After flying through the air briefly, Xu Qi’an found Asura Vajra’s corpse in a mountain hollow.

He lay in a pool of dark golden blood, lifeless, his eyes hollow and dead.

Xu Qi’an landed lightly and, wasting no time, strode to Asura Vajra’s corpse. Using the Nation Stabilizing Sword, he cut the vajra’s carotid artery and began to drink.

Gulp gulp~~

His Adam’s apple bobbed as the vajra divine blood flowed into his mouth like a stream, scalding hot like magma, burning his stomach.

Asura Vajra’s corpse rapidly withered.

As he consumed more vajra divine blood, Xu Qi’an’s pupils turned blazing gold, golden vessels bulging on his cheeks, and then his skin took on a golden hue.

He was shrouded in dense golden light that waxed and waned like breathing.

This process continued for half a quarter-hour before the golden light gradually receded.

Now Xu Qi’an’s skin showed a dark golden color, his knotted muscles rippling in blocks. With a “hiss,” a ring of fire ignited behind his head, and the surrounding temperature began to rise.

An aura of ultimate yang and strength permeated the air.

He became dignified and profound, like a Buddhist Guardian Vajra.

“My qi hasn’t changed, but my physical strength has exploded. Now, even without the Nation Stabilizing Sword, I could defeat Dunan or Dufan Vajra in single combat…

“Now I’m equivalent to a combination of a Third Realm martial artist and Third Realm vajra.”

Sensing the changes in himself, Xu Qi’an was delighted to find that his Vajra Divine Technique had finally caught up, entering the Third Realm Vajra domain.

Possessing both a Third Realm vajra’s physique and a Third Realm martial artist’s self-healing ability.

In the Third Realm domain, he was outstanding. If he could unlock the Demon Sealing Nail and restore his cultivation, becoming invincible at this level wasn’t impossible.

“Collected two Dragon Qi from the Martial Arts Alliance, gained vajra status—huge profit…

“I remember Zhao Shou saying that summoning spirits beyond one’s level requires a huge price, even life itself. When Lord Wei summoned the Confucian Sage’s spirit, he was prepared to die. Yet I summoned the Founding Emperor’s heroic soul with a Third Realm body, and apart from extreme strain, seemed to suffer no backlash.

“Could it be because I bear the nation’s fate?”

Unable to find an answer, Xu Qi’an put this puzzle aside, his attention drawn to the bracelet on Asura Vajra’s wrist.

This bracelet carried the Heaven Gu’s aura, a high-level artifact with the “Moving Stars and Shifting Constellations” ability.

Woven from silk thread, it was decorated with beast fangs, copper pieces, and colorful jade stones.

The Heaven Gu tribe’s artifacts held extremely high status—clearly, this was an artifact left by the Heaven Gu Elder, their Southern Border partner.

“I’ll need to visit the Southern Border someday. I’ll keep this artifact for now, then give it as a meeting gift to that Heaven Gu Grandmother. Her late husband’s relic—she should cherish it…”

Xu Qi’an took out the Earth Script fragment, drew out the Dragon Qi from within himself, and then stored both the bracelet and Asura Vajra’s corpse inside.

A vajra’s physical body was premium material for refining artifacts or pills. He planned to give it to Sun Xuanji as repayment.

“With Dunan and Dufan falling in Sword Province, the Buddhist sect has completely lost its Third Realm experts. Wonder how Alanda will react? Will all the Bodhisattvas emerge to kill me together?”

Thinking of this, Xu Qi’an bared his teeth.

Dujing Arhat was sealed in the Bureau of Astronomy, and Dufan and Dunan Vajras had fallen—all because of him.

“Though the Buddhist sect and I already had conflicts, now it’s likely to be a fight to the death. With nowhere to go, I can only throw in completely with the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox.

“Ah, let Dunan and Dufan’s lives serve as my letter of intent.”

…

Only after Xu Qi’an flew away did the Martial Arts Alliance crowd, represented by Cao Qingyang, slowly regain their sense of reality and self.

“Is it over? There won’t be more enemies, right?”

“Will the Buddhist sect send Bodhisattvas next? Does the Witch God Church have more First Realm experts coming?”

“Where did Silver Gong Xu go? Could there be more powerful enemies to face?”

Among the crowd, people kept raising doubts, suspecting the battle wasn’t over, and that both sides had hidden cards yet to play.

