Chapter 379: The Ninth Heaven, the Great Sage! (Part 1)

Chapter 379: The Ninth Heaven, the Great Sage! (Part 1)



The imperial official who came to Dragon-Tiger Mountain this time was Alexander Wright, an official of the Eastern Palace.

In the past, he had accompanied Prince Henry on his travels and had also accompanied him on his visit to Dragon-Tiger Mountain.

His father, Prince Reginald, often communicated with Dragon-Tiger Mountain.

Although Alexander Wright was not the crown prince of Prince Reginald, he had always been trusted by him.

This time, he was sent by the emperor to rush to the Master's Mansion on Dragon-Tiger Mountain. On the other hand, there was also an imperial decree transmitted to the Southern Wilderness, where his father, Prince Reginald, was located.

"His Majesty is in the capital city, and we must ensure his safety."

Master Thompson and Master Lee met with Alexander Wright: "I have already sent news to the Underworld and the Heavenly Realm, asking the sect leader and the nephews to return to the mortal realm as soon as possible."

Alexander Wright said, "Thank you, Master Thompson."

His expression was not relaxed.

The three masters of the Master's Mansion, Masters Lee, Wright, and Thompson, were all pillars of the Great Empire at present.

Master Lee currently had injuries, and it was uncertain how much strength he could exert. Others could not force him beyond his limits.

As for that powerful Dharma Protector, Mistress Wright, she was the most unpredictable. She was the one who always found people, but it was difficult for others to find her.

Although she was the number one master of the Master's Mansion today and could even be said to be the second most powerful person in the Great Empire after the Empress, it was difficult for everyone to place their hopes on her.

This trip, she had helped the Great Empire eliminate the threats posed by the Dark Realm and the Heavenly Realm to a certain extent, which could already be considered an unexpected joy, and it was impossible to expect more.

Therefore, the Imperial Court sent someone to the Master's Mansion on Dragon-Tiger Mountain to deliver the decree, hoping to rely mainly on the current Imperial Teacher, Master Thompson, who was personally appointed by the Emperor.

However, Alexander Wright could not be optimistic.

Because of his father, Prince Reginald, in the Southern Wilderness, he was more aware of the latest situation there.

The great battle in the Underworld was beginning to heat up.

Especially the battle between Master Thompson and the current de facto first master of the Underworld, Lord Blackwood, which had reached its most intense stage.

At this time, it was difficult for both sides to back down easily.

Master Thompson, with the Imperial Teacher's seal and the Master's sword, was fearless.

But Lord Blackwood was a top master of the Shadow Clan, and when the dark magic formation was fully deployed, it almost isolated the void.

Strictly speaking, Lord Blackwood and the Shadow Alliance had no enmity with the Great Empire.

If the two sides could communicate effectively, there might be a possibility of each withdrawing their troops.

But there was one problem...

As far as Alexander Wright knew, Imperial Teacher Master Thompson did not understand the language of the Shadow Realm.

Lord Blackwood and his allies on the opposite side also did not understand the language of the Great Empire and needed an interpreter.

There were people in the Great Empire who were proficient in the language of the Shadow Realm, such as Master Lee, but there was still a layer of separation.

Over there, Master Thompson had already fought with Lord Blackwood, his allies, and other Shadow Realm masters, and the battle was fierce...

On his way to Dragon-Tiger Mountain, Alexander Wright heard the latest news from the Southern Wilderness. The Shadow Realm masters in the Underworld could no longer bear the influence of Master Lee's ritual.

While fighting against the Great Empire cultivators, they began to try to close the void portal connecting the Underworld to the mortal realm of the Great Empire, thereby cutting off the connection between the mortal realm and the Underworld and interrupting the related rituals to eliminate the influence of the rituals on the Underworld environment.

Prince Reginald, Master Lee, and other Great Empire cultivators in the Southern Wilderness were engaging in another fierce battle with the Shadow Realm masters over the Underworld portal.

