An inexplicable chill rose in Shi Yi's heart, and he turned to look toward Li Dao.
A single glance was enough for him to sense how extraordinary Li Dao was.
His flesh shimmered with a glasslike radiance, with faint Dao patterns flickering in and out of sight across it.
Most importantly, he exuded a vague, invisible pressure.
Over the years, Shi Yi had met and fought no shortage of people, both peers of his own generation and experts of the older generation.
But Li Dao was the first to give him this feeling, stirring a desire to investigate.
A golden gleam flashed across his eyes. Within his pupils, deep as an abyss, mysterious runes revolved like stars filling the heavens.
Hum-
He directed a sliver of the Double Pupils' power toward Li Dao, hoping to discover what secrets he possessed.
Yet that power seemed to encounter an indestructible divine mountain. The instant it touched Li Dao, it vanished without a trace, like a clay ox sinking into the sea.
What's going on? Why was the Dao Seed stirred?
Golden Dao patterns flashed beneath Li Dao's skin. He looked toward Shi Yi, and their gazes met at once.
Seeing the Double Pupils glittering with divine light in Shi Yi's eyes, he immediately understood.
A sharp gleam flashed through his own eyes. Entirely unafraid, he let the brilliant golden Dao patterns on his skin shed a faint glow.
Their gazes briefly locked. There was no earth-shaking boom, nor any heaven-rending upheaval.
Yet the relaxed atmosphere abruptly changed, and the entire hall fell into an oppressive silence.
Seeing the veil of mystery shrouding Li Dao, Shi Yi felt a ripple stir in his heart and instinctively increased the power of his Double Pupils.
Li Dao naturally sensed the change in Shi Yi. The golden Dao patterns hidden across his skin slowly grew more intricate.
Wisps of Dao aura gradually spread around him, directly blocking the Double Pupils' probing gaze.
Trying to plumb my depths? Dream on.
The other three all turned their attention to the two locked in confrontation.
Shi Li, who stood at their head, sensed the pressure emanating from Shi Yi. A sharp light flashed through his eyes, and his thoughts took on a different cast as he looked at Li Dao.
To make Yi show an expression like that... the Heaven Mending Pavilion truly has good fortune.
If we let him keep growing, he might well become a threat to Yi.
Some troubles must be strangled in the cradle!
In that instant, he made his decision and spoke first, breaking the somewhat eerie atmosphere.
"Young people really do take an interest in one another."
"Yi, these two are outstanding disciples of the Heaven Mending Pavilion."
"I imagine the three of you are already familiar with Yi."
Though vicious schemes brewed in his heart, not a trace showed on his face. His eyes were filled with pride as he looked at Shi Yi.
This was another tremendous opportunity for their Martial King Manor. Possessing Double Pupils made Shi Yi a born sage, and the entire manor had placed its hopes in him.
"You are all exceptional talents of the younger generation. You ought to get to know one another."
"Yi, take our two young friends for a stroll. Elder Liu and I have some matters to discuss."
Hearing this, Shi Yi slowly stilled the runes surging in his eyes and nodded his assent.
Xia Youyu came to Li Dao's side and transmitted her voice to him with some concern:
"The Double Pupils One truly cannot be underestimated. Be careful, and don't let anyone see through your identity."
"If your identity is exposed, we'll be in trouble!"
Li Dao smiled at her, not taking it to heart.
"As long as the Martial King isn't in the manor, with Elder Liu Yun here, the Martial King Manor won't act rashly unless they're absolutely certain they can subdue us."
"Besides, I have no quarrel with the Martial King Manor. Senior Sister Xia, don't worry too much."
"I'll be careful, but if things become impossible, I refuse to be a turtle hiding its head!"
Seeing Li Dao's confident expression, Xia Youyu felt her worries ease somewhat.
"That's true. Although you haven't formally joined the Heaven Mending Pavilion yet, Elder Liu Yun has already sent word back."
"With the Heaven Mending Pavilion behind you, I doubt the Martial King Manor would make a direct move!"
Li Dao nodded, already having weighed things in his heart. He would be careful about exposing his identity, but he would not spin a cocoon around himself because of it.
Hadn't he joined the Heaven Mending Pavilion precisely to have someone backing him? Now that he needed that support, he certainly would not stand on ceremony.
The three of them arrived at the training grounds.
Their appearance immediately drew everyone's attention.
Some disciples who had been practicing Dao arts gathered around the three of them.
"That's Brother Shi Yi!"
"Shi Yi, the Double Pupils One! The pride of our Martial King Manor! What brings him to the training grounds today?"
"Aren't those two disciples of the Heaven Mending Pavilion? Could they be planning to fight?"
"If so, we're in for a feast for the eyes!"
"Pah! Here in our Martial King Manor, why would Brother Shi Yi need to act? Do they think nothing of the rest of us?"
Watching the Martial King Manor disciples gather around, Li Dao remained utterly calm and paid no heed to their words.
Seeing Shi Yi turn around, Li Dao spoke casually:
"Did you bring us here because you wanted a fight?"
"I'm quite curious about the Double Pupils!"
Before Shi Yi could speak, someone leaped out of the crowd and snapped:
"Who do you think you are? A nameless nobody dares challenge the Double Pupils One?"
"Are you some fame-fishing fraud? Hoping to use the Heaven Mending Pavilion's name to survive against the Double Pupils?"
"So you can boast outside that you survived the Double Pupils One, then wait for someone to offer a good price for you?!"
Shi Tao spoke coldly, his arms folded across his chest and his eyes filled with scorn.
In his view, Shi Yi was the future pillar of their Martial King Manor. Casually fighting such an unremarkable person would only diminish the prestige of the Double Pupils.
That was why he had stepped forward to rebuke Li Dao.
"Exactly!"
"That's just what I think! Since he's from the Heaven Mending Pavilion, we can't very well kill him. Wouldn't that let him reap all the benefits?"
"If you want to challenge the Double Pupils One, you'll have to get past us first!"
Li Dao raised an eyebrow. He treated those words as nothing more than the buzzing of flies, paying them no mind at all as he turned his gaze toward Shi Yi.
Hearing this, Shi Yi's brows
furrowed despite himself. Deeply displeased, he was just about to rebuke them.
But recalling the words Shi Li had just transmitted to him, he held his tongue.
"Yi, this person possesses extraordinary might. He may become an obstacle to your reign over the Great Wilderness."
"But we must guard against the might of the Heaven Mending Pavilion. Simply shatter his conviction and destroy his Dao heart!"
Though Shi Yi was unwilling, Elder Shi Li's words were not without reason.
Meeting Li Dao's gaze, he spoke evenly:
"I had intended to discuss the Dao with you, fellow Daoist. But my clansmen feel dissatisfied, so please broaden their horizons."
"As it happens, I'm also rather curious about the Heaven Mending Technique."
Before Li Dao could respond, Xia Youyu, standing beside him, spoke coldly:
"The Martial King Manor really does live up to the saying: only birds of a feather flock under the same roof."
"First an Elder wielded a chicken feather as a command arrow, and now this. Does the Heaven Mending Pavilion have no one worthy in your eyes?!"
Before you continue