https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-289-Elder-Lei-s-Taoist-Name-Part-2-/12587188/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-290-The-Eighth-Heaven-Divine-Court-Part-2-/12587190/
Chapter 290: The Eighth Heaven, Divine Court! (Part 1)
Chapter 290: The Eighth Heaven, Divine Court! (Part 1)
Lei Jun bid farewell to Yuan Mobai, Xu Yuanzhen, Tang Xiaotang, and the others before requesting Wang Guiyuan and Chu Kun to instruct his disciple Zhuo Baojie in his stead for the following period.
After making all the necessary arrangements, he retreated to his secluded abode in the mountains to begin another period of seclusion.
While the Upper Clarity Thunder Palace Cave was extraordinary, Lei Jun had spent years cultivating his own secluded abode, making it especially suited to his needs.
The interior of his abode was simple yet imbued with the alternating yin and yang energies. Apart from embodying the principles of the Celestial Master's Mansion lineage, where yin and yang converge and dragons and tigers intersect, it also held a deeper mystery of returning to the primordial unity of the cosmos.
Within this abode, there was a microcosm, and at its center stood a three-layered altar. The bottom layer was an octagon, the middle was circular, and the top was ordinary in appearance.
However, as Lei Jun entered the three-layered altar, it began to glow.
The first layer shone with a azure light.
The second layer glowed with a golden radiance.
The third layer emanated a violet hue.
Seated cross-legged at the top of the three-layered altar, Lei Jun quieted his mind and focused on his spiritual energy and divine sense.
Below the altar, a flag stood erect—the Xirang Flag.
Above the altar, a precious mirror hung—the Xuanxu Mirror.
Within the first layer of the altar stood a seven-jointed green bamboo stalk, shimmering with purple-gold light and complementing the overall azure glow of the first layer. It was the Upper Clarity Jade Celestial Bamboo that Lei Jun had refined himself.
In the second layer of the altar, a row of flying swords hung, arranged in the formation of the Big Dipper. With these swords at the center, a hazy starlight shone, giving birth to a vast and wondrous star chart.
In the third layer of the altar hung a large white jade seal—the unmistakable Celestial Master's Seal—radiating with purple, gold, and azure lights, intertwining and surging.
Lei Jun remained motionless, seated atop the altar, as an ethereal light pillar, visible only to him, converged above his head, connecting him to the cosmos and allowing him to commune with the heavens and the earth.
The light pillar resembled a path of light, endlessly extending upward, far beyond the clouds, deep into the vastness of the universe.
Lei Jun's consciousness traveled along this path, constantly encountering and comprehending the myriad profound principles of time and space, only to assimilate them into his own cultivation.
Time flew by.
In this moment, Lei Jun's consciousness seemed to enter a state of non-thinking, a state beyond the mundane.
At his current level of cultivation, his perception of the outside world was extremely acute.
Even in seclusion, dedicated to quiet cultivation, he could clearly grasp the passage of time, the alternation of day and night, within his consciousness.
Yet, at this moment, immersed in the Daoist arts, Lei Jun felt a sense of timelessness, as if he had forgotten the passage of time.
After an unknown duration, Lei Jun suddenly felt as if he had awakened from a long dream, emerging from that profound state of enlightenment.
The path to the cosmos vanished in that instant.
Lei Jun opened his eyes, still within his cave abode.
The three-layered altar quietly shone with purple, gold, and azure lights.
However, Lei Jun's perception of the outside world had changed drastically from before.
He gazed quietly, and the myriad mysteries of nature, near and far, unfolded before his eyes.
Not just confined to the cosmos, but also the immediate surroundings, were within his perception.
Between heaven and earth, everything seemed to possess strands of the Dao, condensing and manifesting as various talismans, presenting themselves to Lei Jun and elucidating their respective principles.
When extended to the distance, Lei Jun felt as if he were in the vastness of space, standing amidst the radiant stars, directly observing their transformations.
In the Talisman Faction of the Daoist School, the seventh-level realm was known as "Penetrating Heaven."
To penetrate heaven was to discern the intricacies of heaven and earth.
At his current stage of cultivation, Lei Jun had achieved a perfect seventh-level realm.
His expression remained unchanged, and his demeanor calm, but he did not stop there.
Instead, he continued to sit atop the altar, silently cultivating.
As Lei Jun imbibed the myriad principles of heaven and earth, he also constantly verified them against his own knowledge.
Gradually, above the three-layered altar, around Lei Jun's body, specks of light began to appear, condensing into one talisman after another.
First, the stars converged, forming the Life-Bestowing Human Talisman, and manifesting the towering figure of the Dou Mu Star God.
This colossal figure stood like an awakening giant in the center of the galaxy.
And around this star god, the galaxy began to twist and turn.
As it turned, two talismans appeared simultaneously.
One purple and one black.
The purple talisman was the long-lost Thunder Law Heavenly Talisman, a direct lineage of Longhu Mountain.
The black talisman was the Xuanxiao Five Thunders Talisman, Lei Jun's own creation, now renowned throughout the world.
