Chapter 362: One Man's Assault on the Sacred Grounds (Part 1)

Chapter 362: One Man's Assault on the Sacred Grounds (Part 1)



The Four-Eyed Serpent Emperor, rooted in the power of the Great Demons, transformed into the Buddhist Hand Seal lineage, achieving enlightenment as a Buddhist manifestation.

Although he had not yet cultivated the Perfect Moon Wheel, his achievement as a Buddhist manifestation focused on both the physical and spiritual aspects, with the Vajra division of the Kongo-kai particularly emphasizing the offensive and defensive capabilities of the Vajra-truth. Thus, his body was exceptionally resilient.

However, at this moment, the purple lightning that fell from the heavens was like a thunderous punishment, making it difficult for the Four-Eyed Serpent Emperor to withstand.

His body was strong and resilient, and his life force was powerful. Even as his body was split in two, he continued to writhe and struggle on the ground.

But the terrifying purple lightning not only blasted his body apart, it also formed a large amount of lightning fire that constantly danced and burned at the wound, continuing to incinerate and explode the flesh of the Four-Eyed Serpent Emperor, relentlessly spreading upwards.

Where his body had split apart, the mountains crumbled and collapsed, and the ground sank downward, forming a deep pit. As the surrounding peaks were erased from the face of the earth, the terrain here was transformed into a deep valley.

At the bottom of the valley, smoke and flames lingered, with purple light still faintly flickering.

The Four-Eyed Serpent Emperor twitched and struggled in pain.

The Vajra Division Master, looking from the side, could clearly see that the purple light was a sword stabbed into the bottom of the valley.

It was none other than the Heavenly Master Sword, the treasured heirloom of Longhu Mountain.

"Two against one?" Tang Xiatang sneered coldly. "Now, what are the numbers?"

As she spoke, she waved her hand, and the Heavenly Master Sword returned to her palm.

Then, with a slash of her sword, she completely slashed apart the heavily wounded Four-Eyed Serpent Emperor, his giant serpent head completely split open.

The former Great Demon of the Nine Heavens, now the Dharma Protector of the Buddhist Nine Heavens, perished on the spot, his body and spirit utterly destroyed.

The Vajra Division Master intended to intercept, but at that moment, a dazzling golden light spread out.

As Tang Xiatang spoke, her Great Vehicle scenery of Pure Yang Pure Land unfolded, and a golden ocean of pure yang instantly swept across the land.

Previously, due to the rescue of the Four-Eyed Serpent Emperor, the Vajra Division Master had rushed forward and drawn near.

Although he was exceptionally powerful, in this situation where he had voluntarily placed himself within reach, it was difficult for him to escape the capture of Tang Xiatang's Pure Yang Pure Land.

A flash of golden light, and a massive golden sphere, as brilliant as the descending sun, enveloped the surrounding void and covered these mountains.

The master of the Vajra Division, Galata, was stuck within the Pure Yang Paradise, the burning Bright Kings (Myoo) flames all over his body resisted the advance of the pure yang true fire and pure yang divine thunder.

Looking at the Heavenly Master Sword in Tang Xiatang's hand, the Vajra Division Master was filled with astonishment and doubt.

Just now, that was unmistakably the path of a flying sword of the Taoist School of Alchemy.

Such power; even among the Great Vehicle high transcendents of the Taoist School of Alchemy in the Nine Heavens, few could achieve this.

The interweaving of lightning and fire, the masculine and domineering nature, clearly indicated that it was not the path of Shushan in the Yellow Springs.

So, was it that incredibly mysterious and unpredictable figure of the Great Tang Shu Mountain, Chen Donglou? But why would the Heavenly Master's Mansion lend the Heavenly Master Sword to Chen Donglou?

Moreover, even if it were a Great Vehicle high transcendent of the Taoist School of Alchemy in the Nine Heavens, capable of traveling a thousand or ten thousand miles with their sword, it should not be like this.

Otherwise, they would have ruled uncontested long ago.

Even with such power, through the perception of qi, it was clear that the Four-Eyed Serpent Emperor had already attained the Dharma body of the Buddhist Nine Heavens. If targeted by a Taoist flying sword, he would have soon become aware, and it would not have been so unprepared.

Even for the perfect Vajra Division Master, Galata, upon sensing the approaching sword light, it was already too late to attempt to intercept or rescue.

Such a flying sword... A subtle glimmer of understanding flickered in the heart of the Vajra Division Master.

But unfortunately, he did not have time to ponder further.

Facing the golden ocean, Tang Xiatang held the sword in her hand, the blade pointing diagonally, "You baldie, neither of us needs to be that so-called Vajra Division Master, from today onwards, your Vajra Division will have no master!"

The middle-aged monk sighed softly, his mind completely calm and his spirit platform serene once more.

