Chapter 174: A Second Chance to Enhance Understanding

Chapter 174: A Second Chance to Enhance Understanding

Due to the previous mention of Elder Qi Shu of the Yellow Heaven Dao by Jiang Daoren and the other Yellow Sky Dao disciples, Lei Jun did not linger in Dayuling, despite his sweeping victory.

After using the Soil-Producing Banner to collect the pair of peculiar gems, he immediately departed.

It wasn't until he had put a safe distance between himself and Dayuling that Lei Jun finally stopped to rest and attempted to contact his master, Yuan Mobai.

Although they were both in Xin Province, the distance was not insurmountable.

However, trying to contact Longhushan at this time was still fraught with difficulties.

The ancestral mountain gate was already embroiled in an intense battle, with spiritual energy in chaos, making it difficult for Lei Jun's long-distance communication talismans to function properly.

Fortunately, looking towards Longhushan from afar, he could see that his junior sister, Tang Xiaotang, was holding her own.

The green and golden flames soared into the clouds, the Yin-Yang Twin Tigers roared together, clearly overwhelming the dragon's roar.

The Yang Thunder Dragon of Grand Elder Li Song was almost nowhere to be seen, only the nine-colored brilliance of the Celestial Master's robe remained to support them.

In another part of the sky, the second purple thunder dragon was suppressing the second green fire tiger.

Among the internal strife of the two other high-achieving elders of Longhushan, Li Ziyang was gradually gaining the upper hand over Yao Yuan.

As expected of the Thunder Law Celestial Master's Manual, one of the Three Realms' True Classics, its combat prowess was exceptional.

However, Li Ziyang's suppression of Yao Yuan could not turn the tide for Li Song, who was at a disadvantage.

With Tang Xiaotang continuing to suppress Li Song with her golden Yang Fire Tiger, she sent the green Yin Fire Tiger to aid Li Ziyang, immediately forcing the thunder dragon back into the thunderclouds!

Aside from retaining their last shred of rationality to avoid endangering the mountain gate, keeping the battlefield mostly in the sky, both sides had completely unleashed their true power.

Even so, golden and green flames, along with purple electric snakes, continued to fall, crashing onto the areas below and around Longhushan from time to time.

Fortunately, this aftermath was not enough to break through the defensive restrictions of the Celestial Master's Mansion.

After expending considerable effort, Lei Jun finally established a sporadic connection with his master, Yuan Mobai.

Yuan Mobai was also unfamiliar with the name "Three Caves' Wild God Tribulation."

However, after hearing Lei Jun's brief description, he immediately grasped the danger involved, only to be relieved that Lei Jun had discerned and disrupted their plans.

"Well done, Zhongyun... But be cautious from now on while you're outside the mountain..." Yuan Mobai cautioned, "Qi Shu has retreated and his whereabouts are unknown... Aside from him, there are also experts from the Southern Wasteland's Witch Gate..."

Lei Jun listened quietly to the message conveyed by Yuan Mobai, and then heaved a long sigh.

Li Kong had perished.

Many of the Li family disciples who had accompanied him on their return to Longhushan had also suffered heavy casualties.

The perpetrators were experts from the Ghost Dao lineage of the South Wilderness Witch Gate, who had quietly approached Longhushan.

The Ghost Dao practitioners claimed to inherit the Witch Soul, refining and commanding evil souls to fight with corpses.

Among fellow Ghost Dao cultivators, combat effectiveness could vary greatly depending on the souls they commanded.

What was a moderate challenge for Lei Jun could pose a significant danger to others.

Not everyone was like Lei Jun, equipped with the Spirit Shielding Curtain and the Soil-Producing Banner.

When Li Kong and the others returned to the outskirts of Longhushan, they suddenly encountered a surprise attack from the Ghost Dao experts of the South Wilderness Witch Gate, and only a handful managed to escape back to the ancestral mountain gate.

As for why the South Wilderness Witch Gate had sent Ghost Dao experts to Longhushan, the reason was rather unfortunate.

The Southern Wilderness was a place of constant chaos and change.

