Chapter 315: Elder Lei's Imperial Capital Adventure (Part 1)

Chapter 315: Elder Lei's Imperial Capital Adventure (Part 1)



Yuan Mo Bai listened quietly as Lei Jun described, and sighed: "The Xiao Clan beyond Long Province may not be as prosperous as before, but it still produces talented individuals."

Lei Jun nodded silently.

In addition to Xiao Chunhui and Xiao Xueting, there was also their half-brother, the current clan head of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Hang.

With the surge of spiritual energy in the heavens and the earth, it became easier for the cultivators of this era to cultivate. The most significant beneficiaries were the young generation of newly emerged top geniuses.

Xiao Hang had been living in the ancestral land of the Xiao Clan beyond Long Province, unlike Xiao Chunhui and Xiao Xueting, who often accompanied the Tang Emperor. He seemed less attention-grabbing.

However, whether it was Lei Jun and Yuan Mo Bai from the Celestial Master's Mansion, or other top forces, none of them neglected the fact that Xiao Hang used to be one of the leading figures of the younger generation of prominent families in the Great Tang Dynasty, alongside Jingxiang Fang Zhu, Qingzhou Ye Cheng, Suzhou Chu Zhe, and Cangzhou Ye Feishan.

The path ahead of them pointed towards the likes of Ye Yan, Fang Jingsheng, and Chu Xiuyuan, the heads of their respective influential families.

Like Xiao Xueting, Xiao Hang had also successfully reached the Eighth Heaven realm several years ago.

Add to that, the immensely talented yet low-key and steadily progressing Xiao Chunhui. Although the Xiao Clan beyond Long Province had not yet regained its former glory, new branches were growing from the old tree, and signs of revival were already showing.

"That Elder Xiao of the Xiao Clan back then was no ordinary man," Lei Jun remarked.

Yuan Mo Bai said, "Xiao Yumen, the Recluse, was indeed an extraordinary man."

Several decades ago, when the Xiao Clan beyond Long Province was still deeply rooted and dominated the northwest, there were approximately three most important figures in the clan.

The clan head of the generation before the last, who was also Xiao Hang's grandfather, was known as the Grand Elder of the Xiao Clan.

The clan head of the previous generation, who was the second uncle of Xiao Hang, Xiao Chunhui, and Xiao Xueting, was referred to as the Second Elder of the Xiao Clan before he took over as the clan head.

Then there was the father of the Xiao siblings, the Great Elder of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Yumen.

At that time, Xiao Yumen was also known as the number one expert of the Xiao Clan beyond Long Province.

Even at a young age, he was already a renowned Confucian prodigy in the Great Tang, and his subsequent rise to prominence was swift.

However, unexpectedly, Xiao Yumen ultimately did not succeed to the position of clan head.

Among his peers, he, along with the current clan head of the Fang Clan in Jingxiang, Fang Jingsheng, and the clan head of the Lin Clan in Youzhou, Lin Xuan, were the most favored to break through to the Ninth Heaven realm in the short term.

However, their fates differed greatly afterward.

Fang Jingsheng successfully broke through to the Ninth Heaven, fulfilling the expectations of the world.

Lin Xuan, on the other hand, due to her battle with Xu Yuanzhen, still couldn't take that final step even to this day.

As for Xiao Yumen, his story was even more tragic. He perished along with the other elders of the Xiao Clan beyond Long Province in the Western Regions Demon Disturbance...

"However, we can't say that with absolute certainty," Lei Jun said thoughtfully. "After all, we never found Elder Xiao Yumen's remains. We only heard that he perished in the belly of a great demon, but the eyewitness also perished in the Western Regions Demon Disturbance soon after, making it difficult to verify the truth now."

If it weren't for the subsequent mysterious rise of Xiao Chunhui and Xiao Xueting, it wouldn't have been such a big deal.

But with the exceptional talents of the Xiao siblings and their mysterious backgrounds, people couldn't help but speculate if there was more to Xiao Yumen's fate than met the eye.

"In the absence of conclusive evidence, we should refrain from making baseless speculations," Yuan Mo Bai said. "The Western Regions Demon Disturbance years ago not only brought disaster to the Xiao Clan beyond Long Province but also inflicted a heavy blow on the Great Tang. Regardless of his final fate, Elder Xiao Yumen slew numerous demons in that great battle, protecting the common people."

