Chapter 367: The Great Unity

Chapter 367: The Great Unity

Years ago, in the Celestial Book Universe, Lei Jun had made a deal with the Sun Goddess, also known as the Queen, to acquire the Earth Core Flaming Heart. This treasure was used to rapidly cultivate the Fire Law Earth Scripture and soon manifest the Nine Abyss Flame Ancestor's divine image.

Ever since Lei Jun successfully cultivated the Heavenly Thunder Ancestor's divine image and later the Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor's divine image, the Queen must have had her suspicions.

Indeed, during an earlier bestowal of rewards to the Dragon and Tiger Mountain's Celestial Master Mansion, there was a treasure called the Primordial Two Aspects Spirit Essence, which seemed perfectly suited for Lei Jun.

If there were still doubts before, the bestowal of the Heaven's Reversal now clearly indicates that the Tang Imperial Family has affirmed that Celestial Master Lei's root is the Dual Extremities Body.

A faint smile appeared on Lei Jun's face as he temporarily sealed away the Heaven's Reversal.

Among the remaining treasures, the most precious were the Nine Revolving Star Brilliance, the Earth Lung Crystal, and the Golden Core Ruby Flower.

The Nine Revolving Star Brilliance held no particular specificity. For the successors of the Dragon and Tiger Mountain's Celestial Master Mansion who cultivated the Star God's divine image, it would prove greatly beneficial.

Even for intermediate-stage cultivators from the Middle Three Heavens, as long as they practiced the art of Stargazing, refining this treasure would offer tremendous aid.

However, for intermediate-stage cultivators, it would be challenging to withstand the spiritual energy within, and refining only a portion of it would seem wasteful.

The same rationale applied to the Earth Lung Crystal.

This spiritual object was suitable for cultivators of the Dragon and Tiger Mountain's Celestial Master Mansion who cultivated the Nine Abyss Flame Ancestor's divine image, and it would greatly benefit their cultivation.

From this perspective, while there were quite a few applicable candidates, the court had carefully considered this bestowal.

During the recent invasion of the Lonely Eagle Khanate and the battle against the Golden Vajra Division where the Tang Dynasty was opposed, apart from Celestial Master Lei Jun and the Grand Tutor of the Tang Dynasty, Tang Xiaotang, two more high-achieving elders from the Dragon and Tiger Mountain's Celestial Master Mansion had participated—Chu Kun and Zhang Jingzhen.

Among them, Chu Kun cultivated the Life Merit Law and manifested the Star God's divine image, while Zhang Jingzhen cultivated the Fire Law Earth Scripture and manifested the Nine Abyss Flame Ancestor's divine image.

To a certain extent, the Nine Revolving Star Brilliance and the Earth Lung Crystal corresponded to these two elders.

While there were no explicit rules within the Dragon and Tiger Mountain's Celestial Master Mansion regarding such matters, Lei Jun and the others tacitly agreed that in similar situations, Chu Kun and Zhang Jingzhen had the priority to decide on the disposition of these treasures.

If they chose not to take them, the treasures would be returned to the treasure pavilion.

As for the Golden Core Ruby Flower, it was directly sent to the medicinal garden for cultivation.

"Let's put the Nine Revolving Star Brilliance back into the treasure pavilion for now," Chu Kun said with a smile. "This time, the main credit for this achievement goes to you and Senior Sister Tang. The rest of us can't really claim much credit; at most, we endured some hardship. Compared to Senior Sister Zhang and the others who were injured in battle, we can't even claim that."

Lei Jun returned the miniature pouch to Chu Kun, saying, "Senior Brother Chu, you can't claim that you only endured hardship. Without your financial support, Senior Sister Tang and I would have had to fight very differently, and the outcome of this battle might have been very different as well."

Now that they had won this battle, it had come at the cost of breaking into Chu Kun's backup retirement fund.

"Use the best steel for the blade," Chu Kun said as he took the miniature pouch. "This was originally meant to be a backup anyway, and I can slowly build it up again. If I really can't manage it, then I'll have to trouble the Grand Master Brother to teach me more."

"Instead of you learning more from the Grand Master Brother, it's probably better if I help you build it up," Lei Jun said with a shake of his head. "Unfortunately, the best rewards from the Tang Imperial Family this time are the Heaven's Reversal and the Pure Yang Heart Blood, neither of which are suitable for you. Among the rewards, only the Nine Revolving Star Brilliance and the Primordial Cosmic Stone from the previous bestowal are of use to you."

Mount Sumeru.

After a period of turmoil, peace slowly returned to the Nine Heavens of Mount Sumeru. The raging Ganges River had receded to its original course, and the devastating floods had subsided. Monks were busy clearing the mud and debris, working diligently to restore the sacred site.

