Over a hundred li away, Hunyuan Xianzong’s First Elder, Lei Huo, sensed the Lightning Tribulation and immediately flew to the main peak. “Who is undergoing tribulation?”
Yu Yangzi, the Sect Master of Hunyuan Xianzong, shook his head. “I do not know. It is just over a hundred li away; it likely is not a disciple of our sect.”
Whenever someone within the sect was about to undergo tribulation, they would report it immediately; after all, having the sect elders standing guard provided an extra layer of protection.
“Judging by these ripples, it should be a Jindan Lightning Tribulation.” Dongyuan Dalu had gained another Jindan cultivator.
Counting cultivators at the Jindan realm and above across Dongyuan Dalu, there were merely eleven, five of whom belonged to Hunyuan Xianzong.
Another had fallen just last month, bringing the total count to barely a handful.
Thinking of the news submitted by the sect disciples, Yu Yangzi could not help but furrow his brows.
Looking toward the direction of the Lightning Tribulation, the First Elder frowned and said, “Which sect’s disciple is actually undergoing tribulation in the mountain range? Aren’t they afraid of being attacked by Lingshou?”
Yu Yangzi pondered for a moment and said, “Take some people to check it out. No matter who it is, or which sect’s disciple they belong to, protect them if you can. Cultivating to Jindan is not easy.”
“Indeed.” The First Elder nodded, summoned several inner disciples, and flew toward the location of the Lightning Tribulation.
Yet when they arrived, they saw a half-grown child swatting a Jindan Period cultivator straight into the mountainside.
Moreover, that Jindan Period cultivator was someone he knew very well—the Second Elder of Hunyuan Xianzong, Du Yisheng.
Hiding in the shadows, Zhu Su and Lu Shuixian immediately stepped out upon seeing the First Elder of Hunyuan Xianzong arrive, their eyes burning with greed as they looked toward Shu Jianyue’s location.
The First Elder went over, helped the Second Elder up, and looked at Chaoguang, asking, “Young friend, may I ask what offense he committed to warrant such a heavy strike from you?”
Chaoguang glanced at the people he had brought, looked at him with an expressionless, frigid gaze, and said, “Peeping on my master’s tribulation with greed in his eyes. His intentions were punishable by death.”
Having caught his breath, the Second Elder’s eyes darted around, and he immediately barked, “Nonsense! This elder was merely passing through and happened to cross paths with her tribulation. How did that become peeping?”
“Furthermore, this place falls within the territory of Hunyuan Xianzong. This elder only stayed behind wishing to protect her dharma.”
Chaoguang’s expression turned even colder. “If that is so, then please leave. Master’s tribulation cannot be disturbed.”
The First Elder looked toward Shu Jianyue, who still had her back turned to them as she underwent the tribulation, his brows furrowed tightly.
Master?
Turning his gaze back toward Chaoguang, he discovered that he was also at the Jindan Period, and at the fourth stage of Jindan—merely one stage lower than himself!
Yet the aura and presence radiating from him were far greater than his own; at a glance, he was clearly out of the ordinary.
Just what kind of status did a person who took a Jindan Period cultivator as a servant possess?
“May I ask which domain Your Excellency hails from? This old man is the First Elder of Hunyuan Xianzong. Please forgive the intrusion.”
Chaoguang was a Super Divine Beast. As long as he did not wish it, no one on Dongyuan Dalu could tell he was a Divine Beast.
Seeing that Shu Jianyue had finished crossing her Lightning Tribulation, he walked toward her and took Yuchuan from her embrace.
Shielding Yuchuan from everyone’s view, Shu Jianyue handed him over and said, “Take him back first. I’ll deal with them.”
Chaoguang nodded, carried Yuchuan, and left, heading back to Fuchen Shan first.
Seeing this, Zhu Su immediately cried out, “First Elder, you cannot let them leave!”
The First Elder paused in surprise upon seeing him. “Why? Why are you two here as well?”
Seeing the Second Elder’s gaze, Zhu Su swallowed back the words on the tip of his tongue. “We just happened to come here to gain experience.”
Shu Jianyue walked over with a cold sneer. “Is your master doing well?”
Zhu Su’s eyes instantly dodged hers, but then he yelled again, “You still have the nerve to ask? You’re the one who killed my master!”
The First Elder looked at Shu Jianyue in astonishment. Zhou Rong’s death was known throughout the entire continent; his Sea of Consciousness had suffered damage, reducing him to idiocy before he fell into a snake pit and died.
