Xu Pingfeng spared no further glance at his eldest son. Clear light flickered beneath his feet as he teleported skyward.
The artifact left by the First Supervisor was of paramount importance. Not only could it create its heaven and earth while blocking the power of all living beings, but it also possessed authority that couldn’t be divined or observed.
It was precisely this authority that had deceived his teacher the Supervisor’s glimpse of the future, making him see the “wrong” vision, believing he would be victorious in that battle.
Only a Fate Master could counter another Fate Master.
Now, though the Supervisor was sealed, Xu Qi’an had inherited the power of all living beings. The “cannot divine, cannot observe” authority remained effective against other cultivation systems – like Wizards!
Like the Heaven Gu!
Seeing this, Xu Qi’an bent his knees and shot skyward at supersonic speed as the ground collapsed beneath him, attempting to seize the bronze disc.
Among the transcendents behind him, Luo Yuhen, her robes fluttering, had the purest intention – reflexively following to keep Xu Qi’an within her protective range.
Then came Ji Xuan, Sun Xuanji, Kou Yangzhou, Karatra, and Zhao Shou.
They remained wary of each other’s transcendent experts launching dishonorable attacks against their respective armies.
As the transcendents departed, Qi Guangbo looked toward Xun City’s walls, took a deep breath, and shouted:
“Beat the drums! Storm the city!”
The Yun Province army hadn’t been idle lately, recruiting many martial artists, including some powerful jianghu factions.
Given the army’s previous overwhelming advantage, numerous jianghu forces and wandering heroes had been willing to pledge allegiance.
Even some wanted criminals had actively come to Qing Province to join, eager to earn merit and transform from fugitives into officials wielding real power.
Amidst drumbeats, the Yun Province army’s neat formations slowly advanced – large shields in front, cannons, and crossbows behind, followed by infantry carrying various siege engines, with cavalry bringing up the rear.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
On Xun City’s walls, the drums responded.
Yang Yan and other Fourth-Rank experts had already taken positions on the walls, each guarding a section.
Rarely had any city wall been defended by so many Fourth-Rank experts.
With Xu Qi’an’s earlier morale-boosting strike, and now these Fourth-Rank experts joining the defense, the wall defenders watched the approaching dense masses of Yun Province troops not with tension or fear, but with eager anticipation, brimming with fighting spirit.
*Constable Xu showed the Great Feng’s might with one sword strike – how could we fear death?*
…
High in the sky, Xu Qi’an pierced through the sea of clouds to see Xu Pingfeng retrieving the bronze disc.
Even with the wind-riding speed, a warrior couldn’t outpace a technician’s teleportation.
Unable to use shadow-jumping to close the distance… he glanced around and saw Xu Pingfeng’s shadow twisted onto clouds far away.
Qi exploded beneath his feet like a high-performance thruster, pushing his speed even higher. Simultaneously, he surrendered control of his body to Master Shenshu.
“Turn back to salvation!”
Xu Qi’an’s mouth produced Master Shenshu’s voice.
Xu Pingfeng’s body stiffened as he half-turned, but immediately suppressed the urge to fully turn around.
By then, Xu Qi’an had already emerged from a nearby shadow. Instead of attacking the teleport-ready Xu Pingfeng, he lunged for the bronze disc, attempting to seize it.
Just as Xu Qi’an was about to touch the bronze disc, a circular formation appeared between him and it!
Teleportation technique!
If caught in the teleportation, he might be sent somewhere far from the battlefield.
This would give Xu Pingfeng and Karatra the perfect opportunity to counterattack, focusing on dealing with Kou Yangzhou, Luo Yuhen, and the other transcendents.
*Ding!*
A sword light howled through the air, striking Xu Qi’an’s waist. For a power-understanding warrior, such force was sufficient to utilize, allowing him to withdraw from the teleportation range within a hair’s breadth.
Xu Qi’an used the flying sword’s force to flip sideways. Luo Yuhen’s iron sword took his place, suffering the fate of teleportation.
Xu Pingfeng successfully retrieved the bronze disc, shrinking it to palm-size and tucking it away.
Then he saw his eldest son, tumbling through the air, grip the Nation-Stabilizing Sword’s hilt in a drawing stance.
The next moment, a flash of golden sword light appeared and vanished.
