CHAPTER 37: 37. THE DEFECTORS WHO SET UP THEIR OWN PORTAL

The entrance to Xuanyang Cave Heaven was similar to that of the Cloud Sea Immortal Pond, both appearing as phantom portals suspended in midair, shimmering with radiant light.

The difference lay in that the Cloud Sea Immortal Pond’s entrance was a regular, upright "door."

But the entrance to Xuanyang Cave Heaven resembled a "well" placed horizontally in the air.

Rumor had it that the interior of the Cave Heaven was like an underground palace.

In the deepest part of the palace was a Mysterious Hollow, filled with Earth Fire Solar Flare.

When crisis came, entering Xuanyang Cave Heaven promised shock without danger... *Lei Jun mentally recited his lot’s fortune.*

*The point of this best lot wasn’t simply to come to Yangshan Manor, but rather, when disaster struck later, you had to enter Xuanyang Cave Heaven.*

*Otherwise, it was just a thrilling but uneventful trip, not a true escape from calamity.*

He shifted his gaze away from the Cave Heaven entrance.

For now, there was no need to rush, since sneaking into the Cave Heaven was too conspicuous, it was best to wait quietly for the right moment.

Outside the Cave Heaven, everyone quietly bathed in abundant Yang Qi, either cultivating alone or conversing and communicating with fellow disciples.

Lei Jun took a general look; among the disciples of his cohort who had passed the Transcension Ritual, the more outstanding ones like Li Ying had all already reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

And judging by their appearance, most of them seemed likely to advance to late-stage Foundation Establishment within the coming year.

Without Green Stone Ink, their cultivation speed could not match Lei Jun’s rapid progress.

But under the arrangements of the sect elders, everyone had their own fortunes and opportunities, especially Elder Ziyang’s youngest daughter, Li Ying, who was the most outstanding.

It was just that Li Ying, Shangguan Hong, Guo Yan, and the others had all previously chosen the Golden Barrier Talisman as their life-bound talisman art.

Because of the appearance of the Banishing Gold Talisman, everyone was forced to collectively relearn Golden Barrier Talisman, which slowed their focused cultivation...

Huh?

Lei Jun’s heart stirred, his sensitivity honed by the Night Wind Stone noticed something was off.

While observing others, it seemed some fellow disciples from the Celestial Master Mansion were also covertly keeping an eye on him.

Lei Jun did not look back, keeping calm and composed.

In the distance, Qu Yong was quietly sizing up Lei Jun.

He recalled the instructions from Senior Brother Li Xuan before coming to Yangshan Manor.

"On this trip, keep an eye out for Lei, Master Yuan’s disciple."

Li Xuan, usually stone-faced, actually wore a rare smile, seemingly out of concern,

"Lei has little experience training outside the mountain, and he spent a considerable time in the Green Stone Ink Mine before just coming out. You need to always watch over and be alert for him."

Qu Yong understood instantly.

*Senior Brother Li Xuan’s real intention was for him to pay attention to Lei Jun’s condition.*

*If Lei Jun truly spent an extended time around Green Stone Ink, his current cultivation speed should far exceed expectations.*

*But at the same time, it would leave hidden injuries in his flesh, weakening his vitality.*

*It seemed Senior Brother Li Xuan wanted to secretly verify that himself.*

*Given such a confidential task, naturally Qu Yong hoped to make a contribution and win Elder Ziyang and Senior Brother Li Xuan’s favor in the future.*

*Although Lei Jun hadn’t exchanged moves with anyone, only meditated and cultivated alone, Qu Yong could still roughly discern something.*

This Junior Brother Lei seemed to have already reached late-stage Foundation Establishment?

Qu Yong wasn’t completely sure, but had a vague suspicion.

Because he himself was already at late-stage Foundation Establishment.

*But Qu Yong would rather have guessed wrong.*

*This Lei Jun, how long had he been in the sect, how long since he’d formally taken a master through the Transcension Ritual?*

*He’d only come to Dragon Tiger Mountain four years ago.*

*A little over two years back, he formally took the Transcension Ritual and entered the mansion.*

*There really were cases in the Celestial Master Mansion where some people were enough to drive others mad with jealousy... Qu Yong sighed endlessly.*

He had passed the Transcension Ritual one year before Lei Jun, Li Ying, Chen Yi, which was three years earlier, and now, being a true disciple of the Celestial Master Mansion for over five years, he had managed to reach late-stage Foundation Establishment—no small achievement.

