Chapter 279: An Unusually Bad Omen

Chapter 279: An Unusually Bad Omen

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Despite standing before the Empress, Xiao Xuelin was rather casual as he curiously asked, "Your Majesty, weren't the people from Meng's side from the Middle Kingdom?"

The Empress continued perusing the memorials as she casually replied, "It's not entirely impossible. We might as well give it a try now."

Xiao Xuelin acknowledged her words.

He added, "Your Majesty, there's one more thing, but the information hasn't been verified yet."

Empress: "What is it?"

Xiao Xuelin: "There's news about Chen Yi, the renegade disciple of the Celestial Masters' Mansion. Someone spotted him by the East Sea, but his whereabouts are unknown after that."

Empress: "It doesn't matter. I already know where he is now."

Xiao Xuelin: "The people from the Middle Kingdom are also looking for him. He's been hiding from not only the court and the Celestial Masters' Mansion but also the people from the Middle Kingdom. His relationship with the Middle Kingdom seems a bit different from what we expected."

Empress: "Fu Dongsen and Zhou Peng and the others underestimated the situation, causing them to miss out. If they want to make up for it now, they'll have to put in more effort."

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

In the imperial capital of Luoyang, Xiao Chunhui received the Empress' order through his sister, Xiao Xuelin, and then went to find Meng Shaoji.

"Teacher," Meng Shaoji greeted Xiao Chunhui respectfully.

Xiao Chunhui smiled and nodded, "Qingyan, no need for formalities."

He first inquired about Meng Shaoji's studies and then cut straight to the chase, "I have something here that I want you to pass on to that mysterious person."

Having gone through this once before, Meng Shaoji was now much calmer in this regard.

He realized that he had become a bridge between Xiao Chunhui and the mysterious owner of the dark side of the celestial book.

However, this only made him more at ease when dealing with that mysterious existence.

Meng Shaoji took a jade tablet from Xiao Chunhui and examined it curiously, "Teacher, is this also an ancient talisman from the Fulu School?"

Xiao Chunhui nodded, "This item is called the 'Twenty-Eight Star Rhymes'. It was obtained by Her Majesty by accident and stored in the inner treasury. The jade tablet contains ancient incantations and seals of the Taoist School from ancient times, passed down by the Fulu School. It should be what the other party needs. You can submit it and see how it goes."

Meng Shaoji agreed and then, through the Dark Star of the Hidden Stars, immersed his mind into the dark side of the celestial book.

He left a message for Lei Jun, awaiting his response.

After reading the message, Lei Jun pondered for a moment before agreeing to Meng Shaoji's request.

After agreeing on a location, Lei Jun informed his senior martial sister, Xu Yuanzhen, "Senior Martial Sister, I plan to trade the 'Starry Cloud Brilliance' that you gave me with this young man."

Xu Yuanzhen casually replied, "It's up to you."

Lei Jun asked, "Senior Martial Sister, are you interested in the 'Twenty-Eight Star Rhymes'?"

Xu Yuanzhen replied, "Not particularly. We can discuss it when we return to Longhushan in the future."

She didn't plan on returning to Longhushan anytime soon but instead intended to continue wandering outside.

On the one hand, she wanted to search for any traces left by Rong Guangchen, and on the other hand, she wanted to roam freely as she usually did.

In fact, Xu Yuanzhen was currently in the area of Beiguang Mountain where Rong Guangchen had previously suppressed Wang Xuan, and so was the Pure Yang Palace Elder, Lu Jinduan, and the others.

Everyone was familiar with Xu Yuanzhen's style of doing things, so Lu Jinduan and the others turned a blind eye to her wandering around Beiguang Mountain for the time being.

Lei Jun, on the other hand, did not plan on revealing himself, thus completely dissociating himself from Chen Donglou's appearance.

After ending his communication with Xu Yuanzhen, Lei Jun headed to the agreed-upon location with Meng Shaoji.

Considering what had just happened with Rong Guangchen and the Celestial Decree, Lei Jun was even more cautious this time, carefully concealing his movements to avoid any traps set by the Tang court.

Although Xiao Chunhui showed no unusual behavior this time, making Lei Daoist's actions seem like he was outsmarting thin air, Lei Jun still believed that it was better to be safe than sorry. He paid no heed to the other party's actions and focused solely on ensuring that he didn't reveal any flaws.

Once the jade tablet was in his possession, Lei Jun found a stable and secluded place to ponder the intricacies of the Twenty-Eight Star Rhymes.

Meng Shaoji's backer, Xiao Chunhui, and even Empress Zhang Wantong, were not treating this matter lightly.

