The Great Battle Erupts

Discussing the Dao with Li Qingshan was not only rewarding for Li Qingshan himself, but Li Jiusheng also gained a great deal.

What Li Qingshan gained from him was merely Li Jiusheng's meticulous insights into these two cultivation methods, while Li Jiusheng received various sword technique insights brought about by Li Qingshan's realm.

The benefit of a high realm was that he comprehended more about the Sword Dao, which was precisely what Li Jiusheng needed.

When the discussion of the Dao concluded, Li Qingshan departed. Li Jiusheng, however, remained seated, silently digesting the insights he had gained.

Li Jiusheng had broken through the Essence of both the Grass and Wood Sword Technique and the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique, reaching the Dao level. He had thoroughly absorbed these insights, especially considering his Innate Sword Body.

Under the moonlight, the mountains and wilderness were bathed in a pure white glow.

Li Jiusheng sat cross-legged, his aura surging like thunder, constantly shifting. At times, it resembled a majestic mountain; at others, a vast glacier.

He was practicing the two sword techniques.

Clang!

Sword energy erupted from his body, manifesting around him in thousands of streams, making him appear like an unparalleled sword immortal.

The next second, Li Jiusheng ceased his practice, and the sword energy naturally dissipated, merging back into the surrounding mountains and vegetation.

"The Sword Dao has entered a new level. Although my realm hasn't improved, the power of my sword techniques has increased, which is quite good." Li Jiusheng was in high spirits, his mind sharp and free of any fatigue.

He intended to continue his cultivation.

But just then, at the distant horizon where the sky met the earth, a deafening sound erupted.

Boom!

A massive explosion echoed, accompanied by the shaking of the ground. A sun suddenly rose in the distance, dispelling the night and turning the surrounding hundreds of miles into daylight.

"That's not the sun; it's the radiance of a Venerable," Li Jiusheng's heart stirred as he saw clearly that someone had made a move at the distant ruins.

Perhaps the unusual peace of the past few days had made many uneasy, or perhaps the aging Venerables, with their lifespans dwindling, could no longer wait and decided to act forcefully.

In any case, a great battle erupted today.

The great sun rose, illuminating all things. But closely following it, a bright, clear moon began to ascend.

Li Jiusheng, hundreds of miles away, his eyes deep, could not see the specific details of the battle. However, judging by the sheer aura, he could tell how powerful the Venerables were.

The Little Fox was also startled. She ran out from the wilderness, leaped onto Li Jiusheng's shoulder, and watched with unblinking eyes.

The collision of the sun and moon was world-shattering. Amidst the aftermath of this clash, faint fluctuations of other energies could be seen: flashes of sword light, brilliant saber glows, the divine might of martial arts, and the natural flow of the Dao...

Amidst this, Li Jiusheng suddenly heard a furious roar.

"Shameless old thief, hand over the Grandmaster Pure Land!"

This roar echoed through the universe, sending a shockwave through everyone's hearts. The eyes of the elderly Venerables immediately turned red. Someone had entered the ruins and obtained the Grandmaster Pure Land?

What were the aging Venerables, with their limited lifespans, fighting for here?

Was it not for the Grandmaster Pure Land?

But now, the Grandmaster Pure Land had been snatched by someone else. How could anyone accept this?

In an instant, some Venerables who had been observing from the sidelines immediately entered the fray, heading towards the Grandmaster Pure Land, unleashing their full power.

The battlefield grew even more chaotic.

Li Jiusheng, who was watching, had a strange expression on his face. The roar he had just heard sounded familiar, like Li Qingshan's voice.

"Qingshan wouldn't attack others. Could it be that Emperor Wu of Zhou really infiltrated the ruins and obtained the Grandmaster Pure Land?" Li Jiusheng's expression turned grave. If Emperor Wu of Zhou managed to escape back, he would likely recover his peak strength in no time. How would Shangqing Palace fare then?

Just as Li Jiusheng was worrying, a hundred miles away, a brilliant sword light flashed through the night. With this strike, the very sky seemed to shatter. The long sword descended like a sharp blade, directly severing a mountaintop.

The mysterious person who had taken the Grandmaster Pure Land was forced to stop and receive the attack.

Boom!

The mysterious person manifested a blurry figure, standing between heaven and earth, a hundred zhang tall, surrounded by a river of stars, looking down upon all beings like a celestial god. Facing the sword strike that could cleave the sky, they clasped their palms together, like two massive millstones pressing down, intending to grind the sword strike to dust.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The explosion between the colossal phantom and the sword strike was incredibly fierce. Meanwhile, the mysterious person seized the opportunity to escape.

"He's the one who took the Grandmaster Pure Land! Fellow Daoists, quickly intercept him!" Li Qingshan's voice rang out again.

At this moment, experts from all directions converged, blocking the mysterious person's escape route. Even in the dead of night, the forest was filled with bursts of energy, dazzling and brilliant, as if it were daytime.

The mysterious person's face contorted with anger. Feeling the decay of their body, they knew they could not fight for long and could only try to flee.

But there were simply too many people surrounding them, and even the aura of a Grandmaster permeated the air.

"Not good! If a Grandmaster truly intervenes, there will be no hope left." The mysterious person's eyes hardened. They glanced at the pursuers surrounding them from all sides and decisively activated a secret technique.

Self-destruction!

This aged body could not unleash their full power, and with Grandmaster-level experts now involved, they could not wait any longer.

Boom!

Under everyone's gaze, the mysterious person's physical body collapsed with a tremendous impact, sweeping across dozens of miles of mountains and wilderness. Dozens of aged Venerables were sent flying by the shockwave, their Blood Essence depleted, making them appear a dozen years older in an instant.

"Self-destructed?"

"Are they committing suicide?"

"This shouldn't be. Could there be some contingency?"

"Seal off this area for ten miles around. No one is allowed to escape."

"Does anyone here specialize in the Way of the Primordial Spirit? Investigate carefully. I don't believe he would actually self-destruct after obtaining the Grandmaster Pure Land."

One powerful expert after another descended, meticulously searching the area.

But the results they obtained made their faces darken.

The mysterious person who had stolen the Grandmaster Pure Land had indeed self-destructed.

That night, countless people searched the vicinity, unwilling to overlook any inch of land. Yet, the greater their hope, the greater their disappointment.

The next day, at dawn.

The sun rose from the east, casting its morning light upon the mountains and forests.

Li Jiusheng stood before a waterfall, gazing into the distance, lost in thought.

The great battle last night had come and gone as suddenly as it began. All he heard was a thunderous roar, and then the aftershocks of the distant fight dissipated. Li Jiusheng still didn't know exactly what had happened.

He was waiting for Li Qingshan. A night had passed, and he figured Li Qingshan would return soon.

Just then, a shadow seeped out from underground, staring intently at Li Jiusheng's back.

"This body looks pretty good. It's a bit old, but its Blood Essence is rich, and it has Grandmaster cultivation. It's very suitable as a temporary vessel. My Primordial Spirit is damaged right now, so I can't possess a Venerable. I don't even have full confidence in possessing a Great Grandmaster. A Grandmaster is the most suitable."

"Damn Sect Master of Shangqing Palace! If it weren't for him, I would have escaped long ago. He forced me into a dead end, compelling me to self-destruct. I lost my physical body and part of my Primordial Spirit, but I managed to escape. Once I possess a body and return to Luochuan Sect, absorb the Grandmaster Pure Land, and recover my peak strength, the first thing I'll do is slaughter everyone in Shangqing Palace."

This shadow was the Primordial Spirit of Emperor Wu of Zhou. He stared fixedly at Li Jiusheng's back and slowly approached.