Of the three cultivators outside the door, Li Qiang recognized two. The one in the lead was Feixue, a female cultivator from Heavenly Cultivation Garrison, and she was accompanied by Mi Dongku and another cultivator.
Xuanyuan Yiqing hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects, Feixue smiled and said, "Senior Muzi, the cultivators of Heavenly Cultivation Garrison invite you to spar with Law Technique."
Xuanyuan Yiqing laughed and said, "Going to Heavenly Cultivation Garrison to exchange Law Technique is the greatest respect one can show to outsider cultivators. Senior Muzi will not refuse, hehe." He said this as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Actually, Li Qiang didn't want to go, but he couldn't very well refuse outright, so he just went and took a look.
After bidding farewell to Bai Canglao's family, the five flew to Heavenly Cultivation Garrison in Wondrous Dragon City. Xuanyuan Yiqing shamelessly followed along, as this was a rare opportunity to broaden his horizons, and he was unwilling to let it pass by.
The Heavenly Cultivation Garrison is essentially the law enforcement force of Wondrous Dragon City, composed of experts from various sects and commanded by the Cultivation Union. Its duties are to protect Wondrous Dragon City and manage cultivators, wielding considerable power. The Heavenly Cultivation Garrison Spear is filled with experts, requiring at least the Nascent Soul Realm cultivation to join. The experts of the Heavenly Cultivation Garrison frequently participate in battles, thus demanding high levels of Law Technique.
Heavenly Cultivation Garrison occupies a corner of the southern part of the city. It has a very large territory, but not many buildings. There are large open spaces formed by Law Technique, as flat as a mirror. Li Qiang could tell at a glance that many places in Heavenly Cultivation Garrison were restricted. His knowledge was now extraordinary and completely different from when he first entered the Cultivation Realm.
Feixue smiled and said, "Please follow me. There are many restrictions here, so be careful." She flew ahead, zigzagging. Xuanyuan Yiqing seemed to rarely come here either; his expression was solemn as he followed closely behind.
Li Qiang could actually see through these restrictions very clearly. He had a pair of extraordinary divine eyes that could see through any restriction at a glance. This was Cultivation Method he acquired after cultivating Ordinary Heart.
The group flew to the southernmost restricted area, where five or six cultivators were already waiting. Upon seeing Li Qiang and his group arrive, one of the cultivators immediately opened the restriction, and the five of them gracefully landed in the restricted area.
Waiting in the restricted area was none other than Feng Qianbao, the sect leader of the Thousand Treasures Pavilion, along with several other figures who also appeared to be grandmasters.
Xuanyuan Yiqing's expression changed. He muttered, "Heavens! Three sect leaders from the Alliance have arrived. What's going on?"
A sudden unease swept through Li Qiang's heart; he had a feeling that he had fallen into a trap.
Seeing Li Qiang land, Feng Qianbao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He rushed forward, his face beaming, and asked, "Brother Muhe Tushuzi, Senior Yu didn't come?"
Li Qiang's heart skipped a beat, and he smiled, "Hmm, he went to another city to wait for me. Brother Feng, why did you come to Heavenly Cultivation Garrison in person? You wouldn't happen to want to spar with me, would you?" Ever since Yu Hong said that he couldn't compete with him, Li Qiang's confidence had greatly increased. At least he was no longer afraid of experts in the Body Integration Realm.
Feng Qianbao laughed loudly, "Haha, Brother Muzi is joking. My old bones can't take any more trouble." He then introduced several experts around him, including Xia Yuntao, the sect leader of the Azure Extremity Sect Heavenly Cultivation Garrison, Ang Yin, the leader of Tianxiu Ge, and two elders of Heavenly Cultivation Garrison — Elder Heng and Elder Xian.
Li Qiang greeted them one by one.
Heavenly Cultivation Garrison's head, Ang Yin, stared intently at Li Qiang, a hint of doubt in his mind. He couldn't sense the aura of a true master. Li Qiang's cultivation had reached the Spirit Severing Late Stage Nascent Soul realm, and he was particularly skilled in Law Technique. Some Integrated Body Early Stage Soul cultivators might not even be able to surpass him in Law Technique prowess. He had unique skills in fighting with magical Law Treasure, and among the masters of magical Law Treasure in Linming Planet, he ranked seventh.
