Seeking Fortune And Avoiding Calamity, Starting From The Heavenly Master's Mansion Chapter 272: A Bamboo Slip in Hand, All Treasures Bow (Part 1) - Novel Cool

Chapter 272: A Bamboo Slip in Hand, All Treasures Bow (Part 1)

Chapter 272: A Bamboo Slip in Hand, All Treasures Bow (Part 1)

Officer Shangguan's gaze shifted between Liao Jie and Lei Jun.

To be fair, Liao Jie was not insignificant. At a young age, he had cultivated to the Upper Three Heavens realm, and in the Great Tang, his potential was limitless no matter where he was placed.

However, in recent years, he had mostly secluded himself in Shu Mountain, rarely venturing out, which had diminished his fame somewhat.

But with his recent achievement of the Dan Jie realm, the seventh heaven of the Daoist Forge Sect, his name had once again resounded through the Great Tang.

However, the magnitude of one's fame was sometimes relative. Even at the peak of Liao Jie's reputation, he was still not as renowned as Lei Jun at this moment.

In just over twenty years, Lei Jun had not only reached the Seventh Heaven realm but had also defeated Lin Chi of Jiangzhou and then destroyed Huang Tian's Grand Dao Qi. These were all tangible achievements.

As fellow rising stars of the Daoist sect, Liao Jie would at least need to defeat an opponent of the same Upper Three Heavens realm to be considered worthy of comparison.

And even then, he would barely be scraping by. If he wanted to be mentioned in the same breath as Lei Jun, he still had a long way to go.

Moreover, within the ranks of the Shu Mountain sect, Liao Jie still had a peer named Zhang Taogang who overshadowed him.

As for combat abilities, it was true that Liao Jie was not particularly strong.

However, for cultivators of the Daoist Forge Sect, their true power lay in their cultivation of arts and their natal magical treasures and artifacts.

Liao Jie had only recently achieved the Seventh Heaven realm and had immediately ventured out, even neglecting to enhance his natal magical treasures from the Lower and Middle Three Heavens realms. All his efforts had been focused on crafting his first natal artifact, the Brilliant Treasure Furnace of the Southern Ming. Although the artifact was complete, it still needed time to be carefully nurtured and matured, and at this early stage, it lacked sharpness.

Facing opponents like Shen Quibing and Officer Shangguan, masters of martial arts, he was at a disadvantage. Especially against Shen Quibing's speed, by the time the Southern Ming Li Fire from the Brilliant Treasure Furnace had reached its full scale, Shen Quibing had already closed the distance and left Liao Jie with no room to maneuver.

Unfortunately, Liao Jie would not have another chance to prove himself.

Officer Shangguan glanced at Lei Jun once more.

Compared to Liao Jie, this Lei Daoist had not only rapidly advanced in cultivation but was also formidable in combat.

Such a person's true strength might even exceed his outward reputation. Shangguan had underestimated him in the past, but it was fortunate that he was taking him seriously now, and it wasn't too late... Officer Shangguan mused.

Lei Jun remained calm and collected, walking side by side with Zhang Jingzhen. He could vaguely sense that she carried the lower half of the Celestial Chapter within her.

Under normal circumstances, Zhang Jingzhen would also sense it and realize that the lower half of the Celestial Chapter was right beside her, with Lei Jun.

However, Lei Jun had used the Xuan Xu Mirror to conceal the lower half of the Celestial Chapter, barely leaking any aura.

Unlike Chen Yi and Zhang Jingzhen, who always had a cultivation base gap between them, Lei Jun and Zhang Jingzhen were at similar cultivation levels, and Lei Jun's strength exceeded hers. With his intention to conceal his power, Zhang Jingzhen was completely unaware.

Zhang Jingzhen intended to present the lower half of the Celestial Chapter to the Tang court, and Lei Jun agreed.

With the upper half in his possession, the matter would inevitably involve Longhu Mountain sooner or later.

As for the Celestial Chapter itself, it was extraordinary and hinted at unknown future entanglements, which secretly concerned Lei Jun.

"Elder Lei, the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Talismans produced by your Celestial Master's Mansion in recent years are much better than before. Can you spare a couple more for me?" Shen Quibing asked Lei Jun with some embarrassment.

