Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 356: Master Lei Tianshi's Array Diagram

The stream of light formed from pearls and jade flowed like water, its inner meaning and artistic conception profoundly mysterious, seemingly encompassing both the lofty expanse of the Nine Heavens and the silent depths of the Nine Springs.

The water flowed endlessly, as if falling from the heavens above and plunging directly into the underworld below, linking the sky and the earth.

The Vajra Division Commander calmly raised a hand, forming a hand seal before his chest.

The nine Vajra Pestles he had previously buried around the underground perimeter of the Vajra Monastery began to vibrate in unison.

Translucent and dazzling Buddha’s Light converged in front of the Vajra Division Commander, coalescing into a small but condensed Buddha Light Pagoda that rose within the Vajra Monastery.

Inside the pagoda were numerous Buddhist ritual tools—sacred lamps, sutra wheels, lotus flowers, and Vajra Pestles—floating between illusion and reality.

Under its influence, the Buddha’s Light forming the pagoda became a boundary between two worlds—inside and outside the tower, as if split into separate realms.

Time and space within the tower became self-contained, isolated from the world and elusive in nature.

Behind the Vajra Division Commander, a group of Vajra Division experts from Mount Sumeru arrived one after another, gathering together to silently chant scriptures and worship the independent realm within the Buddha Light Pagoda.

This was known as the Illusory Time-Space of the Ninth Consciousness.

The Vajra Division Commander then split a portion of the jade-like stream of light, letting it extend endlessly like an eternal river descending from the heavens to the mortal world.

Its path flowed directly into the Illusory Time-Space of the Ninth Consciousness, shaped like the pagoda.

The river’s source, however, was connected to the Vajra Division Commander, Jialuotu, himself.

After completing everything, he turned to instruct a tall, slender middle-aged monk, “Jiasheng will go with the Lone Eagle Khanate. Elder Cizong will remain in Mount Sumeru. Gongbu, the Vajra Monastery is yours to oversee.”

The monk named Gongbu solemnly replied, “Yes, Master.”

Previously, the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru had intentionally kept a low profile to avoid alarming local forces in the Tang Dynasty’s Mortal Realm. But this time, due to the significance of the matter, they finally began to mobilize—not a full-scale deployment, but wave after wave of top-tier experts descending upon the mortal world.

In addition to several Ninth Heaven experts of the Buddhist Hand Seal Lineage, Master Gongbu, at the Eighth Heaven Perfection Stage, was among the top monks of Mount Sumeru.

Master Jiasheng was sent as a representative to meet the Lone Eagle Khanate, while Elder Cizong, now aging, remained in Mount Sumeru. In their absence, Master Gongbu was entrusted by the Vajra Division Commander to safeguard the Vajra Monastery.

Alongside him were Master Gelo, another Eighth Heaven elder monk, and Suo Yang, the current Abbot of the Vajra Monastery.

Both Gelo and Suo Yang were born in the Tang Dynasty’s Mortal Realm and had presided over the Vajra Monastery even before the Vajra Division returned or descended.

The Division Commander had no doubts about them; otherwise, he wouldn’t have left them beside such a vital realm as the Illusory Time-Space of the Ninth Consciousness.

In fact, keeping these familiar with the terrain to assist Gongbu in safeguarding the Vajra Monastery would make the upcoming deployment of The Land of Bliss much smoother.

However, to avoid alerting outsiders, Master Gongbu, Master Gelo, and Abbot Suo Yang temporarily refrained from taking action. Only later would they begin to show their strength.

“Master, since Elder Cizong will remain in Mount Sumeru, should we summon Junior Brother Luochi?” asked Master Dongda, another Eighth Heaven monk of the Vajra Division, in a soft voice.

Luochi, whom he mentioned, was also at the Eighth Heaven of the Buddhist Hand Seal Lineage, but he was the youngest member of the Vajra Division and even younger than Abbot Suo Yang.

He was the division's most heavily nurtured and gifted genius monk of the current era.

His master? None other than Jialuotu, the Vajra Division Commander himself.

