Seeking Fortune And Avoiding Calamity, Starting From The Heavenly Master's Mansion Chapter 230: 229. The Opportunity to Achieve an Immortal Body (Part 1) - Novel Cool

Chapter 230: 229. The Opportunity to Achieve an Immortal Body (Part 1)

Chapter 230: 229. The Opportunity to Achieve an Immortal Body (Part 1)

"If you remain unaware and it stays dormant within you, it might be fine most of the time. But if stimulated by pure yang or pure yin energy, it could seize your spirit and consciousness, causing you to fall into a coma, just as it did today."

Lei Jun explained, "After a period of rest and recuperation, you will be able to wake up, so there's no permanent harm. However, if you leave it inside your body, one day when you've progressed further in your cultivation and need to face the tribulations of transcending to a higher realm, its influence will prevent you from succeeding."

Meng Shaoji's expression turned pensive upon hearing this.

Lei Jun smiled and shook his head. "But for now, there's no cause for alarm. Previously, you unknowingly and unintentionally drew this treasure into your body, and because your cultivation was insufficient, this opportunity turned into a disaster. Now that we understand the situation, you can seek help from trustworthy teachers from the Scholarly Palace when you return to the capital. With their assistance, you can refine this object safely. It will take time, but as long as the method is proper, there won't be any more dangers."

"This is a rare and precious item. If refined correctly, it will be of immense benefit to your future cultivation; it is indeed a great opportunity."

The Balance of Dynamics was different from the heavenly book shadow that had previously troubled Zhang Yuan.

While the heavenly book shadow was not an evil entity, Zhang Yuan, unlike Lei Jun, did not possess a heavenly book or the seal of a Celestial Master. Thus, keeping the shadow with him would objectively only bring harm and no benefit, even though the shadow itself had no intention of harming others.

On the other hand, the Balance of Dynamics was a rare treasure that simply needed to be refined properly.

Meng Shaoji stared at the Balance of Dynamics in a daze, lost in thought, and did not immediately respond.

Lei Jun observed that his hesitation didn't seem to be out of consideration for him.

The young scholar's gaze could be described as more resigned and sorrowful than confused or hesitant.

Seeing this, Lei Jun remained silent and quietly sat by.

After a moment, the young scholar seemed to snap out of his trance and quickly apologized to Lei Jun, "I'm sorry, Elder Lei. I was rude again."

Lei Jun shook his head calmly.

Meng Shaoji sighed and then spoke, "If not for Elder Lei's help and guidance today, this Balance of Dynamics would have been a disaster for me rather than an opportunity. With this object entering and then leaving my body, it has changed ownership. What happens next should be up to you, Elder Lei."

He gave a slight bitter smile. "I don't have the audacity to play any tricks in front of Elder Lei. Today, I am deeply grateful for your assistance, and I can only express my gratitude through borrowed words. I hope you won't find it presumptuous."

The young scholar was indeed not feigning retreat to advance, but he was genuinely grateful to Lei Jun.

Lei Jun's presence today was a fortunate coincidence.

If he hadn't run into Lei Jun, there was a chance that someone else might have discovered the truth in the future. It wasn't destined that Meng Shaoji would remain clueless until a critical moment, only to perish due to the Balance of Dynamics when facing the tribulations of transcending a major realm.

However, the problem was that if someone else had made the discovery, they might not have been as considerate as the young Dragon and Tiger Mountain elder before him, who had extracted the object without harming his soul and even left it with him...

Although Meng Shaoji was young and lacked extensive life experiences, he had heard enough to know that such a rare treasure would tempt many.

To say that he was not moved by such a treasure would be a lie. Meng Shaoji was indeed tempted, and one could even say he was overjoyed.

That is, of course, if he hadn't suffered a significant loss due to the Balance of Dynamics before.

But his decision to give up the Balance of Dynamics now was not because he was scared after being bitten by a snake and feared the rope.

It was partly out of gratitude to Lei Jun and partly because of the...resignation in his heart.

"Treasures are alluring, but if one doesn't have the ability to hold onto them, they will ultimately slip away."

Meng Shaoji's current emotions were far more complex than they appeared on the surface. Thus, facing Lei Jun, whom he wasn't very familiar with, he still confided some of his true thoughts amidst his turbulent feelings. "If one cannot grasp the opportunities presented to them, how can they be considered opportunities at all?"

Lei Jun didn't interrupt him but listened quietly.

He could understand Meng Shaoji's thoughts to some extent.

This young scholar might not have reached the point of being undisturbed by fame or gain, but considering his age and experiences, his temperament could be considered steady.

Being selected as the crown prince's companion was both an opportunity and a tremendous pressure.

Everyone else had extraordinary backgrounds, except for Meng Shaoji, who was the only one of humble birth.

If he had outstanding talents or strengths, it wouldn't have been an issue. However, in terms of innate talent and strength, he seemed to be the most ordinary among them.

