Chapter 608 456: Taiyuan (Loughshinny Alliance Leader Bonus Update [2/2])

Almost at the same moment, the four figures around simultaneously shifted their gazes, coldly staring at Li Yuanjiao, all sorts of dharma light swirling in their pupils, manifold illusions blocked outside the Dharma Mirror. In Lu Jiangxian's heart, it was as if heaven and earth had collapsed—he was utterly terrified:

'Qing Song Temple! It's their trap! To lure me here!'

Lu Jiangxian held his voice and stilled his breath; his mind was a blank slate, silent as a statue. Fortunately, he did not reveal this scene to Li Yuanjiao outside—who noticed nothing at all, soaring upon the wind within his own palm.

Once the initial shock passed, Lu Jiangxian swiftly regained his composure:

"No… not me… they're after the descendant of Qing Song Temple, and Ying Ze Perfected Lord… I merely stumbled in by mistake… nearly got drawn out…"

He kept his eyes closed for over a dozen breaths, only to hear a faintly androgynous voice fall, like gold and stone melting, lead and mercury merging:

"Taiyuan, what's going on…"

The jade crown upon Taiyuan Perfected Lord's head began to emit light; silver-white pupils shifted, the voice airy and ethereal:

"It's nothing… I saw him observing from so far away, so I prodded a little. Turns out he's a descendant of Mingyang Li Qianyuan, so being able to sense something is normal."

Taiyuan Perfected Lord's voice drifted, but Lu Jiangxian felt a platinum force flash like lightning into Li Yuanjiao's mind, violently sweeping across all his memories.

Li Yuanjiao sensed nothing; the Talisman Seed in his Qi Sea flickered slightly. Drifting on the wind, he moved ever farther, calming the shock in Lu Jiangxian's heart. He fixed his gaze and saw that in the shadows on Taiyuan's shoulder, a golden figure was slowly emerging.

This person's face was identical to Li Yuanjiao's, only the pupils were gold and white, with suspicion etched across his face, hands gripping tightly onto a longsword, poised to draw and cleave—it was like a statue.

"Taiyuan!"

Yet from the north came a muffled voice; suddenly, a wisp of white vapor rose from Taiyuan Perfected Lord's shoulder, dispersing the golden figure into ashes and smoke.

"Li Qianyuan treats you well."

Taiyuan Perfected Lord's silver-white pupils flickered; a sound like clashing metal rang between heaven and earth. He said mildly:

"If it weren't for Mingyang's kindness to me, when has there ever been a Li Family at Wangyue Marsh?"

As Li Yuanjiao sped away, an icy chill grew in Lu Jiangxian's heart; he could barely hear the words of those five Perfected Lords anymore, only glimpsing their five towering, world-penetrating forms, watching the bustling cultivators on the island below as though regarding ants.

'Fortunately, I didn't let Li Yuanjiao see this scene, or he'd be exposed to these five at once… not to mention, if he saw himself after forming a Golden Core—who knows what he'd become…'

If Li Yuanjiao entered this domain, his mind would most likely collapse on the spot, exposed under the five Perfected Lords—no more hiding.

What made him even more wary: to these Golden Core Perfected Lords, Qing Song Temple was nothing but bait, solely to lure out that Ying Ze Perfected Lord. And that Lord is entangled with Qing Song Temple in countless ways… Five guardians await Ying Ze to crash into the net.

"If that's the case, then all around Qing Song Temple is a net from which there's no escape—it cannot be entered lightly."

Lu Jiangxian could almost foresee it: with five Perfected Lords encircling the Qing Song Cave Heaven, entering now meant seeking his own death. The moment Li Yuanjiao brought him out, a Perfected Lord would shatter space and storm the temple, toppling the Li Family at Wangyue Lake.

The pupils of those five figures seemed still to sway before him. Though confident he could find the entrance, Lu Jiangxian was wracked with anxiety:

"Am I to let Li Yuanjiao, before five Perfected Lords, stroll into the Cave Heaven as if into his own home? That's pure suicide…"

With this only chance to acquire parts from Yu Muxian, Lu Jiangxian was unwilling to give up. Scanning the island, his gaze finally settled upon the golden hammer-wielding youth.

...

Li Yuanjiao was equally troubled; even with the Immortal Mirror, he couldn't glimpse the state of this Cave Heaven—meaning their plan to enter had failed, leaving only Li Xuanfeng to enter alone.

And with just Li Xuanfeng inside, whether he could actually kill Yu Muxian was still dubious. Li Xuanfeng was unskilled in swordsmanship, unable to truly unleash the Sword Intent of the Green Ruler Sword, always pulling the bow tight—hard to focus on two tasks and land the fatal blow.

He flew low in gloom, consulting the Immortal Mirror over and over, then paused, suddenly spotting a rather familiar youth.

"Tulong Jian! He's here!"

This youth was no longer ragged—clad in a noble feathered robe, wielding a massive golden hammer, riding a black flying shuttle underfoot; he was grander now than even this noble family's own head.

Although his attire had changed, his face remained the same, still slightly youthful. Li Yuanjiao recalled how years ago, Devil Cultivators had been defeated by an unknown loose cultivator, and comparing the old descriptions—it must be this very person.

"I spared this one's life once back then… I wonder if these so-called sons of destiny keep their word…"

Li Yuanjiao pondered, grit his teeth:

"Right now, this is my only option. I have tried to avoid these people, but apart from this path there is no other way."

Though seeking to repay grace, Li Yuanjiao still proceeded with caution. He didn't just sweep over on the wind, but drew out the Mysterious Pattern Bottle from his sleeve.

Years before, before Tulong Jian, he had used this artifact to conceal his form, hiding all traces of himself. Now he poured the jade bottle, calling forth Spiritual Mist with Mysterious Patterns, wrapping himself up tightly from head to toe.

Pretending nonchalance, he drifted into the island, wandering aimlessly, occasionally changing direction, slowly closing in on Tulong Jian's location.

Along the way, he encountered several bands of loose cultivators, but Li Yuanjiao carefully kept out of their way. The Mysterious Pattern's Spiritual Mist already veiled his presence, so none noticed along the path.

At last he reached the island's western side, where the sandy ground suddenly burst apart. A fire vein erupted upwards, arching eight or nine feet high; thick black earth fire fiend qi and flames gushed out. Li Yuanjiao stopped with a strange look on his face.

"Judging by Tulong Jian's path, he'll pass right through here…"

It was only because of the Immortal Mirror's blessing and his overview of the island that he noticed this small fire vein leak. Instantly perking up, he ambled over casually, arriving before Tulong Jian and sitting cross-legged, drawing out a jade bottle.

He formed a gathering-qi seal, and the earth vein's flames and fiend qi swarmed over, all pouring toward his jade bottle, dragging long black-red tails of flame—forming a slender vortex.

He did not gather qi quickly, but sat in silence, awaiting Tulong Jian's arrival.

After only a dozen breaths, a figure in black feathered robes, feet perched on a flying shuttle, appeared nearby; the youth bore a long golden hammer on his shoulder, looking over loungingly.

'Aha! Just what I need, a fire vein to refine the Fiend Fire Spirit Source.'

He strode a few steps forward, noticing a cultivator already drawing fiend fire beside the fire vein, seemingly protected by a concealment treasure—not immediately visible. Golden light slipped through his eyes, and in moments, he discerned the cluster of grey-white Mysterious Pattern Spiritual Mist.

"Hm?!"

Tulong Jian paused for several breaths, both surprised and delighted:

"At last, I've found you, Senior!"