https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-122-121-An-Exchange-Between-Fellow-Disciples/12586467/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-124-123-Who-s-Unlucky-When-You-Visit-/12586469/
Chapter 123: Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
Chapter 123: Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
As soon as Chu Kun entered the courtyard, Lei Jun could tell from his expression that something significant had transpired.
But even then, when he saw what Chu Kun had brought, he was still taken aback.
Chu Kun opened a small bundle, revealing a heap of what appeared to be gravel, shimmering with a dazzling array of colors and emitting a radiant glow that illuminated the entire estate.
The spiritual energy emanating from it was equally striking.
When Lei Jun took the bundle from Chu Kun, he felt a noticeable weight in his hands, despite its seemingly small size. No wonder Chu Kun had looked strained when retrieving it earlier.
Without needing to employ his spiritual energy, Lei Jun could sense the gravel's spiritual essence, and his mind's eye beheld a vision of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, endlessly transforming and interacting with each other.
"It somewhat resembles the Five Elements Great Derivative Treasure Sand mentioned in ancient texts," Lei Jun remarked, looking up at Chu Kun. "But this treasure has been lost for ages, and I've never laid eyes on the actual item."
Chu Kun nodded. "It should indeed be the Five Elements Great Derivative Treasure Sand. I've never seen it before either, but when I was young, I read about something similar in our clan's archives, and comparing it with the records of our sect, they seem to corroborate each other."
"So, how did you come across this?" Lei Jun inquired.
Chu Kun explained, "I went down the mountain with a few fellow disciples, and we got separated along the way. Deep in the mountains, I stumbled upon this treasure by accident, so I brought it back.
When I first discovered it, I thought my eyes were deceiving me, as I had heard that the Five Elements Great Derivative Treasure Sand had been lost for many years.
Now I'm thinking that perhaps the recent surge in heavenly spirit energy, coupled with the frequent tremors in the earth veins, has caused this treasure to reappear."
The young Taoist priest smiled. "Regardless, it's definitely a good thing."
The Five Elements Great Derivative Treasure Sand had been lost for so long that few people in the world knew of its existence anymore. Only the most eminent and ancient powers like the Celestial Master's Mansion at Dragon and Tiger Mountain and the Chu Clan of Suzhou, with their extensive historical collections, had records and diagrams describing this treasure, which was why Lei Jun and Chu Kun were able to recognize it.
According to the related ancient texts, this treasure had numerous wondrous uses, but its greatest function was to aid disciples of a few select Taoist traditions who had attained the Fourth Heaven in their cultivation to ascend to the Fifth Heaven, reducing the dangers of the chasmic tribulation between these two realms to some extent.
The Taoist exorcists of the Talisman Sect were one of these select traditions.
In the lineage of the Celestial Master's Mansion at Dragon and Tiger Mountain, the Fourth Heaven was known as the Yuan Fu, and the Fifth Heaven was called the Dao Palace.
The Dao Palace cultivation involved both internal and external practices, and one of its fundamental aspects was rooted in the five viscera, five elements, and five directions.
Thus, the Five Elements Great Derivative Treasure Sand, with its endless transformations of the five elements, was a perfect fit.
From Chu Kun's perspective, this treasure would also be useful to him in the future, although the time when he would need it was uncertain, and he still had a considerable distance to go.
For Lei Jun, who had already attained the Fourth Heaven Yuan Fu realm, while it might not be immediately applicable, it was still much closer than for Chu Kun.
The question was, Chu Kun hadn't necessarily intended to bring this out.
If he had kept it to himself quietly, Lei Jun wouldn't have known a thing about it.
Although Lei Jun had some related suspicions, they were just that—suspicions. He couldn't have guessed what Chu Kun had used his Supreme Riding the Wind Talisman for.
"If not for your Supreme Riding the Wind Talisman, Brother, I wouldn't have been able to obtain this treasure," Chu Kun said gratefully.
And the other things I desired... Chu Kun mused, "Perhaps this is what fate has in store. As the saying goes, 'Every mouthful of food and drink is destined by heaven.' I am still far from attaining the Middle Third Heaven, and this treasure is more suited for you, Brother Lei."
The young Taoist reflected on how far he had come, leaving his home, which was not just thousands of miles away, but also to take up the path of Taoist cultivation at the Celestial Master's Mansion.
