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

The next morning, Xia En was woken up by a phone ringing.

It was Chen Guodong calling.

"Master Xia, something has happened."

"What is it?"

"Eastern suburbs, Tianzhu Mountain, Zhenmo Temple. That place... exploded."

Xia En sat up. "What?"

"At 3 a.m. this morning, a loud bang was heard from the direction of Zhenmo Temple, and then the entire mountain shook. Our detection equipment showed that there was a huge energy rising from underground."

"That place is now shrouded in black mist, and you can't see anything."

Xia En paused for a moment. "The seal has been broken."

"What?"

"The last seal has been broken."

Xia En rolled out of bed, put on her clothes, and said, "I'm coming over now. Evacuate everyone; don't leave a single person within a five-kilometer radius."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Xia En walked out of the room. Fang Zijian was already waiting at the door, his face pale. "I'll go with you."

"no."

Why?

"Because this time, I might not be able to take care of you."

Fang Zijian opened his mouth and looked into Xia En's eyes.

That look in his eyes was unlike any he had ever seen before.

It's not nonchalant, it's not calm, it's resolute.

It's like someone who knows they might not come back, making final preparations.

"Xia En." Fang Zijian's voice was a little hoarse.

"Um?"

"Come back alive."

Xia En looked at him and smiled.

"Of course. I haven't collected enough money yet."

He turned around and strode out of the courtyard.

Liu Ruyan stood at the door, holding a backpack filled with talismans, cinnabar, dry food, and water.

She handed him the backpack without saying a word, just looking at him.

Xia En took the backpack and looked at her.

"Wait for me to come back."

Liu Ruyan nodded, tears welling up in her eyes, but she didn't let them fall.

Xia En turned around and disappeared down the mountain road.

Tianzhu Mountain, Zhenmo Temple.

When Xia En arrived, the entire mountain was shrouded in black mist.

The black mist was as thick as ink, obscuring the sky and blocking out the sunlight.

The trees on the mountain are withering, the grass is rotting, the oxygen in the air is being replaced by evil spirits, and even breathing has become difficult.

The Demon-Suppressing Temple no longer exists.

That tower, that courtyard, those runes.

Everything was bombed into ruins.

In the center of the ruins, there is a huge hole, at least twenty meters in diameter, from which black smoke is gushing out.

A person was standing at the edge of the cave entrance.

Xuanming.

No, it wasn't Xuanming himself.

It is a clone of Xuanming.

A phantom formed from black mist, ten meters tall, with a blurred figure, but its blood-red eyes were clearly visible.

He looked down at Xia En and smiled.

"You've arrived."

Xia En stood at the edge of the cave entrance, looking up at him. "Where's the seal?"

"It's broken."

Xuanming opened his arms. "The last seal is broken. The seven ancient evil creatures have awakened."

"They are crawling up from underground. Soon, they will rule the world."

Xia En paused for a moment.

"Are you insane? Seven ancient evil creatures, you think you can control them?"

"control?"

Xuanming laughed. "Why should I control them? I just want to destroy this world. After destruction, I'll rebuild. I'll rebuild a world that I rule."

Xia En looked at him and suddenly laughed. "You're crazy."

"crazy?"

Xuanming's smile widened. "No, I am conscious. I am fully aware that this world needs to be destroyed."

"Humans are too greedy, too selfish, and too stupid. They don't deserve this world."

Xia En put down his backpack, drew his short sword, Zhan Xie, from his waist, and stuck it into the ground.

Then take that stack of talismans.

Take out all 108 sheets and stick them one by one around the entrance of the hole.

Each talisman was glowing—golden, red, blue, and purple.

Various colors of light intertwined, illuminating the mountaintop shrouded in black mist.

"Talisman Array: Heavenly Gang Subduing Demons - Ultimate Edition"

Xia En formed a hand seal.

One hundred and eight talismans lit up at the same time, their light connecting to form a huge light shield that sealed the entire cave entrance.

The black energy was blocked by the light shield and could not escape.

But deep inside the cave, something is climbing upwards.

Something huge, heavy, and destructive.

Xuanming's clone looked at the light shield, a hint of surprise flashing in its blood-red eyes.

"You can actually set up a rune array of this level? It seems I underestimated you."

You underestimate me in many ways.

Xia En took out the three golden talismans from his pocket: Earth Explosion Star.

Xuanming's clone's pupils contracted sharply upon seeing the three talismans. "That is..."

"Planetary Devastation"

Shane said, "A talisman that can flatten a mountain."

He tossed the first golden talisman into the air.

The talisman flew to the very center of the light shield, hovered in mid-air, and emitted a dazzling golden light.

"First layer, sealing."

The golden light exploded, transforming into countless golden chains that wrapped around the cave entrance from all directions.

Those things that were climbing upwards were entangled in chains and could not move.

Xuanming's clone roared in anger. "You...!"

Xia En tossed out a second golden talisman. "Second layer, suppression."

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

The mountain peak was as heavy as a thousand pounds, pressing down on those things and causing them to sink. Screams came from underground, shaking the entire mountain.

