Lei Jun and his master, Yuan Mobai, were no strangers to Gao Pu.
Back in the Great Southern Mountain, it was this very man who had colluded with the Ye Clan of Jinzhou from the north, plotting an ambush against them.
Gao Pu was a well-known figure, long hailed as the second strongest expert in Golden Castle Fortress, ranking just below the so-called "Ghost King," Zong Han.
However, cultivators of the Witch Sect’s Ghost Dao lineage often experienced fluctuating combat strength, as their power primarily depended on the evil spirits and walking corpses they commanded.
Gao Pu had earned his reputation as the second strongest Ghost Dao expert under Zong Han through years of accumulation—he had gathered nurous powerful evil spirits and walking corpses and possessed the ability to control multiple of them simultaneously in battle.
For experts of the Eighth Heaven Realm, unless they had a way to swiftly neutralize Gao Pu himself, they would find him an extrely troubleso opponent.
That was, until Lei Jun lent a seemingly insignificant yet crucial "helping hand"—sending Gao Pu straight into the path of Blood River Sect’s newly erged Grandmaster, Wei Anchang.
The result? Gao Pu and his n beca Wei Anchang’s first victims upon reaching the Ninth Heaven Realm.
All the powerful evil spirits and walking corpses that Gao Pu had painstakingly accumulated were annihilated by Wei Anchang.
Following this, Wei Anchang relentlessly pursued Gao Pu back to Golden Castle Fortress' sacred mountain gate, where he gathered Blood River Sect's top experts to launch a full-scale assault. The fortress was ultimately crushed, forcing Zong Han, Gao Pu, and the others to submit.
Now, under Zong Han’s leadership, Golden Castle Fortress was assisting Wei Anchang and the Blood River Sect in attacking the Gu Master stronghold of Yin Mountain Cavern, engaging in a brutal war against Yin Mountain Cavern, Songpo Mountain, and the Abyss of Reincarnation—one of the bloodiest battles the Southern Wasteland had seen in recent years.
However, both Zong Han and Gao Pu were fiercely independent and unyielding powerhouses of the Witch Sect.
While they had temporarily bowed their heads to Wei Anchang and the Blood River Sect, it was evident they had their own hidden agendas.
The fact that Gao Pu was now acting alongside Crown Prince Yang Yuqi, the legitimate heir of the fallen Sui Dynasty, raised many suspicions.
The relationship between Wei Anchang and the direct bloodline descendants of the Sui Dynasty was growing increasingly delicate.
Unfortunately for Shangguan Peng, he had the misfortune of running headfirst into not one but two Eighth Heaven Realm opponents.
Especially with Elder Gao Pu of Golden Castle Fortress still reeling from his earlier losses, eager to replenish his supply of new spirits and corpses.
It was like a hungry old wolf finding a fresh, young prey—truly an unsettling scene to imagine.
“So, does this an General Shangguan is currently… missing?” Lei Jun asked.
From the Thousand-Mile Transmission Talisman, Yuan Mobai’s voice ca through:
“For now, let’s say temporarily missing. As far as I know, news of the incident has already reached the Tang Empire. Given the circumstances, I expect the capital will react swiftly.”
Shangguan Peng was not only a high-ranking commander of the Divine Strategy Army but also a key figure of the Shangguan Family’s younger generation—grood as a future successor.
If sothing happened to him in the Southern Wasteland, neither the Tang Imperial Court nor the Shangguan Family would take it lightly.
Especially since this matter could potentially involve the Witch Sect’s Ghost Dao practitioners.
“Chongyun, these are turbulent tis. Rember to be cautious in both words and actions—do not be careless.” Yuan Mobai reminded Lei Jun once again.
“Master, rest assured. I understand.” Lei Jun acknowledged.
He had previously appeared in the Zhaojiang River region, albeit briefly. However, he knew that in the future, the Shangguan Family would likely investigate every clue, including his presence there.
But, as Shangguan Peng himself had once considered—there were far more pressing concerns in the Southern Wasteland for the Tang Empire to deal with.
After arranging to et Yuan Mobai later at the Zhu'an River region, Lei Jun ended the conversation.
The surroundings were picturesque, with lush mountains and abundant spiritual energy.
Lei Jun once again set up his altar and began ticulously crafting Spirit Talismans.
After accumulating a sufficient number, he dismantled the ritual site and made his way back to the Empty Flow Mountain area.
The flow of spiritual energy in Empty Flow Mountain had cald sowhat, though the deep chasms remained, and the underground energy veins continued their subtle shifts.
Lei Jun silently descended into the underground fissure, where he cast several of his specially crafted Thousand-Mile Transmission Talismans.
The talismans flickered like fireflies in the surging underground spiritual currents, swiftly carried away and disappearing in all directions.
Satisfied with his work, Lei Jun nodded and left.
