https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-101-The-Upper-Clarity-Thunder-Palace-Longed-for-by-Many/12586430/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-103-102-Well-That-s-Just-Right-Luck/12586432/
Chapter 102: This Omen is Too Good to be True, Right?
Chapter 102: This Omen is Too Good to be True, Right?
Lei Jun was mentally prepared for what Yuan Mobai had said.
Usually, the access control to the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave was extremely strict, and only a select few were allowed to enter and exit.
The Celestial Masters and the elders held the highest authority and could come and go as they pleased.
But this privilege was exclusive to them alone.
Elders of the Sixth Heaven Realm could enter the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave once a year.
Direct disciples of the Celestial Master were also granted access to the cave once a year.
As for the rest, those below the Sixth Heaven Realm had to accumulate merit and virtue to a certain extent before earning a chance to enter.
In addition, every successful disciple of the Celestial Master's Manor who received the bestowal of the sacred talisman during the initiation ceremony could directly gain access to the cave once. After that, they, too, would have to rely on their accumulated merit and virtue.
Furthermore, aside from the Celestial Master and the high-achieving elders, everyone else's duration inside the cave was strictly limited.
These regulations were enforced with great rigor.
Not even during the Lee family's most ostentatious period were there any exceptions to this rule.
... Throughout the endless ages, there had only been one exception—Tang Xiaotang.
This was due not only to her exceptional talent but also to the troublesome issue of her master.
Thus, despite not having undergone the initiation ceremony or received the sacred talisman, her cultivation had always been given special attention, comparable to that of her cultivation realm.
In recent years, Tang Xiaotang had already ascended to the Upper Third Heaven realm, and the rules regarding her entry into the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave were the same as those for the high-achieving elders.
Lei Jun and the other new disciples who participated in this year's initiation ceremony would each be granted an opportunity to enter the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave.
Any subsequent entries would depend on their accumulated merit and virtue.
"Disciple is ready to depart at any time," Lei Jun replied, looking at Yuan Mobai.
Yuan Mobai instructed, "Before you go, collect your sixth-grade Taoist position and official title."
Looking at his disciple, he smiled and said, "There's nothing wrong with keeping a low profile, but your entry into the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave will be a public affair."
Lei Jun received the sixth-grade Taoist position and official title, effectively announcing to everyone that he had reached the Fourth Heaven Realm of the Primordial Symbol.
In less than six years since his formal initiation and entry into the manor, he had progressed from the First Heaven Realm of Refining Qi to the Second Heaven Realm of Building Foundations, then to the Third Heaven Realm of the Law Altar, and now to the Fourth Heaven Realm of the Primordial Symbol.
Such progress was indeed eye-catching.
However, Lei Jun remained emotionally detached.
He didn't actively boast about his achievements, but since his entry into the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave would inevitably be made public, there was no point in deliberately hiding it either. Nor would he give up or delay this opportunity.
Moreover, with Yuan Mobai now presiding over the Wanfa Zongtan, and Lei Jun being one of his two disciples and the only seed player in this bestowal ceremony, it would be somewhat deliberate to say that he wanted to keep a low profile.
Let nature take its course.
When Lei Jun left Yuan Mobai's residence and went to register his new Taoist position and official title, he caused quite a stir. The news spread like wildfire throughout the manor.
The last person to cause such a sensation was Tang Xiaotang.
Although Lei Jun didn't possess the same shock factor as Tang Xiaotang, he still became the manor's newest hot topic.
Even the little Taoist disciples from the Sixth Division of the Taoist Academy at the foot of the mountain wore expressions of pride, as if they shared some of his glory, making the disciples from other divisions envious.
Lei Jun himself, aside from upgrading his Taoist position and official title from seventh to sixth grade, didn't pay much attention to the matter.
He was more eager for his journey to the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave.
On the appointed day, Lei Jun and the other newly initiated disciples gathered at the peak of Longhu Mountain.
In addition to the direct disciples of the Celestial Master's Manor, there were also some heirs from the mountain's external branches and offshoots who had come to participate in the initiation ceremony this year.
They hadn't left after the ceremony, partly to foster camaraderie with their fellow disciples from the manor and partly because they were waiting for this opportunity to enter the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave, which might be their only chance in this lifetime.
