Chapter 298: Chapter 298

"In that case, I’ll trouble the two Daoists." Chu Xiuyuan said.

Lei Jun then turned to Shangguan Ning and said, "I had originally planned to head out to sea to search for and contact Senior Sister, but with the current changes in the situation, the bigger picture takes priority, so I must go to Mingzhou first. However, both my master and the Sect Leader Senior Sister are very concerned about Senior Sister’s disappearance. They hope that Fifth Martial Uncle can take on the task of searching for her."

Shangguan Ning nodded. "Alright, I’ll leave the matters on land to you, Chongyun."

For the Tianshi Mansion, Xu Yuanzhen’s importance was beyond question.

Her sudden disappearance naturally drew the full attention of the entire sect.

Moreover, in the current situation in the Eastern Sea, her whereabouts were of paramount importance.

Chu Xiuyuan had no objections to this arrangement. He only hoped that when the Tianshi Mansion received any news, they would also inform the imperial court.

The three from the Tianshi Mansion agreed, then took their leave from Chu Xiuyuan and departed.

Chu Xiuyuan watched their figures disappear into the distance, lost in thought.

It was evident that the entire Tianshi Mansion had high hopes for him.

Neither Lei Jun nor Yuan Mobai, Shangguan Ning, or the others would ever actively seek to have the current Tianshi, Tang Xiaotang, step down.

But if Tang Xiaotang, whether by choice or by accident, relinquished her position, the one most likely to take over would be that tall young man who had just left.

He was courteous but not overly talkative, yet his presence and authority were steadily growing.

Even Shangguan Ning, a senior, greatly respected his opinions.

This wasn’t just because of a gap in their cultivation levels.

Chu Xiuyuan could see that it was also due to deeper recognition and trust.

And when considering Shangguan Ning’s origins in the Tang imperial family and her intricate ties with the royal clan, the implications became even more profound.

In truth, Chu Xiuyuan himself had high regard for Lei Jun.

Though the relationship between the Suzhou Chu Clan and the Tianshi Mansion was not as close as it once was, they were not outright enemies.

However, Chu Xiuyuan now regarded Mount Longhu with greater significance than before.

As for Chu Kun, who had traveled with Lei Jun to Yuhang and was now leaving with him—Chu Xiuyuan found himself feeling rather at ease when he saw him.

For others, it was one thing.

But for a Chu clansman like Chu Kun, who had shown extraordinary talent in a Daoist Holy Land, Suzhou had always paid close attention. For over twenty years, they had never once let their vigilance waver.

Even though Chu Kun lived in the Tianshi Mansion and rarely left, making it difficult for the Chu Clan to gather complete information on him, they had never forgotten that he was a prime example of "a flower blooming inside the walls but admired outside them."

Yet, the Chu Clan had no intention of interfering.

This was by Chu Xiuyuan’s strict orders.

Observe, but do not interfere.

If Chu Kun sought support from the Suzhou branch, they would provide it.

If he chose to distance himself from the clan, then so be it.

Ever since Chu Kun’s direct family had left the Suzhou ancestral land to settle elsewhere, Chu Xiuyuan, Chu Zhe, Chu Peng, and the other high-ranking members of the Chu Clan had understood his stance.

At the same time, they chose not to obstruct or interfere.

The elder pondered for a moment, then smiled slightly. "Yuan Mobai is certainly a man with plans. However, if someone truly intends to place such heavy responsibility on that child's shoulders, it is still too soon to tell."

"No need to worry, Fifth Martial Uncle. Senior Sister has sent word—she is unharmed, just away on other matters."

After leaving Yuhang, Lei Jun spoke quietly.

Shangguan Ning nodded slightly. "That’s good to hear."

Lei Jun continued, "However, her whereabouts remain uncertain for now, and she likely won’t return to the Tang Dynasty anytime soon. We must still act cautiously regarding the Eastern Sea."

Shangguan Ning: "Understood."

Lei Jun and Chu Kun bid farewell to their Martial Uncle Shangguan Ning and made their way to the coast of Mingzhou.

Lei Jun walked along the shoreline, moving steadily toward the Great Azure Bay.

Upon arrival, he saw only the waves rolling in—no sign of the Tianli cultivators.

