Chapter 398: The Tribulation Clouds Have Dispersed, Heavenly Light Shines Bright

On the third day after sealing the blood-colored barrier, Lu Yuan was enjoying tea and admiring the flowers when a sudden, inexplicable unease welled up in his heart.

This feeling was no trivial matter, causing him to furrow his brows involuntarily.

"What's wrong, husband? You seem unsettled," Su Liyan asked with concern.

"I can't put my finger on it, but I faintly feel that although we've sealed the blood-colored barrier, this might only be the first move of the hidden mastermind," Lu Yuan said in a low voice.

"You mean there's a greater conspiracy?" Gu Qingwan also furrowed her brows.

"I feel the same. We must heighten our vigilance and not be careless," Su Liyan nodded.

As the three were discussing, a girl in white robes suddenly appeared, stepping through the air to land before them.

"Fairy maiden, may I ask what brings you here?" Lu Yuan asked, clasping his fists.

"I am the guardian of the Kunlun Mountain Range, and I have come to warn you that the Red Lotus Old Ancestor will surely make a comeback, bringing an unprecedented catastrophe."

The girl's expression was solemn.

"What? The Red Lotus Old Ancestor?" The three all turned pale with shock.

"Exactly. He is merely sealed for now and will eventually return to the mortal realm. Only the legendary Heaven-defying Divine Sword can destroy him permanently."

The girl continued speaking.

"Thank you for the warning, senior. We will surely find the Divine Sword and cut off this source of calamity," Lu Yuan declared resolutely.

"Then I'll leave it to you; I must return to prepare for the Old Ancestor's return."

Having said that, the girl turned into a white light and departed.

"It seems a great calamity is imminent; we must immediately embark on the quest for the sword," Su Liyan said, frowning.

"I'll go find King Qi to rendezvous; the four of us will head to the sword's location," Lu Yuan said with determined eyes.

Guided by the girl, the group quickly arrived at a desolate deep valley.

Here, eerie blue phosphorescent flames filled the air, gloomy and terrifying.

"The Divine Sword lies at the deepest part of the valley, but we will face unprecedented challenges."

Lu Yuan took a deep breath and led the way into the valley.

After layers of exploration, the group finally reached the mouth of a cave at the deepest point.

Once we obtain the Divine Sword, we can sever the Red Lotus Old Ancestor's ambitions.

They exchanged a glance, entered without hesitation, and stepped into the cave.

An adventure that would decide the fate of the world was slowly unfolding.

Guided by the girl, Lu Yuan quickly found his old friend King Qi.

"I knew sealing the blood-colored barrier wouldn't be that simple. It looks like a great calamity is about to befall us."

Upon hearing this, King Qi also wore a grave expression.

"That's right. We must first obtain the Heaven-defying Divine Sword, then return to deal with the Red Lotus Old Ancestor," Lu Yuan nodded.

"With me, King Qi, I will aid anyone in distress!" King Qi declared heroically.

Thus, Lu Yuan brought Su Liyan, Gu Qingwan, and King Qi to the location of the Divine Sword—a deep valley thick with yin energy.

Only see the deep valley filled with eerie blue phosphorescent flames, gloomy winds swirling, and incessant wails of ghosts and howls of wolves, sending chills down one's spine.

"The Divine Sword lies at the very depths; we must proceed with caution," Lu Yuan reminded.

Having walked less than half a li, dozens of blood-red eyes suddenly appeared ahead,

followed by countless ugly little monsters crawling out from the grass and stone crevices, their bodies glowing with cold phosphorescent fire, baring fangs and claws as they lunged at the group.

"Heavenly Thunder Break!" Lu Yuan thrust his palms forward, sending ten bolts of thunder that blasted the leading monsters into ash.

"Phoenix Blazing Flame!" Gu Qingwan unleashed her full power, and a sky-full of fire turned another wave of monsters into charcoal.

Relying on their respective powers, the group fought their way out of the encirclement.

"There's light ahead; that must be where the Divine Sword is!" Lu Yuan exclaimed delightedly.

