Chapter 233: 232. The Heavenly Foundation Stone, Yin-Yang Five Thunder and Five Elements Talisman Ar

Chapter 233: 232. The Heavenly Foundation Stone, Yin-Yang Five Thunder and Five Elements Talisman Array

The fortune stick's prediction surprised Lei Jun.

His attention first fell on the phrase, "The safety of friends and family hangs by a thread."

Lei Jun pondered the meaning, guessing that this omen not only concerned his own fortune but also directly affected the well-being of his junior disciple, Chu Kun.

Regardless of Lei Jun's choice, the fortune stick indicated that he was currently safe.

One of the predictions was considered mediocre not because of impending disaster but because of potential negative consequences and pointless endeavors, resulting in unnecessary losses. Hence, this particular fortune was deemed mediocre.

However, for Chu Kun, safety and danger might hinge on Lei Jun's single thought.

What Lei Jun hadn't expected was that giving his junior disciple a more powerful high-grade spirit talisman might actually bring about unfavorable consequences.

Providing a medium-grade spirit talisman that was noticeably less powerful could instead point to a fortunate path.

Giving an upper-grade or top-grade spirit talisman might even be worse than giving none at all.

"...So, what are you up to next, kid?" Lei Jun was genuinely curious this time.

While he had no intention of prying into Chu Kun's secrets, he felt compelled to "neglect" his junior disciple on this occasion.

"Are you having trouble with someone, and do you need to set things straight?" Lei Jun's thoughts raced, but his expression remained calm as he casually asked the question.

Chu Kun shook his head. "Our sect is currently recuperating. Why would I go out of my way to make enemies? On this trip, I plan to find a suitable place to explore the earth veins, gain new experiences, and, if necessary, blaze a trail through the mountains."

Having spent a significant amount of time with Lei Jun, they had come to understand each other well. Chu Kun knew that Lei Jun wasn't the type to pry into others' secrets or covet what they possessed, so he spoke without much reservation.

Although Chu Kun didn't intend to divulge the sect's secrets, he was quite open about his intended use for the upper-grade spirit talisman, making it easier for Lei Jun to decide which talisman to give him.

In the world beyond the gate, Chu Kun planned to explore a spiritual mountain soon.

It wasn't particularly dangerous, but the spiritual rocks at the foot of the mountain were sealed, and Chu Kun, after extensive research and confirmation of their location, now needed to blast them open.

"Exploring the earth veins and gaining new experiences is commendable, but be sure to prioritize safety," Lei Jun advised verbally before falling into a brief reverie. "I do have some spirit talismans, but with so much going on lately, any disturbance to the earth veins and the ensuing changes could easily attract attention from multiple parties..."

Following Chu Kun's train of thought, he continued, "If someone were to discover that it was our sect's spirit talisman at work, it might lead to misunderstandings. Hmm, I have an idea..."

As Lei Jun spoke, he extended his hand and began drawing with his finger in the air.

The surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth converged, and soon a spirit talisman took shape, shimmering with radiant light.

Chu Kun watched with curiosity as Lei Jun crafted the talisman.

With Lei Jun's current cultivation realm, he could create spirit talismans with ease.

However, this usually resulted in basic spirit talismans or high-grade ones below the upper-grade level.

To create upper-grade and top-grade spirit talismans, Lei Jun would need to set up an altar and perform rituals.

Given Lei Jun's temperament and cultivation, he wouldn't be stingy in this regard, so Chu Kun had no complaints and was merely intrigued.

Once the shimmering talisman took form, Lei Jun retrieved a piece of talisman paper, and the spirit talisman was officially imprinted on it.

It was a Gui Water Yin Thunder Talisman derived from his own Yin Five Thunder Rightful Law Talisman, one of his signature techniques.

Lei Jun didn't stop there; he crafted another talisman, this time a Ding Fire Yin Thunder Talisman, also derived from his Yin Five Thunder Rightful Law Talisman.

