Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 293: Full fire!

Fu Dongsen had long heard of Lei Jun’s Xuanxiao Celestial Thunder, but he had never experienced it firsthand.

Although the Tianshi Mansion currently lacked the Heavenly Book of Thunder Laws, they could still harness the power of the Shangqing Thunder Altar Grotto-Heaven and the Tianshi Sword to command the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder.

The fusion of Yang Thunder and Yin Thunder was somewhat expected by Fu Dongsen, Rong Guangchen, and the others.

Yet, the sheer power of Lei Jun’s sword still took Fu Dongsen by surprise.

"The power of the Wanfa Sect Altar and the Longhu Mountain Grand Formation is also amplifying his mana..." Fu Dongsen quickly realized.

The Northern Abyss Divine Spear was a match for the Tianshi Sword. Though the frozen abyssal ice it generated wasn’t as overwhelmingly fierce as the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, it was solid, defensive, and relentless—at the very least, it wouldn’t be broken in a short time. Its vast, unshakable power even exceeded the thunder’s sheer force.

Lei Jun combined Yin and Yang through the Divine Xuanxiao Thunder, while Fu Dongsen relied on his superior cultivation realm.

Yet, with the Tianshi Sword borrowing power from the Wanfa Sect Altar, it forcefully shattered the Northern Abyss Divine Spear’s sharp yet unyielding edge.

Fu Dongsen, however, remained unfazed.

His body flickered in midair before suddenly transforming into a streak of flowing light, merging completely with the Northern Abyss Divine Spear.

When Lei Jun struck again with his sword, it hit nothing but air.

Fu Dongsen had fused his soul with his weapon, and the Northern Abyss Divine Spear became an icy blue bolt of lightning, flashing unpredictably through the sky.

For a few brief moments, the spear seemingly transcended the constraints of space, traversing the void and shifting positions unpredictably—thrusting toward the massive, illusory altar that enshrouded Mount Longhu.

The mystical art of "Celestial Drifting in the Sky-Sea"…

Lei Jun’s sword missed its target, but he showed no sign of panic.

At this moment, the purple and black interwoven lightning around him moved with great agility, instinctively reversing direction.

As Lei Jun’s sword traced a circular path, the lightning formed a massive ring that surrounded Mount Longhu.

The interwoven purple and black lightning condensed into a Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram, simultaneously shielding multiple directions and blocking the Northern Abyss Divine Spear’s attacks from all angles.

Daoist Artifact Refining Sect – "Four Seas of Celestial Drifting"

In the Daoist Artifact Refining Sect, which was also called the External Alchemy Sect, cultivators at the Eighth Heaven Realm attained a state known as Celestial Drifting, divided into four levels:

• Mortal Sea – The expansion of the soul sea, significantly enhancing the cultivator’s celestial soul, which made the power gap between Seventh Heaven and Eighth Heaven cultivators immense.

• Earth Sea – The soul sea connects with the earth’s veins, improving cultivation efficiency and allowing superior earth-based evasion techniques.

• Sky Sea – The soul sea connects with the void, granting deeper spatial insight and allowing artifact-refining cultivators to temporarily traverse space with their treasures, dramatically increasing their combat effectiveness.

• Dao Sea – The final stage, a realm of enlightenment, equivalent to the Talismanic Dao Sect's transition from "Inner Divine Court" to "Outer Divine Court", signifying a massive leap in power.

Fu Dongsen had reached the pinnacle of the Celestial Drifting Realm, fully attuned to the Sky Sea, allowing his soul sea to interact seamlessly with the void—Lei Jun had anticipated this.

Before, Fu Dongsen had yet to merge his celestial soul with the Northern Abyss Divine Spear, which was one thing.

But now that they had become one entity, his attacks were nearly impossible to predict.

Lei Jun’s Defensive Strategy

Still, no matter how unpredictable his movement was, his goal remained clear.

Thus, Lei Jun’s sword traced circular arcs, forming an array of overlapping Yin-Yang Taiji Diagrams throughout Mount Longhu, reinforcing the Grand Formation of the mountain and making the defenses impenetrable.

No matter how fiercely the outside forces howled, Mount Longhu stood unmoved.

At this moment, Rong Guangchen advanced once again.

As he moved forward, his Golden Core retracted into his body.

But on his skin, a faint golden glow emerged.

His Golden Core and Nascent Soul fused in this moment, transforming into the state known as "Nascent Soul Refining into the Great Core".

With this, the former Pure Yang Palace elder’s physical offensive and defensive power surged to new heights.

As he approached Mount Longhu, the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram above the mountain lashed out at him with interwoven bolts of purple-black lightning.

This time, however, Rong Guangchen did not evade.