“Luochi and Duopei will follow Elder Cizong’s lead and remain in Mount Sumeru,” the Division Commander instructed. “Dongda, Danzen, Xire, Baqing, Wanglang—choose disciples and prepare to go down the mountain. The rest will stay at the Vajra Monastery, following Gongbu and Gelo’s commands.”

The monks of the Vajra Division answered in unison, their voices thunderous.

A massive creature hidden beneath the water began to slowly surface.

Following the Division Commander, the monks approached a stone wall.

On it were four holes—three with ritual bells, and one left empty.

“Master, how many shall we take?” Dongda asked quietly.

“One is enough,” the Division Commander replied. “Securing a single expected Dharma Protector’s conversion is sufficient—don’t be greedy.”

“Yes, Master.”

Dongda stepped forward and removed one of the remaining ritual bells from the stone wall.

The Division Commander nodded. “Contact the north.”

The Tang Imperial Family, along with sects like Pure Yang Palace and Shushan Sect operating in Guanlong and Bashu regions, had never eased up in their investigations across the lands in recent years.

The reason was that during the Lone Eagle Khanate’s second invasion, although nearly their entire force was wiped out, one big fish managed to escape the net.

That was Bo Mughe, a Martial Saint at the Ninth Heaven Realm, and the chieftain of the Falling Sun Tribe within the Lone Eagle Khanate.

Such a martial powerhouse, if allowed to act freely, could unleash devastating destruction.

Yet ever since he disappeared from the battlefield, he had not shown himself again.

If this Lone Eagle Khanate expert had somehow returned to the Song Dynasty’s Mortal Realm through unknown means, it would be one thing.

But if he had stayed hidden within the Tang Mortal Realm this entire time without revealing himself, it was far more unsettling.

There was speculation that he might be plotting to reopen a Void Gateway, paving the way for the Lone Eagle Khanate’s third invasion.

Another concerning possibility was that someone within the Tang Mortal Realm had helped him escape back then.

Because of that, the Tang Imperial Family had been meticulously screening everyone.

From the Western Regions to the Snow Plains, a newly appointed National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty had been offering meticulous surveillance—but so far, nothing suspicious had surfaced.

No leads in the northwest or the Guanlong Region either.

The Imperial Family then began searching further north into the Northern Frontier Wilderness.

They didn’t find Bo Mughe, but they did stumble upon the recently reemerged Snow Country Bear King.

Back during the Guanlong Demon Uprising, the Snow Country Bear King was gravely wounded and had retreated to the northern wilderness. But there, he was further threatened by another great demon, the Longtian Azure Wolf, forcing him to go into hiding and recover in seclusion.

Now, things had changed.

With the Azure Wolf dead, the Snow Country Bear King emerged once more and began reclaiming his lost territory in the Northern Frontier.

However, during his conquest of the Azure Wolf’s old lair, he ran into someone the Tang Imperial Family had been desperately searching for—Bo Mughe.

At that time, Bo Mughe was utilizing a unique location within the Azure Wolf’s former lair to carry out an arcane ritual.

The Bear King, though violent by nature, was not without intelligence.

From his past dealings with human cultivators, he understood that Martial Cultivators might be formidable in combat, but when it came to intricate ritual spells, that wasn’t their forte.

Yet the ritual Bo Mughe was performing sparked a sense of familiarity in him—and revulsion.

Then he remembered. The Western Buddhist Sect…

A cruel gleam flickered in the Bear King’s single eye.

Back during the Guanlong Demon Uprising, he had crossed paths with Master Jiasheng of the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru, newly arrived in the mortal world at the time.

Back then, he had been ambushed and stabbed by Xiao Xueting with the Mountain and River Sword, and then further attacked by Master Jiasheng, sustaining heavy injuries.

Now, seeing this ritual glowing with Vajra-like Buddha’s Light, the Snow Country Bear King’s ferocity surged. He scanned the surroundings, searching for possible Buddhist cultivators from the Western Regions.

Bo Mughe studied him with a strange expression and finally nodded. “What a beast—looks like it’s been fattened up well.”

