Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 294: The Heavenly Master returns to the mountain!

Lei Jun, Tang Xiaotang, Yuan Mobai, the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King, Rong Guangchen, and Wei Qiyue—one by one, they vanished into the Pure Yang Domain.

As Tang Xiaotang’s Outer Divine Court retracted, only a golden sphere remained in midair. It shone brilliantly, like a sun appearing in the night sky, illuminating the surroundings.

Hong Jie considered attacking the sphere from the outside to help the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King, Rong Guangchen, and Wei Qiyue break out in a coordinated assault.

However, the young monk suddenly switched opponents with Xiao Xueting.

The golden Buddhist Dragon now circled around the Pure Yang Domain, guarding it.

Meanwhile, Xiao Xueting, wielding the Mountain and River Sword, turned to attack Taiyi Innate Tower and Fu Dongsen, who was still locked in battle with the Wanfa Sect Altar.

Hong Jie, with the Northern Abyss Divine Spear in hand, unleashed a series of piercing strikes.

Yet, the monk’s Buddhist mastery was profound, and even while the Mighty Dragon of Great Vows coiled around him, he could still invoke another sacred vow.

Thus, as the Northern Abyss Divine Spear thrust forward, the monk formed the Wish-Fulfilling Treasure Seal with his right hand.

A golden staff, condensed from Buddhist light, appeared midair.

The Northern Abyss Divine Spear struck the golden dragon with force.

Even with its immense resilience, the dragon trembled in midair from the impact.

Yet, at the very instant the spear and dragon connected, there was a brief pause.

And in that single moment of stillness, the golden staff flew forward—

It clashed against the Northern Abyss Divine Spear, knocking it aside.

The spear’s force was dispersed, and though it did not actually wound the Golden Dragon, at the point of impact, a layer of white frost spread outward—

This was the Northern Abyss Ice, birthed from the depths of the spear.

Monk Faqing pressed his palms together and intoned a Buddhist chant.

A wave of golden Buddhist light washed over the Mighty Dragon of Great Vows, purging the Northern Abyss Ice in an instant.

Hong Jie launched consecutive attacks, yet each was blocked.

A deep sense of wariness filled her heart.

In the past, Monk Faqing of Tianlong Monastery had been hailed as a peerless genius.

Not only was he born with extraordinary wisdom, but his cultivation advanced rapidly, and his combat skills were overwhelmingly strong.

Though young, even back then, there were whispers in private circles—some calling him the "Number One of Tianlong Monastery."

He had reportedly fallen many years ago, but now that he had reemerged, he seemed even stronger than before.

Not only had he truly attained the pinnacle of the Eighth Heaven Realm in the Buddhist Path of Vows, but even among those at the same level, he stood leagues above them.

Hong Jie had lived for centuries and had seen many great figures from Tianlong Monastery.

Yet, among all the Buddhist Masters she had encountered, none had commanded a Mighty Dragon of Great Vows as powerful as this one while still in the Eighth Heaven Realm.

Even with the Northern Abyss Divine Spear, she could not suppress him.

A Strategy Beyond Victory

However, Hong Jie was not aiming for victory over Monk Faqing.

Though the golden dragon remained unscathed, it continuously burned its strength purging the Northern Abyss Ice.

As a result, its movements gradually slowed, becoming sluggish.

Hong Jie had been waiting for this moment—

She intended to bypass the Mighty Dragon’s defense and strike directly at the Pure Yang Domain, where Tang Xiaotang was.

But just as she was about to make her move—

Her instincts flared with alarm.

As a cultivator at the pinnacle of the Celestial Drifting Realm of the Four Seas, her celestial soul was both resilient and highly sensitive.

She sensed the incoming danger just in time and narrowly dodged a sudden sword strike from Xiao Xueting.

Xiao Xueting had originally been attacking Fu Dongsen and the Taiyi Innate Tower.

Yet, in an instant, he changed course, his body moving as if he had teleported—

His sword angled toward Hong Jie.

She and the Northern Abyss Divine Spear barely dodged, not daring to counterattack.

She immediately retreated—

As expected, the golden staff formed from Monk Faqing’s vow energy came crashing down right after!

A Symbolic Insult?

Hong Jie caught sight of the golden staff—for a brief moment, she was speechless.

Having spent centuries cultivating within the Daoist Holy Land of Shushan, she was well-versed in history and lore.

Though the Buddhist and Daoist paths were distinct, she had some familiarity with Buddhist legends.

Monk Faqing was not only invoking the Mighty Dragon of Great Vows, but he had also used the Wish-Fulfilling Treasure Seal to manifest the Kṣitigarbha Vow and conjure the Kṣitigarbha Staff.

This was a clear sign—

He was walking the path of "Treasure Seal Kṣitigarbha."

