Chapter 300: The Third Patriarch, Divine Fusion of Heaven and Earth!

Chapter 300: The Third Patriarch, Divine Fusion of Heaven and Earth!

"Hmm?"

Lu Qing raised an eyebrow, surprised that his sword energy had been blocked.

He followed the trajectory of the sword energy and spotted a figure in white standing on a rooftop not far away.

The white-haired man had a youthful face, but his demeanor was stoic and his aura was restrained, giving him the appearance of an ordinary person.

However, no one dared to underestimate him. The ability to conceal one's presence to such an extent, evading the senses of all the powerful cultivators and silently appearing on the rooftop, was no feat for a mere mortal.

Furthermore, when the onlookers recognized the white-clad figure, they exclaimed in surprise: "The Third Patriarch!"

"What? Is that one of the Patriarchs?"

"I knew it! With all the commotion in the city, there's no way the three Patriarchs wouldn't be alerted."

"It seems like Master Xuanming will escape this time."

"The Third Patriarch has made his move. He's always been intolerant of evil. That young man is in for a rough time."

Among the crowd, many of the powerful cultivators had met the three Patriarchs of the Sacred Mountain before, and they immediately recognized him.

In the shadowy corner, the hidden figure's heart trembled once more, and a look of uncertainty appeared in his eyes. "This guy is one of the three Patriarchs, but there's something a bit off about him."

"Why is the Third Patriarch here?"

High above in the tower, the Master of Tianji Pavilion was also astonished to see the white-clad figure.

At the same time, a sense of worry crept into his heart. "Among the three Patriarchs, the Third Patriarch is known for his stern and assertive demeanor. I hope Lu Qing doesn't offend him."

Despite his concerns, the Master of Tianji Pavilion dared not transmit his thoughts to Lu Qing.

Although he had reached the Great Perfection stage of the Innate Realm and was just a step away from the Fulfillment stage, he had also made significant progress in cultivating his spiritual power.

However, attempting to transmit a message across a hundred zhang distance in the Sacred City, where invisible power suppressed spiritual connections, was still beyond his capabilities.

Moreover, the cultivation levels of the three Patriarchs were profound and mysterious. Each time he had an audience with them, he felt like he couldn't even see their backs, let alone match them.

Even if he tried to transmit a message, he knew it wouldn't escape the Third Patriarch's notice.

"A Patriarch?" Lu Qing's heart stirred slightly upon hearing this.

So this was one of the three enigmatic Patriarchs from the Sacred Mountain?

Just then, golden light emanated from the white-clad figure, and several strips of paper slowly appeared in Lu Qing's field of vision.

[Bai Qingfeng: The Third Patriarch of Sacred Mountain. Stern and assertive in nature.]



[Cultivation Base: Peak of Foundation Establishment. Due to a fortuitous encounter, he gained the recognition of the Sacred Mountain's will and his strength increased significantly within its boundaries, comparable to the Golden Core stage.]



[The person before you is not his true body but a puppet avatar possessed by his spirit. It can exert power up to the Fulfillment stage of the Innate Realm.]



[The three Patriarchs of Sacred Mountain gained the favor of the Sacred Mountain's will and received great blessings, but they are also bound by restrictions. Before achieving ascension, their true bodies cannot leave the Sacred Mountain region.]



...

"A puppet avatar?"

Upon reading the information in his vision, Lu Qing understood.

No wonder he hadn't detected the white-clad figure's presence immediately. It turned out that the person before him was not a living being but a puppet avatar.

With the white-clad figure's spiritual cultivation at the Peak of Foundation Establishment, concealing his presence would indeed be effortless.

Lu Qing was also familiar with puppet avatars.

The legacy of the Li Huo Sect included related records.

In the previous era of cultivation, there was a sect called the Celestial Puppet Sect, which specialized in the art of controlling and manipulating puppets.

It was said that the puppet avatars they meticulously crafted were indistinguishable from real people, and the most advanced ones could even cultivate on their own, a truly miraculous feat.

However, such self-cultivating puppet avatars were extremely rare and more precious than spiritual artifacts.

Even the Tian Ku Zong of that time had only crafted a single Heavenly Puppet.

Furthermore, it was said that the puppet avatar was created by Heaven Puppet Sect through a fortuitous encounter, and despite their tireless efforts and various attempts, they never succeeded in replicating it.

The puppet avatar possessed by the Third Patriarch before him was obviously not the highest-grade masterpiece of Tian Ku Zong but rather a standard model.

"Greetings, Third Patriarch!"