The Bear King could understand some Tang Dynasty speech, having heard it often during confrontations with human cultivators.

But Bo Mughe's words? He understood none of them.

Still, he didn’t need to. The Bear King could sense the malice behind Bo Mughe’s gaze.

And that gaze... it was strange.

It didn’t feel like the way enemies regarded each other. Nor even like a predator sizing up prey.

Rather, it was like a herdsman on the steppe appraising his flock.

The Bear King knew that some Spirit Beasts could be tamed by human cultivators.

But he was no Spirit Beast—he was a great demon who cultivated demonic qi. Never before had he encountered a human cultivator who dared look at him with such a gaze.

That insult alone was enough to ignite his fury.

However, the ritual beside Bo Mughe made him instinctively uneasy.

He wanted to destroy it—but it might already be too late.

Better to retreat at once.

…But then, Bo Mughe made the first move.

In a blink, he was right in front of the Bear King.

The Northern demon exploded in rage, engaging in fierce battle with Bo Mughe.

Yet in that moment of delay, the ritual Bo Mughe had set up began to activate.

A condensed light of Buddha, solid like Vajra, unbreakable and able to sever all delusions, took shape like a Vajra Sword, slicing open the Void.

The space twisted and expanded, gradually forming what appeared to be a massive Buddha Pagoda.

Brilliant light pulsed from it—and from within, a human figure emerged.

A monk from the Buddhist Hand Seal Lineage, his expression dignified and solemn.

The Bear King’s single eye flared with murderous rage upon seeing him.

It was none other than Master Jiasheng, the Ninth Heaven monk of the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru.

Master Jiasheng stepped forth from the Void Gateway, both hands forming a Wisdom Fist Seal, sending waves rippling through the space.

All around him, countless sutra wheels, ritual flutes, and conches crumbled into dust within the Buddha’s Light.

At the same time, the various ritual tools that Bo Mughe had used to create the formation were also destroyed.

But in their destruction, the Buddha’s Light became even brighter, almost tangible—solid and indestructible, stabilizing the gateway between the two realms.

With forces on both sides working in concert, the Void Gateway was fully established, linking the Tang Mortal Realm with the other side.

Master Jiasheng turned his gaze toward the Bear King, who was still locked in battle with Bo Mughe. “Didn’t expect to meet again like this. The karmic ties of this world truly defy explanation.”

The Bear King, consumed by rage, nearly broke away to charge at Jiasheng.

But then his single eye locked onto the Void Gateway, and his gaze froze.

From within came a deafening chorus of roars and howls.

An overwhelming, searing Yang vitality surged from the other side—so intense that even a great demon like him felt shaken.

He saw countless shadowy figures shifting and surging in the Void, shaking the very space.

Then, like an unstoppable tide, hordes of beings stormed through the gateway into the mortal world.

The first wave to emerge was a host of massive beasts moving at incredible speeds.

Though none were quite as enormous as the Bear King, their numbers were staggering.

Many of them were over ten or even twenty feet long, covered in cyan scales, bearing the features of both dragons and horses.

They were the Azure Dragon Wind Howlers, now well-known among Tang cultivators as beasts of the Lone Eagle Khanate.

These creatures surged forth in a flood, scattering across the land.

Alongside them came other swift beasts, all ridden and directed by the Lone Eagle Khanate’s martial riders—forming the vanguard of their foreign cavalry.

The Bear King’s ominous hunch came true.

And by the time he considered fleeing, it was already too late.

Bo Mughe, a Martial Saint, entangled him in combat, while the surrounding cavalry, though individually weaker, moved with incredible speed and harassed from all sides.

With them pressing in, the Bear King found it nearly impossible to escape.

Surprisingly, Master Jiasheng, despite past grudges, didn’t join the siege.

He simply stood beside the Void Gateway, calmly watching the tide of Lone Eagle Khanate warriors pour through.

If this had been one of the earlier gateways like those in Greater Pass Mountains or Solitary Cloud Plains, it would never have endured this many cultivators crossing over in such a short time.

