“Yunping County, Wujiabao, this is the place!”
Just as Wu Ming sensed something, a Taoist riding a fine horse also arrived at Yunping County, gazing at the Wu family’s fortified manor from afar—it was none other than Zhou Yuanzhen!
“This family indeed enjoys prolonged blessings…”
Upon seeing it, he was slightly surprised: “It’s only fitting that they have a mage guarding them!”
After all, he was a cautious man, and he cast a divination hexagram again, stroking his beard with a faint smile: “The omen is highly auspicious… It seems that a mere mage poses no threat to this old Taoist. However, since the Jade Purity sect is so powerful, I must ensure all loose ends are tied up cleanly…”
Throughout all this, Zhou Yuanzhen had not the slightest forewarning of Wu Ming’s existence!
Even a slight difference in cultivation results in a chasm of disparity. With the Su Hou Pearl suppressing and concealing his fortune, Wu Ming was completely beyond Zhou Yuanzhen’s ability to perceive.
At this moment, Zhou Yuanzhen’s eyes glimmered with a touch of mystery: “Dingzhou has the pattern of the Double Phoenixes; Chu and Nan each possess one. The eldest daughter of the Wu family is the Southern Phoenix, while the other phoenix should be here… Originally, you possess noble fortune, so this old Taoist dared not provoke you. But now that the Wu family has incurred the Prince’s wrath, a karmic bond has been formed, making it the perfect opportunity to seize their fortune…”
Upon recalling the intelligence he had received, even Zhou Yuanzhen couldn’t help but marvel at the audacity of the Wu family’s son.
How could a mere country gentleman dare covet a daughter of the Phoenix? He heard that the young man was merely a rustic playboy who had dared to rival the Prince for a woman—was he simply tired of living?
“Very well! Let this old Taoist first cast a spell to take the life of this wastrel. Then, once the Marquis unifies the three commanderies, I can gradually target the fortune of the Phoenix maiden. Let’s see how long the Jade Purity sect can protect you!”
Without further ado, he immediately headed to a remote wilderness, then took from his sleeve a small figurine and several pieces of dark wooden material.
The figurine resembled a man, with a yellow talisman pasted on its back, blank and unmarked.
“The materials for the curse technique are already complete. As long as I perform the ritual tonight and obtain the wastrel’s blood, hair, and birth details, I can ensure his death goes completely unnoticed!”
The old Taoist cackled sinisterly, his expression growing eerie.
“Is that so? I’d really like to see how you plan to kill me.”
Hiss!
A burst of firelight appeared, and the Taoist was greatly startled. His Taoist robe flared up as if caught in a sudden gust of wind, acting like two sails, lifting him into the air and carrying him several zhang away in an instant.
Boom!
But though he escaped quickly, his mount was not so fortunate—it instantly turned to charcoal in a burst of flames!
“Who is this high-level expert?!”
Zhou Yuanzhen was shocked and turned to see a young man and woman approaching, both exuding a clear aura, clearly accomplished cultivators.
“Old Taoist, you seem quite skilled in fortune-telling and physiognomy. Did you predict that you would face a major calamity today?”
Wu Ming sneered slightly, then pinched his fingers, causing a fire talisman to crumble into ashes.
“Brother… this Taoist has already attained the realm of a True Man and appears to be highly skilled in the art of dream manipulation! Though it seems to be an unorthodox path, it holds significant value! Let’s capture him and extract the knowledge by force!”
(Note: “魇胜” is translated as “dream manipulation” here, as it refers to a technique involving dreams or nightmares in traditional Chinese occult practices. If a more specific or culturally accurate term is preferred, please provide additional context.)
Ordinary magical arts still hold some fear for the fortune of the human path, but the art of “Yansheng” specializes in breaking fortune! No matter how noble one’s lineage or how auspicious one’s destiny, it cannot be evaded. Although it does not grant immortality, it is an extremely formidable technique among the unorthodox paths, greatly dreaded by those in power, and thus rarely disseminated.
Wu Qing’s magical energy surged, and a crimson flying sword leapt forth from her celestial gate, roaring with power as it spat forth red vapors, an extraordinary sight indeed.
