[Yellow Official Document・Hidden Thunder Heavy Pupil]

[In ancient times, the loose cultivator Lord Huang spent his lifetime in study, composing a wondrous scripture named the Yellow Official Document. This scripture is divided into two volumes, Yin and Yang. The Yang Scroll contains three hundred and sixty-five Yang techniques, capable of summoning winds, calling rains, reversing the sun and the moon, returning the sky, performing the great escape of the Five Elements, and reviving dead flesh from white bones. Practitioners who aid the world and save people will amass boundless merit and forever avoid the three calamities and six disasters.

The Yin Scroll contains three hundred and sixty-five Yin techniques, including those of fierce tigers and their ghostly thralls, Sowing Beans into Soldiers, the Nail-Headed Seven Arrows, and the physical body uniting with heaven and earth. Practitioners who master these techniques can caress the sun and the moon and gallop through the heavens and the earth, invincible under the heavens.]

After three months of seclusion, with the help of the Hunyuan All-Encompassing Luminance's Divine Marvel, Qi Xiu advanced the Five Thunder Orthodox Skill directly into the Sixth Realm, then performed an Extreme Breakthrough to master this Yellow Official Document.

The True Scripture of Dharma Gates typically traces back to its origin when undergoing an Extreme Breakthrough. Just like my original Minor Five Elements Water Patrol Escaping Five Elements Escape Skill, it reverts to the Great Black Water True Magic. My Body-Shattering Formless Sword Qi is also like this. But this Five Thunder Orthodox Skill is a Dharma Gate of my Shenxiao Sect. Why did it transform into this Yellow Official Document after the Extreme Breakthrough? Could it be that the roots of the Five Thunder Orthodox Skill originate from this Yellow Official Document?

Upon reflection, Qi Xiu also felt there was a possibility. The Shenxiao Sect was not born of heaven and earth nor did it appear out of nowhere; it was created by its founding Sect Master. And not all the True Scriptures and Dharma Gates within the Shenxiao Sect were created by its own cultivators; some were collected from other places. Perhaps the Five Thunder Orthodox Skill was incorporated into the Shenxiao Sect at some point and became an internal Dharma Gate. Thus, when Qi Xiu performed an Extreme Breakthrough using his proficiency's Divine Marvel, it traced back and transformed into the Yellow Official Document.

Hidden Thunder Heavy Pupil!

A Dharma Gate recorded within the Yin Scroll of the Yellow Official Document. It is ranked fourth among the three hundred and sixty-five Yin techniques, just behind the Nail-Headed Seven Arrows, Physical Body Uniting with Heaven and Earth, and the Daming King. This technique allows one to hide thunder in the eyes and develop the Heavy Pupil. Once activated and the Hidden Thunder Heavy Pupil is opened, everything within sight instantly transforms into a vast Sea of Thunder. In terms of both power and casting speed, it is much faster than the Five Thunder Orthodox Skill. The only downside is that Thunder Magic is inherently a Dharma Gate that consumes a great amount of energy. The Hidden Thunder Heavy Pupil is even more so; each second of activation depletes a tremendous amount of True Essence. Hence, this Dharma Gate is generally used as a trump card. Only someone like Qi Xiu, who has forged three hundred and sixty-five Hunyuan Apertures and possesses what could be called a boundless sea of qi, could use this Hidden Thunder Heavy Pupil as a common means of engaging enemies.

Raising a single hand to form a Daoist Incantation, Qi Xiu stirred his thoughts, and the faint golden seal of the Hidden Thunder Heavy Pupil between his eyebrows and forehead slowly vanished.

He had no intention of imitating the True Monarch of Dust-Free Marvelous Dao. A person should be low-key to be more secure.

I've been in seclusion for three months. I wonder what the current situation in Dianchuan is like?

With a flick of his hand, casting a Dust-Free Talisman to cleanse the dirt and stale scent from his body, Qi Xiu transformed into a Lei Mang Escape Light, shooting up into the sky.

