Chapter 278: 277. Second-Rank Opportunity, Divine Court Foundation

Chapter 278: 277. Second-Rank Opportunity, Divine Court Foundation

In the Daoist School of Artifice's Seven Heavens, a cultivator who has reached the Dan Jie realm has completely shed their mortal body. Zheng Dongying's current appearance is a transformation of her immortal soul.

Losing one's head does not necessarily mean certain death.

However, at this moment, neither her head, which flew into the air, nor her body, which remained in place, could continue to sustain themselves. Instead, they seemed to crumble from within, unable to withstand some unseen power.

As her body scattered, there was a faint rumble of thunder and fire, incinerating Zheng Dongying's immortal soul.

The aftermath of this continued to affect her soul, causing it to disintegrate on the spot, her spirit and consciousness scattering.

The sword light that flew out, however, seemed to separate in mid-air.

It appeared to split into two, yet also merged into one, one bright and one dark, like twin stars existing together.

This was the sixth sword of the Seven Star Sword, the Kaiyang Sword.

When this sword was first refined, it was created as a pair, one main and one auxiliary, with the sword light appearing as one bright and one dark, capable of separating and merging.

Therefore, to be precise, the Seven Star Sword currently consisted of eight flying swords, not seven.

After the Kaiyang Sword light slashed through Zheng Dongying, it did not stop, continuing to fly forward, passing by Jiang Yu and Guo Ling, and then piercing into the ground, splitting the mountain ridge in two. The sword light, embedded in the earth, radiated a chilling aura, akin to a boundary monument that deterred any approach.

Even though Guo Ling was not the intended target, she couldn't help but feel a chill at this moment, daring not to make any rash moves.

Even Jiang Yu, who had been arguing with Zheng Dongying earlier, felt the same. She, too, had questions about Chen Donglou's reappearance after being absent for so many years.

At this moment, Jiang Yu, like Zheng Dongying and Guo Ling, was shaken to her core.

On one hand, she was shocked that Chen Donglou had truly returned to the mortal realm, and on the other, she was awestruck by the power of the sword strike moments ago.

"Chen Donglou" stood proudly amidst the mountain ridges, the renowned Seven Star Sword floating around him, merging and separating in the air. The sword light was sharp and piercing, not only deterring Guo Ling from acting recklessly but also causing Jiang Yu to remain stationary for a moment.

Although there were some oversights, the overall effect was not bad... Lei Jun nodded inwardly.

He didn't possess the innate talent of Kang Ming or the serendipitous opportunities of Chen Yi, who inherited the legacies of two lineages simultaneously.

As a cultivator of the Talisman School, Abbot Lei was not well-versed in the Sword Manipulation techniques of the School of Artifice.

Or rather, he didn't know the conventional sword manipulation techniques.

However, he had his own creation—the Yuan Magnetism "Sword Art."

Abbot Lei was quite familiar with this skill.

He could now gather the power of Yuan Magnetism with ease.

Normally, the gathering of Yuan Magnetism, the projection of the flying sword, and the traces left behind after attacking an opponent could provide clues if examined carefully.

But Chen Donglou had left behind the entire set of seven flying swords.

As the Kaiyang Sword light flew out, the other six swords hovered in the air, merging and separating, with the sword intent flowing and resonating, obscuring the two Yi Tian Yuan Fa Lu talismans that Lei Jun had used to gather the Yuan Magnetism.

And the reason Lei Jun chose the Kaiyang Sword was precisely because of its dual-star characteristic.

Through specialized practice, he had learned to use the main sword for attack while imbuing the auxiliary sword with a trace of the dark side's efficacy from the Heavenly Tome.

With the sword light splitting into two, there was a clear sequence, immediately erasing any traces of Yuan Magnetism that might arouse suspicion. However, due to the speed of the sword light, neither Jiang Yu nor Guo Ling could detect it.

Compared to focusing all his energy and then releasing the sword, the strike Lei Jun had just performed seemed effortless. At such a close distance, accuracy was not an issue, and while the power had not yet reached its peak, it was more than sufficient.

