Chapter 298: Skipping Levels, Sneak Attacks, and Sweeping Away All Obstacles!

“Which Fellow Daoist goes there?”

Above the Gantang Channel of the Sea-Farer Li Clan, Perfected One Xiao Hai, seeing his divine ability brilliance broken, immediately tensed up and looked solemnly at the newcomer.

Then he saw the escaping light part suddenly.

An old man with white hair and an aged face walked out. Despite his age, his back was straight, and his expression even carried a hint of excitement. Perfected One Xiao Hai was instantly stunned.

“…Old Ghost Yun?”

“What did you say!” The [Ancestor of the Yun Family] looked angry upon hearing this. The [Yuan Tu Treasure Talisman] appeared in his hand, and the startling sword Qi from before re-emerged.

On the other side, Perfected One Xiao Hai sighed.

Amidst his sigh, a trump card hidden in his sleeve, which he had been clutching tightly, loosened slightly, and ninety percent of the killing intent in his heart dissipated instantly.

After all, this was a Sword Pavilion Perfected One.

Unless the Li Family decided to flee to Jiangbei as fugitives, even if they dared to disrespect him or drive him away, they absolutely couldn’t kill him.

“What business brings Fellow Daoist Yun to my Li Family?”

Perfected One Xiao Hai looked calm. Behind him, thousands of brilliant lights emerged from the Gantang Channel, interweaving into a formation and evolving into an endless azure sea once again.

Because the other party had made such a grand entrance and unleashed such a stunning strike, he hadn’t even considered the [Ancestor of the Yun Family] initially. The result naturally surprised him greatly. However, after discovering the attacker was actually the [Ancestor of the Yun Family], he quickly regained his composure.

I know exactly how much capability this old thing has..

A pewter spearhead that looks like silver—good for show but useless! He must have used some external object just now, like a Spirit Treasure or talisman, to demonstrate his power to me!

Facing Perfected One Xiao Hai’s tough attitude, the [Ancestor of the Yun Family] flew into a rage: “Why has this old man come? Naturally, it is to investigate the recent demonic disasters. I suspect someone in the Li Clan is colluding with the Demonic Path. Come out and face interrogation immediately!”

After speaking, the sword Qi of the [Yuan Tu Treasure Talisman] in his hand grew even stronger.

However, how could Perfected One Xiao Hai agree to such an unreasonable demand? his aura surged abruptly: “Colluding with the Demonic Path? Fellow Daoist, you go too far!”

Meanwhile, inside the Li Clan at Gantang Channel.

Seeing Perfected One Xiao Hai step forward to block the [Ancestor of the Yun Family], the Li Family Head, Li Qingyun, breathed a sigh of relief. However, when he turned around, his expression froze.

Behind him, a young man in a dark robe had appeared unknowingly. He stood with his hands behind his back, looking leisurely. Yet the moment he appeared, he seemed to become the center of heaven and earth. A pair of pitch-black eyes stared straight at him, an invisible gaze pressing down on him like a mountain.

Another Perfected One!?

In an instant, Li Qingyun felt his body and mind turn cold. Without a word, he knelt down to bow and shouted with the loudest voice of his life, almost screaming: “Greetings, Perfected One!”

The voice exploded like thunder but dissipated within three feet of Li Qingyun. Not a single sound leaked out. All he got in return was a playful smile from the newcomer.

Looking around again, only Li Qingyun and the newcomer’s location were isolated. Everything else became hazy, as if it didn’t exist.

Which Sword Pavilion Perfected One is this? So insidious… this shouldn’t be the Sword Pavilion’s style?

In Li Qingyun’s view, Sword Pavilion Perfected Ones, whether doing good or evil, always acted openly and aboveboard—no matter your schemes, I’ll slash through with one sword.

But this one before him was completely different!

Judging by his actions, he clearly used the [Ancestor of the Yun Family] outside as cannon fodder to attract his family’s Perfected One’s attention, while secretly infiltrating to launch a sneak attack!

Bastard… huh?

Meanwhile, Lu Yang observed Li Qingyun with interest.

Fighting head-on had never been his style. Unless absolutely necessary, he preferred using a higher realm to beat a lower realm, or launching sneak attacks against those of the same realm.