"Of course," Lei Jun replied, handing him two talismans. "But be cautious. They are not always reliable. Just now, in the Nanzhao Stone Forest, it was because a collision in the stone forest temporarily shook and dispelled many illusions that I was able to use the talisman to contact General Shen and General Shangguan in time."

Shen Quibing took the talismans and thanked him.

As they were chatting, a message came through from Chu Yu via the 'seeing words as seeing a person' technique.

Shangguan Yunbo arrived in time with the Pacifying Chaos Golden Lance and successfully repelled the enemy's ambush in Snow Dragon Mountain.

It was uncertain if it was expected, but apart from Pure Yang Palace's former Elder Gui, Xuanwu, the other ambusher, although holding the Seven Star Sword, was not the long-missing Chen Donglou.

Instead, it was another Shu Mountain sect elder of the Eighth Heaven realm, impersonating Chen Donglou.

His name was Wang Dongchu.

"If I'm not mistaken..." Lei Jun looked at Liao Jie, "he is Wang Dongchu's direct disciple, isn't he?"

Zhang Jingzhen, now with a calm mind, also looked at Liao Jie and nodded, "Yes, that's correct."

Liao Jie, who had been gritting his teeth, feigned ignorance and claimed that Lei Jun, Officer Shangguan, and Shen Quibing were framing him.

But when he heard that his master, Wang Dongchu, had impersonated Chen Donglou and failed in his ambush on Chu Yu, his body swayed slightly, and his expression became dejected.

"At this point, there's no use arguing," Officer Shangguan said to Liao Jie. "You might as well confess honestly."

Although Liao Jie looked dejected, he remained silent.

Shen Quibing spoke up, "Dan Ding sect's Gui Han and Wang Dongchu of the Forge sect have fled in different directions. The Great General is currently pursuing Wang Dongchu. Chu She Ren and Shu Mountain Wei are chasing Gui Han, but they have lost track of him for now and have joined us."

Officer Shangguan nodded and looked at Liao Jie, who appeared resigned to his fate, and Mo Chen, who was standing beside him. "For now, let's take these two captives back to the Great Tang."

The southwestern wilderness was no longer under the jurisdiction of the Great Tang Dynasty; it was a complex environment, and long-distance communication was inconvenient.

After Chu Yu and Wei Qiuyue joined Lei Jun and the others, they tried to contact Shangguan Yunbo, but there was no response for a short time.

It was possible that the distance between the two parties was too great, or that the other party was currently in a place where spiritual energy was chaotic and confusing.

Or perhaps they were engaged in a fierce battle.

"I request to go south again and serve under the Great General," Officer Shangguan said solemnly.

Shen Quibing said, "I would like to go as well."

Lei Jun, who had been quietly standing to the side, suddenly had a flash of light in his mind, and words appeared:

"The Shu Mountain sect is in turmoil, and the heavens are stirring. In the southern wilderness, a spiritual sword is buried, and only fortune and misfortune are self-determined.

Lei Jun's expression remained unchanged, but his heart was filled with caution as he carefully studied the three fortunes that flew out of the light sphere:

[Middle-high fortune: Head south to Tiannan, go to the southern foot of the Ancient Tree on Ancient Wood Mountain, there is an opportunity to obtain a third-grade opportunity and a fourth-grade opportunity each. There are risks along the way, so be cautious and resolve them properly. Subsequent entanglements of cause and effect should be approached with caution, auspicious.]

[Middle-middle fortune: Go to Ancient Wood Mountain and places beyond the summit of Shu Mountain, neither gaining nor losing anything, neutral.]

[Middle-low fortune: Head north to the main peak of the Shu Mountain Sect, no additional gains, but encountering great storms. Be extremely cautious, ominous.]

Lei Jun looked at the fortunes, and his curiosity was piqued.

Heading south would mean going to Shangguan Yunbo's side. Although there might be some storms along the way, there was a chance to obtain a third-grade and a fourth-grade opportunity consecutively.

Going north would mean escorting Liao Jie and Mo Chen, the prisoners of the state, back north to the Great Tang with Chu Yu and the others.

The original plan was to travel through Shu to reach Guanzhong Chang'an and meet the Emperor.

