https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-393-The-Great-Tang-s-Transcendent-Talent-Part-1-/12600285/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-394-The-Great-Purity-Cave-of-Immortal-Ascension-Part-1-/12600287/
Chapter 393: The Great Tang's Transcendent Talent (Part 2)
Chapter 393: The Great Tang's Transcendent Talent (Part 2)
However, most of the time, he remains quiet and keeps to himself, like a calm abyss.
But Chu Yu also noticed Lei Jun's choice of words.
Lei Jun left some room for interpretation when he spoke. It wasn't because he was being vague, but because there were two others in the Tianmastership of Datang Longhushan.
When it came to being well-behaved, those two were definitely not pushovers.
Chu Yu remained calm, just like Empress Zhang Wantong.
Knowing the convenience of a double-edged sword, they had long anticipated the potential consequences of wielding it.
"I'll be heading to the Xiao Clan's ancestral land next." Lei Jun asked, "Where is Zhuge now?"
Chu Yu replied, "Zhuge is currently staying in the Imperial City of Datang. He plans to travel elsewhere after the Great General and Xue Ting make further progress."
Lei Jun asked, "Will the Great General and General Xiao achieve the rank of Martial Saint soon?"
Chu Yu answered, "Yes, the Great General might be slightly faster."
Although Shangguan Yunbo's talent was slightly inferior to that of Xiao Xuetin, his profound accumulation meant that he was only a hair's breadth away.
With the dispersal of the country's fortune, the essence of the mountains and rivers, and the vital energy nourishing all beings, the conditions were most favorable for him, and he might even be slightly faster than Xiao Xuetin.
"May the two generals soon attain the rank of Martial Saints." Lei Jun nodded, bidding farewell to Chu Yu before heading to the Xiao Clan's ancestral land to make the final arrangements.
................
At this moment, the monarch of Rongguo and his entourage were paying a visit to the Datang Longhushan Tianmastership.
After entering Datang, Chu Kun and the others were tasked by Lei Jun with cleaning up the Fang Clan's ancestral land.
Upon hearing the intention of the monarch of Rongguo, Chu Kun, who had received instructions from Lei Jun beforehand, offered him a reassurance.
The monarch of Rongguo no longer had immediate worries, but he still couldn't completely ease his mind due to lingering long-term concerns.
Based on his intuition, he felt that the future of Datang was not as simple as replacing the Five Aspirants and the Sixteen Kingdoms with a single path of Sixteen Kingdoms.
While this opened up more possibilities for the future, it also presented Rongguo with numerous challenges to ponder.
As he was deep in thought, his eldest son rushed in with an urgent report.
"What's the matter?" The monarch of Rongguo asked calmly.
"There seem to be some unusual movements in Yan Kingdom!" The prince of Rongguo replied after taking a deep breath.
"They dare to act recklessly at this time, their fate will be dire." The monarch of Rongguo said in a steady tone.
With the Five Aspirants already determined, Yan Kingdom, although under the jurisdiction of the Lin Clan of Datang, would not sacrifice themselves for the Lin Clan at this juncture.
Their target was the other kingdoms among the Sixteen Kingdoms of Datang.
"Rongguo shares a border with Yan Kingdom," said the prince of Rongguo, "They wouldn't dare to act on their own, they're just secretly plotting for now."
The prince of Rongguo furrowed his brows and said, "But if they go to those foreign cultivators or the imperial courts of other worlds and get their support, the situation will be completely different."
After gazing into the distance for a moment, the monarch of Rongguo shook his head and said, "I'm afraid they will be disappointed. If the other party had such intentions, they wouldn't have preserved the Sixteen Kingdoms, let alone the royal family."
After pondering for a while, he said, "Yan Kingdom and the other kingdoms, including ours, won't be able to make any moves in a short time. However, with such a drastic change, I wonder what the royal family will think."
................
Far away from the Fang Clan's ancestral land, the ruler of Datang, known as King Zhou, looked calmly at his young son and said, "I wish for you to go to the Tianmastership of Datang Longhushan to seek the Dao."
Although the child was young, he was mature beyond his years, sitting quietly and replying, "I obey, Father."
King Zhou said, "I've made inquiries, and in the Daoist tradition, entry into the sect depends on one's Daoist affinity. Whether one can enter and cultivate the Dao is uncertain at this point, but we must give it a try."
A heavy expression appeared on the faces of King Zhou's trusted ministers as one of them spoke up, "Your Majesty... what about the Buddhist sect in the Human Realm of Han?"
"We only have one chance to choose, only one opportunity to pick a side." King Zhou spoke calmly.
Being in Datang, the Five Aspirants were like five towering mountains pressing down on them, leaving King Zhou and the Sixteen Kingdoms with no chance of turning the situation around under normal circumstances.
Even if they were reluctant, they had no choice but to seek external assistance if they wanted any changes.
