The Martial Emperor with Dragon Blood Chapter 1435 - 1436: Strategizing from the Command Tent

A growing sense of unease washed over Dantai Qingyi as Zhou Tianmo’s approach became palpable. While he might be the traitor appointed by Ao Cannwu, his formidable strength, matching the Divine Venerable Nine Souls level, and his soul cultivation reaching the Soul Realm Ninth Layer, placed him among the top ten cultivators in Wraith Land.

"Dantai Qingyi, if Zhou Tianmo endeavors to inspect your soul body upon arrival, do not resist. Empty your mind completely, enter a state of selfless void. Even with his potent soul cultivation, he shall find nothing. The soul body is an enigma. So long as Zhou Tianmo believes Sister Zang Lian’s account, he will remain oblivious."

Recalling Ye Mo’s counsel, Dantai Qingyi felt a complete release of tension.

Indeed, Zhou Tianmo’s examination of Dantai Qingyi’s form yielded no anomalies. Even a fully intact soul body, when unfettered by consciousness, presented as normal for a martial artist in a state of unconsciousness.

"It seems Dantai Qingyi’s awakening rests solely upon the whim of fate," Zhou Tianmo mused.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Zhou Tianmo then commanded, "Dantai Zang Lian, meet my gaze!"

"What is it?"

Dantai Zang Lian, taken aback, met Zhou Tianmo’s eyes. Instantly, his pupils contorted into reptilian slits, drawing Dantai Zang Lian into an unending spiral of reincarnation.

This was a soul technique borne from the esoteric art of Soul Manipulation, employed by Zhou Tianmo to delve into an opponent’s memories. In a mere instant, Zhou Tianmo extracted the entirety of Dantai Zang Lian’s recollections.

His surprise intensified notably as he absorbed information pertaining to Ye Mo.

"This Ye Xiao is astonishingly potent, a mere Divine Venerable Five Souls realm cultivator, yet he vanquished the Lord of Myriad Demons. It is no wonder they secured the Myriad Demon’s Fire."

Zhou Tianmo’s thoughts churned with astonishment. "It appears his claim to the position of Crown Prince is secured. This is advantageous, as he will serve to temper Xue Wudi’s influence. Who knows then who shall ultimately unify Wraith Land?"

Unbeknownst to others, Zhou Tianmo was an operative strategically placed by Ao Cannwu within the Dead Soul Royal Family. Meticulously selected from Wraith Land, he represented the last vestige of the Spirit Frog Clan’s bloodline, blessed with extraordinary talent that eclipsed even Xue Wudi’s by a slight margin. He was positioned near the Wraith Demon Emperor as the ultimate gambit to subvert the wraith dominion.

However, Ao Cannwu failed to foresee the personal ambitions brewing within Zhou Tianmo. His intent was to resurrect the Spirit Frog Clan, elevating it to a status superior to both the Dead Soul Royal Family and the Wraith Clan.

"That disciple, Ye Xiao, Elder Mengxin’s adopted son… If I could enlist him as my pawn, that would be ideal."

Having thoroughly probed Dantai Zang Lian’s memories and confirmed Dantai Qingyi’s continued unconsciousness, Zhou Tianmo snapped his fingers before Dantai Zang Lian, who awoke instantly, oblivious to the invasive examination.

"Vice Chieftain, is something amiss?" Dantai Zang Lian inquired.

"Nothing of consequence. Should Dantai Qingyi awaken, ensure you notify me so I may assess his condition," Zhou Tianmo replied with a smile.

"Thank you, Vice Chieftain!"

After bidding Zhou Tianmo farewell, Dantai Zang Lian attended to Dantai Qingyi before departing the Tantai Family.

Returning to the Wraith Clan, Ye Mo discovered that the Yang family had skillfully deployed their ninth-grade seals, establishing themselves as a subordinate clan of the Wraith Clan and thus immune to reprisal from the Dead Soul Royal Family.

With the Heaven’s Ranking Challenge merely three months away, Ye Mo utilized the thirty thousand Ascending Soul Pills obtained from Fire Sky Venerate, combined with his existing stash of ten thousand, to propel his soul realm to the Eighth Layer of the Soul Realm. Yet, achieving the Soul Realm Ninth Layer proved a formidable task, necessitating an additional sixty-four thousand Ascending Soul Pills – a substantial sum.

Time flowed inexorably. Ye Mo confined himself to his pavilion, engaging in relentless cultivation. Periodically, he would visit the Mountain of Wraith to spend time with Little Die. Naturally, his interactions with Li Mengli often devolved into spirited debates. Notably, Li Mengli, influenced by the Aura of Death, experienced rapid advancement within the Genius Space, shattering the Divine Venerate Realm to reach Divine Venerate Two-Soul.

"Junior Brother Ye Xiao, only two months remain until the Heaven’s Ranking Challenge. While your path to the top position seems assured, Sister Zang Lian and I face considerable obstacles in securing a place within the top twelve," Qin Yong observed.

Despite having made significant progress, Qin Yong and Dantai Zang Lian had only managed to reach Divine Venerable Six Souls and Divine Venerable Five Souls, respectively, during this period.

Nevertheless, every participant in the Heaven’s Ranking consisted of elite geniuses, their strength fiercely competitive, all uniformly at the Divine Venerable Six Souls level. The foremost contender, Wang Luo Sha, held the top rank due to being the sole disciple at Divine Venerate Seven Souls. This already afforded him the status of an Elder, with the potential to ascend to Supreme Elder status given adequate merit.