Cultivation: Fortune by Lots-Chapter 447 - 242. Mastering the Celestial Master Seal (Combined Chapters)_4

There, sword Qi coursed through the air, and the raging snowstorm turned instantly into a still mountain of snow. The towering snow mountain blocked the incoming arrows.

Beams of light, like shooting stars ripping through the sky, exploded upon contact with the snow mountain, but the mountain too collapsed, shattering into a field of ice and snow.

Behind the snow mountain appeared a man in his fifties, of scholarly appearance but with a sharp glint in his eyes. It was Lin Litao of the Youzhou Forest Clan, an elder of the family.

His gaze moved between the source of the arrows and the Golden Green Taiji Diagram in the sky.

From within the Tai Chi Diagram, Tang Xiaotang’s voice came in a low chuckle, apparently displeased.

Another woman’s voice sounded in the distance, "Celestial Master, there’s no need to be polite with me." A woman dressed in hunting attire and holding a longbow then appeared; it was Chu Yu from Suzhou.

"We haven’t seen each other for a while, and you’ve become even more annoying," Tang Xiaotang said, clearly irritated.

Chu Yu smiled faintly, unconcerned. "I was held up a bit earlier."

In one hand, she held her bow, and in the other, she gripped an arrow. On the arrow, something appeared to be impaled. Upon closer inspection, it was actually the head of a monk!

The old monk’s eyes were wide open in anger, but he was devoid of life. He was an elder from the Great Void Temple, a Seventh Heavenly Layer expert, Jixin Fawang.

The Great Void Temple’s main focus was still on their old enemy, the Buddhist Sacred Land, and they had not sent any masters of the Eighth Heavenly Layer to lead the way to the Northern Border. The matters here were handled by Jixin Fawang. He and his disciples had been scattered around the outskirts of these snowy ridges, waiting for an opportunity to act. But now, he had become a soul claimed by Chu Yu’s arrow.

"I didn’t expect that Chengming and Haiyuan would actually join hands with the Demon Monks from the Great Void Temple," said Chu Yu, eyeing Lin Che, Lin Litao, and the others on the opposite side.

"Shuyin, you misunderstand," Lin Che and Lin Yuwei both said with somber faces. "We were only settling personal grievances with the Long Hu Mountain Celestial Master and had no idea that Jixin Fawang would suddenly intervene."

"How about you all accompany me to the capital for a royal audience? We can have His Majesty judge all matters," suggested Chu Yu.

Lin Litao’s gaze was piercing as he stared directly at Chu Yu. "The death of Elder Likong, was it also by your hand?"

Chu Yu’s eyes flashed. "Oh?"

Lin Litao burst forth with sword Qi, and the blizzard reappeared, his intense gaze bearing down on Chu Yu.

But just then, far away atop Great Black Mountain, the sky once again roiled with wind and clouds, forming a massive pillar of energy that pierced the heavens and earth. At the same time, a halo of light, like ripples on water, emanated from the center of the pillar and spread out in all directions. From within these ripples, a figure stepped out.

Lin Litao was relatively close by and immediately struck out with his sword. His attack was a blend of offense and defense, with raging winds to face the enemy and ice and snow to protect himself.

However, the figure flashed suddenly and was already close, a Verdant Green Sea of Fire unfolding in the sky, turning the entire firmament green. Within the sea of fire, several mountain-sized verdant flame tigers emerged, encircling Lin Litao while also surging towards Lin Che and Lin Yuwei in the distance.

"Xu Yuanzhen?" Lin Yuwei’s complexion changed drastically. Lin Che let out a long sigh, suddenly seeming much older. "...A Taoist Sect Ninth Heavenly Layer?!"

With Lin Litao managing to stall for a moment, Lin Che and Lin Yuwei also realized that Xu Yuanzhen was completely different from how she was at Poyang Lake. The best course of action for them now was not to attack first or defend, but to flee immediately. The two Lin Clan Elders from Jiangzhou retreated at the first opportunity.

"Senior Sister!" Tang Xiaotang, now with golden hair and eyebrows, revealed her figure and called out loudly.

Chu Yu glanced at Lin Litao, who was now surrounded by Xu Yuanzhen’s sea of fire, and said, "Xu Xianzi, there is a report that Lin Huan of Yanran Mountain in Youzhou will come out of the mountains in person!"

"Lin Huan is coming out of the mountains?" Xu Yuanzhen had been focused on the fleeing Lin Che, but upon hearing this, she immediately turned around, her gaze bright and cold.

She tossed a spear-like object, known as the "Barbarian Spearhead," to Tang Xiaotang. "We’ll chat more later."

Catching the object and sensing the principles and artistic conception within, Tang Xiaotang was briefly surprised but quickly regained her composure. "Alright! But don’t you go missing again this time!"

Without another word, she turned and chased after Lin Che.

Chu Yu was initially puzzled but did not ask further and, looking thoughtful, similarly turned to leave.

Once they had gone, Lei Jun arrived from the direction of Great Black Mountain. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

As Xu Yuanzhen continued to roast Lin Litao, an Eighth Heavenly Layer Great Scholar, alive with the Nine Abyss True Fire, she said, "You should also go to Jiangzhou this trip."

Lei Jun pondered. "Senior Sister, it is said that injuring ten fingers is not as effective as cutting off one."

Xu Yuanzhen smiled. "My appetite happens to be quite large."

Her smile, however one looked at it, was filled with nothing but malice.

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow, then departed without hesitation.

He sped southward like lightning and contacted Tang Xiaotang and the Dragon Tiger Mountain sect ahead of him.

Tang Xiaotang pursued Lin Che, who was fleeing toward the ancestral lands of Jiangzhou.

"Master, bring the Celestial Master’s Sword to Jiangzhou and wait for me!" Tang Xiaotang sent the Decree of the Celestial Master back to the mountain.

At Dragon Tiger Mountain, Yuan Mobai, Yao Yuan, and Shangguan Ning, the three High Merit Elders left behind, received Tang Xiaotang’s message with serious expressions.

"It is certainly a joyous event that Yuan Zhen has taken another step in her cultivation, but it is not without its downsides. A tall tree catches the wind; this is inevitable. It will be quite difficult for Our Sect to lay low and recuperate. Even if we manage today, we must remain vigilant at all times."

Shangguan Ning spoke calmly, "We now have a rare opportunity to strike quickly. If we can seize it and neutralize Jiangzhou’s Lin Clan, we will gain an overall advantage. One step ahead means every step will be ahead, which will benefit us in the long run. The problem is..."

She looked at Yuan Mobai and Yao Yuan. "Jiangzhou has been managed by the Lin Clan for many years, and their ancestral land is as formidable as our Ancestral Courtyard of the Sect. Furthermore, they possess their family scriptures and the Dragon Serpent Pen. As long as Jiangzhou stands, even if Lin Che falls outside, it will remain a thorn in our side."