https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-136-135-Expandable-Opportunities-True-Yin-Bamboo-Pith/12586486/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-138-137-Attaining-Sainthood-a-Second-Reincarnation-/12586488/
Chapter 137: Master, Do You Have Relatives in Bashu?
Chapter 137: Master, Do You Have Relatives in Bashu?
Lei Jun had been away for quite some time.
After a long absence, he was reunited with Chu Kun today. The once youthful teenager had noticeably grown taller.
When Lei Jun left, Chu Kun was fifteen or sixteen years old. Now, approaching eighteen, he still looked youthful, but there were noticeable changes.
Chu Kun was taken aback by Lei Jun's words, then smiled and said,
"Senior Brother, given my age, I might still grow some more.
Moreover, our sect's cultivation practice emphasizes the foundation of life, and our lineage particularly focuses on physical body training.
I think that might have something to do with it as well."
As he spoke, he glanced helplessly at Lei Jun, who was still noticeably taller than him, "Although, I don't think I'll ever grow as tall as you, Senior Brother..."
Chu Kun then looked at the giant Rolling Rolling beside him, its shoulders taller than his own height, "Er... well, there's one that's even taller and bigger."
Lei Jun vaguely felt that there was more to it than just a height increase in his junior brother.
His physical body seemed to have undergone even more significant changes.
But Lei Jun had no intention of prying into Chu Kun's secrets. Since he didn't bring it up himself, Lei Jun didn't ask further.
"Senior Brother, is this the legendary Mountain Pi?" Chu Kun asked curiously, looking at the giant Rolling Rolling.
The big guy on the other side wanted to sit down on the ground lazily, but Lei Jun urged him to hold on a little longer.
On his plump face, he exuded a very humanized expression.
He looked like he was being playful no matter how you looked at him.
Chu Kun was left bewildered by his antics.
"Indeed, this is the Mountain Pi. As for how I brought it back, that's a long story," Lei Jun said.
"As for growing taller, I might be able to give you another boost."
As he spoke, he took out the Lingji Vine that he had obtained unintentionally during his trip to Bashu.
Although it had been picked some time ago, with the help of the Xirang flag's spiritual power, the Spirit Energy Vine had not withered and remained vibrant with spiritual energy.
Chu Kun immediately recognized this treasure and was well aware of its function. Seeing the oddly shaped vine, his eyes lit up, "Senior Brother Lei, is this the Lingji Vine recorded in the ancient texts?"
Lei Jun: "I obtained this treasure by chance during my trip to Bashu. I thought it would be perfect for you, so I brought it back."
Chu Kun excitedly rubbed his hands together: "I've only read about the Lingji Vine in the classics, but this spiritual object is rare and hard to find. I haven't seen it whether it's in the Jiangnan region or since I came to Longhu Mountain in Jiangxi."
...nor have I seen it beyond that door, Chu Kun added silently in his heart.
He suddenly remembered something: "Senior Brother, this spiritual object can also be used by Middle Three Days cultivators..."
Lei Jun: "But the effect is far less effective than for cultivators below the Three Days, especially those in the Refining Qi and Foundation Establishment stages.
It would be a waste of its spiritual power for Middle Three Days cultivators to refine it.
You are now at a crucial stage of foundation establishment. Obtaining this spiritual treasure is a blessing from heaven. We cultivators should seize such opportunities."
Chu Kun took the spirit vine and thanked him: "Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother!"
Lei Jun: "You and I are fellow disciples. It's only right that we help each other."
The two chatted as they led the lazy giant Rolling Rolling back to Lei Jun's courtyard.
Along the way, the large creature by their side drew a lot of attention, causing other fellow disciples to stop and stare.
Although Lei Jun had been away from the sect for a year or two, he remained a well-known figure in the sect, and few people didn't recognize him.
However, the Rolling Rolling by his side was exceptionally large, and for a moment, it seemed to attract even more attention than Lei Jun himself.
This was also related to the current external environment.
In recent years, with the surging spiritual energy of the heavens and the earth, the evil aura of demons had also risen, leading to the emergence of many powerful demons, far surpassing previous years.
Earlier, the human cultivators had engaged in a decisive battle with numerous powerful demons in the Western Regions, resulting in mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and the very heavens and earth shattering.
Many high-level strong humans, including the Tang Emperor Zhang Qilong, had perished in that battle.
Aside from the Western Regions, there were also frequent outbreaks of demon disturbances of varying scales in other places.
Therefore, everyone was now extremely vigilant and sensitive to the presence of powerful demons.
Fortunately, the true disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion were well-versed and had good discernment.
They quickly realized that the Rolling Rolling beside Lei Jun was a nascent demon beast and not a demon beast.
It did not absorb the evil aura of demons in its cultivation, nor did it exude a bloodthirsty aura.
Thus, although the fellow disciples were amazed, they did not have any other reactions.
Those who were acquainted with Lei Jun stopped to chat for a while.
As Lei Jun and Chu Kun returned to the vicinity of Lei Jun's courtyard, they happened to run into Wang Guyuan from the neighboring courtyard.