In the past, there had been South Wilderness Witch Gate experts involved in the Second Civil War of the Celestial Master's Mansion, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides, and many bore blood feuds.

However, due to the frequent internal strife in the Southern Wilderness, those who held grudges against the Celestial Master's Mansion mostly perished in the mutual killings within the Witch Gate. Thus, in recent years, few people mentioned this matter, except for the Blood River Sect, which had a unique lineage, and Tian Linlong, the elder of Yanshan Dong, who had a personal grudge against Tang Xiaotang.

But as time passed, in the midst of the Southern Wilderness' internal strife, the winds of fortune shifted, and the heads of the cities changed hands frequently. Some people were making a comeback.

Among the five major lineages of the Witch Gate, the Ghost Dao lineage's sacred site, Jinchenzhai, had recently undergone a new round of power struggles, and the newly ascendant faction traced its lineage to the same group that had fought against the Celestial Master's Mansion in the past.

The South Wilderness Witch Gate's involvement in the Second Civil War of the Celestial Master's Mansion was not a conflict between outsiders and the Li family, but rather a war between the second Celestial Master Li Cangting and his son, the third Celestial Master.

Therefore, Jinchenzhai's attempt to take advantage of the chaos was not solely targeted at the Li family.

"Revenge is one aspect, but they're also probably after the spoils of war..." Lei Jun shook his head slightly.

The Ghost Dao lineage of the South Wilderness Witch Gate, centered in Jinchenzhai, practiced the art of commanding evil souls and fighting with corpses.

If they succeeded in seizing this opportunity, it would be a huge gain for them.

"Although I managed to repel them, it's not convenient for me to leave the mountain to pursue them for the time being... So the danger remains, and you must stay vigilant..." Yuan Mobai instructed, "Now is a time of great turmoil..."

Indeed, a time of great turmoil... Lei Jun nodded.

His master's words were not without reason.

After all, the Great Tang Dynasty was in chaos, with unrest in various regions.

Just then, Yuan Mobai had shared another piece of news with Lei Jun.

It seemed unrelated to the Celestial Master's Mansion of Longhushan, but it caused Lei Jun to furrow his brows.

On the eve of the Wu Kingdom's rebellion and the turmoil caused by the great demon of the East China Sea, the abbot of Putuo Temple finally headed north to Youzhou to retrieve the remains and Buddhist treasures of his predecessor.

Subsequently, the Wu Kingdom rebelled, and the demon of the East China Sea wreaked havoc.

The two events seemed unrelated, but...

A demon rebellion had also broken out in the northern lands of Youzhou!

The Lin clan of Youzhou and the Ye clan of Jinzhou had been dragged into the chaos.

"The latest news is that the abbot of Putuo Temple's trip to retrieve the Buddhist treasures and relics was a ruse. His true intention was to convert the demons, but his plan backfired, ultimately triggering a great chaos..." Yuan Mobai's tone remained calm, devoid of any emotion.

Lei Jun: "Putuo Temple has been played... This is just the beginning!"

Yuan Mobai: "The information you received earlier was correct. The Great Empty Temple has reappeared on land after leaving the East China Sea. Putuo Temple is currently under attack by the Great Empty Temple, but the specifics are unclear..."

Although there was a lack of evidence, Lei Jun's mind was already buzzing with various speculations, connecting the dots.

The chaos in the North was real, but it was not instigated by the Bodhi Temple.

Instead, someone was using a demonic blade to destroy the Buddhists.

The Ye Clan of Jinzhou.

The Lin Clan of Youzhou.

Even the shadows of the Ye Clan of Qingzhou lurked in the background, their eyes fixed on the unfolding events.

They had prepared more than just a blade.

Aside from the Great Northern Demon, there was also the Great Empty Temple, one of the Buddha's arch-nemeses.

If necessary, the three great clans might even take the field themselves, as the scapegoats, be they human or demon, were already in place.

The Great Empty Temple would be more than happy to comply, seeing no fault in their actions, as everyone sought to fulfill their own desires.

As for the Tang Imperial Family, they had other pressing matters to attend to.

