The Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple, the Head of an External Scenery Expert

As the man in the green robe stepped out the door, he disappeared into the endless yellow sand.

The hall was silent, save for the mournful howl of the wind and sand.

Only then did people realize that, apart from Sun Xiongman, all the powerful and infamous bandits under his command had been killed!

Sun Xiongman held this banquet to demonstrate his power and intimidate others, so almost all the bandits and outlaws who had submitted to him and who were of any standing attended.

But now—it has become the root cause of these people's deaths.

The remaining bandits were already so frightened that they knelt on the ground, begging for mercy.

"Gentlemen, let us join forces with Young Hero Yu to wipe out the bandits!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yiqing learned that the lord of Huyang Fort had taken the lead in attacking the remaining bandits, calling on everyone to join the fight, and many people responded in an instant.

"We should go," her second uncle whispered in her ear. "He killed Sun Xiongman, and I'm afraid the Supreme Origin Sect won't let it go. But he also killed Yin Tianjue, a young expert from the Supreme Origin Sect, last year, so he's got a lot to lose anyway—"

Uncle Liu Household paused, then sighed softly, "Only a young powerhouse like this, rising so rapidly, would disregard his opponent's backers and attack without restraint."

"Such a person, even if the road ahead is bumpy and mountains block the way, will still flatten it and sweep it aside!"

He turned his gaze to Liu Yiqing, only to find his niece staring blankly in the direction where Yu Tunzhou had disappeared, before finally looking away after a long while.

Liu Yiqing gently brushed aside her wind-blown hair and looked back at this oasis that had existed before tonight, and now a desert that would become tonight.

This is the story of rise and fall in a single night.

Three days later.

Yu Tunzhou's figure appeared beneath the city gate of the Far West City.

After defeating Sun Xiongman, he did not turn back, but instead ventured deeper into the Gobi Desert, arriving at this majestic city at the westernmost edge of the Central Plains.

The Far West City is located at the junction of the Central Plains and the Western Jue Continent, making its geographical location extremely unique.

It is precisely because of this that the Far West City is a melting pot of all sorts of people, coveted by various forces, and home to many hidden masters. Compared to places like Twin Rivers Commandery, it appears more chaotic, with various forces confronting each other.

In addition, another name for the Western Jue Continent is Western Frontier.

The Western Frontier is known as the Three Thousand Great Mountains, a vast and dangerous place with dense forests, miasma, and poisonous insects, making it an extremely harsh living environment. Since ancient times, it has been a place of exile for the Central Plains dynasties.

The reason Yu Tunzhou came here is because the Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple is located in the Far West City.

His main reason for visiting was still related to Little Black.

According to Huntian, his Primordial Spirit Inner Form had actually reached the point before transformation, which is why it had become increasingly dormant.

As for how the Kun Fish transformed into the Peng, even it couldn't figure it out. Although it was Golden-Winged Great Peng Lineage and a close relative of the Kunpeng Lineage, their relationship wasn't very good.

In fact, apart from that ancestor, the Kunpeng Lineage has not produced any noteworthy powerhouses in later generations.

It's unclear whether someone kept their skills hidden and didn't pass them on to their descendants, or if the Kunpeng bloodline was simply ordinary.

Furthermore, the Little Black Yu Tunzhou's family was quite different from the Kun Fish it knew. It was unclear whether this was due to the infiltration of the Kunpeng Divine Intent or other factors.

Yu Tunzhou knew that his Kun Fish Inner Form was essentially a product of his Primordial Spirit visualization, combined with the sublimation of the Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic, but its foundation was still in the Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple.

So this time, he wanted to visit Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple on his way to see if he could unravel the mystery and find the key.

Upon entering the city, Yu Tunzhou first found a restaurant to inquire about some information.

The restaurant was bustling with noise; you could hear accents from all over the country, and many of the people coming and going were martial arts practitioners carrying swords and knives.

Yu Tunzhou found a corner seat by the window, ordered several signature dishes, and could hear the discussions at the neighboring tables clearly.

A Western Frontier warrior with tattoos on his face was arguing with someone nearby. "Come on, the Western Frontier has no shortage of strong warriors, let alone young ones. The real strong warriors are fighting day and night in the Three Thousand Great Mountains, fighting to the death. They are not comparable to the warriors of the Central Plains who grew up under the wings of their elders!"

The Central Plains martial artist sitting next to me, who had just taken off his bamboo hat and sat down, raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "I don't like hearing that. The Dragon and Tiger Ranking has always valued real battle records. Which martial artist who can make it onto the list doesn't have solid achievements?"

"It's not like you Western Frontier martial artists haven't been on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking before. Thirty years ago, Senior Lingyue, who was hailed as the number one among the younger generation in Western Frontier, was ranked fifth on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking when she was young. Why didn't you say that back then?"

