Chapter 189: The Old Jinx

Chapter 189: The Old Jinx

Upon hearing Lei Jun's question, Zhang Yuan fell into a daze, his expression blank.

He tried to recollect his thoughts for a moment before answering, "I had gone out to train with my sect brothers, but I don't recall anything unusual happening. It was only when we returned to the foot of the mountain that I vaguely felt something was amiss. I was planning to head to the Steward Hall first to hand over our duties and then ask our master for help. However, by the time I reached the Steward Hall, my head felt even more muddled, and I don't recall what happened after that..."

Lei Jun reassured him, "Don't panic. You're out of danger now."

Unlike his master, Yuan Mo Bai, whose demeanor exuded warmth and made others feel like they were basking in spring sunshine, Lei Jun's calm and composed attitude naturally soothed Zhang Yuan, easing his anxious mind.

"I recall the task you undertook from the Steward Hall was related to Fanmo Mountain, wasn't it?" Lei Jun asked.

Zhang Yuan replied, "Yes, we were assigned to the Fanmo Mountain branch. We delivered a batch of high-grade talisman paper and ink, and on our way back, we brought some local produce from Fanmo Mountain to the mountain gate. There weren't any unusual incidents during the trip."

"You didn't make any stops along the way or come into contact with anyone, did you?" Lei Jun inquired further.

Zhang Yuan shook his head repeatedly.

Lei Jun fell into deep thought.

If he hadn't been working at the Steward Hall, he wouldn't have been able to attend to Zhang Yuan's situation so promptly.

Since Zhang Yuan had returned to the Steward Hall first to hand over their duties, the first high-ranking member of the Lei family he would have encountered was the elder in charge of the Steward Hall.

If that elder had noticed the dark shadow attached to Zhang Yuan, they would have surely dealt with it immediately, given the urgency of the situation.

If they couldn't handle it themselves, they would have reported it to a higher-ranking elder for assistance.

Whether it was Lin Shan or Ke Si Cheng who was in charge of the Steward Hall, their first course of action in seeking help would likely have been to turn to their respective masters, which meant either Shangguan Ning or Yao Yuan.

Regardless of how they ultimately handled the situation, since Lei Jun wasn't present, he would have missed out on this incident.

Now that Lei Jun himself was the elder in charge of the Steward Hall, he could manage this matter personally.

"Elder Lei," Zhang Yuan said anxiously, his eyes darting down to his chest.

Lei Jun explained, "It's a type of sorcery from the Nanhuang Witch Clan, also known as 'Hex Craft' by some."

He offered Zhang Yuan reassurance, "Don't worry, I've already purged the curse cast by the opponent. All you need to do is return to your quarters and meditate. With some rest, you'll be fine."

Zhang Yuan heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

Lei Jun continued, "As a precaution, call in the others who traveled with you to Fanmo Mountain. I want to examine them as well."

"Yes!" After responding, Zhang Yuan hurried off to gather the others.

Once everyone was present, Lei Jun conducted a thorough inspection but found nothing unusual.

Only then did everyone truly relax.

Lei Jun dismissed Zhang Yuan and the others, while he proceeded to make the necessary records.

As many people were already aware of Zhang Yuan's previous discomfort, Lei Jun didn't intend to keep the matter completely under wraps.

However, as the primary handler of the situation, he naturally recorded it publicly as a case involving the sorcery of the Nanhuang Witch Clan.

Subsequently, he discussed the true details of the incident with his master, Yuan Mo Bai.

Yuan Mo Bai was already aware of the existence of the heavenly book and the starry sky within it.

Upon learning of this new development, the purple-robed youth fell into contemplation, "The public explanation can remain as sorcery from the Witch Clan. However, it would be wise to inquire with the Fanmo Mountain branch to see if anyone there exhibits similar symptoms. Additionally, it might be worthwhile to investigate the route that Zhang and his companions took to and from Fanmo Mountain."

"That is precisely what I intend to do," Lei Jun affirmed.

A message soon arrived from Fanmo Mountain, reporting that there were no abnormalities.

