Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune: Starting from the Celestial Master’s Mansion
Chapter 362: Five Magic Elephants Appear Together, Double Dragon and Tiger Attack Together

Under Lei Jun’s calm and composed demeanor, Zhang Ying and the others quickly regained their senses.

In unison, everyone turned their gaze to the entrance of Vajra Monastery, now almost reduced to a vast stretch of scorched white ground.

Just what kind of mystical Daoist abilities would it take to produce such results?

Logically speaking, Xiao Hang, Zhang Ying, and the rest hadn’t departed late.

Earlier, word had already spread that this Tianshi from Mount Longhu had swept east of the Great River, wiping out large numbers of Lone Eagle Khanate cultivators.

Even if he’d rushed here to the Western Region immediately after that, the time was still quite limited.

Yet within this unexpectedly short timeframe, a Tianshi of the Daoist sect had single-handedly broken through one of Buddhism’s sacred lands—Vajra Monastery.

Such displays of power and technique were nothing short of astonishing.

After calming down, Zhang Ying, Xiao Hang, and the others gradually started to make sense of things.

Tianshi Mansion, like them, must have prepared a way to break Vajra Monastery’s Mountain-Guarding Formation.

If not, even with Xiao Hang wielding the Righteous Sword, he’d at most be able to contend with a Ninth Heaven cultivator. But to break a formation led by an Eighth Heaven Buddhist master with sword qi alone? No way.

He dared to come, which meant he had his backing.

And in that respect, Tianshi Mansion did have precedent.

The Lin Clan of Jiangzhou had already served as a bloody warning to the world.

Even so, just breaching Vajra Monastery’s formation wouldn’t be enough to shock veterans like Zhang Ying and Xiao Hang.

After all, that was part of their own mission.

The real issue was—no matter how hollow Vajra Monastery had become—there were surely still disciples of the Vajra Division guarding it.

Xiao Hang had considered this, which was why he’d risked exposure of the Xiao Clan from Longxi to bring out the Righteous Sword.

But even their best-case expectation was only to defeat, repel, or rout the defending Buddhist cultivators.

To wipe them out entirely? That was a whole other level of difficulty.

Especially when you factored in the possibility of reinforcements from Sumeru.

And yet—the Tianshi from Mount Longhu did it.

One man. One assault. One obliteration of a holy site.

And not a fallen sanctuary like Bodhi Monastery, still struggling to recover its strength.

If he were someone like Xu Yuanzhen or Tang Xiaotang, with Ninth Heaven cultivation, it’d be understandable.

But as far as Xiao Hang and Zhang Ying knew, this Lei Tianshi was still in the Eighth Heaven.

Granted, many had long said he should be regarded as a Ninth Heaven cultivator, given he had achieved Perfection in the Fourth Layer of the Eighth Heaven.

But now that the event had truly occurred, the emotional impact was staggering.

“The Western Region’s Buddhist sects may appear clean on the surface, but there's plenty of foul darkness hidden beneath,” Lei Jun said, expression turning grim.

“I may have gone a little overboard just now—much of this place is already destroyed—but they still have remnants spread among their branch temples throughout the Western Region.

Back when Senior Sister Tang patrolled this region, they were meticulous in avoiding detection. But now that these demon monks have invited northern barbarians to invade, they’ve grown careless in their arrogance.”

As he spoke, he held up two ritual bells. “Also, I found these on a stone wall inside Vajra Monastery.”

Though weaker than Lei Jun, Xiao Hang and Zhang Ying were worldly and experienced.

Given their mission in the Western Region, they’d already studied up on the Buddhist sects here.

The other cultivators could sense the deep Buddhist aura in the bells and their innate spirituality—but Xiao Hang and Zhang Ying noticed something was off.

“These artifacts…” Xiao Hang murmured, frowning.

He exchanged a glance with Zhang Ying, both looking serious.

Lei Jun explained: “Years ago, the Four-Eyed Python Emperor, a great demon of the Southern Wasteland, wasn’t slain.

Instead, he was converted by the Vajra Division of Sumeru and became a Buddhist protector.

He broke past the ‘One Path, No Second’ limitation and reached the Ninth Heaven’s Dharma Body stage in the Buddhist Mudra Lineage.”

