Meeting in Candor, the Truth of the Dragon Gate

Yu Tunzhou suppressed the distracting thoughts in his mind and followed the figure in the white dress at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

Ahead, An Ruyu walked leisurely, her skirt sweeping across the gravel, as if strolling in her own backyard. She never looked back, seemingly unaware of the figure following her, and continued walking straight ahead.

"What exactly is this demoness looking for?" Yu Tunzhou wondered to himself.

He followed for about half an hour. An Ruyu had changed directions three times. Each time, she would stop for a moment, squat down to examine the marks on the ground, and then get up and continue walking.

Is this guy looking for a portal to a secret realm, or is he tracking something?

Huntian couldn't help but mutter, "This girl is unusually quiet, so why did you follow her?"

"Hmph, this vixen is cunning. She even made a special trip to see me before entering the Dragon Gate. Now that things are going strangely, I'm sure she has some scheme in mind here."

Yu Tunzhou's gaze was fixed on the figure ahead, his tone resolute.

"The Incense-Smelling Cult has more than one powerful figure behind it. In terms of the Immortals and Gods beings behind it, it is probably more terrifying than the royal family, the Xiao Household, and the Tantai Household. In my opinion, she and Ji Zhaoxuan both entered the Dragon Gate with clear purposes."

In his view, even great Buddhist School bodhisattvas like Samantabhadra and Manjusri, whose status is not as high as the Five Emperors, are of questionable strength; they are simply in the first tier below the Buddha.

No matter how powerful the Five Emperors were, they could never compare to the Buddha and the Three Pure Ones.

"I wonder who's behind the Incense-Smelling Cult, and what they're after..."

Yu Tunzhou knew that, compared to Ji Zhaoxuan and the others, An Yaonu's side was the place where he was most likely to obtain information.

After all, this enchantress came looking for him before entering the Dragon Gate, specifically mentioning the backgrounds of the Xiao Household and Tantai Household, clearly wanting to join forces with him.

Yu Tunzhou guessed that the purpose of the Incense-Smelling Cult was most likely to conflict with the royal family, making them inherently enemies.

But just now, it seems that Xiao Yanzhi and Tantai Mingyu also abandoned Ji Zhaoxuan and left. Has this meant they've also turned against each other?

Is there a conflict of interest between the royal family and the four powerful Lineage who support them?

Yu Tunzhou couldn't help but shake his head. When it comes to beings above Immortals and Gods, how can mere words describe the unpredictable and treacherous nature of the situation?

Huntian listened, and it seemed that there was some truth to it.

Just as Yu Tunzhou was reviewing and rehearsing, An Ruyu suddenly stopped in front of him.

She suddenly turned her face to the side, looking towards him from a distance, her eyes smiling as she said:

"Young Hero Guo, you've been following me for so long, could it be that you've finally succumbed to Liaose and want to abduct me to be your bandit queen?"

Yu Tunzhou remained calm. How could he be being followed? He hadn't made any effort to conceal his presence along the way; he had been completely open and aboveboard!

His gaze swept over An Ruyu.

The enchantress was dressed in a spotless white dress, her hair neatly combed, making her look nothing like someone who had endured a month of bloody rain.

Judging from this dress alone, it's probably a Law Treasure.

After a brief standoff, Yu Tunzhou chose to get straight to the point; this enchantress was cunning, and beating around the bush was pointless.

"What exactly do the royal family, the Xiao Household, and the Tantai Household hope to gain from the Dragon Gate by joining Dragon Gate?"

An Ruyu smiled and asked instead of answering, "The Dragon Gate Secret Realm is undergoing many changes, with Immortals and Gods forces and geniuses from various races vying for power. Everyone has their own selfish motives. I wonder what Young Hero Guo's purpose is in coming here?"

Yu Tunzhou said calmly, "Naturally, it's for the sake of fortuitous opportunity and good fortune."

The Eternal Dragon Gate, a place of creation built during the heyday of the Dragon Race, was coveted even by the Heavenly Court in the past. Now that it is open to their generation, there is no reason not to enter.

"What fortuitous opportunity within the Dragon Gate has Young Hero Guo come for?"

