Chapter 309: Second Layer of the Eightfold Heaven, Inner Landscape of the Divine Court (Part 2)

Chapter 309: Second Layer of the Eightfold Heaven, Inner Landscape of the Divine Court (Part 2)

I hope the Emperor will forgive me."

Huang Xuanpu smiled and shook his head. "There's no need for East Zhuo to worry. Go and rest for now."

"Yes, Emperor." Liu Dongzhuo bowed again to Huang Xuanpu and Fu Dongsen before leaving.

Fu Dongsen asked, "Emperor, should I go instead...?"

Huang Xuanpu replied, "Although your injuries are healing, there's no rush. Take your time to recuperate, and then finding Qingxiaofu should be the priority."

"Yes," Fu Dongsen answered. "If not for the Emperor's personal intervention, I wouldn't have been able to retrieve the Pre-Heaven Tower of Taiyi either."

Huang Xuanpu smiled and shook his head. "External alchemy and treasures are not my forte. It mainly depends on you."

"Elder Hong and Master Gu are still missing, and I fear they might have..." Fu Dongsen's voice trailed off.

Although they were within the Pre-Heaven Tower of Taiyi, deep under the sea, Huang Xuanpu's gaze drifted westward, as if piercing through the waters and mountains to look upon the land of the Western Regions: "Mount Sumeru... Vajra Division."

Initial reports suggested that after a fierce battle with Zhang Dongyuan and Master Ren Zhu, Hong Jie escaped with injuries, only to go missing without a trace.

If she had perished under Zhang Dongyuan's Qingming Sword, he would have no reason to hide it.

Thus, it seemed more likely that Master Ren Zhu of the Vajra Division was responsible.

Additionally, Gu Han had also gone missing within the earth veins.

However...

"What is the connection between Monk Faqing of Tianlong Temple and Dragon-Tiger Mountain?" Huang Xuanpu inquired.

Fu Dongsen was equally perplexed. "I'm not sure. As far as I know, even Tianlong Temple itself is baffled by this matter and has been making discreet inquiries, but to no avail."

If the sudden appearance of the Celestial Master Seal had given them some time to prepare, then the unexpected involvement of Fa Qing from Tianlong Temple, as well as the dust brush and ancient mirror left behind by Xu Yuanzhen, were completely beyond the calculations of the Human Path Nation.

"One wrong move, and even if it doesn't spell total defeat, it's still losing half the game."

Huang Xuanpu's expression remained calm, showing no sign of discouragement. "However, now that we've confirmed the whereabouts of the Celestial Master Seal, it's still much easier than dealing with the Wanfa Zongtan. From now on, we'll just have to wait for an opportunity regarding the Celestial Master Seal."

"Yes, Emperor," Fu Dongsen replied.

Huang Xuanpu glanced at him. "Is there something else on your mind, Dongsen?"

At this, Fu Dongsen fell silent. After a moment, he spoke softly, "Your Majesty, we are now operating from the shadows instead of openly."

The implication of his words was not difficult to guess.

Since their targets were no longer the Wanfa Zongtan or the Dragon-Tiger Mountain Ancestral Court, their future actions could be more unconstrained.

Among the current Xuanmen sect cultivators in the world, how many could stand against Huang Xuanpu's might? Aside from a handful of remaining Heavenly Master Mansion disciples, who would forever hide in Dragon-Tiger Mountain or closely follow Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang, the few others?

Even for him, Fu Dongsen, the number of people he truly feared didn't exceed the count of his fingers.

Mutual restraint among high-realm experts often served to prevent the massacre of lower-level cultivators.

However, the Human Path Nation currently had little such concern.

Hearing this, Huang Xuanpu smiled. "Although you don't cultivate the sword, your desire for swift vengeance is no less than that of any sword cultivator from the Shu Mountain Sect, Dongsen."

"I was being reckless," Fu Dongsen admitted.

"Our loss in the battle at Dragon-Tiger Mountain was heavy, and it further caused unease among the lower sect disciples," Huang Xuanpu said. "Your desire to rally their spirits is not wrong, but impatience will only lead to failure."

He sighed. "In fact, our defeat at Dragon-Tiger Mountain was also due to our impatience. We should take it as a lesson."

"I will heed your teachings, Your Majesty," Fu Dongsen replied.

