CHAPTER 227: 165. REAL MEN NEVER LOOK BACK AT EXPLOSIONS (TWENTY THOUSAND WORDS UPDATE)

Aside from Liang Chen, there were four other people.

Lei Jun recognized three of them as disciples of the Li Clan, while the remaining one was Liang Chen’s direct disciple.

Among the three Li Clan disciples, one wore a deep red Taoist robe and had already received the talisman-bestowed rank as a disciple of the Celestial Master Mansion. His name was Li Zhusheng, and Lei Jun remembered that he was Master Yao Yuan’s direct disciple, a branch member of the Li Family.

Seeing them act as though they were searching for someone, Lei Jun immediately recalled that "Heavenly Net."

"This area is so desolate, where exactly is Tang Xiaotang hiding?" Li Zhusheng gazed out at the mountains, his eyebrows tightly knit.

Liang Chen, on the other hand, looked at the incense stick in hand.

The incense burned, blue smoke drifting into the sky, trembling non-stop.

"We shouldn’t be far now, let’s search more carefully."

Liang Chen said, "Master mentioned, this area might contain a Spirit Cave Mansion infused with Pure Yang Qi. If it does, then we’re headed in the right direction. All we lack is the final, precise location."

Li Zhusheng also glanced at the rising blue smoke, "But the incense is already more than half burned..."

The Heavenly Net itself was a Precious Jade, capable of emitting a wondrous fragrance.

Yet its searching power couldn’t rely on the Net alone; it needed the right incense to work with it.

The group spread out with the incense but remained in contact, so together they wove a Heavenly Net trap across the land.

The incense was difficult to make. Li Song and others had toiled for long, producing just a handful of sticks.

And as the incense burned, the Heavenly Net’s unique fragrance was steadily consumed as well.

Once the incense burned out, the Net’s scent would vanish too.

"So we need to hurry," Liang Chen glanced around the mountains, "As soon as we sense anything, my master will, through the Net, immediately know the exact location and arrive within moments."

Supreme Elder Li Song, personally leaving the mountain to come here... Lei Jun lurked nearby, listening quietly.

It appeared that Tang Xiaotang’s closed cultivation had struck quite a chord with the Li Clan.

Their intentions weren’t just to disturb Tang Xiaotang in her seclusion.

It was more like they were ready to act—if needed, to physically deal with this looming threat.

*Even if they’d later face Xu Yuanzhen’s revenge, they were willing to risk it.*

Success meant only Xu Yuanzhen to face in the future.

Failure—or none at all—meant facing both Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang together.

If they were going to gamble, it made sense for a High Merit Elder to personally take charge.

Tang Xiaotang wasn’t just gifted—her actual combat skills were equally fearsome.

If they went head to head, it wasn’t clear who’d take whom down.

Li Hongyu was secluded, Li Zhengxuan was away searching for the Celestial Master’s Sword, so only Li Song and Li Ziyang remained as the clan’s High Merit Elders.

Li Ziyang needed to come out wearing the Celestial Master Robe to feel even a bit confident.

Given current circumstances, the Li Clan proved a little cautious, unwilling to let the Celestial Master Robe easily leave Dragon Tiger Mountain Ancestral Court.

So it fell to Supreme Elder Li Song to shoulder the load and come himself.

Lei Jun took even more care to hide his presence.

Li Song, the Eightfold Heaven Realm High Merit Elder of the Taoist Sect, was also roaming these mountains, not far off.

The only question was, where exactly?

For now the distance was decent, so it wasn’t urgent.

But if something big broke out, Li Song might detect it.

Among this batch, Li Zhusheng and the others weren’t much to worry about; but Liang Chen—Li Song’s favored disciple—ranked alongside Xia Bo and others, and they were all pillars among the Celestial Master Mansion’s elders, with cultivation in the Daoist Talismans Sect at the Sixth Layer Heaven Dao Seal realm.

Of course, Liang Chen, Li Zhusheng and the rest were all weighed down with caution.

After all, their quarry—Tang Xiaotang—was also a cultivator of the Upper Three Heavens.

"No need to panic, once we find her, act according to the situation."

Liang Chen instructed Li Zhusheng and the others, "If Tang Xiaotang is fully absorbed in her seclusion, all the better; we’ll notify Master.

If she’s aware, don’t say much—claim it was a chance encounter, clear your minds, and don’t overthink anything!"

Li Zhusheng and the group nodded gravely.

They didn’t know all the details but had heard rumors.

That celebrated genius had an uncommonly sharp sense for people’s minds.

Otherwise, with her personality, no matter how talented, she would’ve been deceived countless times—probably even helped count the money for her own sale.

"As long as we find her, Master will handle everything. We don’t need to worry about anything else," Liang Chen advised them.

Li Zhusheng pressed his lips together, nodding slightly.

*There were things Liang Chen left unsaid, but they all understood them in their hearts.*

With the Net connected, Li Song would be acutely aware of their every move.

If they exposed their true intentions before Tang Xiaotang and triggered her wrath, costing them their lives, Li Song would know instantly.

With everyone so close by, even those who tried to block their fate couldn’t hide it from Li Song.

He would rush over, no doubt.

But the dead stayed dead.

If they truly died here, Li Song might avenge them, but he couldn’t bring them back to life.

*If you wanted to keep your own skin, you had to be extra cautious.*

"I wonder how things are going to the north and west," someone murmured.

"Let’s just keep ourselves in order," Liang Chen replied.

