https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-271-270-A-Reputation-That-s-Hard-to-Live-Up-To-Part-1-/12587152/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-272-A-Bamboo-Slip-in-Hand-All-Treasures-Bow-Part-1-/12587154/
Chapter 271: 270. A Reputation That's Hard to Live Up To (Part 2)
Chapter 271: 270. A Reputation That's Hard to Live Up To (Part 2)
And on the Shushan side, from the sound of Liao Jie's words, their involvement was deeper than expected.
One could imagine that initially, individuals from the Pure Yang and Shushan sects began this endeavor, gradually spreading and connecting with like-minded people in secret.
However, it was unclear what special opportunity sparked this vision in that first person.
What was intriguing was that the Fu Lu School, which was originally closest to the Celestial Court officials, seemed somewhat marginalized for one reason or another.
Of course, the Huangtian Daoist Region's Nine Direction Island Sect had been exposed and attacked, resulting in the deaths of "Taiping Daoren," Qi Shuo, and others. This was not something Liu Dongzhuo, Liao Jie, Zhou Peng, and Gu Han wanted to see.
In this situation, capturing live prisoners was necessary; otherwise, it would be challenging to convince others when spreading the news... Lei Jun remained calm.
Since capturing live prisoners was the goal, Lei Daoist Master didn't plan to make too many moves himself. He would just stir things up from the sidelines and avoid putting himself in the spotlight.
Therefore, the most suitable method for now was, of course, to...
report to the authorities.
Lei Jun quietly watched Liao Jie and Mo Chen, holding two spirit talismans in his hand, which were glowing.
They were two Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talismans.
Upon hearing the term "Human Realm Dao Country," Lei Jun immediately activated the talismans.
Activating the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talismans at such a close distance could easily alert Liao Jie, a specialist in divine sense cultivation.
However, Lei Jun concealed it with his spiritual power, preventing Liao Jie and Mo Chen from detecting it. Their conversation, on the other hand, was clearly transmitted to a distant location.
In addition to the commonly used face-to-face communication method by Confucian scholars, the Tang imperial family also often purchased the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talismans from the Daoists for long-distance communication.
Lei Jun sent his voice out steadily.
Soon, someone arrived at their location.
This time, Liao Jie's eyes flickered with caution.
He suddenly turned his head to look into the distance.
There, amidst the stone forest, a figure was moving between the stone pillars with incredible speed, as if it were just a shadow flickering a few times before appearing nearby.
It was none other than Shangguan Sheng, a prominent general of the Tang Dynasty's Divine Strategy Army.
Shangguan Sheng's expression was neutral as his gaze shifted between Liao Jie and Mo Chen.
Liao Jie's expression returned to normal as he glanced at Mo Chen and then at Shangguan Sheng. "General Shangguan's arrival is quite timely. I've discovered that Mo Chen, a traitor of the Pure Yang Palace, is likely connected to Zhou Peng and the others. I was just about to capture and interrogate him."
Mo Chen remained silent, his expression filled with apprehension.
Shangguan Sheng nodded. "Yes, we should definitely interrogate him thoroughly... What is this about a 'Human Realm Dao Country'?"
Liao Jie was initially startled but quickly reminded himself to stay calm. "The Human Realm Dao Country? Is this something Mo Chen and Zhou Peng are plotting?"
"It's what you're plotting; why are you pretending to be clueless?" A young voice suddenly rang out from the distance.
Before he could finish his sentence, a tall figure enveloped in white light rushed towards them.
The newcomer didn't waste any time and immediately threw a punch at Liao Jie.
The speed was so fast that Liao Jie, a Seventh Heaven cultivator, could barely react.
Fortunately, the sudden appearance of Shangguan Sheng had already put Liao Jie on alert, and he had secretly prepared himself. At this moment, a large amount of blue flames surged forth, helping him withstand the attacker's blow.
At the same time, a pill furnace appeared above Liao Jie's head—his signature treasure, the Namely Treasure Furnace.
This treasure was refined by Liao Jie according to the model of the Shushan Sect's Six Great Treasures, specifically the Li Fire Cauldron. He had gathered a large number of heavenly materials and treasures and combined them with his own soul, eventually creating this signature treasure. It contained the rare Li Fire, a unique treasure of the Shushan Sect, renowned alongside the Dragon Tiger Mountain's Nine Abyss True Flame.
Unlike the violent nature of the Nine Abyss True Fire, the Namely Li Fire was more suitable for pill refining and artifact forging. Its flames were neither yin nor yang but contained both aspects, making it extremely versatile.
As the Namely Treasure Furnace appeared, Liao Jie instantly transformed into a stream of light and merged with his treasure, becoming one with it.
In the Daoist Refining Art sect, once a cultivator reached the Seventh Heaven, they were known as Dan Jie.
