Chapter 153: I, Overbearing Body

Upon reaching the mountain peak, they found an extraordinarily luxurious place. Buildings and palaces gleamed with golden light; even the pillars of the main hall were so thick that two people could barely wrap their arms around them. There were countless golden statues, and many barbarians from the plains stood beneath them.

Suddenly, a golden statue moved, making Qin Mu's heart leap. Only then did he realize these were not mere golden statues, but powerful Grand Shamans! The Grand Shamans of the Loulan Golden Palace had actually refined their bodies to resemble pure gold, emitting a brilliant golden light!

In front of the Golden Palace, beneath a majestic gateway, Grand Shamans stood solemn and imposing, like resplendent golden deities. Leading them was an old man with golden hair and a golden body. He was tall and robust, clad in golden robes, holding a scepter, and wearing a feathered crown. His voice boomed like a great bell: "Martial Khan, you have enjoyed freedom for so many years. Why do you present yourself here today?"

"Presenting myself, indeed, well said," replied Ba Shan. "Qing Niu, put down the mountain gate!"

Qing Niu set down the mountain gate with a loud thud. Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine laughed heartily, "Shaman Master, I have delivered the mountain gate. It seems most of these gleaming senior brothers have been beaten by me. Back then, I blocked the gate for a hundred days, injuring and killing many. I couldn't hold back against the strong ones, so I had to kill them. The weak ones survived in my hands, and those weak ones are all of you present here today."

As soon as he spoke, an uproar spread throughout the mountain. All the elder powerhouses of the Loulan Golden Palace were enraged, and an oppressive aura of hostility instantly filled the air.

Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine's words were too venomous; he had instantly offended all the experts of the Loulan Golden Palace, incurring widespread wrath. Coupled with carrying the mountain gate up the peak, this matter certainly wouldn't end peacefully.

One of the Grand Shamans, with a solemn appearance, his voice like the clang of metal on stone, said coldly, "Our injuries healed long ago. Over the years, our Golden Palace has been recuperating and building strength. We are eager to fight Martial Khan again and avenge our past humiliation."

Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine smiled. "There will be a chance. However, I've come this time to block the gate, not to kill you all."

He led Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu forward to the base of the golden mountain gate. He looked up, examining the gate, reminiscing about the past, and sighed, "Back then, I followed my esteemed master beneath this very gate and killed many people..."

The gleaming, god-like Grand Shamans glared at him, their eyes burning with fury. Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine turned back, winked at Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu, and smiled, "Now, this mountain gate is entrusted to you two."

Ling Yuxiu felt uneasy and whispered, "Teacher, the rules here seem different from those in Yankang."

Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine smiled, his voice barely a whisper, "When Dao Sect and Great Thunderclap Temple block the gates of the Imperial College, it's merely a contest of skill, not life or death. After the fight, everyone remains amicable. But here, fights are to the death. You can choose to spare an opponent's life. However, if you encounter an expert on par with yourself, and you must kill them, then it's hard to hold back. Back then, I encountered many experts here who were on par with me, which is why many people died."

Ling Yuxiu's scalp tingled.

Qin Mu also composed himself and took a deep breath. This was finally according to the rules of the Great Ruins.

The rules of the Great Ruins were exactly the same!

The Shaman Master walked over to the golden mountain gate, his gaze resting on Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu. He said unhurriedly, "Blocking the gate will follow the old rules: life or death is irrelevant. But beyond that, the title of Martial Khan, I also need to reclaim it, regardless of life or death!"

Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine's expression remained unchanged, and he declared loudly, "Gentlemen, they are both at the Five Radiance realm."

"We understand the rules for blocking the gate," replied the Shaman Master.

The Shaman Master's face was calm as still water. He paused, tapping his scepter, and said calmly, "Golden Palace disciples, heed my command: contend with them at the Five Radiance realm. Death is irrelevant. Anyone who dares to exceed the Five Radiance realm, I will take their life!"

His voice was not loud, yet it resonated throughout the entire mountain.

As soon as the Shaman Master finished speaking, he looked at Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine, a faint smile on his face. "Martial Khan, back then, Heavenly Khan brought you to my Golden Palace to block the gate. Heavenly Khan's divine abilities were boundless, truly admirable. But you are not Heavenly Khan."

Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine's expression turned solemn as he stepped past the mountain gate, his voice piercing into Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu's minds: "Junior Brother, Princess, rest assured, as long as they don't kill me, they will still challenge you according to the rules. However, if I am killed by them, then you too will be in danger."

Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu's hearts were struck with alarm.

Their safety hinged on Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine's life. If Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine were stripped of the title of Martial Khan and eliminated, then even if Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu were killed, no one would leak the news. The Loulan Golden Palace's reputation would remain unsullied, and the outside world would never know about this challenge.

The strong cultivators from the plains who came to observe the battle all submitted to the rule of the Loulan Golden Palace, and if the Loulan Golden Palace gave the order, they would not speak of it.

If Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine were to leave the Loulan Golden Palace alive, then this matter would be blabbed by Ba Shan, the loudmouth. Not only would the entire plains know, but probably everyone under heaven would know.

Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine definitely possessed this ability.

At that point, the Loulan Golden Palace's prestige would be utterly ruined.

Therefore, the Loulan Golden Palace would absolutely not besiege Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu before Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine's death; they would only act according to the rules.

"Master, don't get beaten to death!" Qing Niu shouted.

Ba Shan Sacrificial Wine stumbled, then turned back and glared, "When we get back, you're beef stew!"

Qing Niu quickly recoiled.

"Two young lads and lasses, so presumptuous!" a voice from behind Qin Mu suddenly echoed. "Do you know you are blocking the gate of a sacred land?"

Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu stood up and looked down the mountain, only to see many strange-looking shamans approaching, blocking their path.