However, would there be a big problem with the Shu Mountain Sect? Was there more than one high-ranking member of the Human Daoist Country hiding there, not just Wang Dongchu?

But logically, they would be more likely to cut off ties with Wang Dongchu and Liao Jie to distance themselves from the situation.

Would they expose themselves to save Liao Jie or cover up their tracks?

This might depend on how much Liao Jie knew.

But seeing how Liao Jie lost all hope when he found out about Wang Dongchu's exposed identity, he might only know about Wang Dongchu when it came to the high-ranking members of the Human Daoist Country.

Most likely, it was his beloved master, Wang Dongchu, who guided and developed him on this path.

As long as Wang Dongchu doesn't fall into their hands, even if there are other high-ranking members of the Human Daoist Country in the Shu Mountain Sect, they probably won't make any rash moves... Lei Jun thought to himself.

Lei Jun was curious, but he didn't dwell on it.

Among these three fortunes, he naturally chose the best one.

"I shall accompany the two generals and lend my aid to the Great General."

Lei Jun said with a calm expression, "This matter of the Human Daoist Country is shocking, and I intend to investigate further."

Chu Yu looked at Lei Jun and nodded slightly. "In that case, we shall trouble Lei Daozhang."

Lei Jun thought for a moment and added, "This time, as we return to the Great Tang, the journey is long. Chu Qizi and Zhang Shimei, please also be careful."

"Thank you for your reminder, Lei Daozhang. We will be careful," Zhang Jingzhen replied.

Chu Yu smiled. "With the demons causing chaos in the country, it's hard to distinguish between the loyal and the treacherous. But towards Lei Daozhang, towards the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Daoists, His Majesty and I have always had deep trust."

Lei Jun returned the courtesy with a Daoist bow. "Chu Qizi is too kind."

Seeing Chu Yu and the others off, Lei Jun fell into deep thought.

Chu Yu seemed to be hinting at something beyond her words.

She wasn't being cryptic towards Lei Jun, but rather, she was alluding to someone else.

It seemed that she had some clues or suspicions about someone.

The group split up, with most of them heading north. Lei Jun, Shangguan Sheng, and Shen Quibing, with a small entourage, headed south to further venture into the southwestern lands.

After some twists and turns, they re-established contact with the Divine Strategy Army's Great General, Shangguan Yunbo.

He was pursuing Wang Dongchu in the Ancient Wood Mountain area.

Upon hearing this name, Lei Jun's expression remained unchanged.

He, along with Shen Quibing and Shangguan Sheng, headed towards Ancient Wood Mountain.

The southwestern lands were filled with contiguous mountain ranges, so it was no surprise that Ancient Wood Mountain was also a part of this landscape. In addition to the continuous mountains, there were also vast stretches of ancient trees that reached into the sky, creating a majestic scene.

As Lei Jun and his companions approached the Ancient Wood Mountain area, Lei Jun suddenly sensed something and saw in the distance, above the mountain ranges, dazzling sword lights flashing.

In addition to the sword lights, there was a figure that moved so fast it was almost impossible, seemingly ignoring the distance of space. This figure held a black-gold spear and continuously weaved through the air.

It was none other than Shangguan Yunbo.

The sword lights he was facing, although Lei Jun had never seen them before, he had heard of them. They were the two great natal magic treasures refined by Wang Dongchu when he was at the Seventh Heaven and Eighth Heaven realms—the Unity Sword and the Shadow Sword.

Although they were not as famous as the two great flying swords of the Shu Mountain, Ziwei and Qingming, they were still well-known throughout the world.

Earlier, when he had impersonated Chen Donglou, he had used Chen Donglou's Seven Star Sword to ambush Chu Yu.

On the one hand, Wang Dongchu had believed that with his Eighth Heaven Immortal Journey's third level cultivation, along with the advantage of striking first, he would be more than a match for Chu Yu.

On the other hand, his original plan had been to frame Chen Donglou.

By ambushing Chu Yu with the Seven Star Sword and then finding an opportunity to escape, he could mislead the Tang court's line of sight.

Wang Dongchu and the others had no intention of killing Chu Yu on the spot.