From the Buddhist Fourth Realm little monk’s ambush to the battle between Fourth Realm experts to the eight cloaked figures fighting Alliance Leader Cao, then the vajras descending from heaven, the Supervisor’s second disciple “barring the door” against the vajras, followed by the Witch God Church’s Rain Master’s attack calling lightning strikes.

Silver Gong Xu’s appearance, severely wounding the Witch God Church’s Rain Master, the ancestor breaking through closure, the twelve-armed golden body’s descent, the white-robed person’s appearance, Silver Gong Xu summoning the Founding Emperor’s Dharma Body…

This seemingly endless exchange of moves cast a huge psychological shadow over the Martial Arts Alliance crowd.

Divine beings battling made these mortals feel like they were walking on thin ice.

Pat… The old codger descended on the southern peak, swept his gaze over everyone, then looked at Cao Qingyang and said:

“Handle the aftermath.”

Only then did Cao Qingyang and the others confirm that the battle was truly over.

Everyone felt relieved.

“Yes, Ancestor!”

Cao Qingyang discreetly observed the old codger a few times, then led his subordinates away.

“Ancestor, where did Silver Gong Xu go?”

Xiao Yuenu didn’t leave, curtsying gracefully.

Everyone immediately looked to the ancestor.

“No need to worry about him.”

The old codger waved his hand.

Only then did the Martial Arts Alliance crowd feel at ease.

…

In a wilderness mountain far from the Martial Arts Alliance, Dong Fang Wanrong landed beside a mountain stream.

“Mmph~~”

She clutched her chest with a groan, collapsing to the ground, and urgently asked:

“Master, why did we flee? Was that white-robed Artificer just now the Supervisor’s senior disciple you mentioned?”

Nalan Tianlu gave an “mm” and said:

“He is one of the masterminds behind the Shanhai Pass battle.”

So it was him… Dong Fang Wanrong drew a breath, confused:

“Then there was even less reason to flee. You said that though he can’t be trusted, he’s at least a temporary ally.”

Nalan Tianlu was silent for a moment, then slowly said:

“I sensed the aura of a Blood Zhenzhu on that youngster.”

“Who?” Dong Fang Wanrong didn’t understand.

Nalan Tianlu said:

“That youngster Ji Xuan has a Blood Zhenzhu’s aura. I guess Xu Pingfeng wants to use Dragon Qi’s power to help Ji Xuan reach the Third Realm.”

Seeing Dong Fang Wanrong didn’t understand, he patiently explained:

“Since ancient times, martial artists have had only two paths to the Third Realm. The first is relying on one’s foundation, nurturing the physical body, shedding the mortal shell, and opening the gate to transcendence.

“The second is gathering life essence to form a Blood Zhenzhu, refining this enormous vitality to reach the Third Realm. This path is very dangerous, and almost no one succeeds. But it conforms to heaven and earth’s laws, so there’s a slim chance.

“Those blessed by fate, receiving heaven’s protection, have a slim hope when consuming a Blood Zhenzhu.”

Dong Fang Wanrong frowned: “Conforms to heaven and earth’s laws?”

Nalan Tianlu said:

“Flowers, birds, fish, insects, humans, beasts, demons—all beings in the world plunder everything they can around them. Life is based on plunder. Though the form of plunder may change, its essence remains unchanged.

“Therefore, slaughtering beings to refine Blood Zhenzhus for transcendence isn’t necessarily a dead end.”

Dong Fang Wanrong nodded. She suddenly thought of Xu Qi’an, who had risen since the imperial examination year, advancing steadily, surpassing his peers within a short year to reach transcendence.

He had taken this path as well.

Nalan Tianlu continued:

“All people have their fate. Like this master, a Second Realm Rain Master can directly affect the Witch God Church’s overall strength, naturally possessing fate as well.

“The same goes for those two vajras. Transcendent realm experts all have great fate, differing only in amount.”

Dong Fang Wanrong’s expression changed slightly:

“Master means the Supervisor’s senior disciple wants to kill you to plunder your fate?”

Nalan Tianlu smiled:

“When he appeared, this master cast a divination showing great fortune. But transcendent realm Artificers can block heaven’s mechanisms, countering divination. We must remain vigilant. If Xu Qi’an didn’t die, then we would be in danger.