Yu Tunzhou shook his head and said, "What exactly lies within the Dragon Gate is something even the Dragon Race might not know."

"The Dragon Race has indeed long forgotten," An Ruyu said with an undiminished smile. "But for some beings, what is hidden within the Dragon Gate is not really a secret. Didn't the powerful figure behind Young Hero Guo instruct you on what to take back after entering the Dragon Gate?"

Yu Tunzhou squinted; was this a test of his background, to determine if he had powerful backers, and thus assess the feasibility of cooperation?

Asking him why he came was probably also to confirm whether there was a conflict of interest between them.

"Of course," Yu Tunzhou said calmly, "But the person behind me has always been indifferent to fame and fortune, and his attitude towards Dragon Gate is that it is a matter of fortuitous opportunity and destiny, and that the virtuous should occupy it."

To put it simply, just take whatever comes your way!

A strange light flashed in An Ruyu's eyes, and she blinked, saying, "I wonder which powerful figure stands behind Young Hero Guo?"

"I can only tell you that you come from Daoist School."

Yu Tunzhou knew that lies couldn't fool this enchantress, so he only told the truth. After revealing part of it, he changed the subject and said,

"When you sought me out that day, you specifically mentioned Tantai Mingyu's Lesser Three Talents Formation, hoping to join forces with me. But shouldn't the true alliance refer to the entities behind you and me?"

"Today, I, Yu, have shown utmost sincerity by setting aside past grievances. It's time you revealed some of the truth to me—what does the royal family want? What do overseas forces want from the Dragon Gate? And what about your Incense-Smelling Cult?"

An Ruyu raised her small face and asked curiously, "Young Hero Guo, do you really have a powerful figure behind you?"

Yu Tunzhou stood with his hands behind his back, head held high, and said:

"Of course, and there's more than one!"

"But Ruyu remembers that the Northern Dark Sea was most resistant to serving Immortals and Gods during his lifetime. If it weren't for that, perhaps he wouldn't have died young," An Ruyu said quietly.

"Master Lu is Master Lu, and I am me. Besides, I have no interest in working for others."

Yu Tunzhou shook his head, a cloud of doubt rising in his heart.

Is the death of Master Lu in the Northern Dark Sea related to the powerful immortals and Immortals and Gods behind the scenes?

"Unwilling to be driven by others, then you must be inheriting the lineage of your master?" An Ruyu's smile remained unchanged as she pressed on, "Could it be that you have truly become a disciple of the Highest Purity Sect? May I ask which eminent master of Highest Purity you are a student of?"

"Heh heh..." Yu Tunzhou smirked. This vixen's ability to extract information was truly unmatched.

She almost guessed right!

An Ruyu, unusually serious, began to speak in a gentle and detailed manner:

"What interests those Immortals and Gods are either secrets of sufficient value, powerful immortal artifacts Supreme Purity Lineage, or resources related to their own advancement in the Great Dao."

"The various factions that Young Hero Guo just inquired about are all here for the three mentioned above. As for the specifics, only they themselves know."

"As for the true purpose of the Incense-Smelling Cult —I can make an exception and reveal it to Young Hero Guo, since you've come to see me, haven't you?"

An Ruyu's beautiful eyes sparkled, and a lively smile appeared on her face.

Yu Tunzhou looked suspicious. He didn't know the others, but could they reveal their purpose for coming?

Do you even believe that yourself?

Even if you suddenly blurted out "Chinese people don't lie to Chinese people" at this moment, you wouldn't believe it yourself!

"Ha... I'm all ears."

Yu Tunzhou wants to hear what kind of answer this enchantress can come up with.

"Young Hero Guo also knows that our Incense-Smelling Cult is a large and powerful organization with many powerful backers, so we have quite a few requirements."

"Therefore, before entering the Dragon Gate this time, I received the decree from the Old Mother that I must also obtain the water transport treasures hidden by the Dragon Race in the past, the Dragon Race weapons left by the Ancestral Dragon, and the treasures entrusted here by various powerful beings. In particular, the things left behind by the Human Emperor must not be overlooked..."

An Ruyu recounted the fortuitous opportunity within the Dragon Gate in great detail, as if they were his own treasures, and considered them all as his own.

Yu Tunzhou looked grave.