After all, he was no longer using sword pellets; he was wielding the legendary flying sword that Chen Donglou had used to dominate the cultivation world in the past.

It was a definite upgrade from a pellet to a cannon.

Of course, there were still issues.

Essentially, it was still an upgraded version of the Yuan Magnetism sword pellet, with the pellet simply replaced by a flying sword.

Therefore, while this "cannon" had tremendous speed and destructive power, Lei Jun couldn't manipulate the flying sword with the same flexibility and control as the true Chen Donglou or others like Wang Dongchu and Zheng Dongying, who could wield them like extensions of their fingers.

However, that wasn't a problem for now. With the Kaiyang Sword light embedded in the ground as a warning, it was enough to deter Jiang Yu and Guo Ling from making any hasty moves.

At such a close distance, with the Kaiyang Sword light already halted, it was easy for Lei Jun to slowly recall the flying sword. Of course, he didn't rush to do so, maintaining the pretense for the time being.

Lei Jun waved his hand again, and the remaining objects left by Zheng Dongying floated over to him.

"It won't be easy for you to contact Fu Dongsen either."

With a disdainful expression on his face, the Lei Jun disguised as Chen Donglou inspected the items, finally selecting a flying sword and flicking it with his finger, "What's the point of following them?"

With a flick of his finger, the sword light shifted, but its primary purpose wasn't for attack.

Instead, it was for the Shu Mountain Sect's sword-transmitted message.

"Chen Donglou" scoffed, "Fu Dongsen, instead of diligently cultivating the sect's arts, you're pinning your hopes on receiving a heavenly mandate. How will you carry on the legacy and forge new paths if you're so obsessed with the past? You've disgraced the Shu Mountain Sect!

If you won't come to meet me, then don't blame me for being impolite. I'll kill anyone associated with you, one by one, or in pairs if there are two."

After speaking, he flicked the sword light again, and it vanished from its original spot, darting off into the distance.

Lei Jun secretly paid attention and noticed that the sword light disappeared into the void.

The spiritual sense connection he had with it did not seem to be interrupted by distance but rather by some intermediary existence.

The Taiyi Xiantian Pagoda truly lives up to its reputation, capable of absorbing stars and shifting the moon, shifting through space. Lei Jun nodded inwardly.

With this treasure in hand, even if he had seized the flying sword messages from Zheng Dongying, Liu Dongzhuo, and the others from the outside world, it would still be difficult to locate Fu Dongsen based on that information.

But that was not a problem.

Practice makes perfect.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Lei Jun's research and expertise in this area were unique compared to others in this world.

As he accumulated more clues and experiences, the quantitative changes would eventually lead to a qualitative transformation.

Moreover, there was another arrangement in place at the New Huangtian Zongtan in the Xueling Mountains of Western Sichuan.

After sending a sword message to Fu Dongsen in Chen Donglou's tone, infused with the influence of the Xianzong purple light, Lei Jun turned his attention elsewhere.

His gaze shifted to Jiang Yu and Guo Ling.

"Chen Jianzhang, I, Jiang Yu of Chunyang Palace, pay my respects."

Having calmed herself, the female crown faced "Chen Donglou" without arrogance or impatience, offering a Daoist salute.

"Chen Donglou" stood with his hands behind his back and asked, "I heard that Chunyang Palace recently accepted a new disciple with a pure yin immortal body. Is that you?"

Jiang Yu replied, "I am but a novice, please guide me, Chen Jianzhang."

"Chen Donglou" spoke, "A teacher can only take you to the door; cultivation depends on the individual."

"Chen Jianzhang's words are true. I cultivate day and night, never daring to slack off," Jiang Yu acknowledged.

Glancing at Guo Ling, who was unsure whether to advance or retreat, Jiang Yu continued, "As for this person, I hope Chen Jianzhang can spare his life for now. I would like to take him back to Chunyang Palace for interrogation.

