https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-254-253-The-Battle-Unveiled-Part-2-/12587093/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-255-A-Single-Slap-Decides-All-Part-2-/12587095/
Chapter 255: A Single Slap Decides All (Part 1)
Chapter 255: A Single Slap Decides All (Part 1)
To contact the imperial court, Lei Jun didn't use any extraordinary channels. Instead, he conveyed the relevant information back to his master, Yuan Mo Bai.
Yuan Mo Bai, from Dragon and Tiger Mountain, would carefully consider the matter and discuss it with Official Ning and Zhang Jing Zhen, who would then report it to the court.
The Tang imperial family was also closely monitoring the situation regarding Xuan Tian Temple, especially since Jinzhou, the focal point of this incident, was located right next to it.
Rumors had it that the Ye Clan of Jinzhou had been steadily infiltrating Xuan Tian Temple in a relatively gentle manner.
The temple itself had a conservative and closed-off demeanor, tending towards passivity and rarely reacting aggressively.
Over the years, the actions of the Ye Clan had reportedly been quite effective.
The Tang imperial family was engaged in counter-infiltration efforts.
Beneath the low-key and serene facade of this Buddhist sacred site, invisible tensions were already running high.
As for the Gao Clan's residence in Zezhou, located south of Jinzhou, they had been staunch allies of the Ye Clan for generations. With the support of the Ye Clan, they had become a well-known second-tier aristocratic family in the Great Tang Dynasty.
According to some ancient books that Lei Jun had read, the Gao Clan of Zezhou had risen to prominence by marrying a daughter of the Ye Clan.
The current head of the Gao Clan was Gao Xian, a rare upper-trinity scholar in the Great Tang Dynasty outside of the imperial family and the Five Surnames and Seven Families. His wife was indeed from a branch of the Ye family.
It was said that Gao Xian had spent his youth and young adulthood studying in Jinzhou.
Now that the Ye Clan of Jinzhou was facing a once-in-a-century crisis, all their covert influences were being mobilized.
Lei Jun concealed himself and stealthily made his way to the borders of Zezhou.
After scouting the area to ensure there was nothing unusual, he made his way towards the ancestral land of the Gao Clan.
...
In the sweltering summer, the estate sprawled out, with distant mountains and waters serving as a picturesque backdrop.
Although it was not as grand as the North and South Lin ancestral lands in Youzhou and Jiangzhou, it was still a spectacular sight, resembling a fortress.
This was the ancestral land of the Gao Clan of Zezhou.
At this moment, a young-looking but haggard-looking monk, a true disciple of Xuan Tian Temple named Yong Xiang, arrived outside the city.
"Your grandfather and father are both unwell and cannot receive guests at the moment. Please understand, Master Yong Xiang," said the Gao Clan disciple who received Yong Xiang, his expression unchanged.
Yong Xiang joined his palms together and said, "Then I would like to meet my senior brother, Jing Xiang. Please inform him of my arrival."
The Gao Clan disciple said, "Your esteemed sect has not visited here before."
Yong Xiang remained unmoved. "Please make an exception."
The Gao Clan disciple said, "I really don't understand what you're talking about."
Yong Xiang said, "Please inform Senior Brother Jing Xiang that I will wait for him outside."
After he finished speaking, the Xuan Tian Temple disciple stepped aside and stood by the gate of the Gao Clan's ancestral home. He sat down silently under a towering ancient tree outside the gate and began to meditate.
No matter what the Gao Clan disciples said, Yong Xiang ignored them and refused to leave. He continued reciting sutras.
A faint, lapis lazuli-like Buddhist light transformed into lotuses, enveloping Yong Xiang and enhancing his solemn and dignified bearing.
The Gao Clan disciples were truly at a loss for what to do with him.
The defensive and resilient nature of the Xuan Tian Temple's teachings was almost unparalleled in the world.
Yong Xiang's Buddhist teachings were exquisite, and he had already reached the Middle Trinity cultivation realm. Even the Gao Clan elders of the same realm couldn't do anything about him.
