Chapter 357: Chapter 357

Lei Jun gazed at the formation diagram suspended in midair for a moment, then raised a finger and tapped the air.

The formation didn’t unfold but instead shrank back into the shape of a Yin-Yang Taiji diagram.

Two Ninth-Grade Eclipse Lotus Seats soared into the air, landing on opposite ends of the Yin-Yang Taiji diagram.

Upon contact, the diagram trembled slightly, swaying side to side.

The two black lotus seats also quivered, unable to settle down.

Lei Jun stayed calm and focused, continuously fine-tuning the formation and the lotus seats.

The mutual repulsion between the two started to weaken.

He gazed eastward, calm in demeanor.

After a short while, Master Dongda, Master Wanglang, and other experts from the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru returned from all directions. “Master, the nine Vajra Pestles on this side have also been buried.”

The Division Commander nodded and began forming hand seals.

Under shimmering Buddhist light, a Buddhist Pagoda, similar to what had appeared back at the Vajra Division, manifested again—seemingly detached from time and space—and drew in the nine Vajra Pestles buried around it to form a formation.

Meanwhile, another Nine-Consciousness Temporal Illusion Formation emerged in this mountain range, connecting to the Vajra Monastery far off in the Western Region.

Beyond that, a deeper connection was established between the two locations.

A watery radiance emerged from the Division Commander’s body, like the source of a great river.

The river’s flow vanished into the temporal illusion formation.

Buddhist and Daoist mystical energies intertwined—neither violently clashing nor merging.

Under the Division Commander’s command of Buddhist divine arts, the two forces seemed to cancel each other out, their presence fading as if neither had ever existed.

Even the aura of Vajra Division Commander Jialuotu himself became more concealed than ever.

He nodded lightly. “Let’s hope it yields the desired result.”

Next to him, Master Dongda respectfully offered the ritual bell they had taken earlier from the monastery’s stone wall.

The Commander received it and gave the order, “The battle in the northern border of Great Tang has gone smoother than expected. You all may begin on this side as well—and stay alert for updates from all directions.”

Master Dongda, Master Wanglang, and the others all responded in unison, “Yes, Master.”

They were headed for the Daoist Sacred Land of Pure Yang Palace, stronghold of the Daoist Alchemical Sect.

The Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru was about to spark a direct clash between Buddhism and Daoism on Tang territory.

From the moment they helped the Lone Eagle Khanate open a void gateway into the human realm of Great Tang, their decision had been made.

They weren’t going to sit on the sidelines and wait to see who would win between the Khanate and the Tang Dynasty.

Although current intel suggested that Master Jiasheng, Consort Yangjin, and other Sumeru elites hadn’t yet engaged with Tang cultivators in direct battle...

The Vajra Division was stepping in now.

Once the bow is drawn, there’s no turning back.

If they missed today and Great Tang emerged victorious, it would be almost impossible to mend ties or keep straddling the fence.

Great Tang didn’t choose Sumeru.

Sumeru, likewise, no longer chose Great Tang.

Since they had sided with the Lone Eagle Khanate, they had to help it gain a decisive foothold in this realm.

Thus, the Vajra Division chose to go all in.

Only then could Western Buddhism secure a more prominent position once the Khanate settled in the human realm.

Opening the void portal was a great achievement—but not enough.

Because within the Khanate, the Vajra Division also had rivals.

Even though the Lotus Division of Sumeru, from the same origin, had vowed not to interfere in Tang affairs, other factions like Sanchun Palace were still in the game.

And forces on the Tang side might shift allegiances too.

The Vajra Division would not let their efforts be handed over to others.

Even if Great Tang didn’t collapse and the Khanate only carved out half the realm, Sumeru would still gain.

Worst-case scenario: the invasion failed, and they had to fall back to the West—or back to Sumeru itself. Still, they had to snatch a few rewards for themselves.

Like… converting a prodigy into a Buddhist Guardian.

Of course, such moves had to remain secret.

Not only hidden from Great Tang—but also from the Lone Eagle Khanate.

These things were easier done than said. Even if the Khanate caught wind of it, they’d be wary and distrustful.

The Commander Jialuotu considered the northern war smoother than expected—not because the Khanate was steamrolling its way through.

