https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-242-Seventh-Heaven-Ascending-to-the-Heavens-Part-2-/12587065/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-243-Mastering-the-Heavenly-Master-s-Seal-Part-2-/12587067/
Chapter 243: Mastering the Heavenly Master's Seal (Part 1)
Chapter 243: Mastering the Heavenly Master's Seal (Part 1)
In the realm of cultivation, the levels from the Seventh Heaven to the Ninth Heaven are collectively known as the Upper Three Heavens.
The Seventh Heaven is the gateway to this exalted realm.
Across the various cultivation traditions, this level holds immense significance.
Within the Daoist sect, the Seventh Heaven is referred to as the Yuan Ying or Jie Ying by the Dan Ding faction. Emerging from the Sixth Heaven's Dao Tai realm, the cultivator's body and spirit undergo a transformative metamorphosis, combining to form a more evolved state of being.
The External Elixir faction refers to the Seventh Heaven as Dan Jie. Building upon the Sixth Heaven's Xian Zhong realm, at this stage, the external elixir reaches its pinnacle, the Xian seed transforms, and the cultivator sheds their mortal shell, entering a new phase of existence. Henceforth, any corporeal form they manifest will be a manifestation of their spirit, a far cry from their previous earthly bodies.
Meanwhile, the Seventh Heaven is known as Tong Tian within the Fu Lu faction.
To Lei Jun's personal perception, his physical body and spiritual soul have further synchronized with the natural order of the universe, even merging with it.
At this juncture, it feels less like ascending a new step and more like embarking on an entirely novel path—a path to the heavens.
To traverse this path is to continue the upward climb.
Earlier, the sphere of light had displayed the words "Tong Tian's path rises step by step," which now seemed to hold a dual meaning. It not only referred to this otherworldly realm but also hinted at the opportunity for Lei Jun to embark on the path to the heavens right here.
A common saying among the Daoist Fu Lu sect is "Model the heavens, emulate the earth," with an extension being "Model the heavens, emulate the earth, and embody the human." This philosophy emphasizes the harmony of heaven, earth, and humanity.
Tong Tian signifies the beginning of modeling the heavens and the commencement of the unity of heaven, earth, and humanity.
During his sojourn in the Sixth Heaven's Dao Yin realm, Lei Jun had tirelessly synthesized, summarized, and refined his accumulated knowledge.
However, the moment he stepped into the Seventh Heaven's Tong Tian realm, everything he had refined seemed like seeds buried in the soil, only now sprouting and transforming. In an instant, they grew into towering trees, blooming with a profusion of flowers.
His understanding of the various Daoist essences underwent a metamorphosis, and Lei Jun couldn't help but want to continue immersing himself in the ocean of Daoist laws.
As his cultivation improved, Lei Jun also keenly felt his life force becoming more robust and vibrant, a change that affected both his physical body and spiritual soul.
Upon attaining the Seventh Heaven, Lei Jun's lifespan finally extended once more, increasing from a limit of four hundred years to a formidable eight hundred years.
Moreover, the period of rapid cultivation improvement, beneficial to cultivators, was extended from one hundred years to two hundred years.
In reality, his age was not yet forty, and if one were to compare it to the lifespan of ordinary mortals, it would be equivalent to... four or five years old? Lei Jun shook his head, amused by the thought.
He lifted his head to gaze at the colossal pillar of light that enveloped him, reaching up to the heavens, and exhaled a long breath.
"Your Tong Tian spirit light is quite impressive."
At that moment, a clear and cold voice, belonging to Xu Yuanzhen, emanated from the pitch-black thunderclouds that continued to expand, resembling glaciers growing thicker.
With keen interest, she observed the Tong Tian spirit light that covered a far more extensive area than that of an ordinary Seventh Heaven Fu Lu sect cultivator. "You haven't been slacking in your cultivation."
"I've benefited greatly from your guidance and teachings over the years, Senior Sister and Master," Lei Jun replied, as the spirit light atop his head gradually diminished until it completely disappeared into his body.
He rose to his feet, his demeanor calm yet solemn, and bowed to Xu Yuanzhen, offering a Daoist salute.
Xu Yuanzhen did not return his salute but instead reciprocated with a bow of her own. "If the wood is rotten, it cannot be carved. Your achievements today are largely due to your own efforts."