Next, he created a Ji Earth Yin Thunder Talisman, which combined offense and defense and could be used for protection.

He handed all three medium-grade high-level spirit talismans to Chu Kun, saying, "Take these three talismans with you. Along the way, help me test them out and record your experiences. Return them to me later."

Chu Kun's interest was piqued. "These are your self-created spirit talismans, aren't they, Senior Brother?"

"Indeed," Lei Jun affirmed. "There's still room for further improvement, so I need to keep refining and testing them."

"Mmm, these are your original creations, unknown even within our sect, let alone the outside world," Chu Kun realized. "Even if we leave some traces, it won't be easy for others to discern that they're part of our sect's legacy."

However, he had no intention of using them in the outside world, so there was no risk in that regard.

Based on the fortune stick's prediction, Lei Jun surmised that the key to averting disaster and attracting good fortune might lie in the power of the spirit talisman.

Thus, as he crafted those three talismans, he deliberately controlled their power.

Firstly, being derived from his third signature technique, they inherently possessed greater power than other talismans.

Secondly, his fusion of the Yin-Yang Twin Killers and the Twin Ultimate Energies made his spells more potent than those of ordinary cultivators.

Even a medium-grade spirit talisman crafted by Lei Jun himself would be more powerful than a typical medium-grade talisman created by others.

So, he had intentionally held back earlier, specifically suppressing the talisman's power to avoid exceeding the desired level.

Chu Kun's intended use for the talismans spared Lei Jun the need to come up with additional excuses.

Lei Jun instructed, "When it comes to earth veins, it's often a case of leaving them untouched or causing a huge commotion that's difficult to predict. That's why caution is essential.

Using an upper-grade or top-grade spirit talisman directly might cause the collapse of the earth veins and the mountain rocks, posing a risk to you as well. That's why I made these three talismans medium-grade.

But don't worry about their potency. First, use the Ding Fire Yin Thunder Talisman to bore a hole, and then use the Gui Water Yin Thunder Talisman to saturate the entire structure."

Although it might not be as violent, taking a little more time would probably yield similar results. You can test it out for me on this trip."

Chu Kun wasn't particularly worried about his safety, as he had other treasures for protection. But hearing Lei Jun's sincere concern, he didn't refuse, "Rest assured, Senior Brother. I'll observe and record everything carefully. Anyhow, thanks in advance for your help!"

Although he was uncertain if the combined might of Lei Jun's two Mid-grade High-level Spirit Talismans would be sufficient for his needs, Chu Kun was now quite curious about his senior brother's self-created talismans and eager to give them a try.

"Precaution is better than cure. Take this with you as well."

As Lei Jun spoke, he took out a spirit flag and handed it to Chu Kun.

Chu Kun felt the surging and endless earthen spiritual energy within it and asked in surprise, "Senior Brother, what is this?"

"This treasure is called the Xirang Flag, something I obtained by chance some time ago. It has numerous wonderful uses.

With your current cultivation, you won't be able to bring out all its potential, but you can already harness a portion of its power for protection and concealment.

Since you're heading underground this time, take this treasure with you for protection." Lei Jun explained.

According to his prediction, the mediocre fortune should also mean that Chu Kun would be safe and sound.

Lei Jun guessed that the fourth-grade opportunity mentioned in the fortune might once again fall into the hands of his junior disciple.

However, unknown risks were always the most concerning, so after some consideration, Lei Jun decided to lend the Xirang Flag to Chu Kun for his journey.

"Thank you, Senior Brother." Chu Kun put away the Xirang Flag, his expression turning more solemn as he thanked Lei Jun again.

After bidding farewell to Lei Jun and reporting his trip to the Sect's administrative hall, Chu Kun immediately set off from Dragon and Tiger Mountain.

As a disciple who had received the ordination of the Heavenly Master's Mansion, he wore a deep red Daoist robe, which granted him much freedom and convenience on his journey.