He didn't harm anyone, and the Gao Clan members couldn't harm him either. They were equally unable to drive him away.
The only way to deal with him was for the head of the Gao Clan, Gao Xian, to take action personally.
Or, the person he wanted to see would appear.
In the ancestral land of the Gao Clan, Gao Xian stood on a pavilion, gazing towards the distant tree with a frown.
Beside him were two people, one of whom was clearly a monk dressed as an ascetic.
The monk joined his palms together and said, "It's not a long-term solution to drag this out. The longer we wait, the more problems will arise. I'll go and persuade Junior Brother Yong Xiang."
He left the Gao Clan's ancestral land and went to the tree.
Yong Xiang, who had been expressionless and sorrowful, finally showed some emotion when he saw his senior monk. He sighed softly, "Senior Brother, you're really here."
Although Jing Xiang was also dressed as an ascetic, he had a faint smile on his face. "This place belongs to an old friend of mine. I heard that he hasn't been feeling well lately, so I came to visit."
Yong Xiang said, "It's only natural for Senior Brother to visit a friend. However, during these turbulent times, our temple is also facing unrest. After Senior Brother finishes visiting, please return to the temple with me."
Jing Xiang's expression remained unchanged. "Has something happened at the temple?"
Yong Xiang sighed. "Master and Abbot Kong Jian are having a serious disagreement."
Like Abbot Kong Jing, Kong Jian was also an elder of Xuan Tian Temple.
However, it was worth mentioning that before Abbot Kong Jian took his vows, his secular surname was Ye.
Jing Xiang asked, "What did the abbot say?"
Yong Xiang fell silent for a moment.
Jing Xiang's smile became more pronounced. "The abbot didn't say anything, did he? His silence speaks volumes."
Yong Xiang shook his head. "The abbot's intention is the same as mine in coming to find you, Senior Brother."
He looked directly at Jing Xiang. "We couldn't stop the battle in Jinzhou, but we must not add fuel to the fire. Otherwise, the situation will spiral out of control, and the consequences will eventually spread even further, Senior Brother."
Jing Xiang said calmly, "Everyone has their destiny, and the world is inherently full of suffering. The more karma there is, the more suffering there will be. I believe Junior Brother Yong Xiang understands this as well."
Yong Xiang nodded. "Of course."
Jing Xiang continued, "The one causing turmoil in this world right now is not our Xuan Tian Temple, nor is it Zezhou or Jinzhou."
Yong Xiang sighed. "Karma is entangled, and grudges and grievances only deepen over time. That's why our master hopes that the two sides of this Jinzhou battle will cease."
Jing Xiang said, "If it weren't for Xu Yuanzhen taking the initiative to provoke this war and the current emperor's subsequent instigation, there wouldn't be a battle in Jinzhou at all.
"This monk raised his head and gazed at the sky. 'If only all the sects in this world were as pure and self-contained as our temple, abstaining from creating conflicts. Then, many disputes and troubles would not exist. However, it's a pity that whether it's the Heavenly Master's Mansion or other places, none are as pure as our Xuan Tian Temple.'
Yong Xiang remained silent.
'Do you think this way because I was born into the Ye Clan of Jinzhou?'
Jing Xiang shook his head repeatedly. 'Since I've entered the monastic life, my past is already long gone. It's only because I cultivated the Buddhist teachings of this temple that I felt compelled to speak up.'
Yong Xiang said calmly, 'I'm not opposing your words, Senior Brother. But since the mortal world is as it is, it's already challenging for us to mediate. How can we involve ourselves and be mired in it?'
Jing Xiang said, 'Ending this quickly is the only way to save all sentient beings and spare them from suffering. As for the sins, the Buddha said, "If I do not enter hell, who will?" We monks must bear the burden.'
Yong Xiang remained unmoved by Jing Xiang's words and repeated, 'Senior Brother, it's better if we extinguish grudges. At the very least, let's not add fuel to the fire. Please return to the temple with me.'
