Counting down, from the moment he entered the Dragon-locking Stone, dodging giant crocodile's earthquake, sonic wave attacks, and then invisibly shifting over, smashing its rear stele with a single strike, the entire process was even much shorter than the time it took to pass Yellow Sand Ridge.

Indeed.

Chen Ku heard the reminder from the Transformation Diagram:

[Diagram Master has silence killed the giant crocodile, gaining a strand of Five Realms Evil Qi]

He breathed a sigh of relief.

Killed.

Even though both were of the Five Realms, the giant crocodile was undeniably more difficult to kill than the Golden Horn Iron Armored Rhinoceros. Although it was massive and unable to move, whether stomping the ground, using sonic waves, or the Black Water Divine Power, its power was exceedingly formidable and its methods diverse.

Just as he thought this level would be easily cleared, aiming to achieve two record-breaking feats, even eagerly anticipating the reward for consecutively breaking two barriers, he suddenly felt something was amiss after the stele shattered.

Simultaneously,

both his consciousness alert and the Transformation Diagram issued urgent warnings.

[An Ancient Jiao Hou intends harm to the master, silence kill it to gain Five Realms Dragon Qi of the Nation's Fortune!]

...

"Qin Yuxian, hurry up!"

Tang Lie stood in the Martial Temple, observing the flashing letters on the Gold List:

"How is that kid so quick, smashing the stele already."

If he hadn't known about the existence of the Ancient Jiao Hou, he might've thought this was a good thing, as such a fast speed undeniably broke another record.

But now he only blamed Chen Ku for breaking it too quickly.

The faster it's broken, the earlier the Ancient Jiao Hou appears.

Meanwhile.

Elsewhere in Martial Arts Heaven and Earth, Qin Yuxian had entered the realm, utilizing the stele for remote teleportation.

He also received messages from Tang Lie.

"What, so fast!"

Qin Yuxian shared Tang Lie's sentiment, immediately ceasing to delay, swiftly teleporting towards the 'Dragon-locking Stone Stele' location.

During this process, he kept praying internally:

"Little junior brother, hold on! If it doesn't work, just turn and run! Don't lose your life over this arena!"

This was the only disciple Master Uncle had painstakingly taken in.

Also, the hope he thought might inherit the entire legacy of the Imperial Enlightenment Sect.

...

"What is this!!"

As Chen Ku received warnings from his consciousness and the Transformation Diagram simultaneously, he saw a scaled claw at the end of his staff after shattering the stele.

Unexpectedly, it firmly grasped his staff in the palm.

Without waiting for Chen Ku to react, from the depths of the stele wreckage, emerging from the shadows, appeared a humanoid creature hidden in an armor fashioned with a Jiao head and human body, emitting two flashes of red light from the shadow beneath...

Snap!!

As the Ancient Jiao Hou squeezed the Refined Iron Dragon Stick with its claw, it forcefully tugged and snatched the rod from Chen Ku's hand.

Then, it kicked towards Chen Ku's abdomen fiercely!

Clang!

As its kick landed on Chen Ku's body, it emitted a dull sound akin to a bell being struck.

Chen Ku's Vajra Iron Armor body complemented by Iron Cloth Shirt perfectly absorbed the blow's force, yet could not nullify the impact behind this strike, his entire being kicked and sent flying.

With the kick sent forth,

the Ancient Jiao Hou hidden within the Jiao head human body armor cast its gaze towards the captured Refined Iron Dragon Stick, gripping tightly, folding it into a triangle, casually tossing it aside, then staring at the airborne Chen Ku.

Instantly teleport, moving towards Chen Ku offensively, a direct punch striking!

Chen Ku felt the long sky tremble from the force of the punch approaching him, like it was simply a basic straight punch but more powerful than any Ultimate Skill.

At this moment, he had little mind to ponder what 'Ancient Jiao Hou' really was, barely standing after being knocked flying, realizing his weapon was gone, and sensing the impending strike aimed at his face.

"Mountain Roar Tsunami Seal!"

