Chapter 361: Lei Jun's Sword (Part 1)

Chapter 361: Lei Jun's Sword (Part 1)



Lei Jun's thunderous might swept across the land, leaving none untouched. The solitary eagle warriors of the Khanate and disciples of Three Springs Palace who could not dodge in time were crushed by the intersecting walls of yin and yang lightning, their blood and flesh torn asunder.

Those with higher cultivation, who were not instantly killed, were nonetheless overwhelmed by the rampant lightning surging along the walls, trapping them with no escape in sight.

General Xu Ri of the Khanate witnessed this terrifying display from afar, his brave heart chilled to the core.

"Are these the capabilities of an Eighth Tier cultivator?" he wondered aloud.

Rumors had reached his ears of how Mi Han of the Setting Sun Department, who had achieved perfection in the Eighth Tier, met his end at the hands of a Taoist from this very realm.

The monks of the Sumeru Vajra Department had provided the Khanate with a portrait of this generation's Grand Master of Taoism in the Great Tang.

Prior to this encounter, many brave warriors of the Khanate had wished to test the mettle of this Grand Master. But now, witnessing Lei Jun's display of power, Xu Ri's mind was filled with an ancient Han proverb:

"Hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing it once."

"A true master lives up to their reputation."

Whether it was in the realm of the Khanate or here in the Great Tang, Xu Ri had never encountered such a formidable figure.

He had not witnessed the splendor of his Khan, Harger, at the height of his Eighth Tier cultivation, but he had seen the might of the Khanate's other two Martial Saints, Da Tun Ba Ri and Bo Mu Ge, at their Eighth Tier peaks. He had even witnessed the clashes of Zhao You'an, the head of Three Springs Palace, when he had reached the Eighth Tier.

Xu Ri was certain that regardless of whether it was Da Tun Ba Ri, Bo Mu Ge, or Zhao You'an, none of them possessed the divine powers that this Taoist before him now held.

On the western front, Mingfei of the Sumeru Lotus Department, whose cultivation had reached the Ninth Tier of the Buddhist path, was hard-pressed by Zhang Junhai, the King of Changshan of the Great Tang.

But at this moment, regardless of whether it was Mingfei, who was faltering, or Zhang Junhai, who had the upper hand, their attention was partly drawn to the distant, towering, and elongated wall that moved forward, a wall of thunder and lightning.

Not just them, but all cultivators of the Great Tang and foreign races alike, near and far, were transfixed by this sight.

As the wall marched forward, seemingly at an unhurried pace yet unrelenting, Mingfei's heart sank.

Earlier, despite the dire situation, she had managed to hold her own against Zhang Junhai.

But now, she dared not hesitate any longer.

Within the illusory Buddhist pagoda constructed from Buddhist light, Mingfei suddenly disregarded the threat of Zhang Junhai's sword, dancing gracefully of her own volition.

A crimson lotus blossomed within the Buddhist light, enveloping Mingfei.

Zhang Junhai's sword struck the crimson lotus, yet it could not pierce through.

"At least a Ninth Tier Buddhist cultivator..." Zhang Junhai's heart stirred.

The crimson lotus, after bearing the brunt of the sword strike, did not shatter. Instead, it ignited, burning with a weave of crimson and pale gold hues. In the blink of an eye, the lotus was reduced to ashes, yet Mingfei, who had been at its center, had also vanished from her original spot.

When she reappeared, she had successfully distanced herself from Zhang Junhai and the wall of thunder and lightning.

Having expended her most precious lifesaving means, Mingfei did not feel any regret, only relief at her decisive action.

Zhang Junhai's pursuit was hindered as he was momentarily blocked by the burning crimson lotus, unable to keep up with Mingfei's escape.

Though he felt slightly disappointed, Zhang Junhai understood that the balance of battle on this western front had been broken, and from here on, the Great Tang would gain the upper hand.

The King of Changshan, Zhang Junhai, glanced once more at the approaching wall of thunder and lightning before turning his sword towards other warriors of the Khanate.

On the other side, the only one who could possibly help stabilize the Khanate's crumbling formation, Zhao You'an, a Ninth Tier Grand Vehicle Golden Core cultivator, gazed upon the majestic and stately "Great Wall" with a solemn expression.

Though they followed different paths of cultivation, as fellow inheritors of the Taoist tradition, Zhao You'an's connection to Lei Jun ran deeper.

"The Taoist Talisman sect is indeed formidable in this realm." Zhao You'an's thoughts ran deep.

He shook his head gently, letting out a sigh as he began to retreat along with the others.

