Chapter 334: Reversing the Nine Heavens! (Part 1)

Chapter 334: Reversing the Nine Heavens! (Part 1)



Lei Jun's actions had become second nature as he used the dark power of the Heavenly Book to clean up and sort through the belongings of Shang Nan and the others.

With no time to spare, he only gave them a quick once-over to ensure nothing was amiss before putting them away for later examination when he had more leisure time.

Currently, his divine courtyard's external universe had begun to retract.

In the true world outside, Elder Miaokong of Tianlong Temple had successfully broken through the icy world created by Xinxingzi's Tianxue Sword with the golden Grand Mighty Heavenly Dragon's might.

Although his vision was obscured by the ice and snow, Elder Miaokong had also witnessed Lei Jun opening up his divine courtyard universe and knew that Lei Jun and the other three were encompassed within it.

At this moment, after freeing himself, he saw before him a huge, opaque, pitch-black sphere. The surface of the sphere was dotted with starlight, and various celestial bodies were projected onto the black veil, like a miniaturized real universe.

"The external landscape of Xuanxiaozi of the Celestial Master's Mansion's divine courtyard..." Elder Miaokong only observed from the outside, and with a cursory glance, he could sense the infinite and wonderful principles contained within.

Just as he was considering how to contact Lei Jun, he suddenly noticed that Xinxingzi's natal magic treasure, the Tianxue Sword, had begun to crumble and disintegrate.

Elder Miaokong's heart stirred.

Such a situation often indicated that Xinxingzi, a master of the Daoist School of Artifact Refinement with a cultivation base of the Eighth Heaven, had perished.

The natal magic treasure, which was closely linked to her life, would only perish along with her.

It was rare for artifacts like the Taiyi Innate Tower and the Purple and Green Twin Swords to remain intact after their owner's death.

With Xinxingzi's death, what about Shang Nan?

What about Lei Jun and Abbot Zong Cuo at this moment?

Elder Miaokong was about to approach the huge black sphere when it suddenly shone with rays of light, which then began to disperse and dissolve into countless Taoist seals, scattering like quicksand.

As the external landscape of the divine courtyard faded, Lei Jun's figure reappeared in the true world.

Elder Miaokong quickly stepped forward. "Elder Lei."

Lei Jun nodded. "Master."

Elder Miaokong did not see Shang Nan or Xinxingzi, only Lei Jun suspended in mid-air above the sea.

And, quietly lying beside him, the lifeless corpse of Abbot Zong Cuo.

"Both demon cultivators have been slain," Lei Jun said. "But unfortunately, Abbot Zong Cuo was harmed by their flying sword, and I didn't have time to save him. Although I exterminated both of them afterward, Abbot Zong Cuo has passed away, and I deeply regret it."

Elder Miaokong pressed his palms together. "May the Buddha show mercy."

Although both Tianlong Temple and Vajra Temple were sacred Buddhist sites, there had always been limited interaction between them.

After the descent of Mount Sumeru, Tianlong Temple had maintained a respectful distance from the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru.

During their previous journey together, although Elder Miaokong and Abbot Zong Cuo had exchanged courtesies, they had never spoken privately.

However, seeing that Abbot Zong Cuo had perished due to a common enemy, Elder Miaokong still pressed his palms together and recited the Sutra of Rebirth.

Lei Jun did the same, reciting the Daoist Sutra of Rebirth for the departed soul.

"Fortunately, the demon cultivators have been vanquished, and Abbot Zong Cuo can rest in peace," Elder Miaokong said after reciting the sutra.

Lei Jun replied, "Abbot Zong Cuo possessed great wisdom and courage in subduing demons. It was only through our combined efforts that we were able to leave those two demon cultivators with nowhere to escape."

You're being humble... Elder Miaokong thought.

He observed that Lei Jun's current appearance seemed to have suffered a significant amount of spiritual energy loss, but there were no signs of injury.

Although Xinxingzi had left the Tianxue Sword outside, she was still a formidable opponent with just the Flying Star Sword.