The Western Frontier warrior sneered, "In this generation, our Western Frontier has three people who are no less than Senior Lingyue back then. For example, Holy Maiden Su from the Holy Land Shennong Valley, but because she hasn't entered the Central Plains, none of the three are on the list. Tell me, what's the point of this Dragon and Tiger Ranking!"

"Since they didn't enter the Central Plains, what else is there to say?" The Central Plains martial artist chuckled. "The Dragon and Tiger Ranking focuses on actual battle records. So-called rumors and hearsay can only serve as a reference until the truth is revealed."

On the other side, the bodyguard who had been arguing with the Western Frontier warriors received reinforcements and laughed, "According to your logic, the direct descendants of the ancestral temples of Daoism and Buddhism don't even need to leave their mountain gates; they can just give a notification and be on the list. But in reality, even the disciples of Heaven Ranking masters have to leave their mountain gates, travel the martial world, and achieve convincing results in order to be on the list."

"That might have been true before, but it's not necessarily true these days," the Western Frontier warrior sneered. "Otherwise, how do you explain the speed at which Yu Tunzhou climbs the rankings?"

"This kid was ranked number one on the Reserve Ranking back when he had no achievements whatsoever, and his Form Refinement was barely even fully developed."

"Now, less than a year has passed, and it has soared to fourth place!"

The bodyguard shook his head and said, "Explain? Explain what? Why don't you go and kill Jin Xiongfei, a Late Divine Ability Stage cultivator, with a single finger strike and show us?"

The Western Frontier warrior retorted, "Relying solely on a single Dharma Aspect Divine Ability might be enough to crush ordinary martial artists, but which of the top young talents doesn't have a trump card?"

"A true martial artist cannot rely solely on one trump card; otherwise, once that trump card is lost, they will be at the mercy of others."

"Young Hero Yu was able to rank fourth because of the Dao Path Phenomenon. Have any of the three from your Western Frontier generation shown Dao Path Phenomenon?" the Central Plains martial artist countered.

"How can such strange phenomena be considered valid?" The Western Frontier warrior paused, then retorted again, "Mo Tianxiong, the young master of Black Sha Grotto, also has a record of defeating Late Divine Ability Stage martial artist within the sect. Based on his battle record, he also has the strength to be among the top five!"

The Central Plains martial artist dismissed it, saying, "How can defeating one's own people count? In all these years in the Central Plains, no major Aristocratic Clan or sect has ever used such a record. Regardless of whether it's faked or not, one would never go all out against their own young master!"

"Not bad." Another diner joined the fray, immediately agreeing, "That Mo Tianxiong is indeed skilled, but to be in the top five? I'm afraid even the top ten will be difficult! My friend, you've lived in the Western Frontier for too long and are unaware of the vastness of the world. You're underestimating the heroes of the land."

Someone spoke up, "That number one on the Reserve Ranking was indeed quite controversial in the martial arts world last year, but looking at it this year, we can only say that the people of [Star Palace] have excellent judgment."

Seeing that the warriors from the Western Frontier were at a disadvantage, the people from the Western Frontier who had only been watching the show couldn't help but join the battle, listing the past achievements of Holy Maiden Su, Mo Tianxiong, and Shi Shouling White Water Stronghold.

Soon, the verbal dispute spread rapidly throughout the entire restaurant, with both sides trying to win over their allies.

"Young hero, do you think what I said makes sense?"

One of them, his throat dry from arguing, suddenly changed the subject, throwing the question to his friend sitting by the window, while he picked up the wine jug and took two big gulps.

The Western Frontier warriors who had originally been vying with him for superiority shifted their attention to the young man by the window. Sitting by the window, Yu Tunzhou put down his wine cup, having finished his meal. Looking back, he felt a mix of amusement and exasperation, but mostly nostalgia. It was as if he were seeing again the forums and online communities of his past life, where people argued fiercely over the combat power of a character, even citing classical texts and arguing until the next morning.

And now, he has become one of the characters in other people's arguments.

As the thought crossed his mind, Yu Tunzhou spoke, his voice drowning out the arguing crowd, whose anger was already rising. "Gentlemen, there's no need for further debate."

The restaurant was Central Plains noisy and chaotic, but when he spoke, everyone subconsciously fell silent and listened intently, as if something had captured their attention.

The restaurant was eerily quiet at this moment, and everyone felt a strange sense of unease, as if they were facing an invincible powerhouse!

Yu Tunzhou put down his wine cup, picked up the cloth bag on the table, and stood up gracefully, saying, "I have arrived in the Far West City and will be staying here for a while. If any young talents from the Western Frontier lack an opportunity to make a name for themselves, feel free to challenge me."