'It seems neither of us can convince the other,' Jing Xiang said. 'In that case, we can only part ways.'
As he spoke, a lapis lazuli-colored Buddhist light also began to appear around Jing Xiang's body, indicating his intention to take action.
Yong Xiang's expression turned even more bitter as he sensed his senior brother's readiness for a fight.
Jing Xiang spoke with a calm and matter-of-fact tone, 'This matter must be kept confidential and not leaked. I'm afraid I have no choice but to offend you, Junior Brother. Please don't take it to heart.'
Yong Xiang's heart stirred slightly as he suddenly sensed an unimaginable, mighty, and belligerent aura emanating from the Gao Clan's ancestral land. However, it was restrained and orderly, with a dignified presence.
With the Gao Clan's ancestral land as the center, the cultured aura intertwined with the belligerent aura, blending the civil and martial arts. They wove together to form a illusory forest of blades, enveloping and isolating the surrounding landscape, creating an inner and outer divide.
With this, Yong Xiang's connection to the outside world was severed.
Across from him, Jing Xiang's killing intent became palpable.
The lapis lazuli-colored Buddhist light transformed into a sea of lotuses, engulfing Yong Xiang.
Yong Xiang used his own Buddhist light to evolve a giant lotus, isolating his senior brother's sea of flowers. For the moment, his safety was assured.
However, sensing Jing Xiang's killing intent, a foreboding premonition arose in his heart.
'Your cultivation has progressed quite a bit over the years,' Jing Xiang nodded calmly. 'You truly have the roots of wisdom. I'm sure you will surpass me soon and cultivate the Upper Three Heavens realm like Senior Brother Xin Xiang. I'm truly impressed and feel ashamed of my own lack of talent.'
When the cultivation and strength of Xuan Tian Temple disciples were similar, they often found themselves unable to defeat each other.
But at this moment, Jing Xiang suddenly took out an object.
It was a strange flower, palm-sized, with four petals. On the petals were black marks, scattered unevenly like splashes of ink on a white canvas.
'...The Unborn Flower?' Yong Xiang exclaimed in astonishment.
Jing Xiang smiled but remained silent.
The bizarre flower floated in the air under his control and landed on the lotus flower created by Yong Xiang's Buddhist light.
The Buddhist light trembled.
In the next moment, blood flowed on the lapis lazuli-colored lotus!
Where the illusory blood passed, the lotus created by the Buddhist light melted like snow under the scorching sun, disappearing rapidly.
Yong Xiang's body shook, and his originally dark complexion turned snow-white, followed by him vomiting a mouthful of blood.
The monks of the Buddhist sect had to uphold their precepts.
As long as the precepts were not broken, they would be endowed with divine powers.
A person could uphold multiple precepts, and different people could uphold the same or different precepts.
Cultivation, strength, and the upheld precepts were intricately linked.
Among the various precepts upheld by Yong Xiang, the foremost was the precept against killing.
This was also a precept practiced by many Xuan Tian Temple disciples.
Under normal circumstances, given the characteristics of the Xuan Tian Temple's inherited dharma, as long as the disciple was determined to uphold it, there was hardly any chance of breaking this precept.
But now, Yong Xiang's precept against killing had been shattered.
He had taken a life.
The life he took, however, was that of a strange flower.
One could say that the flower perished not because of Yong Xiang's Buddhist teachings, which were solely for self-protection, but due to its own peculiar nature.
The balance between life and non-life was disrupted upon contact with Yong Xiang's Buddhist teachings.
The flower was heading towards a true state of non-life.
Yong Xiang's precept, however, was also broken in the process.
Breaking the precept came at a cost.
Not only did he lose his Buddhist divine light, but he also suffered backlash, causing his resilient body to weaken and decay, no longer as sturdy and indestructible as before.
.................
Lei Jun traversed mountains and rivers and arrived outside the Gao Clan's ancestral land.
'Hmm?' His gaze sharpened.
On the outskirts of the Gao Clan's ancestral land, in addition to the cultured aura, there was also a belligerent aura rippling through the air.
