https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-197-A-Promising-Position-Curator-of-the-Archives/12586987/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-199-198-Wang-Guiyuan-Emerges-from-Seclusion/12586994/
Chapter 198: Unspoken Questions and Unspoken Concerns
Chapter 198: Unspoken Questions and Unspoken Concerns
The Chishu Pavilion remained peaceful throughout the night, and no other incidents occurred.
Surely he didn't have to blow up the pill furnace and start a fire for Fuyuan to appear? Lei Jun shook his head, amused by the thought.
He returned to the spot where the disciple had been examining the pill furnace the night before and looked around.
The books stored in this area were not the true teachings of the sect, but rather a collection of ancient texts gathered over the years.
Lei Jun's curiosity was piqued, and he began to browse through these ancient texts.
After some time, his efforts paid off.
Although it wasn't the expected fourth-rank opportunity, it confirmed Lei Jun's earlier speculation.
Later, when his fellow disciple, Chu Kun, who was also a direct descendant of the founder, came to the Chishu Pavilion, Lei Jun waved a book at him. "See if there's anything of use to you in here."
Chu Kun took the book and saw that it was a travelogue written by an ancestor.
A portion of it recorded the celestial phenomenon of Xianlu Raori, which had been absent from the world for many years.
"This is it!" Chu Kun exclaimed joyfully.
Lei Jun nodded slightly.
The area that had almost been affected by the explosion of the pill furnace was one that neither he nor Chu Kun had had a chance to peruse yet.
If a fire had broken out and those books had been burned, they might never have realized that they had missed the information they sought.
Fortunately, the books had been preserved, and Chu Kun had found what he needed.
As the saying goes, no effort is wasted.
Lei Jun wondered if the fourth-rank opportunity mentioned in the upper-middle realm would be found here as well.
Although he was curious, he didn't pry into Chu Kun's secret and only bade him farewell after a brief chat.
From then on, Lei Jun's life returned to its usual routine. On one hand, he focused on his cultivation, and on the other, he fulfilled his duty of guarding the Chishu Pavilion.
In his free time, aside from cultivating, Lei Zhangmen would read books in the Chishu Pavilion or practice pill refining.
The True One Altar, derived from the Tian Shi Seal, was currently working on recreating the Cold Light Pill, a lost art of the Shushan Sect.
Lei Jun's attention, however, was focused on refining the Tian Yuan Qingjing Pill.
He kept a low profile, even when visiting the Grand Pill Refinery, where he only practiced and didn't officially refine pills.
Instead, he conducted his pill refining experiments in the privacy of his own residence.
Although there were speculations among the disciples about each other's identities, Lei Jun chose to remain silent for the time being.
After days of attempts and adjustments, Lei Jun finally succeeded in refining a batch of Tian Yuan Qingjing Pills that met his expectations.
"Hmm, the quality is excellent," Yuan Mo Bai commented after examining the pills, his praise evident.
The pills were a pale blue color, resembling a clear blue sky, and their surfaces shimmered with a faint golden light, like sunshine.
Yuan Mo Bai took one pill and consumed it.
The formula for the Tian Yuan Qingjing Pill had been lost to the Tian Shi Manor on Dragon and Tiger Mountain for many years.
The few remaining pills had also been mostly consumed throughout history.
Today, only two pills remained, carefully preserved by the Manor, both as a last resort and as a memento.
Those who had taken the Tian Yuan Qingjing Pill in the past had long since passed away.
Yuan Mo Bai had only seen those two preserved pills and had never personally consumed one.
He took out one of the preserved pills for comparison with the ones refined by Lei Jun.
There was no difference between the two.
However, to be absolutely certain, one had to consume the pill to experience its effects, despite the potential risks.
Lei Jun intended to test the pill himself, but Yuan Mo Bai stopped him and decided to be the one to undergo the trial.
According to the Manor's records, the Tian Yuan Qingjing Pill was said to aid cultivators of the Taoist Fulu School in communicating with the natural spiritual energy of the heavens and the earth.
