Library of Heaven's Path

Wuu wuu wuu!

Carrying the might to pierce through the air, the water droplets tore through everything that stood in their path.

Even the water droplets that it flicked out so casually wield such formidable might! Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

He was still wondering how the water droplets had come about, and the answer had surpassed his wildest imagination!

If even the water droplets flung out by a casual flick from the fellow in the lake harnessed such might, just how powerful would that fellow be? Would Yang shi even be a match for it?

"Bloodline activation!"

Knowing that it was no time for him to be dozing off, he quickly burned the remaining half a droplet of Zhang Clan blood essence, and the time around him slowed once again.

I have to get rid of the problem from its roots, or else it'll just be a matter of time before I lose my life! Zhang Xuan thought as he swiftly traversed past the water droplets toward the edge of the lake.

Huala!

Right after doing so, the half a droplet of blood essence also burned dry, and the water droplets ended up striking the wall all around.

Pah pah!

Zhang Xuan raised his head to take a look at what was ahead of him.

The fellow that had risen from the lake was a massive skeleton. From its head to its tail, it was dozens of meters tall. Every single one of its translucent bone glistened with jadeite, and even though it was impossible to tell just how tough it was, just the fact that a casual flick of its body was able to fling out water droplets that wielded the strength to kill Saint 9-dan pinnacle cultivators was more than enough to instill fear.

Upon catching the true appearance of the skeleton, Zhang Xuan jolted in shock.

This is… the skeletal frame of a dragon?

Having tamed the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, he had some understanding of the physical structure of such lifeforms. He could tell that the skeletal frame before him had a much more natural and harmonious structure compared to the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, making it highly likely that it was the skeletal frame of a dragon.

Even if it was not a Pureblooded Dragon, it was bound to possess a far purer Dragon Bloodline than the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast.

Seeing that the young man had successfully dodged its water droplets, the skeletal dragon glanced down at the young man as its deafening voice boomed in the air. "You wield the ability to control time? No, your power seems to be dependent on a bloodline… Who are you? Which Sage's descendant are you?"

"I am Zhang Xuan!"

Noting that the skeletal dragon had no intention of attacking him for the time being, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief as he clasped his fist and bowed toward the massive fellow before him while discreetly examining it.

The skeletal dragon had a dark exterior, and the voice seemed to have originated from the dragon's head. Its eyes were basically two holes imbued with faint green light. If not for the fact that it had spoken, it would be difficult for one to imagine that the skeletal dragon was a living being with independent consciousness.

"Zhang? You aren't a disciple of Kong shi?" the skeletal dragon asked.

"I'm not!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

It was only after the Hundred Schools of Philosophers left the Master Teacher Continent that the Zhang Clan rose to power. As such, the founder of the Zhang Clan was indeed not a successor of Kong shi's heritage.

"To be able to comprehend the laws of time, which only Kong shi is able to utilize, despite not being one of Kong shi's disciples, it seems like the later generations are filled with plenty of talents!" The skeletal dragon nodded slightly.

"I'll give you some credit for being able to withstand my pressure and dodge my water droplets, but that is far from sufficient. If you wish to win my acknowledgement, you'll have to defeat me!"

"Win your acknowledgement?" Zhang Xuan asked in confusion.

"Indeed. This passageway contains the greatest treasure of the ninety-nine doors, but it's also the most dangerous of them. The one who wins my acknowledgement will be able to take me away, and those who fail my trial shall have their lives reaped by me!" the skeletal dragon said impassively.

"You said that… the one who wins your acknowledgement will be able to take you away?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up in excitement at that notion.

Even the droplets casually flung out the skeletal dragon wielded the strength to slaughter Saint 9-dan pinnacle cultivators with ease! That prowess was definitely nowhere beneath Yang shi's. If he could take this skeletal dragon away with him, his overall prowess would surely rise by leaps and bounds!

"Indeed. However, if you wish to earn my acknowledgement, you'll have to first display prowess surpassing mine! Back then, Ancient Sage Ran Qiu also used his strength to convince me to serve him for life. I have already slept here for tens of thousands of years, awaiting another worthy individual to serve!" the skeletal dragon replied.

