Chapter 316: Lei Jun's Appearance

Chapter 316: Lei Jun's Appearance

Dong An and Jiang Yuan were both startled.

Jiang Yuan's eyes shone with alertness, but he remained silent, his face filled with wariness.

Dong An, on the other hand, took a deep breath and asked, "Xuan Xiaozi Daoist from Longhu Mountain, Lei Jun?"

Lei Jun nodded slightly. "In the capital, it is truly inappropriate for the two of you to create such a ruckus."

Dong An's sharp aura diminished slightly, but he continued to stare intently at Jiang Yuan, who was across from him in Zhao Wang's mansion.

"You are right, Daoist. I, Dong, acted impulsively due to the urgency of the situation. However, given the seriousness of the matter, I implore you not to let this person go!"

Struggling in vain, Jiang Yuan stopped exerting himself but quickly rebutted when he heard Dong An's words, "There are people in the court who want to frame His Highness Zhao Wang! He has nothing to do with the White Lotus heretic monks. Today, he is a victim of slander and entrapment!"

Before Dong An could say anything else, Lei Jun interrupted, "I happened to be here today, and I came to visit Huitantang as a guest. I have already overstepped my bounds by intervening on behalf of the Hall Master. I have no intention of further involving myself in your affairs."

He turned to Jiang Yuan and said, "With such a commotion, General Lu and the others from the Divine Strategy Army will be here soon. They will handle what comes next.

You don't have to worry about your life either. Things have come to this point, and the matter is of great importance. The Emperor will surely inquire about it personally, and you can explain everything to him then."

After a moment of silence, Jiang Yuan bowed to Lei Jun and said, "Thank you, Daoist Xuan Xiaozi, for your mediation. Your teachings are profound, and I believe that the Emperor will handle this matter impartially and ensure that His Highness Zhao Wang is not wronged."

Dong An also remained silent and bowed, "Thank you, Daoist Xuan Xiaozi, for your intervention."

The purple Yang Leilong and the black Yin Leilong disappeared at this moment.

Dong An and Jiang Yuan regained their freedom.

However, with Lei Jun's tall and slender figure standing there, neither Dong nor Jiang dared to continue their fight.

Jiang Yuan did not even dare to think of escaping.

Although his heart was still filled with anxiety, he had regained his composure and gathered the Zhao Wang Mansion cultivators who had come with him to Luoyang.

Dong An also regrouped with the Divine Strategy Army soldiers who had followed him.

The crowd continued to glare at Jiang Yuan and the other Zhao Wang Mansion cultivators.

But with Lei Jun's presence, the Divine Strategy Army soldiers dared not act rashly and could only stare from a distance.

The battlefield, which had been chaotic and noisy just a moment ago, returned to peace.

Huitantang's Hall Master, Yu Cheng, approached Lei Jun and said, "Today, we truly owe you a debt of gratitude, Daoist Lei. If not for your presence, the consequences could have been dire."

Yu Cheng's cultivation was actually quite remarkable; he was a rare upper-tier healer.

However, fighting and killing was not the forte of healers.

Aside from their exceptional self-preservation abilities, Yu Cheng and his companions were better at assisting their friends from the sidelines rather than facing opponents directly.

Although medicine and martial arts were not separate, they also had their own unique physical vitality cultivation techniques.

However, a significant drawback compared to soldiers and refined body cultivators was that Yu Cheng and the other healers lacked terrifying speed and explosiveness.

This made it difficult for Yu Cheng to protect himself against Dong An and Jiang Yuan, let alone dissolve or suppress them.

The only option available to Yu Cheng was to use poison.

Although there were differences between the poisons of healers and the voodoo poisons of South Barbarian witches, being in the imperial capital of Luoyang meant that Yu Cheng could not fully utilize his skills.

Moreover, with Dong An and Jiang Yuan's physical and blood cultivation levels, Yu Cheng was not confident that he could poison them without causing any injuries.

The time it took for the poison to take effect was also an issue.

If it weren't for Lei Jun's presence today, the main hall of Huitantang would have been completely destroyed.

Therefore, despite Lei Jun's claim of overstepping his bounds, Yu Cheng felt grateful towards him, despite his dissatisfaction with Dong An and Jiang Yuan.