The description was somewhat vague, but when compared to the daily cultivation methods of the Taoist Fulu School cultivators, it was clear that taking this pill would not only help cultivators absorb and refine spiritual energy into their bodies but also aid them in gathering spiritual energy from the heavens and the earth when creating talismans and casting spells.
Even during meditation and soul cultivation, it would enhance their spiritual thoughts and make their souls more agile.
However, these effects were mainly beneficial to cultivators in the lower three heavens and the middle three heavens, and had little effect on those in the upper three heavens.
On the other hand, even if there were any adverse reactions, it would not harm cultivators in the upper three heavens.
Therefore, after stopping Lei Jun, Yuan Mo Bai decided to conduct the experiment himself.
Fortunately, there were no ill effects.
"There is no pill poison or pill tribulation," the young man in the purple robe said, his ever-gentle countenance now wearing a broader smile than usual. "The Tian Yuan Qingjing Pill has truly returned to our sect. This will surely bring peace to the spirits of our ancestors."
Lei Jun breathed a sigh of relief. "This is indeed the best outcome."
Yuan Mo Bai continued, "When the news of the rediscovery of the Tian Yuan Qingjing Pill spreads, that person from Wood Vein, or perhaps others from the Seven Veins, will likely take notice.
This pill benefits the cultivation of all disciples in our sect, not just a select few, so we must not let this opportunity pass because of our fears.
However, the original materials for pill refining are scarce, and it will be impossible to refine a large batch in a short period. We don't need to rush, but we can start by collecting the necessary materials and making preparations."
Lei Jun said, "I was just thinking the same thing. Gathering the raw materials will be less conspicuous."
Since Wood Vein only had an incomplete formula for the Tian Yuan Qingjing Pill, he didn't know the specific ingredients required for its refinement.
Unless he had the complete formula and was deliberately withholding half of it.
But, as Yuan Mo Bai had said, it would be unwise to give up just because of a potential hindrance. Otherwise, why bother retrieving the incomplete formula?
Later that day, Lei Jun also consumed one of the Tian Yuan Qingjing Pills that he had refined.
After ingestion, he indeed felt that his communication with the heavens and the earth had become smoother.
It was as if an invisible bridge had been added to his foundation.
Lei Jun focused his senses, and before him, it seemed as if a patch of blue had appeared.
With his spiritual contemplation, a bluish illusory light and shadow materialized, enveloping him.
It was as if he were standing under a small, clear blue sky.
Beyond the periphery of this blue sky lay the real world.
Through this ethereal sky, Lei Jun could communicate with the spiritual energy of the outside world more smoothly and keenly.
Thus, whether it was cultivation or spellcasting, his abilities were enhanced to some extent.
The name Tian Yuan Qingjing Dan, or Heavenly Origin Clear Spirit Pill, seemed to originate from this phenomenon.
"Not bad, not bad at all..." Lei Jun nodded in satisfaction, but suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.
He gathered his thoughts and quietly observed the blue sky before him, deep in contemplation.
After a long while, the blue sky gradually dissipated.
Lei Jun continued to gaze at the bright sky, lost in thought.
Moments later, he snapped out of his reverie and took another Tian Yuan Qingjing Pill.
Consuming the pill in quick succession resulted in slightly diminished effects, but Lei Jun didn't mind.
Staring at the illusory blue sky, Lei Jun fell into deep thought. He took out one of his thousand-mile audio talismans and looked up at the blue sky before lowering his head to examine the talisman. His thoughts gradually became coherent and interconnected.
In the following days, aside from continuing his regular cultivation, Lei Jun delved further into the mysteries of the Tian Yuan Qingjing Pill.
His junior disciple, Chu Kun, was reportedly in seclusion, and Lei Jun had no idea where he had gone.
He dared not bring it up, nor did he dare to ask.
Until one day, Lei Jun heard from Yuan Mo Bai that Chu Kun had emerged from seclusion and left the mountain to return to his hometown in Suzhou.
This time, when Chu Kun came back, he finally brought good news for Lei Jun.
