Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 841 Undercurrents, Soul Leaves Body (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
With the "Divine Firmament Dao Sect" setting a thunderous example of sweeping away all obstacles, various forces in the "Southern Continent" were moved by the news.

The Yuanyang Hall is located inside the Yuanyang Daozong Mountain Gate.

The sect leader held the latest battle report, his expression grave.

The senior elders inside the hall also wore solemn expressions.

“Li Yunjing personally took action and razed ‘Demon Burial Valley’ to the ground in a single day, and the ‘New Blood Cult’s’ headquarters was reduced to ashes.”

His voice was deep and slow, “Its momentum was unstoppable, and its power shook all directions.”

“My Yuanyang Dao Sect and the Shenxiao Dao Sect are of the same blood. If we fall too far behind in the matter of eliminating the demonic threat, wouldn’t our allies look down on us and we become a laughing stock in the world?”

"Send the order!"

His gaze swept over the crowd, and he resolutely declared, "From this moment forward, activate the 'Pure Yang Demon-Slaying Array' and patrol all Yin and Sha lands within our territory!"

"Led by Elders Lieyang and Liekong, three hundred elite inner disciples will be mobilized, along with affiliated families, to simultaneously wipe out the three identified secret strongholds of the 'New Blood Cult' and the 'Blackwater Zhao Family' suspected of colluding with them!"

"Strive for a decisive victory, leaving no room for future trouble!"

"I will obey the sect master's decree!"

Under the blazing sun, Elder Liekong rose to receive the order, his body radiating intense spiritual energy, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.

Meanwhile, deep within the Arctic ice plains, at the Xiao family branch.

The atmosphere in the council hall was somber.

Xiao Han, who was in charge of this place, sat in the main seat, with the powerful elders and core disciples of the clan below him.

"We have just received confirmation that the 'Shenxiao Dao Sect' has wiped out the 'Wanzhang Wasteland'."

Xiao Han's voice was icy, carrying the chill unique to the North, "Sect Leader Li Yunjing personally took action, and the Demonic Sect's headquarters was destroyed in the blink of an eye."

"My Xiao family is stationed in Cang Kingdom and will never allow demonic offspring to breed here."

"Previously, due to the damage caused by the demonic calamity, we tolerated some villains too much. Now, it's time to thoroughly settle accounts with them."

"Third Grand Uncle, I implore you to make a trip in person, taking the 'Mysterious Ice Guards' with you, and uproot the 'Blood Wolf Bandits' who are entrenched in the 'Snow Wolf Plains'."

He looked at an old man beside him with a profound aura and a cold face: "Intelligence shows that they have close ties with the 'New Blood Cult,' plundering cultivators and practicing evil arts, leaving no one alive!"

The old man, known as the Third Grand Uncle, nodded slightly without saying much, but the chill emanating from him instantly caused the temperature in the hall to drop several degrees.

"I obey my orders!"

Xiao Zhan, the commander of the "Mystic Ice Guard," immediately stepped forward and knelt on one knee: "We will not let a single demonic thief escape!"

In the northern part of the "Ming Dynasty", there was the "Northern Emperor Faction" with its profound history.

The newly appointed sect leader, Su Muqing, summoned the peak masters from all the peaks on the Star Gazing Platform.

"The Shenxiao Dao Sect has set an example."

Su Muqing lightly swept her whisk and pointed to the northwest, "After the demonic calamity, people's hearts are restless, and evil thoughts are easily born."

"Our 'Northern Emperor Sect' is one of the leading sects in Taoism, and protecting all living beings is our duty."

"Pass on my order: the 'Big Dipper Demon-Slaying Sword Formation' shall be activated immediately, in conjunction with the 'Sky-Patrolling Mirror,' to monitor the entire territory of the former barbarian tribes."

"Each peak will select capable disciples to form 'Demon-Slaying Squads' to conduct a comprehensive sweep of all reported demonic cultivator gathering points and evil cult sites within their territory!"

"Pay special attention to those independent cultivators and small sects who have been unusually active recently. Better to investigate the wrong ones than let them go undetected!"

"Accept the decree!"

The peak masters responded in unison, and streaks of sword light shot into the sky, disappearing into the night sky like stars responding to a call.

Meanwhile, in the southeast of the Ming Dynasty, there was the Louguan Taoist sect, famous for its array formations and talismans.

Deep within its mountain gate, a massive "celestial globe" is slowly rotating, its surface dotted with starlight, corresponding to the celestial bodies and the earth's veins.

The abbot, Daoist Tian Shu, held a jade ruler and pointed it at a spot on the "Hun Tian Yi" that had suddenly darkened. He said to the elders beside him, whose auras were profound, "When 'Shen Xiao' moves, the whole world responds."