The situation was somewhat darkly humorous.

Now, the people of the Shadow Realm in the Underworld were doing their best to close the void portal, while the Great Empire cultivators in the mortal realm were striving to keep it open.

However, the battle had reached such a degree that some of Alexander Wright's doubts were finally answered:

Master Lee's health did indeed seem to be a problem.

Regardless of whether he went deep into the Underworld for the sake of the world or to heal his injuries, it appeared that his wounds had not fully healed.

The various kings of the Eastern Empire, who were once responsible for guarding the four directions, had also begun to leave their fiefs one after another, hastening towards the old capital of Alexandria, upon receiving the imperial command.

Among them were prominent figures such as King Alexander of Northshire, King Alexander of Waverley, King Alexander of Larkspur, King Alexander of Oakwood, and King Alexander of Maplehurst, all of whom were experts of the Eighth Order.

However, weighty news soon arrived from the direction of Alexandria.

A high-ranking minister of the Eastern Empire had perished due to the chaos caused by the demons.

Although his cultivation was only at the Seventh Order, which was not particularly remarkable on the current Alexandria battlefield, his identity was rather unique.

It was none other than Ethan Thompson, a trusted aide and confidant of the current emperor, who had relied on him as a pillar of support. He had met his end at the hands of a powerful demon from the Abyss, and his brother, Ethan's sibling, had been unable to rescue him due to the presence of the dark sorcerer, Malakai.

When this news spread, it once again shocked the world.

At the Master's Manor on Dragon's Peak, Julian Styles and Sophia Patel exchanged glances, their faces reflecting the gravity of the situation.

While Ethan Thompson's cultivation realm may not have been as advanced as that of his brother or his sister, his political influence at court far exceeded theirs.

The initial move to separate the powers of the two high officials had primarily paved the way for Ethan Thompson to step down from his position as Grand Chancellor.

Having relinquished his role as Grand Academician, his appointment as a participating advisor in the Council marked the point when he, the illegitimate son of the Thompson family from beyond the Western Province, truly became the emperor's chief advisor.

The most significant implication of his demise, however, was...

The current state of His Majesty is indeed extremely concerning!

On the vast Atlantic Ocean, waves rose and fell, surging in all four directions.

Deep beneath the ocean's surface, an intense battle was unfolding.

Led by their clan head, Ethan Blackwood, the experts of the Blackwood Clan were engaged in a fierce fight against the sorcerers from Atlantis, targeting the spatial gateway that connected their realm to the human world.

At that moment, they were still unclear as to which human realm their opponents originated from.

The Blackwood Clan only knew that the leading sorcerer of the Ninth Order, whom the Atlanteans referred to as the Southern Emperor, hailed from their realm.

Amidst the clash, the sorcerers from Atlantis intended to seal off the gateway connecting Atlantis to the human realm of the Eastern Empire.

Ethan Blackwood remained calm and composed as he faced off against them.

Upon receiving the imperial edict from the capital of London and the latest updates from Alexandria, Ethan Blackwood fell into contemplation.

Then, he unfurled a special sheet of drawing paper.

The paper was blank, awaiting Ethan Blackwood's artistic brushstrokes.

The scenery that emerged on the canvas was not one that existed in the human realm of the Eastern Empire.

Instead, it was a depiction of Atlantis, a landscape that had taken shape in Ethan Blackwood's mind over time through his intermittent interactions and intense battles with Atlantis, a vision that he had ultimately committed to paper.

The painting was a blend of the familiar and the fantastical, capturing the true essence of the sorcerers' arts of Atlantis in a vivid and lifelike manner.

Ethan Blackwood's brush danced across the paper without pause, bringing forth a continuous stream of paintings imbued with the abundant righteous energy of the ancient arts.

The ancient brushstrokes clashed continuously with the sorcerers' arts of the Atlanteans.

