This celestial master cultivates both physical and magical arts; why did you provoke him?

Xia En threw out a second golden talisman.

"The second level, the suppression."

The talisman transformed into a massive golden mountain, descending from the sky and pressing down on the claw.

The mountain peak was as heavy as a thousand pounds, pressing down on the claw, causing its scales to shatter and black blood to splatter.

The roar turned into screams of agony.

Xia En threw out the third golden talisman.

"The third level, annihilation."

The talisman transformed into a golden star.

No, not stars, but the sun.

A miniature sun floats in the center of the underground palace, radiating heat strong enough to melt everything.

The golden light was blinding, and the heat was intense. The claw began to melt, the scales turned into black water, and the black water evaporated into nothingness.

"No--!!!"

A final scream echoed from underground.

Then, everything fell silent.

The claws disappeared.

The black mist dissipated.

The crack has closed.

All that remained in the underground palace was the enormous magic circle and the golden sun that was slowly shrinking.

Xia En stood in the center of the magic circle, covered in sweat, his Taoist robe soaked through, and his hair steaming.

But his eyes were bright, as bright as a miniature sun.

He took a deep breath and clasped his hands together.

"receive."

The magic circle began to shrink, and more than a hundred talismans extinguished one by one, drifting down from the sky.

The golden sun slowly shrank, eventually turning into a tiny point of light and disappearing into Shane's palm.

Darkness returned to the underground palace.

Only those dim runes remained, still faintly glowing.

Xia En stood there, silent for a long time.

Then he turned and walked toward the entrance to the underground palace.

Fang Zijian stood at the entrance, trembling all over, not from the cold, but from excitement.

"You...you just used that...Cataclysmic Devastation..."

"Um."

"What...what exactly is that thing?"

Xia En thought for a moment and said, "A kind of talisman."

"I know it's a talisman!"

Fang Zijian's voice trembled, "But that's outrageous! What kind of power is that?! You vaporized that claw!"

Xia En glanced at him, her expression calm.

"I said I could blow up a mountain."

Fang Zijian opened his mouth, unable to speak.

He suddenly remembered something Xia En had said before: "Using talismans is too troublesome."

Using talismans is too troublesome?

You have these kinds of talismans, and you're telling me using them is too much trouble?!

If you had used this kind of thing earlier, those evil things before wouldn't have stood a chance!

"Why didn't you use this before?" he couldn't help but ask.

As Shane walked out, he said, "It's too expensive."

Fang Zijian choked.

"Each bill is worth hundreds of thousands! How can you expect me to use it casually?"

"But……"

"Moreover," Shane interrupted him, "the side effects of this kind of talisman are significant."

Fang Zijian was taken aback: "What aftereffects?"

Xia En didn't answer, but simply raised his right hand.

Fang Zijian noticed that his right hand was trembling slightly.

It wasn't the kind of trembling from exhaustion, but the kind of trembling from depleted magical power.

"Using Earth Explosion Star once consumes a large amount of mana."

"Using all three at the same time almost drained my mana," Shane said.

Fang Zijian fell silent.

He watched Xia En's retreating figure.

The person who was usually carefree and indifferent was now walking very slowly, his steps a little unsteady.

"Are you... alright?" he asked.

Xia En didn't turn around, he just waved his hand.

"It's nothing. You'll be fine after a few days of rest."

He walked out of the underground palace and stood in the moonlight.

The night breeze was cool, and it chilled him a little as it blew against his soaked Taoist robe. But he didn't pay it any mind.

He simply looked up at the sky and took a deep breath.

Then he laughed.

"nailed it."

Liu Ruyan ran over, her eyes red-rimmed: "You scared me to death..."

Xia En looked at her, then suddenly reached out and gently patted her head.

"fine."

Liu Ruyan was stunned.

This was the first time Xia En had ever touched her on his own initiative.

She looked up and saw Xia En smiling.

It wasn't that kind of carefree laugh; it was a genuine, gentle laugh.

"Let's go," he said. "Let's go back to sleep."

The group walked down the mountain.

Shen Ye carried Shen Yue's soul and walked at the very back.

His tears had dried, but his eyes were still red.

"Brother," the spirit in her arms whispered, "that brother is so amazing."

Shen Ye looked down at her and smiled.

"Hmm, that's impressive."

"Who is he?"

Shen Ye thought for a moment and said, "A Taoist priest."

"A Taoist priest?" The spirit tilted its head. "Are all Taoist priests this powerful?"

Shen Ye glanced at Xia En, who was walking at the front.

Under the moonlight, the person's back looked a little thin, and their steps were a little unsteady, but their back was very straight.

"No," Shen Ye said, "Only he is that capable."

The spirit laughed, a very happy laugh.

"Then I should thank him."

"Okay." Shen Ye hugged her tighter. "I'll take you to thank him."

The moonlight shone on the mountain path, casting long shadows of the group.

Xia En walked at the front, followed by Fang Zijian, Liu Ruyan, Shen Ye and his spirit sister, with green flowers floating on their heads.

There was one more person present than when they arrived.

Although that person was just a soul.

Three days later, at Qingheju.

Xia En lay on a wicker chair in the yard, holding a lollipop in her hand to relieve the recent stress, and then stared blankly at the sky.

Fang Zijian squatted on the steps, scrolling through his phone.

Liu Ruyan sat beside her reading a book.

Shen Ye sat in the corner, holding a porcelain jar in his arms.

Shen Yue's soul is temporarily residing inside.

Once Xia En regains her magical powers, we will help her pass on to the afterlife and let her go to where she belongs.

Cuihua floated by the well, looking curiously at the porcelain jar.

"Xia En," Fang Zijian suddenly spoke.

Cuihua floated by the well, looking curiously at the porcelain jar.

"Xia En," Fang Zijian suddenly spoke.

"Um?"

"The internet is exploding."

"What are you frying?"

"The matter of the underground palace in the eastern suburbs."

Fang Zijian handed over the phone. "The archaeologists have gone mad. They've discovered that all the runes in the underground palace have disappeared, and the body in the coffin is gone too. They don't know what happened."

Xia En glanced at the screen and handed the phone back to him.

"Let them be."

Fang Zijian put his phone away, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Will that evil cult... come back?"

Xia En did not answer.

Shen Ye raised his head, a hint of coldness flashing in his silver-white eyes.

"Yes," he said. "They won't let this go."

Fang Zijian's face turned pale.

Xia En remained calm, taking the lollipop out of her mouth and looking at the sugar residue remaining on the stick.

"Come on then," he said. "I'll fight you every time you come."

He paused, then suddenly laughed.

"Anyway, if we can't beat them, we can just pay more."

Fang Zijian: "..."

Liu Ruyan burst out laughing.

Shen Ye's lips curled slightly .

Cuihua smiled silently by the well.

Even the spirit inside the porcelain jar trembled slightly, as if it were laughing.

The sun was shining brightly, bathing the courtyard in warmth.

Shane threw the lollipop stick into the trash can and closed his eyes.

"Don't bother me, go to sleep."

The courtyard fell silent.

The only sounds were the wind rustling through the leaves and the occasional car horn in the distance.

Everything was peaceful.

But everyone knew that this peace wouldn't last long.

The evil cult still exists.

Although the seven seals have been reinforced, it is only temporary.

The master hiding in the shadows has not yet shown himself.

But at this moment, the sun is shining brightly.

There are people around.

This is enough.

As for what happens next.

tell you later.