So, Li Mu and Tan Li left the mountain and headed towards Wudao Mountain.

Along the way, he encountered many old acquaintances, most of whom called out "Master Liaoyin" and greeted him. Li Mu remained a background figure throughout the journey.

Old Tan would explain to everyone he met that, in a simple sentence, I have returned to secular life and am now called Tan Li.

Until he met Shang Biao, Lao Tan struck with lightning speed.

Shang Biao deserved to be beaten up. He clearly saw Lao Tan and Li Mu accompanying him all the way, yet he still foolishly came over.

Pointing at Li Mu, he said, "Master Liaoyin, I was about to return your jade pendant, but this person took it. Please, Master, uphold justice."

After hearing what this guy said, Old Tan casually slapped him so hard he was thrown far away, his fate unknown.

This guy is something else. He offended Tan Li with just one sentence. Li Mu is his brother, yet he still came to sow discord. If he doesn't get a beating, who should he get a beating from?

Li Mu, who had been a background character for a long time, was speechless at Shang Biao's behavior. This man was too mercenary and couldn't tell the situation from the surface.

To settle a personal score, flattery or ingratiation are acceptable, but one should at least recognize the situation and choose a better time. Why invite trouble at this particular moment?

This minor incident was nothing unusual for the passersby attending the martial arts tournament, and it did not stop Li Mu and his companion from moving forward.

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The two continued on their way, and along the way, people were setting up tents and establishing campsites.

Li Mu was thinking about whether he should also find a place to set up camp, but Lao Tan kept his head held high and ignored him, so he gave up on the idea.

As he walked, Li Mu mentally checked the simple map Cheng Jiawei had drawn. The map wasn't wrong, but it was too abstract, with too many identical mountain ranges.

As he was lamenting that without divine sense to locate it, he might not be able to find Martial Dao Mountain next time, a discordant voice appeared.

"Old Tan, you actually dare to come to the martial arts tournament? This time, I, the Buddha, will not let you off the hook."

Upon hearing someone call Lao Tan "Lao Crippled Tan," Li Muxin remarked that he was surprised Lao Tan even had such a nickname and was about to make a sarcastic remark.

As a result, Lao Tan leaped over and arrived next to the bald man, grabbed the man by the neck, and lifted him into the air.

"You donkey egg, a mere Earth Realm martial artist, you chased after me, the Buddha, for three years without repenting or going home to reflect on your mistakes. You even dare to jump out. Do you think I, the Buddha, have a good temper?"

After Old Tan finished speaking, he threw the man into the air and punched him in mid-air. The man's sternum collapsed, he spat out blood, and he was unconscious after landing.

"Heavenly Realm..." Donkey Egg only uttered two words before he died.

When Tan Li was young, he practiced Tan Leg techniques, which caused his leg bones to become deformed. As a result, he earned the nickname "Old Crippled Tan," and no one has called him that for many years.

Unexpectedly, he encountered that bald monk Qiao Dan who had been chasing him for three years on Wudao Mountain. He even dared to call him by his nickname, which was bad luck. He would be doing himself a disservice if he didn't kill him.

Despite being a monk with a late-stage Earth Realm cultivation level, he was first grabbed by the neck at will, and then killed with a single punch.

The entrance to the martial arts tournament became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Old Tan's ruthless methods shocked the entire audience, leaving everyone speechless.

Li Mu was surprised, but he roughly understood why Lao Tan was furious.

The person he called "Donkey Egg" was probably Qiao Dan, who had been chasing him for three years. This person was indeed dressed in monk's robes and had a Buddhist appearance.

After killing Qiao Dan with a single punch, Lao Tan felt a sense of satisfaction. The three-year-long feud between the two was finally over.

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"Master Liaoyin, why did you kill the protector of my Shizhong Temple? Do you think my Shizhong Temple has no one to rely on?"

When Elder Lü Xu of Shizhong Temple saw Qiao Dan being killed, he was furious and questioned him.

Old Tan was about to step through the mountain gate when a monk questioned him. He stopped and said:

"Who are you? What can you do to me? How dare you be so disrespectful! Let that old bald monk Shi Zhongtian come and talk to me."

