Chapter 410: Nine Heavens, Third Layer, Five Spirits, and Five Qi (Part 2)

Chapter 410: Nine Heavens, Third Layer, Five Spirits, and Five Qi (Part 2)

As their cultivation deepened, they had also started making preparations to break through to the Seventh Heaven.

Xu Rui had originally been slightly ahead of the others.

However, due to various reasons, he remained at the peak of the Sixth Heaven Imprint and had not attempted to take the final step forward.

Of the others, aside from Ke Sicheng, who had already begun his secluded cultivation, it was Qin Caowei, who had also exceeded her master's expectations, that might be closest to achieving the Seventh Heaven.

Previously, Qin Caowei had traveled to Datong and had not yet returned to the Tang realm.

But recently, she had sent a secret report back to the manor, mentioning that she had unintentionally obtained a talisman decree, possibly related to the ancient Fulu School, and dared not make the decision alone, so she sent it back to the manor for her master to decide.

Lei Jun weighed the talisman decree in his hand, deep in thought.

…………………

Inside Datong.

Qin Caowei stood in the medicine fields, a rare moment of distraction on her face.

"Will Senior be going to the Han realm again later...?" she murmured as if talking to herself.

A voice rang out, audible only to Qin Caowei: "Not in the near future, but perhaps after some time, I may make another trip there."

Qin Caowei spoke softly, "The remnants of the Celestial Palace... I never expected such a group to exist. Were they the ones who brought about the Great Tribulation during the end of the Han dynasty? It's hard to imagine how powerful they must have been..."

"The remnants of the Celestial Palace is a collective term. Countless newcomers joined their ranks, hence the widespread involvement. Naturally, in this current era, those newcomers from back then are all ancient by now."

Qin Caowei: "Even Senior is that old..."

She immediately realized her slip of the tongue and closed her mouth.

But the other party didn't seem to mind: "There were traitors among the remnants of the Celestial Palace. If not for them, perhaps they would have succeeded."

Qin Caowei curiously asked: "What happened to those people later? Um... are they still around?"

"It's too early to say for now, but with the surge of celestial spiritual energy, those who are still alive are starting to show signs of activity. Soon, things will become clearer."

"Um..." Qin Caowei pondered: "Senior, I don't know... I don't know if I can..."

"Little girl, do you want to share what you've heard with your sect?"

Qin Caowei: "My master, the sect master, and the other elders and sect members are all good people... But I'm also worried about exposing your secret."

"There's no harm in it now. Besides, the current generation of Dragon-Tiger Mountain in the Tang realm may be young, but they have broad minds. You can tell them what you want, it won't be a problem."

Qin Caowei breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Senior!"

The disguise on the talisman decree was also handled by the other party.

Qin Caowei also did not mention anything about the other party, only recording what she had heard about the remnants of the Celestial Palace and the Great Tribulation during the Han dynasty. She then claimed to have obtained the ancient talisman decree by chance and asked the sect to handle it.

…………………

"The craftsmanship of the Refiners," Lei Jun said as he handed the talisman decree to Xu Yuanzhen, who had just returned from the Han realm.

After reading it, Xu Yuanzhen said with great interest: "I felt that something was amiss before, and it seems that this is the key."

Lei Jun: "Someone who existed before the Nine Heavens and the Great Tribulation at the end of the Han dynasty?"

Xu Yuanzhen: "Mhm, and most likely related to Kunlun."

Lei Jun: "So there really is an existence beyond the Nine Heavens backing Dragon-Tiger Mountain in the Han realm?"

Xu Yuanzhen waved the talisman decree in her hand: "Mhm, more or less. But this is a completely different person from the one I met."

Lei Jun nodded slightly, deep in thought, but he didn't intend to ask Qin Caowei about this matter specifically.

His attention was mainly focused on the group mentioned in the talisman decree—the remnants of the Celestial Palace.

"The remnants of the Celestial Palace failed because of traitors." Xu Yuanzhen smiled: "That's quite interesting."

She, too, didn't ask Qin Caowei many questions.

"Let's take things one step at a time. We can put Kunlun on hold for now."

Xu Yuanzhen spoke rapidly: "The ritual array I set up is still working, and we'll know more later.

As for the Sunyata, I'll go to Xiaotang's side and ask those Sunyata monks to verify some things.

By the way, I misjudged the situation at the Ruins of Depravity last time, so I'll take this opportunity to take a look again while I'm on the way."

Lei Jun: "Big sister, wait for me to send you off with a hug."

Looking at Xu Yuanzhen, he added: "I'll only send a hug to you. I'll send the Jade Celestial Bamboo of Upper Clarity and the Eight Sceneries Treasure Robe of Great Clarity to Little Sister, and I'll get the Master's Sword and the Master's Robe back from her."

