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Chapter 397: The Heavenly Palace's Relic (Part 2)
Chapter 397: The Heavenly Palace's Relic (Part 2)
They valued his considerable personal strength and influence.
"This General Zhou Pu, the adopted son of Commander Zhou Wei, is also an extraordinary figure," one of the monks remarked.
"It is said that he was the one who found the Three Talents Mysterious Fruit but offered it to Commander Zhou Wei instead of consuming it himself," another monk added.
The old monk nodded, "Given the current situation of the Later Chu Dynasty, that was a wise decision."
However, this General Zhou, who seemed to be the heir apparent, did not appear very friendly toward the Buddhists.
In this regard, the more outstanding he was, the less favorable it became for the Luli Zen Court to support Zhou Wei.
It was a pity that the Curse Masters' sneak attack on the Mang Mountain base camp had failed, especially their inability to eliminate Zhou Pu.
With the Mangshan camp no longer under threat, the monks from the Liuli Zen Temple, who had traveled far to lend their aid, could only turn back with a sigh.
The old monk heaved a sigh as he carefully observed this force of Black Flag soldiers.
Even in their resounding victory, they remained disciplined and vigilant under Zhou Pu's command, displaying no hint of arrogance or complacency.
The soldiers maintained their formation without dispersing, and after repelling the crowd of Wu Sect sorcerers, they refrained from pursuing them relentlessly. Instead, they halted in a timely manner, regrouped, and returned to the Mangshan camp in an orderly fashion, leaving the observing monks from Liuli Zen Temple filled with emotion.
Just from this brief battle, one could tell that Zhou Wei, Zhou Pu, and the Black Flag soldiers were indeed worthy of their renowned reputation.
No wonder the ruler of Hou Chu was so wary of them.
The Black Flag army had indeed become a formidable force.
And should Zhou Wei himself continue to improve, the situation would be entirely different.
Inside the Mangshan camp, Zhou Pu returned with his troops, his expression calm and devoid of pride.
He calmly instructed his soldiers to rest and inspect themselves, remaining vigilant against the unpredictable and insidious methods of the Wu Sect.
The soldiers obeyed his orders in unison.
Zhou Pu himself seemed to be examining his body as well.
His gaze did not linger on any particular spot.
Almost casually, his eyes swept over the distant mountains where the monks from Liuli Zen Temple were located.
Zhou Pu retracted his gaze, his expression unchanged, but his eyes turned cold.
...............
In the Great Tang human realm, within Dragon Tiger Mountain, Lei Jun had returned to the mansion.
Yuan Mo Bai came to see him.
"Master, are you preparing for an extended period of seclusion?"
Hearing Yuan Mo Bai's intention, Lei Jun's face broke into a smile. "Disciple would like to offer my congratulations in advance and wish you success in reaching the Ninth Heaven and attaining the realm of a High True Immortal."
Yuan Mo Bai smiled and shook his head. "I still need time to prepare and cultivate. I dare not say that I have absolute confidence in taking that final step."
Lei Jun said, "With your abundant accumulation, you will surely succeed."
Yuan Mo Bai replied, "I appreciate the encouragement, Sect Leader. I hope to achieve success soon."
Aside from Yuan Mo Bai, Chu Yu had also returned to the imperial capital of Luoyang recently to seclude herself in study and cultivation, making her final preparations to overcome the tribulation between the Eighth and Ninth Heavens.
Following Great General Shangguan Yunbo, Yuan Mo Bai, and Chu Yu, Xiao Xuting had successfully taken that final step this year, ascending to the Ninth Heaven and the realm of a Martial Sage.
This marked her as the second Martial Sage of the current Great Tang Dynasty, after Shangguan Yunbo.
She had long ago reached the perfect state of the Eighth Heaven, and with her innate talent, she had quietly accumulated power, now astonishing the world with her achievement.
After Xiao Xuting attained the Ninth Heaven, Zhang Hui, who had stayed in the Great Tang human realm for these years, finally decided to venture beyond to broaden her horizons, gain new experiences, and enrich her knowledge.
Although she was curious about the human realms of Datong and Dahanh, Zhang Hui, after much consideration, decided to stick to her original plan, with her first stop being Tianli, now known as Guicang.
Her dear friend, Meng Shaojie, was currently in Guicang as well.
"I heard that Meng Shaojie has made significant gains in Guicang?" Yuan Mo Bai said with a smile.
