To Lei Jun's surprise, under Taoist Jiang's feet inside the real altar, a smaller illusory altar appeared.

This was one of the wonders practiced by Middle Three Heavens cultivators of the Taoist Talisman Sect—the Tao Palace Talisman Array.

Once the array unfolded and merged with the Star-stepping Spell, that tiny square inch became Taoist Jiang's domain.

Any spellcasting and manipulation of Global Spiritual Qi he performed here would be twice as effective for half the effort.

But, unfortunately, it lasted only a moment.

Lei Jun's Tao Palace Talisman Array sprung forth as well, clashing against Taoist Jiang's formation, both squeezing against each other, soon leaving both shattered by half and denying either side their home-field advantage.

Of course, it was Lei Jun's Tao Palace Talisman Array.

After Lei Jun entered the altar, he did not move in a straight line, but rather stepped in a strangely ambiguous pattern, and suddenly, particles of light began to gather around him.

*The moment the Star-stepping Spell succeeded, the internal war between these Talisman Sect cultivators lost all suspense.*

Lei Jun's repeated accumulation meant that when he cast the same spells as his peers, their power far outstripped that of any other Talisman Sect cultivator.

Though Taoist Jiang's mastery of Taoist Laws was deep, he was still forced into close quarters by Lei Jun.

Right at that moment, on Lei Jun's flank, he seemed to sense sparks of electricity flickering.

The flashes looked like arrows, stretched taut as bowstrings, ready to fly at any instant.

Lei Jun knew without turning that to his side, the grievously injured Taoist nun named Gu was gritting her teeth through the pain, channeling her mana, and preparing to unleash a high-grade Spirit Talisman known as the Flying Lightning Shooting Talisman.

This talisman could turn lightning into arrows, and when wielded by top hands of the Taoist Talisman Sect, it was tremendously powerful. Even if it fell short of the arrows from masters of the Confucian Divine Archery Lineage, it was still not to be underestimated; its range was dangerous, it excelled at piercing mana defenses, and at close or mid-range it was almost impossible to guard against.

But the "arrow" never wound up being released.

Because, before the lightning arrow could leave the string, a silent mass of inky-black thunder-water crept forth, even sneakier than a hidden shot, touching the Taoist nun named Gu.

The thunder-water crackled and erupted in bursts. Already severely wounded, the nun could not resist the onslaught of Gui Water Yin Thunder, let out a miserable scream, tumbled over, and was instantly swallowed by the water.

The black thunder-water surged forward and caught up with Taoist Jiang as well.

The white protective light from Taoist Jiang's horsetail whisk collided violently with the thick, inky thunder-water.

He hurriedly pulled out another talisman.

However, in front of Taoist Jiang, a tiny flame abruptly appeared.

The flame was faint, like the flicker of a candle.

But in the next instant, it exploded violently!

Though it lacked the vastness of Gui Water Yin Thunder's continuous surge, the instantaneous explosive power of Ding Fire Yin Thunder was even greater, the violent force compressed into a tiny speck, then bursting forth in a thunderous blast.

When water and fire thunder combined, the white light of the horsetail whisk dimmed instantly.

Lei Jun surged forward with another powerful blow.

The white light vanished immediately.

The horsetail whisk snapped in the middle.

Taoist Jiang paid Lei Jun's charge no mind, raising his talisman, "Command!"

In an instant, endless thunder filled the layer within the altar.

It even crashed down, toppling the altar itself.

The talisman Taoist Jiang activated was plainly a top-tier high-grade Spirit Talisman crafted by an Upper Three Heavens cultivator.

Even if it meant destroying the altar, at that moment he did not care, aiming only to kill Lei Jun before him.

Luckily the altar was solid and withstood the impact—at least a little.

If not, then even if Dayuling Ridge did not suffer the same fate as Qiluo Valley back then, it would be swept away by the boundless thunder.

As Taoist Jiang stared with hope, Lei Jun still did not panic.

He calmly revealed his Breathing Soil Banner.

With a shake of the banner, a flood of yellow earthen spirit light surged forth, stone and soil sprung up, encircling and protecting Lei Jun, keeping the raging thunderstorm at bay.

As Lei Jun's cultivation gradually increased, his ability to channel the Breathing Soil Banner's spiritual power grew by leaps and bounds too.

The thunder continued to smash the earth essence spawned by the Breathing Soil Banner, but the banner stayed firm against the deadliest first wave of the blast.

After a short while, to avoid exhausting the banner, Lei Jun put it away and brought out his own Dark Five-Thunder Orthodox Talisman, summoning Ji Earth Yin Thunder for a second layer of protection.

With the second protection shielding him against the ongoing thunder, Lei Jun added a Wind-Thunder Talisman to himself and withdrew in a flash from the wrecked ruins of the collapsed altar.

Their fight outside the altar had been sudden and shockingly fierce, but in only moments a winner emerged.

Only now did the Yellow Sky Sect disciples outside the altar manage to surround and approach.

But as soon as they got close, they were swept up by their own top-grade Thunder of Thor Talisman.

Even though it was the handiwork of their own Upper Three Heavens cultivator, the Yellow Sky Sect disciples ambushed so abruptly could not escape disaster.

No matter how they tried to dodge and resist, still, they fell in waves as if mown down like wheat.

Lei Jun, the real target of Taoist Jiang's attack, kept retreating again and again, dodging the final bursts of savage lightning.

Then he quickly stopped.

Planting both feet on the ground, the mountainside suddenly collapsed and caved in.

As dust billowed, Lei Jun retreated, then redoubled his advance, instantly charging forward again to close the distance to Taoist Jiang.

Taoist Jiang, with his mana drained heavily and no time to recover, suddenly saw a flash before his eyes.

A long rod shimmered with radiant light—came crashing down right atop his head.

"Bang!"

Taoist Jiang staggered, blood streaming down his face, before toppling limply backwards.

At last, Lei Jun let out a long breath, the air from his mouth splitting into black and white hues.

Under the power of the Yin Yang Sacred Body, his mana's yin and yang fused together and flowed continuously.

Even the North Mysterious Underworld Taoist Palace within his Tao Palace kept circulating mana, allowing Lei Jun to withstand the massive depletion from his barrage of spellcasting, and keep up his fighting strength.

Lei Jun scanned the surroundings.

Aside from Taoist Jiang, both the young Taoist and the Taoist nun named Gu had their corpses buried by the collapsed wreckage of the altar.

Lei Jun said, "Honestly, if I had been born two hundred years ago, I would have rebelled against the Celestial Master Mansion with you."

He shook his head, "But now, there's no point in talking about it. I cannot allow this so-called Three Caverns Desolate Divine Tribulation to ravage Dragon Tiger Mountain indiscriminately."

*He couldn't help but feel that fate played tricks on him at that moment.*

*Still, Lei Jun quickly reined in his wandering thoughts, refusing to get sentimental; his mind was calm again in an instant.*

He rapidly cleaned up the surrounding area.

The altar set up by the Yellow Sky Sect had been smashed apart by their own spirit talismans.

The much-anticipated Three Caverns Desolate Divine Tribulation simply faded away, never coming to pass.

With the altar destroyed, most of the ritual instruments and materials were ruined as well.

Still, Lei Jun found that something remained intact.

Digging through the altar's ruins, a surge of wild primordial energy washed over him.

Lei Jun looked carefully; it was a pair of matched pieces of precious jade, shimmering with a pale blue luster.

*So this was the Third-Rank Opportunity foretold by the best lot…* thought Lei Jun.

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