"Your teachings guide me, Master," Lei Jun replied.

Speaking of which, in the current situation of the Great Tang, if the Xiao Clan beyond Long Province were still around, their path forward would likely be full of uncertainties.

Nevertheless, no matter how one looked at it, the Xiao Yumen branch of the clan could be considered legendary.

If Xiao Chunhui were to take one more step forward, then he, along with his siblings Xiao Hang and Xiao Xueting, would all possess the cultivation of the Eighth Heaven.

Such a feat was extremely rare in both ancient and modern history.

The old clan heads of the Chu Clan in Suzhou, Chu Xiuyuan, and the Ye Clan in Cangzhou, Ye Mokuan, were already famous in this era for their accomplished children.

However, among Chu Xiuyuan's children, only Chu Zhe and the youngest, Chu Yu, had attained the Eighth Heaven realm. The most accomplished of the rest was his eldest son, Chu Lin, who currently served as the Chancellor of the Great Tang and held a high position with great authority. His official reputation and literary fame spread far and wide, but his personal cultivation was only at the Seventh Heaven of Confucian studies.

Chu Lin was already over two hundred years old, and whether he could break through to the Eighth Heaven before reaching four hundred was questionable, unlike Xiao Chunhui, whose success seemed almost certain.

As for Ye Mokuan, he had a son and a daughter, Ye Wei and Ye Han, both of whom had attained the Eighth Heaven realm.

In the past few hundred years of the Great Tang, aside from the special circumstances of the imperial family, there was only one other precedent similar to the current situation of the Xiao Clan.

It was the case of the first generation Celestial Master Li, Li Zhiyuan, whose three sons, Li Yang, Li Bai, and Li Song, all achieved the Eighth Heaven realm in the Daoist Talisman sect. Among them, Li Yang and Li Bai even reached the Fourth Stage of the Divine Court, completing the foundation for the prosperity of the Li family in Xinzhou for the next three to four hundred years.

However, the Li family of Xinzhou was now a thing of the past.

The future path of the Xiao Clan beyond Long Province remained uncertain.

After concluding his communication with his master, Yuan Mo Bai, Lei Jun returned to Lianyun Peak.

Over the next few days, various people came to visit or invite Daoist Lei.

From high-ranking officials like Shangguan Qing, the Grandee Secretary, to veteran generals like Lu Zhen of the Shence Army, to the current Chancellor, Chu Lin, and even the elder of the previous generation of the Fang Clan in Jingxiang, who was akin to the Grand Chancellor of the Great Tang, Fang Hezhou... Lei Jun's schedule was packed with social events and gatherings.

Lei Jun had anticipated this situation beforehand.

From the moment he accepted the position of the traveling wind elder and received the imperial decree to come to the imperial capital of Luoyang, he knew that such interactions were to be expected.

As a publicly recognized Celestial Master in training, these social connections were an inherent part of his role.

He was no longer the young and inexperienced disciple he used to be.

Lei Jun preferred to focus on quiet cultivation, but having taken on this responsibility, he did not shy away from such occasions. He represented the Celestial Master's Mansion with grace and composure.

Of course, even if he were to truly become the Celestial Master in the future, this lifestyle would not be the long-term norm.

This trip was mainly because Lei Jun had previously kept a low profile, and now that he had finally stepped into the spotlight, others naturally wanted to get to know him better and understand his ideas and perspectives. Hence, Lei Jun took the initiative to make public appearances.

"Elder Lei, time flies, and unknowingly, twenty-eight years have passed since we last met."

During the banquet, a cultured and refined Confucian scholar raised his cup in a toast to Lei Jun, "The world has changed, but your demeanor has only become more impressive."

Unlike the alchemist sect, who abstained from alcohol, the Talisman and External Elixir sects of Daoism only preached moderation.

Lei Jun calmly returned the toast, "Thank you for your kind words, Master Ye."

The scholar across from him was named Ye Cheng, styled Jifeng, and known as the Master of Blue Sea Manor. He was a leading figure among the younger generation of the Ye Clan in Qingzhou and had once been renowned alongside Ye Feishan of the Ye Clan in Jinzhou as the Two Ye Masters of East and West.