If the Tang’s northern front were in real danger, it might have drawn all their experts north.

Which would have ruined the Vajra Division’s plans in the west.

But now that it was confirmed that Khan Harigel hadn’t pushed south immediately, the Commander was finally at ease.

Others were hard to predict—but the National Preceptor of Tang? Once she heard about the simultaneous unrest in the north and west, she’d likely come find these Buddhist monks herself.

And if she didn’t? No matter.

The current situation was already ideal. The Commander had no complaints.

They had acted quietly, leaving the monastery and heading to Guanlong to prepare the Nine-Consciousness Formation in advance.

Now that everything was ready, it was time to move openly.

The Commander closed his eyes and sat in meditation, silently chanting sutras.

Master Dongda, Master Wanglang, and the other experts bowed deeply and departed.

Their destination: Pure Yang Palace.

Their mission: lay siege to the mountain.

At the Vajra Monastery ancestral grounds, deep in the Western Region—

Masters Gongbu, Gelu, Suo Yang, and the other monks who had stayed behind received word and chanted the Buddha’s name in unison.

Under their guidance, all the remaining disciples returned to the mountain gate and began chanting silently.

Inside the monastery, ritual flutes, conch shells, and bells rang in chorus.

The great sun above shone brighter than ever.

The ever-present Buddhist light that blanketed the monastery inside and out, day and night, now became even more radiant—brilliant as diamond, unyielding, cutting through all affliction.

The light wove itself into a Vajra Mandala, enveloping the colossal monastery like a city. Its brilliance expanded ever outward.

At this moment, it was as if a pure Buddhist kingdom had descended upon the Tang realm.

A pure land of Blissful Joy.

This was the Vajra Monastery’s Mountain Guarding Formation, passed down from the Vajra Division.

With the Pure Land deployed, the monastery seemed detached from all worldly affairs.

Even when fending off external threats like Vast Void Temple, they hadn’t shown such overwhelming defense before.

Now, in the center of this Pure Land, within the Mandala, the light began to take the form of a Buddha’s phantom.

It was none other than Akshobhya, one of the Five Buddhas of the Vajra Realm—and the original namesake of the Vajra Division’s command title.

As the Buddha’s image appeared, the golden light of the Pure Land turned blue—the color associated with the Vajra Division among the five divisions of the Vajra Realm.

With the Blissful Pure Land fully opened, the entire monastery was on high alert, ready to repel any enemy.

Meanwhile, at the Daoist Sacred Land Pure Yang Palace, its Sect Leader Jiang Yu and Elder Masters Wang Xuan and Lü Jinduan led the defense of their mountain gate against the now fully exposed Buddhist invaders like Master Dongda from the West.

Overall, while not completely unexpected, it wasn’t a sneak attack either.

Though Yue Xiling had gone to the northern front, due to mutual understandings among various parties, the Tang Imperial Court hadn’t reassigned anyone from Pure Yang Palace.

So even with the enemy led by masters like Dongda, the palace, relying on its defensive position, had enough strength to contend.

However, the news was still swiftly relayed to both Luoyang and the Tianshi Mansion.

On the surface, the Vajra Division’s move looked like it was skirting direct conflict with the authorities, targeting Pure Yang Palace instead, using the excuse of a Buddhist-Daoist struggle.

But in truth, their stance was now crystal clear.

Upon returning from the Eastern Sea, Tang Xiaotang, the National Preceptor, wasted no time and headed west toward Guanlong.

As for Chu Kun, Zhang Jingzhen, and other Tianshi Mansion disciples who had earlier gone north, they stayed on the northern front to continue repelling foreign invaders.

Reports from their side and from the Imperial Court continued to pour in for Tianshi Lei.

Along the Yinshan defense line, elite forces of both sides clashed in fierce battles.

The opposing general: a Ninth Heaven Cavalry Warlord, Dadon Baril, known for heavy cavalry tactics.

According to current intel, he was a close aide of Khan Harigel, and the chief of the Angqin Tribe, the second largest in the Khanate.

Across all four Khanates, the Angqin were famed for their power.

Dadon Baril had strongly backed Harigel’s campaign to become the supreme khan.

Arrogant and aggressive, he challenged Prince Zhao Zhang Teng as soon as they met.