After confirming the white-clad figure's identity, the Innate Realm cultivators quickly paid their respects.

The surviving monks from Xuankong Mountain shouted loudly, "Patriarch, this person is an evil demon! Please kill him!"

However, the Third Patriarch ignored the greetings and the monks' pleas, focusing his attention on Lu Qing instead.

In a calm tone, he said, "Do me a favor and spare Xuanming and the others this time."

All eyes turned to Lu Qing.

"So, the Third Patriarch is pleading for them in person. I wonder how the young man will respond."

A glint of joy flashed in Xuanming's eyes as he heard this. "Is the Patriarch intervening in the grudge between Xuankong Mountain and me? It's said that the Sacred Mountain only pays attention to the big picture and doesn't meddle in personal grudges. Could it be that those words are just empty talk?"

Lu Qing didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "Is that so?"

Everyone was surprised to see Lu Qing dare to question the Third Patriarch publicly.

"Oh no!" The Master of Tianji Pavilion, high up in the tower, panicked at Lu Qing's words. He knew the Third Patriarch's character—he always stood by his word and was unyielding. Lu Qing's questioning would surely provoke him.

Just as the Master was worrying, he saw the Third Patriarch fall silent for a moment after Lu Qing's bold inquiry.

"I once owed the Abbot of Xuankong Mountain a favor," the Third Patriarch finally said. "I can't stand by and let Xuanming die here. If you can do me this favor, consider the debt owed to you."

The Third Patriarch's attitude surprised not only the crowd but also the Master of Tianji Pavilion, who knew his temperament well. When had he become so easy to talk to? Was this still the stern and unyielding Third Patriarch they knew?

All eyes turned to Lu Qing once more. They had witnessed Lu Qing's arrogance and dominance, and now the Third Patriarch was making such a low-posture request. They wondered how the young man would respond.

Lu Qing remained unfazed by the stares of the powerful cultivators. "It seems the Patriarch is determined to intervene in the grudge between Xuankong Mountain and me?"

"I'm doing this for your own good," the Third Patriarch said. "Your talent is remarkable, but the foundations of Xuankong Mountain are beyond your imagination. If you make them your mortal enemy, you will surely regret it in the future."

Lu Qing smiled at his words. "Are you saying that what I have with Xuankong Mountain isn't already a mortal grudge?" He glanced at the corpses of the Xuankong Mountain elders lying nearby.

The Third Patriarch looked at the bodies and then at Lu Qing's smile, understanding his implication. "So, there's no room for discussion?"

"I respect the Patriarch, and I hope the Patriarch will uphold the stance of the Sacred Mountain and not interfere in the grudge between Xuankong Mountain and me," Lu Qing said seriously.

The Innate Realm cultivators around them stared at Lu Qing in astonishment. Although they were surprised by his response, they also felt that it was somehow expected. Given Lu Qing's stubbornness, it would have been strange if he had compromised.

The Third Patriarch looked at Lu Qing quietly, his expression finally turning cold. "What if I insist on taking them away?"

"Then I, your junior, will have no choice but to experience the might of your senior's skills," Lu Qing said as he gently waved his hand, causing his true energy to surge forth. The air currents he generated pulled the battle knife that was stuck in the ground toward him. "I would also like to see how powerful a cultivator at the Great Perfection stage of the Innate Realm truly is."

With the long knife in his hand, an overpowering aura emanated from Lu Qing. The sharp and icy knife intent made the skin of all the Innate Realm cultivators sting, and their hearts shivered.

One by one, they were shocked and intimidated by the aura Lu Qing exuded, which seemed even stronger than before.

"So, it has come to this after all," the Master of Tianji Pavilion sighed. He had a feeling that this would happen, given the strong personalities of both Lu Qing and the Third Patriarch.

"Master, that white-robed man looks very formidable. Will Lu Qing be at a disadvantage?" Mag asked anxiously.

The others also wore worried expressions.

"Don't worry," the Master of Tianji Pavilion reassured them. "The Third Patriarch may have a strong personality, but he's fair. The most he'll do is give Lu Qing a hard time; he won't take his life."

"You want to fight me?" The Third Patriarch was a little surprised.

"Please enlighten me, senior," Lu Qing said respectfully.

The Third Patriarch sensed the fighting spirit in Lu Qing and remained silent for a moment before speaking. "Very well. It seems that if I don't fight you, I won't be able to take them away. However, I don't like to bully the weak. How about this: I'll fight you for three moves. If you can force me back half a step within those three moves, I won't interfere in this matter."