Ang Yin waved his hand, sending out a beam of red light, and said expressionlessly, "The magic cultivators from Heavenly Cultivation Garrison will arrive immediately. Please, Senior Muzi, offer your guidance."
Suddenly, groups of cultivators flew in from all directions and surrounded the restricted area.
Li Qiang knew things were going badly; this wasn't a contest of Law Technique, it was a complete encirclement.
Li Qiang said calmly, "Goodness, why are there so many cultivators? Alas, poor old bones of mine."
Xuanyuan Yiqing was a shrewd and perceptive person. He realized something was wrong and hurriedly bowed, saying, "Senior Muzi Zi is competing on the field. This junior should go outside to watch." He flew away in a panic.
Feng Qianbao cursed inwardly, thinking that this kid was more trouble than he was worth, and his actions would easily arouse Li Qiang's suspicion.
To everyone's surprise, Li Qiang remained standing on the field with a smile, seemingly indifferent. Li Qiang had already decided that if the other party wanted to deal with him, it would be too late to act now. Moreover, being inside the restricted area put him at a disadvantage. Just by looking at the fact that the other party had sent three sect leaders and two elders, he knew that they would definitely not let him escape.
He simply calmly waited for his opponents to see what methods they would use to deal with him.
Feng Qianbao suddenly had a strange feeling. He found Li Qiang to be unfathomable, seemingly not caring about so many cultivators at all. He realized he had miscalculated. After thinking for a moment, he transmitted his voice to Ang Yin: "Brother, test his strength first. We're not in a hurry to make a move. As long as we stall for three days, everything will be fine. Remember, whatever you do, don't hurt him."
Ge Ang Yin nodded slightly. He felt that Li Qiang was nothing special and there was no need to make such a fuss. At the meeting of the twelve sect leaders, the other sect leaders all advocated proceeding with caution, but he was the only one who disagreed.
He said, "Senior Muzi, the first match will be performed by Dong Xianye, a first-level magic cultivator from Heavenly Cultivation Garrison. He has the cultivation of the Leaving the Body Realm stage and is a master of Law Technique here. Senior Muzi, please give him your guidance."
Li Qiang sneered inwardly, "Go ahead and play, I'll play with you! If I don't show you my strength, you won't even know who I am."
Feixue stood at the sidelines and announced in a sweet voice, "Senior Muzi from the Otherworldly Sealed Fate Planet, cultivator Heavenly Cultivation Garrison Ge—the first Law Technique sparring match is now beginning. Please come forward."
Li Qiang was slightly puzzled. Were they really going to start a Law Technique contest?
Feng Qianbao smiled and said, "Senior Muzi, please!"
Li Qiang slowly walked to the center of the restricted area and smiled, "It is an honor for Muzi to witness the Law Technique of the cultivation masters of Wondrous Dragon City. I hope that all the masters will not hesitate to teach me and will not hold back." He smiled on the outside, but he was ruthless in his heart. He hated it most when others played dirty tricks on him. He thought that since he was already going all out, he might as well face it frankly. This was also a test of his strength.
The crowd erupted in cheers. Li Qiang's words were a bit arrogant, but more importantly, he didn't display the demeanor of a true master, making him easy to underestimate.
Dong Xianye leaped onto the stage, clad in dark red armor. He didn't wield a flying sword, but held a red ring in his hand, and loudly proclaimed, "Senior Muzi, please enlighten me!"
Li Qiang waved and said, "Use whatever Law Technique you have, I'll take it, don't be shy." He was already prepared to give them a taste of their power. He neither wore armor nor used his flying sword for protection, and stood there quietly waiting for Dong Xianye to make his move.
A hush fell over the surroundings. Everyone thought Li Qiang was courting death; who would fight with magical Law Treasure without any preparation? Only Feng Qianbao knew that Li Qiang had the strength to do so.
Dong Xianye was furious. He felt that Li Qiang looked down on him and asked loudly, "Senior, aren't you going to have a match?"
Li Qiang's words were even more infuriating. "I'm ready, please!"
Dong Xianye thought to himself, "If you're courting death, don't blame me." He shouted, "Alright! Law Treasure! Quickly!"
