Chapter 89: They Should Be Thanking Us!

Chapter 89: They Should Be Thanking Us!

As Lei Jun watched Fang Jia and her brother disappear in the direction of the Eight Desolates Blood Pit, he withdrew his gaze and turned his attention elsewhere.

He stepped into the Eight Desolates Blood River Array.

After he had blasted apart a portion of the rocky layers, the blood water here had found a new outlet and drained away.

Not only were Xia Qing and the others who were trapped in the array relieved, but Luo Haoran, who was busy plugging the hole in another direction, also felt a lessened burden.

Upon Lei Jun's arrival, the other disciples exclaimed in joy, "Brother Lei!"

"Be careful, everyone," Lei Jun said. In front of everyone, he took out a medium-grade Riding the Wind Talisman and held up a medium-grade Golden Lock Talisman, still crossing the blood river with caution. He carefully fished out Xia Qing and the others who were trapped in the array.

"Brother Lei, be careful. There might be Blood River Sect demons lurking nearby," warned a Celestial Master's Mansion disciple. "There's something fishy about how we ended up in this huge blood river array. It might not have been an accident, but a trap set by those demons!"

"Brother Zhang is right. We must all stay alert," Lei Jun agreed.

If his guess was correct, the so-called "Blood River Sect demons" who had set a trap for Xia Qing and the others were most likely that pair of siblings.

Luo Haoran had arrived here first to seal off the blood water that might surge to the ground.

After being discovered by the Fang siblings, they had lured Xia Qing and the others into the array, putting Luo Haoran in a difficult position and setting up a conflict between Elder Hongyu and the outsiders in the Mansion.

Indeed, after Lei Jun rescued the others, when he turned to help Luo Haoran, the latter was still feeling rattled. "Brother Lei, I'm so glad you made it in time. Otherwise, I..."

"Brother Luo, you're too kind. It's a relief that everyone is safe," Lei Jun said as he helped Luo Haoran block the blood water.

With the Eight Desolates Blood River Array having released a large amount of its power, it was now much easier for the two of them to stop the blood from seeping towards the ground.

Although Xia Qing and the others had been rescued, their conditions were dire, both in terms of mental and spiritual energy.

Xia Qing, in particular, could be considered a magnet for bad luck, just like Elder Du.

After being ambushed by Zhong Yunfei in the Heavenly Void Sect, her body had barely recovered when she encountered this calamity.

Among the group resisting the Eight Desolates Blood River Array, she was the main force, and now her spiritual power was almost depleted, her spirit weak and drowsy.

The other Celestial Master's Mansion disciples were busy recuperating and catching their breath while taking care of Xia Qing, leaving no one to help Luo Haoran.

Lei Jun observed that some of them were truly exhausted, while others harbored resentment towards Luo Haoran for his previous hesitation, though they didn't voice it directly.

However, towards Lei Jun, they expressed their gratitude profusely.

Lei Jun remained humble and didn't boast about his achievements.

The Eight Desolates Blood River Array posed a significant danger to Luo Haoran, Xia Qing, and the others.

But for Lei Jun in his current state, it wasn't as severe, which was why he had chosen this path of lesser risk earlier.

A slight regret was that the medium-risk path had mentioned a seventh-grade opportunity within the Eight Desolates Blood River Array.

But Lei Jun had arrived a step too late.

He now understood what had happened.

Within this enlarged and intensified blood river array, a treasure called the Bloodless Stone would be nurtured.

Its function was to sacrifice blood energy to nourish the cultivator's spirit and soul.

If one arrived at the Eight Desolates Blood River Array before the blood sea erupted and the tide surged back into the blood river, there would be a chance to obtain the Bloodless Stone.

Luo Haoran had been busy plugging the leak and had no time to pick up the treasure.

After the blood sea eruption caused the blood to flow back into the river, triggering the array to act up, the Bloodless Stone that was incubating here had been destroyed.

Lei Jun's decision to go to the blood sea first meant giving up on the Bloodless Stone in the Eight Desolates Blood River Array.

Fortunately, he hadn't been very interested in the Bloodless Stone to begin with.

With the nourishment of the Bear King's Primal Gallbladder, his blood energy was already abundant, and he didn't need to exchange it for soul nourishment.

Moreover, Lei Jun had no interest in slaughtering and plundering the qi and blood of other creatures like the Blood River Sect cultivators did.

Besides, on his trip to the blood sea, he had obtained an even better treasure, the Nine Saints' Clear Frost.

"This super-large blood river array is finally weakening. Let's join hands and dismantle it quickly. There's no point in lingering here," Lei Jun suggested.

Although he was the latest among them to be inducted into the Celestial Master's Mansion, the others, including Luo Haoran and several other Celestial Master's Mansion disciples who had recovered some of their energy, nodded in agreement, acknowledging Lei Jun's judgment.

