Crouching Dragon Mountain was a giant existence, but its interior was hollow and filled with special formations. The cultivation rooms built especially for the Dragonblood Legion were located inside. They were all built using the best possible standards.

It could be said that Li Tianxuan had spent a great deal of money and effort on the Dragonblood Legion. Just the resources that had gone into Crouching Dragon Mountain were practically equal to what he had spent on every other disciple in the sect.

Li Tianxuan did this to help Long Chen. Long Chen was doing his best to gather money to reconstruct the Xuantian Dao Sect, so Li Tianxuan had to arrange the best for the Dragonblood Legion so Long Chen didn’t have to worry about things back home.

This was also why Li Tianxuan had the Dragonblood Legion be an independent entity. He kept Crouching Dragon Mountain secluded and didn’t let disciples look around inside. Even if they knew how good things were inside, they would only feel envy or admiration, but Li Tianxuan’s main goal was to maintain a sense of mystery. This was more favorable to Long Chen.

A sect needed an idol-like figure to lead its people. That person not only needed to have immense combat power, but also great intelligence and a certain charisma that others couldn’t resist.

Long Chen checked off all those requirements, but he didn’t like that feeling of being above others and being worshipped. Idols required a sense of mystery around them and needed to distance themselves from their worshippers. However, Long Chen didn’t like to do that, so it was up to Li Tianxuan to think of ways to create that feeling.

Sometimes, it was just like this. Perhaps a person wouldn’t be particularly strong, but by standing at a higher spot, others could only look up to them and naturally feel a sense of worship. This was also why the position of emperor always surpassed the ministers. It was a mental suggestion. Li Tianxuan’s skill in controlling other people’s hearts had easily achieved the pinnacle.

That was why when Long Chen invited the other disciples to come to Crouching Dragon Mountain, they already felt that it was an immense honor. However, Li Tianxuan definitely wouldn’t allow those disciples to see the cultivation regions the Dragonblood Legion used. He gave those disciples more room to imagine the possibility. That was beneficial to the Dragonblood Legion’s mystique.

At the core of Crouching Dragon Mountain was a huge space. This was the most lavish cultivation room in the Xuantian Dao Sect. There were over a hundred spirit gathering formations, as well as others. Even Li Tianxuan’s own seclusion room wasn’t so extravagant.

This cultivation room had been specially built for Long Chen. Li Tianxuan knew that Long Chen needed to both cultivate and refine pills, so this room was very large, large enough for Long Chen to mess around in.

It was currently occupied by Li Qi and Song Mingyuan. The earth essence was hanging up in the sky, divine light shining around it. Ripples were spreading out of it.

When Long Chen arrived, he jumped in shock at the scene he saw. Li Qi and Song Mingyuan were encased in a thick layer of dirt. They were like earthen statues, and they didn’t have the slightest air of life. It was like they had already died.

“They’ve entered a quasi-death state. But while their bodies seem dead, their souls are growing increasingly powerful. This earth essence really is worthy of being the head of the four major essences in the Jade Lake Sacred Land. Fortunately, Li Qi and Song Mingyuan are absorbing it together, or if it was just one of them, the amount of energy would probably make them explode,” explained Meng Qi.

Meng Qi was guarding this place to prevent any accidents from occurring during this process.

“Once those two come out, their combat power will probably even surpass mine.” Long Chen nodded. The earth essence had been so powerful that it had destroyed Di Long’s attack. If the two of them could fully absorb its energy, they would definitely be reborn. If they joined hands, they could probably defeat the entire Dragonblood Legion, with even Long Chen having to avoid them somewhat.

“You really do need to focus on upgrading yourself. Ever since the battle in the Grand Han, your cultivation base hasn’t grown at all. Don’t waste any more time. Don’t slow down your own cultivation because of us.” Meng Qi reached out and helped tidy Long Chen’s robes. Her voice contained a slightly scolding tone.

Long Chen’s current cultivation base was too low. His combat power had also not advanced very much. It was all because he was spending so much time on the Dragonblood Legion.

“Hehe, time spent honing a blade isn’t a waste. As long as you all get stronger, I won’t even need to personally do anything. I’ll just shout: Guo Ran, bite him! and everything will be handled,” laughed Long Chen.

Meng Qi immediately laughed, but she rebuked, “Don’t be so mean to Guo Ran. The whole biting someone’s butt last time has become a sore point for him. Even now, he’s embarrassed whenever it’s mentioned.”

“So that little fellow also knows how to be embarrassed? That doesn’t sound like his style. It seems he needs to keep thickening his skin. In the future, we’ll just directly shout: Everyone retreat and close the gates. Release Guo Ran!”

“Hmph, I’m being serious. It’s not good to be so mean to Guo Ran.”

Long Chen pulled Meng Qi out of the cultivation room. Li Qi and Song Mingyuan had already entered a stable state and didn’t need anyone looking after them. As they walked, he said, “You don’t understand that little fellow. Once he gets arrogant, his ego will get completely inflated. That’s why occasionally giving him a blow is a must. Otherwise, no place in the Martial Heaven Continent would be able to accept him. But you know, after this, he will probably make a name for himself on the continent. I have to work hard too, or he might place his sights on me and want to beat me like he did Gu Yang.”