"Although my Louguandao sect is located in a remote corner, it cannot remain uninvolved."

“This place, ‘Shadow Mountain,’ has recently seen an unusual convergence of Yin energy from the earth’s veins, and there are residual spatial fluctuations. It is suspected that demonic cultivators have constructed a teleportation array to connect with the outer realms.”

He paused, then tapped the jade ruler lightly: "Activate the 'Western Kui' section of the 'Zhou Tian Xing Chen Subduing Demon Formation' to seal off the space within three hundred miles of 'You Ying Mountain'."

"Elder Xuanji will lead the formation master team, accompanied by one hundred 'Demon-Slaying Crossbows' and five hundred disciples."

"No need for a direct assault. Use the power of the formation to proceed step by step, refine the demonic domain, force it to reveal itself, or directly refine and kill it within the formation!"

"good!"

Elder Xuanji stroked his beard and nodded, his eyes gleaming with wisdom and decisiveness. "I'd like to see what kind of demon dares to run wild in my Louguan territory!"

In an instant, the entire "Southern Continent" was in turmoil.

Under the leadership of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect", all the top forces have demonstrated their profound foundation and ruthless methods.

The scorching sun burns the city, the ice covers the ground, sword light shines in the sky, and star arrays lock the domain...

A joint purge operation, spanning the entire continent and targeting emerging demonic forces and latent threats, was launched with unprecedented efficiency and force.

Countless demonic cultivator strongholds and evil clans that had quietly sprung up or resurfaced during or after the past demonic calamities crumbled rapidly like ice and snow under the sun in the face of this magnificent torrent of righteousness sweeping across the world.

Those who stubbornly resisted were annihilated on the spot, both physically and mentally.

Those who surrendered were stripped of their cultivation and imprisoned in various jails.

All the ill-gotten gains they had accumulated were confiscated and became spoils of war for the major sects to make up for the losses of the demonic calamity and replenish their treasuries.

This "purification fire," ignited by the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" and fueled by various top forces, has been burning fiercely for several years.

The cultivation environment of the "Southern Continent" became solemn, and the dark cloud of demonic tribulation that shrouded the hearts of all living beings seemed to have been largely dispelled by the fierce winds of this joint action.

All forces clearly recognize that even after the demonic calamity, the dominant forces on this continent are still those deeply rooted, top-tier righteous giants.

Anyone who attempts to challenge this order or strays from it needs to carefully consider whether they can withstand the ensuing wrath.

After this battle, the prestige of Li Yunjing of the Shenxiao Dao Sect, as well as the cohesion and execution of the Nantian Alliance under his leadership, reached an unprecedented height.

"Shenxiao Peak", deep in the Cloud Palace.

Li Yunjing stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gazing at the churning sea of ​​clouds, as if he could see all the things happening across the mainland.

"...At this point, the known large-scale demonic threats on the mainland have been basically eliminated."

"As instructed by the Master, a monitoring network has been established for spatial anomalies in various regions, so that warnings can be issued immediately in case of any changes."

Ming Lingchuan stood quietly behind him, reporting the good news and developments from all sides.

Li Yunjing nodded slightly, his gaze deep.

"The evil roots are deeply ingrained and cannot be eradicated in a single extermination."

"This joint operation is aimed at deterrence, but also at integration."

"Let everyone understand that in this 'Southern Continent,' we are the ones who set the rules."

He paused, then continued, "Send a message to Uncle Wuxing and Senior Brother Lei Ze: the sect's treasury is empty; we need to increase revenue and reduce expenditure."

"In the next ten years, sect resources will be prioritized for inner disciples and those who have made contributions."

"At the same time, we will increase our efforts in external exploration and resource collection."

“The sealed passage in the ‘Wandering Wilderness’ must also be monitored by reliable personnel for a long time.”

"Yes, Headmaster."

Ming Lingchuan respectfully accepted. He knew that the sect leader's vision had already been set on the more distant future and the unknown threats lurking beyond the boundary.

As the vigorous demon-slaying operation in the "Southern Sky Continent" spread further and further, other continents, such as the "Canglan Continent," "Huangze Continent," "Buddha Light Continent," and "Luofu Continent," all learned about what was happening in the "Southern Sky Continent."

Many dominant forces also recognized the immense harm posed by the newly emerging demonic cultivators, and thus, like the "Divine Firmament Dao Sect," began a vigorous campaign to eradicate them.

In response to the call of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect," the Ming Dynasty was also carrying out a purge, even mobilizing the people to search house to house to ensure that no records of demonic practices were passed down.