Lei Jun smiled without adding further words. Instead, he focused his mind momentarily.
He extended both hands, palms facing up.
The spirit light above his head flickered, and a white jade seal emerged from within it.
The seal descended gracefully and came to rest before Lei Jun, who cupped it in his hands.
It was none other than the Heavenly Master's Seal!
Ever since he had obtained the Heavenly Master's Seal, it had remained fused with his spirit, hidden deep within his soul.
Only now, upon attaining the Seventh Heaven, could he be considered to have truly gained control over this treasure.
Thus, the Heavenly Master's Seal moved in harmony with Lei Jun's spirit, free to reveal itself once more.
"I don't need it. You can discuss it with Xiaotang and your little uncle later," Xu Yuanzhen said nonchalantly.
Lei Jun looked at the pitch-black thunderclouds that had grown even denser around Xu Yuanzhen, now resembling a canopy that blotted out the sky. "What about the Lei Fa Tian Shu Fu Lu?"
"Since we're here, let's take a look," Xu Yuanzhen replied.
Although her temperament was somewhat eccentric, the Li family was now a thing of the past, and with its demise, old matters were laid to rest.
Lei Jun switched to holding the Heavenly Master's Seal with one hand, while the other formed a magical seal in front of his chest.
Instantly, radiant jade light emanated from the white jade seal.
Within the hazy light, the True One Law Altar appeared.
At the pinnacle of the three-layered law altar, purple Nine Heavenly Divine Thunder began to gather, and an ancient and profound Fu Lu faintly materialized.
The True One Law Altar and the pitch-black thunderclouds faced each other from a distance, with Xu Yuanzhen still positioned at the heart of the thunderclouds, captivated by the Fu Lu woven from purple lightning at the altar's peak.
Lei Jun, standing by, found the spectacle intriguing as well.
To his knowledge, Xu Yuanzhen's cultivation method, or perhaps her preference, differed from that of Tang Xiaotang.
While the pitch-black thunderclouds were attention-grabbing, they largely served as an outward manifestation of Xu Yuanzhen's spiritual energy.
Unlike Tang Xiaotang, who tended to forge her own path, intentionally deviating from the original legacy of the Heavenly Master's Mansion, Xu Yuanzhen had faithfully followed the orthodox succession of the Heavenly Master's Mansion in her cultivation journey.
At the Seventh Heaven, she cultivated the Life Merit Human Writing Fu Lu, and at the Eighth Heaven, she would cultivate the Fire Law Earth Writing Fu Lu.
It seemed at odds with her temperament.
However, her true prowess lay beneath the surface.
Even when practicing identical spells and techniques, Xu Yuanzhen's execution was invariably superior to that of her peers.
Given the same set of moves, she could always elicit greater power and uncover deeper mysteries.
It was commonly acknowledged that among the three most eminent divine abilities of Dragon Tiger Mountain, the Lei Fa Tian Shu Fu Lu was the mightiest.
Yet, despite Xu Yuanzhen's avoidance of Lei Fa cultivation, none of the Li family's high-achieving Lei Fa cultivators could surpass her.
Now that the Li family had perished, Xu Yuanzhen had no intention of starting anew, and after mastering the Life Merit Human Writing and Fire Law Earth Writing Fu Lu, she proceeded to observe the Lei Fa Tian Shu Fu Lu, adhering strictly to the established curriculum.
While Xu Yuanzhen was observing the Lei Fa Tian Shu Fu Lu, Lei Jun also stepped into the True One Law Altar.
However, he did not proceed to the third layer.
Instead, he remained on the second layer.
Amid the starry sky, the Life Merit Human Writing Fu Lu gradually materialized.
With Xu Yuanzhen at the crucial moment, Lei Jun naturally did not disturb her.
He, too, began to cultivate his divine abilities in preparation for the upcoming challenges.
Previously, he had been contemplating which divine ability to choose as his first.
Now that he had truly reached the Seventh Heaven, considering the current situation, Lei Jun was grateful for the Star Dust of the Primordial Celestial Body that his junior disciple, Chu Kun, had given him earlier.
At this juncture, it was imperative to refine the law successfully and enhance his combat strength as soon as possible.
There was no better choice than the Life Star God, which could greatly shorten his cultivation time with the assistance of the Star Dust of the Primordial Celestial Body.