The Grand Master of Dragon and Tiger Mountain in the Great Tang, regardless of whether it was his previous record of slaying Mi Han and Zhuo Le, or the divine powers he now displayed, was to be treated as a Ninth Tier Grand Vehicle Golden Core cultivator.

Furthermore, he posed a greater threat than Xiao Xueling, the bearer of the Mountain and River Sword.

According to the information provided by the Sumeru Vajra Department, the Grand Master's Mansion in this realm possessed the Three Treasures of Taoism.

Moreover, if Zhao You'an were to engage Lei Jun in battle, Xiao Xueling would be free to unleash carnage.

The western front could no longer be held, and preserving their strength would be considered a victory.

Everything now rested upon the Khan, Harger, breaking through the cultivation of the Tang Emperor in the Cloud State.

The Tang Emperor's means were beyond expectation, yet they also isolated Lei Jun, Xiao Xueling, and other Great Tang cultivators, preventing their assistance.

"...Is this a display of confidence?" A shadow crossed Zhao You'an's heart.

Lei Jun stood atop the wall of his conjuring, made from the interplay of thunder and lightning, his breath steady as he channeled his cultivation. The spiritual energies of his Two Extremities Divine Body continuously cycled through his meridians, drawing upon the essence of thunder and lightning in the heavens and earth, guiding the forces of the Nine Heavens Thunder and the Xuan Xiao Celestial Thunder, ultimately merging them with the Yin and Yang Thunder to sustain the lengthy wall's progression northward.

"Senior Brother, can you maintain this spell?" Chu Kun stood by his side, protecting him.

"If I focus solely on this, it can be sustained," Lei Jun replied, his voice reaching only Chu Kun's ears as he manipulated his cultivation. "Later, when I leave, the talismans' power will swiftly be exhausted. But Third Junior Brother, I need you to maintain this wall for a while longer, and soon after, inform General Xiao, Senior Sister Zhang, the King of Changshan, and Friend Yu of my departure. Only share this limited information with them."

Chu Kun understood his senior brother's intentions: "Senior Brother, are you wary of the Master of the Vajra Department?"

While this wall of thunder and lightning served as both an offensive and defensive measure, as well as allowing Lei Jun to keep an eye on the other Great Tang cultivators, it was indeed quite taxing on his spiritual energies.

With Lei Jun's capabilities, he did not necessarily have to resort to this method.

"Second Senior Brother, this battle is of great significance, filled with twists and turns. The Khanate and the Sumeru Vajra Department are not to be underestimated, so we must remain vigilant," Chu Kun advised after a moment's thought, handing Lei Jun a shrunken image talisman.

Lei Jun recognized that this was not one of Chu Kun's commonly used talismans. Without any hesitation or pleasantries, he accepted it and stored it away. "You all must also be careful."

Lei Jun passed on the Thunder Law Talisman Spell and the Xuan Xiao Five Thunders Spell to Chu Kun, imparting some of the intricacies involved.

Chu Kun's gaze remained calm as he listened intently, his heart serene as he committed the teachings to memory.

Although the spells Lei Jun imparted were profound and abstruse, Chu Kun soon nodded, understanding the essence. "I will do my best to sustain it for a while.

"Enough to sustain it for a while. There's no need to force it," Lei Jun said.

Shielded by the Taqing Bajing treasure cloak, his figure seemed to disappear into the air as he bade farewell to his fellow sect members.

However, the elongated wall of rumbling thunder and crackling lightning continued its steady advance, marching northward along the eastern bank of the grand river, seemingly intent on pushing all the way back to the Yin Mountains.

Privately, the high-ranking members of the Great Tang, including Xiao Xuetin, Zhang Junhai, and others, had already received word from Chu Kun about Lei Jun's discreet departure.

Maintaining their composure, Zhang Junhai and the others appeared nonchalant, their counterattack still fierce and relentless, exuding an aura of wild determination to reclaim the Yin Mountains.

The warriors of the Lonely Eagle Khanate regrouped and scattered, their movements led by high-level cultivators like Zhao You'an and Xu Ri, who managed to keep their forces from disintegrating.

While most of the Khanate's troops maintained their formation, some intended to disperse and launch guerrilla attacks on various borders of the Great Tang.

At this moment, diverging opinions began to surface among the Khanate's high-ranking members.

Some advocated for stabilizing their position first, awaiting the decisive outcome of their Khan Harger's campaign in Cloud State.

Others proposed to disperse entirely, wreaking havoc on the northern borders of the Great Tang with guerrilla tactics.

