Boom! Boom!
At the other two positions, Zhan Meng’s and Ji Lian’s attacks also collapsed in exactly the same way. The golden dragons were only weakened by about forty percent before they continued surging toward the two men.
The speed was unimaginably fast. Protective vital energy boiled around their bodies as they hastily raised blade and sword to block in front of them.
Neither had expected that even a divided strike from Long Tutian could still possess such terrifying power.
Shock also appeared on the face of the Ji family Great Elder. He thrust both palms forward fiercely. When the golden dragon reached his hands, his palm force erupted. Torrential shockwaves and energy fluctuations burst before his palms.
His body was still hurled far backward.
At the same moment, in the other two locations, even though Zhan Meng and Ji Lian frantically poured power into their weapons, the diminished golden dragons still struck them hard enough to make them spit blood. Vast shockwaves exploded, and both men were blasted hundreds of li away.
The only difference between them and the Great Elder was that the two were injured while the Great Elder was merely forced back without harm.
Yet this was already enough to leave all the onlookers dumbfounded, especially the Ji family members, whose faces were filled with disbelief.
Their Great Elder, the one who held half the Ji family’s authority, together with two other Martial Saints, had actually been repelled by Long Tutian? And the other two were wounded?
At the Martial Saint realm, the gap between each minor stage was even greater. Long Tutian, a First Level Martial Saint, had overpowered a Second Level Martial Saint who had been in the realm for over a century, and two First Level Martial Saints who had been in the realm for decades?
Just how monstrous was Long Tutian’s combat strength?
Lin Xiao was equally stunned.
So Martial Saints truly varied in power. His senior brother was simply too formidable!
Even the Ji family Great Elder wore an expression of astonishment, his face grave.
Although that strike had not been his strongest, he had still used one hundred percent of his raw power, merely without employing a martial technique. Its might was far beyond what an ordinary First Level Martial Saint could easily withstand.
Yet Long Tutian had not only blocked it, he had made the Great Elder’s qi and blood churn.
This was enough to prove Long Tutian’s terror. Even if the Great Elder went all out, he might not be able to defeat him.
After a moment’s thought, the Great Elder moved his divine sense and withdrew his weapon from his storage ring.
A great cauldron three or four zhang in size instantly appeared in his hands.
The moment the cauldron emerged, the Great Elder’s figure wavered slightly, as though he could barely steady himself. Only after rolling surges of power flowed from his body did he manage to hold the cauldron firmly.
“Jiangshan Sheji Cauldron, the supreme treasure of the Ji family!”
Seeing that cauldron, Long Tutian’s expression changed for the first time. His eyes narrowed with gravity.
This was the first time Long Tutian had shown any sign of seriousness.
One could imagine how fearsome the reputation of that cauldron truly was.
“What? The Jiangshan Sheji Cauldron? The Ji family actually brought their clan-suppressing treasure?”
“That legendary Ji family Sheji Cauldron? The Jiangshan Sheji Cauldron?”
“The treasure with which the Ji family dominates Yang Province and shares hegemony over the continent. Just how terrifying will its power be?”
“They’ve even brought out the Sheji Cauldron. It seems the Great Elder has no intention of wasting more time with Long Tutian.”
“Very possibly, he wants to kill Long Tutian. After all, Long Tutian’s threat is simply too great.”
…
The crowd erupted in shocked discussion.
The Canglong Gate members wore solemn expressions, especially the older elders.
They too had heard the legend: once the Sheji Cauldron appeared, a single strike could settle the realm. That was how it earned the name Jiangshan Sheji Cauldron. Wielded by a Second Level Martial Saint, Long Tutian was probably in danger.
Long Tutian represented Canglong Gate. To truly harm a Martial Saint was to touch the very foundation of a sect; it would trigger a war between major powers.
If fighting truly broke out, the entire Yang Province would shake.
Did the Ji family really intend to go that far?
If Long Tutian fell here today, it would be an incalculable loss for Canglong Gate.
Although some harboured grudges against Long Tutian, they were loyal to the sect and naturally hoped nothing would happen to it.
Moreover, Lin Xiao currently held the floating heavenly palace, a treasure equal to the Ji family’s supreme artefact, which meant it was as though Long Tutian possessed it.
If Long Tutian lost, Lin Xiao would perish, and the floating heavenly palace would naturally fall into Ji family hands.
Once the Ji family mastered how to activate the floating heavenly palace, with two supreme treasures in their possession, should they truly wage war against Canglong Gate, the latter would be at an overwhelming disadvantage.
One could say that this battle, if it truly escalated, carried enormous consequences.
“Long Tutian, hand over the floating heavenly palace, and this old man will not raise a hand against you!” the Ji family Great Elder declared solemnly.
“Then let us see how much of the Jiangshan Sheji Cauldron’s power you can actually bring forth,” Long Tutian replied. He clenched both fists; terrifying power surged and roared within his body.
“You had better think carefully. Even I cannot fully control the might of the Jiangshan Sheji Cauldron!” the Great Elder warned again. His left hand supported the cauldron while his right gripped one of its rounded feet.
The cauldron had three legs and was an understated dark green, appearing incomparably heavy.
Across its surface were engraved ancient landscapes of mountains, rivers, and fertile fields, solemn and majestic. The instant the Great Elder poured power into it, an ancient aura spread outward. Terrifying pressure rose from the green cauldron, as though something were pressing down upon the entire heaven and earth.
Even Lin Xiao, one or two hundred li away, felt an inexplicable oppression. Only when Long Tutian’s own pressure surged forth did the feeling ease.
“Let us find out!” Long Tutian answered. The power within him had already brewed to its absolute limit. His entire body trembled faintly from the sheer intensity, and the surrounding void seemed to quake with him.
If he had not still been holding it back, the full release of his aura alone would probably have crushed the nearby Lin Xiao to death.
“Hmph! The Ji family’s supreme treasure is not something a junior like you can underestimate! Since you wish to test it, this old man shall oblige!”
With a thunderous shout, the Ji family Great Elder roared, “Jiangshan Sheji Cauldron, one strike to settle the realm!”
Amid the rolling proclamation, he spun, gripped one leg of the cauldron with both hands, and swung the entire massive artefact forward in a mighty overhead smash.
As the cauldron moved, it was as though countless mountains were being brandished. The void itself distorted.
Hiss!
The instant the cauldron was swung, within several hundred li of the dark-green radiance, illusory visions appeared: towering mountain peaks, surging rivers, green crops covering fertile fields. The entire heaven and earth was filled with vivid phenomena, as though a true realm of rivers and mountains had manifested.
At the same time, a beam of deep green light shot from the cauldron, tearing through the sky. It seemed to gather the power of an entire empire, swallowing mountains and rivers with its overwhelming momentum as it blasted straight toward Long Tutian.
“Nine Dragons Canon!”
Long Tutian brought both fists together and smashed forward. Draconic roars resounded as nine golden dragons burst from his gauntlets. Each dragon was almost completely solid, with horns upon their heads, scales upon their bodies, tails fully formed, utterly lifelike.
Seven of the golden dragons coiled together and charged toward the deep-green cauldron light, colliding head-on.
Boom!
A heaven-shaking, earth-shattering explosion erupted. Shockwaves rolled like raging seas. The deep-green cauldron light shattered layer by layer.
In the end, after the front portions of the seven golden dragons completely disintegrated, the remaining dozen-zhang dragon tails broke through the green light and slammed into the cauldron itself.
Boom!
Another cataclysmic explosion. Vast shockwaves burst forth. The Ji family Great Elder, still gripping the cauldron, spat a mouthful of blood and was hurled backward an immense distance.
