Chapter 440: 439. The Great Tang Celestial Master Slays the Han Celestial Master (Part 1)

Chapter 440: 439. The Great Tang Celestial Master Slays the Han Celestial Master (Part 1)



Xu Yuanzhen ascended to the heavens.

Lei Jun did not join him.

He remained on Earth, manipulating the twelve talismans he had previously left at the original site of Han Longhu Mountain. They transformed into twelve pillars of light that surrounded the ancestral court of Han Longhu Mountain and immobilized the Dragon and Tiger Sect's altar nestled within the mountains.

With the Dragon and Tiger Sect's altar sealed, not only could Ji Daocheng not use the power of the mountain-guarding grand array to disrupt Xu Yuanzhen's previous arrangements on Earth, but even Han Longhu Mountain itself became unstable.

At this moment, he was even less capable of repeating his previous feat of causing the main peak of Han Longhu Mountain to rise and hide within the Taiqing Duren Cave Heaven.

The methods of Xu Yuanzhen and Lei Jun, the two masters of the Great Tang lineage of Longhu Mountain, were not only formidable but also cunning.

Although the two parties did not form an alliance, their respective plans did not interfere with each other, and each played out effectively.

More importantly, they had managed to keep Ji Daocheng in the dark until now.

It was only when Xu Yuanzhen and Lei Jun successively activated their rituals that Ji Daocheng realized he had fallen into their trap—a trap within a trap.

The Han Celestial Master was so frustrated that he felt like spitting blood.

Simultaneously, his heart sank even further.

After years of quiet cultivation in the Taiqing Duren Cave Heaven, he had successfully reached the pinnacle of the Ninth Heaven of the Daoist Talisman Sect's Great Vehicle Realm. He attained the state of Five Qi Returning to Mystery and ascended the Bridge of Comprehending the Profound.

Leading the entire Han Longhu Mountain lineage to evade Xu Yuanzhen and the Great Tang Celestial Master's Mansion had not hindered Ji Daocheng's progress.

With the help of the Primordial Heaven Old Ancestor, his cultivation had indeed advanced further. This made him the fourth cultivator in the contemporary Han world to attain the perfection of the Ninth Heaven, aside from Han Emperor Xiang Chengyuan, Han Crown Prince Xiang Jing, and Dongyang Mountain Man Wang Xu.

In terms of cultivation realm, he even surpassed Mu Weizi, Jiang Nan, and others personally taught by the Primordial Heaven Old Ancestor at Kunlun Mountain.

Yet, in his return to the Han world, he had suffered consecutive setbacks at the hands of Xu Yuanzhen and Lei Jun.

It would be acceptable if it were only Xu Yuanzhen, another cultivator at the perfection of the Ninth Heaven.

But clearly, Lei Jun had not yet reached the state of Five Qi Returning to Mystery.

Despite this, the talismans and rituals he had secretly set up had escaped Ji Daocheng's notice.

This gave rise to a sense of wariness and caution in Ji Daocheng's heart.

Messages from the Great Tang world indicated that Xu Yuanzhen's enlightenment might be of a natural level, emulating nature, and approaching the Dao.

Even though they were both cultivators at the perfection of the Ninth Heaven, there was an objective gap between Ji Daocheng and Xu Yuanzhen in their grasp of the intricacies of the Dao, divine abilities, talismans, and rituals.

As for Lei Jun, there were also quite a few speculations circulating in the Great Tang world.

Now it seemed that this person was indeed no ordinary figure.

If it were any other time, Ji Daocheng would have tried to stall and slowly engage Lei Jun in a protracted battle, waiting for further instructions from the Primordial Heaven Old Ancestor.

But at this moment, he had lost contact with the Primordial Heaven Old Ancestor in the endless void above the sky canopy.

He could no longer receive the teachings and instructions of his ancestor.

Above, the sky canopy shone with countless flickering lights, constantly trembling.

Yet, the Han Longhu Mountain lineage remained unable to re-establish communication with their ancestor.

Faced with this situation, Ji Daocheng dared not slack off. He could only focus all his attention on facing Lei Jun, who was before him.

All the wariness and concerns in Ji Daocheng's heart were temporarily suppressed, leaving only a calm mind.

With the Dragon and Tiger Sect's altar restrained, the mountain-guarding grand array could not be operated with ease.

However, as Ji Daocheng stood within the altar, he formed an incantation with both hands and held it before his chest.

