Chapter 163: The Talented and Virtuous Lei Zhangshi

Chapter 163: The Talented and Virtuous Lei Zhangshi

With a palm strike to Lin Zongquan's forehead, Lei Jun ended his life instantly.

"Brother Lei..." Zhou Zihang took a step forward, not to stop Lei Jun, but to offer his help.

On one hand, he wanted to take revenge for his fellow junior disciples by killing Lin Zongquan with his own hands.

On the other hand, he was still worried about the situation at Xuantian Temple and wanted to lend a hand to Lei Jun.

If there was ever a need for someone to take the fall, he couldn't let Lei Jun shoulder the burden alone.

Lei Jun casually tossed the corpse aside.

Noticing Zhou Zihang's slightly worried expression, he gently shook his head.

While he didn't like Abbot Yongxiang's character, his attitude towards the monk was different from that of the previous Abbot Dexiang.

Abbot Yongxiang had stated that the events of today were his personal actions and did not represent Xuantian Temple. Lei Jun believed that he was speaking sincerely.

It wasn't that Lei Jun particularly trusted the abbot's character.

Rather, Abbot Yongxiang probably didn't want to involve his temple any further in this matter.

At the moment, the Celestial Master's Mansion was already at war with the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou, and it would be unwise to create more enemies.

The Buddhist sect was also in turmoil, not just because of the White Lotus Sect's uprising, but there might be other underlying reasons as well.

Apart from Abbot Dexiang, who was relatively unique, it was rare for monks of Xuantian Temple to actively involve themselves in worldly affairs. Most likely, there was some other important matter at hand.

On the side of Jiuyuan Lake, a Buddhist monk was currently engaged in battle with a powerful demon.

Despite being drawn into the fight on Great Green Peak due to his personal connections, Abbot Yongxiang probably didn't intend to escalate the situation further.

When he took Lin Zongquan and the others back to Xuantian Temple earlier, he likely intended to keep it a secret for the time being to avoid causing a stir.

In other words, Abbot Yongxiang would also try to prevent a conflict between Xuantian Temple and the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou in the short term.

"Then I won't trouble you any further, Abbot..." Lei Jun said calmly, gazing at the distant figure of Abbot Yongxiang.

The ascetic monk of the Buddhist sect was indeed remarkable, possessing a sturdy and resilient body even without the protection of Buddhist light.

After being kicked by Lei Jun and flying a long distance, Abbot Yongxiang looked somewhat disheveled with dust covering his body, but he didn't seem to have sustained any serious injuries.

He coughed lightly a few times and shook his head as he looked at the fallen bodies of Lin Zongquan and the others, sighing, "May the Buddha have mercy."

Despite being kicked by Lei Jun, Abbot Yongxiang didn't attempt to retaliate or salvage the situation. He only looked more bitter as he failed to protect Lin Zongquan and the others. He joined his hands together and bowed to Lei Jun, saying, "This poor monk's cultivation is insufficient. I was unable to stop your anger, Brother Lei, and unable to prevent the loss of life. I am truly at fault.

You believe that those who follow different paths should not associate with each other, and thus you do not heed my nagging, Brother Lei.

However, you are ultimately a wise person, and one day you will come to understand that all beings suffer. May you put aside your delusions and attain peace and freedom soon."

Lei Jun said, "Abbot, your words and actions today are also driven by attachments. It would be better to let them go."

Abbot Yongxiang's face grew even more bitter as he sighed, "As expected of someone with a root of wisdom, Brother Lei."

Without another word, he bid farewell to the disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion with another bow and left.

Lei Jun did not stop him.

Judging by his departure direction, he was heading towards Jiuyuan Lake.

Connecting this with what they had witnessed earlier, Abbot Yongxiang wasn't going to call for reinforcements, but it seemed that Xuantian Temple indeed had other concerns.

After seeing off the young monk, Lei Jun turned to Zhou Zihang and the others, asking, "Are you all alright? Is anyone injured?"