He rode the Blackpeak Wolf King, a beast second only to the Sky Eagle among the Khanate’s spirit beasts, and was in his prime.

Zhang Teng, on the other hand, was aging and seemingly past his peak.

Yet, he held his ground with composure.

Though Dadon came on strong, he failed to gain the upper hand.

Zhang Teng didn’t appear as dominant, but he wielded the Town-Calming Blade, a top-tier Tang martial weapon passed down by the Imperial Court.

His defensive stance was solid and disciplined, turning defense into offense, making it impossible for Dadon to breach his line.

…So was the intel from the Ye Clan of Cangzhou and Lin Clan of Youzhou inaccurate?

Or was Prince Zhao holding back?

As Lei Jun finished the final touches on his formation and artifacts, he raised an eyebrow while reviewing the reports.

He remembered previously reading letters exchanged between the two clans, which mentioned some shift in Zhang Teng’s martial state in recent years.

Now, his performance was solid—but not surprising or extraordinary.

Still, it made Lei Jun wonder.

Regardless, Zhang Teng’s showing matched what most people expected.

At the Yinshan defense line, he was indeed a pillar of strength, holding firm against the fiercest tides.

At the same time, other foreign experts also attacked the Yinshan line.

But their advances weren’t going smoothly.

At the front stood disciples of Xuanyan Temple, the Buddhist Sacred Land of the Precepts Tradition.

Glassy lotus flowers bloomed across Yinshan like a wall, holding back the southern tide.

Fighting alongside them weren’t soldiers of the Divine Strategy Army, but Confucian scholars.

Wielding righteous sword qi that surged like rivers, their rituals, aligned with nation and people, erected fortified bastions alongside the monks’ lotus light, forming interlinked fortresses. The combined force of righteous qi and Buddhist light surged skyward.

The invading warriors of the Khanate brought with them the wild martial aura that crushed culture and order.

But thanks to years of reform, the scholars from Confucian families and royal descendants now had the means to resist such barbarism.

Because of Bomu Ge of the Falling Sun Tribe and his connection to the Vajra Division, the Khanate had caught wind of this before arriving in the Tang realm.

But most had dismissed it.

They believed their iron hooves could still trample these lands.

Just as their brethren in the Golden Khanate had done to the so-called Song Dynasty in another human realm.

To be fair, most of the Lone Eagle Khanate hadn’t fought Song cultivators directly. For years, their expansion had been westward.

But what they’d heard suggested that, despite efforts to adapt Confucian teachings to resist foreign martial arts, the Song had made little progress.

The Golden Khanate’s advance had been relentless.

Rumor said that the Song now could barely hold onto even half their land.

But today, when the Lone Eagle forces clashed with the Tang cultivators, it was anything but easy.

Even the Confucian scholars were far tougher than rumored.

Some foreign elites began to reflect.

Reports from the Golden Khanate implied the Song Confucians followed a different path than the Tang Confucians.

Was the Song lineage simply inferior?

Or did their teachings fail specifically against Khanate warriors?

Or was there something else?

But for most of the Lone Eagle warriors…

They were just furious with frustration.

The relationship between them and the Golden Khanate wasn’t exactly good either—they often clashed. So how could the other side break through the Song with ease, yet their own first attack on Tang hit a wall?

Many warriors of the Lone Eagle Khanate were enraged. There were a lot of them, elites among them, and when they rallied together, it was like a raging tide, crashing endlessly. But their opponents weren’t just sitting ducks. Led by Confucian scholars like Lin Liyun, Ye Chu, and Fang Huansheng, everyone coordinated tightly with the disciples from Xuankong Temple to hold the line. Under the layered fortress-like defense, cultivators from the Confucian Divine Archery path, the Recitation lineage, and the Daoist Talismanic branch could strike back without restraint.

The foreign cavalry riders, skilled in mobile skirmishes, also shot back with mounted bows—but it wasn’t enough to suppress the Tang cultivators. A few of them began probing ways to bypass the Yin Mountain defense line. At that moment, Tang's martial cultivators moved.