Once he was clear of the chaotic region, he repeated the process—laying out a star map in the Second Tier of the True-One Altar, tracking the general dispersal of the talismans as they traveled through the earth's spiritual veins.
Although he already had so leads from the Zhu'an River region, Lei Jun wanted to further verify them using his own thods.
Many of the talismans he had released in Xinglong Abyss had either been destroyed or drifted too far to be tracked.
Thus, he was now deploying a second wave in Empty Flow Mountain.
While waiting for results, Lei Jun descended from the Second Tier of the True-One Altar to the First Tier.
Then, he gently shook his Breath-Taking Flag.
From within, the molten-like Heavenly Eye Blazing Star Essence flowed forth.
However, after prolonged tempering within the flag’s spiritual energy, the Heavenly Eye Blazing Star Essence had lost much of its violent nature, becoming more refined and stable.
As it left the Breath-Taking Flag and was exposed to air, it began to cool and solidify.
The fiery currents condensed into a perfectly round, jet-black spiritual stone, its inner radiance deeply concealed.
Lei Jun floated in midair and waved his hand.
A green blaze rose in the First Tier of the True-One Altar, surrounding the black gemstone.
Soon, as if an eye was awakening, the gemstone began to glow and emanate heat.
“But this transformation shouldn’t be repeated too frequently, or I’ll waste its spiritual essence.” After a brief observation, Lei Jun had a clear understanding of the process.
While refining the Heavenly Eye Blazing Star Essence using the Nine Abyss True Fla, he also took out the Grand Law Spirit Crystal given to him by Ji Chuan of the Shushan Sect.
The Nine Abyss True Fla was excellent for refining elixirs and artifacts, while the Grand Law Spirit Crystal generated clouds of law energy that further enhanced the refinent process.
With both working in tandem, the Heavenly Eye Blazing Star Essence reignited like a blazing celestial body.
Gradually, a phantom-like Heavenly Eye ford, overlooking the land from above.
As Lei Jun refined it further, he retrieved his Spirit Sight Mirror and placed it into the fiery celestial body.
The star burned even brighter.
Lei Jun began performing the Stepping the Big Dipper technique, circling the celestial body while chanting incantations.
With each pass, he inscribed glowing Spirit Talismans midair, which then spiraled around the star before being absorbed into it.
Soon, Daoist runes and mystical patterns shimred across the celestial body’s surface.
Lei Jun continued refining the artifact for several days.
Eventually, as the celestial body’s brilliance remained undiminished, it took on a more refined quality.
Its ford Heavenly Eye, once conspicuous and dazzling, now beca subtly hidden, blending seamlessly into the environnt.
Yet, Lei Jun’s vision remained connected to it, allowing him to perceive his surroundings with unparalleled clarity.
"Good. This is exactly what I envisioned."
As he finally halted his movents, a colossal Dao Seal manifested above him and descended onto the celestial body.
The star's glow receded, transforming into an ancient mirror.
The Dao Seal left a faint imprint on the mirror before vanishing.
Lei Jun retrieved the mirror and examined it.
"I’ll call it the Heavenly Eye Mirror."
Bringing it back to reality, he activated it, watching the landscape appear on its surface—vast, detailed, and seamless.
"This will make using the Magnetic Sword Pellet even more efficient."
Satisfied, he resud his investigation into Zhu'an River, where the next phase of his plan awaited.
Lei Jun returned to the True-One Altar and ascended to the Second Tier, gazing at the star-like chart mapping the dispersal of his Spirit Talismans.
As before, many of the light points had vanished—less than half remained.
So were still in motion, drifting along the flow of earth veins, while others had co to a halt, trembling slightly within a confined area.
Comparing the locations with the Southern Wasteland’s topography in his mory, Lei Jun confird that the static points aligned precisely with the Zhu’an River region.
This suggested that the area might indeed hold a node where the Sui Dynasty’s remnants were manipulating earth veins in an attempt to reestablish national fortune.
The Witch Sect’s Divine Dance lineage controlled Songpo Mountain, but certain individuals within its ranks appeared to be connected to the Sui Dynasty’s descendants.
Or rather, were they of Sui bloodline, placed within Songpo Mountain by their family to cultivate influence?
As Lei Jun pondered these possibilities, he exited the True-One Altar’s grotto and set out toward the Zhu’an River region.
Throughout his journey, the Light Sphere in his mind remained silent, providing no ons of fortune or misfortune.
Lei Jun, as usual, traveled discreetly, keeping his presence hidden. But he couldn't help feeling curious.
After awakening the Tianshi Seal, he could now completely retreat into the True-One Altar, significantly enhancing his personal safety.
But it wasn't a perfect safeguard.
The fact that he had already drawn two prior ons of fortune and misfortune was proof enough.