Zhang Ying drew a deep breath. “There was a legendary battle at Guanzhong. I suspect it was between the Tang Grandmaster and the demon monk Jialuotu.

We received an unconfirmed report that a partial serpent corpse was found there. Could it be…”

Lei Jun nodded. “Correct. Senior Sister Tang told me she personally slew the Four-Eyed Python Emperor, who had become a Buddhist protector.”

Zhang Ying and Xiao Hang both furrowed their brows.

The other cultivators who had come with them—mostly from the imperial clan and the Longxi Xiao Clan—had remained silent until now.

But at this moment, someone couldn’t help but exclaim, their expression turning grim: “The Vajra Division of Sumeru… what are those demon monks planning?”

Lei Jun raised the two ritual bells. “To break the ‘One Path, No Second’ barrier is no simple feat. I doubt they’ve many such successes.

But even just a few are already too many.”

Xiao Hang said quietly, “Even one or two like this is a serious issue.”

Lei Jun nodded. “Exactly. Thankfully, we’re still in time.”

Zhang Ying asked, “The Grandmaster has always had friction with the Vajra Division?”

Lei Jun replied calmly, “Senior Sister Tang has always detested evil.

At first, it was due to disputes over the Tianshi Seal and Robe.

Later, she discovered the Western Region Buddhists used human lives and bones in artifact forging—that made her their enemy for good.”

Zhang Ying said respectfully, “The Grandmaster and the Tianshi are both upright and wise. Truly admirable.”

Lei Jun responded, “You honor me, Your Highness.”

He glanced between Xiao Hang and Zhang Ying. “These artifacts are twisted and sinister. I plan to destroy them here and now.

Please bear witness.”

Xiao Hang nodded. “It’s a righteous act for the Tianshi to purge such evil.”

Zhang Ying had initially intended to bring them back to be judged by the Empress. But hearing Lei Jun’s explanation, she didn’t object.

Lei Jun raised his hand and swept it through the air.

It was as if an invisible blade sliced through the bells.

They cracked cleanly, releasing threads of Buddhist radiance.

No violent bursts of spiritual power, just a unique inner energy that briefly flickered before dissipating.

In moments, both bells turned to ash and scattered.

“Tianshi’s power is vast—your merit benefits the entire nation,” said both Zhang Ying and Xiao Hang.

Lei Jun replied, “You flatter me, Your Highness, Master Xiao.

In these turbulent times, with unrest both in the Western Region and the Northern Frontier, the decisive moment lies in the north.

Only with His Majesty’s decisive action can the empire’s fate be sealed.”

Xiao Hang and the others nodded. “With His Majesty securing the realm, Great Tang shall know peace.”

News from Yunzhou had begun to arrive.

As foretold by the omens, in the Battle of Yunzhou, Empress Zhang Wantong had indeed stabilized the realm with a single decisive victory.

It was the most significant battle since the founding of the Tang Dynasty.

And the results were nothing short of dazzling.

Having remained inactive for thirty or forty years, the Empress finally acted—and when she did, the entire realm took notice.

At present, she was the undisputed number one cultivator of Great Tang.

With the death of Huang Xuanpu, she became the only local cultivator at the Fifth Layer of the Ninth Heaven.

Compared to Xu Yuanzhen, who had defeated a Ninth Heaven Perfection opponent while only at the Third Layer, Empress Zhang Wantong’s feat was even more astonishing—because she didn’t just win.

She killed her opponent outright.

Ghariger, the Lone Eagle Khanate’s Ninth Heaven Perfection martial sage, didn’t even get the chance to flee.

He died right there in Yunzhou.

The rest of the Khanate’s elites were annihilated.

However...

Lei Jun’s latest intel indicated that the Empress hadn’t advanced north, hadn’t remained in Yunzhou, nor had she returned to the capital in Luoyang.

Instead, with only a few trusted attendants and Chu Yu by her side, she had quietly arrived in the Old Capital—Chang’an.

And that was concerning.

Before leaving Tang territory for Vajra Monastery, Lei Jun had observed the empire’s qi flow and dragon veins.