If the rebellion of the Wu Kingdom was well within their control, then the chaos in the East China Sea caused by the demons was a matter of grave concern.

Among the other three great Buddhist sacred sites, the Vajra Temple had always kept its distance from the other three temples, the Hanging Temple remained secluded, and the Celestial Dragon Temple was currently embroiled in the turmoil of the East China Sea and the Wu-Yue War.

It seemed unlikely that the Bodhi Temple would be able to weather this storm...

Setting aside other concerns, would the abbot of the Bodhi Temple even be able to return to the temple alive?

The Tang Imperial Family supported the Three Ways, Four Buddhas, and Seven Sacred Sites to counterbalance the power of the five aristocratic families and the seven prestigious clans.

However, at this moment, this carefully constructed balance might be forcibly shattered.

If the Bodhi Temple was the first, then who would be the second?

Would it be the Heavenly Master's Mansion, repeatedly plagued by internal strife and severely weakened?

Perhaps, if it weren't for the fact that the Ye Clan of Jinzhou and the Lin Clan of Youzhou in the Northern Lands had long been preparing to target the Bodhi Temple, with arrows nocked and ready to fire, the Heavenly Master's Mansion might have been a more appealing target?

Beyond the passes of Longxia, the Xiao Clan was recuperating, while the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou was biding their time.

Would the Chu Clan of Suzhou and the Fang Clan of Jingxiang make further moves?

Since the female emperor's ascension, her rule had been far from stable, with undercurrents of unrest stirring within and without the capital.

And now, the aristocratic families and prestigious clans were presenting her with their first 'gift' of her reign...

Wait, something seemed amiss.

Lei Jun furrowed his brows, feeling as though he had overlooked something.

"For now, we can only focus on our own affairs," Yuan Mobai said, unperturbed. "I am more concerned about the mysterious enemy who plotted against Master Qingfeng and aided the Yellow Sky Dao in perfecting the Tribulation of the Three Caverns."

Lei Jun agreed with his master's assessment.

The various regions north of the Great River were in turmoil.

Conversely, in such a tumultuous environment, the other powers of the Tang Dynasty also lacked the energy to spare, or at least, they couldn't afford to pay too much attention to the new civil war that had erupted within the Heavenly Master's Mansion.

Even with the Yellow Sky Dao, Jin Cheng Zhai, and the Yellow Heaven Dao keeping a close eye on the situation, the two warring factions within the Heavenly Master's Mansion could probably let go of many of their concerns.

The civil war might even escalate further.

It wouldn't just be a battle between the four great masters, Tang Xiaotang, Li Song, Li Ziyang, and Yao Yuan.

The conflict between the middle-level cultivators within the mansion was also intensifying.

If it weren't for Yuan Mobai and Shangguan Ning mediating and coordinating, the mansion might have truly reverted to the scenes of over a hundred years ago, with physical battles raging inside and outside the mansion from top to bottom.

However, the most worrying aspect was still the mysterious strong enemy.

Six years ago, it was this person who had secretly attacked the previous Celestial Master, Li Qingfeng, on the Great River, leading to his tragic death.

Later, the senior sister, Xu Yuanzhen, pursued the attacker and managed to drive them back, but it was hard to say if she had truly gained the upper hand.

That mysterious person had always deliberately hidden their identity and, naturally, had not exerted their full strength.

And now, six years later, it was this same person who had helped the Yellow Sky Dao turn the Tribulation of the Three Caverns, which had previously been only a theoretical concept, into a deadly weapon.

Their cultivation, methods, and the resources they commanded were enough to make the Heavenly Master's Mansion stay vigilant.

Lei Jun shook his head slightly.

He wasn't in a hurry to return to the mountain.

After relocating once more and finding a relatively stable place, Lei Jun waved the Soil-Producing Banner, and the dull yellow spiritual light generated a large amount of soil and rocks, concealing him.

Only then did he have the time to carefully examine the pair of peculiar jade treasures he had obtained from the altar.

[Heavenly Wilderness Enlightenment Bracelets]



Lei Jun's heart stirred, and a name flashed through his mind.