Zhou Zihang replied, "Three of us have minor injuries, but we're fine thanks to you, Brother Lei."

Lei Jun said, "For those with minor injuries, we can treat them temporarily, but it would be best to return to the ancestral court of the mountain gate. If there are any seriously wounded, feel free to come with me back to the Xianliu Palace to avoid any bumps along the way."

The disciples thanked him and assured him that they were fine.

The group cleaned up the battlefield in the mountains and then set off again, crossing the Great Green Peak.

After traveling a little further, someone from the Dragon and Tiger Mountains came to meet them, greeting Zhou Zihang, "Junior Zhou, did you come from Great Green Peak or Jiuyuan Lake? It doesn't look peaceful over at Jiuyuan Lake!"

Zhou Zihang replied, "Senior Du, it's you? Thanks to Brother Lei's warning, we noticed the surging demonic aura at Jiuyuan Lake and took the route over Great Green Peak on our way back, thus avoiding a disaster."

The newcomer then noticed Lei Jun in his apricot-yellow Daoist robe, "Junior Lei?"

"Senior Du," Lei Jun smiled.

The one who had come to receive Zhou Zihang and the others was a familiar face.

The leading Elder, Du, was the same one they had seen at the shattered altar, the revival of Lingzhi Terrace, and in the sea of blood.

Among the disciples following Elder Du was one named Qu Yong, who had once gone to the Xuan Yang Cave Heaven in Yang Mountain with Lei Jun for training.

Yes, the one who had three indents on his head courtesy of Lei Zhangshi...

There were quite a few external descendants within the Mansion who were close to the Li family, and Qu Yong was one of them, successfully attaching himself to the Li Ziyang and Li Xuan father-son duo.

However, when it came to investigating Lei Jun's cultivation progress, he had messed up, causing the already cold-faced Li Xuan to look upon him even less favorably.

Qu Yong felt frustrated, often lamenting that a great opportunity had been right before him, yet he had missed it.

Up till now, there was still no new Celestial Master who had ascended the throne, and the conflict between the Li family and the external descendants was growing more intense. With undercurrents swirling within the Mansion, Qu Yong felt lost once again.

As for facing Lei Jun, Qu Yong's feelings were even more complex.

Lei Jun, who had entered the Mansion three years after him, had not only successfully undergone the Investiture Ceremony but also far surpassed him in terms of cultivation.

As a result, the familiar address of "Junior Brother Lei" stuck in Qu Yong's throat, and when he greeted Lei Jun along with the other disciples, he almost subconsciously followed the etiquette of addressing an Invested Elder, "Lei Zhangshi..."

However, there were many others like him, and Qu Yong felt relieved.

"Apart from the demonic chaos, there are also people from the Lin Clan at Jiuyuan Lake, and they have suffered heavy casualties due to the chaos.

Du Zhanglao said, "We also received news and rushed over. What happened when you were at Da Qing Peak?"

Zhou Zihang quickly replied, "There were also people from the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou ambushing us at Da Qing Peak. It seems that they have arranged people on both Da Qing Peak and Jiuyuan Lake!"

However, the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou wasn't very lucky this time.

At Jiuyuan Lake, they encountered a powerful demon causing chaos.

Although a high monk from the Buddhist sect was present, the aftermath of a battle between top experts was not something that cultivators of the Lower Three Heavens could withstand.

On the other hand, Da Qing Peak didn't face as much turmoil, and they successfully ambushed Zhou Zihang's group, but...

"With Brother Lei accompanying and protecting us, he noticed the ambush ahead of time and led us to counter-attack, slaying all those villains from Jiangzhou!"

As Zhou Zihang spoke, he glanced at Lei Jun with a mix of admiration and relief.

Although the ambush from the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou this time didn't include any cultivators of the Three Heavens, they had the advantage in numbers and were all elite fighters.

The first wave of ambush, a rain of arrows, was particularly threatening.