Xu Pingfeng’s pupils contracted slightly. He knew this was Xu Qi’an’s “Intent” – unstoppable, unavoidable, because it was a strike wagering his life, with damage feedback to himself.
A Second-Rank technician’s physical body couldn’t ignore a transcendent warrior’s fully charged attack.
At that moment, the Acala Wisdom King manifestation appeared behind Xu Pingfeng, solidifying this space.
The golden sword light materialized three chi from Xu Pingfeng, then slowly extinguished, not even managing to explode.
Bodhisattva Karatra’s figure appeared behind Xu Pingfeng.
Then Ji Xuan arrived riding the wind, standing together with Xu Pingfeng and Karatra.
On the other side, Kou Yangzhou, Sun Xuanji, and Zhao Shou successively broke through the sea of clouds.
Even though Karatra temporarily couldn’t manifest the Vajra, he equaled a weakened First-Rank warrior. With the Acala Wisdom King’s enhancement, everyone attacking together would probably only manage to scratch him… Xu Qi’an scanned his side’s transcendents, then looked at Xu Pingfeng’s trio, quickly analyzing and weighing options.
Karatra might even comfortably call out:
“Master Xu, please stop scratching!”
So against Karatra, they could only contain him, not defeat him. What the Supervisor couldn’t do, they couldn’t either. Moreover, this battle was about buying time, letting Asura kill the Black Lotus who guarded Qing Province… Xu Qi’an quickly made his decision, to adopt Tian Ji’s horse-racing strategy.
He transmitted to everyone:
“Chancellor, join me in engaging Karatra; Elder Kou, kill Ji Xuan; Senior Brother Sun and Minister Zhao, handle Xu Pingfeng.”
Kou Yangzhou was Second after all – he could overwhelm Ji Xuan, even kill him.
Luo Yuhen and Sun Xuanji dealing with a Second-Rank technician not known for high burst damage could effectively contain him without depleting the Minister too much and destabilizing the karmic fire within him.
As for him and the Chancellor containing Karatra – though Karatra had lost his Vajra manifestation, he was still First Rank. Normally, even two Second-Rank warriors couldn’t oppose him.
But the Confucian path was different. Confucians were the strongest support, and with the Sub-Sage’s Crown’s power enhancement, it was worth trying.
Zhao Shou and the others briefly considered, then agreed with Xu Qi’an’s arrangement.
“Elder Kou, borrow a divine weapon.”
Light flickered in Xu Qi’an’s chest as the Peace Blade emerged from the “mirror,” reluctantly letting itself be handed to the old warrior.
Kou Yangzhou took the Peace Blade. As Blade Qi burst through the clouds, he paused in surprise, seemingly not expecting this divine weapon to be so sharp. He praised delightedly:
“Excellent blade!”
Though warriors claimed their bodies were the strongest weapons, it still mattered what they wielded.
In terms of durability alone, a Second-Rank warrior’s body could match most supreme divine weapons, but divine treasures possessed properties that warrior bodies lacked.
Like how the Nation-Stabilizing Sword’s sword qi could burn wounds preventing them from healing.
The Peace Blade couldn’t yet compare to the Nation-Stabilizing Sword, but after nurturing in dragon qi for days, it could amplify Kou Yangzhou’s blade intent, pushing the old warrior’s attack power even higher.
Meanwhile, Karatra pondered:
“Xu Qi’an’s strength seems unusual.”
Too strong, unexpectedly so.
Xu Pingfeng remained silent for a moment as if realizing something. His expression changed slightly:
“Check if the Demon-Sealing Nails are still in his body.”
Karatra’s eyes each manifested a golden “卍” symbol as he examined Xu Qi’an. His already serious face grew even graver:
“There are no Demon-Sealing Nails in his body!”
If the target still had Demon-Sealing Nails, his secret technique would reveal them, but there were none.
Xu Pingfeng’s face immediately darkened:
“He’s advanced to Second-Rank. Who removed his Demon-Sealing Nails?”
Karatra lowered his brows for a moment, then raised them slightly, speaking word by word:
“Asura…”
In the Buddhist path, those capable of removing Demon-Sealing Nails could be counted on one hand.
Combined with the Southern Border campaign’s failure, it was easy to deduce who was responsible.
