The one who had grievances but couldn’t voice them was Qu Zhengfeng, while the ones sharpening their blades were the various Kunwu elders.

As for the culprit, Fudao Shanren…

After realizing he had misspoken, his heart sank. He directly stuffed his mouth with the chicken leg and stiffly turned his head away: “Oh my, that little bastard from Tongling Pavilion is about to attack my Jian Chou!”

Fudao Shanren immediately put on an appearance of complete concentration, moving his gaze to the Heaven Connecting Platform, pretending not to feel the chilling air behind him.

On the Heaven Connecting Platform, Jian Chou had already stepped back politely, inviting He Jiuyi to come up.

He Jiuyi cupped his hands in thanks, then stepped directly into the air, displaying his Golden Core cultivation of “air walking,” immediately drawing another wave of amazement from the surroundings.

The moment he landed on the Heaven Connecting Platform, he showed Jian Chou what seemed like a gentle smile.

However, from this smile, Jian Chou saw arrogance and provocation.

Since the visitor came with ill intent, there was no need for pleasantries.

Jian Chou gestured with her hand and said: “I’ve long heard that Tongling Pavilion’s techniques, like Dragon Gate, differ from most Central Region cultivators’ methods and possess mysterious qualities. Today, since Junior Brother He claims to seek my guidance, though I dare not accept such a title, I would also like to witness Tongling Pavilion’s techniques. Please, Junior Brother He, begin first.”

Whoa!

Someone below immediately gasped.

Only this person dared say such things.

Everyone could tell that all this talk of guidance was just politeness—don’t take it seriously!

He Jiuyi across from Jian Chou never expected her to give him such a line. The previously perfect smile on his face nearly cracked.

“Since Senior Sister invites me, then I won’t be polite.”

If you’re asking for a beating, you brought it on yourself!

Though Tongling Pavilion was one of the Central Region’s upper five sects, it was located near the Western Sea. Because their cultivation methods were slightly different from other sects, they carried an air of mystery in everyone’s eyes.

However, the consequence of this “mystery” was that few people truly understood them.

In the past hundred years, the only truly famous person from Tongling Pavilion was basically just “Jiang Wenchao,” who was directly ranked first by Zhilin Sou at that small gathering, immediately shocking the entire Central Region.

Unexpectedly, later Jiang Wenchao made an error in his cultivation and completely missed this opportunity.

Since then, Tongling Pavilion had never again enjoyed such glory.

Later, when elders mentioned Jiang Wenchao, they all said this person was the most talented in Tongling Pavilion’s history.

Such a pity…

His fate was full of hardships.

Perhaps no successor could ever match his former glory!

As the first among Tongling Pavilion’s new generation, how could He Jiuyi be willing to accept this when he heard such words?

Who didn’t know that Jiang Wenchao was already a waste?

Why should such a waste still pressure them?

He Jiuyi was unwilling.

He was just waiting to show his skills at the Left Three Thousand Small Gathering!

Originally ranked eighth, after counting the people ahead of him, he thought they would all be difficult to defeat and believed he had no chance.

Who would have thought that after just yesterday, a heaven-sent opportunity appeared before him!

The hundredth-ranked Foundation Establishment Senior Sister from Yashan, after defeating the third-ranked Kunwu disciple Xie Ding, was actually adjusted by Zhilin Sou to first place!

First place—that was first place!

At any time, first place could only be looked up to.

But now?

Now the first place was merely a Foundation Establishment peak cultivator!

What reason did He Jiuyi have to believe she truly possessed matching strength?

Yesterday she defeated Xie Ding using Xie Ding’s own Mohen Sword, relying on the advantage of Xie Ding’s magical artifact. Today, without Xie Ding’s artifact, what would she use to show off?

So today, He Jiuyi had absolutely no possibility of failure!

Success and fame were within reach!

And Jian Chou would be the stepping stone to achieve his supreme glory!

A heroic spirit immediately arose in his chest, making He Jiuyi look at Jian Chou with complete confidence.

He suddenly extended his right hand, shook his wrist, spread his five fingers, as if taut strings were stretched between them, and gently moved.

