Ye Qiu continued deeper into the temple.
Soon, he arrived before a pagoda.
The pagoda, about sixty to seventy metres tall, was carved from a single block of granite, weighing hundreds of tonnes.
Heavy and solemn.
This was the last structure in the Kaisar Temple, meaning Kasyapa Dragon Tree could only be inside this pagoda.
“Where is Kasyapa Dragon Tree?”
Ye Qiu shouted loudly.
His voice, infused with the power of true qi, resounded like a thunderclap.
Whoosh!
A breeze swept past.
Ye Qiu looked up to see a monk suddenly appear at the pagoda’s peak.
The monk appeared to be in his forties or fifties, but his weathered eyes betrayed a far older age.
He wore a black robe, a large gold ring through his nose, and stood atop the pagoda with a golden python as thick as an arm coiled around his neck.
Ye Qiu sensed the monk’s cultivation was like an abyss, impossible to gauge, and asked, “Are you Kasyapa Dragon Tree?”
The monk didn’t answer, instead asking, “Who are you? Why are you causing a commotion here?”
After speaking, he suddenly caught the scent of blood, his gaze turning icy, “You’ve killed in my temple?”
Ye Qiu said coldly, “Everyone in this temple, except you, is dead.”
What?
Kasyapa Dragon Tree briefly sensed his surroundings, and suddenly, his pupils widened, his gaze terrifyingly sharp, like twin heavenly swords, exuding a fearsome aura.
“You slaughtered my temple’s disciples while I was cultivating. Who are you?”
Kasyapa Dragon Tree asked coldly.
As a mid-Venerable realm cultivator, had he not been fully immersed in his practice, he would have noticed the moment Ye Qiu killed the first person.
Ye Qiu declared his name, “Listen well, I am Ye Qiu, from China.”
A glint of killing intent flashed in Kasyapa Dragon Tree’s eyes.
In his lifetime, he hated nothing more than the Chinese.
Years ago, after becoming a cultivator, he sought to challenge the world’s experts and went to China.
But upon reaching the border, he encountered the Guardian and was severely wounded.
It took him ten years to recover.
And now, a young man had come and slaughtered his disciples.
“Today, you will die!”
Kasyapa Dragon Tree spat out five words, then asked, “But before I kill you, I have one question.”
“We’ve never met. Why do you harbour such deep hatred for me? Why did you slaughter my temple’s disciples?”
Ye Qiu said, “Revenge.”
“Revenge?” Kasyapa Dragon Tree grew more puzzled.
Ye Qiu explained, “Your disciple killed many of our Underworld Palace warriors at the border, claiming it was on your orders.”
Kasyapa Dragon Tree asked, “Where is Purna?”
“Who’s Purna? Your disciple?” Ye Qiu said, “He’s already dead by my hand.”
What!
Kasyapa Dragon Tree was shocked and furious.
“I came here for one purpose: to slaughter every last one of you.”
As Ye Qiu’s words fell, he took a step forward, his powerful aura shaking the heavens.
Pointing at Kasyapa Dragon Tree atop the pagoda, he shouted, “Come down and face your death.”
Hmph!
Kasyapa Dragon Tree let out a cold snort, his face darkening. As the master of the temple, no one had dared speak to him so arrogantly in decades.
Was this kid tired of living?
Instantly, Kasyapa Dragon Tree seemed to awaken like a ferocious beast, his terrifying aura crushing outward, the air crackling with a “popping” sound, like firecrackers exploding.
Ye Qiu knew this wasn’t firecrackers but Kasyapa Dragon Tree’s overwhelming aura compressing the air.
Undaunted, Ye Qiu shouted again, “Old bald donkey, come down and die.”
“Insolent!”
Kasyapa Dragon Tree roared, his sonic wave arriving instantly.
Ye Qiu punched through the soundwave, then unleashed the Six Meridians Divine Sword.
Swish!
Six sword qi sliced through the air, all aimed at Kasyapa Dragon Tree.
“Child’s play.”
Kasyapa Dragon Tree waved his palm lightly.
Instantly, the six sword qi vanished without a trace, as if they’d never existed.
Ye Qiu’s heart jolted, thinking, “As expected of a Venerable realm expert, far stronger than his disciple.”
Kasyapa Dragon Tree looked down at Ye Qiu, saying, “You’re not even a cultivator, yet you dare cause trouble in my temple. You’re seeking death.”
Like a lofty deity, his cold voice dripped with boundless disdain, not taking Ye Qiu seriously at all.
Ye Qiu laughed, “Old bald donkey, I’ve slaughtered everyone in your temple. There’s no point in you living alone. Take my advice: kill yourself and join your disciples…”
Boom!
Before Ye Qiu could finish, Kasyapa Dragon Tree struck.
He dove from the air, his fist aiming for Ye Qiu’s head, like a falling star, terrifyingly powerful.
Yet, facing the fierce attack of a Venerable realm master, Ye Qiu felt not fear but excitement.
Having finally met a Venerable realm opponent, this was the perfect chance to test his true combat strength.
Ye Qiu wanted to know: at full power, how far could his strength reach?
“Boom!”
Ye Qiu met Kasyapa Dragon Tree’s fist head-on.
“Challenging my strength? You’re courting death.”
Kasyapa Dragon Tree sneered, his fist colliding fiercely with Ye Qiu’s.
Bang!
The violent impact unleashed a massive shockwave.
Kasyapa Dragon Tree flashed back, returning to the pagoda’s peak, a trace of surprise in his eyes.
He hadn’t expected Ye Qiu, a non-cultivator, to withstand his punch.
“This kid’s strength is immense.”
Kasyapa Dragon Tree muttered inwardly, his gaze growing colder.
Ye Qiu was equally shocked.
In that punch, he’d used eighty percent of his strength and matched Kasyapa Dragon Tree evenly.
“No wonder you’re so arrogant. You’ve got some skill.”
Kasyapa Dragon Tree stood atop the pagoda, his eyes icy, his killing intent unmatched.
“Though your cultivation surpasses mine, today, I will kill you to avenge the fallen warriors of the Underworld Palace,” Ye Qiu said, his fighting spirit soaring, without a hint of fear.
“Boasting with mere brute strength? Fine, I’ll show you how pathetic your strength is.”
Kasyapa Dragon Tree finished, his blood and qi surging, his eyes glowing like divine lanterns, utterly intimidating.
“Dragon-Elephant Prajna Technique!”
Kasyapa Dragon Tree roared, his voice like thunder, shaking the entire pagoda.
At the same time.
“Roar!”
Dragon roars echoed from his body, as if he were a true dragon, his divine might overwhelming.
Ye Qiu clearly felt Kasyapa Dragon Tree’s power multiply countless times in an instant.
“Kill!”
Ye Qiu roared, leaping into the air like an arrow, charging straight for the pagoda’s peak.
A life-and-death battle erupted.