「Meitan Prefecture, Shantang County.」

This was once a county famous for its tea production, surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, with picturesque scenery. The houses in the county were mostly made of blue bricks and black tiles, simple and elegant. The streets were wide and clean, with old men often sitting under the shade of trees playing chess and chatting. In the early morning, the county was filled with trails of cooking smoke and the fragrance of farmer's tea. It was a place far from urban noise, still retaining a strong rustic atmosphere and cultural traditions.

Yet, as catastrophe descended, hordes of demons and Demonic Evil Cultivators invaded Dianchuan, turning Shantang County, now a warzone, into a scene far from its peaceful past. After several incursions by Demonic Evil Cultivators, followed by Human Cultivators driving them off and reclaiming the area, the once-connected rooftops and the blue bricks and grey tiles were now reduced to ruins. Countless civilians died at the hands of the Demonic Evil Cultivators, with horrifying scenes all too common in the streets and alleys.

"Master, Second Senior Brother just sent a message back. More than ten Demonic Cultivators are leading hundreds of demonkind this way. What should we do?"

In the Great Hall of the County Yamen, half-destroyed, several cultivators from the Qinghe Sect gathered. Their weary expressions, blood-stained garments, and tattered Taoist Robes all indicated they had likely gone a long time without rest or resupply.

Sitting on the steps at the entrance of the County Yamen, an elderly Daoist frowned, his hand resting on his sword. The old Daoist was tall and slender. His face was aged, but his eyes remained as sharp as an eagle's. His silver hair fluttered in the gentle breeze, light as mist. Though aged, his posture remained proud, and his movements were filled with brisk efficiency.

Looking up at the disciples and younger members around him, who had been fighting hard for several days, the old Daoist gripped the iron sword in his hand. With immense reluctance, he uttered one word:

"Retreat!"

Hearing the order to retreat, the young Daoists present looked at each other in disbelief. They had been battling in Shantang County for over half a year, clashing with Demonic Evil Cultivators dozens of times. This Shantang County had been lost and reclaimed seven times! Now, just when they had driven off those demons and reclaimed the county yet again, without a moment's respite... they were to retreat again?

"Martial Uncle, perhaps we…"

The eldest of the disciples stepped forward, beginning to speak, wanting to persuade the old Daoist to reconsider, but the elder stopped him with a raised hand.

"No more words. I know you do not wish to give up Shantang County, which we worked so hard to reclaim. But after battling fiercely for over ten days, you are all weary and your strength is depleted. Even if you fight to the last breath to defend it, it would only lead to pointless sacrifice. The lives of the people in this county are lives. Your lives are also lives!"

A hint of tenderness couldn't help but surface in his eagle-sharp eyes as he looked upon these 'children' before him. Though the old Daoist's heart was unwilling, he had to prioritize their safety.

Compared to the colossal battles in the Blood-Stained Realm or Dao Body Realm, which could devastate areas hundreds, even thousands of miles wide, the clashes in the Dao-Entering Realm—part of the Common Realm—involved real blades, real blood, and flesh against flesh. These brutal skirmishes more vividly reflected the cruelty and reality of this great catastrophe.

Hearing the bitterness and helplessness in the old Daoist's words, the young Daoists fell silent.

"Damn it! If those despicable Demonic Evil Cultivators hadn't ambushed the Sect Master, with him presiding over the Great Formation, Shantang County would have been impregnable!" Cursing hatefully, the older Daoist forcefully kicked a shattered rock beside him.

Though the Qinghe Sect was a Minor Sect, thanks to ancestral fortune, it also possessed a Sect Protection Array. However, part of this array was damaged, and it required a Blood-Stained Realm cultivator to activate it. The Sect Master of Qinghe Sect indeed had the cultivation of the Blood-Stained Realm. Originally, as long as the Sect Protection Array was activated, it could also protect Shantang County. But alas, those Demonic Evil Cultivators were cunning and treacherous. They schemed to ambush the Qinghe Sect Master, gravely injuring him and forcing him into seclusion to heal, thus unable to preside over the Great Formation. This, in turn, led to the fall of Shantang County. The Qinghe Sect was then plunged into relentless battles that lasted for over half a year.