It was no wonder that there were suspicions that Meng Shaoji was a 'grain of sand' in the eyes of the current emperor, a means for the queen to further empower the common people.

Fortunately, Crown Prince Zhang Hui was amiable and easy to get along with, and he and Meng Shaoji had a good relationship.

But Meng Shaoji was still a young man under the age of twenty, full of youthful vigor. Naturally, he also aspired to one day turn the tables, prove himself, and fulfill his potential.

In the past, he had fantasized about having deep blessings and encountering heavenly opportunities that would change his circumstances.

But now that he had serendipitously obtained the Balance of Dynamics, the situation didn't seem so straightforward...

"Since Young Meng puts it this way, I shall take this treasure."

Lei Jun was not being pretentious either, and he calmly put away the Balance of Dynamics. "Let's consider this a good deed done between us today."

Meng Shaoji quickly showed his gratitude. "I am undeserving, truly undeserving. It was I who caused you trouble today, Elder Lei."

Lei Jun said, "You are a Confucian cultivator. Even if you are temporarily in a difficult situation, don't lose your spirit and don't let your thoughts wander. There may yet come a time when you can make a remarkable breakthrough."

Among the various cultivation traditions, most had their own established rules and customs.

Over the countless years, there had been enough time for a few exceptions to emerge.

In terms of cultivation progress, Confucian and Buddhist cultivators were relatively more prone to unexpected developments.

This was especially true for the Confucian scholars who focused on classical studies and the Buddhist practitioners who made vows.

The former referred to the rare few Confucian cultivators who, for an extended period, remained stagnant in a particular realm without progressing, yet their righteous and cultured aura continued to accumulate.

One day, they might suddenly have a breakthrough, and their cultivation would rapidly advance, making up for the time lost in stagnation.

Of course, this was still limited by one's lifespan.

Beyond a certain point, there would be no more talk of late bloomers, only the regret of youth wasted and old age filled with sorrow.

Confucian cultivators were slightly more likely to experience late blooming compared to other cultivation traditions.

But miracles were miracles precisely because they were rare, so Confucian scholars who achieved great things after a late start were still an extreme minority.

It was even more impossible to consider this as a standard method, thinking that one could deliberately choose not to break through and instead focus on accumulation, waiting for the so-called 'thick accumulation leading to a sudden breakthrough.' That would be making a joke out of one's life.

Meng Shaoji was still young, after all.

Lei Jun couldn't pinpoint the young scholar's specific strengths at the moment, nor did he have the heart to probe further. Instead, he offered words of encouragement. "His Majesty and Director Xiao of the Scholarly Palace have extraordinary insight and vision. The fact that they both agreed to have you accompany the Crown Prince indicates that they must have their reasons."

Meng Shaoji took a deep breath and replied, "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Lei."

The two of them exited the quiet room together.

Upon seeing that Meng Shaoji seemed to be unharmed, Crown Prince Zhang Hui heaved a sigh of relief and then smiled, "Elder Lei's healing skills are truly remarkable. Shaoji, you look much more spirited now than before."

Meng Shaoji responded, "I am humbled by Your Highness's concern."

Then, in front of everyone, he expressed his gratitude to Lei Jun once again, "Thank you, Elder Lei, for your help. I am truly indebted to you."

Lei Jun said, "Young Master Meng was injured by the heretics before, and when the imperial physicians examined him, the heretics hid deep within his soul, hence they went undetected until now. Today's incident was mostly due to the pure yang energy of our sect's Master Sister, which shook the surroundings and caused the heretics to reveal their traces."

Meng Shaoji continued, "The Heavenly Master's divine powers are indeed profound and awe-inspiring. I deeply admire him but did not want to disturb his secluded cultivation, so I couldn't thank him in person. I feel ashamed."

He bowed respectfully in the direction of the Heavenly Master's Temple.

"The Heavenly Master's Taoist cultivation is indeed unparalleled in the world, causing the heretics to have nowhere to hide," agreed Crown Prince Zhang Hui, nodding repeatedly.

Regardless of their individual thoughts, Zhang Ziye, Shangguan Zhengqing, and Ye Song all expressed their concern for Meng Shaoji at this moment.

With the day's journey interrupted, everyone returned to their respective rooms to rest.

The next day, a refreshed and rejuvenated Meng Shaoji joined the rest of the East Palace entourage on another excursion.

However, just like before, he kept a low profile during the tour, blending into the crowd and appearing unassuming and ordinary.

Most of the time, their guide from the Heavenly Master's Mansion was Shangguan Hong, while Lei Jun accompanied them occasionally, chiming in with a few words from time to time.

On the evening of that day, as the group returned to the guest quarters, Zhang Mu, the Prince of Xuan'an, finally returned from outside the mountain.

"There truly are rebels with sinister intentions!" Zhang Mu said solemnly.

