The river surged and roared with fury, its speed extraordinary. As it churned, a faint white mist rose into the air, resembling the ethereal beauty of an immortal realm.

“Tianhe!”

Xi Xi exclaimed in awe, her voice filled with wonder as the mysterious fog dispersed, revealing a black stone stele upon which two words were written in a bold and majestic script.

Under the teachings of the Sect Master’s wife, Xi Xi had learned to read many characters. She instantly pronounced the words aloud.

Rumble——

The Tianhe’s waves rolled and surged, rising fiercely.

The flowing waters formed into a massive tornado-like river, paving a path right to Xi Xi’s feet.

The little pup leaped into the air, curled back into Xi Xi’s embrace, buried its head, and lazily yawned.

Xi Xi stepped onto the flowing river, which carried her forward, lifting her onto the white jade staircase in front of the Mysterious Temple.

Upon reaching the White Jade Staircase, as the first contestant to set foot there…

She immediately felt the surge of Dao essence power from within the staircase.

Five streams of Dao essence power fused into Xi Xi’s Dao Yun Pillar, which already stood at a height of 120 feet. Ultimately, her Dao Yun height increased to 125 feet!

…

…

Jin Taixui’s Young Witch God Robe billowed and fluttered as he floated into the air, his eyes radiating a brilliant golden glow.

Behind him, a figure with a high hat emerged in a blood-red hue, channeling incomparably vast divine power into Jin Taixui.

The godly pattern at Jin Taixui’s brow wriggled continuously.

He was performing Wushen Mountain’s “Summoning God Technique,” and what he summoned was a strand of the Great Witch God’s will!

This was the very reason Jin Taixui was confident he could dominate the Temple Suppressing Road without equal.

However.

At this moment, Jin Taixui encountered an obstacle.

The Temple Guardian Cursed Silver Corpse before him unexpectedly revealed a second form, as though aided by the temple god’s power. It now sported a bloated head and ears, a pig-like snout, and bristles!

Its ferocious tusks were as sharp as divine blades.

The borrowed power from the Great Witch God was being rapidly consumed, yet he still couldn’t overcome the foe before him!

The main issue was…

Its hide was absurdly thick, its flesh impenetrable; it was simply too hard to kill!

Jin Taixui gritted his teeth, a trace of unease creeping into his heart.

He glanced at the grotesque, ugly Cursed Silver Corpse shrouded in mysterious fog and seemed to catch sight of the faintly glowing Mysterious Temple!

“Not good…”

Jin Taixui let out a long howl and abruptly slashed his palm, letting blood seep out. Pressing the blood against the godly pattern on his brow, he sought to summon even greater power from the Great Witch God!

Rumble——

Suddenly.

A blood-red lightning bolt swept across the Strange Que above, rolling thunderously past.

Jin Taixui bathed in radiant gold, the Great Witch God will behind him slowly opening its eyes.

In the instant those eyes opened.

An overwhelming density of strange fog plunged into the area…

A nine-foot-long nail rake, resplendent in silvery brilliance, tore through the mysterious fog. It swung down with a thunderous sweep, carving a fierce arc.

Jin Taixui let out a miserable scream.

Blood gushed from his mouth and nose.

When he reopened his eyes…

He found himself outside the Mysterious Temple, under the gaze of countless watching eyes.

Jin Taixui staggered to his feet, the godly pattern on his brow having vanished long ago. He wiped away the blood trickling from his mouth and nose, his heart lingering with fear.

The Nine-Toothed Evil-Suppressing Demon-Suppressing Tianpeng Mysterious Temple…

Could it be that the Great Witch God…

Was regarded as an evil demon?!

How cunning…

Lu Taibai!

Jin Taixui was no fool. In an instant, he understood that from the very moment the Tianpeng Mysterious Temple was chosen as the trial site…

He had never stood a chance.

Lu Taibai had known from the beginning that the will of the Great Witch God would provoke the temple god Tianpeng’s power, awakening that Tianpeng Divine Weapon!

Jin Taixui gasped for breath, bitterness filling his heart. A calculated strategy…

Truly insidious!

He turned his head toward the Golden List.

The second incense stick had just burned out.

He then saw the Golden List on which the wolf brush wrote again, displaying the Dao Yun Pillar heights of each participant.

Jin Taixui looked at his own Dao Yun Pillar, frozen at a mere eighty-three levels.

Then he glanced at Xi Xi’s record from the first stage…

He was completely stunned, the brilliance in his eyes drained.

Utterly dejected.

He had fought desperately, yet…

He couldn’t even surpass Li Nuanxi’s score in the first stage?!

Suddenly.

On the Golden List…

The second incense stick burned out, and Xi Xi’s score emerged amidst thunderous cheers.

It slowly appeared.

“Second Temple Suppressing Road completed. Li Nuanxi, Dao Yun height: 125 feet.”

…

…

The Nine-Toothed Evil-Suppressing Tianpeng Mysterious Temple.

Inside the Mysterious Temple.

Accompanied by a resonant metallic sound filling the air.

The nine-foot-long nail rake, glimmering with silver-plated mystery light, shot back and embedded itself into the temple’s altar, above which sat a strikingly handsome man in meditation.

As the flame of the altar’s candles flickered and danced.

The nine-foot nail rake seemed to transform into nine candles, lighting up with calm, flickering flames.

In the Mysterious Temple, upon a meditation cushion.

A man clad in white, with a head of silver hair, Lu Taibai, slowly opened his eyes.

He dusted off his white robes and stood up with a smile, bowing toward the temple god statue.

“Many thanks to the Tianpeng Temple God for your assistance.”

The figure above the altar opened his eyes and startlingly spoke.

“Quickly take the young lady and the dog away!”

Upon hearing this, Lu Taibai broke into laughter.

A peculiar gleam flickered in his eyes.

That dog…

What was its origin?

Dog…

Lu Taibai’s thoughts suddenly turned to the Mysterious Temple of the Saint Manifestation True Monarch, to that slim, black dog…

But he didn’t dwell on it.

Taking a step forward, his sword light streaked across the air and landed beside the peeking Xi Xi outside the Mysterious Temple.

He ruffled the little girl’s head.

“Little one, congratulations.”

Xi Xi, holding her little dog tightly, looked up at the silver-haired, strikingly handsome Sect Master Lu Taibai.

Her eyes sparkled brilliantly!

With a crisp “clap,”

her chubby hands clasped together in respect.

“Xi Xi greets Sect Master, my master!”

Lu Taibai, his silver hair fluttering, gazed at the mischievously clever Xi Xi and burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahahahahaha——”

He swept Xi Xi up with a flash of sword light, stepping forward.

The strange fog surrounding the Strange Que seemed to split in two under the sweep of sword light.

The sword light, carrying Xi Xi,

appeared outside the Mysterious Temple in an instant, radiating brilliance as it soared!

A resonant and commanding voice rang out across the Qianyuan Dao City.

“Divine Child Li Nuanxi of Golden Light Prefecture has passed the three-part trial, her purple aura reaching the heavens, with extraordinary character and unparalleled skills!”

“She is the most exceptional Divine Child Lingnan Circuit has seen in a thousand years!”

“From this day forward, she is officially my last disciple, Lu Taibai, and also the Young Sect Master of Qian Yuan Divine Sect!”

“Let it be proclaimed to the world!”

“Celebrate together!”