Two Realms High Martial Arts: Gathering the Heavens to Become a Great Luo Immortal

Chapter 265 Defeating the Celestial Master with One Finger, Asking the Dao at Longhu Mountain (4.2k)

Several days passed in the blink of an eye.

With all matters in Guangfu County settled, Li Xijun entrusted Tang Yongzhen with handling the remaining trivial matters in consultation with each family. He then rewarded the families, such as Huang and Ye, who had made contributions with appropriate guidance or tokens containing a trace of spiritual power.

Although these tokens are not as powerful as the "Golden Emperor's Sword" bestowed upon the Lin family, they each have their own unique uses, such as protection or gathering spiritual energy. These are enough to make these families feel deeply grateful and understand the importance of clinging to the coattails of this newly promoted True Monarch.

When it was time to say goodbye, Situ Wenyan personally saw him off. The two Manifestation Saints stood on the clouds and exchanged a few words.

Situ Wenyan again subtly mentioned the matter of Longhu Mountain, implying that it was fraught with danger and that everyone should be cautious.

Li Xijun thanked him for his kindness, saying that he knew what he was doing, and then transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into the horizon.

For him, achieving divine accomplishments and soaring through the heavens was as natural as breathing.

With a single thought, one can travel a thousand miles in an instant.

However, Li Xijun did not rush on his way to Longhu Mountain.

He deliberately restrained his breathing and slowed down, like a traveler who had finally unloaded a heavy burden and wanted to enjoy the scenery along the way, slowly washing away the tension and fighting of the past year amidst the mountains and rivers.

He sometimes rides the wind, his figure dancing with the clouds, looking down at the magnificent landscape unfolding like a scroll below.

Sometimes, he would descend from the clouds and rent a simple awning boat on the vast, misty river, drifting downstream, gazing up at the bright moon and the glittering Milky Way in the night sky, feeling the natural gifts of "the gentle breeze on the river and the bright moon in the mountains, which the ear hears as sound and the eye sees as color," and his mind would become increasingly clear and serene.

When he was in a particularly good mood, he would simply act like an ordinary wandering scholar, carrying a bamboo staff and wearing straw sandals, and stroll leisurely along the official road or mountain path.

He followed his heart along the way.

When encountering demons that wreak havoc on the village, he would slay them with a single sword stroke; when faced with bandits who robbed the road, he would punish them lightly and save the frightened caravan.

After five leisurely days, Li Xijun felt as if his soul had been cleansed, becoming clearer and more transparent, and his connection with heaven and earth and nature became more acute.

On this day, in the perfect afternoon sun, Li Xijun, dressed in a worn-out raincoat and wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat, looking like an inconspicuous wanderer or traveler, arrived at the foot of Longhu Mountain.

Longhu Mountain, as the ancestral home of the Taoist talisman school, has been a paradise for immortals and a blessed land since ancient times.

Looking out, one sees the mountains with their unique and rugged shapes, their peaks layered and verdant, resembling dragons coiled and tigers crouching, displaying a myriad of magnificent sights.

The mountains are shrouded in mist and clouds, with spiritual energy forming rosy clouds. Pavilions and towers can be vaguely seen nestled among the pines and cypresses, and the sounds of cranes and monkeys can be faintly heard. It is truly a fairyland and a place for Taoist practitioners to cultivate in seclusion.

At the mountain gate, a huge stone archway stands majestically, inscribed with four ancient seal characters: "Wanfa Zongtan" (Temple of Ten Thousand Laws), written with vigorous strokes and faintly visible thunder patterns.

Beneath the archway, two young disciples, dressed in standard blue Taoist robes and with cultivation levels around the Opening Acupoint Realm, stood on the left and right.

Their faces still held a touch of childishness, but their eyes possessed the composure of disciples from prestigious sects. However, the task of guarding the mountain gate was truly tedious, and at this moment, they inevitably became somewhat listless and bored.

Above them, about three zhang high, was a huge, smooth, flat rock, like a natural grandstand.

A Taoist priest dressed in a purple cloud-patterned robe, with a youthful face but an aura that had already reached the level of a Nascent Soul True Person, was leaning against a rock, one hand behind his head, eyes closed in meditation, his posture quite relaxed, even carrying a hint of arrogance.

This person is Zhang Lingfeng, the nephew of the current Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain, a true direct descendant of the Zhang family.

Because of his talent and status as a direct descendant, he was pampered in the sect from a young age, which fostered his arrogant nature.

When the imperial eunuch Hua came to deliver an imperial decree, he was dissatisfied with Hua's words and brazenly attacked him, injuring him. Although it was not fatal, it was still a taboo, and he was punished by the elders of the sect to guard this mountain gate for three months, euphemistically called "tempering his character".

He had a very high opinion of himself and usually disdained to talk to the two ordinary mountain-guarding disciples who were like menial servants. He didn't even bother to give them a second glance and just sat in meditation or pretended to sleep on his high place.

At this moment, seeing that no one was around, the two disciples at the foot of the mountain began to talk in hushed tones again. The topic was naturally the major event that had recently shaken the entire cultivation world and was even widely circulated among mortals.

