Chapter 323: Ambition to Reach the Clouds

Chapter 323: Reaching for the Clouds

After taking the single-legged bronze statue from Xu Lu, Su Mo weighed it in his hand and nodded slightly:

"Doesn’t weigh much."

He casually tossed the bronze statue to the ground with a loud *crack*.

The bluestone pavement split apart instantly.

Dragging the bronze statue along, he approached Jun Luo, his eyes scanning him as if considering where to strike.

Jun Luo’s smugness disappeared in a flash.

With a *hum*, he erected a layer of defensive aura around himself, flickering like an orange-red lantern.

"...Su Mo, what are you doing?" Jun Luo couldn’t help but ask. "If you attack now, they’re both dead for sure."

"Enough chatter. Focus on your own task."

Su Mo tightened his grip on the bronze statue:

"Just getting ready. Think of this as a breather. Once you pull this off, I’ll go back to kicking your ass."

"..."

Jun Luo’s veins bulged in fury.

Hearing this, Wan Zangxin also looked up at Su Mo:

"Chief Su, but..."

"Relax."

Su Mo waved a hand dismissively, then turned his gaze back to Jun Luo and suddenly smiled:

"Mr. Jun, since we’re just killing time, why not chat?

"I’ve heard you’ve made several trips to the ruins of Da Xuan. What’s your trick for getting around in there?"

"...What’s it to you?"

Jun Luo sneered coldly: "Once I pull this off, I’ll wipe you all out. There’s no need for you to worry about anything else."

"Oh?"

Su Mo chuckled: "Sounds like you’re real proud of your *Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra*?"

"It’s the number one martial art under heaven!"

"Says who?"

"Naturally—"

Jun Luo paused, then smirked: "You really think I’d say?"

"Hmph... Let’s see."

Su Mo smiled, "Did someone from the Jinglong Society (a secretive faction) tell you?"

"What?"

Su Mo's words struck like a bolt—Jun Luo's heart lurched violently. His face twisted in disbelief as he stared at Su Mo:

"You... how could you know about the Jinglong Society?"

Su Mo went on, voice icy:

"You sold out your own clan back then, causing the deaths of everyone within it.

"All for the sake of the *Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra*?"

"I... who exactly are you?"

Panic flashed in Jun Luo’s eyes—for the first time.

Su Mo didn’t answer his question, but he seized on Jun Luo’s flicker of fear and pressed on:

"Back then, in the clan’s square, men and women, young and old, were rounded up like cattle.

"From the eldest warrior to newborns still wailing.

"Those people raised their blades and struck—heads toppled like melons.

"They slaughtered the old. Dragged women away. Violated them. Even the infants—"

"Not one soul in that crowd mattered to you?"

"...Shut up! SHUT UP!!!"

Jun Luo clawed at his ears. 'Shut up! SHUT UP!!!' His pupils contracted to needlepoints. This was his darkest secret.

For two decades, he had never spoken of it to anyone. He’d fought to bury those memories deep within his heart.

The reason he felt no affection for his own daughter wasn’t just because he had no love for Madam Wan—it was also because, though he had betrayed his clan, his entire bloodline died there too.

Their clan kept bloodlines pure—no outsiders.

All his kin had been within that clan.

With them dead, Jun Luo was left a ghost in a world of strangers.

What family was left to him?

"Remember when elders hoisted you onto their shoulders as a child, letting you see the world from high above?

"Did your parents dote on you, guiding your steps?

"Did your clansmen have your back?

"In these two decades, have you ever had one damn friend?

"Have you let anyone past your walls?"

"Laughing loudly just like in the old days?"

Su Mo's voice was like a sound that chilled his soul, each word piercing Jun Luo's ears. He tried to block it out, but now... though Su Mo could do nothing to him, he also couldn’t escape.

He could only forcibly listen to Su Mo’s words, letting them uncover what he had buried for over twenty years—things he could never truly erase.

"When you jolt awake at midnight, do you see their pale faces staring back at you?!"

"They’ve come to drag you to hell."

"That's impossible!!"

Hearing this, Jun Luo suddenly raised his head, his heart seizing for a fleeting moment. Though his actions seemed fearless of any risk, the real threat was his own mind.

Now, Su Mo's words struck his ears, destroying his hard-won composure.