Lei Jun invited him to sit down. "Your Royal Highness, please calm your anger. These rebels are but a handful of insignificant rogues who cannot accomplish anything."

Zhang Mu nodded. "With Elder Shangguan from your sect handling the matter, I am assured."

Shangguan Ning was still outside the mountain, continuing the investigation, while Zhang Mu returned to Dragon and Tiger Mountain to stay by Crown Prince Zhang Hui's side.

The infiltrators were limited in number.

However, due to the special circumstances, everyone in Dragon and Tiger Mountain and the East Palace entourage had to heighten their vigilance.

"According to Elder Shangguan, they should be rebels from the Yellow Heaven Sect," Zhang Mu said slowly.

Upon hearing this, Lei Jun's eyebrows twitched slightly.

With the limited information they had received so far, it was difficult to determine who was behind this plot.

"Please forgive us for the unrest, Your Royal Highness and Crown Prince," Lei Jun said. "I believe this is related to the previous incident where the Yellow Heaven Sect's branch altar was destroyed by the court. These Yellow Heaven rebels are seeking an opportunity to take revenge."

Previously, the newly established Scholarly Palace in the capital had come under attack.

Elder Lin Shan of the Heavenly Master's Mansion was injured by the followers of the Yellow Heaven Sect.

The imperial family of the Tang Dynasty and the Heavenly Master's Mansion joined forces to launch another severe crackdown on the Yellow Heaven Sect.

In the end, they consecutively destroyed the Yellow Heaven Sect's branch altars in the North and severely injured Qi Shuo, one of the few remaining high-ranking elders of the Yellow Heaven Sect. Unfortunately, they were unable to capture him.

Zhang Mu, the Prince of Xuan'an, frowned, "The safety of the East Palace takes precedence. For now, I do not wish to entangle myself with them further, but rest assured that I will get to the bottom of this and wipe out these rebels!"

Lei Jun assured, "Elder Shangguan will spare no effort in investigating these Yellow Heaven rebels."

Without prompting from the imperial family, the Heavenly Master's Mansion would also be motivated to resolve this matter.

Although the Heavenly Master's Mansion was currently focused on recuperation, with the presence of the East Palace, they wouldn't sit idly by after this provocation from the Yellow Heaven Sect.

...

In the vast ocean, there lay a small island unmarked on any map. It appeared desolate and primitive, devoid of any human presence.

However, upon venturing deeper, one would discover a hidden paradise.

This place was the altar of the Yellow Heaven Sect.

Only a select few within the Yellow Heaven Sect knew of its existence.

This altar was created by a founding elder of the Yellow Heaven Sect who sacrificed himself and integrated countless precious heavenly treasures and earthly treasures.

Thanks to this newly established altar, the Yellow Heaven Sect was able to stand firm after breaking away from Dragon and Tiger Mountain, avoiding the seal of the Wanfa Zongtan, the ancestral hall of the Talisman Sect, and its inheritance of laws and talismans.

Therefore, this place must be protected at all costs. If the altar were to be destroyed, aside from a handful of high-ranking elders, the entire Yellow Heaven Sect would be left rootless and drifting.

Also because of the existence of this altar, other branch altars could be relocated, but this place could not be moved.

Due to the current situation of the Yellow Heaven Sect, the location of the altar had to be kept as a top secret, known only to a few within the sect.

At this moment, Zhao Zongjie, one of the few remaining high-ranking elders of the Yellow Heaven Sect, stood on the island, gazing at the altar in silence.

A white-haired, red-robed old Taoist priest approached the purple-robed Zhao Zongjie and said, "We've received news from Dragon and Tiger Mountain. They've been exposed by the Tang court and the heretics on the mountain, and they're currently investigating."

Zhao Zongjie's tone was calm. "Stirring up the grass and startling the snake is enough. There's no need for further action. Those who can withdraw should do so."

The old Taoist priest bowed in the Taoist manner and replied, "Yes."

After a moment, he asked softly, "How is Qi Shidi's injury? Is he mostly recovered? And what about the Sect Master?"

Zhao Zongjie frowned slightly. "The Sect Master has yet to emerge from seclusion."

Ever since the battle against Dragon and Tiger Mountain, where the Sect Master of the Yellow Heaven Sect, Taiping Daoist, was injured by Xu Yuanzhen and Li Hongyu, more than a decade had passed.

During this time, Taiping Daoist had been in seclusion to recover from his injuries.

In the meantime, internal strife and compromises continued within the Yellow Heaven Sect.

By now, the sect was largely divided into two factions: Qi Shuo's faction and Zhao Zongjie's faction.

With Qi Shuo injured, Zhao Zongjie's influence had recently surpassed his.

Zhao Zongjie had reached the pinnacle of his power within the sect.

However, the long absence of Taiping Daoist easily brought to mind the previous Heavenly Master, Li Qingfeng, who had also remained in seclusion for an extended period on Dragon and Tiger Mountain.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end

Report