CHAPTER 435

As the spiritual pressure of the Xuankong Mountain Abbot in the air continued to surge, Lu Qing wasted no time and summoned the Li Huo Cauldron.

The Xuankong Mountain Spiritual Artifact, which had suppressed this secret realm for tens of thousands of years, was deeply intertwined with the space of the secret realm itself.

Breaking through its suppression would not be easy.

Thus, Lu Qing chose to counter it with his own Spiritual Artifact.

With his current cultivation, Lu Qing's strength was formidable. As someone who had forged a Perfect Golden Core, the purity of his spiritual power surpassed even that of cultivators at the third or fourth level of the Golden Core Realm.

When the Li Huo Cauldron was released, it expanded from its thumb-sized form, rapidly growing in the wind until it became as large as a small mountain.

The aura it emitted was terrifying, so much so that the surrounding space of the secret realm began to tremble as though it could no longer withstand the strain.

A deep roar echoed.

A Horned Dragon wreathed in green flames emerged from the cauldron's mouth and coiled around its body. Its lantern-like eyes locked onto the Xuankong Mountain Abbot below.

The dragon, which was "Yan" in its true form, appeared exhilarated.

For countless years, it had been confined. Now, it could finally manifest its true self again, reasserting its former dominance.

And this time, its re-emergence was marked by a clash with the legacy of an ancient Immortal Era—the Xuankong Mountain.

Excitement swelled in Yan’s heart.

“What is that?!”

On the ground below, Elder You’s voice trembled as he cried out upon seeing the massive cauldron appear suddenly.

“It’s a Magical Artifact, and an incredibly powerful one!”

The Tower Master of Wujian Tower, who was closely observing the sky, narrowed his eyes. His pupils emitted a dark glow as he activated a secret vision technique to get a clearer view of what was happening above.

“Someone is attacking Xuankong Mountain! It’s that Ghost-Masked Man!”

“What? Attacking Xuankong Mountain?”

Elder You was even more alarmed. He could hardly believe that anyone could invade one of the Four Great Secret Realms, let alone challenge Xuankong Mountain itself.

“That’s right! No wonder there was such an upheaval earlier. It seems this Ghost-Masked Man has put immense pressure on Xuankong Mountain!”

Though the Tower Master was shocked, his tone carried an undertone of excitement. “This might be our chance!

If that Ghost-Masked Man and Xuankong Mountain exhaust each other in battle…

We might have an opportunity to escape this secret realm!”

“To escape the secret realm?!”

Hearing this, Elder You grew equally exhilarated.

Leaving this accursed place had been the dream of countless generations of Wujian Tower Assassins.

If they could truly leave, no cost would be too great.

“Now, it all depends on how far this Ghost-Masked Man can push Xuankong Mountain!”

The Tower Master began silently praying in his heart.

Meanwhile, the other assassins, who had also been alarmed by the celestial disturbances above, heard the Tower Master’s words and felt a surge of hope.

As the members of Wujian Tower grew increasingly excited, the battle above took a dramatic turn.

When Lu Qing unleashed the Li Huo Cauldron, channeling its immense power…

The Xuankong Mountain Abbot also completed the incantation for his secret technique, his aura reaching its peak.

Through Lu Qing’s spiritual senses, he could tell the Abbot’s power was no weaker than that of the gray-robed man he had encountered previously.

“You fiend! You dare destroy the foundation of Xuankong Mountain, built over tens of thousands of years! Today, I shall take your life to repay this blood debt!”

The Abbot was now shrouded in black qi. His face had transformed into a dual-toned visage, with the left side red and the right black, exuding a ghostly, sinister aura.

Gone was the demeanor of a serene monk. His appearance now resembled that of a malevolent demon.

“Go!”

In response to the Abbot’s furious roar, Lu Qing’s expression didn’t waver in the slightest.

He formed a Hand Seal, pointing downward.

Instantly, a thunderous dragon roar shook the heavens.

The Horned Dragon, now fully in its element, let out an excited bellow as it drove the Li Huo Cauldron forward with unstoppable momentum, smashing downward from the sky.

Within a blink of an eye, the cauldron struck the Abbot’s Jade Platform.

At the last moment, a radiant barrier emerged from the massive Xuankong Mountain, rising to meet the Li Huo Cauldron.

BOOM!!!

The collision was truly earth-shattering.

The mountain-sized Li Huo Cauldron crashed into the floating giant mountain, resembling a meteor striking the earth.

The overwhelming force of the impact erupted outward, annihilating everything in its path.

Even the surrounding space began to distort and tear apart, revealing jagged black cracks.

It was clear that the clash of these two Spiritual Artifacts was too much for the secret realm to bear, causing the space itself to rupture.

The resulting shockwaves rippled down from the sky to the ground below, flattening vast stretches of mountains and valleys.

“Not good! Everyone, get down!”

The Tower Master, who had been watching the battle through his secret vision technique, suddenly shouted with a pale face.

Although the other assassins didn’t fully understand, their trust in the Tower Master made them instinctively drop to the ground.

Barely a second later, an indescribable wave of force descended from the heavens, obliterating everything in its path.

Some assassins, less fortunate, were flung into the air, coughing blood, their fates uncertain.

When the dust finally settled, the survivors of Wujian Tower struggled to their feet, only to be left utterly stunned by the sight before them.

Their base, which had been their home for generations, was now nothing but a desolate wasteland.

Countless comrades lay crushed beneath fallen boulders and giant trees, their bodies broken beyond recognition.

“What… is this?”

The assassins stared blankly at the devastation, unable to comprehend what had just transpired.

“Tower Master!”

Elder You crawled out of a dirt pit, calling out anxiously.

However, the Tower Master ignored him. Covered in dust and dirt, he stared at the sky with wide, terrified eyes, as though he had witnessed something utterly incomprehensible.

Following his gaze, Elder You turned his eyes skyward and froze.

The other assassins followed suit, and what they saw left them all trembling.

The once-mighty Xuankong Mountain, a symbol of awe and majesty that had floated above them since time immemorial, now had a massive chunk missing—a third of its body obliterated, as though bitten off by some gargantuan beast.

Rubble and debris continued to rain down from the sky, creating a scene of apocalyptic ruin.

The assassins of Wujian Tower had never witnessed such power before. It shattered their very understanding of strength.

In their hearts, only one thought echoed in bewilderment:

“What… happened up there?”

“Ah! Fiend! I shall perish with you!”

Amidst their daze, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air.

The voice, sharp and chilling like a vengeful ghost, sent shivers down the spines of all who heard it.