Following this war, the changes in Great Tang’s geomantic patterns had become even more dramatic.

The qi of the land was shifting further toward the Old Capital.

Given that the Empress left the frontlines before the dust had even settled, and brought trusted protectors like Chu Yu... this looked a lot like she was retreating to recover.

By going all in against Ghariger and the Lone Eagle forces, the Empress had paid a steep price.

Far steeper than Xu Yuanzhen did when she fought Huang Xuanpu.

This wasn’t just superficial damage—it looked like real, significant injury.

The lingering question: Can she recover? And how long will it take?

For the Tang realm, the effects of this battle would ripple out slowly, like a stone dropped into a still pond.

Those who reached the Perfection Stage of the Fifth Layer of the Ninth Heaven, had stepped into the realm of the Vajra Body, known as the Five Manifestations of the Embodied Form. At this stage, both offense and defense saw a major leap, and one could truly bear the wrathful fire of a Wisdom King.

A Buddhist master of this level would have pushed the Hand Seal Lineage's balanced emphasis on all aspects to the extreme. Such a cultivator was a master of everything—physical combat, spiritual defenses, mobility techniques—all at an incredibly refined level. Virtually no weaknesses.

To defeat a Buddhist master like this, one typically had to possess some kind of supreme strength, a game-breaking advantage. It wasn’t about targeting a weakness in someone like Jialuotu.

At this moment, the golden ocean under Vajra Division Commander's feet split open on its own. A massive golden divine ship sailed out like it was riding the wind and waves.

But it too was pinned down by a single Earth-Touching Seal, unable to advance.

The Pure Yang Vessel halted its momentum, yet at the prow, a vast purple light—part sword glow, part thunder light—came crashing down directly toward the Vajra Commander.

He spun nimbly, reacting with remarkable agility.

—The Great Vajra Wheel Seal, boosting bodily energy and speed.

—The Inner Binding Seal, discerning enemies and preempting attacks.

—The Wisdom Fist Seal, disturbing the surrounding space.

The three profound hand seals manifested automatically, seamlessly integrated, helping the Vajra Commander dodge Tang Xiaotang's thunderous sword strike.

At the same time, he lifted his Five-Pronged Vajra Pestle and counterattacked.

His Five-Pronged Vajra Pestle was a true treasure of the Mount Sumeru Vajra Division, not just an illusory image conjured by the mana of a cultivator at the Third Layer of the Eighth Heaven.

Buddha’s light gathered upon the pestle, manifesting a cyan hue that fully revealed the Vajra Path’s ultimate power of severing all worldly troubles.

Even more terrifying, wrathful fire of the Wisdom King, formless and colorless, condensed upon the pestle’s tip, taking shape like a translucent blade, enhancing its lethality to a degree unmatched by other Vajra cultivators.

This was a Mount Sumeru secret technique, one that could only be practiced starting at the Fourth Layer of the Ninth Heaven, and fully mastered at the Fifth Layer Perfection Stage.

The Divine Blade of the Great Wisdom King.

Back when the Vajra Commander was trapped inside the Great Nether Reversal Nine-Palace Immortal Formation, even Ji Yao, the fully perfected Ninth Heaven master and Sect Leader of Inner Shushan wielding the Ten-Thousand-Souls Banner, dared not take him lightly. This blade was feared—one wrong move, and it could turn the tide.

The formless, colorless edge of the blade was saturated with dread and almost impossible to detect, leaving no room to guard against it.

But just then, Tang Xiaotang's eyes flashed.

For a split second, the golden thunder-fire in her eyes vanished.

In that moment, only a faint and pure clarity remained in her gaze.

She moved without the slightest trace of smoke or fire, sidestepping the Vajra Commander’s Divine Blade of the Great Wisdom King with casual ease.

The Vajra Commander was taken aback.

He had the Inner Binding Seal, capable of reading enemy movement and acting accordingly.

But for a brief instant, it seemed Tang Xiaotang had completely seen through the trajectory of his Great Wisdom Blade.

...Was that how she saw through the Ninth Consciousness Illusion Trap earlier?

A sudden insight struck the Vajra Commander, but before he could think further, both sides engaged in a rapid exchange of blows.

