The nine-colored light shifted direction. Sword lights, transformed from purple thunder, flew out from the mountain, carving one colossal fissure after another among the mountains outside the main peak.

Lei Jun made his way through the mountains, carefully concealing his form while also remaining vigilant for the sudden descent of purple thunder sword lights that resembled heavenly punishment.

Suddenly, his heart stirred slightly, and his pace slowed; there were people ahead. They were all disciples of the Celestial Master Mansion, but not the Li Clan descendants like Li Xuan and the others from before. Among them were some familiar faces. Shangguan Hong was present, looking somewhat bedraggled along with a few other Celestial Master Mansion disciples, all engaged in heated discussion:

"Was that person just now really Chen Yi, who used to be under Elder Yao's tutelage?"

"It must be that traitor..."

"Is there anyone who was more familiar with him before, who can recognize that it was him?"

Shangguan Hong, who had been silent until now, sighed, "It was Chen Yi, no doubt. We underwent the Transcension Ritual and joined the Mansion in the same year."

The crowd was silent for a moment.

After a while, someone spoke up, "He killed Feng He..."

The tone was somewhat ethereal. It lacked intense anger or joy; it was more a mix of complex emotions. The expressions on the faces of Shangguan Hong and the others around him were also indescribably complex.

Lei Jun, passing by, raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

The so-called disciple Feng He must be referring to Lin Shan's disciple, Li Fenghe. He was the son of Li Xuan and the sole grandson of Li Ziyang. He had originally planned to become a disciple of the previous Yong Celestial Master, Li Zhengxuan. However, after many twists and turns, he ended up under the lineage of Shangguan Ning, becoming a disciple of her eldest disciple, Lin Shan. In recent years, he had kept a relatively low profile. Who would have thought that he would now fall by the hand of Chen Yi?

Currently, hostilities had erupted between the Li-surnamed disciples and those from other families. Shangguan Ning was wounded and did not intervene, only calling for both sides to cease fighting. Most of her disciples had also left the mountain. They patrolled and kept watch outside, cautious of external enemies, and tried not to meddle in the affairs on the mountain. Their feelings towards the Li Clan disciples were rather nuanced.

However, Li Fenghe was, after all, a Direct Disciple of Lin Shan, and his death at the hands of a traitor who had abandoned the Sect made Shangguan Hong and the others feel ashamed.

Lei Jun looked towards the endlessly flowing Golden Palace Creek in the distance and shook his head in lamentation.

Six years ago, it was by the banks of Golden Palace Creek that Chen Yi revealed his practice of the Blood River Secret Skill and injured several disciples of the Celestial Master Mansion before fleeing. Now, six years later, he had actually returned amidst the chaos to the base of Dragon Tiger Mountain and even killed a direct descendant of the Li Family?

"Shangguan!"

At that moment, a breeze carried a voice from the distance. A woman in a red Taoist robe, possessing a noble aura and an elegant visage, approached.

Upon seeing her, Shangguan Hong and the others hurriedly greeted her, "Zhang."

The newcomer was Zhang Jingzhen.

She scanned the area. "I just received word, something has happened to Feng He?"

Shangguan Hong nodded. "Yes, a few of our younger disciples were patrolling outside the mountain and accidentally discovered Chen Yi's whereabouts. He lashed out and harmed people; Feng He and several others were among the victims."

Zhang Jingzhen frowned slightly. "Was Chen Yi targeting Feng He from the very beginning?"

Although Chen Yi had already been branded a fugitive whose transgressions required the Sect to clean its own house, Shangguan Hong remained objective as he detailed the circumstances: "It is said he sought an opportunity to sneak up the mountain but was discovered. Lin Shixiong realized it and gave chase. Chen Yi, in his escape, struck out viciously, resulting in the deaths of Feng He and several others who were nearby."

Lei Jun, listening from the side, contemplated thoughtfully.

Several years had passed, and it seemed Chen Yi was still the same as before: seemingly defiant but with clear intent in his actions, engaging less in conflicts of passion and employing even more extreme measures than in the past. It seemed his return to the vicinity of Dragon Tiger Mountain this time, taking advantage of the Celestial Master Mansion's internal strife, wasn't primarily for revenge. At least, revenge wasn't his main objective. It was more like he wanted to return to the mountain to find something. Only when his tracks were exposed and his primary goal became unattainable did Chen Yi resort to killing Li Fenghe and the others, partly to break through and partly to vent his frustration. It was hard to say whether this was Chen Yi's bad luck or Li Fenghe's. What was Chen Yi really after by returning to Dragon Tiger Mountain?

"And Chen Yi's current whereabouts?" Zhang Jingzhen inquired.

Shangguan Hong replied, "Lin Shixiong is pursuing him, but the situation is currently unclear. Also... um, Chongxuan... Ahem, upon hearing the news, also chased after him to the east."

His words were a bit vague, but Lei Jun understood he was referring to Li Xuan.

Zhang Jingzhen glanced to the east. "With only Lin Shixiong, he should be able to capture Chen Yi on the spot, right?"

Shangguan Hong quickly said, "Zhang, that Chen Yi, he has reached the Fourth Layer of Heaven!"

Zhang Jingzhen's eyes flashed. "The Fourth Layer of Heaven? Chen Yi?"

She had access to more information. She knew that after Chen Yi fled the mountain, he had joined the Suppressing Demon Guards and had swiftly reached the Altar Stage of the Third Heavenly Layer. But from the time of his desertion until now, only six years had elapsed. And now he had reached the Fourth Layer of Heaven, attaining the Middle Three Heavens level?

Such an advancement was not just unheard of outside; even within the Longhu Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion in recent years, only Lei Jun himself had ascended quicker. How could Chen Yi have achieved this? Even with the ambient Spiritual Energy being Su Yu abundant in recent years, conducive to cultivators' practices, this pace was still too outrageous. Moreover... he should have at most only the first two volumes of the True Formula of the Great Way Scripture. Reaching the Altar Stage of the Third Heavenly Layer is one thing, but how could he have crossed the Heavenly Moat Tribulation between the Third Heavenly Layer and the Fourth Layer of Heaven? Zhang Jingzhen furrowed her brow.

Chen Yi had left the mountain without completing his Talisman-bestowed initiation and had not been taught High-grade Spiritual Talisman Scriptures or more profound Taoist Scriptures. Normally, if he could reach the third stage of the Altar, that would already be his limit. His foundation had been set, and changing one's Taoist Heritage is no easy feat.

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