Battling Shi Yi

The instant the Law-Suppressing Stele appeared, it pinned down every disciple of the Martial King Manor.

The scene fell silent. The cultivators who knew what had happened and had come to watch Li Dao make a fool of himself turned ashen.

First, they had been horrified when Li Dao caught Shi Tao's full-powered strike with a single palm. Now, looking at the only figure still standing in the Training Grounds, they felt an absurd thought rise in their hearts.

"Could even Yi be no match for him?!"

"How could that be? The Double Pupils One has never suffered defeat since ancient times! No matter how powerful Li Dao is, he's bound to lose to Brother Shi Yi!"

"What divine ability is that? It's terrifying! Say, doesn't it look like the rumored divine ability of 'Damn You, Daoist'?"

"How would I know? I've never seen what 'Damn You, Daoist's' divine ability looks like."

When Shi Yi saw the stele appear, his expression swiftly grew grave. He felt immense pressure from the two characters inscribed upon it: "suppress" and "law."

An instinctive premonition told him that if he could not break this divine ability, it would pose a tremendous danger to him.

The Double Pupils possessed extraordinary power when it came to comprehending Daoist arts. But if they were countered, their divine might would be greatly suppressed!

Back in the hall, he had only felt some curiosity toward Li Dao. Now, however, he felt threatened.

Still, this is good. The road of the Great Dao stretches far. Without a few pursuers, it would be rather dull.

Even if he can counter me, so what? My Double Pupils fear nothing!

Li Dao turned to look at Shi Yi. As for the Martial King Manor disciples sprawled across the ground, he did not spare them so much as a glance.

"Still not coming down? Must I break these fellows' bones and tear their tendons before you'll come?"

A faint smile lingered at the corner of his mouth, and his tone was utterly calm. Yet when those words reached the cultivators on the ground,

they felt mortified. Heat rushed into their cheeks, and they wanted to get up and fight back.

But no matter how hard they tried, the divine radiance pouring from the Law-Suppressing Stele rooted in the void kept washing over them, leaving them unable to move.

At those words, Shi Yi took a step forward, his figure dissolving into a wisp of green smoke.

In the blink of an eye, he reappeared opposite Li Dao. His expression remained unruffled as he felt the Law Suppression divine radiance wash down from overhead.

Yet ripples had already begun stirring in his heart.

The circulation of my divine power has become sluggish. Even the might of my Treasure Arts and Daoist arts has been suppressed somewhat!

What an overbearing divine ability!

No wonder he has cultivated his physical strength to such perfection. His talent truly is extraordinary!

But even so, with my Supreme Bone, it remains to be seen whose body is stronger!

Without a word, he simply took another calm step forward.

Within his body, however, divine power rapidly vaporized, and the divine radiance in his eyes grew ever brighter.

As his foot descended, he seemed about to trample the entire firmament beneath it. Dark clouds began gathering in the previously clear sky.

Thud-

His heavy step landed squarely upon the Black-Gold Dao Platform. In an instant, a terrifying pressure descended from the heavens.

Hummm-

Within those dark clouds appeared a divine beast clad in formidable scales, its four limbs like pillars supporting the heavens. In time with Shi Yi, it brought a hoof crashing down.

Boom-crack!

It directly shattered the suppression the Law-Suppressing Stele had imposed upon the Martial King Manor disciples.

Crack, crack, crack-

The pressure, condensed into tangible substance, shattered like a mirror above their heads.

Feeling the weight lift from their bodies, they immediately raised their heads and saw Shi Yi, upright as a pine, already standing opposite Li Dao.

In the void behind Shi Yi, dark clouds blanketed the sky, with lightning flashing through them from time to time. At the heart of that thunder, the silhouette of a colossal beast flickered.

"Brother Shi Yi has entered the arena! This arrogant fellow has finally reached the end of the road!"

"I've disliked him from the start. Doesn't he know whose territory he's on? Does he have no idea how much he's worth?"

"Hah, Brother Shi Yi has made his move. He'll realize his mistake soon enough!"

Lotus Dao Patterns flickered in Li Dao's eyes. As he looked at the Qilin Phantom, a trace of seriousness crossed his face.

So this is the Qilin Step the Double Pupils One uses to travel?

I have to admit, it really is powerful!

Brilliant light flashed in his eyes as Shi Yi took another step, making even the void groan beneath his feet.

Li Dao's body trembled slightly, and Black-and-Yellow Qi immediately burst from within him.

Humm-

The Black-and-Yellow Furnace enveloped him, its surging divine might directly smoothing away the waves of air Shi Yi had stirred up.

Dong-

The very next instant after the Black-and-Yellow Furnace appeared, an enormous hoofprint slammed squarely into the space before Li Dao.

It collided with the Black-and-Yellow Furnace with an ear-splitting roar. Even the Black-Gold Dao Platform around Li Dao sank slightly.

And that was not the end. Shi Yi abruptly took another five steps forward.

Dong, dong, dong-

Deep, resonant notes like the Yellow Bell and Great Lü rang out from the Black-and-Yellow Furnace surrounding Li Dao.

That sound was like a divine sea-anchoring needle amid towering, raging waves. No matter how fierce the wind and waves grew, they still could not shake it.

Seeing such a tremendous commotion, the Martial King Manor disciples watching from the sidelines all wore smug expressions.

Even the elders of their clan might not withstand such an unending torrent of attacks, let alone a disciple of the Heaven Mending Pavilion.

Xia Youyu watched the center of the Training Grounds, shrouded in billowing dust and smoke as the booms continued without cease. A trace of worry flashed through her beautiful eyes.

After the news had been sent back last time, Elder Xiong Fei had specifically instructed her to protect Li Dao at all costs.

If he suffered any injury here, it would be a loss for their Heaven Mending Pavilion.

She now felt a faint pang of regret. She should have stopped this outright earlier. It had only been a few harmless taunts; she really should not have been so impulsive!

"That really packs a punch!"

As the dust gradually cleared, a steady voice rang out, immediately pulling Xia Youyu back from her thoughts.

Li Dao's figure once again appeared before everyone's eyes.

The Black-Gold Dao Platform beneath his feet had long since split apart, and the Black-and-Yellow Furnace enveloping him was covered in cracks, its luster gone.

Yet Li Dao stood within it without the slightest injury.

Shi Yi saw that Li Dao was unharmed.

His expression unchanged, he pointed into the void in Li Dao's direction.

An enormous pupil immediately appeared behind him, so vast that it seemed capable of blotting out heaven and earth.

That pupil resembled the Eye of the Heavens, looking down upon everything in the mortal world, seeking to see through every illusion.

"Strangulation!"

He uttered that single word calmly. From the enormous pupil, an ink-black beam carrying the aura of death shot toward Li Dao.

"Bring it on!"

Li Dao felt the space around him suddenly grow viscous. With a shudder of his body, he broke free.

The Golden Dao Patterns across his skin blazed with light, and a terrifying, primal might burst from him.

He was like a Primordial Ferocious Beast baring its sharp fangs.