Chapter 325: The Purple Micro Sword Welcomes You

Chapter 325: The Purple Micro Sword Welcomes You

The attack on the Ye Clan of Cangzhou shocked the world.

As the Lin Clan of Youzhou was currently closely affiliated with the Ye Clan of Cangzhou, they would not stand idly by in the face of their pleas for aid. Immediately, several experts from the clan hurried southward toward Cangzhou.

Although there were some disagreements between the Ye Clan of Qingzhou and their counterparts in Cangzhou, upon receiving the distress call from Cangzhou, their clan leader, Ye Yan, dispatched experts to lend assistance.

Previously, Ye Mo Rong had made remarkable contributions during the Battle of Dihai, shooting and killing the young clan leader of the Poli Clan, Lei Yongzong, an Eighth Tier Grand Shaman.

However, he had also perished in that battle.

Unfortunately, it seemed that Lei Yan, the clan leader of the Poli Clan, was not satisfied with an eye for an eye.

His rage remained unabated and extended to the other members of the Ye Clan in Cangzhou.

Although Ye Yan had not left Qingzhou to the north, under normal circumstances, with Ye Mo Quan's presence and the protection of the Yi Xing Seal, a treasured clan heirloom of the Ye Clan in Cangzhou, Lei Yan and the other Grand Shamans of the Nine Li would not have been able to cause too much harm.

After all, as Lei Yan and the other Grand Shamans ventured deep into the human realm, they faced the constant threat of encirclement and annihilation by Tang cultivators.

Even if they truly wanted to make a move in Cangzhou, they wouldn't be able to engage in protracted warfare.

If they couldn't achieve their goals within a short period, Lei Yan and the others would have to consider whether they could even escape back to Dihai.

As furious as Lei Yan was, he was still the clan leader of the Poli Clan and not just Lei Yongzong's father; he had to consider the well-being of his other clan members.

So, when Ye Yan heard about the attack on Cangzhou and the death of Ye Fei Shan and others in Qingzhou, he was astonished.

"Big brother isn't here?" Ye Yan asked, his astonishment turning to bewilderment as he learned more details.

Although Ye Mo Quan had instructed Ye Wei and others to gather the clan's disciples and be on guard to prevent giving their enemies an opportunity, he himself had not returned to Cangzhou immediately.

As a result, this slight difference in timing led to drastically different outcomes.

As it turned out, Lei Yan, the clan leader of the Poli Clan in Dihai, had completely disregarded strategies like feigning attacks in the east while striking in the west, or creating diversions and striking where the enemy was unprepared.

After settling his clan members in Dihai, he asked the clan leader of the Bi Li Clan, Lei De, to look after them.

Then, Lei Yan himself led a few of the top experts from the Poli Clan out of Dihai, traveling day and night, following the directions of a descendant of the former Sui Dynasty. Using the ritual vessel refined by Yang Yuqi to withstand the radiance of the human realm, they headed straight for the Ye Clan in Cangzhou, where Ye Mo Rong had originated from.

Although the Tang cultivators monitoring the spatial gateway between Dihai and the human realm promptly reported the situation to all parties, Lei Yan's decisiveness and speed still caught everyone off guard.

Of course, what caught the Ye Clan in Cangzhou even more off-guard was that their ancestors had stood them up...

Currently, the Ye Clan's power in Cangzhou was quite formidable.

In the early years, when the ancestral land in Jinzhou was destroyed, only Ye Mo Quan had remained there, so the clan had not suffered many casualties.

Their treasured heirloom, the Yi Xing Seal, was also enshrined in the newly built ancestral hall in Cangzhou.

However, their difficulty lay in the fact that while it was easy to relocate and settle down, it was extremely challenging to rebuild the robust cultural heritage and advantageous geographical location they had once enjoyed in Jinzhou.

Even though the Ye Clan in Cangzhou had been recuperating, developing, and constructing tirelessly over the past decade or so, their current ancestral land could only be said to be taking shape and barely presentable.

From an ordinary person's perspective, it was naturally a vast expanse of land with houses stretching as far as the eye could see, resembling a city.

But from a cultivator's perspective, this place lacked the advantage of geographical defense.

If the attackers were Eighth Tier cultivators, it would still be manageable.