Almost instinctively, he arched his back, mobilizing his entire Qi Power, forming a palm seal, striking against the Ancient Jiao Hou's punch.

With one palm, behind Chen Ku, seemed the sound of mountain roar and tsunami.

Having closely integrated Nine Dragons Union as the internal strength of Mountain Lifting Seal's first move, it already possessed the force of World-Surpassing Martial Arts. Combined with his cultivation now exceeding that at the time, even before the palm seal reached the Ancient Jiao Hou's front, it had stirred up all airflow within this massive cavern!

The next moment!

His palm seal collided with the Ancient Jiao Hou's straight punch.

Palm-fist contact!

A muffled collision sound as if two ten-thousand-ton iron hammers collided.

"Pfah!"

Chen Ku's mouth corner seeped blood.

Bang!

But then looking at the Ancient Jiao Hou, under Chen Ku's palm, it seemed a meteor, knocked flying backwards, its armor scattering and exploding into fragments.

Chen Ku habitually used sticks, yet it didn't mean his hand-to-hand combat skill was lacking.

Back when he first mastered this World-Surpassing Martial Arts, he could easily crush Second Realm experts far above himself with one palm. Now, with greatly enhanced cultivation, the power of this martial art's single palm is incomparable!

After launching the Ancient Jiao Hou with the palm,

Chen Ku finally had a moment to catch his breath, glancing at the writings on the Transformation Diagram.

Ancient Jiao Hou?

Silence kill it to obtain Five Realms Dragon Qi of the Nation's Fortune?

Five Realms Dragon Qi of the Nation's Fortune?!!

Chen Ku incredulously looked at the figure within the Jiao head humanoid armor he sent flying:

"It has Dragon Qi of the Nation's Fortune?"

His eyes immediately lit up.

Back then, merely silencing a part of Baojiao County City God's Incense Fire God Body allowed him to gain Supreme Quality Hui Dragon Transformation.

The boost Hui Dragon Transformation brought him was beyond words.

Just the 'Hui Dragon Talented,' let him cultivate various martial arts at a pace akin to easy mode, seeing and mastering them instantly, truly experiencing a genius's world.

Now...

Five Realms Dragon Qi of the Nation's Fortune?

If able to silence it, what dragon transformation could be obtained?

"Since it's arranged in this trial level, it means it's killable!"

Chen Ku immediately unleashed Qi, operating Li Fire Body, charging towards the injured Ancient Jiao Hou.

And then,

The Ancient Jiao Hou 'thud' upon falling deep within the cavern, first wiping the blood from his mouth corner, half-kneeling as he rose from the ground.

As his eyes akin to ghost fire slightly flickered.

Gazing upon Chen Ku rushing like a fiery meteor, a flicker of imperceptible emotion seemed to flash in his gaze, giving an impression of a smile.

He opened his hand towards Chen Ku, gently blowing a breath!

Suddenly from his palm drifted three strands of hair shimmering with immortal light, caught by the wind, floating towards Chen Ku...

The next moment.

As the three strands expanded into white smoke, they transformed into three identical figures as the Ancient Jiao Hou, confronting Chen Ku's onslaught!

Moving simultaneously,

charging towards Chen Ku!

Instantly.

Before Chen Ku appeared four fists, he cried out in shock:

"This..."

Accompanying the Ancient Jiao Hou and his three hair-form incarnations simultaneously throwing punches, in a fraction of a second, Chen Ku sensed the power of these four fists.

Not illusions, not false...

But the Ancient Jiao Hou truly split into three bodies with power equal to his own strength at this moment.

Suddenly, as if four Ancient Jiao Hou simultaneously attacked.

Four fist prints, instantly tearing airflow into a whirlwind, at this very instant, with terrifying punch force pressure, pinned Chen Ku's form on the spot unable to move, only able to passively withstand this strike akin to four ancient masters joined forces.

Meanwhile.

Qin Yuxian finally arrived outside the Dragon-locking Stone teleport point.

Yet just as he arrived here.

Bang!

He heard an explosive rumble from within the Dragon Suppressing Stone, making his eyes wide with dismay.

"Little junior brother!"

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