According to Buddhist lore, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva had vowed to deliver all beings from the Six Realms of Samsara, appearing in various incarnations—known as the "Six Kṣitigarbhas."

Among them, Treasure Seal Kṣitigarbha was depicted as carrying a staff in the left hand while forming the Wish-Fulfilling Treasure Seal with the right.

And this incarnation of Kṣitigarbha… was specifically associated with saving beings from the Beast Realm.

Hong Jie did not know much about Monk Faqing’s personal views, but she couldn’t help but wonder—

Was this monk subtly calling her a beast?

An Impasse and a New Arrival

Yet, there was no time to dwell on the insult.

Under the combined assault of Monk Faqing’s staff and Xiao Xueting’s Mountain and River Sword, Hong Jie had no choice but to keep retreating.

On the other side, Fu Dongsen was unable to assist her.

Outside the Taiyi Innate Tower, eight treasures floated in midair—

They were all Fu Dongsen’s life-bound artifacts, representing the Eight Trigrams:

• Qian Heaven Tower

• Kun Earth Banner

• Li Fire Cauldron

• Kan Water Spear

• Xun Wind Sword

• Zhen Thunder Sword

• Gen Mountain Seal

• Dui Lake Mirror

Fu Dongsen had taken the Path of Multiple Treasures, crafting eight high-tier artifacts, each of which could stand alone as an extraordinary weapon.

Together, they formed a seamless, defensive formation, sturdy as a mountain fortress.

Yet, Xiao Xueting wielding the Mountain and River Sword was too relentless, forcing Fu Dongsen into full concentration.

He couldn’t afford to move—not even to evade.

Thus, he had no means to aid Hong Jie.

If he tried, he would expose a weakness, and at that moment, Xiao Xueting and Monk Faqing would immediately turn their attacks on him.

The Arrival of the Emperor

Suddenly—

A phantom figure emerged midair.

The shadowed form reached toward Monk Faqing’s Mighty Dragon of Great Vows.

Monk Faqing had been on guard the entire time—

A golden jewel, hidden in his Buddhist light, materialized to block the incoming hand.

The jewel shattered instantly.

Yet, in the next instant, the Mighty Dragon lashed out with its claw.

The figure flipped their hand, countering the dragon’s strike, then drifted back—

A mist-like aura surrounded them, leaving no trace of their presence.

Monk Faqing gazed at the figure.

"May the Buddha show mercy—was it your hand that felled Li Qingfeng Tianshi and Daoist Li Hongyu?"

The shadowy figure replied, their voice calm—

"Why dwell on the past?"

The Emperor had arrived.

Yet, where was the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King?

The Disappearance of the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King?

The Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King, a demon equivalent to a Ninth Heaven human cultivator, had vanished.

Earlier, it had seemingly been caught off guard by Tianshi Mansion’s strange whisk-like spiritual artifact and dragged into the Pure Yang Domain, but not much time had passed since then.

How could it simply disappear?

Had it already slipped away using its innate ability to conceal and teleport?

That didn’t seem right either. If it had already escaped, why had it not reappeared?

And Rong Guangchen?

A cultivator at the Peak Eighth Heaven of the Daoist Alchemical Sect, the oldest and most senior cultivator of Chunyang Palace in the present era, where was he?

With his perfected Infant Transformation Core, even if he took a direct hit from the Tianshi Sword, he should have been able to withstand it for a short time.

But where was he now?

And Wei Qiyue, another formidable expert, had also vanished.

Three of the Mortal Dao Kingdom’s top experts had entered the Pure Yang Domain, and none of them had come out?

At first, Fu Dongseng had felt assured, fully focused on maneuvering the Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall to relocate the Myriad Dao Altar.

But now, even he couldn’t help but feel a creeping sense of unease.

Indeed, Tang Xiaotang, Yuan Mobai, and Lei Jun were immensely powerful, and the Tianshi Sword was a peerless artifact.

But even if they could defeat the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King, Rong Guangchen, and Wei Qiyue, killing them outright should have been nearly impossible!

Even assuming the worst-case scenario for the Mortal Dao Kingdom, how could they have been eliminated in such a short time?

Not only Fu Dongseng and Hong Jie, but even Xiao Xueting was visibly taken aback.

Meanwhile, the mysterious figure, whose form had always been obscured by mist, had clear, bright eyes for the first time.

His gaze locked onto Lei Jun, Yuan Mobai, and Tang Xiaotang, who had just emerged from the Pure Yang Domain.

Then, suddenly, a flash of realization crossed his expression.

"Suppress it!"

The mysterious figure shouted sharply at Fu Dongseng inside the Taiyi Innate Tower.

At the same time, he himself turned and pressed his palm down onto the Taiyi Innate Tower!

Unfortunately, he was one step too late.