At this realm, the cultivator's physical body was completely shed, and their soul could change and manifest at will.
Afterward, when they resumed their original appearance, it was a manifestation of their soul's solidification and externalization.
With Liao Jie and his Namely Treasure Furnace united, they complemented and enhanced each other, causing his spiritual power to surge.
The surging blue flames transformed into a sea of fire.
However, the attacker, shrouded in white light, was extremely fast and fierce. He tore through the blue sea of fire created by the Namely Li Fire and instantly reached the Namely Treasure Furnace!
"Clang!"
Amid the loud collision, a punch landed squarely on the treasure furnace.
The terrifying force concentrated on a single point, causing the treasure furnace to shake and crack!
"Capture him alive!" Shangguan Sheng shouted.
The attacker, enveloped in white light, slowed down slightly, revealing his true identity—a tall and handsome young man wearing the armor of a Divine Strategy Army general. White light snaked across his body like electric snakes, and he was none other than Shen Quibing, the youngest Lang General of the Tang Dynasty's Divine Strategy Army.
Liao Jie, who was fused with the Namely Treasure Furnace, let out a painful hum as he tried to escape.
Shangguan Sheng had been waiting for Shen Quibing to arrive, and now that he had, he reminded him to capture the prisoner alive before flying forward to intercept Liao Jie, who had entrusted his soul to the treasure furnace.
In such close quarters, a martial cultivator's movement technique was extremely fast, especially with two people working together. Liao Jie had no chance of escaping.
As for Mo Chen on the other side, he was initially surprised that Shen Quibing and Shangguan Sheng seemed to completely ignore him and focus solely on Liao Jie. But he quickly snapped out of it and prepared to leave.
Shen Quibing had already reached the Seventh Heaven of Martial Body Cultivation, and Shangguan Sheng was also a veteran Seventh Heaven martial cultivator.
Mo Chen couldn't help Liao Jie in any way, so his only option was to leave and try to contact others.
However, as soon as Mo Chen moved, a large amount of black thunder appeared, trapping him.
The silent and invisible black thunder instilled fear in Mo Chen from the depths of his soul, forcing him to immediately release his golden core and defend himself with all his might.
Mo Chen looked up and saw a tall young Daoist in a purple robe appearing amidst the black thunder.
In the Dragon and Tiger Mountains, Lei Jun.
Mo Chen suddenly held his breath.
No matter how fast Shangguan Sheng and Shen Quibing were, they still gave some indication of their arrival.
But when did Lei Jun arrive?
After trapping Mo Chen with the Mysterious Thunder, Lei Jun didn't make any more moves. His gaze shifted towards Shen Quibing and Shangguan Sheng, who were teaming up to besiege Liao Jie, while he remained vigilant, keeping an eye out for any other movements in the surrounding area.
As expected, the continuous commotion drew the attention of everyone else in the Stone Forest.
Yue Xiling was the first to appear.
Then, Zhang Jingzhen, who had regained her composure, also showed herself.
Upon seeing Lei Jun, they both nodded in greeting.
Seeing Liao Jie being besieged by Shen Quibing and Shangguan Sheng, they were both surprised.
Although the battle itself was loud and chaotic, the situation soon became clear.
Even without Shangguan Sheng, Shen Quibing alone was more than capable of capturing Liao Jie. With his close-quarters combat skills, Liao Jie would find it difficult even to attempt an escape.
Shangguan Sheng joined the fight mainly to ensure that they could capture Liao Jie alive.
In no time, a large number of stone pillars in the Stone Forest collapsed and crumbled, sending dust flying everywhere, yet it couldn't conceal the white flashes of lightning that darted through the air like electricity.
What incredible speed... Lei Jun nodded in admiration.
Martial cultivators were inherently superior in terms of speed and explosive power, and Shen Quibing was an exceptional martial artist. Coupled with his mastery of advanced martial arts techniques and the enhancement of his Thunder Fairy Body, which generated white lightning, he posed a challenge for even Lei Jun to capture his movements with his eyes.
Among cultivators of the same realm, Shen Quibing was one of the rare few whom Lei Jun might not be able to keep up with in terms of speed, even with his full array of abilities: the Heavenly Mandate Talisman, the Celestial Array, and the Life Star God.
It wasn't that he considered Shen Quibing a hypothetical enemy, but Lei Jun couldn't help but wonder how he would fare against an opponent of similar caliber.
Shen Quibing dedicated himself solely to martial arts, and his Thunder Fairy Body seemed to merely enjoy the benefits of enhanced cultivation speed. His full potential remained untapped.
Of course, the one who should be worried about this at the moment wasn't Lei Jun but Liao Jie.
The Namely Treasure Furnace darted left and right, but aside from creating a few pits, cracks, and fissures, it served no other purpose.
