The Hellfire True Person Zhang Ling’s Nine Hells Fire, which she commanded, was ferocious. Merely brushing against it would instantly ignite a raging blaze; aside from a select few magical artifacts, nothing in the world could withstand the incineration of this Nine Hells Fire.
Yet, Li Yundong’s Great Hand Seal was an invisible, majestic surge of true essence, utterly immune to burning. It perfectly countered Zhang Ling’s Nine Hells Fire, and furthermore, Li Yundong’s geographical position was superb—he possessed every advantage of terrain.
Seeing Li Yundong casually dissipate her proudest Nine Hells Fire, and watching the surrounding cultivators regard him with renewed awe, Zhang Ling was furious to the point of trembling internally.
Zou Ping watched her Master suffer a hidden defeat and immediately shouted, “Li Yundong, are you tired of living? How dare you offend our Zhengyi Sect!”
Most of the cultivators gathered outside the secret passage were those who had participated in the siege of the Fox Zen Gate. They all recognized the man now as Li Yundong, especially remembering the previous True Word Great Hand Seal, which had left an indelible impression. They watched as Li Yundong guarded the cave entrance, allowing them no advance. If they forced their way in, they knew they likely wouldn't fare well. The memory of Li Yundong killing two and defeating seven at the Fox Zen Gate was still vivid, chilling them to the bone.
They began to implore him, “True Person Li, let’s talk this out nicely. Did you take the Human Essence Golden Elixir? How about we buy it from you? Name your price.”
“Yes, say something! It doesn’t always have to be about fighting!”
“True Person Li, our Golden Mountain Sect has countless magic treasures. Tell us which one you fancy, and we’ll trade it for this Human Essence Golden Elixir!”
The cultivation world has always operated under the law of the jungle: the weak are prey to the strong, and only the fittest survive. Since Zhang Ling had tried force earlier and Li Yundong proved even tougher, they were now helpless and could only resort to soft persuasion, humbling themselves.
Li Yundong noticed the flames still roaring on the secret passage walls, clearly illuminating his position. With a sweep of his sleeve, a fierce and domineering gust of Gang Wind shot out, instantly extinguishing the flames and plunging his figure back into darkness.
When the crowd saw Li Yundong’s figure vanish instantly into the gloom, ignoring their words, they grew frantic. “True Person Li, say something! We can discuss things!”
Zhang Ling slowly regained her composure. She recalled a moment during their brief exchange when she saw streams of scarlet and black mist erupting from his nostrils—a bizarre sight, yet possessing terrifying power. Her heart lurched, and she loudly commanded, “Li Yundong, have you obtained the Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Art! I never expected someone so young to have cultivated to the Eighth Revolution, the Fire Nurturing stage!”
Li Yundong’s heart jolted. He thought, The paper truly cannot wrap the fire; she actually recognized it!
Li Yundong resolved to remain silent, neither admitting nor denying anything.
But once Zhang Ling voiced this, the other cultivators erupted into an uproar.
Du Fei of the Quanzhen Dragon Gate Sect exclaimed, “True Person Li, we’ve long heard rumors that you acquired the long-lost Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Art. I thought it was mere gossip, but it seems true! Our Quanzhen Dragon Gate Sect has deep connections with the lineage of Mr. Chen Pu. Where did you obtain the Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Art? Could you lend it for us to examine?”
As Du Fei spoke, the cultivators from other sects grew displeased. Zhang Hongcheng of the Golden Mountain Sect shouted, “True Person Du, what you’re saying is inappropriate. What do you mean your Quanzhen Dragon Gate Sect has a deep connection with Mr. Chen Pu? Have you no shame? Mr. Chen Pu lived during the late Tang and Five Dynasties period; your Quanzhen Sect was founded during the late Song and early Yuan dynasties, separated by over three hundred years. You can still claim a connection with such audacity? Your skin is too thick!”