With martial experts like Lu Zhen, Zhang Rui, and Zhang Junhai taking the lead, they moved with wind-like speed, keeping the Tang cultivators from becoming static targets, always maintaining the flexibility to counterattack. Spurred on by Datuun Bari, the already furious warriors of the foreign tribes also went all in, rallying their forces to storm the Tang lines. The heavy cavalry War Saint Datuun Bari personally led the charge, aiming to pierce the Yin Mountain defenses.

Prince Zhao, Zhang Teng, didn’t back down. He also stood at the very front of the Tang forces, facing Datuun Bari head-on. The destructive power of the two War Saints didn’t seem as overwhelming as other Ninth Heaven experts, but once they clashed, not even allies dared to approach.

As time passed, reinforcements on both sides arrived in waves. From the Lone Eagle Khanate came another Ninth Heaven War Saint—Bomu Ge. On the Tang side, it was the Shushan Sect’s high elder Zhang Dongyuan, who joined forces with his junior martial nephew Ji Chuan. Taking the Qingming Sword from Ji Chuan, Zhang Dongyuan’s swordplay soared like a dragon—green sword light dancing above Yin Mountain.

Bomu Ge didn’t target Zhang Dongyuan. His targets were the lower-realm Tang cultivators. Typically, high-realm cultivators avoided picking on lower-realm ones unless entangled with opponents of equal strength, or wary of sparking mutual slaughter among juniors. But in this all-out war, Bomu Ge showed no such restraint. Unlike Datuun Bari, he didn’t have to go after the strongest foe.

Still, when compared to Zhang Dongyuan wielding the Qingming Sword, Bomu Ge realized his kill efficiency just didn’t measure up. One-on-one, he was confident he’d win. But Zhang Dongyuan had an edge—his side had support from Xuankong Temple’s Precepts lineage. Their disciples could defend themselves and others, especially when abbot Ningru himself took action. A sea of glassy lotus blossoms unfurled, shielding everything with immense strength.

Ningru’s Eighth Heaven cultivation couldn’t match Bomu Ge’s War Saint level. But the old monk focused purely on defense, bringing out the best of the Precepts lineage’s strengths. Given time, Bomu Ge could break through his Buddhist defenses. But during that time, Zhang Dongyuan’s slaughter of the mid- and low-realm foreign warriors was far more efficient.

However, the Lone Eagle Khanate had another card to play. The void rippled, and a formless shockwave spread in all directions. A divine soul technique.

Used by a Daoist Alchemical Sect expert, this targeted the soul directly—unseen, undetectable, impossible to guard against. Zhao You’an, the Sect Master of Sanchun Palace, unleashed it. His Nascent Soul Yang Spirit emerged, casting the soul attack across the entire Tang defensive line.

Ningru and other high monks from Xuankong Temple, trained in both tangible and intangible defense, resisted valiantly. But under the relentless pressure from Zhao You’an and his Sanchun Palace disciples, even the lotus sea of Buddhist light wavered.

Now Bomu Ge struck again—no matter how strong the Xuankong Temple’s monks were, they couldn’t withstand two Ninth Heaven powerhouses at once. Even with the support of numerous Confucian scholars wielding Ritual Path arts, their formation began to buckle.

But then, Zhao You’an abruptly stopped attacking the Yin Mountain line. Even with his Nascent Soul Yang Spirit outside his body and heightened perception, danger had crept terrifyingly close. Were he not in the Ninth Heaven Great Ascension Realm, he might not have reacted in time.

He managed to pull his Yang Spirit back into his body and barely blocked the blow.

The attacker was a young, beautiful woman in armor. In her hand was a divine weapon rivaling the Qingming Sword or the World-Suppressing Blade. Its broad, heavy blade exuded the majesty of vast mountains and rivers—except, c’mon, that ambush was anything but majestic!

Zhao You’an withstood the strike, but his heart was chilled. Anyone with less awareness or weaker defenses, even in the Ninth Heaven Realm, might’ve been done for.

He countered instantly, but the woman didn’t press the attack. She leapt back with lightning speed—like a dragon soaring into the heavens, then vanishing underground.

She was none other than Xiao Xueting, wielding the Mountain and River Sword. Her ambush didn’t land, but she didn’t linger—retreating immediately.

Zhao You’an’s counter missed. Bomu Ge’s sneak grab missed too. Both were shaken. Xiao Xueting’s elusive movements put the foreign warriors on edge—she was an even greater threat than Zhang Dongyuan.