"Oh? Is that Lei Jun back?" Wang Guyuan was initially pleased to see him.
Then, when he saw the giant Rolling Rolling beside Lei Jun, he was visibly taken aback.
"Senior Brother Wang," Lei Jun and Chu Kun greeted him together.
Wang Guyuan snapped out of his daze. Without replying immediately, he glanced back and forth between Lei Jun and the Rolling Rolling a couple of times before finally letting out a hearty laugh:
"Junior Brother, your trip to Bashu was certainly not in vain!"
Lei Jun: "It was a coincidence, a coincidence. Just as Master and the other elders often teach us, we should follow the will of heaven and act according to our circumstances."
Wang Guyuan smiled and said, "Regardless, it's good that you're back safe and sound."
He glanced into the distance, "Master is currently at the High Achievement Tower and may return later."
Lei Jun nodded and patted the large creature beside him. "Senior Brother, help me out here. Get some food for this big guy. If we let him roam free, he might eat all of Longhu Mountain bare."
Wang Guyuan shook his head with a chuckle.
The Celestial Master's Mansion housed quite a number of spiritual pets and beasts.
Thus, there was no shortage of spiritual plants and objects to feed these beasts.
Wang Guyuan took Lei Jun to a celestial garden in the mountains, specifically for the beasts, where they harvested some spiritual fruits and plants before returning.
Upon their return, they saw the chubby giant panda, Rolling Rolling, playfully eyeing Chu Kun's Lingji Vine.
Chu Kun felt both angry and amused. With his current cultivation and strength, he had few ways to deal with this lazy big guy.
Fortunately, Lei Jun and Wang Guyuan's return relieved him.
Rolling Rolling was greedy for food but also quite picky. As it ate the treats Lei Jun had brought back, its beady little eyes kept rolling, fixated on Lei Jun as if still unsatisfied.
Apparently, it was still thinking about the Upper Clarity Golden Bamboo Lei Jun had promised earlier.
"Don't worry, don't worry," Lei Jun said, his expression undoubtedly sincere and earnest.
Chu Kun quickly put away his Lingji Vine.
"Speaking of which, I've never known if there's anything you urgently need, Senior Brother?" Lei Jun asked Wang Guyuan. "If I come across it in the future, I'll bring it back."
Hearing this, Chu Kun also turned to look at Wang Guyuan.
Wang Guyuan smiled and shook his head. "I don't need anything. You two don't have to worry about me. If you put yourselves in danger because of me, that would be my greatest sin."
Looking at the two junior brothers before him, Wang Guyuan added, "I'm not being polite. I truly don't need anything, so please don't mind me."
He glanced at Chu Kun, who had put away the Lingji Vine, then at Lei Jun, a thoughtful look on his face. "You two have been making great progress in your cultivation, and your future is boundless. According to reason, everyone has their own destiny, and I shouldn't interfere too much.
But as your senior brother, I feel compelled to offer some advice. For us cultivators, it's always best to focus on ourselves and cultivate steadily and peacefully.
Blessings and opportunities are nice to have, but they are not necessary, and it's especially important not to force them.
Crisis, crisis—danger and opportunity go hand in hand. Many times, what we perceive as opportunities may conceal unseen dangers and troubles."
Wang Guyuan spoke solemnly. "The world is ever-changing, and we often only see a fraction of the whole picture. How can we be sure that so-called opportunities are not set up by some powerful beings?
It's like a fisherman's bait. We, the swimming fish, bite out of greed, happy for a moment, but who knows what the future holds?"
Lei Jun nodded in agreement. "You're right, Senior Brother."
Chu Kun fell silent, deep in thought.
"The world is vast, and everyone has their own plans, but life is unpredictable."
Wang Guyuan sighed. "The Great Tang Emperor... well, he should be referred to as the Former Emperor now. What great ambitions he had! But even he couldn't fulfill his aspirations."
A few months ago, the Tang Emperor, Zhang Qilong, who had been bedridden for a long time, ultimately succumbed to his injuries and passed away.
Recalling the past, he had ruled the empire, relying on the country's fortune, and gradually pressured the aristocratic families.
How ambitious he had been then! Who would have thought that the situation would change so drastically, turning everything upside down in the blink of an eye?
The fate of this Tang Emperor took a completely different path and came to an abrupt end.
One could even say that he left a huge mess for the Tang imperial family.
Not only did he perish, but the Upper Official clan, the most trusted and relied-upon noble family by the imperial family, almost akin to royalty themselves, also suffered heavy losses.
The elderly clan head of the Upper Official family, who had always been the left and right arm of the Tang Emperor, had perished.
The influence of the Tang imperial family had greatly weakened.
The emperor's son was too young, and the country was in a state of uncertainty.
Zhang Qilong's unexpected early death left even the succession in question.
There was the older prince from the previous Tang Emperor, the Northern Border King.
The shadow of a prestigious family from Qingzhou loomed behind him.
The empress who raised the crown prince.
And Zhang Qilong's younger siblings...
Even without being in the capital, Lei Jun could guess the turmoil that was unfolding there.
Last month, everything finally came to a head.
