https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-205-204-Enhanced-Intuitive-Understanding-the-Realm-of-Serenity-/12587001/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-207-A-Less-Than-Perfect-Infiltration/12587003/
Chapter 206: 205. A Pleasant Surprise: Consecutive Blessings of Good Fortune!
Chapter 206: 205. A Pleasant Surprise: Consecutive Blessings of Good Fortune!
"Peace and tranquility..." Lei Jun opened his eyes, exhaling softly as he rose to his feet within the True One Altar.
His eyes, flickering open and closed, held a subtle depth that made them seem lively, yet there was nothing else remarkable about them.
However, as Lei Jun's gaze swept over the numerous Dao patterns that appeared on the second floor of the altar, countless Dao insights were instantly generated within him, and he suddenly understood many of its mysteries.
Combining these new insights with his previous meditations, numerous sparks of inspiration burst forth in his mind at that moment.
Unfortunately, the timing and location were not suitable for exploring these ideas further. He would have to ponder them slowly later... Lei Jun reined in his thoughts, and his figure left the True One Altar, exiting the cave and returning to the outside world.
As expected, he reappeared in the same place he had left.
Yuan Mo Bai watched him with a calm and unhurried smile. "Just now, did you enter the True One Altar's cave with your physical body as well?"
"Yes," Lei Jun replied. "Ever since the Heavenly Master Seal revived, I've been able to enter the cave created by the seal with my physical body. I just haven't tried inviting others in yet."
Yuan Mo Bai explained, "The Heavenly Master Seal of old could accommodate multiple people within the True One Altar's cave for a short period. However, back then, the seal had not yet fused with a human soul, and it was being refined and controlled by a Upper Three Heavens cultivator, so the situation was somewhat different from what you're experiencing now."
Lei Jun asked Yuan Mo Bai to try entering with him, but it was unsuccessful.
It seemed that, for now, only he could enter the True One Altar's cave with his physical body.
"I suppose I'll have to wait until I reach the Seventh Heaven Realm and can separate my soul from my body before I can bring others in as I used to," Lei Jun said. "Fortunately, as you said, it's best to take things one step at a time and let nature take its course."
Yuan Mo Bai nodded with a smile. "That's the best approach."
He continued, "In any case, the Heavenly Master Seal has now given us some peace of mind. You've always been cautious in your actions, Heavy Cloud, and as long as you maintain secrecy, there shouldn't be any major problems. Now, the only issue remaining is the Heavenly Master's Robe."
"You mentioned earlier that you had found some clues related to the robe, didn't you?" Lei Jun asked curiously.
"We do have some leads, but if we're talking about concrete clues, we still need to rely on some luck," Yuan Mo Bai replied. "There are two places in the Southern Wasteland called the Star Dragon Abyss and the Strange Rainbow Mountain. Let's go take a look."
Lei Jun was listening quietly when, suddenly, a light bulb flashed in his mind, and words appeared:
['What is lost in the mulberry trees will be gained in the eastern corner. A thousand ships pass by the capsized boat, and ten thousand trees flourish before the sick tree.']
Then, three fortune sticks flew out. Lei Jun was stunned when he saw the first one.
After he regained his composure, he calmed himself and read all three fortune sticks.
['Supreme blessing: Within three days, travel to Star Dragon Abyss and you will have the opportunity to obtain a third-grade opportunity. There are no risks or repercussions. Great fortune!']
['Moderate blessing: Within three days, travel to Strange Rainbow Mountain and there will be no gains or losses. Neutral.']
['Moderate blessing: Within three days, travel to Lu'nan Valley and you will have the opportunity to obtain a sixth-grade opportunity, but there may be some risks. Neutral.']
Another supreme blessing?!
This was truly surprising.
The last time he had received a supreme blessing was when he obtained the Reverse Flow Essence in Niu Hun Mountain, which led to the awakening of the Heavenly Master Seal. He never expected to receive another supreme blessing so soon afterward!