They were filled with abundant spirituality, but they also exuded a primitive and wild aura that made one's heart palpitate.

They didn't possess any evil energy, they were just different from ordinary spiritual objects.

Lei Jun carefully pondered, sensing the transition from a state of primordial chaos to enlightenment and clarity within the bracelets, straddling the critical point between primitiveness and enlightenment.

For a fleeting moment, Lei Jun felt as though his thoughts and ideas had become even more agile than before.

This surprised Lei Jun slightly.

According to the commonly accepted standards, his comprehension had already reached the level of 'Tongming', and his thoughts and ideas were already incredibly agile.

Therefore, when cultivating magic, he often displayed a great deal of creativity, going beyond the teachings.

Taking that extra step forward was always the most challenging aspect, and this principle could be applied to most things.

Despite Lei Jun's 'Tongming' level of comprehension, as he carefully examined the jade bracelets, he still felt a sense of enlightenment, which was truly remarkable.

However, this flash of insight only lasted for an instant.

When Lei Jun tried to recapture that feeling, he was unsuccessful.

He pondered for a moment, and a vague guess formed in his mind.

Lei Jun immersed his consciousness within the depths of his soul, communicating with the Celestial Master's Seal and the True One Law Altar Cave.

At first, there was no response.

Just as Lei Jun was about to dismiss this guess and make other plans, the forty-nine lamps on the altar in the True One Law Altar Cave suddenly alternated between brightness and darkness.

And then...

Lei Jun felt as though the entire True One Law Altar had trembled slightly.

He almost thought that his perception was mistaken and quickly focused his mind.

The altar had returned to its peaceful state.

However, Lei Jun could affirm that there was a slight difference between the True One Law Altar now and before.

He immediately calmed his mind, sat cross-legged, and channeled his magical power.

Two streams of energy, one black and one white, flew out and enveloped the Heavenly Wilderness Enlightenment Bracelets.

The jade bracelets, which emanated a dim blue and cold light, shone brighter than before.

And the next moment, the light separated into three colors: purple, gold, and cyan.

The three-colored glow formed distinct layers.

The triple world presented by the altar built by the Yellow Heaven Dao earlier seemed to reappear, layer upon layer, intertwining to form a small illusory altar.

Under Lei Jun's spiritual power traction, this triple-world-like small altar also projected into the depths of his soul, projecting into the True One Law Altar Cave.

The True One Law Altar trembled slightly once more.

The purple, golden, and cyan radiance then dissipated.

But this time, Lei Jun accurately grasped the slight change in the True One Law Altar.

He entered the altar via the Flying Bridge Earthly Door.

Standing on the first level of the altar, Lei Jun's attention was not on the abundant Taoist rune patterns and the Nine Abyss Earthly Fires surrounding him.

He looked up.

The second level of the altar remained closed and silent.

However, compared to before, there was a slight emanation of spirituality.

A door, though still closed, was undeniably presented before Lei Jun.

Opening this door would lead to the second level of the True One Law Altar.

With the Heaven's Wilderness Enlightenment Bracelets, perhaps they could be of even greater use there.

Lei Jun's heart stirred, and he felt a sense of resonance.

Perhaps, with this treasure and the coordination of the True One Law Altar, his understanding could reach a whole new level.

Above the level of 'Tongming' is the state of 'Qingjing'.

After the second enhancement of his root bone aptitude, could his understanding aptitude also welcome a second enhancement? No wonder the upper sign mentioned that this was a three-star opportunity that could be expanded upon... Lei Jun calmed his mind and carefully put away the pair of jade treasures that were flashing with a faint, cold light.

However, how could he open the second level of the True One Law Altar?

When Master Yuan Mobai and Senior Sister Xu Yuanzhen had their discussion earlier, they had both mentioned that the opportunity might lie in the Southern Wilderness...

Lei Jun was deep in thought when his heart suddenly stirred.

He put away the Soil-Producing Banner and climbed to the top of the mountain, gazing towards Longhushan in the distance.

There were sword energies as vast as the tides, filling the sky and occupying the eastern horizon.

This was the doing of the Confucian scholars.

