The woman in yellow initially saw a flicker of interest in Li Yundong's expression, but after Zi Yuan spoke a few words, hesitation returned. She then pleaded tearfully, "I heard that True Master Li is a broad-minded and benevolent cultivator, which is why I dared to seek your help. But I never expected that True Master Li, like other cultivators, would prefer to stand by and watch us demons, who have never done any wrong, be bullied, while allowing our wicked counterparts to run rampant."

This statement profoundly moved Li Yundong. He suddenly recalled something he had said when encountering Duoji Danzeng: "In truth, the most terrifying things in this world are not demons or fiends, but humans! When humans commit evil, they are a hundred times more venomous than any demon! Therefore, if a demon performs good deeds, I will not suppress or subdue them; instead, I will protect and uphold them. If people commit evil, I will not cover for them but will enforce justice on behalf of Heaven!"

With this in mind, Li Yundong stopped hesitating and said, "You don't need to provoke me with such words. You lead the way, and I will follow."

The woman in yellow was instantly overjoyed, bowing with a sob, "Thank you, True Master Li, for saving my life again!"

Li Yundong waved his hand and said, "Don't thank me so soon. If what you said is true, I might intervene. But if you've spoken a single lie, you might have just summoned a death god upon yourself!"

The woman in yellow sighed, "Whether it is true or false, True Master Li will know once he goes." Saying this, her figure transformed into a streak of yellow light and soared into the air, remaining suspended, clearly waiting for Li Yundong.

Li Yundong turned to Zi Yuan and said, "This matter started because of me. I thought Su Chan was trapped in Xiyuan Temple, so I forced my way in, inadvertently releasing these two serpent demons. If they are truly wicked monsters, it is my responsibility to capture them again. If they are truly innocent and benevolent, then I cannot tolerate some ill-intentioned cultivators attacking them. You should return to the secret chamber in the cave to wait for me; I will be back shortly."

Zi Yuan sighed and said, "You are too quick to champion righteousness, truly unlike a cultivator who seeks serenity and detachment. Never mind, I will accompany you this once. You have only just entered the Sixth Heaven realm; your Yin Spirit is still very fragile. If someone ambushes you with sorcery, you could easily be killed. Let's go together; we can look out for each other."

Li Yundong was greatly pleased, chuckling, "I think you are the one who is cold on the outside but warm-hearted. You talk tough, but your heart is softer than anyone's."

Zi Yuan smiled faintly, "Let's go."

The two soon transformed into a streak of cyan light and flew into the sky. The woman in yellow, who had been waiting, saw them follow and quickly flew north.

Divine travel was the fastest means of flight, covering dozens of miles in the blink of an eye. In less than half an hour, Li Yundong and Zi Yuan followed the woman in yellow to the ground near Xinbin. They saw that their destination was a dense mountain forest, with faint traces of human dwellings visible at the foot of the mountain.

The woman in yellow said, "My husband's and my physical bodies are hidden in this mountain. The cultivators surrounding us are on the other side of the peak. I implore True Master Li to uphold justice!"

With that, her form dove into the mountain and vanished without a trace.

Li Yundong frowned. Flying to the summit, he indeed saw flickering torches on the other side of the mountain, with faint human voices drifting over.

Zi Yuan, who flew up to the mountain behind him, also couldn't help but furrow her delicate brows, "They look like cultivators from the Six Great Sects."

Li Yundong said in a deep voice, "Let's go and see!"

Zi Yuan nodded. The two concealed their auras and cautiously approached the foot of the mountain. After moving within twenty meters, they could clearly hear human voices.

"Do those two stinking snakes think they're safe just hiding in a cave?"

"The people from Jinshan Sect have been inside for two hours; why is there no movement?"

"Hahaha, isn't the Jinshan Sect skilled at Earth (Earth Evasion)? I bet they tunneled straight into the snake's belly this time!"

"Nonsense! Why is your Donghua Sect gloating? If you're so capable, why don't you go in yourselves!"

Amidst the clamor of this crowd, an aged voice rang out among them. Li Yundong peered through the cover of the dense woods and saw Zheng Yuanzheng of the Yinyang Sect from Wuhua Mountain standing among the group, stroking his beard. Beside him stood a tall, stunningly beautiful young maiden, who was none other than Ding Nan.