A soft buzzing sound rang out, and the ring in Dong Xianye's hand instantly transformed into a sky full of fiery circles, spinning and rushing towards Li Qiang.
Ge Ang Yin nodded secretly and whispered, " Xiao Ye's use of the Flame Ring has become even more skillful."
Xia Yuntao said, "Senior Muzi is unfathomable. Tell Xiao Ye to be careful."
Li Qiang couldn't help but chuckle. When it came to playing with fire, who could compare to him? He shouted, "Great fire! Great fire!" As he spoke, the Flame Ring suddenly flashed with a bright red light, and gradually, the fire in the Flame Ring grew bigger and bigger.
Dong Xianye was stunned. The Flame Ring in the air was no longer under his control, and at the same time, the Flame Ring itself in his hand was getting hotter and hotter, so hot that he could no longer hold it. He gritted his teeth and threw the Flame Ring, shouting, "Break!" But the Flame Ring made a slight "crackling" sound and shattered into Heavenly Fire.
Li Qiang didn't even move, yet he broke Dong Xianye's Law Treasure. No one present could figure out what technique he used; they only heard him shout "Good fire!" twice.
Dong Xianye was heartbroken, but he was also clever enough to know that the gap between him and his opponent was too great. He bowed and said, "Thank you for your guidance, senior. Xianye has lost."
The entire audience erupted in uproar. Several sect leaders frowned, as they had not expected Li Qiang to be so astute.
Ang Yin understood that unless he stepped in, no one in Heavenly Cultivation Garrison could be a match for Li Qiang. He silently put on his black armor and unleashed his flying sword, a famous treasure known as the Drifting Sand Sword.
He slowly stepped onto the stage and said, "Senior Muzi, are you still not preparing anything?"
Li Qiang was slightly startled. From the sword light, he could tell it was a treasure. He chuckled and said, "Good, Brother Ang is indeed a master." Suddenly, countless starlight danced around him, like countless small fish swimming, trailing a faint silver mist-like tail. He also flew out of the Star-Absorbing Sword.
Ang Yin shouted, "What a fine sword! It is indeed extraordinary! Chirp!" The Drifting Sand Sword instantly transformed into a sky full of yellow sand, rushing towards Li Qiang like a storm. The flying sand tightly enveloped Li Qiang, swirling and whistling around him.
Li Qiang leisurely admired his swordsmanship, merely using the Star-Absorbing Sword for self-defense without retaliating.
Li Qiang said through the sandstorm, "Brother Ang, what's the name of this move? It's quite good, a remarkable sword technique. By the way, what's the next move?"
Suddenly, the swirling yellow sand vanished completely. Ang Yin's face turned bright red; he was utterly humiliated, never expecting his opponent to be so formidable. He stomped his foot and rapidly formed hand seals. As the seals moved, his hands emitted a faint yellow light. Suddenly, a massive sand dune appeared around him, surging towards Li Qiang with the seals.
Feng Qianbao said, "Let's step back, Brother Ang is about to unleash the Ten Thousand Layers of Golden Sand." The group quickly retreated outside the forbidden area.
The massive sand dunes rolled rapidly, swallowing everything around them. The fierce wind whipped up sand and gravel, sending it flying in all directions like arrows. Li Qiang looked around and saw endless sand dunes surging towards him from all sides, instantly feeling an immense pressure. He said, "This is interesting, good!"
Ang Yin laughed loudly, "Senior, please enlighten me!" His voice was full of pride.
Li Qiang exclaimed, "Wow, Brother Ang is amazing! He can even kill someone with sand!" He deliberately shouted loudly while secretly making hand seals. A master in the Spirit Severing Late Stage is definitely not to be underestimated in terms of strength. Li Qiang appeared relaxed, but he was actually quite nervous inside.
The Ten Thousand Layers of Golden Sand Sword Instruction is also a superb method of materialization. Li Qiang couldn't help but praise such a skillful sword control technique. Ever since he saw Fu Shan and Hua Meiniang fighting on Mars, Li Qiang has been very interested in materialization Law Technique. So much so that he learned materialization Law Technique when he was in the Leaving the Body Realm, relying on the Star-Absorbing Sword, and now he is even more proficient in it.