These two talismans, one yin and one yang, like the yin-yang fish of the Tai Chi diagram, opposed yet complementary, drew upon the galaxy, dividing it into yin and yang, and setting it in motion.
Next, from both sides of the Tai Chi yin-yang fish, a thunder dragon emerged, rearing its colossal head.
The purple thunder dragon roared with thunderous might, its rumbling reverberating through the heavens. If not for Lei Jun's prior preparations in his cave abode, the sound would have shaken the very foundations of the world.
The black thunder dragon was silent, its stillness carrying a terrifying power that made one's heart tremble.
Thus, with the Dou Mu Star God at the center, the Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor and the Xuanxiao Thunder Ancestor stood on either side, forming a formidable trio of majestic figures, a rare sight among seventh-level cultivators, now appearing in Lei Jun's cave abode.
With these three figures at the center, four more sets of talismans appeared, positioned in the four directions.
The Lingguan Talisman.
The Tianxing Talisman.
The Two-Yin Heavenly Talisman.
The Penetrating Heaven and Earth Talisman.
Together with those surrounding the celestial phenomena, they were all Lei Jun's natal talismans.
The other talismans he had cultivated merged with the celestial phenomena, transforming into a boundless sea of stars, encircling the Tai Chi yin-yang fish.
Within the cave abode, more stars seemed to be drawn, appearing as twinkling lights—the dense spiritual energy of Longhu Mountain's ancestral court, continuously supplying Lei Jun's cultivation.
As a high-achieving elder, this was one of his basic privileges.
Lei Jun quietly focused his mind, immersing himself in contemplation and serene cultivation.
During this period of seclusion, he did not interrupt his practice but persevered with unwavering determination. After accumulating perfection in the seventh-level realm and regulating his essence, qi, and spirit to their peak state, he embarked on the journey to the eighth-level realm.
Although he had previously accelerated his cultivation in the seventh-level realm with the aid of the Rising Firmament Flowery Qi, Lei Jun had not rushed during these three years. Instead, he had steadily progressed, following the natural flow of cultivation.
And now, the time was ripe for his advancement.
With no hesitation or second thoughts, he took the step forward.
"If I can take this step, then I shall begin my journey today."
At a certain moment, the rotation of the Tai Chi yin-yang fish suddenly ceased.
And with it, the scenery within Lei Jun's consciousness underwent a transformation.
As Lei Jun seemingly detached himself from his physical body, he suddenly found himself in a nameless void.
The void was warped and chaotic, layer upon layer, resembling a labyrinth.
The heavenly tribulation between the Seventh Heaven and the Eighth Heaven had arrived.
Amidst this void tribulation, if one could not pass through, they would be forever lost in the chaotic and disordered void.
Thus, a cultivator would perish within, never to return, their life snuffed out without a trace.
Throughout the ages, countless Seventh Heaven realm experts, who had once dazzled and shocked the world, perished in the face of this heavenly tribulation, their remains lost forever.
Likewise, an untold number of once-promising Seventh Heaven cultivators faltered at the sight of this tribulation, too afraid to continue forward. And so, they spent the rest of their lives, forever stagnant at the Seventh Heaven realm.
To navigate through this void-like maze, one's mental and physical state must be adjusted to their optimum condition. Any hesitation would be akin to courting death.
With a calm mind, Lei Jun stepped into the tribulation.
He was in the best possible state he could achieve at this moment.
If given a few more years to accumulate, his overall state would be even more refined.
By then, even without the aid of any spiritual objects, he would have the confidence to pass through this tribulation unscathed.
However, now that he had the Eight Scenic Winds in his possession and the opportunity presented itself, there was no need to wait any longer.
Lei Jun strolled through the chaotic void maze, sensing the surrounding disordered and overlapping layers of space pressing down on him, as if they were about to bury him alive.
At that moment, the profound and peculiar Eight Scenic Winds, solidified like a liquid, automatically appeared and unfolded.
Resembling both a folding screen and a set of stands, they protected Lei Jun from the collapsing space around him while still allowing him to continue moving forward.
Thus, not only did the void maze fail to collapse, but the path ahead also became distinguishable and smoother.
However, as time passed, the gale winds began to change color, taking on a dark bluish hue.
Unperturbed, Lei Jun continued forward with a calm mind.
All the divine abilities and magical techniques for fighting external enemies were of no use at this moment.
The tribulation originated from within himself.
Only by subduing the inner demons could he pass through.
To overcome this heavenly tribulation, akin to a void maze, Lei Jun relied on his past cultivation, his insights into the mysteries of heaven and earth, and his fundamental technique, the Zhengfa Zhenyi Dadao Jing.
Lei Jun silently recited the scripture, from the first volume to the end of the sixth.
Finally, he calmly chanted:
"The righteous way is undivided, and the divine spirit ascends."
Lei Jun seemed to be walking through a spatial maze.
However, wherever he passed, the maze ceased to exist, and the void became orderly.