Without the Tianshi Sword directly targeting him, he withstood the lightning’s strike head-on using his enhanced Nascent Soul-Golden Core fusion.

Then, his white-gold flames ignited once again, burning away at the purple-black Taiji Diagram.

Lei Jun, however, did not divert his sword toward Rong Guangchen.

His focus remained on Fu Dongsen and the Northern Abyss Divine Spear, knowing that if he split his attention, Fu Dongsen would immediately exploit the opening to launch a devastating assault.

In terms of siege-breaking power, Fu Dongsen was the greater threat.

As for dealing with Rong Guangchen, Lei Jun was in no rush.

After all, Qingxiao Hall was not known for its prowess in duels.

Additionally, Hong Jie and the Taiyi Innate Tower had yet to appear.

Neither had the so-called Emperor nor the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King, who might intervene at any moment.

The two ominous "Moderate-Bad Omens" drawn earlier suggested dangers that would not remain fixed in place—they were waiting for an opportunity to strike.

A Shift in Battle – An Ancient Treasure Awakens

Meanwhile, the battle had already begun affecting the earth’s spiritual veins.

Yet, the Tianshi Robe remained unseen…

As Lei Jun’s sword-light flowed, Yuan Mobai coordinated with him.

The Shangqing Thunder Altar Grotto-Heaven had now merged completely with Mount Longhu’s main peak.

A torrent of purple lightning cascaded down from the grotto-heaven, resembling a heavenly flood, engulfing Rong Guangchen’s Pure Yang True Fire.

Yet, Rong Guangchen remained calm and steadfastly advanced.

Above, Fu Dongsen’s attacks were relentless but well-measured.

Behind them, Gu Han did not immediately join the battle.

Instead, he stood by Wei Qiyue, acting as her guardian.

Above Wei Qiyue’s head, two flying swords hovered in the air.

One was her famed life-bound treasure, the Dust Silk Sword, which, for now, remained intact rather than splitting into a thousand strands.

The other, however, shone brightly, revealing itself as a massive sword of judgment— the Severing Dust Sword.

This was Wei Qiyue’s second life-bound sword, forged after she had reached the Upper Three Heavens Realm.

Unlike the light, flexible Dust Silk Sword, the Severing Dust Sword was absolute—unyielding, fierce, and ruthless.

"Severing Dust" meant severing worldly attachments, severing the mortal realm—one sword to cut all ties.

As its sword aura gathered, intricate talismanic patterns and Daoist runes began circulating around it.

Though Wei Qiyue’s cultivation level was lower than Fu Dongsen’s and Rong Guangchen’s, she was methodically preparing for one earth-shattering strike.

Finally, her sword light erupted, a dazzling arc of light streaking through the sky, aimed straight at Mount Longhu.

Lei Jun’s expression remained unchanged.

Yet, countless glowing talismanic symbols surrounded him like stars, converging into the Doumu Star God Apparition.

At the Wanfa Sect Altar, Yuan Mobai manifested the same Doumu Star God Apparition.

The illusory three-tiered altar covering Mount Longhu expanded outward.

A formation of celestial stars and constellations emerged, blocking Wei Qiyue’s devastating strike.

At the same time, the Taiji Diagrams expanded, forcing Fu Dongsen and Rong Guangchen further away.

The battle had reached a stalemate.

The Taiyi Innate Tower sank deep into the earth, triggering earthquakes in all directions. The ground cracked and collapsed on a massive scale, forming deep fissures and ravines.

At the same time, Qingxiao Hall ascended into the sky, seemingly transforming into an azure cloud that spread in all directions. The once-light and ethereal structure now exuded an oppressive weight.

As these two great artifacts underwent sudden transformations, two figures emerged—one large and one small.

One was a Daoist priestess in hemp robes, none other than Hong Jie, the former Supreme Elder of the Shushan Sect.

The other figure began as a tiny black shadow, no larger than a fallen leaf. But in the blink of an eye, it expanded to the size of a vast black cloud.

Under the dark night sky, the radiance of precious artifacts illuminated the form of a massive butterfly, its entire body covered in layers of leaves, as if formed from a swirling mass of fallen foliage.

It was none other than Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King, the legendary great demon known for frequenting the overseas regions!

As Zhang Dongyuan and Zhang Junhai kept their guard up against both Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King and Hong Jie, they also had to contend with the chaotic upheaval in the heavens and earth caused by the reversal of Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall.

At this moment, the world seemed to have turned upside down. The natural order was thrown into disarray, space-time distorted for a brief moment.

Except for Mount Longhu’s main peak, which was protected by the Myriad Dao Altar and the Guardian Formation, the surrounding landscape was caught in a sudden inward collapse.

“…Reversal of the Heavenly Firmament?!”