Now was not the time for the Human Daoist Country to reveal themselves and rise in rebellion.

What they wanted to see was the constant friction and attrition between the Tang court and the affiliated sects, as well as the Five Surnames and Seven Families.

But unfortunately, Shangguan Yunbo arrived, and both Wang Dongchu and Gu Han had no choice but to retreat as quickly as possible.

Even so, Wang Dongchu was still being closely pursued by Shangguan Yunbo.

Shangguan Yunbo had the Pacifying Chaos Golden Lance with him on this journey, and Wang Dongchu knew he had no chance of victory, so how could he dare to use Chen Donglou's Seven Star Sword again? He had no choice but to bring out his own natal magic treasures, the Unity Sword and the Shadow Sword.

With the Unity Sword, he flew in retreat, his speed like flowing light, incredibly fast.

Only by doing so could he barely dodge the swift and fierce attacks of Shangguan Yunbo.

But he was still forced into a perilous situation.

The other six natal magic treasures had already been destroyed.

Now, above Ancient Wood Mountain, he was once again intercepted by Shangguan Yunbo, and even his natal magic treasure, the Shadow Sword, was broken! Wang Dongchu himself was also severely injured, his immortal soul almost cleaved in half by the Pacifying Chaos Golden Lance.

Fortunately, he had managed to retreat to the place he had intended.

As Lei Jun and the others neared the northern foot of Ancient Wood Mountain, spreading out to form a encirclement and provide support for Shangguan Yunbo, the mountain ranges below suddenly began to shake.

Lei Jun lowered his head and saw that among the mountains and forests, sword lights soared into the sky, forming a seven-star distribution.

It turned out to be Chen Donglou's Seven Star Sword, dispersed by Wang Dongchu and arranged here.

He risked damaging his natal magic treasures and artifacts but didn't use the Seven Star Sword to fend off the tribulation. Was it because this Seven Star Sword served another purpose?

As the sword lights illuminated the sky, the towering ancient trees in the mountains began to burn spontaneously.

The burning trees produced no flames, but instead generated vast amounts of smoke.

In an instant, the smoke spread, unaffected by the gale-force winds that attempted to disperse it.

Layer upon layer of mist and fog expanded, covering a vast area and enveloping the mountains and valleys for hundreds of li around, continuing to spread even further.

Lei Jun and his companions, enveloped within this mist, witnessed one last scene before their vision was obscured: Shangguan Yunbo, undeterred, unleashed a fierce strike, cleaving the Unity Sword in two!

The Unity Sword let out a mournful cry as it fell into the thick mist below.

Shangguan Yunbo pursued the Unity Sword relentlessly, refusing to let it out of his sight.

The smoke and fog expanded rapidly, engulfing Lei Jun and the other two.

Within the shroud of smoke, their senses were greatly diminished.

Lei Jun, though enveloped in the mist, maintained a calm and focused mind. The divine light of the Tian Tong Di Che Fa Lu flowed subtly within his eyes, and a line of spiritual light extended outward from between his brows.

After discerning the direction, he made his way towards the southern foot of Ancient Wood Mountain.

The smoke and fog covered a vast area, enveloping not only the northern foothills but also the southern reaches of the mountains.

However, the trees on the southern slopes remained standing, their branches swaying incessantly in the storm of spiritual energy.

Among them stood the tallest and most ancient tree, the Ancient Divine Tree, Lei Jun's destination.

As he reached the base of the Ancient Divine Tree, he noticed a faint glow emanating from where the tree roots penetrated the mountain rocks and soil.

It resembled a seed, gestating and pulsating with life.

The seed was purple, shimmering like starlight, and from within it, a sharp sword aura emerged.

Lei Jun observed it for a moment before pointing his finger at the purple seed.

At the touch of his spiritual power, the purple seed suddenly unfolded, transforming into a purple light that hung suspended in mid-air.

Sword light.

Within the purple light, countless stars seemed to twirl and dance, while the purple light itself remained steadfast at the center, unmoving and dominant among its peers.

Perceiving the profound insight within, Lei Jun understood: It was the Ziwei Sword, one of the six great treasures of Shu Mountain.

However, it was not the Ziwei Sword itself.

(End of Chapter)

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