In the end, Shen Quibing performed a move similar to a thousand-catty weight, stepping down on the treasure furnace from above and crushing it into the rubble of the collapsed Stone Forest, rendering it immobile.
Shangguan Sheng turned to look at Lei Jun and said with a nod, "Thank you for your help, Daoist Lei."
Lei Jun replied, "General, you're too kind. I just happened to be passing by and lent a helping hand."
Shen Quibing, standing on top of the Namely Treasure Furnace, smiled and said, "Daoist Lei, long time no see."
Lei Jun returned the smile, "General Shen, it's good to see you again."
On the other side, Shangguan Sheng briefly explained the situation to Yue Xiling and Zhang Jingzhen.
Yue Xiling, usually calm and composed, with a demeanor as steady as a deep abyss, showed a rare look of astonishment as he listened to Shangguan Sheng's words, "Human Realm Dao Country?! How absurd, how utterly absurd..."
Zhang Jingzhen's face remained impassive, and she said nothing.
Although Shangguan Sheng had heard the conversation between Liao Jie and Mo Chen through the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talismans sent by Lei Jun, he didn't mention Zhang Jingzhen's possession of a piece of the chapter tablet in front of Yue Xiling.
"I need to contact Mount Zhongnan immediately," Yue Xiling said solemnly after he had recovered from his surprise.
Lei Jun and Zhang Jingzhen exchanged glances, "We also need to report back to Dragon and Tiger Mountain."
Shangguan Sheng nodded, "Of course."
Given the seriousness of the matter, he would also need to report to the court as soon as possible.
Lei Jun asked, "What about the Shu Mountain Sect?"
Shen Quibing smiled and said, "The general came with me. He went to meet Chu Sheren and Wei Changlao in the direction of Snow Dragon Mountain. We will notify the general, and they will make the necessary arrangements."
There was currently only one general in the court, and that was Shangguan Yunbo, the Grand General of the Divine Strategy Army.
It turned out that he had led the team to the southwest.
Judging by the timing, it seemed that after receiving the news from Chen Donglou, the imperial family of the Tang Court had assessed the situation as complex, and they believed that Chu Yu, Shangguan Sheng, and the others needed stronger support. The southwest region also required the presence of more powerful experts.
Lei Jun had only known that Shen Quibing was nearby, so he used the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talismans to contact both Shen Quibing and Shangguan Sheng. He hadn't realized that Shangguan Yunbo had also come to the southwest.
With Liao Jie and Mo Chen captured, Lei Jun and the others left the Nanzhao Stone Forest. While they contacted their respective sects, they also made their way towards Snow Dragon Mountain to meet up with Chu Yu and the others.
After finishing his communication with his master, Yuan Mobai, Lei Jun turned to look at Zhang Jingzhen, who was standing beside him.
Lei Jun asked, "Senior Sister Zhang?"
Zhang Jingzhen said, "Lei Jun, I was disturbed and clouded by external influences, allowing myself to be blinded by greed and secretly keeping the Heavenly Palace Chapter Tablet. I feel ashamed."
Lei Jun said, "It's an individual's opportunity and their decision to keep it private. There's nothing inappropriate about it. However, this treasure is easily coveted by others, so Senior Sister should be more cautious."
Zhang Jingzhen asked, "I'm thinking of handing over the chapter tablet to the court. What do you think?"
Lei Jun said, "We need to thoroughly study its mysteries, and it would be best to return to Dragon and Tiger Mountain. However, it's also good to let the court handle it."
He understood Zhang Jingzhen's concerns.
Although Zhang Jingzhen was of imperial descent, her involvement with the Human Realm Dao Country made her identity sensitive.
Up until now, it seemed that Zhang Jingzhen had no connection with Liao Jie, Mo Chen, Zhou Peng, and the others.
But with the Heavenly Palace Chapter Tablet in her possession, she was bound to attract attention.
Zhang Jingzhen was deep in thought, while Shen Quibing was rather nonchalant.
He curiously asked Shangguan Sheng, "Is Chen Donglou really that strong?"
Shangguan Sheng replied, "I met him once many years ago, and he was worthy of the title of the best swordsman in Shu Mountain at that time."
Shen Quibing smiled and said, "So, when it comes to combat in the Shu Mountain Sect, it's still the sword cultivators who excel."
He glanced at the captured Liao Jie and lowered his voice, "Unlike this guy."
Shangguan Sheng said, "There are those who advance quickly in cultivation but lack real combat experience... Often, their reputation exceeds their actual abilities."
Shen Quibing turned to look at Lei Jun and then back at Liao Jie. He lowered his voice even further and said, "This Daoist Liao doesn't seem to have a big reputation either..."
Shangguan Sheng said, "...and that's the problem."
PS: 7k chapter
(End of Chapter)
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