Chapter 245: Two Hundred and Fifty-Three: The Lei Chi of a Square Inch

Two Hundred and Fifty-Three: The Lei Chi of a Square Inch

Inside the ruined scripture-copying hall.

A great Buddha still stood, its face serene and compassionate.

Yet before the Buddha, several figures stood in frozen silence—no trace of incense lamps and ancient Buddhas remained; death lurked everywhere.

Chen Jun Xie Ling's brow dripped with sweat; one hand rested behind her lower back, the other clenched into a fist held horizontally before her abdomen. She stood before the trembling white-haired old monk, gazing straight ahead.

When duty calls, one does not yield.

Within a one-zhang radius around them, a faint mist clung to the air, like steam rising from boiling water, spreading across the entire span.

Qiu Qiu Shenji stood coldly outside this strange mist, slowly circling the circular "one-zhang mist," observing Chen Jun Xie Ling and Master Venerable Shan Dao.

Occasionally, he took half a step forward, testing the tip of his foot within the "one-zhang mist." Could it be that the mute girl has no one important downstream at Di Gong Zha? Judging by your expression, this person seems more important to you than your own life.

Longhu Mountain lowered his gaze to a faintly floating Wu Qun talisman beneath the floor tiles: "Master Chen won't die in vain, and the Bai Lu Cave won't let any true culprit escape."

The purple-gold mute woman stepped forward; Longhu Mountain didn't pause for a moment—he immediately rushed to find Wang Wang Lixian's family. On passing the scripture-copying hall, he discovered Master Venerable Shan Dao, a young monk, being held captive by two white-robed swordsmen. Acting on the principle of righteousness, he intervened.

Chen Jun Xie Ling poured her vermilion spiritual energy without restraint along the Right Foot Shaoyang Meridian, channeling it into the weakened version of the Square Inch Lei Chi beneath her feet.

The azure glow settled beneath the seven figures who had halted above.

Choose—!

No sword hovered above her head, yet Li Su Guoer remained utterly unaware; the moonlight sword pressed against the qi-refiner's throat as she stared unblinking at Qu Yuhé, mouth open to negotiate.

Those special healing pills were like a cup of water to quench a burning cart.

The seventh-rank martial path is inherently ordinary, emphasizing martial "momentum"—like climbing a mountain, one must ascend step by step under the weight of that momentum.

At the time, the golden-haired, purple-gold fox-fur-clad young man floated midair, a strange-etched ancient sword hovering behind him. He tilted his head, frowned, and swept his cold gaze across Longcheng County, as if sensing something significant... The scene he saw after fleeing still lingered in the hemp-clad man's mind.

Qu Yuhé raised his eyes without a word; eight zhang above the heads of the qi-refiner and Li Su Guoer, he witnessed a mythic sight:

Longhu Mountain's brow glistened with sweat—he faced a formidable foe. "Something's odd..."

And the culprit behind it all.

In the hall's courtyard, at an empty corner, after a few breaths, two overlapping figures suddenly appeared, hurrying forward.

Could it be that the disturbance caused by Yan Balang's transformation of the Ding Sword from void to substance triggered Xue Xue Zhongzhu's anomaly?

The accumulated "momentum" collapsed in a torrent, plunging him into eighth rank.

Beside his right foot lay a vermilion-purple talisman lying flat on the ground, its inscriptions faintly bearing eight elegant, flowing cinnabar characters: Da Zhang Su Xian Hua, Yuan Heng Li Zhen.

Cannot be ignored.

The qi-refiner turned and glared: "Him!"

Qu Yuhé stepped into the thunder pool, reached out with both hands to seize the vermilion-purple lightning arcs, intending to tear apart the Square Inch Lei Chi.

His limbs were weak, spiritual energy uncooperative—he gritted his teeth.

"Father, perhaps we should set Qu Yuhé aside for now..." Qu Yuhé hesitated, fearing his father's anger.

Longhu Mountain remained silent.

That Wu Qun talisman was a necessary consumable to activate the Tai Qing masterpiece "Square Inch Lei Chi."

Seeing her stubbornness, the Chen Jun Xie woman let out a sharp "Hmph." How could such a martial aura be contained?

The qi-refiner walked stiffly at the rear, a bright blade resting against his neck; Li Su Guoer held the hilt in her right hand, standing beside Qu Yuhé, hiding her body.

Suddenly, a lightning arc as thick as a little finger appeared within the "one-zhang mist," crimson in hue, faintly tinged with purple.