He remained calm, merely saying to Chu Kun, "Though we have received intelligence, it seems the Tianli forces have yet to make a large-scale approach toward Mingzhou. I will patrol the surrounding area; in the meantime, you should visit your relatives and make arrangements for them to move inland."

Though it might seem like prioritizing personal matters over public duty, Chu Kun knew that given their disparity in cultivation, if a powerful enemy appeared, they would still rely on Senior Brother Lei Jun. His main purpose in this journey was to ensure his family’s safety and gain experience under Lei Jun’s guidance.

Seeing that the situation was still calm, Chu Kun did not refuse. He thanked Lei Jun and departed, promising to return swiftly.

Lei Jun remained by the sea, carefully examining the fluctuations in the world’s spiritual energy, observing nature’s patterns, and discerning its laws.

After a while, a celestial glow from the Celestial Ground-Through Talisman flickered deep in his eyes.

At the same time, he raised his hand.

Numerous light specks flew out in all directions, covering both land and sea.

Each light speck was a Heavenly Sight and Earthly Hearing Talisman personally crafted by Lei Jun.

With this completed, his perception of the outside world became even sharper.

All the scenes within and beyond the bay unfolded before his eyes, as if they were right in front of him.

Lei Jun nodded slightly and continued patrolling the coast of the Great Azure Bay.

Not only was there no movement in the Great Azure Bay, but there were no Tianli cultivators anywhere in Mingzhou.

Instead, the first disturbances arose in Yuhang.

Lei Jun received news that a large number of Tianli cultivators had emerged from a void gateway, launching an offensive against the eastern coastline of the Tang Dynasty.

Among them were high-level cultivators.

A great battle erupted outside Yuhang.

Especially at the Qianjiang Estuary, where the fighting was most intense.

Fortunately, the Tang Dynasty forces managed to hold their ground.

The heads of the two great aristocratic families, Ye Yan of Qingzhou and Chu Xiuyuan of Suzhou, joined forces to repel the invaders at Qianjiang Estuary.

That battlefield was now a clash of Nine Heavens Grand Scholars, and no one else dared approach, lest they be caught in the crossfire.

Meanwhile, other Tang cultivators, led by top-tier experts, engaged in fierce combat with the forces of the Great Ming Dynasty.

"That Moderate-Moderate Omen from Qianjiang mentioned turbulent winds and crashing waves—looks like it’s coming true. I wonder what the Fourth-Grade Opportunity is."

Upon receiving the news, Lei Jun remained in Mingzhou.

He was curious about the Fourth-Grade Opportunity, but he had no intention of abandoning his current post to investigate.

He stayed in the Great Azure Bay, waiting in silence.

As time passed, there was still no activity.

Even Chu Kun had sent word that he was already on his way back after persuading his family to evacuate inland.

Then, just as he was returning, Mingzhou finally saw movement.

Tianli cultivators appeared in the Great Azure Bay.

They did not make landfall but instead lingered in the bay, seemingly preparing something.

Lei Jun did not reveal himself immediately—he watched with interest.

Some of them wore the robes of scholars, while others were dressed in official attire—but unlike the court robes of the Tang Dynasty.

The scene before him matched earlier rumors about Tianli.

Confucian cultivators held an overwhelming advantage there, both in numbers and power.

Other Daoist factions existed, but they were too few and too weak to matter.

The Tianli cultivators in the bay seemed to be studying the spiritual energy flow of the Great Azure Bay—perhaps preparing a large-scale ritual.

Lei Jun narrowed his eyes, sensing that the true leaders had yet to arrive.

So, the Upper-Moderate Omen and the Third-Grade Opportunity… are they tied to these Tianli cultivators?

The group responded in unison.

What the other party had just said made Lei Jun raise an eyebrow.

First, he was surprised by their bold tone. For a moment, he even wondered if he had misinterpreted Senior Sister Xu Yuanzhen’s transmission—perhaps he had missed a few words, leading to a misunderstanding?

Second, they mentioned that Tianli’s spiritual energy was beginning to wane?

The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were naturally blessed lands.

Even the relatively hostile Ten Earths, though filled with calamities, were still rich in spiritual energy. And from the perspective of what was most suitable for human cultivators, the Nine Heavens were even better.

Tianli, or Guizang, was one of the Nine Heavens.