The high-achieving elder in charge of opening the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave today was Shangguan Ning.
Shangguan Elder's gaze swept over the crowd and finally landed on Lei Jun and a young woman.
"Zhen, you'll be leading the team this time," Shangguan Ning instructed.
The woman was Zhang Jingzhen, the third direct disciple of the previous Celestial Master, Li Qingfeng.
Although she had already received the sacred talisman, she happened to be entering the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave as well, so Shangguan Ning asked her to lead the team.
Although they were cousins, they always addressed each other as master and disciple when on the mountain.
Upon receiving Shangguan Ning's instruction, Zhang Jingzhen immediately bowed and said, "Disciple obeys."
Shangguan Ning turned to Lei Jun, "Lei, you're now a cultivator of the Middle Third Heaven realm. Assist Jingzhen as needed."
"Yes, Master," Lei Jun replied.
Among the new disciples, aside from Lei Jun, the rest were all at the Third Heaven Realm of the Law Altar.
After giving instructions to Zhang Jingzhen and Lei Jun, Shangguan Ning waved his hand.
A Taoist talisman with flickering green flames appeared in the air, swirling like a burning cloud of fire.
Above the green flame cloud, a giant tiger-shaped law effigy of the Nine Abyss Flame Ancestor emerged, its head thrown back as it roared to the sky.
The rumbling thunderclouds above silently parted, revealing a gap.
The fierce-looking thunderbolts poured down from the opening, enveloping the peak of Longhu Mountain.
Lei Jun and the others, having been taught the procedure beforehand, first paid their respects to the heavens and then to Shangguan Ning before stepping into the thunderous light.
Lei Jun's gaze swept the area.
Above the other newly initiated disciples were layers of Law Altar light and shadows, indicating that they were all at the Third Heaven Realm of the Law Altar.
Most of them had three layers of the Law Altar.
After all, this year's initiation ceremony was the first one held in over a decade.
In contrast, above Lei Jun's head was a gigantic spirit talisman that resembled a plank of wood, towering over the others like a crane among chickens.
Indeed, entering the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave would inevitably be made public.
However, thanks to Zhang Jingzhen, who was traveling alongside him, Lei Jun didn't stand out too much.
This was because floating above her head was a light and shadow in the shape of a Taoist seal.
The Taoist Fulu School's Sixth Heaven Realm cultivation, known as the Dao Seal Realm... Lei Jun secretly nodded in acknowledgment.
After everyone had taken their places, Shangguan Ning waved his hand again, and the majestic thunderous light was retracted back into the thunderclouds in the sky.
The parted thunderclouds closed once more, leaving only the flickering thunderbolts that continued to flash and snake in all directions.
A bright light flashed before Lei Jun's eyes.
By the time his vision recovered, he found himself in a brand new world filled with a purple and blue hue.
The ground beneath his feet seemed to be made of condensed clouds, but they were tinted with a bluish hue.
Looking up, the sky was a deep violet, yet it didn't feel gloomy or dark.
From time to time, lightning bolts would flash across the sky.
In the distance, a continuous range of immortal mountains and mystical landscapes unfolded, filled with magical trees, orchids, and cascading waterfalls.
Far in the distance, several towering immortal mountains stood out among the rest, shimmering with a faint glow under the violet sky.
Lei Jun took a deep breath, savoring the rich spiritual energy of this place, which was even more concentrated than what he had experienced at the Heavenly Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain.
The only other time he had felt such a nourishing environment was when he was inside the Wanfa Zongtan.
Doing nothing but sleeping here would be incredibly beneficial.
"Our time here is limited, so let's make the most of it and not waste this wonderful opportunity," Zhang Jingzhen said with a smile, her amicable demeanor putting everyone at ease.
However, her expression soon turned solemn as she pointed towards the tallest and most eye-catching immortal mountains in the distance: "Although the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave is imbued with immense spirituality and is usually safe, the Jade Celestial Mountain over there often attracts divine thunderbolts. Stay away from that area at all costs."
Her gaze swept across the group, including Lei Jun.
Lei Jun nodded calmly. "Yes, Senior Sister."
