Talisman Emperor

Bang!

That disciple of the Dao Institute was blasted forcefully onto a mountain wall, causing the rocks there to explode into pieces.

The force carried by this strike of Chen Xi's was too formidable, and it was a sudden attack as well. So, even if that disciple of the Dao Institute possessed peerlessly formidable strength, it was too much more inferior when compared with Chen Xi.

If he hadn't utilized a violet colored copper shield to protect himself at the critical moment, then this strike would have definitely taken his life.

However, even then, this strike of Chen Xi's still wasn't something that he could resist completely.

Bang!

In the blink of an eye, that disciple from the Dao Institute didn't even have the time to let out a shrill cry before he was carried by a strand of terrifying energy of the heavens and the earth, and he was forcefully teleported out of the Dao Cauldron World.

In other words, he'd been directly eliminated by a single sword strike from Chen Xi!

…

All of this had occurred too quickly. Since the moment Chen Xi suddenly attacked to the point when the disciple from the Dao Institute had been eliminated, all of it had merely occurred in less than an instant.

Even a figure like Feng Wuling wasn't in time to assist that disciple, and this obviously showed how powerful and swift Chen Xi's strike was.

This wasn't the end of it. After he blasted that disciple flying, Chen Xi's figure flashed, and he barely avoided Feng Wuling's ferocious attack.

After that, he formed a sword with his fingers, and he executed numerous strands of sword qi that crisscrossed and intersected as they shot towards the surroundings.

Every single strand of sword qi contained extremely terrifying energy of the Divine Dao Laws. Moreover, they were dazzling and resplendent, and they carried vast and powerful might.

This was the Ocean Cliff Style from the Profound Heart Sword Technique. It was boundless like an ocean, steady like a cliff, and it possessed an all powerful might capable of crushing the world.

Regretfully, after they'd experienced that scene from before, Feng Wuling and the others had become vigilant, and they respectively utilized their strongest ability to resist Chen Xi's attacks.

Rumble!

For a time, this expanse of the heavens and the earth was filled by boundless sword qi. Space was blasted into pieces, divine radiance flowed violently, and it was an expanse of chaos.

"Dammit!"

"He actually launched a surprise attack!"

"Hmm? Where is he?"

A wave of furious shouts resounded from amidst the dust and dirt that suffused the surroundings. However, when the dust and dirt dispersed, all of them including Feng Wuling noticed to their astonishment that Chen Xi's figure had actually vanished from the battlefield!

"Everyone, I hope you learn from your mistakes. I won't be so merciful the next time we meet." An indifferent voice resounded by their ears.

This caused the expressions of Feng Wuling and the others to change slightly, and they raised their eyes simultaneously to look over. They saw Chen Xi's tall figure flash in the extremely distant sky, and then it vanished.

"That damnable bastard! He actually fled! Pursue him!" A disciple from the Dao Institute had a livid expression as he gritted his teeth.

"There's no need to pursue him!" Feng Wuling stopped them in a resolute manner while his expression was extraordinarily icy cold. "Even if we catch up to him now. We… are probably unable to seize the Ancient Dao Engraved Cauldron from him."

As he finished speaking, his voice became slightly heavy and low.

The expressions of the others changed indeterminately, and they silently approved in the end.

Indeed, Chen Xi was able to eliminate a companion of theirs with a single strike just now, and he was even able to easily withdraw from the battle while facing their joint attacks.

Merely this alone allowed them to determine that they would probably be utterly unable to make Chen Xi leave the cauldron behind without paying a heavy price.

"I never expected that this fellow who rose abruptly within the Ancient God Domain in the recent years is actually even more formidable than the rumors said." One of them couldn't help but sigh lightly.

"I faintly have the feeling that this kid's strength is probably not much inferior to that third generation disciple of Oracle Mountain, Gu Yan." One of them spoke solemnly.