The secretly coordinated paintings of Atlantis, however, aided their efforts, ultimately sealing off the gateway from Atlantis to the human realm.

For the time being, those from the sorcerers' realm of Atlantis would be unable to enter the human realm of the Eastern Empire to cause further turmoil.

On another front, however, this development had also inadvertently blocked one of the paths that Alexander Gray could have taken to return to the human realm of the Eastern Empire from the realm of Arcadia.

Meanwhile, heading southward, the experts of the Winchester Clan, led by their elderly clan head, Henry Winchester, joined forces with other cultivators from the Eastern Empire to launch a counterattack against the dark sorcerers of Tenebrous.

Caught between two fronts, the situation for Tenebrous grew increasingly dire and precarious.

Similarly, there were Tenebrous sorcerers who attempted to seal off the spatial gateway connecting the Eastern Empire's human realm to prevent attacks from both sides.

Henry Winchester gazed at Tenebrous before him.

In that battle, Ye Mokuan lost his eldest grandson and heir, Ye Feishan.

The expectations he held for this eldest grandson were even higher than those for his firstborn, Ye Wei. It was a pity that he perished at the hands of the Nine Li Grand Witches.

However, the target of Ye Mokuan's journey south this time was not the Nine Li Grand Witches.

He did not have much time left and could not afford to indulge in his emotions.

The most important task at hand was to determine the fate of the Tang Empire.

This would directly decide the future of the Ye Clan of Cangzhou.

Ye Mokuan had already arrived outside the Southwilds' Earthsea Gateway, quietly observing from a distance.

Compared to the Tang cultivators and the Nine Li people currently fighting at the Earthsea Gateway, Ye Mokuan's cultivation was even higher, making it difficult for others to perceive him.

Silently analyzing the ritualistic arts of the Tang Empire, a chill ran through his heart:

"Xuan Xiaozi Lei Jun is truly a remarkable talent.

Even while heavily injured, he is still able to perform so admirably."

If it weren't for the fact that the situations in Chang'an and Luoyang were extremely critical, Ye Mokuan asked himself, he would also be tempted by this rare opportunity.

But...it still left him with a slight doubt.

Compared to Chang'an and Luoyang, this place could only be considered a fringe land.

Ye Mokuan's thoughts always returned to the heart of the Tang Dynasty.

For now, they would proceed as planned here.

It was also a good opportunity to confirm something about that Heavenly Master...Ye Mokuan thought to himself.

Quietly and without a sound, he made his move without hesitation.

With the help of the elderly man, the Nine Li Grand Witches successfully severed the connection between the human realm and the outer realm, sealing the Earthsea Gateway leading to the Tang human realm.

On the surface, it appeared that all of this was achieved through the means of the Nine Li Grand Witches.

Ye Mokuan's thoughts were calm and steady.

Back then, the ancestral land of the Ye Clan of Cangzhou had been disturbed by the Nine Li Grand Witches.

But for Ye Mokuan, who arrived later, the incident had already occurred, and he could only look for ways to make up for it in other aspects.

He had not left empty-handed.

So at this moment, just as Ye Yan imitated the methods of the Daoist School, and Chu Xiuyuan imitated the methods of the School of Principle, Ye Mokuan successfully imitated the methods of the Witch School.

The Void Gateways had to be closed to ensure the success of the upcoming plans and minimize obstacles.

However, they must not be the ones to publicly carry out this task.

After all, the gates could only be closed temporarily.

Regardless of Ye Mokuan, Ye Yan, Chu Xiuyuan's intentions, with the current situation, they could not truly eradicate the Heavenly Master's Mansion lineage.

There was no need to mention the injured Lei Jun.

Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang might not necessarily perish in the human realm of the Ming Dynasty and the Earthsea.

To some extent, the Crown Prince and the Prince of Zhao might not wish for a complete defeat either.

In these turbulent times, if the Tang Dynasty wanted to maintain its rule, it also needed to minimize internal damage.