Although there were clan members like Chu Andong in the mansion, so he wasn't entirely alone, he still felt somewhat isolated and alone, especially since he and Chu Andong were not of the same lineage or master.
Since his fellow disciples and master were amicable and exceptionally skilled, Chu Kun wanted to foster good relationships and believed that it could only bring benefits.
And now, with the help of Lei Jun's Supreme Riding the Wind Talisman, he had obtained what he desired.
Even though Lei Jun was unaware of it, the principle of borrowing and returning meant that future exchanges would be easier, and their friendship would only grow stronger... Chu Kun thought to himself.
Thus, he didn't hesitate to give away the Five Elements Great Derivative Treasure Sand.
"In that case, thank you, Brother Chu," Lei Jun said, setting aside any pretenses and graciously accepting the treasure.
As for Chu Kun's claim that he had stumbled upon this long-lost treasure while wandering not far from the mountain, Lei Jun didn't believe a word of it, not even a punctuation mark.
He was curious about how Chu Kun had acquired the Five Elements Great Derivative Treasure Sand, which had been lost for so many years that even the Chu Clan of Suzhou might no longer have any in their reserves.
However, since Chu Kun didn't offer any further information, Lei Jun didn't press the matter.
As long as Chu Kun didn't harbor any malicious intentions towards him, Lei Jun respected his right to keep secrets.
After all, he himself was no stranger to keeping multiple layers of secrets.
When he had seen Chen Yi's Blood River Secret Art, Lei Jun hadn't probed further, and now, with his closer relationship with Chu Kun, he certainly wasn't going to be nosy.
Based on his speculation, this Five Elements Great Derivative Treasure Sand was likely the Fifth-Rank opportunity mentioned in the moderately auspicious fortune slip.
If this guess was correct, then this Fifth-Rank opportunity posed no hidden dangers, and he could rest easy.
Lei Jun recalled the details and felt he had a good grasp of the situation.
Had he chosen the other moderately inauspicious fortune slip and ventured to the remote northern frontier, he would have missed out on Chu Kun's request and the opportunity to gift him the Supreme Riding the Wind Talisman.
Lei Jun surmised that Chu Kun was telling the truth about the talisman.
The acquisition of the Five Elements Great Derivative Treasure Sand was likely influenced by the talisman, whether in a major or minor way.
Furthermore, at that time, Chu Kun was probably in dire need.
If Lei Jun had left the mountain for the northern frontier, then with Yuan Mobai's preoccupation and Wang Guiyuan's seclusion, Chu Kun would have either missed the treasure due to the lack of an extremely high-quality Supreme Riding the Wind Talisman, or he would have sought other means to obtain such a talisman before searching for the treasure.
In the end, regardless of the outcome, even if Lei Jun returned to Dragon and Tiger Mountain from the northern frontier afterward, Chu Kun would most likely pretend that nothing had happened.
"Good deeds are rewarded, and so it was fortuitous."
After Chu Kun left, Lei Jun carefully kept the Five Elements Great Derivative Treasure Sand.
A few days later, Master Yuan Mobai returned to the mansion, having finally found some free time.
Lei Jun and Chu Kun did not hide anything from him and informed him about the treasure.
"This is indeed a rare item. In the past, I have only read about it in ancient texts," Yuan Mobai acknowledged, also choosing not to probe further into how Chu Kun had acquired it. He merely examined the treasure more closely to ensure there were no malicious spirits or hidden dangers lurking within, before admonishing Lei Jun, "The Five Elements Great Derivative Treasure Sand can indeed aid our sect's disciples in overcoming the tribulations between the Fourth and Fifth Heavens. However, this treasure alone is insufficient. The key still lies in your own cultivation, Heavy Cloud."
Regarding Lei Jun's dedication and seriousness in his cultivation, Yuan Mobai was not overly concerned.
All along, Lei Jun had been diligent and earnest, with a steadfast heart toward the Dao.
Yuan Mobai's repeated reminders today were mainly because, up to this point, Lei Jun's cultivation path had been relatively smooth, without any major setbacks.
The tribulations between major cultivation realms were notoriously dangerous, having hindered countless cultivators, and even causing the demise of many.
As for Lei Jun...
When advancing from the First Heaven to the Second Heaven, his Hidden Dragon Spirit Body had provided him with a unique advantage, allowing him to pass through without any difficulties.
From the Second Heaven to the Third Heaven, he had the Mist Veiling Cloud Crystal, which again facilitated a smooth transition.