“In our master-disciple condition, staying there carried risks no matter which side won. Since that’s the case, why not withdraw early?

“As for the outcome, heh, we can simply inquire about it later.”

Master is still very steady… Dong Fang Wanrong admitted inwardly.

…

High in the sky, the wind-riding ship flew above the sea of clouds.

Fierce winds were blocked outside the formation, the ship completely silent. Neither Xu Pingfeng nor Ji Xuan spoke, so Xu Yuanshuang and Xu Yuanhuai dared not open their mouths.

Lost again. Even someone like Father who calculates everything under heaven repeatedly stumbles with Xu Qi’an. This is the first time I’ve seen Father so unsettled… Xu Yuanshuang pressed her thin red lips together, once again feeling her elder brother’s terrifying strength.

In her eyes, Father’s wisdom was unmatched—someone who could win half a point even playing chess with heaven.

Nothing in the world escaped Father’s calculations. His enemies were the Supervisor, that tiny group at the peak of the Nine Provinces continent.

But that elder brother whom Father viewed as a tool and discarded piece had now grown up, becoming one of the few supreme figures in the Nine Provinces who could play chess with Father.

Does Father regret abandoning Xu Qi’an… Xu Yuanshuang wondered silently.

The Seventh Brother seems very angry and jealous… Xu Yuanhuai alternated between contemplation and glancing at Ji Xuan.

He could understand Ji Xuan’s feelings. As a Ji clan descendant, watching an outsider use the Nation Stabilizing Sword and summon their ancestor’s heroic soul to thwart their plans—anyone with clan belonging and pride would be furiously angry, envious, and jealous.

At this moment, Xu Pingfeng said coolly:

“The formation trapping the Dragon Qi can last seven days. Return to Cloud Province within seven days.

“Remember to store the wind-riding ship in the bronze tripod to avoid the Supervisor’s detection. Don’t worry—though the Supervisor blocks Cloud Province’s exterior, his target is me.

“He won’t care about or have time for the comings and goings of insects like you.”

Ji Xuan probed: “Is the fate of the two vajras enough?”

“Not enough!”

Xu Pingfeng shook his head, then suddenly gave a light laugh: “I have my methods. This jianghu expedition wasn’t wasted.”

Ji Xuan relaxed—the Imperial Mentor was still as reassuring as ever.

“I want to recall White Tiger and the others first,” Ji Xuan said.

They were his future foundation. White Tiger and the others had fled during the recent duel, unable to return to the wind-riding ship.

Xu Pingfeng nodded: “Leave contact to the Heaven’s Mechanisms Palace spies.”

…

Fierce winds swept over the mountaintop as the ten-zhang-long White Tiger landed carrying Liu Hongmian and the others.

White Tiger shook off his passengers and transformed into human form, saying with lingering fear:

“This place is over a hundred li from Dog Rong Mountain. We should be safe.”

He immediately shattered a large tree beside him with a palm strike and roared to the heavens.

The tiger’s roar startled countless birds from the forest.

“By what right does he summon the Founding Emperor? How many trump cards does he have left? Such a troublesome enemy makes one restless day and night.”

White Tiger’s face was filled with rage: “When the master captures him in the future, I’ll drink his blood, eat his flesh, take his women, and avenge my severed arm.”

As the leader of the White Tiger Star among Xu Pingfeng’s Twenty-Eight Constellations, he was extremely hostile toward Xu Qi’an.

In the battle outside Yong Province, Xu Qi’an had cut off his right arm, making White Tiger hate him even more.

He had thought this Sword Province expedition would let him take revenge, but who knew that youngster would summon the Founding Emperor’s heroic soul—a trump card that caught them completely off guard.

White Tiger didn’t even dare to see the outcome, fleeing in panic while carrying the others.

This made him feel even more ashamed.

Qi Huan Danxiang gave a “heh” and said:

“That’s easily handled. We’re no match for him, but dealing with those around him is child’s play.

“That Xu is notorious for his womanizing, with many lovers in the capital. We just need to get detailed intelligence from the Heaven’s Mechanisms Palace.”

Dong Fang Wanqing wasn’t sociable. She lifted her skirts to sit cross-legged on a large rock, expressionlessly listening to White Tiger and Qi Huan Danxiang vent their emotions.