The Human Immortal Nation is deeply involved, and my sect's palm-seat master uncle, as well as my grandmaster and master, are all paying close attention to this matter. May I invite Chen Jianzhang to Chunyang Palace to discuss the relevant matters?"

"Chen Donglou" nonchalantly responded, "Shushan is Shushan, and Chunyang is Chunyang. You should clean up your own mess before talking about other things."

With that, he turned and re-entered the mountain's interior.

The Kaiyang Sword, which had been planted in the distance like a boundary marker, automatically rose into the air and flew back to "Chen Donglou's" side, merging with the other sword lights before disappearing.

Although he had taken away the Kaiyang Sword and vanished from sight, Guo Ling still dared not make any rash moves.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yu contacted Chunyang Palace while black Xuan ice appeared around her body and spread towards Guo Ling. "Give up your futile resistance. You can't escape now."

Guo Ling's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot, but he did not dare to act recklessly.

Although Chen Donglou was no longer in sight, he could still easily strike with a sword from that distance.

While Dan Ding cultivators had strong defenses due to their released Golden Pills, just witnessing the power of the previous sword strike, Guo Ling knew that if he were to be hit, his situation wouldn't be much better than Zheng Dongying's. Even if he didn't die, he would be severely injured.

At this distance, it would be difficult for him to dodge or escape.

Moreover, there was also Jiang Yu, a formidable opponent.

The previous direct confrontation had already made the situation clear.

To some extent, Jiang Yu, a fellow sect member, was a natural counter to Guo Ling's type of Daoist Dan Ding cultivator.

In a one-on-one situation without any helpers, fighting was not an option. Even fleeing would be difficult.

Even contemplating a desperate move seemed challenging.

Jiang Yu's supernatural powers were extremely effective in capturing enemies alive.

Inside the mountain's belly, Lei Jun temporarily ignored Jiang Yu and Guo Ling outside.

Still disguised as Chen Donglou, his attention returned to the Eight Scenic Winds within the mountain.

Due to Lei Jun's earlier disruption, the Eight Scenic Winds no longer maintained their previous seamless unity.

With a lapse in this "cage," Wang Xuan, who was being suppressed within, immediately attempted to break free from his confinement.

Unfortunately, his Nascent Soul had been weakened over a long period, and he not only failed to escape the containment of the Eight Scenic Winds but also faced the possibility of being entrapped again as the winds showed signs of re-converging after Lei Jun's departure.

Lei Jun waved his hand, and the Seven Star Sword separated and attacked, once again cutting through the Eight Scenic Winds.

Finally, the special wind wall formed by the Eight Scenic Winds collapsed.

Before the gale winds could scatter, Lei Jun waved his hand again.

The seven sword lights flowed and pulled the gale winds together, compressing them into what appeared to be a ball of light.

As the gale winds dissipated, a Nascent Soul emerged from within.

The soul's radiance shifted and coalesced into a vague, unstable human form that resembled a middle-aged Daoist—Wang Xuan, the former Zhuque Elder of Chunyang Palace, as Lei Jun remembered him.

Like Gu Han, Wang Xuan had once been one of the outstanding figures among the younger generation of Chunyang Palace.

However, they had chosen vastly different paths.

During the Demon Conflict in Guanlong, it was Wang Xuan who had taken the fall for Gu Han's actions.

It was only later, when the truth about Feng Yi, Gu Han, and others came to light, that some of the mysteries surrounding the Human Immortal Nation were gradually revealed.

But Wang Xuan's survival and intentions remained a mystery until this day.

Upon seeing the Shu Mountain Daoist clad in mourning robes before him, Wang Xuan was taken aback: "You... Chen Donglou? You're not dead?"

Having interacted with Chen Donglou face-to-face on more than one occasion, Wang Xuan, though not a close friend, was more familiar with him than Guo Ling or Jiang Yu.

However, he, too, could not see through Lei Jun's disguise and was shocked by Chen Donglou's reappearance. "You're not dead?"

"What if I am?"

