https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-207-A-Less-Than-Perfect-Infiltration/12587003/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-209-208-The-Golden-Bamboo-of-Upper-Clarity-an-Opportunity-to-Transform-a-Magical-Tool-int/12587005/
Chapter 208: 207. The Dan Ding Sect and the Fu Lu Sect
Chapter 208: 207. The Dan Ding Sect and the Fu Lu Sect
Initially, Wang Jingfang wore a relaxed expression, but after glancing at the commotion caused by Shen Quibing from a distance, his demeanor turned solemn. "What a fierce martial arts cultivator. Rarely have I seen his equal!"
The descendant of the previous dynasty, who was accompanying him, also wore a grim expression. "Wang Daoist, please wait here. I'll go take a look."
Wang Jingfang suggested, "Let's go take a look together."
After the descendant left, he glared at the agile and graceful young martial artist in the crowd. "Summon the divine archers!"
As he spoke, he brandished a giant bow that was as tall as a person and nocked an arrow, aiming at Shen Quibing.
From different positions nearby, several Confucian divine archers began to look for opportunities to aim as well.
Although the Great Sui Dynasty had fallen, there were still descendants of the imperial family and loyal subjects who went into hiding, preserving some of the literary and martial traditions. However, due to limited resources and environment, their talents were dwindling.
Fortunately, Xing Long Yuan served as an important base for the Sui Dynasty descendants, gathering many skilled individuals, including some Confucian divine archers who had attained the Middle Three Heavens.
The strategy they were employing was one commonly used against martial artists.
Force them to bleed.
Martial artists, especially those who cultivate their physical bodies, tend to have extremely strong bodies and resilient spirits in battle, similar to Buddhist Zen martial artists. Although they may not possess overwhelming offensive power, it is also difficult for enemies to break their minds.
In reality, the two types of cultivators are completely opposite in nature.
Buddhist Zen martial artists cultivate from the inside out, cultivating their hearts with Buddhist teachings and integrating Zen and martial arts, ultimately achieving an indestructible body.
Martial artists, on the other hand, cultivate from the outside in, nourishing their bodies and spirits with qi and blood, eventually achieving a harmonious unity of body and spirit.
Hence, when Lei Jun witnessed the battle between the Gu master, Zhao Sen, and Ru Yuan, the successor of Nan Putuo, Zhao Sen tried to provoke Ru Yuan and stir up his emotions, creating cracks in his mental state, which then allowed him to break through Ru Yuan's Buddhist defense.
Now, as the Sui Dynasty descendants surrounded Shen Quibing, their goal was not to inflict heavy damage with a single or two strikes, but simply to draw blood.
Once a martial artist who cultivates their qi and blood suffers a wound, their cultivation will no longer be perfect, affecting their defense significantly, although their speed and strength may not be greatly impacted.
Moreover, martial artists often engage in close-quarters combat, making it easier for them to sustain injuries, which is one of their major disadvantages.
However, although Shen Quibing appeared somewhat impetuous in his usual demeanor, he was surprisingly agile and adaptable in battles. He was fierce and valiant, yet also nimble and versatile, as if endowed with innate sharpness that allowed him to instinctively make the most suitable choices for the current situation, leaving his opponents struggling to keep up.
His figure weaved through the crowd and the valley's rocks, making it difficult for the distant Confucian divine archers to find their mark.
If not for the Middle Three Heavens Confucian divine archers' skill in finding their targets and their restraint, there might have been many accidental injuries among their own people.
Lei Jun observed from a distance for a moment, nodded to himself, and then withdrew his gaze.
Shen Quibing was holding his own for now, and his performance had attracted the attention of many.
With chaos erupting in the Star Dragon Abyss, Lei Jun immediately ventured deeper into it.
Due to Shen Quibing's disruption, the spiritual energy in the abyss was in turmoil, and many people were coming and going. Lei Jun, hidden in the shadows, overheard someone giving orders:
"The situation has changed. Remove the ceremonial vessels required for the ritual ahead of schedule, pack them up quickly, and evacuate from this place. We don't have time for a slow retreat!"
Lei Jun watched coldly as he noticed a young man in luxurious clothing, with impressive cultivation and strength. His eyes were sharp, and his brows carried a mix of frustrated depression and viciousness.