Instead of surging wildly, the fierce aura was restrained and orderly, creating a separate world that isolated the inside from the outside.
However, Lei Jun noticed a person who looked like a blood gourd, pierced by countless arrows.
Upon closer inspection, he vaguely recognized the person as an acquaintance from the past.
The monk before him was Yong Xiang, a true disciple of Xuan Tian Temple, whose Buddhist name was Yong Xiang.
In the past, this monk had joined the Tang Dynasty's Divine Strategy Army in pursuing disciples of the White Lotus Sect. He had also intervened in unrelated matters, attempting to save a descendant of the Lin Clan from Jiangzhou who was being hunted by disciples of the Heavenly Master's Mansion.
However, Lei Jun had been more powerful and resourceful back then, killing those Lin Clan descendants right in front of Yong Xiang.
It had been quite a few years since they last met, and now they had unexpectedly encountered each other again.
However, at this moment, Yong Xiang suddenly collapsed to the ground.
Another monk, who also appeared to be a true disciple of Xuan Tian Temple, approached from behind, his palms joined together. "May the Buddha bestow compassion. My junior disciple, you sacrificed yourself to quell the impending disaster, and you should have no regrets."
After speaking, he waved his hand, and a lapis lazuli-colored lotus enveloped Yong Xiang. Then, he turned and returned to the Gao Clan's ancestral land.
Lei Jun raised his eyebrows slightly at the sight.
Had there been an internal conflict among the disciples of Xuan Tian Temple here in Zezhou, in favor of the Gao Clan?
Lei Jun retracted his gaze and scanned the surroundings again.
His eyes glinted with a subtle glow, and a faint light shone between his eyebrows as he observed the flow of spiritual energy in the land of the Gao Clan's ancestors.
The heavy aura of war was concentrated in this area, on a massive scale, such that Lei Jun could almost see the dense forest of spears and the layered armor with his naked eye.
This warlike aura was being constantly disciplined and organized by an even more profound power, resulting in an orderly and prepared state.
It was as if an invisible yet vast military camp had been established, with the army undergoing continuous training, obeying commands, and always ready for battle.
Military Rites.
Lei Jun had a sudden realization.
The core essence of Confucian teachings was called "Li," which encompassed rituals and etiquette.
In the Tang Dynasty's Confucian path of cultivation, it was also referred to as the Five Rites.
These were the Auspicious Rituals, the Inauspicious Rituals, the Military Rituals, the Guest Rituals, and the Jubilant Rituals.
Military rites pertained to military affairs and warfare.
This perfectly described the current situation, where Ye Moquan was preparing to face Xu Yuanzhen.
Although this was the ancestral land of the Gao Clan, the sophistication and grandeur of the military rites far exceeded what their family's teachings could accomplish. It was likely that it originated from the Ye Clan of Jinzhou.
Lei Jun recalled the previous divination signs that mentioned Xuan Tian Temple, the Gao Clan of Zezhou, the ruins of the Bodhi Temple, and the Ye Clan of Jinzhou itself. Combining this with his understanding of Confucian traditions over the years, he had a general idea of what was happening.
Ye Moquan had gone to great lengths to prepare for his confrontation with Xu Yuanzhen.
The four military rites of the four seasons were known as the spring inspection of troops, the summer encampment, the autumn military exercises, and the winter grand review.
The related rituals were set up in four relatively distant locations.
They crisscrossed the northern lands and rivers.
When the military rites were officially activated, they would harness the power of the vast rivers and mountains, shaking the four directions and transforming the area into a realm of endless warfare.
If the "barbarians" couldn't break through their opponent's advantage of geographical location, that advantage would be very real and might even be greater than expected.
"However, it's a bit inconvenient for me to do things..."
Above Lei Jun's head, the Two-Yi Heavenly Yuan Spell flashed for a moment.
He had initially considered using the Two-Yi Heavenly Yuan Spell to generate a large amount of Yuan magnetic force to isolate this place from the outside world, as he had done in the past.
(End of Chapter)
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