Even though Zhou Zihang and the others counter-attacked fiercely, they still had to be wary of hidden archers, making it difficult to ensure victory.

But with Lei Jun's intervention, the situation changed drastically.

"Assisting my fellow disciples is only natural, and I also hope that the items from the Xianliu Palace can be safely transported back to the ancestral court of the mountain gate." Lei Jun said, "However, there is another matter that I must report to Elder Du."

He then briefly described the events of Yongxiang Monk from Xuantian Temple intervening but to no avail.

"Hmph, you handled it well. The monks' precepts are enough to restrain their own disciples. How dare they try to restrain my Daoist disciples as well?" Elder Du nodded in approval after hearing Lei Jun's account.

However, he looked at Lei Jun and brought up another concern, "You sneaked out to escort Junior Zhou and the others, which is commendable. But with you away, the Xianliu Palace might be left vulnerable."

Lei Jun replied, "We acted discreetly, so there shouldn't be any major issues. Although Yongxiang Monk and I walk different paths, given his style of conduct, he wouldn't resort to spreading news as retaliation. Now that you're here, Elder Du, I will return to the Xianliu Palace immediately."

Elder Du nodded, "It's good that you've considered all aspects."

He couldn't help but feel relieved. The two disciples that Yuan Zhen brought back to the mountain, Tang Xiaotang and Lei Jun, had high talent, but they were a bit unreliable, just like Yuan Zhen.

As for this Junior Nephew Lei, he displayed the talent and demeanor of a pillar of support. Not only did he possess outstanding cultivation talent, but he was also prudent and capable in handling matters.

Indeed, it was fortunate that he inherited Elder Cheng Yuan's legacy.

What was even better was that his temperament was similar to Elder Yuan, kind and caring towards his fellow disciples.

It would be great if the mansion had more young disciples with both talent and virtue like him!

"The next period will be crucial. After returning to the Xianliu Palace, you must also stay vigilant." Elder Du's expression turned solemn as he advised Lei Jun, "Lin Che from the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou arrived at Poyang Marsh a few days ago."

Lin Che, the new clan head of the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou.

Ever since the previous clan head, Lin Qun, perished, the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou had been in chaos for a long time. After years of power struggles, compromises, and negotiations, Lin Che finally emerged as the winner and became the new leader of Jiangzhou.

However, the internal strife within the Lin Clan was far from over.

Lin Che's position as the clan head was not yet completely secure.

This battle with the Celestial Master's Mansion was his first major test, fraught with both risks and opportunities.

It was a test not only against external enemies like the Celestial Master's Mansion but also against other members of the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou.

Up until now, Lin Che had maintained his composure and kept a low profile.

Now, he had finally taken action and headed towards Poyang Marsh.

As Elder Du said, the battle had reached a critical juncture.

"Thank you for the reminder, Elder Du." Lei Jun expressed his gratitude and bade farewell to Zhou Zihang and the others.

The group from the Celestial Master's Mansion didn't linger and set off on the return journey to Dragon and Tiger Mountains under Elder Du's lead.

Lei Jun turned back towards Xianliu Mountain.

However, as he passed by Da Qing Peak again, he slowed down and searched the northern foothills of the peak.

Initially, he found nothing.

Lei Jun calmed his mind, and his spiritual power transformed into two streams of black and white, wandering through the mountains.

Suddenly, his heart stirred.

The source of the disturbance was the True One Law Altar in the depths of his soul, derived from the Heavenly Master's Seal.

In the first layer of the True One Law Altar, the Nine Abyss Earthfire flickered slightly.

Gentle breezes arose from within the altar, blowing from the inside out, caressing Lei Jun's soul and physical body.

The black and white streams of spiritual power around Lei Jun's body swayed, drifting towards a mountain range and converging at a single point.

He walked forward and, at first glance, saw nothing unusual.

But as Lei Jun waved his hand, the Yin Thunder of the Earthly Soil attribute flipped over the rocks and soil, and finally, a faint glow emerged.

