https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-145-The-Heavenly-Master-s-Direct-Disciples/12586571/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-147-A-Special-Sign-of-Misfortune-for-Special-People/12586576/
Chapter 146: 145. The Foundation of a Prestigious Family
Chapter 146: 145. The Foundation of a Prestigious Family
Lei Jun looked at the draw and couldn't help but feel speechless. He wasn't sure if the Chishan Manor was particularly lucky or unlucky. The last time he left Chishan Manor to return to the mountains, something happened along the way. Was he going to experience something like that again? Moreover, the situation this time seemed even worse than the last.
Last time, he drew two upper-middle signs, one middle sign, and one lower-middle sign. But this time, there was only one upper-middle sign, and then a lower sign was drawn as well. It was a sign of great misfortune, indicating certain death. Lei Jun shook his head repeatedly.
Of course, the good news was that this time, he didn't have to face the happiness dilemma, and he would be able to turn danger into safety as long as he didn't act impulsively. Speaking of turning danger into safety, there was something intriguing about this draw... Lei Jun's eyes flickered.
"Fortune and misfortune intertwine in the dark, and both heaven and man bring disaster."
It probably meant that the perilous path ahead would be due to both natural disasters and man-made calamities. However, Lei Jun wasn't sure if the middle-lower sign and the lower sign's dangers were the result of these combined factors or if they stemmed from different causes.
Lei Jun sat on his apprentice's shoulders, deep in thought. The giant panda seemed to sense his thoughts and remained quiet and well-behaved, unlike its playful nature earlier. After a while, Lei Jun patted its forehead. Only then did the panda start running again with its four sturdy limbs, speeding through the mountains.
Following Lei Jun's instructions, the panda headed toward the direction indicated by the upper-middle sign—the Sunset Gorge. As the panda ran, Lei Jun paid attention to his surroundings. There was supposed to be a fifth-grade opportunity here, but he had no idea what it could be.
Half a day later, the panda arrived at a massive canyon. Illuminated by the setting sun, the gorge presented a breathtaking view. Lei Jun searched for the possible opportunity while admiring the beauty of nature, marveling at the wonders of the world.
However...
Lei Jun's expression changed suddenly. He could sense a faint trace of demonic aura lingering in the canyon. As a cultivator of spiritual energy, Lei Jun had minimal exposure to demonic aura, but he was highly sensitive to it.
Not only him but even the giant panda under his feet became restless at that moment. Lei Jun immediately heightened his alertness, soothing the panda while staying vigilant of their surroundings. Fortunately, he had already developed the habit of imbuing himself with the "Night Wind" from his Wind and Thunder Talisman.
In this moment of heightened caution, Lei Jun channeled his spiritual power, making his figure more inconspicuous, and the "Night Wind" expanded to continuously conceal the panda's massive body. According to the upper-middle sign, this path should be free of risks and troubles. Lei Jun wondered if that was truly the case.
Nevertheless, he maintained the highest level of alertness and carefully made his way through the canyon with the panda. There was no strict time limit mentioned in this draw, so Lei Jun prioritized ensuring his safety before deciding whether to continue searching for the opportunity. It wasn't that he was overly cautious, but the demonic aura felt unusually dense and menacing.
However, as they progressed through the canyon, Lei Jun gradually relaxed. The demonic aura didn't become more concentrated or exhibit any violent fluctuations. On the contrary, as time passed, the demonic aura seemed to dissipate and weaken.
Although he couldn't be a hundred percent sure, the current clues suggested that a powerful demon had been present in the Sunset Gorge but had since left. However, it was uncertain if the demon would return to the canyon later. It was a possibility, but not a certainty.
Lei Jun recalled the contents of the middle-lower and lower signs. Perhaps, the demon had now found a new lair in the Cangling River Valley or Tian Song Mountain. While speculating, he remained vigilant, carefully searching their surroundings.
The demonic aura shrouding the area greatly interfered with Lei Jun's senses. As the demonic aura gradually dispersed, his perception of other things began to clear. Soon, Lei Jun's heart stirred slightly as he sensed a peculiar spirituality.