Lei Jun had already reforged both the Jade Celestial Bamboo of Upper Clarity and the Eight Sceneries Treasure Robe of Great Clarity.

There was still some Primordial Ember left, and if he hurried, he could use it to temper the Master's Sword and the Master's Robe.

Like the Master's Seal, these two treasures had been refined over the years, and they were now almost flawless.

But the closer they were to perfection, the more they needed to cherish the rare opportunity to improve further.

Moreover, now that the Three Treasures of the Master were reunited, Lei Jun had some ideas that he wanted to try out.

Ever since his enlightenment had improved to the Clear and Quiet level, he often had moments of inspiration, not to mention that his current enlightenment had reached the Natural level.

After being tempered and reforged, the Eight Sceneries Treasure Robe of Great Clarity's defensive capabilities were now almost on par with the Master's Robe.

And for dealing with Li Yuanheng, who Tang Xiaotang was currently facing, the Jade Celestial Bamboo of Upper Clarity, which was effective against the soul, would be no less useful than the Master's Sword.

So Lei Jun ordered Zhuo Baojie to travel through the Earthly Sea to the Khanate of the Foreign Races to retrieve the Master's Sword and the Master's Robe from Tang Xiaotang.

The journey might not be peaceful, but with Xu Yuanzhen accompanying them, everything went smoothly.

With the return of the Master's Sword and the Master's Robe, the Three Treasures of the Master were reunited.

Lei Jun continued to use the Nine Abyssal Truefire to temper the Primordial Ember and refine the treasures.

At the same time, he also constantly accumulated his cultivation of the Three Qi of the Dan, Spirit, and Wisdom, making his foundation increasingly solid.

…………………

In the Han realm, great changes were taking place within Sunyata.

Although the Wise and Goodness Sage did not truly reveal himself in the mortal realm, even the master of the Treasure Department, Fantada, did not return.

But the monks of the Sunyata Treasure Department were no longer as reclusive as before.

This change affected the Han realm, making the open conflicts and hidden undercurrents even more intense.

In the capital of the Great Han, Chang'an, a lavish performance was underway within the depths of the palace, starkly contrasting the atmosphere outside.

The appreciator of this performance, the current emperor of the Great Han Dynasty, did not find anything amiss with it.

Thus, those around him remained silent as well.

He was Emperor Xiang Chengyuan of the Great Han.

Due to various reasons, the Han royal family held a relatively dominant position in this world.

Although there were currently twelve prominent aristocratic families, they did not compare to the power dynamic of the early Tang Dynasty, where the emperor and the aristocratic families shared the heavens.

The current emperor once possessed the bearing of one who could rule over the world.

However, as the years passed, this emperor of the Great Han began to show signs of decadence.

Now, he indulged in pleasure-seeking and was becoming increasingly tyrannical and irrational.

At this moment, he was listless and on the verge of dozing off.

The performance that once captivated him seemed unable to arouse his interest anymore.

A refined and elegant young official entered the garden after being granted permission and approached the emperor.

Emperor Xiang waved his hand dismissively, "If there is something, speak of it later."

The young official was Fang Junmei, who had been sent to Datong earlier.

He respectfully acknowledged the emperor's words and stepped aside to wait.

When the grand performance concluded, the performers received their rewards and retired, except for one woman who remained.

The palace eunuchs were accustomed to this sight.

The woman, Chen Xiao, was the star of the troupe.

At the same time, she was also the emperor's favorite performer.

Indeed, in recent years, the emperor had rarely attended court sessions.

On regular days, he favored those who flattered and pandered to him, like Fang Junmei and a group of performers.

They were all sycophants and petty men.

However, Emperor Xiang saw no issue with this.

He leaned back listlessly and asked Fang Junmei, "What's the urgent matter?"

Fang Junmei respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, you previously instructed this subordinate to compile a list of the most likely candidates to advance from the Eighth Heaven to the Ninth Heaven realm among the cultivators within the Great Han territory. I now have some leads."

He was being modest, as the list was not just "some leads" but very detailed and accurate.

While Fang Junmei had indeed climbed the ranks through flattery and sycophancy, he was not merely competent in those areas.

"Proceed," Emperor Xiang said as he closed his eyes to rest.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Fang Junmei immediately answered. "The current most promising candidates are seven in number.

First is Chen Lingfeng, the current head of the Shushan Sect.

Second is Pan Hailin, the high-achieving elder of Longhushan.

Third is Xin Guan, the abbot of Xuantian Temple.

Fourth is Xiao Xuan, the former head of the Langwai Xiao Clan who recently stepped down.

Fifth is Lin Xiaoyue, the head of the Lin family in Jiangzhou.

Additionally, although the head of the Li family in Luoyang is advanced in years, his eldest son, Li Feiyang, is in his prime and also has the potential to achieve the 'Calm the World' realm.