So, did this mean all of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths shared this hidden crisis, corresponding with the current fluctuations in spiritual energy across the human world? Or was this a problem unique to Tianli?

Lei Jun didn’t reveal himself immediately. Instead, he observed the movements of these Tianli cultivators.

Some had finally reached the shore and were starting to move inland.

At the same time, Chu Kun was rushing over to rendezvous with Lei Jun, but on his way, he happened to run into several Tianli scholars.

Although Chu Kun was dressed in a deep red robe as a Talismanic Disciple, rather than the purple robes worn by Lei Jun and Xu Yuanzhen, the attire of Tianshi Mansion cultivators still shared enough similarities to make those Tianli scholars’ expressions change the moment they saw him.

“Damn Daoist scum!” The Tianli scholars wasted no time on words and immediately launched an attack.

Unlike traditional Confucian scholastic cultivators, who mostly wielded swords, these scholars from Tianli held brushes.

As they wrote in midair, countless ink-formed characters materialized.

The characters were well-formed, their structure refined and elegant, and they appeared in neat, symmetrical pairs.

Then, as complete sentences were formed, the ink characters flew forth, covering the sky as they rained down upon Chu Kun.

Come on, Junior Brother, say it—thank Senior Sister...

Lei Jun wasn’t the least bit surprised.

He could sense that the meaning and essence embedded within these words were exactly the same as those inscribed by Saturn-Earth in the Heavenly Book Universe earlier.

So, this was the Confucian Scholastic Sect’s cultivation system...

Lei Jun recalled hearing about Confucianism back when he was on Blue Star—there were many legends, as well as many debunkings.

He hadn’t studied it deeply enough to comment on its truth, but now that he had encountered the Confucian Scholastic cultivators of this world, he was beginning to grasp some of their defining traits.

The cultivators of the Great Tang had been clashing with these Tianli scholars for several days now, and they had accumulated significant experience.

From the information he received from Shangguan Ning and the others, Lei Jun knew that these floating ink characters were the most common and fundamental combat technique of the Tianli scholars—or rather, the Confucian Scholastic Sect—known as "Character Manifestation."

Their writing was strictly uniform from the very first stroke—whether for daily calligraphy or for combat techniques using ink and brush.

Chu Kun was quick to react. His figure flickered, vanishing from his original position, dodging the storm of inked words.

He rapidly closed the distance to the Tianli scholars.

Their combat style was suited to mid-range engagement.

Thus, Chu Kun aimed to fight up close.

Spiritual light flickered across his body, forming runic patterns.

As the Spirit Talismans activated, Chu Kun’s body was enveloped in starlight, making him appear even taller and more robust than before.

At the same time, a howling wind echoed around him.

When it came to physical endurance and life-bound techniques, Chu Kun was not as gifted as his master, Yuan Mobai, his senior brother Lei Jun, or his junior nephew Zhuo Huajie.

However, he had still chosen the Spirit Strike Talisman and Wind Talisman as his life-bound spells.

Under Yuan Mobai’s tutelage, he successfully refined them into his core techniques, and even among his peers in Tianshi Mansion, his physical endurance stood out.

When he ascended to the Middle Three Heavens, his life-bound techniques evolved.

His Spirit Strike Talisman transformed into the Battle General Talisman—both in the sense of a warrior and in reference to the stars.

Unlike Lei Jun’s and Yuan Mobai’s more explosive styles, Chu Kun’s starry radiance now gave him the semblance of a miniature apparition of the Doumu Star God.

Meanwhile, his Wind Talisman evolved into the Heavenly Wind Talisman.

With the wind howling and the battle general descending upon the world, Chu Kun’s speed and strength soared.

In an instant, he closed in on one of the Tianli scholars.

The scholar’s floating ink characters swiftly converged into a grid-like framework, trying to both hinder and imprison Chu Kun.

This technique was called "Grid Manifestation"—a crucial combat art of the Confucian Scholastic Sect.

But Chu Kun was too fast.

Although his opponent managed to deploy Grid Manifestation, Chu Kun had already drawn a Ghost-Punishing Stick, shattering the yet-to-stabilize ink formation before landing a direct strike.

The scholar groaned, his body staggering as he nearly collapsed.