But this gateway had been opened using years of accumulated resources from the Vajra Division, consuming rare spiritual materials—many of which might never be found again.

The outcome, however, was undeniable.

Wave after wave of foreign cavalry entered the Tang Mortal Realm. Following them came a second wave—warriors from the Lone Eagle Khanate.

Some bore full armor, others charged barehanded, their bodies built like war machines, each burning with immense vitality like blazing furnaces.

Behind them came the third group.

These were not as fast and did not advance with such brute force. Their movements were steady, their aura refined.

This time, the tone shifted.

They wore dark-blue Daoist Robes, square headscarves, and bore the image of Daoists—members of the True Disciples of Sanchun Palace from the Song Mortal Realm.

Leading them was a man who appeared to be in his thirties or forties, his features clear and composed, his face like polished jade, with a three-foot beard and an immortal aura as he rode a crane.

Master Jiasheng greeted him with clasped hands. “Daoist Zhao.”

The Sect Master of Sanchun Palace, Zhao You’an, dismounted from the crane and returned the gesture. “Master Jiasheng.”

Both stood quietly at the gateway’s entrance.

Behind Daoist Zhao, the disciples of Sanchun Palace lined up in orderly silence.

But unlike their calm and composed master, many of the younger disciples looked toward Master Jiasheng with conflicted expressions.

Some even exchanged frequent glances with one another.

When the high-ranking elders of the Three Spring Palace from the Upper Three Heavens cast their gaze over, the disciples quickly restrained their curiosity, lowered their heads, and shifted into a meditative state.

Master Jiasheng remained calm as if unaware of anything, standing side by side with Zhao You'an, the head of the Three Spring Palace.

Then, the two of them turned their attention to the Void Gateway, from which several figures began to walk out.

These newcomers were all monks of the Buddhist Mudra Lineage, clearly divided into two groups.

One group was small, only three to five people. After respectfully saluting Master Jiasheng, they quietly stood behind him. These were all disciples of the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru, previously following Master Jiasheng to the Song Mortal Realm, and now returning to the Tang Mortal Realm alongside the Lone Eagle Khanate through the newly opened Void Gateway.

The other group, about a dozen strong, appeared to be of the same Mudra Lineage, but their robes were lined in crimson rather than the Vajra Division’s signature blue.

Mount Sumeru's Vajra Realm consists of five divisions, each marked by a different color. The Vajra Division is associated with blue, while crimson represents the Lotus Division.

These dozen Lotus Division monks halted in front of Master Jiasheng and Zhao You'an. The one leading them stepped forward and bowed. “Master, Daoist Zhao.”

Surprisingly, the leader was a beautiful woman in monastic robes covered with light gauze, barefoot as she walked across the northern wilderness of the Tang frontier.

Master Jiasheng and Zhao You'an returned the greeting calmly. “No need to be so formal, Yangjin.”

This woman, Yangjin, was one of the Eight Great Consorts of the Lotus Division.

While Mount Sumeru is connected to the Song Mortal Realm, its affairs there are managed solely by the Lotus Division. Though all five divisions of the Vajra Realm share resources within Mount Sumeru, a long-standing unspoken rule was in place: each division focuses on one realm and does not interfere in others. They interact only within Mount Sumeru itself.

Thus, the Lotus Division doesn't step into the Tang Realm, and likewise, the Vajra Division avoids the Song Realm.

However, this precedent was now broken by Master Jiasheng and Jialuotu, stirring some debate within Mount Sumeru.

The Song Realm was in a delicate situation. While the Lone Eagle Khanate wasn't the original focus of the Lotus Division, recent developments had turned it into an opportunity.

The two divisions quickly reached a mutual understanding: each would still operate within their designated realms.

Consort Yangjin, now representing the Lotus Division, had come only to serve as a liaison—not to interfere in Tang affairs. Likewise, Master Jiasheng and the Vajra disciples wouldn’t remain stationed in the Song Realm.

Among those who cared most about this breach of protocol was likely the Three Spring Palace.

The Lotus Division had taken the chance to enter the Lone Eagle Khanate in the Song Realm. And now, the Vajra Division was establishing itself in the Tang Realm.

