Chapter 157: 156. The Electromagnetic Cannon and the Yuan Magnet Sword Pill

Chapter 157: 156. The Electromagnetic Cannon and the Yuan Magnet Sword Pill

Yuan Mobai was indeed in a hurry.

As he spoke, he was already in motion.

With a single step, he appeared before the elder of the Lin family.

In that instant, the sun above seemed to dim slightly, not because it lost its radiance but because the sky had gained another source of light.

It was as if countless stars had lit up simultaneously, revolving around Yuan Mobai in a dazzling display of shining talismans.

These innumerable, exquisite talismans formed a river of stars that surrounded the purple-robed youth, who himself resembled the largest talisman of all—a brilliant star at its center.

As he took a step forward, he threw a punch.

A simple, single punch.

The Lin family elder plummeted like a meteor striking the earth.

Fortunately, this Lin family elder, a cultivator at the Upper Three Heavens realm, was quick to react.

The earth and stone around him suddenly condensed, forming a sturdy fortress that shielded him.

However, there was a problem.

When Yuan Mobai appeared, the distance between them was already too close for comfort, breaching the elder's psychological safety threshold.

Against another opponent, he might have endured.

But Yuan Mobai's attack was akin to that of a martial arts cultivator at the Upper Three Heavens, and for a Confucian chant cultivator, this distance was too close for comfort!

The hastily erected earthen fortress couldn't withstand Yuan Mobai's fierce punch.

The fortress shattered instantly.

The Lin family elder fell to the ground.

Yuan Mobai didn't give him a chance to escape. As he threw the first punch, he closed in, his fists raining down in a relentless flurry of blows.

This was entirely unlike his usual style.

The gentle spring breeze had, in this moment, transformed into a destructive storm.

"Lofty walls and strongholds rise, barring the sea gates and locking down the sun terrace!"

It was only when a defensive treasure on his body was completely shattered by Yuan Mobai's relentless assault that the Lin family elder managed to finish his chant.

Finally, the heavens and earth changed color. The ground rumbled as earth and stone surged, enclosing the Lin family elder within a towering, sturdy fortress, protecting him from Yuan Mobai's fierce punch.

However, the fortress walls were extensively cracked and swayed precariously, threatening to collapse at any moment.

The entire structure had sunk into the ground, more than halving its original height.

It looked as though it had been smashed into the earth.

The mountains below cracked and caved in.

Yuan Mobai immediately threw another punch.

The Lin family elder's face turned green.

Having lost the initiative and with Yuan Mobai in such close quarters, he was utterly defenseless at this moment, able only to frantically repair his defenses and attempt an escape.

Surrounded by the river of starry talismans, Yuan Mobai shone brilliantly, like a colossal human talisman. Every move he made exuded a power that seemed capable of shaking the heavens and the earth. With each step, he seemed to tread upon the river of stars, relentlessly pursuing the Lin family elder.

The two figures—one in pursuit and the other fleeing—quickly disappeared into the distance.

The once fiery sky instantly cooled, returning to its former serenity.

Aside from the distant mountain ranges that had collapsed, leaving behind a scene of devastation, it was hard to believe that an Upper Three Heavens Lin family elder had just pressured the Celestial Stream Palace, coming close to unleashing a massacre.

And now...

Lei Jun gazed into the distance.

At the far horizon, a brilliant light exploded, shaking the earth and mountains as if a more intense battle had erupted.

Later, Lei Jun received a message from his master, Yuan Mobai, via a sound transmission talisman:

"I will be moving around from now on. Be careful, and arrange for a suitable person to replace you later."

Upon reading this, Lei Jun smiled.

Although Yuan Mobai didn't mention the outcome of his confrontation with the Lin family elder, it was clear that he had at least severely injured him, causing the Lin family to lose a cultivator at the Upper Three Heavens realm, forcing one of their top Confucian scholars to withdraw from the battlefield.

The Heavenly Master's Mansion had achieved its initial goal.

When Yuan Mobai had asked Lei Jun to decide whether to leave the mountain sect, he already had a plan in mind.

If Lei Jun insisted on staying in the mountain sect's ancestral court, then everything would remain the same.

But if Lei Jun chose to leave, then as a precaution, Yuan Mobai would also depart.

However, all this would be done in secrecy.

To some extent, Lei Jun would become the bait.

Master and disciple had come to an understanding while still on the mountain.

If the Lin family of Jiangzhou had only sent cultivators at the Middle Three Heavens realm to attack the Celestial Stream Mountain, Yuan Mobai wouldn't have made an appearance.