The rapidly rolling sand dunes gradually crowded around Li Qiang, and the powerful sand flow seemed about to bury him. The cultivators outside the arena were all amazed; this was Ang Yin's true strength.
Feng Qianbao laughed and said, "Brother Ang's Ten Thousand Layers of Golden Sand is indeed extraordinary; the illusionary Law Technique is beyond the mundane."
Xia Yuntao, the sect leader of the Azure Extremity Sect, narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the forbidden area, and said in a deep voice, "Senior Muzi Zi has not yet retaliated, let's wait and see." He had a feeling that Li Qiang was not afraid of the Ten Thousand Layers of Golden Sand at all, as if he was waiting for something.
Although Li Qiang was under great pressure, he kept analyzing Ang Yin's sword control techniques. He discovered that Ang Yin's illusion and objectification Law Technique had many characteristics. First, the range of the illusion was very large, making it difficult for people to understand the surrounding situation. Second, his sword technique did not imitate an object, but rather flying sand. Once there was a gap in his protective sword circle, these tiny sand particles could take advantage of the gap and make him unable to cope.
The more he analyzed, the more excited he became, realizing that he could definitely learn from Ang Yin's methods.
Ang Yin grew increasingly uneasy. He couldn't find any weakness in Li Qiang's defenses, and his sword techniques were futilely activated, yet he couldn't harm his opponent in the slightest. He changed his hand seals again, and gusts of sand, like tornadoes, roared and danced in the air. He shouted, "Go!" The dancing sand pillars twisted and squeezed past him, the sand grains rubbing together and making a series of "booming" sounds.
The dry, scorching air seemed to suck away all the air from the entire forbidden area, and a strong, earthy smell filled the air. Even standing outside the forbidden area, one could feel the harsh environment inside.
This is Ang Yin's triple sword technique transformation, his trump card.
Li Qiang shouted again, "Great! A change within a change! Amazing! Haha, watch me!" Actually, he was almost at his limit. Without wearing immortal armor or using the Supreme Radiance Shuttle for protection, it was already incredible that he had lasted this long with only the Star-Absorbing Sword Absorbing Sword.
He now realized that since cultivating the Heavenly Recommendation Scripture for God Cultivation, his strength was absolutely no less than that of a cultivator in the Integrated Body Early Stage.
The cultivators present were all puzzled as to why Li Qiang hadn't made a move. As Ang Yin's sword technique unfolded, all the cultivators wanted to see how Li Qiang would handle it. A cacophony of discussion arose, and suddenly someone shouted, "Look!"
A Blue Light appeared in the sandstorm, and the "splashing" sound of water mingled with the "rumbling" sandstorm, sounding so clear. Gradually, the sound of water grew louder and louder, and suddenly, with a loud "splash," a torrential downpour began.
This is a characteristic of the Star-Absorbing Sword's water attribute, which Li Qiang specially transformed into a large body of water to resist Ang Yin's sandstorm.
Ang Yin was greatly surprised; he hadn't expected Li Qiang's flying sword to be water-based. He immediately felt the sword technique become incredibly heavy. His Drifting Sand Sword was also a treasure-level flying sword, similarly possessing two attributes. He shouted, "Good! Good water! Transform into wood, chirp!"
A few green lights flashed, and in the heavy rain, countless green buds sprouted and grew leaves. In the forbidden area, towering trees grew rapidly, as if the heavier the rain, the faster the trees grew.
Li Qiang was truly surprised. He happily laughed and said, "Brother Ang is indeed extraordinary. Stop!" The heavy rain suddenly stopped, and he wanted to see how Ang Yin would change his sword techniques.
Ang Yin seemed somewhat excited. He hadn't used two sword techniques in combat for over a decade, and this was an extremely rare opportunity for him to examine his Law Technique cultivation. His ten fingers moved continuously, as if playing a pipa. Each flick of his fingers stirred up a flurry of green leaves, which swirled and fell, causing giant trees, as thick as two people could embrace, to crowd towards Li Qiang, filling the gaps between them with green leaves.
The cultivators outside the arena were completely silent, holding their breath and waiting to see how Li Qiang would resolve the situation.
