On the desolate Gobi desert, Jin Naluo was seated cross-legged with a Wisdom Divine Ring appearing behind his head, casting brilliant auspicious light that made him seem even more detached and transcendental, as if he had grasped the grand Dao.

Beside him, Greater Aspiration was somewhat surprised to see this.

He had long heard that his junior brother was exceptionally intelligent and had an extraordinary understanding, but he had not paid it much attention before.

After all, he himself was also known for his wisdom.

But today, when both of them listened to the two verses, their understanding of the Dao contained within was completely different.

He knew that the two verses were of profound and sophisticated realms, yet he had not gleaned much from them, whereas Jin Naluo had gained profound comprehension from them, swiftly advancing his insight into the Western Dao.

If it were any other time, Greater Aspiration would undoubtedly have congratulated his junior brother with delight.

But at this moment, all he felt was annoyance and dejection.

"It's your turn!"

At this moment, Yu Yuan looked at Greater Aspiration and declared, "Are you intending to concede defeat directly, or do you want to put up another stubborn resistance?"

"Hmph!"

Greater Aspiration scoffed with a cold laugh, his gaze shifted to Jin Naluo and said solemnly, "Junior brother, listen to my verse."

Jin Naluo also remembered the task at hand, the Wisdom Divine Ring behind his head disappeared, and with hands clasped together and full of expectation, he said, "Brother, please recite a verse."

Holding the Nine Ringed Staff in one hand and pressing the other hand together in front of his chest, Greater Aspiration recited, word by word:

"Bodhi naturally arises from within, do not seek it from outside.

My heart itself is Bodhi; Bodhi is indeed myself."

After reciting this, Greater Aspiration took a deep breath.

Though this verse was composed on the spot, it was the culmination of the Dao he had realized, his ultimate insight into the Western Dao.

"I am Bodhi, Bodhi is me!"

Jin Naluo was slightly moved and exclaimed, "I didn't expect brother's understanding of the Dao to be so profound; I am not worthy in comparison."

Greater Aspiration looked towards Yu Yuan with a hint of smugness in his eyes.

Although he knew that the verse he composed wasn't on the same level as the two verses composed by Yu Yuan, the one who would decide the winner was Jin Naluo, his junior brother!

As long as he could produce a verse, naturally, he would be the victor!

Even though such means were somewhat disgraceful, weren't Yu Yuan's methods at the beginning just as unsightly?

This was merely applying the opponent's technique back onto themselves!

Yes, that's it!

Greater Aspiration comforted himself internally, his eyes signaling to Jin Naluo that it was time for him to determine the winner.

Reading his brother's signal, Jin Naluo's face showed a touch of difficulty.

He looked at Greater Aspiration and said softly, "Daoist friend Yu Yuan presented two verses; wouldn't brother like to recite another?"

Greater Aspiration shook his head and declared firmly, "One verse suffices."

Despite saying so, he couldn't help but think bitterly to himself that the one verse he recited was already his most profound insight; where could he get another verse from?

In the end, it's you who decides the victor; one verse is enough to beat two, isn't it just a matter of your word?

With this thought, he heard Jin Naluo say, "Brother's verse contains deep and profound Daoist insight, which has given me much gain..."

Hearing this, Greater Aspiration's lips curved slightly upwards.

Everything was proceeding according to his will.

But in the next instant, his junior brother Jin Naluo continued, "However, the two verses by Daoist friend Yu Yuan are both marvelous creations of unparalleled merit, whenever I recite them in my heart, I can gain endless insights... Therefore, in this debate of Dao, Daoist friend Yu Yuan has won."

Greater Aspiration's smile froze instantly.

Not only him, even Yu Yuan looked at Jin Naluo in surprise.

He had been ready to grab his hammer, but to his surprise, he received such a result.

What was happening here?

Unlike his surprise, Greater Aspiration was absolutely furious.

He glared at Jin Naluo, spoke with a hostile tone, "Junior brother, what do you mean by this?"

"Huh?"

Jin Naluo gave him a puzzled glance, slightly flustered, "What's the matter, brother? I have made a fair judgment entirely in accordance with your wishes... without the slightest bias."

"I..."

Greater Aspiration almost choked on his breath.

His eyes bore into Jin Naluo, as if trying to see through his junior brother's real intentions.

"Tsk tsk~"

Yu Yuan smacked his lips, "It seems someone has lifted a rock only to drop it on his own feet... stop dawdling, quickly tell me the whereabouts of Cloud Distance Kunpeng."

Greater Aspiration gave him a fierce glare.

Though extremely reluctant, bound by the vow of the Dao, he could only tell the truth.

"I have crossed hands with Cloud Distance Kunpeng and allowed him to escape, but I can sense that his aura is close to reaching the North Sea."

Northern Continent is surrounded by the North Sea.

Approaching the North Sea also means that it's almost leaving Northern Continent.

Yu Yuan's thoughts raced in his mind.

Belonging to the Demon Clan's remnants, he could not easily set foot in the other three continents. The places Cloud Distance Kunpeng could go to were likely either the North Sea or Beiming, which is north of the North Sea.

There are records in Biyou Palace: to the north of the North Sea lies the Great Abyss, known as Beiming.

The place is characterized by long nights and short days, extremely cold climates, where Xuan Ming True Water flows through the Great Abyss, able to freeze everything, not even a Heavenly Immortal could withstand it.

This place is also the domain of the Kunpeng Demon Master.

Given the name Cloud Distance Kunpeng, it must be a giant Kunpeng; could it possibly have some relation to the Kunpeng Demon Master?

