"Whoosh—"

A prolonged chant stirred a raging torrent, the pouring tide reversing upwards in mid-air due to weightlessness, as if the Milky Way had turned upside down.

Jiang Li reversed gravity, repelling Da Kun, and at this moment still maintained his divine abilities, causing the torrent not only to not fall but to rise. If Da Kun hadn't forcibly halted its ascent, this flood would have already turned into rain and scattered throughout the Buddha Country.

"What a skillful means, what divine skills."

The giant Kun fish hovered in the air, letting out a sound that echoed across the heavens.

If this flood were to fall, the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation might be established.

And below, Eight-Peak Mountain remained unmoved, not a single peak damaged in the collision. Jiang Li stood at the peak, his hair swirling wildly due to weightlessness, massive quantities of Five Vile Qi converged around him, continuously transforming into Spiritual Energy.

His gaze, sharp as lightning, did not respond to Elder Da Kun's words, his sight piercing through hundreds of miles, landing on the moving Daoist Shen Hou.

"Shen Hou, not pretending anymore?"

Dragon Whisker Tiger was galloping with the wind, asking along the way.

"Pretend what? Is that something we can be involved in?" Shen Hou retorted irritably.

Originally thought the fourth-rank would be a pebble to test Jiang Li's methods, but unexpectedly, Elder Da Kun directly posed as a fourth-rank to engage. Had he not been alert enough, he might have been swept up in the battle's aftermath.

As Shen Hou thought this, he looked back to see killing intent soaring, a towering sword pillar falling from the sky.

"Great Circle Sword?! Venerable Wuliang, damn him."

Shen Hou nearly cursed aloud, for that sword pillar was a magnified thousandfold Great Circle Sword, wielded by their Family Head.

"Run, run,!"

Shen Hou decisively patted Dragon Whisker Tiger's head, pouring True Qi into this steed, man and tiger simultaneously transforming into a golden light, using the Vertical Earth Golden Light Technique to fly a thousand miles in an instant.

However, that sword pillar was pressing against the heavens, gathering Five Vile Qi, endless filth transforming into Sword Qi, directly pursuing Shen Hou with its shadow bearing down.

At the critical moment, a white hair emerged, intersecting with the descending sword shadow. The mighty sword momentum suddenly paused, and then the sword pillar cracked in the center, collapsing into Five Vile Qi, dispersing into the air.

A Pure Light appeared behind Shen Hou, revealing the figure of a Daoist within.

A green Daoist robe, a Lotus Crown on the head, hair and beard fluttering, one hand holding a horsetail whisk, the other holding a Red Gourd.

The white hair that split the sword pillar drew a circle in the air, then flew into the Red Gourd.

"Lingxuzi of Upper Pure Sect, greets Jiang Sikong."

The Daoist remotely bowed to Jiang Li, his body emitting a brilliant Pure Light, his aura displaying Dao Miao's marvel, obviously a third grade as well.

"Another one appears, and the Sect Leader of Upper Pure Sect at that,"

Jiang Li stood atop the peak, his Heavenly Eye capturing the other's presence, "I did not expect an Upper Pure Sect member would value an Yuxu Temple traitor so, willing to expose his trail and give up the chance to ambush me."

From Jiang Li's words, it seemed he attacked Shen Hou to force someone to save him.

Lingxuzi smiled faintly, "Why feign ignorance, Sikong? Fellow Daoist Shen Hou wields the God-beating Whip, capable of subjugating Earth Deities across the provinces, splitting the Nine Provinces, and weakening your Dao Fruit Divine Power abilities. Is it not because of this that you suddenly attacked Fellow Daoist Shen Hou?"

Although Shen Hou couldn't threaten Jiang Li in strength, with the God-beating Whip, he could continuously subdue Earth Deities, weakening the power of "I am the nation".

His strategic importance was immense.

Hearing this, Shen Hou immediately understood Jiang Li had anticipated someone would save him, thus making a killing move, finally putting his mind at ease, no longer worrying about his Family Head going mad and attacking him again.

Additionally, sending Tan Wuwei to test him was probably to assess his loyalty too.

After all, when dealing with a formidable enemy like Jiang Li, no mistakes could be afforded.

From the current perspective, the test results weren't bad, at least Shen Hou wasn't on Jiang Li's side, for Jiang Li made a killing move on him.