However, not long after leaving the mountain gate, Chu Kun didn't continue on his way. Instead, he found a secluded spot near the mountain gate.

"Today, let's choose Brother Bing Si's place." Chu nodded calmly.

...He had prepared many similar places like this in recent years.

Finding a secluded spot and making sure he was alone, Chu Kun raised his hand and lightly tapped his brow.

Then, he vanished from that world, leaving no trace.

............

After Chu Kun left, Lei Jun continued his cultivation.

He sat cross-legged, with a glowing seal floating above his head.

The seal resembled the Heavenly Master Seal in many ways.

But it began to change gradually.

As Lei Jun channeled his spiritual power, merging his essence, qi, and spirit, a massive talisman array took form between him and the seal above, composed of five smaller talismans.

The talismans displayed five different colors, corresponding to the five elements, five viscera, and five qi.

This was the essence of Lei Jun's third signature technique, the Yin Five Thunder Rightful Law Talisman.

Five bolts of thunder interwove above Lei Jun's head but did not enter the seal.

Lei Jun sat cross-legged, looking up with a calm and thoughtful expression.

In the Daoist Talisman sect's Six Heavens of the Dao Seal realm, there were no further subdivisions.

From the Fifth Heaven of the Dao Palace to the Sixth Heaven of the Dao Seal, this stage was essentially a summary and synthesis of everything learned previously.

And to further advance and break through to the Seventh Heaven, one had to build upon this foundation through further refinement.

If one succeeded in attaining the Seventh Heaven, their understanding of their cultivation would undergo a profound transformation, achieving a new level of unity and transcendence.

This process of synthesis and refinement was founded upon the fundamental scriptures and teachings of their sect.

Lei Jun had already completed this stage of synthesis and refinement.

And now, upon this foundation, his three signature techniques and three laws served as the main pillars for further expansion.

Meanwhile, his other skills and techniques were like the branches and leaves, or the bricks and tiles, supporting the whole structure.

Lei Jun's first and second signature techniques, the Celestial General Talisman and the Wind and Thunder Talisman, had already been fully synthesized and refined, together with his understanding of the Dao, into the Dao Seal.

Everything had gone smoothly so far.

Now, it was time for the third signature technique, the Yin Five Thunder Rightful Law Talisman.

This was a technique created by Lei Jun himself, but its refinement was no more difficult than the previous two.

Lei Jun's thoughts turned to the future.

With his clear and tranquil state of mind, he could easily grasp the intricacies of the Dao.

Although he was still at the Sixth Heaven, some of the mysteries of the path ahead had already been unveiled to him.

If he could successfully break through to the Seventh Heaven of the Daoist Talisman sect, he would be able to choose his first divine ability.

At the same time, his three signature techniques and three laws would also undergo a new transformation.

The future of the Yin Five Thunder Rightful Law Talisman would be... the Yin Thunder Dragon.

Of course, it wouldn't immediately rival the Yang Thunder Dragon, a technique that had been honed and perfected by the Heavenly Master's Mansion for countless years.

But Lei Jun was confident that with his continuous improvements, refinements, and innovations, the Yin Thunder Dragon would eventually stand alongside the Yang Thunder Dragon.

Just as the Yin Five Thunder Rightful Law Talisman now stood as an equal to the Heavenly Master's Mansion's original Five Thunder Rightful Law Talisman.

However, Lei Jun now had other ideas in mind.

He hadn't yet decided on his first divine ability.

Now that the Heavenly Master Seal had been restored and the Thunder Law Talisman Scripture had returned to the Heavenly Master's Mansion, if Lei Jun wished, he could choose the Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor Incarnation, or the Yang Thunder Dragon, as his first divine ability when he reached the Seventh Heaven.

But Lei Jun was also interested in the Life Script Talisman Law.

As the saying goes, "Greed often leads to ruin." There was no need to be too greedy.

As Lei Jun's understanding deepened and his clarity of mind improved, many of his previous ideas that had only existed on paper now had the potential to be realized.