The flickering amber light around him wavered abruptly.

That slight disturbance was enough to break Li Xuechun and Wan Yilan free from the qi tether holding them.

Only then did Jun Luo snap to awareness, his eyes snapping open just as a deafening roar erupted toward him.

A massive bronze statue (missing a leg), carrying a force capable of tearing everything apart, came crashing down.

Acting purely on instinct, he crossed his arms before his chest—

BOOM!!!

A deafening explosion suddenly thundered.

Jun Luo was sent flying like a cannonball with a whoosh.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

In an instant, he crashed through the walls behind him, one after another, two, three...

After piercing through seven or eight walls, Jun Luo finally managed to steady himself.

Sometime between the chaos, a layer of Yi Xuan Celestial Aura had enveloped his entire body.

Despite the severe injuries, only a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

But when he lifted his head again, Su Mo was already in front of him, wielding the single-legged bronze man.

"Do you really think I'm afraid of you?"

With blood in his mouth, Jun Luo raised both palms.

One palm held the Sun Wheel, the other held the Moon Wheel.

Sun and Moon together, Yin and Yang in harmony.

Yet, what faced him was still that powerful strike of the single-legged bronze man.

Clang!!!

Without any hesitation, the fierce force came crashing down, regardless of the Sun and Moon, regardless of the Bright Lamp and the Control of Light.

Before Su Mo's brute, unstoppable power, Jun Luo could only take hits.

Whether the Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra cultivated by Jun Luo was a peerless martial art remained debatable, but the cultivation he possessed was far from being as simple as the combined strength of Li Xuechun and Wan Yilan, supplemented by his own power.

Moreover, those who chose to practice the twin solar-lunar techniques of this martial art could not act rashly.

Certain conditions had to be met; otherwise, even these two techniques that served as another's wedding garments would be nearly impossible to master.

By blending the solar and lunar energies with his own Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra, an incredible transformation could be achieved in the blink of an eye.

Yet, unfortunately, Jun Luo's Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra had not been fully cultivated in two ways:

First, it had not been perfected.

Second, even after forcibly channeling Li Xuechun and Wan Yilan's internal energy into his own body, he had still failed to complete the cultivation cycle.

Though he claimed that Li Xuechun and Wan Yilan would not die once this step was completed, how could Su Mo trust him as far as he could throw him?

Thus, while Su Mo played along readily, his true intention was to shake Jun Luo's focus through his words.

Profound martial arts were never so easily mastered.

If the vulnerability was not in the body, it must lie in the heart.

Sure enough, this test revealed that Jun Luo had not fully succeeded.

At this moment, under the relentless assault of the one-legged bronze man, Su Mo's cultivation—blending the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art, the defensive Twelve Gates Golden Bell Shield technique, and the various pure Yang martial arts of the Purple Sun Sect—exploded forth with devastating might.

How could Jun Luo possibly withstand it?

After a dull thud, he was sent flying once more. Had it not been for the Yi Xuan Divine Art sustaining his Yi Xuan Celestial Aura and the protective energy condensed from the Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra, he would've died then and there.

Now, after two blows from the one-legged bronze man, blood gushed from his mouth as he crashed through several more walls and landed in a hidChapter 323: Reaching for the Clouds

After taking the single-legged bronze statue from Xu Lu, Su Mo weighed it in his hand and nodded slightly:

"Doesn’t weigh much."

He casually tossed the bronze statue to the ground with a loud *crack*.

The bluestone pavement split apart instantly.

Dragging the bronze statue along, he approached Jun Luo, his eyes scanning him as if considering where to strike.

Jun Luo’s smugness disappeared in a flash.

With a *hum*, he erected a layer of defensive aura around himself, flickering like an orange-red lantern.

"...Su Mo, what are you doing?" Jun Luo couldn’t help but ask. "If you attack now, they’re both dead for sure."

"Enough chatter. Focus on your own task."

Su Mo tightened his grip on the bronze statue:

"Just getting ready. Think of this as a breather. Once you pull this off, I’ll go back to kicking your ass."

"..."

Jun Luo’s veins bulged in fury.

Hearing this, Wan Zangxin also looked up at Su Mo:

"Chief Su, but..."

"Relax."

