“Just as expected…”

Seeing that his method worked, Lei Jun held the Upper Qing Golden Bamboo like a fishing rod, cautiously retreating step by step. It felt as if an invisible fishing line connected them. The "swimming fish" twisted and struggled, seemingly unwilling to be caught.

Observing this, Lei Jun brandished the Vermilion-Tipped Brush in his hand. However, he didn’t inscribe any talismans but merely waved it in the air. This action seemed to attach a second invisible fishing line to the "swimming fish."

With another pull, the "swimming fish" finally, albeit reluctantly, was dragged out of the sea of flames. The golden light approached Lei Jun, who swiftly stowed away the Vermilion-Tipped Brush and prepared to absorb the golden light with a Spirit Gathering Talisman.

Unexpectedly, his palm suddenly burned hot. Lei Jun quickly flicked his hand, sending the Spirit Gathering Talisman flying. It ignited mid-air, reducing to ashes. The fish-like golden light seized the opportunity and attempted to escape back into the sea of flames.

Lei Jun swung the short rod in his hand, landing a solid strike. The golden light’s movement slowed immediately, as if stuck to the short rod. Only then did Lei Jun have a chance to closely examine the golden light.

It wasn’t an actual fish or a living creature but a stream of luminous energy, brimming with spirituality, as though it had a life and mind of its own. As it adhered to the short rod, the golden light gradually shifted from ethereal to solid, resembling a translucent spiritual jade. The jade appeared fiery red, with a golden, liquid-like core flowing inside, exuding a radiant brilliance. It bore a resemblance to half of a Taiji Yin-Yang Fish, radiating an intense and pure Yang energy.

[Fire Essence Yang Fish]

The term surfaced in Lei Jun’s mind, accompanied by a sudden epiphany—this was the Fourth-Grade Opportunity mentioned in the Supreme Good Omen he had drawn earlier. Gazing at the Fire Essence Yang Fish stuck to the Upper Qing Golden Bamboo, Lei Jun reminded himself that merely having an opportunity wasn’t enough; only securing it would make it his own.

For this success, he owed much to his master, Yuan Mobai. Lei Jun speculated that his ability to "fish" out this Fire Essence Yang Fish today might have stemmed from the groundwork laid by Yuan Mobai when opening the Xuanyang Grotto-Heaven. Both the Upper Qing Golden Bamboo and the Vermilion-Tipped Brush were treasures crafted by Yuan Mobai, their innate affinity with the Fire Essence Yang Fish allowing Lei Jun to capture it successfully.

Of course, had Lei Jun chosen to remain idle at the sect instead of coming to the Yang Mountain Branch, this Fourth-Grade Opportunity might not have waited indefinitely.

“The question now is how to store it.”

Lei Jun channeled his mana, continuously activating the spiritual energy of the Upper Qing Golden Bamboo. The previously dull surface of the rod began to shimmer with a faint golden light, not the fleeting flash from before but a sustained glow. Influenced by this spiritual energy, the Fire Essence Yang Fish reverted to its luminous form but didn’t escape. Instead, it behaved like a fish being guided into a basket, gradually encased by the Upper Qing Golden Bamboo.

Lei Jun maintained this state with his mana, ensuring the Fire Essence Yang Fish was properly stored. Meanwhile, Qu Yong, who had been lying unconscious nearby, slowly regained consciousness.

“What happened? Wait, I think someone ambushed me…”

Qu Yong was barely awake, his thoughts still muddled, when a familiar, spine-chilling sensation gripped him. His scalp tingled as goosebumps spread across his skin.

“Thud!”

Before Qu Yong could fully open his eyes, a sharp pain shot through the back of his head—it felt exactly like the last time. Someone had clubbed him again!

“Who the hell is it?!”

Qu Yong collapsed, his vision darkening. He gritted his teeth and struggled to turn over.

“Thud!”

Another blow landed on his head.

“Ugh…” Qu Yong’s eyes rolled back as he passed out again. Behind him, Lei Jun casually lowered the Command Flag in his left hand, shifting his focus back to the Upper Qing Golden Bamboo in his right.

