Lei Ziyang vaguely sensed the aura of that Celestial Master Robe drifting deeper into Chongling Gorge.

He proceeded into the canyon, treading with utmost caution.

He passed right by Lei Jun.

However...

Moments later, the gorge exploded with a series of thunderous booms!

And along with them came Lei Ziyang's furious shout, "Cao Chu, is that you?!"

"I was planning to tail you, wait till you wandered farther out before making my move. Never thought you'd walk right into my snare. Well, I won't be polite, then."

An aged voice laughed, "A soul or corpse at the Seventh Layer of Heaven Realm, that's too rare a treasure. I'll take it for myself today!"

Instantly, a fierce battle erupted in Chongling Gorge.

Lei Jun heard Lei Ziyang call out his foe's name, and he understood at once.

*That was the very Elder of Golden City Stronghold who had previously lain in ambush near Dragon Tiger Mountain to hunt Celestial Master Mansion Disciples!*

Golden City Stronghold was a sacred land inherited from the Witchcraft Ghost Path lineage, where disciples habitually cultivated in controlling evil souls and walking corpses.

Cao Chu was precisely an Elder of the stronghold in the Upper Three Heavens Cultivation level.

His lineage had long-standing feuds with the Celestial Master Mansion.

*Now the tables had turned at last—he'd finally found an opportunity.*

He didn't hold any real grudge toward members of the Li Clan or outsiders.

So long as anyone hailed from the Celestial Master Mansion, they were his enemies.

But to ensure success, naturally he'd pick the softest peach off the tree.

Therefore, Cao Chu had always been waiting for both sides to determine a victor.

No matter who won, the one defeated and fleeing in panic would become his target as they retreated.

He wasn't greedy—he only needed one.

For a cultivator of Golden City Stronghold, capturing a Seventh Layer of Heaven Realm master and refining them into an evil soul or walking corpse counted as a hefty profit.

By steadily accumulating strength, only then could one tackle even greater targets in the future.

*To quote the Central Earth Great Tang: advance step by step, there's always tomorrow!*

Now, the wounded Lei Ziyang was the perfect prey.

Though Lei Ziyang was injured, his cultivation skill still excelled. Even targeted by Cao Chu, he could barely manage to ward off the onslaught, though he had no heart to linger in battle—instead scheming for a way to break out.

Outside Chongling Gorge, Lei Jun frowned slightly.

Cao Chu was indeed an Upper Three Heavens Witchcraft master.

But in Lei Jun's earlier attempt to divine fortune versus disaster, it had actually involved this man too.

Yet, under Lei Jun's Sheltering Spirit Veil at that time, Cao Chu's lot came up perfectly neutral.

The foe's cultivation was truly remarkable, but did he fail to pierce the Veil's camouflage?

*Why did it become the worst lot this time?*

*He wondered, but seeing the Sheltering Spirit Veil gradually dissipate to mist, Lei Jun did not dare to hesitate, hurrying away first.*

But just after he left the canyon mouth, he suddenly heard a tiger's roar echoing from within.

Lei Jun turned back, glimpsing inside the gorge—a pillar of blue flame soared to the sky, accompanied by a tiger's howl.

It was indeed the Nine Abyss Earth Fire.

Li Hongyu was dead.

Yao Yuan and Shangguan Ning should both still be inside Dragon Tiger Mountain for now.

Tang Xiaotang had gone off after Li Song.

*The fire didn't seem to bear the touch of Senior Sister Xu Yuanzhen.*

Then...

*Yellow Sky Sect people?*

"Qi Shuo..." Lei Ziyang grunted in pain.

"Lei Ziyang, today is the day you die."

A cold voice announced, "Even without that old demon Cao from Golden City Stronghold, you'd never escape. The Illusion-Breaking Stone and Tracing Stone I prepared just for today—no hiding trick or flight method of yours can fool me now!"

Lei Jun realized at once.

*So it was Qi Shuo, Elder of Yellow Sky Sect.*

The man seemed to emerge from the far end of the canyon.

If Lei Jun also entered the gorge, even if the Sheltering Spirit Veil concealed him from Cao Chu, Qi Shuo's Illusion-Breaking Stone could well expose him.

Lei Jun had seen records of that spiritual object in old texts—precisely the thing to nullify something like the Veil.

Qi Shuo and Cao Chu were no allies.

But they might join forces to deal with the people now atop Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Regardless whether they bore the Li name.

So...

Lei Jun, having already walked some distance, glanced back.

All three were at the Seventh Layer of Heaven Realm.

All three were direct heirs of the Holy Land Sects.

Two against one.

And that 'one' was already wounded to begin with.

*For Lei Jun, Chongling Gorge was a dead end.*

*For Lei Ziyang, it was the same.*

Inside the gorge, a scene both comical and terrifying unfolded.

A violet Thunder Dragon leaped up from the canyon.

But instantly, a pouncing Green Flame Giant Tiger dragged it back down.

The Thunder Dragon surged up once more.

Suddenly, a mass of black evil shadow latched on and hauled it back into the gorge.

Like a drowning man, struggling to surface, only to be dragged under again.

Until at last, he could never surface anymore.

*"I wonder what exactly that Sixth-Rank Opportunity consists of?"*

Lei Jun shielded his eyes, watching from afar as the thunder gradually died away in Chongling Gorge. "Elder Li, I hope you enjoy it."

*Who said just because you reached the Seventh Layer of Heaven, you couldn't be tricked to death?*

Farewell, Lei Ziyang.

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