Zhang Dongyuan, a Daoist cultivator of many years, instantly became wary upon witnessing this phenomenon. He immediately realized that this ancient anomaly, long considered mere legend, was exactly what was described in the Daoist scriptures.

He quickly called out to Zhang Junhai to retreat.

However, Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King moved to intercept them.

Even though Zhang Dongyuan wielded the Azure Abyss Sword, the great demon had no intention of engaging in a direct battle.

Instead, its form dissolved into countless swirling leaves, dispersing in the air like an autumn storm. With just a momentary disruption, it stalled Zhang Dongyuan and Zhang Junhai’s movement.

That brief pause was enough.

The two Daoists were dragged into the chaotic, twisted void created by the Reversal of the Heavenly Firmament.

Even some of the fallen leaves from Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King’s own form were unable to return, instead getting sucked into the anomaly as well.

The demon had no choice but to reform its massive butterfly form, though visibly missing portions of its body.

Meanwhile, Hong Jie, standing in the distance, held a talisman decree in her hands.

As the decree’s radiant glow pulsed, it burned into ashes. Strangely, the resulting smoke did not rise straight to the sky—instead, it spiraled along with the warped void, rapidly receding.

As reality itself twisted and recoiled, the chaotic heavens and earth began returning to normal.

Only a single point of light remained—a brilliant star hovering in midair, as if the Heavenly Firmament had collapsed into a single celestial body.

“…Reversal of the Heavenly Firmament. Such an ancient ritual…”

Even as Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai worked to stabilize Mount Longhu, they couldn’t help but feel astonished.

To the present-day Tianshi Mansion, this was an ancient legend, long buried in the depths of the Daoist Canon.

Yet today, they were witnessing it firsthand. The sheer absurdity of it was overwhelming.

What once belonged to the Heavenly Palace, a technique of the ancient Talismanic Dao, was now being wielded against them by the Artifact Refining Sect and the Daoist Alchemical Sect.

But perhaps, to the Talismanic Dao of old, the modern Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu—transformed by the Daoist Reformation—was itself an aberration.

Who was truly reversing whose Heavenly Firmament? The answer was no longer clear.

Within the Reversal of the Heavenly Firmament, Zhang Dongyuan and Zhang Junhai were lost in a warped void, unable to escape.

Yet, neither Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King nor Hong Jie pressed the attack.

Once the ritual was complete, they too dared not approach the compressed star of twisted space—lest they, too, be sucked inside.

For now, they let it be.

Even though Zhang Dongyuan wielded the Azure Abyss Sword, he could not break free anytime soon.

However, the ritual had a time limit.

Hong Jie knew this. If only more people had been caught in the trap… She regretted that Tianshi Mansion still had reinforcements.

But now was not the time for regrets.

Without hesitation, Hong Jie and Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King moved toward Mount Longhu.

Meanwhile, Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall remained in their inverted positions.

Yet, Fu Dongseng separated from the Northern Abyss Divine Spear, choosing instead to enter the Taiyi Innate Tower.

The Taiyi Innate Tower, deeply embedded in the earth, had positioned itself directly beneath Mount Longhu.

Meanwhile, Qingxiao Hall, hovering above the clouds, had positioned itself above the mountain’s summit.

Though the two appeared separate, they now generated a new kind of ritual power.

Lei Jun swung the Tianshi Sword, striking toward Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King.

The demon dissolved into a storm of leaves once again. Though some leaves were burned away by the lightning, the majority reassembled instantly.

It did not fight Lei Jun directly—only stalled for time.

At that moment, Qingxiao Hall ascended higher than even the Upper Qing Thunder Altar, floating in the highest reaches of the sky.

Lei Jun felt the geomagnetic forces gathering around him—he was prepared to summon the Seven Star Sword, calculating the best trajectory to strike down Qingxiao Hall.

But as he observed the ritual unfolding, his gaze sharpened, and he held back his attack.

Qingxiao Hall hovered above.

Taiyi Innate Tower sank below.

Although it had burrowed into the earth’s veins, Mount Longhu remained a single unified entity, safeguarded by the Guardian Formation.

Even an attack from below would not be enough to shake it.

But Fu Dongseng, Rong Guangchen, and the others weren’t here for a direct assault.

This battle was never just about destroying Tianshi Mansion.

They wanted the Myriad Dao Altar!

A brilliant light erupted from Taiyi Innate Tower underground, while Qingxiao Hall above shimmered ominously.

In the next instant, the fabric of reality twisted once more.

In a flash, the two artifacts swapped positions again.

Taiyi Innate Tower suddenly reappeared in the sky.

Qingxiao Hall sank into the earth.

A tremendous force shook heaven and earth, pressuring Mount Longhu’s ancestral grounds.

Lei Jun, stationed at the Myriad Dao Altar, joined Yuan Mobai in stabilizing the Guardian Formation.

