Calamity of Slaughter

"What kind of organization is 'Ren Shijian'?" Li Jiusheng asked, frowning.

Li Qingshan knew that his senior brother had been living in seclusion in the Scripture Repository Pavilion, detached from worldly affairs, and knew little about the powers in the Old Land. So, he patiently explained, "The assassin organizations in this world can be roughly divided into three tiers. The third tier merely cultivates death warriors within a small area, specializing in assassination. They usually take on missions for major figures to solve minor troubles, typically small organizations."

"Second-tier assassin organizations have some reputation. They are active within a region, with strict hierarchies and Venerables overseeing them. They operate in the shadows, waiting for opportunities. Such organizations have dealings with major sects; some matters that sects find inconvenient to handle are entrusted to them for covert execution."

"And the first tier?" Li Jiusheng asked, frowning. He already felt the second-tier assassin organizations were quite formidable. An organization with a Venerable overseeing it was a significant force in the Old Land, considering Shangqing Palace's current top combat power was only Venerable.

Of course, under Li Jiusheng's constant nurturing, Li Qingshan was already infinitely close to the Ancestor Realm.

Li Qingshan said, "First-tier assassin organizations are extremely mysterious. The world will never know where their lairs are. It's rumored that first-tier assassin organizations are not only active in the Old Land but also have their presence in the territories of major powers in the Outer Domains. Rumor has it that these assassin organizations have old assassins at the Ancestor Realm level, specializing in assassinating those at the Ancestor Realm."

"Ren Shijian is such an organization," Li Qingshan said sternly.

Li Jiusheng frowned. "If Luochuan Sect were to hire such an assassin organization like Ren Shijian with immense profit, and demand they assassinate people and disrupt Shangqing Palace, how should we respond?"

Li Qingshan's brow furrowed, stumped by the question. He couldn't figure out how to deal with an assassin organization like Ren Shijian, which had no trace in the world.

They only needed one strike to assassinate their target. After a successful hit, they would quickly escape and disappear without a trace, making them impossible to track.

Therefore, you couldn't prevent it.

"Senior brother, how do you think we should respond?" Li Qingshan asked.

"You have already obtained the Grandmaster Pure Land. What we need most now is time. Issue an order: Shangqing Palace will seal its mountain gates from now on. No one is allowed to leave until you break through to the Ancestor Realm," Li Jiusheng said, his tone firm. As long as they were impregnable, nothing else would be a problem.

Currently, Shangqing Palace didn't need to do anything else but quietly wait for Li Qingshan to break through to the Ancestor Realm. Once his Ancestor Realm aura permeated the land, announcing his breakthrough to the world, all the ghosts and monsters would vanish.

Li Qingshan nodded. "I will go and issue the order immediately. Shangqing Palace will seal its mountain!"

With that, Li Qingshan turned into a rainbow and flew away, beginning to issue his commands.

Li Jiusheng watched him leave, standing on the edge of the cliff and gazing into the distance. Amidst the green mountains and white clouds, mountain mist swirled, and layers of clouds overlapped, obstructing his vision.

"Wait a little longer, until an Ancestor Realm sword light cleaves through all obstacles," Li Jiusheng murmured.

Soon, on the golden summit hall of Shangqing Palace, bells rang continuously. The various elders arrived one after another. They deliberated for an entire afternoon and issued a proclamation.

Shangqing Palace would seal its mountain from this day forward.

No one was allowed to leave, nor would they receive any outsiders. The sect's grand formation would be activated.

Violation of this order would result in expulsion from the sect.

Upon hearing the news, the entire Shangqing Palace was shaken. Many disciples approached their teachers, asking why this was happening.

The elders had already received the notification: the Sect Master was going into seclusion to break through to the Ancestor Realm. Shangqing Palace sealing its mountain was to welcome the third Ancestor Realm cultivator since the first and second generations of Ancestors. Everyone was excited and kept their mouths shut. When disciples asked questions, they simply told them to focus on their cultivation.