However, upon hearing about Zhang Yuan's experience, the branch members also conducted their own inspections, remaining vigilant against the unpredictable and ambiguous nature of the Nanhuang Witch Clan.

Nevertheless, no further discoveries were made at Fanmo Mountain.

Later that day, Lei Jun quietly left the mountain without alerting anyone.

He had already inquired about the route taken by Zhang Yuan and his companions.

As he retraced their path, Lei Jun didn't encounter any other dark shadows.

The heavenly book within the True One Law Platform Cave remained silent as well.

Along the way, he discovered a place where the earth veins were distorted, creating a rift valley due to the intense tremors. However, the scale of this valley was not as grand as the Qilu Valley, where Lei Jun had obtained the heavenly book.

Lei Jun inspected the area and found that the bottom of the valley used to have earth vein spiritual energy flowing through it, but with the distortion and changes in the earth veins, the spiritual energy had gradually dissipated and shifted to another location.

He surmised that the dark shadow moved along with the earth vein spiritual energy.

However, due to the distortion and changes in the earth veins in this area, the spiritual energy had dried up, leaving the dark shadow stranded nearby.

When Zhang Yuan and his companions passed through, the dark shadow had accidentally attached itself to Zhang Yuan.

However, there was one puzzling aspect.

Given Zhang Yuan's cultivation at the third level of the Qi Refining Realm, the dark shadow's attachment should have caused him to experience discomfort much sooner, with his spiritual consciousness and physical blood and qi falling into disarray.

Lei Jun exited the valley and stood on the ground, gazing back in the direction of Dragon and Tiger Mountain.

There was still some distance between their current location and Dragon and Tiger Mountain.

According to Zhang Yuan and his companions, their journey had been uneventful.

Zhang Yuan had only started feeling unwell after returning to the foot of the mountain, and the time between then and his inability to endure any longer upon reaching the Steward Hall had been brief.

Lei Jun had already carefully inspected the surroundings of Dragon and Tiger Mountain but hadn't found anything additional.

Indeed, the most likely place for the dark shadow to have attached itself to Zhang Yuan was this valley area.

Setting aside human factors, Lei Jun considered other possibilities, and the two most probable scenarios emerged.

The first possibility was that the dark shadow had been in a dormant state and was gradually revived by Zhang Yuan's human aura, only to affect Zhang Yuan after a period of time.

However, for it to manifest just as Zhang Yuan returned to the foot of the mountain seemed too much of a coincidence.

"Then it must be the second scenario," Lei Jun mused, raising his eyebrows slightly. "The two were initially harmless to each other, but when Zhang Yuan approached Dragon and Tiger Mountain, something in the vicinity of Dragon and Tiger Mountain stimulated the dark shadow..."

The relationship between Zhang Yuan and the dark shadow was akin to an animal carrying grass seeds, inadvertently aiding the spread of plants.

As for what had triggered the dark shadow... Lei Jun rubbed his forehead and sighed softly.

It seemed, perhaps, that it was probably Elder Lei.

Or, to be more precise, it was the page of the heavenly book that belonged to him.

Could it be that Zhang Yuan's misfortune was caused by him turning into an old jinx?

What a sin, what a sin.

Lei Jun shook his head slightly and looked down at the valley once more.

The flow of earth vein spiritual energy was unpredictable, and this place had undergone drastic changes, making it even more challenging to discern.

Over the past few years, as Lei Jun's cultivation had gradually improved, he was now able to make a rough estimate. He felt that the dark shadow was more likely to have originated from the southeast direction.

"It's indeed a place with sparse population and treacherous terrain," Lei Jun muttered to himself as he continued his search in that direction.

After traveling a great distance without any valuable findings, he finally stopped and began his journey back to the mountain.

Just before sunrise, Lei Jun returned to his sect.

The official explanation for Zhang Yuan's previous collapse was attributed to the sorcery of the Witch Clan.

However, with the storm having passed and no traces of anyone from the Witch Clan's sacred site, the Wheel of Reincarnation, the related discussions gradually faded away.