The once vibrant Joyful Land, which belonged to the Vajra Division, now lay in ruins. Monks stood amidst the devastation, their faces filled with sorrow. Each monk wore a kasaya, their inner lining indicating their affiliation to one of the five divisions of the Vajra Realm within Mount Sumeru—white for the Buddha Division, red for the Lotus Division, blue for the Vajra Division, yellow for the Treasure Division, and green for the Karma Division, also known as the Action Division.

Here, in what remained of the Joyful Land, monks of various divisions had gathered, their kasayas bearing the colors of their respective divisions. Notably, the blue of the Vajra Division was conspicuously absent.

A group of monks sighed as they surveyed the charred remains of the Joyful Land, blackened by the ravages of lightning and fire.

A monk from the Treasure Division departed and made his way towards the center of Mount Sumeru, where a mountain shone with golden light.

At last, the radiance of Mount Sumeru had stabilized once more.

Below the mountain stood three monks. One of them was thin and frail, none other than the master of the Treasure Division, Fantada.

The Treasure Division monk approached Mount Sumeru and bowed first to Fantada and then to the other two monks. "Masters," he said respectfully.

One of the other two monks appeared youthful, with delicate and handsome features. His smile was serene, and his bearing was that of a sacred Buddha.

The other monk seemed middle-aged, with a tall and robust build. He stood a head taller than Fantada and the youthful monk, and his features were remarkably ugly. Yet, his countenance exuded a sense of tranquility, wisdom, and serenity.

"The three great treasures of the Vajra Division have been destroyed," the Treasure Division monk reported in a low voice. "Moreover, almost all the disciples of the Vajra Division have perished, and the scriptures stored in the Joyful Land have been severely damaged or lost."

The youthful-looking master of the Buddha Division maintained his gentle smile, his calm voice soothing to the troubled hearts of those present. "There is still a way to salvage the scriptures of the Vajra Division. Our priority now is to rescue and gather any surviving disciples of the Vajra Division."

"Yes, Master," the Treasure Division monk replied.

After the Treasure Division monk departed, the tall and middle-aged-looking master of the Karma Division spoke up. "There are still a few Vajra Division disciples scattered in the human realm of the Great Tang Dynasty, but the spiritual gates connecting the human realm of the Great Song Dynasty and the Great Tang Dynasty are currently closed, making it difficult for us to bring those disciples back."

It was clear that the Great Tang Dynasty would continue its pursuit and eradication of any remnants of the Vajra Division in their human realm.

With no way to bring them back for the time being, their chances of survival diminished with each passing day.

"For now, it is difficult to find spiritual gates leading to the Great Tang Dynasty from other directions as well," added the Buddha Division master.

Fantada, the master of the Treasure Division, spoke up. "At present, our only option is to first rebuild the Vajra Division here in Mount Sumeru, restoring the completeness of the Five Divisions of the Vajra Realm."

The Buddha Division master nodded. "I will make the necessary arrangements immediately. In the meantime, I entrust the affairs of Mount Sumeru to you two."

The masters of the Treasure and Karma Divisions replied in unison, "We are at your service, Junior Brother."

The Buddhist sect on Mount Sumeru was typically divided into the Five Divisions of the Vajra Realm: the Buddha Division, the Lotus Division, the Vajra Division, the Treasure Division, and the Karma Division.

Within these divisions, there were also corresponding changes between the Vajra Realm and the Womb Realm.

The Womb Realm encompassed the three virtues of great stability, great compassion, and great wisdom, which were further divided into the Buddha Division, the Lotus Division, and the Vajra Division.

The Buddha Division represented the virtue of great stability, the Lotus Division embodied great compassion, and the Vajra Division symbolized great wisdom. Thus, the deities of the Vajra and Womb Realms could be categorized within these three divisions.

Furthermore, the Buddha was associated with the concept of 'twofold benefit', leading to the creation of two divisions within the Buddha Division, corresponding to the upper, middle, and lower levels of the mandala in the Womb Realm.

Below was the Treasury Court, representing the aspect of self-realization, known as the Treasure Division.

Above was the Sakyamuni Court, symbolizing the aspect of benefiting others, known as the Karma Division.

Therefore, the distinction between the three and five divisions in the Womb and Vajra Realms could be understood as a difference in expansion and contraction.

If the Treasure or Karma Division had been destroyed in Mount Sumeru, the loss would indeed be significant. However, as long as the Buddha Division remained intact, those two divisions could quickly recover their strength.

On the other hand, the collapse of the Vajra Division meant that a corner of both the Vajra and Womb Realms had crumbled, and the task of repairing and restoring them would be immensely challenging.