Huang Xuanpu regarded him calmly. "The wars in the east and west now seem to have calmed down, but everything is just beginning."

"I've heard that the so-called Great Ming Dynasty in Tianli is not the true Great Ming Dynasty," Fu Dongsen said. "It seems there is another world in this world, another realm of humans that is no less impressive than ours."

"Indeed," Huang Xuanpu agreed. "So, there's still chaos in the east, and what about the west? Isn't it the same?"

Fu Dongsen was a little surprised. "Are you referring to the Lonely Eagle Khanate?"

"For now, Dongsen, go and search for Qingxiaofu. If there are any clues, don't let Ziwei Sword off the hook either," Huang Xuanpu instructed.

He paused, deep in thought. "Any news from Chen Donglou lately?"

During the battle at Dragon-Tiger Mountain, aside from being on guard against Xu Yuanzhen, the Human Path Nation had also been wary of Chen Donglou's sudden appearance.

However, Chen Donglou never showed up, and instead, Fa Qing from Tianlong Temple made an unexpected entrance.

"No news from him lately," Fu Dongsen replied.

"Be vigilant while searching for Qingxiaofu and Ziwei Sword," Huang Xuanpu warned.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Fu Dongsen acknowledged.

…………………

Jingzhou.

The ancestral land of the Jingxiang Fang family.

After the war in the northwest concluded, the clan leader of the Jingxiang Fang family, Fang Jingsheng, returned to Jingzhou with his nephew, Fang Zhu, and others.

Fang Zhu's father, Fang Huansheng, the eldest master of the Fang family, came out to greet them.

"Big Brother," Fang Jingsheng said as he walked back to Jingzhou with Fang Huansheng, with Fang Zhu and the others following behind.

"The matter in the East China Sea has also been settled," Fang Huansheng said.

"Tell me the details, Big Brother," Fang Jingsheng urged.

Fang Huansheng recounted the events in detail.

As Fang Jingsheng listened, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper. Only after Fang Huansheng finished did he relax and say, "So-called Neo-Confucianism is a golden age for all scholars, but it's not just the golden age of one family or a few people. Under such a system, it may also be the golden age of the emperor, but ultimately, it's a system where the central government completely overrides local powers."

Fang Huansheng nodded slightly. "Fortunes can change in an instant, and the downfall of a family or a clan can happen overnight."

After walking for a while, Fang Jingsheng asked, "What about Ye Hongzhen? Any news on that front?"

"Compared to that, Qingzhou suffered a dumb loss this time," Fang Huansheng replied.

"Big Brother, please arrange for someone to convey my condolences to Qingzhou on my behalf," Fang Jingsheng requested.

After his senior brother agreed, he asked, "What about Lei Zhenyun from the Heavenly Master Mansion?"

"Initially, he was impressive. With the Three Great Laws of the Daoist Talisman Sect empowering him, an eight-layer cultivator was able to quickly defeat a nine-layer cultivator from Tianli in a short period of time," Fang Huansheng said. "But then he was restrained by the Confucian ritual and sealed away for a long time before he managed to break free on his own. That seal was truly extraordinary. It's said that even Chu Shuyin's three arrows couldn't break it."

Fang Jingsheng and Fang Huansheng looked at each other. "We should try to find out more about that ritual. Although it's a Confucian ritual, if we can recreate it, it may be of great use in the future," Fang Jingsheng said.

"I've already instructed our clan's disciples to go to the East China Sea," Fang Huansheng replied. "I believe Suzhou and Qingzhou are also studying it."

Fang Jingsheng nodded. "Don't underestimate Lei Zhenyun from the Heavenly Master Mansion because of that ritual. The fact that he was able to quickly defeat a higher-realm opponent in a short period of time is enough to prove his talent and intelligence. The key to the Heavenly Master Mansion's breakthrough in the battle at Dragon-Tiger Mountain seems to lie with the Celestial Master Seal and him."

"I understand," Fang Huansheng said.

It wasn't that Lei Zhenyun was weak because he was restrained by the Confucian ritual.

On the contrary, the fact that the ritual could restrain him for so long highlighted its value!

…………………

While the outside world was in turmoil, Lei Zhenyun remained quietly on Dragon-Tiger Mountain, focusing on his cultivation.

However, there was a small interlude during this time.

In the dark side of the universe within the Heavenly Tome, the Moon Comet he had released had found its owner.

