Chapter 114: Tide-Dragon Binding and White Horse Temple
“Hiss-la!”
With a tearing sound, Mo Lin actually forced his way out of the Dragon-Binding Net!
Dong Li, Vice Chairman Wei, and the two consecrators all widened their eyes.
How was this possible!
Only a Heaven Rank expert could escape from their combined efforts.
This was once the evaluation personally given by a superior Earth Rank martial artist after experiencing their Dragon-Binding Net firsthand.
In later battles, the Dragon-Binding Net had indeed performed just as that superior Earth Rank martial artist had said, proving invincible and ever-victorious within Earth Rank combat.
Yet this time, this Dragon-Binding Net—capable of suppressing any Earth Rank expert—had actually been broken by a mere mid-grade Earth Rank Anaconda Demon!
The sheer contrast was so great that although Mo Lin had clearly broken free of the Dragon-Binding Net, Dong Li and the others momentarily lost all will to pursue.
Or rather, they were at a loss:
If even the Dragon-Binding Net could not restrain this Anaconda Demon, then what other restrictive technique could possibly hold it?
It was Dong Li, long-time Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, who first snapped out of his shock.
He gritted his teeth:
“Gentlemen, don’t just stand there. Our top priority right now is to quickly pursue and capture the Anaconda Demon once more!”
Dong Li’s reminder jolted the other three awake from their daze, their gazes once again turning sharp.
“The Chairman is right.”
Vice Chairman Wei looked at Mo Lin, who had broken free from the Dragon-Binding Net:
“We must capture this Anaconda Demon and bring it back to the Chamber of Commerce. This is not only to salvage the reputation of the Chamber and punish the troublemaker.”
“At the same time, it concerns whether the Chamber’s trump card can still be considered a trump card.”
A flicker of gravity flashed in the eyes of Chairman Dong Li and the two consecrators.
They knew exactly what Vice Chairman meant—
The Dragon-Binding Net, long regarded as the Chamber’s proudest technique, had once been seen as their ultimate trump card, a stratagem to use against enemies.
They had even fantasized about whether the Dragon-Binding Net could bind a true Flood Dragon.
Though the possibility was slim, it had not stopped their imaginations from soaring.
Yet today, their dream had shattered.
Not only had they failed to bind a Flood Dragon, but the Dragon-Binding Net had been pierced through—by a Python!
Mo Lin had discovered the Dragon-Binding Net’s weakness!
That weakness was when their mana circulation was disrupted.
At such moments, the binding of the Dragon-Binding Net could be broken.
This was the most critical point!
If this weakness of the Dragon-Binding Net were to spread, if malicious people learned of it and exploited it, the Yongzhou Chamber of Commerce might one day suffer a disastrous fall!
They absolutely could not allow the Anaconda Demon to escape!
Perhaps with it captured, the Chamber could even study a way to remedy the Dragon-Binding Net’s flaw, making it flawless and perfect, one day truly becoming a grand art capable of binding a Flood Dragon!
However, since Mo Lin had broken free from the Dragon-Binding Net, he naturally would not allow himself to be recaptured by Dong Li and the others.
He smiled at them and said:
“Many thanks, gentlemen, for letting Mo witness your restrictive technique.
Mo too has gained some enlightenment, and would like to ask for your guidance.”
Dong Li looked at Mo Lin, confused.
What was this Anaconda Demon saying?
What did he mean by “enlightenment”?
Could it be that after seeing their Dragon-Binding Net, it had instantly created some new technique?
Impossible, right?
Whose art was not the product of fortuitous inspiration refined through countless trials and tempering?
Yet Mo Lin had no intention of mocking Dong Li and the others.
With a thought, countless thick water pillars once again surged skyward.
But unlike the earlier pure “Water Manipulation Technique,” this time Mo Lin added a little seasoning into the river water—“Spatial Imprisonment.”
“‘Tide-Dragon Binding,’ please evaluate.”