If Jiang Li had seen such a person targeting him and didn't act, then there would be a problem.

Shen Hou's mind agile, he figured out the twists and turns involved, unable to suppress cursing the cunning behavior internally, from both sides, including Jiang Li, the Family Head.

With Lingxuzi's appearance, the expanse of the river under Shen Hou's control instantly turned a turbid yellow, forming murky waves.

However, the water flow was insufficient, far from forming the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation.

Either the flood from the sky must descend, or the Black Water River come over, otherwise, the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation couldn't be established.

Unable to establish the formation, Jiang Li, being skilled in formations, naturally detected it, standing with his arms folded, leisurely stating, "To form the array, you must pass this threshold of mine. As for the Black Water River..."

His words had barely finished when a Dragon Roar sounded from afar, a Six Dragon Chariot descended from the sky, from which an Yinglong Dragon flew out, tearing apart the flow of the Black Water River with its claws and fangs.

Sun Wukong blocked Guanyin and Tan Wuwei, while Primordial Lord Rain Master and Gongsun Qingyue intercepted the river's flow along the Black Water River's path. In doing so, even if the two could repel the furious Horses' Fortune, they'd still need to engage the Primordial Lord Rain Master next.

Seeing this, Lingxuzi couldn't help but clap his hands, "Jiang Sikong indeed is a brilliant strategist, truly earning the admiration of this humble Daoist. However..."

He shifted his tone, "It's unknown, after Rain Master Primordial Lord departs, if Divine Capital faces trouble, and the Immortal Queen approaches, how will Sikong's master resolve it?"

From a great distance, Lingxuzi could sense a cold killing intent emerging, Jiang Li losing his composure over this one remark.

The Daoist's smile widened, subtly channeling Mysterious Skill into the hand holding the Red Gourd.

······

······

Meanwhile, within the Divine Capital Imperial City, the returning Elder Tianquan, responsible for handling the Inner City, quietly returned.

Here he was surrounded by characters for "hide," "conceal," "cover," "sneak," masking his aura and form like a specter, returning outside the Star Domain, silently waiting.

Until faint clouds appeared in the west, the stars within the Star Domain started to move, spontaneously forming an array to meet the incoming adversary.

It was at this moment that Elder Tianquan cast the talisman.

A boat-shaped vertical eye flew from the talisman, like an illusion, entering the Star Domain, landing on the graceful figure at the center of the domain.

Runes appeared out of thin air, forming chains that bound Tianxuan's body and simultaneously sealed the Netherworld Channel.

With eyes slightly closed, Tianxuan, who was meditating on an auspicious cloud, immediately opened her eyes. A portion of her Spiritual Sense, remaining in her physical body, attempted to guide the Primordial Spirit back, but the chains confining her body simultaneously radiated bright light, forcibly preventing the Spiritual Sense from exiting.

The Star Domain was also affected, gradually fading until it disappeared.

"You—"

The face beneath Tianxuan's veil showed an expression of surprise and anger as she gazed at the approaching figure after the Magic Realm had vanished, and rebuked, "Junior Brother Tianquan, what are you trying to do?"

"Nothing much."

Tianquan slowly approached, maintaining a scholarly expression laced with a smile as he spoke, "Just seeking fairness. I have done so much for you, Senior Sister, but you have never looked at me directly. I want to ask why?"

Upon hearing this, Tianxuan's brow and eyes displayed a cold intention. She looked down at the chains on her body, noticing the faint Yellow Cloud lingering, and mocked, "Just for this, you sided with the Heavenly Monarch? Just that alone makes it impossible for me to regard you highly."

Tianquan's steps faltered, and the smile on his face froze.

His expression twisted with anger, his teeth gritting audibly.

"So you became your disciple's lover!"

Tianquan clenched his fists tightly, gritting his teeth as he said, "You would rather choose a junior; it's simply shameless."

His voice was filled with deep resentment and shame.

Having followed Tianxuan for so many years, in the end, he lost to a junior, who was also Tianxuan's disciple.

This sort of unwillingness was something only Tianquan himself understood.

However, the blow from Tianxuan did not stop there; she said calmly, "Even if I chose a junior, I wouldn't choose you. You should reflect on your own shortcomings."