The Eight Scenic Winds swirling around him gradually diminished but did not disappear entirely. Instead, they merged with the orderly void, resembling a tangible palace.
Then, as Lei Jun continued walking, his eyes suddenly lit up as the chaotic and twisted void finally vanished.
Lei Jun turned back, and behind him was a vast expanse of dark bluish void, encompassing all things.
As the scenery before him changed, he calmed his mind, and his body seemed to return to his cave abode.
The dark bluish Eight Scenic Winds continued to swirl around him, still filled with spiritual essence. However, they no longer held the miraculous effect of aiding a Daoist Talisman Faction Seventh Heaven realm cultivator in crossing the tribulation.
Lei Jun waved his hand, and the dragon-shaped cloak danced like a soaring dragon, bringing back the solid-like dark gale winds.
He sat quietly, inwardly examining his body.
His spiritual soul and physical body were distinct yet seemed to be fused into one.
The focal point of this fusion was a mysterious place that had appeared within Lei Jun's body.
The Dao foundation, altar, and talisman seals from his early years were long gone.
In their place, it was as if Lei Jun's body contained a tiny universe.
From the vastness of stars to the minutiae of creation, all existed harmoniously within.
It was a manifestation of his fused soul, life force, and spiritual power.
This universe existed between reality and illusion, and with a mere thought from Lei Jun, it would expand and contract, vaguely forming a grand palace.
The palace and courtyards seemed to be constructed from countless talismans.
This was known as the Divine Court.
The Daoist Talisman Faction's cultivation realm of the Eighth Heaven was thus named.
With this step, Lei Jun had successfully crossed the tribulation between the Seventh Heaven and the Eighth Heaven.
The Eighth Heaven, Divine Court realm, was achieved.
As the Divine Court transformed within Lei Jun's body, giving birth to a universe, it was currently called the Inner Divine Court, marking the first layer of the Eighth Heaven.
With the Divine Court's evolution, the void expanded, separating yin and yang, and giving rise to all things, mirroring the real universe outside.
With a thought from Lei Jun, figures of divine beings and talismans appeared together within the Inner Divine Court.
Back when he was at the Seventh Heaven realm, Lei Jun had simultaneously cultivated three great divine figures.
However, even with his Two-Yin Immortal Body and his clear and calm level of enlightenment, he could only manifest one divine figure at a time.
To manifest the second divine figure, he would have to dispel the first one, essentially replacing it.
Although he could cultivate all three divine figures simultaneously during his meditation, he couldn't overcome this limitation when facing enemies in actual combat.
But now, the situation was entirely different.
With the support and containment of the Inner Divine Court, Lei Jun could simultaneously condense multiple divine figures to face his enemies.
As long as his spiritual power could withstand the enormous consumption.
This was also one of the reasons why a Heavenly Master's Mansion expert would need at least the Eighth Heaven realm to single-handedly perform the Dragon-Tiger Combo. Aside from the Seventh Heaven realm's limitation of generally only being able to cultivate one type of divine figure, this was another factor.
Lei Jun quietly adjusted his breath, nurturing his Inner Divine Court while adapting to the changes in his physique, spiritual soul, and divine abilities brought about by the advancement in his realm.
With a thought, his Inner Divine Court underwent another transformation, vaguely splitting into two.
Lei Jun immersed himself in this newfound sensation.
For Talisman Faction cultivators, upon reaching the third layer of the Eighth Heaven, they would achieve the Outer Divine Court, integrating their personal insights and experiences into their cultivation. Thus, each person's Outer Divine Court might be unique.
It would be a gradual process of accumulation and summary.
The relevant changes in Lei Jun's Inner Divine Court were still indistinct and could, at most, be considered a rough outline.
However, they had already begun to manifest, incorporating some of the characteristics of his cultivation and insights.
After a moment of quiet contemplation, Lei Jun finally rose to his feet from the three-layered altar.
Exhaling, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
He had reached a new level on the path of cultivation, and there would be many more wonders awaiting him in the future.
The three-layered altar silently dissipated into specks of light, merging with his cave abode.
The Celestial Master's Seal, the Seven Stars Sword, and the Upper Clarity Jade Celestial Bamboo all flew into Lei Jun's sleeves.
"Later, I'll refine the Upper Clarity Jade Celestial Bamboo further."
Lei Jun nodded slightly.
Then, after contemplating the Xuanxu Mirror and the Xirang Flag for a moment, he waved his hand and put away these two treasures as well.
After his extended period of seclusion, this was the first time he had stepped out of his cave abode.
Outside, it was already early spring of the new year.
Breathing in the fresh air of the mountains, Lei Jun smiled as he strolled through the forest.
"Master."
He went to meet Yuan Mobai first.
Yuan Mobai scanned Lei Jun up and down, and his usual smiling face now beamed even brighter as he applauded, "Excellent!"
"It's all thanks to your guidance, Master," Lei Jun replied.
Yuan Mobai shook his head with a smile, "A talented horse will always be a talented horse, whether discovered or not, it doesn't affect its ability to travel a thousand miles.
(End of Chapter)
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