Lei Jun replied, "The Guicang Xiao Ming Court used to be a secluded and fragile existence, but their history dates back even before the founding of the Great Ming Dynasty, and it's much older than what we have in the Great Tang. Meng Shaojie has collected numerous historical records and documents there, and his harvest has indeed been substantial."
Yuan Mo Bai said, "Sect Leader's establishment of the four hidden stars under the dark side of the Heavenly Tome was initially a casual arrangement, but now, the shade of that tree is indeed impressive."
Lei Jun said, "It's more about the fortune of these young people themselves. I only provided a little push here.
When I think about it carefully, all four of them are extraordinarily talented, especially in the aspect of their souls, which allowed them to gain the opportunity presented by the dark side of the Heavenly Tome. Each of them is truly extraordinary."
There was no need to elaborate on Kong Ming and Meng Shaojie.
The former was born with a soul of the Two Aspects.
As for the latter, he was naturally gifted in the study of history, possessing the ability to forge new paths.
As for "Nebula" Nie Fang, his soul was also exceptionally gifted, and if not for this talent, he wouldn't have been able to master the art of Yan Shi by himself with just a fragmented scroll. Now, he had already become a remarkable figure.
And the newly acquired Purple Star, Zhou Pu, possessed a unique soul as well.
Similar to Kong Ming, this uniqueness stemmed from his innate talent.
He was a person who could touch the hearts of heaven and earth, naturally connecting with them. His innate talent mainly manifested in the aspect of his soul, and he was born with a soul that was easily receptive to the heavens and the earth, making him inherently agile and perceptive. Such people were often compared to the Daoist Divine Body in the Daoist tradition.
It was worth mentioning that Zhou Pu's innate talent, which could be likened to a brilliant stroke in Confucianism, was most suited for the path of... Confucian Chanting!
Unfortunately, he was born into a chaotic and bloody era.
In that human realm, martial arts flourished while Confucianism was not in vogue.
Zhou Pu had learned the martial path from his foster father, Zhou Wei, since childhood, and by the time he could have switched to the scholarly path, it was too late.
A Confucian cultivation genius was forcefully molded into a martial arts master.
This transformation was made possible due to Zhou Pu's innate talent, which also extended to his comprehension, allowing him to excel in the martial path despite the lack of advantages.
At the same time, this innate talent set him apart from other martial artists, giving him some unique traits.
The most notable one was that while Zhou Pu possessed the typical martial artist's soul, which was resilient and vigilant, his soul also retained a liveliness that other martial artists lacked.
In terms of his soul, he could be said to have almost no weaknesses.
His soul was robust and resilient, impervious to external harm, while his perception range was vast, and his senses were acute and delicate, far exceeding others' expectations.
Many times, this perception helped Zhou Pu turn dangers into safety and resolve crises and defeat enemies.
"Overall, the martial artists in that human realm also differ from those in the Great Tang and other human realms in certain ways." Lei Jun said, "I presume these differences arise from the environment they're in."
When one's qi and blood are robust, and their body is complete and without flaws, their physical and mental fortitude is unparalleled, making them impervious to external harm.
However, once injured and bleeding, their overall condition suffers.
With extreme bursts of speed comes moderate endurance.
But in that world, after years of bloody warfare, the warriors are gradually undergoing a unique transformation.
Confucian and Taoist teachings are not widely followed there.
While the country is ruled by warlords, Buddhist and Wumen monks rise to power, navigating the waves of chaos together.
Thus, the martial arts of that world are, to a certain extent, influenced by both Buddhist and Wumen practices.
Many characteristics of the Wumen's Blood River lineage have been incorporated into the martial arts of this age.
The warriors of that world have traded some of their speed and burst for vastly improved vitality and recovery, especially retaining high combat capability even when injured. They are also quite resilient in prolonged battles.
While their offense and defense remain formidable, they are not as extreme as the assassins of ancient times.
One could say that they have lost the most distinctive trait of ancient warriors, becoming more balanced and resembling the image of warriors that Lei Jun once knew.
The advantages and disadvantages of this change are for each person to judge.
"On another note, something else has caught people's attention..."
Lei Jun said slowly, "I've heard rumors that there are signs of the appearance of Suopo and Lingshan."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Mobai's smile remained, but his gaze turned slightly more solemn.
Suopo has always been on par with Sumeru, as one of the Nine Heavens, under the control of the Buddhist sect.
Lingshan, on the other hand, is a site of prolonged contention between the Wu and Buddhist sects.