Thus, eleven globes of light appeared, floating around his body.

Within each globe was a suspended talisman.

These talismans were not condensed from Ji Daocheng's own divine abilities and spiritual power but were bestowed by the Primordial Heaven Old Ancestor above.

Although the might they could unleash was not equivalent to the Primordial Heaven Old Ancestor's personal intervention, they far surpassed ordinary magical treasures, artifacts, or divine abilities and talismans.

They were the Three Caverns and Twelve Upper True Talismans, the treasured legacies of Han Longhu Mountain passed down through the generations.

Without the Three Treasures of the Celestial Master—the Celestial Master's Seal, Sword, and Robe—these Three Caverns and Twelve Upper True Talismans were their mountain-securing treasures.

At this moment, eleven of the talismans were present, with only one having been taken away by Pan Hailin, or Han Crown Prince Xiang Jing.

The eleven talismans flashed with light, attempting to stabilize the Dragon and Tiger Sect's altar.

However, the twelve pillars of light concentrated on the altar, and their radiance quickly condensed into twelve profound talismans.

These profound talismans seemed to correspond to the Three Caverns and Twelve Upper True Talismans of Han Longhu Mountain, specifically designed to counter them.

Although they could not seal away the Three Caverns and Twelve Upper True Talismans, they interfered with their connection to the Dragon and Tiger Sect's altar.

Seeing this, Ji Daocheng secretly acknowledged that Lei Jun was indeed no ordinary foe.

However, he remained calm.

With one hand, Ji Daocheng maintained the incantation before his chest, stabilizing the grand array.

With the other hand, he changed the incantation and pointed into the air.

The direction he pointed toward seemed to have nothing there, and there were no apparent changes.

However, on a remote island in the East China Sea, far from the ancestral court of Han Longhu Mountain, an ordinary-looking deserted island suddenly shook.

During this period, Kang Ming and other high-ranking members of the Yellow Heaven's Way had been hiding on this deserted island, keeping a low profile to lie low and avoid the storm. While they were concerned about the changing external situation, they also worked on improving their cultivation.

Everything had been peaceful, as if the turmoil in the outside world had nothing to do with them.

But at this moment, the three-story-high Yellow Heaven's altar suddenly began to shake.

Countless talismans and Daoist patterns appeared on the altar's surface.

After seeing them, Kang Ming's expression turned grim.

Having lived and cultivated in the Han world for many years, he could tell at a glance that those were the talismans and Daoist patterns of the ancient Talisman Sect.

Their Yellow Heaven's altar had been discovered by the enemy.

Strictly speaking, this development was not entirely outside of Kang Ming's expectations.

Although it was the worst-case scenario.

As long as the ancient ancestor of Han Longhu Mountain, a cultivator beyond the Ninth Heaven, truly existed, the Yellow Heaven's Way, which had come to develop in the Han world, might have their altar discovered no matter how well they hid.

Although there was the Daoist Reformation, the gap between their realms and strengths was simply too vast.

However, Kang Ming did not feel intimidated or discouraged because of this.

Lei Jun instructed Chen Ziyang and the others to appease the few Huang Tian Dao disciples who were present, while he himself carefully observed the changes in the Huang Tian Zongtan.

Unbeknownst to them, the ancient Fulu School had already tampered with this place.

According to Kang Ming's initial observations, it was likely not the work of the Han Longhu Mountain ancestor himself, but rather the arrangement of a Ninth Heaven cultivator.

That ancestor had probably only pointed out the exact location of their hidden sect.

Their current intention was not to destroy the Huang Tian Zongtan, but to borrow its power to perform a ritual.

Although he was unaware of the specific situation in Han Longhu Mountain, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, Kang Ming was determined to protect their sect instead of watching it being refined by the ancient Fulu School's disciples.

The exposure of the sect's location was a taboo for the Huang Tian Dao.

However, it would be incredibly difficult for them to create a new sect at this point.

Kang Ming carefully discerned the situation for a moment.

With his agile soul and extraordinary insight, he vaguely sensed that the opponent did not intend to destroy the Huang Tian Zongtan but instead wanted to take advantage of it for their own arrangements.

It seemed that Han Longhu Mountain intended to borrow secret techniques and temporarily use the Huang Tian Zongtan to replace their Longhu Zongtan.

Kang Ming pondered briefly before making a decision.

He drew numerous talismans and pasted them on the Huang Tian Zongtan to delay the opponent's refining and controlling of their sect.

