Chapter 0757: Dragon Stele

Under Zhao Yanzhi's guidance, Li Luo traversed through the massive Green Nether training grounds and arrived at an area in the inner mountains. The security here was strict, with countless patrols and defensive wards placed around. Even Li Luo had to reveal his Sub Leader's silver stone seal before they were able to pass through smoothly.

Various eyes looked at Li Luo's direction. As an individual with a special background, news of him heading to the back mountains began to spread and people talked about him.

……

"Li Luo has headed to the back mountains?" When Zhong Ling heard the news, he lifted his eyebrow quizzically with a slight smile on his face. "I suppose his goal is to enlighten himself on the Draconic Breath Fiend Arts. Since he returned from the outer divine continent, the only fiend art the Hall Master could have left him was the Three Revolutions Draconic Breath. If he wants a higher grade version, he will have to borrow the assistance of the Dragon Stele."

"Does the Sub Leader think that he can achieve the Six Revolutions Draconic Breath?" some of the members of his banner mockingly asked.

"Well, he is the Hall Master's son. The Hall Master was able to cultivate the Nine Revolutions Draconic Breath, and he does possess triple resonances. He should not be underestimated. Thus, I think that obtaining the Six Revolutions Draconic Breath will not be a difficult task for him." Zhong Ling did not look down upon Li Luo just because he was a potential threat. He had also secretly watched Li Luo injure Mu Bi with a single move.

A Lesser Fiend Palace cultivator who could injure a Silver Fiend.

Although this was achieved through tricking Mu Bi into a battle with unfavorable conditions and Li Luo could only utilize the Duke Art once, it demonstrated his strength. The fact that he would not have won in a true life and death battle was not important.

Duke Arts were also hard to cultivate, and this was something he was extremely clear of.

Li Luo had three resonances and had cultivated a Duke Art. He had weaker resonant power today due to being born in an outer divine continent, but now that he had arrived at the Dragon's Fang Lineage, his cultivation would advance like a fish in water with the aid of its bountiful resources. He had to guard against this dangerous enemy.

"Then what about the Nine Revolutions?" someone asked after a short delay.

No one answered. The Nine Revolutions Draconic Breath was a Ten Fiends Art that everyone here could only dream of attaining. It would give them an exaggerated advantage in the Earth Fiend Stage.

What was most important was that if one cultivated the Nine Revolutions Draconic Breath, they would increase their synchronization with the Green Nether Banner.

Taking this step would indubitably cause his reputation to soar.

In the current batch of the sixteen thousand members of the Twenty Banners, there were merely less than ten individuals who had achieved this. The difficulty was immense.

"Attaining the Nine Revolutions Draconic Breath is not an easy task. Li Luo might possess three resonances, but his own strength is a little weak. Those who succeeded were all at the Greater Fiend Palace at the very least," Zhong Ling indifferently explained. He did not wish to underestimate him, but he would not think highly of him either.

He had personally experienced the trial of the Dragon Stele and knew how steep and exacting the requirements were. The tempering process required one to possess sufficient willpower, resonant power, and physical resilience. Nothing could be lacking.

"Let's go see for ourselves. The atmosphere will definitely be bustling."

Zhong Ling thought about it for a moment before deciding to go there in person. They were three months away from the selection for Green Nether's Banner Leader, and he was originally slated to win. Now that a wildcard like Li Luo had arrived and disrupted his plans, he would remain vigilant despite the fact that it was unlikely that Li Luo would hinder him.

Thus, Zhong Ling brought a group of his trusted lieutenants from the first division to accompany him.

At the same time, the remaining divisions also began to stir as they received the news.

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

The usually quiet back mountains had turned boisterous.

……

Li Luo, on the other hand, was following Zhao Yanzhi. There was a platform on the mountain with a one hundred-meter-tall stone stele. This stone stele was light golden and there were no words on its surface. One could only see an endless number of mysterious lines of light flowing about it slowly. If one stared at it, they could vaguely make out the outline of a majestic, gigantic dragon.