However, if an Upper Three Heavens Confucian scholar of their caliber made a personal appearance, then Yuan Mobai would give them an unpleasant surprise.

First, Lin Chi was severely injured, and then Lin Zhen perished.

Without either side going all out, the Heavenly Master's Mansion was well aware of the Lin family's top experts.

For every additional cultivator here, there was one less elsewhere.

Therefore, in the short term, Yuan Mobai didn't need to worry about the mountain sect being left vulnerable after his departure.

Especially now that the Lin family of Jiangzhou had lost another Upper Three Heavens expert.

He just needed to be cautious of possible attacks from other opponents or powerful demons, which was why Yuan Mobai didn't linger.

It was time for the second phase of his plan.

Of course, Yuan Mobai wasn't about to start wandering around aimlessly.

Instead, he would temporarily disappear without a trace for a while.

He might stay near Dragon and Tiger Mountain.

Or perhaps he would be near Lei Jun.

Or maybe somewhere else entirely.

Having gained the upper hand and successfully reducing the number of Jiangzhou Lin family cultivators, Yuan Mobai now had some leeway.

By breaking the first hand that reached out against Lei Jun, he had ensured that Lei Jun would be safe in the Celestial Stream Palace for a while.

Lei Jun turned to look at the others.

They were all still in a daze.

Everyone present was an esteemed disciple of the Heavenly Master's Mansion and was generally well-versed in the ways of the world.

Among them were those who had witnessed the mighty combat skills of the elders from the Upper Three Heavens.

However, when Elder Yuan made his move, the manner in which he fought differed greatly from the impression he usually gave others.

Even someone like Lei Jun, who rarely witnessed his master fight enemies up close, was stunned by the display.

When it came to physical altercations, Yuan Mobai was usually quite reserved.

But when he did decide to take action, he did so with overwhelming force.

His style, as rumored, was straightforward and concise.

Divine Striking Talisman.

Walking the Luo River Steps.

The Dou Mu Star God, also known as the Life Star God, was a manifestation of the power of the talisman, the art, and the divine ability.

A technique, an art, and a divine ability—these three doors were often combined by Yuan Mobai to face his enemies.

As for the effect? Well, it was akin to a violent panda.

That Confucian chant cultivator from the Lin family might have stood a chance if he could control the distance and rhythm, constantly moving while building defenses and obstacles. Even if he lost, he wouldn't have been completely overwhelmed.

But as soon as Yuan Mobai closed in on him, the outcome was inevitable.

Lin, the Confucian scholar, was naive.

Elder Yuan was fierce and aggressive.

Even the Heavenly Master's Mansion disciples, including Lei Jun, felt the urge to cover their faces, unable to bear witnessing the one-sided battle.

"I've received a message from my master. He's fine now," Lei Jun calmly informed the group.

"Everyone, continue with your duties."

The disciples snapped out of their daze and replied, "Yes!"

From then on, Lei Jun took charge of the Celestial Stream Palace, temporarily assuming the role of the guarding elder. He instructed the disciples to repair the defensive restrictions and clean up the mountain and its surroundings.

Subsequently, Lin family cultivators continued their attacks on the Celestial Stream Palace, but none of them were Upper Three Heavens Confucian scholars.

After losing three cultivators at the Seventh Layer of the Heavens, the Lin family would have to recall more powerful experts from their headquarters in Jiangzhou if they wanted to make any significant moves.

In theory, if Yuan Mobai dared to leave Dragon and Tiger Mountain, the Lin family would be bold enough to do the same.

However, without knowing Yuan Mobai's whereabouts, the high-ranking members of the Lin family seemed reluctant to make blind moves, temporarily ceasing their aggressive actions.

After all, in addition to Yuan Mobai, Tang Xiaotang and Li Zhenxuan were also of unknown locations, so the Lin family from Jiangzhou had to be cautious and prepare for various possibilities.

Lei Jun, stationed at the Celestial Stream Palace, felt a peculiar emotion upon hearing a certain piece of news.

There were powerful demons appearing in the Green Jade Abyss.

Not just one, but two of them, both equivalent to human cultivators of the Upper Three Heavens.

Fortunately, they did not invade the Green Jade Heaven of the Heavenly Master's Mansion.

Instead, the two demons seemed to be arch-enemies, engaging in a fierce battle with each other.

This immediately reminded Lei Jun of his unlucky draw.