But Karatra couldn’t understand how Asura had avoided Buddhism’s heart-questioning.
Xu Pingfeng’s brows furrowed deeply.
Asura had allied with Xu Qi’an? If so, the Buddhist path certainly couldn’t shelter the King of Asuras’ youngest son, but having joined the Great Feng camp, why wasn’t he appearing now?
What was he doing?
What other purpose did he have?
In that flash of insight, this world-class strategist guessed Xu Qi’an’s true objective.
“Black Lotus. Their real target is Black Lotus.”
Xu Pingfeng said gravely:
“Karatra, protect the Yun Province army. I’m returning to Qing Province.”
As he spoke, a teleportation formation lit up beneath his feet.
“Teleportation is forbidden here!”
Zhao Shou activated the Sub-Sage’s Crown, exercising the Confucian power of words-become-law to modify this realm’s rules.
He didn’t directly apply “damage” to the enemy, nor did he boast too grandly – he only restricted teleportation, not even limiting other formations.
The benefit of this approach was that the words-become-law power would last much longer.
Without teleportation, technicians lost their prized mobility and could no longer escape the battlefield.
“Zhao Shou!” Xu Pingfeng showed unprecedented fury for the first time, growling deeply:
“When I rule the Central Plains, I will sever your Confucian legacy!”
Zhao Shou smiled mildly:
“Your mother would be pleased.”
…
At the Criminal Investigation Commissioner’s Office.
Sensing the enemy’s approach, the Earth Sect’s Lotus Daoists burst from their chambers, only to be immediately pressed back by Asura’s overwhelming presence.
“Does the Buddhist path dare oppose my Earth Sect?”
Black Lotus demanded angrily from atop his lotus platform.
Asura wasted no words. His right fist blazed with brilliant light as he grasped the power of the “Bandit-Slayer Position,” launching a punch through the air.
At that moment, pre-arranged formations throughout the Commissioner’s Office courtyard activated one by one.
This was the Earth Sect’s new stronghold – of course, Xu Pingfeng had made preparations, setting up grand formations throughout the compound.
Sharp metal spirits rose in the west, raging fire towered in the south, surging water spirits roiled in the north, while in the east, vegetation sprouted as vines writhed like tentacles. At the formation’s center, earth spirit power gushed forth.
Black Lotus immediately manifested his four great manifestations of “Earth, Wind, Water, Fire,” absorbing the formation’s gathered power into them.
The four manifestations instantly returned to Black Lotus’s body as his fist condensed a five-colored rotating light sphere.
*BOOM!*
The collision of the two forces produced an ear-splitting explosion, uprooting surrounding buildings like dried weeds.
An even match.
“Hmph!”
Black Lotus’s blood-red eyes swept over Asura and Golden Lotus as he sneered:
“This formation draws upon Qing Province’s destiny, refining the Five Elements. Within it, I gain wings like a tiger. Care to guess where the formation’s eye is?”
He was the formation’s eye.
As long as he didn’t leave the formation, it couldn’t be broken.
And if he held out long enough, Xu Pingfeng and Karatra would eventually notice something amiss and return to support him.
“Golden Lotus, did you think I moved the Earth Sect’s headquarters to Qing Province merely fearing your revenge? No, I wanted home-field advantage. Though I don’t know why this Buddhist Arhat aids you, you’ve underestimated us too much.”
Constructing this world-shocking formation was one of his deals with Xu Pingfeng and his confidence in guarding Qing Province.
“Oh?” Golden Lotus Daoist responded calmly, smiling:
“I can’t break a technician’s formations, but for formations rooted in the earth and borrowing earth veins… hmm, did you forget about the Earth Book?”
Formations came in two types. One used the technician’s foundation, formations arising with a mere thought.
The other type was fixed formations using mountain and earth veins as their base.
The former couldn’t be broken except by killing the technician. But the latter was precisely what the Earth Book countered.
Golden Lotus Daoist took out the ninth Earth Book fragment, breathed karmic force onto its mirror surface, and then tossed it skyward.
The Earth Book spun rapidly, rippling with brilliant halos.
Several streams of light flew from within the Commissioner’s Office, joining with this Earth Book fragment.
Seven jade mirror shards gathered, their forms quickly “melting” into irregular jade fragments like broken porcelain.