Amid the interference of the demonic aura, this faint spirituality stood out. However, it also felt somewhat unusual. Lei Jun raised his hand and made a gesture. At his fingertips, lightning sprang to life, transforming into the Metal-type Yin Thunder from the Yin Wu Lei Zheng Fa.
The magnetic lightning danced in the air, condensing into a beam as if drawn by some unseen force, piercing through the demonic aura. Lei Jun's spirit lifted, and he patted the panda beside him. The two immediately followed the path of the lightning.
As they ventured forward, Lei Jun felt a chill. The demonic aura ahead intensified. Turning a bend, they came across a set of enormous and peculiar feathers scattered on the ground. Each feather displayed a distinct contrast of black and white, half of it black and half white, yet they coexisted on the same feather.
The feathers were massive, each resembling a banana leaf fan. "Are those the demon's feathers?" Lei Jun asked himself as he sensed the dense demonic aura emanating from them. Most likely, the demonic aura permeating the Sunset Gorge originated from these feathers.
However, Lei Jun's target wasn't these feathers but a deformed metal plate on the ground nearby. Despite its twisted shape, the metal plate was enormous, resembling half of a grindstone. The peculiar spirituality and the chilling aura came from this metal plate.
Lei Jun reached out and touched the metal, feeling a cold sensation.
"[South Pole Cold Iron]," he murmured, a realization flashing through his mind.
A smile of relief appeared on Lei Jun's face. This metal plate was indeed a rare treasure. The fifth-grade opportunity mentioned in the upper-middle sign was most likely referring to this.
As for Lei Jun, the value didn't lie in the "Cold Iron," but in "South Pole."
Aside from emitting a slight chill, the peculiar spirituality that emanated from this metal was the very essence of the Yuan Magnetism that Lei Jun had been studying recently.
"Interesting, very interesting," Lei Jun's interest was piqued.
A giant head poked in from the side, belonging to the greedy cat, who was equally intrigued.
However, Lei Jun quickly pushed the giant head away.
He placed the South Pole Cold Iron into his Miniature Pouch.
Since he couldn't be certain whether the powerful demon would return to Sunset Gorge, Lei Jun temporarily kept the treasure safe, intending to examine it more thoroughly after returning to Dragon-Tiger Mountain.
He climbed back onto the giant panda's shoulders.
The big guy didn't dodge, but turned his head away, seemingly still upset about being pushed aside earlier.
Lei Jun smiled as he stroked the cat's head, "Don't worry, I won't forget about you. I'll make sure you get your share later."
The panda was the kind who wouldn't pounce without seeing the rabbit, and so it merely shook its head, not overly pleased with just words.
Nevertheless, it shook off its momentary sulk and resumed its stride, following Lei Jun's commands as they left Sunset Gorge.
The sinister aura and demonic energy lingering in the area made even this giant panda, accustomed to absorbing spiritual energy, feel exceptionally uncomfortable.
Fortunately, the Upper-Middle Sign came in handy.
Just as the sign indicated, their journey was free of danger.
Until man and beast safely departed from Sunset Gorge, the formidable demon did not return.
Lei Jun patted the panda's head once more, and together, they happily embarked on their return journey.
However, as they walked, both man and beast suddenly twitched their ears simultaneously.
The panda didn't stop in its tracks.
Lei Jun turned his head to look into the distance.
He vaguely sensed that someone was battling in that direction, creating quite a ruckus.
"If I'm not mistaken, they're coming from the direction of the Cangling River Valley..." Lei Jun raised his eyebrows.
Speaking of the Cangling River Valley, the last time Lei Jun left Chishan Manor to return to the mountains, one of the signs he drew mentioned this place.
At that time, Lei Jun chose to go to Guyuan Peak, which was mentioned in another Upper-Middle Sign, instead of the Cangling River.
But unexpectedly, a member of the Lin Clan from Jiangzhou had gone there and obtained the Divine-Eye Stone.