The focus of both sides at the moment was on the imperial throne.

Therefore, for now, this was the only option.

Please forgive Heavenly Master Lei, National Master Tang, and Immortal Xu...may your anger be directed towards the heavens, Penglai, the Earthsea, and Luoyuan instead...

The closure of the Earthsea Gateway temporarily blocked Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang's return to the Tang human realm.

Ye Mokuan did not linger in the Southwilds and headed north directly.

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

At the Heavenly Master's Mansion on Dragon and Tiger Mountain:

"The Earthsea Gateway has been sealed..." Upon receiving the report, Zhang Ziye's expression changed drastically.

Yuan Mobai and Shangguan Ning's faces turned solemn as well.

"Are there any messages from the east and north at the moment?" Yuan Mobai asked slowly.

Zhang Ziye calmed himself and replied, "The Penglai Gateway and the Heavenly Principle Gateway have been closed successively. The Luoyuan Gateway in the North Sea remains open, and no top-tier demons from the Nine Heavens have appeared yet. General Xiao has already returned to land with the Mountains and Rivers Sword, heading towards Chang'an to protect His Majesty."

Although no top-tier demons had appeared at the Luoyuan Gateway in the North Sea, it did not mean that this was impossible.

However, compared to the current situation in Chang'an, Xiao Xuetin could only temporarily leave the Luoyuan Gateway and rush back to Chang'an.

Everyone agreed with this decision.

"There's news from Qingzhou. Although the Penglai Gateway has been sealed, the Northern Sea Whale King is wreaking havoc. The Ye Clan Lord fought with the Penglai Demon Daoists but did not rest afterward. Instead, he went to quell the demon disturbance again."

Zhang Ziye's words were polite, but his tone was unfriendly. "There's news from Suzhou as well. After the Heavenly Principle Gateway in the East Sea was sealed, the Six-Cornered Golden Shark is still causing trouble. The Old Master of Chu is blocking this demon from approaching the coast."

In the north, the Jingxiang Fang Clan sent news that their Clan Lord, Fang Jing Sheng, was at Lonely Cloud Plain, preventing the foreign tribe from invading again.

Regarding Heavenly Principle, Penglai, and Earthsea, it could be said that the other side was working hard to seal the Void Gateways and cut off their connections with the Tang Empire.

The news from Lonely Cloud Plain, however, was that Fang Jing Sheng and other Fang Clan experts wanted to seal the gateway between the Tang human realm and the Song human realm to reduce the number of strong enemies they faced. The situation was now critical.

"The Prince of Zhao sent news that he intends to go south to Chang'an to save the emperor, but he is being hindered by the Black Mountain Lord in the Northern Border."

Zhang Ziye's tone became slightly complicated. "According to rumors, the Elder Clan Lord of the Ye Clan of Cangzhou has set off for the Northern Border to replace the Prince of Zhao so that the old prince can rush to Chang'an."

Although they were both elderly, compared to Zhang Teng, the Prince of Zhao, Ye Mokuan gave the impression of being more vigorous and robust.

Especially during the Nine Li Grand Witches' surprise attack on the ancestral land of Cangzhou, Ye Mokuan seemed to show signs of being unable to keep up and having a frail body.

When facing a perfect-stage demon like Youluo Sankuan from the Nine Heavens, it was undoubtedly more reassuring to have Zhao Wang Zhang Teng, with his World-Calming Blade, as the pillar of support.

Of course, the world still praised Ye Mokuan, the Elder Clan Lord, for his selflessness in disregarding his old age and frail body for the sake of the world's peace.

...However, upon hearing this news, Zhang Ziye felt a subtle sense of unease.

"The situation in Chang'an is not ideal, and we must try to avoid disturbing His Majesty." Yuan Mobai frowned and said, "I am willing to go to Chang'an as well, despite my lack of talent."