Su Mo waved a hand dismissively, then turned his gaze back to Jun Luo and suddenly smiled:

"Mr. Jun, since we’re just killing time, why not chat?

"I’ve heard you’ve made several trips to the ruins of Da Xuan. What’s your trick for getting around in there?"

"...What’s it to you?"

Jun Luo sneered coldly: "Once I pull this off, I’ll wipe you all out. There’s no need for you to worry about anything else."

"Oh?"

Su Mo chuckled: "Sounds like you’re real proud of your *Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra*?"

"It’s the number one martial art under heaven!"

"Says who?"

"Naturally—"

Jun Luo paused, then smirked: "You really think I’d say?"

"Hmph... Let’s see."

Su Mo smiled, "Did someone from the Jinglong Society (a secretive faction) tell you?"

"What?"

Su Mo's words struck like a bolt—Jun Luo's heart lurched violently. His face twisted in disbelief as he stared at Su Mo:

"You... how could you know about the Jinglong Society?"

Su Mo went on, voice icy:

"You sold out your own clan back then, causing the deaths of everyone within it.

"All for the sake of the *Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra*?"

"I... who exactly are you?"

Panic flashed in Jun Luo’s eyes—for the first time.

Su Mo didn’t answer his question, but he seized on Jun Luo’s flicker of fear and pressed on:

"Back then, in the clan’s square, men and women, young and old, were rounded up like cattle.

"From the eldest warrior to newborns still wailing.

"Those people raised their blades and struck—heads toppled like melons.

"They slaughtered the old. Dragged women away. Violated them. Even the infants—"

"Not one soul in that crowd mattered to you?"

"...Shut up! SHUT UP!!!"

Jun Luo clawed at his ears. 'Shut up! SHUT UP!!!' His pupils contracted to needlepoints. This was his darkest secret.

For two decades, he had never spoken of it to anyone. He’d fought to bury those memories deep within his heart.

The reason he felt no affection for his own daughter wasn’t just because he had no love for Madam Wan—it was also because, though he had betrayed his clan, his entire bloodline died there too.

Their clan kept bloodlines pure—no outsiders.

All his kin had been within that clan.

With them dead, Jun Luo was left a ghost in a world of strangers.

What family was left to him?

"Remember when elders hoisted you onto their shoulders as a child, letting you see the world from high above?

"Did your parents dote on you, guiding your steps?

"Did your clansmen have your back?

"In these two decades, have you ever had one damn friend?

"Have you let anyone past your walls?"

"Laughing loudly just like in the old days?"

Su Mo's voice was like a sound that chilled his soul, each word piercing Jun Luo's ears. He tried to block it out, but now... though Su Mo could do nothing to him, he also couldn’t escape.

He could only forcibly listen to Su Mo’s words, letting them uncover what he had buried for over twenty years—things he could never truly erase.

"When you jolt awake at midnight, do you see their pale faces staring back at you?!"

"They’ve come to drag you to hell."

"That's impossible!!"

Hearing this, Jun Luo suddenly raised his head, his heart seizing for a fleeting moment. Though his actions seemed fearless of any risk, the real threat was his own mind.

Now, Su Mo's words struck his ears, destroying his hard-won composure.

The flickering amber light around him wavered abruptly.

That slight disturbance was enough to break Li Xuechun and Wan Yilan free from the qi tether holding them.

Only then did Jun Luo snap to awareness, his eyes snapping open just as a deafening roar erupted toward him.

A massive bronze statue (missing a leg), carrying a force capable of tearing everything apart, came crashing down.

Acting purely on instinct, he crossed his arms before his chest—

BOOM!!!

A deafening explosion suddenly thundered.

Jun Luo was sent flying like a cannonball with a whoosh.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

In an instant, he crashed through the walls behind him, one after another, two, three...

After piercing through seven or eight walls, Jun Luo finally managed to steady himself.

Sometime between the chaos, a layer of Yi Xuan Celestial Aura had enveloped his entire body.

Despite the severe injuries, only a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

But when he lifted his head again, Su Mo was already in front of him, wielding the single-legged bronze man.

"Do you really think I'm afraid of you?"

With blood in his mouth, Jun Luo raised both palms.

One palm held the Sun Wheel, the other held the Moon Wheel.