This move inadvertently revealed some of the Buddhist sect’s true strength, prompting both wariness from the Three Spring Palace and attention from high-level leaders of the Lone Eagle Khanate.

Despite their ambition to invade the Tang Realm, Zhao You'an and the Three Spring Palace displayed no reaction, instead offering cooperation on the surface.

The conflict between Buddhism and Daoism would be settled another day.

Although the Lone Eagle Khanate showed fierce momentum, Zhao You'an was sure that its top warriors now recognized that Mount Sumeru's Buddhists were far stronger than expected.

At that moment, the Void Gateway trembled again.

Nine massive banners marked with eagle feathers appeared, leading a battalion of intimidating warriors out of the portal.

These were heavily armored warriors riding fearsome beasts. Over half of them mounted Yellow Dragon Windhowlers—not as swift as earlier scouts, but their march caused the earth to tremble.

Zhao You'an, Master Jiasheng, and Consort Yangjin all saluted in unison: “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

The last ones to exit the portal were the heavy cavalry of the Lone Eagle Khanate. Their sheer presence shook even the Vajra Buddhist Void Gateway.

Then came an eagle’s cry—sharp and piercing, silencing all the other beastly roars like thunder fading into a whisper.

Even the Yellow Dragon Windhowlers and Azure Dragon Windhowlers all lowered their heads in submission.

A massive shadowy figure spread its wings and soared into the sky, rising above the others. Its wings seemed vast enough to block out the sun.

The Snow Kingdom Bear King, already agitated from being restrained by Bomu Ge and other foreign warriors, suddenly narrowed his single eye, which now flashed with intense light.

His gaze locked on the soaring figure. This was no ordinary beast—it was a Sky Soaring Eagle, a Great Demon on par with a human cultivator of the Ninth Heaven Realm!

Yet what sent a chill down the Bear King's spine was the dark silhouette standing atop the eagle’s head.

That figure hadn't even moved, but a sense of extreme danger surged in the Bear King's heart.

“What’s going on here, Bomu Ge?” the black figure asked.

Bomu Ge took a few steps back, still blocking the Bear King’s path. “Bomu Ge greets the Khan. This demon bear happened to show up here. I hoped to capture it and present it to Your Majesty.”

The tall man standing on the Sky Eagle’s head had his hands clasped behind his back. His silhouette blocked out the sun—he was Khan Hariger of the Lone Eagle Khanate.

He studied the Bear King from head to toe and nodded slightly. “Sturdy fellow. Alright, I’ll take it.”

Although chilled to the core, the Bear King was enraged by their dismissive attitude. His ferocious, bloodthirsty nature reignited, and he roared into the sky.

Another screech from the Sky Eagle immediately suppressed the bear’s roar.

Seeing this, Khan Hariger actually smiled. “Enough. Bomu Ge, head south with Datun Bari and the others. Take Xurigan and his men with you.”

Bomu Ge bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Datun Bari obeys!” roared a burly foreign warrior, his build like a humanoid beast. He stepped forth from the cavalry. “Don’t spoil the Khan’s hunting fun. We’ll go ahead and conquer the Han lands to welcome him.”

Their rallying cries and the roars of the beasts shook the heavens.

Once they regrouped, only the Khan’s personal guards remained behind. The rest of the beast cavalry began to spread out and surge southward.

Master Jiasheng and Consort Yangjin exchanged glances and nodded. They led their followers back slightly, choosing to remain on the outskirts for now.

Zhao You'an, head of the Three Spring Palace, calmly said his goodbyes and joined the main force heading south.

A foreign scout led an Azure Dragon Windhowler over to Bomu Ge. Though not trained as a rider, Bomu Ge accepted the mount without protest.

He climbed atop the beast. Beside him, a massive black wolf loomed—its eyes glowed green, and its size even exceeded that of the Yellow Dragon Windhowlers. It was like a small mountain.

Seated atop the wolf’s head was Datun Bari.

He laughed. “Bomu Ge, did your entire Falling Sun Tribe get wiped out? Where are Mihan and the others?”