This Red Virtue Sword, although Zhou Yuanzhen had already attained the level of a True Man, still caused his eyelids to twitch violently at the sight of it.
“Are you a daughter of the Wu family? To have obtained the Red Virtue…”
Although the opponent had not yet reached the level of a True Man, this sword already possessed the ability to harm the Yuan Shen! However, what surprised Zhou Yuanzhen the most was the young man beside her.
“A True Man? No… It seems even beyond that! Are you the wastrel of the Wu family? No! Impossible!”
Zhou Yuanzhen’s mouth opened slightly, his heart filled with unimaginable shock.
Wasn’t the Wu family’s wastrel not yet twenty? But looking at this young man before him, his aura was unfathomable, harmonizing with the myriad transformations of the cosmos—he was at least at the level of Yuan Shen attainment! Even the most extraordinary genius couldn’t possibly reach such a level!
“Which senior’s reincarnation are you?”
A True Man who attains Yuan Shen, if he chooses the divine path after death, would instantly become a local deity. If he chooses reincarnation and rebirth, as long as he breaks free from the veil of prenatal ignorance, his cultivation would rapidly advance. Hence Zhou Yuanzhen asked this question.
“Reincarnation?”
Wu Ming had no intention of explaining much: “You are the right-hand man of the Ding Marquis and a core member of the Prince’s entourage this time. Capturing you would be extremely beneficial! Moreover… you initiated this scheme first, intending to harm me, so you cannot be spared!”
Ding!
As the words fell, Wu Qing struck first!
The crimson sword darted like a dragon, a crimson meteor, shooting forward several zhang in an instant, directly thrusting at Zhou Yuanzhen!
“Ahh! Six Ding and Six Jia! Ghost Generals Seal the Gods! Protect my body! Preserve my immortality!”
The red aura swept across, and even before the sword reached him, Zhou Yuanzhen’s expression had changed. His hands flew outward, shooting six golden beams that transformed into six colossal divine generals.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The six divine generals stood like an unbreakable wall, blocking the sword. Wu Qing’s expression remained cold, her crimson sword flicking, parrying, thrusting, and stabbing. Golden powder scattered continuously in the air, and the six divine generals were covered with countless scratches, yet they quickly healed. For the moment, although the sword was formidable, it was temporarily held back.
“The Six Ding and Six Jia technique?”
Wu Ming immediately recognized that these six divine generals were forged from gold, silver, lead, and mercury, and were infused with powerful ghosts sealed inside. They were ritually cultivated day and night, sharing a unified consciousness with their master. When danger arose, they were released as an excellent form of protection.
“Fellow Daoists, let’s talk this over! This humble Taoist is willing to apologize!”
After deploying the Six Ding and Six Jia divine generals, Zhou Yuanzhen immediately called out.
Cultivators enjoy long lifespans and are naturally cautious individuals. Upon realizing that the enemy’s strength far exceeded his expectations, he immediately abandoned his previous intentions.
“Too late!”
Wu Ming took a single step forward, and the ground trembled as if he were stepping on a celestial formation. In an instant, he appeared before Zhou Yuanzhen, his palm flatly pushing forward, revealing multicolored lightning: “Heaven and Earth are boundless, the Five Thunder Righteous Method!”
“Lightning technique?”
Zhou Yuanzhen cried out in alarm, increasingly convinced of Wu Ming’s unfathomable depth. At this moment, with no other choice, his sleeve swelled with gusting winds, and two streaks of cyan energy emerged.
This was not the martial cultivator’s qi罡, but the fierce gales of the Ninth Heaven, condensed and refined by him over decades. Intangible and invisible, it was an extremely formidable magical treasure.
“Great Wind! Great Wind!”
Amidst the howling winds, this fierce gale instantly arrived, aiming to sever Wu Ming’s physical body and even taint his Yuan Shen!
After all, he was a generation’s True Man, and Zhou Yuanzhen’s techniques indeed had some merit.
“Quickly!”
Wu Ming’s mind stirred, and the Tortoise Shield appeared. Its surface shimmered with five-colored lights, carrying the power of incense offerings, suddenly expanding several times in size, forming a barrier that completely blocked the gale.
