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Chapter 130: 129. This Time, the Right Place
Chapter 130: 129. This Time, the Right Place
Shunan Bamboo Sea, a renowned land of ethereal beauty in Bashu, was also under the influence of the Shu Mountain Sect. However, the sect did not strictly claim this vast area as their territory.
Only the northwestern region of the bamboo sea was considered solely under the sect's control. Others dared not trespass casually, as Shu Mountain disciples regularly patrolled and accessed this area.
The rest of the bamboo sea was open to smaller sects, clans, and even rogue cultivators from Bashu for cultivation or seeking spiritual objects and opportunities.
Of course, with the presence of the Shu Mountain Sect, though they only occupied a corner, others did not dare to act too recklessly or extensively log the area, lest they deplete the bamboo sea.
Thus, the ethereal Shunan Bamboo Sea remained largely intact and abundant in spiritual energy over the years.
Lei Jun's destination on this trip was precisely this Shunan Bamboo Sea. However, he headed not toward the northwestern corner occupied by the Shu Mountain Sect but rather the northeastern region of the bamboo sea.
Lei Jun remained calm and followed Ji Chuan on their tour of the bamboo sea. With ample time at hand, he was in no rush to make his move.
After touring Bashu with Ji Chuan, Lei Jun expressed his gratitude: "Thank you, Daoist Ji, for your help."
Ji Chuan replied, "Lei Daoist, there's no need for formality. I didn't do much; I merely played the role of a guide."
Lei Jun said, "I intend to find a place to cultivate in the Rain Mountains for a period. I wonder if that would be convenient?"
The Rain Mountains, another ethereal location, lay north of the Shunan Bamboo Sea, with some distance between them. This distance would facilitate Lei Jun's secret travels, making it difficult for others to discern his true purpose.
"That's fine," Ji Chuan said. "Rain Mountain Temple is a side branch of our sect. I'll take you there to pay your respects."
Just as Longhu Mountain, the home of the Tian Shi Fu, was the holy land of the Taoist Fulu Sect, revered by the Zixiao, Tianxu, and Yihe sects as their ancestral court.
The Shu Mountain Sect, as the holy land and ancestral court of the Taoist Refiners, had also branched out over the years, with numerous offshoots and separate transmissions.
The Rain Mountain Temple in the Rain Mountains was one of them.
Lei Jun followed Ji Chuan to the Rain Mountain Temple, and after being introduced by the latter, the master of the Rain Mountain Temple readily agreed to let Lei Jun stay in the mountain temporarily.
Considering that they were not of the same lineage, the master of the Rain Mountain Temple instructed his disciples to build a new cottage in the back mountain for Lei Jun's sole residence.
All his needs, from food and clothing to daily necessities, would be supplied by the disciples of the Rain Mountain Temple.
Only a select few were aware of the grudge between Yuan Mobai and Ji Dongquan, and even fewer knew the detailed truth behind it.
To most members of the Shu Mountain Sect, although the relationship between the two great holy lands was delicate, they couldn't be considered enemies.
Yuan Mobai, now in charge of the Wanfa Zongtan, was undoubtedly one of the core high-level members of the Longhu Mountain lineage.
The Shu Mountain Sect would naturally maintain the necessary courtesies.
As a branch of the Shu Mountain Sect, the Rain Mountain Temple would be even more attentive and would not neglect the hospitality due to a visiting Daoist like Lei Jun.
Lei Jun thanked Ji Chuan and the disciples of the Rain Mountain Temple. He also handed over the remaining jade slips given to him by Yuan Mobai to Ji Chuan, asking him to pass them on to the other elders of the Shu Mountain Sect.
"I didn't come prepared, so I won't disturb your sect's headquarters. I appreciate your help, Daoist Ji," Lei Jun said. "I hope that in the future, I'll have the opportunity to follow my master and pay a formal visit to your sect."
Upon hearing this, Ji Chuan nodded, "Lei Daoist, there's no need for formality."
