Chapter 177: The Honest and Naive Lei Zhongyun

Chapter 177: The Honest and Naive Lei Zhongyun

"Mr. Xiujing." Li Xuan approached the Ye clan's elder and bowed in the Taoist style.

Ye Qi, also known as Mr. Xiujing, was one of the most capable figures of the middle-aged generation in the Ye clan of Jinzhou, ranking seventh among his peers.

He was the same Ye clan elder whom Lei Jun had found familiar earlier.

As Li Xuan approached, Ye Qi returned the greeting, "Daoist Li, it has been a long time."

"This time, I appreciate the effort of Mr. Xiujing and the gentlemen of Jinzhou," Li Xuan said as he greeted the members of the Ye clan.

Ye Qi remarked, "It is truly regrettable that a rebellion has occurred on Dragon and Tiger Mountain."

Li Xuan replied, "There are always those who are ungrateful and betray their masters. I, too, feel regret."

Ye Qi's gaze turned toward the peak of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, which was obscured from view by the massive three-layered altar.

However, one could vaguely make out the battle between the Yin Fire Tiger, formed from azure-green flames, and the Yang Thunder Dragon, condensed from purple lightning.

"I've heard that Yao Yuan is on friendly terms with Elder Hongyu and often receives her care. I never expected that even he would..." Ye Qi shook his head.

Li Xuan coldly added, "He's a clever calculator, eyeing the position of the new Celestial Master. He wants to fish in troubled waters."

Ye Qi was first slightly taken aback, and then he appeared deep in thought.

If the Li family were to retreat, and an outsider were to take control of the Celestial Master's Mansion on Dragon and Tiger Mountain again, there would indeed be very few candidates for the new Celestial Master.

First and foremost, Official Shangguan was out of the question.

While Dragon and Tiger Mountain acknowledged the Tang Emperor as the overlord of the world, having someone from the imperial family of the Tang Dynasty take on the role of the Celestial Master was an entirely different matter.

As for Xu Yuanzhen, he was currently not on the mountain and could be disregarded.

Although Tang Xiaotang possessed formidable strength, she lacked the respect and support of others.

Especially with her interpersonal skills and daily conduct, she hardly seemed like a qualified leader.

Even if Tang Xiaotang could ascend to the position by sheer luck and fulfill her wish, most of the time, she would probably be more like a mascot or a figurehead.

She would have to rely on others to manage the daily affairs.

Among the future power figures on Dragon and Tiger Mountain, the two heaviest weights would undoubtedly be Yuan Mobai and Yao Yuan.

However, in Ye Qi's opinion, no matter how he calculated it, Yuan Mobai was superior to Yao Yuan.

He was even more likely to gain the recognition of most people and take over the position of the new Celestial Master.

But from Li Xuan's words, it seemed like he believed that Yao Yuan had a better chance than Yuan Mobai?

"It's good to be a clever calculator and seize the right opportunity, but to truly sit in that position, one's own qualifications will ultimately be the deciding factor."

Li Xuan's expression turned cold, "As for Yuan Mobai, humph... Now that I think about it, it's not that unexpected.

He himself has no hope, but he still wants to fight for it for the sake of his descendants!"

Ye Qi said, "Whether it's Yuan Mobai or Yao Yuan, they have both learned the Dao and inherited their arts thanks to the Li family. Their ungrateful and rebellious behavior truly incites the anger of both gods and men."

Li Xuan added, "Fortunately, there are still righteous and knowledgeable gentlemen like Mr. Xiujing and the other gentlemen who uphold justice. It shows that justice resides in the hearts of the people."

"Our former clan leader and your grandfather, Daoist Li, were the best of friends. With the rebellion on Dragon and Tiger Mountain, we in Jinzhou will certainly not stand idly by," Ye Qi said with a sigh.

"It's just a pity that there's a big chaos in the north, and several of our elders are unable to leave. That's why we sent a few of us here first to help. We didn't mean to be neglectful," he explained.

Li Xuan nodded silently, "I've also heard about the chaos caused by the demons in the north. I wonder what the current situation is like?"