As time passed, Jialuotu realized that his flawless Buddha Heart was starting to fall behind hers.

Tang Xiaotang could read him more precisely, more sharply.

At that moment, the tall woman draped in a purple robe woven with golden thread stood with calm brilliance in her eyes. Her platinum-blonde brows and hair shimmered, and deep within her pupils, arcane talisman symbols gleamed softly.

To the Vajra Commander, this was a change he hadn’t seen before during the Shushan War between Bashu and Nanzhao.

Though this newly appointed National Preceptor of the Great Tang was known for her bold and unrestrained fighting style, she had always laid strong foundations in her cultivation.

Aside from Xu Yuanzhen, no one had been able to outmatch her in finesse.

Now, with her own Innate Life-Bound Mystic Spell finally coming into form upon reaching the Ninth Heaven, even if she hadn’t changed her direct combat style, she had clearly developed layers of depth beneath the surface.

To develop this ability, Tang Xiaotang had even paused cultivation of her other, more visibly powerful spells.

This was the birth of the Heavenheart Clarity Talisman.

This divine ability stemmed from her insight into the hidden malice in the hearts of others. She refined and shaped it over time until it became a formal mystical technique.

Through the flowing talisman light in her eyes, even a Ninth Heaven Vajra Commander left faint traces to follow.

Of course, Buddhist cultivators emphasized inner tranquility and spiritual fortitude. Their mental defenses made them harder for Tang Xiaotang’s Clarity Talisman to pierce.

If it were a cultivator from another sect, her clarity would’ve been even sharper.

She now locked on to his movements.

The Tianshi Sword fell.

Though the Vajra Commander dodged, he grew more wary.

As expected, in that very moment, a dragon’s roar and tiger’s howl rang out together.

From the vast golden sea, a golden Pure Yang Thunder Dragon soared, answering the call of a verdant Yin Flame Tiger.

The two fused, forming a golden-green Taiji Diagram spinning continuously.

The radiant force of the Dragon-Tiger Strike fell directly on him.

This time, he couldn’t dodge. He quickly gathered the Wisdom King’s Wrathful Fire around him as a barrier.

The strike from Tang Xiaotang burned away large portions of the fire.

Even so, when the light fell upon him, it failed to breach his cyan Vajra Body.

While not quite as durable as the Daoist Alchemical Five Energies Body, this perfected Five-Manifestation Form of the Hand Seal Lineage far surpassed the Artifact Daoists' scattered immortal forms.

Tang Xiaotang didn’t falter. With a roar, her sword came down again.

The Vajra Commander blocked it with one hand, while striking with the other—a palm like a spinning blade.

Cyan Vajra Will condensed into another illusory Five-Pronged Vajra Pestle, its power devastating.

This time, Tang Xiaotang didn’t evade.

She met it head-on with a punch.

But the blow was intercepted—Ninefold Chaotic Qi and Light surged forth and condensed into a Dragon-Tiger Seal, halting the strike.

The Vajra Commander stumbled backward.

As his balance broke, the Dragon-Tiger Light shone upon him, turning half of his cyan Vajra Body back into golden Buddha light.

He quickly retreated, channeling mana to restore the cyan state.

“...The Tianshi Robe?”

The Vajra Commander was stunned to see the robe appear on Tang Xiaotang.

Though none in Mount Sumeru’s Vajra Division had ever touched this Daoist treasure, its reputation preceded it.

He’d seen her wear it during the Bashu-Nanzhao War, but at that time, she was still the Tianshi of Mount Longhu.

Now she had already passed the title to Lei Jun.

According to sect rules, all Three Tianshi Treasures should now be carried by the current Tianshi.

It made sense for the sword to be sent.

But what about the robe?

Did the people of Tianshi Mansion share so casually? Or did they just not take the Three Treasures seriously?

Caught off guard, the Vajra Commander fell into a disadvantage. Only after steadying his mind could he stabilize the situation.

Tang Xiaotang held her ground with fluid grace. With both Tianshi Sword and Tianshi Robe, and within the Pure Yang Domain, she matched the Ninth Heaven Vajra Commander blow for blow.

Very few could make it back to the ruins of the Vajra Monastery in such a short time.