"Let's go. He's carrying an Ancient Dao Engraved Cauldron with him, so the situation he's in will only become worse as time passes. Don't forget that Oracle Mountain's true opponents are the Sovereign Sect and Divine Institute. Let's see if he's able to persist until the Dao Discussion ends three months from now." Feng Wuling took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the reluctance in his heart, and then he turned around and led the others away.

…

Chen Xi's figure silently appeared at a mountain that was extremely far away.

Looks like I have to adopt an even more cautious strategy if I want to maintain possession of this cauldron. Chen Xi pondered deeply. Even he was able to sense that even though the Ancient Dao Engraved Cauldron was in his possession, it had never stopped emanating an obscure and ancient aura of the Dao, and it was utterly impossible to conceal.

It was noticed by the disciples of the Dao Institute this time, and I probably won't be so luck the next time. Earlier, the reason Chen Xi had chosen to withdraw wasn't because he was afraid of them, and it was instead because he was clearly aware that it was pointless to continue being locked in battle with them. Moreover, it would really easily draw the attention of other cultivators. Once he was surrounded, then the consequences would be severe.

I must be cautious from now on. I'll kill swiftly, and I absolutely can't allow myself to be kept occupied by my enemies! A wisp of a resolute expression flashed in Chen Xi's eyes.

…

On the Square of Vie.

All the cultivators from the various top-rate powers of the Ancient God Domain had their heads raised as they watched with concentration, and they were extremely nervous.

Earlier, they felt that the disciples from their own clans that were participating in the Dao Discussion were extraordinary. But now, they noticed that every single participant was a peerlessly outstanding figure, and all of them were extremely vigilant and experienced. Now a single one was easy to deal with.

"Beautiful! Landing a killing blow with a single strike before withdrawing from the battle. This fellow, Chen Xi, is much more formidable than I expected." Le Wuhen slapped his thigh and praised.

"Unfortunately, he didn't annihilate all those fellows from the Dao Institute." Yu Qiujing wasn't fully satisfied by the battle.

"Chen Xi's true opponent isn't the Dao Institute, and it's the Sovereign Sect and Divine Institute instead. The Dao Discussion has only begun, so acting in this way is the most sensible." Zhuanyu Shui pondered deeply before he spoke.

Shentu Yanran didn't speak. She's been constantly paying attention to Chen Xi, and her gaze went wherever Chen Xi's figure went.

Within Convergence Hall.

All the Imperial Monarch Realm experts from the five extremes of the Imperial Region were much calmer and composed. All of them were clearly aware that the Dao Discussion had merely begun.

The interesting period that was truly worth paying attention to hadn't arrived yet.

"That Chen Xi from your Oracle Mountain is much more formidable than the rumors say." Huai Kong'zi smiled as he spoke. Even if he witnessed Chen Xi eliminating a disciple of the Dao Academy, but he hadn't taken it badly at all.

"You're being too kind." Wen Ting spoke indifferently.

"Haha. This Chen Xi is extraordinary indeed. But he obtained an Ancient Dao Engraved Cauldron on the very first day, so he'll probably be unable to survive until the end." The red robed Grand Priest Lei Fu grinned as he spoke with a thorn in his words.

"Lei Fu, you should be concerned about the disciples of your Sovereign Sect. There's no need for you to worry about the disciples of my Oracle Mountain." Wen Ting glanced at him and spoke calmly.

Right at this moment, the Dao Conferral Elder of Nuwa's Dao Palace, Yu Zhen, exclaimed and spoke. "There's something off in the situation. Take a look, Wen Ting. Presently, the disciples of the Sovereign Sect, Divine Institute, and Dao Institute have converged together in the Dao Cauldron World, and only the disciples of your Oracle Mountain and my Nuwa's Dao Palace are acting on their own and in a disorganized manner."

Wen Ting's brows raised, and then she swiftly raised her eyes to look over. Sure enough, she noticed that it was just as Yu Zhen has said. Chen Xi and the other disciples of Oracle Mountain were dispersed in various different corners of the Dao Cauldron World, and they were acting on their own without showing even the slightest sign of converging with each other.