No matter if he had chosen the Celestial Stream Mountain or the Green Jade Abyss, as long as he left the mountain, Yuan Mobai's plan would be similar.

However, the outcomes of the two draws were vastly different.

The reason seemed to lie with those two demons.

If Yuan Mobai and the Lin family elder had fought in the Green Jade Abyss, the two demons might not have clashed with each other.

Instead, they might have interfered in the battle between Yuan Mobai and the Lin family elder.

This could have introduced unpredictability into the battle.

Even if Yuan Mobai didn't suffer any losses, his plans would have been disrupted.

With chaos ensuing, Lei Jun's safety would no longer be guaranteed.

Both the powerful demons and the Lin family elder could have posed a threat to him.

It might not have been a deadly situation, but the sudden twists and turns would have undoubtedly added danger.

The Green Jade Heaven of the Heavenly Master's Mansion might have also been affected.

But now, everything was going according to plan.

At the Celestial Stream Mountain, things progressed smoothly, and Daoist Lei encountered danger without any real harm.

Even in the Green Jade Abyss, the two demons fought each other, and although the Green Jade Heaven suffered some impact, the disciples of the Heavenly Master's Mansion were unharmed.

Now, all that remained was to see what the "best" draw for the Celestial Stream Mountain would bring... Lei Jun exhaled deeply.

Then, his figure flashed, and he disappeared into the wilderness.

In the distance, streams of fire once again flew towards the Celestial Stream Palace.

Although the defensive restrictions had been repaired, they couldn't remain passive and continue to take the attacks.

Thus, several disciples of the Heavenly Master's Mansion accompanied Lei Jun to counter their opponents' camp.

Previously, a cultivator at the Fifth Layer of the Heavens presided over the Celestial Stream Palace, but due to injuries, he had to return to the mountain gate to recuperate.

For the time being, Lei Jun took his place.

Those who followed his orders included a group of initiated disciples and three ordained priests.

Among them, one was at the Fourth Layer of the Yuan Fu realm, and the other two were at the Third Layer of the Fa Tan realm.

One of the Third Layer cultivators was named Yun Zhan, and he shared a special connection with Lei Jun.

In the past, they had been ordained together.

However, while Lei Jun's cultivation continued to soar, successfully reaching the Fourth Layer of the Yuan Fu and even advancing further to the Fifth Layer of the Dao Palace, Yun Zhan remained temporarily stuck at the Third Layer, preparing to cross the heavenly tribulation that lay between the Third and Fourth Layers.

On the day Lei Jun first arrived at the Celestial Stream Palace, the disciples of the Heavenly Master's Mansion were in disarray as they faced the attacking Lin family disciples.

The ordained disciple who had temporarily taken charge of the defense led a group down the mountain to counterattack, but they were hindered.

Yun Zhan and another ordained disciple at the Third Layer, who had stayed on the mountain, disagreed on whether to continue holding their ground or to go all out and reinforce those below.

Of course, with Lei Jun's arrival, such disagreements would no longer occur, and everyone would follow his commands.

Although Lei Jun was young, no one felt jealous or disobeyed him.

His presence brought a sense of relief to Yun Zhan and the others.

Indeed, Lei Jun's high cultivation and formidable abilities played a significant role. On the first day, everyone had discovered that his movement technique was exceptionally swift, allowing him to approach the Lin clan disciples undetected.

Embarrassingly, Lei Jun was currently the only disciple of the Heavenly Master's Mansion in the Celestial Stream Palace who specialized in the Wind-Riding Talisman as their primary technique.

Consequently, in a many-on-many battle, their strategies were somewhat limited.

For those taking the lead in the frontal assault, there were disciples whose primary talismans were the Golden Lock Talisman and the Divine Striking Talisman.

For mid-range attacks, there were disciples who specialized in the Thunderclap Talisman and the Blazing Flame Talisman.

When combined, the disciples of the Heavenly Master's Mansion exhibited a certain level of coordination and diversity in their attacks.

However, they faced a dilemma as the Lin clan disciples from the Confucian Chant and Divine Archery branches had even longer-range attacks.

When the Heavenly Master's Mansion disciples attempted to close the distance, they were further hindered by the interference of the Confucian Chant branch.

Having fought against the Lin clan from Jiangzhou for many years, the Heavenly Master's Mansion disciples were well-versed in their battle strategies.

If they had a disciple who specialized in the Wind-Riding Talisman and could quickly maneuver around the opponents to restrict their movements, they might not achieve victory, but at least they wouldn't be at a disadvantage.