Lei Jun walked continuously within the second layer of the True One Law Altar, treading on the stars and constellations.
In mid-air, the Primordial Celestial Body Star Dust, which had gathered together in an embrace, began to spread out, forming a starry river that echoed his every step.
When the starry river filled the sky, Lei Jun stopped.
At that moment, it seemed as if countless stars were floating beside him, or perhaps countless shadows were flickering.
With him as the center, the stars and shadows gradually merged, condensing into a taller but illusory figure within the space of the second layer of the Law Altar.
The figure's features were blurry, and its eyes were still blurry and indistinct.
However, with the third layer of the Law Altar above and the first layer beneath his feet, the entire altar seemed to be in harmony at that moment, as if it had become one entity.
As the heavens and earth connected, the illusory figure, towering like a deity, began to solidify.
For the Daoist Fu Lu sect cultivators, upon reaching the Upper Three Heavens, cultivating divine abilities and attaining the Law Body was known as the Heavenly Law Body, also referred to as the Heavenly Law Image.
The so-called Law Image signifies the embodiment of the law of heaven and the manifestation of the earth.
Above is the Law of Heaven, and below is the Image of the Earth.
The unity of heaven, earth, and man is the ultimate divine power of the Daoist Fu Lu sect.
As Lei Jun comprehended and cultivated the Life Merit Human Writing Fu Lu, Xu Yuanzhen was observing the Lei Fa Tian Shu Fu Lu.
However, after watching for a while, Xu Yuanzhen withdrew her gaze.
Unlike others who secluded themselves for cultivation, she stood with her hands behind her back in the center of the pitch-black thunderclouds, her demeanor casual and her eyes slightly dazed as she gazed upon the world before her.
This exotic world began to stir with wind and clouds, the spiritual energy surging far more intensely than before.
While the central area remained calm, the surrounding area was engulfed in a terrifying storm, causing turmoil in all directions.
As time passed, the turbulence only intensified.
In the end, it resembled an apocalyptic scene of the heavens and earth shattering.
However, after an unknown duration, everything suddenly calmed, and the storm abruptly ceased.
Yet, the heavens and earth had transformed.
All that met the eye was pitch-blackness, with only the True One Law Altar and the verdant green sea of fire below providing light.
"Congratulations, Senior Sister, for overcoming the heavenly tribulation and attaining the Great Vehicle of the Ninth Heaven!" Lei Jun emerged from the True One Law Altar and congratulated Xu Yuanzhen.
In the path of Daoist cultivation, although the three lineages had their unique wonders, there were still some aspects in common.
For example, in the initial stages, regardless of the Fu Lu sect, the Dan Ding faction, or the Artifact Refining sect, the first heaven realm was known as Refining Qi, and the second heaven realm was called Building the Foundation.
Similarly, the ninth heaven realm in all Daoist lineages was referred to as the Great Vehicle.
In the current era, the only known Daoist master at the Great Vehicle realm was Huang Xuanpu, the head of the Pure Yang Palace of the Dan Ding faction.
The most recent Daoist master of the Fu Lu sect's Tian Shi Manor to attain the Great Vehicle was Li Zhiyuan, the first Tian Shi, who had lived two to three hundred years ago.
In his time, Li Zhiyuan was hailed as the foremost master of the Daoist path, and Dragon Tiger Mountain's Tian Shi Manor was renowned as the foremost sacred site of Daoism.
It is worth mentioning that Lin Jin, the head of the Lin clan of Jiangzhou, who was killed by Li Zhiyuan back then, was also the most recent Nine Heavens master of Confucianism in the Lin clan of Jiangzhou.
Since Lin Jin's demise, the Lin clan of Jiangzhou has never had another Nine Heavens Confucian master.
Although Li Zhiyuan slew Lin Jin, he himself was severely injured and eventually passed away.
After him, the Tian Shi Manor has not produced another Nine Heavens Daoist master.
Until today...
"The path of cultivation is a long and arduous journey, and we still have a long way to go."
Xu Yuanzhen's figure appeared in the darkness, her voice calm and unperturbed. "It is precisely because of this that it captivates and enthralls."
Lei Jun smiled and nodded. "Indeed."
Xu Yuanzhen waved towards the verdant green sea of fire below.
The green sea of fire, formed by the Nine Abyss True Fire, extinguished, and from it, three black shadows flew out.