With that, the Third Patriarch's figure disappeared from the rooftop and reappeared in front of Xuanming, standing only ten meters away from Lu Qing.

"So it seems I have no choice but to offend you, senior."

As the Third Patriarch landed, Lu Qing's eyes narrowed, and the battle knife in his right hand suddenly transformed into a burst of white light. In an instant, no one could count how many times he slashed.

The storm of sword energy he unleashed rushed towards the Third Patriarch.

The ferocity and speed of his attack caused the faces of all the Innate Realm cultivators to change.

"Interesting. Your sword technique has truly grasped the true essence of 'intent'."

As the Third Patriarch witnessed the storm of sword energy unleashed by Lu Qing, a hint of praise appeared in his eyes.

"However, this move is useless against me."

Facing the onslaught of sword energy, the Third Patriarch didn't even draw his weapon.

He simply extended a finger and gently pointed forward.

And as he did so, something astonishing happened.

The countless strands of sword energy unleashed by Lu Qing seemed to be frozen in space, immobilized and unable to advance any further.

"Disperse!"

After stopping Lu Qing's sword energy in its tracks, the Third Patriarch lightly uttered a single word.

The next moment, the boundless sword energy storm was swept away by an invisible wave of power, rapidly dissipating and ultimately vanishing without a trace.

This move stunned everyone present.

All the Innate Realm cultivators who witnessed this scene had their eyes widened in disbelief.

They couldn't fathom how Lu Qing's powerful storm of sword energy could be so easily dispelled by the Third Patriarch.

In fact, they couldn't even discern the method the Third Patriarch had used.

Seeing the Third Patriarch's casual demeanor, all the powerful cultivators couldn't help but feel a sense of reverence.

This was the power of a Patriarch, a force that had shaken the world for countless years and made countless sects tremble in fear!

Only a few individuals with diverse backgrounds and extensive knowledge could perceive a hint of the mystery behind this display.

"Divine Fusion of Heaven and Earth, the Third Patriarch's cultivation has reached an unfathomable level!"

Witnessing how the Third Patriarch effortlessly dispelled Lu Qing's sword energy, Yangming Taoist couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"Divine Fusion of Heaven and Earth, has the Third Patriarch's cultivation truly reached such a profound level?

No wonder the Master always speaks of these three Patriarchs of Sacred Mountain with admiration."

The eldest senior brother from the Cloud Water Secret Realm also wore a look of astonishment.

In a shadowy corner, a hidden figure trembled slightly, "Divine Fusion of Heaven and Earth, how has this person's soul cultivation reached such a high level? He's only just experienced the spiritual artifact awakening."

"A domain?"

Lu Qing was not surprised to see his sword energy neutralized by the Third Patriarch.

In a battle between experts, sword and knife energies were not the most crucial offensive techniques.

He didn't expect that a single burst of sword energy would be enough to force the Third Patriarch back.

Instead, as he watched his sword energy dissipate, he fell into deep thought.

The method used by the Third Patriarch was mysterious, but Lu Qing felt a sense of familiarity with it.

When his master unleashed his Innate Domain, it gave him a similar feeling.

However, compared to his master, the Third Patriarch's control over domains was far superior.

That was why he could effortlessly dispel Lu Qing's sword energy without any apparent effort.

"Are you going to continue?"

After dispelling Lu Qing's sword energy, the Third Patriarch didn't make another move. Instead, he stood there with his hands behind his back and asked calmly.

"Of course. It's a rare opportunity to cross swords with a senior of your caliber. How could I give up so easily?" Lu Qing replied with a smile.

"Then go ahead and make your move. But this time, I won't hold back," the Third Patriarch said, a hint of impatience creeping into his voice.

"Please go ahead, senior. When it comes to preserving my life, I have a few tricks up my sleeve," Lu Qing said nonchalantly, his long knife in hand.

The next moment, he stomped on the ground, and his figure transformed into a bolt of lightning, rushing towards the Third Patriarch.

A solemn killing intent rose from his body and surged into the sky, and the battle knife in his hand slashed towards the Third Patriarch like a bolt of lightning.

Facing Lu Qing's fierce attack, the Third Patriarch's expression finally changed slightly.

He could sense that the power of Lu Qing's attack was no weaker than that of a true Innate Realm master at the Great Perfection stage.

With just this one move, it would be difficult to deflect it as easily as before, especially since the amount of soul power he could infuse into this puppet avatar was limited.

Realizing this, the Third Patriarch's eyes turned serious.

A long sword appeared in his hand.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end