Zhang Qilong's younger sister, Princess Zhang Wantong, the current crown prince's aunt, took her brother's place, becoming the new ruler of the Great Tang Dynasty, the Son of Heaven.
The Tang Dynasty, the first female emperor.
Next month, the coronation ceremony will officially be held.
Such an outcome was beyond the expectations of some and within the expectations of others.
After all, in the great war in the Western Regions, the once low-key Princess Zhang of the Tang Dynasty shocked the world with her mighty prowess, turning the tide of battle.
If not for her and the support of Huang Laozhen Ren of Chunyang Palace, the late Emperor Zhang Qilong might have perished in the Western Regions, never even getting the chance to return to the capital. The outcome of the battle between humanity and the demons could have been vastly different.
In this world, some of the rules of the cultivation world differ from those of the secular one.
At present, the Tang imperial family needs a powerful figure like her to stabilize the turbulent country.
Especially now that the imperial family and the Shangguan clan have both suffered heavy losses.
According to rumors, this was also the will of the late Emperor Zhang Qilong himself.
Naturally, there would be controversies and undercurrents swirling beneath the surface.
However, as Lei Jun and the others were outside the capital, they could only guess at the details.
But anyone could see that there would be future troubles.
For now, let's put aside the fact that Zhang Qilong himself had a son.
The newly ascended female emperor had already directly appointed her nephew as the crown prince of the new dynasty and had expressed her intention to return the throne to her brother's firstborn son in the future.
However, it was still early days, and the future was uncertain.
Moreover, behind that crown prince loomed numerous shadowy figures with complex motives.
Many within the Tang imperial family were not without worry.
"There will surely be many more storms in the future," Wang Guyuan sighed.
Chu Kun said, "If not for the great war in the Western Regions, the aristocratic families would have also suffered heavy losses. There are signs of powerful demons in the east and north as well, and there might be even greater storms ahead."
Lei Jun looked at him.
Chu Kun spoke frankly, "Senior Brother, don't look at me like that. It's because I come from a prominent family that I can make such a guess.
I'll say something that might bring trouble. I even suspect that someone was pushing things behind the scenes, causing the demon disturbance in the Western Regions to spiral out of control.
I can't say for sure if it was my great-grandfather, Duke Chu, but I think it might have something to do with those two elders with the surname Ye from Qingzhou and Jinzhou."
"Chu Shidi, since you know that trouble comes with talking too much, then don't keep bringing it up," Wang Guyuan said with a bitter smile.
The three disciples looked at each other and shook their heads simultaneously.
Indeed, as Chu Kun had guessed.
The new emperor's ascension did not mean that calm waters lay ahead.
The world was in turmoil, and there might be even greater storms in the future.
Just then, the courtyard gate creaked open.
A young man in purple pushed the door and entered.
When Lei Jun and the others saw him, they hurried forward together and greeted him, "Master!"
The newcomer was none other than Elder Yuan Mobai.
It was highly unusual for him to take the initiative to visit his disciple's courtyard.
The usually gentle and amiable Elder Yuan, who made people feel like they were in a warm spring breeze, stood at the courtyard gate and nodded to the three disciples before turning to look aside.
There, a giant Rolling Rolling was idly fiddling with a stone table in Lei Jun's courtyard, as if it were a lightweight toy.
Upon Elder Yuan's arrival, it immediately became alert and glanced at him, its tiny eyes rolling curiously.
The two stared at each other for a while.
Lei Jun looked at the giant Rolling Rolling and then at his master.
He was certain that since he had entered the sect, this was the first time he had seen such an expression on Elder Yuan's face.
He was neither angry nor happy, neither sad nor joyful.
If Lei Jun had to describe it, he would say that his master looked...
Speechless.
Utterly speechless.
"Revered Cloud has returned? Tell me again about the matters concerning the Shu Mountain Sect in person," Elder Yuan soon regained his composure and turned away, no longer looking at the giant panda.
Wang Guyuan pulled Chu Kun along. "Master, we'll leave you and Lei Shidi to talk. We'll come back later for the evening lesson."
Elder Yuan nodded.
Wang Guyuan and Chu Kun bid farewell to Lei Jun and left.
Thus, only two people and one panda remained in the courtyard.
Well, perhaps it was more accurate to say one person, two pandas...
"You ungrateful disciple!" Elder Yuan sighed and, for the first time, addressed Lei Jun as such.
Fortunately, he didn't seem too serious, and although he was a little annoyed, his expression was more of helpless exasperation.
The giant panda, on the other hand, looked bewildered.
Although it possessed high spiritual intelligence, at the moment, it saw Elder Yuan and Lei Jun as the same type of being.
Lei Jun said, "Master, please don't blame me. It was truly a coincidence. Speaking of which, it was attracted by that Upper Clarity Golden Bamboo that it found its way to my place."
Elder Yuan: "So, are you blaming me?"
"Disciple dare not," Lei Jun looked at the giant panda. "But, Master, do you have any relatives in Bashu?"
"..."
Elder Yuan flicked his sleeve and walked into the house.
Lei Jun patted the giant Rolling Rolling and followed him inside.
PS: First update of the day
(End of Chapter)
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