Just as the Renyuan Golden Elixir rolled out from the head of the Guan Yu statue, Su Chan shouted loudly from the inner room, "The entrance is found!"

Hearing this, Li Yundong watched the Renyuan Golden Elixir tumble to the ground, jumped up instantly, and roared, "Ziyuan, you take the liu e sword, I'll take the Golden Elixir, let's go quickly!"

As Li Yundong shouted, Ziyuan moved like lightning to the headless statue of Guan Yu, swiftly drew the liu e sword, and then darted toward the inner room.

Li Yundong moved in a flash, not even bothering to grab the Immortal-Binding Rope, lunged toward the Renyuan Golden Elixir, scooped it into his palm, spun on his heel, and lunged fiercely toward the inner room.

The moment Li Yundong entered the inner room, he saw Su Chan standing before one of the walls. She pushed aside a statue and pointed to a narrow doorway, about the height and width of a person, saying, "It's here, just a secret passage!"

Without a second thought, Li Yundong declared, "Ziyuan, you lead the way, Su Chan, you stay in the middle, and I'll cover the rear!" With that, he tossed the Golden Elixir to Ziyuan, saying, "If anything happens later, you go first!"

Ziyuan turned and plunged into the secret passage, then turned back and unhesitatingly threw the Golden Elixir to Su Chan: "Su Chan, you are the fastest runner. If pursuers catch up too closely, take the Renyuan Golden Elixir and run ahead!"

The liu e sword had not yet recognized a master and was no different from an ordinary longsword. Since Li Yundong didn't know any swordsmanship, carrying the longsword would only be a burden and easily reveal his identity. Thus, she decided to keep the sword herself and take it along.

Su Chan was surprised that the Renyuan Golden Elixir had ended up back in her hands. Startled, she called out loudly, "Me? I want to stay with Yundong!"

Li Yundong snatched her up and tossed her into the secret passage: "Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and go!"

Ziyuan caught Su Chan and swiftly pulled her into the secret passage.

Just as he threw Su Chan in, there was a loud crash as the side hall doors were broken down.

Li Yundong twisted his head, darted into the secret passage, and frantically tore off pieces of his outer garment to cover his face.

Zhang Ling, having the highest cultivation and the fastest speed, chased into the main hall. She looked around quickly and immediately pursued into the inner room. Upon entering, she saw a dark, gaping hole revealed in the wall, with the statue of Taishang Laojun leaning askew beside it.

Zhang Ling observed that the opening was just large enough for one person to enter at a time. If someone guarded the entrance, it would truly be an impregnable choke point, especially since it was pitch black inside—a perfect spot for a sneak attack.

The other cultivators also arrived in the inner chamber of the side hall. Seeing the entrance to the dark secret passage, they hesitated for a moment, stopping in their tracks, none daring to follow inside.

But Zhang Ling, confident in her superior cultivation, stamped her foot, gritted her teeth fiercely, and flung herself into the passage.

Li Yundong had anticipated they would pursue. Without a word, he swung his palm fiercely toward the incoming person.

Zhang Ling roared fiercely, "A good attack!" and met Li Yundong's palm strike with her own.

With a muffled "bang," both Li Yundong and Zhang Ling recoiled a step, each inwardly shocked.

Because the passage was dark, Li Yundong did not know who had followed, nor did he know if this hastily found secret passage led to freedom or a dead end. If it were a dead end, he would have to defend the entrance to the death; letting even one person through would turn his strong defense into being trapped like a turtle in a jar!

Li Yundong guarded the opening, intending to buy as much time as possible for Ziyuan and Su Chan to escape. He relied on the advantageous position to hold out longer, but he never expected the arrival to be so fierce, with True Essence as profound and abundant as his own!

Ever since entering the cultivation world, Li Yundong’s consistent victories in duels against cultivators from various sects relied on his own vast and powerful Golden Elixir True Essence, his inner core refined as hard as steel.

However, Zhang Ling had cultivated for decades, practicing orthodox Xuanmen Daoist arts. Her inner core was refined, and her True Essence was mighty—she was only Li Yundong's equal, if not superior. Especially in terms of varied spells she commanded, compared to Li Yundong, the difference was like heaven and earth, entirely incomparable.

Li Yundong suddenly realized this opponent was the strongest enemy he had ever encountered, far more formidable than anyone he had previously fought. He knew that if he were defeated and forced to retreat, and if Ziyuan and Su Chan discovered the passage was a dead end, their fate would be sealed—ten deaths and no life.

His own death was of little consequence, but Su Chan and Ziyuan could not die!

He could only advance, never retreat!

Having made up his mind, Li Yundong took a deep breath, his entire fighting will and spirit burning intensely. His eyes shone with sharp brilliance, radiating divine light, his battle intent soaring.

Zhang Ling, forced back a step by Li Yundong’s strike, was also inwardly startled. She had mostly guessed the person inside was Li Yundong, but she never imagined his True Essence would be so profound, seemingly matching her own. Even more astonishing, after the palm strike, two beams of divine light shot from the person’s eyes as if tangible, and his aura and True Essence seemed even stronger and mightier than before!