Han Longhu Mountain would not have been forced to take such a risky move unless they were desperate. Their situation was likely unfavorable, or they might even be facing a formidable enemy...

As this thought crossed Kang Ming's mind, he suddenly felt the Huang Tian Zongtan shake violently.

Amidst the tremors, the talismans and dao patterns originating from the ancient Fulu School's legacy began to dissipate rapidly.

It was as if an invisible force had intervened, counteracting Han Longhu Mountain's methods.

Kang Ming's heart stirred, and he stood on the island, gazing toward the direction of the western mainland.

Although the recent news indicated that the Han Longhu Mountain lineage was confronting the Kongsang Great Witch, Kang Ming's thoughts turned to the people of the Longhu Mountain Tianshi Mansion in the mortal realm of Datang at that moment.

In the direction of Kang Ming's gaze, on the inland of Xinzhou Longhu Mountain, Qi Daocheng, who was in the Longhu Zongtan at that moment, was greatly shocked, his body swaying. This time, he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

This was because he clearly felt that the backup he had arranged in the so-called Huang Tian Dao had also been resolved and failed to play the expected role.

And all of this was due to the tall, young Daoist who was now climbing the stairs of Han Longhu Mountain with casual strides, having arrived at the foot of the mountain without haste.

Could it be that he also had arrangements on the Huang Tian Dao Zongtan?

Did the Longhu Mountain lineage of Datang also know the exact location of the Huang Tian Zongtan beforehand?

No wonder the Huang Tian Dao had tried so hard to hide their sect, but its location was already known to others, especially to both Han Longhu Mountain and Datang Longhu Mountain...

Wait a minute!

Could it be that the Huang Tian Dao has been a spy planted by the Datang Tianshi Mansion in the Han mortal realm from the very beginning? A thought suddenly occurred to Qi Daocheng, and as he looked at Lei Jun again, he felt even more frustrated:

"Great, not only did I step into two traps, but there's also a third one!"

Lei Jun climbed the mountain at a leisurely pace.

As if sensing Qi Daocheng's gaze, he raised his head and looked toward the cluster of Daoist palaces in the mid-mountain area, his eyes falling on the Longhu Zongtan, locking gazes with Qi Daocheng.

His movements remained unhurried, but the twelve pillars of light firmly stabilized the Longhu Zongtan.

The reason for his seemingly unhurried actions was that he had entered the ancestral court of Han Longhu Mountain in person for the first time.

Compared to his previous speculations and observations, Lei Jun was now physically present, so he quickly adjusted his previous arrangements to achieve a more practical effect.

At the same time, his Jade Clarity Heaven-Encompassing Dharma Mirror scanned the surroundings, not idly.

He was searching for Han Prince Xiang Jing, or Pan Hailin.

The previous astonishing strike of the Purple Subtle Sword, both in terms of strength and timing, had been perfectly executed, ruining the plans of the Han Longhu Mountain ancestor and the Kongsang Witch King at the last moment.

It had also ruined Han Prince Xiang Jing's plans.

The prince still had one of the Three Caves and Twelve Upper True Treasure Talismans of Han Longhu Mountain on him.

If the prince returned with the talisman, Lei Jun had a plan.

If the prince fled elsewhere, Lei Jun would have to resort to another strategy.

"Junior Sister, have you seen Xiang Jing again?"

Lei Jun communicated with Tang Xiaotang via the Heaven-Hearing and Earth-Listening Talisman.

"Nope," Tang Xiaotang replied hastily, seemingly busy with something.

After a while, she spoke again: "Senior Sister really... You guys started without even waiting for me to join you. It's fine, I'm having fun here."

Lei Jun: "I can see you're enjoying yourself, so I won't disturb you."

The Kongsang Witch King had been outmaneuvered by Ancestor Zhou Tian and Han Prince Xiang Jing.

However, he had been plotting for a long time and was not easily deterred. He immediately launched a strong counterattack.

The Witch King wanted to regain his descending body, but if that was truly impossible, he would rather destroy the ritual and Xiang Jing rather than let Ancestor Zhou Tian benefit from it.

Xiang Jing, who had betrayed him, must be punished.

The Kongsang Witch King's forceful counteroffensive made Ancestor Zhou Tian cautious despite having the upper hand. As a result, their stalemate created an opportunity for others.