Ye Qi replied, "Bodhi Temple colluded with the demons, seeking tiger's skin while riding on a tiger. They finally brought about a disaster, harming both themselves and others. Numerous powerful demons are wreaking havoc in the north.

The clan leader of the Lin clan in Youzhou and Prince Zhao have personally taken action, commanding the heroes of Youzhou and Jinzhou to suppress the demon wave and barely manage to stop it.

Our former clan leader suffered serious injuries during the previous demon chaos in the Western Regions, but he is now gathering manpower and resources to support the front line."

He sighed, "The former clan leader said that if necessary, for the sake of the people, he would not hesitate to put himself at risk and personally take action to fight against the powerful demons."

Both Lei Jun and Li Xuan took these words with a grain of salt.

Everyone present had the same thought, secretly guessing that the shadows behind this demon chaos in the north were none other than the Ye clan of Jinzhou and the Lin clan of Youzhou.

As for their goal...

"I wonder what the current situation is like in Bodhi Temple?" Li Xuan asked.

Ye Qi replied, "Just the other day, the abbot of Bodhi Temple, Lianyuan, who caused this chaos, took his own life to atone for the sins he committed against the common people. He passed away in Youzhou, along with three Bodhi Temple elders who had accompanied him north.

Li Xuan's eyes flickered.

Being a part of the Demon Subduing Guard, he had access to multiple information channels.

According to his knowledge, one of the three elders who had accompanied the abbot of Bodhi Temple to the north to welcome the Buddha treasure—the Sarira—was an elderly monk who had cultivated to the Eighth Heaven realm of Buddhism.

With the addition of Abbot Lianyuan himself, it meant that Bodhi Temple had lost at least two Eighth Heaven realm Buddhist monks outside their temple this time?

"Although Abbot Lianyuan and the others made a grave mistake, the clan leader of the Lin clan in Youzhou and Prince Zhao still wanted to do their best to save them, considering that they were fellow cultivators of the human race. Unfortunately, the rampant demons and the complicated situation, as well as..."

Ye Qi's expression turned solemn, "...the unexpected appearance of a powerful cultivator from the evil path in the northern border, who took advantage of the chaos to strike, ultimately led to the demise of Abbot Lianyuan and several other Buddhist monks."

Li Xuan's heart stirred, "A powerful cultivator from the evil path? Could it be..."

Ye Qi continued, "Wei Ancheng from the Blood River in the Southern Wasteland!"

Li Xuan's eyes narrowed, "So it was him..."

Lei Jun stood by, listening quietly.

Wei Ancheng, the contemporary leader of the Blood River Sect, a sacred site of the Nanhuang Wumen Blood River lineage, was shrouded in mystery and known for his ferocity, cunning, and bloodlust. His cultivation far exceeded that of his peers.

Among the masters of the Nanhuang Wumen, the Blood River Sect was one of the most frequent visitors to the Central Plains of the Great Tang Dynasty.

In recent years, there had been frequent battles and killings in various places in the Great Tang Dynasty.

The members of the Blood River Sect, like sharks attracted to the scent of blood, pursued and gathered wherever there was conflict.

Some of them perished in these battles and were buried in foreign lands, never to return to the Southern Wilderness.

However, some members of the sect, due to the unique characteristics of their lineage, eagerly absorbed the killing intent and death energy from these battles, enhancing their own cultivation and rapidly increasing their strength.

Wei Ancheng, the leader of the Blood River Sect, was the most outstanding among them.

It wasn't that people hadn't considered ambushing and assassinating the successors of the Blood River Sect.

In fact, there had been many successful attempts over the years.

However, Wei Ancheng's strength and secretive movements made him a difficult target. Over the years, he had become even more powerful, and each time he reappeared, his cultivation had reached new heights.

Rumors began to circulate that he was on his way to becoming the new number one master of the Nanhuang Wumen.

Previously, when the Celestial Master's Mansion clashed with the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou, members of the Blood River Sect occasionally appeared in the vicinity, but Wei Ancheng himself was never seen.

Later, when the Prince of Wu rebelled and the imperial family of the Great Tang Dynasty suppressed the unrest, the Empress personally traveled to the eastern coast to quell the chaos caused by the sea monsters.