Now, he was one of the core high-ranking members of the Ye Clan in Qingzhou and could no longer be considered a young disciple.

Lei Jun had met him once when he accompanied his senior martial sister, Xu Yuanzhen, on a trip across the river many years ago.

Compared to then, Ye Cheng's appearance had matured, and he no longer carried the youthfulness of his earlier years, having also grown a beard.

Given his age, his cultivation was naturally still quite young.

The changes in his appearance were mostly due to his changing identity and status.

However, as he sat across from Lei Jun, a gentle and mild smile remained on his face.

Ye Cheng invited Lei Jun to be his guest, and Lei Jun did not refuse, remaining calm and composed.

"How is Immortal Xu doing?" Ye Cheng asked.

Lei Jun replied, "My senior martial sister is currently searching for the whereabouts of Huang Xuanpu, Fu Dongsen, and the others."

Ye Cheng said, "The so-called 'Human Path Nation' is nothing but a nation of demons. They bring disaster to the people and disturb the peace of the world. Anyone who encounters them should eradicate them. I have also been paying attention to their traces in Qingzhou, and if I discover anything, I will definitely hand it over to the court and your sect as soon as possible."

"Thank you for your concern, Master Ye. I appreciate your thoughtfulness," Lei Jun said.

Compared to the Ye Clan in Cangzhou and the two Lin clans, the Dragon Tiger Mountain sect did not have any apparent conflicts with the Ye Clan in Qingzhou.

Therefore, when Ye Cheng extended the invitation, Lei Jun calmly accepted, his demeanor unchanged, giving no indication of any unusual thoughts.

Although he had killed their important figure, Ye Fen, a few years ago in the East China Sea, he had done so discreetly, and the Qingzhou faction was unaware of his involvement...

"Was it Huang Xuanpu who poisoned Cleansing Wind Celestial Master and your sect's Elder Hongyu back then?" Ye Cheng asked.

Lei Jun's expression turned solemn, "Indeed. That beast! Our sect will definitely punish him for his crimes."

Ye Cheng's face carried a nostalgic look as he said, "When I was young, I also had the honor of listening to the teachings of Cleansing Wind Celestial Master and traveled through the rivers and lakes with Righteous Mystery Daoist. Now, those people have passed away, leaving only lingering thoughts."

"Thank you for your concern, Master Ye," Lei Jun said.

Although Ye Cheng's face remained unchanged, he was secretly observing Lei Jun.

He had indeed met Li Qingfeng and Li Zhengxian, father and son, in the past.

However, the reason he brought them up now was to gauge Lei Jun's attitude towards them.

In the previous conflict between the Li family and outsiders, the outsiders had ultimately prevailed, and Li Song, Li Ziyang, and the other Li clan members, regardless of their lives or deaths, had been expelled.

However, some members of the Li clan were treated differently.

Aside from the late Celestial Master Li Qingfeng, Li Hongyu and Li Zhengxian had perished, but their talismans had not been removed by the Celestial Master's Mansion.

Ye Cheng was currently observing Lei Jun to understand his attitude towards the Li clan and, by extension, his perspective on other prestigious clans.

Over the years, the attitudes of Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang towards the clans had become clear.

Not only were they hostile towards the Lin clan in Jiangzhou, but they also held antagonistic views towards other prestigious clans.

In contrast, Yuan Mo Bai and Lei Jun, master and disciple, were more peaceful.

Aside from their conflict with the Lin clan in Jiangzhou, they rarely clashed with other clan experts.

Of course, they couldn't be considered friendly either.

During the Li-outsider conflict, Yuan Mo Bai was undoubtedly one of the pillars among the outsiders in the Celestial Master's Mansion.

As for Lei Jun, he had only participated in the battle in Jiangzhou.

Subsequently, his actions were mostly directed towards the Heavenly Way, the Human Path Nation, or the Heavenly Principle cultivators.

Based on observations, this Lei Daoist seemed rather indifferent and aloof. The rare occasions he took action were mostly to defend Dragon Tiger Mountain against invading enemies or to assist his fellow sect members.

He almost never took the initiative to provoke others.