Lei Jun remained calm, standing guard over the three-tiered altar, which had been nearly shattered by the impact of the Vajra Division’s Void Gateway from Sumeru. He looked like he was holding the last line of defense, allowing no breach.

Precisely because of this, more Buddhist cultivators and people from the Vajra Division within Sumeru, on the opposite side of the gateway, were pushing harder—hoping to coordinate inside and out and break through this final dam.

“Even the northern route isn’t going well,” Lei Jun scanned through various reports.

In the Battle of Yunzhou, more than half the main force of the Lone Eagle Khanate had been buried.

Only the eastern and western forces that had regrouped earlier remained.

Debates over whether to retreat or seek revenge for the Khan caused internal chaos.

Though the Empress of the Tang Empire had withdrawn from the battlefield, the rest of the Tang forces continued to strike hard, forcing the disorganized Lone Eagle Khanate remnants to fall back repeatedly, unable to hold their ground.

And the bad news for the Khanate didn’t stop coming.

Soon, a report came from the rear—Mount Bayan had fallen.

Although the Han people hadn’t completely blocked off the Void Gateway for retreat, a group of elite Tang cultivators had broken through to the Lone Eagle Khanate’s side!

They were few, but all elite.

While the Khanate had defenders on its home turf, they were no match for the invading force.

That Tang force had gone on a victorious rampage, burning and destroying pastures and grasslands throughout the Khanate.

The latest intel? They were already on the Red Sun Prairie, the very heart of the Lone Eagle Khanate.

Where the Khan’s Court resided...

Hearing this, most of the Khanate’s people finally lost their last bit of composure and descended into chaos.

Their forces split completely.

One group withdrew north as fast as possible toward Mount Bayan, trying to return home.

Another group, suspicious that the northward retreat was a trap and that the Tang army planned to ambush them, advocated heading west instead—to rendezvous with Western Region Buddhists and retreat through Sumeru’s Void Gateway.

Latest news: Xiao Xueting, wielding the Mountain and River Sword, intercepted the enemy’s western force and severely wounded the reluctant Zhao You’an, Sect Master of the Three Spring Palace.

Then, she used a feint to suddenly strike the northern forces, primarily made up of foreign martial artists, slaying countless foes and gravely injuring the Khanate's Martial Saint, Datun Bari.

In the end, the wounded Datun Bari couldn’t withstand a frontal assault from Zhao Prince Zhang Teng of the Tang Empire and was beheaded under the World-Suppressing Saber.

The northern forces completely collapsed.

The Tang cultivators pressed their advantage and continued the massacre.

Compared to when the foreign invaders first headed south, their northern retreat cost them even more blood—most of it their own.

Only a handful managed to reach the base of Mount Bayan, most were slaughtered by the Tang, while a few were forced to scatter across the northern frontier, completely off the route home.

Tang forces began their final cleanup of the remnants.

The Lone Eagle Khanate was practically annihilated.

Only a few managed to head west, traveling with disciples of the Three Spring Palace and monks of the Western Region, making their way across the northern frontier into the Western Regions.

But even there, Tang cultivators hounded them relentlessly.

Thanks only to the support of Zhao You’an, some managed to survive and escape into the West.

There, they joined with the remaining members of the Vajra Division of Sumeru.

Encouraged by the nearby Void Gateway, they rallied their strength for one final charge toward the Vajra Monastery ruins.

Though many were injured or killed by Tang cultivators, some still reached the ruins.

High in the sky, the Grand Celestial Mirror silently turned, casting its light in all directions.

Through its view, Lei Jun saw the Western Desert below—crowds surging forward.

This formation of mine... I’ll leave it for the Vajra Division’s Commander... Lei Jun shook his head slightly.

Thanks to the overwhelming pressure from Senior Sister Tang Xiaotang, the commander, Jialuotu, had yet to shake her off. The two fought on and off, and Jialuotu didn’t dare turn his back to her and make a break for it.

Their fight spanned a growing area. Though they had left Tang territory, they were still far from the Void Gateway at the Vajra Monastery.

On the other side, as time passed, Lei Jun saw the western retreating forces of the Lone Eagle Khanate gradually approaching.