Whether these words are true or false is no longer important; what matters is what An Ruyu revealed.

He and Huntian had suspected something about water transport before they entered the Dragon Gate.

But the following few were completely unknown!

This is a case of Huntian the blame.

So many things...

I can't handle it myself.

"Wait, you mean the Human Emperor?" Yu Tunzhou suddenly asked in surprise, "How could the Human Emperor be related to the Dragon Gate?"

The Dragon Gate was built in the early Primordial period, while the Human Emperor belonged to the High Antiquity period.

"The Human Emperor is the first and only person to attain enlightenment in this world since the Primordial Era. For him, even the Dragon Gate, which is difficult for all the Immortals and Gods to find, is nothing more than a matter of a single thought."

"... What did the Human Emperor leave behind?" Yu Tunzhou pressed.

"The record of this event was left by the first leader, but he did not specify what he left behind," An Ruyu shook her head.

The first leader... was the Incense-Smelling Cult really founded by a disciple of the Human Emperor?

Otherwise, how would they know such a secret!

Yu Tunzhou fell into deep thought.

Suddenly, An Ruyu chuckled softly, "Since I have been so frank with you, I wonder if Young Hero Guo is backed by the Daode Lineage or the Jade Void Lineage?"

Yu Tunzhou instantly became suspicious and looked up warily, asking, "Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"

An Ruyu smoothed her hair and smiled, "With the Supreme Purity Lineage offering such strong protection, it's quite possible that Young Hero Guo will become a disciple of the Three Pure Ones. He could potentially join the Yuxu Sect or the Dao and Virtue Sect, but the Supreme Purity Lineage is absolutely out of the question."

How so?

"Because Ruyu didn't receive any instructions from her mother." An Ruyu smiled enigmatically, as if hinting at something.

Yu Tunzhou frowned immediately, a guess forming in his mind. "Among the Twelve Mothers, is there a powerful figure from the Supreme Purity Lineage?"

The Twelve Elder Mothers of the Incense-Smelling Cult span both Daoism and Buddhism; could there be a female Immortals and Gods from the Supreme Purity Lineage among them?

Speaking of which... the Supreme Purity Lineage is the Tongtian sect. According to the records of the Investiture of the Investiture of the Gods, that person taught without discrimination, and had quite a few Demon Race under his tutelage.

"What's so surprising about that?" An Ruyu said meaningfully, "Perhaps the behind-the-scenes forces of the royal family and others also have a 'nominal' presence in the Sacred Cult."

... What exactly is this Incense-Smelling Cult?

Yu Tunzhou a deep breath, suppressing his shock.

Spanning both Immortals and Gods gathered here?

An Ruyu seemed to be kindly reminding him, "There are some things I dare to say only here. Once we leave Dragon Gate, Young Hero Guo, you must keep your mouth shut, for there are gods watching over you."

These words carried a significant implication, causing Yu Tunzhou's expression to turn serious.

"I have some matters to attend to, so I will not continue traveling with Young Hero Yu."

An Ruyu suddenly curtsied gracefully, her posture elegant and poised.

"Today, I am equally sincere, speaking frankly with Young Hero Guo. The road Dragon Gate is fraught with peril, with various forces locked in fierce battles. I hope that in the final moments, I can stand with Young Hero Guo to resist the combined oppression of other forces."

Yu Tunzhou gave a mumbled reply.

As she finished speaking, her skirt fluttered, An Ruyu, without lingering for a moment, slowly walked away in the direction she had just chosen.

Her slender figure moved through the wasteland, quickly disappearing from sight, and the faint fragrance that had lingered also faded away.

Yu Tunzhou stood still, watching the figure disappear completely, without following after him.

"The Incense-Smelling Cult..." he murmured to himself.

The secrets I learned from An Ruyu today far exceeded my expectations.

This vixen has been excessively frank today.

Of course, he didn't believe everything. For example, Incense-Smelling Cult this time, An Ruyu must have hidden some key secrets, just like him, which is quite normal.

What puzzled him most was the reason why countless Immortals and Gods gathered at the Incense-Smelling Cult and used the sect as a pretext for their actions.

Could it be that their lineage has been destroyed?