"Senior Brother Zhongyun, I've got something good from my trip home!" Chu Kun said excitedly as he approached Lei Jun.
Lei Jun: "Oh?"
Chu Kun carefully took out a small and exquisite brocade box, placing it on the table between them before opening the lid.
Lei Jun saw a round bead inside the box, about the size of a pigeon egg. It resembled both a pearl and a seed of some plant, white as jade and shimmering with a faint light.
The bead was semi-transparent, with white smoky mist swirling within, exuding a strong spiritual essence.
Lei Jun recalled the books he had browsed through in the Chishu Pavilion, and soon remembered something: "Xianling Yuanzhong?"
Chu Kun nodded vigorously: "Yes!"
Lei Jun: "Hmm, this is indeed a valuable item."
The Xianling Yuanzhong, as rumored, was not the seed of a spiritual plant, but a naturally occurring treasure, nurtured by the essence of heaven and earth, akin to a primordial spirit seed. It was shrouded in mystery and held numerous wonders.
In the path of cultivation, the Sixth Heaven realm was a crucial juncture for most cultivation traditions. The Sixth Heaven served as a bridge between the previous stages of cultivation and the Upper Three Heavens, summarizing the essence of prior cultivation and laying the foundation for the ascent to the Upper Three Heavens.
According to the Daoist teachings, the Sixth Heaven was referred to as the "Dao Seal" by the Fulu School, the "Dao Embryo" by the Dan Ding School, and the "Immortal Seed" by the Waidan School, highlighting its importance and unique characteristics.
The Xianling Yuanzhong treasure was applicable to the Sixth Heaven cultivators of most cultivation traditions in the world, aiding them in swiftly and effectively establishing this foundational stage, thus enabling them to challenge the formidable hurdle between the Sixth and Seventh Heavens.
Given its effectiveness and broad applicability, it was no surprise that it would attract the interest and competition of most cultivators.
Therefore, according to related records, the Xianling Yuanzhong had not been publicly seen in the world for many years.
Even if it appeared from time to time, it would likely be immediately claimed and kept secret.
Lei Jun didn't ask Chu Kun about the source of the Xianling Yuanzhong. Instead, he said, "This spiritual object will be useful to you as well."
Chu Kun glanced around subconsciously and then chuckled, extending his hand to Lei Jun with four fingers raised: "One for you, one for Senior Brother Heiqiong, one for me, and the last one I can contribute to the sect's treasure pavilion to accumulate merit."
Lei Jun understood: "I see, then I won't be polite. Thank you."
Chu Kun sighed: "I look forward to Senior Brother making a breakthrough soon, so our sect can have one more Upper Three Heavens cultivator."
Lei Jun closed the lid and put away the brocade box: "At the very least, Junior Brother Chu, you've saved me a lot of time with this."
"The Sixfold Heaven Seal Realm was unlike the Yuan Fu and Dao Palace realms before it, which had further subdivisions within them.
However, advancing from the Sixfold Heaven to the Sevenfold Heaven was no easy feat.
Putting aside other factors, while Tang Xiaotang's cultivation journey had been smooth sailing, the time she took to progress from the Sixfold Heaven to the Sevenfold Heaven far exceeded the time she spent advancing from the Fivefold Heaven to the Sixfold Heaven.
If we don't consider the uniquely gifted Tang Xiaotang, there's an even more realistic example right before us.
Zhang Jingzhen, who had recently relinquished her position as the guardian elder of the Chishu Pavilion to Lei Jun, had already attained the Sixfold Heaven Seal Realm eighteen years ago, before Lei Jun even arrived at Dragon and Tiger Mountain to begin his cultivation journey with Xu Yuanzhen.
Now, eighteen years later, she has finally made her final preparations to attempt the heavenly tribulation between the Sixfold Heaven and the Sevenfold Heaven.
How long it will take is uncertain.
Whether she will succeed or not is also not guaranteed.
Is Zhang Jingzhen lacking in talent? According to the historical experience of the entire cultivation world and the lineage of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, she is not.