"Chen Donglou" put away the light ball and the faerie sword, saying, "It seems you're at your last breath. Save your strength."

He exited the mountain's interior but did not leave immediately, his gaze turning towards the south.

Jiang Yu had already sealed Guo Ling within the black Xuan ice, and his gaze was also directed towards the south.

There, the figure of Lu Jinduan appeared, hurrying towards them.

Upon seeing "Chen Donglou," a flash of surprise crossed the old Daoist's face as well.

And when he saw Wang Xuan's Nascent Soul floating out from the mountain, Lu Jinduan was even more astonished.

"Uncle Master Lu..." Wang Xuan appraised him for a moment before heaving a long sigh.

In this situation, he didn't know whom to trust.

To some extent, he even trusted Chen Donglou, who was indifferent to everyone but had always advocated for freedom and non-interference, more than his own sect members.

However, in the current situation, he had no other choices, nor could the outcome be any worse.

If not for the unexpected appearance of Chen Donglou, he wouldn't have gone from the tiger's mouth into the wolf's den.

Therefore, despite his weakened state, Wang Xuan straightened his expression and asked bluntly, "Uncle Master Lu, how is the Sect Leader Shixiong? Where are Rong Guangchen and Gu Han?"

In addition, he also mentioned the names of two other Pure Yang Palace elders of the Seventh Heavens realm.

Lu Jinduan's heart skipped a beat, but he maintained his composure, "......Uncle Master Rong?"

Wang Xuan said in a deep voice, "I was first ambushed by Gu Han, then attacked by a great demon. After losing my physical body, my Nascent Soul escaped, and I happened to meet Rong Guangchen. I thought he would uphold justice, but it turned out that he was the mastermind. He suppressed my Nascent Soul and imprisoned me here."

Lu Jinduan took a deep breath and said, "The Sect Leader Shixiong is in the palace. You and Jiang Yu, follow me back."

As he spoke, he turned to Lei Jun, who was disguised as Chen Donglou, "Friend Chen, it's been many years, and you're still as vigorous as ever..."

"Chen Donglou" said, "Let's not stand on ceremony. The Eight Scenic Winds here are quite remarkable. I've taken them for myself. As for the internal affairs of your Pure Yang Palace, you can handle them yourselves. As I've said, what belongs to Shu Mountain stays with Shu Mountain, and what belongs to Pure Yang stays with Pure Yang."

Guo Ling was one thing, but the matter between Wang Xuan and Rong Guangchen was no small issue. Seeing that "Chen Donglou" was not going to interfere, Lu Jinduan didn't say more. He took a deep breath, "If our sect receives any news about Fu Dongsen and the others, we can inform you, and likewise, if you, Friend Chen, have any news about Gu Han and the others..."

"Chen Donglou" interrupted, "If you have any news about Fu Dongsen and the others, just inform the people at Xiaoding directly. As for Gu Han and the rest, we'll talk about it later."

With that, he strode away without another word.

Lu Jinduan watched as "Chen Donglou" disappeared from view and shook his head slightly.

Regardless, it was a good thing that this person was not an enemy and had no affiliation with the Human Immortal Nation.

Lu Jinduan kept such thoughts to himself and turned to Jiang Yu instead.

After listening to Jiang Yu's account of what she had seen and heard, Lu Jinduan looked back at Wang Xuan, "I understand your concerns, and the truth of this matter will soon be revealed. But before that, Wang Xuan, I'm afraid you'll have to endure a little longer."

Wang Xuan sighed, "For me, a little while longer doesn't make a difference, and the situation can't get any worse.

I just hope that the changes here won't alert Rong Guangchen and cause him to suddenly lash out."

Lu Jinduan nodded and then instructed Jiang Yu, "Keep an eye on Guo Ling."

Jiang Yu replied, "Yes, Master Ancestor."

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

After leaving North Light Mountain, Lei Jun did not immediately remove his disguise as Chen Donglou. He only concealed his own figure.

Once he found a relatively safe and hidden location, Lei Jun stopped and attempted to contact his senior martial sister, Xu Yuanzhen.

