Chapter 217: Chapter 217

Inside the True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven, the page of the Heavenly Book flickered with radiance, expanding and contracting like a sheet of paper.

The black shadow that had previously seemed like the book’s shadow now actively separated from the Heavenly Book and trembled in midair, orbiting around the floating page.

Seeing this, Lei Jun remained calm and composed, focusing his attention on the Earth Vein Spiritual Energy surging through the fissure before him like a mighty river.

The rushing river of Spiritual Energy appeared normal at first glance.

Lei Jun's thoughts shifted, making him even more attentive.

With his Yin-Yang Sacred Physique enhancing his Mana, he manifested black and white energies, which extended outward together, approaching the roaring underground river of Spiritual Energy.

A moment later, a shadow seemed to surface in his consciousness, momentarily clouding his mind.

The sensation was eerily similar to when he first encountered the Heavenly Book’s Shadow.

But this strange mental fluctuation vanished in an instant, almost making Lei Jun think it was his imagination.

A dim spiritual radiance lashed out like a fishing line, plunging into the Spiritual Energy River.

A faint yet tangible resistance confirmed that Lei Jun’s earlier intuition had been correct—there was indeed something hidden within the surging river of energy, passing right before his eyes.

Its presence was so deeply concealed that even Lei Jun had nearly overlooked it.

Just as he had done when he retrieved the Heavenly Book, he attempted to "hook" the entity with his Breath-Taking Flag.

However, unlike the Heavenly Book, which had been relatively cooperative, this mysterious entity released a profound energy that swiftly unraveled the dim yellow glow of the Breath-Taking Flag.

Even though the Breath-Taking Flag possessed a deep and continuous spiritual power, it was rapidly dissolving, struggling to hold its form.

Lei Jun had rarely encountered such a situation since obtaining the Breath-Taking Flag.

But knowing that he was contending for a Second-Grade Opportunity, he was mentally prepared.

Thus, besides using the Breath-Taking Flag, Lei Jun employed multiple techniques at once, simultaneously activating the Heavenly Book and his existing Shadow.

Drawn by the Heavenly Book, the mysterious entity within the Spiritual Energy River became less resistant to Lei Jun.

And the Shadow began merging with it.

With this, the "fish" finally took the bait.

Although the spiritual glow from the Breath-Taking Flag continued to be dissipated, its constant replenishment allowed Lei Jun to maintain the link.

Combining his black and white energies with the Heavenly Book, which contained the essence of Yin-Yang Duality, he finally dragged the mysterious entity out of the Spiritual Energy River.

Reclaiming his Breath-Taking Flag, Lei Jun brought the entity before him.

Fixing his gaze on it, he saw nothing but a vast gray haze—no light, no shadow—only an indistinct blur, as if it existed separately from reality itself.

Even though he had captured it, Lei Jun’s perception of it remained vague and unreal.

However, he was certain that this mysterious entity was similar to the Heavenly Book’s Shadow, though far more enigmatic.

If he attempted to store it with the Breath-Taking Flag, as he had done with Celestial Eye Blazing Star, he might damage the Flag itself.

Within this mystical haze was a force capable of dissolving and distorting worldly matters into pure chaos.

It was not merely the opposite of Creation and Transformation but rather a counterpart that coexisted alongside them—two sides of the same coin, inseparably intertwined.

Rather than using the Breath-Taking Flag, Lei Jun guided it with the Heavenly Book instead.

The mysterious entity merged with the Heavenly Book’s Shadow before settling within the True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven.

Once it fused with the Heavenly Book, it temporarily suppressed it into silence, though without causing any harm.

Finally, the mysterious entity stabilized, transforming from an ethereal mist into a more defined form.

It resembled a book, yet its body remained illusory, like a living shadow.

It was as if the Heavenly Book’s Shadow had grown more substantial, becoming denser and grander.

At this moment, the Shadow seemed like a complete book, overshadowing the lone page of the Heavenly Book, making it appear somewhat insignificant.

Yet the two remained harmoniously merged without conflict.

Lei Jun focused his mind on the Heavenly Book within the True-One Altar Grotto-Heaven, and a realization surfaced in his thoughts:

[The Dark Side of the Heavenly Book]

The newly formed Shadow Book was likely the counterpart to the full Heavenly Book, its mirror image.