That morning, the weather in Yingtian Prefecture became extremely strange. The dark clouds in the sky were very thick, as if all the dark clouds in the surrounding area had gathered here, pressing down very low and forming a dark, oppressive mass.

Although it was daytime, it was no different from nighttime; people inside and outside the house needed to light lamps to see things clearly.

Dark clouds loom overhead!

This unprecedented overcast weather made the people in the capital feel as if the sky was about to collapse.

In addition, the imperial court's recent crackdown has killed many people, causing rivers of blood to flow, and even raising ominous premonitions in the hearts of the people.

This situation even alarmed the Shenxiao Temple outside Yingtianfu City.

Since the demonic calamity broke out many years ago, the Shenxiao Temple is no longer as loose as before, and there are now experts at the Golden Core stage in charge.

Many disciples of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect" in the temple sensed something amiss in the celestial phenomena. They left the halls and came to the square, looking up at the sky.

"Crash!"

The dark clouds accumulated steadily, gathering momentum, until noon when the sun's rays turned to darkness, and then raindrops the size of soybeans began to fall.

At the same time, the temperature also dropped sharply.

By the afternoon, the water level in Yingtianfu was rising, and soon some homes in low-lying areas began to flood.

A flood is coming!
There were no pedestrians on the streets.

In this unusual climate, on streets flooded by rain, two figures, their outlines blurred, floated on the water's surface as they slowly walked.

One of the women was strikingly beautiful with a graceful figure, dressed in bright red, exuding an eerie aura. The other was tall and slender, wearing a white headscarf and dressed in an eerie white, like a ghost.

The rain fell like a curtain, and on the streets where the water was gradually deepening, two figures, one in red and one in white, walked through the water. Their steps seemed slow, but in fact, each step covered several feet, and their direction was straight towards the imperial city.

The woman in red smiled charmingly, but her eyes held a chilling coldness; the man in white had a blurred face and exuded an aura of death.

Wherever they went, even the rain seemed to become thick and cold, and the surrounding air seemed to stagnate.

"What kind of monster dares to trespass into the capital!"

A sharp shout, like a thunderclap, pierced the rain.

Several bolts of lightning shot out from outside the city and landed in front of the street, revealing the abbot of Shenxiao Temple, Master Xuancheng, and four elite disciples in the Foundation Establishment stage.

Xuancheng Daoist was dressed in a purple Daoist robe, holding a whisk. His body was surrounded by faint lightning, revealing his cultivation level of the mid-stage Golden Core realm. His eyes were like lightning, fixed on the two strange figures in front of him.

"Tsk tsk tsk... The Taoist priests of the 'Shenxiao Dao Sect' have a really sharp nose."

The woman in red covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her voice carrying a strange allure, "On such a rainy day, instead of staying in the temple for quiet meditation, you've come here to get soaked. Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"

"You vixen, how dare you be so insolent!"

A disciple behind Xuancheng Daoist roared, "You are all burdened with heavy demonic energy. What are you planning to do by sneaking into the capital? Surrender now!"

The man in white slowly raised his head, and two eerie green lights shone from under his hood. His hoarse voice, like sandpaper scraping, said: "Those who block the way... die."

Before he finished speaking, his figure suddenly blurred, and in the next instant he appeared in front of the disciple who had spoken, a pale and withered hand piercing straight into his heart with astonishing speed!

"careful!"

Xuancheng Daoist reacted extremely quickly. With a flick of his whisk, a purple lightning bolt struck the white-robed man's wrist with pinpoint accuracy.

"laugh!"

A burst of lightning erupted, and a wisp of black smoke rose from the white-clad man's wrist, causing his movements to pause slightly.

"so close!"

The disciple broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly retreated, quickly forming a battle formation with his fellow disciples.

"Form the 'Five Thunder Subduing Demon Formation'!"

Xuancheng Daoist shouted in a low voice, while simultaneously forming hand seals, and even stronger lightning gathered around his body, "These two demons are unfathomably powerful, we must not be careless!"

The five cultivators from the "Divine Firmament Dao Sect" instantly connected their auras, their lightning intertwining into a net that sealed off the street, and the mighty power of the thunder dispelled some of the chilling aura.

"Hehehe...that's interesting."

The woman in red continued to laugh, and with a flick of her slender fingers, several red threads, barely visible to the naked eye, silently shot towards the battle formation. "Too bad, the few of you can't stop us from going to the palace for a stroll."

The red threads contained an extremely strong power of filth and allure, which was able to corrode the lightning.

"Pure Yang Thunder Force, dispels evil!"