"Whether they are heroes or mere mortals will become clear after the battle."

He's now fourth on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, so naturally others are challenging him, not to mention those who aren't even on the list!

"You are... Young Hero Yu Tunzhou?!"

The Central Plains martial artist who had spoken earlier suddenly stood up and blurted out.

At this time, someone claiming to be surnamed Yu dared to accept the challenge from many talented young men in the Western Frontier —after searching the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, only this person, whom they had just been arguing with, could do it.

Yu Tunzhou nodded slightly to him, picked up his cloth bag, and walked out of the restaurant.

After receiving his acknowledgment, the people in the restaurant looked at each other in disbelief, their hearts pounding. They hadn't expected this person to actually come to the Far West City. It wasn't until long after that figure had left that the restaurant resumed its more intense discussions.

Some people rushed out of the restaurant and jumped down from the second floor.

Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple.

Since the battle report from the Northern Dark Continent was sent back, Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple has been showing signs of becoming the dominant force in the Far West City, which has aroused great fear among various forces.

However, even the various factions dared not rashly join forces to expel the Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple from the presence of the Daoist Fuyao, who had already attained Half-Step Dharma Aspect.

After all, that Daoist Fuyao was not just Half-Step Dharma Aspect cultivator; more importantly, he always acted ruthlessly and had never shown the demeanor of a master, never following the rules of others.

All the major powers are well aware of how terrifying Half-Step Dharma Aspect person who disregards both manners and rules can be.

Therefore, how to control the Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple has become a headache for all the major families, and some even want to ask the old ancestor from the Western Frontier to come out of seclusion.

Fortunately, Zuo Lan of Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple revealed at a banquet that now that his senior brother had broken through to the Dharma Aspect, they would inevitably return to the south.

The Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple was originally located south of the Central Plains. Later, the dojo declined and was besieged by enemies in secret, so it had to abandon the ancestral dojo and flee in different places, eventually settling here.

Therefore, Zuo Lan's words finally put everyone at ease. It seemed that Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple was preparing to fight back. However, Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple no shortage of enemies, not just the Dragon Descendants. It was rumored that the Six Paths of Evil and Demons and the Demon Race had also secretly pursued them back then.

now.

Yu Tunzhou found out the location of Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple and went straight to the temple's gate.

The martial artist guarding the gate stopped him, smiling, "Brother, I'm sorry, we're not accepting disciples for the time being."

Yu Tunzhou asked with a smile, "May I ask if Senior Brother Zuo Lan is here?"

The martial artist guarding the gate was taken aback, looking at the young man before him with surprise and uncertainty, and said in a deep voice, "May I ask where you come from and what your name is?"

Master Zuo is the second strongest expert in their Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple. He entered the External Scenery early on and has now risen to the seventy-ninth place on the Earth Ranking!

The person before me dares to address Master Zuo as Senior Brother. Excluding the possibility of him courting death, he is most likely a master of Mortal World affairs. After all, looking young does not mean he is truly young.

At this moment.

A voice brimming with fighting spirit suddenly came from behind. "May I ask if you are the Young Hero Yu Tunzhou?"

Yu Tunzhou remained calm and handed the cloth bag in his hand to the person in front of him. "This is a gift for Senior Brother Zuo. Please hold it for me for a while and do not open it without permission. I will be right back."

The gatekeeper's expression shifted several times before he exclaimed in surprise, "Are you Yu Tunzhou from Luofu Grotto-Heaven, whom Uncle-Master Zhou mentioned several times in his letters?"

Upon receiving the bag, he was even more alarmed, smelling a strong stench of blood. If it weren't for the man's identity, he would have immediately thrown the bag away.

In his eyes, this person was not just the fourth on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking. In the letter from his Uncle-Master Zhou Tianchen, who was stationed in Luofu Grotto-Heaven, this person had also inherited the visualization diagram left by the ancestor, so he could be considered half one of his own!

So even though he felt inexplicably uneasy holding the cloth bag, he still didn't put it down.

Yu Tunzhou turns around, never expecting the challenge to come so quickly.

"It is indeed Yu."

The first to arrive looking for Yu Tunzhou was a martial artist from the Western Frontier, whose body was covered in tattoos on one side, making him look sinister and terrifying.

Yu Tunzhou had long heard of the Martial Dao system in the Western Frontier, which had taken a different approach and incorporated unique methods. This tattoo was one such method, allowing one to communicate with the Unseen and borrow their power.

According to Gold-Wielding Guard's investigation, the essence of this thing is very similar to a simplified Flesh and Blood Divine Ability after special processing, but there are also obvious differences.

Because the power of top-tier totems can even rival the Divine Ability of Dharma Aspect!

With each breakthrough in a realm, these totem tattoos extend deeper into the body, from the skin and flesh to the bones, eventually merging into the blood and reaching the Primordial Spirit.