Shang Nan's strength was even greater.

In what appeared to be a two-on-two battle, Abbot Zong Cuo had perished directly, while Lei Jun remained unscathed.

Elder Miaokong didn't think that Lei Jun could remain so calm after facing a one-against-three situation; that would be truly terrifying.

Shang Nan's strength was most likely even greater than that of Rong Guangchen, the Grand Elder of Pure Yang Palace. Although Xinxingzi might not be as strong as Hong Jie, she was still superior to Wei Qiuyue of the Great Tang Shushan Sect.

However, Elder Miaokong didn't need to witness the battle to believe that even if Lei Jun had faced Xinxingzi and Shang Nan alone, he wouldn't have been under much pressure.

His strength spoke for itself.

This generation of the Celestial Master's Mansion truly produced an endless stream of outstanding talents.

The suspense, as he had stated himself, lay more in whether they could capture the two opponents rather than the outcome of the battle.

As for Abbot Zong Cuo, despite the rumors about the dispute over the Celestial Master's Robe, Elder Miaokong didn't think that he had fought so desperately because of it.

However, within the confined space of Lei Jun's divine courtyard universe, when Shang Nan and Xinxingzi fought for their lives and attempted to escape, Abbot Zong Cuo had less room to avoid direct confrontation.

Lei Jun had preserved Abbot Zong Cuo's reputation, and Elder Miaokong had no intention of probing further into the details.

If it were another time, Lei Jun would have considered appearing to be more severely injured himself.

But the focus of today's battle was not on Shang Nan and Xinxingzi, nor on the so-called Western White Emperor. Instead, it was on Huang Xuanpu.

With the upcoming situation uncertain, Lei Jun no longer feigned injury, leaving himself more room to maneuver.

With Abbot Zong Cuo's sacrifice, a two-on-two battle was not as shocking as a one-on-three confrontation.

Lei Jun was now more concerned about the situation on Huang Xuanpu's side, and his eyes quietly turned to the heaven-penetrating and earth-boring divine seals.

High in the sky, the Grand Ultimate Heaven Mirror of the Great Zhou Heaven revolved, and its mirror light shifted.

A moment later, Lei Jun made a discovery within his field of vision.

A large expanse of pitch-black world came into view, occupying a vast space on the surface of the sea, as if staining the vast ocean with a huge blot of ink.

From an external perspective, this pitch-black world seemed boundless, as if the dark thunderclouds had frozen into glaciers and solidified into a silent, tangible entity.

It was indeed Xu Yuanzhen's Great Vehicle Dao Scene, the Terminus Deep Space.

Next to this silent, black world, the sea was churning with towering waves, creating a stark contrast.

Amidst the undulating waves, there were two figures, one large and one small, engaged in a fierce battle.

The smaller figure held a long, black spear that emitted a faint golden glow, and his lithe and agile figure moved with extreme speed, each shift and dodge resembling a flash of lightning. He was Shangguan Yunbo, the Grand General of the Great Tang Shence Army.

His opponent, on the other hand, was as huge as a mountain, completely white, and spent most of the time submerged in the sea, revealing itself only occasionally. It was a giant white whale.

"North Sea Whale King..." The name of a powerful demon flashed through Lei Jun's mind.

This demon was active in the North Sea and had previously displayed strength equivalent to an Eighth Heaven human cultivator.

According to recent intelligence provided by Shangguan Yunbo and the court, the North Sea Whale King, after lying dormant for many years, had reappeared and likely advanced further, now possessing strength comparable to a Ninth Heaven cultivator.

With the North Land Snow Country Bear King severely injured and fleeing, and the East Sea Thousand Petals Butterfly King perishing, the Seventh and Eighth Heaven demons of the North Land, North Sea, and East Sea had more room to rise.

However, judging from the current situation, the North Sea Whale King's successful advancement was not solely due to natural reasons, and Huang Xuanpu might have played a crucial role.

And at this moment, this formidable demon was one of Huang Xuanpu's trump cards. It appeared to aid him in evading Xu Yuanzhen and Shangguan Yunbo's pursuit.