Jian Chou stood in place. The moment she saw his actions, she went through everything she knew about Tongling Pavilion in her mind.

Tongling Pavilion—the two characters “tongling” (communicating with spirits) were no empty words.

Among all things, those with spirit ranked highest.

So humans were born with spirit first, while other things gained intelligence in imitation, called having “spirituality.”

The “spirit” that Tongling Pavilion communicated with didn’t refer to human souls, but to all things in the world that possessed spirit.

However…

Jian Chou knew nothing about exactly how they “communicated.”

Her gaze fell on He Jiuyi’s five fingers. She frowned slightly, vaguely sensing that there really seemed to be threads extending from between his fingers.

With a finger movement, invisible threads pulled, and ripples immediately appeared on the ground.

Buzz.

The battle disc appeared like a lake disturbed by something.

Individual Kunxian lines, like threads connecting each star, divided the starry sky into countless small grids.

Some were dim, some bright.

Three-quarters of the entire battle disc was lit—quite impressive.

The one-zhang-seven battle disc looked brilliant.

However, this battle disc was slightly different from others.

Three feet in front of He Jiuyi, there was a circular dao seal surrounded by ten dao stones. The Kunxian lines connecting these ten dao stones also numbered several, now rising from the battle disc into the air, hooking onto He Jiuyi’s five fingers!

Five fingers hooking the Kunxian lines, Kunxian lines connecting the dao stones, dao stones still forming the dao seal!

Danger!

The moment this battle disc appeared, though nothing was visible ahead, Jian Chou immediately shook her hand. Brilliant glazed golden light exploded like flames, protecting her chest!

“Bang!”

A violent collision sound exploded just as she raised her mirror to block her chest!

Something impossible to track seemed to have struck the Liwai Mirror!

Without any warning!

The thunderous air wave exploded, immediately causing another wave of shock.

Everyone below the Heaven Connecting Platform seemed to hear a sharp “screech,” then saw a hazy shadow fly back from the collision point, smashing into the dao seal connected by He Jiuyi’s five-finger Kunxian lines!

“Bang!”

Another muffled sound. The dao seal’s light suddenly brightened, then immediately became dim.

“Snap, snap, snap!”

All the Kunxian lines hooked between He Jiuyi’s five fingers completely broke!

He immediately looked at Jian Chou with extreme surprise: “You can see it?!”

Jian Chou still stood in place, holding the brilliantly glowing Liwai Mirror, her brow furrowed.

If someone looked carefully, they would notice that after that sudden collision, the Liwai Mirror’s glow had become somewhat dimmed.

As a protective magical artifact, the Liwai Mirror had never found much use in Jian Chou’s hands.

When Zheng Yao originally gave this meeting gift, he said it could block a Golden Core cultivator’s full-strength attack.

All along, Jian Chou only used it when hiding her identity, occasionally using it to block attacks, but never had such a situation occurred.

The dimmed glow…

The only explanation was that the attack in that instant was too strong!

Even the Liwai Mirror that could block a Golden Core cultivator’s full-strength attack nearly couldn’t withstand it in that moment.

“Crack.”

Jian Chou suddenly couldn’t help twisting her neck, appearing extremely strange.

He Jiuyi standing across from her even vaguely heard the sound of bones in her neck.

Inexplicably, an ominous premonition arose in his heart.

Unfortunately, too few people had seen Jian Chou make this gesture, so few could know the meaning behind this action.

—Interested, and wanting to get serious.

Jian Chou smiled slightly, holding the Liwai Mirror, staring at He Jiuyi’s battle disc as she walked around it two steps.

“Tongling Pavilion is truly extraordinary…”

“One style communicates with spirits, one style reaches heaven, commanding all spiritual beings for one’s use. Truly formidable.”

In just a few words, she revealed the essence of Tongling Pavilion’s techniques.

Seeing she didn’t directly answer his question, He Jiuyi’s expression became ugly.

He simply stopped hiding, extending both hands, ten fingers gently plucking like playing a qin. Countless Kunxian lines in his battle disc sprang up, automatically attaching to his fingers and being pulled to constantly vibrate.