On the other hand, the Sovereign Sect, Divine Institute, and Dao Institute's disciples seemed to be dispersed in various different areas of the Dao Cauldron World, but if one looked carefully at their movements, one could clearly notice that they were converging towards a single direction!

The situation was slightly fishy!

If such a situation were to continue, then the Sovereign Sect and Divine Institute's disciples would definitely converge together and form an extremely formidable force. At that time, how could Chen Xi and the others who were on their own be a match for such a force?

They would definitely be defeated one by one!

At this moment, it wasn't just Wen Ting and Yu Zhen, everyone within the hall had noticed this scene.

However, the Sovereign Sect's Lei Fu and the Divine Institute's Chi Song'zi were smiling silently and seemed to be watching the show.

Huai Kong'zi frowned instead while a wisp of surprise and bewilderment surged into his heart. He'd realized this earlier, but he'd never imagined that such a situation would really occur.

"Huai Kong'zi, what's going on?" Wen Ting's eyes suddenly turned cold, and she looked at Huai Kong'zi with a questioning expression while her voice resounded through the entire spacious hall.

"If I'm not wrong, your Dao Institute declared that it would hold this Dao Discussion in a fair and impartial manner!" Yu Zhen spoke as well. Her voice was light and gently, yet those that knew her character were clearly aware that the more she acted in this way, the more she was furious in her heart.

Huai Kong'zi took a deep breath, and then he said with a smile, "Fellow Daoists seem to have misunderstood. The Dao Cauldron World is formed from the precious treasure, the Dao Transformation Source Cauldron, that belongs to my Dao Institute's Dean. So long as anything that goes against the rules occurs within it, then it would be noticed at the first possible moment and punished. There's absolutely nothing that's unfair."

"Then what's going on here?" Wen Ting asked coldly.

"Wen Ting, this is a Dao Discussion. You're going too far by questioning the fairness of it when you see that your own disciples are inferior to others." The Sovereign Sect's Lei Fu spoke before Huai Kong'zi could speak.

"If you're going to be a sore loser, then why participate in the Dao Discussion?" The Divine Institute's Chi Song'zi laughed coldly without end.

Wen Ting and Yu Zhen's brows knit together tightly while they were furious in their hearts. Both of them had noticed that something was unusual, but these fellows just had to feign ignorance.

"Huai Kong'zi, I'll only ask you a single thing. If someone broke the rules of the Dao Discussion, then how will it be handled?" Wen Ting didn't argue with the two of them, and she shot her gaze at Huai Kong'zi instead before she spoke word by word with a murderous tone.

The atmosphere within the hall fell deathly silent.

Huai Kong'zi frowned and was silent for a moment before his expression became solemn to the extreme. He said calmly, "Everyone, you don't have to worry. If something like that occurs, then my Dao Institute will definitely provide a satisfying answer!"

His voice was resolute and forceful as well!

Wen Ting didn't speak any further when she heard this, and her expression just became even more cold and indifferent than before.

"Haha. A satisfying answer? I really look forward to it." Yu Zhen revealed a gentle smile, yet her eyes were completely without emotion.

Huai Kong'zi fell into silence when he heard this while his gaze glanced inadvertently at Imperial Monarch Ying Qin.

The rules and matters of the Dao Discussion were only known to Ying Qin and him. He'd originally thought that there would be no need to worry about the rules being broken once the Dao Discussion begun, but now it would seem like… the situation had exceeded his expectations.

The only thing that Huai Kong'zi felt fortunate about was that the rules that covered the Dao Cauldron World still existed, and there was no sign of any violation until now.

This meant that at the very least, the Dao Discussion was still in a fair and impartial state.

I only hope that everything is carried out smoothly and trouble arises…. Huai Kong'zi sighed in his heart while he looked at the Divine Screen of the Heavens in the sky outside the hall.