Long Chen couldn’t help feeling emotional. Guo Ran’s current physical body was only on the level of an ordinary Empyrean. It wasn’t particularly outstanding, but when he wore his armor, his power was horrifying.

Even Long Chen, if he didn’t rely on a divine item, would only barely be able to suppress him with his full power.

However, that was excluding that little fellow’s sinister moves. Having given him so many of those blades and chains, it was unknown what kind of evil moves he would come up with. Long Chen no longer had any assurance of being able to put Guo Ran in his place.

Although Guo Ran was his loyal follower and definitely wouldn’t betray him, having to watch him show off all day was definitely unbearable. So he had to suppress him a bit while he could.

“Ah, speaking of which, Zifeng said that he doesn’t want the blood essence stone or the blood soul stone. He refused no matter how I advised him. Do you want to talk to him?” asked Meng Qi.

Everyone was currently undergoing the baptism of the blood essence stone and then using the blood soul stone to condense their Yuan Spirit a second time. Yue Zifeng had refused both those opportunities.

“No need. Zifeng walks a different path from us. Helping him would be harming him. He knows his own path much better than us, so there’s no need for us to worry about him.”

“But his physical body and Spiritual Strength are both lacking. Although his attacks are sharp, he has essentially zero defensive power. Only knowing how to attack and not defend is a fatal weakness.”

Long Chen smiled. “That’s why I said you don’t know his path. Have you heard this saying in the secular world? The sword is a simple tool, with a three feet blade, half a foot hilt, and a sheath that covers its entire edge. Why is it that way?”

“I actually don’t know.”

“When the sword is in motion, it represents its killing power. At that time, it has no need for defense. Its edge is something no one can block. Only when it is still can it be attacked. That’s the most dangerous time for it, which is why it has its sheath. Yue Zifeng is a sharp blade. He knows his strongest point is his offense, so he has abandoned his defense, making his offense unstoppable. As for defense, he has no need for it, because I, you, and every last Dragonblood warrior can be his sheath. Why would he need to waste his time on that?” explained Long Chen.

Meng Qi nodded. Yue Zifeng had sacrificed his defensive power to make his offensive power incomparably sharp. Within the same realm, all his enemies were killed with essentially one attack. In the Dragonblood Legion, he was second only to Long Chen in terms of offensive power.

“However, raising his soul and physical strength is only beneficial. He could focus that power on his offense as well, couldn’t he?” asked Meng Qi.

“It’s because Yue Zifeng is a sword cultivator. In his heart, there is only the sword, nothing else. That is his firm and fanatical conviction. He feels that as long as he comprehends the Sword Dao, he can one day arrive above the Heavenly Daos. In fact, I feel like he has achieved some kind of enlightenment, or his conviction wouldn’t be so strong.”

“What kind of enlightenment?”

“I’m not sure. But I would guess it has something to do with the legendary Sword God.”

Yue Zifeng had finally returned from the Heavenly Sword Gate, but his temperament had completely changed. There was a firm conviction in his eyes now that no one could shake. Perhaps Yue Zifeng should now be called a sword fool, a sword fanatic.

“Are there really gods in this world?” asked Meng Qi.

“Perhaps there are, perhaps there aren’t. Perhaps the term god is just a name. I once asked the same question of senior Yun Shang. At that time, senior Yun Shang only smiled faintly and didn’t reply. However, I saw a touch of disdain in his smile or perhaps a kind of contempt. In any case, it doesn’t seem like he has a high opinion of them.” Long Chen sighed. Back then, he had managed to speak to one of the Sovereigns that had once shaken the continent. However, Sovereign Yun Shang hadn’t given him any useful information.

“Don’t bother Zifeng. No matter what happens, he’s our trustworthy brother. He wants to walk the path of offense. In that case, we’ll protect his path. Using offense as defense is also a kind of unstoppable Dao. Zifeng will become our Dragonblood Legion’s strongest sword warrior.” Long Chen smiled.

“Guo Ran’s so happy that he’s forgotten his name, while Gu Yang is using the blood essence stone to temper his body. He focuses on his bloodline and physical strength in the first place, so he’ll become a real monster after this tempering. There’s no need to say anything about Li Qi and Song Mingyuan who are also going to be monsters after absorbing the earth essence. Everyone’s getting stronger, but you’re still where you started. Aren’t you afraid of getting thrown behind? I should warn you that Wan-er is quickly merging with the wind energy and rapidly improving each day. Be careful of her bullying you like you bullied her before. I definitely won’t be helping you at that time,” warned Meng Qi.

“Everyone’s strength is my strength. Their improvement is my improvement. My greatest dream is to have a bunch of unstoppable fighters. By then, if someone gets cocky in front of me, I won’t even have to do anything. I can just point and have them beaten to the point where their mothers wouldn’t recognize them,” laughed Long Chen.

Seeing Meng Qi glaring at him, he hastily added, “It was a joke. Everyone’s getting stronger, so I also have to go into seclusion. Furthermore, I have a very brazen idea. I’ll give you all a pleasant surprise when the time comes.”