Yet both of them sensed it—within this massive reversal, another profound force was seeping into Mount Longhu.

The essence of this force was both familiar and foreign.

Inside the Myriad Dao Altar, both the Heavenly Palace Tablet and the First Dawn Jade Seal began to tremble.

It was the influence of the ancient Talismanic Dao.

By combining brute force and mystical means, they were finally weakening Mount Longhu’s Guardian Formation.

Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai exchanged a glance.

Then, Lei Jun looked toward a certain area on the mountain.

Yuan Mobai: “Zhongguang and the others have retreated into the back mountain with Elder Yao.”

Lei Jun: “Little Senior Sister is almost here, but we still haven’t heard from Senior Sister Xu. And that so-called Emperor hasn’t appeared yet.”

Yuan Mobai: “Ancestral Masters above, forgive us for the disturbance this day.”

Just then—

A golden lightning bolt split the night sky, descending like a falling star, heading straight for Taiyi Innate Tower.

But a storm of dead leaves blocked its path.

From within the golden lightning, a tall Daoist priestess with golden hair and piercing eyes emerged—

Tang Xiaotang!

On the contrary, the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King, whose strength was equivalent to a human cultivator at the Ninth Heaven, did not engage Tang Xiaotang head-on.

Using his innate shapeshifting abilities, he allowed himself to be struck by one of Tang Xiaotang’s attacks, only for his body to shatter and then reform moments later—merely using this to wear down her momentum.

On one hand, he had previously been caught in the backlash of the Inverse Heavenly Firmament and, although he had escaped, his vitality had suffered slight damage.

On the other hand, he had no intention of fighting to the death here. Instead, he maintained his state carefully, ready to retreat at any moment.

That said, the great demon was not merely idling—by obstructing Tang Xiaotang, he was buying time for Fu Dongsen.

Fu Dongsen, Rong Guangchen, and the others were not flustered upon seeing Tang Xiaotang return to Mount Longhu, but they all felt a growing sense of urgency.

According to the latest intelligence, Xu Yuanzhen was still engaged in the Heavenly Mandate Conflict over the Eastern Sea.

However, no one could guarantee that she wouldn’t return at any moment.

It was precisely for this reason that the Imperial Lord had arrived in person—to guard against such a possibility.

This assurance steadied the minds of Fu Dongsen and the others.

Even so, they needed to act quickly.

At this moment, Hong Jie’s Immortal Soul merged with the Northern Abyss Divine Spear.

Her entire presence became radiant, no longer carrying the aura of age and decline.

Now, she was an Eighth Heaven cultivator of the Daoist Artifact Refining Sect, at the peak of the Wandering Immortal Realm, just like Fu Dongsen.

Her soul roamed freely through the void, traveling across the celestial seas.

The Northern Abyss Divine Spear flickered in and out of existence, its traces elusive as it launched a piercing strike at Lei Jun.

Without the mountain-protecting formation reinforcing him, Lei Jun’s swordplay was no longer as overpowering as before.

However, now that he no longer had to remain stationary, his Doumu Star God Apparition, Spirit Officer Talisman, Heavenly Travel Talisman, and Orbiting Stars Formation granted him incredible speed.

Even Hong Jie struggled to track his movements, and her spear strikes often missed.

Deep within Lei Jun’s pupils, the Celestial Insight Talisman flickered with light, granting him clarity over his surroundings.

Interwoven dark thunder and yang-infused purple lightning crisscrossed as his sword light clashed repeatedly with the Northern Abyss Divine Spear, refusing to yield an inch.

While Lei Jun and Hong Jie dueled fiercely in midair, another battle was even more brutal—Yuan Mobai’s fight was pure, unrelenting melee combat.

Yuan Mobai unleashed his full power without reservation.

Amidst the swirling constellation of spiritual talismans, he shed his human form once more and transformed into his Mountain Badger True Form.

That towering, mountain-like body showed no trace of sluggishness—on the contrary, it moved with astonishing speed, manifesting an even grander Doumu Star God Apparition.

Not only was its presence profound and enigmatic, but it also radiated sheer, untamed savagery!

Rong Guangchen, a veteran at the peak of the Fourth Stage of Infant Transformation Realm, was a master of Daoist Alchemical Body Cultivation and equally proficient in physical combat.

At this moment, his body transformed into the White Tiger, exuding extreme sharpness and ferocity as he clashed directly with Yuan Mobai.

The sheer impact of their collision shook the earth and sky.

Yet, surprisingly, it was Rong Guangchen who staggered first—nearly being knocked off the mountain!

He was astonished.

Though he was advanced in age, his Talisman Decree allowed him to temporarily regain the peak condition of his prime.

