Dao Lord: Starting from a Top-grade Golden Core

Through a series of schemes and relentless pressure, Cen Fenghong had finally gained the upper hand in his duel against Li Chengzhen.

'The Cyan Thread Sword… so he's a disciple of Qing Yuan Zhenren.' Yao Liqing's eyes flashed as he suddenly understood.

Aside from the two combatants, he was the only cultivator present from the Cyan Sky Realm, so he was able to discern a few details.

The cyan light Cen Fenghong wielded came from the Cyan Thread Sword, the unique Magical Artifact of his master, the famous Primordial Spirit True Man of the Cyan Sky Realm, Master Qingyuanzi. Each strand of cyan light was as pliable as a silk thread, able to bend, straighten, and change form at will. In terms of sheer killing power, it was no less than a true Taoist School Flying Sword.

However, this unique flying sword required one to cultivate it in tandem with their Daoist techniques and life force to be wielded freely and produce its various transformations. As one's Daoist techniques grew, they could refine more and more Cyan Thread Swords.

Therefore, Master Qingyuanzi and Cen Fenghong's lineage were not Sword Cultivators, but Artifact Cultivators. However, the Daoist techniques of their lineage were even more extreme than those of ordinary Sword Cultivators!

Legend had it that when Master Qingyuanzi fought, he would unleash tens of thousands of Cyan Thread Swords that filled the sky. They were like a myriad of Magical Treasure Flying Swords descending at once, capable of grinding even the planet beneath his feet to dust and reducing it to cosmic haze.

'What a flying sword, what a scheme!' Yao Liqing licked his lips, thinking to himself, 'But this is Li Chengzhen we're talking about…'

Cen Fenghong's scheme had indeed given him a temporary advantage. But in their hearts, everyone couldn't help but feel that Li Chengzhen would surely break free and turn the tables. The only question was what kind of methods he would reveal to do so.

For a moment, everyone focused their attention, preparing to study Li Chengzhen's Daoist techniques. But as he faced the hundreds of Cyan Thread Swords tangling and intertwining as they closed in for the kill, Li Chengzhen merely smiled faintly.

「The next instant.」

Li Chengzhen's aura—that of an enlightened immortal calmly observing the vicissitudes of time—suddenly changed.

He stepped in a celestial pattern like an enraged dragon leaping and strode across the air. Then, with a sudden lunge, he crashed straight into the Cyan Thread Swords!

Amid a continuous clang of metal, Li Chengzhen sent the Cyan Thread Swords, each one condensed with potent energy for the kill, flying backward. He treated the pliable, silk-like swords as if they were nothing. They clung to him, shredding his Daoist Robe, but only sank a fraction of an inch into his jade-like skin before they could cut no deeper!

The Cyan Thread Swords, which were no different from Taoist School Flying Swords, couldn't hinder Li Chengzhen's advance at all. He wore them as if they were insignificant ribbons, and with a single leap, he crossed a hundred li to arrive right in front of Cen Fenghong!

He curled his fingers into a fist, his arm moving like a dragon. Like a Celestial God cracking a whip, he swung it down heavily!

RUMBLE!

Within that short distance, an explosion like the thunderous roar of Sword Qi resounded. As Li Chengzhen's whip-like strike landed, a glimmer of protective light on Cen Fenghong's face shattered instantly, not even lasting a moment.

Cen Fenghong finally reacted. Before his body could move, an Escape Technique sent him flying backward. At the same time, he frantically willed his Cyan Thread Swords to his aid. No longer scattered like a net, they converged for a killing blow.

But now that Li Chengzhen was upon him, how could he allow him to escape? He let out a sudden, great shout, like the cry of an Ancient Divine Elephant. Cen Fenghong was instantly struck as if by a hammer, dazed and disoriented. The circulation of his Magical Power faltered.

Seizing the opportunity, Li Chengzhen strode through the air, leaped, and gave chase. His fist, like a mountain peak, smashed viciously toward Cen Fenghong's head!

The expected bloody scene did not occur. A Dao Talisman emerged from Cen Fenghong's body, transforming into a divine radiance that enveloped him. It instantly tore through space, and he reappeared on the Jade Platform.

This outburst, like that of an ancient, ferocious beast, was completely beyond everyone's expectations!

Lan Su Nu's lovely mouth hung slightly open. Yao Liqing's eyelids twitched wildly. 'What the hell?' he thought. Zhuo Hansheng couldn't help but turn to Jin Yuanzai beside him and ask, "Fellow Daoist, didn't you say... Li Chengzhen's Daoist techniques were profound?"

"..." Jin Yuanzai was speechless for a moment. After a long while, he finally said, "I, Jin Yuanzai, stand by my words. They were neither incomplete nor inaccurate."

'The Way of the Warrior?' Xuzhuang, as the Jade Cauldron Hall Master, couldn't help but wonder, though he dismissed the thought an instant later.