At this moment, as Yu Cheng's gaze shifted to the side and landed on Lei Jun, he was secretly astonished.

Being in the capital meant having a wide network of acquaintances.

Yu Cheng, as the Hall Master of Huitantang, was not isolated from information.

He had long heard of Lei Zhongyun, the recently rising high-achieving elder of Longhu Mountain, also known as Xuan Xiaozi.

Lei Zhongyun's talent and prowess in cultivation, as well as his powerful strength demonstrated during his propagation of the Dao and his battles against enemies, had been the talk of the town in recent years, even among the people of Luoyang.

However, Yu Cheng now realized that hearing about someone was not the same as seeing them in person.

Both Dong An and Jiang Yuan were martial artists of the upper tier, their speed as quick as lightning. Ordinary cultivators would not only find it difficult to intervene in their battle but even tracking their movements with their eyes would be a challenge.

Even if someone could match their speed and enter the fray, Dong An and Jiang Yuan were quick to change their attacks and had their own countermeasures.

But earlier, Lei Jun had casually appeared in the center of the battlefield between Dong An and Jiang Yuan, intercepting Dong An's spear and Jiang Yuan's long pole with pinpoint precision.

His timing was impeccable, down to the finest detail.

Dong An and Jiang Yuan didn't even have time to change their attacks, and their weapons landed together by Lei Jun's side.

Yu Cheng himself did not possess such skills, but he had encountered many martial arts masters.

There was only one reason for the outcome they had just witnessed:

Lei Jun, a cultivator from the Fulu sect, was faster than Dong An and Jiang Yuan, who were martial artists.

Faster, more accurate, and undoubtedly stronger.

Without dodging or evading, Lei Jun relied on the Heavenly Master's Mansion's orthodox technique of Vital Star God. He directly countered the combined attack of Dong An and Jiang Yuan.

This defense was not something that an ordinary cultivator of the Eighth Heaven realm from the Fulu sect could achieve with the Mother Star Goddess technique.

Even if the Fulu sect cultivator had a realm advantage over Dong An and Jiang Yuan, it would still be impossible.

The reason was simple: the piercing attacks of the Soldier Strikers were exceptionally fierce and could be considered the strongest in the world.

The rare exceptions were the flying swords of external Dan pills used by Daoist cultivators after long-term accumulation and aiming, as well as the divine archery of Confucian treasure bows.

However, both of these required a long time to prepare, and in terms of instantaneous bursts, other Daoist cultivators could not match the assassination of the Soldier Strikers.

At times, this assassination was an exceptional existence, and over the long history, there were numerous precedents of the weak overcoming the strong.

However, Lei Jun did not dodge or evade and instead chose to withstand the attacks of Dong An and Jiang Yuan head-on.

Indeed, Elder Lei had indeed reached the second layer of the Double Heaven realm in the Fulu Sect, cultivating the Middle Scene of the Divine Court. Moreover, his Divine Court was more stable and robust than that of his peers at the same level... in all sincerity.

Once a Fulu Sect cultivator achieved the Middle Scene of the Divine Court, they could enhance and protect themselves, gaining powerful defensive abilities that were not visible externally.

The Divine Court represented the individual cultivation and understanding of a Fulu Sect cultivator up to that point.

Thus, the outer scenes of the Divine Court varied, and while the inner scenes appeared similar, the more profound and profound a Divine Court was, the stronger its protective power.

Yu Cheng looked at Lei Jun with admiration, feeling that Elder Lei was the perfect embodiment of this principle.

Not only Yu Cheng but also Lu Zhen, the second-in-command of the Divine Strategy Army, who arrived later upon hearing the news, shared a similar sentiment. After listening to Dong An and the others' report of what had transpired, the look in his eyes as he regarded Lei Jun became more solemn.

Indeed, it was best to overestimate this Elder Lei and never underestimate him... Lu Zhen thought to himself.

Fortunately, Lei Jun was calm and peaceful, rarely driven by a desire to compete, and only intervened when absolutely necessary.

He was indeed a high-achieving Daoist...