"Junior Brother Zhao, have you heard the rumors circulating outside from the disciples these past few days?"

The slightly older Senior Brother Wang lowered his voice, his face full of excitement and longing, "My God... that True Lord Li Xijun from Guangfu County has truly manifested his divine power!"

"A single statue of the heart is two hundred feet tall, integrating the traditions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism; it is simply unheard of."

"It is said that he even killed Hong Tianwang, who was known as the 'Second Son of Light' and a First-Rank Angel, with a single move."

"That was a Sequence One cultivator, equivalent to our Manifestation True Lord! And he was just killed like that!"

Zhao Shidi, who was even younger, listened with shining eyes and excitedly replied:

"It's not just something I've heard about; storytellers in teahouses and taverns are telling this story now."

"It is said that Li Zhenjun is like a god descending to earth. When his mind manifests, the world changes color. The monster that Hong Tianwang transformed into is as thin as paper in front of him."

"Senior Brother Wang, do you think there's any chance, even just a tiny bit of possibility, that we could cultivate to the Manifestation Realm in this lifetime? How glorious that would be!"

Upon hearing this, Senior Brother Wang immediately patted Junior Brother's shoulder and said helplessly:

"Junior brother, you've only been a beginner for a short time and don't yet understand the difficulties involved."

"The Manifestation Saint True Lord is an existence that is as revered as Heaven and Earth. Our two ancestors of Longhu Mountain are at that level."

"For us, being able to cultivate peacefully to the Fetal Breathing Realm and become an inner sect steward in this lifetime is already a stroke of good fortune."

"As for True Lord—Penpen, he is a star in the sky; we can just look up at him."

"But Li Zhenjun's cultivation speed is terrifying!" Junior Brother Zhao was still immersed in shock.

"Two years ago, when he was in Tianjin, he was said to have just begun practicing the 'Purification and Meditation' technique. A year ago, in the Imperial Palace, he became a Martial Saint and a True Person Who Has Astral Projection!"

"He disappeared for a year and then suddenly appeared as a deity! Is this really something a human could do? Senior Brother Wang, do you think he might really be the reincarnation of some ancient powerful being, or perhaps he received some heaven-defying destiny?"

The more they talked, the more incredible it seemed to them, filled with an indescribable envy and curiosity about Li Xijun's legendary experiences.

Just then, a disdainful snort came from the rocks above.

Zhang Lingfeng opened his eyes at some point, looking down at his two disciples with a condescending gaze, a mocking smirk playing on his lips.

"Reincarnation of an ancient powerful being... a destiny with immortals... You two fools can only dream of such things!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached both of their ears clearly, carrying an innate sense of superiority:

"Such an abnormally fast cultivation speed is absolutely impossible without possessing an earth-shattering secret or an extraordinary opportunity!"

"What reincarnation or destiny? It's nothing but the wishful thinking of fools. If only we could know its origins sooner and find that opportunity, hehe..."

A glint of undisguised greed flashed in his eyes. "Let alone me, Zhang Lingfeng, even you dull-witted, rotten-wood fellows might be able to seize that opportunity, leap over the dragon gate, and be qualified to peek at the threshold of the Manifestation Realm."

As he spoke, a dark fantasy involuntarily began to form in his mind:

"What a pity! What a real pity!"

"If I had known of Li Xijun's existence earlier, I would have descended the mountain a few years sooner. With the methods of Longhu Mountain, I could have captured him, searched his soul, and forced him to reveal all his secrets."

"Then, isn't the now renowned and revered True Lord of Manifestation myself?"

At that time, all those sect rules and elder punishments will be utter nonsense!

However, just as this greedy and dark thought arose, Zhang Lingfeng suddenly shivered, a chill running down his spine.

Although he was arrogant, he was not entirely brainless, nor was he a fool who loved to indulge in unrealistic daydreams.

How could such an outrageous and malevolent fantasy suddenly arise today?

He even couldn't help but get serious with the two useless disciples he usually looked down on.

This is too unusual! Something fishy must be going on!

A chill ran through him as an ominous premonition enveloped his heart. He instinctively reached for the sect's secret divination technique to calculate whether he had been affected by anything or was about to suffer a calamity.

Just as his fingertips moved and his mind was not yet fully absorbed in the divination, the straw-clothed man who had been standing quietly at the foot of the mountain, seemingly blending into his surroundings, suddenly raised his head.

A handsome young man's face was revealed in the shadow of his straw hat.

He spoke, his voice calm yet carrying a power that penetrated to the core: "Gentlemen, is this Longhu Mountain?"

The voice seemed to possess a magical power; the two disciples guarding the mountain were startled and almost involuntarily blurted out, "It is indeed Dragon Tiger Immortal Mountain!"

The man in the straw raincoat pointed again at Zhang Lingfeng, whose expression had slightly changed on the rock, and continued to ask:

"That man up there, with such an extraordinary air about him, why is he also on duty here?"