Zhang Ziye said, "It would be best if Immortal Yuan could make a move. However, if you do so, your sect's mountain gate will be left somewhat vulnerable..."

Yuan Mobai said, "Some things are more urgent and important than others, and sometimes, we have to make do."

He spoke to Shangguan Ning, "Fifth Sister, after I leave, the mansion will be in your care, along with Fourth Brother and the others."

Shangguan Ning took a deep breath and said, "I'll go to the back mountain to see Fourth Brother immediately. You must also be careful on your way to Chang'an, Yuan Fourth Brother."

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

In the Southwilds, at the edge of the South Sea, beneath Canglang Yan:

Within the Black Lotus of the Sea:

Lei Jun's physical body had currently disappeared without a trace.

He had not left this place.

Instead, his soul had entered the True One Ritual Array, which was derived from the Heavenly Master's Seal, within the cave heaven.

In the cave heaven, Lei Jun was not in the third layer of the True One Ritual Array but was quietly meditating in front of the array, on the ritual platform.

His cultivation in the Eighth Heaven Realm had already come to a perfect end.

And so, a new journey begins.

Before that, he needed to ascend to the next level.

From the eight layers of the Heavenly God Court realm in the Daoist Talisman Sect's cultivation, to the Ninth Heaven of the Great Vehicle realm.

At this stage, the successor of Dragon-Tiger Mountain is not necessarily bound to remain near the ancestral hall.

Just like Xu Yuanzhen had done before.

Tang Xiaotang, on the other hand, had relied on the special environment of the extreme yin tide in the Earth Sea at that time, hence the assistance of the Celestial Master Seal.

For Lei Jun, it was now a matter of choice.

Currently, he was in the True One Law Forum Cave Heaven, mainly to conceal his whereabouts and curb the leakage of his aura.

At this moment, he silently concentrated his spirit and contemplated. In the beginning, his spiritual power did not seem to exhibit a majestic presence.

However, soon enough, the vast streams of light converged into countless talismans, floating beside Lei Jun.

Gradually, a three-layered forum, as tall as the True One Law Forum in the cave heaven, emerged in the Daoist ritual arena. It resembled the True One Law Forum yet was distinct from it. It stood tall and opposed the True One Law Forum from a distance.

Lei Jun himself had disappeared from sight.

It was as if he had transformed into a colossal three-layered forum.

The first layer of the forum was square-shaped.

Daoist essences emerged within it, surrounded by black and purple thunderbolts, and viridian and scarlet flames that intertwined ceaselessly.

Under the illumination of the thunderous flames, the landscape beneath the forum seemed to undulate like a vast expanse of mountains and rivers, manifesting a desolate land.

The primordial magnetic field was born from the ground, appearing chaotic and influencing other phenomena. However, the primordial magnetism converged into magnetic tracks, each operating according to its unique law, guiding the myriad phenomena of the world.

In this moment, the creation and evolution of all things seemed to revolve around the first layer of the forum that Lei Jun had transformed into.

The Daoist Talisman Sect cultivators emulated the heavens and mirrored the earth, drawing inspiration from nature, and imitating the forms of heaven and earth.

Hence, there was the concept of the Lawful Heaven, the Symbolic Earth, and the Embodied Person.

The first layer of the forum that Lei Jun had transformed into exemplified the form of the Symbolic Earth, bearing the natural world and all its phenomena, including heavenly thunder, heavenly flames, flowing clouds, and wind and rain.

The second layer of the forum, on the other hand, symbolized the Embodied Person.

This octagonal forum seemed unremarkable, merely serving as a connection between heaven and earth.

Yet, its existence represented both standing firm between heaven and earth and bridging the two.

It penetrated through the upper and lower realms, encompassing all phenomena.

The topmost layer, a round forum, symbolized the Lawful Heaven.

It was not confined by the dome of the sky but constantly broke through limitations, reaching the boundless void of the cosmos.

Though it appeared empty, it was profound and replete with endless wonders, making time and space within seem minuscule.