Du Fei’s face darkened, and he turned to retort, “Our Quanzhen Dragon Gate Sect is the orthodox lineage of the Daoist Mystic Gate. The Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Art created by Mr. Chen Pu is also a technique of the Mystic Gate orthodoxy. Our Quanzhen Sect’s founder, Wang Chongyang, unified the teachings of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism, absorbing the strengths of all schools, which included Mr. Chen Pu’s technique for tempering the gallbladder. By method of cultivation, we share a continuous lineage—how can we not have a connection?”
Du Fei’s speech made the other cultivators burst into laughter. Chen Anji of the Donghua Sect sarcastically remarked, “If we follow that logic, then our Ancestor Ning Quanzhen must have an even closer relationship with Mr. Chen Pu.”
Immediately, a cultivator chimed in, “Nonsense! Ning Quanzhen was also a cultivator during the Song Dynasty; how could he be closer in time?”
Chen Anji said wryly, “According to True Person Du’s assertion, the skills created by our Ancestor Ning Quanzhen of the Donghua Sect are also genuine Mystic Gate orthodox techniques. Moreover, our Ancestor Ning Quanzhen was from the Northern Song Dynasty, living long before Wang Chongyang. By chronological order, wouldn’t that place him closer to Mr. Chen Pu?”
The crowd roared with laughter, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
Standing at the rear, Zheng Yuan muttered with cynical disdain, “These useless things. As soon as trouble hits, they only know how to sabotage each other. A Six Sect Alliance, my foot! What a joke! Ignoring the Human Essence Golden Elixir right in front of them just to argue about the Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Art—what good does that do? Is Li Yundong going to spit out what he’s already swallowed? Idiots, utterly idiotic!”
Ding Nan also whispered quietly, “Master, what is the Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Art?”
Zheng Yuan glanced at her, his face suddenly filled with paternal kindness. “I’ll tell you when we get back.” Then, his expression abruptly soured with resentment and anger: “However, now that Li Yundong has the Human Essence Golden Elixir and the Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Art, the chances for you and I to get revenge have become extremely slim… Alas, I intended to fish in troubled waters tonight and see what I could gain, but I never expected this brat Li Yundong to profit. Damn it, truly infuriating!”
While he was whispering to Ding Nan, the cultivators from the various sects were already engaged in a fierce quarrel. Zhang Ling grew agitated, bellowing, “What are you fighting about? Will arguing settle anything? Can you really expect him to willingly hand over rare treasures just because you wag your tongues? What a pipe dream!”
Zhang Ling’s seniority and strength gave her words immense authority, and the cultivators of the various sects seemed to awaken from a daze, rallying back into a united front against the common enemy. They shouted in unison, “Li Yundong, hand over the Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Art immediately! This is a supreme treasure of Daoism, belonging to all sects of the cultivation world. How can you hoard it alone!”
“Exactly! Do you really think you, one person, can stand against all of us? Can your tiny Fox Zen Gate withstand a joint siege from so many sects?”
“Stop wasting breath. If Li Yundong were someone who bowed to threats, he wouldn’t have dared to stand out at Tianlong Mountain. Does he look like someone who can be intimidated?”
“Then what do you suggest? He’s blocking the entrance, and we can’t force our way in. Should we just stand here indefinitely?”
“Why not? With so many of us, we can just wear him down until he dies!”
“Wait a minute, what if this secret passage has an exit?”
“Damn it! If there’s an exit, what do we do?”
“Hey, Li Yundong hasn’t spoken for ages. Could he have already slipped away?”
“Possibly! Which one of you dares to go check!”
“Heck, why isn’t it you going to check!”
The cultivators from the various sects began pushing the responsibility onto each other, each hoping the other would venture in as cannon fodder, yet no one volunteered. Even Zhang Ling was deeply hesitant. She thought: I gained nothing after going up just now; who knows if I’ll gain anything if I go up again? That little vixen Ziyuan—just how many spells did she teach this guy? How much more capability is he hiding? Losing a fight is a minor matter, but losing face for myself and my sect is a huge deal!
Just then, one cultivator suddenly shouted, “Right, where is Sect Leader Wan Zhenyuan? Go find him quickly and ask if this passage has an exit, and where it leads!”