Bits of stardust moved back and forth between his fingers and the battle disc along the Kunxian lines.

One dao seal after another finally all floated up!

Central Region’s Tongling Pavilion, one style of spirit communication—each dao seal was one “spirit”!

Flying birds and running beasts that became demons could be spirits, trees and flowers that became essences could be spirits, strange mountains and rocks that became monsters could be called spirits… As long as these things were willing, they could use special methods to project some of their power onto a cultivator’s battle disc, forming dao seals.

In a sense, this was a weakened version of the ancient registered demon beasts and divine beasts’ “natal dao seals,” though slightly different.

Jian Chou already possessed one “Dijiang Wind Thunder Wing,” a natal dao seal formed from Dijiang bone marrow, representing the innate ability of Dijiang’s second wing.

As long as Jian Chou’s strength was sufficient, she might one day be able to unleash the Wind Thunder Wing’s full potential.

But Tongling Pavilion’s “spirit seals” were different. No matter how powerful, they only had part of the original’s abilities, and required spirits and monsters willing to share their abilities with cultivators, establishing related contracts. This was extremely limiting, lacking the cruel dominance of ancient cultivators when creating natal dao seals.

After that shadow flew from He Jiuyi’s dao seal and struck toward her, Jian Chou roughly understood what Tongling Pavilion’s special cultivation method was about.

After all, few in today’s cultivation world understood natal dao seals, but if one knew and thought about Tongling Pavilion’s affairs, much would become clear.

However, understanding couldn’t solve any problems.

He Jiuyi’s attack was just beginning. His battle disc had over ten dao seals, each shaped differently. Now shadows flew from the dao seals one after another, gradually taking different forms.

For a moment, everyone below exclaimed!

“So many!”

A mighty lion in front, a three-legged azure bird overhead, a giant snake coiled above his arms, hissing with its crimson tongue…

Even more remarkably, there was actually a huge stone!

Even stone monster spirits!

Jian Chou watched with dazzled eyes—

Of course, then came the frantic scrambling.

With a light flip of He Jiuyi’s fingers, a dao seal would flash, and a shadow would fly forward, violently striking toward Jian Chou!

The giant snake flicked its tongue, releasing black qi from its forked tongue.

“Clang!”

Without hesitation, Jian Chou swung her mirror, the glazed golden light crystal clear, immediately dispersing the black qi.

But simultaneously, the Liwai Mirror’s glow dimmed another degree!

Whoosh!

Another shadow attacked!

This time it was the lion!

Jian Chou had just withdrawn the Liwai Mirror when she hurriedly swung it out again, striking into the lion’s open bloody maw, sending the shadow flying back.

However…

This was just the beginning.

Sweat appeared on He Jiuyi’s forehead as he gritted his teeth, not retreating a step. His slender fingers constantly moved, countless shadows swirling around him before pouncing toward Jian Chou!

For a moment, the entire Heaven Connecting Platform saw only the brilliant glow of the Liwai Mirror, one strike after another, constantly blocking the attacking shadows.

However, all careful observers had already noticed that the glazed golden light was getting weaker!

Whoosh!

A spirit fox and an eagle!

Two shadows actually burst forth just as the Liwai Mirror’s glow was flickering!

Boom!

The two shadows struck Jian Chou’s Liwai Mirror almost simultaneously!

The light that was already thin to just one layer finally couldn’t bear the burden under this heavy attack. With a “crack,” it shattered into flowing light and completely disappeared.

At this moment, Jian Chou, like the gray-white Liwai Mirror, finally emerged from the glazed golden light, completely undefended!

A perfect opportunity!

He Jiuyi had experienced quite a few battles in his sect. Seeing this, with almost no hesitation, he waved his hand, actually leaning forward in a pose like a great roc spreading its wings.

Whoosh!

Wind howled past!

The three-legged azure bird that had been floating above He Jiuyi’s head finally spread its wings and dove down!

