Chapter 735: 305. Not signing a contract might also be fatal (Chapter combining two into one)

The black Yin Thunder Dragon silently wrought destruction and, in one gulp, swallowed Huangtian. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

He’s quite brave, Lei Jun thought. But I feel it’s the kind of bravery that lacks any real understanding of the risks... He withdrew his gaze and once again focused on the gradually forming Brahman Qi Immortal Gourds.

He was now so adept that he didn’t need to consciously think about it. As soon as he started working, the power of the Dark Side of Celestial Book automatically came into effect, clearing the island of any traces related to Huangtian.

Lei Jun’s current attention was partly on the Brahman Qi Immortal Gourds and partly on using the Great Celestial Mirror to survey the sea area around Xiaozhou Island.

Fortunately, he found no one else approaching.

Nourished by the confluence of the East Sea’s Global Spiritual Qi and Lei Jun’s Yin Yang Thunder, the flickering Spirit Light of the Brahman Qi Immortal Gourds finally began to solidify into their true forms.

One of the pair of gourds solidified completely, taking on a tangible existence.

This gourd was entirely crimson and emitted a faint purple glow.

With the Brahman Qi still contained and deeply retracted within the gourd, its wondrous nature wasn’t apparent at first glance.

However, Lei Jun vaguely sensed that profound mysteries lay within the gourd.

After the first gourd solidified, the second, under the gathering radiant light, also began to assume a definite shape and manifest as a solid entity.

Conversely, the gourd vine began to dim and show signs of withering again.

Still have to wait a little longer... Lei Jun thoughtfully nodded.

He wasn’t in a hurry. He simply reinforced the Taiqing Eight Scenic Treasures Raincoat’s coverage over Xiaozhou Island.

This magical treasure transformed, appearing as eight giant screens that formed an octagonal enclosure. Faint mist lingered above and below.

Under Lei Jun’s deliberate arrangement, the magical treasure now adopted a stance of shielding the interior while leaving the exterior exposed.

The external Spiritual Energy continued to converge into heavenly winds and sea rains, lashing unabated against Xiaozhou Island.

Therefore, from the outside, the island appeared no different from any other place.

Within the island, however, Spirit Light circulated and thunder roared, yet no sign of this escaped to the outside.

As Lei Jun awaited the maturation of the second Brahman Qi Immortal Gourd, he operated the Great Celestial Mirror to sweep across all directions, observing the surrounding situation.

The outcome of the previous battle was largely decided. The forces of Heavenly Principle had been ambushed, decisively defeated, and cut off.

After midnight, the Great Tang forces had begun reaping the spoils of battle, the extent of which remained to be seen.

After sweeping the area with the Great Celestial Mirror for a while, Lei Jun pondered.

This time, I haven’t seen any trace of the Blood River Sect’s experts. Generally, in battles of this magnitude, even if not instigated by Blood River Sect experts, they would often flock like bloodthirsty sharks at the first scent of blood. Even if they didn’t take action themselves, merely being in the vicinity could bring them significant benefits. But now, neither Blood River Sect Leader Wei Ancheng nor any other prominent Blood River experts had made an appearance.

Alright, he mused, come to think of it, Great Tang is currently embroiled in major conflicts both domestically and abroad, not just in the East Sea. In the Southern Wilderness, conflicts between Great Tang cultivators and the Jiuli people occurred frequently, always on the brink of full-scale war. Conflicts had already erupted in the Northwest and the East Sea. It was precisely for this reason that figures like Shangguan Yunbo and Zhang Luo had maintained some restraint in the Southern Wilderness, preventing another bloodbath there. Meanwhile, also in the Southern Wilderness, word was that Western Region Buddhism was hunting down the Four-eyed Python Emperor and other Great Demons. Wei Ancheng also held some grudges against Western Region Buddhism.

If everyone in the Southern Wilderness is wary of the Blood River Sect, perhaps Wei Ancheng and his group have gone to the Northwest?

From what Lei Jun had heard, the battle in the Northwest was even more intense than the one in the East Sea. The people of the Solitary Eagle Khanate were fierce and unyielding, often fighting to the death rather than retreating. In their clashes with Great Tang, both sides had shed much blood.

All things considered, these are practically the blissful times Blood River Sect cultivators dream of. It’s as if they’ve entered a melon field overflowing with ripe fruit, spoiled for choice and able to feast anywhere they look.

After sweeping the area with the Great Celestial Mirror, aside from spotting Chen Yi earlier, Lei Jun didn’t detect anyone else connected to the Blood River Sect.

He then contacted the Ancestral Courtyard of the Sect.

The chaotic and intersecting Spiritual Energy in this sea area made communication between cultivators difficult. Even Chu Xiuyuan and Ye Yan’s Seeing the Words as if Seeing the Person Technique had limited range and precision, especially for long-distance contact.

Lei Jun, however, was perhaps the only one currently capable of reaching across vast seas and mountains to establish a direct, one-way line of communication with Dragon Tiger Mountain.

After discussing the current situation with his master, Yuan Mobai, the latter shared some recent news from the mountain with Lei Jun.

One piece of news answered Lei Jun’s unspoken question.

The "jackals" of the Blood River Sect weren’t finding much happiness lately. Although opportunities abounded, new problems had recently arisen within their ranks.

The rise of Xing Feng, a new-generation powerhouse in the Blood River Sect, had already threatened Wei Ancheng’s position. Wei Ancheng, being stronger and possessing more support within the sect, had ultimately managed to maintain control.

But recently, the situation had spiraled out of control.

Rumor had it that Li Tianqing, who had fled Gepo Mountain due to issues with his origins and disappeared for some time, had reappeared in the Southern Wilderness. This time, he was reportedly allied with Xing Feng of the Blood River Sect.

"Previously, when Li Tianqing evaded pursuit, many speculated someone had aided him. Most guessed he had returned to Jiuli," Yuan Mobai said. "Now we know it was Xing Feng of the Blood River Sect who secretly assisted him."

Lei Jun nodded slightly.

Within the past few decades, the most outstanding talents among the younger generation in the Southern Wilderness were Li Tianqing of Gepo Mountain, representing the Witchcraft Sect, and Xing Feng of the Blood River Sect. Both had reached the Eightfold Heaven Realm before the age of fifty, establishing them as the twin prodigies of their generation in the Southern Wilderness. They were often compared to other exceptional talents of the era, such as Xu Yuanzhen, Tang Xiaotang, and Lei Jun of the Celestial Master Mansion; the White Lotus Sect’s future Maitreya; and Abbot Yuanmie of the Great Void Temple.