On the western front, the highest-level cultivator among the Khanate forces was Zhao You'an, a Ninth Tier Grand Vehicle Golden Core cultivator, who also held a high position within the Khanate, akin to a Grand Mentor.

However, as an outsider to their tribe, his influence on decisions wavered in moments like these.

The Great Tang was also vigilant against the possibility of such guerrilla attacks, taking precautions to safeguard their northern borders.

With the collapse of the Yin Mountains defense line, reinforcements were steadily streaming northward from various reserves, ensuring a continuous flow of fresh troops.

Although Fang Jingsheng, Ye Moquan, and others had yet to make their move, elders of the world's families like Fang Du and Chu Peng, along with patriarchs of various sects like Ye Dongming and Miao Kong, had already led the elite forces of their clans and sects respectively, forming the second wave of reinforcements heading north.

Fang Huansheng, Lu Zhen, and others, who had withdrawn from the central route in Cloud State, were also deployed to fill the gaps in the eastern and western fronts respectively.

The tide of battle, which had turned against the Great Tang after the collapse of the Yin Mountains defense line, was now being pushed back with increasing momentum.

......

In the desolate northern wilderness, Mount Beiyan stood tall.

Once upon a time, it served as one of the lairs of the Great Demon, Chang Tian Canglang.

Later, the Snow Country's Bear King ventured far and wide, only to encounter the Martial Saint of the Khanate, Ba Mu Ge, who, with the aid of the Buddhist rituals of the Sumeru Vajra Department, connected this realm of the Great Tang to the human world of the Snow Country.

Countless Buddhist cultivators from the Snow Country crossed over, most of them heading south in a disciplined formation.

A small contingent remained behind at Mount Beiyan, guarding the spatial passage connecting the two realms.

The Khanate's forces were not concerned about their lines of retreat being cut off.

On one hand, they were confident in their strength.

On the other hand, they were experienced in waging campaigns that sustained their warfare.

However, when it came to the spiritual beasts ridden by their mounted warriors, the Khanate's logistics were primarily focused on the "mounts".

Not just the massive herds of Yellow Dragon and Green Dragon Howling Winds, but also a variety of other exotic beasts like the Wind-Thunder Hawks, each of which posed unique challenges in terms of sustenance and management.

While both the martial artists and the Daoist cultivators of the Daoist Dan Ding Sect were self-sufficient in their abilities, rarely relying on external artifacts, their proficiency did not extend to the creation of such artifacts.

Over the years of constant warfare, the Khanate had accumulated some resources in this regard, albeit limited.

Within the Khan's city, there were also a small number of Daoist Artifact Forge Sect cultivators and Confucian Textual Sect cultivators.

Their numbers were scarce, but they could still manage to scrape by.

For the mounted warriors of the Khanate, the true concern regarding logistics lay in the "mounts" they rode...

The mounted warriors of the Khanate, whether they followed the cavalry route or the heavy cavalry route, shared a common trait—their spiritual beasts were slightly inferior to them in terms of cultivation.

Generally, only the exceptional individuals among the Khanate's warriors, like Harger, Da Tun Ba Ri, Ulan Qiqige, and Nuomin Ge Rile, could tame and subjugate spiritual beasts whose cultivation levels were comparable to their own.

The rest of the mounted warriors had to make do with spiritual beasts whose cultivation levels were slightly inferior to their own, a concession that made them more vulnerable when facing powerful opponents.

When under attack, the spiritual beasts, with their larger frames, became easier targets, and their slightly inferior cultivation made them more susceptible to falling in battle.

The Khanate's warriors left behind at Mount Beiyan were tasked with the rear-area logistics of guiding the spiritual beasts that had crossed over from the Khanate's realm to this side of the Great Tang's realm.

These spiritual beasts were already domesticated, and after a brief period of adaptation to the local spiritual energy, they would be sent southward to rejoin the main force.

The Khanate's forces were accustomed to such procedures, having refined them through countless battles.

On the other side of Mount Beiyan, the wilderness was scarred with deep furrows and cracks, remnants of the earlier clash between the Khan of the Lonely Eagle Khanate, Harger, and the Snow Country's Bear King upon his arrival in the Great Tang's realm.

To the Khanate's forces, these scars were a testament to the might of their Khan.

However, within those cracks and crevices, a group of figures moved swiftly and silently.

One of them suddenly came to a halt, signaling the others to find cover behind rocks.

High above, in the sky that resembled a deep gorge, a tiny black dot flew past.

Although it paled in comparison to the majestic Sky Guardian Eagle of the Khan Harger, the Khanate's warriors left at Mount Beiyan still employed spirit eagles to patrol the skies and maintain vigilance.