Indeed, the Twenty-Eight Star Rhymes originated from the ancient Fulu School's legacy.

Lei Jun used the Soil of Exuviation to completely seal off a mountain range and quietly listened to the transformation of the rhymes.

The Xuanxu Mirror, which also originated from the ancient Fulu School's legacy, hung above Lei Jun's head at this moment, its bright mirror light turning and seemingly solidifying in mid-air.

Those rhymes, too, seemed to solidify.

The mirror light resembled the universe, and the rhymes manifested the twenty-eight constellations, shining in the universe.

Lei Jun gazed at the radiance of the twenty-eight constellations, his mind recalling the scene of the boundless Milky Way that he had witnessed when he offered sacrifices to the heavens using those two charts at the Grand Master's Forum.

Comparing the two, Lei Jun seemed to have a star chart appear before him.

The star chart provided guidance, and the void changed, but the current destination was still hazy.

"Three enclosures and twenty-eight mansions... Does the star chart still mean that it's incomplete?" Lei Jun mused.

He observed carefully for a moment, comprehending the changes and imprinting the clues in his mind before dispersing the star chart.

Only the ancient and majestic melody lingered in the air.

Lei Jun now held another object in his hand.

A white jade tablet.

This, too, came from Meng Shaoji or, to be more precise, from the ancient Fulu School's relics obtained by the Tang court.

Lei Jun weighed the jade tablet in his hand, deep in contemplation for a long while.

After gathering his wandering thoughts, he waved his hand, and the melody ceased.

Lei Jun carefully stored away the jade tablet and the tablet of office together.

Aside from possibly involving some secrets of the Celestial Palace, the Starry Twenty-Eight Rhymes, imbued with the profundity of the ancient Fulu School, also held many wonderful applications for cultivators of the Fulu School.

Of course, due to the changes in Daoist arts and techniques over the ages, cultivators would need to carefully discern and study the differences themselves.

Overall, it was helpful to Lei Jun's cultivation, but not as crucial as the Eight Scenic Winds.

Its main benefit was in further aiding Lei Jun's comprehension of the profound mysteries of the Life Destiny Human Law Fulu and the Dou Mu Star Goddess Law Image.

Building upon this, Lei Jun remotely sensed the celestial stars, further pondering the Great Zhou Celestial Law.

However, Lei Jun did not feel disappointed. These Starry Twenty-Eight Rhymes might be of great use to another person's cultivation.

"Junior Martial Brother, if you have time, come out of seclusion for a trip." He notified his junior martial brother, Chu Kun. "I have something good for you."

It had become second nature for the martial brothers to share their resources and look out for each other.

Upon receiving the message, Chu Kun left his seclusion and obtained the jade tablet from Lei Jun. He didn't inquire about its origins but exclaimed with delight, "Hmm, this is indeed a good item! Thank you, Senior Martial Brother!"

Like Lei Jun, his root bone and body constitution were also enhanced postnatally, known as the Starry Sacred Body.

In his usual cultivation, he often borrowed the power of the stars and constellations, so the Starry Twenty-Eight Rhymes would be even more effective for him.

"To preserve the Daoist essence within, I haven't made any alterations. Be mindful when cultivating with it yourself. Due to the Daoist Law amendments over the ages, the current orthodoxy of our sect differs greatly from ancient times," Lei Jun cautioned.

Chu Kun nodded repeatedly, "Senior Martial Brother, rest assured, I will be careful."

Lei Jun inclined his head, "In that case, take this treasure back to the mountain and cultivate in seclusion. The item is yours to do with as you wish. I've recorded the Daoist essence, and we can discuss it with Senior Martial Sister later."

Chu Kun asked, "Senior Martial Brother, you're not returning to the mountain with me?"

He looked solemn as he asked, "Senior Martial Brother, are you going to meet Master in the Southern Wilderness?"

The Great Tang was not peaceful.

The two biggest recent news stories, one in the south and the other in the north, were both unsettling.

In the north, it was the Pure Yang Palace's Qinglong Elder, Rong Guangchen, who had also defected to the Human Daoist Country, causing a huge controversy and upheaval.

The south was even more mysterious, with rumors that the black mist originally confined near the Jiuli Secret Realm was now spreading.

"I intend to go to the Southern Wilderness to meet up with Master." Lei Jun nodded. "Although we're curious about the situation in the Earthly Sea and the Jiuli, with the current unclear circumstances, we won't take any rash actions."

Chu Kun breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good, that's good."

After chatting a little while longer, the martial brothers bid each other farewell. Lei Jun headed southwest, while Chu Kun returned to the sect's ancestral court.