With the strike of the Purple Subtle Sword, not only did Ancestor Zhou Tian's efforts come to naught, but the Kongsang Witch King's hopes were also dashed, and the situation was even worse than when Dongyang Mountain's Wang Xu had interrupted them before.

Chaos ensued in Kongsang.

As a result, the situation for the Kongsang Tianjing group, who were still in the Han mortal realm, became even more dire.

The tables had turned, and a group of Han cultivators were now besieging the Kongsang Great Witch.

There was no Han Emperor, Han Prince, or Master of the Sumeru Treasure Department, Fan Datang. Dongyang Mountain's Wang Xu was also absent.

However, the Datang National Master was at his peak.

In addition, there was the leader of Kongsang Di Du, the Great Shaman Ke Lang.

With them taking the brunt of the attack, the Han cultivators could fight without worry.

Although Peng Youshan and Yun Qingyan, two experts from Kongsang Tianjing, were present, they could only fight while retreating.

Peng Youshan even took a hit for Yun Qingyan and was injured by the exhilarated Tang Xiaotang.

It wasn't just because of their friendship as fellow disciples, but also out of practical consideration.

Tang Xiaotang was in a killing frenzy.

If not for Yun Qingyan's Ghost God Sacrifice Array holding back her Great Vehicle Dao Domain, if the Great Vehicle Dao Domain of the Kongsang Shamans present was unleashed and captured by Tang Xiaotang, they would be like turtles in a jar, unable to escape.

However, they were currently blocked far away from the Kongsang gateway, and their situation was still precarious.

Although they had always thought that the enemy ambushing them was from the Kongsang Di Du branch, now that Tang Xiaotang had clearly identified her opponents, she fought with relish.

As for the Abbot of Sumeru Treasure Department, Noble Man Nuobu, he cautiously kept his distance from Tang Xiaotang.

The experiences of the Vajra Department and the Lotus Department were proof enough of her danger.

However, Noble Man Nuobu, representing the Sumeru Treasure Department this time, firmly stood on the side of the Han cultivators, targeting the Kongsang Shamans.

Kongsang and Kunlun, one a shaman, the other a Taoist.

Whether it was the success of the Shaman King or the fulfillment of the wishes of the Primeval Heaven Old Ancestor, neither was good news for Sumeru.

Their hopes of freely walking among humans had been dashed, and the people of Sumeru were glad to see it.

As the representative of Sumeru, Noble Man Nuobu was now paying attention to other aspects.

There might be more than one immortal Taoist still alive in Kunlun.

Although the Primeval Heaven Old Ancestor and the Great Tang Dragon-Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master's Mansion were at odds, the situation in Kunlun was still complex, and Noble Man Nuobu had no intention of getting involved.

As for Tang Xiaotang, he kept his distance with respect.

Noble Man Nuobu's main focus at the moment was on secretly gathering information about Kongsang.

The Shaman King suffered another setback.

There was infighting in Tianjing and Di Du.

The situation there was worth paying attention to.

Not only Noble Man Nuobu, but after he reported the news to Sumeru, they had made an exception and sent other capable people to help him.

Tang Xiaotang fought with relish.

Noble Man Nuobu worked in secret.

Far away in the Great Tang world, Mu Weizi couldn't be happy at all.

Aside from the pressure and threats posed by Yuan Mobai and Chu Yu, he had recently received a personal message from the Primeval Heaven Old Ancestor in Kunlun, informing him of the latest changes in the Great Han world. Mu Weizi was struck as if by lightning.

The Primeval Heaven Old Ancestor's tone was calm.

But whether it was the failure of the Fa Yi ritual or the news that Xu Yuanzhen and Lei Jun were near, Mu Weizi's heart and soul were shaken.

But having weathered many storms, he soon calmed down.

Whether it was attacking what they must save or seizing the Pure Golden Hall closely related to the Celestial Palace, they had to act quickly in the Great Tang world.

The Primeval Heaven Old Ancestor's Fa Yi ritual had failed, and he could no longer walk freely among humans.

In this situation, whether it was Emperor Zhang Wantong of Tang ascending to immortality or the Great Tang Dragon-Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master's Mansion obtaining the Pure Golden Hall, it would only make the situation more unfavorable for Mu Weizi and his disciples.

He couldn't just sit and wait for death.

Mu Weizi immediately headed north to meet with Youluo Mountain Lord, Hei Mountain Lord, and the others.