He seemed hesitant to say more and did not proactively invite Lei Jun to the Shu Mountain Sect's headquarters.
Seeing Ji Chuan's slightly worried expression, Lei Jun understood that he was not being deliberately neglected but that the situation within the Shu Mountain Sect was indeed not peaceful, as Yuan Mobai had mentioned.
Thus, it was better to avoid adding more complications.
Ji Chuan also felt that the current timing was not suitable for Lei Jun's visit to their sect. The consequences of stirring up trouble were unpredictable.
It was better for Lei Jun to stay at the Rain Mountain Temple for his quiet cultivation, just as it was now.
After chatting with Lei Jun a bit longer, Ji Chuan took the jade slips entrusted to him and left the Rain Mountains, returning to the Shu Mountain Sect's ancestral court, Qingcheng Xiaoding.
Lei Jun would temporarily reside in the Rain Mountains.
...After familiarizing himself with his surroundings, Lei Jun quietly left the Rain Mountains and secretly made his way to the Shunan Bamboo Sea alone.
In a mountainous area in the northeastern part of the bamboo sea, Lei Jun followed Master Sister Xu Yuanzhen's previous instructions and successfully located his true destination—a highly secluded true yin land.
This place was not barren due to the lone yin energy.
On the contrary, the abundant true yin energy nurtured thick bamboo groves.
Upon careful observation, Lei Jun discovered that this true yin land was not yet fully mature. The crystallization of true yin energy had not even taken shape.
But...
Feeling the gentle breeze blowing from the True One Law Altar deep within his soul, nourishing his physical body through his divine soul, Lei Jun knew that he had come to the right place.
The Shunan Bamboo Sea was indeed where he needed to be.
Here, he would find the true yin spirit object that could match the true yang mystical flower and resonate with the True One Law Altar.
If he could successfully obtain the spirit object that grew here, Lei Jun wouldn't need to search elsewhere.
He would have found the means to elevate his root bone from a spiritual body to a sacred body.
However, he must not be complacent.
Until he had the object in his possession, anything could happen.
Lei Jun suppressed his joy and carefully observed his surroundings once more before taking out a spirit talisman.
He released the talisman, and it gently floated down to the soil among the bamboo groves.
In that moment, the mountain rocks and soil seemed to transform into a watery surface.
And Lei Jun's spirit talisman, neither hurried nor slow, sank into the soil and rocks that resembled a watery surface, disappearing in an instant.
The ground among the mountains remained unchanged, rugged yet firm.
There was no sign of the soil and rocks having transformed into a watery surface moments ago.
Lei Jun nodded slightly and took two steps back.
After observing his surroundings once more, he nonchalantly turned and walked away with his hands behind his back.
All he needed to do now was wait patiently.
Lei Jun quietly returned to Rain Mountain as if he had never left.
He continued to cultivate quietly.
While the environment here was not as ideal as the Heavenly Masters Mansion or the Shu Mountain Sect's headquarters, it was still a rare and suitable place for cultivators to practice.
As time passed, after the first and second talismans, Lei Jun began to gradually condense a new aura.
During this period, he also had quite a few exchanges with the disciples of the Rain Mountain Temple.
Although they belonged to different lineages of the Taoist path, there were some similarities, and Lei Jun felt that he gained some additional insights.
The true teachings of the Heavenly Masters Mansion were indeed profound and required serious study.
But one of Lei Jun's greatest joys in cultivation was experiencing the myriad mysteries of this world.
If given the opportunity, he had an academic interest in the teachings of every Taoist sect.
In the mountains, time flowed differently.
When cultivating, one lost track of time.
Spring turned to summer, and summer to autumn.
As Lei Jun's cultivation progressed day by day, time flew by.
Most of the time, he remained quietly on Rain Mountain, cultivating on his own.
During this period, Ji Chuan also came to visit him several times.
However, as time passed, the intervals between his visits gradually became longer.