Senior Brother Wang seemed to have lost his soul, and stammered:

"That's Uncle Zhang Lingfeng. He... he violated the sect rules by injuring Eunuch Hua, who was sent by the imperial court to deliver an imperial decree. He was punished by the elders to guard the mountain gate here and temper his character."

Upon hearing this, Li Xijun nodded slightly, turned her gaze to Zhang Lingfeng on the rocks, and chuckled softly.

The laughter was very soft, as if it were just a casual remark.

But to Zhang Lingfeng, it sounded like the coldest ice in the underworld, or like a bolt from the blue, making his hair stand on end and his blood seem to freeze instantly.

He finally understood!

My unusual evil thought just now did not arise out of thin air, but was a sign of impending doom. My poor character caused it to arise and bring about my calamity!

In this way, the person in front of you is your own...

"Who—who are you?" Zhang Lingfeng was horrified.

His voice changed tone as he shouted angrily while simultaneously slapping his storage bag at his waist, instantly summoning a flying sword that glowed with purple light and was coiled with electric snakes.

He dared not have the slightest thought of resistance. His figure transformed into a streak of light as he prepared to flee for his life on his flying sword toward the sect's main hall on the mountain.

At the same time, he frantically sent a message up the mountain with his soul: "Father! Elders, a powerful enemy is attacking, save us—"

However, his cries for help and his attempts to escape came to an abrupt halt the next moment.

Because, right above Longhu Mountain, the originally clear sky suddenly changed color.

An invisible pressure swept down like a tide, enveloping the entire mountain gate area.

A towering figure, two hundred feet tall, wearing a "Sage's Crown" symbolizing the pinnacle of Confucianism and a "Robe of Myriad Images" woven from countless Buddhist Sanskrit and Taoist cloud script characters, exuding an awe-inspiring and majestic aura that encompasses the three religions, governs heaven and earth, and possesses supreme majesty, appeared as if descending from another dimension, forcefully tearing open the sky above this place!

The image of the heart is like an ancient god who created the world, quietly looking down at Longhu Mountain below.

"Originally, you injured the imperial messenger, disregarding the law. Considering the reputation of Longhu Mountain, I only intended to give you a minor punishment as a warning."

Li Xijun's voice resounded throughout the heavens and earth, like a heavenly emperor with the mandate of heaven in his mouth.

"Your fate is sealed, yet you still harbor such thoughts towards me; you truly deserve to die!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the gaze of the Heart Image became tangible, piercing through the void and accurately locking onto Zhang Lingfeng, who was fleeing like a wolf and a fox.

Immediately, the towering statue of the heart slowly raised a finger.

The finger seemed to move slowly, containing a kind of profound simplicity, but it instantly ignored the distance of space, as if the whole world was in its palm, and pressed down on Zhang Lingfeng, whose face was ashen and whose eyes were filled with extreme fear!

"Fellow Daoist, please show mercy!"

"Outrageous! How dare you commit violence in Longhu Mountain!"

Almost simultaneously, angry shouts erupted from several directions deep within Longhu Mountain.

One of the equally massive, monstrous figures, crackling with raging silver lightning and resembling a thunder god wielding divine punishment, soared into the sky amidst thunderous roars, attempting to intercept the pressed-down finger.

That was because the reclusive sage Taishang Yong from Longhu Mountain was disturbed and attacked in anger!

However, when faced with Li Xijun's finger, the seemingly powerful Thunder Heart Form was instantly shattered upon contact, with thunder wailing and lightning breaking apart inch by inch.

The illusory image of the old man, which had manifested his divine power, shook violently and let out a muffled groan. It was actually repelled by an irresistible and overwhelming force, and its light dimmed a bit!

Li Xijun's finger, its momentum undiminished, still carried an indifferent yet absolute will as it gently pressed down on Zhang Lingfeng, who was already paralyzed with despair and unable to even scream.

"No! I am a direct descendant of the Celestial Master, you can't kill me!" Zhang Lingfeng cried out in despair.

"puff!"

There was no earth-shattering explosion, no dazzling energy surge. Under that finger that seemed to represent order and judgment, Zhang Lingfeng's body, the huge boulder beneath his feet, the purple flying sword he summoned, and even the space around him, were all wiped away as if they had been erased. They silently turned into the finest dust, dissipating into the universe without leaving a trace.

It was as if nothing had ever existed there.

Li Xijun's illusory image slowly dissipated, and the sky returned to clarity, as if everything just now was merely an illusion.

He remained standing in the same spot, brushing off non-existent dust from his raincoat as if he had merely swatted a buzzing fly.

In the silence, he raised his head, his gaze calmly fixed on the Dragon Tiger Mountain sect deep within the clouds, whose presence had already been disturbed. His voice was not loud, but it clearly resonated throughout the entire mountain range, carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"Is this how Longhu Mountain treats its guests? I have come here today to inquire."

The mountain wind howled, sweeping past the silent mountain gate.

Only the two disciples guarding the mountain remained, slumped on the ground, pale and trembling, looking at the figure in the straw raincoat and bamboo hat as if he were a real god.

The millennia-old majesty of Longhu Mountain was utterly crushed in this moment by a single person and a single finger.