The next moment, water-dragons infused with two different demonic arts roared toward Dong Li and the others.
Dong Li tried to shatter the water-dragons as before, but was shocked to find that his body’s movement could not keep up with his thoughts.
At the same time, his mana seemed obstructed, broken and intermittent, unable to flow smoothly.
“This, this is…”
It was not only Dong Li.
The other three mid-grade Earth Rank martial experts were equally astonished.
“Tide-Dragon Binding” was the technique Mo Lin had conceived upon breaking free of the Dragon-Binding Net, fusing “Spatial Imprisonment” and “Water Manipulation Technique” into a single demonic art.
“Tide-Dragon Binding” could restrict the enemy’s body and disrupt their mana circulation, striking simultaneously at both their body and their energy.
Before this, Mo Lin’s “Spatial Imprisonment” was useful but largely effective only against weaklings.
Against those of equal rank, it was somewhat of a chicken-rib technique.
But after creating “Tide-Dragon Binding,” even Earth Rank experts would have no choice but to obediently stay bound.
Was this not proven by how the four Earth Rank experts were still unable to break free of its restraint?
A gleam of joy flashed within Mo Lin’s anaconda eyes.
This trip to the Yongzhou Chamber of Commerce had truly not been in vain.
He had not only seized the Earth Vein Yin Marrow, snatched an Earth Rank superior-grade Demonic Core, and devoured countless mineral resources to advance smoothly to mid-grade Earth Rank—
But had also, in the crisis brought by the Chamber, been struck with inspiration to create this brand-new demonic art, “Tide-Dragon Binding,” giving him great competitiveness even among Earth Rank experts.
It was truly a bountiful harvest.
Seeing Vice Chairman Wei and the others about to finally break free of “Tide-Dragon Binding,” Mo Lin no longer lingered.
With a leap, he dove into the Ning River and vanished in an instant.
“Boom!”
A moment later, Vice Chairman Wei broke free of the “Tide-Dragon Binding.”
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
The two consecrators followed immediately after.
“Boom.”
After a while longer, Dong Li finally became the last to free himself from the restraints.
The four stood by the banks of the Ning River, their faces dark enough to drip water.
Never could they have imagined that even when all four acted together and the Dragon-Binding Net had been fully deployed, a mere Anaconda Demon had still managed to escape.
It had run away right before their eyes.
It had carried away the weakness that could destabilize the Chamber’s trump card.
Before, though they had wanted to capture Mo Lin, it was because he had caused the Chamber enormous losses.
But now, their killing intent toward Mo Lin burned so fiercely it could melt iron into molten steel.
“Announce the Chamber’s bounty order! Whoever slays this beast shall be rewarded with ten thousand crystals, conferred the title of Chamber Honorary Chairman, allowed to choose one Earth Rank magic treasure of the Chamber, and shall enjoy a thirty percent discount on all Chamber goods.”
Dong Li gnashed his teeth, speaking each word with venom, laying out a reward enough to make all warriors in Yongzhou’s heart race.
At this moment, he no longer cared about his earlier promise to the Prince of Jiyang.
If the Anaconda Demon could not be swiftly slain, then he had no right to remain as Chamber Chairman.
Just as Vice Chairman Wei and the two consecrators nodded their agreement, a light laugh sounded beside their ears:
“I wonder, could this poor monk have the honor of being the first to take up this bounty?”
The four stiffened when they heard the voice.
Though they were seething with rage, they had not let down their guard.
Who could so easily appear at their side without them sensing it?
Dong Li turned and saw a monk with a shaven head scarred by precept marks, standing not far away, smiling at them.
“Who are you?”
The monk clasped his hands together and bowed to Dong Li and the others:
“This poor monk comes from the Western Regions. My dharma name is Jingyue.”
Dong Li narrowed his eyes at the monk, who had straightened up with a smile, and muttered in a low voice:
“White Horse Temple…”