Once again, high-level members of the Blood River Sect took advantage of the turmoil, but Wei Ancheng remained elusive.

Now, news of him had finally surfaced.

However, this news was accompanied by the fall of Lianyuan, the abbot of Bodhi Temple, one of the four sacred sites of Buddhism.

When the leader of the Blood River Sect made his move, he did so in a spectacular and shocking manner.

Whether it was a stroke of luck or a well-planned scheme, only he knew.

"The latest news I've received is that Dakuoji Temple attacked Bodhi Temple. Due to the absence of several of its top masters, Bodhi Temple was left vulnerable and ultimately fell to Dakuoji's assault. I don't have any further details at the moment and am awaiting more accurate information."

Ye Qi sighed regretfully, "It's a pity that Bodhi Temple, a temple with a history of thousands of years, has suffered such a calamity. Although the deceased is gone, Abbot Lianyuan's decision was truly short-sighted and lacked consideration for the consequences."

"Mr. Xiujing speaks the truth," Li Xuan said, his gaze sweeping across Ye Qi and the other members of the Ye Clan from Jinzhou.

It was difficult to guess whether Wei Ancheng had planned this in advance.

However, it was evident that the Jinzhou Ye Clan, the Youzhou Lin Clan, and possibly the Qingzhou Ye Clan, who were also secretly involved, had long been plotting this Northern Disorder and the destruction of Bodhi Temple.

As for the demons, it was hard to say.

But they must have had an understanding with Dakuoji Temple.

The heretics of the Buddhist faith were known for their aggressive behavior, and they considered Bodhi Temple, a sacred site of Buddhism, as their mortal enemy.

Given the opportunity to wipe out Bodhi Temple, Dakuoji Temple would show no mercy.

If the imperial family of the Tang Dynasty had the spare capacity, they might have offered some assistance to Bodhi Temple, at least preserving some of its strength and preventing Dakuoji Temple from forcefully invading its mountain gates and ancestral halls.

However, the attention of the Tang imperial family was currently focused on the southeast.

From the moment Abbot Lianyuan led his followers away from Bodhi Temple, their fate was sealed.

Li Xuan couldn't help but wonder if it wasn't for Tang Xiaotang's sudden breakthrough to the Eighth Heaven realm and her immediate return to the mountain to trouble Li Song and Li Ziyang, would the Jinzhou Ye Clan and other prominent families have chosen to target the Celestial Master's Mansion on Dragon and Tiger Mountain, which was in the midst of an internal strife, instead?

Now that so much preparation had been made in the north, the Jinzhou Ye Clan and the Youzhou Lin Clan had no choice but to strike at Bodhi Temple first.

As for the Celestial Master's Mansion, only Ye Qi and the other Middle Third Heaven cultivators had come over.

And their reason for doing so was...

"How are your preparations coming along, Daoist Li?" Ye Qi asked.

Li Xuan took out a list and handed it to Ye Qi, "The higher the name is on the list, the more attention it warrants."

Ye Qi glanced at the list and saw the first name:

Lei Jun.

"Lei Jun and Lei Zhongyun are indeed exceptionally talented," Ye Qi nodded, "Which is precisely why we should eliminate them as soon as possible. Otherwise, who knows if they might become another Xu Yuanzhen or Tang Xiaotang in the future?"

Li Xuan's usually stern face turned even darker, resembling the bottom of a pot.

Yuan Mo Bai was like that, and his disciple, who resembled his master, was unlikely to be any better.

Their previous actions had all been a facade, a deception.

Even if that wasn't the case, the fact that he had sided with Yuan Mo Bai meant that he was now an enemy of the Li family.

Now that the pretenses were dropped, this disciple must be eliminated!

As Ye Qi scanned the list, his peripheral vision caught Li Xuan's expression.

The list included many of the outstanding external disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion, ranging from Middle Third Heaven to Lower Third Heaven cultivators.

Some of them had only recently joined the mansion and had yet to reach a high level of cultivation, but they were still listed, and some were even ranked quite high.

The ranking was based not on Li Xuan's personal preferences but on an assessment of their potential and capabilities.