"Thank you, Elder Lei and Mr. Yu, for your assistance. Lu has failed to maintain discipline among his troops, and I am ashamed," Lu Zhen said, first offering his greetings to Lei Jun and Yu Cheng.

Lei Jun calmly returned the greeting, "General, your words are too kind. I am not one who seeks conflict, but considering that this is the imperial capital, where the people live peacefully, I had to intervene to resolve the dispute between the two parties. However, I am unable to discern the rights and wrongs of both sides, so I can only leave the matter to you for handling."

Yu Cheng also said that it was only right for Lei Jun to intervene.

Lu Zhen expressed his gratitude, "Elder and Mr. Yu, your actions were noble."

He then turned to Dong An and Jiang Yuan, "His Majesty has already taken a personal interest in this matter and will surely investigate it thoroughly. You will have a chance to explain yourselves, but do not make things worse for yourselves."

Both Dong An and Jiang Yuan replied, "We have disturbed His Majesty, and we are guilty."

Lu Zhen also assured Jiang Yuan, "Someone will inform Zhao Wang's family in Youzhou about this incident."

Jiang Yuan expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, General."

Lu Zhen left a portion of his men behind to take care of the aftermath.

He personally apologized to Lei Jun and Yu Cheng and took charge of escorting both parties involved in the incident, including Dong An, away from the premises.

Lei Jun watched as Lu Zhen and Dong An's figures disappeared into the distance, remaining silent.

However, he had already heard some rumors before coming to Luoyang.

Although the four major Confucian families did not have a long history, the Shangguan and Lu clans were top-notch aristocratic families that had established their foundations since the founding of the Great Tang Dynasty.

Within the Great Tang Divine Strategy Army, their influence was immense.

On the other hand, Dong An and Shen Quibing were both commoners who rose through the ranks thanks to the promotion of the Tang court and the imperial family, eventually reaching their current positions as young generals.

The consequences of Dong An's actions today could be far-reaching.

In the eyes of many, Zhao Wang Zhang Teng, once considered the pillar of the Great Tang's northern border, had become unpredictable.

However, if it were indeed proven that the Zhao Wang Mansion was involved with the White Lotus Sect, and there was solid evidence to support this claim, then so be it.

But if there was no evidence, or worse, if it was revealed that the Zhao Wang Mansion was framed and wrongfully accused, the central government of the Tang Dynasty would most likely not stir up trouble easily.

In that case, Dong An would have effectively shot himself in the foot.

Even if he did not incur punishment, his rising momentum would be completely halted.

Lei Jun had minimal interactions with Dong An and didn't know much about his character.

However, today's battle seemed somewhat abrupt.

If one were to say that the Shangguan and Lu clans deliberately set up Dong An, it would be hard to believe that they would be so bold.

However, it was not impossible that they had pushed him in the right direction or misled him... Lei Jun pondered silently, his expression unchanged as he withdrew his gaze.

For now, he did not intend to involve himself further in the aftermath of this incident.

Similarly, Yu Cheng left the matter to the officials for handling and only instructed his disciples and associates to clean up Huitang Hall, which had been affected by the previous battle.

"Please, Elder Lei, stay for a moment while I retrieve something." Yu Cheng left for a short while and returned with a brocade box, which he placed in front of Lei Jun. "If it weren't for Elder Lei's intervention, the losses for Huitang Hall today would have been significant. Please accept this small token of our gratitude. I hope Elder Lei will not refuse."

Yu Cheng opened the box to reveal a jade disc that radiated a vibrant and ever-changing light, as if encompassing the myriad phenomena of the world.

The spiritual energy emanating from the jade disc was relatively gentle, with a hint of embracing all things within it.

Lei Jun expressed, "Mr. Yu, your kindness is overwhelming."

Yu Cheng shook his head and sighed, "Although this Moruo Jade Disc is of good quality, it is fragile. If it weren't for Elder Lei's presence today, it would have been difficult to preserve this treasure amidst the chaos of the previous battle. The fact that it remains intact is also a stroke of fate."

Lei Jun accepted the gift without further modesty and thanked Yu Cheng before taking the brocade box.

While it seemed like Yu Cheng was eager to repay his debt, the discussion that followed regarding the exchanges between the Celestial Master's Mansion and Huitang Hall became much more in-depth.