It wasn't that the Shu Mountain disciple intended to distance himself or neglect Lei Jun.
Seeing the increasing gravity between his brows, Lei Jun speculated that the conflicts within the Shu Mountain Sect were likely intensifying.
However, when Ji Chuan didn't bring it up, Lei Jun didn't ask any questions.
Aside from staying at Shu Mountain to cultivate, Lei Jun occasionally visited Shunan Bamboo Sea.
The true yin land there was gradually maturing.
And what caught Lei Jun's attention on the true yin land were several bamboo shoots that looked somewhat strange.
...Well, now that he thought about it, Lei Jun's heart felt a bit complicated.
These bamboo shoots, although different from Lei Jun's Upper Clarity Golden Bamboo, also possessed a unique spirit.
However, the problem was that the True One Law Altar and the True Yang Mystical Flower didn't react to them.
This left Lei Jun secretly puzzled.
Without any new discoveries, he could only temporarily suppress his curiosity and patiently wait for any subsequent changes.
On the other hand, Lei Jun's trips between Rain Mountain and Shunan Bamboo Sea were not entirely fruitless.
In the outer mountain forests of Shunan Bamboo Sea, he accidentally discovered another spiritual object.
It was an extremely bizarre vine.
Instead of climbing other trees or bamboo stalks, most of the vines crawled on the ground, piling up in layers and winding around the base of the trees.
These vines didn't cling to the trees but coiled around their bases as if they were part of the trees' roots.
At first glance, they didn't seem particularly remarkable.
With Lei Jun's perception at the Fourth Heaven realm, he initially didn't sense much spiritual energy within them.
Only after observing them for a long time did he faintly sense something.
When he made a small cut in the vine, abundant spiritual energy immediately gushed out.
[Spirit Base Vine]
The name suddenly popped into Lei Jun's mind.
After studying it further, he raised his eyebrows.
The spiritual energy contained within this vine was quite peculiar.
If a cultivator at the First or Second Heaven realm refined and absorbed this spiritual energy for cultivation, it would have a remarkable effect, doubling their efforts.
It truly lived up to the name "Spirit Base."
For a cultivator at the Third Heaven realm to refine it, the effect would be much weaker.
While the spiritual energy remained abundant, it no longer possessed that special nourishing effect, and forcing its use would be somewhat wasteful.
This would be perfect for Chu Sidi. I wonder if it's my good luck or his... Lei Jun immediately set to work, harvesting the Spirit Base Vine.
He had the Soil of Abundance flag, so he could maintain similar spiritual objects even after they were cut or harvested.
Therefore, Lei Jun wasn't in a hurry to return to Longhu Mountain or contact Chu Kun to come to him urgently.
In the following days, Lei Jun continued his previous lifestyle.
As autumn turned to winter, the new year arrived, and he spent it in Bashu.
During the new year festivities, Lei Jun joined the disciples of Rain Mountain Temple, with whom he had become familiar, to worship the common ancestors of the Taoist path and the esteemed sages.
Afterward, the disciples of Rain Mountain Temple performed their own rituals to worship the ancestors of the Taoist alchemy sect and the previous generations of their temple.
Lei Jun, on the other hand, set up his own altar and offered incense to heaven, paying homage to the ancestors of Longhu Mountain.
Deep within his soul, where the Heavenly Master's Seal resided, a gentle breeze blew.
A wisp of incense ascended straight toward the heavens.
After the ceremonies concluded, Lei Jun cleaned up the altar and ritual site.
As he was tidying up, a line of spiritual light flashed in the distance and descended upon Rain Mountain.
Soon after, the master of Rain Mountain Temple arrived with a middle-aged Taoist priest.
"Lei, my friend, this is Elder Ye of Shu Mountain," the master of Rain Mountain Temple introduced.
Ye... Lei Jun's heart stirred slightly, but his expression remained unchanged as he stepped forward to greet the elder.
(End of Chapter)
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