One of the shamans stepped forward, a faint golden light radiating from his body. He had horns on his head, wings on his back, and a bird's beak. This method of cultivation, transforming towards a non-human form, was indeed rare.

"Senior Brother," Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu greeted him.

The Golden Palace shaman did not return the greeting, his voice resonant and powerful. "Etiquette is a concern of your Yankang country. My Loulan Golden Palace has no such many rules. After killing you, I will absorb your souls to cultivate divine abilities. People like you are far stronger than those slaves, and your souls are incredibly resilient, perfect for cultivating divine abilities!"

Qin Mu's eyes gleamed as he said, "Sister, I'll go first this time, to test their cultivation techniques and divine abilities."

Ling Yuxiu nodded. Although her strength had advanced rapidly along the way, there was still some gap compared to Qin Mu. Rushing into a fight without knowing the shamans' true abilities would easily lead to disadvantage.

Qin Mu exhaled a turbid breath and said in a deep voice, "Qing Niu, bring me my satchel!"

Qing Niu stepped forward and took off the satchel from his back. Qin Mu first slung the knife sheath onto his back, placing two pig-slaughtering knives crisscross. He then slung the sword case behind the knife sheath, hung the large iron hammer, tucked in a bamboo staff, and buckled the Young Protector Sword to his waist.

Qing Niu, full of fighting spirit, said, "I hear you used to be a cowherd, yet you couldn't even beat me. Can you beat them?"

Qin Mu stretched his body, his bones crackling, and said calmly, "I am a Hegemon Body."

Qing Niu exclaimed, "My master has never been defeated beneath this golden gate!"

Qin Mu's expression was blank as he stated, "I am a born Hegemon Body. Under heaven, no one at the same cultivation level can defeat me."

The bird-winged shaman took out two golden pestles, his eyes gleaming, and laughed, "What nonsense Hegemon Body? Never heard of it."

Qin Mu circulated his vital qi using the Hegemon Body Three Dan Cultivation Art; his vital qi surged explosively, instantly enveloping his entire body.

"I am the Hegemon Body!"

He lifted his foot, and the golden ground beneath instantly sank, leaving a deep footprint. With a thundering boom, his body lunged towards the bird-winged shaman, moving so fast that only a series of afterimages could be seen.

"Peerless Hegemon Body!"

The bird-winged shaman's expression changed drastically. He hastily flapped his wings to rise, but before his body could lift off, Qin Mu's fist came crashing down. With that punch, dragon roars reverberated. His pupils constricted; what he saw was not a single fist, but a ferocious and menacing dragon head!

The next instant, he saw two dragon heads, then three, then four!

His wings fluttered as he tried to dodge, but it was already too late. In haste, he could only cross the two golden pestles in front of him.

The two golden pestles suddenly bent. The power of Qin Mu's punch actually struck the two spirit weapons as if they were made of mud, smashing the golden pestles into thin sheets.

Whoosh—

The bird-winged shaman flew into the air, then exploded with a bang, turning into a cloud of blood mist. From the blood mist came the roars and cries of dragons. The blood mist transformed into forty-five ferocious and menacing blood dragons, as if it wasn't Qin Mu's punch that shattered the bird-winged shaman, but these forty-five blood dragons bursting from his body!

And on the golden platform in front of the mountain gate, Qin Mu, who had been in extremely intense motion, suddenly became still. His violent vital qi also abruptly subsided, and his expression was calm.

"Qing Niu, your master needs a hundred days to defeat the Loulan Golden Palace."

Qin Mu turned around, his gaze indifferent, sweeping across the shamans below the golden platform. "As for me, I only need one day."

He stood beneath the gate, his voice thundering like lightning, echoing through the Loulan Golden Palace: "I only need one day to destroy the will of all Golden Palace disciples, crush all their self-esteem, and trample their dignity underfoot!"

"Presumptuous!"

A shaman, enraged, charged madly towards Qin Mu. As he ran, his physical body underwent a drastic transformation: the human skin on his head tore away, revealing an elephant's head. His body grew taller and more robust, tearing his clothes to shreds, and his limbs became as thick as elephant legs.

Golden light overflowed from his body, an elephant's head atop a human body, as if a sacrificed deity had been resurrected, possessing boundless strength!

His cultivation and strength were clearly much greater than that of the previous bird-winged shaman; the bird-winged shaman's body had not begun to turn golden, whereas his skin was as if cast from gold!

Boom—

A fist as large as a water vat thundered towards Qin Mu. The fist vibrated the air, erupting with a thunderous sound, and white, circular currents of air burst forth in all directions!

Behind Qin Mu, the white fur of Fox Ling'er in front of the mountain gate was blown backward by the strong wind generated by this punch, and Ling Yuxiu's beautiful hair also streamed backward.

"Die!" roared the elephant-headed shaman.

Qin Mu leaped, darting out from beside the impossibly domineering punch that came crashing down. Holding his knives, he charged beneath the elephant-headed shaman's massive body, and blade light flashed.

"Lift the Blade, Break the Forbidden!"

Qin Mu's figure soared into the air, flipping backward. As he landed, his two knives were inserted into the sheath on his back. Meanwhile, the elephant-headed shaman's massive body split into two halves, rolling down the mountain and staining the golden steps blood red.

A shaman, eyes bloodshot, suddenly pulled out a black banner and shook it at Qin Mu, shouting sternly, "I will refine your soul! Die!"

Qin Mu sealed his soul using the Creation Heavenly Devil Cultivation Art. He raised a finger, and the sword case behind him opened. A flying sword emitted a sharp whistle, piercing directly through the shaman's glabella.

Qin Mu flicked his finger upward, and the flying sword whistled back, inserting itself into the sword case with a clang, leaving a trail of blood light behind it.