The moment Li Yundong saw Zheng Yuan, he immediately hissed in anger, "That bastard stole the Luo Mu Soul-Separating Pin from Mo Ashi of the Fox Zen Sect right under my nose! I was looking for him to take it back!"

Zi Yuan advised, "Don't get agitated. Listen to what they are saying."

Li Yundong suppressed his anger and listened intently as Zheng Yuan spoke to the assembly.

Zheng Yuan said, "Fellow Daoists, please remain calm, and hear me out for a moment."

The cultivators from the smaller, less powerful sects immediately chimed in, "Elder Zheng, please preside over justice!"

"Exactly, Elder Zheng, you discovered the whereabouts of these two serpent demons, so you should be the one to take charge!"

However, the cultivators from the Six Great Sects, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, shouted in unison, "Since when is it the turn of the Wuhua Mountain Yinyang Sect to be in charge here!"

"If our Six Great Sects haven't spoken, the Wuhua Mountain Yinyang Sect should step aside!"

"Indeed, Elder Zheng, you should step aside and rest! Watch how our Six Great Sects display their prowess!"

Zheng Yuan saw the chaotic uproar around him but did not show anger. He maintained a clear voice, "Fellow Daoists, if we stand here arguing, we could argue until morning without reaching any conclusion. Why don't we first combine our wisdom and strength to kill these two stinking snakes, and then argue later!"

His words caused the other cultivators to nod in agreement, "That makes sense, let's deal with the two stinking snakes first, then discuss other matters!"

"That's right! You Six Great Sects are always arguing and refusing to concede to one another. Wait for you to show off? Forget it. It's a miracle if you don't sabotage each other!"

"Bastard, which sect are you from? How dare you sow discord!"

Li Yundong saw that there were at least forty or fifty cultivators gathered at the foot of the mountain, many of whom had participated in the siege against the Fox Zen Sect. He sneered inwardly and murmured, "Are these fellows here to subdue demons and enforce heavenly justice? I suspect more are here to take advantage of the chaos and pilfer treasures!"

Zi Yuan remarked calmly, "It's normal for the Six Great Sects to have a mix of good and bad members. Furthermore, these two golden snakes are treasures from head to tail. When they walked among the mortal realm, they naturally aroused the greed and covetousness of cultivators; this is not uncommon."

Li Yundong's face was set in a cold sneer. He scanned his surroundings and whispered, "There are forty or fifty people here, with at least seven or eight skilled cultivators. Coupled with Zheng Yuan being quite troublesome, I don't think we are a match for them unless we include those two golden snakes; perhaps then we could win."

Zi Yuan immediately shook her head and said, "That's out of the question. If you do that, even if you manage to drive them away, it will solidify the accusation that you are colluding with monsters and standing against the Six Great Sects. If the Six Great Sects then mobilize their elite forces to campaign against you again, although you are powerful, you still cannot fight two fists against four hands."

Li Yundong snorted, "Am I afraid of them?"

Zi Yuan said, "Don't underestimate the Six Great Sects. Although they remain lamentably weak to this day, over hundreds of years, the Six Great Sects have spread their branches everywhere; no one knows the depth of their resources. Even our Zhengyi Sect wouldn't dare fall out with them. Last time the Six Great Sects besieged the Fox Zen Sect, most of those who came were skilled fighters from the younger generation; the true masters did not show up. If you push them too far, and all their masters descend upon you at once, even the Zhengyi Sect couldn't handle it."

Zi Yuan paused, then continued, "Most importantly, it is unsuitable for you or me to show our faces directly in this matter. We only need to drive them all away."

Li Yundong asked, "How can we drive away these greedy fellows without revealing ourselves?"

Zi Yuan's lips curved into a smile of confident assurance, "Golden snakes are a type of monster with formidable combat strength; even without transforming into human shape or using spells, they are powerful. Cultivators have one characteristic: they dare not use spells or magical artifacts during thunderstorms for fear of attracting heavenly tribulation. Therefore, if I can summon a thunderstorm, these cultivators will most likely not dare to use magic or artifacts. I believe if those two golden snakes are not foolish, they should immediately burst out and drive these cultivators away at this moment."