In that very instant, Tang Xiaotang’s Tianshi Sword vanished from her hands.

The Myriad Dao Altar Awakens

At that moment, the Myriad Dao Altar trembled violently.

Its light erupted in all directions, unleashing an ocean of talismanic symbols that poured outward like a reversed starry river, radiating blinding brilliance.

From within, a vast surge of purple lightning exploded!

The Tianshi Sword had appeared inside the altar!

A thunderous explosion tore through the sky as the severed connection between the Upper Qing Thunder Altar and the Myriad Dao Altar was restored.

The heavens split open as countless bolts of purple lightning crashed down, washing over Mount Longhu and the Myriad Dao Altar.

This violent storm disrupted the Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall, preventing them from maintaining their hold over the Myriad Dao Altar.

And then—

Three radiant auras of purple, gold, and blue surged into existence, enveloping the Myriad Dao Altar.

Within it, besides the Tianshi Sword, another object had appeared.

A white jade seal!

“…The Tianshi Seal as well?!”

Fu Dongseng’s mind reeled in shock, while Hong Jie paled with horror.

In that moment, the Tianshi Seal manifested the True-One Daoist Altar, fusing seamlessly with the Myriad Dao Altar and unleashing an earth-shattering force.

The power erupted in both directions—

Above, it shook the Taiyi Innate Tower.

Below, it shattered Qingxiao Hall.

The two Shushan Sect treasures, though mighty, shuddered violently under the force of the awakened Myriad Dao Altar.

If this had been a straightforward battle, the Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall would have struggled against the combined might of the Tianshi Seal and Tianshi Sword, but Fu Dongseng would not have lost control over them entirely.

But right now, they were in the middle of a grand ritual, attempting to relocate the Myriad Dao Altar.

In essence, they had already integrated the altar within the Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall.

And now that the Myriad Dao Altar erupted, it was as if a massive detonation had occurred inside both treasures!

Even though the Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall were divine artifacts, they had left themselves completely vulnerable.

Collapse of the Shushan Treasures

Countless talismanic arrays and Daoist script formations flickered around the Taiyi Innate Tower, only to collapse like a crumbling sandcastle.

The tower itself shuddered violently, then was blasted upward by the explosion of purple, gold, and blue radiance.

From within the tower, Fu Dongseng and Gu Han were forcibly ejected, flung into the sky!

The Taiyi Innate Tower, now out of control, turned into a streak of white light, soaring beyond the heavens and disappearing into the vast Ninefold Skies!

Meanwhile, beneath the earth, Qingxiao Hall shook uncontrollably, the entire mountain range trembling from the impact.

As the earth’s veins twisted, the external talismanic glow around Qingxiao Hall dissipated, its runes shedding from its structure like falling leaves.

The once immense and mighty treasure began rapidly shrinking.

Then, just like the Taiyi Innate Tower, Qingxiao Hall turned into a stream of light, vanishing far into the distance.

Both of the Shushan Sect’s treasures had been forcibly expelled from Tianshi Mansion!

Fu Dongseng’s connection to both artifacts was completely severed.

Just as Mount Longhu had once lost the Tianshi Sword and Tianshi Robe, so too had Fu Dongseng lost his greatest weapons.

Lei Jun’s Calculated Strike

When Lei Jun had realized that the Mortal Dao Kingdom intended to steal the Myriad Dao Altar, he devised a plan.

If he merely prevented their ritual, they might have retreated with the Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall intact.

Instead, he struck them at their weakest point.

From this close range, Lei Jun was able to stealthily send the Tianshi Seal into the Myriad Dao Altar.

First, he used it to send in the Tianshi Sword.

Then, he sent the Tianshi Seal itself.

And then…

“BOOM!!!”

The Mortal Dao Kingdom, which had relied on the Taiyi Innate Tower and Qingxiao Hall as their mobile headquarters, lost everything in a single blow.

As the remnants of their forces were thrown into disarray, Fu Dongseng and Gu Han were blasted away, while the mystical jade tablet Fu Dongseng had used to aid the ritual was also expelled.

Drawn by the Talismanic Dao’s inheritance, the jade tablet fell neatly into the Myriad Dao Altar.

"One of the two Third-Grade Opportunities," Lei Jun mused.

The other?

He had already secured it—

A spiritual artifact named Solitary Wood Heart Essence, formed from the Thousand-Leaf Butterfly King’s final essence upon death.

He put it away for later study.

For now, his focus was solely on the mysterious figure before him.

As the Taiyi Innate Tower flew into the sky and Qingxiao Hall sank into the earth, the figure’s mist veil finally dissipated.

Lei Jun and the others stared in shock.

He was an elderly Daoist, with white hair and youthful features, his long beard nearly a foot in length.

Dressed in a dark green Daoist robe and wearing a Daoist headscarf, he was an unmistakable legend.