Li Qiang watched the forest's transformation with a grin. He was least afraid of the illusions of the wood-element flying sword, but he had held back to understand Ang Yin's sword technique. Finally, Ang Yin unleashed his power. Countless giant trees rolled in with terrifying force, each green leaf rapidly spinning and slicing towards him. Li Qiang knew he couldn't wait any longer; once the giant trees got close, things would get serious.
Everyone's eyes widened as a faint red light appeared, followed by a soft "hiss" sound, like a lit match thrown into gasoline, and then a deafening "boom" as flames shot into the sky.
Li Qiang yelled strangely in the fire, "Fire! The big log is on fire! Haha, Brother Ang, watch out for your log, haha!" The shape of the fire was very strange, layer upon layer rolling outwards, like surging waves, centered on Li Qiang, rushing outwards like a tide, one wave after another.
Feng Qianbao was filled with astonishment and couldn't help but exclaim, "Heavens! He can actually transform into a fire-elemental flying sword! Hey, Brother Xia, have you ever seen such a sword technique before?"
Xia Yuntao's expression was grave, and he said with a wry smile, "This person is no simpleton. I don't think he's even used his full strength yet, but Brother Ang has already unleashed all his secrets. It's not a good look, not a good look at all."
Ang Yin, caught in the middle of the situation, was in even more distress. He hadn't expected that his opponent's flying sword was also dual-attribute. He wanted to switch his spiritual technique to reignite the sandstorm, but Li Qiang wouldn't allow him to make any more of a move.
Countless firebirds the size of sparrows took flight from the rolling flames, followed by a gigantic firebird emerging from the fire. Li Qiang shouted, "Fire Phoenix!" A sharp phoenix cry rang out, and the fire phoenix that Li Qiang had mimicked reappeared.
He had used this sword technique once before when he was fighting with the people of Qianjie Star over magical Law Treasure on Heavenly Court Star. This time, the method of materialization was greatly improved compared to the last time. The fire phoenix looked like a real spirit bird, and it was impossible to tell that it was an illusionary flying sword.
Unable to withstand the scorching flames, Ang Yin forcibly switched his spiritual technique, causing the burning giant tree to shatter into dust and mist with a deafening roar. Li Qiang knew that Ang Yin had miscalculated; the switch in his sword technique had left a significant flaw that he couldn't correct in time. The fire phoenix gracefully flew above Ang Yin, its beautiful Yu Fei out bluish-purple flames that surrounded him Ang Yin.
In an instant, the illusion of the forbidden field vanished. Li Qiang stood gracefully suspended in mid-air, his hands forming a magic seal. The raging flames around him illuminated him dazzlingly. A beautiful fire phoenix danced gracefully in the forbidden field, and countless sparrow-sized firebirds gathered and dispersed around the fire phoenix, creating a scene that looked like a dream from afar.
Ang Yin struggled desperately. His flying sword could no longer materialize and could only circle around him, but the flames shooting from the fire phoenix were unbearable, even more intense than the Samadhi True Fire. Fortunately, his flying sword was a treasure, which could barely withstand the scorching flames, otherwise he would have perished long ago. He knew in his heart that he had already suffered a crushing defeat.
Teleportation is impossible within the restricted area, and Ang Yin was extremely embarrassed. He was too ashamed to call a halt, as the area outside was filled with experts from various sects and disciples of Heavenly Cultivation Garrison. He never imagined that Li Qiang's Law Technique would be so powerful. He was still holding a Law Treasure in his hand, preparing to use it as a last resort, but unexpectedly, Li Qiang suddenly waved his hand, and the fire phoenix cried out before transforming into a sky Stars Filling the Sky, abruptly shrinking back to Li Qiang's side.
Li Qiang laughed and said, "Brother Ang's sword control is truly eye-opening. Hehe, I've also secretly learned a bit of the essence. Amazing." He was genuinely praising him.
Ang Yin felt ashamed, knowing that Li Qiang was saving face for him. He smiled bitterly, sheathed his flying sword, and said, "Senior Muzi truly lives up to his reputation as a master from another realm. Ang Yin concedes defeat." Although he was not entirely Qi Ingestion, he was, after all, a master and could readily admit his defeat.