After saying that, Tan Li walked away without paying any attention to the person who had questioned him.

In the martial arts tournament, strength is paramount. If a martial artist at the Earth Realm level dares to defy authority, then killing them is just that—killing.

In the path of martial arts, the Celestial Master must not be insulted!

Old Tan was incredibly domineering, treating Shizhong Temple as nothing, not wanting to say a word more or stop for even a moment longer.

Seeing the monks of Shizhong Temple speechless with their faces flushed red, Li Mu, who had been their follower and background figure the whole way, silently gave Old Tan and Old Lame a thumbs up in his heart. That was quite a show of bravado.

Old Tan led Li Mu toward the gate of Wudao Mountain. Some gatekeepers instinctively tried to stop them, but were stopped by another reasonable gatekeeper.

The person who had grabbed him said to the person who tried to stop him, "Are you tired of living? Didn't you hear that this person is a Celestial Realm expert? You dare to stop a Celestial Master from entering the Martial Arts Mountain?"

Upon hearing his colleague's words, the person who had tried to stop him instantly turned pale, clutching his chest for a long time before calming down.

Tan Li and Li Mu arrived at the mountain gate, exchanged a glance, then took off into the air, walked a few steps in mid-air, and crossed the mountain gate in one fell swoop.

After landing, Old Tan let out a clear shout and said loudly, "I am Tan Li. Today I am entering Wudao Mountain. Please forgive me."

The voice resounded throughout the world. As soon as the words were spoken, a receptionist quickly approached Tan Li from inside the mountain gate.

"Master Tan invites you; a room has been prepared at Juxianlou."

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Martial Arts Tournament, Juxianlou.

Tan Li asked the receptionist for two rooms, and after a slight hesitation, the receptionist nodded in agreement.

Juxianlou has a total of over a hundred guest rooms, all of which are reserved for experts at the Heavenly Realm level. Although there are rules that only experts at the Heavenly Realm level are allowed to stay there.

However, it is only natural that disciples or attendants of powerful cultivators at the Heavenly Realm level are occasionally provided with a room to stay.

As is customary in previous years, there won't be too many Heavenly Realm experts coming to the Martial Arts Tournament, and usually about half of them will be empty, so opening an extra room won't have much of an impact.

Tan Li's thinking was much more direct: Li Mu's strength was comparable to his own, so it was only right to book an extra room.

If this steward is unreasonable, the two of them might have to argue and even have a fight.

After checking in, Li Mu asked Lao Tan why an invitation wasn't needed to enter the mountain gate, only a single sentence was required.

Old Tan told the truth that the reason he shouted after entering the mountain gate was to "call out to the mountain gate".

Celestial Realm warriors are also known as Celestial Masters, while Earth Realm warriors are known as Grandmasters.

During the Martial Arts Tournament, only martial artists at the Heavenly Realm level can enter Martial Arts Mountain by "calling the mountain gate," without needing an invitation.

The Celestial Realm is the pinnacle of current martial arts cultivation.

If even martial artists at the Heavenly Realm cannot enter the Martial Dao Mountain and have nowhere to stay, what is the point of the Martial Dao Tournament?

The reason why Lao Tan killed Qiao Dan in front of the mountain gate and made him say the words "Heavenly Realm" was precisely to pave the way for him to enter the mountain gate.

Then, Li Mu wondered how Old Tan would enter the sect if he didn't break through.

However, such a hypothesis is meaningless now. Since we've already settled in, why would we insist on going back to sleep in the mountains and forests, enduring wind and rain?

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After resting briefly in their room at Juxianlou, the two left their respective rooms.

Tan Li was going to Juxianlou to visit a friend and originally intended to bring Li Mu along to introduce him to the other Daoists.

Li Mu wasn't interested in such casual conversation; he wanted to learn about the procedures of the martial arts trade fair.

I also want to find out in advance whether the auctioned items are useful to me, and how to trade my Qi-boosting pills during the conference.

This was also his original purpose for coming to the martial arts tournament.