Li Yundong exclaimed in surprise, "You can summon wind and rain? Such a powerful spell—why haven't I seen you use it before?"

Zi Yuan smiled faintly, "When Zhuge Liang sought the East Wind, he performed the ritual for several days; this shows that spells for summoning wind and rain, if not aided by artifacts, take an extremely long time to cast. If I am to perform the spell, it will require a great expenditure of time—at least an hour—and I cannot be disturbed during that time, or the effort will be wasted."

Li Yundong stated firmly, "Then hurry and cast the spell; I will protect you."

Zi Yuan nodded, sat down cross-legged, formed a hand seal, and closed her eyes, quickly entering a state of meditation.

After Zi Yuan entered concentration, Li Yundong felt a gentle power emanating from her entire body. Although this power was not overwhelmingly turbulent, it was like the moistening drizzle of spring rain, seeping into the ground bit by bit, continuously spreading outward.

After a short while, Li Yundong noticed that the moisture on the ground was growing heavier, and the dew on the leaves in the forest was accumulating more and more. A thought struck him, and he suddenly understood: So the principle of this wind-and-rain spell is to stimulate the ground moisture to rise into the air, thereby intensifying the water vapor in the clouds and triggering a thunderstorm?

As he was thinking, he indeed saw wisps of white mist continually evaporating from the ground, spiraling upwards toward the sky. This lasted for about half an hour. Gradually, Li Yundong felt a gentle breeze begin to brush against his cheeks. A thought stirred in his mind: It's starting to blow!

When the wind moves, the clouds move; when the clouds move, the rain moves; when the rain moves, the lightning moves!

Zheng Yuan and the cultivators from the various sects were blocked in front of the cave entrance on this mountain, discussing what kind of spells to use against the two stinking snakes, completely unaware of the anomaly happening around them.

One cultivator, seeing that their discussion was endless, said impatiently, "You keep talking here without end; maybe those two stinking snakes have already run off!"

Immediately, another cultivator scoffed, "Don't be foolish. Their Yin Spirits can escape, but their physical bodies cannot. If their bodies move, surely forty or fifty cultivators like us would notice?"

Zheng Yuan then spoke loudly, "Fellow Daoists, if we keep debating like this, who knows when it will end? I suggest we each take out our magical artifacts and bombard the barrier at the entrance of this snake cave with whatever skills we boast. What do you all think?"

The other cultivators, hearing this, all agreed, "That's a good idea!"

But some disagreed, saying, "It's a good idea, but once we capture those two stinking snakes, how will we divide the treasures?"

Zheng Yuan pondered for a moment and replied, "We can fight over the division later; if we start fighting now, wouldn't we be giving those two stinking snakes an opportunity to strike?"

The cultivators on the scene thought about it and realized they had no better immediate solution, so they all agreed, "Fine, let's do it that way!"

Instantly, these cultivators summoned their respective magical artifacts and blasted them towards the entrance of a hidden stone cave. This opening was only about the size of a basketball, but when these artifacts struck it, a golden ring shield wall manifested, appearing as a solid, hard barrier blocking the entry of the cultivators.

Li Yundong watched the cave entrance being bombarded in turn by dazzling artifacts, and the golden barrier grew increasingly thin, clearly struggling to hold on.

Li Yundong thought, This is not good, but seeing that Zi Yuan had been casting her spell for a good while longer, he hesitated, wondering if he should step out to stop them for a moment.

However, at that moment, Ding Nan, who had been idly observing the situation all along, suddenly felt a drop of water land on her face. She involuntarily looked up, touching the moisture stain on her cheek, and murmured, "Is it raining?"

Zheng Yuan, hearing this, looked startled, "Raining?"

He sniffed the air, and his vigilance immediately spiked, "No, the air wasn't this humid just now! Could someone be casting a spell nearby?"

Zheng Yuan shouted loudly, "Fellow Daoists, someone nearby is casting a spell, attempting to summon wind and thunder! Everyone search around! If you find anyone casting a spell, kill them immediately!"

After his loud shout, a cultivator immediately yelled, "Alright, we'll search around!"

Li Yundong heard this and no longer hesitated, immediately C