However, this time, they were facing Lei Yan, a cultivator at the Ninth Tier, accompanied by three other Grand Shamans of the Nine Li at the Eighth Tier.

Ye Wei, with the help of the Yi Xing Seal and in conjunction with other experts from the clan, could hold off Lei Yan and the Grand Shamans.

Nevertheless, the destruction caused to the surrounding area was difficult to control.

Hence, some members of the Ye Clan still perished in the attack.

And Lei Yan was still not satisfied.

His target was very clear.

Either Ye Wei or Ye Fei Shan.

Ye Fei Shan was now also a cultivator at the first layer of the Eighth Tier.

However, his opponent was Lei Yan, a bloodthirsty Ninth Tier Grand Shaman.

In the end, despite Lei Yan taking a hit from Ye Wei's Yi Xing Seal, he still managed to kill Ye Fei Shan in the face of numerous Ye Clan experts.

During the intense battle, the other three Grand Shamans of the Nine Li also sustained varying degrees of injuries.

But afterward, they escaped with Lei Yan.

The Ye Clan in Cangzhou was left in a state of devastation, with tears of frustration welling up in their eyes.

Ye Mo Quan arrived later, gazing at the tragic scene before him and the corpse of his grandson, Ye Fei Shan, upon whom he had pinned high hopes. He remained silent for a long time.

Ye Wei approached him and said in a hoarse voice, "Father..."

"Those few Grand Shamans of the Nine Li escaped with injuries. Inform the court and urge them to pursue and encircle them as soon as possible to prevent them from returning to Dihai," Ye Mo Quan instructed.

"Yes, Father," Ye Wei replied.

As Ye Fei Shan's body was collected, instead of displaying shock or anger, Ye Mo Quan's face reflected a deep sense of fatigue.

"Come with me," Ye Mo Quan said as he headed toward the ancestral hall.

Ye Wei was astonished, sensing that his father seemed to have something important to tell him.

At this moment, his heart felt even more uneasy, but he could only follow silently.

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

Imperial Capital Luoyang.

Xiao Xueling was about to leave the capital.

Her brother, Xiao Chunhui, saw her off.

"Second brother, you can go back now. There's no need to see me off anymore," said the female general, casually popping a pine nut into her mouth while putting the shell into a small pouch she carried with her.

Beside her, a scholarly official who didn't look thin but gave off a frail impression nodded and said, "Mm, take care on the road."

"Regardless of the Cangzhou Ye Clan's private calculations, this trip was nominally because Ye Mo Rong made contributions and killed enemies for the Great Tang, which resulted in retaliation from the people of the Nine Li.

The Tang imperial family would naturally not stand idly by.

On the other hand, now that the people of the Nine Li have obtained Yang Yuqi's ritual vessel, they can move relatively freely in the human realm, which also poses a threat to places other than Cangzhou.

By venturing deep into the human world, they have, to some extent, put themselves in an isolated and vulnerable position.

This presents an opportunity for the humans to surround and annihilate them.

Hence, the Tang imperial family reacted swiftly. Although Grand General Shangguan Yunbo, who possessed the Rampaging Golden Lance, had just returned to Luoyang and was resting from his injuries, Xiao Xuelin brought another divine weapon, the Mountain River Sword, out of the imperial capital to meet Ye Mo Quan in Cangzhou. Together, they coordinated with various parties to surround and attack Lei Yan and the others.

"Second brother, is it possible that the Ye Clan's old ancestor is unwell and his body is not suitable for confronting powerful enemies?" Xiao Xuelin asked.

If not for that, it would be hard to explain why he was late, giving Lei Yan and the others an opportunity.

If Ye Mo Quan had returned to the ancestral land in Cangzhou in time, even without the advantage of geographical defense, the outcome of this battle would have been different.

After all, Ye Wei, an Eighth Tier cultivator, wielding the Yi Xing Seal, and Ye Mo Quan, a Ninth Tier cultivator, wielding the same, are two completely different matters.

Xiao Chunhui pondered, "According to the various messages we received, although the old man Ye was injured in his battle with Elder Xu of Dragon Tiger Mountain years ago, he should have recovered from his injuries after these years of recuperation.

But from the looks of it now, his body does seem to be unwell. However, we cannot pinpoint the exact reason at this moment.