Lei Jun had seen his portraits countless times.

His name was renowned throughout the Daoist world.

But now, standing face to face, Lei Jun found it almost… underwhelming.

"No wonder Senior Sister Xu always fixated on this old man," he thought.

The Supreme Grandmaster of Chunyang Palace, the one hailed as the greatest Daoist of this era—

Huang Xuanpu.

On the contrary, it was in his daily interactions within Pure Yang Palace that he found it hardest to disguise himself.

If he bore injuries, then those injuries were real.

Fortunately, he had encountered an extraordinary opportunity, allowing him to recover rapidly with the aid of spirit pills and elixirs.

If he could tend to Hong Jie and Wei Qiyue, he could naturally tend to himself as well.

Otherwise, even if he managed to deceive others, he could never fool the Empress or Xu Yuanzhen.

… But had he truly deceived them?

Forget it. At this point, there was no need to dwell on such matters.

Now that Huang Xuanpu had revealed his true form, his real strength was also laid bare.

As a Daoist Alchemical Grandmaster of the Ninth Heaven, he had fused his Nascent Soul and Great Core into a unified Nascent Core—a state known as Yuan Dan.

Huang Xuanpu’s Yuan Dan was incredibly solid and resilient. Even when taking direct attacks from Tang Xiaotang, he remained completely unmoved.

As he was about to seize the Tianshi Seal ahead of everyone else, a bizarre ray of light suddenly shone upon him.

The source was an ancient and mysterious treasure mirror in Lei Jun’s hand.

The moment the mirror’s light struck him, Huang Xuanpu’s movements hesitated for just a fraction of a second.

But in a battle between masters, even a minor delay could lead to catastrophic consequences.

In that instant, Tang Xiaotang managed to reach the Tianshi Seal and Tianshi Sword first.

As the purple, gold, and azure radiance swirled around her, the Tianshi Seal fastened itself to her waist.

A three-layered ethereal altar manifested around her, resonating with the Ten Thousand Methods Sect Altar.

Although she still lacked the Tianshi Robe, countless talismanic lights surged skyward, dazzling like a river of stars, illuminating the entire Mount Longhu.

Above the clouds, purple lightning gathered densely, and rolling thunder came crashing down.

Under the impact of the divine thunder, Huang Xuanpu’s figure wavered slightly in midair.

As a Daoist Alchemical Grandmaster of the Great Ascension Realm, he had mastered the Five Qi Returning to the Origin technique.

This technique originated from the Five Elements of Creation, yet gave rise to endless transformations.

When Alchemical Sect cultivators reached a high level of mastery, their already formidable Life-Nurturing Arts would advance even further, rendering their Yuan Dan impervious to worldly forces.

There were four profound forces cultivated before reaching the final harmonization of the Five Qi:

• Solid Qi Essence, also known as Luminous Qi, resisted the threats of wind, thunder, fire, and similar forces.

• Emotionless Soul, also known as Soul-Refining Qi, mitigated the damage from blades, weapons, and metallic threats.

• Immovable Vitality, also known as Life-Nurturing Qi, countered the forces of death and decay.

• Serene Spirit, also known as Pure Soul Qi, shielded against spiritual invasions and mind-based attacks.

These four energies corresponded to the first four stages of Five Qi Returning to the Origin.

The sequence of cultivation depended on the practitioner’s personal talent and fortune, but each stage completed would increase the difficulty of further progress.

Only after mastering all four profound forces could one cultivate the final Harmonized Tranquility, which balanced the Four Qi and ultimately achieved the perfected realm of the Ninth Heaven’s Five Qi Returning to the Origin.

Huang Xuanpu had already mastered Four Qi Returning to the Origin.

Publicly, he had shown signs of aging and decline, but in reality, his condition was far superior to Rong Guangchen and Hong Jie.

With Solid Qi Essence protecting his Yuan Dan, even the most violent gales, lightning, and flames were nothing more than a gentle breeze to him.

Normally, not even divine techniques like Pure Yang True Fire, Pure Yang Celestial Thunder, Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, or Nine Abyss True Fire could significantly harm him.

…That was how it should have been.

But now, under the light of that strange mirror, Huang Xuanpu clearly felt his Four Qi Returning to the Origin was not functioning at full strength.

The divine thunder, which should have posed little threat to him, suddenly became oppressive.

Likewise, his Emotionless Soul—which usually reduced the dangers of swords and weapons—no longer provided the same level of protection against the Tianshi Sword and Mountain-River Sword.

“…Xu Yuanzhen?”

The old Daoist narrowly avoided a rage-fueled slash from Tang Xiaotang’s Tianshi Sword, but instead of looking at her, his gaze locked onto the treasure mirror in Lei Jun’s hand.

