Nine Nether Dragon Emperor-Chapter 286: Just Change the Name to Turtle God Temple Already!

Ning Xuan was also completely baffled. "Don't look at me, I'm just as confused as you are," he said.

He felt like he was losing his mind! That was the Martial God Temple, the strongest Sect in the entire continent! When faced with a challenge at their doorstep, shouldn't such a powerful Sect welcome it with open arms? According to the usual script, a Sect like this would first send out its prodigies to meet the challenger. If their juniors were defeated, their elders would surely come looking for a fight. But now… Ning Xuan was at a loss for words.

"Is that really the Martial God Temple up there? The one that leads the entire continent?" Ning Xuan finally asked a person beside him after a long pause. This was all just too absurd.

"Yes… yes, it is," someone replied, their mind still wandering. They were still reeling from the news and hadn't quite returned to their senses.

"Junior Brother, what do we do now?" Wawa pouted, looking at Ning Xuan with hopeful eyes.

Since returning to the Yuan Ling Continent, they hadn't found a single worthy opponent. She was terribly bored. She had been looking forward to this trip to the Martial God Temple to really stretch her muscles. But now, it seemed the other party didn't even have the courage to show themselves!

Ning Xuan, too, had pinned all his hopes on the Martial God Temple.

"Let's go! We're heading up the mountain!"

Having come this far, there was no reason not to proceed. What if the Martial God Temple had a change of heart? With that, Ning Xuan led the girls and began the ascent toward the Martial God Temple. Once they left, a good number of people followed them. The grand event they anticipated might not happen, but it didn't look like Ning Xuan was going to let the matter rest. This realization made some people even more excited.

"Hurry up, we need to get a good spot!" someone on the road urged their companion.

The companion didn't understand. "The Martial God Temple has already tucked its tail between its legs and shut its gates. What's the point of finding a spot?"

"You fool! Their inaction will only fuel Ning Xuan's arrogance. There's bound to be a good show later!"

"You mean this is the Martial God Temple's ploy… ahem, strategy? They're pretending to be weak to lure Ning Xuan into a trap?"

"Uh, what I mean is… yes! That possibility can't be ruled out."

"Hahaha, I knew it! It's the Martial God Temple we're talking about; how could they possibly back down from a challenge by Ning Xuan!"

As this line of thought spread, others began to grow more expectant. In an instant, the previously lethargic crowd was filled with newfound motivation. Soon, the path leading to the Martial God Temple became a site of conflict as people fought over shortcuts to secure the best viewing positions. The commotion was so loud that even Ning Xuan, who was far ahead, could sense it from a distance—some were brawling, while others resorted to shouting profanities.

The girls with him were left bewildered.

Ning Xuan paid them no mind and continued forward. The wide stone path was eerily quiet, without a single person in sight. This remained the case even when Ning Xuan and the girls arrived at the grand plaza before the Martial God Temple's main gate. From a distance, the group saw the three magnificent, calligraphed words: Martial God Temple!

The characters were majestic and imposing, and a vast, powerful aura filled the air between heaven and earth. Anyone with lesser strength would surely have felt the urge to kneel in worship. In the past, the plaza before the Martial God Temple would have been incredibly lively. But now, as Ning Xuan and his group stepped onto the plaza, their sharp eyes even spotted a huge rat scampering into a corner. In broad daylight, on the grounds of the continent's number one Sect, rats were running rampant. This was simply…

"Are you kidding me?!" even Wawa couldn't help but press a hand to her forehead. This was beyond ridiculous!

The two pairs of masters and disciples exchanged glances. They hailed from the other two of the three great powers. The two masters, in particular, had a profound understanding of just how strong the Martial God Temple was. After Ning Yang's formidable rise, the Sect's strength had soared to even greater heights. This was especially true for the younger generation, whose power had advanced by leaps and bounds under Ning Yang's guidance. It was no exaggeration to say that the current Martial God Temple was the undisputed leader in every aspect. Their own Sects were nominally ranked second and third, but they knew the truth. The Martial God Temple was so far ahead that they couldn't even hope to catch up. Yet now, they were witnessing rats scurrying across its main plaza under a clear sky. The sight was so unbelievable that even seeing it with their own eyes felt like being trapped in a dream.

"Damn it, they're serious about this!" Ning Xuan muttered after carefully scanning the area, forced to accept the truth. He, too, had initially thought this was some kind of trick to lure them up the mountain. Now, that hope was shattered. Ning Xuan knew he had to force their hand.

"Ning Xuan has come to visit! Is there no one left in the Martial God Temple?" he shouted, his voice thundering across the wilderness.

Deep within the Martial God Temple, birds and beasts stirred in alarm. However, still no one appeared.

"The hell with the Martial God Temple! You should just rename yourselves the Turtle God Temple!"

"If you don't come out, I'll burn this place to the ground!"

No matter what Ning Xuan said, even shouting until his throat was dry, he received no reply.

The crowd that had followed them up remained silent for a long time before they could no longer hold back their hushed discussions.

"The Martial God Temple really sealed its gates and submitted to Ning Xuan? You've got to be kidding me!"

"It's over! My faith has collapsed!"

"Sob… is this still the legend of Martial Arts, the sacred sanctuary of warriors I looked up to?!"

"The Human Emperor! Where is the Human Emperor? Only he can restore the Martial God Temple's glory! Only he can rebuild our faith!"

Just then, someone glanced from the tightly shut gates to a large rat peeking out from a corner and whispered, "Ahem, do you think it's possible that… Ning Yang is also afraid of Ning Xuan?"

Nearby, an admirer of Ning Yang instantly flared up. "What nonsense are you spouting?! The Human Emperor is invincible! How could he possibly be afraid of Ning Xuan?!"

"Heh, don't forget, his Dao Body was defeated by Ning Xuan when they were at the same Realm! Besides, if Young Master Ning truly went to the Upper Realm, it's impossible he didn't encounter Ning Yang's other Dao Bodies. Yet, Young Master Ning returned safely. What do you think happened up there?" As he finished, the man stared at the figure up ahead, his eyes filled with pure admiration.

Ning Yang's admirer wanted to retort, but after his gaze swept over Ning Xuan's back, his heart trembled. The words died in his throat. Unconvinced, he looked again.

And then… "What… what is he doing?!"

His warning was unnecessary; everyone's eyes were already fixed on Ning Xuan. He had suddenly leaped into the air. At the same time, the sharp ring of a longsword echoed. Ning Xuan's movements were swift, and he landed back on the ground in a matter of moments.

"Turtle God Temple! Hehehe, that's a good name!" Wawa's crisp laughter rang out, piercing the silence.

The onlookers' faces twitched. Ning Xuan had actually flown up and altered the plaque, changing the first carved word from "Martial" to "Turtle"!

"He's courting death!"

"If I were the Martial God Temple, I could never tolerate this!"

"Now they have to do something, right?"

The crowd murmured, their anticipation soaring. But they were destined for disappointment. The vast Martial God Temple remained as silent as a city of the dead, showing no reaction whatsoever.

"Junior Brother, maybe we should do what we did before…" Wawa suggested, making a gesture as she spoke.