Things had come to this, and he spoke no more, instead recalling his dharma bell and setting aside all other thoughts for now.

With a wave of his hand, the Five-Clawed Vajra Pestle fell into his palm, and he calmly faced Tang Xiatang, who held the Heavenly Master Sword.

Outside the Pure Yang Pure Land, Dongda, having been far away, was fortunate to have escaped the capture of Tang Xiatang's Great Vehicle scenery.

He regained his senses and anxiously scanned his surroundings, unsure of which powerful expert had suddenly struck out.

After waiting for a moment, however, the assailant did not reveal themselves.

Dongda was filled with doubt and uncertainty, and although he wanted to assist the Vajra Division Master within the Pure Yang Pure Land, he found himself unable to find an opening.

This high monk of the Sumeru Vajra Division was left in a difficult situation, neither advancing nor retreating, and could only try to contact his fellow sect members for now.

In the extreme distance, in the mountains where Lei Jun was located, the earlier impact of the "flying sword" had likewise left the area in ruins.

In midair, the twelve two-yi heavenly primordial talismans, along with the corresponding thunder law heavenly talismans, the profound sky five thunder talismans, and the heaven-reaching earth-penetrating talismans, had all transformed into streams of light, drifting away with the wind.

Even the heaven-reaching earth-penetrating talismans in Lei Jun's eyes had dimmed at this moment.

The heavenly energy all over his body was extremely low, almost depleted.

Not only that, due to his communion with the heavens and nature, and his manipulation of the elemental yin and yang energies, the surrounding environment's various yin and yang energies, thunderous pure energies, and grand earthen magnetic forces had also been temporarily emptied.

That earlier sword strike, regardless of distance or power, was the strongest strike of his life.

Strictly speaking, in terms of conversion of heavenly energy, the cost-effectiveness was somewhat low, with much of the spiritual and heavenly energy being expended during the mid-flight of the Heavenly Master Sword.

But from the perspective of the intended goal and the final result, all this expenditure was worthwhile.

The last time, at the East Sea, when he had used a flying sword to slash that heavenly principle cultivator, it had been Lei Jun at the Eight Heavens slashing down an opponent at the Seven Heavens.

This time, however, the Four-Eyed Serpent Emperor, a Dharma body of the Buddhist Nine Heavens, had been blasted apart by a single sword strike.

There was no waste of Tang Xiatang's effort in restraining herself and engaging in a protracted struggle as the giant serpent coiled around the Pure Yang Vessel.

While the Four-Eyed Serpent Emperor had indeed immobilized Tang Xiatang and the Pure Yang Vessel, he had likewise immobilized himself, losing his last opportunity to shift and evade.

Lei Jun's heavenly energy had been greatly depleted, but he seized the moment and wasted no time.

Taking out a glossy white jade from the miniature pouch given by his junior brother, Chu Kun, he held it in his palm, rapidly absorbing the spiritual energy within while his other hand instinctively channeled the power of the dark side of the heavenly tome to clean up the scene.

Lei Jun's Two-Yi Immortal Body naturally recovered heavenly energy at a faster rate, and with the additional spiritual energy absorbed from the glossy white jade, his depleted heavenly energy rapidly recovered.

Lei Jun's current cultivation, divine abilities, and heavenly energy far surpassed those of Chu Kun.

Chu Kun's own treasures accumulated for the recovery of heavenly energy could hardly keep up with Lei Jun's expenditure.

For Tang Xiatang, it was the same situation.

Thus, the miniature pouch he had given Lei Jun on this trip contained another of his cherished possessions.

As he traveled westward, Lei Jun could sense the increasing upheaval within the borders of the Tang Dynasty. The very fabric of the mountains and rivers seemed to be undergoing a massive shift.

The battle in Cloud State had clearly reached its climax. Outside of Cloud State, whether it was Tang cultivators or warriors from the Eagle Khanate, all were fixated on the events unfolding.

Suddenly, the white light that manifested the landscape stilled.

Beyond Cloud State, the land of the Great Tang still trembled, but the white light that enveloped Cloud State began to dissipate.

Tang cultivators and the Eagle warriors alike moved towards Cloud State without hesitation.

Chu Yu and the others, who had been waiting outside the radius of the white light, were the first to enter the state's borders.

"The damage and fallout don't seem as severe as we anticipated," Chu Yu observed.

Soon, Chu Yu and his companions encountered a group of Tang cultivators. These people were the ones who had previously withdrawn from the Yin Mountain defensive line along the central route, led by Ning Ru, the abbot of Xuan Tian Temple.

"The mercy of the Buddha," Abbot Ning Ru said as he turned towards the direction of Xuan Tian Mountain. "His Holiness has decreed that we spread out to protect the people of Cloud State from the war's fallout. As for the current situation at Xuan Tian Mountain, even I am unaware."