The Buddha Division master could only proceed with caution and patience.

At the same time, no matter how urgent the situation, he could not afford to neglect Mount Sumeru.

Consequently, the operations of the Buddha, Treasure, and Karma Divisions in other human realms, including the Great Song Dynasty, would inevitably be greatly affected.

The destruction of the Vajra Division not only inflicted losses on the division itself but also impacted the other four divisions and the future trajectory of Mount Sumeru...

Aside from the master of the Lotus Division, who was currently occupied with pressing matters in the human realm of the Great Song Dynasty, the masters of the Buddha and Karma Divisions had both returned to Mount Sumeru as soon as they could. Unfortunately, the Joyful Land had crumbled faster than expected, and they had not arrived in time to save it.

"Dragon and Tiger Mountain's Celestial Master Mansion, the School of Talismanic Arts..."

The master of the Karma Division turned his gaze towards the direction of the Joyful Land and the Ganges River in the distance. "However, some of their methods seem dissimilar to those of the Daoist schools."

Fantada, the master of the Treasure Division, nodded in agreement.

"We shall discuss this matter in detail later," the Karma Division master continued. "For now, let us focus on the affairs of Mount Sumeru."

Fantada gave a slight nod.

This place had always been—and would always be—the top priority.

The flourishing of the Buddhist hand seal lineage was closely tied to the prosperity of Mount Sumeru.

As long as the foundation remained here, the Five Divisions of the Vajra Realm could recover their strength.

However...

Fantada's thoughts turned to the pair of man and woman who had counterattacked into Mount Sumeru earlier, and a shadow passed over his face.

Aside from seeking vengeance for the Vajra Division, he knew that their opposition to the Vajra Division and the Buddhist sect of Mount Sumeru would likely lead to conflicts with the other four divisions in the future.

Whether it was due to direct enmity or potential future clashes, they were undoubtedly a formidable adversary.

...

The human realm of the Great Song Dynasty.

Perhaps, this designation was no longer appropriate.

The Great Empire was on the brink of collapse, with the Golden Horde's invasion laying waste to half of its territories.

The Great Empire was about to become a thing of the past.

In other places, those closely watched the changing times south of the River Delta.

On the Frost Moon Plains, a tall and sturdy man stood beneath the Great Wolf Banner.

He was tall and sturdy, standing like a mountain, silently gazing into the distance.

A Thunderwind Dragon flew in from another direction.

The warrior on the beast dismounted and approached the tall man. "Warlord."

The Wolf Warlord retracted his gaze. "How is the Red Sun Plains?"

The warrior who came to his side replied, "There's been a significant loss of spiritual energy. The fire that those foreign warriors ignited was not ordinary, and it has dealt severe damage to the plains. It will take some time to restore the spiritual energy."

At this report, the Wolf Warlord's eyebrows furrowed slightly, then relaxed again. "Indeed, they are unlike the warriors in the east and the south."

The warrior beside him continued, "White Stag's people went there too... To be honest, they're not as rampant as before."

The Wolf Warlord's gaze turned back to the east. "They must have received the news from over there as well."

The eastward advance of the Golden Horde had caught the attention of the Wolf Warlord and the White Stag Clan, making them feel concerned.

The foreign warrior asked, "Warlord, what should we do next?"

Wolf Warlord: "I'll meet with White Stag later."

The foreign warrior's face changed slightly, and he opened his mouth as if to speak.

They had been at odds with the White Stag Clan for many years, engaging in numerous large and small-scale battles.

However, the foreign warrior's face soon regained its calm.

Times had changed.

Even the Lone Eagle Clan had ended up in its current state...

"Do we have any more news about that... Great Kingdom?" The Wolf Warlord asked suddenly.

The foreign warrior replied, "We have some news, but it's fragmented."

Wolf Warlord: "Collect more information and report it to me together."

Foreign warrior: "Yes, Warlord!"

Almost simultaneously, White Stag gave a similar order.

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

The Underworld.

Mount Olympus, the City of the Dead.

In the grand hall, the head of the Olympus School, Ji Yao, along with the two grand elders, Li Linxue and Tian Lingfeng, and the high-ranking elders of the Olympus School were all present.

"Your Excellency, the new entrants to the Underworld have been properly accommodated," one of them reported.

Ji Yao nodded slightly.

Everyone present wore a smile.

The Great Empire was coming to an end.

They had taken advantage of the war and chaos to profit once again.

With this influx, the losses they had incurred previously in refining their magical artifacts and crafting new magical tools for the newcomers were finally recovered.