However, the other scholars quickly linked their Grid Manifestation techniques together, stabilizing the ink formation into a complete structure.

Rules had been set—now, as long as they held, the restrictions would remain.

"So, this is Doctrine Manifestation..."

Lei Jun observed thoughtfully.

If Doctrine Manifestation succeeded, then any opponent caught within would be bound by its logic.

Unless their strength overwhelmingly surpassed the user, they would have to break free by deciphering the meaning within.

Chu Kun wasn’t blindly charging forward—every step he took was precise.

With each movement, starlight flickered around him.

He was performing the Tianshi Mansion’s foundational technique—Big Dipper Footwork—his first life-bound technique.

Empowered by this, all his spells received a boost.

This allowed him to shatter the encroaching ink formations before they could completely bind him.

However, the moment he broke free, the ink characters immediately changed shape.

“Defying orthodoxy! Violating order and tradition! The wicked must be punished!”

The characters sharpened into blades and slashed toward him.

Both Lei Jun and Chu Kun’s eyes flickered in response.

These ink blades didn’t just cut flesh—they severed Chu Kun’s connection to nature, suppressing his Battle General Talisman, Golden Barrier Talisman, and other protective Spirit Talismans.

Though unpleasant, there was undeniable ingenuity in this technique.

Chu Kun remained unfazed.

Lei Jun had already notified him that he was nearby.

But since the situation didn’t require Lei Jun’s direct intervention, Chu Kun could handle it himself.

Knowing Lei Jun was watching meant that no stronger enemies were lurking nearby.

The Tianli scholars suddenly found their vision overwhelmed.

A terrifying storm of flames, lightning, and gales erupted!

Infernal Sea Talisman, Fire-Wind Fortress Talisman, Heaven-Shaking Thunder Talisman, Five Thunder True Talisman...

Even Lei Jun’s own creation—the Yin Five Thunder True Talisman—was among them.

The sheer number of high-grade Spirit Talismans erupted in a devastating cascade.

The Tianli scholars were left dumbfounded.

A Middle Three Heavens Daoist could wield this many talismans at once?

Even in the Middle Three Heavens, there were limits to how many talismans a Talismanic cultivator could use simultaneously.

But this red-robed Daoist was throwing them out as if they were free!

How many cultivators of his realm could match this level of firepower?

Even if the scholars had completely severed Chu Kun’s connection to the heavens, the sheer force of these talismans alone was enough to turn the entire coastline into a scorched wasteland.

In the midst of the storm, Chu Kun’s silhouette flickered.

Around him, a hundred stars pulsed in and out of existence, forming a flowing river of light—his true life-bound technique: Star River Talisman.

Lei Jun watched with a satisfied smile.

Now, that was Chu Kun’s true power.

After reaching the Middle Three Heavens and Upper Three Heavens realms, he had delved into a wider range of mystical Daoist abilities.

During discussions and exchanges with his fellow disciples, he had collaborated with Chu Kun on numerous occasions, inspiring each other.

Now, seeing Chu Kun take action and crush his enemies, Lei Jun couldn't help but feel pleased for him.

Junior Brother, you've betrayed our lineage's tradition!

With Combat General Talisman and Heavenly Wind Talisman, Chu Kun, who seemed to be following a physical life-force cultivation path, revealed his true nature—he was actually a talisman artillery master.

His attack range might not be extremely far, but the sheer coverage and firepower density within any given space was absolutely ruthless.

Or rather—extravagantly ruthless.

Chu Kun's explosive offensive consumed an absurd amount of talismanic materials and his own mana.

However, Daoist Chu Zhongguang remained utterly composed, calm and relaxed, though he did somewhat ruin his image by directly holding a red gemstone in his mouth.

The gem pulsed with a warm, gentle light, swiftly replenishing the vast amount of mana and mental energy Chu Kun had expended.

The cost was great, but the gains were even greater.

As the smoke and dust cleared, only Chu Kun remained standing.

All others—including several Principle Studies cultivators of the Sixth Heaven Realm—had collapsed.

The strongest among them, a middle-aged official, was still barely alive, struggling to get up from the ground.

But at this moment, his face was covered in blood and dust, his once dignified presence completely shattered.

"You... damn heretical Daoist!" The middle-aged official trembled with rage.

