Chapter 584: Chang Yun

As his lips opened and closed, a golden light emerged, sweeping out like ripples. Lue Jin retreated another step, coughed up two flecks of blood, and a small hole appeared on his chest.

Li Xuanfeng frowned slightly. The power of his last arrow was clearly much weaker. He drew his bowstring again, but saw Lue Jin produce a scroll from his sleeve, hold it flat with both hands, and gently shake it open.

Countless shimmering golden runes immediately flew out from the scripture, scattering like rain in the air and falling like scattered stars, enveloping the sky before them. However, Li Xuanfeng, having already struck him twice, paid no mind and released the golden light from his bowstring.

"Buzz..." Lue Jin's spiritual body trembled, and he coughed up more blood. Realizing this method was ineffective, he pondered for two breaths, then began to chant a spell, his lips opening and closing.

Li Xuanfeng felt a subtle, fragmented chanting sound enter his ears, and his mind began to throb with pain. However, the Mystic Pearl Talisman Seed floating in the air within his Sea of Qi did not emit the usual cool current; it remained motionless, only faintly trembling in the air.

"As expected..." In fact, Li Xuanfeng had a premonition while in the Lower Celestial Pond of the Xinyou Luzhe Seal. When Pijia Mohe attacked him, the cool sensation from the Talisman Seed did not appear; instead, he was completely exposed to the colored light.

At that time, he had been somewhat slow to realize. Now, with further confirmation, he understood: "I consumed the Human Pellet. Although the Talisman Seed didn't immediately break away for some reason, it has already detached from my Sea of Qi. All my current cultivation is borrowed from it. It will be difficult to receive its protection again..."

His head throbbed excruciatingly. He narrowed his eyes slightly, still holding his bow steadily. A golden light flashed, heading towards Lue Jin once more.

Master Lue Jin carefully observed him, but couldn't tell if he was affected by the spell. As Li Xuanfeng's headache intensified, he decided not to delay. In an instant, five golden arrows appeared on his bowstring, and a buzzing sound rapidly echoed through the mist.

A strong sense of crisis rose in Lue Jin's heart. He formed a hand seal, and the golden light filling the sky descended again, transforming into a shimmering golden kasaya that covered his front.

As the two faced off at this crucial moment, Gao Fangjing, nearby, was wreathed in golden-red true fire. His horse spear swept out a swath of red light in the wind, forcing the two opponents before him to continuously retreat. His eyes blazed with golden-red light, and the intense true fire burned so fiercely that steam rose from beneath his feet.

Zhong Qian's spear glowed fiery red. The Jin Yu Sect Daoist beside him was covered in black smoke, and the golden sword in his hand was somewhat warped. He urgently transmitted a message using a secret technique: "Seniors, please help... this person is truly difficult to handle!"

True fire was inherently a top-tier spiritual flame for refining artifacts, excelling at melting down spiritual tools. Whenever Gao Fangjing faced an enemy, their artifacts would usually become unusable halfway through the fight. This scenario was well within his expectations, and he let out a chuckle: "You cultivate Geng Metal, yet your Qi absorption is half metal, half water, trying to excel at both. Meeting my scorching true fire, you're simply out of luck!"

"Bang!" No sooner had he spoken than a series of explosive cracks erupted beside him. Lue Jin's kasaya was shattered to pieces, sending shimmering golden light flying everywhere. His spiritual body was covered in cracks, emitting pulsating colorful light.

He clutched the large gaping hole in his chest with one hand and held the other hand to his lips. His eyes shone with astonishing brightness. His voice, like a great bell, resounded symphonically through the air. Li Xuanfeng's hand tightened until his knuckles were white, and the markings on his face flickered on and off.

Lue Jin's spell was not merely about pain; it seemed to possess the power of awakening and self-reflection. Clearly, this person had targeted specific methods to deal with him. As his incantations grew faster, the Celestial Metal Armor in Li Xuanfeng's Sea of Qi suddenly stirred, appearing somewhat restless.