It was indeed fate that brought them together.

The person who obtained Lei Zhenyun's third Dark Star was none other than the Ming Dynasty man he had met once in the East China Sea.

Nie Fang.

Although he hadn't carefully examined Nie Fang's soul and mental state at the time, the fact that he could self-study the Yanshi Dao and achieve initial success, in addition to his exceptional comprehension, meant that his soul was by no means ordinary.

As the inheritor of the Yan Shi lineage, although he practiced both the techniques of the Talisman Sect and the Artifice Sect, one could tell from the way he manipulated and rode the bronze automaton that he focused more on the cultivation of the soul and spirit.

Although geographically distant, we have met again... Lei Jun smiled.

However, what surprised him somewhat was that Nie Fang was still drifting alone.

Lei Jun had originally thought that after understanding the situation in the Tang Dynasty, he would pledge allegiance to the imperial court.

Or, join the Academy.

Although Nie Fang had a Daoist cultivation foundation, he was currently still influenced by the Confucian rituals of Tianli.

Since the void passage connecting Tianli to the Tang Dynasty's mortal realm was sealed, this influence had diminished considerably.

But it still remained to some extent, and it was a significant hidden danger.

Nie Fang, having finally broken free from his restraints, naturally wanted to completely sever his ties with Tianli.

In this regard, the Tang imperial court, which was believed to uphold the fortune of the country, was undoubtedly the best solution in the public eye.

But Nie Fang hesitated.

Was it because of his experiences in Tianli that he was wary of the court? ... Lei Jun guessed.

Indeed, as he had expected, Nie Fang was indeed hesitant because of this.

However, he also knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

If he wanted to erase the influence of Tianli's Confucian rituals, then he would have to bear some risks and even pay a price.

And just as Nie Fang was about to make up his mind, another opportunity presented itself.

Looking at the strange, pale universe, Nie Fang was momentarily stunned.

Lei Jun indeed had a way to solve his problem.

As for manipulating the Confucian rituals and the fortune of Tianli to do some fine-tuning, Lei Jun currently had no idea how to go about it.

But simply erasing and severing these influences, the dark power of the Heavenly Tome, was a suitable tool.

It just needed some time to slowly erase them, so it was not suitable for actual combat or when facing Confucian cultivators.

Now that Nie Fang had come calling, Lei Jun was naturally happy to oblige.

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

Lei Jun's request of Nie Fang was the same as that of Kang Ming and Meng Shaojie.

Anything related to the ancient Talisman Sect.

He could use this opportunity to further understand the situation of the Talisman Sect lineage in the mortal realm of the Ming Dynasty.

The Talisman Sect had indeed declined in the mortal realm of the Ming Dynasty, but Nie Fang's Yan Shi lineage had connections with the Talisman Sect.

Nie Fang did not disappoint Lei Daoist.

He provided a damaged talisman.

The talisman was already incomplete, and its actual use was limited.

But the essence preserved within it gave Lei Jun food for thought:

"Penglai..."

In ancient times, among the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, the three places with the closest ties to the Daoists were Kunlun and Penglai in the Nine Heavens, and Huangquan in the Ten Lands.

Although the Talisman Sect lineage in the mortal realm of the Ming Dynasty had declined, was there a possibility that it was connected to Penglai? Lei Jun wondered, but he did not know what Penglai was like nowadays... After pondering for a moment, he put this thought aside.

Using the dark power of the Heavenly Tome, he helped Nie Fang gradually sever the restraints of the Confucian rituals.

This involved not only the soul but also the flesh.

Finally, one day, Nie Fang himself could clearly feel that his whole body seemed to have lightened.

"I... I..." The young Daoist was momentarily bewildered, as if he were in a dream.

The happiness he had longed for had come too suddenly, and it was even a little too simple, making him feel like it was too good to be true.

However, his willpower was much firmer than that of ordinary people, and he soon calmed down and began to consider his options.

Since he had the opportunity of the Moon Comet, he should cherish it.

Even if it wasn't a case of good fortune after great adversity, it still lifted a weight off his mind.

Therefore, he didn't need to worry about the Tang Dynasty's imperial court for the time being, and it certainly wasn't his first choice.

So, the Daoists? Nie Fang, while familiarizing himself with the Tang people's pronunciation and writing, also inquired about the situation and current affairs.

