Time slipped by almost imperceptibly as he devoted himself to comprehending his Cultivation Technique and refining Pill Formulas.
While Xia Wuyang was oblivious to the world, completely immersed in the monumental task of increasing his own strength,
the uproar caused by the name of the Dragon Tiger True Monarch had not died down with time. Instead, it grew ever more intense, spreading far and wide.
Like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, the ripples had already spread across the entire Fallen Dragon Land, drawing the gazes and attention of countless powerful factions and experts.
More details about the great battle at Little Sumeru Mountain were gradually uncovered and pieced together through various channels—survivor accounts, on-site investigations, and even deductions from experts skilled in tracking or divination. The picture was becoming clearer.
Though much remained shrouded in mystery, the terrifying power that had been revealed was enough to send a chill through the world.
After all, it had been many years since Overlord Level beings had clashed in the Fallen Dragon Land. Commoners and ordinary Martial Artists might not know of Extraordinary True Monarchs, but anyone with status knew one thing for certain: the true masters of the Fallen Dragon Land were the Extraordinary True Monarchs.
Even a One Spirit True Monarch was qualified to dominate a region, to say nothing of a Human Race True Monarch capable of defeating the Black Ape Demon Monarch.
「Northern Desert. Da Kuo Royal Court. Inside the Golden Tent.」
Khan Tie Muer clutched a secret report written in the script of Great Xia. His face was grim, his brow furrowed, and his knuckles had turned white from the force of his grip.
At his side, Left Prince Huyan Zhuo, Right Prince Tuoba Xiong, the Son of the State Preceptor Wu Zhu, and other high-ranking officials of the Royal Court all wore solemn expressions laced with clear concern.
"A single punch pierced the Black Mountain Demon Monarch’s chest... and the aftershocks flattened the Vajra Sect’s mountain gate..."
Tie Muer’s voice was low, with the characteristic roughness of a man of the steppes, but it couldn’t conceal his shock and horror. "When did a Body Refining True Monarch like this appear within Great Xia’s borders? And who knows what level his Qi Refining Cultivation has reached? There wasn’t a single whisper about him before. Could he be a hidden ace for the Great Xia Dynasty?"
Huyan Zhuo stroked his graying beard and mused, "Great Khan, this man manifests a dragon and tiger phenomenon. His Fist Technique is fiercely powerful, and his Defense is even more astounding... I doubt he was secretly nurtured by the Great Xia Royal Family. While their Body Refining legacy is the Dragon Tiger Fist, it only reaches the Super Grade Level at most, not the True Monarch Realm."
A sharp glint flashed in Tuoba Xiong’s eyes. "Regardless of who he is, the sudden appearance of a Body Refining True Monarch who is at least Two Spirits—and possibly even Three Spirits—is absolutely no good for us. We must proceed with caution. Great Xia is at war with our nation. If this man is on their side, or even just sympathizes with them, he could alter the course of the war in the Northern Territory and perhaps even shift the balance of power in the world."
Wu Zhu’s hoarse voice cut in. "Before he entered seclusion, the Lord State Preceptor said that Great Xia’s fortune seemed to be in flux, that a major change was likely. This Dragon Tiger True Monarch may be part of that change. Our nation must prepare in advance and not underestimate this matter."
Tie Muer set down the report and gazed out at the boundless steppes beyond the tent, a flicker of apprehension in his eyes.
A Body Refining True Monarch capable of defeating a Level 12 Demon Monarch, and his Qi Refining Cultivation was still an unknown.
His deterrent force was no less than that of a million elite soldiers. If he were to intervene in the war, even if he merely favored Great Xia’s side, it would be a catastrophe for the Royal Court.
"Send orders to all frontline units: pull back for now, heighten your guard, and be vigilant. At the same time, find a way to contact this man. If we can win him over, we will spare no expense. If not, we must at least determine his allegiance!" Tie Muer finally commanded.
「Southern Barbarians. Deep within Witch God Valley.」
Witch God Panhu sat cross-legged before an eternally burning green bonfire. He toyed with a message-shell polished from a special insect carapace, which held fragmented images of the Dragon Tiger True Monarch. The images had been transmitted from afar via some form of Witchcraft, but they were rather blurry.
The indigo Totems on his face flickered in the firelight, his expression just as grim.
"Dragon and tiger... Golden Bell... A Body Refining True Monarch... What a Human Race True Monarch. To think the Body Refining Dao could be cultivated to such a state, to clash head-on with a Level 12 Ape Demon famed for its physical prowess and remain undefeated... even routing it and forcing it to flee for its life," Panhu murmured, his light-brown pupils reflecting the leaping flames.
Beside him, Black Miao Clan Leader Chi Gu and Granny Hua of the White Miao Race stood respectfully, their faces etched with solemnity and concern.
Chi Gu said in a heavy tone, "Lord Witch God, this man appeared near the Great Xia Capital Region and targeted the Vajra Sect, which has close ties to Fifth Prince Xia Wushang. Could this mean he has a feud with Emperor Xia? Or perhaps he’s an expert brought in by other powers hostile to the emperor, specifically to move against them?"
Granny Hua added, "In any case, this man’s existence is a tremendous threat to our Southern Border as well. The Southern King already relies on his fortified city for defense. If an expert of this caliber were to reinforce him, the casualties among the warriors of our Hundred Races would be immeasurable. We would surely lose this war, and it could even shift the world’s balance of power."
Panhu was silent for a long moment before speaking slowly. "Order all tribes to halt large-scale offensives. Focus on harassment, poisoning, and spreading miasma. At the same time, dispatch our most clever Spirit Speakers to try and establish contact with this Dragon Tiger True Monarch. Even if we cannot be allies, we absolutely must not become enemies. At the very least, we need to understand his stance toward our Hundred Races and confirm whether or not he is a True Monarch of the Great Xia Dynasty."
He paused, a profound look in his eyes. "With such a powerhouse emerging into the world, I fear the global balance is about to descend into chaos. You all must prepare for it."
The Western Regions, the Donghai Islands, and even secluded Sects and ancient Noble Families... any faction with a decent intelligence network turned their gaze toward the Great Xia Dynasty. They looked toward that mysterious and powerful Dragon Tiger True Monarch, filled with the utmost apprehension and awe.
Speculation, analysis, assessments, and even secret plots surged like a violent undercurrent beneath a tranquil surface, churning without end.
But among all these factions, the one with the most complicated feelings and the deepest dread was, without a doubt, the Great Xia Dynasty itself—specifically, Emperor Xia in Qianqing Palace.
He felt like a moth trapped at the center of a spider’s web, keenly aware of the immense, invisible net of pressure from the Dragon Tiger True Monarch closing in from all sides. After all, the first target the man had dealt with upon his emergence was the Vajra Sect, one of Fifth Prince Xia Wushang’s most powerful supporters.
In a way, it was an attack on the Great Xia Dynasty and Emperor Xia himself.
The furtive glances of the Ministers in the Imperial Court as they discussed the matter, the unease in the hushed whispers of the Harem Consorts, and even his own growing sense of exhausted powerlessness... all of it was piling up, filling him with ever-increasing dread.
He dispatched more men to investigate, giving Zheng Zhicang and Sun Wuyang strict orders to produce results.
He even activated some of the Royal Family’s most secret networks, cultivated over many years, in an attempt to find any trace of the Dragon Tiger True Monarch in the unofficial histories of the Jianghu or ancient legends—anything that could be exploited.
But he found nothing.

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