On average, those who possess either a sacred body constitution or a profound understanding tend to take around thirty years to advance from the Sixfold Heaven to the Sevenfold Heaven.
Those who possess both a sacred body constitution and a profound understanding tend to take around twenty years.
Of course, this is the speed achievable under the guidance of a cultivation sanctuary like Dragon and Tiger Mountain or a prestigious clan like the Five Surnames and Seven Families.
Moreover, the premise is that one does not perish during the heavenly tribulation between the realms.
Compared to the time spent, the danger of the heavenly tribulation has halted the progress of countless talented individuals throughout history.
For Lei Jun, while he still has plenty of time ahead of him, it would undoubtedly be best to save as much time as possible.
After all, following a series of tribulations, the number of Upper Three Heavens cultivators in the Tian Shi Mansion is currently scarce.
However, speaking of which, it's truly remarkable how Chu Kun managed to obtain four of these rare Immortal Spirit Seeds.
As Lei Jun marveled at this in his heart, Chu Kun was also feeling a sense of wonder.
If it weren't for the information about the Immortal Roaming Sun obtained from this side, he wouldn't have been able to acquire it from his own world either.
Chu Kun had also heard about the incident in the Chishu Pavilion, where someone's pill refining almost caused a fire.
The violator was currently undergoing punishment in the Enforcement Hall.
Although it was uncertain if the fire would have burned the ancient books containing the records of the Divine Solar Realm, just hearing this news made Chu Kun feel relieved that he had avoided a close call.
"Your senior brother is currently in closed-door meditation," Lei Jun said to Chu Kun. "You can keep the Immortal Spirit Seed for him for now, and give it to him after he comes out."
Lei Jun also planned to set aside some of the newly refined Tian Yuan Qingjing Pills for Wang Guiyuan and Chu Kun.
Chu Kun's cultivation had also reached a crucial stage.
Compared to Lei Jun, who had only recently advanced to the Sixfold Heaven, Chu Kun was already standing at the threshold of another realm.
With the assistance of the Tian Yuan Qingjing Pills, it wouldn't be long before he successfully took that step...
"Chu junior disciple, have you formed the Yuan Fu?" Left Standing asked, seeking confirmation from Lei Jun.
Lei Jun nodded. "It was just recently. Chu junior disciple successfully crossed the heavenly tribulation between the Triple Heaven and the Fourfold Heaven."
Left Standing clicked his tongue in admiration. "Once again, a top talent has emerged among your generation. Chu junior disciple is only twenty-six this year, right?"
"Yes," Lei Jun replied.
Left Standing glanced at Lei Jun.
He remembered that this young Taoist priest had also been around twenty-six years old when he advanced to the Middle Three Heavens.
However, Lei Jun's entry into the sect was much later than Chu Kun's. At the age of twenty, he had formally entered the Mansion through the transmission of degrees, and in just six years, he had progressed through the stages of foundation building and altar establishment before successfully forming the Yuan Fu.
In comparison, Chu Kun had already been in the sect for over ten years since his formal entry through transmission.
Even so, his progress was exceptionally fast compared to the recent true disciples of the Tian Shi Mansion.
On average, those who possess either a spiritual body constitution or exceptional insight were expected to take around thirty years.
"The instructors at the Taoist Academy must have overlooked something. Chu junior disciple's talent surpasses everyone's expectations," Left Standing remarked.
Lei Jun quietly remained silent, as if wearing the label of "obedient" on his forehead.
Left Standing glanced at him and smiled. "The emergence of talented youths is a blessing for our sect."
"It's thanks to the guidance of our masters and seniors like yourself," Lei Jun replied.
He himself possessed many secrets, so as long as there were no major issues, he had no intention of prying into others' secrets.
However, when together with Lei Jun and his master, Yuan Mo Bai, Chu Kun had taken the initiative to bring up the related matter.
He was indeed not a spiritual body constitution but a sacred body constitution—the Starry Sacred Body.
PS: This is a 4k chapter, and there will be another update later.
(End of Chapter)
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