Azure whirlwinds immediately surrounded its wings. The bird shadow grew with the wind, instantly covering most of the Heaven Connecting Platform with imposing momentum!

Jian Chou’s figure immediately seemed tiny.

She looked up at the azure bird, her feet moving slightly. For a moment she had an impulse to directly summon the Dijiang Wind Thunder Wing and swat this silly bird away—

However, she was currently in Kunwu territory after all. Who knew where Gu Qingmei was now?

Jian Chou forcibly suppressed that impulse. Her gaze slightly sank as she aimed at the huge three-legged azure bird’s slender neck.

Legend said azure birds were ancient auspicious birds, but now as it pounced toward Jian Chou, it only showed a fierce expression, exactly like He Jiuyi!

At this moment, He Jiuyi had transformed himself into the azure bird, man and dao seal united as one.

His will controlled the azure bird’s actions; his movements were the azure bird’s movements; his gaze was naturally the azure bird’s gaze!

Seeing he was close to Jian Chou, He Jiuyi suddenly lowered his neck. The azure bird ahead also directly lowered its head, actually leading with its beak, fiercely pecking toward Jian Chou’s forehead!

The forehead ancestral aperture was, for ordinary cultivators, where their vital gate lay, closest to the consciousness sea, related to cultivation after soul departure, affecting normal cultivation, and even sealing one’s magical artifacts.

If this strike was serious, it could waste an entire cultivator!

How could Jian Chou let the azure bird succeed?

A dangerous moment!

In that instant, everyone’s hearts jumped to their throats, heartbeats stopping!

Almost everyone was certain that Jian Chou, now in mortal flesh, definitely couldn’t withstand this strike and would retreat backward.

But the next moment…

Everyone couldn’t help but widen their eyes, gasping in shock!

Instead of retreating, she advanced!

She took a big step forward!

Jian Chou’s step was so firm, so magnificent, that it vaguely carried the heavy, shocking feeling of mountains moving!

Just one step, and heroic spirit was born!

This scene exceeded everyone’s imagination and beyond everyone’s understanding!

Was she crazy?!

Though the protective Liwai Mirror wasn’t destroyed, it had temporarily failed under that fierce attack and couldn’t protect the cultivator. At this time, He Jiuyi had clearly united with the azure bird, making his attack power terrifyingly great!

Not dodging now, but actually stepping forward?

Are you fucking insane?!

Countless people roared inwardly.

Even cultivators standing on nearby Heaven Connecting Platforms watching the battle couldn’t help being shocked speechless by Jian Chou’s step.

An unreasonable, illogical step!

Yashan Senior Sister Jian Chou’s step!

Jian Chou raised her eyes, looking at that three-legged azure bird. Her burning gaze seemed to penetrate the shadow and see He Jiuyi behind the azure bird!

In this instant, the azure bird suddenly lowered its head to peck!

The sharp beak immediately broke the skin at Jian Chou’s forehead, with a spray of blood scattering.

Jian Chou’s forehead hurt intensely, her vision filled with blood red.

However, her gaze held no surprise, no pain!

Only the fervor of a successful scheme!

The azure bird’s beak pierced her forehead, almost instantly touching the thin layer of flesh and blood on her forehead, then touching human bone—jade-like human bone!

The azure bird’s eyes immediately showed horror.

That wasn’t the azure bird’s expression, but He Jiuyi’s gaze transmitted through the azure bird’s eyes when he saw Jian Chou’s skull bone!

That was jade-like bone carved with mysterious black patterns, with a faint layer of azure flames slowly flowing over the bone like a living thing.

Whether the black patterns or azure fire, in this instant, both gave He Jiuyi an extremely dangerous feeling!

Subconsciously, enormous fear arose in his heart.

Just as the azure bird’s beak broke through flesh and touched Jian Chou’s skull bone, He Jiuyi wanted to withdraw, directly retracting his battle disc, wanting to pull his consciousness from the azure bird.

Unfortunately…

Too late!

With a “poof,” a ball of spirit fire gathered from all over Jian Chou’s bones and exploded at her forehead!

The sharp azure bird’s beak had no time to leave and was directly caught in the explosion!