In today's world, Daoism and Buddhism, while not necessarily flourishing, are certainly standing strong.

Is it that the lineage still exists, but has long been usurped, hence the inability or unwillingness to connect with or rely on it?

This is the worst-case scenario that Yu Tunzhou can think of for the time being.

Yu Tunzhou watched the direction An Ruyu had left in, knowing that this man must have other plans, but he didn't intend to follow him any further, since he had already achieved his goal.

He began to review their conversation with Huntian.

An Ruyu previously mentioned that certain beings used the Dragon Gate as a pretext to hide certain things...

As expected, this being is at least at the Human Emperor level!

Yu Tunzhou couldn't help but look up at the sky.

Is this Dragon Gate some kind of guild warehouse?

A thought suddenly flashed through my mind—could the true tomb of the Human Emperor be hidden deep within Dragon Gate?

Yu Tunzhou slowly exhaled a long breath:

"The situation is unpredictable..."

Huntian deeply agreed, "The strategies of powerful beings are always so intricate and complex."

"Was the Great Sage like this before?" Yu Tunzhou asked curiously.

Huntian coughed lightly. "Our Demon Race has always judged people by their strength, not by such convoluted schemes."

The saying "Yu Tunzhou" aptly describes the difference between those who rely on action and those who rely on thought.

"Water transport, the divine weapon of the Ancestral Dragon, the legacy of the Human Emperor..." Yu Tunzhou stepped forward, "If I could collect them all, that would be an immense stroke of luck!"

This conversation confirmed to him that Immortals and Gods- like being would ultimately intervene.

Does the Dragon Gate itself possess the power to contend with it?

Based on the previous conversation with Dragon Gate, it is clear that Dragon Race Dragon Gate. It remains to be seen who is stronger and more cunning.

The Yu Tunzhou and continued forward; no matter what, this hurdle had to be overcome.

He continued forward, refining the strange black mist between heaven and earth while enduring the continuous blood rain, focusing on honing the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art Second Level.

The Sixteenth Blood Rain...

The seventeenth time...

After the eighteenth blood rain, fewer and fewer people could see Yu Tunzhou.

During this time, he had a chance encounter with Niu Tuntian.

Niu Tuntian waved to him from afar, but did not approach.

After the nineteenth blood rain, Yu Tunzhou stopped and stood facing the two figures from a distance.

One was dressed in Hongyi, the other in a long skirt of five colors.

The Feng Yanleng, and so was Kong Ling of the Demon Race.

They seemed to be traveling together the whole time.

When the three parties met, Kong Ling had already learned from others that Yu Tunzhou had almost killed Ao E, and was wary of him, so he did not approach.

After giving Yu Tunzhou a deep look, Feng Yanleng Leng turned and led Kong Ling in another direction.

Suddenly, Feng Yanleng's clear and melodious voice reached Yu Tunzhou's ears:

"Hold on until the very end, go as far as you can, and give it your all, just like you did in the first challenge!"

Yu Tunzhou watched the two women leave.

He then continued on his way.

The journey ahead became increasingly lonely.

Until... the thirtieth bloodbath.

Looking around, there was not a single person in sight; it was as if he were the only person left in the entire world.

Starting from the thirtieth blood rain, the rainwater's consumption of Qi and Blood increased step by step, which even he found difficult to bear.

It was also during this period that the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art, which originally required a long period of refinement, reached the peak of the second level.

As a supreme-level technique, the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art possesses the characteristic of "learning from Heaven and Earth," emphasizing only innate talent.

In other words, as long as one has enough talent, one can reach the top even without the help of any heavenly materials and earthly treasures; the only difference is that the cultivation speed will be slower.

For example, the second level requires refining a large amount of the power of heaven and earth to further strengthen the physical body. Without external resources, one can only learn from heaven and earth, drawing upon the Power of the Eight Extremes from the world and transforming it into what one needs.

This is also the reason why the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art have unparalleled survival capabilities.

The Eight Tribulations encompass everything; the profound technique can transform almost any energy, even the Nine Netherworlds Demonic Qi, which High Antiquity Qi cultivators avoided at all costs, can be transformed by the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art Profound Technique into what it needs.