"Rong Guangchen," Lei Jun and Xu Yuanzhen exchanged information to confirm each other's identities.

Xu Yuanzhen's voice sounded somewhat ethereal, "Mmm, I know about it too."

Lei Jun asked, "Senior Martial Sister, you sound a little disappointed. Did you expect something else?"

Xu Yuanzhen replied, "Mmm, a little..."

Lei Jun immediately guessed what she was thinking, "The mastermind behind this story might be the one who appears to be more obvious, but it could also be someone else. Senior Martial Sister, you don't need to be too concerned about it."

In fact, even if Xu Yuanzhen told him that Huang Xuanpu had been replaced, he wouldn't be particularly surprised.

Lei Jun said, "Maybe this time, it's just Rong Guangchen who has been exposed, but Huang Zhangmen could still be hiding very deeply."

After all, this was the Sunset Glow Alliance...

"Where did you hear all these miscellaneous things?" Xu Yuanzhen asked, "Are these the stories you told Xiaotang?"

Lei Jun replied, "Yes..."

Xu Yuanzhen said, "This trip wasn't entirely fruitless. There are some interesting aspects to Rong Guangchen."

Lei Jun looked at the newly acquired Eight Scenic Winds and nodded.

"He has reversed his age," Xu Yuanzhen's voice no longer sounded listless, but instead carried a hint of a smile.

Upon hearing this, Lei Jun frowned slightly.

In the cultivation world, once a cultivator passed the Platform Period and entered the decline phase, or what could be called middle-old age, there was almost no chance of further advancement. Merely maintaining one's current state without regressing was already a blessing. And once they entered the final stage, the twilight years, it was inevitable to take a huge step back or even face a cliff-like decline.

Rong Guangchen was the most senior elder of the Pure Yang Palace, even more senior than Huang Xuanpu, Lu Jinduan, and Guan Jing.

However, among his peers, Rong Guangchen was not one of the earliest to join the sect, so his current age was not yet over six hundred, which was the twilight years for a Third Heaven cultivator. But he was definitely over four hundred, which was middle-old age.

As for the middle-old age phase, the reason it is said that there is almost no chance of further progress and not absolutely, is because there have been a handful of exceptional cases throughout history.

These exceptional cases are quite literally few and far between, each one leaving their mark in history, their legends rivaling those of the proud geniuses of ancient times. They are extremely rare and thus do not hold universal significance.

Such individuals are often referred to as 'old trees sprouting new buds'.

However, when Xu Yuanzhen mentioned Rong Guangchen, she used the phrase, "reverting to youthful vigor?"

"He received someone else's Fu Zhao, most likely originating from that so-called Celestial Court." Xu Yuanzhen explained, "In other words, he has an official position in that Celestial Court."

Lei Jun: "So, is he temporarily free from the constraints of age, reverting to his peak condition from his heyday? Or has he even surpassed that level of cultivation?

Since his strength and power, in a sense, no longer originate from himself but are bestowed by the Fu Lu of the Celestial Court?

Doesn't that imply that the Celestial Court still exists?"

Xu Yuanzhen: "That's not necessarily true. It could also be that Rong Guangchen has exploited a loophole."

Upon hearing this, Lei Jun understood.

The fact that he was able to cultivate the three major Fa Xiang simultaneously in the Seventh Heaven was, to some extent, due to him taking advantage of the Loopholes in the Dao Yunchong, and then exploiting the loopholes in the Two-Yi Immortal Body.

This was not a flaw in the Dao Yunchong, but rather a serendipitous opportunity, a fortunate coincidence.

Based on the information currently available, Rong Guangchen's situation should be considered an exception.

His peer, Hong Jie, the Grand Elder of Shu Mountain, who was of similar age, did not have such good fortune.

However, for the Human Immortal Nation, Rong Guangchen's experience served as a valuable lesson, attracting others to further explore the secrets of the Celestial Court from ancient times.