Li Jiusheng also heard the news. His life continued as usual; whether the mountain was sealed or not did not affect his current life.

However, when the outside world learned of Shangqing Palace sealing its mountain, their reactions varied.

Some speculated that Shangqing Palace was silently undertaking a major task.

Some deduced that a mysterious Ancestor Realm cultivator within Shangqing Palace had issued the command.

Others claimed that Shangqing Palace had secretly discovered a treasure in a certain ruin and was now sealing the mountain to digest it.

Rumors and speculations ran rampant, but none of it affected Shangqing Palace.

The news quickly reached Luochuan Sect. The elders were astonished. They had just prepared to deal with Shangqing Palace, and Shangqing Palace had announced its mountain seal, refusing to see anyone.

This made them feel like their fists were hitting cotton. They immediately went to report to their Ancestor.

In Emperor Wu of Zhou's secluded cultivation area, the elders of Luochuan Sect informed him of the news.

Through a thick stone wall, Emperor Wu of Zhou's voice came through. "Shangqing Palace sealing its mountain, does that affect Ren Shijian's ability to assassinate? Aren't they known as the world's foremost assassin organization? Increase the stakes, give them whatever they want, as long as they completely disrupt Shangqing Palace."

"As you command!" The elders of Luochuan Sect exchanged glances, feeling a pang of heartache, but they could not disobey Emperor Wu of Zhou's command and could only obey.

Time flew by, and several days passed in the blink of an eye.

Shangqing Palace was sealed, and the outside world was in turmoil. However, internally, under the appeasement of the elders, the disciples diligently cultivated and were not disturbed by the external storms.

Li Jiusheng was consolidating his newly broken through realm.

Every morning, he would spend fifteen minutes cultivating with the Little Fox, then let her cultivate on her own. Li Jiusheng would watch silently, offering guidance when she made mistakes.

Of course, the Little Fox's talent was so high that she understood everything with a single hint, leaving almost no room for error, which made Li Jiusheng very envious.

In front of the waterfall, the Little Fox practiced her punches while Li Jiusheng pondered how to cultivate within the Great Grandmaster realm.

Grandmasters practice punches, comprehend their Domain, and become one with nature.

Great Grandmasters refine their spirit, cultivate their heart, and follow the Dao of nature.

Li Jiusheng had already refined his Primordial spirit. The next step was to strengthen it and comprehend his own Dao.

The Earth Store's Original Vows Sutra had become Li Jiusheng's exclusive cultivation method for his Primordial spirit.

"Upon entering the Great Grandmaster realm, I can truly begin cultivating the Earth Store's Original Vows Sutra. I can visualize the Bodhisattva, the hells, and the underworld, and imbue them into my Primordial spirit, continuously strengthening it daily to allow it to grow rapidly," Li Jiusheng thought silently. He sat cross-legged and began to cultivate.

His Primordial spirit continuously expanded, spreading outwards in all directions from himself as the center.

Initially, it could only extend a hundred paces. But as Li Jiusheng cultivated the Earth Store's Original Vows Sutra, his Primordial spirit began to tremble and strengthen, gradually expanding outwards.

"First step, expand the power of my Primordial spirit to be the same size as my Domain," Li Jiusheng set a small goal for himself and resolutely pursued it.

His Domain expanded at an extremely rapid pace, reaching a range of two hundred li and covering more than half of Shangqing Palace.

His Primordial spirit also needed to keep up as quickly as possible.

Li Jiusheng expanded his Primordial spirit, climbing bit by bit, clearing his mind of all distractions, not letting external matters flow into his heart, and focusing solely on refining his spirit.

Under the clear breeze and bright moon, Li Jiusheng was refining his spirit.

Under the clear sky and bright sun, Li Jiusheng was refining his spirit.

In the raging wind and heavy rain, Li Jiusheng was refining his spirit.

In just three short days, Li Jiusheng was completely focused, entering a state of tranquil enlightenment.

