The pitch-black night sky was studded with countless shimmering stars, their light cascading down in a breathtaking spectacle. Yet, the once-bustling Yuhai City now lay desolate and cold, with only the occasional silhouette dashing across the sky.
“The two suspicious individuals from before were indeed targeting Su Xiaoyou,” said Master Yunhe, a Daoist immortal dressed in coarse hemp robes, holding a compass in his hand. He and Jiang Zhiwei were stealthily hovering in the night sky.
Jiang Zhiwei had only just learned of this and was surprised. “Master, why didn’t you tell me earlier so I could identify them?”
“Many people spy on your Xijian Pavilion every day. Can I have you identify every single one? Besides, they were in disguise and kept changing their appearances. If it weren’t for my caution in capturing their qi within the ‘Human Compass,’ we might not have noticed them at all,” Master Yunhe explained while stroking his white beard.
He had not gone out for a stroll today, and had it not been for his reminder to Jiang Zhiwei to monitor the two qi signatures on the compass, they might have missed their sudden disappearance. Only after discovering the secret mark left behind by Meng Qi nearby did they realize what was happening.
Jiang Zhiwei remained silent for a moment before scanning the surroundings. “Master, where did they go?”
“They vanished at this very spot. Perhaps they used a formation or some other secret treasure to block detection…” Master Yunhe’s eyes displayed shifting trigrams, creating a dizzying effect.
As he was employing his supernatural abilities to search for clues, the environment around them suddenly transformed!
Clusters of white clouds rose up, forming a ground beneath them, while colorful mists descended, exuding an aura of transcendence. In an instant, the mundane world transformed into an ethereal paradise.
Master Yunhe’s expression subtly changed. “The Fairy Realm of the Su Nu!”
In ancient times, the Su Nu Realm was renowned and easily identifiable!
Jiang Zhiwei felt the laws of the world around her shift into something refined and otherworldly, as the sea of primal energy merged with the mists, making it difficult for her to connect with the external world.
Amidst the glowing mists and melodious songs, white clouds gathered, and from them emerged a woman walking gracefully.
She was draped in white gauze, revealing no skin apart from her hands and face, yet she exuded an aura of infinite beauty. Her appearance was fresh, her demeanor refined, and her presence so divine that just seeing her almost made Jiang Zhiwei reluctant to draw her sword. The heavens seemed to revolve around her, the laws of the world intertwining with her being. Every glance and movement embodied the essence of Dao and principle.
This sensation…
“Xuan Nu!”
“The True Xuan Nu!”
Since Xuan Nu cultivated an incarnation and usually traveled the world through it—most incarnations remaining unknown to the public until they were reabsorbed into the original—her true power remained mysterious and unfathomable. She had never been listed on the Earth Chart. Yet, the presence before them exuded the aura of a half-step Dharma Body, and she seemed capable of wielding the power of the Su Nu Realm!
“I never expected there to be a talisman cultivator nearing Yangshen’s power behind Su Meng. Fortunately, I didn’t take things lightly,” Xuan Nu said in a voice as clear and distant as a song, causing the mists and radiance to intensify, enhancing the fairy-like atmosphere.
Remaining calm, Master Yunhe replied, “I never expected Jiutian Xuan Nu to have a lineage still existing. Were those two suspicious figures sent by you?”
Xuan Nu responded serenely, “Not directly, but close enough. If I hadn’t deliberately leaked the news of Su Meng’s appearance in Yuhai, how would he have known his enemies were nearby? If I hadn’t ‘carelessly’ allowed myself to be deceived, how could he have borrowed the ‘Yin-Yang Separation Veil’? And without him, how could I contact the ‘Howling Moon Divine Hound’ to track Su Meng’s trail?”
As these words were spoken, Jiang Zhiwei inhaled deeply, pushing aside her previous reluctance, and with a sharp *zing*, unsheathed her sword.
Her blade was not aimed at Xuan Nu but at the Su Nu Realm itself. Her plan was for Master Yunhe to hold off Xuan Nu’s true form while she shattered the realm’s barrier and rushed to Meng Qi’s aid.
Now that she knew the treasure involved was the “Yin-Yang Separation Veil,” she could follow its trail!