Reflecting on the past, one could not help but suspect that there was more to the rise of the Thousand Petals Butterfly King back then.

Shangguan Yunbo, armed with the Bandit Subduing Golden Spear, could hold his ground against the demon for a short while.

He intended to help Xu Yuanzhen deal with Huang Xuanpu first.

As a martial artist, his agility in movement gave him the upper hand in advancing and retreating during the battle.

However, the North Sea Whale King's surging demonic power caused the surrounding waves to surge upwards, transforming into white frost that enveloped and trapped Shangguan Yunbo.

If Shangguan Yunbo didn't want to collide with the frost and restrict his movements, he had no choice but to dodge, inadvertently falling into the North Sea Whale King's trap.

From afar, Lei Jun was about to send a message to Xu Yuanzhen to guide him and Elder Miaokong to provide reinforcement. Suddenly, in the scene presented by the Grand Ultimate Heaven Mirror of the Great Zhou Heaven, they witnessed holes appearing on the surface of Xu Yuanzhen's Great Vehicle Dao Scene.

........................

As Lei Jun was dealing with Shang Nan, Xinxingzi, and Abbot Zong Cuo, Xu Yuanzhen and Shangguan Yunbo finally intercepted Huang Xuanpu.

Although the North Sea Whale King had suddenly appeared to assist Huang Xuanpu, Xu Yuanzhen managed to toss the North Sea Whale King to Shangguan Yunbo, and her Great Vehicle Dao Scene successfully trapped Huang Xuanpu within.

In the dark universe, there were specks of starlight, but they all scattered towards the distance.

In the vast depths of space, light and heat were nowhere to be found, leaving only icy loneliness.

At the center of the universe, the two faced each other from a distance.

One appeared to be in his fifties, with a slender face, long flowing beard, and a celestial aura. He wore a dark green Daoist robe and a headpiece, exuding the bearing of a Daoist master.

The other was a young woman who looked younger than twenty years old. She was petite, dressed in a purple Daoist robe, but her entire body seemed to be enveloped in a black cloak. Her exposed skin was as pale as snow, and her eyes shone with a clear and bright light, reflecting a chilling gleam.

"For anyone else, I would cut off their connection to the Ancient Talisman Sect or sever their lifespan.

Xu Yuanzhen stared at Huang Xuanpu, "But for you, I only plan to kill you."

Huang Xuanpu surveyed his surroundings, his eyes filled with emotion, "The last time I saw the Grand Master of Celestial Master's Mansion's Great Vehicle Dao Scene was three hundred years ago, when Li Zhiyuan was the Grand Master."

He retracted his gaze and looked at himself.

The platinum pure Yang true fire blazed around him, protecting him from the extreme cold of the deep space.

However, these flames were also dissipating into the distant universe.

Within Xu Yuanzhen's Great Vehicle Dao Scene, the enemy's power would gradually wane, and their physical body and soul would be invaded by the bitter cold, unknowingly freezing them within.

Huang Xuanpu remained calm and collected, a serene smile on his face.

If it were eight years ago when he ascended Longhu Mountain, even with his Fourth Layer of the Fourth Heaven cultivation, he wouldn't have been able to prevent the loss of his power due to this Terminus Deep Space. At most, the speed of dissipation would have been slower than others.

Only by manifesting the Yuan Dan and defending with all his might could he suppress the loss.

But eight years later, he no longer had to worry about that.

Huang Xuanpu stood still, and there was no sign of the Yuan Dan manifestation of a Ninth Heaven Daoist master from the Pill and Cauldron Sect.

His body seemed to be enveloped in a layer of colorful halo, faint and gentle.

However, Huang Xuanpu's aura seemed to be completely locked within his body, not leaking out in the slightest.

Even the platinum pure Yang true fire surrounding his body was now tinged with a colorful glow.

Under the halo's protection, even the pure Yang true fire no longer dissipated into the deep space.

Huang Xuanpu presented a perfect and flawless stance.