"Ancient Sage Ran Qiu… You are Ancient Sage Ran Qiu's weapon? Could you be… the Dragonbone Divine Spear?" Zhang Xuan suddenly thought of something, and his body shuddered in astonishment.

He had read some books concerning Ancient Sage Ran Qiu, so he knew bits and pieces of his history. The Dragonbone Divine Spear was the weapon that Ancient Sage Ran Qiu had wielded as he slew hordes of Otherworldly Demons as if a mortal manifestation of the God of War. Even Kong shi had once praised the formidability of the Dragonbone Divine Spear…

Could this skeletal dragon really be that legendary weapon?

If that was the case, he really had made the right choice choosing this passageway!

"Indeed!" the skeletal dragon replied nonchalantly. "Ancient Sage Ran Qiu has sealed my powers, such that my fighting prowess is only at the level of Great Sage at the moment. Nevertheless, as long as you are able to defeat me, I'll willingly leave with you. Otherwise… no matter who you are and what background you come from, I'll pierce a gaping hole through you for your arrogance of daring to challenge me!"

"Of course, of course! It's only right that you should do so, just that…" Zhang Xuan raised his head to look at the skeletal dragon earnestly. "As you can see, I'm only a Saint 9-dan pinnacle cultivator myself. Even if you can only tap into the strength of a Great Sage at the moment, I'm still no match for you… Won't you consider suppressing your cultivation to my level before fighting it out?"

"You want me to suppress my cultivation to match your level?" the skeletal dragon asked with a hint of displeasure in its voice.

"Having been sealed here for a long time, I believe that you are craving to dive into the world and clash with some worthy opponents. Right now, I'm the only one who has chosen this passageway, and if no one else comes by after me, doesn't that mean that you'll never be able to get out? That would be the greatest tragedy for a top-notch weapon like you, wouldn't it!" Zhang Xuan exclaimed passionately.

"Since it's a duel, it will only be meaningful if the both of us are on equal standing, right? Otherwise, what fun will it be if you win in a single move?"

The skeletal dragon hesitated upon hearing those words.

"It's settled then! You are the trump card of Ancient Sage Ran Qiu, so your fighting prowess is bound to be at the very top! There's no way a weak cultivator like me will be able to pose a threat to you even if you do suppress your cultivation down to my level!" Zhang Xuan remarked admiringly. "But if you aren't feeling too confident… I guess it can't be helped then!"

"Humph! There's no way I would lose to you with my cultivation suppressed!" Provoked by Zhang Xuan's words, the skeletal dragon harrumphed coldly. "Fine, I'll suppress my cultivation down to Saint 9-dan pinnacle!"

In truth, the skeletal dragon knew that Zhang Xuan was intentionally provoking it, but its pride still got in its way. More importantly, it did not think that it could possibly lose to Zhang Xuan.

Boom!

The next moment, the Dragonbone Divine Spear's powerful aura gradually reduced to a level equivalent to Zhang Xuan's, Saint 9-dan pinnacle.

"Humph, let's begin then…"

After sealing its cultivation, the skeletal dragon was just about to make its move when the vision before it abruptly blurred. Unknowingly, the young man who had been standing right there a moment ago was already standing before it, sending a punch right toward its dragon head.

"You…"

Caught off guard by the other party's swift movement and abrupt assault, the skeletal dragon felt a little stifled inside. It swiftly whipped its tail to strike down the young man, but the next instant, it found that the space around it had been completely sealed. As if a frozen river, it was unable to move at all.

"Ancient Sage Qiu Wu's Spatial Sealing Art?" the skeletal dragon exclaimed in shock.

The next instant, a splitting pain ripped through its skull—the young man's fist had already landed squarely on its head.

Peng peng peng peng!

Punches and kicks rained down on the skeletal dragon, sending stabbing pain reverberating through its body. It was almost like being battered by the ceaseless rapids of a river, completely messing up its momentum, not giving it the opportunity to recover at all.

Under the relentless attack, not only were the skeletal dragon's bones slowly accumulating damage, its soul was also severely jolted.

The skeletal dragon was frenzied. How is he so powerful?