The group nodded one after another.

*Lei Jun hidden in the dark, nodded slightly as well.*

The Net’s snare was cast wide and far.

Apparently, aside from Liang Chen and Li Zhusheng’s group searching the south, two more teams had gone out to scour the north and west.

This suggested Li Song was more likely holding the line at Yuxiu Mountain to the east.

So, was he that moderately unlucky lot?

The draw concerned Lei Jun himself—if Lei Jun barreled into the eastern Yuxiu Mountain region by pure coincidence, Li Song might well catch him.

At least it wasn’t a hopeless situation, though.

Li Song’s primary target was Tang Xiaotang.

Still—how did the other three worst-luck lots come about?

*Lei Jun’s thoughts flashed by quickly,*

*It seemed the Li Clan folks hadn’t realized another danger was approaching.*

*Only Liang Chen and Li Zhusheng’s team were lucky.*

Of the three teams spread out to cast the Net, they drew the relatively safe southern path—the same path signaled by the moderately good lot; the odds were strong they’d survive this round.

But...

Lei Jun silently watched Liang Chen and the others.

*A bunch of troublemakers...*

With the timing uncertain, everything had to be done fast—Lei Jun set about preparing immediately.

"Is that called Dengfeng Ridge?"

Liang Chen observed the surrounding terrain, finally gazing south, "Let’s climb over and take a look..."

Just as he spoke, he abruptly shut up and focused intently.

Li Zhusheng and the rest first checked the incense, watching the rising blue smoke as it wavered upward without obvious deviation.

"Such a faint trace of Pure Yang Qi, and familiar too—could it be..."

Liang Chen looked somewhat surprised, turning his gaze toward the north.

He glanced at Dengfeng Ridge to the south, then turned back to the north, "Is it that way?"

Li Zhusheng commented, "The north is a river, called Longqing River. Seems unlikely, right?"

Liang Chen pondered, "Not necessarily. There might be another Cave Heaven beneath the river."

*Stick to the original plan and go south, leaving the north to fellow disciples, or pivot north and check it out yourself?*

As Li Song’s favored disciple, Liang Chen didn’t really care about getting credit.

But the Heavenly Net worked better the closer the teams, the tighter the trap—the easier to find the target.

If the general area could be pinned down, supporting his fellow disciples to tighten the Net further made sense.

The Net’s resources burned quickly, so they couldn’t afford to waste time.

Thinking this over, Liang Chen made up his mind, "Let’s check it out first."

He raised the incense and headed north, with Li Zhusheng and the others trailing behind.

After a short search, Liang Chen’s brow first eased, then furrowed again,

"It really is Pure Yang Qi, and that familiar sensation—it’s the aura of Nine Abyss Earth Fire! But, both are so weak..."

Tang Xiaotang cultivated the Divine Faculty Talismans, especially the Fire Dharma Earth Script Talisman.

Such auras were close to what Liang Chen was hoping to find.

But they were faint, leaving him unsure if Tang Xiaotang was actually here or had only passed by earlier.

"Notify Master and let him decide," Liang Chen concluded.

The five of them paused for the moment in the mountains.

Lei Jun took a slightly longer detour, but was now hurrying at full speed to Dengfeng Ridge in the south.

He’d lingered a little too long before; hopefully, he’d still make it to safety in time.

As for the clue Liang Chen’s group found...

The Pure Yang Qi came from Lei Jun’s own mana.

With his Yin Yang Sacred Body perfectly balanced—and able to lean either way—

Lei Jun also borrowed some of the Celestial Book’s power, ensuring he could generate a small dose of genuine Pure Yang Qi.

Not much was needed, just enough for Liang Chen to pick up on.

The Nine Abyss Earth Fire aura came from the True One Altar’s first layer.

Not the real Nine Abyss Earth Fire.

Lei Jun didn’t want the actual Earth Fire, either, or that might prove too much and draw Li Song directly, leaving Master Lei no time to escape.

Drawing only Liang Chen’s team in was enough.

Whatever Liang Chen and the rest encountered—that was no concern of Lei Jun’s.

Even if they turned around and headed south, it would make no difference.

But for now, they were going north.

Fine by him, there was a Sixth-Rank Opportunity waiting to be had there.

Taoist Lei Chongyun was known for caring for his fellow disciples, always generous within the sect, so he’d sent Elder Liang and Brother Li their own opportunity.

As the saying went, blessings were meant to be shared together.

As for what they’d face alongside their good fortune, that, too, had nothing to do with Lei Jun.

If Master Song noticed in time, he’d get nothing out of it either.

Everyone could see clearly—Taoist Lei hadn’t laid a finger on Uncle Liang’s people.

Time slipped quickly by, and the Earth Fire aura and Pure Yang Qi would soon fade away as well—nothing lasting.

Lei Jun hadn’t been here.

Whatever happened afterwards, Lei Jun knew nothing about.

"Boom!!"

Past Dengfeng Ridge, after only a short while in the mountains north of the ridge, a massive roar erupted, shaking the earth and mountains—Lei Jun remained calm, not a shred of curiosity, no intention of looking back.

He followed the slope down from Dengfeng Ridge, continuing on south.

Behind him, the earthquakes grew more intense, snowballing into a chain reaction, the racket spreading further and further out.

From the north at Longqing River, east to Yuxiu Mountain, westward to the Luxi Pu where Lei Jun had come earlier, and south to Dengfeng Ridge, the whole area was thrown into chaos as if the world itself was cracking apart.