He looked up at the five-colored, five-elemental talisman array above and nodded slightly.

This talisman array did not ascend and condense into the Dao Seal. Instead, a brand new talisman array appeared, corresponding with the Yin Five Thunder Rightful Law Talisman.

The five thunders and five elements gave birth to a profound path that manifested naturally.

It was the orthodox Five Thunder Rightful Law Talisman passed down by the Heavenly Masters Mansion, also known as the Yang Five Thunder Rightful Law.

Although this talisman art was not Lei Jun's innate talisman, he naturally understood this first talisman of the Dragon and Tiger Mountain, renowned as the Talisman of Heaven, and had achieved a considerable level of proficiency in it.

Under Lei Jun's control, the principles and concepts of the two talisman arrays, though inherently connected, also had many stark differences. Now, they combined and complemented each other, forming a perfect match.

Then, a nine-colored radiance began to appear on Lei Jun's body.

It was the Chaos Nine Lights derived from the Heavenly Master's Robe.

As the Chaos Nine Lights enveloped him, a complex yet simple talisman scripture began to materialize before Lei Jun—it was the Dragon and Tiger Scripture.

Lei Jun studied the Dragon and Tiger Scripture while simultaneously refining the two Five Thunder Five Element talisman arrays, causing the two sides to merge in a perfect yin and yang combination.

These were all techniques he had mastered, and although the talisman arrays flashed with thunderous light, there was no sign of a fierce confrontation; at most, they had yet to achieve complete unity.

However, as time passed, the thunderous light of the two talisman arrays gradually calmed down and stopped flashing incessantly.

Instead, there were resounding peals of thunder that seemed to ring out in the distance, echoing endlessly.

Lei Jun sat cross-legged, his expression serene and his eyes closed.

He appeared to be asleep.

Above him, the refinement of the two major talisman arrays continued steadily.

The Dao Seal hanging in mid-air shone brilliantly.

Immersed in his cultivation, he was unaware of the swift passage of time.

At Lei Jun's current cultivation realm, he no longer needed sleep like an ordinary person. Instead, the breathing and meditation of his cultivation naturally restored and nourished his body and mind.

In the following days, Lei Jun went to the Edict House during the day to attend to his duties, and the rest of the time was dedicated to his personal cultivation.

He also kept himself informed about the outside world and had heard some news.

The turmoil in the Southern Wasteland had finally subsided a little.

There were no further developments in the Great Black Mountain region of the Northern Border.

On the other hand, things were relatively quiet in the Lin Clan of Jiang State. Lin Chu's return did not immediately stir up a storm.

Lei Jun stood on Dragon and Tiger Mountain, gazing towards the northwest, where Jiang State was located, deep in thought.

......

In the ancestral land of the Lin Clan of Jiang State, the atmosphere was tense beneath a calm surface.

The clan head, Lin Chu, had returned.

Lin Yuwei, who had previously caused a stir, had since kept a low profile.

Lin Chu did not make things difficult for Lin Yuwei and the other Lin Clan branches. Instead, he comforted them and even rewarded and promoted Lin Yuwei for killing Li Zhengxuan on the great river. However, Lin Yuwei had been keeping a low profile these days, rarely venturing out.

Although the Lin Clan did not descend into complete chaos, many people still felt a sense of unease.

Quite a few speculated that Lin Chu might use the pretext of an external enemy to reunify the entire Lin Clan, both inside and out.

However, Lin Chu had been back in Jiang State for some time without any further action.

This caused some people to start whispering among themselves, creating a subtle atmosphere in Jiang State.

In the main residence of the Lin Clan's ancestral land, Lin Chu, the current clan head, stood in front of a table, brush in hand, writing swiftly.

The characters on the paper were tiny and densely packed but still gave a sense of order and beauty.

Lin Chu paused after writing for a while, putting down his brush and looking up.

A young Confucian scholar happened to arrive at the door at that moment.