Zhou Yuanzhen was greatly startled. He had spent countless efforts cultivating these fierce winds, which were specifically designed to counter protective magical treasures. Yet, he never expected them to be so easily blocked.
What he didn’t know was that Wu Ming’s Tortoise Shield was already made from an extremely mysterious material, refined with divine power using the techniques of the Eastern Peak Emperor, far surpassing ordinary magical treasures.
“Lightning strike!”
They say one mistake leads to many. His painstakingly cultivated fierce winds failed to drive back Wu Ming. In the next instant, Wu Ming’s Five Thunder Palm struck Zhou Yuanzhen directly.
Crackling!
The Five Elemental Thunders—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—flashed in sequence on Wu Ming’s fingers, carrying the awe-inspiring aura of thunder from the Ninth Heaven, slamming into Zhou Yuanzhen’s chest.
Puh!
The old Taoist immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, his ribs shattered beyond count, flying backward like a broken sack.
“Careful! Don’t let his Yuan Shen escape!”
Seeing this, Wu Qing immediately shouted.
For cultivators, the physical body is merely a shell, especially for a True Man like this. If his Yuan Shen escaped and he reincarnated, seeking revenge in the future would be a massive headache.
“Don’t worry! He won’t escape!”
Wu Ming laughed heartily. The threads of the Five Elemental Thunders seeped into Zhou Yuanzhen’s seven orifices, firmly locking both his physical body and Yuan Shen. Then, with a single talisman, he slapped it directly onto the old Taoist’s forehead.
“You…”
Zhou Yuanzhen collapsed straight to the ground, his mouth still moving, his face filled with extreme terror.
Whoosh… whoosh…
At the same time, his physical body began to wither away, and within moments, he transformed from a middle-aged Taoist into a gaunt, elderly figure.
True Men have a lifespan of two hundred years, but now he looked to be at least seventy!
“Divide Light and Create Shadows!”
Meanwhile, Wu Qing, who was still locked in combat with the Six Ding and Six Jia divine generals, let out a crisp cry. The Red Virtue Sword split into six, stabbing down fiercely, faintly echoing with the cry of a young phoenix.
Puh! Puh! Puh! Puh! Puh! Puh!
The six divine generals hesitated for a moment, then their forms exploded, turning into six golden pills that fell to the ground, each with a sword mark on its surface.
“True Man… I never imagined we would actually capture a True Man alive today!”
Wu Qing approached Zhou Yuanzhen, her beautiful face showing disbelief.
“This person is a major asset to the Ding Marquis. We have chosen to support Wu Zhi, and with the intertwining of fate, it is my rise and his decline—it practically delivered him to us!”
Wu Ming gazed coldly at Zhou Yuanzhen: “What sect are you from?”
“I am Zhou Yuanzhen of the Ping Zhen Dao sect!”
Zhou Yuanzhen sighed: “Never would I have imagined that the Wu family’s wastrel would turn out to be such an extraordinary figure. You have deceived the entire commandery! Well done! Very well done! That Li family, was it also supported by you? With such meticulous planning, does the Jade Purity sect also wish to abandon peace and support the Dragon Court?”
“Ping Zhen Dao?”
Wu Ming looked at Wu Qing.
“It is another branch of our Daoist sect. Our patriarch is the Ping Zhen Daoist. The sect’s transmitted《Nine Heavens Gale Manual》can also be cultivated to the level of Celestial Master. However, ultimately, it is considered a heterodox path and not part of the orthodox Daoist tradition!”
Wu Qing spoke indifferently.
As a prominent sect within the Daoist tradition and a disciple of the Jade Purity lineage, she naturally had the confidence: “You attacked without cause, and even though you were counterattacked and killed, you have no grounds to complain!”
“That’s not necessary either… after all, he is still a True Man.”
Wu Ming smiled faintly: “Let him hand over all the scriptures and techniques of his sect, and he can atone for his crimes!”
“You want to seize my sect’s scriptures? Dream on!”
Zhou Yuanzhen roared in anger.
“Just wait until I crack your Yuan Shen and soak you in a latrine for several days—I hope you still have the courage to say that then!”
Wu Ming casually flicked his fingernails, causing Zhou Yuanzhen to suddenly feel an overwhelming sense of impending doom.
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