Master Yunhe sighed. “It seems I’ve grown negligent after so many years away from the mortal world, overlooking certain lay devotees and making mistakes.”
As his words faded, a burst of blue-violet flames erupted in the sky, forming a Vermilion Bird that dove toward Xuan Nu, its heat igniting the clouds and setting the air ablaze, as if reality itself might melt away!
Simultaneously, green vines surged from the ground, and sword qi slashed through the air, dark shadows forming around Xuan Nu, binding her in place.
He was cunning and experienced, striking the moment he spoke, unleashing Daoist techniques and invoking the Five Elements Formation with himself as the water element.
Xuan Nu now held a bamboo branch with nine fresh green leaves at its tip. With a gentle motion, the laws of the Su Nu Realm shifted. The Vermilion Bird turned to water, the vines withered, and the bindings dissolved. She moved with effortless grace, like a stroll through a garden.
“A divine weapon!” Master Yunhe’s expression shifted slightly.
A chaotic talisman flew forth, ancient inscriptions glowing brightly, stabilizing the shifting laws of the Su Nu Realm. The surroundings darkened, as if countless hidden dangers were about to manifest, revealing myriad transformations.
“The Hunyuan Yi Qi Shangqing Divine Talisman…” Xuan Nu’s voice faltered slightly. “The inheritance of the Myriad Phenomena Sage!”
Suppressing her hatred for Xuan Nu, Jiang Zhiwei merged her body with her sword, activating the secret techniques of the Xijian Pavilion, resisting the interference of the Su Nu Realm. She transformed into a brilliant, pure sword beam, slicing toward the edge of the realm from afar.
Outside the hidden Su Nu Realm, shadows stood still in the night. Within them stood a figure unmistakably the Xuan Nu incarnation previously encountered by Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei!
She gazed at the seemingly normal courtyard below, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to strike and abduct her target.
Had it not been for the unexpected interference of Master Yunhe, her plan would have already succeeded.
…
Inside the “Yin-Yang Separation Veil”:
The “Nine Heavens Thunder God” wore a mask and a black robe. His acupoints flared open, radiating light, and purple lightning surged around him. Behind him, a giant figure coalesced, almost tangible. His bronze skin, muscular frame, and countless ancient thunder runes covered his body. He stood atop two purple thunder dragons, his eyes flashing with lightning, wielding a long blade with overwhelming might.
Innumerable thunder runes adorned his form, each radiating from a central point and branching outward like intricate veins, as if he were the embodiment of thunder itself!
As the Thunder God’s Dharma Body appeared, Meng Qi felt the primal sea of energy in the heavens and earth surge violently, turning a deep purplish hue, as though transformed into a thunder pool. Everything else was suppressed, making it difficult to exert any power.
This was the power of intertwined laws and principles—the might of a Dharma Body!
The “Seven Thunder Strikes of the Purple Lightning” were the inheritance of the Thunder God, executing divine punishment on Heaven’s behalf, naturally overwhelming. Even Meng Qi’s simulation of the Purple Lightning Force and sword techniques were hindered by these laws, making it difficult to channel the power of heaven and earth.
A deep purple lightning mark appeared on the back of his hand, exuding a sacred and imposing aura.
Suddenly, the thunder pool surged joyfully, and the suppression of realm and law weakened significantly—at the very least, it no longer hindered Meng Qi’s thunder-based sword techniques.
Seeing this lightning mark, the Nine Heavens Thunder God’s eyes burned with greed and killing intent.
Meanwhile, on the other side, a monstrous creature with a dog’s head and human body let out a long howl. Its body expanded, transforming into a three-zhang-tall black dog, its flesh radiating explosive power.
Its mouth opened wide, revealing sharp white teeth, as it lunged at Meng Qi.
Its gaping maw was dark and abyssal, as if capable of swallowing the moon itself!
Indeed, it was a demon beast! The howl pierced Meng Qi’s ears, shaking his soul, nearly causing him to lose control. Fortunately, he had already manifested his Dharma Body internally, with Yuanshi seated at its core, preventing him from succumbing to dizziness.
The current situation unfolded clearly in his mind.