Still, a curious pattern had erged:
Both tis, when facing Blood River Sect Elder Xiong Gang, a fellow Eighth Heaven Realm cultivator, his on had been a Moderate-Moderate On.
Yet, when it ca to Crown Prince Yang Yuqi and Elder Gao Pu of Golden Castle Fortress, also of the Eighth Heaven Realm, his on had worsened to a Lower-Moderate On.
Was this simply due to the two of them acting together?
Lei Jun had his doubts.
Currently, he was not yet able to fully refine and wield the Tianshi Seal, so he wasn’t using it in direct battle but rather to conceal himself within the True-One Altar, avoiding confrontation.
Thus far, Seventh Heaven Realm cultivators had been unable to detect this concealnt at all.
However, Eighth Heaven Realm experts posed a potential risk.
Lei Jun speculated that the real issue wasn’t just the number of opponents, but their cultivation lineages.
Practitioners of the Blood River Sect excelled in sensing life energy and blood essence, but Lei Jun, by directly retreating into the True-One Altar, left no such traces behind.
The real challenge ca from Crown Prince Yang Yuqi, an Eighth Heaven Realm Confucian cultivator, whose perception and awareness exceeded that of Blood River Sect Elder Xiong Gang.
Thus, under similar circumstances, Yang Yuqi posed a greater threat—more likely to notice or anticipate his presence.
Furthermore, unlike the Sixth and Seventh Heaven Realms, which had no internal divisions, the Eighth Heaven Realm often had hidden distinctions between sub-levels.
For all Lei Jun knew, Yang Yuqi's true cultivation might surpass Xiong Gang’s, making him an even more formidable adversary.
Unfortunately, concrete information was lacking.
Among those on the Tang Empire’s side, the only person who had direct experience dealing with Yang Yuqi was Shangguan Peng.
Arrival at the Zhu’an River Region
A few days later, Lei Jun reached the Zhu’an River region.
At first glance, everything seed peaceful.
Despite Songpo Mountain’s involvent in the war against the Blood River Sect and Golden Castle Fortress, the Zhu’an River remained untouched—true to its reputation as the most tranquil area under Songpo Mountain’s rule.
But beneath this surface serenity, hidden currents stirred.
“The outer security seems relaxed, but inside, the defenses are tight. Definitely unusual.”
Yuan Mobai had arrived ahead of ti and had been observing the area for a while. Like Lei Jun, he had not acted rashly, choosing instead to wait and watch.
Upon reuniting with his disciple, Yuan Mobai smiled and shared so fresh intelligence.
“Latest news—the Grand Marshal himself has left the capital and is heading south.”
Lei Jun's eyebrows lifted slightly.
The Grand Marshal was Shangguan Yunbo, the current patriarch of the Shangguan Family and the supre commander of the Divine Strategy Army—one of the most powerful martial experts in the empire.
As a martial cultivator of the Eighth Heaven Realm, he could roam anywhere in the world with little opposition.
Only Blood River Sect Master Wei Anchang, now at the Ninth Heaven Realm, posed a real threat to him in the Southern Wasteland.
Which ant…
“The Grand Marshal has brought the Dangkou Golden Halberd with him,” Yuan Mobai revealed.
Lei Jun let out a low chuckle.
“General Shangguan Peng can finally rest in peace—his wish for an imperial intervention has been granted.”
When Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai had been in danger before, Tang Xiaotang had certainly not stood by idly.
She was a once-in-a-generation prodigy, but even so, facing Wei Anchang, a cultivator of the Ninth Heaven Realm, required the assistance of the Tianshi Sword.
And now, the sa logic applied to Shangguan Yunbo and the Dangkou Golden Halberd.
The combination of an Eighth Heaven Realm martial powerhouse and one of the empire’s most legendary divine weapons was exactly what Shangguan Peng had hoped for.
Though he had been the one in distress, his loyalty to the empire was unwavering.
Had he been alive to witness this mont, surely he would have had no complaints about the specifics…
But Yuan Mobai's expression soon turned serious.
“There’s also bad news.”
His smile faded as he studied Lei Jun.
“A ssage arrived from the sect a few days ago. Lin Che has returned to the Lin Clan’s ancestral land in Jiangzhou.”
Lei Jun’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Lin Che—the current clan leader of the Jiangzhou Lin Clan.
Six years ago, at the final battle in the Poyang Great Marsh, he had vanished into the void along with Xu Yuanzhen.
Since then, his whereabouts had remained an unsolved mystery.
And now, after all this ti—
He had finally resurfaced.
Lei Jun tapped his fingers lightly against the Heavenly Eye Mirror, deep in thought.
Had Lin Che truly returned as himself?
Or had six years in the void changed him into sothing else entirely?
And if he was back, what about Xu Yuanzhen?
As these questions lood over him, Lei Jun gazed toward the Zhu’an River, where the mysteries of the Southern Wasteland were only beginning to unravel…
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