The middle-aged Tibetan monk let out a low snort, his voice full of confidence as he bellowed.
"You stinking Tibetan monk, just wait. Once Little Dragon Girl breaks through, she'll beat you all to the ground!" Zhou Botong's voice rang out, tinged with anger and stubbornness.
The middle-aged Tibetan monk and the few behind him wore cold expressions.
Their eyes met, and the middle-aged Tibetan monk spoke softly first: "Zhou Botong can't hold out much longer. Let's charge again."
The others exchanged glances, and one chuckled awkwardly: "Dharma King, since Zhou Botong is about to collapse, why rush?"
"Exactly. The poison in him will take effect soon. No need to hurry."
"Right. Even if that Little Dragon Girl breaks through, what can she do? With the Dharma King here, are we afraid of her?"
Several voices chimed in.
The middle-aged Tibetan monk sneered inwardly. A bunch of cowards.
But these people all had significant backgrounds, so he couldn't force them.
He thought it over—once Zhou Botong completely gave out, even if Little Dragon Girl reached the Grandmaster realm, it wouldn't matter.
With a flicker of thought, he suppressed the urge to act immediately.
Turning around, he raised his head and shouted into the valley: "Fine, this Dharma King will wait and see what Little Dragon Girl is capable of!"
The others breathed a sigh of relief, unwilling to face the nearly broken Zhou Botong.
That was too dangerous.
In the nearby forest.
Li Daoqiang, who had sealed off his and his companions' auras, watched the Golden Wheel Dharma King and couldn't help but smile.
Using the toughest tone to say the most cowardly words.
Wasn't he just afraid of Zhou Botong's desperate last stand?
And his use of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill was truly crude.
Like a clumsy elephant.
It was almost painful to watch, wasting the formidable power of the ninth level.
He looked away, casually glancing in one direction, then turned his gaze to the valley.
Though his view was blocked, it didn't matter much.
As expected, Little Dragon Girl was about to break through.
He felt a sense of anticipation.
Behind him.
Wanwan and the others were also watching the Golden Wheel Dharma King.
Their sidelong glances occasionally swept over Li Daoqiang.
No wonder—the power the monk had just displayed felt familiar.
It seemed the same as Li Daoqiang's.
None of them were simple people; a single look was enough to confirm it.
And that made them think more deeply.
Li Daoqiang's rise was almost mythical.
Countless people had probed his background.
Even now, few claimed to truly understand him.
Encountering a monk with a technique so similar to Li Daoqiang's naturally sparked their curiosity.
Li Daoqiang noticed their probing gazes but didn't care.
Let them think what they wanted.
At his level, he no longer worried about others knowing his martial arts secrets.
Even if they did, so what?
The manual for the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill was sitting in the Black Dragon Village's martial arts academy.
He watched patiently, waiting.
About the time it takes to burn an incense stick passed.
The spiritual energy in the mountain range grew more turbulent, drawn by Little Dragon Girl's breakthrough.
Suddenly, a transformative aura surged into the sky.
A burst of white light bloomed, illuminating the entire valley.
She succeeded!
Everyone knew it, and the atmosphere grew tense.
Even Wanwan beside Li Daoqiang became more serious.
Little Dragon Girl was now a Grandmaster.
In every way but status, she was no weaker than Wanwan.
Outside the valley, the Golden Wheel Dharma King frowned but continued waiting patiently.
He wasn't in a hurry. The longer Zhou Botong's poison dragged on, the better for him.
Inside the valley.
Zhou Botong's eyes blinked with surprise.
Even the sharp pain in his hand felt more bearable.
Nearby, the cold white light on Little Dragon Girl quickly faded, and her heaving breath steadied.
She slowly opened her eyes, still calm and detached.
As if reaching the Grandmaster realm, something everyone dreamed of, was nothing special.
Like eating a meal.
Seeing Zhou Botong approach quickly, she gracefully rose.
"Little Dragon Girl, you really broke through! You're amazing—just like that!" Zhou Botong praised excitedly.
"I owe thanks to your dual-handed combat technique," Little Dragon Girl said plainly, nodding slightly in gratitude.
"It's all your own skill. Your martial art is incredible—using the dual-handed technique to merge with my Quanzhen Sect's methods, dual cultivation pushing you through!" Zhou Botong's eyes darted, as if plotting something.
But his expression was so obvious it was amusing, not off-putting.
Little Dragon Girl pondered briefly. It was true.
It showed how deeply her grandmaster had loved Wang Chongyang.
The Jade Maiden Heart Sutra seemed to advocate few desires.
But it was specifically designed to complement Quanzhen's inner arts and swordsmanship.
A pity... her grandmaster had passed with regrets.
Me and Gu'er...
A pang of sadness rose, then subsided.
As long as Gu'er was well, that was enough.
"Oh, Little Dragon Girl, do you think you can beat that stinky monk outside now? I can't hold on much longer," Zhou Botong suddenly said, shifting the topic with urgency.
Little Dragon Girl thought for a moment, then said unhurriedly: "I should have some chance."
"Good, that's enough!" Zhou Botong beamed. His eyes darted around, and he whispered secretly: "Let's go out, beat him, and then leave quickly."
Little Dragon Girl looked at him with slight confusion, as if asking why the hurry.
Zhou Botong caught on and whispered more carefully: "I'm about to give out. I need to find a way to detoxify fast.
Plus, there's a big bad guy hiding nearby—the one I beat last time.
He's waiting for me to collapse.
Hehe, he thinks I haven't noticed him, but Old Impish Zhou spotted him long ago.
But I can't show it. I have to act like I still have fight in me, so he won't dare move.
So after we beat that stinky monk, we need to leave quickly. You definitely can't beat that big bad guy.
See? Isn't Old Impish smart?"
He looked at Little Dragon Girl proudly.
She was a bit bewildered by his smugness.
But she understood his meaning.
She didn't feel any resentment at being told she couldn't beat that person. She didn't even ask who the big bad guy was.
She just nodded calmly: "Then let's go out."
Zhou Botong was delighted at her nod and nodded back repeatedly.
Then, with a swagger, he strode outward.
A few breaths later, they emerged from the valley.
Immediately, the Golden Wheel Dharma King and his group, already on alert, grew even more tense.
"Stinky monk, we're out. Now watch how you get beaten!" Zhou Botong shouted arrogantly, full of confidence.
Then he looked at Little Dragon Girl expectantly.
She nodded slightly without a word, and two white silk ribbons shot out like sharp swords.
The Golden Wheel Dharma King's face tightened. With a light snort, he didn't back down, sending his golden wheel flying to meet the ribbons.
"Boom!"
In an instant, they clashed, the air exploding with thunderous sounds.
Little Dragon Girl moved like a nimble white phoenix, her ribbons acting as swords.
Each wielded a different sword technique.
Together, they produced an extraordinary power.
Sword qi filled the air, razor-sharp.
The Golden Wheel Dharma King, relying on his overwhelming strength, showed no fear.
Golden energy erupted, his single wheel splitting into five.
They shot through the air with immense force.
"Boom!"
A violent explosion. The sword qi was exceptionally sharp, and the five wheels seemed to wail, struggling for a moment before being knocked back.
The Golden Wheel Dharma King's expression shifted. He ignored the wheels.
All the power of the ninth-level Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill erupted, faint dragon roars and elephant trumpets rising.
The overwhelming force forced Zhou Botong and the others back.
Little Dragon Girl's expression remained unchanged. Her jade-like palms glowed with two slightly different lights.
One was a pure white.
The other, a deep blue.
(Chapter 1, thanks for your support.) ······