The people around him were respectful and addressed him as Second Young Master.
Under the command of this Second Young Master, the group began to retrieve numerous ceremonial vessels from the abyss. Lei Jun's gaze swept over the area, spotting various vessels such as gu, gui, bian, dou, deng, and jue.
As these ceremonial vessels were moved and retrieved, the entire Star Dragon Abyss seemed to tremble along with them.
The tremors, however, were not caused by the battling factions in the valley but by the deeper layers of earth vein spiritual energy.
So that was it. These descendants of the Sheng Kang dynasty of the previous dynasty had indeed gained some traction. They intended to guide the earth vein spiritual energy in this land far from the Central Plains and transform it into a new foundation, creating a separate river of nation's fortune to rival the Great Tang Dynasty in the north, and then plot to reconquer the Central Plains... Lei Jun understood the situation.
However, the difficulty of such an endeavor was by no means trivial, and although the Sui Dynasty descendants seemed to have made some progress, they still had a long way to go before achieving true success.
With the arrival of Xiao Xuelin, Shen Quibing, and Shangguan Peng, the Sui Dynasty descendants felt even more pressure.
They were forced to abandon the Star Dragon Abyss and choose another location to make their arrangements.
That was why they had mentioned relocating when they contacted Wang Jingfang earlier.
However, directly removing the various ceremonial vessels embedded in the earth veins would cause changes in the earth veins, creating too much noise.
Having exposed the Star Dragon Abyss, the Tang people were now killing their way in, and the Sui Dynasty descendants naturally no longer held back, seeking only to evacuate their people and belongings as quickly as possible.
"Second Young Master, the Ye Clan from Jinzhou is still waiting," a middle-aged scholar murmured to the youth in brocade.
The youth in brocade remained calm and said, "Please ask Mr. Ye to go to White Spring Mountain first. We will apologize to him for our lack of hospitality when we arrive there."
The middle-aged scholar whispered, "Second Young Master, there are also people from the Blood River Sect who know of White Spring Mountain. What if..."
The youth in brocade interrupted, "It doesn't matter. My father will personally go there later."
The middle-aged scholar was taken aback. "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is actually..."
The youth in brocade glanced at him, and the middle-aged scholar immediately lowered his head. "I understand."
"Make sure to take good care of Mr. Ye from Jinzhou," the youth in brocade added.
The middle-aged scholar quickly agreed, but after a brief hesitation, he spoke again. "Second Young Master, Mr. Ye is very interested in the Heavenly Master Seal and the Heavenly Master's Robes of the Talisman and Registration Sect of the Daoist School."
The youth in brocade replied, "The Heavenly Master Seal and the Heavenly Master's Robes are both priceless treasures of the Daoist School, but they have been lost. Of course, it would be great if we could obtain them. However, the Jinzhou Ye Clan's keen interest suggests that their intentions go beyond the treasures themselves and extend to the Talisman and Registration Sect."
The middle-aged scholar added, "I heard that the First Young Master has come across some clues related to the Heavenly Master's Robes by chance, but the specifics are unclear..."
The youth in brocade mused, "My brother must have his plans. However, if I were him, I wouldn't easily give the clues to the Jinzhou Ye Clan. If we can truly find the Heavenly Master's Robes, we can deal with the Talisman and Registration Sect ourselves in the future."
The middle-aged scholar said, "Second Young Master, you mean..."
Lei Jun remained hidden, his presence concealed by the Wind and Thunder Talisman, the Bone of the Flying Serpent, and the Soil-Generating Banner. He seemed to have merged with the mountain rocks.
Lei Daozhang's gaze swept over the youth in brocade once more.
From his words and actions, this person seemed to be a direct descendant of the previous dynasty's Prince Sheng Kang.
And indeed, there seemed to be some hidden dealings between this lineage and the Blood River Sect, or more specifically, with Wei Ancheng.
Although they were still far from achieving their grand ambitions, the mutual suspicion caused by the disparity in strength between the branches had already taken root. This could be considered an ongoing drama...
The Jinzhou Ye Clan's information network was indeed sensitive. It seemed that they had been in contact with the Sui Dynasty descendants for a long time.
No wonder they were so well-informed about the relationship between Wei Ancheng and the Sui Dynasty descendants.