Chu Yu replied, "Thank you, Abbot, for your efforts. We shall all follow His Majesty's orders."

After bidding farewell to Abbot Ning Ru and the others, Chu Yu made her way to Xuan Tian Mountain first.

To be precise, there was no longer a Xuan Tian Mountain in existence.

Standing amidst the ruins was a solitary figure, striking and majestic.

Clad in a simple robe, this person's beauty and grace were undeniable, and their gaze was profound and serene.

It was none other than the current Tang Empress, Zhang Wantong.

Her complexion was pale, devoid of the rosy hue that usually graced her cheeks.

"Your Majesty," Chu Yu said as she approached.

Empress Zhang turned towards Chu Yu and asked, "How are the preparations in Chang'an?"

Chu Yu replied, "As Your Majesty predicted, with the shift in the earth's energy and the further westward movement of the land's dragon veins, the energy has become more concentrated in the old western capital. Master Sun has already made the necessary arrangements in Chang'an and awaits Your Majesty's arrival."

The Empress nodded slightly, "Mm, what of the Sumeru Vajra Division?"

"Just now, I received a message from Master Lei," Chu Yu said. "The Vajra Division Master has appeared, and the National Teacher is currently engaging him. Master Lei is also west of the Great River, so with them there, there should be no cause for concern. The Grand Princess and the others are also prepared and will be departing for the Western Regions soon."

"Very well, let us make our way to Chang'an," Empress Zhang said. "We shall leave the conclusion of the battle in the north to Xue Ting and the others."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Chu Yu replied.

The Empress gestured, and the five massive heads that had been placed beside her floated into the air, hovering before Chu Yu.

Two of them were particularly enormous, their sheer size resembling boulders.

One belonged to the Bear King of the Snowy Country, a massive bear-like creature that once wreaked havoc along the northern borders of the Tang Dynasty. Its solitary eye was now a bloody mess, just like the gaping wound on its thick neck, dried and turned black.

The other head, no less impressive in size compared to the Bear King's, belonged to a gigantic eagle.

The National Beast of the Lone Eagle Khanate, known as the Sky God Eagle, Huhe Chagai, had once been a formidable foe, akin to a human expert of the Ninth Heaven.

Its strength surpassed that of the Snow Country Bear King. Even with the Bear King now subdued, the Sky God Eagle's status in the Lone Eagle Khanate remained unshaken.

However, at this moment, the majestic wings that once blotted out the sky and the massive body had vanished without a trace.

Only the enormous eagle's head remained, its once sharp eyes now devoid of their former brilliance.

Compared to the bear and eagle heads, the remaining three were much smaller, their former owners being human cultivators.

One of them was a middle-aged man with an ethnic hairstyle, his face a mix of shock and fury, but the spark in his eyes had faded.

Chu Yu recognized him from his portrait; he was none other than the leader of the Sunset Tribe, Bemoke, who had led the second invasion of the Great Tang by the foreign races.

Most of the Sunset Tribe members had been wiped out during the invasion, and only Bemoke had managed to escape.

It was because of this brute that, with the help of the Sumeru Vajra Division, the Lone Eagle Khanate was able to reopen the void passage to the mortal realm of the Great Tang.

The next human expert's head belonged to a monk.

Chu Yu was very familiar with him, having interacted with him on numerous occasions.

He was Jia Sheng, a Ninth Heaven Buddhist master from the Sumeru Vajra Division.

During the Guanlong Demon Rebellion and the chaos caused by the Nine Li tribes of the Southern Wasteland, Jia Sheng had also lent his strength to the Great Tang Dynasty.

But this time, he had aided the Lone Eagle Khanate in their invasion of the Great Tang's mortal realm.

The unpredictability of life and the fickleness of human hearts were truly astonishing.

Chu Yu was relatively unfamiliar with the last human expert's head, but even in death, his features remained vivid, and even the resolute and fierce spark in his eyes seemed to reflect a refusal to die. Only a Ninth Heaven Human Immortal Martial Sage could possess such a phenomenon, and his identity was easily discerned.

He was none other than the top expert of the Lone Eagle Khanate, Khan Harge.

However, despite his lifelike appearance, he was truly dead, his head severed from his body.

Including him, all five of the Ninth Heaven experts in the Cloud State region had now lost their lives.

Moreover, countless foreign race experts below the Ninth Heaven, including Khan Harge's personal guards and escorts, the elite heavy cavalry of the Lone Eagle Khanate, their numerous mounted troops, as well as cultivators and warriors, regardless of their cultivation levels, had completely disappeared without a trace.

Not even their bones remained.

Only scattered pieces of armor and bloodstains bore witness to their existence.

An entire army had been reduced to dust.

Including Khan Harge, a Ninth Heaven Human Immortal Martial Sage, they had not only lost the battle but had been utterly annihilated, with not a single survivor.

