Inside the Martial Temple.

"Who would have thought, truly unexpected, that in this year's first examination, a record-breaking Military Scholar would emerge, directly crossing the Military Scholar assessment to be promoted to the title of 'Scholar'."

The elder scholars of the Martial Temple had varied reactions after Chen Ku broke the record at Yellow Sand Ridge.

Although there are countless Cultural and Martial Scholars within the Qiu Dragon Mansion, someone who crosses straight from examinee to Military Scholar and directly obtains the eighth-grade title is indeed a rarity.

"The name Chen Ku, I believe, will soon spread throughout the literary and martial halls of the entire Qiu Dragon Mansion, an instant fame, truly an instant fame."

A senior scholar looked at Tang Lie and said, "By the way, this Chen Ku, isn't he the one who obtained that 'Jiuli Armor Leaf' you were hiding, Old Tang? Speaking of it, you and he have a teacher-student bond, quite a fate."

Tang Lie, the elder scholar responsible for the Strange Stone Forest Iron Armor Rhinoceros challenge, was full of smiles, having already been very satisfied with Chen Ku's performance.

Being able to solve his challenge proved that Chen Ku was the outstanding martial artist that the Imperial Court needed.

He never expected that this young man who could break his challenge would have such potential.

Thinking of possibly having another promising 'disciple' in the future, the wrinkles on his face stretched out considerably.

He thought to himself:

"This Chen Ku is currently still in Baojiao County... but he will surely come to Qiu Dragon Mansion, I must make an effort to get closer to him by that time."

For these elder scholars, setting challenges in the Martial Temple seemed easy, but they were practically retired in the temple.

The truly promising and potential talents in the Martial Temple have already stepped out of their respective regions to build great careers.

As martial practitioners, whose greatest dream isn't to be conferred as a marquis, establish a command?

And Chen Ku had already shown considerable potential in this regard.

He certainly planned to use the association with the Jiuli Armor Leaf to find ways to connect with this rising star more.

Just as Tang Lie was pondering this,

Suddenly,

Someone inside the Martial Temple spoke up:

"Hmm? The Dragon-locking Stone has been entered by someone, it seems it's that Chen Ku?"

"The Dragon-locking Stone?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Lie hurriedly went over and saw on the Gold List, Chen Ku's Martial Arts Token position was near the Dragon-locking Stone checkpoint.

"The Dragon-locking Stone, also a hidden checkpoint, how clever of Chen Ku to consecutively find two hidden checkpoints?" Tang Lie was somewhat amazed.

"The Dragon-locking Stone, the giant stone at the entrance requires at least the Power of Three Dragons to lift it..."

...

Chen Ku was unaware that he had become the focus of the elder scholars' attention in the Martial Temple.

After travelling for most of the day and night at the speed of the Swallow-Treading Horse, he finally reached the large waterfall that Senior Brother Qin mentioned the next day, and found the massive stone gate beneath it, towering over ten zhang, even higher than ordinary city walls.

"Inside here, is where the hidden checkpoint of the Tuo Dragon Stele is located?"

Without wasting words, Chen Ku directly braved the waterfall plunging a hundred zhang, grabbing the gap beneath the stone gate with both hands...

"Lift for me!"

Boom!

In that instant, Chen Ku's Li Fire Body, with the power of Four Dragons, burst forth accompanied by surging blood qi...

Whoosh~~

The dozens of tons of waterfall crashing onto him were suddenly dispersed by the boiling blood qi and true qi emanating from his body, enveloping an area of a hundred zhang radius in mist.

Making the forest beneath the waterfall seem like a heavenly paradise, shrouded in mist.

Crunch! Crunch!

Feeling the weight of the stone gate, over three hundred thousand jin, plus the force of the rushing waterfall, nearing four hundred thousand jin altogether.

His entire skeletal structure crackled like frying beans under pressure.

Veins bulging all over his body.

Yet, this was still within his strength range, as the enormous force spread throughout his body, the stone gate gradually revealed a small gap, and... was slowly lifted.

......

"That Chen Ku can actually lift the Dragon-locking Stone!"

"He has at least the Power of Three Dragons!"

In the Martial Temple, with the Dragon-locking Stone's activation and the opening signals transmitted to the Gold List, the section belonging to the 'Dragon-locking Stone' checkpoint on the giant Martial Temple map brightened completely.

"The Power of Three Dragons? More than that! I later added sixty to seventy thousand jin of weight to the waterfall at that location after tuning the checkpoint..."

A goat-bearded old man said solemnly:

"At least approaching the Power of Four Dragons, such divine power! This young man is just like Qin Yuxian in his day, no wonder... he could break the record at Yellow Sand Ridge."

"I recall that the Dragon-locking Stone checkpoint, after your tuning, not only increased the entry difficulty but also the layout inside was adjusted." Tang Lie asked with slight tension, "Is that right?"

"Yes indeed."

The goat-bearded old man carefully stared at the Dragon-locking Stone location on the map, slowly saying:

"This matter is related to a Heaven and Earth Fragment I discovered in the Martial Arts Heaven and Earth years ago, a fragment traceable to Ancient Times, containing a trace of ancient 'Jiao Hou' remnant fate, and ancient dragon qi within.

After discovering it, I combined it with the Tuo Dragon Stele checkpoint and infused it into the Tuo Dragon Stele, thus altering the challenge content of this hidden checkpoint long ago.

Previously, one could pass by shattering the Tuo Dragon Stele within a certain time frame.

Now, if not, after shattering the Tuo Dragon Stele, it would instead awaken the residual destiny of the 'Jiao Hou' within the stele, allowing it to become the second form of the Tuo Dragon and continue attacking the challengers."