The Yin Mountain line held. Tang cultivators pushed back now and then, even forcing the invaders to retreat.

Though many Sanchun Palace cultivators came with Zhao You’an and had excellent self-defense, they couldn’t protect allies like the monks of Xuankong Temple. Still, their presence allowed many Lone Eagle Khanate warriors to pull back and regroup.

The enemy attacks faltered, but their ferocity didn’t. The two sides engaged in repeated tug-of-war skirmishes around the Yin Mountain range.

Updates from the front lines flowed steadily to Lei Jun at Mount Longhu. While discussing the latest report with his master Yuan Mobai—which on the surface seemed somewhat optimistic—he said:

“I can’t say I feel relieved.”

Yuan Mobai nodded lightly. “The other side… is arrogant.”

After all, most of their forces were martial cultivators, many mounted on swift exotic beasts. Gathered together , they were a savage tidal force.

But charging straight into the Tang’s Yin Mountain defense line like that? It showed a complete disregard for their enemy. Even if they aimed to settle things in one decisive battle and eliminate a massive portion of Tang’s forces in one strike—if they’d spread out earlier to raid from multiple directions and regrouped later, they’d pose an even greater threat.

“Still, it shows something. This time, they’re not just like Bomu Ge or the Sunset Tribe, looking to loot and run. They have ambitions to conquer this realm,” Lei Jun said.

“Which means…” “…they’ve got someone powerful backing them,” Yuan Mobai finished. “They’ve got real confidence.”

“The Lone Eagle Khanate may already be here.”

He turned to Lei Jun. “What about Yuanzhen and Xiaotang?”

“Senior Sister is in Penglai. She’s found the Western White Emperor, and now she’s tangling with the Southern Red Emperor. Little Senior Sister has reached Guanlong. The siege on Pure Yang Palace has lifted, and she’s chasing down monks from the Vajra Division. But she hasn’t encountered the Division Master Jialuotu or Master Jiasheng yet.”

“If they’ve moved, it won’t be peaceful,” Yuan Mobai said. “Those two Ninth Heaven Buddhist masters—most likely both left the Vajra Monastery already.”

“If anything,” Lei Jun added, “the north worries me more.”

“Thankfully, Her Majesty the Empress seems to share our view,” he continued. “It’s said she’s already preparing to leave the capital and personally lead an expedition north. She’s also ordered the Yin Mountain defense line to shrink back and stay alert—no reckless moves.”

“Are you heading out, Chongyun?” Yuan Mobai asked.

“Yes, Master,” Lei Jun answered.

He gathered the items he’d been refining and nurturing within the Nine Abyss True Flame, carefully stowing them away. After bidding farewell to Yuan Mobai and Wang Guiyuan, Tianshi Lei Jun descended the mountain once more.

But this time, unlike before, he did so openly. Crossing the Great River, he began his journey north.

Dark thunderclouds surged in the sky above him, flickering with purple light, rolling with thunder.

Prince Zhang Haoyu, heir to the Prince of Weiyang, carefully plucked a heart-shaped crystal from a beast’s corpse. His guards couldn’t help; it had to be done by a Seventh Heaven cultivator like him.

Wind Thunder Heart—perfect for my cultivation. With it, I might reach a new level…

His face was cold, but inwardly he burned with excitement. By the corpse of the monstrous bird-like beast lay the body of a foreign warrior, soaked in blood.

Zhang Haoyu felt heaven was smiling upon him. Who would’ve thought a Wind Thunder Owl, long extinct in the Tang Realm, would appear with the foreign raiders?

It was a rare opportunity. One he had to seize.

He safely stored the Wind Thunder Heart, and along with it, a sense of inner peace. Since joining the battle, his heart had never settled.

Though a noble of the imperial clan and seasoned in bloodshed, Zhang Haoyu wasn’t afraid of battle. What unsettled him… was seeing someone he didn’t want to see.

Someone also surnamed Zhang. Also from the imperial Zhang clan. Also at the Seventh Heaven stage—but a high elder of the Tianshi Mansion: Zhang Jingzhen.

He didn’t want to see her because years ago, she accepted a disciple named Zhang Xiongju in Guanzhong. A royal relative from a distant branch of the Prince of Weiyang’s household. Someone with past ties to his own clan.