Without manifesting his Yuan Dan, his entire body seemed like a perfect, translucent pill. His Pill and Cauldron cultivation had reached the pinnacle of the Ninth Heaven.

At this stage, the Yuan Infant cultivation had achieved perfection.

Xu Yuanzhen observed this without any surprise, "I thought it would be difficult to find you, but it turns out you've already achieved the perfection of the Ninth Heaven and the Five Qi Returning to the Yuan."

As she spoke, countless talismans revolved around her, transforming into a starry river that enveloped her, turning her into a towering Dou Mu Star God.

Huang Xuanpu remained calm and said, "I am indeed old, and I have paid a great price for forcibly going against the heavens."

Although he said so, he did not regret it.

As he spoke, his pure Yang true fire no longer dissipated but gathered around his body.

The platinum flames blazed fiercely, giving off a sense of shaking the void.

As time passed, it would inevitably burn a hole in Xu Yuanzhen's Great Vehicle Dao Scene.

But Xu Yuanzhen's figure flickered, and the towering Dou Mu Star God had already reached Huang Xuanpu.

Huang Xuanpu remained composed and raised his hand, pointing at his opponent.

His power and intent were completely condensed, and from the outside, his action seemed ordinary, without any earth-shattering might.

Only Xu Yuanzhen, who was his target, felt as if a vermillion bird had spread its wings and was charging towards her.

It was the Pure Yang Palace's secret martial art, the Vermillion Bird Bright Light Finger.

Xu Yuanzhen remained calm and casually dodged Huang Xuanpu's finger.

Her Wind Riding Talisman, which she had been cultivating since her birth, had now become the Wind Riding Scripture, giving her incredible speed.

This was especially true when she was within her own Great Vehicle Dao Scene.

Huang Xuanpu understood all the true transmissions of the Pure Yang Palace, and his every move was flawless.

Without any warning, the Vermillion Bird Bright Light Finger transformed into the Azure Dragon Soaring Heaven Palm.

Xu Yuanzhen still didn't meet his attack and calmly moved out of the way.

However, a shadow that was neither bright nor dark appeared in her hand.

The shadow penetrated the layers of flames and instantly reached Huang Xuanpu.

Huang Xuanpu's Azure Dragon Soaring Heaven Palm changed into the Black Tortoise Supporting Heaven Fist, slamming onto the shadow.

The shadow finally took form, revealing itself to be Xu Yuanzhen's Li Heng Spear.

The spear was neither black nor white, shrouded in a mysterious light, devoid of bloodlust, but exuding a unique spirituality that reached everywhere and prevailed in every situation.

But today, someone had blocked the Li Heng Spear with their bare hands.

It was Huang Xuanpu, who had achieved the perfection of the Ninth Heaven and the Five Qi Returning to the Yuan.

The Pill and Cauldron cultivators of the Daoist sect used their bodies as a pill furnace and their essence as the elixir, refining their body into a perfect pill. Thus, they were also known as the Internal Elixir sect.

Their cultivation focused on both life and spirit, seeking within themselves, relying less on external objects. Their bodies, both physical and spiritual, were honed to an extremely robust state.

It was commonly acknowledged that aside from the Buddhist monks who practiced asceticism, the Pill and Cauldron cultivators of the Daoist sect and the Buddhist monks who practiced martial arts and body refinement had the toughest physical bodies.

Among them, the Pill and Cauldron cultivators who manifested their perfect pills were second only to the Buddhist monks who practiced asceticism in terms of defense.

However, on the long path of cultivation, there were occasionally a few exceptions.

The Pill and Cauldron cultivators of the Daoist sect reaching the Five Qi Returning to the Yuan stage was one such exceptional node.

At this stage, the Pill and Cauldron cultivators' defensive capabilities were comparable to that of Buddhist monks of the same realm who practiced asceticism. The only difference was that the latter's power could extend to all directions.

And at this moment, this formidable demon was one of Huang Xuanpu's trump cards. It appeared to aid him in evading Xu Yuanzhen and Shangguan Yunbo's pursuit.

