"You are merely an Early Jindan Cultivator; it's absolutely impossible for you to perform such a method!"

"True Fire Eyes!"

Lu Wushuang's pupils swirled with red True Fire, this technique certain to see through illusions. The phantom images wavered before restoring to their original state. It was confirmed to be an illusion. Unfortunately, the level of my True Fire Eyes is not high enough to see through it... True Fire Eyes is one of the most top-notch secret pupil techniques of the True Fire Palace, second only to Divine Skills. If True Fire Eyes couldn't see through it, could it be a rare illusion-type Divine Skill? I've only learned one Divine Skill; how could this person possess the talent and ability to master two?! Lu Wushuang dared not be careless. Upon a fleeting glance earlier, he knew this was not a mere illusion, as the real attack was hidden within. He needed to be extremely cautious to avoid an unexpected pitfall.

"Divine Fire Cover!"

A red protective cover descended, forming a shield around Lu Wushuang that seemed almost solid.

Fire Cloud True Person hid himself inside a Yellow Gourd. This treasure could both attack and defend; it was extremely practical and undoubtedly a fine protective Magical Treasure.

Above Ji Ziyang's head hung a purple fire bead, from which trickles and strands of purple flame descended, forming a unique protective treasure flame.

All three, hailing from Great Sects, possessed protective Magical Treasures far surpassing those of ordinary Golden Core Cultivators.

Unlike a certain Jia Ren, who still hadn't crafted his Life-bound Magic Treasure.

"It's all false!" Ji Ziyang felt the Eight Origin Heavy Water beads pass through his body and couldn't help but laugh. Illusions are not to be feared...

BOOM!

Ji Ziyang's protective treasure flame shattered, and he was violently flung away, disappearing into the depths of the lake.

The full power of the Eight Origin Heavy Water was astonishing. A single strike shattered Ji Ziyang's defenses, nearly causing him to sink to his death in the lake.

"Quick, save him!"

Lu Wushuang and Fire Cloud True Person sensed that Ji Ziyang was still alive, albeit extremely weak, and hurried to rescue him.

Ji Ziyang was covered in blood, and the light from his Life-bound Magic Treasure, the Ziyang Fire Bead, had dimmed. The blow had nearly cost him his life.

A single move shattered a protective Magical Treasure and severely wounded him. The power of the Eight Origin Heavy Water, displayed by the Divine Ability Water Emperor Dharma Likeness, was terrifying.

"Again!"

The Thousand Hands Water Emperor Dharma Likeness gestured, once more condensing a thousand basin-sized beads of Eight Origin Heavy Water.

No good, he's targeting me! Fire Cloud True Person felt his spiritual sense being locked onto. Seeing Ji Ziyang's miserable state, he didn't want to withstand that strike.

Fire clouds sprouted beneath the Yellow Gourd as it soared high and made its escape.

"Idiot, come back here!" Lu Wushuang shouted furiously. With the three of us forming the Fire Prohibition Formation, trapping this man wouldn't be difficult. A Golden Core Cultivator's Spiritual Power is limited. If he used two Divine Skills at once, how much could he possibly have left? As long as we can withstand his most ferocious assault, the situation will surely reverse. But in a group of three, there's always a fool. Fire Cloud True Person is taking the lead in running away?!

BOOM!

A thousand beads of Xuan Yuan Heavy Water were thrown out, smashing down with astonishing speed.

Just as Lu Wushuang was about to offer assistance to Fire Cloud True Person, an intense sense of crisis welled up within him. Am I the target?

BOOM!

An unimaginably terrifying force struck. Lu Wushuang felt as if a mountain had crashed down on him with ferocious might.

The Divine Fire Cover, his Magical Treasure, deformed and its light dimmed.

He was sent flying by the massive force, sinking into the depths of the lake, unable to move.

Only then did he finally understand why Junior Brother Ji Ziyang had seemed unable to withstand a single blow; the power of that strike was truly terrifying. The Ziyang Fire Bead isn't purely a defensive Magical Treasure; its defensive capabilities are far inferior to those of the Divine Fire Cover, making it difficult to withstand such an attack.