Lei Jun remained calm. “Last time, Senior Sister went to Pure Yang Palace, but she only found Rong Guangchen. She later said she was quite disappointed.”

Huang Xuanpu nodded lightly. “Yes, I know. She was looking for me.”

Lei Jun continued, “Shushan Sect is practically a sieve now. If anyone could see through it, it would be Sect Master Fu Dongsen. Similarly, with half of Pure Yang Palace already compromised, if you had truly remained unaware all this time, wouldn’t that call your competency as Palace Master into question?”

“Except…”

“Except, Senior Huang, why?”

At that moment, Yuan Mobai stepped into the Ten Thousand Methods Sect Altar.

While Tang Xiaotang focused on fighting Huang Xuanpu, Yuan Mobai used the altar’s power to stabilize the mountain gate.

The Taiyi Innate Tower being blasted away was one thing.

But the Clearing Firmament Hall being forcibly removed from the underground foundation had triggered a massive earthquake and left a gaping chasm beneath Mount Longhu.

Yuan Mobai channeled the Ten Thousand Methods Sect Altar’s power to adjust the earth veins, rebalancing the terrain and calming the seismic activity.

“Dynasties rise and fall, one lineage competing for dominion over all, while the common people serve as offerings.”

Huang Xuanpu chuckled. “Why do we need an emperor when Heaven itself is the shepherd of all?”

Yuan Mobai replied, “And yet, who dares to claim dominion over Heaven itself, binding all eternity to a single existence? The Celestial Palace is no more.”

Huang Xuanpu laughed. “Then perhaps you should not presume to understand Heaven’s will.”

By now, the treasure mirror in Lei Jun’s hands had nearly burned itself out, dissipating into light as it released its final glow.

But it no longer mattered.

With Tang Xiaotang now wielding the Tianshi Seal and Tianshi Sword, her attacks were as fierce as a rainbow cutting across the sky, capable of rending the heavens and splitting the earth.

Huang Xuanpu sighed slightly.

Far beyond the battlefield, the Inverse Heavenly Firmament Star was also beginning to unravel.

The twisted, chaotic void was returning to normal.

Under the radiance of the Azure Abyss Sword, Zhang Dongyuan flew out first, followed closely by Zhang Junhai.

The unraveling of the Inverse Heavenly Firmament was originally expected to take longer.

However, because both Taiyi Innate Tower and Clearing Firmament Hall had been forcibly removed, the phenomenon had collapsed ahead of schedule.

Huang Xuanpu let out a long sigh. “Zhongnan Mountain… I suppose I will have to return another day.”

Then, he soared into the sky, following Fu Dongsen in pursuit of the Taiyi Innate Tower.

As Zhang Dongyuan arrived, he was given a brief summary of events by Xiao Xueting, and after a moment of shock, he urgently declared:

“The Taiyi Innate Tower and Clearing Firmament Hall are the sect’s greatest treasures. Our entire sect has long sought to recover them. I implore my fellow Daoists—please assist me in reclaiming them.”

Lei Jun's eyes flickered slightly—he had already made his decision.

Deep within the earth veins, aside from Daoist masters, Buddhist experts were also present.

Two monks from the Western Region moved cautiously, avoiding the turbulent torrents of spiritual energy while advancing.

One of them, a middle-aged monk in appearance, hailed from Mount Sumeru and bore the Dharma name Ren Zhu.

The other, appearing older, was formerly an elder of Vajra Monastery, known as Yu Shu.

Master Yu Shu, an Eighth Heaven Realm expert of the Buddhist Mudra Techniques Lineage, had been renowned in the Great Tang for years. It was he who had once welcomed back Abbot Suo Yang, the current head of Vajra Monastery.

However, at this moment, Master Yu Shu followed Master Ren Zhu’s lead.

The reason was not simply because Ren Zhu came from the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru.

Ren Zhu remained courteous as ever. "It should be in this area, Junior Brother Yu Shu. Let us split up to search. If you find anything, inform me immediately. The earth veins are a complex environment, so we must be cautious."

"Senior Brother speaks wisely," Yu Shu replied.

Just as the two were about to part ways, Ren Zhu suddenly asked, "Junior Brother, what are your thoughts on the Tianshi Robe of the Tianshi Mansion?"

Yu Shu responded, "I cannot see clearly, but there are some doubts."

The two of them had actually arrived at the outskirts of Mount Longhu long ago but had kept their distance, merely observing from afar.

The battle that shook the heavens and earth had astonished even them.

Due to their distance, they did not know the intricate details of the fight.

However, what they did notice was that no one from the Mortal Dao Nation had displayed the Tianshi Robe.

Was it because they had failed to refine and control the Tianshi Robe? Or had they not brought it to Mount Longhu at all? Or perhaps… they didn’t even have it?

From such a great distance, Ren Zhu could not be certain.