He was now operating at full strength, embodying the Daoist Alchemical Sect’s pinnacle Fourth Stage of the Infant Transformation Realm.

This path of cultivation emphasized internal refinement, seeking enlightenment through the body itself. It was a fusion of Daoist methods with Confucian and Buddhist wisdom—an integration of Three Teachings in One.

The Pure Yang Palace, as the sacred ground of this sect, served as its leader and role model.

This was not a matter of individual cultivators dual-cultivating Confucianism or Buddhism but rather the Daoist Alchemical Sect itself incorporating the best aspects of both traditions into its teachings.

At the Eighth Heaven, cultivators underwent Four Transformations of the Nascent Soul:

• True Stability (定真) – Establishing a solid foundation for later transformations.

• Vast Righteousness (浩然) – Integrating Confucian Righteous Qi.

• Pure Clarity (清净) – Absorbing Buddhist Enlightenment Practices.

• Unity (合一) – Achieving full synthesis of Dao, Confucianism, and Buddhism.

Unlike the Talismanic and Artifact Refining branches of Daoism, which saw a major power boost between the Second and Third Stages, the Daoist Alchemical Sect only experienced a breakthrough upon reaching the Fourth Transformation.

Rong Guangchen had already reached this perfected state.

His synthesis of the Three Teachings granted him extraordinary combat prowess—offense and defense alike were vastly enhanced.

Yet, in this clash of physical might, he was actually being suppressed by Yuan Mobai, who was merely at the Second Stage of the Eighth Heaven within the Talismanic Branch?

Rong Guangchen was certain he had neither underestimated his opponent nor made a mistake.

But as the battle continued, the more he exchanged blows with Yuan Mobai, the more disadvantaged he became.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t strong enough—it was simply that Yuan Mobai’s physique was inherently overwhelming, breaking all conventional limits.

Rong Guangchen shook his head slightly.

Then, in the next instant, he changed tactics.

He no longer relied on White Tiger combat techniques to clash head-on with Yuan Mobai, nor did he use Vermilion Bird techniques to compete in speed and agility.

Having mastered the many arts of the Pure Yang Palace, he transitioned into Azure Dragon techniques, utilizing unpredictable movements to engage Yuan Mobai.

At the same time, platinum-colored Pure Yang True Fire ignited, attempting to engulf Yuan Mobai.

Yet, Yuan Mobai remained completely unfazed by the flames.

His massive Mountain Badger form let out a deep roar.

Ancient and profound Daoist talismans shimmered across his body, their markings dark red like aged iron, forming an intricate web of inscriptions.

As the talismanic light flickered, they transformed into countless divine weapons, each brimming with a chilling, ruthless aura—launching toward Rong Guangchen!

One by one, these weapons were incinerated by the Pure Yang True Fire.

However, a great number still tore through the flames, surrounding Rong Guangchen from all sides.

"This..." Rong Guangchen was taken aback.

He had never seen such a talismanic technique from Mount Longhu before—he had no choice but to retreat.

At the same time, Wei Qiyue, who had been charging her Severing Dust Sword, narrowed her eyes.

Her gaze flickered between Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai.

Yuan Mobai had exceeded expectations.

But Lei Jun was equally alarming.

At least Yuan Mobai was already at the Second Stage of the Eighth Heaven.

Yet Lei Jun, who had only recently entered the Eighth Heaven, wielded the Tianshi Sword with such ferocity that even Hong Jie had to remain on guard.

Despite this, she too had the Northern Abyss Divine Spear—a weapon of equal rank.

At this moment, Gu Han, who had been closely analyzing the battlefield, made a subtle hand gesture to Wei Qiyue and moved toward Yuan Mobai to aid Rong Guangchen.

However, just as Gu Han shifted his focus, he suddenly heard the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King shout:

"Left rear!"

Almost simultaneously, Wei Qiyue called out:

"Watch out!"

Gu Han’s expression changed—he instinctively lunged forward to evade, manifesting his Infant Transformation Core for protection.

But in that instant, he felt a searing pain in his back!

A sword had pierced through him.

A sword that even his Infant Transformation Core could not withstand.

A sword wielded by Xiao Xueting.

The Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King was forced out of the black mist by Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang’s combined efforts. Unhurried and composed, it vibrated its wings, sending countless withered leaves falling from the sky.

These withered leaves ignited spontaneously, transforming into a rain of fire that covered a vast area.

Lei Jun wielded the Tianshi Sword, sweeping the blade in a circle. Purple-black thunder interwove into a ring, blocking the fire rain in midair.

However, he could feel the Tianshi Sword trembling under the impact, growing heavier with each strike.

The Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King was not known for direct combat, yet it was still a formidable Great Demon of the Ninth Heaven. Though its attacks seemed ordinary, they carried the weight of its cultivation realm, exerting tremendous pressure.