Before he could finish, a sudden tiger’s roar and a fierce wind gusted behind him.

A Wind Tiger had appeared at his back.

Chu Kun’s first and second life-bound arts both seemed quite orthodox—they were Treading the Big Dipper and Dragon-Tiger Twin Spirits, the most popular choices among Middle Three Heavens cultivators of Tianshi Mansion.

Now, with the Wind Tiger cutting off the enemy’s escape and the Cloud Dragon guarding Chu Kun while he restored his mana, the situation seemed entirely in control.

But as the middle-aged official tried to fend off the Wind Tiger, something offbeat emerged.

Around the Wind Tiger’s body, several flickering starlights began to swirl and pulse.

A volley of high-grade spirit talismans erupted together.

The Principle Studies cultivator didn't even have time to let out a final cry before being completely engulfed by thunder and flames.

"Efficient and decisive."

Lei Jun’s voice carried admiration in Chu Kun’s ear.

"Don’t flatter me, Senior Brother. I’m practically drained."

Chu Kun spat out the red gemstone—its glow had completely faded—but his mana was no longer depleted.

Lei Jun, however, simply added, "Others are coming."

Chu Kun’s explosive offensive had swiftly wiped out his foes.

At the same time, the sheer intensity of his spellcasting had shaken the heavens and the earth.

Scattered Principle Studies cultivators across the bay had all noticed.

And—others had been drawn to the commotion as well.

The successors of Tianlong Monastery, one of the Four Great Buddhist Holy Lands of the Tang Dynasty.

Leading them was a monk who appeared to be in his thirties or forties. His Dharma name was Faming, and he had recently broken through to the Seventh Heaven Realm, attaining the Dharma Image Stage.

The arrival of Faming and the other monks, combined with Chu Kun’s presence, made the approaching Principle Studies cultivators tense up in unison.

"Daoist Chu?" Faming was somewhat surprised but said nothing more. After a brief greeting, he immediately made his move to subdue the Principle Studies cultivators.

Faming’s Seventh Heaven Dharma Image manifested as a colossal white elephant.

With each step, the ground trembled, making it difficult for the Principle Studies cultivators to hold their ground.

With the Tianlong Monastery monks present, Chu Kun didn’t sit back and watch. However, he also dialed down his aggression, playing a support role as a Talismanic Branch cultivator specializing in life-force cultivation.

But soon—the battlefield shifted once more.

From the distant waters of Great Qing Bay, figures in high-ranking official robes of the Great Ming Dynasty appeared, accompanied by another contingent of Principle Studies cultivators.

One of the high-ranking officials, his face dark with anger, bellowed, "How was the information leaked?"

Lei Jun was considering whether this man was the "Wang Butang" the earlier group had mentioned, but then he heard the surrounding Principle Studies cultivators call him "Lord Su."

Official Su’s glare was fierce as he roared, "Impudent heretical monks! How dare you defy the law?"

His authoritative presence alone caused the surrounding spiritual energy to momentarily stagnate before invisible shackles automatically manifested, attempting to bind Faming for public punishment.

Faming’s White Elephant Dharma Image struggled against the force.

Yet, the elephant was shackled in place instantly.

The middle-aged monk’s face was solemn but unshaken.

He had been in the Eastern Sea for some time and had already encountered Principle Studies cultivators before.

This, however, was clearly a formidable enemy.

His White Elephant Dharma Image was immensely powerful, shaking the invisible shackles.

But as time passed, the binding force only grew stronger.

Lei Jun observed with intrigue.

Among the mystical arts cultivated by Principle Studies scholars, one method was known as Ancestral Law.

Its most distinctive feature in battle was that the longer a spell remained active, the stronger it became—constantly stacking power and making it increasingly difficult to break.

Lei Jun had heard of this before.

But what he was more focused on was something else.

Faming, though not as monstrously talented as Wang Guiyuan, Future Maitreya, or Abbot Yuanmie of Vast Void Temple, was still powerful in his realm.

His strength wasn’t far off from his elder Senior Sister Miaoyi.

Yet, facing this Official Su, he had been immediately suppressed and was falling behind.

Was Su’s strength far beyond his peers?

With Lei Jun’s sharp eye and keen understanding—yes and no.

Su was certainly formidable, but under normal circumstances, he should have been roughly equal to Faming.

