https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-154-153-Touched-Touched-like-a-Shoot/12586583/
Chapter 155: 154. The Deja Vu of an Arranged Meeting
Chapter 155: 154. The Deja Vu of an Arranged Meeting
Although Lei Jun admired his senior master's strength, he still had some worries about her running this errand on his behalf, fearing that something unexpected might happen and put Xu Yuanzhen in danger.
Even though Xu Yuanzhen herself was quite interested in this trip.
Fortunately, it turned out that Senior Master's strength was consistently formidable, and she returned safely.
"Here, take it." However, she showed no joy on her face as she casually took out an object from her shrinking pouch and tossed it in front of Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai.
The object was the size of an infant's fist, spherical in shape, but with multiple facets. It was crystal clear and emanated a dazzling golden light.
It looked like a tiny sun.
Pure and fiery yang energy emanated from it, instantly filling the entire room.
Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai were both amazed, "It's of excellent quality, and it's rare to find such a large Sun Gold Crystal. I've never seen one like this before."
To be extra cautious, Yuan Mobai carefully inspected the treasure again to ensure that the Sun Gold Crystal bore no traces of Sunday.
"When I arrived, there was only the item and no one else," Xu Yuanzhen said, "I waited for a while, but still didn't see anyone."
Lei Jun asked, "Did they notice you, Senior Master?"
Xu Yuanzhen replied, "Of course, they couldn't find me either."
The agreed-upon location was an archipelago in the sea, where both parties placed their treasures on different islands.
In the end, it seemed that both sides were quite honorable, as they all arrived as promised and placed the treasures without any tricks.
However, there were definitely some scheming and maneuvering going on behind the scenes.
The final outcome was neither completely satisfying nor disappointing.
Everyone got what they wanted.
No one was exposed, but neither could they see through each other's true intentions.
"The fact that they couldn't be seen through by you, Senior Master, already says something," Lei Jun remarked.
With Xu Yuanzhen's cultivation and strength, the number of people who could match her was actually quite limited, and they were mostly well-known figures in the world.
Sunday's cultivation and strength were quite high.
If Lei Jun had gone on this trip himself instead of Xu Yuanzhen...
Regardless of whether Sunday had the intention or plan to double-cross them, he definitely had the ability to do so.
It was a wise decision to have Senior Master go instead... Lei Jun thought to himself.
"Let's send a message to Xiaotang," Yuan Mobai said, "Hopefully, she'll return to the mountain soon."
If what Tang Xiaotang said was true, and she had indeed found a clue related to the Heavenly Master's Sword earlier, then she must be quite busy at the moment.
Perhaps she would even have to compete with Li Zhengxuan in terms of luck and ability.
"I've taken an interest in this Sunday," Xu Yuanzhen said, waving her hand, "If there's another transaction with this person in the future, let me know, and I'll be there."
"Okay," Lei Jun agreed.
Xu Yuanzhen thought for a moment and then shook her head, "It's not urgent for now. I still have some things to take care of, so I might not be available later."
She looked at Lei Jun, "How about this, you can use this news to probe them first, and I have two secret rumors for you. You can handle one yourself, and for the other, I want you to get some information in exchange."
Lei Jun was intrigued, "Oh?"
Xu Yuanzhen said, "The first rumor is that the White Lotus Sect in the Jingxiang area has been very active recently, and the new generation's Future Maitreya has already entered the world.
The second rumor is that in the Daolan Mountain area downstream of the Songjiang River in the northern border, there is a Soul Purifying treasure waiting to mature. The time is estimated to be within one to two years."
Lei Jun took note of this information, his heart filled with emotion.
This senior master of his, to put it nicely, had traveled the world and left her footprints everywhere. To put it bluntly, she had been wandering around...
But her travels were not in vain. She not only gained all sorts of opportunities but also collected treasures to the point where she had to discard some to make room for new ones.
At the same time, Xu Yuanzhen was also more informed about various news compared to others.
For now, let's set aside the whereabouts of the divine soul treasure.
Regarding the White Lotus Sect, the Future Maitreya had entered the world.
Although the information was vague, it carried a significant weight.
The White Lotus Sect believed in the Maitreya's descent, the end of the old world, and the birth of a new world.
The Future Maitreya Buddha would replace the current Buddha.
The new world would replace the old world.
And so on, in an endless cycle. The Maitreya Buddha of the future would replace the old one, and the world would always be new, always full of hope.
Hence, the members of the White Lotus Sect referred to their leader as the Current Maitreya or the Living Maitreya.
The next generation's successor was addressed as the Future Maitreya.
This person could basically be regarded as the White Lotus Sect's saintly disciple or heir apparent.
Now that he had entered the world, the White Lotus Sect would indeed be making some big moves.
"What does Senior Master want to ask?" Lei Jun inquired.
Xu Yuanzhen asked, "I want to know, what is that old fox from the Ye Clan in Jinzhou up to these days?"
Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai nodded slightly, sharing the same curiosity.
Just as Chu Kun had said, that old clan leader of the Ye Clan in Jinzhou didn't seem like someone who would die for the Tang imperial family.
Lei Jun took note of Xu Yuanzhen's words, and after she waved her hand in farewell, he bid her goodbye once more.
Yuan Mobai nodded towards Lei Jun and also took his leave, intending to reopen the Wanfa Zongtan (All Methods Sect Altar). Xu Yuanzhen would utilize this altar to continue her previous task of sorting through information, hoping to uncover another effective clue to locate the Heavenly Master's Sword.
Although Lei Jun had received a hint from Xu Yuanzhen, he wasn't in a rush to initiate a group chat with the others just yet.
In the following days, Lei Jun focused on his personal cultivation.
Firstly, having successfully refined the Yin-Yang Dual Ultimate Energies, he began the formal construction of his second Dao Palace.
The Southern Dragon-Tiger Palace.
Starting with the heart fire, it generates solar qi.
This was typically the first Dao Palace cultivated by male disciples of Longhushan.
However, with the Central Sanqing Palace as his starting point, Lei Jun placed the Southern Dragon-Tiger Palace as his second.
His anticipated third Dao Palace was the Northern Xuanming Palace, which generates the Great Yin qi from the kidney water, instead of the Western Lingguan Palace, which was commonly chosen as the third Dao Palace by male disciples.
By establishing the Central Sanqing Palace to harmonize yin and yang, followed by the Southern Dragon-Tiger Palace and the Northern Xuanming Palace, which generate solar and Great Yin qi respectively, Lei Jun's overall cultivation journey would become much smoother.
Aside from steadily improving his cultivation realm, Lei Jun's second task was to further contemplate his second technique.
Now, he was beginning to see results.
Lei Jun sat cross-legged in his room without moving.
He stretched out his hand, palm facing up, and spread his fingers apart.
Threads of thunder and electric primal magnetic energies flowed around his hand.
Stripped of its arrow shaft, only the metal arrowhead, which was part of his technique, floated above Lei Jun's fingertips.
The arrowhead pointed forward but did not fly away.
Lei Jun's gaze fixed on the front, as if he were aiming and calculating at the same time.
After a long while, he lowered his hand.
The arrowhead dropped to the ground.
Instead of picking it up, Lei Jun bowed his head to stare at the arrowhead.
After some time, he nodded slightly and waved his hand, causing the arrowhead to return to his palm.
However, he immediately set it aside.
His second technique was taking shape more and more.
Nevertheless, his ideas were not limited to increasing its destructive power.
Lei Jun contemplated whether there could be more variations and applications.
He seriously considered that if he could cultivate to the Sixth Layer of the Heaven's Seal Realm in the future, should he choose the seemingly non-combative Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talisman as his third technique? He could then improve this spiritual talisman.
Lei Jun had always believed that this talisman held greater potential.
...
While the battle in Poyang Marsh was raging, the Heavenly Master's Mansion remained peaceful, allowing Lei Jun to cultivate with a peaceful mind.
In contrast, the undercurrents in the south of the Yangtze River were becoming more turbulent.
Prince Wu had just seen off a palace guest.
His cousin, the princess, did not scold him harshly. Instead, she gently inquired about his well-being.
Prince Wu was in good health.
However, he had worries in his heart.
He stood in the courtyard with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing up at the sky.
After a long while, Prince Wu finally spoke, "We still haven't found out how the information was leaked, have we?"
The person behind him replied, "The other party is very careful, and we cannot pinpoint the source of the leak yet."
Prince Wu did not get angry but only instructed, "Continue the investigation."
"Your subordinate obeys."
After responding, the person added softly, "Your Highness, is it possible that General Sheng of the Demon Suppression Corps inadvertently let slip some information?"
Prince Wu looked up at the sky, remaining silent for a long time.
...
Lei Jun cultivated with a calm mind.
Until one night, the four of them gathered again in the starry book world and agreed to exchange information once more.
With the foundation laid during their previous meeting, everyone remained vigilant, maintaining a tense atmosphere despite their relaxed exteriors. However, the conversation flowed more smoothly this time.
During their first encounter, they had shared their information.
This time, they decided to exchange information instead.
"I have a piece of information about the Western Regions' Vajra Temple. I wonder if anyone is interested?" Monday spoke first.
Thursday asked, "What kind of information are you looking for?"
Monday replied, "I want information about the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes. Any one of them will do. Can anyone provide it?"
Sunday said, "I have information about two of them, but I'm not interested in the Western Regions' Vajra Temple."
Thursday said, "Regarding the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes, I have some information about the Xiao Clan of Longyou."
Monday said, "I think we can discuss this later."
Okay, this is like a blind date... Lei Jun thought to himself.