"Ancient Jiao Hou?!"

Tang Lie and the others turned pale with fright:

"Isn't that the Ancient People who were granted the title of 'Marquis' in ancient times? Can he still perform some 'Ancient Divine Abilities'?"

The old man responsible for the Dragon-locking Stone fell silent.

"Zhu Xuantong, speak up!" Tang Lie demanded.

Zhu Xuantong sighed and said, "That's correct, the Ancient Jiao Hou, though he has died, left behind a portion of martial destiny, which imprinted some of his ancient divine abilities, named 'Blowing Fur to Soldiers'. Though it lacks conscious wisdom, there's still a probability of triggering this divine ability in combat."

"Blowing Fur to Soldiers… is this similar to Yuan Country's spell 'Sowing Beans to Make Soldiers' puppet illusion technique?" Tang Lie asked with a frown.

"No, this is a true martial arts divine ability, developed in ancient times by great martial arts practitioners who cultivated to the 'Blood Rebirth' stage, resulting in this great divine power. In such a state, a drop of blood or a strand of hair can regrow from oneself; it's truly the realm of Martial Arts Immortal Gods." Zhu Xuantong spoke with longing.

Tang Lie was astonished and said, "Does such a martial arts divine ability truly exist? Doesn't this mean the martial destiny transformed by the Jiao Hou has the possibility to revive through this divine ability?"

"No, not to mention the original Ancient Jiao Hou has already vanished into ashes. This is merely a martial destiny imprinted with his ancient martial arts mark. Besides, I've specially consulted the Grand Governor of the You State Martial Temple and confirmed that this Jiao Hou absolutely cannot revive."

Zhu Xuantong spoke softly:

"Furthermore, this martial destiny transformed by the Jiao Hou is merged with the Tuo Dragon at a level only around the Five Realms. It lacks the physical foundation to do so. This divine ability merely temporarily divides the practitioner's primordial qi outwards, at most allowing this Jiao Hou martial destiny to produce three incarnations at once, supporting three breaths only."

"Three incarnations, three breaths? What about the power?" Others asked.

Zhu Xuantong said, "Within these three breaths, the three incarnations possess exactly the same qi power cultivation as the main body…"

Hiss!

Suddenly, a resounding gasp erupted among the old scholars within the hall.

"This means that within those three breaths, the challenger must simultaneously face the attacks from four masters at the Five Realms level?!!!"

Tang Lie exclaimed in shock:

"Zhu Xuantong, you're insane, this isn't a trial, it's practically designed to have the examinees challenging the Dragon-locking Stone die in it!"

Zhu Xuantong remained silent for a moment, helplessly saying, "This wasn't designed for martial scholars and scholars, who would've thought that Chen Ku could actually find it and activate it…"

"No, I must communicate with Qin Yuxian, he, as the chief examiner, must be informed immediately, and if needed, rescue people from within the Martial Arts Heaven and Earth at once!"

Tang Lie became agitated:

"That's a promising candidate capable of breaking records on a first trial; might have qualifications to become a 'Saint Heir' of some Holy Land. How could he be jeopardized due to mistakes here? The Martial Temple cannot afford this loss, nor can the Imperial Court."

With that said, he immediately turned and went aside to send a message to Qin Yuxian, who was still in Baojiao County.

In Baojiao County.

Qin Yuxian, who was initially seated, suddenly sensed the message from the Martial Arts Gold Order and stood up in shock.

"Grandmaster Qin? What's the matter?" Shangguan Yun raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Brother Qin?" Tan Chongrui also asked curiously, "What happened?"

"There's a major change within the Martial Temple Heaven and Earth, I must enter!"

Qin Yuxian's expression slightly altered, even a trace of urgency flickered in his eyes, saying:

"You'll oversee here, I'll go ahead first."

He immediately stepped towards the Martial Temple Great Hall, his heart anxiously calling out:

"Junior Brother! I'm on my way; make sure to fight slowly!"

He never expected that this particular challenge, originally meant for Chen Ku's record-breaking attempt, had been secretly modified by some old rogue in the Martial Temple recently to this extent.

Blowing Fur to Soldiers?

Within three breaths, it's akin to four ancient Five Realms masters attacking simultaneously?!

For Chen Ku, this challenge is not merely a test but a deadly ordeal.

...

At the same time.

Rumble... Rumble~~

As Chen Ku exerted all his divine power to lift the stone door, he squeezed through, and the stone door slammed shut behind him, causing the entire forest waterfall to resemble an earthquake.

Woo woo~

Upon entering the Dragon-locking Stone gate, Chen Ku instantly sensed an immensely oppressive and desolate qi mechanism sweeping across him, weighing heavily on his heart.

"Is this the location of the Stone Tablet Tuo Dragon within the Dragon-locking Stone?"

He surveyed the shadowy surroundings ahead, resembling a massive hall where a gigantic Tuo Dragon was curled with rolling lips and huge mouth, with scarlet tassels on each temple, like a rain cape cascading downwards, and four legs resembling pillars supporting the ground.

It seemed to perceive the entry of an outsider.

Roar~~

A high-pitched roar, akin to a lion or tiger, echoed from the enormous beast a hundred yards away, instantly making Chen Ku feel an intensely domineering aura overwhelming him, transforming into a desolate dragon shadow that seized his heart.

Boom!

With the beast suddenly raising a thousand feet, and stamping the ground fiercely, a shockwave resembling an earthquake and tsunami surged outward from its center, furiously rushing towards Chen Ku's body.

Wherever the shockwave passed, all the massive rocks and stalactites instantly became gray dust, turning into a field of ashes!

[A Tuo Dragon intends harm to the master, suppressing it will yield a Five Realms Evil Qi…]

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