CHAPTER 247: A FALSE ACCUSATION SPARKED BY A LIGHTNING ART

The primordial spirit qi surged toward the skeletal giant's head, intertwining with the primordial lightning qi as it brewed and intensified.

Moments later, the lightning qi erupted above the giant's head, drawing in the cloud of corpse qi that lingered across the sky. It gathered once more, forming a new thundercloud directly over the skeletal giant.

The primordial spirit qi swept up the remaining lightning qi, merging within the dark clouds to take the form of a blue lightning dragon.

The dragon coiled and writhed amid the storm. The second avatar laughed, raised his right hand, and pointed toward it.

The lightning dragon thrust its head out from the clouds, letting out a furious roar at the skeletal giant. As it sensed the black mist shrouding the giant's body, its eyes snapped open, flashing with deep violet light before it detonated, turning into a storm of pure violet lightning.

Seeing the thunderclouds and lightning dragon above, the skeletal giant felt a primal fear surge within. It no longer cared about the vines devouring the lower half of its body. Raising both arms, it desperately tried to shatter the purple thundercloud the second avatar had summoned.

The second avatar's expression darkened with disdain. "How dare you interrupt my spell after being sealed to this extent?"

He pressed his index and middle fingers together and slowly pointed toward the heavens. His voice was calm yet filled with contempt. "Thunderburst."

The moment the word fell, the thundercloud solidified. The violet lightning dragon roared as it burst from the clouds, unleashing a storm of lightning bolts upon the skeletal giant.

Purple lightning poured down from the sky, striking the giant's skull and chest with deafening crashes. Each blast scorched its body, stripping away more than half of the black mist that cloaked it.

Watching the giant being hit by the barrage, the second avatar smiled faintly. Bringing his fingers to his lips, he blew softly and said, "When it comes to purging filth like this, nothing is more satisfying than the power of lightning."

The skeletal giant was a creature born of extreme yin and instinctively feared lightning.

Moreover, the lightning unleashed by the second avatar was composed of primordial lightning qi, its power rivaling that of a heavenly tribulation. Bound tightly by the vines, the giant was utterly helpless, able to do nothing but endure the assault.

Under the relentless bombardment of violet lightning, the skeletal giant let out a shrill cry of terror for the first time. The black mist around it scattered with each strike, and even the corpse qi struggling against the Yang Purifying Water began to falter.

***

On the cliff above.

Daoist Tian Ji, Heaven Venerable Ban Yao, and Daoist Du cried out in astonishment as they watched the second avatar summon the thunderclouds. "Those clouds and that lightning dragon... could that be the Heavenly Dao Command?"

Their gazes immediately turned toward Ancestor Suitian.

Seeing their reaction, the other venerables frowned and followed suit, all turning to look at him in confusion.

Pointing toward the thunderclouds, Daoist Du's expression darkened. "Old Freak Suitian, that boy's using the Heavenly Dao Command. Seems I've truly underestimated your scheming."

"Wha—this... I truly don't know anything about it!" Caught off guard by the accusation, Ancestor Suitian quickly shook his head, looking just as bewildered. "I know Jun Laoye can use the Heavenly Dao Command, but Lu Chen isn't even from the Jun Clan! How could he possibly know it?"

"You don't know?" Daoist Du sneered. "I'd say it's the rest of us who've been kept in the dark, isn't that right, High Sage Suitian?"

He said sarcastically, "We always thought Jun Laoye was the successor your clan pushed forward in this era, but it turns out Lu Chen is the real one you've been grooming all along. Quite the clever trick, putting both light and shadow to work together."

"Other clans keep their open and hidden pawns apart," Daoist Du continued, his tone sharp and cutting. "But you put both in plain sight. As the saying goes, the most dangerous place is the safest one. Who in this world would ever suspect that Lu Chen was your hidden pawn?"

"I knew it," Heaven Venerable Ban Yao said mockingly, her voice laced with scorn. "The passage to the Outside has been sealed for years. How could someone suddenly return from there and claim to be that boy's mentor? That person must be your own avatar, right?"

"Indeed," Daoist Du added with a smirk, glancing at the thinning cloud of corpse qi. "That so-called 'person from the Outside' is most likely one of your avatars."

Feeling cornered, Ancestor Suitian looked helplessly toward the sky. "It truly isn't me. All my avatars are still cultivating within the Divine Lightning Inferno. How could any of them possibly appear here?"

Daoist Du laughed coldly. "Heh... No wonder none of us sensed this so-called 'person from the Outside,' despite our cultivation levels being about the same. So it was all just an elaborate play by the Jun Clan."

"Exactly," Heaven Venerable Ban Yao said with a sneer. "This secret realm belongs to the Jun Clan, after all. After tens of thousands of years of preparation, it's no surprise we failed to notice anything."

She cast a sidelong glance at Ancestor Suitian, her tone dripping with mockery. "It's only natural that we didn't notice. The Jun Clan's schemes run deep. Whatever secret art exists under heaven, if they want it, they'll find a way to obtain it."