The Moruo Jade Disc, it seemed, was the medium-grade opportunity that the upper-tier member of the Celestial Master's Mansion had mentioned... Lei Jun thought to himself as he chatted with Yu Cheng.

As the battle unfolded on White Horse Mountain, there was a chance that the Sarira Jade Disk would be destroyed due to the conflict between Dong An and Jiang Yuan.

Now that the spiritual object had been secured, the opportunity for a third-grade opportunity had been seized.

This Sarira Jade Disk would undoubtedly be of great use to Lei Jun when he forged his magical treasures later on.

It was the perfect vessel to embody the Confucian principles of the Bihai Danqing Brush, the Ru Ink, the Haoran Paper, and the Moonlit Inkstone.

When the time came, their harmonious unity and profound understanding would undoubtedly amplify their effectiveness.

As for the potential aftermath, it would likely lie in the entanglement between the Divine Strategy Army, the Zhao Wang Mansion, and the White Lotus Sect.

However, since Lei Jun wasn't deeply involved, there might be a way to resolve the situation...

Hmm?

Lei Jun was discussing the selection of materials for pill refining with Yu Cheng when he suddenly felt a slight stir in his heart.

He appeared to be looking down at the medicine list that Yu Cheng was writing, but in reality, his Heavenly Vision and Earthly Hearing talisman was quietly activating within his pupils.

Despite the distance, some of the scenes unfolding on White Horse Mountain just outside Luoyang were conveyed to Lei Jun through this ability.

It was hard to say if this turn of events was expected or not.

The so-called heretical demons that had their tracks exposed and were being besieged by the Law Assembly turned out to be disciples of the White Lotus Sect.

Amidst the chaos, some of these White Lotus Sect disciples were either forcefully breaking through the encirclement or sneaking away, showing signs of successfully escaping.

He felt a sense of frustration in his heart.

He had already completed his business in the city, and whether he would succeed or not was now up to the blessings of the Buddha.

All he wanted was to get away as soon as possible, but as things turned out, he had exposed his tracks on White Horse Mountain, inviting a siege.

Fortunately, he managed to escape with his life this time...

"Bang!"

Just as this thought crossed the White Lotus disciple's mind, his vision suddenly went dark as if blood was flowing down from the top of his head. Then, a sharp pain radiated from the back of his head.

Unfortunately, the monk's consciousness had begun to dissipate.

He tried to dodge, turning his head to see who had sneak-attacked him.

But before the monk could make a move, he was struck again with a loud "Bang!"

No matter how unwilling the monk was, he fell forward at this point.

Then, behind him appeared a short, stout figure dressed in a deep red Daoist robe, with a bear that had black and white fur.

It was Zhuo Baojie.

Under the protection of the Taqing Bajing Treasure Cape, he had quietly sneaked up behind the monk, unnoticed.

So, Zhuo Baojie raised his fluffy little paw.

There was no need to mention the outcome of the monk receiving two bear palms at such close range.

Lei Jun couldn't even bear to look and briefly averted his gaze, his Heavenly Vision and Earthly Hearing talisman temporarily shifting away.

My disciple, why are you becoming more and more despicable?

After Zhuo Baojie flipped over the White Lotus disciple, he initially intended to call out to the others at the Law Assembly.

However, a White Lotus Sect elder with a higher cultivation level suddenly appeared on White Horse Mountain, seemingly there to rescue his fellow sect members.

Zhuo Baojie immediately put on the Taqing Bajing Treasure Cape again, waved the Xirang Flag, and disappeared from the spot.

Being too close to Luoyang, the elder didn't dare to linger, and upon discovering that his fellow disciple was dead, he had no choice but to leave quickly, despite his dismay.

Zhuo Baojie nonchalantly rejoined his companions, including Shen Shan.

Some Divine Strategy Army soldiers arrived at White Horse Mountain just outside the city.

Due to the involvement of the White Lotus Sect, Shen Shan and Zhuo Baojie cooperated with the government and stayed a while longer, only returning to Lianyun Pavilion the next day.

Lei Jun had bid farewell to Yu Cheng the previous day and returned to Lianyun Pavilion with the Sarira Jade Disk.