Observing the sword energy's state, as mighty as a tidal wave, the first thought that came to Lei Jun's mind was the scholarly families of the Ye Clan of Qingzhou and the Chu Clan of Suzhou.

He urged the Thousand Miles Sound Transmission Talisman to contact Fang Jian.

Affected by the disturbance of the world's spiritual energy, Fang Jian's message was intermittent and incoherent.

However, he clearly understood Lei Jun's intention to contact him at this moment.

Lei Jun also got the answer he wanted from Fang Jian's fragmented sentences.

The Chu Clan of Suzhou.

The Fang Clan of Jingxiang had also suffered significant losses in the previous Great Western War, and now they were mostly focusing their attention on the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou.

As for the Chu Clan of Suzhou, they did not ignore the new civil war within the Celestial Master's Mansion.

However, judging by the situation, they were not fully committed either.

Only one Confucian scholar with Upper Heaven cultivation had come from the Chu Clan.

In the conflict between Li and Tang, they ultimately chose the Li family.

Not only because of the personal relationship between Old Chu of the Chu State and Li Song, but also because...

If they really had to choose, the destruction of both the Li family and the Tang family would probably be most in line with the wishes of the aristocratic families.

If they had to pick a side, then between a single family name and a multi-family name faction, they would choose the former.

However...

On Longhushan, dots of starlight shone, blocking this Confucian scholar of the Chu Clan from approaching, keeping the vast and mighty sword energy at bay outside the mountain.

Lei Jun took a deep breath as he watched.

His master, Yuan Mobai, had finally made a move.

Although it was aimed at someone outside the mansion, it was tantamount to making a choice in the current situation.

"Boom!"

At that moment, a thunderous explosion that shook the heavens and the earth rang out.

Lei Jun, though far away, still felt his heart tremble.

Looking into the distance, he saw that there was now an even more formidable thunder dragon in the sky, fighting fiercely with the golden fire tiger!

The magnitude and intensity of this battle even surpassed that of Tang Xiaotang and Li Song's previous clash.

Li Hongyu had returned to the mountain.

Moreover, just by looking at the situation, one could tell that Li Hongyu, who had been stuck at the Seven Heavens realm for many years, had successfully overcome the heavenly tribulation and finally broken through to the Eight Heavens realm.

With her already exceptional strength, this step forward immediately placed her above the aging Li Song, making her the number one expert of the Li family at present.

Above the Purple Thunder Palace outside the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave on Longhushan, the purple thunder dragon fought violently with the golden fire tiger, instantly dyeing the sky with a mix of purple and gold.

Tang Xiaotang.

Li Hongyu.

The Celestial Master's Mansion had simultaneously produced two new Eight Heavens experts, which should have been a cause for great celebration for the entire Longhushan.

But now, these two top experts had launched a shocking battle.

Lei Jun, watching from a distance, raised his eyebrows.

The nine-colored radiance hung by the side, silent.

Li Hongyu did not recall the Celestial Master's Robe.

At such a critical juncture, Li Song would not withhold it from her.

The only explanation was that Li Hongyu chose not to use it.

Did she want to rely on her own cultivation and skills to fight Tang Xiaotang? Although this was the case, the Celestial Master's Robe was not idle.

If Li Hongyu didn't use it, Li Song would not hesitate to do so himself.

Li Song, who had just caught his breath from Tang Xiaotang's fierce attacks, did not rest but instead joined the other side of the battlefield.

Without Tang Xiaotang's distraction and suppression, Li Ziyang became active again.

The pressure on Yao Yuan suddenly increased.

Outside the mountain, the sword energy as vast as the sea also began to exert more force, pressing towards the mountain in coordination with the two purple thunder dragons.

Lei Jun stood on the mountaintop, gazing towards Longhushan, his figure stepping forward, his eyes unwavering.

At that very moment, a strong light converged on Longhushan, transforming into a giant pillar of light that soared into the sky. Myriad talismans revolved within the pillar of light, as wondrous as the stars in the universe.

The Ultimate Law Altar had been activated.

PS: 5k chapter.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end