After some effort, Lei Jun successfully stored the Fire Essence Yang Fish using the bamboo rod. The fish, capable of shifting between tangible and intangible states, had now transformed into a concentrated essence of Yang energy, temporarily merging with the Upper Qing Golden Bamboo. Lei Jun knew he could retrieve it later when needed.

Given the uncertain environment outside, Lei Jun decided not to refine the Fire Essence Yang Fish immediately, opting to wait until conditions were more stable.

“Wasn’t the treasure Chen Yi obtained from Senior Brother related to the Xuanyang Grotto-Heaven too? It was called Fire Essence Crystal?”

Lei Jun arched an eyebrow. “Fire Essence Crystal, Fire Essence Yang Fish…”

If Chen Yi had also come to the Yang Mountain Branch and entered the Xuanyang Grotto-Heaven, comparing whose fishing gear and bait were better would have been interesting. From this perspective, this Supreme Good Omen and Fourth-Grade Opportunity might have been within Chen Yi’s grasp as well.

However, caught up in the sect’s internal factional struggles, Chen Yi had chosen to align with all sides instead of staying out of the fray like Lei Jun. As a result, he missed this opportunity in the Grotto-Heaven. Still, Lei Jun couldn’t definitively say Chen Yi made the wrong choice. Everyone had their path, and Chen Yi had gained some benefits by maneuvering between factions before stepping on a landmine.

From this incident, Lei Jun speculated that Chen Yi’s talent might lie in real-time detection or information gathering rather than foresight. Unless, of course, being confined by Elder Yao was all part of Chen Yi’s grand plan.

Shaking his head, Lei Jun dismissed these thoughts. After tidying up, he discarded the Command Flag taken from a Yellow Heaven Sect disciple and carried the unconscious Qu Yong toward the Grotto-Heaven entrance.

The entrance remained blocked by surging earth flames, cutting off access from both sides. Unbothered, Lei Jun dropped Qu Yong and affixed another Warding Talisman to himself before quietly meditating and cultivating.

After some time, Qu Yong woke up groggily once more. His instincts led him to clutch his head.

“Senior Brother Qu?”

Hearing the voice, Qu Yong froze before turning his head. Under the firelight, Lei Jun’s complexion appeared pale and fatigued.

“Lei… Junior Brother Lei?” Qu Yong clutched his head and looked around, but the pain quickly forced him to cradle the back of his head again.

Lei Jun said calmly, “Senior Brother Qu, don’t move. You’ve suffered a head injury. I didn’t have proper medicine with me, so I gave you some basic treatment.”

Qu Yong winced. “Yeah… someone ambushed me, struck me on the head!”

Lei Jun remained composed. “When I arrived, you were already on the ground, with two Yellow Heaven Sect cultists behind you. Fortunately, your life was spared.”

“Two of them… right, it was two! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have fallen—I even prepared a Golden Barrier Talisman!”

Qu Yong touched the back of his head, finding three swollen lumps. His fury surged as he remembered one of the Yellow Heaven Sect disciples wielding a Command Flag, clearly identifying the assailant.

“They even tried to attack you! I managed to stop them, but I couldn’t handle both at once. Fortunately, the earth flames in the Xuanyang Grotto-Heaven eliminated them.”

Qu Yong sighed in relief, then looked around again. “You moved me here after I was knocked out?”

Lei Jun nodded. “This area has fewer flames, so it’s easier to keep watch over you.”

Qu Yong felt a twinge of embarrassment. “Junior Brother Lei, thank you. Without you, I’d either be killed by those cultists or burned alive.”

Lei Jun responded, “Senior Brother Qu, there’s no need to thank me. We’re fellow disciples.”

As they spoke, the flames within the Grotto-Heaven began to subside. The earth flames at the entrance dissipated, and soon, others from the sect entered the Xuanyang Grotto-Heaven.

Lei Jun and Qu Yong looked over simultaneously. The newcomers weren’t foes from the Yellow Heaven Sect but their fellow disciples from the Tianshi Mansion.

“Are you two alright?” The leader, clad in a deep red Daoist robe and exuding a stern demeanor, was none other than Li Xuan, the eldest son of Elder Ziyang and a Talismanic Disciple of the Tianshi Mansion.