Cultivation: Fortune by Lots-Chapter 376 - 218. The first Third Heaven Cultivator I personally took down
Yuan Shanji and Xiong Gang fled, while Sang Lu and Li Tianqing focused on their pursuit. The Samsara Abyss Elder, Sun Li, on the other hand, temporarily remained beneath the earth veins near the Zhu An River area.
Yang Tai knew the other party was attempting to plunder, even hijack, his Ritual Instrument. The original Ritual Instrument was intended for Cultivators of the Confucian Sect. Although the Taoist Heritage of the Confucian Chanting Sect and the Divine Dance Lineage of the Witchcraft Sect (which centered on Witchcraft Spirits) shared some commonalities, they were notably different from the Curse-Proclaiming Lineage of the Samsara Abyss, which involved Witchcraft Bones. Yang Tai couldn’t figure out what Sun Li was up to at that moment, nor did he intend to pursue the matter. He opted to leave the area first and deal with it later.
Lei Jun glanced at the badly damaged Zhu’an Mountain and the Zhu An River basin. He then withdrew his gaze without probing further, his goal clear and his attention focused on Yang Tai. With practiced ease, he used the Wind-Thunder Talisman and Teng Snake Bone, also borrowing the power of the Breathing Soil Banner. Employing these multiple methods to conceal his form, he quietly followed Yang Tai and the other members of the Sui Dynasty. His plan was to move further from Sang Lu, Yuan Shanji, and Sun Li before taking action to avoid unnecessary complications.
However, as he pursued, Lei Jun realized that someone else, aside from himself, had also set their sights on Yang Tai.
After they crossed a mountain ridge, a swath of red suddenly appeared in the wilderness, as if the earth itself were oozing blood. Then, a turbulent Blood River burst forth from underground, ferociously swallowing several of Yang Tai’s attendants.
"Elder Tu, what do you think you’re doing?" Yang Tai remained outwardly calm despite the sudden change, not showing anger, but a cold light flickered in his eyes.
A middle-aged man’s figure emerged from the Blood River; it was clearly Tu Dong, an Elder of the Blood River Sect, who had previously fled from the depths of the Zhu An River. No one had expected that after fleeing in disarray from beneath the Zhu An River just moments before, he would launch a surprise counter-attack, specifically targeting Yang Tai, the direct heir of the Sui Dynasty.
"Regarding the Ritual Instrument beneath the earth vein of Zhu’an Mountain earlier, there are some things I wish to discuss further with Young Master Yang," Tu Dong said with a smile.
This Blood River Sect Elder was actually in a terrible state. He had been caught off guard by the Samsara Abyss Elder Sun Li, whose Cultivation Strength was greater, and had been injured as a result. Tu Dong now looked pale and appeared quite weak. Even the ominous Blood Sea that had once seemed to cover the sky was nowhere to be seen; only a few Blood Rivers crisscrossed around him.
But his actions were even more ruthless. Since his appearance, the surrounding Blood Rivers, like beasts choosing their prey, continuously swallowed Yang Tai’s attendants. The Blood Rivers did not stop even as he conversed with Yang Tai. As the Blood Rivers continued to devour the vital essence and blood of living people, nourishing him in return, Tu Dong’s complexion immediately improved, gaining a bit more color and no longer looking as pale as before.
"Elder Tu, you are now completely loyal to Sect Leader Wei," Yang Tai remarked, his voice calm. He unsheathed the long sword at his waist, and the surging Sword Qi of a Confucian Scholarly Swordsman transformed into a long river, intercepting the Blood River that rushed toward him.
Tu Dong’s injuries were not light, and his Blood River Secret Technique was no longer as fierce as before. Thus, Yang Tai, at the Sixth Heavenly Realm, could now use his own river of Sword Qi to contend with the foul Blood River. However, he couldn’t protect the others around him and watched as, one after another, the members of the Sui Dynasty contingent were swallowed by the Blood Rivers.
"Young Master Yang, you jest. Whoever can bring fresh blood and slaughter to the Blood River is a fitting Lord of Blood River." Tu Dong waved his hand, and two Blood Rivers interlocked, forming an encirclement that trapped Yang Tai. "A world of slaughter and fresh blood, of life withering," Tu Dong declared, "such is the Land of Bliss for our kind."
Yang Tai said, "Although we have some differences, we are not necessarily enemies."
Unexpectedly, Tu Dong nodded. "Sect Leader Wei also said this, and I have no objections." But then his tone changed. "However, today I must ask Young Master Yang to leave behind the Dragon Eye Point."
Before Yang Tai could respond, Tu Dong spoke first, "Although that fellow Sun Li reaped the initial benefits, my eyes see clearly, Young Master Yang. You withdrew in time and still retained something. The Dragon Eye Point may be your family’s ancestral treasure, true, but my cultivation in the Blood River Taoist Heritage means it’s not entirely useless to me either!"
Upon hearing this, Yang Tai’s expression remained unchanged, but his heart sank. When he had discovered Tu Dong and Sun Li causing trouble, he had made the decisive choice to withdraw immediately, without the slightest hesitation. Although Sun Li had benefited from the sacrifice related to the earth vein beneath Zhu’an Mountain, Yang Tai’s decisive withdrawal had allowed him to preserve the Spiritual Object, the Dragon Eye Point, in his possession. The Spiritual Objects and resources required for the sacrifice were rare and valuable. Having missed this opportunity, he didn’t know how long it would take to prepare again. However, with the most precious Dragon Eye Point still in hand, a glimmer of hope remained.
Unfortunately, even though Tu Dong had been left in a miserable state by Sun Li, as a Great Witch of the Upper Three Heavens, his insight and perception remained sharp, and he had immediately pursued Yang Tai. Although he was not keen on creating an outright rift with the direct lineage of Sheng Kang, in these turbulent times of chaotic Spiritual Energy, the habitually lawless and vicious Blood River Sect Elder certainly didn’t mind resorting to a double-cross.
Regrettably for Tu Dong, his strength was greatly diminished due to the severe injuries inflicted by Sun Li, preventing him from overpowering Yang Tai immediately. Tu Dong was in no hurry. He first used his Blood River Secret Technique to kill Yang Tai’s attendants, refining and absorbing their vital essence and blood to replenish himself. His complexion gained more color, and the multiple Blood Rivers swelled in strength, beginning to converge once more into a menacing Blood Sea.
Lei Jun, watching from a distance, calmly observed this scene. Elder Tu of the Blood River Sect was effectively demonstrating for him a taste of the chaos and bloodshed within the Southern Witch Sect. Hearing the name Dragon Eye Point further confirmed Lei Jun’s earlier judgment. Yang Tai’s venture to the Zhu An River area was indeed part of another plan.
With multiple nodes intended to destabilize the Mountain and River Ley Lines having been destroyed by Lei Jun, Shen Qubing, Xiao Xueting, Yuan Mobai, and others, the direct descendants of the Sui Dynasty had been forced to fall back on a secondary plan. Unable to establish a new National Fate Dragon Vein, they now planned to redirect the Earth Vein Spiritual Qi to enact another kind of Ritual Instrument.