Longhu Mountain's temples were damp with sweat; his eyelids kept fluttering shut as if preparing to fight, yet he forced them open again, never daring to slacken.

During daylight, a clear blue "arc" swiftly appeared. Master Venerable Shan Dao immediately fell silent, obedient as ever.

"Let's talk reasonably—I'll let you go, but don't move Yan Balang... Honestly, we have no deep grudge or hatred."

Chen Jun Xie Ling quickly calmed her expression, as if nothing had happened, stepped forward two paces to feign goodwill, and spread her hands open:

Chen Jun Xie Ling narrowed her eyes without answering—then suddenly noticed the qi-refiner facing her was winking frantically, silently raising one index finger beneath his sleeve, pointing upward.

Longhu Mountain, though puzzled, felt a pang of emotion; though close to her, their communication was still difficult.

Moments later, he still frowned, his brow unrelaxed.

Yet now, I was subdued by a reckless boy far younger than me—and even broken!

Worse still, after our clash on Mount Mount Dagu, I was gravely wounded and tried to flee, yet Xue Xue Zhongzhu sheathed his sword and didn't pursue. At the time, his expression suggested something else had occupied his mind; he dismissed Chen Jun Xie Ling like a fart... Now, recalling it, it was utter humiliation.

It also trapped you. But in an instant—

That hemp-clad man, even wounded, even seemingly cast down to eighth rank by the Lady Yunmeng young lord, still remained a Tai Qing Dragon of eighth rank—Longhu Mountain could not defeat him.

Longhu Mountain said nothing.

It wasn't merely a single rank difference—it was the fall from upper-tier Tai Qing Dragon to middle-tier Qu Yuhé; the most direct manifestation was the inability to fly on the wind.

At this moment, his situation was dire. The entire hall fell silent.

He became the focus of all eyes; the qi-refiner's face twisted in helpless fury:

Qu Yuhé's first move put him at a disadvantage; he had no choice but to pull out a precious Wu Qun talisman, activating the Square Inch Lei Chi to repel enemies and save himself.

Yet the most severe damage was to his Daoist spirit. He shouldn't have returned here.

Chen Jun Xie Ling frowned, suspecting Xue Xue Zhongzhu's anomaly might be tied to the Ding Sword—after all, she came for the Ding Sword, and the Lady Yunmeng swordsmen were acutely sensitive to sword qi, including that of the Ding Sword. Yet why didn't Xue Xue Zhongzhu pursue Yan Balang and the sword case afterward?

Longhu Mountain must concentrate fully to maintain it.

Chen Jun Xie Ling even felt that the bloody wound had become a flaw in her perfected martial body.

Yet Longhu Mountain hadn't anticipated that his brief pause in the scripture-copying hall would bring him face-to-face with the hemp-clad man—their clash erupted instantly.

Ahead, Master Venerable Shan Dao glanced at the deer-shaped jade ring on Longhu Mountain's waist; the ring pulsed with vermilion light, as if sensing something.

He constantly searched for vulnerabilities in the "thunder pool," ready to tear it apart with his martial physique.

No one knew how long it could hold.

"Amitabha, Amitabha..." Master Venerable Shan Dao, drenched in sweat, trembled as he chanted sutras.

"Shut up." Longhu Mountain spat two words.

The hemp-clad man stared fixedly at the "arc," eyes wide with shock—then, as if remembering something, a flicker of realization passed through his gaze.

"Xue Xue Zhongzhu..." Chen Jun Xie Ling gritted her teeth.

"But you're using that 'Square Inch Lei Chi' poorly. Tai Qing masterpieces aren't meant to be used this way—you should've used it to obliterate me outright, especially while I was wounded and downgraded. Hiding like a coward doesn't suit the thunder arts of the Celestial Master's Mansion."

Behind the Buddha, Chen Jun Xie Ling opened her eyes, gazing at the man behind her, curling her lips: "Why are you so certain we did it?"

Inside the Square Inch Lei Chi, the hemp-clad man sat in meditation, utterly unmoved.

Yet even so, Longhu Mountain obtaining that precious Wu Qun talisman was exceedingly rare.

A clear, unfamiliar male voice rang out. The thunder pool blocked the deadly foe.

At this moment, Chen Jun Xie Ling's face was tense and unsettled, her heart filled with rage and humiliation—like termites gnawing ceaselessly at her soul.