Instead of attributing it to his old age and slow recovery, I am inclined to believe that the injuries inflicted by Elder Xu are more severe than we thought.

However, we need further investigation to uncover the specifics."

Xiao Xuelin peeled a pine nut and said, "Without Wei Ancheng, we still have Lei Yan of the Nine Li, and there's always trouble with the Blood River lineage of the Wu Clan."

Xiao Chunhui smiled at his sister's words, "Now that Wei Ancheng is gone, and we have Lei Yan to deal with, it's still better than having both of them around."

Xiao Xuelin popped the pine nut into her mouth, "That's true. We have to thank the Tang Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain for this."

"The talents of the Tang Celestial Master are heaven-defying, and her strength and fame are well-deserved."

Xiao Chunhui agreed, "Her victory over Wei Ancheng is not surprising, considering her status as a Ninth Tier High Immortal. Even when she was at the Eighth Tier, Wei Ancheng had no way of dealing with her when she had the Celestial Master's Sword. This time, in the depths of the Earthly Sea, they were aiming for the moment she emerged from her seclusion. If they had missed that opportunity, they wouldn't have stood a chance."

Even among Ninth Tier cultivators, there are differences in actual combat strength between a fifty-four-year-old Ninth Tier cultivator and one who is a hundred or two hundred years old.

"However, when I first heard the news, I was still quite surprised."

Xiao Chunhui continued, "It's not surprising that the Tang Celestial Master could defeat Wei Ancheng, but to be able to kill him when he had the Blood Sea Chart with him was unexpected."

Xiao Xuelin's eyes narrowed as she asked, "Second brother, do you mean that something happened to Wei Ancheng before he faced the Tang Celestial Master?"

Xiao Chunhui explained, "I heard that Lei Daoist, who acts as the Tang Celestial Master's protector, was injured."

Xiao Xuelin nodded, "Although Lei Daoist is still at the Eighth Tier, his abilities are extraordinary. With the Celestial Master's Seal and Sword in hand, even though he faced both Lei Yan and Wei Ancheng in succession, the battles were separate encounters. Normally, in a one-on-one situation, he wouldn't be injured by Wei Ancheng in just a short moment.

If it wasn't due to his carelessness and mistake, then the more likely possibility is that they both suffered injuries in their clash.

Lei Daoist was injured, but at the same time, he also managed to injure Wei Ancheng. This way, when the Tang Celestial Master emerged from her seclusion, Wei Ancheng would have no way to escape."

Xiao Chunhui spoke with a calm demeanor, "Indeed, Dragon Tiger Mountain has produced many talented individuals. Given time, you and I should be able to witness three Ninth Tier High Immortals from Dragon Tiger Mountain working together."

As Xiao Xuelin heard these words, her gaze shifted towards the west, "Second brother, what about the Sumeru Vajra Sect...?"

Xiao Chunhui replied, "For now, they remain calm and patient. Their future actions will depend on how the situation develops."

Xiao Xuelin gave a slight nod.

After bidding farewell to her brother, she officially departed from Luoyang, heading east.

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

At this moment, in the Celestial Master's Mansion of Dragon Tiger Mountain, a certain Celestial Master was laughing exuberantly, "Well done!"

A tall woman with a nine-colored brocade draped over her shoulders was pacing back and forth in the hall, clenching and unclenching her fists in excitement.

After circling a couple of times, she stopped and turned to look at Lei Jun, who was sitting beside her, "You're truly shameless!"

Despite her words, her face was filled with a smile, clearly pleased with Lei Jun's earlier act of impersonating Ye Mo Rong and shooting an arrow in the Earthly Sea.

Previously, she had been frustrated by Lei Yan's escape in the Earthly Sea, but now, with Lei Yan causing a ruckus in Cangzhou, Tang Xiaotang was delighted.

Lei Jun maintained a calm expression and shrugged, "We have to thank Ye Mo Rong, the old general himself."

Tang Xiaotang started pacing and circling again, "It's a pity that apart from Ye Fei Shan, they didn't take out any other significant members of the Cangzhou Ye Clan. If the people of the Nine Li continue to attack like this, I might not even need to go after them. Let them keep biting each other."