The others followed suit.
Only then did Zhang Jingzhen's smile return as she continued her introduction: "Over there is the Yunluo Peak, and over here is the Hidden Dragon Valley. That's the Immortal Spring, and there's the Immortal Bamboo Forest..."
Finally, she added, "Aside from the Jade Tower Mountain, which is relatively dangerous, you are free to explore the other places.
Whether you encounter an immortal opportunity or not depends on your personal luck and timing.
If you wish to meditate and immerse yourself in the spiritual energy of this place, the Immortal Bamboo Forest is the most suitable location."
With their time here being limited, they couldn't possibly cover a lot of ground.
Everyone pondered their choices carefully, knowing that they had to make a decision soon.
At that moment, the light ball in Lei Jun's mind began to glow again, and words appeared:
【The Upper Clarity Thunder Palace is full of mysteries and hidden secrets. Tread carefully and choose wisely.】
Four fortune sticks then appeared before Lei Jun.
He frowned as he read the first one:
【Upper-middle fortune stick: Go to the Immortal Spring at sunrise and you will obtain a third-grade opportunity. However, there is a hidden danger, so be extremely cautious in the future. Auspicious.】
【Upper-middle fortune stick: Go to the South Cliff at sunrise and you will obtain a fourth-grade opportunity. No hidden dangers or risks. Auspicious.】
【Middle fortune stick: Stay in the Immortal Bamboo Forest and absorb the spiritual energy. A peaceful option with no additional gains or risks. Neutral.】
【Lower-middle fortune stick: Approach the Jade Tour Mountain. The spiritual energy is more abundant, but beware of the risks. Ill omens prevail.】
All the fortune sticks were auspicious.
But they seemed a little too good to be true.
Once again, there were two upper-middle fortune sticks.
And these two options conflicted with each other in terms of timing.
When Zhang Jingzhen had been acting as their tour guide, Lei Jun had been listening attentively.
The Immortal Spring and the South Cliff were very far apart.
If he only considered the distance, with his current cultivation base, Lei Jun was confident that he could rush from one place to the other if the timing of "sunrise" wasn't too strict.
However, referring to the previous fortune sticks that mentioned time, most of them didn't allow him to juggle between the two options.
So, it was another case of a fortunate dilemma.
The difference this time was that he didn't have reliable teammates.
He couldn't replicate what had happened before with Tang Xiaotang, where they had each chosen a different option.
Including Zhang Jingzhen, Lei Jun didn't have much interaction with the others present.
Firstly, it wouldn't be appropriate to suggest what they should do.
Secondly, he didn't have that kind of relationship with them.
As always, he respected everyone's destiny.
As for Lei Jun's own choice...
He was inclined towards the second upper-middle fortune stick.
Although the fourth-grade opportunity of the second stick seemed inferior to the third-grade opportunity of the first stick, it won out due to having no risks or hidden dangers.
If he had to choose one, he would go with this option.
However, thinking of the True One Law Altar and the Nine Saints Frostbite, he couldn't help but be curious about the third-grade opportunity mentioned in the first upper-middle fortune stick.
There was still some time, so perhaps he could visit both the South Cliff and the Immortal Spring first?
At that moment, Zhang Jingzhen turned to Lei Jun and asked, "Are you planning to go to the Immortal Bamboo Forest, Junior Brother Lei?"
"I haven't decided yet," Lei Jun replied.
"In that case, although the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave is generally safe, it's always better to be cautious. Since you and I are the only ones here with Middle Third Heaven cultivation, if you're not planning to stay in the Immortal Bamboo Forest for meditation, I'd like to ask you to accompany me as we patrol the four directions of this cave and look after our fellow disciples." Zhang Jingzhen made her request.
Lei Jun nodded. "Senior Sister Zhang, your concern for our fellow disciples is truly admirable, and it serves as a role model for us all. Lei Zhongyun is willing to accompany you."
PS: Today, there will be three more chapters totaling 10,000 characters! I've been so focused on writing that I almost forgot that today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Thankfully, I still made it in time to wish everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival and good health to your families! Also, as we approach the end of the month, I'd like to ask for a few monthly votes. Thank you all!
(End of Chapter)
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