Let fellow Daoists die, but not this poor Daoist—that was a true Saint Sect Perfected One.

So although he had already decided to rob the Sea-Farer Li Clan, out of caution, he still sent the [Ancestor of the Yun Family] as cannon fodder to test the waters first.

And he actually did test something out.

Thinking of this, an ancient bronze bell suddenly appeared in his hand. He smiled at Li Qingyun: “Where did you get this thing?”

Li Qingyun looked up and saw the bronze bell in Lu Yang’s hand. His heart instantly went cold. After all, this [Zhaoyuan Bell] was hidden in the deepest part of the family treasury, strictly sealed by a Foundation Establishment formation. Yet now, it was held in the other party’s hand!

Not good…!

Li Qingyun’s lips trembled. He raised his head, subconsciously wanting to explain, but met Lu Yang’s eyes directly. He immediately felt his consciousness sink.

Golden Talent: [Marionette]!

Like a gentle breeze blowing through, it smoothed over all the turmoil in Li Qingyun’s heart, gradually calming his terror-stricken face.

The next second, he explained with a normal expression, “We discovered this treasure inside that Grotto-Heaven fragment. It should be the token for entry and exit. As long as one holds this treasure, stands at the entrance of the Grotto-Heaven fragment, and shakes it three times, a portal leading inside will open.”

“…Oh?”

Hearing this, Lu Yang narrowed his eyes. Grotto-Heaven fragment!? Does this Li Family have such dog-shit luck to encounter a Grotto-Heaven fragment?

Instantly, there was no joy in Lu Yang’s heart, only an icy chill.

A small family with only an Initial Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator encountering a Grotto-Heaven fragment left by a Perfected Lord and making their fortune from it—it sounded wrong no matter how he listened to it!

Could it be another bait? Does the Sword Pavilion play this game too?

Just as Lu Yang was pondering, a Divine Sense suddenly descended from the sky, followed by a voice of shock and anger: “Who dares trespass in my home!?”

The next second, Perfected One Xiao Hai descended from the sky.

Almost simultaneously, Lu Yang looked up in response. Not just Lu Yang, but Li Qingyun standing beside him, and all the Li Clan members within the Gantang Channel.

“Are you talking to me?”

Identical movements, unison voices.

Simple words, yet they made Perfected One Xiao Hai feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave. He looked incredulously at his clansmen, whose faces were familiar yet acted like strangers.

What demonic art is this!?

Amidst his shock, Perfected One Xiao Hai was about to take out the trump card hidden in his sleeve, but was met face-to-face with the towering phantom emerging behind Lu Yang.

“Demon! What do you want to do to me?”

“Xiao Hai pays respects to Master!”

The terror was gone from the face of Perfected One Xiao Hai, who had fallen under [Marionette]. Like Li Qingyun and the other Li Clan members, his face was filled with loyalty.

Lu Yang stood in the hall, examining the treasure Perfected One Xiao Hai had just actively offered up.

It was indeed a talisman. At a glance, its attribute seemed to be Fire, and its power was substantial. Clearly, this was the trump card he had been hiding in his sleeve.

To be fair, the hidden foundation of the Sea-Farer Li Clan was actually quite deep.

Besides this talisman, there was the superior Spirit Treasure [Frontier-Expanding Ship], plus the clan-protecting formation. Even among Initial Stage Foundation Establishment forces, this was top-tier equipment.

If Lu Yang had foolishly attacked openly and allowed Perfected One Xiao Hai to prepare fully and use all his means, a head-on spiritual battle might have actually posed some danger. After all, the quality of the clone he brought this time was too poor to withstand too much of his spiritual power output.

Luckily, I was cautious!

Openly advancing along the plank road while secretly crossing at Chencang. The result was that Perfected One Xiao Hai was easily subdued by Lu Yang before he could use anything, without expending much effort.

“As expected, spiritual battles are best fought by skipping levels and using sneak attacks…”

Lu Yang sighed with emotion, then looked at Perfected One Xiao Hai seriously. “Tell me in detail about that Grotto-Heaven fragment your Li Family discovered.”

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