And among the branches of the Sui Dynasty, the Jinzhou Ye Clan was undoubtedly aligned with the direct descendants of Prince Sheng Kang, rather than the distant branch of Wei Ancheng.
In the Southern Wasteland, the Sui Dynasty descendants were attempting to reopen the mountain and river dragon veins, a challenging endeavor. It was likely that the Jinzhou Ye Clan was secretly aiding them.
After the incidents involving Ye Han and Ye Lingxi, there was no doubt about their involvement.
As Lei Jun thought back to the time when Wei Ancheng had unleashed a massacre upon leaving seclusion, he couldn't help but wonder if Wei Ancheng had used that opportunity to serve his own purposes.
Of course, the Sui Dynasty descendants and the Jinzhou Ye Clan each had their own agendas as well.
Regarding the Heavenly Master's Robes...
This was something that piqued Lei Jun's interest as well.
He felt a slight disturbance in his heart and sensed a surge of spiritual energy in the Star Dragon Abyss.
The youth in brocade and the middle-aged scholar rejoiced. "Mr. Jiang has arrived!"
As Wen Hua's vital energy flowed, a white-robed scholar appeared in the Star Dragon Abyss. He first approached the youth in brocade and said, "Second Young Master."
Lei Jun glanced at the Soil-Generating Banner, which was fluttering without any wind, and frowned slightly.
The newcomer was a Confucian cultivator who had reached the Seventh Heaven Realm. If they were far apart and the cultivator's attention was elsewhere, it might have been fine. However, at such close proximity, there was a risk of his disguise being seen through.
But Lei Jun's frown soon smoothed out.
He grasped the Soil-Generating Banner, and with a thought, he and the banner disappeared from the Star Dragon Abyss as if they had never been there.
The next moment, Lei Jun found himself inside the True One Law Platform's cave heaven.
Just as the uppermost elder had foretold, his trip to the Star Dragon Abyss was uneventful.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the minor setbacks he encountered were not enough to pose a threat to him now that he had successfully awakened the Heavenly Master Seal.
The white-robed scholar reached the bottom of the abyss and, instead of immediately dealing with the chaotic Shen Quibing, he first spoke to the youth in brocade. "Second Young Master, please leave first. I'll take care of things here."
The youth in brocade replied, "Thank you, Mr. Jiang!"
Since the time of his great-grandfather, Jiang Tiankuo had been loyal to the Sui royal family. His grandfather had served as an official in the Eastern Palace during the time of Prince Sheng Kang. Later, the Jiang family, as retainers of the Sui imperial family, had served the Sui Dynasty descendants for generations, right up to the present day.
Dressed in a white scholar's robe, Jiang Tiankuo first escorted the youth in brocade and the ritual vessels that shook the earth veins away from the Star Dragon Abyss. Only then did he turn his attention to Shen Quibing.
As this Confucian swordsman of the Seventh Heaven Realm took action, the Star Dragon Abyss was filled with a surging sword aura. The sword aura seemed to be everywhere, enclosing Shen Quibing from all directions and sealing off his escape routes.
Unfazed, Shen Quibing's expression grew even more spirited, his gaze steady and resolute.
Astonishingly, a brilliant light began to radiate from his body, manifesting a power even stronger and more intense than before.
In the dark depths of the valley, the dazzling white radiance illuminated everything in its path, its brilliance overwhelming, causing countless rocks to crumble.
Shen Quibing's speed increased yet again, and he dodged Jiang Tiankuo's sword qi, his body transforming into a flash of white light as he attempted to shift out of the range of Jiang Tiankuo's sword qi.
Jiang Tiankuo's eyebrows furrowed, and he concentrated his sword qi before unleashing it like a torrential rain of swords.
The white light collided with the sword rain, causing a brilliant explosion, but Shen Quibing managed to leap out of the range of the sword rain.
Only then did the sound of thunderous rumbling fill the air, shaking the surroundings.
"The Grand Thunder Immortal Body?! You're an Immortal Body cultivator?!'' Jiang Tiankuo exclaimed in surprise. "No wonder you've achieved such a high level of cultivation at such a young age!"