Xuancheng Daoist's expression was solemn. He opened his mouth and spat out a stream of pure purple natal lightning essence, which transformed into a lightning shield to block the red threads. The lightning collided with the red threads, producing a "sizzling" corrosive sound.

The man in white moved again. His figure was like a ghost, leaving afterimages in the rain. With each wave of his hands, he brought with him a chilling, deathly wind that continuously impacted the "Five Thunder Subduing Demon Formation".

The array's lightning pulsed violently, and several Foundation Establishment disciples turned pale, clearly struggling to maintain their strength.

"We must not let them get near the imperial city!"

Xuancheng Daoist was anxious. Although the imperial city was protected by an array, if such a demon got close, disturbing the emperor would be a minor matter. If it were to infiltrate and cause damage, the consequences would be unimaginable.

You must know that the new empress is the headmaster's butler!
Don’t look at the monk’s face but look at the Buddha’s face!
With the imperial city under the protection of the Shenxiao Temple, surely no assassination attempt could occur during his term of office?
He gritted his teeth and unleashed his life-bound technique, nurtured for many years—a short ruler crackling with lightning.

"Nine Heavens Respond to the Origin, Universal Transformation of Divine Thunder, by Imperial Decree!"

The short ruler grew longer in the wind, drawing in the moisture and spiritual energy contained in the dark clouds, transforming into a thick, azure divine lightning bolt, carrying overwhelming heavenly might, and crashing down on the man in white!

This attack nearly drained Master Xuancheng of almost half of his magical power!
The man in white seemed to sense the threat as well, letting out a low roar for the first time. Death energy surged around him, condensing into a huge white bone shield above his head.

"Boom!"

The divine lightning struck the bone shield fiercely, unleashing a dazzling light and a violent shockwave. The surrounding rainwater was instantly evaporated, and the houses on both sides of the street trembled violently.

The white bone shield shattered inch by inch. The man in white groaned and staggered back several steps. His hood was knocked off, revealing a bloodless face covered with strange black patterns. The green light in his eyes also dimmed a bit.

"Guanzhu!"

The disciples were both surprised and delighted.

However, the woman in red seized the opportunity, her figure drifting like red smoke, bypassing the main defenses of the lightning array, and several red threads, like venomous snakes, attacked the back of the Xuan Cheng Zhenren, whose magic power was greatly depleted!

"Teacher, be careful!"

One of the disciples rushed forward without hesitation, using his own protective spiritual energy to withstand the attack.

"puff!"

The red thread pierced through the spiritual light and entered the disciple's body.

His body stiffened, a layer of black mist instantly enveloped his face, and he fell straight down.

"Li Fan!"

Master Xuancheng's eyes were bloodshot.

"Hehe, what a deep bond between master and disciple."

The woman in red laughed coquettishly, but her offensive never stopped.

"Who are you?"

Master Xuancheng dodged the woman's attack and demanded an explanation in a stern voice.

"Hehehe... Why ask so many questions about a dead man?"

The woman in red giggled repeatedly, her slender white fingers grasping and seducing relentlessly, her offensive showing no sign of abating.

"Hmph! A cowardly coward like him dares to be so arrogant!"

Although Master Xuancheng was heartbroken by the death of his disciple, he knew that there was no room for retreat at this moment.

He forcefully summoned his remaining magical power, and the purple lightning surged once more. With a flick of his whisk, it transformed into countless lightning threads, which intertwined with the red threads of the woman in red, producing a continuous series of crackling sounds.

The man in white steadied himself, his eyes flashing with green light, clearly injured by the divine lightning earlier, but his ferocity was even more intense.

He let out a low roar, and death energy surged around him, transforming into several pitch-black chains that bypassed the lightning array in front of him like venomous pythons, attacking Xuan Cheng Daoist and the other disciples from different angles with cunning and ruthless tactics.

"Form a circular formation and hold your ground!"

With Xuancheng Daoist's command in order, the remaining three disciples immediately stood back to back, their lightning forming a shield that struggled to withstand the impact of the chains.

Each collision caused the lightning shield to shake violently, and the disciples' faces turned even paler.

"Master! Their target seems to be something deep within the palace!"

During a lull in the defense, a disciple shouted a warning, "That white-robed demon was constantly sensing the direction of the palace!"

Xuancheng Daoist felt a chill run down his spine. Considering the recent vigorous crackdown by the imperial court, as well as the strange weather and the timing of the demon's appearance, a thought flashed through his mind: lure the tiger away from the mountain!

Or perhaps, there is something within the palace that they must obtain or destroy!
We must not let them succeed!