First, he was disappointed to learn that there was no Yan Shi lineage of the Daoists in the Tang Dynasty.

The good news was that Daoism was still thriving in the Tang Dynasty.

However, in recent years, the three sacred sites had each suffered some calamities.

Since the Dan Ding Sect had nothing to do with his cultivation, and the Pure Yang Palace, even in its heyday, had nothing to do with him, Nie Fang did not consider them.

Between the Talisman Sect and the Artifice Sect, after some thought, he decided to go to the Longhu Mountain Ancestral Court.

Lei Jun saw Nie Fang paying respects to Longhu Mountain from a distance.

He did not hide his background and lineage, and he told everything as it was.

Chu Kun was the first to receive him, and after talking with Nie Fang, he arranged for him to meet Lei Jun, the high-achieving elder.

"Your foundation has already been established, and if you want to switch to practicing the Daoist techniques of my Talisman Sect, you will have to start from scratch," Lei Jun said.

Nie Fang glanced at the bronze automaton by his side and then looked away:

"Elder, I still intend to continue cultivating the techniques of the Yan Shi lineage.

Firstly, when I first entered the sect, I vowed to carry on this lineage, and it was this lineage that gave me the means to survive and escape to the Tang Dynasty.

Secondly, I bear a karmic debt, and in the future, if I want to return to Tianli to seek justice for myself, having a connection with your esteemed sect and its profound teachings will naturally be beneficial for this purpose. However, if I join your sect, it may cause trouble and attract unwanted attention, so I dare not be presumptuous.

I only hope that I can have a few opportunities to receive guidance from Elder and the other esteemed elders of the Celestial Master's Mansion. I will do my best to follow your instructions.

I humbly request Elder's permission for this unreasonable request, and I will be forever grateful."

Chu Kun glanced at Lei Jun.

Nie Fang's intention was to establish his own lineage, even if it was just a small Daoist temple, and then affiliate it with the Talisman Sect.

Longhu Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion was the ancestral court of the Daoist Talisman Sect in the Tang Dynasty, so his visit was akin to paying respects to the local powers.

If Nie Fang could also receive some cultivation resources or guidance on Daoist classics during his cultivation, he would naturally be delighted, and of course, he would be willing to follow the Celestial Master's Mansion's orders and serve them.

However, his roots, at least for now, were not in the Tang Dynasty.

They were in the Ming Dynasty, or to be more precise, in Tianli.

As the inheritor of the Yan Shi lineage, although he practiced both the techniques of the Talisman Sect and the Artifice Sect, one could tell from the way he manipulated and rode the bronze automaton that he focused more on the cultivation of his soul and spirit.

Despite the geographical distance, we meet again... Lei Jun smiled.

However, what surprised him somewhat was that Nie Fang was still drifting alone.

Lei Jun had originally thought that after understanding the situation in the Tang Dynasty, he would pledge allegiance to the imperial court.

Or, join the Academy.

Although Nie Fang had a Daoist cultivation foundation, he was currently still influenced by the Confucian rituals of Tianli.

Since the void passage connecting Tianli to the Tang Dynasty's mortal realm was sealed, this influence had diminished considerably.

But it still remained to some extent and posed a significant hidden danger.

Nie Fang, having finally broken free from his restraints, naturally wanted to sever his ties with Tianli completely.

In this regard, the Tang imperial court, which was believed to uphold the fortune of the country, was undoubtedly the best solution in the public eye.

But Nie Fang hesitated.

Was it because of his experiences in Tianli that he was wary of the court? ... Lei Jun guessed.

Indeed, as he had expected, Nie Fang was indeed hesitant because of this.

However, he also knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

If he wanted to erase the influence of Tianli's Confucian rituals, then he would have to bear some risks and even pay a price.

And just as Nie Fang was about to make up his mind, another opportunity presented itself.

Looking at the strange, pale universe, Nie Fang was momentarily stunned.

Lei Jun indeed had a way to solve his problem.

As for manipulating the Confucian rituals and the fortune of Tianli to do some fine-tuning, Lei Jun currently had no idea how to go about it.

But simply erasing and severing these influences, the dark power of the Heavenly Tome, was a suitable tool.

It just needed some time to slowly erase them, so it was not suitable for actual combat or when facing Confucian cultivators.

Now that Nie Fang had come calling, Lei Jun was naturally happy to oblige.