It would be challenging to eliminate all the disciples on the list, and finding people to do so would be a difficult task.

However, for now, they aimed to deal with a portion of them, and the rest could be slowly and carefully addressed later.

However, Ye Qi also noticed some issues with the list.

For example, the names of Zhang Jingzhen, Lin Shan, and Shangguan Hong were conspicuously absent.

Apparently, Li Xuan, or perhaps Li Ziyang and the others, were not yet ready to completely sever ties with the Tang imperial family.

Even during the internal strife in the Celestial Master's Mansion, Shangguan Ning and the others had maintained an ambiguous stance.

After so many years of burning incense and paying homage, the Li family certainly harbored resentment in their hearts.

But at this moment, the Li family had no advantage in the battle on Dragon and Tiger Mountain.

Therefore, the Li clan must try their best to minimize making enemies and avoid future troubles.

Moreover, although they had established a connection with the Ye Clan of Jinzhou, Li Ziyang, Li Xuan, and the others did not intend to bind themselves too closely with the Ye Clan.

They wanted to retain as much strength and connections as possible.

Even if they were forced to withdraw from Dragon and Tiger Mountain today, they would still want to make a comeback and reclaim their ancestral court in the future. Thus, they needed to minimize any obstacles.

Ye Qi could easily think of these things, but he didn't point them out. Instead, he asked, "Where are the others, Daoist Li?"

Li Xuan replied, "I checked at the Bureau of Registers and confirmed the whereabouts of several people. We should act quickly."

A hint of displeasure flashed across his face as he continued, "Unfortunately, Lei Jun's whereabouts are too unpredictable, and I can only tell that he is currently near Dragon and Tiger Mountain, but his exact location is unknown."

If they could get help from the Wanfa Zongtan, they might have more clues.

But given the current situation of the Wanfa Zongtan, they couldn't rely on them.

"The night is long and full of dangers, and we must act without delay. Let's target someone else for now."

Ye Qi suggested, "As for Lei Jun, Daoist Li, you can look into it further."

"Of course," Li Xuan agreed.

After discussing with the members of the Ye Clan for a while longer, Li Xuan and several other Li family disciples left. They walked along the Jinque Creek, heading downstream.

Ye Qi watched as their figures disappeared from view, then casually handed the list to a fellow Ye Clan disciple standing beside him.

The disciple took the list and asked quietly, "Seventh Uncle, should we follow this list exactly?"

"Add one more person," Ye Qi instructed. "Fang Jian."

The disciple beside him was taken aback. "Fang...?"

Ye Qi explained, "I've heard people from the Fang Clan in Jingxiang mention this person. He focuses solely on Dragon and Tiger Mountain, and since we don't share the same path, we cannot work together.

With the current chaotic situation, even if one or two people die, Jingxiang won't care too much. They can only blame the Celestial Master's Mansion and the Li family."

He sighed, "It's a pity that our clan's strength is mainly concentrated in the north. I have advised my uncles several times, but they didn't listen.

The Celestial Master's Mansion on Dragon and Tiger Mountain is such a good opportunity, yet we are about to miss it."

The Ye Clan disciples nodded in agreement. "Seventh Uncle is right."

The mortal world is too vast.

But the cultivation world is too small.

Ideally, only the Ye Clan should be allowed to cultivate, passing down their knowledge and techniques within the family. Everyone else would only know of the existence of immortals, but not the Dao.

As a second-best option, a few major families could reach a tacit understanding and stay out of each other's way.

The worst-case scenario is the existence of places like the Celestial Master's Mansion and Bodhi Temple, which accept disciples from all over.

It's acceptable if the carp wants to leap over the dragon gate.

But when even mud puppies and shrimp start having such aspirations, and their numbers are so high, it makes the cultivation world too crowded!

Fortunately, for now, we are dealing with only one Bodhi Temple.

Hopefully, in the future, we can gradually deal with the Celestial Master's Mansion and other places...

"Let's go, and make haste," Ye Qi instructed.

As he was about to take a step forward, he suddenly felt a sense of foreboding, and his heart tightened.