Xuancheng Daoist's eyes were resolute, and he was about to disregard the damage and activate his natal thunder ruler again for a desperate strike.

At this moment, a sudden change occurred!
"Boom!!!"

A vast, majestic, and inviolable golden light shot into the sky from the depths of the palace!

The golden light was not spiritual power, but rather the condensed imperial dragon energy and the faith of the people intertwined, rapidly coalescing in the air into a majestic five-clawed golden dragon phantom!

The golden dragon phantom roared silently to the sky, its enormous dragon eyes sweeping over the red and white demons on the street, carrying a natural power of restraint and suppression. "Imperial Dragon Qi?!"

"How can it be so pure!"

The woman in red's expression changed drastically for the first time. Her usually irresistible alluring red silk threads melted away like spring snow under the dragon's aura, their power greatly diminished.

"How could a mere small imperial court possess such a powerful golden dragon protecting the nation?"

The man in white let out a painful howl, his deathly aura violently evaporating under the scorching dragon energy, and the black chains becoming illusory and uncertain.

This sudden surge of dragon energy instantly turned the tide of the battle!

"A rare opportunity!"

Although Xuancheng Daoist was also surprised by the strength of the dragon energy, he reacted quickly and would not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"The thunderous magic is strict, slaying evil and vanquishing demons! By imperial decree!"

He pointed his fingers like a sword, drawing upon the remaining lightning energy in the air. Combined with the magnificent dragon aura, it transformed into a massive lightning pillar interwoven with gold and purple, no longer attacking a single person, but enveloping the area where the red and white demons were located!
"not good!!"

Slowed down by the dragon's aura, the two demons were no longer able to withstand the thunder that had merged with the imperial dragon's aura.

"Want to go?"

"late!"

A clear, cold shout rang out from the depths of the palace, and a beautiful figure dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe rose into the air—it was none other than Empress Zhu Wanyun of the Ming Dynasty!

Her phoenix eyes held a majestic air, and her body was surrounded by dragon energy, echoing the phantom of the five-clawed golden dragon in the sky.

With a flick of her jade hand, the golden dragon phantom let out a long roar, its massive body stirring up the wind and clouds, carrying the majestic power to suppress everything, and pounced first towards the red and white demons who were trying to escape!
Where the dragon's might passed, the rain curtain rolled back, and the demonic energy dissipated.

Master Xuancheng was greatly encouraged. He mustered his magical power and urged the light beneath his feet to propelle him forward: "Disciples, follow the golden dragon closely and assist His Majesty in vanquishing the demon!"

The golden-purple lightning pillar and the five-clawed golden dragon, positioned on the left and right respectively, blocked the two demons' retreat.

The woman in red and the man in white were visibly shocked. They never expected that the empress of this mortal dynasty could so easily control such a powerful dragon aura, and even cooperate so well with the Taoist priest of the "Shenxiao Dao Sect"!

"Let's go separately!"

The man in white let out a hoarse growl, and his body erupted with deathly aura, transforming into dozens of pale, ghostly figures that scattered and flew away, attempting to confuse the viewer.

"Little tricks!"

Zhu Wanyun snorted coldly and pointed her slender finger, "The imperial way is vast and mighty, all evils manifest!"

The golden dragon in the sky shot out two dazzling golden beams from its eyes, sweeping across the countless ghostly figures like searchlights. Under the golden light, those phantoms burst like bubbles, instantly locking onto the true location of the man in white.

The golden dragon's giant claw, carrying the force to tear through space, slammed down!

"Netherworld Ghost Hand!"

With nowhere to hide, the man in white roared and gathered all his death energy, transforming it into a giant ghost claw to meet the dragon claw.

"boom!!!"

The golden and black lights collided violently, and the ghost claw shattered after only a moment under the dragon claw.

The golden dragon's claws, still brimming with power, ripped half of the white-clad man's body apart!
"what……"

The man in white let out a shrill scream, and the remaining demonic body released a torrent of black energy.

At the same time, Xuancheng Daoist's golden-purple lightning pillar accurately struck the red-clad woman who was trying to turn into red smoke and escape.

"Ugh!"

The woman in red let out a shrill scream. Her body, which resembled red smoke, twisted and disintegrated violently in the lightning infused with dragon energy. However, a blood-red jade pendant on her body suddenly exploded, turning into a dense blood light that enveloped her remnant soul. It actually broke through the blockade of the lightning pillar and fled towards the sky at an unbelievable speed!
On the other side, the white-clad man, who only had half a body left, suddenly self-destructed the remaining half of his demonic body before the golden dragon's claws completely closed!
"boom!"