But Yu Yuan did not care.

He was determined to obtain the Chaos Bell Fragment.

No matter who obstructed his path or what schemes lay in wait for him, he would counter them all, clear every obstacle, until he had the Chaos Bell Fragment in his grasp!

With that thought, he summoned the Golden-eyed Five Clouds Camel, ready to depart.

At this moment, the one in power spoke solemnly, "You were simply lucky to win the debate just now, but I wonder if you have the ability to protect the Dao!"

As he spoke, he slammed his Nine Ringed Staff into the ground.

"Boom!"

Instantly, mountains of stone rose from the ground, surrounding Yu Yuan from all sides.

And then, these mountains began to topple inward, closing in like blossoming flowers.

"Is this never going to end?"

Yu Yuan frowned, put away the Golden-eyed Five Clouds Camel, and materialized the Mixed Gold Hammer in his hand. Charging straight forward with a "boom," he pierced through a mountain, then stepped forward, closing to within three feet of the man in power and swung his hammer down fiercely.

"If you have the skills, then defeat me in a showdown of magical arts!"

The man in power roared, swinging his Nine Ringed Staff to meet Yu Yuan's Mixed Gold Hammer.

As soon as the words fell, the hammer collided fiercely with the staff.

A visible ripple exploded outward from the point of impact in all directions.

The man in power's face changed dramatically, as he felt an overwhelming divine power strike him, numbing his hands and almost causing him to drop the Nine Ringed Staff.

Even though he managed to hold onto the staff, it was bent and deformed by the hammer's mighty blow, whipping against his chest like a flail, snapping several ribs, and hurling him backward in flight.

After crashing through several stone mountains, the man in power finally came to a halt, looking at Yu Yuan in disbelief, "How can you possess such strength?"

Yu Yuan paid him no mind and lunged forward with the hammer again.

"Let's see!"

The man in power's body swelled with the wind, and a golden light shone from his third eye, spreading throughout his body to transform him into a sixteen-foot-tall golden divine being, majestic and dignified, wielding his equally golden-glowing Nine Ringed Staff to smash at Yu Yuan.

"Clang!"

Yu Yuan's hammer struck the Nine Ringed Staff.

This time, the man in power didn't budge.

The immense divine power carried by the Mixed Gold Hammer was completely withstood by him.

A glint of triumph appeared in the man in power's eyes, "You have nothing but brute strength, my sixteen-foot Golden Body is more than enough to conquer you!"

Yu Yuan didn't respond, just swung his hammer down once again.

But this time, he exerted a bit more strength.

The man in power again faced the strike as before, with both hands holding the Nine Ringed Staff.

However, a colossal sound reverberated, and an unimaginable terrifying divine power surged forth, shattering the bones in his arms and bending the Nine Ringed Staff to a 90-degree angle, as it, alongside the Mixed Gold Hammer, hammered down on his chest.

"Boom!"

The man in power flew like a cannonball, shattering the stone mountains he had summoned into pieces.

As he came to his senses and stabilized his form using his divine skills, his face was filled with shock.

Before he could speak, a faint sound arose.

"Crack—"

The sound originated from his own body!

The man in power looked down in horror, only to see his sixteen-foot Golden Body riddled with fine cracks, which were growing larger and more numerous, seemingly on the verge of complete collapse.

"How is this possible?"

He couldn't believe his own eyes.

This was the sixteen-foot Golden Body created by the Saint, the Master, a Great Divine Power capable of rivaling Heaven and Earth, Primordial Spirit Dharma Form!

How could it be shattered by a single hammer strike?

Could there have been some mistake?

As he was lost in astonishment, Yu Yuan already had the Glazed Bottle in the air, its bottom up, mouth down, from which a stream of black gas surged, enveloping the man in power and sucking him into the bottle.

"Here comes a new guy!"

Inside the bottle's own realm, the Water Ape Great Saint looked over in surprise and excitement, transmitting to the newcomer via his Primordial Spirit, "The bald newcomer, I have an artifact that can put Yu Yuan to death, would you like to give it a try?"

He had already worshiped the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book once, followin all the processes correctly, yet for some unknown reason, it had failed in the end, subjecting him to a harsh backlash.

These days, while he was studying the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book, he was also hesitating over whether to attempt it once more.

Just in time, the man in power arrived, and with no ado, he began plotting.

With the shattered Gold Body and his body bathed in blood and countless broken bones, combined with the effect of the black gas, the man in power was utterly disoriented. Hearing someone calling him, he looked up in a hurry.

He saw a monkey clad in golden armor and a crown, its flat nose and bulging forehead, white-haired and blue-bodied, golden-eyed and snow-toothed. It was in a state of great distress, evident from its long captivity.

"Who are you? Why are you imprisoned here? What did you call me for?"

Water Ape Great Saint smiled widely, briefly introduced himself, and then brought out the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book, telling the man in power, "It seems you also have a grudge against Yu Yuan. I offer you a chance for revenge..."

"Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book?"

The man in power, having roamed the Northern Continent for some time, had heard of this secret spell of the Demon Clan, recognizing it immediately.

"You baldy sure have sharp eyes!"

The Water Ape Great Saint said with a smile, "I'll give the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book to you."

"Why don't you use it yourself?"

The man in power sneered.

He had no intention of being used as a pawn!

The Water Ape Great Saint wasn't in a hurry, just casually tossed the book onto the ground, and turned to leave.

The man in power gave a "humph," watching the Water Ape vanish into a pile of artifact refining materials.

He glanced down at the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book, his gaze growing colder…

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