Along the way, he did not encounter the strange attack that had heavily injured the Underworld Moss and killed Chen Yi, which slightly eased Mu Weizi's mind.

Although he still didn't know what had happened earlier, it seemed more like an isolated incident.

The first thing Mu Weizi did after meeting with Youluo Mountain Lord was to ask him to return to Luoyuan.

Of course, he had no intention of letting the matter rest.

This temporary retreat was for a more ferocious counterattack.

The Underworld Moss had been unexpectedly badly injured.

The Bone Flood Dragon had also been injured by the Punishment Wind while trying to dodge Chu Yu's cold arrows.

It seemed that the power of the Luoyuan Great Demons had been weakened, but it actually created a different situation:

Youluo Mountain Lord, who had always had the strongest cultivation strength, gradually gained a monopoly in Luoyuan.

In the past, Mu Weizi wouldn't have been happy to see this either.

But now the situation was special, he needed a monopoly in Luoyuan!

"The Fruit of Reverse Primordial Heart?" The tiger, as tall as a mountain and shrouded in black mist, had a fierce light flashing in its eyes, as if flames were rising.

Mu Weizi said, "You'll know later, but we need to make a quick decision, otherwise, not to mention Emperor Zhang, but the other high-level cultivators of the Great Tang Dragon-Tiger Mountain, may soon return to this mortal world."

Youluo Mountain Lord paused for a moment, then said decisively, "Return to Luoyuan first!"

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

In the Great Han world.

At the Dragon-Tiger Ancestral Hall of Dragon-Tiger Mountain.

A young man and a middle-aged man, two Taoist priests with similar attire, finally faced each other.

Both wore nine-colored robes, the Yuan Shi crown, and almost identical details in their clothing.

However, the tall young Taoist priest had a white jade seal hanging from his waist.

Next to the middle-aged Taoist priest, there were eleven glowing orbs floating up and down.

Lei Jun, the current Heavenly Master of the Great Tang Dragon-Tiger Mountain.

Ji Daocheng, the current Heavenly Master of the Great Han Dragon-Tiger Mountain.

"Dou Mu Zhong Tian Bao Lu, Dou Mu Si Sheng Bao Lu, Dou Mu Qi Yao Bao Lu, Jiu Tian Xian Du Bao Lu, Jiu Tian Yu Shu Bao Lu, Jiu Yuan Liu Jin Bao Lu, Jiu Yuan Zhu You Bao Lu, Zhu Dou Bi Guang Bao Lu, Bei Dou Xuan Ming Bao Lu, Ruyi Xuan Tan Bao Lu, Zhou Tian Tai Sui Bao Lu, San Dou Bu, two Lei Bu, two Huo Bu, one Dou Bu, one Shui Bu, one Cai Bu, one Tai Sui Bu..."

Lei Jun looked at the eleven orbs in front of him and nodded slightly, "Three Caves and Twelve Upper True Treasure Scriptures, there are eleven here, and one is missing, the Plague Department's Plague Covering the Sky Treasure Scripture."

It goes without saying that Pan Hailin, or Han Taizi Xiang Jing, was carrying the Plague Scripture, not to mention that it was convenient for him to disguise himself as a Great Shaman and further conceal his Taoist cultivation.

With just one Plague Scripture, it was impossible to do so, and there must have been careful planning by the Primeval Heaven Old Ancestor.

Lei Jun looked up at the sky, where the light was flashing fiercely, then at Ji Daocheng:

"You know that the so-called senior ancestor you worship was a Confucian scholar before the Great Han Tribulation, intending to restore the Celestial Palace, and only after the Tribulation did he forcefully switch to cultivating my Taoist Talisman lineage?"

Previously, without face-to-face contact, Xu Yuanzhen had guessed something, but there were still details that were unclear.

Now that she had personally interacted with the Ancestor of the Zhou Tian, everything became clear.

Lei Jun also understood: "No wonder Zhou Tian seemed so guilty. He forcefully switched to cultivating the techniques of our school and took advantage of the great calamity to benefit from several of our sect's ancestors, which allowed him to transition smoothly. Among them... was the Radiant Light Ancestor, who was nominally his master."

Xu Yuanzhen entered Kunlun and personally faced Zhou Tian.

Lei Jun, on the other hand, touched upon the instability of the Dragon and Tiger Sect.

Many pieces of unknown information from the outside world were no longer secrets.

According to the lineage records of the Han people on this side, Zhou Tian began his cultivation over four thousand years ago.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end