Sun and Moon together, Yin and Yang in harmony.

Yet, what faced him was still that powerful strike of the single-legged bronze man.

Clang!!!

Without any hesitation, the fierce force came crashing down, regardless of the Sun and Moon, regardless of the Bright Lamp and the Control of Light.

Before Su Mo's brute, unstoppable power, Jun Luo could only take hits.

Whether the Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra cultivated by Jun Luo was a peerless martial art remained debatable, but the cultivation he possessed was far from being as simple as the combined strength of Li Xuechun and Wan Yilan, supplemented by his own power.

Moreover, those who chose to practice the twin solar-lunar techniques of this martial art could not act rashly.

Certain conditions had to be met; otherwise, even these two techniques that served as another's wedding garments would be nearly impossible to master.

By blending the solar and lunar energies with his own Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra, an incredible transformation could be achieved in the blink of an eye.

Yet, unfortunately, Jun Luo's Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra had not been fully cultivated in two ways:

First, it had not been perfected.

Second, even after forcibly channeling Li Xuechun and Wan Yilan's internal energy into his own body, he had still failed to complete the cultivation cycle.

Though he claimed that Li Xuechun and Wan Yilan would not die once this step was completed, how could Su Mo trust him as far as he could throw him?

Thus, while Su Mo played along readily, his true intention was to shake Jun Luo's focus through his words.

Profound martial arts were never so easily mastered.

If the vulnerability was not in the body, it must lie in the heart.

Sure enough, this test revealed that Jun Luo had not fully succeeded.

At this moment, under the relentless assault of the one-legged bronze man, Su Mo's cultivation—blending the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art, the defensive Twelve Gates Golden Bell Shield technique, and the various pure Yang martial arts of the Purple Sun Sect—exploded forth with devastating might.

How could Jun Luo possibly withstand it?

After a dull thud, he was sent flying once more. Had it not been for the Yi Xuan Divine Art sustaining his Yi Xuan Celestial Aura and the protective energy condensed from the Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra, he would've died then and there.

Now, after two blows from the one-legged bronze man, blood gushed from his mouth as he crashed through several more walls and landed in a hidden chamber.

For a moment, his mind grew foggy.

Su Mo stepped into the chamber, intending to press his attack, but after scanning the room, he stopped cold.

"What is this place?"

Though it was an underground chamber, the decor was unexpectedly elegant.

Several bookshelves lined the walls, filled with numerous volumes.

A quick look showed the titles on these books were either "Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra" or "Da Xuan Fragmentary Texts."

On the other side stood a desk with an exquisite sword stand—though the sword itself was missing. His eyes fell upon a small box in front of the stand, and Su Mo happened to enter right beside it.

He casually picked it up and opened it, only to be stunned by its contents—an object he recognized all too well.

"Xuánjī Buckle?"

He glanced at Jun Luo and said coldly.

"Just how many did you collect?"

"......"

Jun Luo finally managed to pull himself together at this moment, taking a deep breath:

"This... this has nothing to do with you—it's my possessions...

"I... I butchered them, nearly exterminating my entire clan, slaughtering every last one of my bloodline...

"All for... supreme dominion over all!!!

"He said it—he promised!

"The patterns engraved on the Xuanji Tokens... they are the map of the Great Xuan Dynasty's imperial city of yore.

"Just obtaining this one has already granted me extraordinary power.

"If... if I could gather all seven Xuanji Tokens...

"All seven!

"I would surely open the Great Xuan Treasury.

"Gather... the scattered providence of the Great Xuan Dynasty across the martial world and make them mine alone.

"I have... I possess the Yixuan Divine Art...

"I can synthesize all martial techniques under heaven!

"I am Heaven's ordained ruler!

"Just let me enter the Great Xuan Treasury, and I can master all those martial arts.

"Do you have any idea... do you even comprehend?"

By this point, he was practically roaring—his voice cracking with fervor:

"How crucial are our clan's inherited supreme techniques?

"Out of the ten volumes of the Yixuan Divine Art, our clan possesses five!

"This was an art only the imperial bloodline could practice in ancient times!

"Why could the Great Xuan Dynasty crush the martial world seven times over, seven times...

"Do you really think the martial artists of the world were willing victims?

"They couldn't win—they were powerless!