She quickly lost interest in listening—males were all the same when frustrated they liked to insult their enemies’ female relatives going back eighteen generations, spewing endless vulgarities.

Liu Hongmian looked at the two young monks sitting cross-legged with serious expressions and asked:

“Can you two contact Dunan Vajra?”

Jingyuan ignored her, while Jinxin slightly shook his head: “We can only try to make contact afterward.”

They didn’t dare return now either.

Liu Hongmian said self-mockingly:

“Being weak has its advantages. We could escape repeatedly because they didn’t take us seriously.”

White Tiger coldly laughed:

“He’ll pay for his arrogance.”

Liu Hongmian sighed:

“Except for Daoist Jiao Ye dying in Yong Province, our group has been quite fortunate—all safe and sound.”

Fourth Realm experts were the backbone of any force.

Qi Huan Danxiang plucked a leaf and chewed it, saying flatly:

“Because of Daoist Jiao Ye’s death, Young Master Ji Xuan views Xu Qi’an as a mortal enemy. When he rises in the future, Xu Qi’an will be his first kill.”

He suddenly froze, his eyes losing focus, then fell straight backward.

Liu Hongmian and the others were shocked, springing to their feet and looking east together.

A whistling sound approached.

A youth beautiful as a painting, standing on a flying sword and holding a broken bronze mirror, smiled down at the six people in the forest.

Li Lingsu?

How did he catch up?

White Tiger and the others instantly entered a combat stance.

“Young Master Li…” Dong Fang Wanqing called out with complex emotions.

Li Lingsu smiled: “Sister Qing, please step aside. I need to clean up these fellows.”

“You alone?”

Everyone looked at him like an idiot.

White Tiger licked his lips, grinning savagely:

“We can’t handle Xu Qi’an, but killing a stinking Daoist like you is trivial. I’ll warm up with you first.”

Dong Fang Wanqing said coldly: “Just try it.”

White Tiger and the others immediately looked at her, their gazes sharp, already treating her as an enemy.

Li Lingsu wasn’t intimidated at all, sneering:

“You think you’re the only ones with backup? This Holy Son has a few lackeys too.”

As his words fell, whistling sounds came again.

Two sword lights approached—one a young woman in Daoist robes with heroic grace; the other a blue-robed swordsman with a white streak in his forelock and steady, reserved bearing.

Behind the swordsman was a muscular middle-aged monk in starched white clothes, hands pressed together, deep wrinkles between his brows.

He looked deeply troubled.

The young woman stared at the mirror in her worthless senior brother’s hand for a while, then said in a clear voice:

“This broken mirror is really useful, able to track for a hundred li.”

Flying Swallow Heroine, Li Miaozhen!

Top Scholar Chu Yuanzhen.

…

Capital City,德馨院 Palace.

Huaiqing, wearing a plain long dress and accompanied by two palace maids, hurried to the Imperial Study.

The eunuch guarding the door led her to a side hall—she couldn’t enter the Imperial Study.

In the side hall sat royal clan members, including Princess Linan and two other princesses, as well as various noble ladies.

When Huaiqing entered, the chattering voices instantly ceased.

“Sister Huaiqing, they say the ancestral tablets in the Forever Guarding Mountains and Rivers Temple all fell and broke…”

The Third Princess came forward, other royal members all looking over.

Huaiqing said flatly:

“This princess just heard of this matter.”

She glanced at the Third Princess and said coolly: “Since you’re already married, you shouldn’t inquire into such matters. Don’t risk His Majesty’s displeasure.”

The Third Princess looked embarrassed at these words.

Recently, the Forever Guarding Mountains and Rivers Temple had shaken, all royal ancestral tablets falling and breaking—causing an enormous disturbance.

Emperor Yongxing immediately suppressed the news, preventing it from spreading outside the palace.

But royal clan members learned of it through their various palace channels.

Now, Emperor Yongxing was discussing the matter in the Imperial Study with uncles and brothers.

The Third Princess happened to visit the palace today and, learning of this came with her sisters.

Unmarried princesses and noble ladies were still family members—showing concern for such major events was reasonable.

Married princesses were half-outsiders now.

“How could Brother Emperor have time for her now!”

The affected voice could only be Linan.

She frowned her delicate brows and said:

“The Imperial Uncles say this matter must be investigated and clarified. Otherwise, people outside will say Brother Emperor’s poor governance has angered the ancestors.”