Putting everything else aside, this Dragon Gate Secret Realm is indeed an excellent training ground for cultivating profound martial arts.

Whether it's the black fog at night, the radiant sunlight from the two suns during the day, or even blood rain, all can become resources for cultivating the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art, with the Power of the Eight Extremes being particularly abundant.

Therefore, along the way, Yu Tunzhou's Eight-Nine Mysterious Art had reached the second peak. His skin, flesh, muscles and bones were surrounded by an Indestructible Golden Light as solid as a light membrane, which carried a sacred and transcendent aura as it flowed, just like a god descending to earth.

According to Huntian, this golden light is called the Indestructible Golden Light, which is impervious to weapons and can quickly recover even if shattered, ultimately becoming immortal Indestructible.

The Indestructible Golden Light should have appeared after the second stage of cultivation was completed, but Yu Tunzhou was struck by Nine Heavens strikes at the beginning of his cultivation, and coupled with the changes in the world, the Indestructible Golden Light appeared in the first stage.

Currently, the intensity of his golden light is comparable to that of the third level.

In terms of physical strength alone, he has already surpassed Niu Tuntian of that day.

Of course, Niu Tuntian should also be making progress during this time.

The Lairu, breaking through the third level, involves the creation of Inner Heaven and Earth.

Yu Tunzhou is still hesitant about this step.

Because the formation of Inner Heaven and Earth is related to the Dao Path.

As night deepened, a new wave of wind and rain swept in.

Yu Tunzhou looked up and saw raindrops falling from the sky, which quickly turned into a dense, torrential downpour.

The thirty-first blood rain descended.

In the blood-red rain curtain, wisps of black mist appeared.

Tonight, black mist should have appeared, but the accumulation of blood rain signifies that the rules of this world are about to undergo a new change.

The two celestial phenomena that had been alternating were now completely merged into one. Crimson rain, mixed with inky black mist, fell from the sky, no longer simply eroding Qi and Blood, but generating an extremely strange and devouring power.

Yu Tunzhou clearly sensed that the Inner Qi were dissolving and dissipating bit by bit.

This was no ordinary devouring; it was more like erasure from existence itself.

He suddenly looked into the darkness.

"Tap... tap..."

The sound of footsteps, which had been heard on the first night, reappeared, masked by the sound of rain.

Yu Tunzhou gets up.

He had searched for what was hidden in the darkness, but found nothing.

This time, he didn't want to miss out again.

A golden light appeared on his skin. Instead of waiting for his prey to escape, Yu Tunzhou rushed into the darkness, fearing that his opponent might escape again.

In the darkness, a chilling cracking sound suddenly rang out, but it was quickly swallowed up by the sound of rain.

Yu Tunzhou looked down at his feet, where a skeleton lay silently.

He carefully examined the remains and confirmed that the deceased was Dragon Race. The style of the clothing left beside the skeleton was immediately recognized by Huntian as being from the early Primordial Era.

Is this the secret hidden in the darkness?

What exactly is hidden at this Dragon Gate?

Yu Tunzhou took another step, heading towards the direction from which the next set of footsteps sounded.

That night, he searched for those elusive footsteps in the darkness.

When the blood rain subsided and dawn broke, Yu Tunzhou was suddenly stunned.

He found himself standing not far from that Tongtian mountain that he had always considered his goal but had always found difficult to reach!

Only at this moment did he realize that a head was coiled around this Tongtian sacred mountain...

Red Dragon!

The red dragon coiled around the entire sacred mountain, which also meant that its length far exceeded the height of the sacred mountain.

The dragon was entirely crimson, yet it seemed to have no feet, and its body was covered in large areas of festering sores. The wounds were black, and black blood dripped continuously from them, from which grew something that Yu Tunzhou recognized all too well...

Black fog!

Yu Tunzhou frowned. This was the source of the black mist?

No wonder the black mist is essentially like Blood Qi and can be easily refined by Qi and Blood. It was originally formed from the Qi and Blood of a Dragon Race above the level of Immortals and Gods!

He consulted Hun Huntian in the Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth, asking which powerful figure of the Dragon Race was Hun Tian.

The next moment, Huntian's shocked cry rang out in the Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth:

"This is... Torch Dragon?!"