Bomu Ge replied, “They were warriors. It was my mistake. I underestimated the Han of this realm.”

Datun Bari snorted and glanced at Jiasheng and Yangjin. “So then you cozied up to these monks?”

Bomu Ge shook his head. “We met later. That’s not how it started.”

Datun Bari raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Bomu Ge’s eyes turned south.

It had been disgraceful enough for a steppe eagle like him to be chased by Han soldiers. But what came next was worse.

Someone had helped him escape.

Later, he met the Vajra monks from the western region, who helped open the Void Gateway for the Khanate army.

But that first person… he’d hidden his identity. Bomu Ge never figured out who it was.

Western monks wouldn’t have bothered to hide themselves.

So that first helper was definitely a Han.

Even among the Han, there was infighting.

Receiving help from them wasn’t shameful.

What was shameful was not knowing why.

This journey south… I’ll figure out who you are, Bomu Ge vowed silently.

“You’re slick, huh? Think gifting a demon bear to the Khan will save your Falling Sun Tribe?” Datun Bari sneered.

Bomu Ge ignored him and said, “Luck wasn’t on my side. There was a Ninth Heaven Demon Wolf here, stronger than yours, but the Han killed it.”

Datun Bari’s eyes lit up, then he groaned in regret. “D***, what a shame!”

Bomu Ge added, “I heard there’s still a Divine Snow Eagle in these parts—also at the Ninth Heaven level. The Khan would love it.”

Datun Bari glanced back and grinned. “The Khan already has Huhuchagai. No other eagle could catch his eye. But I’ll take it!”

He kicked the massive wolf beneath him. It wasn't as fast as some of the other beasts, but when it charged, it was terrifyingly powerful.

Behind them, the Sky Soaring Eagle folded its wings and dove like a meteor, slamming into the ground with a deafening crash that shook the entire wilderness.

Neither Bomu Ge, Datun Bari, nor Zhao You'an so much as flinched. It was just another day for them.

“Where’s Chaoluomen?” Bomu Ge asked casually, watching Datun Bari and his elite riders dash off.

Xurigan answered, “They’re not coming. By order of the Khan, they returned to the Red Sun Grasslands to prevent any funny business once we leave.”

Bomu Ge nodded. “Good.”

Datun Bari led the vanguard of scouts. Bomu Ge commanded the rest of the force, following behind with Zhao You'an and the Three Spring disciples.

This invasion force far exceeded the scale of previous incursions. They charged south from the northern frontier, like a massive axe cleaving into Tang territory.

Although their earlier pursuit had been disrupted by the Snow Kingdom Bear King, the Tang Imperial Court quickly became aware of the disturbances in the north.

This time, however, the enemy advanced with unprecedented speed.

There was no need to wait for an official decree.

Prince Zhao of the North, Zhang Teng, although not directly in the path of the invading forces, knew from his public standing and responsibility that he had no choice but to act. He immediately marched west to confront the Lone Eagle Khanate's vanguard.

A titanic clash broke out between the foreign martial saint, Datun Bari, and the Tang martial saint, Zhang Teng, in the Yin Mountain region, just beyond the northern border of the Tang Empire.

Unlike earlier smaller raids by rogue clans, this time the Lone Eagle Khanate had sent elite warriors selected from multiple tribes.

The Tang Imperial Court likewise responded at once, dispatching powerful reinforcements to the north.

These included monks from the Xuanyan Temple, a Buddhist holy land in Yunzhou, as well as martial experts from the Lin Clan of Youzhou and the Ye Clan of Cangzhou, all led by their senior elders under the command of Prince Zhang Teng.

The great general Shangguan Yunbo was still stationed in Chang’an, the old capital in Guanzhong, so leadership of the campaign fell to General Lu Zhen, the second-in-command of the Divine Strategy Army. He led elite forces under Shen Qubing and others northward to the front.

King Zhang Junhai of Changshan, King Zhang Rui of Huayang, and elder Yue Xiling of the Pure Yang Palace all dispatched capable subordinates to join the fight.