Unlike the Tianshi Seal and Tianshi Sword, which had been drawn back to the Tianshi Mansion, the Tianshi Robe showed no such sign of returning.

However, they had clearly seen the Taiyi Innate Tower being blasted away and Qingxiao Hall sinking into the ground.

Since they had no leads on the Taiyi Innate Tower, Ren Zhu decided to search for Qingxiao Hall first.

If the Mortal Dao Nation managed to crush the Tianshi Mansion, the Western Buddhist Sects would gladly absorb the talents left behind.

If the Mortal Dao Nation was defeated at Mount Longhu, then the Western Buddhist Sects would instead prioritize targeting them—who had been publicly declared rebels by the Great Tang Dynasty.

"Find Qingxiao Hall first. Then, we’ll discuss other matters. If possible, let’s send Daoist Hong to the afterlife," Ren Zhu nodded to Yu Shu.

The two monks then split up.

Ren Zhu formed Buddhist hand seals, further sharpening his already formidable spiritual perception.

His judgment was correct—the artifact was indeed nearby.

Before long, he made a discovery.

Amid the flow of earth-vein spiritual energy, Qingxiao Hall had shrunk in size, now moving through the currents as a streak of flowing light.

Ren Zhu immediately moved to intercept it.

But before he could grasp it firmly, a cold gleam shot through the earth, piercing toward him.

It was Hong Jie, wielding the Northern Abyss Divine Spear, in pursuit.

The spear’s attack was fierce, forcing Ren Zhu to momentarily retreat.

However, he swiftly countered—forming a mudra with one hand while using the other like a blade, launching a retaliatory strike.

"…A Ninth Heaven Realm Mudra?" Hong Jie was shocked.

Aside from Master Jiasheng, since when did the Western Buddhist Sects have another Ninth Heaven Realm master?

She had never heard of him before.

Another monk from Mount Sumeru?

Had they deliberately hidden their strength, keeping a low profile to avoid attracting the attention of the Tang Imperial Court and other cultivation forces?

Countless thoughts raced through Hong Jie’s mind.

But she could not give up Qingxiao Hall.

Ren Zhu felt a slight regret but remained calm.

Though they had tried to keep things secret, fate sometimes left no room for hesitation.

Decisive as ever, he evaded Hong Jie’s spear and reversed his attack mid-motion, targeting her instead.

A Daoist and a Buddhist master, clashing over Qingxiao Hall, launched into an intense battle north of Mount Longhu within the earth veins.

Meanwhile, Lei Jun moved through the southern earth veins of Mount Longhu.

He activated the Hidden Path Technique from the Heavenly Travel Talisman, enhancing it with the Illusory Mirror.

At the same time, he attuned himself to the flow of spiritual energy, seamlessly merging his own mana pulses with the environment.

Through the interplay of the Celestial Ground-Through Talisman and Illusory Mirror, Lei Jun carefully analyzed his surroundings.

Suddenly, his senses sharpened—he had discovered something.

But it was not an opportunity—it was a person.

The former elder of the Pure Yang Palace, Gu Han, who had been flung away by the Taiyi Innate Tower, had not rejoined Fu Dongsen in searching for it. Instead, he too had entered the earth veins, seeking Qingxiao Hall just like Hong Jie.

Hong Jie had gone north, while Gu Han headed south, searching separately.

But Gu Han had found nothing so far.

Wounded from earlier battles, he was disturbed by the earth’s energy, making his Nascent Soul unstable. He had to sit down and meditate, focusing on recovery.

The miraculous spirit pills of Huang Xuanpu were not unlimited.

At the moment, Gu Han had none left.

But as long as he could stabilize his injuries, he could later obtain more from Huang Xuanpu, ensuring a full recovery.

His flesh, Nascent Soul, and soul itself had all been wounded by Xiao Xueting’s sword, leaving his perception dulled.

Thus, he failed to notice the tall figure silently approaching from behind.

A bamboo staff was raised high.

And then—

"Dong!"

Without uttering a sound, Gu Han collapsed forward, his head smashed into his own chest cavity.

A faint spiritual shadow flickered—his Nascent Soul, in the form of a youthful Gu Han, tried to escape.

Despite his injuries, Gu Han struggled to flee with his Nascent Soul, hoping to survive.

But alas—he hadn’t even seen who had attacked him before another strike landed.

"Pa!"

Already weakened, Gu Han’s Nascent Soul was shattered in an instant.

The bamboo staff, glowing with purple-gold radiance, crushed it completely.

Lei Jun stood behind the fallen figure, calmly withdrawing his Upper Qing Jade Celestial Bamboo and giving a slight nod.

Not bad. His skills hadn’t gotten rusty.

Catching this fugitive from the mountain was another unexpected gain.