Seeing Lin Chu looking at him, the young man quickly bowed and greeted him, "Father."

It was Lin Chu's son, Lin Lang.

He reported in a soft voice, "Father, someone from Qing State has arrived."

Lin Chu asked, "Ye Hongzhen?"

"Yes," Lin Lang replied.

Lin Chu nodded, "Bring him to the back hall."

After speaking, he coughed lightly a few times.

Lin Lang's face showed concern, "Father, how is your body...?"

"It's much better than before," Lin Chu shook his head.

Hearing this, Lin Lang breathed a sigh of relief.

He knew that his father wasn't putting on a brave face.

When Lin Chu had first returned, his condition had been much worse.

Although he appeared fine on the surface, there was a destructive force wreaking havoc inside his body.

Now, after a period of recuperation, he had managed to neutralize and dissolve most of the rampaging force.

It was just that the closer he got to the end, the harder it was to eradicate it completely.

"Such a disgrace to a scholar," Lin Chu coughed a few times, his breath stabilizing again, although his complexion remained poor.

Lin Lang didn't respond and bowed before leaving.

After returning, Lin Chu appeared nonchalant and only briefly mentioned his internal injuries to Lin Lang.

His injuries were sustained when he had fallen into a chaotic void and inadvertently entered a strange alternate world.

Xu Yuanzhen of the Heavenly Masters Mansion had also ended up there.

Although Lin Chu's injuries were not directly caused by Xu Yuanzhen, they were related to him.

It was because of Xu Yuanzhen that Lin Chu was injured by the bizarre calamity in that alternate world.

Subsequently, Xu Yuanzhen remained in that alternate world, while Lin Chu managed to return to this world with great difficulty.

This made Lin Chu suspect that the other party was certain that even if he returned to Jiang State, he would have to recuperate and would be unable to cause trouble for the Heavenly Masters Mansion, which was why he dared to stay so blatantly in the alternate world.

Lin Chu shook his head slightly, putting aside all these negative thoughts, and headed towards the back hall of the mansion.

After a moment, Lin Lang returned with a middle-aged scholar. After exchanging greetings, Lin Che and his guest sat down, with Lin Lang standing quietly by his father's side.

"Brother Chengming, I apologize for the intrusion," the middle-aged scholar said.

The guest, Ye Fen, was from Qingzhou and a high-ranking member of the Ye Clan there. He had spent a significant amount of time in Jiangzhou in the past. After Lin Che's return to Jiangzhou, Ye Fen had departed, only to revisit now.

"Brother Hongzhen, you're too kind. It's thanks to you and Qingzhou that peace has been maintained in Jiangzhou," Lin Che acknowledged. "Please forgive me for receiving you in the back hall for the sake of privacy."

Without further pleasantries, Ye Fen cut straight to the chase. "Brother Chengming, what are your thoughts on the current state of the world?"

Lin Che sighed. "In the years I've been away, the world has changed drastically."

During his absence, trapped in an alternate dimension, significant events had taken place. The Li-Wai War had erupted in Dragon Tiger Mountain, nearly wiping out the Bodhi Temple. The Blood River Sect and the remnants of the former Sui Dynasty had sparked the South Wilds Rebellion, and more.

However, what caught Lin Che's attention the most was the new Imperial College established by the Empress, and the full allegiance of the Xiao Clan beyond Long Pass to the Tang court, effectively reducing the Five Families and Seven Hopes of the Tang Dynasty to Four Families and Six Hopes.

There had already been several covert struggles between the eminent clans and the Tang royalty over the new Imperial College.

"The Ye Clan of Jinzhou has made their decision. Patriarch Ye will be heading to Youzhou to meet with Prince Zhao," Ye Fen revealed.

"I've heard," Lin Che calmly replied, nodding slowly.

Lin Lang, standing behind him, lowered his head.

Neither the Ye Clan of Jinzhou nor the Ye Clan of Qingzhou intended to overthrow the Tang Dynasty. After all, it was still the Tang Empire.