Including Ye Mo Rong, who had perished in the Earthly Sea earlier, the Cangzhou Ye Clan had suffered considerable losses this time.

Ye Mo Rong was one of the most important core members of the Jinzhou Ye Clan, second only to Ye Mo Quan, and one of the top experts in the clan.

Ye Fei Shan was undoubtedly the foremost figure among the younger generation, groomed by the Cangzhou Ye Clan to be their future helmsman.

Losing two such promising individuals was undoubtedly a painful blow to the Cangzhou Ye Clan, akin to having their flesh torn out.

However, this loss was more significant in terms of quality rather than quantity.

In terms of numbers, the Cangzhou Ye Clan still had deep roots and a vast network.

Over the years, they had not suffered the loss of any cultivators above the Third Tier.

During the destruction of the Jinzhou ancestral land, aside from Ye Han and Ye Zhenxing, who were killed by Lei Jun on the outskirts, the Ye Clan's upper echelons had incurred minimal losses.

Thus, over the years, only a handful of their Upper Realm cultivators had perished, namely Ye Mo Rong, Ye Han, Ye Liang, Ye Fei Shan, Ye Lingxi, and Ye Zhenxing.

This attack on the Cangzhou ancestral land, however, forced some of the Cangzhou Ye Clan's hidden elders to emerge from their seclusion. These elders, like Lin Jian and Lin Zhan of the Jiangzhou Lin Clan, had remained in the background due to their old age, only appearing in the most critical moments.

With these elders coming out of hiding, it became evident that the Cangzhou Ye Clan still boasted over twenty Upper Realm Grand Scholars, showcasing the depth of their lineage.

The reason Lei Yan and the others were able to succeed in this attack was not only because the Cangzhou ancestral land was newly established and unstable but also because the Ye Clan had been stood up by their elder, Ye Mo Quan, leaving them unprepared and vulnerable.

Lei Jun did not feel rushed about this situation.

There was still plenty of time.

Lei Jun: "As long as Ye Fei Shan is dead, it's unlikely that Lei Yan will continue his revenge. If Ye Fei Shan were still alive, there would be a higher chance of Lei Yan persisting in his retaliation."

Tang Xiaotang paused in her steps. "Then it's my turn to go after him."

Lei Jun: "Of course, it's up to you, Junior Sister, to do as you please. But now that you've newly attained the Ninth Tier, you can select a new innate divine ability. Have you made a decision? Perhaps the Thunder Law Heaven Scripture?"

Tang Xiaotang: "I already have my own Shenxiao Pure Yang Scripture and Pure Yang Immortal Thunder. So, I'm not too keen on the Thunder Law Heaven Scripture or the Nine Heavens Thunder. Speaking of new abilities, though, I do have some ideas..."

As she spoke, her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she looked at Lei Jun.

Lei Jun lowered his head to examine his robe. It wasn't dirty.

"Your Heaven-Piercing Earth-Penetrating Scripture is quite remarkable," Tang Xiaotang said earnestly.

Lei Jun understood that she wasn't interested in learning it but had something else in mind. "Junior Sister plans to create her own ability that suits her, one that enhances her perception, right?"

"Exactly!"

Tang Xiaotang puffed out her cheeks. "You and Senior Sister have it easy when it comes to finding people and things. But that Lei Yan managed to slip away from me in the Earthly Sea. I can't keep letting this happen. I need to find a way to strengthen my abilities and powers of perception!"

Lei Jun: "To be honest, it's not that easy for me to find people in the Earthly Sea either..."

Tang Xiaotang sat down in a chair and huffed, "That Lei Yan... I really want to get my hands on him right now. But you're right, I should sharpen my knife before cutting wood. For now, I'll focus on enhancing my abilities and techniques, and then I'll deal with him later."

After a slight pause, she added, "And don't forget about Huang Xuanpu and the others!"

Lei Jun: "I wish you success, Junior Sister. If you need it, I can always manifest the Heaven-Piercing Earth-Penetrating Scripture for you to observe and reference."

Tang Xiaotang: "That won't be necessary. After seeing your Heaven-Seeing Earth-Hearing Talisman, I already have some ideas."

She then asked, "By the way, when will Senior Sister be back?"

Lei Jun: "Master Sister said that she'll be notified once we make further progress with the Purple Micro Sword."