Even in the earth veins, Lei Jun methodically used the Dark Side of the Heavenly Book to erase all traces before kicking Gu Han’s corpse into the roaring currents of spiritual energy.

Dusting off his shoes, he continued forward.

After some time, a nine-colored radiance flickered around him.

His two Tianshi Robe clues had finally responded.

The Tianshi Robe was nearby!

Time to bring it back home.

This was Hong Jie’s personal Life-Bound Treasure and Life-Bound Artifact.

Unlike Fu Dongsen, who refined multiple different magical treasures, Hong Jie was more similar to Chen Donglou—from her early days in the Lower Three Heavens, she had been refining multiple artifacts of the same lineage, all closely related in nature.

Earlier, she had focused all her power on wielding the Northern Abyss Divine Spear.

Now that she had lost it, she switched to using her Life-Bound Treasure and Artifact.

Originally, there should have been eight Dao Lanterns.

Unfortunately, one was destroyed earlier when Zhang Dongyuan severed it with the Azure Abyss Sword, leaving Hong Jie wounded in the process.

Now, she sent six lanterns forward to intercept Lei Jun.

The last remaining one stayed at her side. As she channeled her immortal soul and mana into it, the lantern’s flame grew brighter and more concentrated, preparing for a devastating final explosion.

But at that moment, Hong Jie saw cold glimmers of light suddenly appear in front of Lei Jun.

...Seven Star Swords?!

A chill ran through Hong Jie’s heart.

Just as she realized what she was seeing, one of the flying swords flashed and vanished on the spot.

Between them, Lei Jun had detected her presence even earlier and had already begun charging his attack.

With Primal Magnetic Force surging, even the earth’s spiritual energy currents seemed split apart like waves.

The terrifying sword light reached Hong Jie in an instant.

Not only had the flying sword’s appearance caught her off guard—

Its speed had completely exceeded her expectations.

For a brief moment, the first thought in her mind was:

"Among the Eighth Heaven cultivators of Shushan Sect, is there really someone who can wield a sword this fast?!"

Severely wounded, Hong Jie could no longer maintain her ability to phase through the void using Immortal Wandering through the Celestial Seas.

Even her Immortal Wandering through the Earthly Veins was limited in effectiveness.

Her Dao Lanterns moved, trying to shield her from the sword light.

Even if her Life-Bound Artifact took damage, it was better than getting struck directly by that flying sword.

But—

The sword light seemed to phase through space and time, bypassing all obstacles in an instant.

The Dao Lanterns never had a chance to block it.

Hong Jie desperately twisted her body to evade, but the sword still struck her left shoulder.

Her immortal soul-formed body shattered on the spot, unable to maintain human form.

Her wavering soul sea was instantly devoured by the terrifying sword light and thunderfire, burning away nearly half of it.

Hong Jie’s resilience far exceeded Zheng Dongying and was even stronger than Wei Qiyue, allowing her to resist and suppress the lightning flames.

But then—Lei Jun’s second sword arrived.

This time, she couldn’t dodge at all.

It struck her directly!

"…That Chen Donglou—was you impersonating him?!"

As Lei Jun approached, he heard Hong Jie’s furious, unwilling roar in his ears:

"You—! It was you in Jiangzhou and Jinzhou too?!"

Lei Jun waved his hand casually.

“Embarrassing, I admit—I do seem to have a habit of targeting senior cultivators.”

The Mysterious Firmament Five Thunder Talismanic Canon activated.

A black Yin Thunder Dragon silently appeared, devouring Hong Jie’s remaining soul.

As the black dragon spiraled, it also sealed the last Dao Lantern, preventing its final detonation.

The dragon opened its jaws before Lei Jun, revealing an ancient talisman decree, though it was partially damaged.

Previously, when he, Yuan Mobai, and Tang Xiaotang had taken down Rong Guangchen in the Pure Yang Domain, they had obtained a similar decree.

Lei Jun glanced at it briefly, then put it away for later.

As the dark side of the Heavenly Book continued to cleanse the battlefield, he finally managed to extract the Nine-Colored Radiance from the earth’s spiritual energy currents.

But at that moment, Lei Jun suddenly felt another presence approaching from behind.

A Western Buddhist monk?

Had they followed the trail of the Tianshi Robe, or were they here for Hong Jie?

"Fated encounters transcend a thousand miles..." Lei Jun mused indifferently.

The black thunder dragon instantly dissipated.

From afar, Master Yushu of Vajra Monastery emerged, flowing along the spiritual currents of the Earth Veins.

As he turned the corner, he immediately saw the Nine-Colored Radiance floating mid-air.

A mixture of joy and suspicion flickered in his eyes.

Then, he sharply noticed another light source hidden beneath the Tianshi Robe’s radiance.

…An ambush!