But there was more than one person with the surname Zhang.

Empress Zhang Wantong was not the only one.

The late Emperor Zhang Qilong's empress was the daughter of the Ye Clan head of Qingzhou, Ye Yan.

Thus, the Ye Clan of Qingzhou had a natural choice to make.

Ye Yan's maternal grandson, Crown Prince Zhang Hui.

With the two Ye Clans parting ways, the Jinzhou Ye Clan would naturally seek a different alliance.

They would most likely support the current second-highest-ranking member of the royal family, next to the Empress—the Northern Zhao Wang, or Prince Zhao.

Zhao Wang's fiefdom was in Youzhou, and he had been at odds with the Lin Clan of Youzhou for half his life.

Unexpectedly, the two sides now had a potential for cooperation.

Since the Jinzhou Ye Clan had chosen to side with Zhao Wang, they would undoubtedly work to mend the relationship between Zhao Wang and the Youzhou Lin Clan.

And for both Zhao Wang and the Youzhou Lin Clan to succeed, they would have to join forces and avoid internal strife.

Thus, the Youzhou Lin Clan's choice was also clear.

The two Ye Clans would not be in the same boat.

Nor would the two Lin Clans sail together.

Not only was the relationship between the two Lin Clans of the north and south already strained, but even if they had been close, they wouldn't have chosen the same ally at this point.

Therefore, the path for the Jiangzhou Lin Clan was also set.

They would ally with the Ye Clan of Qingzhou.

And together, they would support Crown Prince Zhang Hui.

With Lin Che's return, the Jiangzhou Lin Clan, which had been leaderless and severely damaged, would finally get back on track.

Of course, the two Ye Clans and the two Lin Clans taking different sides did not mean they would draw clear lines and go to war with each other.

After all, they still had a common enemy for the time being.

For a considerable period, cooperation would outweigh confrontation.

"What about the clans of Jingxiang and Suzhou?" Lin Che asked thoughtfully.

Ye Fen replied, "There should be news later. With your return, Brother Chengming, everything will be decided. Before coming to Jiangzhou, I paid a visit to Suzhou, and after leaving here, I plan to head to Jingxiang."

"Thank you, Brother Hongzhen, for your efforts," Lin Che acknowledged.

After some further conversation, Ye Fen took his leave.

After seeing Ye Fen off, Lin Lang returned to his father's side and asked, "Father, has the Chu Clan of Chu decided to support the Crown Prince?"

The Fang Clan of Jingxiang, the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou, and the Chu Clan of Suzhou were all situated along the Yangtze River.

In the past, the Fang Clan and the Chu Clan, upstream and downstream of the Lin Clan, had often joined forces to keep the Lin Clan in check. They also had a good relationship with Dragon Tiger Mountain.

This was partly due to the events of over a decade ago, when the previous Lin Clan head, Lin Qun, and the former Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain, Li Qingfeng, had perished together.

"With the Ye Clans of Qingzhou and Jinzhou, and the Chu Clan of Suzhou... " Lin Che mused, "The situation in Jingxiang is hard to predict, but for the time being, we are no longer enemies."

Over the years, eminent clans could accumulate various grievances and entanglements.

However, going forward, they would more often find themselves on the same side.

Because they now shared a common enemy.

Lin Che's gaze drifted northward, toward the capital, despite being indoors.

There, a newly ascended young emperor held court.

And there, a newly established Imperial College, open to students of all backgrounds, was taking its first steps.

It seemed insignificant, but it could very well upend the foundations of the eminent clans in times of chaos.

"What about the Celestial Master's Mansion of Dragon Tiger Mountain?" Lin Lang asked softly. "I've heard that the Ye Clan of Jinzhou is also keeping a close eye on them."

Lin Che replied, "Prince Zhao and the Crown Prince are not enemies for now, and neither are we and the Ye Clan of Jinzhou."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end