Yet now, he was completely suppressing Faming.

If Lei Jun wasn’t mistaken—

This was due to the hierarchy of Daoist lineages.

The Principle Studies lineage under the Great Ming Dynasty was suppressing the Buddhist Vow lineage under the Great Tang Dynasty.

This Dao lineage acted as a barrier against the transmission of other Daoist legacies.

Part of it was due to the unique strength of their cultivation methods.

But more than that, it was likely because, as rumors suggested—

These scholars shared the burden of the nation’s fate. They rose and fell with the empire, bearing the weight of the dynasty’s prosperity and decline.

Yet, the earlier Middle Three Heavens scholars who had fought Chu Kun did not display this advantage.

Observing further, his expression turned slightly strange.

Among the Principle Studies cultivators—

Only this Upper Three Heavens Grand Scholar, Lord Su, seemed to have this nation-blessed aura, giving him an edge over someone of equal realm.

Those fighting Chu Kun and the monks, who were of Middle Three Heavens, seemed normal—no overwhelming advantage.

And the Lower Three Heavens young scholars?

They actually looked noticeably weaker than their peers from other Daoist lineages.

Lei Jun rarely found himself speechless.

Don’t tell me… this lineage flips the norm of cultivation history—where you suffer when you're young, but the older you get, the more authority and power you gain?

Then, considering another major technique of theirs—Hierarchy and Order, which enforced strict obedience to superiors—Lei Jun raised his eyebrows slightly.

Just as he was about to reflect further, he sensed another presence hidden in the distance, watching this battle.

The high-ranking official surnamed Su asked, "Brother Mingquan, has Lord Butang arrived?"

The latter replied, "Lord Butang has already begun preparations in the outer sea."

The Su official sighed, "I'm ashamed. Brother Mingquan, please assist me. Let's take down these wicked monks as soon as possible!"

The two Seventh-Heaven Confucian scholars struck together, overwhelming Monk Faming, who could barely hold his ground.

The Su official commanded, "Capture them all. Don’t let any information leak out."

While his fellow scholar continued suppressing Monk Faming, the Su official freed himself up to sweep through the battlefield.

At first, he seemed to overlook Chu Kun, the Daoist disciple.

But the moment he made his move, Chu Kun was his first target!

Even Monk Faming, at the same cultivation level as this enemy, struggled immensely.

For Chu Kun, who was an entire realm lower, the pressure was suffocating.

He felt as if the enemy's entire body was shrouded in a faint glow, within which the images of mountains and rivers intertwined—but all dyed in inky black.

Under this dark aura, any cultivator of lower rank who attempted to attack would find their power greatly diminished.

But Chu Kun wasn’t entirely defenseless.

His third life-bound technique was already in preparation.

Its name: Starshift Talisman.

Not an offensive technique, but one that had saved him from danger time and again.

Revealing it here wasn’t ideal, but survival came first.

Yet, before the starlight around him could even ignite, a far more radiant celestial glow erupted in the distance.

Like a galaxy reversing its flow, the starry radiance swirled, and without warning, a towering Daoist apparition materialized beside Chu Kun.

Then, in a single punch, it sent the Su official flying.

The battlefield instantly fell silent.

Even those still locked in fierce combat froze, their expressions filled with shock and uncertainty as they stared at the massive Daoist apparition that had suddenly appeared.

Elder Lei of Mount Longhu’s Tianshi Mansion…

Monk Faming, who had been under immense pressure, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Senior Brother," Chu Kun greeted calmly.

Lei Jun, who had taken the form of the Doumu Star God Apparition, turned and exchanged a nod with his junior brother.

Earlier, with no monks from Tianlong Monastery present, Lei Jun had left the battlefield cleanup to Chu Kun.

But now, he wasn’t about to force his junior brother to expose his secrets in front of outsiders.

Besides, sensing the shift in the distant bay, Lei Jun judged that the Opportunity he had been waiting for at Great Azure Bay had finally matured.

Sure enough, the moment the Eighth-Heaven Lei Jun revealed himself, a brilliant white light suddenly flared over the distant sea.

Like the rising of a luminous full moon over the water.

But it was broad daylight.

Thus, the moon over the sea and the sun above formed a phenomenon of Sun and Moon Radiance Together.