Reflecting on the past, one couldn't help but suspect that there was more to the rise of the Thousand Petals Butterfly King back then.

Shangguan Yunbo, armed with the Bandit Subduing Golden Spear, could hold his ground against the demon for a short while.

He intended to help Xu Yuanzhen deal with Huang Xuanpu first.

As a martial artist, his agility in movement gave him the upper hand in advancing and retreating during the battle.

However, the North Sea Whale King's surging demonic power caused the surrounding waves to surge upwards, transforming into white frost that enveloped and trapped Shangguan Yunbo.

If Shangguan Yunbo didn't want to collide with the frost and restrict his movements, he had no choice but to dodge, inadvertently falling into the North Sea Whale King's trap.

From afar, Lei Jun was about to send a message to Xu Yuanzhen to guide him and Elder Miaokong to provide reinforcement. Suddenly, in the scene presented by the Grand Ultimate Heaven Mirror of the Great Zhou Heaven, they witnessed holes appearing on the surface of Xu Yuanzhen's Great Vehicle Dao Scene.

........................

As expected of a Pill and Cauldron cultivator who had achieved the perfection of the Ninth Heaven and the Five Qi Returning to the Yuan. Their defensive capabilities were comparable to that of Buddhist monks who practiced asceticism.

"But against my attacks, it's useless."

Huang Xuanpu's eyes were calm as he looked at Xu Yuanzhen. "The only thing I can't figure out is why you haven't used your talismans yet."

Xu Yuanzhen's expression remained unchanged as she said, "I'm not as strong as you in close combat, so I was planning to use my talismans to fight you. But now, it seems that I don't need to."

Huang Xuanpu smiled faintly and said, "I'm afraid you're underestimating me. Although I'm old, my combat experience is far richer than yours."

As he spoke, his pure Yang true fire surged, and the surrounding temperature rose sharply.

Xu Yuanzhen's expression remained calm as she said, "I've fought countless battles and have experience dealing with all kinds of opponents. I'm not worried about your combat experience at all."

As they spoke, the two of them had already exchanged several moves.

Huang Xuanpu's pure Yang true fire burned fiercely, but it couldn't affect Xu Yuanzhen at all.

Instead, Xu Yuanzhen's starlight talismans revolved around her, forming a starlight barrier that protected her.

Huang Xuanpu's expression remained unchanged as he said, "Your talismans are indeed powerful, but they can't stop my pure Yang true fire from burning through your Great Vehicle Dao Scene."

Xu Yuanzhen smiled faintly and said, "We'll see about that."

As they spoke, the two of them had already exchanged dozens of moves.

Huang Xuanpu's pure Yang true fire burned fiercely, and the surrounding temperature continued to rise.

Xu Yuanzhen's starlight talismans revolved faster and faster, forming a thick barrier that protected her.

However, the barrier was gradually being burned away by Huang Xuanpu's pure Yang true fire.

The ability to manipulate time is the most direct way to harm the Five Qi Returning to the Yuan body of a Dan Ding Sect cultivator.

However, the mysteries of time are profound and elusive, and it is rare for anyone to comprehend even a fraction of it.

Even those at the Ninth Heaven realm would find it challenging to attain profound insight in this aspect.

Yet, at this moment, Xu Yuanzhen's Terminus Deep Space clearly exhibited related changes, affecting Huang Xuanpu's Five Qi Returning to the Yuan body.

In the originally silent and vast universe, Huang Xuanpu heard a gust of wind in his ears, and his eyes beheld a radiant light.

Everything then dissipated into the distance, vanishing without a trace.

In contrast, the rainbow light on his body seemed to flow away with it.

Huang Xuanpu immediately embraced his original spirit and stabilized his body.

But at this moment, Xu Yuanzhen raised her hand.

In her hand appeared a short sword, about a foot long.

Its blade shone like water, like dust drifting on a path or flowing water.

Xu Yuanzhen's sword strike seemed to go against the flow of her Terminus Deep Space.

Only by doing so could she startle Huang Xuanpu.