The black dot in the sky did not descend into the gorge-like valley, but sharp eyes still discerned the landscape below, sweeping across multiple locations.

However, those below had anticipated this, and each of them remained hidden, their vital signs subdued.

The black dot flew past without pausing to circle.

The people in the valley exchanged glances, each nodding slightly.

"Thank you, Elder Yang," said a tall figure, his voice clear and his eyes bright like white lightning, without being overbearing.

It was Shen Quibing, a formidable martial artist who had achieved the Eighth Heaven Fiery Sun realm and was now counted among the few elite generals of the Great Tang's Divine Strategy Army.

He was accompanied by a group of individuals, not a large number, but each one exuded strength and vitality, all exceptional warriors. Apart from Shen Quibing, there were others who had attained the Upper Three Heavens.

Among them was a man with tanned skin, dressed in traditional South Wilderness attire. He was the only cultivator outside of the martial path, and the sole representative of the South Wilderness' Witch Gate.

Elder Yang Haolong of the Reincarnation Abyss.

Earlier, it was he who had signaled for everyone to halt and conceal themselves, avoiding detection by the eagle above.

In the past, the Great Tang court had organized to seal off the void gateway leading to the Underworld in the South Wilderness.

For both the Great Tang and the Witch Gate, it removed a significant threat.

However, without external enemies, the Great Tang court's infiltration into the South Wilderness continued, and as the local power, the Witch Gate naturally remained vigilant.

Subsequently, with the mediation of the Celestial Master of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, the two sides refrained from escalating the bloodshed into an all-out war, and the South Wilderness was allowed to recover and develop, reducing the conflicts significantly.

The Great Tang court also adopted a restrained attitude towards expanding southward into the South Wilderness.

The South Wilderness Witch Gate still held reservations about the Great Tang court's intentions, but in return for their assistance, Celestial Master mediated and guaranteed their safety. During this invasion by the Lone Eagle Khanate, a few low and mid-level Witch Gate cultivators had begun to journey northward, a sign of gradual improvement in relations.

Shen Quibing and his companions had already received word from Chu Kun about Lei Jun's discreet departure.

Currently, they maintained their composure, appearing nonchalant, their counterattack still fierce and relentless, exuding an aura of wild determination to reclaim the Yin Mountains.

The warriors of the Lone Eagle Khanate regrouped and scattered, their movements led by high-level cultivators like Zhao You'an and Xu Ri, who managed to prevent their forces from disintegrating.

While most of the Khanate's troops maintained their formation, some intended to disperse and launch guerrilla attacks on various borders of the Great Tang.

At this moment, diverging opinions began to surface among the Khanate's high-ranking members.

Some advocated for stabilizing their position first, awaiting the decisive outcome of their Khan Harger's campaign in Cloud State.

Others proposed a complete dispersion, wreaking havoc on the northern borders of the Great Tang with guerrilla tactics.

On the western front, the highest-level cultivator among the Khanate forces was Zhao You'an, a Ninth Tier Grand Vehicle Golden Core cultivator, who also held a high position within the Khanate, akin to a Grand Mentor.

However, as an outsider to their tribe, his influence on decisions wavered in moments like these.

The Great Tang was also vigilant against the possibility of such guerrilla attacks, taking precautions to safeguard their northern borders.

With the collapse of the Yin Mountains defense line, reinforcements were steadily streaming northward from various reserves, ensuring a continuous flow of fresh troops.

Although Fang Jingsheng, Ye Moquan, and others had yet to make their move, elders of the world's families like Fang Du and Chu Peng, along with patriarchs of various sects, had already led the elite forces of their clans and sects respectively, forming the second wave of reinforcements heading north.

Fang Huansheng, Lu Zhen, and others, who had withdrawn from the central route in Cloud State, were also deployed to fill the gaps in the eastern and western fronts respectively.

The tide of battle, which had turned against the Great Tang after the collapse of the Yin Mountains defense line, was now being pushed back with increasing momentum.

...

In the desolate northern wilderness, Mount Beiyan stood tall.

Once upon a time, it served as one of the lairs of the Great Demon, Chang Tian Canglang.

Later, the Snow Country's Bear King ventured far and wide, only to encounter the Martial Saint of the Khanate, Ba Mu Ge, who, with the aid of the Buddhist rituals of the Sumeru Vajra Department, connected this realm of the Great Tang to the human world of the Snow Country.

Countless Buddhist cultivators from the Snow Country crossed over, most of them heading south in a disciplined formation.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end