These words were like a spark, igniting the rage in Tianquan's heart.

He suddenly flashed forward, sneering coldly, "Senior Sister, you don't seem to recognize the current situation. Your Primordial Spirit hasn't returned to your body, your form is restrained; even if you had celestial abilities, you couldn't use them, let alone the Immortal Queen is about to arrive. Provoking me is not a wise move."

As he spoke, Tianquan reached out to remove Tianxuan's veil, but his hand paused upon nearing, his fingers trembling.

Then, his gaze fell upon Tianxuan's knees, on those perfect, jade-like hands.

The trembling hand slowly extended toward the jade hands on her knees, seemingly afraid to offend the fair lady.

Even now, Tianquan's heart was still filled with a mix of admiration, affection, and reverence. Despite having decided to betray Tianxuan, he was reluctant to tarnish this beauty in his heart.

It was like a ray of moonlight he had followed since boyhood, unobtainable for decades, until today, when he finally got to touch this flawless moonlight.

Fingers trembled gradually closer, Tianquan's face was filled with apprehension, with longing, all of which turned into excitement and ecstasy.

Soon, it was about to be touched.

When the distance was just a hair's breadth, Tianquan's heart was at its most vigorous.

And then······

He seemed to touch something furry.

His gaze focused with horror, seeing the perfect jade hands had somehow grown red hair, and the palms began to transform.

"What is this?!" Tianquan exclaimed.

"Woof! It's a dog's paw, what else could it be?"

The elegant figure meditating on the cloud blurred and changed shape, into a big red dog sitting on the cloud, with the mouth crooked in a mischievous grin.

It was none other than Xiao Tian, who had previously been by Jiang Li's side.

This big dog evidently listened well to its master's words; Jiang Li had asked it to learn human speech, and it did so secretly. Now was the time to showcase its learning outcomes.

"Don't even think about it; even Xiao Tian wouldn't mind you being a sycophant, allowing you to touch its dog paw."

The big red dog mocked, "Besides, the term 'sycophant' was coined by the master to describe people like you."

This big dog had been with Jiang Li for a while, picking up a lot along the way.

Jiang Li usually talked without hiding from a dog, allowing Xiao Tian to hear some unique terms and remember them well.

Moreover, this big dog hadn't learned Jiang Li's good habits, but had fully picked up some small flaws, especially the kind of words that could infuriate a person when spoken by its mouth.

Sure enough, Elder Tianquan was so enraged that his Three Corpses leapt, shouting angrily, "Die!"

With the word "Die" spoken, the deadly intention that extinguished vitality condensed into a pitch-black character, flying toward Xiao Tian. If realized, it would severely harm any fourth-rank individual.

However, Xiao Tian, evidently still bound by chains, remained completely unworried. Its dog mouth opened wide, with the mouth seeming like a black hole, swallowing the character of death.

Then, it smacked its lips, saying, "The taste is mediocre, not as good as the master's Innate Qi."

Speaking of this, Xiao Tian opened its mouth, easily biting through the chains that bound it.

This talisman from the Heavenly Monarch could ambush Tianxuan while her Primordial Spirit had emerged, but it was ineffective against Xiao Tian, who was well prepared.

It had not undergone Primordial Spirit Emergence, and Jiang Li had also used the Ochre Whip to further enhance Xiao Tian upon departure, knowing that Xiao Tian's Dao Fruit, essentially, was Jiang Li's Divine Skills manifest.

The Dao Fruit of Qingyuan Miaodao True Monarch, fourth-rank, contained a Divine Skill [Howling Celestial Dog], allowing a Dao Fruit to be apportioned and accommodate canines.

Upon Jiang Li's advancement to third grade, the Ochre Whip was able to elevate a Divine Skill to the same level.

Jiang Li thus bolstered [Howling Celestial Dog] with the Ochre Whip.

Simply put—

Elder Tianquan could not defeat Xiao Tian.

After breaking the chains, Xiao Tian ignored Tianquan, directly kneeling and bowing on the auspicious cloud, calling out, "Welcome Mistress, may the Mistress's celestial fortune last forever, her lifespan equal to the heavens."

A wisp of cloud energy descended from the sky, revealing Tianxuan's figure.

The Immortal Queen did not arrive, the cloud energy was Tianxuan herself.

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