He tried to stop her, but while his defense was stronger, Xu Yuanzhen was faster.

In this moment, the two opposing forces of time seemed to intertwine and distort.

It was as if two invisible giant hands were grasping the river of time, tearing it with all their might.

Huang Xuanpu, within this river of time, also endured the terrifying force of this tear.

A gap appeared in the rainbow light on his body!

His Five Qi Returning to the Yuan body was now incomplete! Xu Yuanzhen's short sword disappeared like the wind, leaving no trace.

She did not linger for a moment.

In the instant when a slight gap appeared in Huang Xuanpu's Five Qi Returning to the Yuan body, Xu Yuanzhen was already right before him.

The seemingly passive and quiet Xu Yuanzhen now had her power surging.

Amidst the roaring thunder and blazing flames, a purple thunder dragon and a green fire tiger appeared simultaneously.

With the fusion of yin and yang, the purple and green Taiji diagram rotated, manifesting the Dragon-Tiger Strike unique to the Celestial Master's Mansion.

As the fierce light of the Dragon-Tiger Strike struck Huang Xuanpu, Xu Yuanzhen transformed into the Dou Mu Star God, holding the Li Heng Spear and viciously stabbing at him.

The Celestial Master's Mansion's Heaven, Earth, and Man triumvirate of techniques attacked together, their power at its extreme.

The short sword was a one-time consumable, with power that burst out all at once and then quickly dissipated.

Although Huang Xuanpu's Five Qi Returning to the Yuan body was broken, he did not fall from his realm. In just a short moment, he would be able to regroup.

The old Daoist remained calm and composed.

His Danxia Primal Light had weakened due to the disruption of his Five Qi Returning to the Yuan.

However, the Danxia light had already shifted its target to Xu Yuanzhen.

Although it failed to stop Xu Yuanzhen's sword strike, the Danxia light still shot towards her.

Xu Yuanzhen held the Li Heng Spear firmly and stabbed straight at the center of the Danxia light, as if her body was about to be devoured by the destructive rainbow light.

At the same time, her Dragon-Tiger Strike's fierce light also illuminated Huang Xuanpu.

Huang Xuanpu remained calm, his face serene as his fist technique changed once more.

It was still the Pure Yang Mother Fist, but at this moment, the sun entered the Lesser Yin, the Lesser Yin entered the Lesser Yang, and finally, only the Greater Yin remained.

When Yang reached its extreme, everything was reversed.

Pure Yang Mother Fist, Yin Extreme Precious Tripod.

Huang Xuanpu's fist technique seemed to transform his entire body into a giant tripod, protecting himself from Xu Yuanzhen's Dragon-Tiger Strike.

Although his Five Qi Returning to the Yuan was disrupted, Huang Xuanpu had refined the Five Qi and also had the Pure Yang Palace's secret technique to defend himself. It was effortless for him to hold on for a short while.

By then, his Five Qi Returning to the Yuan would have recovered.

But at this moment, a dazzling rainbow light shone before his eyes.

It was his own Danxia Primal Light, the Four Symbols Heavenly Radiance! Dan Spirit Three Qi, Three Lights Smoke and Mist, Solidifying Objects and Preserving Essence... Huang Xuanpu immediately understood the reason.

At the second layer of the Ninth Heaven, a cultivator of the Talisman Sect refines the Dan Spirit Three Qi and the Three Lights Smoke and Mist, gaining the ability to solidify objects and preserve essence.

Although it was limited to the Great Vehicle Dao Scene and could not be used outside or for an extended period, one could use the Three Lights Smoke and Mist to solidify another person's spiritual power or artifact temporarily, preserving it for their own use.

However, this ability had never been effective against the Danxia Primal Light of a Dan Ding Sect cultivator.

Until now, Xu Yuanzhen had broken this convention! It should be impossible to achieve this level of comprehension through natural cultivation... Huang Xuanpu saw a strange talisman hanging in the Terminus Deep Space, burning fiercely and even scorching Xu Yuanzhen's own Great Vehicle Dao Scene.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end