Everyone worked together to suppress the already weakened Eight Desolates Blood River Array.

"Boom!"

Just as they were busy, a loud noise suddenly came from the distance, and the underground palace began to shake again!

"What's happening?!" Several Celestial Master's Mansion disciples tensed up.

Lei Jun also feigned surprise.

He looked in the direction of the vibration and quickly figured out what was going on:

The direction of the Eight Desolates Blood Pit...

Although he guessed the cause of the incident, Lei Jun wasn't sure about the extent of the disaster caused by the Eight Desolates Blood Pit, so he remained relatively cautious and reminded his fellow disciples to be vigilant.

Soon, a large amount of blood water surged from the channel of the Eight Desolates Blood Pit, causing the blood river to change course again and flow back towards the underground palace.

Fortunately, the force of the blood flow canceled each other out, and the momentum wasn't as terrifying as before.

Lei Jun and the others worked together to stop the blood river from raging further.

After a while, the blood river calmed down and receded slightly.

Lei Jun and the others suppressed and dismantled the blood river array behind them and set off to find another way out.

After the eruption of the blood sea and the subsequent explosion in the Eight Desolates Blood Pit, many layers of the underground palace finally gave way, resulting in widespread collapses.

Many areas of the rock layers cracked open, directly affecting the ground above, exposing the underground palace.

Fortunately, the areas where the ground split open were mostly in deep mountains, old forests, and hilly lands.

Thanks to the efforts of Lei Jun and Luo Haoran, the corner closest to the densely populated area remained intact and did not collapse.

Although there was a slight earthquake, the mountain village did not suffer significant casualties, only causing panic among the villagers.

Some people climbed to high places to gaze into the distance, and from their vantage point on the mountains, they could see hills and valleys collapsing, sending clouds of dust into the air and creating cavities that resembled valleys and lakes.

However, the color of those lakes seemed somewhat amiss.

As the sun rose, the lake waters shimmered with a golden-red hue.

Lei Jun and the others were even closer.

Upon reaching the surface, they turned back to find themselves facing a blood lake.

Although the blood sea had subsided after its eruption, a substantial amount of filthy blood remained.

Vague outlines of several small-scale blood rivers could be seen extending from the periphery of the blood lake.

Lei Jun shielded his eyes from the sun as he scanned the area.

Most of the Tian Shi Fu elders were positioned by the edges of the blood rivers surrounding the lake, and even some of the Blood River Sect disciples had managed to escape the blood sea, their faces bearing extremely ugly expressions.

In the center, the blood lake was gradually shrinking.

Near the side where Lei Jun and his companions stood, a whirlpool could be seen on the lake's surface, relentlessly spinning and sucking in the surrounding blood water.

Lei Jun's heart stirred as he realized something.

After the eruption of the blood sea, the violent blood energy had largely remained within the underground palace due to the backflow.

Now that the Eight Desolates Blood Pit had collapsed, the entire formation had destabilized.

It was an exceptionally crucial node, but also exceptionally fragile, easily disrupted with the slightest touch.

So, what about the person who had been standing at the location of the Eight Desolates Blood Pit?

Lei Jun observed the whirlpool in the blood lake more carefully and was surprised to find a person trapped within it.

But it wasn't Fang Lu or her brother, Fang Mingyuan.

Instead, it was Fang Jian.

Had she also gotten caught up in the Eight Desolates Blood Pit when she went to rescue Fang Lu and her brother? Lei Jun wondered.

Based on the conversation between the Fang siblings, it seemed that Fang Jian had no part in that matter.

Seeing the other disciples' astonishment and confusion, Lei Jun shook his head slightly and once again took the initiative, stepping forward before anyone else.

With the spiritual power of the Riding the Wind Talisman, he soared into the air above the whirlpool to rescue Fang Jian.

The other disciples had been stunned by the earth-shattering changes, and most of them were still in a daze, unsure of the truth and filled with doubts.

However, most of them soon came to their senses, though their actions were a step slower than Lei Jun's, making it seem as if they were following his lead.

Some of the surviving Fang family members also hurried forward to help.

Together, they worked to rescue Fang Jian first.

This fourth disciple of the Celestial Master, usually graceful and elegant, was now in a pitiful state.

"Thank you all," Fang Jian said weakly, glancing at Lei Jun and then at the others before expressing his gratitude in a tired voice.

Most of the Fang family members who had come to aid Dragon Tiger Mountain were acquainted with Fang Jian, and they offered him consolation.

Some of them looked at Lei Jun with grateful expressions. "I remember this is... Elder Yuan's disciple, Lei Daoist? Thank you for your timely assistance!"