"Damn it!" He thought of Ji Ziyang, whom he had been protecting. Ji Ziyang had been struck and flung away. With no one to shield his heavily injured junior brother, how could Ji Ziyang possibly resist...? Just as this thought occurred to him, he instantly sensed that the Fire Prohibition Formation had been broken. Junior Brother Ji... is he dead?!

"Audacious thief! Daring to kill a True Fire Palace cultivator, I'll make you suffer a fate worse than death!"

Lu Wushuang rose from the lakebed and looked up. He saw Jia Ren standing where he himself had previously stood, having just decapitated Ji Ziyang, and now casting a provocative gaze towards him.

Lu Wushuang was so enraged his eyes threatened to split. Fury surged from his heart, and malice grew from his very core.

"Heavenly Fire!"

A streak of purple flame danced unceasingly on the Samadhi True Fire Sword. This flame was the Divine Skill he had learned: Heavenly Fire. This fire burned everywhere and incinerated everything; it was supremely domineering. The Samadhi True Fire Sword was also one of the rare Magical Treasures capable of withstanding Heavenly Fire. With sword and flame as one, its power was unparalleled.

"A Single Thread of Fire!"

The Heavenly Fire Sword flashed, the fire forming a line, a beam of sword light piercing the sky. This move was the epitome of skill; a single slash, too fast for any enemy to perceive.

Jia Ren had no chance to react. His face still wore a smile as his head was severed, his corpse engulfed in raging purple Heavenly Fire.

Is it over?! For some reason, Lu Wushuang felt deep down that the problem hadn't been solved. Jia Ren certainly hadn't died. Under the Mirror Flower Illusion Moon, both one's eyes and Divine Soul perception would be confounded. How could I have ended up in such a perilous situation?

It's time to leave! Jia Ren thought. The True Fire Palace is a Sect with Nascent Soul Late-stage Cultivators; they can't be underestimated. Who knows if some Nascent Soul old monster is watching in secret? Since the Fire Prohibition Formation has been broken, it's wiser to leave early to avoid falling into a dangerous situation. In the future, once I reach the Divinity Transformation Stage, it won't be too late to settle accounts with the True Fire Palace.

Jia Ren collected Ji Ziyang's Storage Bag without hesitation and, using Sword Transforms into Thunderous Sound, departed at astonishing speed.

This person is nothing special after all, Lu Wushuang thought, striding toward Jia Ren's charred corpse, a trace of self-satisfaction in his eyes. Can I find the Profound Realm Key on this person? If I can find the Profound Realm Key, it would save a lot of trouble. Otherwise, with a fellow sect member dead and my mission unaccomplished, punishment upon my return would be unavoidable. The Storage Bag is burned?!

Just then, he felt a stirring at his brow, and a cold voice echoed in his mind, "To be played like a puppet and still be so complacent—truly idiotic to the extreme!"

"Don't resist my consciousness! If you don't chase him now, he's going to escape!"

Is this... the Palace Master's voice? The protective measure he left for me? The True Fire Palace Master had given him a life-saving talisman, but he'd never expected it to be a primer for a divine descent technique. Jia Ren isn't dead? Was everything I saw just an illusion? Lu Wushuang felt both anger and annoyance, cursing his lack of a treasure to counteract illusion-type Divine Skills; otherwise, how could he have allowed an Early Jindan Cultivator to toy with him?

"I am grateful for your intervention, Palace Master!"

A moment of hesitation flashed by, but in the end, he did not resist, allowing a powerful consciousness to descend and take over his body.

Moments later, Lu Wushuang's eyes reopened. His pupils were deep, and his aura had become calm and steady. Although his cultivation was still at the Late Golden Core Stage, he seemed like a completely different person.

With the Profound Realm Key at stake, this matter is extremely important; how could the True Fire Palace not be paying attention? Although no Nascent Soul Cultivator had come in person, a great cultivator at the Late Nascent Soul Stage was constantly monitoring this place. He originally thought that four Golden Core Cultivators would be more than capable of handling this. After all, the Xuan Shui Sect was too weak to warrant using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Yet, his own disciples were being made fools of, manipulated at will. If the True Fire Palace Master didn't intervene now, no one would be able to stop this person from escaping.

"The Divine Ability Mirror Flower Water Moon? It has been a long time since I last saw this Divine Skill! Merely at the Mirror Flower Illusion Moon level—a paltry trick!"

