Atop Condensed Jade Peak, radiant clouds pierced the cloud cover as a gilded, hexagonal pagoda soared into the sky.
Beneath it, a cultivator wreathed in golden light held the Treasure Pagoda aloft!
Bronze demon-subduing bells hung from the eaves of every tier. Their clappers were actually carved from Flood Dragon bones, and peals of Buddhist chanting rang out as they swayed in the fierce winds.
A sarira was embedded in the six-tiered finial atop the pagoda. Buddha Light cascaded down a thousand feet like a waterfall, making green smoke rise from the Grudge Ghosts it illuminated—this was none other than the Condensed Jade Sect's sect-guarding secret treasure, the Vajra Mound!
Qing Chen's pupils contracted slightly.
Watching the Vajra Mound rise higher and higher, he could not help recalling the scene three years ago.
Back then, True Person Budong had expended considerable true essence and spirit stones to open the Vajra Mound for Qing Chen once.
Although the Vajra Mound was a six-tiered Treasure Pagoda, the combat strength of the cultivator guarding each successive tier had not increased by much.
Its ability to target his weaknesses had not even matched the effects of the first three tiers of his Nine-Luminaries Glazed Vidyaraja Pagoda.
To Qing Chen, the Vajra Mound had felt like a thoroughly ordinary imitation of the Nine-Luminaries Glazed Vidyaraja Pagoda.
Relying on his formidable strength, he had fought his way through all six tiers in one go, a feat that had greatly astonished both Sect Master Xuanji True Person and his master, True Person Budong.
Because of this, he had smoothly risen to become Battle Hall Master and Deputy Hall Vice Lord of Tianshu Hall.
Now, at this critical moment when the sect's very survival hung in the balance, the Vajra Mound unleashed breathtaking power under True Person Budong's