The violent surge of death energy slightly hindered the dragon's claws. A faint green light shot out from the center of the explosion, carrying a cracked black bead, and followed the blood-red light as it fled.

"Your Majesty! We cannot let them escape!"

Seeing this, Xuancheng Daoist was greatly alarmed and, despite his weakness from the depletion of his magical power, was about to give chase.

"Don't chase poor bandits."

Zhu Wanyun raised her hand to stop her. Her face was pale and her breathing was somewhat disordered. It was clear that controlling the golden dragon had taken a great toll on her. "That blood light and green light are escape techniques that burn the source of life. They are extremely fast and are protected by a rare treasure. If we forcibly pursue them, we may encounter an ambush or a trap."

She gazed at the horizon where the two demons had disappeared, a cold glint flashing in her phoenix eyes: "Moreover, they have already paid a sufficient price."

There was one more thing Zhu Wanyun didn't say: the other party had escaped the range of the Imperial Dragon Qi. If they continued to pursue them, without the protection of the Golden Dragon, she and Xuancheng Daoist would not be a match for those two!
Upon hearing this, Daoist Xuancheng calmed down, looked at the remaining demonic energy on the street and the scorch marks left after his disciple's fall, and nodded heavily.

Just then, from within the blood-red light that had fled to the horizon came the venomous shriek of the woman in red:
"Zhu Wanyun! Old Daoist Xuancheng! And the 'Shenxiao Dao Sect'!"

"You wait!"

"If I don't take revenge for this, I swear I won't be a human being!"

"When my Holy Army arrives, I will surely tear your souls apart and refine your spirits, turning this imperial capital into a hellish realm!"

"We...will definitely come back!!"

From within the green light came the white-clad man's hoarse, hate-filled growl: "...blood debt...blood for blood..."

The sound gradually faded into the distance, eventually disappearing completely into the vast rain and sky.

Zhu Wanyun snorted coldly, waved her sleeve, and the golden dragon phantom in the air let out a long roar, transforming back into a vast dragon aura that flowed into the depths of the palace like rivers flowing into the sea.

“Master, although the demon has retreated, we must be wary of his words.”

She landed gracefully and said to Daoist Xuancheng, "We still need to strengthen the defenses of the capital and report this matter to your sect immediately."

"What your Majesty said is absolutely true."

Master Xuancheng bowed and said, "I will return to the temple now to write an urgent report and send it to the Sect Leader through the communication array. I am very grateful to Your Majesty for your help today, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable."

"It's your job."

Zhu Wanyun nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over the direction of the fallen disciple once more, and sighed softly, "Give this immortal master a proper burial, and the imperial court will provide generous compensation to his family."

……

"Shenxiao Peak" Cloud Palace.

Li Yunjing soon received an urgent message from "Yingtian Prefecture".

When he saw two late-stage Golden Core demonic cultivators severely injured by the Empress and Xuan Cheng, escape with a secret treasure, and leave behind threatening words, his eyes showed little emotion.

"The barking of a defeated dog."

He made a casual comment.

However, Ming Lingchuan's expression turned grave: "Sect Leader, these two demonic cultivators are clearly remnants of the 'New Blood Cult.' They dared to storm the capital and their target was clearly the Imperial Palace. I'm afraid there's something behind them..."

"It's just about creating chaos before complete annihilation, or finding something that can turn things around."

Li Yunjing interrupted him, his tone still calm, "With Zhu Wanyun in charge of the palace, the imperial aura is solidified, and they can't cause any trouble."

"Pass down the order to inform the entire alliance of this matter, and to raise the vigilance of all forces to guard against the dying counterattack of the demonic path."

"At the same time, we must intensify our efforts to hunt down the remaining known demonic forces and eradicate them before they can catch their breath."

"Yes!"

Ming Lingchuan accepted the order, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Sect Leader, what about Her Majesty...?"

"She did a great job."

Li Yunjing remained calm and said, "Tell her that the sect will remember her merit this time. Also, tell her not to worry too much about the escaped demon; he's just a clown, and he'll be destroyed eventually."

Li Yunjing didn't want others to think that Zhu Wanyun was related to him.

The sect's power cannot be tilted towards Zhu Wanyun!

Maintaining a sense of distance is essential!
"My subordinate understands!"

After Ming Lingchuan withdrew, Li Yunjing's gaze once again turned to the distance, as if piercing through the void, and he saw the two frantically fleeing demonic figures.

"return?"

He muttered to himself, a hint of cold mockery in his voice, "I'm afraid you... won't have that chance."

With a slight thought, an invisible divine thought flew out from his sea of ​​consciousness, transforming into a stream of light and flying away!