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

Lei Jun's request of Nie Fang was the same as that of Kang Ming and Meng Shaojie.

Anything related to the ancient Talisman Sect.

He could use this opportunity to further understand the situation of the Talisman Sect lineage in the mortal realm of the Ming Dynasty.

The Talisman Sect had indeed declined in the mortal realm of the Ming Dynasty, but Nie Fang's Yan Shi lineage had connections with the Talisman Sect.

Nie Fang did not disappoint Lei Daoist.

He provided a damaged talisman.

The talisman was already incomplete, and its actual use was limited.

But the essence preserved within it gave Lei Jun food for thought:

"Penglai..."

In ancient times, among the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, the three places with the closest ties to the Daoists were Kunlun and Penglai in the Nine Heavens and Huangquan in the Ten Lands.

Although the Talisman Sect lineage in the mortal realm of the Ming Dynasty had declined, was there a possibility that it was connected to Penglai? Lei Jun wondered, but he did not know what Penglai was like nowadays... After pondering for a moment, he put this thought aside.

Using the dark power of the Heavenly Tome, he helped Nie Fang gradually sever the restraints of the Confucian rituals.

This involved not only the soul but also the flesh.

Finally, one day, Nie Fang himself could clearly feel that his whole body seemed to have lightened.

"I... I..." The young Daoist was momentarily bewildered, as if he were in a dream.

The happiness he had longed for had come too suddenly, and it was even a little too simple, making him feel like it was too good to be true.

However, his willpower was much firmer than that of ordinary people, and he soon calmed down and began to consider his options.

Since he had the opportunity of the Moon Comet, he should cherish it.

Even if it wasn't a case of good fortune after great adversity, it still lifted a weight off his mind.

Therefore, he didn't need to worry about the Tang Dynasty's imperial court for the time being, and it certainly wasn't his first choice.

So, the Daoists? Nie Fang, while familiarizing himself with the Tang people's pronunciation and writing, also inquired about the situation and current affairs.

First, he was disappointed to learn that there was no Yan Shi lineage of the Daoists in the Tang Dynasty.

The good news was that Daoism was still thriving in the Tang Dynasty.

However, in recent years, the three sacred sites had each suffered some calamities.

Since the Dan Ding Sect had nothing to do with his cultivation, and the Pure Yang Palace, even in its heyday, had nothing to do with him, Nie Fang did not consider them.

Between the Talisman Sect and the Artifice Sect, after some thought, he decided to go to the Longhu Mountain Ancestral Court.

Lei Jun saw Nie Fang paying respects to Longhu Mountain from a distance.

He did not hide his background and lineage and told everything as it was.

Chu Kun was the first to receive him, and after talking with Nie Fang, he arranged for him to meet Lei Jun, the high-achieving elder.

"Your foundation has already been established, and if you want to switch to practicing the Daoist techniques of my Talisman Sect, you will have to start from scratch," Lei Jun said.

Nie Fang glanced at the bronze automaton by his side and then looked away:

"Elder, I still intend to continue cultivating the techniques of the Yan Shi lineage.

Firstly, when I first entered the sect, I vowed to carry on this lineage, and it was this lineage that gave me the means to survive and escape to the Tang Dynasty.

Secondly, I bear a karmic debt, and in the future, if I want to return to Tianli to seek justice for myself, having a connection with your esteemed sect and its profound teachings will naturally be beneficial for this purpose. However, if I join your sect, it may cause trouble and attract unwanted attention, so I dare not be presumptuous.

I only hope that I can have a few opportunities to receive guidance from Elder and the other esteemed elders of the Celestial Master's Mansion. I will do my best to follow your instructions.

I humbly request Elder's permission for this unreasonable request, and I will be forever grateful."

Chu Kun glanced at Lei Jun.

Nie Fang's intention was to establish his own lineage, even if it was just a small Daoist temple, and then affiliate it with the Talisman Sect.

Longhu Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion was the ancestral court of the Daoist Talisman Sect in the Tang Dynasty, so his visit was akin to paying respects to the local powers.

If Nie Fang could also receive some cultivation resources or guidance on Daoist classics during his cultivation, he would naturally be delighted, and of course, he would be willing to follow the Celestial Master's Mansion's orders and serve them.

However, his roots, at least for now, were not in the Tang Dynasty.

They were in the Ming Dynasty, or to be more precise, in Tianli.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end