The surrounding darkness also dissipated, restoring the previous scenery.
Lei Jun could sense that the abnormally pulsating spiritual energy of the heavens and earth had been regulated by Xu Yuanzhen without any noticeable reduction. Instead, it had become much more orderly and serene.
However, the martial arts and Confucian law contained within it had become extremely sparse and were now barely detectable, continuing to dissipate further.
After the verdant green sea of fire extinguished, three black shadows flew out and landed before Xu Yuanzhen and Lei Jun.
Lei Jun focused his gaze and noticed that the three black shadows resembled the tips of three long spears, sharp and devoid of the rest of the spear shaft.
The spear tips were pitch-black, devoid of any radiance, their auras restrained. At first glance, they appeared ordinary, but with Lei Jun's current vision and insight far surpassing his peers, he carefully observed that these three spear tips exuded a subtle air of ferocity and revealed a hint of profound mystery.
Xu Yuanzhen waved her sleeve, collecting the three spear tips.
In the air, there remained some remnants that resembled ashes.
"Keep these for now. They might come in handy later."
The woman in black said casually, "As for those three 'Barbarians,' we'll decide what to do with them after we leave."
Hearing this name, Lei Jun's eyebrows twitched slightly.
Lei Jun collected the ashes, and a name suddenly came to mind:
[Ru Siwen] Insult to Culture and Refinement
This name... Lei Jun couldn't help but find it amusing, yet he also guessed that this might be the so-called three-star opportunity that was mentioned earlier, along with a four-star opportunity.
His own breakthrough to the Seventh Heaven ahead of time should be one of them.
So, this 'Insult to Culture and Refinement' is probably another opportunity? The principles and insights contained within seemed to resonate with the aura of martial arts trampling on Confucian and cultural elegance that was exuded in the ruins.
However, as to what exact role it would play, that remained to be seen...
"Let's go."
Xu Yuanzhen took the lead.
As she took a step forward, the void in front of her distorted and blurred, and then a shining "portal" opened up.
Lei Jun followed closely behind and stepped into the void "portal."
...
In the outside world, in the snowy mountains of the northern border of Datang, the once icy and snowy landscape had already changed drastically.
With the collapse of the mountains, the snow melted on a large scale.
Above the sky, apart from the dazzling golden light and green fire, there was also a turbulent sword aura, along with meteor-like arrow flashes that streaked across the sky.
The battle had now reached a white-hot intensity.
Even Lin Che was no longer holding back.
As the sword aura flowed, the literary intent seemed to condense into a real landscape, and for a moment, it was as if a picturesque landscape of the south had been transported to the snowy north.
Amid the icy world, the landscape of the south seemed to form its own little world, and within it, Lin Che's sword moves weaved through the heavens and the earth, unrestrained.
The scroll-like landscape continued to unfold, blurring the boundaries of the real world.
In the heavens and the earth, there even seemed to be ancient music playing.
Compared to the refined and elegant style of the Lin Clan Master, the Tang Celestial Master's style was somewhat...wild.
With yin and yang in harmony and the combined might of dragon and tiger, she faced off against Lin Che, who had already achieved the 'Governing the Nation' realm, and despite being at a lower cultivation level, Tang Xiaotang's attacks were still fierce and relentless.
She possessed both powerful spiritual energy and the intricate subtleties passed down by the Celestial Master Mansion.
However, no matter how intricate the Taoist techniques were, in her hands, they always seemed to be executed with brute force...
But it was precisely because of this that Lin Che felt even more pressured.
Although Lin Che had recovered from his previous injuries, his vitality was still somewhat depleted.
At this moment, as he went head-to-head with Tang Xiaotang, he felt a sense of being out of breath, and the contemporary clan master of the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou seemed to be at a disadvantage.
Fortunately, Lin Yuwei was there to assist.
Although there were deep-seated conflicts within the direct and collateral lines of the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou, Lin Yuwei did not hesitate to lend his support.
One after another, his arrows pierced the sky like shooting stars, flying towards the golden and green Tai Chi diagram in mid-air.
With Lin Che holding the front line, Lin Yuwei maintained his distance from Tang Xiaotang and could focus all his efforts on the offensive, fully utilizing the advantages of the Confucian Divine Archer lineage.
(End of Chapter)
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