Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the void, hundreds of feet of Flaming Sun Celestial Fire continuously assaulted the grand array, causing it to teeter precariously.
At the same time, the array foundations of Purple Sun Mountain emitted a bright glow, drawing upon the spiritual qi of the underground spirit vein. The spiritual qi was extracted and flowed into the array patterns across the mountain.
The array patterns activated, rippling like water waves.
One terrifying aura after another rose continuously, ebbing and flowing, gathering in the void into terrifying energy shields, enveloping Purple Sun Mountain as an unparalleled defense.
On Purple Sun Mountain, Foundation Establishment Cultivators and Qi Cultivation Cultivators alike cast Seal Techniques, activating the array platforms within their cave mansions, turning them into pivot points for the array, supporting its operation.
On Purple Sun Mountain, each cave mansion served as an array node.
Under normal circumstances, a cultivator would sit in meditation within the cave mansion, drawing spiritual qi from the spirit vein to enhance their cultivation.
But in times of external invasion, a cultivator only needed to return to their cave mansion and activate the array platform within to unleash the full power of the Mountain Protection Array.
The more cultivators there were, the stronger the Mountain Protection Array became, making it ever harder to break through.
At present, there were about a thousand cultivators on Purple Sun Mountain, with eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators, all sitting in meditation within their cave mansions, activating the array platforms, pushing the array's power to its limits.
Under such a Mountain Protection Array, not to mention a mere Purple Mansion Cultivator, even a Golden Core Cultivator could be held at bay.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Flaming Sun Celestial Fire relentlessly burned and surged forth, vowing to break through Purple Sun Mountain.
Yet, the grand array operated and forcibly resisted the Flaming Sun Celestial Fire's attack.
Especially since the Mountain Protection Array was established relying on the mountain range, with array patterns inscribed onto the mountain itself and the array foundation built upon the spirit vein, capable of mobilizing the power of heaven and earth to protect the mountain. To break the array, there were only three methods: one was having a top-level Array Master to find and exploit a flaw in the array;
another was a cultivator using sheer cultivation to forcibly break the array, overcoming myriad techniques with power;
and lastly, continuous assault to deplete the array's energy.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
After a moment of assault, Purple Sun Mountain still stood firm.
"Fellow Daoist, give up."
At this moment, a voice came from Purple Sun Mountain; it was the voice of Clan Leader Lu Tianming.
"Fellow Daoist, Purple Sun Mountain has a Third-Grade Purple Sun Grand Array with formidable defense; not even your Purple Mansion Third Layer cultivation can break it. I wonder how our Lu Family has offended you. If our Lu Family is at fault, I here apologize on behalf of us in the Immortal Dao."
Lu Tianming's voice was calm and cold.
"Apologize."
The gray-robed Daoist put away the pill furnace and spoke indifferently, "If an apology could solve everything, then why cultivate at all? As for what your Lu Family has done, others may not dare to say, but I, this old Daoist, will speak bluntly. Your Lu Family, relying on a Purple Mansion ancestor, dominates Qingshui Commandery, ignorant of kindness and instead bullying loose cultivators everywhere, bullying the marketplace, with disciples running rampant, showing no respect for rules. Many cultivators are filled with resentment, itching with hatred towards your Lu Family. Unfortunately, the Lu Family is too powerful, with an ancestor at the Eighth Layer of Purple Mansion, outsiders simply cannot contend."
"The Lu Family protects its own to the extreme, helping kin over righteousness, and when problems occur, disregards right from wrong, rushing in with brute force. Of course, the Lu Family being tyrannical, bullying loose cultivators, bullying weak families is one thing, but as long as it doesn't provoke me, I can't be bothered to execute moral justice."
"It's a pity, back in the day, I went to your Lu Family's marketplace to buy elixirs. As soon as I stepped outside, just ten miles away, I was hunted down by your Lu Family cultivators. Your Lu Family is truly shameless, the store ambushing customers, how powerful of you. Alas, my Dao Companion sacrificed themselves to cover for me, and was slain by your Lu Family."
"After escaping, I swore to destroy your Lu Family. If your Lu Family remained strong, I would endure, but heaven has opened its eyes, your Lu Family ancestor was severely injured, perhaps passing into seated meditation. This old Daoist is just in time to eliminate the entire Lu Family."
The gray-robed Daoist sneered, his killing intent soaring.
Back then, he was merely a young Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer, barely escaping with his life, swearing to annihilate the Lu Family for the sake of his Dao Companion.
Finally, the opportunity had arrived.
"Fellow Daoists, every clan has its black sheep, some scoundrels. You can't throw out the entire pot of chicken soup over a few flies." Lu Tianming urged, "As for these degenerates, my Lu Family never spares them, killing each one we find."
"Over ten years ago, three Foundation Establishment Cultivators violated clan rules and were executed by the ancestor."
"I don't wish to argue here, just to say. If the ancestor wanted to kill, there would be rightful debts to pay, striking down that cultivator as recompense without implicating the entire Lu Family. I don't mean to argue, only to suggest some recompense to you, Fellow Daoist."
The clan leader's tone was very humble.
The gray-robed Daoist sneered, "The Lu Family is despicable and shameless; now without a Purple Mansion ancestor holding fort, only when this old man comes knocking do you humble yourselves to admit fault; but if I were just a Qi Cultivation Cultivator coming to seek justice, would you still apologize with a smile? Certainly not, you'd label me a rogue defaming the Lu Family, then destroy me with a single sword."
"As for the old thing's severe punishment of clan cultivators over ten years ago, even executing three Foundation Establishment Cultivators... just fooling children."
"Lu Family old dog, see whose head this is."
The gray-robed Daoist, slightly angry, opened his storage bag, raising a head in his hand.
"Look, this is Lu Xuance's head. The Lu Family old dog's talk of righteousness over kin, of doing things aboveboard, is all nonsense. At the time, Lu Xuance wasn't executed but exiled from the clan, sent to another commandery to act as a hidden hand for the Lu Family, doing their dirty work."
"This is the Lu Family's justice, the Lu Family's righteousness... I spit on it."
"That's false, you're slandering the Lu Family."
Lu Tianming looked at the head, his arm trembling.
Lu Xuance was dead.
This time, truly dead.
Unlike the last time, where he feigned death and left.
But all this can't be admitted, absolutely can't be admitted. Once acknowledged, the Lu Family would fall into a moral crisis.
If the Lu Family's foundation becomes shaky, unstable,
the Lu Family's internal thought would become confused, leading to internal strife and chaos.
"The Lu Family won't admit it? It doesn't matter if not... this old Daoist didn't expect the Lu Family to admit anything by bringing this head, just having a clear conscience suffices."
The gray-robed Daoist looked at Purple Sun Mountain, sneering, "We cultivators don't seek eternal life, but mental clarity and smoothness of emotions. If we don't avenge our grudges, fearing enemies and suppressing ourselves, such cultivation is not worth it."
"As for your Lu Family, only that old dog Lu Fuming has some ability; the rest are all petty schemers, unable to be good or bad, with excessive intrigue, lacking bravery and decisiveness. Even if the Lu Family spends a great amount to purchase two pieces of Purple Sun Jade, you still won't enter the Purple Mansion Realm."
"This old Daoist has been tormenting for half a day, yet Lu Fuming, that old dog, hasn't appeared, seems he has already passed away. A good opportunity for this old Daoist to wipe out the Lu Family."
With that, the old Daoist mobilized the pill furnace again, the Flaming Sun Celestial Fire transforming into a surging flame, sweeping toward Purple Sun Mountain.