Nevertheless, for Rong Guangchen personally, whether this was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen, and it was too early to tell at the moment.

"Senior Martial Sister, do you think the Celestial Court has completely become a thing of the past?" Lei Jun asked. "Could there be people from the ancient immortal realm who are still alive?"

"I don't know."

Xu Yuanzhen answered succinctly: "But I'm very interested."

Her voice carried a hint of regret: "I admit, I misjudged this situation."

First, Rong Guangchen had left her feeling a little unmotivated.

Then, Rong Guangchen's acceptance of the Celestial Court's Fu Zhao had resulted in a level of strength that exceeded expectations.

The combination of these factors caused Xu Yuanzhen, the Rong Elder of Pure Yang Palace, to let her guard down.

"Actually, that's a good thing."

Lei Jun pondered: "With the spread of this news, we can observe the reactions of others."

Similar people and events tend to pose a greater threat when they remain hidden in the shadows than when they are out in the open.

However, Rong Guangchen's situation was somewhat unique.

Lei Jun himself was flying the flag of the ancient Fu Lu sect in the dark side universe of the Heavenly Tome.

But he didn't know if this would turn out to be a false front that ultimately became reality...

After ending the call with Xu Yuanzhen, Lei Jun paused to gather his thoughts.

Numerous ideas spread through his mind and then converged again.

After a moment, Lei Jun retracted his wandering thoughts.

He took out a light ball.

It was the Eight Scenic Winds woven together.

Although it was a gale wind, at this moment, it seemed to have condensed into a solid form.

Lei Jun did not attempt to unfold it again but silently contemplated the Dao Yunchong within.

As a middle-upper sign that mentioned a second-grade opportunity, this spiritual object was indeed worthy of its name.

For Lei Jun, it was indeed a priceless treasure.

However, strictly speaking, it was a distant water, or a medium-distance water.

For his current cultivation level on the path to enlightenment, its assistance was limited.

But once he had thoroughly perfected his cultivation in the state of enlightenment and prepared himself fully, when he was ready to face the tribulations of the Heavenly Chasm between the Seventh and Eighth Heavens, this Eight Scenic Winds would play a significant role and provide invaluable assistance.

For a Daoist Dan Ding cultivator in the Seventh Heaven, the Eight Scenic Winds was indeed a precious treasure, but it had its limitations.

For a Daoist Fu Lu cultivator in the Seventh Heaven, the Eight Scenic Winds served as a vessel to help cultivators navigate the Heavenly Chasm between the Seventh and Eighth Heavens, and it also aided in the construction of the Eighth Heaven Divine Court.

"What a wonderful object. No wonder it's said that even with some subsequent karmic entanglements, it can still lead to a fortunate sign."

Lei Jun nodded slightly.

He was delighted, but soon calmed down.

To utilize the Eight Scenic Winds effectively, he first needed to lay a solid foundation with his own cultivation and make adequate preparations.

This was a rare opportunity, but it would only benefit those who were well-prepared.

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

Under the watchful eyes of the public, Rong Guangchen "reverted to youthful vigor" and defected from the Pure Yang Palace.

As expected, this news caused even more turmoil in the already turbulent Great Tang.

In the old capital of Chang'an, in the imperial palace of the Tang Emperor...

The female emperor sat calmly at her desk, perusing the memorials.

Xiao Xuelin, clad in light armor and without any weapons, stood before her, awaiting her orders.

"Has Rong Guangchen received the Fu Zhao?"

Upon hearing Xiao Xuelin's report, the female emperor's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Xiao Xuelin stood quietly by, awaiting further instructions.

The female emperor's brows relaxed, and she sank into silent thought.

After a moment, she asked Xiao Xuelin, "How are Chunhui and Meng Shaoje doing? Has there been any contact with that self-proclaimed ancient Fu Lu sect cultivator?"

Xiao Xuelin replied, "None recently."

The female emperor nodded. "Give the Star Mansion 28 Rhymes to Meng Shaoje and have him pass it on."

PS: 6k chapter

(End of Chapter)

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