Many wore green-black Daoist robes and Daoist headscarves—they were disciples of the Three Spring Palace, one of the Alchemy Branch sects in that world.

The rest were remnants of the western force of the Lone Eagle Khanate, whom Lei Jun had encountered earlier at Hedong.

Among the few foreign martial artists, the leader was Xurigan, who had previously clashed with Yue Xiling.

There were also several Buddhist experts from the Western Region.

The most striking among them was not from the Vajra Division, but from the Lotus Division of Sumeru—Consort Yangjin.

Aside from her, there was another high monk from the Vajra Division, Venerable Wanglang, whose portrait Lei Jun had seen before.

According to intel from Pure Yang Palace, this man had joined Master Dongda and other Buddhist experts in attacking the palace, but had retreated after being intimidated by Tang Xiaotang.

Now, Wanglang and several Vajra disciples had joined with Consort Yangjin and Xurigan, aiming to retake the Void Gateway to Sumeru.

All around them, battles raged between Tang cultivators and the enemy.

Still, with Zhao You’an, a Ninth Heaven master from the Three Spring Palace, anchoring their lines—even injured—he remained formidable.

At the moment, Xiao Hang, wielding the Righteous Sword, and Lu Jinduan were surrounding and attacking Master Dongda, an Eighth Heaven Vajra monk, slightly delayed but hurrying back now.

Seeing Sumeru so close, Xurigan and others unleashed a final burst of power, charging toward the Vajra Monastery ruins.

But before they reached it, a sound like thunder and dragon’s roar erupted!

A purple Yang Thunder Dragon shot out from the ruins, devouring the vanguard instantly.

Xurigan, Consort Yangjin, and Wanglang’s hearts sank.

Appearing alongside the Yang Thunder Dragon was Lei Jun, clad in a Nine-Colored Radiant Robe and wearing the Primordial Crown.

Wanglang looked off into the distance.

Behind Lei Jun, the towering three-tiered altar stood over the old location of the Void Gateway to Sumeru.

Though the altar shone with purple, gold, and green light, dazzling and radiant, it was visibly shaking—on the verge of collapse.

Clearly, something beneath it was trying to rise—likely Uncle Cizong and others from Sumeru working to reopen the path.

At that moment, Wanglang took a deep breath and stepped forward to face Lei Jun.

Even in such danger, the foreign general Xurigan didn’t flinch.

He glanced at the trembling altar, then surged ahead, outpacing Wanglang to strike at Lei Jun.

Lei Jun didn’t dodge.

He unleashed the Doumu Star God Apparition, standing firm and clashing head-on with Xurigan.

The result? Xurigan, though a martial expert, staggered back—his body no match for Lei Jun’s physical might.

At the same time, the purple Yang Thunder Dragon roared and charged Wanglang, blocking his path.

But Consort Yangjin had vanished.

The moment she saw Lei Jun, she retreated—but not far. Instead, she circled around to the other side of the ruins, hoping to sneak in.

Unfortunately, the ground beneath her feet was instantly covered in a sea of green fire.

The Nine Abyss True Flame erupted, roaring skyward and forming a massive fire tiger the size of a hill, isolating her and the others.

At the same time, a black Yin Thunder Dragon quietly emerged, stopping an Eighth Heaven elder of the Three Spring Palace, also a Talismanic Cultivator, who was trying to rely on his powerful Infant Transformation Pill to resist the Mysterious Firmament Celestial Lightning and break into the ruins.

The elder pressed on, even as his pill was being eaten away, but he didn’t make it far before another deafening roar shook the skies!

A crimson-gold light, like a falling star, smashed down hard onto the elder.

Even with his strong Infant Transformation Pill, he was crushed to the ground.

Everyone stared in shock—it was another fire tiger, this one blazing like a star.

It pinned the elder down with a paw—it was another Daoist apparition Lei Jun had mastered:

The Heavenly Sun Flame Ancestor Apparition.

The Yang Fire Tiger.

At this moment, the purple Yang Thunder Dragon, green Yin Fire Tiger, black Yin Thunder Dragon, and crimson-gold Yang Fire Tiger guarded the four sides of the ruins.

No one could step past.