Datang had only been connected to the Human Realm of Han previously.
Among the Sixteen Kingdoms, hopes could only be pinned on the Imperial Family of Han. However, the Tianmastership of Datang Longhushan was quite close to the Imperial Court of Han, and as for the Great Emptiness Temple, one would be asking for trouble if they cooperated with them.
The Confucian scholarly families in the Human Realm of Han didn't need to be mentioned either.
Thus, the only option left for the ruler of Datang was:
The Buddhist sacred land, the Sumeru Treasury.
After a long period of cautious contact, the two parties had secretly established a connection.
Recently, the Sumeru Treasury had even taken the initiative to invite King Zhou's son to join them.
However, before the plan could be carried out, a sudden upheaval occurred in Datang.
The Five Aspirants, who had dominated Datang for thousands of years, became a fleeting fantasy in an instant.
The impact of this on the people of Datang was beyond description.
King Zhou was equally astonished. In his mind, even if they had established a connection with the Sumeru Treasury, overthrowing them would be extremely difficult, and the best outcome he could hope for was to create more space for activities in Datang through the rivalry between the two powers.
Never did he expect that the Five Aspirants would become history just like that.
After the initial shock, King Zhou immediately changed his plan. He arranged for his son, who was originally going to the Sumeru Treasury, to abandon that idea and instead seek an opportunity to meet the Daoist masters of Datang.
He was well aware of the consequences of going back on his words and offending the Sumeru Treasury, but...
"Whether it's the Buddhist sect or the Daoist sect of Datang, they are both extraordinary and can turn the world upside down with a flick of their fingers." King Zhou spoke calmly, "But on the one hand, the Daoist sect of Datang has already taken over Datang, and on the other hand..."
His trusted minister beside him understood his unspoken implication.
On the one hand, even if the Sumeru Treasury went all out, they might not be able to take down Datang where the Five Aspirants were stationed.
On the other hand, the Tianmastership of Datang Longhushan had effortlessly crushed the Five Aspirants of Datang.
As for the royal family's reputation, it was obviously not the time to consider that.
The Buddhist sect was proactively recruiting disciples.
As for the Daoist sect, he was taking the initiative to seek apprenticeship there.
The latter was obviously more passive.
However, from another perspective, they had less to lose.
If this plan succeeded, King Zhou's lineage would gain more freedom and face fewer troubles.
"We don't have the luxury of time to make a slow and gradual choice, for that is no different from making the wrong choice." King Zhou spoke calmly.
Down below, the Sixteen Kingdoms were stirring, and they would undoubtedly send large numbers of their descendants to seek Daoist affinity in the Human Realm of Han, hoping to enter the famous Daoist sect that shook the world.
"Time is of the essence.
"Zhou Wang sighed softly, "Whether or not it will succeed remains to be seen."
.................
"I presume that the people of Datong are in great turmoil at the moment."
In the human realm of Great Han, a group of people traveled from the imperial capital of Chang'an to Datong.
The chief envoy and his deputy were in conversation.
They had already learned of the general situation in Datong.
As the people of Datong were in flux, those in the know in the human realm of Great Han were equally astonished.
"All five of the Great Families, five peak-level Confucian scholars capable of pacifying the world, have perished?" The relatively young deputy envoy still looked skeptical. "Not even one of them managed to escape?"
The middle-aged man who was the chief envoy glanced at him. "Yes, all five. Although the clan head of the Xiao Family in Datong was not present, it turns out there was another peak-level Confucian scholar hidden in the Fang Family of Datong."
Deputy Envoy Fang Junmei met his gaze. "Senior Ouyang, please don't look at me like that. Although we both hail from the Fang Families, the Fang Clan of Datong and the Fang Clan of Jingxiang have been separated for thousands of years.
While they sometimes share a common bond, their differences are greater. The Fang Clan of Datong certainly wouldn't have breathed a word about hiding a peak-level Confucian scholar to the Fang Clan of Jingxiang.
Moreover..."
He smiled. "...my loyalty to the court and His Majesty is absolute. My family often criticizes me, so they wouldn't have informed me of any news."
"You're too humble, Deputy Fang," said Ouyang Jingyuan, the chief envoy and the Imperial Tutor. "Everyone in Great Han is loyal to the court."
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Ouyang. I will keep your words in mind," said Fang Junmei, bowing his head.
Ouyang Jingyuan glanced at him.
There were too many scheming and sycophantic people like him in the Emperor's inner circle, obscuring the Emperor's vision and hindering the Crown Prince.
His gaze shifted to the front, looking towards the direction of the void portal to Datong.
However, that little man had said something right.
Was it really that simple to crush the Five Great Families of Datong? According to the current news, it wasn't a chance encounter, but rather a forceful breach of the defenses of their ancestral lands, resulting in the destruction of their clans and the annihilation of their families?