However...

"This spirituality..." Lei Jun's expression turned slightly odd as he looked at the faint golden light.

He had just interacted with the Buddhist disciples and had some understanding of their methods.

The faint golden light before him was different from the Lapis Lazuli Buddhist light of Xuantian Temple, but it was clearly a unique trait of the Buddhist lineage.

Buried here was a Buddhist treasure.

Lei Jun waved the Soil-Concealing Flag, and the earth-attribute spiritual power formed a dim yellow glow, enveloping and lifting the faint golden Buddhist light.

Upon closer inspection, within the golden Buddhist light was a candlestick.

The candlestick was damaged and covered in rust.

Although faint golden Buddhist light emanated from it, the object itself was subdued and did not draw attention.

No wonder it had been difficult to find.

It was only after being stimulated by Lei Jun's spiritual power that the candlestick emitted the faint golden light.

Otherwise, it might have remained buried underground forever.

... Did Yongxiang Monk come to Da Qing Peak for this Buddhist treasure?

Connecting this with the previous activities of the White Lotus Sect in the area, Lei Jun couldn't help but speculate that they were all after this treasure.

The upper-middle-grade fortune mentioned that this treasure might be entangled with some karma, and it seemed that this was the cause.

However, whether it would bring fortune or misfortune remained to be seen, depending on how the situation developed.

According to his calculations, the five-product treasure didn't seem like something that would attract the attention of high monks from the Upper Three Heavens of the Buddhist sect.

But perhaps, to the Buddhists, this candlestick held another symbolic meaning.

Furthermore, the candlestick was currently severely damaged, which may have affected the assessment of its current quality.

After some contemplation, Lei Jun used the Soil-Concealing Flag to roll up the treasure and temporarily left the northern foothills of Da Qing Peak.

He planned to return to the Xianliu Palace on Xianliu Mountain and then slowly study it.

Earlier, his secret departure had not been leaked, and the situation at the Xianliu Palace had remained stable for the past few days.

However, it was only when Lei Jun truly returned that those who had stayed behind, such as Yun Zhan, were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Lei Jun encouraged everyone and then inspected the area around Xianliu Mountain.

After confirming that there were no special circumstances, he turned his attention to studying the newly acquired Buddhist treasure.

The faint golden light was not as clear and solid as the Lapis Lazuli Buddhist light of Xuantian Temple, but it exuded a sense of wise and profound enlightenment, a subtle wonder that sprang from the heart.

Lei Jun carefully recalled the details of the previous battle in the deep valley near Xianliu Mountain.

In that battle, aside from the Buddhist handprint lineage's sacred site, Jin Gang Temple, the Buddhist arts of the other three sacred sites of Buddhism had all made an appearance, although they were displayed through the disciples of the White Lotus Sect.

Comparing and contrasting, Lei Jun felt that the Buddhist dharma concept within this candlestick likely originated from the Zen martial lineage of Buddhism.

Initially, it may have belonged to the Bodhi Temple.

Considering the internal strife within Buddhism that led to the emergence of the White Lotus Sect, it was possible that this somewhat aged candlestick had ended up astray due to those events.

Lei Jun studied it for a while and confirmed that the candlestick was dormant, without any additional mechanisms, and that it would not trigger the attention of a Buddhist monk upon being activated. Only then did he attempt to light the candlestick with his own spiritual power.

The candlestick was badly damaged, and lighting it was no easy task.

Lei Jun persevered for a while before a faint flame finally appeared, flickering in and out of existence.

He calmed his mind and carefully observed the candlelight.

In the flickering light, he could barely make out some scriptures.

They did not seem to be Buddhist scriptures but rather a fragmented pill formula.

The scriptures were disjointed and fragmented, and it took Lei Jun several readings before he could barely piece together that it was a formula for a Buddhist spiritual pill called the Clarity Pill.