She let out a cold laugh. "I wouldn't even be surprised if these mists were part of your clan's grand plan. Otherwise, how could it be such a perfect coincidence that someone from the Outside appeared just in time to cleanse them?"

"No, no, no! That's impossible. This definitely isn't the Heavenly Dao Command. Lu Chen doesn't bear the imprint of the Heavenly Dao's inheritance. There's no way he could use that technique!"

Ancestor Suitian's eyes fixed sharply on the violet thundercloud above. If he hadn't failed to detect the unique aura of the Heavenly Dao on Lu Chen, he would have suspected that he had spent too long at the Heavenly Mandate Hall and that the clan had secretly enacted a new plan without informing him.

The venerables beside him activated their Divine Eyes, carefully examining the purple thundercloud hovering above the skeletal giant's head and sensing the hidden laws within.

Daoist Du furrowed his brow as he felt the aura, but his expression quickly eased. He exchanged a subtle glance with Heaven Venerable Ban Yao, then turned back to Ancestor Suitian, behaving strangely, as though he were deliberately trying to redirect everyone's suspicion toward him.

He sneered. "Old Freak Suitian, stop pretending already. We've known each other for how long, fifty thousand years? I might not be able to cast the Heavenly Dao Command myself, but I can still recognize its energy. That thundercloud may only possess the power of a high-level Qi Condensation Realm cultivator, yet it made me feel as if I were facing a heavenly tribulation. Tell me, who else but your clan can infuse lightning arts with the energy of a tribulation?"

Ancestor Suitian's chest tightened.

Daoist Du smirked, feigning innocence. "Can you honestly say anyone outside the Jun Clan could do that?"

"That's right, that's right," Heaven Venerable Ban Yao echoed, egging on the others. Under their provocation, the venerables who had stood united began to split into two factions once again.

"You..."

Seeing the venerables near the cliff waver, and even those behind him faltering, Ancestor Suitian panicked. He had been plotting here for nearly ten thousand years. The giant was on the verge of awakening, and the secrets of the Heavenly Dao were within his reach. At such a critical moment, he could not allow any disruption.

But the more anxious one grew, the greater the chaos. As he watched his allies waver, his mind grew muddled. He blurted out, "We may be at odds, but you all know my temper. If it were true, I'd admit it. What Lu Chen used really isn't the Heavenly Dao Command."

"Is that so? Then why are you in such a hurry to defend yourself?" Daoist Du's lips curved into a strange smile as he pressed closer. "I saw it clearly. It was the Lightning Shock Sutra of the Heavenly Dao Command. We're all old monsters here. Stop pretending you don't know."

"It really isn't! Look closely! The thundercloud only resembles the Lightning Shock Sutra, but it carries no mark of the Heavenly Dao whatsoever!"

"Are you sure? I think you just want to lure us here and get us killed!" Feigning fear, Daoist Du took ten hurried steps back. "Fellow Daoists, stay away from him! Don't be deceived. That's clearly the Heavenly Dao Command! You must also have felt the energy of tribulation within it!"

As Daoist Du retreated, the other venerables followed, putting distance between themselves and Ancestor Suitian.

Ancestor Suitian coughed dryly and swayed slightly. Seeing his composure falter, Daoist Du's smile deepened as he further stirred the crowd.

Watching Daoist Du's expression, Ancestor Suitian could only shake his head bitterly and turn his gaze back to Lu Chen. "Ah... you knew this would happen all along. That look on your face. I've seen it too many times."

Hearing this, Daoist Du stopped hiding his amusement. Standing opposite Ancestor Suitian, he burst into unrestrained laughter. "So what if I did? I just wanted to disgust you. Honestly, Suitian, you're such a fool to lose your composure over something so trivial. Today has truly been enlightening."

"Daoist Du, since you already understand the situation, there's no need to stir up trouble further," Daoist Tian Ji said, stroking his beard.

Having captured a trace of the lightning earlier, he had already guessed the truth. "We'll be entering the secret realm together in a few hours. It's better to stay united."

Daoist Du snorted coldly. "Hmph, boring. Utterly boring."

He turned toward the cliff and silently observed the battle between Lu Chen and the skeletal giant.

Hua Xin and Shuang Dao exchanged puzzled glances, then bowed toward Daoist Tian Ji, seeking an explanation.

With a slight smile, Daoist Tian Ji flicked his finger, letting the Heavenly Spirit-Gathering Disk fall to the ground. Within it hovered the thread of lightning he had captured earlier. "Fellow Daoists, take a look. This is a strand of lightning qi I caught just now."

Pointing to the sealed bolt, he continued softly, "You weren't wrong to sense the energy of tribulation. But that's simply because the lightning art is of an extremely high grade. It contains a trace of primordial lightning qi."

As he spoke, Venerable Hua Xin's confusion deepened. Frowning, he said, "I've seen primordial lightning qi before, but I've never sensed the energy of tribulation from it."