At present, the Heavenly Book was incomplete—Lei Jun possessed only a single page—while the Dark Side appeared whole.

For a brief moment, Lei Jun couldn’t help but feel an odd mix of amusement and frustration.

Taking a deep breath, he steadied his mind and left the fissure valley.

Back atop Qianxin Mountain, he looked toward Zhu’an Grotto, where the battle had reached a fever pitch.

The Earth Vein Disturbance seemed abnormal—perhaps not just the work of Sang Lu, Yuan Shanji, Li Tianqing, and Xiong Gang, but possibly influenced by others as well.

Lei Jun suspected Yang Tai had arrived earlier than expected, seizing the opportunity.

However, rather than immediately intervening in the chaotic battle, Lei Jun chose to wait for the right moment.

Finding a relatively stable location, he refocused on the Heavenly Book and its Dark Side.

Under its influence, even his pathway into the Book’s Cosmic Starry Sky became obscured.

Unfazed, he calmly analyzed the interplay of opposites.

His Comprehension had advanced from Illuminated to Clear Tranquility, making a distinct difference.

The Dark Side of the Heavenly Book was now fully integrated with the Heavenly Book, making them indistinguishable.

Lei Jun's consciousness entered the book’s Starry Universe, where his Venus Luminary shone brightly.

Observing the cosmos once more, he saw it in an entirely new light.

Although the Seven Luminaries remained shrouded in mist, one crucial revelation became clear.

Previously, the vast Star River split into seven branches, each connecting to a Luminary, symbolizing the Seven Chapters of the Heavenly Book.

However, the opposite end of the Star River, previously concealed in radiant light, now became visible.

There was no true end. Instead, the river formed a loop, connecting back to one of the seven branches—one specific Luminary.

Unlike the others, which only had a single connection, this one was encircled by the entire Star River.

It was the Sun Luminary!

A cascade of thoughts flashed through Lei Jun’s mind.

The Heavenly Book was divided into more than just seven pages.

And the Sun Luminary possessed more than one chapter.

Without the Dark Side of the Heavenly Book, Lei Jun might never have uncovered this truth.

If his deductions were correct, the Sun Luminary was likely Zhang Wantong, the reigning Empress of the Tang Dynasty.

Her connection to the Heavenly Book ran deeper than anyone else’s.

Did she already possess multiple pages?

And did she know about the Dark Side?

Closing his mind to distractions, he withdrew from the Starry Universe, contemplating the Dark Side of the Heavenly Book.

Did it also contain hidden Luminaries—Dark Stars or Hidden Stars?

A future experiment, perhaps.

For now, he had more immediate plans...

A sudden surge of bloodlight erupted from Zhu’an Grotto.

Lei Jun frowned and summoned his Heaven’s Eye Mirror.

The Eye blinked once before vanishing.

A new battle was unfolding, and it was time to move.

The mirror surface of the Heaven’s Eye Mirror reflected the distant scene—at Zhu’an Grotto, an unexpected bloodlight flared, yet it did not join the battle. Instead, it plunged into the surging waters of the Zhu’an River, which was reversing its flow and flooding erratically.

Seeing this, Yang Tai’s expression immediately changed.

"Tu Dong!" Xiong Gang let out a cold snort.

The bloodlight that had fallen into Zhu’an River was none other than Tu Dong, another Seventh-Heaven Elder of the Blood River Sect.

"Uncle Xiong, let me take a look at what you all are doing behind Senior Brother Sect Master’s back." Tu Dong sneered.

Rather than aiding his fellow sect member, Xiong Gang, he instead dove into the river, investigating the Earth Vein Disturbance and the ritual formation that Yang Tai had been manipulating.

At this moment, Yuan Shanji and Xiong Gang, caught in battle against Sang Lu and Li Tianqing, had no spare energy to deal with him.

But Tu Dong did not enjoy his moment of ease for long before he suddenly cursed in anger.

A wave of blood-red water erupted from the depths of Zhu’an River, instantly dyeing the entire river scarlet.

