Cultivation: Fortune by Lots

Before the disciples of the Yellow Sky Sect could react, black 'thunder water' had already silently infiltrated the ground at their feet.

The lineage of the Yellow Sky Sect and the Celestial Master Mansion originated from the same source. Although each developed differently after their separation, there were still many similarities.

For instance, low-level disciples all favored the Golden Barrier Talisman.

Against opponents of similar cultivation, the defense of the Golden Barrier Talisman was very reliable.

But now, these Yellow Sky Sect disciples were facing Lei Jun's Dark Water Thunder.

It was derived from his life-bound Five Thunder Talisman and was of superior grade.

Although the defense of the Golden Barrier Talisman was strong, it was like metal meeting strong acid. It was instantly corroded by the black thunder water.

Then, they all suffered a silent strike of thunder.

After taking down these Yellow Sky Sect disciples, Lei Jun checked on Xia Qing's condition.

Zhong Yunfei, with his Middle Three Heavens cultivation, had taken action himself, and the Soul Calming Talisman he used was of the finest quality.

Although it also had a time limit, Xia Qing's Spiritual Soul was subdued for a short period, and she was temporarily incapacitated.

Lei Jun did not even attempt to use his own superior-grade Purifying Heart Talisman to remove the mana of Zhong Yunfei's Soul Calming Talisman.

Being unconscious was better.

Lei Jun effortlessly picked up Xia Qing and headed into the forest.

He backtracked, heading towards Qiantian Peak.

After searching the main peak area for a while, Zhong Yunfei still couldn't find Lei Jun and was quite puzzled.

Where did that kid go? Considering his earlier volunteered courage to guard the outer altar of Qiantian Peak, he wouldn't just flee towards the outer mountains after the array was broken, would he? Or did he find a hidden spot and quietly hide?

While Zhong Yunfei was in doubt, he suddenly heard from some Yellow Sky Sect disciples that there was resistance at the base of Qiantian Peak. The intruder's cultivation was not weak, at least at the Altar Stage. The intruder appeared to be a tall young Taoist.

Upon hearing the news, Zhong Yunfei hurriedly rushed over.

But aside from the corpses of three Yellow Sky Sect disciples, there was no sign of Lei Jun.

Zhong Yunfei's brows furrowed tightly as he glanced around. Did that kid really break out and escape?

After intentionally exposing his whereabouts to the Yellow Sky Sect disciples once, Lei Jun concealed his figure again, blending into the night wind.

Now, apart from the still unconscious Xia Qing, he had brought along another person: the body of a Yellow Sky Sect disciple, killed by a single Blazing Flame Talisman from Master Lei.

He took the body up the mountain, carefully avoiding the peak's entrance, and threw the Yellow Sky Sect disciple's body into the forest at the summit. After roughly arranging the scene, he left.

He silently moved to the back of the mountain.

Observing the angle and distance attentively, Lei Jun then took out a Spirit Talisman.

This was also one of the by-products of his research on the Five Thunder Talisman, or perhaps an early-stage groundwork. It was a combination of the Blazing Flame Talisman and the Wind Riding Talisman.

Lei Jun named it the Flying Fire Talisman.

Such a mixed-type Basic Spirit Talisman consumed a huge amount of mana and mental energy.

The Flying Fire Talisman's consumption was second only to the Five Thunder Talisman, taxing the mind even more heavily than the Chain Blazing Flame Talisman because it required more precise aiming and control.

Lei Jun closed one eye, raised his hand, and placed his thumb upright between himself and Qiantian Peak, feigning the act of measuring the distance.

Then he deployed the Flying Fire Talisman.

Amidst the sound of wind, an extremely fine line of red light rose from the back of the mountain. Hidden by the forest, it flashed by in an instant, flying towards the cracked summit of Qiantian Peak.

Lei Jun tried his best to control the landing point, ensuring the thin red light wouldn't fall into the peak's opening and be accidentally triggered.

Eventually, the red light successfully landed in the forest atop the peak.

And then...

BOOM!

An explosion suddenly erupted in the forest, and a huge plume of flames and thick smoke billowed into the sky.

On the other side of the mountain, Zhong Yunfei heard the disturbance, turned back in astonishment, and saw flames bursting near the summit of Qiantian Peak.

"A Blazing Flame Talisman?" The Yellow Sky Sect disciple by his side was also surprised. "The altar on this outer peak has been destroyed, and no one from the Tianxu Sect would be foolish enough to defend it..."

Zhong Yunfei took a deep breath abruptly. "Someone is still on the mountain!"