Before Shen Quibing could respond, Jiang Tiankuo's expression turned cold once more. The initial admiration and reluctance to harm such talent faded, replaced by a firmer and colder determination to kill.
This young man was a member of the Tang Dynasty's Divine Strategy Army, an obstacle to the revival of the Sui Dynasty.
If they let him break through to the Upper Three Heavens, he would become even more formidable!
With this thought in mind, Jiang Tiankuo pointed his sword diagonally, and a torrent of sword qi spread out again, dense as a net, enveloping Shen Quibing.
His heart filled with murderous intent, but his actions remained calm and calculated. He knew that when facing someone like Shen Quibing, speed alone wouldn't be enough. Instead, restricting and binding him was the most effective approach.
Jiang Tiankuo was determined to kill, and despite having the advantage of a higher realm, he chose to lure his opponent in deeper, to prevent him from escaping once he realized the dire situation he was in.
However, as he spread out his sword qi like a spider's web to trap Shen Quibing, his attention was entirely focused on his opponent, neglecting other potential threats.
At that moment, a slender sword light appeared from the outskirts.
It was serene, simple, and ordinary.
Far from the overwhelming and majestic sword aura of Jiang Tiankuo.
Yet, this sword light struck true, piercing Jiang Tiankuo's lower back! It was only when the sword tip was about to pierce his flesh that Jiang Tiankuo realized what had happened.
His body erupted with sword qi, protecting himself.
But his opponent was faster.
Jiang Tiankuo struggled forward, his waist already gushing with blood that sprayed into the air.
A graceful and relaxed young woman stood behind him, and it was none other than Xiao Xuelin.
"Third Sister Xiao! If you didn't make a move, I would've been turned into a bloodied mess!" Shen Quibing finally shouted out.
"Perfect timing, just in time," Xiao Xuelin said as she struck out with another sword, her style completely different from her opponent's. There were no extravagant displays of sword qi, only lightning-fast movements. With each strike, Xiao Xuelin added another wound to Jiang Tiankuo's body.
Jiang Tiankuo gathered his sword qi and retaliated with a fierce counterattack, but Xiao Xuelin did not meet his aggressive momentum head-on. Instead, she caused him to miss his mark entirely, leaving him frustrated and feeling the urge to spit blood.
However, Jiang Tiankuo couldn't afford to engage in a protracted battle with Xiao Xuelin. Seizing the opportunity, he fled, but Xiao Xuelin pursued relentlessly, her sword never straying from his vital points. Jiang Tiankuo was so enraged that he felt like cursing out loud. How could such a graceful and refined lady wield a sword in such a despicable and underhanded manner?!
Risking another strike, Jiang Tiankuo fled for his life, and Xiao Xuelin, having committed to her attack, showed no mercy and continued to chase him relentlessly.
Shen Quibing, equally focused on capturing the big fish, joined the pursuit, leaving the rest of the people in the abyss momentarily stunned and unable to react.
They hadn't expected that just moments ago, Jiang Tiankuo had been dominating the battle and suppressing Shen Quibing, but now he was struggling to even escape.
However, they had no other choice but to quickly gather their belongings and follow in Jiang Tiankuo's footsteps.
Wang Jingfang understood the dire situation the Sui Dynasty descendants were in, and it seemed even worse than anticipated. But there was no turning back now, and he had to continue on the path he had chosen.
Fortunately, he had obtained what he came for on this trip... Wang Jingfang weighed the porcelain bottle in his hand.
Suddenly, he sensed something amiss.
Almost at the same time, a semi-transparent spherical ball appeared, enveloping him and protecting him from a powerful blow from behind!
As the sphere vibrated, Wang Jingfang felt dizzy, and when he turned to look, he saw a tall young Taoist priest in a deep red robe, looking at him with a slightly surprised expression.
"Is this the Golden Elixir External Release technique of the Taoist Elixir Cauldron Sect?" Lei Jun asked, his expression showing no sign of discouragement, but rather a keen interest in his opponent.
"The Taoist Fu Lu Sect, a disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion?" Wang Jingfang asked, his head feeling fuzzy and his anger rising. "So, you've become a lapdog for the Tang Dynasty, serving the court?"
Lei Jun replied, "I can't compare to you, serving the former dynasty as a lapdog."
(End of Chapter)
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