“Bang!”

In just this instant, a thin layer of flames spread from the azure bird’s beak throughout the entire azure bird.

Poor He Jiuyi couldn’t withdraw in time. He was only halfway when the Azure Lotus Spirit Fire completely covered the entire azure bird. He immediately screamed as if his very soul was burned, no longer able to control the azure bird!

A pale white palm, with a faint azure tint in the center, stained with blood from her forehead, finally reached out and firmly, accurately, ruthlessly grasped the azure bird’s slender neck!

“Screech—”

The azure bird immediately cried out in anguish.

Jian Chou’s gaze didn’t move at all. Her palm covered with spirit fire only squeezed hard, and with a “puchi” sound, that azure bird shadow directly turned into azure smoke and disappeared without a trace.

In contrast was He Jiuyi.

The moment the azure bird disappeared, all the Kunxian lines between his fingers nearly completely shattered, and even the dao seals under his feet immediately turned a gray-black color.

Azure bird destroyed, Kunxian lines broken, dao stones gone, dao seals vanished!

“Poof!”

The enormous damage in that instant made He Jiuyi immediately spit out blood.

“Step, step.”

One step, two steps.

Jian Chou’s footsteps seemed to have never paused at all.

After crushing He Jiuyi’s three-legged azure bird with one palm, she strode toward He Jiuyi, then—

Swish!

A battle disc suddenly appeared!

A one-zhang-seven-chi battle disc instantly appeared on the Heaven Connecting Platform, moving with her as she walked.

Foundation Establishment, yet possessing a battle disc almost as large as He Jiuyi’s Golden Core one!

Countless people below forgot what they were thinking before and what they planned to do next, only standing stupidly in place, staring wide-eyed at that battle disc: every single Kunxian line was bright!

This was truly a heavenly disc!

Jian Chou continued walking toward He Jiuyi, standing at the edge of the Heaven Connecting Platform.

He Jiuyi’s eyes were bloodshot, his face full of ferocity and pain.

With the azure bird unexpectedly destroyed, part of his spiritual consciousness attached to it was also burned clean along with the azure bird. His spirit suffered enormous damage, making him look completely different from before.

Such a miserable state would move anyone to pity.

However, this didn’t include Jian Chou!

Once on the Heaven Connecting Platform, there were no fellow daoists, only opponents; no life and death, only victory and defeat!

Moreover, if he hadn’t first attacked her forehead ancestral aperture, why would she need such a desperate counterattack?

As Jian Chou moved, the battle disc’s rotation speed also became extremely fast.

Under the blurred, brilliant light, the dao stones lit up one by one.

Crack!

When a complete dao seal was activated, Jian Chou seemed to hear the soft sound of a final chess piece falling on the board.

Almost simultaneously, she seemingly casually kicked out!

Buzz!

All the spiritual energy in Kunwu’s south went crazy!

As if summoned by some powerful force, they madly surged toward her the instant Jian Chou kicked out.

In just one moment, countless spiritual energies gathered together, forming a huge shadow before her, and in the instant Jian Chou lifted her foot, it thunderously struck out!

The severely injured He Jiuyi had no resistance and was hit by the shadow, flying out like a broken sack!

“Bang!”

He smashed hard under the fifth Southern Heaven Connecting Platform near Jian Chou and directly fainted!

Standing on the fifth Heaven Connecting Platform was a robust man with powerful muscles, holding a one-zhang-six Army-Breaking Divine Iron Spear—the fourteenth-ranked Fang Dachui of Purple Sun Gate.

He had been watching the battle on Jian Chou’s side, amazed by Yashan’s well-deserved reputation.

Who would have thought Jian Chou would directly kick He Jiuyi flying with one fierce kick, startling Fang Dachui.

The next moment, disaster struck!

A terrifying aura broke through the narrow space between the third and fifth Heaven Connecting Platforms, almost instantly reaching Fang Dachui!

“This is fucked!”

Fang Dachui was completely terrified!

You fight your fight—how did you kill your way over here?