From the Third Heaven to the Fourth Heaven, he had obtained the Yuan Heart Quiet Jade...
Along the way, Lei Jun had never truly been hindered by the tribulations between major cultivation realms.
His rapid progress and rising fame within and outside the mansion could be largely attributed to this smooth journey.
If possible, Yuan Mobai would, of course, hope that his disciple could continue to advance unhindered.
However, this must not breed a sense of dependency or complacency.
Otherwise, even with the assistance of spiritual treasures, problems may arise due to one's own foundational shortcomings, causing them to stumble at a threshold that should have been easily crossed.
There were no second chances when facing the tribulations between major cultivation realms.
One wrong step could lead to an abyss from which it would be extremely difficult to recover.
"I will keep your teachings in mind, Master," Lei Jun replied solemnly, his expression earnest.
Yuan Mobai's smile remained unchanged as he offered further words of encouragement to Lei Jun and Chu Kun.
Subsequently, he made up for the lessons that the two disciples had missed during his absence.
After the lesson, the master and his disciples chatted casually.
Yuan Mobai brought up the matter that had been occupying him recently.
The elders of the High Achievement Pavilion had joined forces once more to perform a grand sacrifice at the Wanfa Zongtan (All Methods Grand Altar).
This time, it was not a public and formal opening of the altar, but rather a maintenance ritual to nurture the altar.
As for the reason...
"The spiritual energy in the world is surging, and the earth veins are frequently shifting. Apart from the changes in the heavens and the earth, there is also turmoil among humans, so our sect must make careful plans," Yuan Mobai explained slowly.
Lei Jun and Chu Kun were already somewhat aware of the changes in the heavens and the earth.
As for the turmoil among humans, it referred to the ongoing changes in the Great Tang Empire.
In the south, the situation at Dragon and Tiger Mountain's Celestial Master's Mansion had finally stabilized somewhat.
Even the internal strife within the Lin Clan in Jiangzhou had calmed down, with the intensity of their power struggles diminishing.
Further south, the Nanhuang Witch Clan, despite their intense internal conflicts, was temporarily unable to influence the Great Tang territory.
However, just as the southern region calmed down, a new wave of unrest emerged in the north.
The Tang Emperor had left the capital for a northern expedition some time ago.
Recent news confirmed that this had been a feint.
In the end, the current emperor had headed west.
"Beyond the Loess Plateau, the Xiao Clan..." Lei Jun and Chu Kun, the master and disciple pair, exchanged a glance.
The Xiao Clan beyond the Loess Plateau, one of the Five Surnames and Seven Families, had been the true target of the emperor's recent actions.
Of course, his original plan might not have had a fixed location, and he could have adjusted his strategy according to the situation, ultimately making his move at the most opportune place.
With this move, the tug-of-war between the Tang Court and the prominent clans officially entered a new phase.
No wonder the Lin Clan in Jiangzhou had been relatively peaceful lately.
Whether it was the parties vying for the position of the clan head or their respective backers, they all had more important chessboards to focus on at the moment.
For now, the Tang Emperor had made the first move.
However, how the game would ultimately conclude remained to be seen.
A single move could affect the entire board, and even though Dragon and Tiger Mountain's Celestial Master's Mansion did not make any major moves, they naturally had to make corresponding preparations.
As a result, Yuan Mobai would remain exceptionally busy for the foreseeable future.
These matters were still distant concerns for Lei Jun and Chu Kun.
For now, they just needed to continue focusing on their own cultivation.
As Lei Jun continuously refined his spiritual power with the Pure Spirit Rock, the bluish-green veins on the pale rock gradually diminished.
Finally, they disappeared entirely, causing the pale rock to turn into flying ashes.
In exchange, Lei Jun's cultivation level rose swiftly.
With the aid of the Pure Spirit Rock and the Yin-Yang Twin Killers, his spiritual power became increasingly pure.
Summer turned to autumn, and winter gradually approached.
Finally, as the new year's eve arrived, Lei Jun successfully refined a second yuanfu (primordial symbol) in addition to his first one.
Two yuanfu.
He had reached the intermediate stage of the Yuanfu realm.
After a year and a half, Dragon and Tiger Mountain's Celestial Master's Mansion would also make an exception and hold another Grand Bestowal Ritual on the fifteenth day of the new year.
PS: First update of the day
(End of Chapter)
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