Master Yushu realized the danger instantly.

He was from Vajra Monastery and was highly familiar with all the major experts of the Tang Dynasty.

At a glance, he recognized the light as Hong Jie’s famous Life-Bound Treasure, the Yan Jing Lantern.

Without hesitation, he formed the Great Vajra Wheel Seal before his chest.

The Yan Jing Lantern had been accumulating power for a long time, and now it erupted in a violent explosion that shook the underground world.

Even Master Yushu was forced back repeatedly.

But within the bursting flames, the Tianshi Robe, still affected by someone’s mana, began drifting forward faster.

As soon as Master Yushu regained his balance, he rushed forward to chase after it.

"So the Tianshi Robe really did fall into the Mortal Dao Kingdom's hands?"

During the battle at Mount Longhu, it hadn't appeared.

Even earlier, when his senior brother Ren Zhu fought Hong Jie, she hadn't used it.

Had Hong Jie just now obtained the robe?

Or had someone else from the Mortal Dao Kingdom brought it here as reinforcements?

Master Yushu frowned but immediately contacted Ren Zhu.

Due to the spiritual energy disturbances underground, communication was difficult, so he kept the message simple:

"Hong Jie. Reinforcements. Tianshi Robe."

After sending the message, he slowed his pace slightly, choosing to follow the Nine-Colored Radiance from a distance, without losing its trail.

He was weaker than Hong Jie, but since she was injured, he had dared to pursue.

However, he remained cautious of possible Mortal Dao Kingdom reinforcements.

Yet, after only a short while—a sudden warning surged in his heart.

Around him, black thunder surged in every direction.

Lei Jun?!

Had he been traveling alongside Hong Jie this whole time?!

…Wait, no!

Master Yushu was momentarily confused, but a realization flickered in his mind.

He tried to retreat, but the black thunder had already transformed into a Yin Thunder Dragon, trapping him completely.

He swiftly formed Buddhist hand seals, golden light flickering as he resisted the black thunder.

But as the Doumu Star God Apparition descended like a celestial force, Master Yushu cautiously took a step back and called out:

"Daoist Lei, I am Yushu of Vajra Monastery! I came to assist your sect in subduing the Mortal Dao Kingdom’s evildoers—we are allies, not enemies!"

Even as he spoke, he made no attempt to slow his movements.

His only hope was to stall for time until Ren Zhu arrived.

Lei Jun’s strength was already recognized worldwide as far surpassing others of his realm.

Now, if he also had the Tianshi Robe, Master Yushu did not expect to win.

At best, he could only hope to delay and escape.

But before he could fully prepare for battle—

He suddenly sensed another distant threat locking onto him.

From far behind Lei Jun, a sword light flashed—

"Huh?!"

Had Lei Jun actually allied with Shushan Sect sword cultivators from the Mortal Dao Kingdom?!

A flood of questions filled Master Yushu’s mind.

But losing the initiative meant losing everything.

The Primal Magnetic Force surged—the sword light was upon him in an instant!

Master Yushu’s refined and battle-hardened body twisted at an unnatural yet fluid angle, barely avoiding a lethal strike.

However, as the sword light slashed past, blood sprayed through the air—his waist and hip were forcibly gouged, a chunk of flesh torn away!

As he tumbled backward, Lei Jun, now fully embodying the Celestial Avatar of Doumu, arrived like a falling star.

His fists struck like meteors, relentless, pounding into the earth, each blow cratering the ground!

One after another—

Deep craters formed.

Master Yushu— was smashed into oblivion!

Lei Jun casually shook his hand, the blood evaporating on its own.

As the dark side of the Heavenly Book cleansed all traces from the surroundings, he effortlessly kicked the Western monk’s corpse into the raging underground spiritual current.

Even though Buddhist cultivators of the Hand Seal Tradition had formidable bodies, once their vital energy dispersed and their lifeblood weakened, getting swept into the earth’s spiritual flow meant only one outcome—complete annihilation.

Having disposed of the monk, Lei Jun moved swiftly, extending his hand.

The Dragon-Tiger Talismanic Canon activated, and the Chaotic Void Nine Lights enveloped his form, creating an illusionary celestial robe around him.

At the same time, the real Tianshi Robe, still entangled in golden radiance, was drawn toward him by his summoning force.

As the Nine-Colored Radiance pulsed, the robe of legend—which had wandered the mortal world for ages—finally settled on Lei Jun’s shoulders.

The illusionary robe transformed into reality, seamlessly layering over his purple Daoist robe.

The roars of dragons and tigers resounded on their own, and countless Daoist sigils and talismanic inscriptions surrounded Lei Jun in a swirling dance.

Today—

The Tianshi Robe had returned to its rightful heir.

The true successor of the Tianshi Mansion of Mount Longhu—

Lei Jun!