In his eyes, in his heart, in his thoughts, there was only one thing.

Spirit refinement.

In this state, Li Jiusheng felt that all things in heaven and earth were his teachers. Walking, eating, sleeping, and guiding the Little Fox were all forms of cultivation.

As he continuously gained insights, the power of his Primordial spirit rapidly expanded outwards, following his Domain's spread. It soon reached half the range of his Domain, a hundred li.

When Li Jiusheng sensed the hundred-li range, a warning suddenly arose in his heart. The power of his Primordial spirit locked onto a patch of wilderness. This was where Shangqing Palace connected with the outside world. Abruptly, over a dozen dark figures appeared, slowly infiltrating under the cover of night.

Each of the dozen dark figures had cultivated a technique to conceal their presence. They moved silently, without speaking, like ghosts under the moonlight. His Domain couldn't detect them at all.

"These people are assassins!" Li Jiusheng realized something was wrong. These black-clad figures were completely different from the two groups that had infiltrated the Scripture Repository Pavilion before; they appeared too professional.

Only true assassins could perform so perfectly.

"Someone actually hired assassins to infiltrate Shangqing Palace." Li Jiusheng opened his eyes, anger burning within them. He sensed the strength of these dozen people; they were all Great Grandmasters, and the leader was at the peak of the Great Grandmaster realm, the strongest among them.

Just as Li Jiusheng was silently observing them, these black-clad figures had infiltrated near the Scripture Repository Pavilion. The leader, a peak Great Grandmaster, spoke, "This mission is simple: kill the old man guarding the Scripture Repository Pavilion, send the corpse to Luochuan Sect, and then assassinate as many Great Grandmasters of Shangqing Palace as possible. Each Great Grandmaster is worth one spirit vein. How many spirit veins you can get depends on your own abilities. I'll handle this old man guarding the Scripture Repository Pavilion."

The other black-clad figures nodded calmly, remaining silent, deferring to the peak Great Grandmaster.

"Alright, let's kill the old man here first and transport the body out." The peak Great Grandmaster nodded in satisfaction and prepared to infiltrate the Scripture Repository Pavilion.

BOOM!

At that very moment, an extremely brilliant sword energy descended, illuminating the night in an instant. Like a river at sunset, the sword energy surged with immense power, directly engulfing the dozen Great Grandmasters.

"Not good, we've been discovered!" The peak Great Grandmaster's expression changed. He immediately raised his hand, and a powerful pressure swept out like a storm, transforming into a phantom eagle. With a screech, its sharp talons slashed through the air, attempting to shatter the sword energy.

But as the sword energy moved, a gust of wind appeared out of nowhere, making the entire area dense and oppressive. With an unstoppable momentum, it slashed down instantly. The eagle let out a pained cry and dissipated directly, while the peak Great Grandmaster expert was also forced back by this sword strike.

As for the other Great Grandmasters, three died instantly under this sword strike, and the rest were wounded.

"A single sword strike killed three Great Grandmasters and forced me back. To attack over a dozen people, is it a Venerable?" The peak Great Grandmaster's mind raced through these thoughts. In his understanding, only a Venerable would dare to act like this. Their infiltration was silent; being discovered could only mean a Venerable was involved.

But in the next second, Li Jiusheng appeared before them.

"A... Great Grandmaster?" The peak Great Grandmaster assassin was speechless, unable to believe his eyes. He stared intently at Li Jiusheng and asked, "Was that sword strike you just unleashed?"

"That's right, it was me. Those who trespass in Shangqing Palace die." Li Jiusheng's face was cold. Without further words, he attacked. The True Qi energy within him surged, and his two-hundred-li Domain contracted. With a boom, it suppressed the area, making it viscous, and then he struck with his sword.

Grass and Wood Sword Technique!

In an instant, the plants and flowers of heaven and earth all became swords.

After unleashing this sword strike, Li Jiusheng didn't remain in place. Instead, he moved rapidly, his body turning into afterimages, appearing among the dozen people.