“I-Is that five? Five Daoist apparitions from an Eighth Heaven Talismanic Cultivator?!” Consort Yangjin was first stunned, then horrified.

Xurigan was equally shocked. He turned to Wanglang, only to find the monk’s face just as stunned.

Even Tang cultivators catching up to the scene gasped in amazement.

“Has Tianshi Lei reached Ninth Heaven? If he’s still only Eighth Heaven and already mastered five apparitions... no one’s ever done this before!” said Zhang Ziyin, standing beside her father, Prince Zhang Junhai of Changshan.

Zhang Junhai nodded solemnly. “Indeed. This sets a new precedent for the Talismanic Branch of Daoism.”

Elder Jiang Cheng of the Three Spring Palace was equally stunned.

But what concerned him most at that moment was the Yang Fire Tiger pinning him down.

He gathered himself and suddenly swelled in size, unleashing the Three Spring Palace’s supreme technique, Soaring Qi, in an attempt to push the tiger’s paw off.

In the distance, Lei Jun raised his hand.

The Mysterious Firmament Five Thunder Talisman and the Heavenly Sun Ascendant Talisman flared in unison.

In the next moment, the black Yin Thunder Dragon and the crimson Yang Fire Tiger roared together—one dark and oppressive, the other fierce and blazing.

Their thunder and fire intertwined, forming a swirling Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram of black and crimson gold.

Seeing it, Jiang Cheng and the others felt an ominous chill run down their spines.

The next second, the terrifying light of the Dragon-Tiger Combined Strike fell directly upon Jiang Cheng.

He screamed, hastily forming his Infant Transformation Pill, but cracks immediately spread across its surface.

Consort Yangjin, stunned for a heartbeat, turned and fled without hesitation!

Too late.

The green Yin Fire Tiger and the purple Yang Thunder Dragon likewise merged into a spinning Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram of purple and green.

As it turned, a blinding light burst forth.

A beam of light engulfed Consort Yangjin.

Compared to Elder Jiang Cheng, who still had his Infant Transformation Pill, Consort Yangjin, no longer protected by the Red Lotus, was in far worse shape—her beauty was reduced to bone in the blink of an eye!

Xurigan and Wanglang were both horrified.

The former, like Jiang Cheng, had only heard ancient legends of this Talismanic Daoist supreme divine ability, never seen it with his own eyes.

The latter, on the other hand, knew how terrifying the Dragon-Tiger Combined Strike could be—but he had never imagined someone could wield two different types of it at once.

At that moment, above the Vajra Monastery ruins, two Taiji Diagrams—one purple-green, one black-crimson—hovered in the sky like twin suns.

As they spun, powerful beams of light swept out in opposite directions:

One clockwise.
One counterclockwise.

Wherever those beams passed, Three Spring Palace disciples, Lone Eagle Khanate survivors, and Western Region Buddhist monks were mowed down like wheat before the scythe!

The two waves of destructive light finally converged and surged toward Xurigan and Wanglang.

Xurigan didn’t retreat. Instead, he charged at Lei Jun, clearly going for a do-or-die.

But Lei Jun, with the Doumu Star God Apparition still active, raised a massive hand and caught Xurigan’s punch head-on.

In the next instant, the merging energy of both Dragon-Tiger Combined Strikes focused on Xurigan.

Like a tidal wave, the energy swallowed him whole.

And it didn’t stop—it rolled forward and swept up the fleeing Wanglang as well.

The surging beams crossed paths, slicing like giant scissors—and Wanglang, an Eighth Heaven Vajra monk, was instantly torn in two!

The crisscrossing brilliance didn’t stop there. It continued to wash over the battlefield, vaporizing any lower-cultivation enemies it touched.

The surviving Lone Eagle Khanate remnants approaching from the east froze in place, staring in horror at what had become a zone of annihilation before them.

Even the pursuing Tang cultivators slowed, stunned into silence by the sight.

The area around the already devastated Vajra Monastery ruins once again ran red with blood.

And in the very center of it all, the three-tiered altar swayed ever more violently.

But the towering Daoist standing before it—Lei Jun—stood like a mountain, unmoving.

One trembling, one still.

The contrast created a strange and awe-inspiring harmony.