That man had since passed the Initiation and Talisman Conferral at the Tianshi Mansion. Zhang Haoyu loathed the outcome.

But he couldn’t stop it. He couldn’t even voice his displeasure—because of the Tianshi Mansion’s overwhelming power in today’s Tang, and because Tianshi Lei Jun had once saved his father’s life.

Zhang Xiongju wasn’t in the north. But seeing Zhang Jingzhen—the one who had guided him onto the Daoist path—only made Zhang Haoyu more stifled.

His only solace was slaughter. And now, this unexpected boon: the Wind Thunder Heart.

No matter the risk, he had to claim this spiritual treasure. Only by growing stronger could he hope to one day change things…

Just as he brooded, his vision blurred—someone had appeared before him.

A middle-aged monk from the Western Regions, with a solemn, sacred aura. Zhang Haoyu recognized him from past visits with his father.

Master Jiasheng, of the Vajra Division of Mount Sumeru.

Recalling recent rumors, Zhang Haoyu was struck by dread.

But Jiasheng appeared all smiles.

“Your Highness. I trust you’ve been well.”

“Master,” Zhang Haoyu replied coolly. “There’s no need for courtesy. Your Vajra Division chose the enemy over the Tang. I may be no match for your skill, but I won’t go down quietly!”

He didn’t turn around. He vanished with a flash, retreating backward.

Jiasheng smiled gently.

“Please stay, Your Highness.”

As he spoke, his hand reached out.

Though Zhang Haoyu was fast, the gap between them was vast. Jiasheng’s Ninth Heaven Buddhist cultivation let his palm stretch like a shadow over the heavens, aiming to engulf Zhang Haoyu.

But just then—a streak of green sword light shot in from afar, slashing toward Jiasheng. He had to switch tactics, forming a mudra to block the strike.

“Elder Zhang!” Zhang Haoyu cried with joy.

It was none other than Zhang Dongyuan, the high elder of the Shushan Sect.

Zhang Dongyuan’s face, however, was grave. There’d been a strict order—Her Majesty would personally lead the army soon, and before she arrived, the Yin Mountain defense must not act rashly.

Yet Zhang Haoyu had disobeyed, chasing a small group of enemy riders. Fearing he’d get cut off, Zhang Dongyuan had come himself.

As luck would have it, they’d run straight into Jiasheng, the Vajra Division monk who had remained hidden until now.

Jiasheng was a Hand Seal Lineage monk at the Ninth Heaven Law Body Stage—extremely dangerous. Even with the Qingming Sword, Zhang Dongyuan had no guarantee of victory.

Luckily, his only goal now was retreat. He just had to extract Zhang Haoyu.

He didn’t speak. He merged his Immortal Soul with the Qingming Sword, unleashing a blinding, world-piercing blade of light toward Jiasheng.

Jiasheng, no stranger to the Qingming Sword, grew wary. As the sword slashed toward him, he summoned his Law Body, golden Buddhist light radiating around him—and a pure white halo emerged overhead.

In the Hand Seal Lineage, the Ninth Heaven Law Body Stage has five layers: Law Body, Bodhi Insight, Bodhi Heart, Diamond Heart, and Diamond Body.

Jiasheng revealed his Second Layer: Bodhi Insight. The white halo, like a moon, though only an arm wide, radiated clarity, significantly reducing incoming damage.

It deflected the sword light’s path. Zhang Dongyuan’s strikes came swift and sharp, but he didn’t linger—he turned and tried to retreat with Zhang Haoyu.

But then… a hawk’s cry tore across the sky. The heavens above darkened.

Both Zhang Dongyuan and Zhang Haoyu were startled.

Looking up, Zhang Haoyu saw it—a massive eagle, its wings blotting out the sun, circling high above. On its head stood a figure, gazing down upon the world.

At the same moment, Jiasheng’s voice echoed:

“All hail the Khan King.”

Lei Jun continued northward, purple lightning clouds swirling above him. Just then, he received a chilling report:

The false king of the foreign tribes has appeared. Shushan Elder Zhang Dongyuan and Prince Zhang Haoyu have fallen. The Yin Mountain defense has collapsed.