Now, his cultivation has become increasingly profound, and it is not impossible for his primordial spirit to leave his body!

It even separated a wisp of its divine consciousness, already possessing the attributes of an avatar.

The streak of light shot off towards "Yingtianfu," like the most intricate spider web, silently traversing thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, firmly locking onto the two faint and hurried traces of demonic energy.

Although the blood-red light and green glow were incredibly fast thanks to the secret treasure, they were still clearly discernible like fireflies in the dark under Li Yunjing's divine sense, which had reached a state of perfection.

"This is a good opportunity to see if there are any bigger fish behind you."

A cold glint flashed in Li Yunjing's eyes.

He didn't immediately crush the two ants, but followed them closely, trying to find other possible strongholds or higher-level demons.

That stream of divine consciousness, like an invisible ghost, silently trailed behind the blood-red light and green glow.

No matter how the two demons changed direction, burned their source energy, or even used short-distance teleportation talismans several times, they could not shake off this relentless pursuit.

The remnant souls of Blood Demon and White Fiend fled desperately towards the desolate northwest. Several days later, they finally exhausted themselves and crashed into a barren land called the "Black Wind Mountains".

The spiritual energy here is scarce, and the rocks are jagged, making it an ideal place to hide one's tracks.

The two demons skillfully slipped into a hidden cave concealed by an illusion array.

The cave was quite spacious, with simple spirit-gathering arrays and protective barriers, clearly making it a safe haven for them.

"Cough cough... Damn it!"

"The injuries are more serious than we thought!"

The remnant soul of the woman in red was almost transparent, and her aura was extremely weak.

Bai Sha's situation was even worse; the green light had dimmed, and he could barely maintain his soul form.

"We must... contact the envoy as soon as possible..."

Bai Sha's voice was broken, "Report... the changes in the capital... and that strange dragon aura..."

They struggled to take out a black token engraved with a hideous ghost head, and were about to cast a spell to activate it.

Just then, the temperature inside the cave suddenly dropped, and an invisible pressure descended, making the remnant souls of the two demons feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, making it difficult for them to even move.

"No need to bother."

A calm voice echoed inside the cave.

The light and shadow at the cave entrance distorted, and the stream of divine consciousness that had been tracking them slowly condensed, transforming into a blurry phantom of Li Yunjing, composed purely of divine thought. The phantom stood with its hands behind its back, its gaze indifferently fixed on them.

"You...who are you?!"

Blood Demon was terrified. She felt a far more profound and terrifying sense of oppression from this phantom than that from Xuan Cheng Daoist and the Empress of the Ming Dynasty.

"Li Yunjing..."

The remnant soul of the White Demon trembled as it uttered the name that terrified them.

They never expected that the sect leader of the Shenxiao Dao Sect would personally track them down here!
"It seems you recognize me."

Li Yunjing's illusory figure spoke without any fluctuation in tone, "Tell me, what exactly is the 'Holy Cult' you speak of doing in the capital? Besides you, what other strongholds do you have? Who are the leaders?"

"Don't think about it!"

The woman in red screamed, "We swear to be loyal to the Holy Church to the death and will never betray them!"

"Just search the soul, why ask any more questions?"

Li Yunjing's illusory figure seemed too lazy to waste words, and directly raised a finger made of divine sense, as if to point it at the Blood Demon.

"and many more!"

Bai Sha hurriedly tried to stop them, sensing the terrifying power contained in those fingers—powerful enough to obliterate their souls and extract all their memories. "I'll talk! I'll talk! I only ask that the sect leader grant us a quick death!"

He knew all too well that in the face of someone like Li Yunjing, they couldn't even bring themselves to destroy their own souls.

"White Demon! You!"

The woman in red glared angrily.

"Shut up! Do you want to lose even the last bit of your true spirit?"

Bai Sha shouted sternly, then turned to Li Yunjing's illusory figure and humbly prostrated himself, "Sect Leader, please understand, we were ordered to infiltrate the capital. First, to create chaos and distract the court and Shenxiao Temple; second... second, to search for a fragment of a demonic treasure left over from the previous dynasty that may exist in the palace, which is said to be related to opening a sealed demonic abyss..."

It provided a fragmented account, mentioning several known but possibly eliminated contact points, as well as a direct superior codenamed "Ghost Spring," but little was known at this level about the higher structure of the "Holy Church."

Li Yunjing's illusory figure listened quietly, his divine sense acting like the most sophisticated instrument, analyzing the truthfulness of their words and the fluctuations in their souls.

"The Nether Spring... the Abyss of Demons..."

He silently repeated to himself that this information corroborated the intelligence he had previously gathered.