Even his trip to the East China Sea was triggered by the disappearance of his fellow sect member, Xu Yuanzhen, from the Heavenly Principle.

Although Ye Fen had met his end in the East China Sea, Ye Yao, who had interacted with Lei Jun at that time, had later discussed the Heavenly Cloud Daoist of the Celestial Master's Mansion with Ye Cheng.

From current observations, if this Elder Lei were to truly succeed Tang Xiaotang as the leader of the Celestial Master's Mansion, the sect's aggressiveness and offensiveness would likely decrease.

From the perspective of the Dragon Tiger Mountain sect, it would be beneficial to take a break and recuperate.

In the long run, they would become even stronger.

However, their reduced aggression would also mean lessened threats and unexpected factors for clans like the Ye Clan in Qingzhou.

The future remained uncertain, and further interactions between the parties would determine the outcome.

Although Ye Cheng had many thoughts running through his mind, his face remained unchanged, and he chatted and laughed with Lei Jun throughout the banquet.

Lei Jun remained calm and collected, and although the atmosphere at the banquet was not fervent, it could still be considered a pleasant gathering between host and guest.

Ye Cheng invited Lei Jun to be his guest and presented various gifts.

Lei Jun accepted them all without refusal.

He also reciprocated with spiritual talismans and pills from the Celestial Master's Mansion, ensuring he didn't owe any favors.

If Lei Daoist had a say, he would have preferred if Ye Cheng had sent some of the Qingzhou Ye Clan's Confucian academic legacy instead of these auxiliary cultivation items.

He would have been happier with calligraphy and paintings that could help him further understand the intricacies of the Ye Clan's school of thought. The items he had obtained from Ye Fen had already been thoroughly studied...

It was a pity that Master Ye Jifeng was not considerate enough!

After leaving the Ye Clan's luxurious mansion in Luoyang City, Lei Jun returned to Lianyun Peak.

Similar banquets like this one had been a frequent occurrence for him over the past few days, and he had openly attended gatherings hosted by various factions.

This trip was mainly to introduce himself and familiarize others with his presence, without any considerations of taking sides.

When Lei Jun returned to Lianyun Peak that night, someone was already waiting for him.

His senior martial brother, Lin Shan, was there to receive him.

"Senior Martial Brother Lin," Lei Jun nodded to Lin Shan and then turned to the two guests.

From their clothing and appearance, they seemed to be two young scholars.

Among them was Meng Shaojie.

And the other young man was none other than Crown Prince Zhang Hui.

"Your Highness, please forgive my rudeness for receiving you in such a humble manner." Lei Jun stepped forward.

Crown Prince Zhang Hui smiled and shook his head, "It's my fault for coming unannounced. Please don't take offense, Elder Lei."

Meng Shaojie seemed much calmer and more reserved than before, but he was very respectful towards Lei Jun. "Elder Lei, I apologize for disturbing you."

After the greetings, Lei Jun invited the two to sit down and asked Lin Shan to join them.

From their conversation, Lei Jun learned that, as Xiao Chunhui had said, Meng Shaojie had been sequestered in study, akin to other Daoist cultivators in closed-door cultivation, and had only recently emerged.

He still remembered how Lei Jun had helped him remove the calamity of the Balance of Activity and Stillness back at Dragon Tiger Mountain, and the encouragement Lei Jun had given him at that time.

Now that Lei Jun had arrived in the capital, Meng Shaojie had come to pay him a visit.

It happened that he had just ended his seclusion, and Crown Prince Zhang Hui had intended to summon him for a reunion. When he heard that Meng Shaojie wanted to visit Lei Jun, he decided to come along.

As time passed, Zhang Hui's appearances outside the palace had become less frequent.

Fortunately, the Empress had returned to Luoyang, so Zhang Hui was relieved of his duty as regent and had more freedom of movement.

Of course, his visit to Elder Lei of the Tian Shi Fu (Heaven Master's Mansion) was also recorded and reported to the palace.

Even though he was dressed casually, he was accompanied by officials from the Eastern Palace, who were now being entertained and waiting for the Crown Prince's return.

"Your Highness, with you overseeing the country, the political situation has been stable, giving Her Majesty one less worry, and this is a blessing for the people," Lei Jun said calmly.