In that instant, his soul nearly left his body. He hurriedly raised his iron spear and swung it forward hard!

A dragon-like air wave carried forth, striking toward that kick’s shadow.

“Crash!”

Like a mud ox entering the sea, not raising half a ripple!

“Fuck!”

Fang Dachui only had time for this curse before feeling mountain-toppling, sea-overturning, terrifying force striking toward him, like a giant with head touching sky and feet on earth kicking him. His Army-Breaking Spear was immediately sent flying.

He instantly didn’t know which of his seven great-aunts or two great-uncles was which, his eyes rolled back, his mouth opened, white foam spurted out, both legs kicked, and he was also knocked down and fainted!

There were two more Heaven Connecting Platforms in the path of this Heaven-Flipping Seal attack!

Seeing the “corpses” of their predecessors already laid out, those two cultivators dared not resist anymore.

Without hesitation, both withdrew, giving up their two Heaven Connecting Platforms!

The terrifying shadow passed over the Heaven Connecting Platforms unobstructed, finally striking toward the auxiliary peak directly south of Kunwu.

A light screen opened the moment the Heaven-Flipping Seal arrived, completely blocking this kick’s power outside the auxiliary peak.

A thunderous roar!

The Heaven-Flipping Seal, formed by draining almost all spiritual energy from Kunwu’s main peak’s south side, finally transformed back into countless violent spiritual energy streams, shooting out in all directions.

Swish swish swish, crack crack crack.

…

Outside the auxiliary peak, a vast ancient forest was completely leveled, revealing fertile black soil.

At a glance, it looked like someone had scraped off a piece of skin from a beautiful face, immediately making it bloody and ugly.

“…”

“…”

“…”

A strange, shocking silence.

Everyone’s necks were frozen in rigid arcs, looking toward that distant stricken plain.

Oh Kunwu, what sins have you committed!

“Whoosh.”

What broke this silence wasn’t any of the spectators below, nor Jian Chou, still standing on the Heaven Connecting Platform.

But rather…

The other three Heaven Connecting Platforms!

Jian Chou stood on the third Heaven Connecting Platform. The fifth, sixth, and seventh Southern Heaven Connecting Platforms were all empty.

Undoubtedly, these were left by the unlucky ones in the path of Jian Chou’s Heaven-Flipping Seal.

However, at this moment, the originally stationary Heaven Connecting Platforms all flew toward Jian Chou in that instant!

Getting closer and closer!

Jian Chou stood dazedly on the Heaven Connecting Platform, watching the nearest fifth platform approach first.

“Boom!”

They joined together.

Next came the second, then the third…

“Boom!”

“Boom!”

…

Under countless people’s shocked gazes, four Heaven Connecting Platforms, centered on Jian Chou, actually directly combined, becoming a huge platform nearly a hundred zhang in circumference!

A gust of wind blew, and this platform, like a small plaza, actually rose spiraling upward, ascending to greater heights!

One chi, two chi, three chi!

One zhang, two zhang, three zhang!

Ten zhang, twenty zhang, thirty zhang!

…

A full ninety zhang!

Finally stopping steadily!

The wind at this height became slightly cold.

Some lower white clouds floated before the Heaven Connecting Platform.

Jian Chou was stunned.

All the spectators at the foot of Kunwu Mountain were stunned.

The elders on the mountainside were also stunned.

Of course, the rule-designer Fudao Shanren was also stunned.

“Plop.”

A half-eaten chicken leg slipped from his mouth to the ground, getting covered in dust.

He heard the sound of four Heaven Connecting Platforms combining, and saw that crazy, domineering fool Jian Chou standing up there, but…

None of that mattered!

His weathered, sorrowful gaze, almost tearful, fell on the distance.

The southern auxiliary peak’s mountain protection array had withdrawn, leaving only countless scattered boulders, giant trees broken in half, and countless upturned soil, as if someone had shaken that large piece of land, flipping over all the vegetation.

Complete devastation.

…

Fudao Shanren stood on the main peak’s mountainside, tears flowing in the wind, choking with a crying voice: “This will cost me my belt…”