The hemp-clad man suddenly tore open his chest, revealing a bleeding wound just inches below his heart, visible through his bronze-toned skin.

Chen Jun Xie Ling smiled coldly: "You're from Bai Lu Cave too, aren't you? Don't recognize me? Fine—he was executed on a whim by Yan Balang. Like you, he was the toughest with his mouth when he died."

This Wu Qun talisman was secretly given to her days ago during her journey with Wei Wei Shaoqi by a senior Celestial Master of the Mansion, alongside a Tui Fan Golden Pill with "one-eighth the efficacy" of the Eight-Winged Summer Cicada, to protect the deposed emperor Wang Wang Lixian's family.

The hemp-clad man, who had painstakingly honed his martial path among thousands of troops in Mobei—how could he endure such humiliation?

And Mount Mount Dagu had long been shrouded in thick incense energy, like a dark room—within it, Xue Xue Zhongzhu couldn't lock onto the position of the newly appointed Sword-Bearer through spiritual sight, nor could I...

The "arc" remained motionless, silently brewing something.

Chen Jun Xie Ling, lingering at the seventh-rank threshold, was nearing the end of her prime martial years. Now, through this Jiang Nan journey, burdened with the suppressed "Ding Sword" sword case, she was honing her martial "momentum," and had a rare chance to touch seventh rank.

Most crucially... I lost!

Just now, I was with this Qu Yuhé mute. "Look up, Su Guoer!" Longhu Mountain suddenly shouted.

But since they had unexpectedly met in the scripture-copying hall, they were caught off guard—Longhu Mountain had no choice but to "draw a prison on the ground."

Chen Jun Xie Ling stood still, not moving rashly, gradually narrowing her eyes. Longhu Mountain's face paled, then quickly regained composure; she lowered her gaze in silence. Chen Jun Xie Ling smiled:

Generally, such martial cultivators had far more experience in one-on-one combat.

If Longhu Mountain remembered correctly, the eighth-rank martial path was called "Weapon Master"—not only skilled with weapons, but also forging their own body into a terrifying human weapon.

Like two armies facing off, their generals duel—only to have their flag and body cut down publicly.

"Who's he? I've disliked him from the start—he deserves a beating."

Qu Yuhé suddenly asked: "Do you know this county magistrate named Magistrate Ouyang...?"

Chen Jun Xie Ling's expression shifted; Longhu Mountain's face lit up, then furrowed in concern—she swiftly turned to watch every move of the hemp-clad man behind her.

The hemp-clad man narrowed his eyes, swiftly withdrew his scorched right foot, and let out a cold "Hmph."

"Boring." Chen Jun Xie Ling closed her eyes and sneered: "A monk and a Confucian scholar—needing protection from a Daoist's spells? How shameful."

If I move, you move.

Only "drawing a prison on the ground" could barely protect him—a strengthened version of the "Square Inch Lei Chi." You walk the scholar's path; you should keep distance when fighting him.

Later, in the Jia Sword Furnace Room, that frail, powerless young magistrate questioned my Dao—Chen Jun Xie Ling ignored him, for a Louyi 's doubts were meaningless; indifference sufficed.

"Who?"

Longhu Mountain remained unmoved; her face grew even paler.

Xue Xue Zhongzhu's sword wound didn't strike the heart directly—but it struck the "heart" all the same.

"You should know Yan Balang has that jade ring? No wonder you didn't respond—huh, how foolish."

At that moment.

Qu Yuhé nodded: "Kill Yan Balang—can you escape?"

Qu Yuhé's aura suddenly grew chaotic; he took a deep breath and quickly steadied himself.

Li Su Guoer tossed her head haughtily toward Chen Jun Xie Ling, her eyes commanding: "Say it again—release them immediately."

It still faintly shimmered with white mist, beginning to rot and stink—impossible to heal for now.

The ordinary sword wound on Lady Yunmeng Yue's male body was not so easily healed.

But before the Grand Celestial Master bestowed it upon you, Qu Yu and a villager—both of whom were Zhang clan direct descendants of the Celestial Master's Mansion—could never fully master the Supreme Pure teachings of the Divine Thunder Scripture.

Mist behind him churned wildly; the Lei Chi trembled, on the verge of dispersing.

Chen Jun Xie's daughter reached into her bosom, pulled out a porcelain vial, poured out a jade-green elixir, and swallowed it. Qu Yu sighed deeply again.