Already fragmented by the ritual's disruptions, the river water twisted unnaturally, breaking apart in all directions.

As the river splintered, the Confucian ritual formation hidden beneath the depths was finally revealed, its luminous scholarly aura soaring into the sky.

However, intertwined with this pure aura were eerie tendrils of black smoke, rising together from underground.

The battlefield was already in chaos due to the clashing of four great experts and the rampant Earth Vein Spiritual Energy, but now, massive portions of the land began collapsing as if doomsday had arrived.

Tu Dong, encircled by the Blood Sea, barely managed to escape from the chaos, looking utterly disheveled.

The sight of an Upper-Heaven Blood River Elder being forced into such a sorry state left everyone present in shock.

Yang Tai stared at the black smoke, his expression darkening.

Behind him, his attendants paled in horror. “That’s... that’s the Reincarnation Abyss’ Cursing Magic?!”

In that instant, both Yang Tai and Yuan Shanji, the elder from Gepo Mountain, spoke in unison, gritting their teeth: “Sun Li!”

The one who had ruined Yang Tai’s plan was none other than Sun Li, an Elder of the Reincarnation Abyss, and one of the most formidable Eighth-Heaven Great Shamans of the Southern Wasteland Witch Sect’s Cursing Lineage.

A reclusive figure, even the current master of the Reincarnation Abyss had little control over him.

For this battle, the Reincarnation Abyss and Gepo Mountain had joined forces to support Yin Mountain Grotto against the Blood River Sect and Golden Fortress. But no one had been able to contact Sun Li.

After much difficulty, Yuan Shanji, Xiong Gang, and Yang Tai had managed to persuade him to aid their cause, only for him to vanish at the critical moment.

Now, he had finally appeared—but instead of assisting them, he had taken advantage of the Earth Vein Disturbance, seizing an opportunity for himself!

Yang Tai and Yuan Shanji were both furious.

From atop Qianxin Mountain, Lei Jun watched the unfolding events through his Heaven’s Eye Mirror.

Though he didn’t know the full details of Yuan Shanji’s plan, he could already make an educated guess.

His exceptional comprehension allowed him to deduce many things from mere glimpses, piecing together the bigger picture.

Observing the soaring scholarly aura and the structure of the ritual formation, Lei Jun quickly discerned its purpose.

“A Confucian Eighth-Heaven cultivator was preparing to break through to the Ninth Heaven.

They sought to harness the energy of the mountains and rivers, integrating it with spatial mysteries—hence the battle between the Great Shamans of Gepo Mountain and the ritual formations warping the void.”

What remained unclear was how Sun Li planned to exploit the situation.

One thing was certain: he was the risk predicted by the Lower-Moderate Omen Lei Jun had drawn earlier.

And Tu Dong had unwittingly stepped into it.

Judging by Xiong Gang and Tu Dong’s reactions, the two were not aligned.

While Wei Anchang, the formidable Nine-Heaven Blood River Sect Elder, was known for his brutal reputation, the sect itself was not a monolithic force.

Xiong Gang seemed to be closer to the Sui Dynasty’s imperial descendants, Yang Yuqi and Yang Tai.

Meanwhile, Tu Dong appeared to be one of Wei Anchang’s staunchest loyalists.

Unfortunately, at this moment, both sides were suffering together.

With the ritual formation collapsing and the battlefield spiraling into even greater chaos, Yuan Shanji and Xiong Gang took advantage of the disorder to break free from their fight against Sang Lu and Li Tianqing, retreating swiftly.

They would deal with Sun Li’s betrayal later.

Sang Lu and Li Tianqing gave chase.

Yang Tai, seeing that the situation had completely unraveled, was left with no choice but to retreat as well.

Lei Jun finally made his move.

He had no interest in meddling with the internal struggles of Gepo Mountain.

But Yang Tai had come knocking on his doorstep—how could he let this chance slip away?

Yet as he pursued, Lei Jun remained wary.

His Golden Light Sphere’s divination had not predicted Yang Tai’s presence in the omens.

Did this mean Yang Tai held no clues related to the Tianshi Robe?

Or was there another layer of deception at play?

Lei Jun's gaze deepened.

Unhurried and composed, he silently followed Yang Tai into the night.