Tang Xiaotang pouted. "Tsk, I was hoping to spar with her."

Speaking of which, her eyes lit up as she rubbed her hands together. "Now that we're all at the Great Vehicle Realm, we can finally have a proper battle!"

Lei Jun: "Well, Junior Sister, even within the Ninth Tier, there are five levels..."

Tang Xiaotang waved her hand dismissively. "Those don't matter!"

Lei Jun: "Let's focus on dealing with the matters of the Human Daoist Nation first."

Tang Xiaotang suddenly remembered something. "Right, Senior Sister mentioned that she wanted to find spiritual objects related to the secrets of time. Have you made any progress on that front?"

Lei Jun nodded and proceeded to tell her about Shen Quibing and the Dust of Flowing Water.

Tang Xiaotang didn't seem interested in seeing it before Yu Yuanzhen. Instead, she was captivated by the story of how Lei Jun and the others had helped Shen Quibing in the Universe of Heavenly Books.

"That Shuiyue is very familiar with the Nine Li," she remarked with a smile. "And that Yueyue sounds like a Confucianist."

The Jupiter Wood Star corresponded to the future Maitreya of the White Lotus Sect.

The Mars Fire Star corresponded to Shen Quibing.

The Saturn Earth Star corresponded to Fang Yue.

These correspondences could be confirmed.

The Sun Star corresponded to the current female emperor, Zhang Wantong.

Along with Lei Jun's Venus Metal Star, five of the Seven Stars of the Universe of Heavenly Books could be identified.

Tang Xiaotang was curious about the identities of the remaining Moon Water Star and Mercury Star.

Lei Jun: "Let's just leave it to fate. As long as they don't harbor ill intentions, I don't plan on digging too deeply into their backgrounds."

Tang Xiaotang clicked her tongue in admiration. "Her Majesty the Empress sure has an eye for talent. The monk from the White Lotus Sect, the Qilin child from the Jingxiang Fang Clan, you, and Shen Quibing—you all have remarkable talents.

I met that Shen Quibing in the Earthly Sea, and his Thunder Fairy Body is indeed extraordinary. Although I can't pinpoint his level of comprehension, he definitely stands out."

Lei Jun: "As a martial artist, his level of comprehension won't be lacking. Even if it's not equivalent to our Daoist tranquility, it should at least be clear and insightful."

Moreover, in actual combat, Shen Quibing's strength often exceeded people's expectations.

Unmoved by the speed of his opponents' movements or the swiftness of their attacks, Shen Quibing's innate advantage was further bolstered by the Thunder Fairy Body, making him exceptionally quick.

Lei Jun, endowed with various techniques, moved far faster than the average Taoist cultivator.

Those who had witnessed his prowess in battle praised his speed, comparing it to that of a martial artist.

However, Lei Jun knew that within the same realm, he couldn't match Shen Quibing's speed.

Shen was the fastest opponent he had ever faced within the same cultivation level, and there was no one else who came close.

Previously, in the Earthly Sea, any other Seventh Heaven Realm cultivator would have been swiftly surrounded and overwhelmed by the Nine Li Grand Shamans.

Yet, Shen Quibing had managed to fight for an extended period.

It was only when a Great Shaman of the Eighth Heaven Realm, skilled in the Ghost God Sacrificial Dance, led a group of elites that they were able to corner him at Mount Xiongbo.

Even before the final assault on the mountain, they had already lost a Seventh Heaven Realm cultivator and two Sixth Heaven Realm cultivators just to contain him.

Tang Xiaotang turned to Lei Jun and asked, "How old is he this year? Will he be able to reach the Eighth Heaven Realm before he turns fifty?"

Lei Jun replied, "That General Shen is eight years younger than me, so he should be forty-eight this year. As far as I know, he attained the Seventh Heaven Realm at the age of thirty-four, fourteen years ago."

Tang Xiaotang frowned slightly, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Then, with his injuries, he probably won't be able to reach the Eighth Heaven Realm before he turns fifty."

Both Tang Xiaotang and Lei Jun could tell that Shen Quibing had accumulated a substantial amount of power.

Especially during the recent battle in the Earthly Sea, his sharp aura had been honed to an extraordinary degree.

For a martial artist, this was extremely important.