Thinking about the mysterious Earthly Sea and the Jiuli, as well as the hints of Mount Sumeru that had appeared in the Western Regions, Chu Kun fell into a trance.

Back in his residence within the Celestial Master's Mansion, Chu Kun raised his hand.

This time, instead of tapping his brow, he placed his hand on his forehead, gazing up at the ceiling in thoughtful silence.

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

The entire Great Tang, from south to north, was in turmoil, with people from various places paying close attention.

Several Buddhist monks from the Western Regions were on their way to visit the Pure Yang Palace when they arrived at its gates only to find that something unexpected had happened once again.

Due to the unrest within the Pure Yang Palace, they were unable to receive any guests, so they apologized to Abbot Sangjie, Sou Yong, and Abbot Longjia.

Sangjie and the others were very polite and didn't bother with the usual courtesies, simply saying that they would disturb them another time before confidently leaving.

Although they no longer intended to visit the Pure Yang Palace, they didn't immediately leave Mount Zhongnan. Instead, they remained on the outskirts, gathering information through various channels.

In a sense, they were witnessing a fascinating drama unfold.

The Pure Yang Palace's announcement only mentioned that Rong Guangchen was a member of the Human Daoist Country, with limited details.

Abbot Sangjie and the others waited for a while longer, gathering true and false information from various sources, before learning more details.

For example, the most important point was that Rong Guangchen had received a celestial edict and an official position from the Celestial Palace, undergoing a "rejuvenation."

"This is strange. If the Celestial Palace still existed, why would Rong Guangchen, Fu Dongsen, and the others be so cautious?"

Abbot Sangjie also had his doubts: "If the Celestial Palace no longer exists, where did Rong Guangchen receive his celestial edict and official position?"

Dragon Abbot remained silent by his side.

Kingo Soma, the abbot of Kongo-ji Temple, asked, "Venerable Abbot, does Mount Sumeru have any more information about the Celestial Palace?"

Abbot Sangjie replied, "As far as I know, the Celestial Palace should no longer exist. But Rong Guangchen's current situation seems to indicate that something out of the ordinary is happening."

Dragon Abbot spoke in a low voice, "I heard that several Venerables from Mount Sumeru will soon descend into the mortal realm."

Abbot Sangjie nodded, "That is true. However, the five department heads have already come to a decision. For now, only my Kongo-ji department will enter the Great Tang.

Although several masters plan to come over, which will greatly benefit the propagation of Buddhism, we must not be impatient. Especially, we should avoid making enemies on multiple fronts.

It would be best to first gain the support of the Tang court's central authority and establish the status of our state-sanctioned religion. Then, we can proceed with caution."

His gaze swept over Sou Yong and Dragon Abbot, "The so-called Human Daoist Country is naturally at odds with us, but with this new development, let's wait and observe, discern the truth, and refrain from acting rashly.

"

Sou Yang and Dragon Abbot nodded in agreement.

"For now, let's set aside the Zen sect, which is currently weak in the Great Tang," said Sou Yang.

"As for the Taoist sects, they are rising in power, but fortunately, they are deeply divided internally. The Shushan Sect and the Pure Yang Palace have both suffered heavy losses, and now with the new developments in the Human Daoist Country, it will be interesting to see how the three Taoist sects respond as they probe the strengths and weaknesses of the Human Daoist Country."

Dragon Abbot cautioned, "Confucianism has been the dominant philosophy for many years, and although its influence has waned recently, it seems to be biding its time and accumulating strength. We must not underestimate them, especially since the major aristocratic families have begun to ease tensions with the imperial family in the past two years."

Abbot Sangjie nodded, deep in thought.

Dragon Abbot added with a hint of regret, "The south may be desolate and the people ignorant, but it's not necessarily a bad place. It's just unfortunate that the situation has become complicated with the sudden involvement of the Jiuli people returning to the mortal realm."

Abbot Sangjie agreed, "Indeed, the Earthly Sea is shrouded in mystery, and even Mount Sumeru has little information about it. Now that the Jiuli people are back in the mortal realm, we must proceed with caution."

In other words, it was best to let the Tang Dynasty or someone else probe the depths first.

It was hard to say if the timing of Mount Sumeru's descent into the western regions of the Great Tang was good or bad.

The Human Daoist Country was connected to the legendary Celestial Heaven.

And in the south, the Jiuli people had returned as well.

From a negative perspective, whether it was the Jiuli shamans rebuilding the Celestial Heaven's bureaucracy or the Human Daoist Country, they were all enemies of the Western Buddhist sects.

The Western Buddhist sects could slowly infiltrate the Great Tang Dynasty over time.