These fragments fit together, forming a square jade disc missing one corner.
Under Golden Lotus Daoist’s control, the square jade disc slowly sank into the ground.
The next moment, the formations within the Commissioner’s Office collapsed as the Four Directions’ Five Elements power scattered.
Asura’s ears twitched as he turned to watch where the Earth Book fragments had vanished, slightly frowning.
As an Earth Book fragment’s owner, he had heard low murmuring in that instant.
Black Lotus Daoist, shocked and enraged, roared:
“You dare let the Earth Book unite? How dare you?!”
His tone held extreme anger and terror as if the Earth Book’s unification would bring about something terrible.
*What happens when the Earth Book unites…* This thought flashed through Asura’s mind, but he didn’t dwell on it. The brilliant light wheel behind his head concealed itself as his fire halo exploded, transforming into golden light shooting toward Black Lotus.
Black Lotus’s body, streaming with a black viscous liquid, suddenly dematerialized, replaced by surging air currents.
He transformed into the wind, avoiding Asura’s assault.
Simultaneously, a pool of viscous liquid left in the distance erupted like a fountain, swallowing Asura’s figure.
“Turn back to salvation!”
Asura’s calm voice came from within the fountain.
Black Lotus’s fleeing momentum faltered as he involuntarily turned.
Seeing no escape, Black Lotus decisively withdrew his wind manifestation, collapsing his body into a viscous, surging black ocean that devoured and corrupted everything around it.
Within the Commissioner’s Office, ordinary clerks and guards began transforming, their eyes losing rationality.
Some couldn’t suppress murderous desires, cutting down anyone they saw; some were consumed by lust, pouncing on others regardless of gender; some greedily plundered the office’s valuables, claiming everything for themselves.
The four Heaven and Earth Society members slaughtering Earth Sect corrupt Daoists hastily rose on the wind, avoiding the flood-like corrupting force.
This massive corrupting force had exceeded what Dao path Golden Cores could purify – at least at their Fourth-Rank level, they couldn’t avoid it.
In contrast, the Earth Sect’s corrupt Daoists thrived like fish in water, their power greatly increasing.
Asura sat cross-legged as pale golden light haloed him, blocking the viscous liquid.
Meditation!
Golden Lotus Daoist rose into the air, transforming into a proud sun radiating rainbow-colored karmic force.
*Hiss… hiss…*
The viscous, turbid liquid rose in black smoke, covering the liquid surrounding Asura, quickly dissolving and receding.
Asura bent down, plunging both palms into the surging viscous liquid as the brilliant light wheel behind his head violently exploded.
Bandit-Slayer!
Screams rang throughout the Commissioner’s Office as the viscous liquid receded like the tide, reforming into a human shape that continuously melted and collapsed, barely maintaining form.
The Bandit-Slayer Position’s sole property was “fight to the death” – similar to the Nation-Stabilizing Sword’s power.
Asura’s form flickered away and then reappeared before Black Lotus.
Twisting his waist, and raising his arm, his fist struck like thunder.
*BOOM!*
Black Lotus’s body exploded, viscous liquid spraying in all directions like mud.
At this point, the corrupted body’s tendency to collapse became his defense against a warrior’s killing combo.
The liquid droplets rapidly fled, gathering into a twisted, melting human form in the distance. Without hesitation, Black Lotus used his wind manifestation to manipulate air currents, attempting to escape Qing Province city.
“Turn back to salvation!”
Asura pressed his palms together, again using “Precepts” to prevent Black Lotus’s escape.
That twisted form suddenly halted, then collapsed into air currents and dissipated.
This was Black Lotus’s wind manifestation wrapped in corrupting force as a disguise, while his true body…
A black liquid shot toward the airborne Golden Lotus, suddenly spreading like a curtain to envelop Golden Lotus Daoist.
Golden Lotus Daoist was Black Lotus’s true target.
“Once I absorb Golden Lotus and complete myself, I’ll ensure you die without burial,” Black Lotus laughed madly.
After their brief exchange, he knew this Buddhist Arhat couldn’t be matched.
This enemy was both a Third-Rank Vajra and a Second-Rank Arhat.
Even one-on-one, victory would be difficult.
Logically, adding a Third-Rank Yang Spirit wielding karmic force made Black Lotus’s victory even more impossible.