Zhang Ling sucked in a sharp breath, thinking to herself: Is there such a formidable master among the younger generation in the cultivation world? Ziyuan is likely inferior to him! What is most shocking is, how can this boy possess such potent True Essence at such a young age? I have only seen such profound cultivation in my younger brother, the Celestial Master Zhang! What is this fellow's origin?

Zhang Ling was eager to test the depth of Li Yundong's True Essence, and even more eager to probe his limits. She immediately took a deep breath and delivered two solid palm strikes straight toward Li Yundong—no flashy techniques, purely relying on overwhelming True Essence in an upright, direct confrontation!

If Li Yundong yielded, he would have to retreat; if he did not retreat, he would have to accept the blow. There was no third option for evasion.

Li Yundong saw the two bare palms rushing toward him. Though the hands were small, Li Yundong felt a mighty, surging aura rush at him, like colossal waves crashing against mountains, pressing him so hard he could barely breathe.

Despite facing such a formidable foe unexpectedly, Li Yundong felt no fear. His True Essence erupted like gunpowder, the Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Technique spun rapidly within him, and his bones cracked audibly. He brought his own two palms up to strike Zhang Ling!

With a loud "thwack," Li Yundong and Zhang Ling both staggered back three steps. The secret passage shook violently from the force of their palm strikes, shaking loose a great deal of dust. Those outside the passage in the side hall felt the ground tremor slightly.

Seeing that Li Yundong’s strike had managed to push her back again without yielding an inch, Zhang Ling was instantly both shocked and furious! She had always been arrogant, respecting no cultivator under heaven except her sect master brother. Now, in front of so many cultivators, she had been forced back twice in succession. Losing face, she became enraged, mobilizing all her True Essence to its peak, letting out a sharp cry, and pushing both palms forward in another strike!

This time, Zhang Ling used all her True Essence. Li Yundong felt as if a high-speed train were bearing down on him; if he collided with it, he would instantly be pulverized!

Li Yundong knew life and death hung on this instant. The Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Technique in his body abruptly accelerated to the eighth revolution. His inner courage boiled, and the Yin and Yang dual energies between his two kidneys instantly converged. Black energy and crimson energy shot out from his nostrils, and his palms changed color—one hand turned fiery red, the other black as dark iron. This Yin and Yang Golden Elixir vital energy surged forth like a beast tide toward Zhang Ling!

Zhang Ling, overwhelmed by anger, chose to clash pure internal energy and True Essence with Li Yundong rather than using her spells. This choice instead forced out all of Li Yundong’s potential. The long-lost eighth-stage Fire Nurturing Realm of the Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Technique was not something easily dismissed!

With a tremendous "boom," their palms met, and instantly both were sent flying backward like cannonballs.

Zhang Ling could not stop her momentum. With a crash, she knocked over countless shrines and statues behind her. Zou Ping, terrified, rushed to support her, finally stopping her momentum and preventing further humiliation.

The cultivators standing by, unable to intervene, watched in utter shock and terror as Zhang Ling exchanged three strikes with the mysterious figure in the secret passage, being repelled all three times, and violently blasted away on the last exchange.

Zhang Ling's cultivation was renowned throughout the cultivation world, especially the magical arts she displayed during the chaotic fight, which confirmed her reputation to every cultivator present.

Yet, even someone of Zhang Ling's caliber was forcefully blasted backward. What would happen to them?

They exchanged glances. Though greedy for the Renyuan Golden Elixir, the narrow, dark hole deterred them; no one dared to take another step forward.

"Master, are you alright?" Zou Ping asked nervously and fearfully after steadying Zhang Ling.

Zhang Ling stood still, enraged by humiliation. She violently shoved Zou Ping away, shouting, "Get lost!"

Then, she slammed a palm onto the ground, causing countless cracks to spiderweb across the floor with a deafening sound. She then grasped empty air with both hands, summoning countless blazing lava flows. She rubbed her hands together, struck again, and a ferocious, blazing fire dragon shot directly toward the secret passage!

The crowd watched as the fire dragon coiled and lunged into the secret chamber, instantly illuminating a single figure. This person rapidly formed a hand seal; his two hands locked in the Vajra Knot, the middle fingers extended straight like needles in the unique Samyama gesture—it was the Vajra Mandala Samadhi Great Hand Seal from the True Word Great Seal system!

He roared, "Hūṃ!"

The true word boomed like thunder, making every cultivator's ears ring painfully, their eardrums throbbing. The Great Hand Seal struck out fiercely in the air, scattering the fire dragon into pieces. The fallen flames clung to the walls of the secret passage, refusing to extinguish, casting the figure in alternating light and shadow.

The crowd focused their gaze and saw the man half-hidden in the darkness, mysterious and imposing, while the other half was brightly illuminated by the flames. His face was covered, but his eyes shot piercing brilliance. His figure stood firm as a mountain, majestic and imposing—truly awe-inspiring, holding the pass alone!

Seeing Li Yundong guarding the secret passage entrance by himself, the crowd realized that despite their numbers, they were helpless against him. Even the most skilled cultivator, Zhang Ling, had been sent flying by three strikes. They looked at each other, eager for the treasure, yet lacking the courage to advance.

Ding Nan, hiding at the back of the crowd, had seen Li Yundong single-handedly repel a crowd before, but watching the scene unfold now, she couldn't help but sigh in awe: What is an invincible, great hero, a true champion?

This is it!!