"I am Pang Tu, dare you fight me?" The newcomer stepped forward, his gaze burning, his aura aggressive, and he had already locked onto Yu Tunzhou.

"Come on." Yu Tunzhou did not refuse. Under the Pure Land, he quickly gained an understanding of the person's strength.

The other party is very young, not even twenty years old, yet he has already reached the Early Divine Ability Stage. If placed on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, he would at least be in the top thirty, and he is by no means an unknown person.

However, if all the martial artists I challenge in the future are like these—

Yu Tunzhou couldn't help but shake his head.

This is a waste of his time.

He changed his mind and decided to take the initiative instead of waiting for the other party to make a move, so that the martial artists in the Far West City could have a correct understanding.

The next moment, the Yu Tunzhou and its momentum suddenly surged.

Pang Tu felt a blur before his eyes, and the aura he had locked onto was instantly broken free. The figure of his opponent seemed to have risen several feet in the air, looking down at him from above.

The indifferent gaze pressed down on him, giving him an involuntary illusion that he was not challenging a fellow martial artist, but rather offending a sacred totem that was inviolable in the the Unseen!

Pang Tu gritted his teeth, awakened the tattoo, and borrowed the power of the totem to envelop himself, instantly increasing his strength and restoring his confidence!

And the next instant.

A deafening "Zha" exploded in his ears, and his mind went completely blank. It was as if someone in the heavens had struck a thunderous drum, easily destroying his fighting spirit and clarity of mind, and robbing him of his reason!

When he came to his senses, it felt as if a whole day had passed.

He suddenly woke up and looked around, his eyes meeting the bewildered and shocked gazes of the crowd.

Pang Tu knew that his momentary lapse in concentration had lasted far longer than expected, and that this time was enough for the man to snap his neck.

So I've already lost?

The other party hasn't even made a move yet!

Is this the strength of the fourth-ranked player on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking?

Even without the aid of his Dharma Aspect Divine Ability, this person remains unfathomable!

"Your strength is decent, enough to qualify for the top thirty of the Dragon and Tiger Ranking." Yu Tunzhou's expression was stern as he nodded slightly, commenting calmly, "But if that's all you've got, you're far from worthy of my attention."

Pang Tu's face flushed red; for a moment, he didn't know whether to be happy or ashamed.

"What was that just now?" someone nearby murmured in confusion.

"Daoist School Thunderclap," a martial artist's voice tightened, "Is a Thunderclap technique similar to the Buddhist School Lion's Roar, and it probably also contains an impact on the Primordial Spirit. This person not only cultivates Thunder Method, but his Nature Cultivation cultivation should also have reached the Pure Land."

Pure Land.

Those three words were like a bucket of ice water poured over everyone's heads; they represented the threshold of Nature Cultivation for an expert in the External Scenery!

Just then, a majestic figure emerged from the depths of the Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple, his aura as imposing as a mountain and as vast as the sea. He strode forward, his voice tinged with excitement, and laughed loudly, "Could it be Junior Brother Yu Tunzhou from Luofu Grotto-Heaven?"

"I've been waiting for you to come to my door since last year!"

The onlookers were shocked; the newcomer was none other than Zuo Lan, a powerful External Scenery from the Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple known as the [Cloud-Turning Palm]!

This person actually came out to greet them personally, and even addressed Yu Tunzhou as a fellow disciple!

Is there a connection between Yu Tunzhou and Heavenly Peng Daoist Temple?

"I've heard so much about Senior Brother Zuo along the way."

Yu Tunzhou turned around and gestured to the gatekeeper to hand back the cloth bag. He took the bag and threw it directly to Zuo Lan.

"Senior Brother Zuo, this is the gift I prepared for you!"

"Oh?"

Zuo Lan's eyes flashed, and she immediately realized what was in the bag. However, she was not disgusted. Instead, she took it with great interest, wanting to see whose head was inside.

As soon as he tore off the cloth bag, the expressions of the onlookers all changed, especially the gatekeeper who had been carrying the bag. His face immediately fell, looking worse than if he were about to cry.

It was a severed head!

Zuo Lan stared at that face, her eyes narrowing, gradually becoming moved. After confirming the person's identity, she couldn't help but throw her head back and laugh heartily, the laughter dispelling the stench of blood in the Liaokong.

Yu Tunzhou smiled and said, "I heard that Senior Brother Zuo had a falling out with the Supreme Origin Sect, so I made a special trip to take the head of Sun Xiongman, the newly External Scenery of the Supreme Origin Sect, as a gift."

The onlookers stared in disbelief.

This is----

A headshot on External Scenery?!

Yu Tunzhou, ranked fourth on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking, already possesses the strength to kill External Scenery?