"Unlike Sumeru, which is dominated by the Western Buddhist sect, Suopo is most certainly under the influence of the Buddhist Chan sect."
Lei Jun spoke, "Although the Hanging Temple and Heavenly Dragon Temple no longer stand, there is still the Bodhi Temple in the mortal world. Additionally, there are new Buddhist sacred sites such as the Liuli Zen Institute and Putuo Abbey, which are likely also connected to Suopo.
In opposition, Lingshan supports the sacred sites of the Wu, and much of the chaos in that world bears the mark of the rivalry between Suopo and Lingshan."
Yuan Mobai: "Chaos reigns in all four directions."
Lei Jun: "We must cultivate ourselves and remain patient, acting in accordance with the will of heaven."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Mobai smiled and nodded, "I will abide by the Headmaster's decree."
After bidding Lei Jun farewell, he began his secluded meditation, calming his mind and cultivating his spirit.
Lei Jun, meanwhile, received the latest news from his junior martial sister, Tang Xiaotang.
She, too, had gone to Guicang.
Tang Xiaotang had always sought a way to reopen the Dihai and Huangquan.
With her exceptional cultivation, extraordinary insight, and the attainment of the Taichuyuanjun Fasang, she had relentlessly pondered this mystery.
In the mortal world of Datang, she had not found the answer.
But beyond it, through another world among the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, Tang Xiaotang gradually gained insights into the mysteries of Dihai.
Upon reaching Guicang, she immediately began making various preparations.
This action sparked some controversy within the Tang imperial family.
However, going to Guicang was still preferable to causing trouble in the mortal world of Datang.
A few high-ranking members of the Tang court who knew of Zhang Hui's presence in Guicang, along with Tang Xiaotang's exceptional cultivation and power, influenced the Tang imperial family to turn a blind eye to this matter.
Naturally, some important court officials of the Tang Dynasty traveled south to Longhu Mountain to meet with Heavenly Master Lei Jun and inquire about the details of the situation.
At the same time, Shen Quibing, who was stationed on the northern frontier of the Tang Dynasty, received an imperial decree to go to Guicang and assist Tang Guoshi.
"General, the men are all prepared and ready to head south."
Jin Dao Wu, who had become a general of one of the sixteen guards of the Datang Shence Army, stood before Shen Quibing, still addressing him as "General" from their past service together.
His name was peculiar, and in his early years, people doubted if it was his real name.
But now, no one bothered to investigate further. In the Shence Army of the Tang Dynasty, he had risen to become another top young talent alongside Shen Quibing, highly favored by Empress Zhang Wantong as one of the mortal commoners she promoted. He had long since reached the Seventh Heaven realm and had been preparing to break through to the Eighth.
However, his preparation did not involve secluding himself away.
"Now that we're ready, let's depart," Shen Quibing called out.
Everyone mounted the Green Dragon Cry Beast they used for transportation, and they left the northern frontier in grand fashion.
Behind them, the once restless foreign tribes were now pacified, stabilized by Shen Quibing's efforts.
Before and after the Luoyang Campaign, there had been unrest among these tribes.
Later, these rebellions were crushed by the Tang Dynasty.
After returning from Dihai, Shen Quibing returned to the northern frontier.
Now, there were even foreign tribe youths who had joined under Shen Quibing's command, accompanying him to battle in distant lands.
"I wonder what the current situation in Dihai is like. It's a shame that your efforts there were cut short, General."
Along the way, Jin Dao Wu kept by Shen Quibing's side. "We don't know if the Wuli Tribe is still under Chief Ling Ying's leadership, do we?"
Shen Quibing replied, "Let's head to Guicang first. Who knows, maybe by the time we get there, Tang Guoshi would have already succeeded in opening the gates to Dihai."
They traveled through a void passage in the sea to reach Guicang.
As they stepped into Guicang, the land shook violently.
Jin Dao Wu and the other Tang soldiers exchanged glances, unsure of the cause.
But Shen Quibing's eyes lit up, and he urged his Green Dragon Cry Beast forward. "Tang Guoshi's efforts are bearing fruit!"
Indeed, in a lush spiritual site within Guicang, the void twisted as if alive, bleeding a red rift through the air.
The red light seemed to shine inward, and upon touching Guicang, it transformed into rolling black fog.
The black fog was momentarily contained, confined to a small area by an unseen force.
Beside this phenomenon stood a tall, young woman in a purple-gold Daoist robe, laughing proudly with her head tilted towards the sky:
"In the end, you fall into my hands!"
(End of Chapter)
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