Receiving two supreme blessings in a row, with the best possible outcome on both occasions, made Lei Jun feel like he was incredibly blessed by heaven.
Could this be some sort of last hurrah before disaster strikes? Or was it simply a rare moment of good karma? Lei Jun suppressed the joy in his heart and calmly read the fortune sticks again.
There was no doubt that he had to make the most of this rare stroke of good fortune. As for how to proceed, Lei Jun needed to do some research.
Star Dragon Abyss was an extremely remote and desolate place in the Southern Wasteland. Lei Jun had never even heard of it until Yuan Mo Bai mentioned it just now.
However, according to the indications of the supreme blessing, this trip should not entail much risk.
"Star Dragon Abyss and Strange Rainbow Mountain... What are your thoughts, Master?" Lei Jun asked.
Yuan Mo Bai replied, "As you said, the news of your arrival in the Southern Wasteland has already spread like wildfire. Even if we don't consider the Heavenly Master Seal, there may be people targeting you. So, I think we should set out together.
As for Star Dragon Abyss and Strange Rainbow Mountain, I intend to go to Strange Rainbow Mountain first. The opportunities there are greater, and the changes in the colorful rainbow will directly affect the movement of the mountains and veins. According to my knowledge, the maintenance of the strange rainbow will take place within the next few days, and we may be too late if we delay."
Lei Jun did not know much about Star Dragon Abyss, but he had faithful little partners who could serve as scapegoats and excuses.
"Master, I also don't know the details, but some time ago, I received a related message in the starry sky of that heavenly book. Someone mentioned the name 'Star Dragon Abyss,'" Lei Jun said.
"Oh?" Yuan Mo Bai asked, "What did it say?"
"The message wasn't about the Heavenly Master's Robe, but about the Yellow Heaven's Path. It mentioned that there were disciples of the Yellow Heaven's Path in the Star Dragon Abyss region of the Southern Wasteland," Lei Jun explained.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Mo Bai fell into deep thought.
It was said that the Heavenly Master's Mansion had suffered a severe loss of vitality and had been repeatedly ravaged by disasters, and the Yellow Heaven's Path was in no better shape. After consecutive losses, they, too, had only a handful of top experts left.
Especially with their leader, Tai Ping Dao Ren, in seclusion for many years, only Qi Shuo and a few others were barely holding the fort.
In such a situation, there were obviously not many things that could attract members of the Yellow Heaven's Path to travel thousands of miles to the Southern Wasteland.
They did not know that the Heavenly Master Seal had returned to the Heavenly Master's Mansion, so the only things that could lure them to Star Dragon Abyss were the Heavenly Master Seal and the Heavenly Master's Robe.
Only concrete clues or information about these treasures could have drawn them to Star Dragon Abyss... Yuan Mo Bai concentrated, deep in thought.
"This is indeed an important piece of information, but we shouldn't give up on Strange Rainbow Mountain either," Yuan Mo Bai said.
"Time is tight for both places, and the sooner we go, the better. Fortunately, General Xiao and the others are also likely to head toward Star Dragon Abyss soon. So, let's split up—you can join them later, while I'll go to Strange Rainbow Mountain first."
Lei Jun couldn't say much more after hearing this, but fortunately, the moderate blessing for Strange Rainbow Mountain seemed to indicate that there would be no gains or losses, and no major troubles either.
"Yes, Master," he agreed, and then asked, "Why is General Xiao going to Star Dragon Abyss?"
Yuan Mo Bai slowly explained, "They want to further investigate the truth about the descendants of Sheng Kang, especially the relationship between Wei An Cheng, the leader of the Blood River Sect, and the descendants of Sheng Kang."
Lei Jun raised his eyebrows slightly, sensing that his master's words held a hidden meaning.
"Wei An Cheng is undoubtedly a descendant of the royal bloodline of the previous dynasty," Yuan Mo Bai said.
"But..." he continued, "he is probably not from the core direct line. The crown prince of the previous dynasty has another direct bloodline."