Xiao Xueting, wielding the Mountain and River Sword, departed the capital Luoyang, heading north to Yin Mountain.

Though the Ye Clan of Qingzhou and the Chu Clan of Suzhou were currently focused on the Eastern Sea and the Penglai Portal, Ye Jiong—a native of Qingzhou—and the Divine Strategy soldiers under his command, heavily influenced by Qingzhou, were ordered north by imperial edict.

In Jingxiang, the Fang Clan needed to remain on guard against a second incursion from Shushan through the Yellow Springs, so clan patriarch Fang Jingsheng stayed behind. However, his elder brother Fang Huansheng led their elite warriors north to join the fight.

In Weiyang, within the Guanzhong region, a guest was visiting the Weiyang Prince's residence—a Shushan elder of royal descent named Zhang Dongyuan, who had come to check on Prince Zhang Zhen, recently injured during a battle with foreign experts.

Though Prince Zhang Zhen had recovered, his vitality hadn't fully returned. “Our sect’s disciples have already gone north,” said Zhang Dongyuan as he bid farewell. “Your Highness needn’t rush. Better to hold Guanzhong for now in case of further disruptions.”

Zhang Dongyuan hadn’t brought the Azure Abyss Sword or Purple Star Sword with him on this visit. But since he now needed to reinforce the north, the Shushan Sect had decided to send Ji Chuan, a newly ascended Seventh Heaven sword cultivator, wielding the Azure Abyss Sword, to meet him later.

“You’re too kind, Dongyuan.” Zhang Zhen looked pale, and his vitality was clearly diminished. “This battle is critical. My Weiyang Palace can’t fall behind.”

He summoned his eldest son. “Haoyu, take a team and head out first. Can I trouble you to listen to Elder Dongyuan’s advice? I’ll join you after I recover a bit more.”

Zhang Haoyu, the Prince’s heir, saluted Zhang Dongyuan. “Elder, it’s an honor.”

Zhang Dongyuan replied, “The honor is mine, Your Highness.”

---

At Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion, Lei Jun and the others also received the imperial court’s transmission.

There was no mention of monks from the Western Vajra Division appearing.

It seemed the western Vajra Division remained quiet—but Lei Jun remained wary.

He was particularly puzzled.

If the Vajra Division had established ties with the Lone Eagle Khanate and Bomu Ge, Tang Xiaotang should’ve detected something during her surveillance of the west.

If their connection formed after Bomu Ge had escaped, then how did he evade pursuit in the first place?

Lei Jun shook his head and refocused.

“I’ve already informed Senior Sister and Little Senior Sister. The latter is preparing to return from the Eastern Sea and should be back soon,” Lei Jun said to Chu Kun. “I’m finishing up some matters here. Once done, I’ll head north.”

The Tianshi Mansion, acting on the central court’s orders, would first send National Preceptor Tang Xiaotang to lead a team to the north.

Senior Elders Chu Kun and Zhang Jingzhen would accompany the disciples and wait for Tang Xiaotang’s arrival.

Tianshi Lei Jun himself would remain behind for now—to guard against any disturbance in the southern border.

Still, he had a premonition: he might need to go north, or even west.

Seated cross-legged, he calmly stared into the emerald flames in front of him. Within the fire floated a silver spike, two Ninth-Grade Sun-Devouring Lotus Thrones, and numerous magical artifacts.

These items subtly formed a formation.

Lei Jun traced symbols in the air with his fingers, his mana weaving into a large talisman about a meter square.

The talisman served as the foundation. As Lei Jun’s mana activated the artifacts, they gradually fused into a diagram.

From afar, the diagram resembled a Taiji symbol—a blend of yin and yang.

On the basis of his Nine Abyss True Flame, Lei Jun was now taking things further.

Nine Heavens Divine Thunder.

Heavenly Sun True Fire.

Mysterious Firmament Celestial Lightning.

He repeated the cycle three times, yin and yang intertwining, refining endlessly.

Finally, real and illusory merged. A complete, tangible formation diagram hovered before Lei Jun.