This was not the first time he had faced such an ambush. Previously, at the temple of the mountain god, he had been intercepted by the Shadow of the Demon, the Flame Human Demon, and the Soul-Stealing Xiao flute. But this time was far more perilous—the enemies were far stronger!
Back then, although Qing Sanren had suppressed Meng Qi’s cultivation, he bore the hidden danger of a spiritual backlash, weakening with each passing moment. The Flame Human Demon and the Soul-Stealing Xiao were not significantly stronger than Meng Qi, and most importantly, they lacked unity, being temporary allies unwilling to risk everything, leaving openings for Meng Qi to exploit and defeat them one by one.
But now, both the Nine Heavens Thunder God and the Howling Moon Divine Hound were supreme experts who had crossed the first heavenly threshold. Their cultivation and strength surpassed Meng Qi’s, and they were in peak condition without internal injuries. Both were seasoned martial artists, ready to fight to the death. Their cooperation appeared well-coordinated, with no hesitation or fear of taking injuries that might lead to betrayal from their partner.
Faced with such a deadly trap, Meng Qi had only one thought:
Strike swiftly, fight with all strength, and kill one opponent at all costs!
Hesitation would soon leave him surrounded, with no escape and no chance to even use his Reincarnation Talisman!
Without hesitation, Meng Qi acted immediately. He did not dwell on the possibility of reinforcements, for hesitation would only weaken his resolve. With unwavering determination, he charged straight at the Nine Heavens Thunder God, wielding his sword in a desperate bid for survival!
A crimson glow flared, scorching the air. Flames spread into an ocean, and from its center rose a blazing sun. Sword beams radiated outward, wisdom at their core, illuminating every angle, dispelling all darkness, making the Nine Heavens Thunder God feel utterly unable to evade.
The Nine Heavens Thunder God and the Howling Moon Divine Hound stood at an angle, their Dharma Bodies manifesting and intertwining with the laws of the world. The greed and killing intent in their eyes vanished, and the Thunder God seemed to fall into a profound stillness, like the eerie calm before a storm.
Meanwhile, the Divine Hound’s massive jaws closed in from behind Meng Qi, ready to swallow him whole.
Suddenly, the Nine Heavens Thunder God moved. His Thunder God Dharma Body moved as well. Two thunder blades—one real, one illusory—slashed down simultaneously, as if a thousand strikes merged into one.
BOOM!
A terrifying explosion erupted, silencing everything. Lightning and thunder converged into a single point and detonated, as if tearing through the heavens and shattering the laws of the world. A massive mushroom cloud seemed to rise before the Thunder God.
Thunder split the sky!
BOOM!
Purple lightning tore through the sea of flames, shattering the blazing sun.
But the flames and sun were mere illusions, weak and fleeting, instantly dispelled.
It was a feint!
An illusionary technique born from the deceptive transformations of the Eight-Nine Mystical Art!
In that same moment, Meng Qi had already leapt upward, narrowly avoiding the Thunder God’s strike and the Divine Hound’s jaws. His body glowed faintly golden as he endured the residual shockwave.
Twisting midair, he hurled the “Heaven’s Wound” upward and grasped a string of prayer beads. Each bead resembled an eye.
Nine beads gleamed brightly, nine eyes flashing, mesmerizing the soul and confusing the mind.
The space between Meng Qi and the Howling Moon Divine Hound darkened, as if layers of illusory scenes unfolded, depicting countless scenes of sensual hells.
The massive black dog momentarily froze in confusion.
Seizing the opportunity, Meng Qi’s forehead split open, revealing a vertical eye.
The “Nine-Eyed Orb” combined with the “Heaven-Overturning Earth-Shaking Supreme Technique!”
He had chosen the Howling Moon Divine Hound as his target because of its superior strength and tracking abilities through scent. The Nine Heavens Thunder God, on the other hand, might immediately use a secret treasure, nullifying Meng Qi’s attack.
Witnessing this strange sight, the Nine Heavens Thunder God no longer hesitated. He crushed the hidden object in his left hand. The air vibrated, emitting a “Ha!” sound, as a stream of yellow energy shot toward Meng Qi!
The battle had just begun, yet it had already plunged into a fierce, life-or-death struggle—either he would die, or they would!
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