Since his disciples and fellow sect members were not detained, Daoist Lei naturally didn't need to go to the authorities to secure their release.

"This trip has been quite unexpected," Shen Shan shook his head repeatedly.

After hearing about what had happened near Huitantang in the city the previous day, he speculated, "I wonder if there is truly a connection between the Zhao Wang Mansion and the White Lotus Sect, or if they were framed and wrongfully accused?"

With the confirmed presence of White Lotus Sect disciples, the situation became much more complex.

"Let's wait and see," Lei Jun said.

Shen Shan nodded, and Zhuo Baojie eagerly agreed.

Later, when there was a need for cooperation from the government, Shen Shan took the lead in handling those matters.

Zhuo Baojie, on the other hand, mentioned that on their way back from outside the city, he had heard even more people talking about his master.

Compared to before, when many people had only heard of Lei Jun's name, they now had a more tangible sense of his existence.

Within and outside Luoyang, the name Longhu Mountain's Xuan Xiaozi spread far and wide.

Few outsiders knew the details of the conflict between Dong An and Jiang Yuan.

But countless people had witnessed the scene of a purple and a black thunder dragon appearing simultaneously, instantly suppressing two martial arts masters.

It wasn't a deliberate display of strength but more of an effort to help friends and alleviate the disaster for the people in the surrounding area.

Although Lei Jun's appearance this time was brief, it left a deep impression on the people.

In the minds of many, his image became more three-dimensional and detailed:

Young, yet immensely talented.

Powerful, yet calm and detached.

Distant, yet compassionate.

If one were to describe him before, it would be:

Like a Heavenly Master, his presence brings peace.

But from this day forward, it gradually transformed into:

Like the Heavenly Master himself.

Lei Jun himself remained calm and collected about all this. He didn't talk much about himself and instead looked at his senior disciple, asking, "What did you gain from this trip?"

Zhuo Baojie replied, "I listened to many seniors preaching at the Law Assembly, and it broadened my understanding. Additionally..."

He took out a small porcelain bottle and handed it to Lei Jun, "I obtained this from one of the White Lotus Sect monks."

Lei Jun opened the porcelain bottle and took a look, nodding slightly. "White Lotus Frost Dew."

Zhu Baojie sat by his side, his face serious, but his eyes darting eagerly towards the bottle's mouth. Lei Jun couldn't help but chuckle, "I'll keep this for now. Drinking it will only satisfy your curiosity and won't be of much use. However, I brought something back from Hui Tian Tang, and you're in for a treat."

The little bear's eyes lit up instantly, but he maintained a straight face. "I leave it all to Master's arrangements."

Lei Jun smiled and handed him a miniature pouch, which Zhu Baojie eagerly accepted, his eyes sparkling with delight as he left with the pouch in his arms.

Lei Jun looked at the porcelain bottle in his hand and raised his eyebrows.

This should be the fifth-grade opportunity that the upper-tier member of the Celestial Master's Mansion had mentioned regarding the White Horse Mountain incident.

The White Lotus Frost Dew was indeed rare and valuable, but its usefulness was relatively limited for Lei Jun and even Zhu Baojie, who were Daoist cultivators.

However, in terms of sign luck, this opportunity was free of hidden dangers and troubles, which was quite commendable.

Later, he might try to see if the White Lotus Frost Dew could be used for other purposes or traded with others.

…………………

In a large mansion in the north of Luoyang City, the plaque on the gate bore the character "Ye."

There were two well-known Ye Mansions in Luoyang City, one in the north and the other in the east. They belonged to the influential Ye clans of Cangzhou and Qingzhou, respectively, and served as their important residences in the imperial capital.

At this moment, in the study of the Ye Mansion in the north, Ye Feishan of the Cangzhou Ye clan was quietly grinding ink with his own hands.

As one of the most important figures among the younger generation of the Cangzhou Ye clan, he had arrived in Luoyang, the imperial capital, earlier in the year.

However, compared to Ye Cheng of the Qingzhou Ye clan, Ye Feishan kept a much lower profile.

While he was low-key in his demeanor, he was meticulous and thorough in gathering and analyzing information from various sources.