*But Lei Jun, who joined three years later, had already caught up in cultivation realm. How could Qu Yong not feel a sense of awe?*

*The only comfort for Qu Yong was that Lei Jun’s astonishing rate of improvement might be due to Green Stone Ink.*

*If that were the case, trying to survive the tribulation of breaking through the Third Heavenly Layer and attaining the Altar Stage in the future would be extremely difficult, with death and Dao dissolution lurking at every turn.*

*Still, who knew if this Junior Brother Lei had already suffered bodily harm and loss of vitality because of Green Stone Ink... Qu Yong speculated.*

*Just by looking with the naked eye, it was impossible to tell for now, so Qu Yong withdrew his gaze, thinking about other possible ways to test it.*

After he looked away, Lei Jun’s gaze flicked over for a moment.

Lei Jun glanced at Qu Yong, then gave a faint shake of his head, neither confirming nor denying anything.

In the following days, Lei Jun no longer thought about anything else, focusing solely on his own cultivation.

Until one afternoon.

"Boom!"

Above Yangshan Manor, a sudden clap of thunder exploded across heaven and earth.

In the valley behind the mountain, Lei Jun and the others, who were warming and nurturing themselves, all rushed out of their grass huts.

Looking up, they saw thunder clouds gathering, lightning streaking across the sky.

Bolts of lightning struck down on Yangshan Manor!

Instantly, within and outside Yangshan Manor, countless lights flared, weaving into ethereal Talisman Scriptures, massive enough to blanket the sky, shielding the Tao Palace below.

But in the next moment, a flood of blue flames surrounded and swept in.

The terrifying blue fire ripped open a gash in the defensive wards of Yangshan Manor!

Through the breach, several figures launched an assault into the Tao Palace.

But immediately, some were struck by lightning and reduced to ashes!

"It’s the demonic outcasts from the Yellow Sky Sect!"

The Celestial Master Mansion elder overseeing Yangshan Manor thundered aloud, his voice rolling across every corner of the mountain, "All disciples, follow me and slay the demons and expel evil!"

Lei Jun and the other true disciples of the Celestial Master Mansion responded with a resounding roar.

Yellow Sky Sect...

Lei Jun drew out his short staff-shaped Supreme Pure Golden Bamboo, gripping it in his hand as he thought, *No wonder even the sect’s Residence Cave Heaven at Yangshan Manor was vulnerable to crisis.*

*This opponent was considered one of the Celestial Master Mansion’s nemeses.*

*Once, Lei Jun had even tangled with Yellow Sky Sect indirectly.*

*That time when the Tao Boy Court was burglarized, the truth had been that a Celestial Master Mansion elder devoted to Yellow Sky Sect had stirred up trouble in secret.*

*After that notorious internal conflict in the Celestial Master Mansion’s history, the rebellious disciples had broken away to found Yellow Sky Sect.*

*Thus, for the Celestial Master Mansion, they were absolute heretics and renegades, always the rebellious archenemies the sect wanted purged.*

*Yellow Sky Sect hid underground, developing in secret; while the Celestial Master Mansion hunted them, they continued their vendetta against the Celestial Master Mansion without pause.*

*The Banishing Gold Talisman that defeated the sect’s ancestral Golden Barrier Talisman had actually originated from Yellow Sky Sect!*

*Fortunately, top experts in the sect like Xu Yuanzhen stepped up and improved the Golden Barrier Talisman, patching its flaws and neutralizing the Banishing Gold Talisman’s threat.*

*After that, the Celestial Master Mansion had cracked down hard on Yellow Sky Sect, forcing them further underground into dormancy.*

*But their low-profile hibernation was clearly just temporary, like a venomous snake lying in wait for the right moment to strike.*

*Now, targeting Yangshan Manor, Yellow Sky Sect was making their move again.*

The attack was fierce, with many Yellow Sky Sect disciples storming the Tao Palace.

Even the valley behind the mountain was breached by infiltrators.

Suddenly, thunder and fire filled the air, shadows darted everywhere; midair was crowded with various Spirit Talismans and magic artifacts.

Lei Jun, for now, did not break away from the group, keeping a low profile.

With the battle outside affecting it, the newly-opened Cave Heaven, already unstable, suddenly erupted with Earth Fire Solar Flare. Anyone close, friend or foe, big or small, was hurt.

After the earth fire erupted, as the flames surged and ebbed, the firelight receded and created strong suction.

Without betraying any emotion, Lei Jun had already been adjusting his position, and now secretly shifted a few steps, pretending to be caught off guard and sucked into the Cave Heaven.

Qu Yong was diligent— even now, scrambling to fend off enemy attacks while keeping an eye on Lei Jun.

But then he was caught off guard, swept up by the Cave Heaven’s suction, terrified yet unable to break free.

Once inside Xuanyang Cave Heaven, the first thing Lei Jun saw was a still-crude underground palace, a vast expanse of gold and crimson.

Lei Jun glanced back at the Cave Heaven entrance.

The violent earth fire had temporarily sealed it off, isolating inside from outside.

Those pulled in with him were just Qu Yong and two Yellow Sky Sect disciples.

Earth fire rolled in all directions, and the four exchanged uneasy glances.