His eyes also burst forth with flames, far more intense and fervent than when Lu Wushuang had used them.

BOOM!

The world before him ignited into fierce flames, and a phantom mirror suddenly shattered, vanishing with the fire.

The same secret technique, when cast by different cultivators, exhibited incomparable differences in power.

The illusion vanished, revealing the true appearance of the world.

The Ziyang Sect disciples, disguised as Xuan Shui Sect members, had been knocked unconscious by the shockwaves from the Golden Core Cultivators' battle. They floated on the lake, and the survivors looked this way with eyes full of dread.

Fire Cloud True Person was fleeing into the distance on his Yellow Gourd.

Useless trash, only good for messing things up! I'll settle the score with you later! 'Lu Wushuang' gazed in the direction of Jia Ren's escape, his eyes icy cold.

Although the descended Divine Soul was limited by the host body, unable to exert the full power of the Late Nascent Soul Stage, it could at most display the strength of the Late Golden Core Stage. This descended Divine Soul, though not at its peak, was still superior to that of a Mid-Stage Nascent Soul Cultivator; its perception could span thousands of miles. His combat strength was difficult to estimate, but his Divine Skills were far more formidable than those a Golden Core Cultivator could typically wield.

"Fivefold Sword Qi Thunder Sound? Not slow at all!"

"Divine Fire Escape!"

'Lu Wushuang' was enveloped in crimson flames, resembling a fiery meteor crashing down from the sky, chasing after Jia Ren with astonishing speed.

What a terrifying aura! It's as if he's become a different person! Jia Ren thought. He carried Zuo Siyan with one hand, the Divine Wind Talisman enhancing his speed; his Sword Qi Thunder Sound was impressively fast. He could feel the strong Spiritual Power Fluctuation behind him; the pursuer's speed was incredibly fast, surpassing typical Sword Control Techniques, and did not seem like something a Golden Core Cultivator could achieve. This is big trouble...

"If I'm not mistaken," Zuo Siyan said, seeming to realize something, "this isn't the person from before. It's the True Fire Palace Master; he has mastered a divine descent technique."

The True Fire Palace Master? A divine descent technique?! Jia Ren's expression turned extremely grim. He guessed that the True Fire Palace's preparations went far beyond this; it was best to cut his losses and flee immediately. The True Fire Palace Master had no shame, using a Late Nascent Soul Stage soul descent against a mere Early Jindan Cultivator?!

"Put me down," Zuo Siyan said. "I'll draw him away. Otherwise, we'll both die here."

"As long as you live, there's still hope for the Xuan Shui Sect."

"Give me a blank Jade Slip."

Jia Ren, slightly stunned, still handed a blank Jade Slip to Zuo Siyan.

Zuo Siyan pressed the blank Jade Slip against his forehead. After a moment, he handed it back.

"Guard it well. Don't let anyone take it from you."

Jia Ren multitasked, controlling his flying sword while simultaneously scanning the contents of the Jade Slip.

The hidden legacy of the Xuan Shui Sect! With the Profound Realm Key exposed, the Xuan Shui Sect must have made preparations in time, leaving behind their secret treasures and a surviving bloodline, to be used for a future resurgence. Zuo Siyan had only led the Xuan Shui Sect out into the world for a short time, and only a small portion of this legacy had been retrieved.

"The precious treasure they seek is within it," Zuo Siyan said. "You must protect this."

"This is the key to entering the Mysterious Realm, and also the only way to leave."

Zuo Siyan handed the Jade Slip to Jia Ren, his eyes devoid of any reluctance.

"The Profound Realm Key is in my hands! Old scoundrel, come and get me!"

Zuo Siyan spat out a mouthful of essence blood, transforming into a blood-red streak and fleeing in another direction.

Was he sacrificing himself to give me a chance to live? Jia Ren felt the Jade Slip in his hand become as heavy as a mountain.

"None of you will escape!"

"Divine Fire True Body!"

'Lu Wushuang's' flying figure split into two. The flame incarnation chased after Zuo Siyan, while the main body pursued Jia Ren, who was fleeing the fastest.

The Profound Realm Key could not be lost; neither of them could be allowed to escape.

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