The cultivators inside the side hall then remembered they were currently on the grounds of the Gezao Sect. They quickly looked around, and upon surveying the area, they discovered that Wan Zhenyuan, the Sect Master of the Gezao Sect, was nowhere to be seen!
“Damn it, where is Wan Zhenyuan?”
“Did he run away again like last time?”
“Didn’t he just say he was going to keep all of us here? He was so full of fierce words; where is he now?”
“Nonsense, anyone can spout fierce words! When so many sects show up to snatch the Human Essence Golden Elixir, how could he possibly stop them? Would he stay to humiliate himself?”
“Hmph, this Wan Zhenyuan is truly despicable! He’s abandoning his ancestral home. He was making such solemn vows just a moment ago!”
Seeing that their bickering was becoming chaotic, Zou Ping shouted loudly, “Fellow Daoists, please stop arguing! Every second we waste arguing, Li Yundong escapes further away. Since no one is willing to go in and investigate, why don’t we release our magic treasures and let them attack the passage together? I believe no matter how powerful Li Yundong is, he cannot withstand the assault of so many treasures! If he fights back, we’ll know he’s still inside; if he doesn't retaliate, he will surely die, and we can reclaim the Human Essence Golden Elixir!”
Upon hearing this, some cultivators slapped their thighs and exclaimed, “You’re right! Such a simple solution, how did I not think of it!”
“True Person Zou is truly a worthy disciple of the Hellfire True Person. Excellent idea, let’s do as you say!”
Zheng Yuan of the Wuhua Mountain Yin-Yang Sect watched Zou Ping with a cold sneer. He whispered to Ding Nan, “Good disciple, you must remember this woman. She is ruthless and quick-witted. If she achieves greatness in the future, she will be a formidable opponent for you!”
The cultivators of the various sects immediately released their magic treasures and hurled them into the secret passage like a furious storm. The crowd heard a cacophony of clanging noises echoing from within, their treasures sounding as if they were striking a wall of steel, failing to gain purchase. They immediately shouted, “He’s still inside! Everyone, put more effort in!”
Once they confirmed Li Yundong was still within, the cultivators of the various sects became energized, driving their artifacts to charge forward frantically.
But no matter how they attacked, only the sound of clanging echoed back. After a long while, suspicion began to dawn on them: “What’s going on? Doesn’t this feel a bit strange?”
Zhang Ling also felt doubt. She roared, “I’ll do it!” She clapped her hands together and unleashed another fierce fire dragon, sending it plunging into the secret passage.
Wherever the fire dragon passed, it illuminated the surroundings. The crowd saw an iron wall crisscrossed with golden Sanskrit script lying across the passage—it was the blade of the Seven Treasures Spirit-Guiding Fan.
Sensing the fire dragon rushing toward it, the Seven Treasures Spirit-Guiding Fan dared not intercept. It immediately retracted its blade and, in the blink of an eye, fled deeper into the passage.
The crowd gasped in shock, crying out in unison, “No good, we fell for a feigned retreat! Li Yundong has escaped!”
Zhang Ling let out an enraged roar and took the lead, chasing into the passage. With someone leading the way, the others’ courage was bolstered, and they rushed in after her.
Zhang Ling sprinted forward with extreme caution, her fire dragon lighting the way ahead. After running a distance, the fire dragon suddenly burst forth from a tunnel entrance with a loud roar, setting fire to the branches and leaves covering the opening. The flames spread outward in all directions.
Zhang Ling lunged out of the opening. She looked around and realized she was already at the foot of the mountain. She snorted in anger, summoned her hands, and the surrounding flames immediately flew toward her palms. Zhang Ling rubbed her palms together, and the fire instantly turned into a puff of green smoke and vanished.
At this moment, the cultivators from the other sects streamed out of the secret passage one after another, stamping their feet in rage and dismay: “Damn it, he got away!”
Zou Ping also snarled, “He can run from the temple, but he can’t run from his home ground! I know where his lair is; follow me!”