But Golden Lotus was different – they were originally one being, and Black Lotus was Second-Rank while Golden Lotus was Third-Rank.
This made Golden Lotus Daoist pure nourishment.
Suddenly, Black Lotus screamed in the air:
“Fake? No, impossible…”
*Hiss… hiss…* Karmic force shot out from within the curtain as smoke rose.
Black Lotus gained nothing, instead being severely wounded by the karmic force’s burning.
Asura’s expression remained normal as if he’d long predicted this. He bent his knees and sprang up, grasping the brilliant light wheel from behind his head.
Third Strike!
*BOOM!* His fist pierced the “curtain.” Amid Black Lotus’s screams, he disintegrated as black mud sprayed in all directions.
At that moment, a rainbow-colored stream of light rushed into the Commissioner’s Office, enveloping the spraying black mud.
The colored light transformed into Golden Lotus Daoist, who exchanged smiles with Asura.
This was the real Golden Lotus Daoist – the earlier one had been a fake created by the Offering Position.
When Asura secretly left Alanda, he knew he could never return, so he helped himself to a Buddhist relic – the Offering Position.
During that day’s Earth Book chat group discussion, the members formulated a plan to deal with Black Lotus in the shortest time possible based on their various trump cards and the enemy’s situation.
The plan had three core conditions:
First, a convincing decoy.
Its core was Golden Lotus Daoist as bait.
The Offering Position was a Second-Rank Arhat position, and its manifested Golden Lotus Daoist was weaker than Second-Rank, perfectly matching the early Third-Rank level.
Perfect.
Second, Black Lotus would take the desperate gamble to complete himself.
The corrupted Black Lotus’s nature was greedy and brutal – fear of death and caution weren’t part of human evil.
When trapped in danger but given a chance to reverse the situation, his choice was obvious.
Third, Asura’s control over the situation.
He had to create circumstances where Black Lotus couldn’t escape but wouldn’t despair, forcing him to gamble on devouring Golden Lotus.
When Black Lotus chose to devour the fake Golden Lotus, he was doomed to not only fail but be severely wounded by the fake’s karmic force, hastening his destruction.
The plan seemed simple but involved understanding the enemy’s psychology, evaluating their strength, and wisely using trump cards.
Of course, with the wisdom of Xu Qi’an, Chu Yuanzhen, Huai Qing, and now Asura and Golden Lotus Daoist, such a plan was quite simple.
After all, among these people were a genius detective, a top scholar, a female emperor, a centuries-hidden traitor, and an unfathomable old fox.
“Despicable, utterly despicable…”
Golden Lotus Daoist’s physical form constantly twisted as if something inside wanted to break free.
But the impacts grew weaker and weaker, finally fading to nothing.
Black Lotus could no longer contend with Golden Lotus Daoist at full strength.
“Success!”
Golden Lotus Daoist sighed in relief.
Even a powerhouse of his caliber was filled with joy and excitement.
He had endured humiliation, nurtured Heaven and Earth Society members, and planned for years, finally achieving his wish today.
He had finally eliminated himself.
Afterward, he would only need to refine Black Lotus with karmic force to restore his cultivation.
Golden Lotus Daoist rose on the wind, surveying the Commissioner’s Office. He saw Hengyuan, blood-soaked like a war god; the Dragon and Phoenix flying on swords like howling wind with Chu Yuanzhen.
He also saw Earth Sect corrupt Daoists fleeing in panic toward the compound’s exit, having lost their will to fight.
“Alas!”
Streams of colored light shot from Golden Lotus Daoist’s body, piercing each Lotus Daoist, purifying their lives and past sins.
“Daoist, does the Earth Book have a spirit? What did Black Lotus mean earlier?”
Asura asked.
“Ah? What did you say?”
Golden Lotus Daoist looked bewildered.
“If you won’t be honest,” Asura said quietly, “I’ll join with Xu Qi’an and other members to expel you from the Heaven and Earth Society.”
Ah, this… Golden Lotus Daoist suddenly felt that having too many uncontrollable experts in society wasn’t entirely good.
After some thought, he said:
“I’ll explain this in detail within the Heaven and Earth Society. For now, let’s leave here and go support Xu Qi’an at Xun Province.”