Within the moonlight, a towering, authoritative elder clad in the Second-Grade official robes of the Great Ming Dynasty appeared.

An Eighth-Heaven Confucian scholar.

Lei Jun sized him up and immediately recognized that the man was conducting some kind of special ritual.

The process was unfamiliar to Lei Jun, but from its structure, he could tell it was channeling and redirecting the spiritual energy of this realm—likely connecting to Tianli.

The official, addressed by his subordinates as Lord Wang Butang, locked eyes with Lei Jun.

"A Daoist at the Eighth Heaven should understand the will of Heaven. You should know that defying it will bring calamity upon yourself."

Lei Jun scoffed. "So ‘Heaven’s will’ includes robbing others in broad daylight?"

He shook his head and said no more.

As he spoke, the Mysterious Firmament Five Thunder Talisman took form, birthing pitch-black Profound Thunder.

From within, a massive black dragon emerged, roaring silently.

Mysterious Firmament Thunder Ancestor Apparition!

The moment the dragon appeared, it first shattered the suppressive force restraining Monk Faming.

Then, it lunged at the hidden Confucian scholars who had been watching from the shadows.

A man referred to as Futai—now forced to reveal himself—had no choice but to unleash his own Seventh-Heaven Confucian cultivation.

At the same time, Lord Wang Butang's brow furrowed. "Wicked Daoist, how dare you!"

His voice carried a surge of righteous energy, mingled with thick black ink, which transformed into shackles and crashed down toward Lei Jun.

But Lei Jun, embodying the Fate Star Deity, remained completely unaffected.

With the support of the Spiritual Officer Talisman, Heavenly Travel Talisman, and Orbiting Stars Formation, he ignored the shackles and charged across the sea straight toward Wang Butang.

Wang Butang’s eyes darkened as he saw the black thunder dragon exposing those hiding in the shadows. "Gu Lang… so you're here too…"

But he had no time to pursue that matter.

Lei Jun’s strength had exceeded his expectations.

Yet, Wang Butang remained composed.

He let out another thunderous cry: "Wicked Daoist, how dare you!"

This time, his voice seemed to pierce through reality itself, striking directly at Lei Jun’s soul.

It was a grand Confucian divine ability—Heaven’s Reason, Mortal’s Desires.

Preserve the Will of Heaven. Eradicate Human Desires.

It directly attacked the target’s thoughts and emotions.

But Lei Jun no longer needed to rely on his Tianshi Seal to defend his soul.

Inside his spiritual consciousness, a deafening thunderclap erupted.

Then, Purple Nine-Heavens Divine Thunder descended.

With the Thunder Law Heavenly Book Talisman activated, the purple lightning gathered into a colossal Yang Thunder Dragon!

Nine-Heavens Thunder Ancestor Apparition!

The purple thunder dragon coiled around Lei Jun’s Fate Star Deity, propelling him forward like a lightning strike—crashing straight through the bright moon Wang Butang stood upon!

An Eighth-Heaven Talisman Daoist… with three apparitions?!

Wang Butang was stunned.

He had assumed his Nation’s Fortune and Mountain-River Energy would completely suppress this Daoist.

But now, in desperation, he conjured layers of pitch-black restraints to protect himself.

However, Lei Jun’s Black Yin Thunder Dragon came streaking in!

Black and purple—yin and yang, twin dragons intertwined.

Not quite a Dragon-Tiger Combination Strike, but an alternative manifestation of Yin-Yang Convergence.

Twin Dragons Breach the Sea.

Thunder Shakes the Nine Heavens!

A pillar of purple-black lightning blasted forward, striking Wang Butang’s ink-black defenses—completely obliterating them!

His body radiated with an even denser and deeper glow than his subordinates, bearing the weight of immense fortune.

But the twin dragons refused to dissipate, circling back to coil around Lei Jun’s towering Fate Star Deity.

Doumu Star God Apparition.

Nine-Heavens Thunder Ancestor Apparition.

Mysterious Firmament Thunder Ancestor Apparition.

Three great apparitions unleashed together—power fused as one!

The devastating strike shattered Wang Butang’s protective radiance entirely.

A massive hole appeared in his chest.

Lei Jun’s fist had punched straight through Wang Butang's body, emerging from his back!