Only Zhang Yuan himself felt a sense of bad luck.

Fortunately, Elder Lei had shown concern and even sent him some spiritual medicine to help him recover and calm his mind, which brought Zhang Yuan great comfort.

Lei Jun's expression remained the same as the others, and he no longer paid attention to the matter.

When he had some free time, he began to seriously ponder and study the dark shadow.

The dark shadow was intimately connected to the heavenly book, as if they were interdependent and complementary.

However, Lei Jun's page of the heavenly book, the Book of Three, already expounded on the transformations of the two primordial yin and yang energies. Now, with the dark shadow in contrast, Lei Jun carefully contemplated and felt that the two were originally of the same source.

The dark shadow did not exude any evil aura and instead seemed like another form of expression and embodiment of the principles of the heavenly book.

If the heavenly book elucidated the wonders of the evolution of creation, then this dark shadow seemed to be illustrating some of the negative changes and influences that occurred during the process.

These so-called negative aspects were relative to the positive and objectively existent. At first glance, they might seem detrimental to the world and all things, but if one observed more calmly, they were also an integral part of the wondrous principles of heaven and earth.

Lei Jun calmed his mind and spirit, relying on the heavenly book to slowly comprehend and refine this dark shadow.

The dark shadow existed between reality and illusion. Previously, it was illusory, but now, under Lei Jun's urging and control, it transformed into a physical entity.

Lei Jun spread open his palm, and a pitch-black substance appeared.

The dark shadow detached itself from the True One Law Platform Cave within his spiritual soul but remained under his control.

"Now it seems more like a spiritual object," Lei Jun mused, raising his eyebrows slightly. "However, its function..." He continued to ponder: "It tends to lead things towards disorder and chaos, which is of no benefit to oneself. On the contrary, it can be used to erase and dismantle the power of others."

Wait a moment...

Perhaps it's not entirely without benefit to oneself?

Lei Jun had a spark of inspiration and decided to carefully ponder and research this further.

However, there was no need to rush.

He could slowly figure it out in his free time.

Currently, Lei Jun's main focus in his cultivation was still on improving his own cultivation and constructing the fifth Daoist palace.

As for his duties within the sect, the new year was approaching, and the next Transmission Ceremony was about to be held.

Due to the war and the inauguration of the new Celestial Master, the ceremony, which was usually held every year, had been postponed for a year.

Usually, the Transmission Ceremony was presided over by a high-achieving elder.

However, this year was special, as the new Celestial Master had just taken office.

Following the tradition, this year's ceremony would be personally presided over by Tang Xiaotang.

As the attending elder of the Execution Hall, Lei Jun had to handle many related matters and assist in the preparations for the ceremony.

In terms of timing, it had been five years since the last Ordination Ceremony.

By next year, on the fifteenth day of the first month, six years would have passed, and it would be time for a new ordination.

This would also be the first ordination ceremony since the new Celestial Master took office.

Although the rituals were complicated, Tang, the new Celestial Master, still felt a sense of novelty and enthusiasm.

The only uncertainty was how long her interest would last...

Half a year ago, the new Celestial Master took office, and the ceremony was grand, with guests gathering from all directions to offer their congratulations.

Six months later, this Transmission Ceremony was relatively less grand in terms of guests compared to the previous one.

However, there were still heavyweight guests with Upper Realm cultivation levels in attendance.

"Elder Lei, it's an honor to finally meet you."

The visitor appeared to be a young man in his twenties, dressed casually, but exuding an aura of a warrior.

Usually, Lei Jun was considered tall among the crowd, but the young man before him was of the same height.

Compared to Lei Jun's graceful and upright stature, the young man appeared more robust and powerful.

Shangguan Peng.

He was the rising leader of the Shangguan family and, according to secular standards, his actual age was much older than he appeared. However, when compared to his cultivation level and longevity, he was indeed a young genius of the cultivation world—a martial arts master of the Seventh Heaven Realm who had joined the Great Tang Shence Army in his youth and was now a pillar of the army.