For a Jindan Period cultivator, it was both ironic and tragic.
Zhou Rong had no descendants or kin, so everything he owned was inherited by Zhu Su, his disciple.
Shu Jianyue looked at him coldly. “All things have cause and effect. He planted the cause himself, so naturally, he had to swallow the fruit himself. Yet you blame me? Do you have no shame?”
“What, he didn’t succeed, so you went and found another helper?”
Shu Jianyue glanced at the Second Elder and let out a cold snort. “If you’re going to find someone, at least find someone stronger. His cultivation is on par with your master’s. Why bring him here—to offer him up on a silver platter?”
Zhu Su’s face turned green from her words. Knowing he was no match for her, and that his master’s death could not withstand close scrutiny, he turned to look at the Second Elder.
The Second Elder, meanwhile, frowned deeply. She had only just crossed the Jindan Lightning Tribulation, so how had she defeated Zhou Rong before?
Zhou Rong was at least at the third stage of Jindan, not the third stage of Zhuji.
Thinking of this, the Second Elder also looked toward Zhu Su; the boy had never told him that Zhou Rong had died at this woman’s hands.
Shu Jianyue could not care less about what had transpired between them or whatever petty schemes they harbored. In a cold voice, she said, “Remember: whoever crosses me shall be killed without mercy.”
The Second Elder averted his eyes. If she could kill Zhou Rong, she could kill him, too; after all, he was only at the third stage of Jindan as well.
Zhu Su dared not speak another word, even taking a step backward.
Shu Jianyue let out a cold snort, looked at the First Elder, and asked, “I want the deed to Fuchen Shan. Name your conditions.”
Just because she had been crossing the tribulation did not mean she hadn’t noticed what they were saying.
And this coincidence saved her the trouble of paying them a visit.
The First Elder glanced at the Second Elder and said, “If the lady wishes to have Fuchen Shan, this old man can make the decision to gift it to you.”
“No need. Name a condition.” One compromised oneself by taking things for free. Shu Jianyue thought for a moment and took out the mashed potato balls she had rolled out of boredom earlier. “How many of these would it take to trade for it?”
The First Elder accepted it with both hands. Upon touching it, he immediately felt the dense Lingqi radiating from the pill. Though he did not know what kind of pill it was, with such potent Lingqi, even if it had no other effect, it could replenish spiritual power in an instant.
“Fuchen Shan is merely a useless mortal mountain. If Your Excellency wants it, two of these pills will suffice.”
Shu Jianyue raised an eyebrow. Pills?
She glanced at the mashed potato in his hand and understood.
She had heaps of these potatoes in her space—hundreds of sacks in her small space, and plenty still unharvested in the fields.
If rolling them into balls could trade for mountains, wouldn’t she become a mountain lord!
What a bargain.
After a thought, she handed him three. “Deliver the deed tomorrow.”
The First Elder took them and nodded repeatedly. “The lady has given too much. Do you have any other requests?”
Shu Jianyue pondered. “Send over some geographical records of Dongyuan Dalu as well.”
“Oh, and I also collect various pill recipes, artifact crafting manuals, talismans, and array formation texts. If you want more of these pills, bring those to trade with me.”
The First Elder thought for a moment and said, “This matter must be reported to the Sect Master before this old man can make a decision.”
Shu Jianyue waved her hand nonchalantly. “No rush. I’ll be staying at…” Her words were cut short by an anomaly in heaven and earth.
The sky above Fuchen Shan twisted at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the surrounding Lingqi surged frantically toward that spot.
Seeing this, the First Elder’s eyes went wide. “A high-rank Lingshou must be breaking through! Quick, return to the sect and notify the Sect Master!”
“No need, I have arrived.” Yu Yangzi appeared beside him, gazing up at that patch of sky.
“That is no ordinary Lingshou, but an entity of the Divine Beast level, and most likely an adult Divine Beast. It is best not to provoke it.”
No matter how high a Lingshou’s rank was, it could not stir the anomalous movement of the heavenly laws—not even a Xianshou could. He had witnessed a high-rank Xianshou breaking through in Zhonglingyu, yet it had not caused such an anomaly.
Presumably, this was the Divine Beast cub the disciple had spoken of, but judging by this commotion, it was definitely not in its cub stage.
With a Divine Beast appearing in Dongyuan Dalu, peaceful days were likely at an end.