"The Yixuan Divine Art possesses the mystery-transcending art, mastering cosmic truths, claiming all creation for myself!

"But... how is this my fault?

"Can you blame me??

"They blindly followed the decrees of the centuries-dead Xuan Emperor, possessing the royal legacy without realizing its worth.

"Providence chose me, yet they willfully ignored their fate.

"When Heaven offers gifts unclaimed—they invited their own doom—"

"I once pleaded...

"As long as the clan leader was willing, I would gladly serve as the vanguard.

"Collecting the seven Xuanji Buckles and unlocking the Great Xuan Treasury—its peerless techniques, we could all master them.

"Our clan... every member would rise like dragons, ascending to power.

"Who in the world could stand against us?

"What is the Jinglong Society? What is the Imperial Office!?

"They are nothing but paper tigers!

"But... they refused to listen, they refused to listen!!

"What choice did I have? What choice did I possibly have!?

"Chief Escort Su, tell me!?

"Since you know all this, you understand what happened back then.

"Let me ask you—such a heaven-sent opportunity was right before them, yet they refused to take it.

"They could have overthrown Da Xuan, yet they chose not to!

"If it were you, could you tolerate it?"

Whether Su Mo could tolerate this was unclear, but as he watched Jun Luo before him—raving, whether from the beating or the words that had shaken his spirit—he seemed completely unhinged.

Su Mo got straight to his first question:

"Who is he?"

Jun Luo’s words had disclosed much.

Beyond the Jinglong Society, there was also an organization called the Imperial Office?

Su Mo had previously wondered: if the Jinglong Society possessed such terrifying power, why hadn’t they simply conquered the realm?

Setting aside distant lands, in the Eastern Desolation alone, if the Seven Great Sects couldn’t stop them, subjugating the entire land wouldn’t be too difficult.

Yet, they held back.

Their hesitation wasn’t directed at Su Mo, nor the Purple Sun Sect or Cold Moon Palace.

What they feared... was undoubtedly the aforementioned Imperial Office.

But what exactly was the Imperial Office?

Moreover, the Yixuan Divine Art was in truth an imperial martial art formerly restricted to the Da Xuan imperial family?

The full compendium consisted of ten scrolls.

Su Tianyang and Yang Yizhi had received instruction in the first five layers from Shouxuan—presumably five scrolls.

Later, Su Tianyang mysteriously acquired the sixth layer through unknown means.

Currently, Su Mo wielded the Yixuan Divine Art at this level.

But this Jun Luo before him had surpassed him in mastery of this martial art alone.

Then he must have obtained two or more scrolls of the Yixuan Divine Art after being cast out.

Did he acquire them from the ruins of the Great Xuan?

Or was there some other means?

In those days... where did Su Tianyang obtain the Sixth Layer of the Yixuan Divine Art?

However, these questions could be tabled for now.

*He said...* Who was this "he"?

This person knew the patterns on the seven Xuanji Tokens mapped the imperial capital of the Great Xuan Dynasty.

Then this person likely knew far more than just that.

Moreover, when did this person say these things to Jun Luo?

Before or after he betrayed his own clan?

If it was before...

As Su Mo pondered this, he heard Jun Luo give a mirthless chuckle:

"Him?

Who else but Mr. Dongmen!

"..."

Su Mo's eyes flickered: "Who is that?"

"...You don’t know?"

Jun Luo stared at Su Mo in astonishment: "Who in blazes are you?

"How do you know my background?

"How do you know about the Yixuan Divine Art?

"You... you don’t know Mr. Dongmen, yet you know about the Startling Dragon Society?"

"Is Mr. Dongmen from the Startling Dragon Society?"

Su Mo's pulse quickened: "The Third Shock of the Dragon Gate?"

"Of course it’s him!"

Jun Luo roared with laughter: "Over twenty years ago, I was at my lowest ebb, and my own clan branded me a heretic. There was almost no quarter left for me among them...

Had I not encountered Mr. Dongmen and benefited from his wisdom,

where would I be now?"

He paused here, his gaze shifting slightly as he looked at Su Mo, speaking with a hint of excitement:

"Su Mo... your martial prowess is unparalleled, far beyond ordinary folks. How could a mere bodyguard be your end goal?