If the Taoist sect of the Great Tang Dynasty had won in a siege, their victory in a chance encounter would have been even easier.
Furthermore, in this situation, had Lin Zheng, Fang Xi, Han Tian, Su Guang, and Fang Xing not even managed to abandon their ancestral lands and flee?
Han Tian and Su Guang aside, Lin Zheng was a peak-level Confucian scholar who had already risen to the heavens.
As for Fang Xi and Fang Xing, their ancestral lands in the Fang Family had the ability to connect to all directions.
How had none of these three managed to escape? Ouyang Jingyuan was initially convinced that the news was erroneous.
It must have taken the united efforts of the entire Great Tang Dynasty, mustering all their experts, to achieve such a feat, right? But after repeated confirmations, the news ultimately indicated that only the Taoist experts of the Great Tang had appeared.
To be precise, only the experts of the Taoist Talisman Sect had shown themselves.
After his initial shock, Ouyang Jingyuan calmed his mind and, following the Crown Prince's edict, headed towards Datong to probe the situation there.
It was fortunate that Yin Ming, the Left General, was unharmed despite being caught in the midst of it all.
However, the true intentions of the Taoist Sect and the Great Tang Dynasty remained unclear at the moment.
A fierce dragon crossing the river.
The attention of the entire Great Han Dynasty was now focused on Datong.
Ouyang Jingyuan and Fang Junmei led the envoy group from Great Han through the void portal to Datong.
With Master Xu Yuanzhen having gone there before, Lei Jun had gradually dispersed the Grand Daoist scenery and formations that had sealed the void portal.
Xu Yuanzhen had no interest in interacting with Ouyang Jingyuan and Fang Junmei.
However, Tang Xiaotang was filled with curiosity.
In Lei Jun's opinion, his junior master sister probably felt that it was quite prestigious for the Grand Tutor of the Great Tang to receive the envoy group from Great Han.
Although she was a bit unreliable, she had first served as the Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain and then as the Grand Tutor of the Great Tang, handling all sorts of grand affairs with ease.
Especially when she found such affairs interesting.
Moreover, Chu Yu, an official of the Great Tang, was also present, so Lei Jun wasn't worried about that side.
While he had breached the ancestral lands of the Xiao Family in Datong, he instructed Chu Kun and Zhang Jingzhen to first resolve the aftermath within Datong.
He had roughly swept through the accumulated wealth of the Five Great Families.
Most of it was suitable for Confucian cultivators.
Many celestial treasures had already been processed with the related methods of the civilized and cultured energy.
However, some of the items still caught Lei Jun's attention.
"Senior Brother, is that the Heart Essence of the Six Dragons?" Chu Kun asked curiously, looking at the treasure Lei Jun was examining at the moment.
Lei Jun nodded. "Yes, it's indeed the Heart Essence of the Six Dragons."
This treasure could be used for the cultivation of both Confucian and Taoist cultivators.
For Confucian cultivators, it had one set of effects.
For Taoist cultivators, the most valuable effect of the Heart Essence of the Six Dragons was that it could aid the daily cultivation of peak-level Taoist masters.
As Xu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiaotang were already at relatively high cultivation levels of the fourth and third layers of the ninth heaven respectively, this treasure wasn't as beneficial to them.
But for Lei Jun, who had just reached the first layer of the ninth heaven, its effects would be the most significant.
"This is quite suitable for my cultivation indeed," Lei Jun nodded slightly.
After achieving the ninth heaven, he had spent a considerable amount of time refining artifacts and cultivating new supernatural powers, which took up some of the time he could have spent refining the Primordial Spirit Qi.
Now, with the aid of the Heart Essence of the Six Dragons, he could accumulate the Primordial Spirit Qi faster.
With abundant Primordial Spirit Qi, there was hope to refine the Danling Three Qi and achieve the second layer of the ninth heaven.
This would save some time for Celestial Master Lei, or rather, make up for some lost time.
"Senior Brother, the preservation here in Datong is much better than in Gui Cang," Chu Kun remarked.
Lei Jun nodded slightly.
Indeed, compared to the situation in Gui Cang, which had been occupied by the Little Ming Court, the circumstances in Datong were much better.
The spiritual energy was abundant and surging, and it was evident that there were numerous celestial treasures.
Although most of them had already been harvested or refined and consumed by the descendants of the Five Great Families, there were still abundant new sprouts of various kinds.
PS1: 7k5 chapters. I've been taking breaks in between writing these past few days due to eye strain, trying to adapt to a new rhythm. I'll continue to try my best, but I can't guarantee additional chapters tonight. Everyone, please don't stay up waiting. I'll definitely try my best, and any additional chapters will be extra.
PS2: There are two new alliance leaders, "Man Shi Jue" and "Zuo Yao" Thank you both for your support!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