Could this be the famed "Poor Scholar's"... Sword Array?

"You've become too careless, Father. You were wrong—the character 'lust' hides a knife... That vile woman slipped me a bone-melting powder!"

But suddenly, a deafening crash erupted—the downstream Digong Dam collapsed. Before you could react, you saw the boy beside you, who had been as still as a maiden, go mad, his face streaked with tears as he sprinted up the mountain, as if heading toward the downstream Digong Dam...

Now that the great enemy stood before you, the talisman on your foot—the vermilion script written by an elder Celestial Master of Wei Wei Shaoxuan—had dimmed noticeably.

Even the elder Celestial Master of Wei Wei Shaoxuan did not act out of respect for the Emperor's handwritten letter bearing the imperial seal, but because of your "unmatched cunning."

"Hah." Longhu Mountain laughed.

Qushenji Hushan, Maoshan Shangqing Maoshan, and Yushan Zao Mountain are called the Eight Mountain Talismans because they share a single talisman system—all their sect's ultimate techniques require the consumption of a precious talisman.

Not only did his physical form develop flaws, but even his inner cosmos cracked open, allowing spiritual energy to leak out like a slow trickle... His cultivation base, once firmly at seventh rank "Bingyinyang Family," temporarily slipped to eighth rank "Bingqi Family."

Chen Jun Xie's daughter stood guard within the "Lei Chi," turned her head to gaze at the great Buddha in the hall's center, spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground, then suddenly spoke:

Yet her open gaze toward Longhu Mountain betrayed a flicker of inner agitation.

In the great hall, Qu Yu, still with closed eyes, suddenly spoke: "It seems someone seeks you—why not respond? It's not just a messenger."

"..." Someone.

Chen Jun Xie's daughter and Longhu Mountain turned their heads together.

"Phantoms and goblins, ghostly tricks," you said.

"Little girl, what did you give Qushenji Hushan to make those stingy Daoists hand you a vermilion-purple talisman for protection?"

That unsettled Qu Yu's heart—the feeling was like a soaring great roc suddenly having its wings shattered and crashing to earth, a skilled walker stumbling—such subtle differences could not be easily described.

The hemp-clad man before you appeared to be chatting with you, but his entire aura was tightly reined, waiting for an opening.

Qu Yu locked his qi upon Chen Jun Xie Chen Jun Xie Lingjiang within the Lei Chi, silently pondering the doubts in his heart.

"Careful, careful," the Qi-refining cultivator chuckled and nodded. "Guo'er, cousin, calm down." Guo'er kicked him: "Enough nonsense."

His pure physical form was treated like a whetstone, forcibly split open by a defiant, wild Hu Ji who had just entered seventh rank.

But now, this wild Hu Ji girl was ruthless and spoke little—what of the "doubts" she hammered out with each sword strike?

The wound was about eight fingers wide, pink flesh exposed, and with each violent heartbeat, blood surged more fiercely.

"The Wei Prince's son as a burial offering? Not a loss."

Qu Yu, arriving in sync at the scripture-copying hall, discovered that Yan Balang had likely obtained the "Poor Scholar's Sword Scripture" after translating the Sanskrit, escaped Chen Jun Xie Chen Jun Xie Lingjiang's grasp with Liu Fu, and gone after the Da Nanlang of the Li family. Yan Balang was now likely somewhere in Donglin Temple, having manifested the Ding Sword and ascended to Sword-Bearer status.

A trace of vermilion-purple thunder's might.

He suddenly sat cross-legged behind the "Lei Chi," as if meditating to heal, waiting silently.

That Wu Qun talisman counts as forging a good connection.

"Release Sister Chen Jun Xie—if you still want Young Master Wei to live." Still, it wasn't entirely bad news.

Chen Jun Xie Chen Jun Xie Lingjiang let out a muffled "hmm," a thin line of blood trickling from her lips, her slender frame swaying precariously—yet she kept her gaze straight ahead, maintaining the pose of her right foot extended.

"Shut up, hmm."

Even within Qushenji Hushan, only a handful of extremely low-ranking elder Celestial Masters could unleash the full power of the "Fangcun Lei Chi."

Hmm—Longhu Mountain had subtly revised the day's strategic analysis his senior brother had made in the study and leaked it to the Celestial Master's Mansion, naturally earning everyone's admiration; after leaving, they continually praised the Chen Jun Xie clan of Chen Commandery's youths as true orchids and jade trees.