Cultivation: Fortune by Lots

With such an opportunity, Zhang Haoyu naturally had to seize it.

He carefully stowed away the Wind Thunder Heart.

Along with it, it felt as though his own state of mind was finally settling in the bag as well.

Ever since he joined the battle, his mind had never once been at ease.

Though of royal blood, as a martial artist who had achieved the Seventh Heavenly Layer, Prince Weiyang Zhang Haoyu lacked neither blood battle experience nor the courage to slaughter.

His recent unrest was not because he was facing powerful experts of the foreign tribes.

It was because, here at Yin Mountain, he had run into someone he did not wish to see.

Someone with the same surname Zhang, likewise born of the Zhang Tang Imperial Family, likewise possessing cultivation at the Seventh Heavenly Layer, yet a High Merit Elder of the Taoist Celestial Master Mansion—Zhang Jingzhen.

He did not wish to see the man because back in Guanzhong, Zhang Jingzhen had taken in a disciple named Zhang Xiongtai.

Once, he had been a scion of a distant collateral branch related to Weiyang Mansion.

A youth with certain entanglements with Weiyang Mansion.

The man had already successfully undergone the Transcension Ritual at the Celestial Master Mansion and passed the Talisman-bestowed ceremony.

Zhang Haoyu greatly disliked this outcome.

But not only could he not stop it, he now could not even voice his dissatisfaction.

Whether it was because of Dragon Tiger Mountain’s Celestial Master Mansion’s current strength and status across the Great Tang territories, or because the present Celestial Master Lei Jun had once saved Weiyang King Zhang Zhen’s life.

This time, Zhang Xiongtai had not come to the Northern Border.

Yet seeing Zhang Jingzhen, the one who had brought him into the Dao and taken him to Dragon Tiger Mountain, only made the oppression in Zhang Haoyu’s heart grow heavier.

The only thing that could relieve this pent-up resentment was killing.

And now, this unexpected joy of the Wind Thunder Heart.

No matter the risk, Zhang Haoyu had to obtain this spiritual object.

Only thus could he rapidly elevate his own strength.

Only by constantly improving would there be a chance for the situation to change in the future...

As thoughts spun in Zhang Haoyu’s mind, his vision suddenly blurred, and another person appeared before him.

A middle-aged monk from the Western Regions with a dignified, awe-inspiring countenance.

Zhang Haoyu had once seen this person when accompanying his father, Weiyang King Zhang Zhen.

From the Sumi Vajra Division, Jiasheng Upper Master.

Recalling some of the rumors he had heard earlier, Zhang Haoyu shuddered in alarm.

Jiasheng Upper Master, however, looked exceedingly amiable: "Your Highness the Prince, it has been a while."

Zhang Haoyu said, "Master, greetings. Your Sumi Vajra Division chose the foreign tribes and abandoned the Great Tang. There’s no need for such courtesies between us. Master, your cultivation far surpasses mine, I am ashamed of my inferiority, but I will not surrender without a fight!"

With that, he did not turn, but his figure flickered and vanished from where he stood, drifting backward.

Jiasheng Upper Master smiled: "Your Highness the Prince, please stay."

As he spoke, one hand stretched out, palm open.

Martial artists prided themselves on speed, but the gap in strength between the two sides was too vast.

With his Buddhist Law cultivation at the Ninth Heavenly Layer, Jiasheng Upper Master’s outstretched palm covered heaven and earth, closing over Zhang Haoyu.

But just then, a streak of azure sword light came from afar, slashing toward Jiasheng Upper Master.

Jiasheng Upper Master was forced to change his move, his palm shifting into a Dharma Seal hand gesture to block that sword strike.

"Elder Zhang!" Zhang Haoyu was overjoyed.

The newcomer was none other than High Merit Elder of the Mount Shu Sect, Zhang Dongyuan.

Yet Zhang Dongyuan’s face showed no smile.

A decree had been issued earlier: Her Majesty the Empress would personally lead an expedition. Before the imperial entourage arrived, the Yin Mountain defensive line was to contract, and none were to act rashly.

Yet Zhang Haoyu had stubbornly insisted on pursuing and killing a small squad of foreign roving cavalry.

To ensure they could still retreat back to Yin Mountain, Zhang Dongyuan had been forced to personally intervene.

And trouble seldom comes alone: they had run right into Jiasheng Upper Master of the long-absent Sumi Vajra Division.

The man was already a high monk of the Buddhist Handprint Lineage who had cultivated to the Ninth Heavenly Layer Dharma Body Realm.

Even with the Blue Abyss Sword at his side, Zhang Dongyuan could not easily claim victory.

Fortunately, he was currently intent on retreat; that was not too difficult—he simply needed to bring Zhang Haoyu along.

Thoughts turning, Zhang Dongyuan’s expression did not change. He said nothing more and directly performed the Immortal Soul Sword Skill, merging his Immortal Soul with the Blue Abyss Sword, transforming into a heaven-piercing, earth-rending fierce sword light that launched a preemptive thrust at Jiasheng Upper Master.

Jiasheng Upper Master had been in the Tang Dynasty Mortal Realm for many years and was likewise familiar with the Blue Abyss Sword, one of the strongest flying swords of the age.

With Zhang Dongyuan striking with full power, aside from everything else, the flying sword’s killing force was peerless, enough to make Jiasheng Upper Master wary.

He directly manifested his Dharma Body; not only did golden Buddhist radiance cover him, he even condensed a ring of pure white light.

All Buddhist Sect cultivation lineages designate the Ninth Heavenly Layer as the Dharma Body Realm, but the details within differ in profound ways.

Within the Hand Seal Lineage, the Dharma Body Realm has five tiers: Dharma Body, Heart of Enlightenment also called Heart of Insight, Bodhi Heart, Vajra Heart, and Vajra Body.

At this moment, Jiasheng Upper Master revealed the wondrous power of the second tier of the Hand Seal Lineage’s Dharma Body—Heart of Enlightenment cultivation.

This Bright Moon Wheel of Perfection, only an elbow-span in size, was innately of Clear Purity, greatly reducing any harm the enemy could inflict upon him.

As Jiasheng Upper Master’s Bright Full Moon Wheel appeared, it immediately deflected the azure sword light.

Each of Zhang Dongyuan’s strikes was faster than the last, but he did not linger in battle. Suddenly the sword light swirled, then wheeled around to retreat, intending to take Zhang Haoyu away with him.

But at that moment, a piercing eagle cry shook his ears, reverberating in all directions.

The sky above seemed to dim all of a sudden.

Both Zhang Dongyuan and Zhang Haoyu were startled.

Zhang Haoyu looked up and saw a gigantic eagle, wings spread wide to blot out the heavens, circling high above the firmament.

Atop the great eagle’s head, there seemed to be a human figure, gazing down upon the multitudes below.

At the same time, Jiasheng Upper Master’s voice rang out: "I pay respects to the Khan King."

......

Lei Jun headed north all the way, his Purple Light Thunder Cloud swiftly flying over the San Jin Territory.

Just then, he received the latest dispatch:

The foreign pretender king had appeared.

High Merit Elder of the Mount Shu Sect, Zhang Dongyuan, and Prince Weiyang Zhang Haoyu had fallen.

The Yin Mountain defensive line had been forced to withdraw.