Unfazed, Lei Jun interjected, "I have two pieces of information here. One concerns another divine soul treasure, and the other is about the White Lotus Sect. There's still some time before the former matures, but the latter is happening soon. Who's interested?"
Monday and Thursday remained silent.
Sunday spoke up, "What kind of information are you looking for?"
"I want information on the Ye Clan of Jinzhou," Lei Jun replied.
"Alright," Sunday agreed readily.
Lei Jun wondered about the other party's intentions. Why would they still want information about other soul-related treasures when they already had the Soul Dispelling Elixir, and what were their true intentions behind their requests?
Was it because they also knew that the White Lotus Sect's future leader was about to enter the world, or did they simply not care about that heretical Buddhist sect?
Hm, regardless, I've found a match as well... Lei Jun shook his head, dispelling his wandering thoughts.
The four of them set separate dates.
Next, the four stars dimmed simultaneously in the vastness of space, obscured by the surrounding airflow.
When the appointed time came, they privately chatted one after the other.
Lei Jun informed Sunday about the Soul-Purifying Treasure located near Daolan Mountain, downstream of the Songjiang River in the north. However, he mentioned that the treasure had not yet matured and would require some waiting.
Sunday accepted this explanation, and when Lei Jun inquired about the Ye Clan of Jinzhou, Sunday calmly replied, "The old fox of the Ye Clan of Jinzhou has fully recovered from his injuries, and he has been frequently interacting with King Zhao lately."
If this information was accurate, it would be a very high-level secret... Lei Jun thought to himself.
Although Lei Jun didn't know the specifics of Monday and Thursday's conversations, it seemed that both parties were relatively satisfied with the outcome.
One was concerned with the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes.
The other was interested in the Vajra Temple of the Western Regions.
Were they hiding their true intentions, or did they each have their own agenda? Lei Jun didn't dwell on the others and focused his attention on himself.
If the Ye Clan of Jinzhou was indeed interacting closely with King Zhao of Zhao, then the current situation of the Tang imperial court would become even more intricate.
Lei Jun withdrew his mind from the starlit book world and went to see his master, Yuan Mobai.
Master and disciple exchanged a few words.
Yuan Mobai surmised that Xu Yuanzhen was about to complete her task.
Lei Jun wasn't in a hurry and calmly awaited her return.
However, another person reacted quite strongly upon hearing that Xu Yuanzhen was about to finish her task.
"Senior Sister Xu never makes empty boasts," Wang Guyuan said seriously. "If she said she's going to Jiangzhou to teach the Lin Clan a lesson, then it definitely won't be a small-scale operation."
Lei Jun nodded, "That makes sense."
Wang Guyuan continued, "If she really creates a big commotion, the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou won't be able to hide in the Poyang Marsh like they are now, and our sect will definitely engage in another full-scale war with them!"
"That's to be expected," Lei Jun replied.
Wang Guyuan slapped Lei Jun and Chu Kun's shoulders and said, "So, let's close ourselves off from the world and cultivate together, the three of us brothers!"
Lei Jun: "..."
Chu Kun: "..."
In the end, the two of them didn't join Wang Guyuan.
Wang Guyuan expressed his regret but proceeded to inform their sect and began his long-term seclusion.
As Yuan Mobai had predicted, Xu Yuanzhen soon finished her task at the Wanfa Zongtan (All Methods Sect Altar).
She left the Wanfa Zongtan and went straight to find Lei Jun.
After hearing Lei Jun's account of what had transpired, Xu Yuanzhen nodded, "I see."
She didn't ask any further questions nor did she say anything else. She simply stored away the sword-marked stone slab and the Sun Gold Crystal with Yuan Mobai, who rarely left the mountain:
"I'm going to Jiangzhou for a while. I won't worry about this matter for now. We'll contact Xiaotang to come back, and she can handle all of this. Let her take care of it."
With that, Xu Yuanzhen casually waved her hand and left.
After her departure, no news came back from Jiangzhou or anywhere else.
It was as if she had never gone to Jiangzhou at all.
Until...
"Big news, Senior Brother!"
One morning, Chu Kun rushed to Lei Jun, exclaiming, "We've received news from outside the mountain... Lin Zhen is dead!"
Lei Jun looked up at him.
Chu Kun nodded vigorously, "I heard that Lin Xiaoting was unlucky and was injured in the Poyang Marsh frontline, so he retreated to Jiangzhou to recuperate. But on the way back, it was said that... it was Senior Sister Xu..."
Lin Zhen, styled Xiaoting, and nicknamed Guanglei.
The eldest son of Lin Qun, the former clan head of the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou, he was renowned as the best among the young generation in Jiangzhou and a seven-layer grand scholar.
Although he hadn't succeeded as the clan head, he was already a core member of the Lin Clan's high command.
And now, he was dead.
PS: This is the third update for today. Finally, I managed to write a 10,000-character update, but it's a bit late. I apologize once again, and I'll head to bed now. I'll continue to work hard tomorrow!
(End of Chapter)
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