoring Liu Mei's Thousand Charm Eyes, and snapping her neck with a raised hand, the Yin Xu Mountain sect master and the elders present all revealed grave expressions.

The sect master remained composed and waved the disciple away.

"Elders, does anyone have anything to say?"

A white-haired elder spoke first. "At such a young age, he already possessed the strength to control a sword with a wave of his hand and kill Elder Xia. His background is likely far from simple."

"Could he be from one of the Great Sects? Or perhaps a descendant of an ancient clan?"

The sect master shook his head. "Judging from the disciple's description, he bore no obvious traits of either the Great Sects or ancient clans. Besides, what young prodigy from a Great Sect or ancient clan would possess such murderous intent, killing at the slightest disagreement?"

"I agree with the sect master. The Great Sects and ancient clans know of Yin Xu Mountain to some extent. Even if they are powerful, they would not slaughter our sect's prodigy and elder over such a minor matter."

"Indeed. If that were the case, he would have declared his sect first, and what followed would never have happened."

The sect master paced back and forth. After much thought, he said, "Though he may not belong to either side, his cultivation cannot be underestimated. Drawing a sword from afar and piercing Elder Xia, who was in the Four Symbols Realm..."

Everyone's expressions grew even heavier.

Although their cultivation realms were stronger than Xia Yu's, who had only recently become an elder, and had reached the Five Origins Realm, it was still completely impossible for them to kill him so effortlessly.

Forget them—even a Dragon Opening Realm expert would likely struggle to do it.

After a long silence, the white-haired elder said, "Sect Master, could that person be... a Grandmaster?"

A Grandmaster?

The white-haired elder had voiced what they had all thought but dared not believe, and everyone exchanged glances.

Could he be?

"He absolutely cannot be a Grandmaster!" A voice came from outside the tent.

Upon hearing that voice, the Yin Xu Mountain sect master immediately showed delight.

The next instant, an invisible force lifted the tent flap, and an old man carrying four longswords on his back strode inside.

The elders hurriedly straightened themselves and said in unison, "Greetings, Grand Elder!"

The Yin Xu Mountain sect master quickly stepped forward. "Master!"

The old man walked past everyone and sat directly in the seat of honor, carrying himself with imposing dignity.

"Master, your return from your travels at this time could not have been more timely!"

The old man was Zhong Wanli, the previous sect master of Yin Xu Mountain. His cultivation had already reached the Dragon Opening Realm.

Zhong Wanli nodded. "An elder and a prodigy have been killed. This matter has damaged Yin Xu Mountain's reputation. If we cannot personally kill the culprit, our name will be dragged through the mud. Since I have returned, leave this matter to me."

"With Master taking action, killing that fiend is only a matter of time. But Master, you just said he absolutely could not be a Grandmaster... What did you mean by that?"

Zhong Wanli's eyes flashed like lightning as he swept his gaze across the elders. "We will discuss this later. Leave the murderer to me. For now, you must devote yourselves to searching for opportunities. The South Heaven Gate phantom is of great importance."

"We obey the Grand Elder's order!"

"Good. You may all leave for now."

"Yes."

The elders departed one after another, leaving only the two masters and disciples, the sect masters of two generations, in the tent.

"Master, those four swords on your back..."

From the moment they met, the sect master had been puzzled by the four swords on his master's back.

It was easy to tell from their materials that these four swords were not ancient swords, but alloy longswords from the technological side. They were full of futuristic flair, lacking the ancient charm unique to old swords.

His master had once detested things from the technological side and had even strictly forbidden Yin Xu Mountain disciples from using technology to cultivate. Yet now he carried four technological swords himself, leaving the sect master deeply perplexed.

Zhong Wanli looked at his only disciple and let out a soft sigh. "Xun, I know what you are thinking. These four technological swords are called Thunder Four Extremes, and paired with them is a sword art known as the Flying Thunder Sword."

"Master, you..." Li Xun sensed that something was wrong, and shock appeared on his face.

"That's right. A core has already been implanted in my body."

"Why, Master? Haven't you always opposed technological cultivation?"

Zhong Wanli rose to his feet and stood in the tent with his hands behind his back. "To step into the Grandmaster Realm!"

A Grandmaster?

Li Xun remained silent, waiting for his master to continue.

"I just said that person absolutely could not be a Grandmaster. Do you know why?"

"The reason is that the shackles of the Grandmaster Realm cannot be broken. To break through, one can only rely on the forthcoming opportunity of transformation!"

Li Xun's spirits lifted. "Master, have you finally found a way to break through to the Grandmaster Realm? Could this opportunity be the South Heaven Gate phantom that has appeared above Kunlun?"

"Perhaps it is. Perhaps it is not."

"Master, what exactly is this opportunity? This disciple wishes to know."

Zhong Wanli turned his head and glanced back at him. "The Grandmaster opportunity is the Divine Smoke of Entering the Dao!"

"Divine Smoke of Entering the Dao? What is that?"

"I have never seen it either, but the senior said that once this divine smoke appears, the path will become clear. The reason I abandoned my former beliefs and spent a fortune equipping myself with the Flying Thunder Sword was to compete for the Divine Smoke of Entering the Dao. Once I successfully advance to the Grandmaster Realm, I will naturally remove these things."

Li Xun nodded. "Master, is the senior you mentioned an elder from one of the Great Sects?"

"Correct. Over the past few years, I have listened to the senior's teachings, which is why I learned of the Divine Smoke of Entering the Dao before outsiders did. As long as we plan properly, we will certainly gain the upper hand!"

"Master, in that case, that senior must have long since stepped into the Grandmaster Realm, correct?"

Zhong Wanli shook his head.

"No. The senior said that the time has not yet come and the divine smoke has not appeared. There are still no Grandmasters in this world. That is also why I can be certain that person is not a Grandmaster."

"Presumably, his cultivation realm is not low, and he has also spent a fortune integrating the path of technology, which is why he possesses such combat strength."

"Xun, there is no need to worry. This set of Flying Thunder Swords was custom-made at great expense through a friend in the military. It is a cutting-edge creation of Huaxia Tech Martial Arts. Killing Elder Xia would take no more than a moment. Combined with my own cultivation and combat experience, suppressing that fiend will be as easy as taking something from my hand."

"Do you know the origins of this set of Flying Thunder Swords?"

"Please tell me, Master."

With a thought from Zhong Wanli, a thunderous flying sword shot into the air. Lightning serpents coiled around it, its might astonishing.

"The Flying Thunder Sword was calculated and synthesized by imitating the sword cultivators of ancient times. With a turn of the mind, the sword moves as freely as one wishes. With it, I can say that one foot has already stepped into the Grandmaster Realm. My combat strength is more than sufficient; only my cultivation falls slightly short. Hahaha!"

Li Xun laughed heartily along with his delighted master.

"Master, with you here, the rise of Yin Xu Mountain is just around the corner!"

"Hahaha!"