At that moment, the mountains were in chaos, and neither side's elders were certain of the exact whereabouts of their disciples below.

Zhong Yunfei watched the sudden burst of flames on Qiantian Peak; it looked as if someone was using a Blazing Flame Talisman in a fight.

It might be a Yellow Sky Sect disciple on the mountain who had found the enemy's traces.

Who would hide on the already damaged and useless Qiantian Peak?

Zhong Yunfei, who had searched to no avail for Lei Jun, suddenly thought of a possibility.

The most dangerous place is the safest. Could that kid have employed the 'darkest under the lamp' tactic, lurking in the abandoned sub-altar on Qiantian Peak all this time without coming down?

Though not entirely convinced, Zhong Yunfei, who had been unable to find Lei Jun, now entertained the thought and immediately rushed toward the peak's opening on the top of Qiantian Peak!

Upon reaching the site of the fire on the mountain, Zhong Yunfei examined it carefully.

It wasn't an ordinary fire. The Spiritual Energy hadn't completely dissipated; indeed, it was the work of a Talisman Sect cultivator's Blazing Flame Talisman.

Zhong Yunfei also found the corpse of the Yellow Sky Sect disciple and some traces of a recent fight.

But the enemy was nowhere to be seen.

Zhong Yunfei, from his high vantage point, scanned the surroundings but saw no one flying through the air or hidden in the mountains.

He was certain he had arrived quickly and that even if Lei Jun were an Altar Stage cultivator, he wouldn't have had enough time to escape down the mountain.

After instructing the few Yellow Sky Sect disciples following him to search around, Zhong Yunfei's gaze turned toward the dark, gaping cavity in the mountainside.

Lei Jun had fired a long-range "shot" up the mountain from afar.

Seeing that the position was more or less where he had anticipated, he nodded in satisfaction. No longer concerned about the aftermath, he took Xia Qing, who was still unconscious, and left directly.

Zhong Yunfei judged the position assuming the person on the mountain would flee downward, but Lei Jun was already at the base of the mountain. Turning past a mountain pass, he headed straight back to the main peak. With the mountains blocking the view, how could Zhong Yunfei possibly see him?

As for how Zhong Yunfei would continue to search around Qiantian Peak later, Lei Jun no longer cared nor planned to stay and wait for the outcome.

It was just like the situation with Li Ming back in the Cloud Sea Immortal Pond.

If nothing happened later, well, that would be regrettable... Oh, no, wait, it should be beneficial for everyone. If something did happen later on, everyone would have seen that it was Elder Zhong who decided to go to Qiantian Peak on his own.

Apart from remaining ever vigilant of potential threats around him, Lei Jun no longer dwelled on the matter of Qiantian Peak.

He took Xia Qing and returned to the foot of the main peak of Mount Tianxu.

The efficacy of the finest quality Soul Calming Talisman from Zhong Yunfei would gradually weaken over time.

Normally, the Yellow Sky Sect disciples guarding Xia Qing were responsible for reapplying a new talisman every so often.

Lei Jun now took out his own Purifying Heart Talisman to help Xia Qing alleviate the suppression of her Spiritual Soul by the Soul Calming Talisman.

After some time, Xia Qing finally woke up drowsily.

"...Lei?" she asked, her voice uncertain.

Lei Jun nodded. "It's good that you've woken up, Xia."

Xia Qing looked around. "I... you..."

Lei Jun explained, "I happened to come across several Yellow Sky Sect miscreants carrying you while you were unconscious, so I ambushed them. Although I managed to rescue you, the Spirit Talisman suppressing your Spiritual Soul was quite powerful. It took several Purifying Heart Talismans before you finally woke up."

Xia Qing first thanked Lei Jun but remained tense. "Where's that traitor Zhong Yunfei?"

"Elder Zhong? I didn't see him. I only encountered you and a few Yellow Sky Sect miscreants."

Lei Jun feigned surprise. "You just called Elder Zhong... a traitor and a spy?"

Xia Qing declared, "It was he who sabotaged Mount Tianxu's Eight Extremes Mountain Defense Array from the inside, and he also ambushed and attacked me!"

Lei Jun leaned back slightly, feigning shock. "That's... truly unexpected. It was Zhong... Zhong Yunfei?!"

"I don't know where he is. We still need to be cautious," Xia Qing warned, surveying their surroundings.

Lei Jun nodded. "Right, right, right..."

BOOM!!!!!

Before he could finish his sentence, a thunderous roar erupted from behind!

From the direction of Qiantian Peak, without warning, air currents shot straight up to the heavens, drawing down thick Thunder Pillars from the sky to assault the entire mountain!