Chapter 429: Five-Lightning Pure Yang, the True Law of Heaven and Earth!

All of them felt a chill run through their bodies as they slowly and stiffly turned to face the strange portrait. Even those whose likeness had already appeared before and survived were no exception. Who knew if this cursed painting would strike again?

Then, the dragon-headed bird-bodied deity’s image faded away, rippling like water, and a new portrait emerged. This time, it was a tall, sharply featured, strikingly handsome young Daoist. At his waist hung an antique long sword, and his robe seemed to ripple in the wind.

Zhang Wei’s face went pale in terror. “Dammit! It’s Daoist Master Cao Cao!”

He swallowed with difficulty and looked at Li Yanchu, while the other people in the room simultaneously exhaled in relief. After all, this meant they might survive this round.

Just then, the figure in the portrait’s gaze flickered. Although it resembled Li Yanchu, its calm and composed aura was entirely absent, and the air seemed to vibrate with a strange energy.

Li Yanchu’s expression was icy, and his voice cracked like thunder. “Five-Lightning Pure Yang, the True Law of Heaven and Earth, what demons or fiends dare look upon me!”

As he spoke, a pure yang, domineering aura of lightning radiated from him.

In the next moment, the entire painting shook violently, as if it were terrified, and the figure retreated frantically. Then, with a sudden explosion, the entire cursed painting shattered and turned to ash...

Gasp

! Everyone watching gasped in horror, frozen in place. They were stunned beyond words, looking at each other in disbelief.

What just happened? How did the portrait burn up?!

Seeing Li Yanchu remain calm and composed, they suddenly realized that maybe they had looked rather pathetic in front of this young Daoist earlier!

Li Yanchu didn’t think much of it; he simply winked at Zhang Wei.

“Daoist Master Cao Cao, you’re incredible!” Zhang Wei finally recovered from his shock, excited. This was a seriously strong ally; he had to stick close!

“It’s just a small matter.” Li Yanchu smiled faintly.

Earlier, he had sensed a strange force attacking him, and this force felt somehow familiar to him. It was somewhat similar to the evil spirits in the Mount Jinting’s Blissful Land.

Earlier, everyone had been panicking, scrambling through the mysterious Daoist temple to find special items to save their lives. No one expected that when it came to Li Yanchu, he would simply blow the painting apart with a glance!

“What the hell just happened?!”

“Daoist Master, you are truly fierce!” The swordsman gave Li Yanchu a thumbs-up.

In that terrifying, desperate situation, no one there could have resisted the cursed painting’s bizarre power, yet this young Daoist just destroyed it with a look. His sheer strength left everyone in awe.

Now, everyone’s enthusiasm for finding special items was even more energized. After all, this was Mount Taoyuan’s Blissful Land; if they could find a magical artifact or inheritance, wouldn’t that be a life-changing opportunity? Whether wandering martial artists or disciples of major sects, everyone would fight fiercely for such opportunities.

The middle-aged feng shui master and the mature, seductive woman did not hesitate to enter the back hall again. Earlier, the situation had been critical, so they hadn’t fully explored it. Since the feng shui master was professionally skilled, he could find things invisible to others.

After they went in, the swordsman, the handsome scholar, and Li Yanchu with Zhang Wei also followed. In this scenario, one didn’t need to be skilled at finding things by themselves. One just needed to stick with someone who can find them.

Outside, the muscular young man still sat motionless, his eyes vacant as if terrified out of his wits. But once everyone had entered, his gaze shifted to madness!

He pulled out a small knife and pried open a floor tile beneath him, and beneath the tile lay a golden box. Seeing this, the young man eagerly took out the box.

“This aura is so strong... there must be something valuable inside.”

Just by sitting there, he had been able to shield himself from the strange bell sounds and the peculiar control over the body. Fearing others would notice, he had waited until everyone had entered the back hall before quickly pocketing the golden box with a look of delight in his eyes.

Once everyone entered the back hall, the feng shui master also didn’t hide anything, starting to search along the floor tiles. Meanwhile, the mature woman stood behind him, holding her sharp short blade.

These two clearly work as a team

, Li Yanchu thought to himself.

Soon, the feng shui master found a special floor tile, and he extended two fingers and lifted the heavy tile with ease. This move made the experienced swordsman squint in surprise, as this was a tomb-raiding technique!

After removing the tile, the feng shui master pulled out a black ceramic jar the size of a palm. His eyes glowed as he clutched the ceramic jar like a priceless treasure.

“You little bastard! I knew that something was off with you! Put it down!” the swordsman shouted angrily and, without a second thought, swung his blade down. His intent was simple: kill and seize the treasure.

However, the feng shui master remained calm. Beside him, the mature, beautiful woman moved like a phantom, instantly closing the distance.

The swordsman scowled, and he thrust backward with his other hand.

“

Clang!

”

A crisp sound rang out. The woman had appeared behind him, using her thin, cicada-wing-like short blade to block his heavy long blade.

“So, she’s from the demonic sect,” the swordsman said in a low voice.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

The woman’s expression showed slight surprise, but her body vanished again, reappearing behind the swordsman once more. It seemed to be a special footwork technique.

Meanwhile, the swordsman abandoned his long blade, instead striking with a backhand palm. Fueled with a domineering aura, he sent the voluptuous woman flying. The woman appeared as if she had never seen him before.

“Black Mountain True Qi!”

“You’re Geng Tianhu[1], leader of the demonic sect?! You should’ve been dead long ago!”

The woman was a member of a demonic sect, skilled in inner demonic arts and trained in ancient southern techniques. Now, she had been summoned to protect the feng shui master. She hadn’t expected that this man was also from the demonic sect.

But Geng Tianhu should be over a hundred years old, how could he now appear as a burly middle-aged man?

“You brat, this is no place for you!” the swordsman sneered coldly.

The next moment, he struck at the feng shui master with a palm attack. The feng shui master’s expression changed, and he threw a bag of rice to the ground. Then, the rice spread out on the floor in the shape of a human figure.

This was the Feng River Formation[2], which could immobilize demons and evil spirits. Although its effect on humans was somewhat limited, it was enough to stop this crude martial warrior.

The swordsman paused slightly, but in the next moment, to the feng shui master’s shock, he broke free and struck with a palm! His thick, domineering true qi directly broke the feng shui master’s sternum, snatching the ceramic jar away.

“This thing belongs to me!” The swordsman laughed.

1. The surname 耿

Geng

carries meanings of honesty, uprightness, and loyalty, evoking someone principled and sincere, or a man who stands by his word. The character 天

Tian

, means “heaven” or “sky,” lends the name an expansive, noble tone. Meanwhile, 湖

Hu

, meaning “lake,” softens that strength with calmness and depth, and hints at inner composure.

To me, the name paints the image of a righteous wanderer whose spirit is as vast as the sky and as deep as a still lake, a steady, honorable, and quietly formidable man. ☜

2. Feng River is an actual river in Shaanxi Province, historically associated with ancient Chinese capitals like Chang’an. Here is a reference

image

. ☜