After grinding the ink, Ye Feishan began to write with his brush.

He wasn't recording anything for himself.

The words on the paper only lingered briefly before they dissipated like blue smoke, rising slowly as if passing through the roof of the mansion and ascending into the sky, conveying a message to someone far away.

The recipient of this message was Ye Feishan's father, Ye Wei, the current clan head of the Cangzhou Ye clan, and his grandfather, the elderly clan head Ye Moquan, who resided in Youzhou.

Ye Feishan's report contained three key points: First, Lei Jun's extraordinary strength and cultivation. His recent public appearances and interactions with various factions further confirmed that the Heavenly Masters Mansion was preparing for the succession of the position of Heavenly Master.

Such obvious moves could not have been made without the knowledge of the current Heavenly Master, Tang Xiaotang, even if he was not currently on Longhu Mountain.

However, it seemed that Tang Xiaotang indeed had the intention to step down voluntarily.

With Tang and Lei's impending succession, the expectation of another internal strife within the Heavenly Masters Mansion could be completely dismissed.

Ye Feishan's brush moved swiftly as he continued to write:

The second important matter concerned the White Lotus Sect. There were signs that they were acting on their own accord and taking reckless risks.

The Cangzhou Ye clan had been secretly providing support to the White Lotus Sect, the Huangtian Dao, and the Dakong Temple for some time.

Internally, the White Lotus Sect was currently divided into two factions, one of which had received significant aid from the Cangzhou Ye clan.

However, the White Lotus Sect's recent entanglement with the Zhao Wang Mansion seemed to indicate dangerous tendencies, and the Cangzhou Ye clan was unaware of this development beforehand.

This was a signal worth pondering.

A few years ago, when the Maitreya Saint emerged from seclusion, he kept the two factions in check.

But after he returned to seclusion, some of the conflicts that had been suppressed resurfaced.

... The White Lotus Sect might undergo changes in the short term.

After writing this sentence, Ye Feishan's brush paused momentarily.

A moment later, he continued to write about the third important matter:

"After investigation, it has been found that His Highness Zhao Wang traveled to the Great Guan Mountain approximately thirty years ago. The details are unclear and require further investigation..."

As he watched the ink on the paper dissipate like smoke, Ye Feishan's expression turned solemn.

Thirty years ago...

Back then, Emperor Zhang Qilong was still on the throne.

And His Highness Zhao Wang had kept this matter hidden as well.

Ye Feishan stood up and casually waved his hand, causing the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to return to their original positions. He then left the study and instructed his subordinates to continue gathering information from various sources.

Meanwhile, in the Lianyun Pavilion, Lei Jun's eyes shone with the light of the Heaven-Earth Permeating Talisman.

He casually spread out a piece of paper, and the brush floated up, dipping itself in ink and beginning to write on the paper.

"Here in Luoyang, a high-ranking member of the Cangzhou Ye clan is contacting his distant allies through a letter. Could it be Ye Feishan?" Lei Jun's interest was piqued. "It seems that the Cangzhou Ye clan is indeed involved in the matter of the Zhao Wang Mansion and the White Lotus Sect."

After the brush finished writing, the words on the paper appeared messy and haphazard, like a child's scribbles.

However, Lei Jun's eyes shone with a serious light, and as the light of the Heaven-Earth Permeating Talisman flickered in his eyes, the light converged into a line and fell onto the paper.

For a moment, the messy ink on the paper seemed to become neater and clearer.

Through the Heaven-Earth Permeating Talisman, Lei Jun's vision was filled with scenes depicted by the messy words.

"Hmm, similar to the Huai Mountain Incident a few years ago, it seems that someone within the White Lotus Sect is acting independently again," Lei Jun mused.

He continued to observe, his eyes narrowing: "The Great Guan Mountain? Compared to the White Lotus Sect, Zhao Wang Zhang Teng seems to have a greater likelihood of being connected to the previous Lonely Eagle Khanate."

After reading the message, Lei Jun nodded slightly, expressing his satisfaction with the intelligence gathered by the Cangzhou Ye clan and hoping that they would continue to provide new and valuable information.

　PS: 6k2 chapters

(End of Chapter)

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