Coupled with his natural talent, Shen Quibing had a high probability of breaking through to the Eighth Heaven Realm in a short period.

However, during his time in the Earthly Sea, while he had cultivated his sharp aura to its peak, he had also sustained serious injuries while breaking through the siege at Mount Xiongbo. He then continued to fight for an extended period, which was not conducive to his recovery.

After returning from the Earthly Sea, he would first need some time to heal his wounds.

Lei Jun explained, "People often use the ages of fifty and one hundred as benchmarks to gauge the progress and potential of young cultivators. However, this is just a rough estimate, and a difference of a few years doesn't make a significant impact."

After all, the golden cultivation window for Upper Realm cultivators was two hundred years.

People had different experiences, and even those with the same talent might have varying speeds at different stages. A few years of difference was common, and it was only when the gap widened to a decade or more that it became noteworthy.

However, a certain Celestial Master seemed to disagree with this notion.

Her eyes widened as she exclaimed, "One year makes a huge difference!"

Lei Jun smiled at her enthusiasm. "Of course, Little Junior Sister, you are an exception. You had already reached the Eighth Heaven Realm by the time you were thirty."

Tang Xiaotang nodded in satisfaction. "Good, good."

She turned to Lei Jun and asked, "By the way, how is your progress with the Divine Court Outer Form?"

Lei Jun replied, "With the assistance of the Purple Microcosm, I am confident that I will be able to cultivate the Divine Court Outer Form within a few years. I shouldn't need more than sixty years.

With the addition of the innate two-phased spirit essences provided by the court, I should be able to speed up the process even further. However, I don't plan to rush it.

With these spirit essences, I can now put some of my original ideas for the Divine Court Outer Form into practice and refine and stabilize it."

"Oh?" Tang Xiaotang's interest was piqued, and she smiled as she asked, "Do tell."

Lei Jun humbly accepted her praise. "Thank you, Little Junior Sister, for your kind words."

Tang Xiaotang didn't rush to find Li Yan immediately.

Instead, she chose to enter seclusion and focus on comprehending her own Taoist techniques and abilities.

Lei Jun also decided to take a break from managing the affairs of the mansion, as he had been doing before.

The official explanation was that Elder Lei, upon returning from the Earthly Sea, was in poor health and was currently recuperating in seclusion.

Thus, the daily affairs of the mansion were handled by Yuan Mobai, Shangguan Ning, and Zhang Jingzhen.

During his seclusion, Lei Jun focused on two main tasks.

First, he calmed his mind and nurtured his divine court, constantly refining and improving it. Second, he began the serious task of refining the Purple Micro Sword that he had obtained from the Earthly Sea.

With the foundation laid by Chen Donglou and the presence of the Seven Stars Sword, Lei Jun, despite being a Taoist cultivator, was able to establish a deeper connection with the Purple Micro Sword.

However, it was also during this process that Lei Jun vaguely sensed that someone else was searching for this treasure.

The other party might also possess certain clues or information related to the Purple Micro Sword.

With the aid of the hidden side of the heavenly book, Lei Jun had acquired the Purple Micro Sword without alerting the other party, and they remained unaware that the sword already had an owner.

However, as time passed, the other party's progress became more apparent, and their search brought them into increasingly direct contact with the sword's true location.

Lei Jun did not try to stop them.

His eyes shone with the brilliance of the Heavenly Penetrating and Earth-Illuminating Talisman, growing brighter by the moment.

After returning to the mortal realm, Lei Jun activated the Grand Ultimate Heaven-Earth Mirror, sweeping its light across the sky, starting from the west.

It wasn't the Shu Mountain Sect... Lei Jun was certain of that.

The mirror's light flickered, indicating that the other party had some understanding of spatial secrets and was skilled at hiding their tracks.

The most likely candidate, then, was the Grand Ultimate Pre-Heaven Tower.

The Human Daoist Nation.

Lei Jun nodded slightly.

It seemed that an opportunity had presented itself.

He immediately notified his senior sister, Xu Yuanzhen, and his junior sister, Tang Xiaotang, to prepare.

Then, Lei Jun himself donned the Grand Ultimate Eight Scenic Treasure Robe and quietly left the mountain, the Purple Micro Sword in his possession.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end