Of course, due to a twist of fate, that Divine-Eye Stone eventually ended up in Lei Daozhang's pocket anyway.
This time, the Cangling River was indicated by a Middle-Lower Sign, so Lei Jun naturally didn't consider going there.
However, from the looks of it, someone else had stumbled upon trouble? Lei Jun was curious but didn't approach them.
He used the cover of night and rode the panda up a nearby mountain. Then, using the Divine-Eye Stone he obtained last time, he observed the situation from a distance.
The battling parties were constantly moving.
It seemed like one side was retreating while the other pursued relentlessly.
As they drew closer, Lei Jun could make out the combatants more clearly.
The one retreating while fighting was alone.
Surprisingly, this person was Zhang Jingzhen, which caught Lei Jun a little off-guard.
The last he heard before leaving Chishan Manor, Zhang Jingzhen wasn't planning to leave as well. How did she end up here... Lei Jun wondered.
He then turned his attention to those pursuing Zhang Jingzhen.
There were Confucian Epigraphy cultivators who wielded sword qi.
Confucian Chant cultivators who manipulated poetry and incantations to invoke anomalies.
And Confucian Archery cultivators who nocked arrows and drew their bows.
Their attire resembled that of Lin Liao and the other Lin Clan disciples he had encountered before.
Well, it's that old rival again... Lei Jun frowned inwardly.
Zhang Jingzhen was already a Sixth Heaven cultivator in the Talisman Sect, but at this moment, she was not only at a disadvantage but also injured.
Aside from being ambushed and outnumbered, another reason for her predicament was the luxurious lineup of the Lin Clan's siege.
Not only was there a Sixth Heaven Realm elder leading them, but numerous Lin Clan disciples were also participating in the encirclement.
It was only because Zhang Jingzhen herself was exceptional that she could hold her own. Otherwise, even another Sixth Heaven cultivator might not have been able to break free from the encirclement.
The battle was fierce, with entire stretches of forest being toppled and several mountains collapsing.
In the realm below the Upper Three Heavens, this battle was already creating an extraordinarily exaggerated commotion.
However, as they were deep in the mountains and forests, it didn't affect anyone else for the time being.
Although Zhang Jingzhen darted left and right, calmly maneuvering to counter her enemies, she couldn't completely shake off her pursuers.
Behind her, the leading Lin Clan elder said coldly, "She's quite a big fish. Don't let her get away."
A young man beside him lamented, "It's a pity it's not Lei Jun. We finally heard that he left Dragon-Tiger Mountain, but we missed him this time!"
The Lin Clan elder showed no expression, "We'll have other opportunities in the future."
The Lin Clan disciple said, "Uncle, aren't we supposed to focus on the non-Li descendants of the Celestial Masters Mansion first? Although Zhang Jingzhen doesn't have the Li surname, she's not from a rural background either..."
The elder replied indifferently, "While the rural upstarts are indeed our top priority, killing those with the Li or Zhang surnames is equally satisfying.
The influence of a noble family lasts for five generations, and only then can they establish a foundation as a prestigious family.
The Li family has only lasted a few generations, and they're already struggling to maintain their influence. How can they possibly pose a real threat? As for the Zhang family, their reign is also unstable, and their decline is evident. There's no harm in helping them along."
"If the Sixth Uncle had personally taken action, he would have captured this girl by now," someone glanced back.
The elder said, "The Sixth Uncle is being cautious. If there's no Upper Three Heavens expert from the opposing side, the Sixth Uncle won't intervene. The current situation is unstable, and there are often unexpected changes. We must be careful."
"Yes!" The group of Lin Clan disciples didn't ask further questions and spread out to block Zhang Jingzhen's path.
In the mountains and forests, rocks and soil tumbled.
As the dim yellow spiritual light of the Soil-Gathering Banner dissipated, Lei Jun's figure appeared within it, deep in thought as he watched the backs of the Lin Clan disciples.
PS: Second update for today, there will be another update later.
(End of Chapter)
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