After Bai Sha finished speaking, Li Yunjing's illusory figure nodded slightly: "It seems that your value ends here."

Before the two demons could react, the divine thought phantom suddenly transformed into two fine lightning nets, instantly enveloping the remnant souls of Blood Demon and White Fiend.

"Do not……"

The shrill screams stopped abruptly.

After the lightning flashed, there was no trace of demonic energy left in the cave; only the black token fell to the ground with a clatter.

Li Yunjing's illusory figure reached out and beckoned, and the token flew into his hand.

After scanning it with his divine sense and confirming that there were no hidden traps, he put it away.

The token itself, along with the information we just received, are both useful clues.

After doing all this, the illusory image of the divine sense slowly dissipated, as if it had never existed.

The true form, far away in the Cloud Palace of "Shenxiao Peak", slowly opened its eyes.

“'Nether Spring'... Fragments of the Abyss..."

A knowing glint flashed in his eyes. "It seems that behind this 'New Blood Cult' there is indeed an even more ancient demonic lineage."

"The situation in the capital is not an isolated incident."

He immediately sent a message to Ming Lingchuan and Xiao Anran, passing on the code name "Youquan" and the information that it might be related to the fragments of the magic treasure from the previous dynasty, instructing them to continue digging deeper along this line.

At the same time, he became even more certain that the fragility of the boundary had caused some terrifying entities that had been buried by history to begin to stir.

Information regarding "Nether Spring" and the fragments of the Demon Abyss has been passed down, and Ming Lingchuan, Xiao Anran, and others will handle the follow-up; he no longer needs to pay close attention.

For him right now, improving his own strength and the foundation of his sect is the most important thing.

He sat cross-legged in a quiet room deep within the Cloud Palace, his body surrounded by chaotic lightning that mingled with the void.

A square seal, entirely purple-gold and wrapped with countless fine lightning runes, slowly flew out from between his eyebrows and hovered in front of him. It was his natal magic weapon, the "Heavenly Thunder Emperor Seal".

Since using the sect's immortal artifact, this natal magic weapon has been rarely used.

However, he personally refined this item and connected it to his sea of ​​consciousness, making it complement his "Chaotic Thunder Body". As his cultivation improved, its power also continued to increase.

Now, it has reached the peak quality of the fourth tier!
This is the limit that cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage can refine.

"Chaos as the foundation, myriad thunders as the means, the Emperor's Seal to suppress the world..."

Li Yunjing formed profound hand seals, and the pure chaotic thunder essence within his body surged like a river, continuously pouring into the "Heavenly Thunder Emperor Seal".

On the seal, the ancient thunder patterns that were originally somewhat blurry gradually became clear and bright, as if they came to life and slowly moved.

Furthermore, a trace of chaotic energy was drawn in and merged into the core of the Emperor's Seal, making its color even deeper. Within the purple-gold, there was a faint chaotic hue that encompassed all things and evolved the heavens.

He did not simply pour in magical power, but while refining it, he used his own understanding of the laws of thunder to reorganize and strengthen the restrictive structure inside the Emperor Seal, making it more in line with his own "Chaotic Thunder Dao".

Around the seal, lightning snakes sometimes danced wildly, giving rise to all kinds of thunder magic; at other times, the lightning light was contained within, as if it had transformed into a chaotic embryo, containing infinite power of creation and destruction.

The process of refining the "Heavenly Thunder Emperor Seal" is also a way to temper and verify one's own cultivation.

This went on for forty-nine days.

"Om..."

The "Heavenly Thunder Emperor Seal" emitted a buzzing sound, and its body shone brightly. A thunderous imperial might, far more vast and majestic than before, spread out, illuminating the entire quiet room in a purple-gold hue.

At the bottom of the seal, the four ancient Taoist characters "Heavenly Thunder Edict" shine brightly, as if they contain the supreme authority to make words lawful and to punish on behalf of Heaven.

"Not bad, we're one step closer to the fifth rank."

Li Yunjing nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

The current "Heavenly Thunder Emperor Seal" is even more powerful than before, making it a powerful trump card for him.

After putting away the Imperial Seal, he did not leave seclusion. Instead, he sank his mind into the depths of his sea of ​​consciousness and began to deduce another crucial great divine power!
An external avatar and a second primordial spirit!
At his level, simply accumulating magical power is no longer the primary concern; understanding the rules and exploring and transcending one's own life form are more crucial.

Having an external avatar or even a second primordial spirit is not only a supreme secret method for preserving life, but also an excellent way to verify the Great Dao, share the burden of cause and effect, and explore different paths.

(End of this chapter)