Unfortunately, due to casualties and poor deployment, the Celestial Stream Palace lacked such a disciple.

Hence, they had been on the defensive earlier.

Now, with Lei Jun alone, the tide of the battle turned in their favor.

Moreover, Lei Jun also had the Flying Fire Talisman.

In a long-range exchange of attacks, the Lin clan disciples lost their advantage in distance.

With Lei Jun leading the charge, the Lin clan disciples' formation fell into chaos once more.

However, under the sunlight, Lei Jun narrowed his eyes slightly.

A sense of danger arose within him, signaling that he was being targeted.

Just as he shifted his body, a cold light flew towards him from afar, grazing past his turning figure.

The robe he wore, a magical artifact, was made of sturdy material and provided a certain degree of protection.

If he had been wearing ordinary clothes, the gust of wind generated by the cold light would have been enough to tear them to shreds.

The Divine Archer from the Confucian Chant branch of the Lin clan was highly skilled.

The fact that Lei Jun hadn't detected his presence earlier indicated that the archer's cultivation was at least at the Fifth Layer of the Heavens.

Only by maintaining a significant distance could he have evaded my senses until the moment of attack... Lei Jun's mind raced with these thoughts.

Although the Lin clan didn't send another Upper Three Heavens expert, someone was determined to test their luck again.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Lei Jun didn't stop moving.

After dodging the arrow, he immediately flew out, but not directly towards the Lin clan Divine Archer.

Instead, he veered into the deep mountains on the other side.

From afar, the Lin clan Divine Archer frowned.

Nearby, other Lin clan cultivators who were lying in ambush expressed their frustration.

This guy named Lei is indeed cautious. He didn't immediately try to get close.

"You can't escape! If you don't come here, I'll shoot you dead!" The Lin clan Divine Archer's frown soon turned into a smile as he nocked an arrow.

He released the arrow in an upward trajectory.

The arrow flew straight towards the sky.

Then, it exploded in mid-air, turning into a rain of fire that covered the mountain forest where Lei Jun had taken cover.

However, Lei Jun didn't stop moving, and his figure soon disappeared.

He arrived at another mountain peak, took out the Divine Vision Stone, and observed the direction from which the attack had come.

In the mountain forest, he could vaguely make out more than one figure.

The distance was indeed too far.

Even with the top-quality Flying Fire Talisman, it was out of range.

However...

Lei Jun remained calm, holding the Divine Vision Stone in front of his eyes with one hand.

His other hand was placed further forward.

He extended his thumb and index finger, pinching a metallic pellet between them.

Made from various refined metals and tempered by Lei Jun through countless forges, this pellet was named the Sword Pellet.

The sword of a flying sword.

As the two-elemental primordial magnetic force gathered between Lei Jun's thumb and index finger, his fingers slowly opened.

It seemed as though he was casually holding the pellet in mid-air, yet it appeared to be on a trajectory.

The refined metal Sword Pellet hovered between his slightly parted thumb and index finger.

"This is the first time I'm using this primordial magnetic sword pellet to attack someone. Distance and speed shouldn't be a problem; I just hope I don't miss and turn this into a comedy..." Lei Jun calmly gazed into the distance.

Thunder and lightning surrounded his body, causing the air to seem distorted.

In the next moment, a flash of lightning extended forward.

The pellet between his fingers instantly vanished, its destination unknown.

However, from the distant horizon, a thunderous boom echoed!

The Lin clan cultivators hiding in the mountains were still dazed, but in their field of vision, they caught a glimpse of a flash of lightning.

When they turned to look, they were astonished to find that the Divine Archer from their clan was no longer in his original position.

Turning back to look behind them, they saw the trees on fire, the ground charred black.

The Lin clan Divine Archer had been blown backward, his body motionless.

The precious bow he held was broken in two.

His chest and abdomen were blackened, with a gaping hole that seemed to have been pierced by something.

He was clearly dead.

PS1: This is the second update for today. Since it's a long chapter, today's total word count is still over ten thousand. Let's continue our efforts tomorrow.

PS2: The poem in this chapter is from "New City" by Xu Hong of the Qing Dynasty. The full poem is as follows: "High walls and strongholds rise, barring the sea gates and locking down the sun terrace. The army's drums by the river shake the heavens, and countless flags and sails return. On the battlements, the frost and moon are bitter, and the demons' hearts are long ashes. Today, we count the days of peace, deeply grateful for the century-old saintly grace."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end