However, when they reached the depths of the cave,

they stared in shock to find the Divine Sword gone, replaced instead by a horrific scene of corpses littering the ground.

"These people are members of the Red Lotus Sect!" King Qi recognized the stiff, twisted corpses' clothing as belonging to the Red Lotus Sect.

"Oh no, the Red Lotus Sect got to the Divine Sword first!" Su Liyan also turned pale.

"You've arrived just in time."

Only a chilling, grating laugh echoed,

and a red-robed elder stepped out from the far end of the cave, wielding the Heaven-defying Divine Sword—none other than the leader of the Red Lotus Sect!

"Red Lotus Old Ancestor, you beast!" Lu Yuan exploded in anger.

"Well done, Lu Yuan, daring to be so rude!"

The Red Lotus Old Ancestor's eyes flashed with cold light as he abruptly swung his sword, sending a wave of blood mist slicing toward them.

"Golden Light Body Protection!"

King Qi hastily shielded the group.

But that blood mist, weighing tens of thousands of jun, pierced the golden light in an instant, hurling King Qi ten meters away to crash to the ground.

"You're not enough to watch!" the Red Lotus Old Ancestor sneered.

"King Qi, pull yourself together—I'll handle this!" Lu Yuan drew a deep breath, murmured an incantation, and a crimson cross‑shaped rope appeared in his hand.

At the same time, he produced a black bell engraved with strange patterns.

"Behold my Soul‑locking Curse!"

Lu Yuan lashed out with the red rope; the Soul‑locking Bell rang with an odd resonance, and the rope instantly coiled around the Red Lotus Old Ancestor.

"You!" the Red Lotus Old Ancestor exclaimed, clearly not expecting Lu Yuan's move, and hurriedly struggled.

"Quickly chant the spell to bind him!" Lu Yuan bellowed.

Su Liyan immediately chanted the Ice-Cold True Words, and the Red Lotus Old Ancestor's movements visibly slowed.

"Phew, we finally managed to restrain him." Everyone secretly let out a sigh of relief.

But the Red Lotus Old Ancestor quickly broke free from the initial restraint, fiercely swung his sword and cut the red rope: "I'm suffocating to death! All of you, go die!"

Having said that, he muttered incantations, his divine sword spun rapidly, and in an instant sword qi crisscrossed, the sharp sword wind sweeping every corner.

"I will block it!"

Lu Yuan also exerted all his strength, back-to-back with King Qi, resisting this frantic sword qi assault.

But the Red Lotus Old Ancestor's divine sword grew ever brighter with cold light, and Lu Yuan and King Qi were already locked in a bitter battle.

"Hahaha, all of you, go die!"

At the critical moment, the Red Lotus Old Ancestor let out a feral laugh, his divine sword bursting with dazzling blood-light, flashing across the sky like an arrow.

Lu Yuan and King Qi, exerting all their strength, barely managed to dispel this sword, then fell to sit on the ground.

"Oh no, our magical power simply can't match the Red Lotus Old Ancestor." King Qi's face turned ashen.

"You old monster, just watch how I'll deal with you!"

The Red Lotus Old Ancestor's divine sword grew ever brighter with cold light, and Lu Yuan and King Qi were locked in a bitter battle.

At the critical juncture, a figure descended from the sky, wielding a staff that he smashed toward the Red Lotus Old Ancestor.

Only hearing a booming "Boom!", the Red Lotus Old Ancestor was shaken back several steps by the blow, and cracks appeared on his divine sword.

"Who are you, daring to block me!" the Red Lotus Old Ancestor raged uncontrollably.

The visitor gradually revealed his face—an old man with white hair and beard, his whole body suffused with spiritual energy.

"I am the Profound Dao Great Emperor, sent by Heaven's Will to come and warn you, Old Master, to cease your actions." The old man said calmly.

"Profound Dao Great Emperor?" the Red Lotus Old Ancestor's face changed, "We have no grudges between us, why do you interfere in my affairs?"

"Although we have no grudges, acts that extinguish humanity and disturb order—I, the Old Master, cannot tolerate." The Profound Dao Great Emperor said calmly. (End of chapter)