In this moment of the unity of heaven, earth, and man, Lei Jun's soul, spiritual power, consciousness, physical body, heart, and spirit merged into one.

Within the three-layered forum, Lei Jun's Heavenly God Court manifested a Primordial Yellow Universe.

This Primordial Yellow Universe expanded, its form perfectly coinciding with the forum, becoming one with it.

Subsequently, the three-layered forum shrank.

Eventually, it reverted to Lei Jun's original form.

Unlike Xu Yuanzhen's transformation into a glacier and thundercloud, or Tang Xiaotang maintaining the form of the forum during his tribulation, Lei Jun resumed his original shape as he transcended.

In the instant Lei Jun regained his true form, he faced the tribulation of the heavenly abyss.

The tribulation between the Eighth and Ninth Heavens.

In Lei Jun's consciousness, he found himself in a river.

The river was graceful.

Its origin and end were unknown.

Yet, it flowed relentlessly, never pausing for anyone.

It was a river of time.

Lei Jun was in the midst of this river.

And he faced the scourge of time.

Under the scourge of time, he could keenly sense the ebb of his vitality and lifespan.

He had enjoyed a lifespan of eight hundred years and was currently sixty-eight years old.

Proportionally speaking, compared to ordinary mortals, he was still in his youth, perhaps even in childhood.

Death from old age was still far from his concern.

However, as time scoured his soul, the older it became, the more susceptible it was to decay.

Hence, older cultivators often developed mental barriers and fears, making it more difficult to overcome this heavenly tribulation. Ultimately, they would perish under the tribulation, their bodies and spirits extinguished.

For younger cultivators, this tribulation was not necessarily any easier.

Too young, and one might not have a profound enough understanding of time, perhaps even treating it lightly.

With a shallow foundation, it would be equally challenging to break free from the river of time. A single misstep, and time would slip away unnoticed.

Lei Jun sat firmly in the river, attaining a delicate balance.

Though he could not leap out of the river of time, he had, for the moment, halted its scourge, and his vitality no longer diminished.

Indeed, while his accumulation was sufficient, to ensure a foolproof chance of overcoming the tribulation, it would be best to allow his cultivation to settle for another year or two. By then, he would be able to naturally overcome the tribulation with his own spiritual power... Lei Jun nodded slightly.

However, when the time is right, the heavens and the earth will lend their support.

Since the opportunity had presented itself, he would take that step forward today.

Lei Jun remained calm and seated.

The Five Qi Three Caves Xuan Yuan Crystal appeared in the river of time.

Under the radiant glow, its brilliance merged with Lei Jun.

Then, the radiance vanished in an instant.

The river of time began to flow backward.

In this moment, Lei Jun seemed to revert to his youthful self.

The vitality and lifespan lost to the scourge of time were restored.

Lei Jun returned to his state before entering the river of time.

The aura of decay brought about by the scourge of time condensed into the Primordial Spirit Qi of the Daoist Sect.

Lei Jun rose steadily, leaping out of the river of time.

With this action, the entire True One Law Forum Cave Heaven began to tremble.

Purple, golden, and azure lights radiated from the True One Law Forum.

In the outside world, the void also fluctuated.

The Celestial Master Seal, resembling a white jade seal, appeared out of thin air in the world within the Black Lotus, emitting a dazzling light.

The radiance caused the entire small world within the Black Lotus to shake, as if a spirit light was about to pierce through the heavens and earth.

Fortunately, the balance between the outer Black Lotus and the Golden Bottle at its heart stabilized the massive Black Lotus, preventing it from shattering.

Beneath the Canglang Rock, in the vast ocean.

The colossal Black Lotus trembled slightly as if about to bloom.

However, it eventually calmed, and no spirit light or qi soared into the sky.

Though there were slight ripples of spiritual energy, they did not spread further and soon dissipated.

The waves rose and fell as if nothing had happened.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end