The Shangguan family had always maintained close relations with the Zhang imperial family of the Great Tang Dynasty and was known as the number one martial arts family in the Great Tang.

During the recent demon chaos in the Western Regions, the Tang imperial family had suffered heavy losses, not only in terms of the deaths of several members of the royal family, including the previous emperor, Zhang Qilong, but also in the Shangguan family, who had also suffered a heavy blow.

In such circumstances, Shangguan Peng, as a member of the younger generation, had taken on important responsibilities early on.

He was not only shouldering the future of the Shangguan family but also playing a crucial role in the Great Tang court.

A year ago, when the rebellion in Wu Kingdom was quelled, Shangguan Peng was the first to receive the imperial order to rush to the Jiangnan and Wu-Yue regions.

"General, you're too kind," Lei Jun said as he returned the greeting, then smiled and instructed Shangguan Hong, who was standing beside him: "Reverend Hong, please lead General Shangguan to his residence to rest, and remember to notify the Fifth Master."

Shangguan Hong, who had not yet received his ordination, replied solemnly, "Yes, Elder Lei."

He then stepped forward to greet his clan brother, Shangguan Peng.

Shangguan Hong was meticulous and first arranged a temporary residence for Shangguan Peng on the mountain before reporting to his master, Shangguan Ning.

Later, when Shangguan Peng met with Shangguan Ning, he greeted her respectfully: "Aunt."

Shangguan Ning: "No need for formalities."

Shangguan Peng took a seat, and Shangguan Hong left with Shangguan Ning's permission.

Shangguan Peng and Elder Shangguan Ning, though clan relatives of the same generation, had a huge age gap between them. In secular terms, they were at least two generations apart.

After Shangguan Hong left, only Shangguan Peng and Elder Shangguan Ning were left in the room. Elder Shangguan Ning asked, "How are things in the capital?"

Shangguan Peng replied, "The surface is calm, but there are undercurrents beneath."

Elder Shangguan nodded, unsurprised.

Shangguan Peng asked, "Aunt, do you have any news about the Celestial Master's Seal and the Celestial Master's Robes here in the Celestial Master's Mansion?"

"Not yet," Elder Shangguan said, furrowing her brows slightly. "But I have a feeling that something might be amiss with the Celestial Master's Seal."

Shangguan Peng's interest was piqued. "Oh?"

Elder Shangguan continued, "Seven years ago, after Qingfeng Shixiong's death and facing external enemies attacking the mountain, the Celestial Master's Seal, being a spiritual treasure, briefly appeared. Unfortunately, it disappeared again, and its whereabouts are still unknown. On top of that, Li Zhenxian also lost the Celestial Master's Sword. A year ago, when our sect was in turmoil again, the battle on the mountain stirred the Celestial Master's Sword, and it finally returned to Dragon and Tiger Mountain. However... during that battle a year ago, the Celestial Master's Seal did not reappear like the sword."

Shangguan Peng pondered her words. "Are you saying, Aunt, that the Celestial Master's Seal might already have an owner and is no longer drifting alone... Could it be someone from Dragon and Tiger Mountain?"

Elder Shangguan shook her head. "We have no leads yet."

She looked intently at Shangguan Peng. "I have two things to ask you."

Shangguan Peng sensed the seriousness in his aunt's tone. "Please ask, Aunt."

Elder Shangguan said, "First, when the Celestial Master's Seal last appeared seven years ago, the owner of Suzhou Moon Abbey was also in the vicinity of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, attempting to obtain the seal. In the end, it seemed like everyone came away empty-handed, but is that truly the case?"

Shangguan Peng replied, "As far as I know, Chu Sheren did not obtain the Celestial Master's Seal, but I dare not make assumptions about the actual situation."

Elder Shangguan nodded, then asked, "Second, regarding the mysterious person who secretly attacked Qingfeng Shixiong and Hongyu Shijie?"

Shangguan Peng said, "There's no new information for now, but it's unlikely that..."