"Mr. Dongmen once said that the fortunes of the world are scattered across the martial world, flowing into the hands of ordinary folks.

"Looking back at the changes over the past decade, you, Su Mo, may be the one destined to bear this fortune.

"If—if you are willing—we could join forces. First, we pacify the Eastern Wilds, then cleanse the Southern Seas, march north to subdue the Northern Plains, and finally take the Western Provinces in a single campaign!

"After that, we reclaim the core of Da Xuan and establish a foundation unshaken for ages.

"Only then would we live up to the spirit of true warriors.

"Only then would we not waste the divine arts we possess!

"Otherwise, look at the world today...

"Chaos reigns, sects carve out their domains, and ordinary folks live in constant misery.

"Martial arts masters sit high above, while ordinary folks struggle to survive.

"Sect wars erupt at the drop of a hat, countless innocents die, yet who sheds a single tear for them?

"We can end all this!

"Let ordinary folks live in peace and prosperity, let the world find stability once more.

"Martial arts masters can defend the realm.

"Scholars and literati can serve in court.

"Ordinary folks will have laws to protect them, and martial artists can no longer bully the weak. Wouldn’t that be glorious!?"

Mr. Dongmen is the Third Dragon Gate of the Awakening Dragon Society...

Su Mo pondered this, nodding slightly:

"There’s some truth to your words.

"If we could bring lasting peace to the world, it would undoubtedly be of great benefit.

"But let me ask you this.

"Why would the Third Dragon Gate of the Awakening Dragon Society tell you all this?

"What else did he say to you?"

"Him?"

Jun Luo looked at Su Mo and shook his head gently:

"He didn’t elaborate, only helped resolve my doubts.

"He made me realize that the nation comes before the family.

"One cannot put family above the greater good.

"If one has great ambitions, they should dare to act."

"How can such lofty aspirations be confined to a single family or clan?"

Su Mo was momentarily at a loss for words.

So the way you avoid being confined by family or clan is to wipe out your own family and clan?

At that moment, Jun Luo chimed in:

"Additionally, Mr. Dongmen gifted me the sixth volume of the Yixuan Divine Art.

"If Chief Escort Su is interested in this practice, Jun Luo would gladly offer it to you, sharing it with Chief Escort Su."

Upon hearing this, Su Mo’s heart skipped a beat.

The sixth level of Su Tianyang’s Yixuan Divine Art must've come from this very Mr. Dongmen!

Li Siyun's clan only possessed five levels of the Yixuan Divine Art.

Yet Jun Luo’s mastery of the Yixuan Divine Art went way beyond that.

His sixth level came from Mr. Dongmen.

And after that, Mr. Dongmen went to the underground prison of the Wraith Hall, where he developed the Great Liberation of Heaven and Earth.

Su Tianyang must've gone down to the Wraith Hall and met this Mr. Dongmen.

But what exactly passed between these two?

Their conversation must've been critically important.

Unfortunately, Mr. Dongmen has since left the Wraith Hall.

To seek him again, there's no telling where to look.

Mulling this over, Su Mo looked at Jun Luo before him and broke into a smile:

"What's the real story behind the Dragon Startle Society and the Imperial Office?"

den chamber.

For a moment, his mind grew foggy.

Su Mo stepped into the chamber, intending to press his attack, but after scanning the room, he stopped cold.

"What is this place?"

Though it was an underground chamber, the decor was unexpectedly elegant.

Several bookshelves lined the walls, filled with numerous volumes.

A quick look showed the titles on these books were either "Enlightened Lamp-Lighting Sutra" or "Da Xuan Fragmentary Texts."

On the other side stood a desk with an exquisite sword stand—though the sword itself was missing. His eyes fell upon a small box in front of the stand, and Su Mo happened to enter right beside it.

He casually picked it up and opened it, only to be stunned by its contents—an object he recognized all too well.

"Xuánjī Buckle?"

He glanced at Jun Luo and said coldly.

"Just how many did you collect?"

"......"

Jun Luo finally managed to pull himself together at this moment, taking a deep breath:

"This... this has nothing to do with you—it's my possessions...

"I... I butchered them, nearly exterminating my entire clan, slaughtering every last one of my bloodline...

"All for... supreme dominion over all!!!

"He said it—he promised!