Five hundred Dragon Elephant Powers erupted instantly. With a boom, he punched a Great Grandmaster.

This Great Grandmaster raised his hands to form a shield, resisting with all his might, but it was useless. The moment the fist landed, the shield shattered directly. Then, a mighty force struck the Great Grandmaster's chest, caving it in. The terrifying force spread throughout his body, shattering all his bones and also shattering his Primordial spirit.

One strike!

Even as a Great Grandmaster, he couldn't withstand Li Jiusheng's punch and died tragically.

This scene stunned the other assassins.

However, Li Jiusheng did not stop. He turned and pointed a finger.

Primordial Stream God Finger!

A finger imbued with the interwoven power of Dao and reason struck the Great Grandmaster's forehead.

His Primordial spirit resisted with all its might, even attempting to transform into sharp blades or flying swords to strike enemies from a thousand miles away.

But alas, under the Primordial Stream God Finger, all resistance was futile.

With a squish, another Great Grandmaster was killed by Li Jiusheng.

In this instant, Li Jiusheng's speed reached its absolute limit. He left trails of afterimages with each step. His body was as ethereal as a gentle breeze and as illusory as smoke and clouds.

These assassins hadn't considered fighting back. They also possessed Domains and had even practiced combined attack techniques, stacking their Domains to suppress Li Jiusheng's movements.

But as soon as their Domains unfolded, this area suddenly transformed into a turbulent, surging sea. Amidst the rolling waves, a carp with yin and yang in its eyes leaped fiercely. With a powerful collision, the surging Dao Rhyme crashed down like ocean waves, shattering all the assassins' Domains.

Fish Leaping in the Sea of Time!

The assassins were terrified. What kind of terrifying existence was this? Attacking over a dozen of them single-handedly, using various techniques, each strike was incredibly fearsome.

The moment the carp shattered their Domains, a radiant flower quietly bloomed in this sea, falling directly onto the foreheads of three Great Grandmasters. Its roots extended, drawing nourishment from their Primordial spirits and flesh, absorbing them frantically.

The three Great Grandmasters struggled desperately but were powerless to change their fate.

Flower Blooms on the Other Shore!

The two great phenomena revealed their sharpness, instantly killing three Great Grandmasters and shattering their Domains. Li Jiusheng followed closely behind.

One punch, one sword, one palm strike – three simple attacks.

Another three Great Grandmasters perished instantly.

The remaining assassins, upon witnessing this, were utterly terrified and dared not oppose Li Jiusheng, fleeing swiftly.

"Not one will escape," Li Jiusheng's voice was cold, like a ghost on a frigid plain, his eyes filled with killing intent. In terms of speed, they were no match for him within his Domain.

Bang bang bang!

Li Jiusheng fully unleashed his physical body, which had been reborn twice, erupting with terrifying power. Even a peak Great Grandmaster, after exchanging a palm strike with him, heard a crack as their hand bones snapped. They spat blood, their pupils wide with disbelief that this was merely the early stage of a Great Grandmaster.

He felt as though he had encountered a Venerable who specialized in body refinement.

"I'll send you on your way!"

At this moment, Li Jiusheng was more like an assassin than they were, cold and ruthless. With every breath, various techniques were unleashed.

Invincible Golden Body, Grass and Wood Sword Technique, Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique, Savage Force, Primordial Stream God Finger...

One sword technique took down one assassin, the speed so fast it seemed as though they were all performed simultaneously.

Finally, Li Jiusheng left the peak Great Grandmaster assassin for last, calmly asking, "Who hired you?"

The peak Great Grandmaster assassin was covered in cold sweat, clutching his broken palm. He looked despairingly at the elder before him, who seemed like a god or a demon. With a bitter laugh, he did not answer, biting down on the poison hidden in his teeth and committing suicide.

Li Jiusheng sneered, "You don't have to tell me for me to know it was the Luochuan Sect?"