Among the three cultivation methods of the Confucian Three Traditions, the Recitation Tradition cultivators rarely cultivated their physical bodies, but their souls and minds were the most agile.

As a result, their perception abilities were also the sharpest.

Ye Qi, who cultivated the Confucian path by reciting classical texts, now felt his soul tremble as if it was about to be frozen by a chilling aura.

That chilling aura came from killing intent!

Just as Ye Qi was about to turn his head, a stick that shimmered with a faint light suddenly appeared from the trees beside him, aiming straight at his head.

Ye Qi noticed just in time, but the distance between them was already too close to dodge.

With his abilities, it would be difficult to avoid.

Fortunately, Ye Qi was well aware of his shortcomings and had prepared accordingly.

A piece of calligraphy that he had prepared beforehand automatically activated and took effect.

Without Ye Qi even uttering a word, the surface of his pristine Confucian robe automatically displayed words, and a reciting voice could be heard.

The words condensed into a piece of floating scripture in the air, resembling a shield that helped Ye Qi block the sudden strike.

With a loud bang, the stick struck the floating scripture, causing the words to disperse instantly.

But Ye Qi had already taken the opportunity to step back.

Only now did he get a clear look at his attacker.

It was a young Taoist priest, half a head taller than him, with a tall and straight figure, a handsome face, and a deep red Taoist robe.

It was none other than the person they had been looking for, Lei Jun.

Lei Jun's strike had dispersed Ye Qi's protective calligraphy, and with one step, he was already in front of Ye Qi again, moving too fast to give his opponent any chance to escape.

However, the already cold winter in the mountains now became even colder as ice and snow suddenly appeared.

This was a result of Ye Qi's Confucian magic.

With his exquisite cultivation, he could quickly communicate with the world's spiritual energy by silently reciting poetry and create the phenomenon of ice and snow, creating a barrier between him and Lei Jun.

But Ye Qi dared not be the slightest bit careless.

Silent recitation was not as effective as loud recitation.

His first move was purely to buy time, and he didn't expect it to actually stop Lei Jun.

After the first poem bought him some time, Ye Qi began to recite the second poem aloud.

But before he could even finish, the ice and snow in front of him suddenly exploded.

Like a tiny, weak spark igniting a candle, the ice and snow were swept away by the explosion.

Lei Jun gave Ye Qi no chance to fight back, and his stick struck again, hitting Ye Qi right in the face!

The force of the blow knocked the poem right out of Ye Qi's mouth, along with his teeth.

As blood splattered on the face of the great Confucian scholar from Jinzhou, he fell backward, unable to utter a single cry of pain.

With a sudden ambush, Lei Jun had taken down Ye Qi in just three moves.

The surrounding Ye Clan members were clueless as to how their opponent had sneaked up on them and struck their seventh uncle, leaving him with a face full of blood.

By the time they regained their wits and surrounded Lei Jun from all sides, Ye Qi had already collapsed.

At that moment, a large amount of thick, ink-like black thunder liquid spread from Lei Jun, engulfing the Ye Clan members nearby.

Lei Jun, empowered by the heavenly talisman, grew taller, and with a swing of his staff, knocked down those closest to him.

Just as he was about to continue clearing the outer perimeter of Ye Clan disciples, he suddenly paused, his heart tightening with a sense of foreboding.

This time, it was Lei Jun's turn to feel a surge of danger, his body tensing in response.

Without hesitation, he swung his staff towards his back.

Behind him stood a Confucian swordsman, his sword piercing towards Lei Jun.

The opponent's sword energy was restrained, and just like Lei Jun, he had approached silently. However, Lei Jun's staff blocked the unexpected sneak attack.

In that moment, Lei Jun's mind seemed to conjure an illusion: a giant serpent with pitch-black wings, coiled deep within the earth, opened its blood-stained jaws and let out a silent, fierce roar.

Cang Zhe!

Lei Jun's mind seemed frozen at that moment.

But deep within his soul, in the True One Altar cultivated from the Heavenly Master Seal, the forty-nine lamps flickered dimly, and a gentle breeze blew through the dojo.

Lei Jun's soul instantly cleared.

