Shen Mu turned his head and saw that the prince who had been standing beside Ling Yuxiu had somehow come to stand behind them—apparently Yuxiu's second brother, his face as calm as still water, also watching the duel in midair. Ling Yuxiu had followed him down from the jade cliff and stood behind the second prince.

In the very instant Shen Mu turned, Kun Ziyu plummeted from the sky and crashed to the ground with a heavy thud.

He had been fighting Daozi Lin Xuan at close quarters, and in the brief moment their palm forces collided, his primal qi had been shattered by the other's Innate Grand Mystery Art; his technique broken, he had fallen out of the air.

Shen Wanyun's eyelids twitched, his heart cold as ice: "I fear I am no match for him. His combat power is too formidable.

Even with his other divine treasuries sealed and only the Five Luminaries realm left to him, I would be hard-pressed to overcome him! No—the more he exposes, the more likely I am to find his flaw! I will watch a while longer, and perhaps I can discover his weakness! " The Innate Grand Mystery Art.

This was the first time Shen Mu had seen a technique that could stand as an equal to the Mystic Body Three Elixir Art.

The art this Daozi Lin Xuan wielded was extraordinarily powerful; his cultivation, at the same realm, was not as vast and profound as Shen Mu's, but the quality of his primal qi was supremely high, exceeding that of his peers by far.

It was because Shen Mu had just seen that the Daozi's primal qi was pure to an almost unbelievable degree that he had raised that question. The Great Nurturing Dark Demon Scripture was famed as a scripture that could make one a god or a demon, and the Daoist sect's Innate Grand Mystery Art shared equal renown with it—which showed how extraordinary it was! The Daoist sect and the Dark Demon Cult, one righteous and one demonic, were the two great holy lands of the righteous and demonic paths.

Add the Buddhist Great Thunder Roar Temple, and there were three great holy lands. Beyond these three major schools, there were also a number of hidden holy lands whose names were little known, yet they would occasionally emerge into the world.

"Now that the Daoist sect's Daozi has appeared," Shen Mu thought, "I wonder whether the Great Thunder Roar Temple will also come to block the gate and thoroughly slap the face of Imperial Preceptor Jingping?

" The second prince drew a long breath and walked toward the mountain gate. Ling Yuxiu asked in alarm, "Second Brother, what are you going out for?

" "I am a student of the Imperial Academy, and of imperial blood. How can I not fight?

" A sharp light blazed in the second prince's eyes.

"Our Ling family won the throne by fighting—we are not emperors elevated by a throng of civil and military officials!

" The force of his words struck Shen Mu with admiration.

This was a prince indeed. It was no accident that the Ling family had become emperors, a lofty royal house.

"Ling Yushu of the Imperial Academy begs the Daozi's instruction!

" The second prince walked before Daozi Lin Xuan, bowed in salute, and raising his head, asked solemnly, "Will the Daozi rest a while and recover his primal qi?

" Daozi Lin Xuan nodded.

"Kindly wait a moment, Senior Brother Ling.

" Shen Mu clapped in admiration. "Were it me, I would also take a rest. " Hearing this, Daozi Lin Xuan followed the voice and looked toward the rear of the mountain gate; his gaze landed on Shen Mu's face, and when he saw Shen Mu's eyes, a chill rose in his heart. Shen Mu gave him a smile, and Daozi Lin Xuan smiled in return, nodded, then said to the old Daoist at his side, "Uncle Master Danyangzi, I have espied a remarkable figure—his eyes bear two extra layers of pupils beyond ordinary men's, and he seems able to see through my substance and emptiness. .

. " Danyangzi's expression was indifferent: "Keep your mind like still water; do not be moved by what is outside, and do not panic.

Imperial Preceptor Jingping is called the foremost man beneath the gods, so it is only natural that this Imperial Academy holds some remarkable figures. " Daozi Lin Xuan continued to regulate his breathing and restored his cultivation.

As he drove the Innate Grand Mystery Art, a tiny spirit embryo floated out from between his brows, seating itself before him upon a mystic dais.

The spirit embryo breathed in and out, and before and behind it emerged five canopies, drawing fierce star power down from the starry heavens!

Beneath the canopies, five divine demons faintly appeared, exceedingly fearsome—this was the phenomenon conjured by the Five Luminaries divine treasuries.

After the five canopies appeared, six circular wheels materialized swirling around them, the phenomenon formed by the Six Void divine treasuries. Shen Mu narrowed his eyes. The Innate Grand Mystery Art was indeed no ordinary art.

This Daozi Lin Xuan's method was unique, yet more orthodox still—majestic, magnificent—and its intricacy rivaled even the Mystic Body Three Elixir Art.

"The Daoist sect, the foremost school of the righteous path, is indeed extraordinary!

" When Daozi Lin Xuan had fully recovered, he rose and bowed to the second prince, Ling Yushu. Ling Yushu returned the bow, and as he straightened, his primal qi exploded in an eruption of dragon roars and tiger howls—in that instant, nearly everyone before the mountain gate felt a draconic majesty burst from the prince's body!

The second prince, Ling Yushu, shifted his feet, his form like a wandering dragon, fingers splayed, each finger a dragon; five streams of dragon qi shot forth, writhing and changing in midair with savage ferocity, lunging at Daozi Lin Xuan! Five Dragon Strangulation!

Ling Yushu hooked his five fingers down, and the five dragon qi enveloped Daozi Lin Xuan, coiling around him; the five great dragons strangled and twisted, opening their jaws to spew true fire upon the youth, a blaze of raging flame!

His speed was extreme—in the very instant the five dragons sprang forth, his form was already at Daozi Lin Xuan's side. He flicked his wrist, gathering qi into a sword, a dragon coiled along its blade, and stabbed into the Five Dragon Enclosure!

Within the enclosure, Daozi Lin Xuan was drenched head to toe in the roaring true fire, yet his body shone with a jadelike luster—the true fire of the five dragons could not harm him in the least! As the second prince's sword pierced into the Five Dragon Enclosure, Daozi Lin Xuan raised his horsetail whisk to meet it, and strands of whisk silk entangled the dragon sword.

The second prince stamped his foot, the earth trembled, and great dragons burst from the ground, surging from below to attack Daozi Lin Xuan. Daozi Lin Xuan smashed open the Five Dragon Enclosure with a palm, soared into the air, and strand after strand of whisk silk slashed out like swords, cleaving the heads of the great dragons, before he dodged the sword light shooting up from beneath.

"The spell-casting school! " Shen Mu was amazed. The second prince's whole barrage of attacks had been the style of the spell-casting school, yet it was as fierce and domineering as the battle-art school, extraordinarily sharp!

To drive spells with such overbearing might, such raw strength, was a rare prodigy—this was the first time Shen Mu had ever seen such a style of combat! "Little sister, your imperial clan's arts are quite impressive," Shen Mu said to Ling Yuxiu.

Ling Yuxiu preened with pride: "Of course!

My second brother practices the Nine Dragon Emperor Skill, which is in no way inferior to the Daoist sect's Innate Grand Mystery Art! And he holds an official rank—he is a fifth-grade Roving Cavalry General, you know!

" The second prince rose into the sky, two streams of dragon qi under his feet turning into dragon forms, shaking their heads and lashing their tails as they raced through the air toward Daozi Lin Xuan.

The subtlety of his spellcraft was breathtaking.