"The patterns engraved on the Xuanji Tokens... they are the map of the Great Xuan Dynasty's imperial city of yore.

"Just obtaining this one has already granted me extraordinary power.

"If... if I could gather all seven Xuanji Tokens...

"All seven!

"I would surely open the Great Xuan Treasury.

"Gather... the scattered providence of the Great Xuan Dynasty across the martial world and make them mine alone.

"I have... I possess the Yixuan Divine Art...

"I can synthesize all martial techniques under heaven!

"I am Heaven's ordained ruler!

"Just let me enter the Great Xuan Treasury, and I can master all those martial arts.

"Do you have any idea... do you even comprehend?"

By this point, he was practically roaring—his voice cracking with fervor:

"How crucial are our clan's inherited supreme techniques?

"Out of the ten volumes of the Yixuan Divine Art, our clan possesses five!

"This was an art only the imperial bloodline could practice in ancient times!

"Why could the Great Xuan Dynasty crush the martial world seven times over, seven times...

"Do you really think the martial artists of the world were willing victims?

"They couldn't win—they were powerless!

"The Yixuan Divine Art possesses the mystery-transcending art, mastering cosmic truths, claiming all creation for myself!

"But... how is this my fault?

"Can you blame me??

"They blindly followed the decrees of the centuries-dead Xuan Emperor, possessing the royal legacy without realizing its worth.

"Providence chose me, yet they willfully ignored their fate.

"When Heaven offers gifts unclaimed—they invited their own doom—"

"I once pleaded...

"As long as the clan leader was willing, I would gladly serve as the vanguard.

"Collecting the seven Xuanji Buckles and unlocking the Great Xuan Treasury—its peerless techniques, we could all master them.

"Our clan... every member would rise like dragons, ascending to power.

"Who in the world could stand against us?

"What is the Jinglong Society? What is the Imperial Office!?

"They are nothing but paper tigers!

"But... they refused to listen, they refused to listen!!

"What choice did I have? What choice did I possibly have!?

"Chief Escort Su, tell me!?

"Since you know all this, you understand what happened back then.

"Let me ask you—such a heaven-sent opportunity was right before them, yet they refused to take it.

"They could have overthrown Da Xuan, yet they chose not to!

"If it were you, could you tolerate it?"

Whether Su Mo could tolerate this was unclear, but as he watched Jun Luo before him—raving, whether from the beating or the words that had shaken his spirit—he seemed completely unhinged.

Su Mo got straight to his first question:

"Who is he?"

Jun Luo’s words had disclosed much.

Beyond the Jinglong Society, there was also an organization called the Imperial Office?

Su Mo had previously wondered: if the Jinglong Society possessed such terrifying power, why hadn’t they simply conquered the realm?

Setting aside distant lands, in the Eastern Desolation alone, if the Seven Great Sects couldn’t stop them, subjugating the entire land wouldn’t be too difficult.

Yet, they held back.

Their hesitation wasn’t directed at Su Mo, nor the Purple Sun Sect or Cold Moon Palace.

What they feared... was undoubtedly the aforementioned Imperial Office.

But what exactly was the Imperial Office?

Moreover, the Yixuan Divine Art was in truth an imperial martial art formerly restricted to the Da Xuan imperial family?

The full compendium consisted of ten scrolls.

Su Tianyang and Yang Yizhi had received instruction in the first five layers from Shouxuan—presumably five scrolls.

Later, Su Tianyang mysteriously acquired the sixth layer through unknown means.

Currently, Su Mo wielded the Yixuan Divine Art at this level.

But this Jun Luo before him had surpassed him in mastery of this martial art alone.

Then he must have obtained two or more scrolls of the Yixuan Divine Art after being cast out.

Did he acquire them from the ruins of the Great Xuan?

Or was there some other means?

In those days... where did Su Tianyang obtain the Sixth Layer of the Yixuan Divine Art?

However, these questions could be tabled for now.

*He said...* Who was this "he"?

This person knew the patterns on the seven Xuanji Tokens mapped the imperial capital of the Great Xuan Dynasty.

Then this person likely knew far more than just that.

Moreover, when did this person say these things to Jun Luo?

Before or after he betrayed his own clan?

If it was before...