"It will be difficult to have such a good opportunity again now that the Great Empire is about to fall."

Ji Yao spoke, "If we deal with the so-called Golden Horde, it will surely be a tough battle, and we cannot afford to be complacent."

Those present nodded solemnly, "Yes, Headmaster."

On the side, Tian Lingfeng spoke, "Those exotic beasts they raise would be the perfect nourishment for the Heaven-Earth Mirror. However, as Headmaster said, we should proceed with caution."

At this moment, Li Linxue, the senior grand elder of the Olympus School, spoke up, "It seems that the void realm of that Great Kingdom is becoming unstable."

Ji Yao said, "I've been in contact with our people in that realm, and we'll make a decision once they send back detailed information."

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

The Imperial City.

In the mansion of the Left Premier, Fang Hezhou, guests gathered to celebrate his birthday.

His grand-nephew, the eldest grandson of the Fang Clan, Fang Zhu, along with Fang Hezhou's own son, Fang Huan, were greeting the guests in the front hall.

Meanwhile, in the back hall, Fang Hezhou entertained a few select guests.

However, those present in the back hall were all influential figures.

They included the eldest son of the Chu Clan, the current Grand Chancellor, Chu Lin; the head of the Ye Clan, Ye Zhuo; and the Princess of Dongping, Zhang Qingrong.

In addition, Fang Huan's father, Fang Huansheng, who had been injured in the Northern Border War and had retired from the front lines without returning to the Fang ancestral lands, was also present in the Imperial City, recuperating.

In stark contrast to the festive atmosphere in the front hall, the back hall was filled with solemnity.

"If the Tian Shi Manor remains neutral, none of this would be a problem."

Fang Huansheng, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "I too hope for that, but I fear... we shouldn't pin all our hopes on this. It's best to prepare for the worst."

Fang Jingsheng, Ye Yan, and Ye Moquan couldn't gather together.

Those present represented Suzhou, Jingxiang, Qingzhou, and a portion of the imperial family's descendants who opposed the current emperor.

"The worst-case scenario might be the best opportunity... perhaps, it's also the last chance." Fang Huansheng sighed.

Waiting a few more years would likely see the Empress' injuries healed.

As for Tian Shi Manor's Lei Jun, his wounds would also recover.

He might even ascend to the Ninth Heaven and attain the Great Vehicle realm.

Among the aristocratic families, after Lin Huan, the clan leader of the Youzhou Lin Clan, had her rise halted, the person with the most promising chance to reach the Ninth Heaven was Chu Che, the third son and third brother of Chu Lin and Chu Lin.

And... Chu Yu and Xiao Xueling.

These two were on the other side.

How could they wait any longer?

Most of those present had no love for the Sumeru Ring Sect or the Lone Eagle Khanate.

However, it must be said that the timing of the Lone Eagle Khanate and the Sumeru Ring Sect's moves was impeccable.

Otherwise, once the Empress' grand plan was fully realized, the first wave to bear the brunt of her might would likely be them.

The Five Families and Seven Nobles had risen and fallen over the ages, enduring for eternity.

But this time, Fang Huansheng and the others clearly felt that the tides of change were crashing down on them.

"Fortunately, the Lone Eagle Khanate and the Sumeru Ring Sect helped to block some of the damage."

"Unfortunately, neither of these are suitable partners..."

"Some signs have gradually begun to emerge."

Fang Hezhou said at this point: "It's not easy to seal the void portals in Beiyan Mountain in the North and the Yellow Springs in Nanzhao. The current situation of the Great Tang Dynasty's...is indeed declining."

Qingzhou Ye Zhuo said, "No matter what, the Crown Prince must ascend the throne in an open and honest manner."

"We must also be open and honest in assisting and governing, and we must benefit the people and govern the land."

Fang Hezhou said, "That's natural."

No matter how they guessed, no one would easily go and verify it in front of the Empress.

Moreover, Tang Xiaotang was still there, and Yuan Zhen might also return from the East China Sea.

Troubles in the country should be left to others to deal with.

The new emperor who would ascend the throne to replace the Empress could only be the one who would set things right.

Standing indoors, he glanced toward the northeast: "I suppose the prince in Youzhou is also thinking along these lines."

There may be irreconcilable differences between the two sides.

But before that, there seemed to be a mutual understanding on many issues.

Chu Lin asked quietly, "Your Highness, is it in time?"

Ye Zhuo replied very positively, "Within three years."

Fang Huan said, "So it seems that...

Fang Huansheng: "It's a stroke of genius, a brilliant idea, and it's been forty years in the making, and now is the time for a breakthrough."

It's not just the accumulation of righteous energy.

There's also the energy of the country's dragon veins.