With its power spreading across the battlefield, Hong Jie, Rong Guangchen, and Wei Qiyue immediately found some relief.

More importantly, as the battle reached a stalemate, Fu Dongsen took advantage of the situation. Controlling the Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall, he began gradually calming the turbulence of the Ten Thousand Methods Sect Altar.

Amidst the peaks behind Mount Longhu, some disciples were scattering and evacuating in different directions.

Qin Caiwei hesitated, glancing back every few steps. "Will they be okay?"

She hesitated again. "The elders of our sect are all good people... Is there anything I can do to help?"

As she continued looking back, someone else had stopped in the mountains alone.

He gazed toward the main peak in the front, smiling bitterly. "Not satisfied with just repelling the enemy… Must they insist on large-scale slaughter?"

Forget it. It's still better than before. At least things won't escalate to the point of drawing in Avīci, leading to mutual destruction.

If Tang-shimei had been able to hold back a little longer before going to war with the Li Family, perhaps the Tianshi Robe wouldn't have been lost.

Then again, if she could hold back, she wouldn't be her.

At least the Tianshi Sword ended up in her hands, so there was no need to take risks back then.

But the problem now is… the Tianshi Robe hasn’t reappeared. If it had, maybe they wouldn’t have to take any risks at all?

Well, a risk still has to be taken…

He raised his hand and lightly tapped his forehead. One Talisman after another emerged, dispersing like ink spreading through water.

"May my Buddha show mercy, shine upon the world, and subdue demons!"

A pure golden Buddhist radiance erupted from the mountain, condensing into a dragon.

"Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon, Grand Dhāraṇī Mantra, Prajñā Buddhas, World-Honored Kṣitigarbha!"

The Golden Radiant Dragon soared from beyond the mountains, flying toward Mount Longhu, as solemn Buddhist chants echoed across the land.

"This level of Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon?" Fu Dongsen, Rong Guangchen, and Hong Jie were all slightly taken aback.

An Eighth Heaven Realm Master of the Buddhist Vow Lineage—Tianlong Monastery should have only one Supreme Elder at that level. However, he was already quite old and hadn't left the monastery in years. Why would he travel thousands of miles to aid the Tianshi Mansion?

The Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon, majestic and fierce, struck down with its claw upon the Taiyi Innate Tower, which was locked in a struggle against the Ten Thousand Methods Sect Altar. The tower shook violently.

An immeasurable force surged forth, attempting to wrench the tower away from the sect altar.

"You... Fa Qing?!" Fu Dongsen steadied his artifact, but his shock only grew. "You're not dead? Why are you here?"

Bathed in the golden radiance, a young-looking monk sat within the Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon, exuding sacred dignity.

"I am here to lend a hand to an old friend," he said. "Daoist Fu, Daoist Hong, Daoist Rong, Daoist Wei—my apologies for today."

Rong Guangchen, Hong Jie, and Wei Qiyue were as stunned as Fu Dongsen.

The newcomer was none other than the legendary Fa Qing, a once-renowned prodigy of Tianlong Monastery who was rumored to have died young.

He had been missing for decades. Who would have thought that his return to the world would be not in Suzhou’s Tianlong Monastery, but here at Mount Longhu in Xinzhou?

For a moment, everyone was filled with uncertainty, unable to predict who else might come to Mount Longhu’s aid.

But after a brief hesitation, they quickly refocused.

This was the most critical moment—there was no time for distractions.

Hong Jie, utilizing her Celestial Sea Traversal, immediately thrust the Northern Abyss Divine Spear toward the monk who had shaken the Taiyi Innate Tower.

Meanwhile, the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King scattered into countless withered leaves midair. Each leaf now shimmered with light, revealing far sharper attacks than before, spreading to cover the entire battlefield.

But at that moment, Lei Jun suddenly raised his hand!

A seemingly ordinary fly-whisk soared into the sky.

The fly-whisk dispersed, its countless silk threads extending rapidly.

Each thread accurately struck a withered leaf from the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King.

Some threads even seemed to pierce through space, reaching hidden withered leaves in the distance, dragging them back.

The Great Demon finally displayed a mixture of shock and fury, letting out an inhuman, guttural roar.

Xu Yuanzhen had left two spiritual artifacts in Lei Jun’s care to continue nurturing.

One of them was this fly-whisk.

It was specifically prepared for the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King.

Though she hadn’t been able to slay this Great Demon back then, she had spent a long time crafting countermeasures.

While the fly-whisk didn’t deal direct lethal damage, it temporarily restrained the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King's most prized techniques—concealment, duplication, and even feigned death.

Lei Jun wielding the fly-whisk was like sounding the battle horn.