As Su Mo pondered this, he heard Jun Luo give a mirthless chuckle:

"Him?

Who else but Mr. Dongmen!

"..."

Su Mo's eyes flickered: "Who is that?"

"...You don’t know?"

Jun Luo stared at Su Mo in astonishment: "Who in blazes are you?

"How do you know my background?

"How do you know about the Yixuan Divine Art?

"You... you don’t know Mr. Dongmen, yet you know about the Startling Dragon Society?"

"Is Mr. Dongmen from the Startling Dragon Society?"

Su Mo's pulse quickened: "The Third Shock of the Dragon Gate?"

"Of course it’s him!"

Jun Luo roared with laughter: "Over twenty years ago, I was at my lowest ebb, and my own clan branded me a heretic. There was almost no quarter left for me among them...

Had I not encountered Mr. Dongmen and benefited from his wisdom,

where would I be now?"

He paused here, his gaze shifting slightly as he looked at Su Mo, speaking with a hint of excitement:

"Su Mo... your martial prowess is unparalleled, far beyond ordinary folks. How could a mere bodyguard be your end goal?

"Mr. Dongmen once said that the fortunes of the world are scattered across the martial world, flowing into the hands of ordinary folks.

"Looking back at the changes over the past decade, you, Su Mo, may be the one destined to bear this fortune.

"If—if you are willing—we could join forces. First, we pacify the Eastern Wilds, then cleanse the Southern Seas, march north to subdue the Northern Plains, and finally take the Western Provinces in a single campaign!

"After that, we reclaim the core of Da Xuan and establish a foundation unshaken for ages.

"Only then would we live up to the spirit of true warriors.

"Only then would we not waste the divine arts we possess!

"Otherwise, look at the world today...

"Chaos reigns, sects carve out their domains, and ordinary folks live in constant misery.

"Martial arts masters sit high above, while ordinary folks struggle to survive.

"Sect wars erupt at the drop of a hat, countless innocents die, yet who sheds a single tear for them?

"We can end all this!

"Let ordinary folks live in peace and prosperity, let the world find stability once more.

"Martial arts masters can defend the realm.

"Scholars and literati can serve in court.

"Ordinary folks will have laws to protect them, and martial artists can no longer bully the weak. Wouldn’t that be glorious!?"

Mr. Dongmen is the Third Dragon Gate of the Awakening Dragon Society...

Su Mo pondered this, nodding slightly:

"There’s some truth to your words.

"If we could bring lasting peace to the world, it would undoubtedly be of great benefit.

"But let me ask you this.

"Why would the Third Dragon Gate of the Awakening Dragon Society tell you all this?

"What else did he say to you?"

"Him?"

Jun Luo looked at Su Mo and shook his head gently:

"He didn’t elaborate, only helped resolve my doubts.

"He made me realize that the nation comes before the family.

"One cannot put family above the greater good.

"If one has great ambitions, they should dare to act."

"How can such lofty aspirations be confined to a single family or clan?"

Su Mo was momentarily at a loss for words.

So the way you avoid being confined by family or clan is to wipe out your own family and clan?

At that moment, Jun Luo chimed in:

"Additionally, Mr. Dongmen gifted me the sixth volume of the Yixuan Divine Art.

"If Chief Escort Su is interested in this practice, Jun Luo would gladly offer it to you, sharing it with Chief Escort Su."

Upon hearing this, Su Mo’s heart skipped a beat.

The sixth level of Su Tianyang’s Yixuan Divine Art must've come from this very Mr. Dongmen!

Li Siyun's clan only possessed five levels of the Yixuan Divine Art.

Yet Jun Luo’s mastery of the Yixuan Divine Art went way beyond that.

His sixth level came from Mr. Dongmen.

And after that, Mr. Dongmen went to the underground prison of the Wraith Hall, where he developed the Great Liberation of Heaven and Earth.

Su Tianyang must've gone down to the Wraith Hall and met this Mr. Dongmen.

But what exactly passed between these two?

Their conversation must've been critically important.

Unfortunately, Mr. Dongmen has since left the Wraith Hall.

To seek him again, there's no telling where to look.

Mulling this over, Su Mo looked at Jun Luo before him and broke into a smile:

"What's the real story behind the Dragon Startle Society and the Imperial Office?"