Zhang Hui said, "These past years, I have been walking on thin ice, fearing that I might make a mistake and cause chaos in the government. Fortunately, Her Majesty has been making wise decisions, and with the support of elders like you, Elder Lei, the country has been stable. Now that Her Majesty has returned to the capital, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

He turned to Meng Shaojie and smiled, "I think I'm more suited to composing poems and painting. I was just chatting with Qingyan about it. My brushwork has become quite rusty over the years."

Meng Shaojie apologized, "It's my fault for not being competent enough to help Your Highness with the affairs of the court."

Zhang Hui shook his head, "Not at all. I'm glad that you're focusing on your studies and making progress. That's what truly matters."

Lei Jun also took the opportunity to observe Meng Shaojie, "It's been a long time since we last met, and it seems that Young Meng has made significant progress in his studies and cultivation."

Although he had provided guidance and assistance to Meng Shaojie through the secret side of the heavenly book, he couldn't constantly monitor him through it.

As a result, Lei Jun wasn't entirely clear about the specifics of Meng Shaojie's cultivation progress over the years.

Now, looking at Meng Shaojie, he could see that his cultivation level had not only reached the middle third layer of the Nine Heavens, but it was even higher than expected.

It seemed that Meng Shaojie had indeed found a unique path that, although immature, was extremely well-suited to him.

His extraordinary talent was starting to show.

Lei Jun was quite interested in discussing the details of historiography, a branch of Confucian cultivation, with Meng Shaojie.

However, this wasn't urgent, and since he would be staying in Luoyang for a while, he could take his time to exchange ideas with Meng Shaojie.

Of course, Meng Shaojie was still at the beginning of this path, and there was much to explore in the long run.

In the eyes of the outside world, he was still a nobody.

Of the two visitors, Crown Prince Zhang Hui seemed to be the focus of attention.

Although Zhang Hui had come incognito, the news wasn't kept secret, so various parties were paying attention.

"Your Highness, you stayed at Lianyun Pavilion for quite some time and returned to the palace just before the curfew."

In the residence of Shangguan Qing, the Grand Secretary, he and Lu Zhen, a veteran general of the Shence Army, were discussing this matter.

Not long ago, Lei Jun had been invited to their residences as well.

Regarding Lei Jun's wide social circle and his acceptance of invitations from Chu Lin, Ye Cheng, and others, neither Shangguan Qing nor Lu Zhen took it to heart, nor did they suspect that Lei Jun's actions indicated a complete shift in allegiance for the Tian Shi Fu.

Ye Cheng and Chu Lin's intentions were merely to temporarily stabilize their relationship with the Tian Shi Fu, understand Lei Jun's attitude, and anticipate any changes that might come with him taking over as the Heaven Master.

However, Crown Prince Zhang Hui's personal visit to Lei Jun did attract the attention of Shangguan Qing and Lu Zhen.

"Your Highness has been closely associated with Qingzhou, Suzhou, and Jingxiang in the past, but it's understandable that he wouldn't want to neglect any side. The Tian Shi Fu is rising again and has the potential to become the leader of the Daoist sect, so Your Highness naturally wouldn't want to ignore them," Shangguan Qing said.

He believed that Qingzhou, Suzhou, and Jingxiang would also be paying attention to this development.

However, it probably wouldn't come as a big surprise to them.

While the prestigious families like the Ye Clan of Qingzhou had indeed placed a significant bet on Crown Prince Zhang Hui, they also knew that to accomplish something truly great, one must gain support from multiple factions.

At the very least, one shouldn't have everyone as an enemy.

Most of the time, it's not about having the majority on your side, but simply ensuring that others remain neutral and don't become hostile.

This applied to the Ye Clan of Qingzhou and the Chu Clan of Suzhou as well.

Lu Zhen asked, "I heard that Your Highness has also been seeking guidance from Brother Shangguan in your studies?"

Shangguan Qing humbly replied, "Your Highness is a naturally gifted talent. I merely exchanged ideas with him, and I dare not claim to be his teacher."

Lu Zhen nodded slightly, not continuing the topic any further.

In recent years, Crown Prince Zhang Hui's talent and potential had become more and more apparent.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end