Tang Xiaotang glanced at the fly-whisk and smirked but wasted no time in acting.

With her at the center, a vast Pure-Gold Radiance expanded outward, forming an intensely scorching miniature world, engulfing Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King—along with Wei Qiyue, who failed to evade!

This was Tang Xiaotang’s Divine Court Outer Realm—Pure Yang Domain.

"Many thanks, Master." Before outsiders, Yuan Mobai solemnly thanked Fa Qing.

But at the same time, he suddenly accelerated, crashing into Rong Guangchen, forcibly dragging him into Tang Xiaotang’s Pure Yang Domain while enduring a strike through his Divine Court Mid-Realm.

Lei Jun ignored Hong Jie and her Northern Abyss Divine Spear, instead swinging his sword toward the Taiyi Innate Tower.

Tang Xiaotang’s Pure Yang Domain expanded, attempting to pull in the Taiyi Innate Tower as well.

Fu Dongsen activated his life-bound artifacts.

He cultivated the Path of Myriad Treasures and Laws, possessing numerous life-bound artifacts, including a tower, cauldron, spear, sword, mirror, and more. These artifacts linked together, forming a complete Eight Trigrams Formation, corresponding to Heaven, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder, Mountain, and Marsh.

Now, these treasures arranged themselves into a defensive formation, shielding both himself and the Taiyi Innate Tower from Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang.

Seeing the Pure Yang Domain and Tianshi Sword approaching, Fu Dongsen’s expression darkened. He quickly formed a mudra.

Inside the Taiyi Innate Tower, a Jade Seal emerged, radiating intense brilliance. Countless Talismans flowed forth from it.

The Jade Seal materialized an illusory realm, briefly delaying Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang’s Pure Yang Domain.

Tang Xiaotang frowned, unwilling to risk allowing Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King, Rong Guangchen, and Wei Qiyue to escape.

Lei Jun glanced at the Taiyi Innate Tower, the Jade Seal, then at Fa Qing, nodding with a smile.

Fa Qing smiled back.

As the Pure Yang Domain contracted, Lei Jun leaped in.

Wei Qiyue saw Lei Jun separate from the Tianshi Sword and acted decisively.

Her two flying swords, embodying both rigidity and flexibility, moved in tandem—one leading, the other supporting, seamlessly switching between offense and defense.

Yet Lei Jun didn’t even glance back. He completely ignored her attack.

The Fire Law Talismanic Canon and the Mysterious Firmament Five Thunder Talismanic Canon shone simultaneously.

The Yin Fire Tiger and Yin Thunder Dragon manifested together.

The Yin Fire Tiger intercepted the incoming Severed Dust Sword's light from behind, while the Yin Thunder Dragon spread its Mysterious Thunder, working alongside the Pure Yang Celestial Thunder and Pure Yang True Flame in the Pure Yang Sea to capture the countless fine sword threads.

At this moment, Wei Qiyue also went all in.

She merged her Immortal Soul with her sword, becoming one with the Severed Dust Sword.

Instantly, the concentrated, fierce sword light became even sharper than before.

But behind Lei Jun, nine-colored radiance descended, manifesting the Chaotic Void Nine Lights, continuing to block Wei Qiyue’s sword.

The Severed Dust Sword trembled, and from within came Wei Qiyue’s voice:

"The Tianshi Robe?! No, wait, you’re drawing power from it remotely… Hold on!

It was you who killed Senior Brother Gao in the Southern Wasteland! You set us against the monks of the Western Regions?!"

Lei Jun still didn’t turn around. But at this moment, another talisman appeared above his head—a purple one.

Thunder surged from within, finally manifesting a purple Yang Thunder Dragon that roared into existence.

The Thunder Law Talismanic Canon.

The Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Apparition.

The Yang Thunder Dragon and the Emerald Yin Fire Tiger let out deafening roars, shaking the heavens.

Yin and Yang intertwined, Dragon and Tiger converged.

A purple-green Taiji Diagram—a technique unseen since the Battle of Liwai—reappeared in the world.

The most orthodox attack of the Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu—

The Dragon-Tiger Strike!

Under the rotating Taiji Diagram, a terrifying surge of light burst forth, striking the Severed Dust Sword head-on!

Wei Qiyue, whose soul was fused with the sword, let out a muffled groan:

"…The Tianshi Robe isn’t actually in your hands, which means—"

She suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

Because she saw something else.

Something that did not belong to the Tianshi Mansion.

Seven flying swords.

Arranged in the position of the Big Dipper, they hovered above Lei Jun’s head.

"No wonder your disciple is better at arguing than wielding a sword," Lei Jun finally spoke, without turning.

The seven flying swords weren't aimed at Wei Qiyue.

Every sword was pointed at Rong Guangchen.