In the blink of an eye, taking advantage of Lei Jun's apparent daze, Ye Chi Feng changed his sword technique.

This time, instead of a sneak attack, he unleashed his sword energy, condensing it into a meteor-like strike aimed directly at Lei Jun.

However, Lei Jun's reaction was faster than Ye Chi Feng had anticipated, and with a sweep of his staff, he blocked the deadly attack once again.

Both were surprised by the other's actions.

Lei Jun looked at the equally young face of his opponent and recognized him from a portrait he had seen before.

Ye Chi Feng.

A rising star among the younger generation of the Jinzhou Ye Clan and a talented Confucian scholar who had gained prominence in recent years.

Despite his young age, his knowledge and cultivation surpassed many of his elders, and he was expected to reach the Upper Three Heavens in the future.

There were actually two leaders of the Jinzhou Ye Clan on this southern expedition: Ye Qi and Ye Chi Feng.

However, to maintain secrecy, Ye Chi Feng had kept his whereabouts hidden, even from other clan members besides Ye Qi.

While Ye Qi was in charge of executing the list provided by Li Xuan, Ye Chi Feng was the true driving force.

Yet, even he had not anticipated that an enemy would sneak up on them and ambush his seventh uncle, Ye Qi, right before his eyes.

Ye Chi Feng quickly regained his composure and decided to repay the favor by using the same tactics against Lei Jun. Instead of revealing himself immediately, he quietly moved closer to Lei Jun and then suddenly launched a surprise attack.

In one hand, he held his sword, and in the other, he wore a chain of white bones that resembled a strange snake.

The white bones, with their eerie spiritual properties, not only concealed Ye Chi Feng's presence but also, in the moment he burst out of hiding to strike, they unleashed their full power to suppress Lei Jun's mental faculties.

Lei Jun, adept at sneaking up on his opponents and striking them from behind, had also refined his Wind Thunder Talisman to enhance his perception in such situations.

However, this time, he had met his match.

While Ye Chi Feng had failed to detect Lei Jun's approach earlier, allowing him to successfully ambush Ye Qi, Lei Jun, in turn, had not sensed Ye Chi Feng's hidden presence.

His gaze fell on the chain of white bones wrapped around Ye Chi Feng's arm.

That must be the reason.

Not only did it conceal Ye Chi Feng's movements, but it also unleashed a fierce aura during the sudden ambush, suppressing the target's spirit.

If he had hesitated any longer, he might have been fatally wounded or even killed by the full-powered sneak attack.

But deep within Lei Jun's soul lay the Heavenly Master Seal, which allowed him to quickly regain his composure and block Ye Chi Feng's certain-kill strike.

"Your soul is unusual," Ye Chi Feng, a direct descendant of the Jinzhou Ye Clan and a talented individual himself, quickly analyzed the situation and realized the reason for Lei Jun's sudden recovery.

"Indeed, compared to you people from the Yin Demon Sect, I am too honest and naive." Lei Jun spoke as he took the initiative, moving in front of Ye Chi Feng and launching another attack.

However, Ye Chi Feng seemed to have anticipated his opponent's move, stepping aside and letting his sword fly like starlight into the cosmic chessboard, seizing the initiative and forcing Lei Jun into a defensive position.

Jinzhou Ye Clan's family style.

Star-Moving Sword.

Lei Jun neither dodged nor evaded, seemingly ignoring the sword light aimed at him, and brought his staff down on Ye Chi Feng's head.

Do you wish to fight to the death? You're delusional if you think you can strike me first.

I still have moves to counter your attack... Ye Chi Feng's thoughts were interrupted as he felt something amiss.

His sword seemed slower than expected, as if there was an invisible force in the air hindering its progress, causing it to sink into a quagmire.

"Zzzzzz!"

Ye Chi Feng's eyes widened in surprise.

There was a faint electric glow around Lei Jun's body.

The invisible Two-Yin Primal Magnetism had already filled the area.

As Lei Jun's Two-Yin Primal Magnetism incantation delayed Ye Chi Feng's sword light, he brought his staff down, and the Upper Clarity Golden Bamboo shone brilliantly, striking his opponent directly on the head!

PS: 6k chapter.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end