"Now, the branches are stronger than the trunk," Lei Jun realized.
"We can't be completely sure yet," Yuan Mo Bai said. "The key to General Xiao's investigation lies in this.
Lei Jun said, "By the way, Master, I have a new discovery regarding the starry sky in the heavenly book."
He briefly described his encounter with Shen Qu Bing, causing Yuan Mo Bai to smile as he listened. "This young General Shen is truly open and honest."
"His talent and aptitude are indeed astonishing and breathtaking," Lei Jun added.
Shen Qu Bing's true age was probably younger than his, yet he had already reached the sixth level of martial arts cultivation.
Lei Jun had started his cultivation journey a bit late, and while his initial talent, roots, and comprehension were not exceptionally outstanding, he had encountered numerous serendipitous opportunities along the way, helping him make up for lost time.
On the other hand, Shen Qu Bing's situation was likely similar to that of Fang Yue and the other top prodigies. They had the advantage of being cultivated by major powers from a young age, and their talent and aptitude, even if not as remarkable as Tang Xiao Tang's, were still one in a billion, as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.
Xiao Xue Ting had once mentioned that Shen Qu Bing grew up in the military, so he must have been identified as a promising talent at a very young age.
"Of course, when it comes to that General Xiao, there's no need to say more," Lei Jun added.
Yuan Mo Bai tilted his head in thought for a moment before speaking. "Regarding the days of the week, you suspect that Sunday corresponds to Her Majesty the Empress, and Tuesday is undoubtedly Young General Shen. As for you, Heavy Cloud, you are Friday..."
"What are you suspecting, Master?" Lei Jun asked.
Yuan Mo Bai shook his head lightly. "Initially, I suspected that the so-called heavenly book might be a scheme devised by Her Majesty to secretly select and cultivate young, talented individuals for future service to the court.
But later, I felt that this didn't quite fit. According to what you said about Thursday, it is highly likely that he is from the White Lotus Sect. The White Lotus Sect is different from other places, and any spies they send should be kept confidential rather than revealed to the public.
Moreover, Young General Shen is already one of her proteges in the Divine Strategy Army, so there doesn't seem to be a need to specifically send him into the world of the heavenly book, only to have his identity revealed so quickly."
"I've had similar suspicions, but there are some contradictions that I can't explain, so I've temporarily set aside that idea," Lei Jun replied.
"Regardless," Yuan Mo Bai continued, "that place has been of great help to you, and as long as it truly upholds the principles of sincerity and fairness, it's not a bad place."
He waved his hand, dispelling the starlight talismans that enveloped the area, and the master and disciple walked out together. "For now, let's focus on our own matters first, and hope that the Heavenly Master's Robe will return to Dragon-Tiger Mountain soon."
On the other side, Xiao Xue Ting had already finished her meditation and was sitting in the forest.
Without her armor and with no other members of the Tang court around, she appeared relaxed and at ease, giving off the impression that this was her usual demeanor.
What was a bit amusing was that at that moment, the young lady was indulging in a large pile of lychees, with no regard for her image.
When she saw Lei Jun and his master approaching, she even gestured with the lychees in her hand and said, "Daoist Yuan, Daoist Lei, would you like some?"
"Then I'll thank you on behalf of Lei and myself," Yuan Mo Bai said with a smile.
Lei Jun also smiled and took two or three lychees. "Where are Elder He and General Shen?"
Xiao Xue Ting stopped the lychee that was about to enter her mouth and said, "Young General Shen volunteered to go on lookout duty over there on that mountain. Elder He of Shushan is contacting his fellow sect members."
After finishing her sentence, she finally popped the peeled, snowy-white lychee into her mouth.
"I intend to visit another place later, so I may not be able to accompany you and Elder He to Star Dragon Abyss," Yuan Mo Bai said apologetically.