Lei Jun smiled. "You're too kind. Fang Shixiong is my senior martial brother. How could we stand by and do nothing?"

Another Fang family member looked around and counted the number of people. "Hey? Where are Sister Sixteen and Mingyuan?"

Fang Jian sighed softly. "Sister Sixteen and Mingyuan... I wasn't able to save them."

"Ah?!"

Everyone was astonished.

Some of them realized what had happened and turned to look at the blood lake.

There, the whirlpool was gradually shrinking and disappearing.

"Sister Sixteen and Mingyuan fell into the blood pit, and although I did my best to save them, I ultimately lacked the ability... my cultivation was insufficient," Fang Jian said, his expression darkening.

Lei Jun leaned back slightly. "No one wanted this to happen. Fang Shixiong, you mustn't blame yourself."

Fang Jian shook his head. "Lei Shidi, thank you for your comfort, but I've failed my third uncle and aunt."

Lei Jun faced the blood lake and recited the scripture for the deceased.

Upon seeing this, Fang Jian stood up with great effort and joined Lei Jun, reciting the scripture alongside him.

Most of the other direct disciples of the Celestial Master followed suit.

The Fang family members watched and joined in the silent mourning.

However, as they looked at Lei Daoist, their eyes held a newfound warmth.

Although Confucianism and Taoism were different paths, this Lei Daoist was undoubtedly a good person...

Unfortunately, their moment of silence was soon interrupted.

The morning sun, which had just risen, was suddenly stained red.

A blood-red cloud approached from the horizon, its momentum terrifying.

Everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, guessing that it might be the work of a Blood River Sect expert who had set up the blood sea.

However, the blood cloud swiftly passed over the blood lake and flew towards the other side of the horizon.

...It seemed to be running away.

In the next moment, a brilliant rainbow shot across the sky from the direction the blood cloud had come from.

The rainbow pierced the heavens and pursued the fleeing blood cloud, striking its target!

The blood cloud instantly exploded.

In the air, it seemed as if a shower of blood rain had burst forth.

But the raindrops burned, and before they could fall to the ground, most of them were destroyed in the air.

Only a small portion of the raindrops regrouped in the lower atmosphere, forming a smaller blood cloud that continued to flee into the distance.

At that moment, on the other side of the horizon, a cloud carriage was traveling through the air.

Standing on top of the carriage was a huntress holding a longbow, her clothes billowing in the wind, and her figure shimmering with a radiant glow under the morning sun.

"Aunt?" Fang Jian was surprised.

Lei Jun looked closely and recognized the person as the talented Chu clan woman who appeared younger than her actual age.

However, her current appearance didn't quite match the image some people had of her.

"Heaviness Simplified?"

Chu Yu halted the cloud carriage and descended from the air, addressing Fang Jian by his Taoist name rather than his courtesy name. "Why are you in such a state? Did you fall into that blood lake earlier?"

The other Fang family members also stepped forward to greet Chu Yu, most of them using the junior's form of address.

Lei Jun and the other Tian Shi Fu disciples were relatively more relaxed.

"Aunt, I'm fine, but Sister Sixteen and the others..." Fang Jian briefly explained the situation.

Chu Yu was even more surprised.

Without another word, she leaped into the air and headed towards the blood lake.

Without waiting for her to approach, the blood water was automatically parted by an invisible wave of energy.

After a moment, Chu Yu reappeared.

She did not have Fang Lu and Fang Mingyuan's bodies with her.

However, she now held a silk box in her hand.

Upon seeing this, the Fang family members lost all hope.

Chu Yu hadn't refused to bring back the bodies of Fang Mingyuan and his sister.

Instead, the blood hole and the blood river had ravaged their bodies, and they were probably no longer recognizable...

Chu Yu sighed softly and, without saying a word, handed the silk box to Fang Jian.

After a while, a group of Celestial Master's Mansion disciples led by Elder Du, who looked rather disheveled, arrived at the scene.

After learning about the situation, Elder Du also felt a headache coming on.

The Celestial Master's Mansion had actually been very careful and attentive ever since the Fang family had come to aid Dragon Tiger Mountain. Until last night, at most, there had been injuries among the Fang family members, but no deaths.

But now, after just one night, two of their direct descendants were gone.

"I came here mainly to represent my clan in aiding Dragon Tiger Mountain," Chu Yu sighed. "But I never expected to receive such devastating news."

Elder Du forced a smile and said, "Chu Hall Master, Fang Shixiong, and the rest of the Fang family, please accept our condolences."

There was no point in dwelling on what had happened.

Fortunately, they had the perfect scapegoat in the Blood River Sect.

While entertaining Chu Yu, Elder Du also arranged for people to purify the remaining blood lake.

Regardless, the destruction of such a formidable Blood River Sect base was a victory for the Celestial Master's Mansion.