The cultivators outside the arena were in an uproar; no one had expected Ang Yin to lose so quickly. His defeat stemmed from carelessness. He immediately resorted to using his flying sword to mimic objects, assuming his Drifting Sand Sword, being a powerful treasure, would be formidable. However, he underestimated Li Qiang's Star-Absorbing Sword. Most importantly, Li Qiang exploited a weakness during his sword technique transition, forcing the Drifting Sand Sword to his side by the Fire Phoenix, rendering it unable to transform and mimic objects, leading to his crushing defeat.
Li Qiang bowed and said, "Is there anyone else who would like to offer some guidance?" He was showing interest. Indeed, one could learn a lot through Law Technique contests.
Xuanyuan Yiqing stood in the crowd, his heart pounding. He never dreamed that Li Qiang would be so powerful. He realized how foolish he had been to try and take advantage of Li Qiang, treating him like a sucker. If Li Qiang got angry, he might not even know how he died.
Ang Yin's defeat shocked the other cultivation experts. Xia Yuntao, the sect leader of the Azure Extremity Sect, knew things were going badly. It seemed no one would dare challenge Li Qiang now. Li Qiang hadn't even worn armor during the match, clearly indicating he hadn't used his full strength. He forced a smile and said, "Senior Muzi, could two cultivators come up to learn from you?"
These words immediately sparked a flurry of discussion among the cultivators outside the arena. They had never heard of a contest of Law Treasure being two against one; this was blatant bullying. Although it was unfair, many cultivation experts were already eager to try their luck, as competing against such experts would greatly benefit their future cultivation.
Li Qiang said, "I don't care, any number of them are fine!" He wasn't stupid; he could tell these people wouldn't let him go. He guessed that even if the immortals hadn't arrived at Linming Planet yet, they must have sent some information. He knew they wanted to hold him back, so he planned to establish some authority at Linming Planet, which would at least deter most cultivators and prevent them from causing trouble.
Feng Qianbao, Xia Yuntao, and Ang Yin exchanged glances, a hint of joy flashing in their eyes. Feng Qianbao said, "Old Xia, how about we team up?"
Ang Yin clicked his tongue and said, "Isn't this a bit too much? You are grandmasters of Wondrous Dragon City." He also understood that Li Qiang's words just now indicated that he had already sensed something was wrong.
The two grandmasters flew into the center of the restricted area and bowed simultaneously, saying, "Please enlighten us, Senior Muzi."
The cultivators outside erupted in shouts. This wasn't just a matter of fairness; it was blatant bullying of outsiders. Two grandmasters joining forces against a cultivator from another region was unprecedented in Wondrous Dragon City. Some cried out, "This is too much!" Others grumbled, "When did the sect leader of Wondrous Dragon City become so shameless?"
Li Qiang was surprised that someone would stand up for him, and he couldn't help but feel a bit of goodwill towards the cultivators of Wondrous Dragon City.
Then Ang Yin shouted, "This was agreed upon by Senior Muzi. If Senior Muzi refuses to compete, I can order it to be stopped immediately in the name of Heavenly Cultivation Garrison. No one is allowed to make a fuss!" He had a very high prestige in Wondrous Dragon City, and the noise outside immediately subsided.
Ang Yin was also conflicted. After his competition with Li Qiang, he greatly admired him, but the current situation was beyond his control.
Feng Qianbao voice to Xia Yuntao: "If we can keep him trapped for three days, we'll have completed our mission. Don't hurt him, or we'll be in trouble."
Xia Yuntao nodded slightly; he was well aware of Li Qiang's importance.
Feng Qianbao donned his armor, looking a little embarrassed, and said, "Senior Muzi, you can use any Law Treasure you like. Sect Leader Xia and I will only use our flying swords. Hehe, we just want to see the magic Law Treasure from another realm. I'm afraid others won't be able to withstand your methods, Senior."
With two Grandmasters at the Body Integration Realm attacking together, Li Qiang knew he had to be careful. He smiled and said with a double meaning, "Alright! As you wish." At the same time, he summoned the Fire Essence Immortal Armor and unleashed the Supreme Radiance Shuttle.
Xia Yuntao exclaimed, "A celestial artifact? How could it be a celestial artifact!" The entire hall fell into a deathly silence.