"Since you've come to the Southern Wasteland, you must have important matters to attend to. I wouldn't dare to delay you, but I sincerely hope that when you have the time, you can lend us a helping hand again," Xiao Xue Ting said.
"Of course, that is also my intention," Yuan Mo Bai replied.
He turned to Lei Jun and said, "Therefore, my disciple, Heavy Cloud, will accompany you and General Xiao to Star Dragon Abyss."
Xiao Xue Ting smiled and said, "That is what I wish for, and I wouldn't dare to ask for more."
At that moment, He Dong Xing returned, looking somewhat worried. "I need to make a trip to Lu'nan Valley, so I'm afraid I won't be able to accompany you, General Xiao. I can only meet up with you later."
"Is there anything I can do to help the daoists from your sect?" Xiao Xue Ting asked.
He Dong Xing said, "My junior martial sister, Jiang, and her disciple have encountered some trouble. Currently, they are safe, but Junior Martial Sister Jiang is badly injured, so I need to go and take care of them. Once our sect's other members arrive, I will be able to rest assured."
"It's a pity that Lu'nan Valley and Star Dragon Abyss are in completely opposite directions. Otherwise, we could have taken them with us on our way," Xiao Xue Ting said.
"Yes, but we can't delay important matters. Please go ahead, General Xiao. I will catch up with you as soon as possible," He Dong Xing said.
"We should not delay further. Jiang Daoist and the others are still waiting, so Elder He, you should set off as soon as possible," Xiao Xue Ting urged.
Yuan Mo Bai added, "Elder He, please take care on your journey."
Lei Jun also said, "The entrance to the Nine Li Secret Realm has been destroyed, and the situation may be more serious than it seems. The reactions of the remnants of Sheng Kang and the Blood River Sect are unpredictable, so please be extra cautious, Elder He."
Lu'nan Valley corresponded to a moderately auspicious fortune stick, so in theory, it shouldn't be too dangerous. Moreover, He Dong Xing was a third-level sword cultivator from Shushan, so he should have no trouble navigating the area.
However, Lei Jun had just awakened the Heavenly Master Seal, so he lacked a precise understanding of his own risk resistance capabilities. He also didn't know the specific intensity of the "minor risks" mentioned in the moderately auspicious fortune stick.
Elder He might be fine, but there was also the badly injured Jiang Dong Yu and Yang Cheng Jun, who was only a third-level cultivator.
As Lei Jun had gotten along well with He Dong Xing and Ji Chuan, he couldn't help but offer an extra reminder.
The elderly Daoist He Dong Xing bowed to the group and said, "I am ashamed," before his sword light soared into the sky, and he flew away in a hurry.
Xiao Xue Ting recalled Shen Qu Bing, and after Yuan Mo Bai bid farewell with a Daoist salute, he left for Qi Hong Mountain to test his luck.
"Let's go as well," Xiao Xue Ting said as she took out a small brocade box and started to collect the pile of lychee peels and pits, cleaning up the area. Then, she turned to Lei Jun and Shen Qu Bing and gestured for them to follow her.
Well, she was quite civilized, not littering garbage everywhere.
It was just that using a precious Confucian coordinate box to hold fruit peels and pits was a bit odd, to say the least... Lei Jun looked on with a sideways glance.
As they officially set off together, Lei Jun realized that he had underestimated this Xiao San again.
She carried three Spatial Harmony Boxes, a Daoist Shrinking Pouch, and a Buddhist Mustard Seed Satchel with her at all times.
Two of the Confucian coordinate boxes were specifically for her food and drinks.
One was for food.
The other was for fruit peels and pits.
Lei Jun watched as she took out a large handful of pine nuts from one of the coordinate boxes and waved to him and Shen Qu Bing. "Would you like some? These are my special stash from the north. The pine nuts in the Southern Wasteland don't taste as good as these."
As she spoke, she had already popped a large pine nut into her mouth.
She casually tossed the pine nut shell into the other coordinate box that served as her garbage bin.
And so, they walked and ate along the way.
(End of Chapter)
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