Fang Hezhou looked at Ye Zhuo: "Your Highness, what are your specific thoughts...?"

Ye Zhuo said, "The ways of the emperors, from ancient times to the present, are more or less the same, and we all understand that."

Fang Hezhou nodded slightly.

Ye Zhuo said, "What we seek is nothing more than what the founding emperor, Emperor Taizong, and Emperor Gaozong had during their reigns. As long as it's not like the previous emperor and the current emperor, we will be content."

He turned to look at Dongping Princess Zhang Qingrong and nodded to her.

Zhang Qingrong was very direct: "As far as we're concerned, as long as it's like the previous emperor, that's fine, of course, we're cooperating now, and we seek unity above all else."

The people present nodded slightly.

Zhang Qingrong, Shangguan Zhengqing, and others' dissatisfaction was simple.

Compared to the Scholarly House, the changes made by the Empress to the Divine Strategy Army were much greater.

The control of the Zhang Tang royal family and the Shangguan clan over the Divine Strategy Army had been decreasing year by year.

The latest example.

That team of Shen Qubing, who went to the Red Sun Grassland to fight and was made up entirely of commoners' offspring.

However, the supplies, training, and subsequent equipment they received were enough to make the Zhang Tang clan and the Shangguan clan envious.

At this report, Fang Hezhou's eyebrows furrowed slightly before relaxing again. "Indeed, they are unlike the warriors in the east and the south."

The warrior beside him continued, "White Stag's people went there too... To be honest, they're not as rampant as before."

Fang Hezhou's gaze turned back to the east. "They must have received the news from over there as well."

The eastward advance of the Golden Horde had caught the attention of the Wolf Warlord and the White Stag Clan, making them feel concerned.

The foreign warrior asked, "Warlord, what should we do next?"

Wolf Warlord: "I'll meet with White Stag later."

The foreign warrior's face changed slightly, and he opened his mouth as if to speak.

They had been at odds with the White Stag Clan for many years, engaging in numerous large and small-scale battles.

However, the foreign warrior's face soon regained its calm.

Times had changed.

Even the Lone Eagle Clan had ended up in its current state...

"Do we have any more news about that... Great Kingdom?" The Wolf Warlord asked suddenly.

The foreign warrior replied, "We have some news, but it's fragmented."

Wolf Warlord: "Collect more information and report it to me together."

Foreign warrior: "Yes, Warlord!"

Almost simultaneously, White Stag gave a similar order.

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

The Underworld.

Mount Olympus, the City of the Dead.

In the grand hall, the head of the Olympus School, Ji Yao, along with the two grand elders, Li Linxue and Tian Lingfeng, and the high-ranking elders of the Olympus School were all present.

"Your Excellency, the new entrants to the Underworld have been properly accommodated," one of them reported.

Ji Yao nodded slightly.

Everyone present wore a smile.

The Great Empire was coming to an end.

They had taken advantage of the war and chaos to profit once again.

With this influx, the losses they had incurred previously in refining their magical artifacts and crafting new magical tools for the newcomers were finally recovered.

"It will be difficult to have such a good opportunity again now that the Great Empire is about to fall."

Ji Yao spoke, "If we deal with the so-called Golden Horde, it will surely be a tough battle, and we cannot afford to be complacent."

Those present nodded solemnly, "Yes, Headmaster."

On the side, Tian Lingfeng spoke, "Those exotic beasts they raise would be the perfect nourishment for the Heaven-Earth Mirror. However, as Headmaster said, we should proceed with caution."

At this moment, Li Linxue, the senior grand elder of the Olympus School, spoke up, "It seems that the void realm of that Great Kingdom is becoming unstable."

Ji Yao said, "I've been in contact with our people in that realm, and we'll make a decision once they send back detailed information."

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

The Imperial City.

In the mansion of the Left Premier, Fang Hezhou, guests gathered to celebrate his birthday.

His grand-nephew, the eldest grandson of the Fang Clan, Fang Zhu, along with Fang Hezhou's own son, Fang Huan, were greeting the guests in the front hall.

Meanwhile, in the back hall, Fang Hezhou entertained a few select guests.

However, those present in the back hall were all influential figures.

They included the eldest son of the Chu Clan, the current Grand Chancellor, Chu Lin; the head of the Ye Clan, Ye Zhuo; and the Princess of Dongping, Zhang Qingrong.

In addition, Fang Huan's father, Fang Huansheng, who had been injured in the Northern Border War and had retired from the front lines without returning to the Fang ancestral lands, was also present in the Imperial City, recuperating.

In stark contrast to the festive atmosphere in the front hall, the back hall was filled with solemnity.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end