There, struggling under the torment of the Pure Yang Sea and the relentless attacks of Yuan Mobai, Rong Guangchen had been forced into a purely defensive stance.

The Black Tortoise form, combined with his Infant Transformation Grand Elixir, made him as immovable as a mountain—nearly impervious to external attacks.

But Lei Jun’s favorite targets had always been those who stood still and refused to dodge.

It had been this way ever since he first fought Wang Jingfang, the Pure Yang Palace traitor, back in the Middle Three Heavens.

Lei Daozhang had always loved attacking those who overestimated their own defenses.

The Two Elements Celestial Talismanic Canon interwove, sending a surge of Primal Magnetic Force rippling through the air.

The seven swords transformed into pure sword light, streaking through the Pure Yang Domain.

Though each sword landed at slightly different moments, every strike felt as if it could split the heavens and shatter the earth.

Wherever the swords passed, even the Pure Yang Sea parted to both sides.

Sword light struck Rong Guangchen one after another.

Having achieved the Fourth Transformation of Nascent Soul, integrating the Three Teachings into One, and defending with his Grand Elixir, his resilience was unmatched.

Among all cultivators, only high-ranking Buddhist monks who practiced strict precepts could rival his defense.

Lei Jun’s first sword couldn’t break through.

The second sword tore a crack.

The third sword was even better—it pierced through completely!

By the fourth sword, Rong Guangchen could no longer afford to remain stationary. He scrambled to move, but severely wounded, he was slow—Lei Jun’s sword severed his lower body.

"You… Chen Donglou?! Chen Donglou really is dead! You were the one who killed Wang Dongchu and Zheng Dongying!"

Rong Guangchen was as shocked as Wei Qiyue.

In an instant, he realized the truth behind the Seven Star Swords and Chen Donglou.

But a Talismanic Branch cultivator like Lei Jun possessing such unparalleled swordsmanship was beyond anything he had anticipated.

Even the Tianshi Seal and Thunder Law Talismanic Canon hadn’t shocked him as much as this.

But he had no time to think.

Abandoning his body, he shed his Grand Elixir, which had taken him years to refine, and escaped as a Nascent Soul.

Just barely, he dodged Lei Jun’s fifth and sixth swords.

But he couldn’t evade the seventh.

His Nascent Soul was severed from the knees down.

For a Daoist Alchemical Sect cultivator, whose life force was intertwined with his cultivation, even his Nascent Soul was more resilient than most.

But even Rong Guangchen, with his durability, collapsed.

This time, Lei Jun didn’t need to worry about finishing him off.

Above Yuan Mobai’s head, a rust-colored talisman shone brightly, summoning eighty-one divine weapons that rained down like a storm, delivering a second baptism of destruction.

Yuan Mobai’s second Life-Bound Ability.

The Nine-Turn Nine-Refinement Weapon Mastery Talisman.

The Nine Li War Armaments.

As Yuan Mobai killed Rong Guangchen, Lei Jun took a deep breath, replenishing his vast energy reserves.

Then, he turned to Tang Xiaotang and called out:

"Little Senior Sister."

No further explanation was needed.

Tang Xiaotang, standing within the Pure Yang Sea, forged a Pure Yang Fire Tiger for him.

Lei Jun, in turn, used the Mysterious Firmament Five Thunder Talismanic Canon to manifest another Yin Thunder Dragon.

Gold and black intertwined, forming a massive gold-black Taiji Diagram, mirroring the purple-green Taiji Diagram from before.

A double Dragon-Tiger Strike.

Double the destruction—

All for Wei Qiyue.

The Severed Dust Sword shattered for real this time.

Under the brilliance of the twin Taiji Diagrams, Wei Qiyue’s immortal soul was obliterated.

Her fate was sealed.

At the same time, the fusion of Yin-Yang energy reversed, flowing back into Lei Jun, restoring his energy while leaving him unharmed.

Meanwhile, after finishing off Rong Guangchen, Yuan Mobai charged toward Tang Xiaotang, the Pure Yang Ark, and the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King.

As time passed, the Butterfly King gradually adapted to the power of the whisk, using its illusory resurrection abilities to regain strength.

But just as his body began to dissolve into mist, the golden lightning and emerald flames of the Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram converged again, trapping him.

Yuan Mobai appeared behind him—his fist landed with earth-shattering force.

Then another.

Then Lei Jun mimicked the exact same strike, synchronizing his attack with Yuan Mobai’s.

The Butterfly King couldn’t even curse aloud.

Then Tang Xiaotang descended with the Tianshi Sword—a storm of violet-gold lightning split the demon in two.

His body tried to escape.

But Lei Jun raised a white jade seal—engraved with purple, gold, and green light—and slammed it down.

“CRACK!”

The Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King was shattered beyond any hope of revival.