He glanced upward, not finishing his sentence, but Elder Shangguan already had the answer she sought. "I see."

Shangguan Peng asked, "Aunt, are you certain that the person who plotted against the previous Celestial Master seven years ago and the one who reappeared a year ago are the same person?"

Elder Shangguan replied, "According to Yao Shixiong and Yuan Shidi's joint opinion, there's no doubt about it."

Shangguan Peng nodded silently.

Elder Shangguan changed the subject. "I heard that you also went to the southwest to receive the owner of Moon Abbey?"

"Yes," Shangguan Peng answered. "The chaos in the southwest has mostly calmed down, but the root cause has not been eliminated, and there are still concerns about a resurgence."

Elder Shangguan asked, "So, it really is the remnants of the previous dynasty?"

Shangguan Peng said, "This time, it's likely the true remnants of the previous dynasty. All signs indicate that in recent years, they have been recuperating in the Nanhuang region, gradually gaining some momentum. However, they are still acting secretly, and we need to investigate further."

Elder Shangguan said, "The Nanhuang region is a place of bloodshed and turmoil where ordinary people struggle to survive. But it's also a place that might give a few people the opportunity to rise from the ashes, isn't it?"

She turned to look at Shangguan Peng. "But, are they being secretly assisted by those few great families of Confucianism?"

Shangguan Peng said, "It's possible!"

......

On the other hand, in Yuan Mo Bai's mansion, Lei Jun sat with his master, Yuan Mo Bai, the topic of their conversation also being the current situation in the Great Tang Dynasty:

"The Great Tang Empire seems temporarily calm, but both the imperial family and the noble houses are working tirelessly behind the scenes."

"Indeed," Yuan Mo Bai said, his gentle smile unchanged. "We should also be mentally prepared for some things."

Lei Jun asked, "What do you mean, Master?"

Yuan Mo Bai said, "The latest news is that Her Majesty the Empress intends to establish a new Imperial College separate from the Imperial University."

Lei Jun's eyes flickered at this information.

The Imperial University was the highest educational institution in the Great Tang Empire, and its functions were not limited to overseeing the country's education policies. It was also the Great Tang Empire's official institution for Confucian education.

As the central government school, it was the educational institution for the Great Tang Empire's prospective officials.

It was divided into six colleges: the Imperial University, the National University, the Four Gates University, the Legal University, the Literary University, and the Mathematical University.

It is worth mentioning that the Imperial University only admitted the sons of officials of the third rank and above, the National University admitted the sons of officials of the fifth rank and above, and the Four Gates University admitted the sons of officials of the seventh rank and above.

The Legal University, Literary University, and Mathematical University were open to the sons of lower-ranked officials and commoner students.

Now, it's question time:

Only the sons of officials of the third rank and above could enter the best colleges, the Imperial University and the National University. So, what kind of people were their fathers and grandfathers?

And how deep was the connection between them and the five surnames and seven families, the hereditary houses of Confucian learning? There was a saying among the common folk: the emperor and the noble houses shared the world, and this was reflected in every aspect.

"So, Her Majesty the Empress intends to establish a new Imperial College separate from the Imperial University," Lei Jun mused. "And the related Confucian classics will come from the Xiao Clan beyond the Long Province?"

If so, it wasn't a matter of the Empress favoring the noble houses, but rather, she had dug into the walls of the five surnames and seven families and struck at their foundation.

The Xiao Clan beyond the Long Province had essentially handed themselves over to her.

Lei Jun had already begun to speculate about the reactions of the other great families.

The Xiao Clan beyond the Long Province had not been completely exterminated because of the demon chaos, but now they had to be careful of threats from both humans and other cultivators.

"Her Majesty the Empress's actions are even more significant than expected."

Yuan Mo Bai said slowly, "The establishment of a new Imperial College is not just about Confucian learning. Her Majesty intends to invite the holy land's successors of Buddhism and Taoism, as well as scholars from all over the world, to participate in this grand event."

Upon hearing this, Lei Jun's expression became strange.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end