Though the tiger was old, its might remained!

Immortal cranes appeared in flocks, spiritual essence nearly condensed into liquid, and colorful clouds hung perpetually across the sky.

Gazing at the Cave Heaven that housed the Martial King Manor, Shi Hao could not help wiping the corner of his mouth. Just how much wealth lay inside!

"Are you sure this is the place?"

Lord Bird nodded solemnly to Shi Hao.

Relieve boredom-extremely useful.

"This is the blessed land of the Martial King Manor. I saw with my own eyes that it was their disciples who snatched the Treasure Bone!"

As Shi Hao listened to Lord Bird and learned that this was the Martial King Manor's blessed land, a peculiar gleam appeared in his eyes.

As though something had occurred to him, he asked no further questions and instead began planning how to sweep every treasure inside into his own pockets!

While Shi Hao, Lord Bird, and Grandpa Jingbi eyed the Martial King Manor's Cave Heaven like hungry tigers, something else was unfolding.

Inside Demon Spirit Lake's council hall, Venerable Golden Spider listened to the person below report on Li Dao, and those previously closed eyes opened!

"So this Li Dao could actually fight the Double Pupils One to a standstill, and his Treasure Arts and divine abilities were much like the Little Devil King's?"

Hearing Venerable Golden Spider's probing question, the Shadow Guard below, completely concealed beneath a black hood, replied respectfully.

"Yes, Your Venerable Excellency."

"There are also rumors that Li Dao might belong to the same lineage as the Little Devil King!"

"Although we cannot confirm that particular connection, we can be certain that Li Dao does indeed have ties to the Little Devil King."

Tap, tap, tap-

Venerable Golden Spider tapped the chair beneath them with a fingertip. The crisp sounds plunged the hall into deathly silence.

Venerable Golden Spider closed both eyes, considering the causes and consequences of this affair.

"The news came from within the Martial King Manor."

"Shi Yi, Li Dao, the Heaven Mending Pavilion. Heh, heh."

"Someone wants to use us as a blade-to kill with a borrowed knife!"

The Shadow Guard below merely lowered his head at Venerable Golden Spider's words, saying nothing.

After only a moment's thought, Venerable Golden Spider had a fair idea of the sordid scheming involved. Yet even knowing that, there was still no choice but to act.

"That old fellow at the Heaven Mending Pavilion still retains his might. If we act rashly, Demon Spirit Lake may have to bear his furious roar."

"Though the tiger is old, its might remains. We cannot act directly. You understand what I mean, don't you?"

The Shadow Guard kowtowed heavily to Venerable Golden Spider, having already understood the intention.

The Shadow Guard were to take action, allowing Demon Spirit Lake to escape suspicion even if the Heaven Mending Pavilion found out.

From the moment they became Shadow Guards, they already knew their fate. Their very purpose was to carry out these deeds that could never see the light of day.

And now, the time had come to put them to use.

"Since you understand, withdraw."

"If you handle this well, I will take you out of the Shadow Guard and admit you into Demon Spirit Lake, granting you an official identity."

Shadow One's eyes had been as placid as stagnant water, but upon hearing this news, faint ripples stirred across the lake of his heart.

While Demon Spirit Lake was still making plans, the Rain Clan had already decided how to deal with Li Dao.

Inside the Rain Clan's great hall, several elders sat in their respective seats, discussing Li Dao.

One elder stepped forward and said directly:

"We have yet to establish Li Dao's relationship with the Little Devil King. If we act rashly, we risk offending the Heaven Mending Pavilion."

"I believe we should wait and see how things develop!"

But as soon as he spoke, another elder stood up.

"Hmph! If we keep looking over our shoulders, how will we ever wash away our clan's humiliation?"

"In my opinion, we should seize everyone connected to that little beast and force him to submit!"

With the two elders voicing such sharply opposing views, the once-quiet hall was immediately filled with a clamor of debate.

Seated at the head, Grand Elder Yu Kuan slowly opened his eyes as he listened to the uproar below.

Hum-

A terrifying ripple swept outward. The elders who had been arguing until their faces flushed suddenly looked as though their throats had been seized, their faces turning red one after another.

Their bodies bent slightly, as though a mountain had abruptly descended and pinned them beneath its weight.

In a single instant, the noisy hall fell silent.

Only after the hall had regained its calm did Yu Kuan speak unhurriedly.

"We have kept that Madman all this time. Now he should exert himself for the clan. Have him secretly ambush and kill Li Dao on the route he must take to the Heaven Mending Pavilion."

"Make him disappear from this world without a sound or trace."

With those words, Yu Kuan settled the outcome of the meeting once and for all.

Everyone voiced their assent in unison. They knew well that this grand elder's word was law.

If they defied him, how could anything good possibly come of it?

Still, upon learning that they would be deploying that "Madman," quite a few elders could not help looking uneasy.

Yu Kuan paid no attention to their thoughts. He merely nodded lightly and said nothing more.

To him, deciding to ambush and kill Li Dao was hardly a difficult choice.

As Shi Yi's maternal grandfather, he would not permit anyone to threaten Shi Yi's position.

Thus, whether Li Dao had any connection to the Little Devil King made no difference. It merely supplied another reason to kill Li Dao.

"I imagine Demon Spirit Lake will make a move as well. Beneath this net spread across heaven and earth, whoever it is will be reduced to ashes!"

At Starleap Tower, Li Dao and the others still did not know that a crisis was quietly drawing near.

Although they did not know when it would arrive, they had already anticipated it.

Thus, as soon as the three reached Starleap Tower, they gathered the Heaven Mending Pavilion disciples, preparing to leave the city at once.

"Boss, Boss? What's going on?"

Seeing Li Dao put away everything in the room as soon as he returned, Little Flower asked in confusion.

"Your boss has made a name for himself, and that might attract some fools who don't know better. If we don't leave now, you might end up in a stew."

"Do you understand how serious this is now?"

Hearing that, Little Flower immediately threw himself at Li Dao's feet and pleaded pitifully:

"Boss, you have to protect me! I don't want to become chicken soup!"

Li Dao shook his leg but could not dislodge this fellow, who clung to him like a dogskin plaster. He was utterly speechless.

"All right, all right. When the time comes, stick

close to me, or else, heh heh..."

Little Flower shuddered and immediately promised:

"Don't worry, Boss. I'll stay right behind you!"

Li Dao nodded, then led him out and downstairs, where the senior brothers and sisters of the Heaven Mending Pavilion had already gathered.

As Li Dao came down, each wore a different expression, and the meaning in their gazes varied as well.

Some were admiring, some excited, and naturally, some were bewildered and afraid.

They knew that Li Dao was the reason for this hurried departure, and that they might even encounter danger.

Yet few complained. Instead, many disciples' eyes shone with excitement.

After all, Li Dao had fought the Double Pupils One, Shi Yi, as an equal, utterly overturning their ingrained belief that Double Pupils were invincible.

So Double Pupils were not invincible after all!