He cast a cold glance at Lue Jin. Slowly, he raised his longbow, and a golden-red arrow immediately flew up, gracefully settling onto the string.

"Buzz... buzz..." Golden-red light shone brightly. Even Gao Fangjing, who was fully engaged in combat, couldn't help but look back. A brilliant golden glow swept across Li Xuanfeng's face and shoulders, flowing backward. He intently stared at Lue Jin, making the monk's face grow increasingly pale.

"Clang..." The light flashed and disappeared. The bell-like sound finally vanished, transforming into rapid, forceful incantations. The shimmering golden kasaya reappeared on Lue Jin, but it was already too late.

"Bang!" A heavy radiance flickered. The golden-red light stopped abruptly in mid-air, revealing the arrow's true form, its surface covered in dense, glittering patterns.

The arrow was held motionless between two fingers. An elderly monk, with slightly white, long eyebrows, appeared before Lue Jin, carefully examining the arrow in his hand.

Li Xuanfeng waited for two breaths. As expected, Yuan Xiu's stern voice, full of displeasure, sounded beside him: "Fellow Daoist, you have broken the rules."

This person should be the Compassionate One of the Grand Mu Dharma Realm. But unlike the usual three-headed, six-armed Compassionate Ones, he resembled an ordinary monk. He pulled Lue Jin a step back and said in a hoarse voice: "Indeed."

His and Lue Jin's figures quickly faded away. Li Xuanfeng raised his eyebrows slightly, noticing that True Immortal Qiushui was already standing before the Jin Yu Sect cultivator. After a moment, a dense golden energy surged from this True Immortal's feet into the sky, then descended beside Zhong Qian.

"Thank you, fellow Daoists." The True Immortal beside Zhong Qian, enveloped in a shimmering golden mist, nodded slightly. Zhong Qian, as if he had known him for a long time, stood bowed beside him, and all the demonic cultivators also swiftly landed at his feet.

"True Immortal Chang Yun, you are too kind," Yuan Xiu replied. True Immortal Chang Yun's voice was very capable as he chuckled:

"I have been in the East Sea for many years and always wanted to establish a sect within it, but I've never found a suitable place to settle. Xu State truly is a good place."

True Immortal Qiushui nodded slightly and smiled: "It was still your meticulous planning and long-prepared move, fellow Daoist, that helped us turn the tide in this situation. From now on, my Jin Yu Sect and your esteemed sect will share the friendship of founding sects. The North-South conflict is nearing its end. True Immortal, if you manage this precious land in Xu State well, it may not be inferior to any other."

'So that's it!' Li Xuanfeng and Lin Gurao exchanged glances, both seeing understanding in the other's eyes. These demonic cultivators hadn't defected to Jin Yu at all; they had gained the overseas True Immortal as their backer!

These demonic cultivators would then establish sects under this True Immortal's command in Xu State. The Jin Yu and Qing Chi sects, meanwhile, would remain completely clean. Even Li Xuanfeng and Lin Gurao were merely "investigating" this place and acting as the situation demanded.

"After all, they are demonic cultivators establishing a sect, so naturally, one cannot be too closely associated..." Lin Gurao gave a cold laugh in his heart: 'Give it another hundred years, and they'll naturally be completely cleansed, becoming another righteous path in Xu State...'

"Hahahah!" True Immortal Chang Yun laughed triumphantly. His gaze lingered on Li Xuanfeng for a moment, and just as he was about to speak, he was suddenly interrupted by something. Several True Immortals simultaneously looked towards the center of Chengshui Ling.

A dazzling, crystalline light was descending from the sky, revealing alluring colors. Li Xuanfeng observed it carefully for a moment and thought to himself: "This is probably the Grand Ning Palace... Judging by the True Immortals' tone, what the North and South Daoist traditions ultimately desire is the Grand Ning Palace!"