"Let's go. We will definitely come back."

Patting his companions on the shoulders, the group of Qinghe Sect disciples took a deep breath and, with heavy steps, slowly departed.

「At this moment, one hundred and fifty li outside Shantang County.」

A dozen Demonic Cultivators, wearing tattered purple robes and Copper Coin masks, holding bronze bells, and with their hair braided into topknots, walked unhurriedly along the main road. Behind them, hundreds of demonkind with greyish-white skin, covered in festering sores, and possessing ferocious, blood-red eyes, followed closely. The enormous, blood-stained blades in their hands emitted a thick, foul stench.

"According to the map, Shantang County is just ahead. Hu Siniang told us to occupy it first; they will follow shortly." The leading Demonic Cultivator consulted a map, estimated the distance, then turned to his companions.

"Understood." The group of Demonic Cultivators responded in low voices.

Just as the large contingent of Demonic Evil Cultivators advanced towards Shantang County, thousands of meters high in the sky, a Lei Mang Escape Light darted past. It seemed to detect the foul, evil stench from below. The Lei Mang Escape Light made a turn ahead, then circled back.

A small band of Demonic Evil Cultivators.

Above the clouds, his eyes shone brightly. The physique of a Blood-Stained Realm great cultivator was already far beyond human; his various functions were hundreds, even thousands of times more acute than an ordinary person's. And Qi Xiu possessed the Innate Hunyuan Holy Body; a distance of several thousand meters was perfectly clear to him.

Rolling up his sleeves, wisps of lightning slowly emerged in Qi Xiu's eyes. He was about to casually wipe out this unlucky group of Demonic Evil Cultivators.

THUD THUD THUD—

But just as he was about to act, a deafening, earth-shaking sound of iron hooves thundering in the distance suddenly reached him. On the distant horizon, a haze-like dust cloud began to blur the view. It was a troop of heavily armored cavalry charging at high speed. They brandished their weapons, their iron hooves shaking the earth. Sparks flew as hooves struck hard ground, flickering with a fierce, cold glint in the early morning light.

And in the midst of this black torrent of steel, a massive, brightly colored flag emblazoned with a character signifying 'Martial' billowed in the wind. It wasn't just a piece of cloth; it symbolized power and command! Every stroke of the character seemed infused with endless martial spirit and authority. The great banner swayed and snapped in the wind, drawing sharp and vivid trajectories against the morning sun. The piercing sound of the wind accompanied the rapidly approaching troop. The thundering hooves and the whistling banner intertwined into an oppressive force that made one's chest tighten and breath catch! Wherever they passed, they swept through like a tsunami, the air filling with the scent of metal and the roar of war.

This is…

His gaze shifted to the suddenly appearing armored soldiers. Qi Xiu's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he stared at the great 'Martial' banner, dancing wildly in the wind.

According to the laws of the Great Xuan, other than a Military Governor, not even princes or nobility are permitted to maintain private armies. Violators would be stripped of their titles and positions. In severe cases, their three familial branches would be exterminated!

'Martial'? Whose private army is this? To so blatantly lead troops out, even if Dianchuan is struck by disaster and mired in constant chaos... Do they truly believe the Great Profound Royal Family is blind? And the Gao Family and the Fanzhen Yamen—can they really stand by and do nothing?

As rulers of the empire, the Great Profound Royal Family might turn a blind eye to many things. But when it comes to military power, they would never allow it to run unchecked. This was especially true after the precedent set by the Twelve Directives Enforcers. Moreover, even if Dianchuan was in turmoil, it was not a land without masters. Gao Tianxiong might be dead. But the Gao Family and the Fanzhen Yamen are still in place. This kind of behavior... is it a challenge to the Gao Family and the Fanzhen Yamen?

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