However, the battles between Dragon Tiger Mountain and the Blood River Sect, the Witch Gu Sacred Ground, and the Yellow Heaven's Way continued.

With the Fang and Chu clans successively making their stance clear, the pressure on the Celestial Master's Mansion eased slightly.

Xia Qing, Luo Haoran, and other disciples who had expended a lot of energy were given the opportunity to return to the mountain to rest and recuperate before taking on other tasks later.

Lei Jun had also suffered significant losses, and since he didn't use the Soil-Nurturing Banner to replenish his spiritual energy this time, he looked rather disheveled as well. He was also granted permission to return to the mountain to rest.

Upon returning to his private residence in the upper mansion of Dragon Tiger Mountain, Lei Jun first took a bath and changed into clean clothes to relax.

Then, he took out the Soil-Nurturing Banner and separated from it his greatest gain from this trip to the underground palace.

The Nine Saints' Clear Frost.

Lei Jun carefully studied it and was extremely satisfied.

This extremely pure and clear spiritual object could help him in his current realm of cultivation.

With the Nine Saints' Clear Frost, Lei Jun was confident that he could build the third layer of his Law Altar in a very short time!

His enhanced comprehension had already greatly shortened the time he needed to spend in the Three Heavens Law Altar realm.

Gaining insight into the Dao within the True One Law Altar Cave Heaven had further accelerated this process.

Now, with the addition of the Nine Saints' Clear Frost, he would receive yet another boost.

Wow, if you add the time saved from the help of the Fire Marrow Sunfish and Water Marrow Moonfish in advancing from the first layer to the second layer of the Law Altar, the total time I spent in the Three Heavens Law Altar realm might even be shorter than the time I spent in the Two Heavens Foundation Building realm! Lei Jun thought, raising his eyebrows slightly.

A step delayed, a step missed.

A step ahead, a step gained.

It's best to make progress in cultivation as early as possible, the earlier the better, and the faster one advances, the more potential one has to reach higher realms.

Lei Jun took a deep breath to calm his mind.

Then, he immediately began his cultivation, using the Nine Saints' Clear Frost.

He was decisive in his actions, but he was very careful in the actual process.

Lei Jun kept pondering and carefully refining it into his own Dao Foundation Altar.

However, after only preliminary refinement, his entire being, from the inside out and from his physical body to his soul, became purified.

His essence, qi, and spirit became increasingly pure and refined.

In the Dao Foundation Altar, above the second layer's octagonal altar, the outline of a round altar gradually became clearer.

Lei Jun nodded in satisfaction.

However, he left a little room for caution.

Currently, he had only figured out that the Nine Saints' Clear Frost could be used for cultivation.

But according to the description of the Upper Upper Sign's luck, the Nine Saints' Clear Frost, as a four-star opportunity, had further potential.

Lei Jun couldn't yet see what other uses the Nine Saints' Clear Frost could have.

After some thought, he decided to only use half of the Clear Frost for now and specifically set aside the other half to consult Yuan Moxuan, Xu Yuanzhen, and Tang Xiaotang when they returned to the mountain.

In the following days, Lei Jun stayed on the mountain and took the opportunity to cultivate diligently.

However, as time passed, he once again felt a sense of unease during his cultivation.

This unease, just like before, did not originate from Lei Jun himself.

Instead, it came from the True One Law Altar Cave Heaven.

Initially, Lei Jun thought that, like the previous time, someone was trying to open the "passage" to the True One Law Altar Cave Heaven.

But later, he realized it wasn't the case.

Instead, the True One Law Altar Cave Heaven, or to be more precise, the Heavenly Master Seal itself, was acting up again!

The Heavenly Master Seal was still lurking around Dragon Tiger Mountain, but its spirit was deeply hidden, making its movements difficult to predict. Now, there were signs of it acting up again. Could it be because of the previous blood sea eruption... Lei Jun wondered.

Previously, the Heavenly Master Seal had automatically wandered back to the vicinity of Dragon Tiger Mountain because of the successive battles on Dragon Tiger Mountain.

After that, although the Heavenly Master Seal had made a brief appearance, it had remained hidden in the mountains and rivers around Dragon Tiger Mountain.

The Blood River Sect's blood sea had poisoned all living beings and also adversely affected the spiritual energy of the mountains and rivers around Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Thus, the Heavenly Master Seal was stirred once more.

So, would the Heavenly Master Seal reappear this time?

PS: Although I said the poll would last at least a week, I noticed that the votes for chapter length were almost unanimous. So far, only two friends voted for 2k chapters, while the vast majority wanted longer chapters. Therefore, I might as well abandon the 2k chapters for the public new book period and release this 4,800-character chapter directly. Let's see how it goes.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end