Zhong Shenxiu's sharp brows furrowed slightly, and he muttered to himself, "A Human Immortal technique?"

But Mi Yuan Dao blurted out, "The Treasure Gang Qi Yuan Body-Holding Spell!"

"The Treasure Gang Qi Yuan Body-Holding Spell?" Mi Yuan Dao seemed to have revealed a secret, instantly drawing everyone's attention. Sima Zongfa couldn't hold back and immediately asked, "May I ask, Fellow Daoist, what kind of Divine Technique is that?"

"..." Mi Yuan Dao opened his mouth, then closed it again. Seeing this, Chang Su'Er's willow-like brows knitted. She immediately restrained Sima Zongfa and said, "Senior Brother Sima is merely curious, not trying to pry into your sect's Daoist techniques. Please forgive him, Fellow Daoist."

As if waking from a dream, Sima Zongfa hurriedly cupped his fists in apology. Mi Yuan Dao gave a wry smile, waved his hand, and replied, "It's not exactly a secret."

"The Treasure Gang Qi Yuan Body-Holding Spell," Mi Yuan Dao began, "is a secret Daoist technique from my Spirit Treasure Sect. It is widely known, but almost no one ever practices it. It involves destroying a Magical Artifact that excels in durability, refining it into a single essence of Treasure Gang Qi Yuan, and infusing it into one's own body. This forges a Vajra Indestructible Body and turns one's fists and feet into weapons as deadly as a Magical Artifact."

However, a Magical Artifact is incredibly precious. The spell's requirements for the artifact are extremely strict, and there is also a chance of failure.

Even if one succeeded, the resulting Vajra Indestructible Body would be extremely useful to a cultivator. But the way of the fist and foot is not something everyone is proficient in. The pros and cons are truly hard to weigh.

Thus, in all of Mi Yuan Dao's memory, among the countless members of the Spirit Treasure Sect in the Profound Yellow Realm, not a single person had ever successfully cultivated the Treasure Gang Qi Yuan Body-Holding Spell. After all, not everyone was fortunate enough to obtain a Magical Artifact, let alone be willing to destroy it to cultivate a technique.

After hearing Mi Yuan Dao's explanation, everyone fell silent. The technique was undoubtedly extravagant, but they had all just witnessed how powerful it was. Moreover, it was an orthodox Mysterious Sect Taoist Technique. This meant that aside from the Treasure Gang Qi Yuan Spell, Li Chengzhen possessed other, unfathomably profound Daoist techniques that he had yet to display.

While the crowd was discussing this, Cen Fenghong had already returned to Jide Taoist's side. He didn't look dispirited, but simply sighed softly and apologized to Jide Taoist.

At the same time, Li Chengzhen had also ridden the wind back. After landing, he took out his folding fan again and began to wave it gently. With a refined and graceful air, he cupped his fists toward Da Ji Zhenren and said, "Zhenren, I was fortunate not to have failed my mission."

Da Ji Zhenren's joy was written all over his face. He shouted from afar to Jide Taoist and Immoral Taoist, "Jide! Immoral! Which one of you unlucky bastards is going to pay up?"

Immoral Taoist snorted and reached into his sleeve, but Jide Taoist stopped him. After offering some words of comfort to Cen Fenghong, Jide Taoist took out a treasure pouch, clearly having prepared it in advance. He tossed it to Li Chengzhen and said, "Take it, little friend."

Li Chengzhen snapped his fan shut, caught the pouch, and returned the courteous gesture, saying, "Thank you, Zhenren."

Jide Taoist smiled faintly and retracted his gaze. Without any visible movement, he seemed to have already blocked the other party's probing senses. He then turned to Immoral Taoist and asked, "Junior Brother, do you have any ideas about our candidate for the next match?"

Immoral Taoist, from who-knows-where, took out that rolled cigarette again. He casually rubbed it to light the tobacco, stuck it between his teeth, took a deep drag, and said with certainty, "This Daoist has it figured out. With that brat Da Ji's divination skills, there's no way he could have predicted me. He must have just prepared in advance and studied my way of thinking."

Hearing this, Jide Taoist asked in surprise, "In that case, Junior Brother, do you have a counter-strategy?"

Immoral Taoist exhaled a puff of smoke and snorted. "That brat Da Ji schemed against me and won a big victory. His momentum is at its peak right now. He must think I'll try to break his winning streak by picking a weak opponent."

"In that case, he'll just employ a classic strategy, pitting his mid-tier fighter against our top-tier. Even if that gives us the win for that round, he'll have more room to maneuver and could potentially sweep the rest of the matches."

Jide Taoist pondered, "That is indeed very likely... So, Junior Brother, your plan is?"

Immoral Taoist said fiercely, "That brat Da Ji will definitely pick Xu the Kid, so I'll pick Jin Yuanzai. If Jin Yuanzai wins, then *I* will be the one controlling the overall situation!"