"In Shu Mountain, Zhang Qing passed away, and now it's handled by Ji Chuan, Ji Qingjia, right?" The Empress inquired of Chu Yu.

Chu Yu replied, "Elder Xu Duanxu is leading the second batch of disciples over."

The Empress extended her hand, and a sword emitting a green light appeared. "In that case, give this sword to the Shu Mountain Sect's Xu Qingjia."

Chu Yu took the Shu Mountain treasure, which had been lost due to Zhang Dongyuan's death. "I will accompany Your Majesty to Chang'an, and I will immediately inform Elder Xu and the other Daoists of Shu Mountain about the Qingming Sword."

The Empress nodded slightly.

Soon, news of the battle in Cloud State spread far and wide.

The heads of Harge, Jia Sheng, Bemoke, the Sky God Eagle, and the Snow Country Bear King were displayed at the front lines.

The people of the Lone Eagle Khanate were stunned, as if they had been struck by lightning.

Even the Great Tang cultivators, while elated, were astonished by the sudden turn of events.

The majority of them had not anticipated such a drastic shift in the situation, with the tables completely turned on their opponents.

The chilling north wind that had blown since the collapse of the Yin Mountain defense line suddenly vanished without a trace.

The people of the Lone Eagle Khanate were utterly bewildered and struggled to accept the reality of their defeat.

Those who came to terms with their loss felt a bone-chilling coldness in their hearts.

Some vicious and violent individuals were further enraged, charging at the Great Tang camp in an attempt to retrieve Khan Harge's head and take revenge.

However, another portion of the group lost their fighting spirit and fell into disarray.

Amidst the turmoil, the remaining forces of the Lone Eagle Khanate struggled to unite.

Initially, the Great Tang cultivators were more shocked than pleased by the victory.

Aside from the early days of her reign when she defeated the Ninth Heaven sea monster, Haiwang Ju, in the East Sea, Empress Zhang Wantong had rarely shown her prowess in the following decades.

Taking down Guan Jing, an Eighth Heaven human expert, seemed effortless for her, and it was challenging to gauge her actual progress.

As such, the Great Tang cultivators were unsure of the Empress's current strength.

Most speculated that with the blessing of the country's fortune, the Empress, despite facing multiple foes, had a certain level of assurance due to her advantage in geography.

However, no one expected that the outcome would be the complete annihilation of the enemy, starting with Khan Harge.

Not only had Khan Harge, a Martial Sage at the peak of the Ninth Heaven Human Immortal stage, been defeated, but he had also failed to escape and met his end in Cloud State.

At this moment, however, the Great Tang cultivators' emotions shifted from being more shocked than pleased to being more pleased than shocked.

Their morale soared, and they seized the opportunity to counterattack the disorganized and internally conflicted remnants of the Lone Eagle Khanate.

Although the enemy still had a considerable number of troops, the final outcome of the battle was no longer in question.

The Lone Eagle Khanate forces suffered repeated defeats, incurring heavy casualties as they retreated north to the Yin Mountain line, unable to halt their decline.

…………………

In the Western Regions, at the entrance of the Vajra Temple (Kingaso) monastery, a cyan light expanded, turning into a boundlessly huge Amusement Park, pristine and whole, evoking a sense of tranquility and happiness in all who saw it.

Inside the temple, Kongbo, Gela, and other high monks of the Diamond Temple lineage, along with the rest of the monastic community, chanted scriptures silently.

Outside the temple, in the distant horizon, Lei Jun observed everything from under the protection of the Eight Scenes Treasure Cloak.

In his right hand, he held a silver cone, his left hand gently caressing it.

"There's indeed something unique about it..." Lei Jun nodded slightly.

The silver cone left by his senior martial sister, Xu Yuanzhen, had been carefully nurtured and refined by Lei Jun, and he had long since comprehended its mysteries.

His current admiration was directed at the Joyful Land that manifested after the defensive formation of Kongo Temple had reached its peak.

Despite their opposing stances, Lei Jun recognized the uniqueness and subtlety of the Kongguangsi (Golden Temple) sect's teachings.

With his exceptional eyesight and comprehension, he could observe the wonders of the Joyful Land more clearly than most.

At the same time, he took this opportunity to make the final adjustments to the silver cone.

Due to time constraints, he couldn't achieve absolute perfection, but he did his best.

Chapter 364: The Vajra Temple's Calamity

Lei Jun pointed towards the distant Joyful Land with the silver cone in his hand.

The tip of the cone emitted a beam of silver light, striking the heart of the Joyful Land, which appeared fragile and translucent, enveloped in a green glow as if it were delicate porcelain.

However, under the manifestation of Acu Buddha's shadow, the green light that enveloped the Joyful Land was as sturdy and indestructible as vajra, a timeless and eternal truth, impervious to destruction and calamity, surpassing all earthly metals in its resilience.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end