"This is the Dragon Stele. So long as you place your palm on it, it will suck you within and make you undergo the Dragon Stele's trial, known as the Draconic Breath's Smelting. The draconic breath can be separated into three grades: Three Revolutions, Six Revolutions, and Nine Revolutions, with the difficulty increasing exponentially. Whichever draconic breath you can endure, you will naturally obtain the equivalent Fiend Art. With your strength, I don’t think conquering the Six Revolutions Draconic Breath's trial will be difficult. However, if you wish to endure the Nine Revolutions Draconic Breath, the difficulty will skyrocket. I once experienced it and was almost burnt to ashes. If not for the Dragon Stele's protection, I would have scattered into the winds," Zhao Yanzhi explained, her eyes still holding a hint of fear as she spoke about it.

Li Luo nodded, showing he understood.

"Also, if you are able to create a miracle and obtain the Nine Revolutions Draconic Breath, I heard that there is a special reward," Zhao Yanzhi added.

"A special reward?" Li Luo asked curiously.

"It is a type of Nine Revolutions Art. When you activate the Draconic Atavism Scripture and condense the banner's energy, you will be able to utilize a unique technique with extraordinary power.

"It is not a type of resonance art, but you can think of it as a secret art that matches the energy gathered from rallying the banner as one."

Li Luo nodded. This was a trick worthy of a Heavenly Emperor Bloodline.

After which, he did not say much, directly ascending the stone stairs onto the platform and moving towards the golden Dragon Stele.

"Do your best, Sub Leader. Every banner's Dragon Stele is identical, and if one is able to cultivate the Nine Revolutions Draconic Breath Fiend Arts, all the other Dragon Steles will resonate and your grand name will appear above them all. At that point in time, your reputation will truly reverberate throughout the Twenty Banners." Zhao Yanzhi waved her hand, and a look of anticipation could be seen on her face.

Li Luo similarly waved back and did not retreat. He could feel that a large number of figures had suddenly appeared within the back mountains, and their gazes were focused upon him. Clearly, the other four divisions had also arrived to see for themselves.

Every action he made would be under close scrutiny.

Zhao Yanzhi awaited him beneath the stone steps before the sound of wind being broken could be heard behind her. Li Shi and Mu Bi had both arrived.

"Zhao Yanzhi, why did you bring the Sub Leader to the Dragon Stele?" Li Shi asked.

Zhao Yanzhi spread her hands and shrugged. "The Sub Leader only possesses the Three Revolutions Draconic Breath. After entering the Green Nether Banner, he would naturally seek a higher grade one."

Mu Bi frowned. "You should have waited for a bit. The Sub Leader is only at the Lesser Fiend Palace Tier, so his resonant power is still lacking. The difficulty in conquering the Draconic Stele's trials might be a little too much for him."

Zhao Yanzhi innocently replied, "The Sub Leader wanted to head here immediately. What was I to do?"

Even Mu Bi was left speechless at this response.

Li Shi had fallen silent for a bit as he pondered over the implications before he said, "The Sub Leader is talented. Although he’s a little weaker than us, overcoming the Six Revolutions Draconic Breath will not be too difficult."

"However, it looks like his intention is to challenge the Nine Revolutions Draconic Breath," Zhao Yanzhi replied as she blinked her eyes with thick lashes.

Li Shi and Mu Bi glanced at each other with concern. Their Sub Leader might not be that old, but his goals were higher than anyone’s.

A Lesser Fiend Palace cultivator was planning to challenge the Nine Revolutions Draconic Breath? This was something rarely seen in the history of the Twenty Banners.

"There is no need to worry. If he is able to achieve this, it will cause a sensation that will shock the world. At that point in time, the Green Nether Banner will only rise in prominence. I think this is a great idea," Zhao Yanzhi said.

The other two could only nod. Now that things were at this stage, they could not hold him back any longer but simply watch on.

As they spoke, Li Luo was slowly ascending the steps, and he arrived before the Dragon Stele a few minutes later. He glanced at that massive object. It seemed to radiate a mysterious pressure, as though a humongous dragon was slowly observing him. Anyone who did not have the strength of will to proceed would be deterred to retreat.

Li Luo continued without hesitation and calmly reached out with his palm, placing it atop the Dragon Stele before everyone’s eyes.

In the next moment, dense, gold light flooded outwards, submerging Li Luo completely. When the light dissipated, he had vanished.

The Dragon Stele's trial had begun.