However, the fundamental intentions of the Human Daoist Country, the Jiuli shamans, and the Confucian philosophy clashed directly with the intentions of the Western Buddhist sects, making them true enemies.

However, there were two sides to every story.

It was precisely because of this complex situation that the rise of the Western Buddhist sects did not immediately make them a target for everyone.

They had the time and space to follow their predetermined strategy and slowly infiltrate the Great Tang using gentle means.

From a certain point of view, it might not be a bad thing to just let time pass by... Abbot Sangjie thought to himself.

Whether they could succeed depended not only on their means but also on their strength and opportunities.

"Therefore, for now, we must not act rashly. On the surface, we will maintain the status quo with the other sects, but behind the scenes, we will push them to compete with each other to reveal their true strengths and weaknesses."

Abbot Sangjie said, "However, this does not mean that we will be timid and do nothing. Aside from continuing to foster good relations with the Tang court, there is one place we can start taking action."

Sou Yang and Dragon Abbot exchanged a glance, both understanding what he meant. "The White Lotus Sect?"

There were rumors that the Abbot of the Great Empty Temple, Yuanmie, had been forced to retreat back overseas with the remnants of his sect, and their current whereabouts were extremely secretive, making it difficult for the Western Buddhist sects to gain any information.

On the other hand, another Buddhist sect that usually stayed hidden was now revealing more and more clues as they pursued their grand ambitions.

"Yes, the White Lotus Sect," confirmed Abbot Sangjie.

"I just received a message from the department that someone from the White Lotus Sect has appeared in the southern wilderness. I intend to go and see if I can gather more clues."

The White Lotus Sect was a declared enemy of the Tang Dynasty, listed as rebels on the empire's wanted list.

Among the rebels, it was hard to say if they shared a common language with the Yellow Sky Dao, the Great Empty Temple, or the Human Daoist Country.

And to the Western Buddhist sects, the White Lotus Sect was also considered heretical.

Cracking down on the White Lotus Sect not only served their own interests but also gave them common ground with the Tang officials, who had no other external aid. For the Western Buddhist sects, this was undoubtedly the most suitable target.

"Sou Yang, go back to the temple and explain to them our actions in the north. Dragon Abbot, you will accompany me to the south," instructed Abbot Sangjie.

Sou Yang and Dragon Abbot did not object.

Abbot Sangjie continued, his expression turning slightly more solemn, "Although the Zen sect in the Great Tang is currently weak, we must not be complacent. The spiritual energy in this realm is surging, and changes are difficult to predict..."

Upon hearing this, both Sou Yang and Dragon Abbot's hearts became solemn.

Mount Sumeru had returned for so long, and with the reintegration of the Vajra Temple, they had personally experienced and learned more information, discovering that many things that were once considered mythical legends were actually real.

This was true of Mount Sumeru, the World of the Living, and the Hell of Avici.

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

Cangzhou.

The Ye family, formerly of Jinzhou, had moved their entire clan far from their ancestral homeland to this new place, re-establishing their roots.

On the surface, their ancestral shrine was quickly rebuilt.

However, it would take more than just a few years or even a few decades to truly restore their lineage and establish a solid foundation.

The newly relocated Ye family of Cangzhou still needed time to settle and grow.

Amidst the rising tides and constant changes in the Great Tang, the Ye family of Cangzhou had maintained a low profile in recent years, quietly rebuilding their strength.

Within the ancestral shrine, Ye Wei, who had succeeded as the clan head, sat in the main seat.

In this unique environment and during this unique period, he did not feel a sense of power but instead walked on thin ice.

His son, Ye Feishan, was mature beyond his years and had been assisting his grandfather and father in handling clan matters, his demeanor becoming increasingly steady.

"Chen Yi has already set sail," Ye Feishan reported.

Ye Wei nodded. "We must continue to closely monitor the situation regarding the so-called Human Daoist Country."

"Yes, Father," Ye Feishan replied.

Although the Ye family had been forced to relocate from Jinzhou to Cangzhou by the Celestial Masters' Mansion,

But with the emergence of the Human Daoist Country, a highly threatening presence loomed in the minds of the Ye Clan.

The establishment of the Human Daoist Country not only posed a threat to the Tang Dynasty but also challenged the status of Confucianism as the foremost philosophy of its time.

"There are new developments in the South Wilderness, and the actions of the Jiuli people have become even more brazen," Ye Feishan reported.

Ye Wei nodded. "We must continue to closely monitor the situation regarding this so-called Human Daoist Country."

"Yes, Father," Ye Feishan replied.

Although the Ye Clan had been forced to relocate from Jinzhou to Cangzhou by the Celestial Masters' Mansion, the clan's influence and connections ran deep.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end