Xuanming's clone lunged at Xia En, its blood-red eyes filled with killing intent.

"I kill you!"

Xia En did not dodge.

"I kill you!"

Xia En did not dodge.

He tossed out the third golden talisman. "Third layer, Annihilation."

The talisman transformed into a golden star.

A miniature sun floated in the center of the cave entrance, radiating heat strong enough to melt everything.

The golden light was blinding, and the heat was intense. Those things that were climbing upwards were illuminated by the golden light, let out a mournful scream, and then evaporated into nothingness.

Xuanming's clone rushed in front of Xia En, but was blocked by the light of the golden sun.

His body began to melt, the black energy evaporated, and the phantom faded.

He stared at Xia En, his blood-red eyes filled with resentment and anger.

"You...you'll regret this...this is just an avatar of mine...my true self...is still here..."

"I know."

Xia En interrupted him, "Your true form is still hidden somewhere. But that's not important. What's important is that your plan failed. I've sealed the seven ancient evil artifacts back in."

"Two of your protectors are dead. Your avatars have been destroyed by me. What do you have left?"

Xuanming's clone remained silent for a moment.

Then he laughed.

"Shane, you think you've won? No, you've only bought time. I will return. With even greater power, I will come back to find you..."

"At that time, you will no longer have Earth Explosion Star, no longer have rune arrays, no longer have thunder magic. You will only have your fists."

That's enough.

Xia En said.

He raised his right hand and made a fist.

Lightning flashed and golden light flowed across the surface of the fist.

"Overwhelming."

He threw a punch.

A golden beam of light pierced through the chest of the Xuanming clone, the phantom exploded, and the black energy dissipated.

Xuanming's last scream echoed on the mountaintop, and then all was silent.

Xia En stood at the edge of the cave entrance, his body drenched in sweat, his hands trembling, his magic almost completely drained.

But he did not fall.

He looked at the cave entrance sealed by the golden sun, at the ancient evil creatures that had been pushed back into the ground, and at the dissipating black mist.

He won.

At least this time.

He turned around, walked back to his backpack, squatted down, took out a bottle of water from the bag, unscrewed it, and took a sip.

The water was very cold, flowing down my throat like a line of ice.

He sat on the ground, looking up at the sky.

The dark aura dissipated, and the sunlight shone down again, warming his face.

He smiled.

"As long as I can win," he muttered to himself.

He placed the water bottle beside him, lay down on the ground, and closed his eyes.

I'm so tired, I need to take a nap.

The sun was shining brightly, and the wind blew across the mountaintop, carrying the scent of grass and earth.

He fell asleep.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he heard a voice.

It's very light and gentle.

"Shane".

He opened his eyes and saw Liu Ruyan squatting beside him, her eyes red and tears streaming down her face.

"Why are you here?" His voice was a little hoarse.

Fang Zijian drove me here.

Liu Ruyan wiped away her tears. "Are you alright?"

"It's nothing. I was just too tired, so I took a nap."

Liu Ruyan looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"You always sleep in places like this. Last time it was in the ruins of a chemical plant, and this time it's in the ruins on a mountaintop. Can't you find a more comfortable place?"

Xia En thought for a moment.

"The rattan chairs at Qingheju are the most comfortable."

Liu Ruyan smiled and extended her hand.

Xia En took her hand and stood up.

Fang Zijian ran over from a distance, holding up his phone, his face flushed with excitement.

"We got it! We got it! A cataclysmic explosion! We used all three photos! It's so stunning!"

Xia En glanced at him. "Don't send it out."

Fang Zijian was taken aback. "Why?"

"Because I don't want the whole world to know I have this kind of talisman. Otherwise, if everyone comes to me asking me to blast mountains, how can I possibly handle them all?"

Fang Zijian thought for a moment, then put his phone away. "You're right."

Shen Ye emerged from the woods, carrying a porcelain jar.

Its silvery-white eyes stared at the hole sealed by the golden sun, remaining silent for a long time.

"You win."

"Um."

"But it's only temporary."

"I know."

Shen Ye looked at him and suddenly said, "I know where Xuanming's true form is."

Xia En looked at him.

"At the foot of Longhu Mountain."

Shen Ye's voice was calm, "He's always been there. He's been hiding right under the noses of your Celestial Master's Mansion for hundreds of years."

Xia En fell silent.

He recalled his master's words: "The Celestial Master's Mansion has been established for hundreds of years, guarding Longhu Mountain and suppressing evil spirits."

It turns out that the greatest evil had always been right beneath their feet.

"Go back and tell my master."

Xia En said.

Shen Ye nodded.

Xia En turned around and walked down the mountain.

After walking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back at the hole sealed by the golden sun.

The sunlight shone on his face, giving him a golden glow.

"As long as I can win," he muttered to himself.

Then he turned around and strode down the mountain.

Behind them, Liu Ruyan, Fang Zijian, and Shen Ye followed.

The group walked along the mountain path. The sun was shining brightly, and the wind rustled through the trees.