Among the four sacred sites of Buddhism, the Zen martial lineage's Bodhi Temple was known for its pill-making traditions.

In that regard, it corroborated Lei Jun's earlier speculation about the candlestick.

"The Clarity Pill... I seem to recall something about it," Lei Jun mused.

He had come across some brief mentions of it in the Heavenly Master's Mansion's archives.

According to the archives, the Clarity Pill was one of the secret spiritual pills of the Bodhi Temple, known for its ability to nourish the spirit, working from the inside out, and even affecting one's physical body, achieving a state of inner and outer clarity and purifying the mind and body. It had numerous wonderful effects, and even for non-Buddhist cultivators, it held great value.

However, when Buddhism split and the White Lotus Sect emerged, the situation was chaotic, with many Buddhist monks perishing and treasures being scattered and lost. It was said that the formula for the Clarity Pill was also lost during that time, and it had been many years since then.

"Perhaps, this fragmented pill formula is the five-product fortune that was mentioned in the divination?" Lei Jun had a sudden realization.

The candlestick might have other wonders, but for Lei Jun, who cultivated the Daoist arts, its significance was limited.

On the other hand, the fragmented formula for the Clarity Pill might prove to be useful to him.

He carefully observed the candlelight and memorized the fragmented formula, then contemplated it on his own.

Lei Jun had relatively less exposure to alchemy, but under the guidance of his master, Yuan Mobai, a saint of alchemy, he had gained some basic knowledge.

However, directly repairing the fragmented pill formula was extremely challenging.

But Lei Jun had a hunch.

He committed the pill formula to memory and immersed his consciousness in the depths of his soul.

He entered the True One Law Altar cave heaven.

Crossing the Flying Bridge Earthly Door, Lei Jun arrived at the first layer of the True One Law Altar.

Within the altar, countless shimmering Daoist talismans and rune patterns glowed.

The illusory Lei Jun stood amidst them, silently contemplating.

After an unknown amount of time, suddenly, azure flames danced around him.

The Nine Abyss Earthfire remained quiet at this moment.

From Lei Jun's illusory body, streams of light floated out.

These streams of light, illuminated by the azure flames, gradually solidified, as if forming words.

The words shimmered with a faint golden light, coming together to form the fragmented scriptures.

They were the scriptures of the incomplete Buddhist spiritual pill formula.

Lei Jun sat on the first layer of the True One Law Altar, silently observing the incomplete formula for the Buddhist spiritual pill.

The azure flames continued to dance around him.

Time passed, and there seemed to be no progress.

However, Lei Jun did not lose heart and continued to try and adjust his approach.

This time, he used his black and white dual qi spiritual power to draw a bit of the candlestick's faint golden candlelight and infused it into the True One Law Altar cave heaven.

A wisp of faint golden candlelight fell onto the first layer of the altar, but it was quickly consumed by the azure flames.

Within the altar, the Nine Abyss Earthfire continued to burn quietly.

But suddenly, at the center of the flames, on the first layer of the True One Law Altar, a mysterious talisman seemed to appear, faintly visible.

Lei Jun knew that it was the wondrous condensation of the fire-based Earthly Scriptural Talisman.

At this moment, it seemed to be triggered by something, causing the mysterious talisman to alternately appear and disappear.

As a result, the surrounding azure Nine Abyss Earthfire also changed.

The flames drew close to the faint golden fragmented scriptures, enveloping them.

Even the flames themselves began to solidify, as if transforming into entities, gradually stabilizing into characters.

The azure characters began to fill in the gaps in the faint golden fragmented scriptures.

The process was extremely slow, and it was unclear how long it would take, but the fragmented pill formula was indeed being gradually restored.

So, having only the fragmented formula was not enough. One needed to understand more of the related doctrines and concepts to make progress. Nonetheless, this new function of the first layer of the altar was indeed powerful... Lei Jun heaved a sigh of relief.

PS: This is the first update of the day, a 5k chapter. There will be another update later tonight.

(End of Chapter)

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