The last one is Jue Xiang, the junior disciple of Jue Fa, the abbot of Da Kong Temple, who is also your majesty's old acquaintance."

Emperor Xiang grunted in acknowledgment, "What about the others?"

Fang Junmei continued, "Pure Yang Palace hasn't produced any exceptionally outstanding Taoist masters in recent years. Their leader, Deng Lai, is indeed accomplished, but his age is a factor. Despite the surge of spiritual energy in the world, the chances of him achieving the Taoist Grand True realm are still slim. As for the Buddhist sect, the situation is similar at Bodhi Temple."

There were some details that Fang Junmei did not delve into further.

For example, with the surge of spiritual energy in the world, young cultivators were rapidly surpassing their elders. Pan Hailin of Longhushan was an obvious example, and there was also a genius in the Shushan Sect named Yu Boyan, whose cultivation was progressing by leaps and bounds.

Even if they didn't achieve greatness in the near future, they would undoubtedly become the pillars of their sects in the years to come.

But if one were to ask who the most powerful young cultivator was in the Great Han, the answer was undoubtedly someone present in this very city of Chang'an.

In the Eastern Palace, not far from here.

In recent years, it was the Crown Prince who had been residing in Chang'an most of the time.

Emperor Xiang Chengyuan, on the other hand, spent most of his time indulging in pleasure in various palaces outside the capital, only returning to Chang'an occasionally.

"There's also another matter, Your Majesty," Fang Junmei continued. "With the surge of spiritual energy in the mortal realm, it is beneficial for human cultivators. However, at the same time, evil energies are also rampant, and more powerful demons are appearing..."

Emperor Xiang waved his hand nonchalantly, "Leave those matters to the Crown Prince."

He gestured dismissively, "Alright, fine, I understand. I'm tired now, so let's leave it at that for now. You few discuss and come up with a plan later."

With that, he got up and walked deeper into the palace.

Fang Junmei bowed respectfully and saw him off, his expression unchanged.

However, his heart was filled with deeper concerns:

"The emperor's mental state has been deteriorating in recent years..."

"Thank you, Sir Fang," said a woman named Chen Xiao, who had remained after the emperor's departure.

She was not an ordinary performer.

Fang Junmei did not take her lightly either, "You're welcome."

If he wasn't mistaken, this woman had a background in the Shamanic arts.

There were major changes happening in Xumi, and they were currently in the process of verifying the authenticity of the news and its details.

If the Wise and Benevolent Sage, Shan Zhizun, were to leave Xumi and descend upon this mortal realm, what would become of the Great Han?

How would the Shamanic sect react?

And what about Datong and the other mortal realm connected to it...

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

In the other mortal realm that Fang Junmei had been thinking about, the Tang Dynasty.

Inside Longhushan's Tian Shi Fu.

Lei Jun sat within the Wan Fa Zong Tan.

Before him, a gigantic cauldron that had been emitting radiant light was now crumbling, turning into countless talismans before dissipating into flowing light.

The verdant Nine Abyss Real Fire within the cauldron receded.

The Yuan Tian Ashes had been completely consumed, leaving no trace behind.

Only after the green fire dissipated did the three treasures of Tian Shi Fu—the Tian Shi Seal, the Tian Shi Sword, and the Tian Shi Robe—reappear in the Wan Fa Zong Tan, floating in the air in a line.

Lei Jun silently channeled his profound energy, and his spiritual power quietly converged without making a sound.

At this moment, his mind was in sync with the three treasures, and the three treasures seemed to be subtly linked to each other. The light flickering on their surfaces advanced and retreated in unison, their radiance alternating between brightness and darkness.

Another two years had passed.

In the Human World of the Exotic Khanate, Xu Yuanzhen had already gained a good understanding of the leaders of the Treasure and Dharma Departments, thus achieving her initial goal.

Her current interest, however, aligned with that of Vanta Da and Sheduolo, as they were all focused on the Ruins of Samsara.

Tang Xiatang, on the other hand, had previously found traces of Li Yuanheng.

The fully matured Nine-Li Great Witch, with her nine layers of cultivation, continued to maintain a low profile.

But unexpectedly, Tang Xiatang delivered a heavy blow to her opponent.

Given Li Yuanheng's abilities and current state of weakness, along with the direct impact of Tang Xiatang's Upper Clarity Immortal Bamboo, his divine soul was left cracked and devastated. He had barely recovered any vitality when he suffered this major defeat.

At this moment, as Tang Xiatang pursued Li Yuanheng, his situation became even more dire than before.

Lei Jun, on the other hand, remained dedicated to his cultivation journey.

Apart from mastering the Profound Spirit Mono Qi, he had also long since perfected and filled his being with the Three Pure Yang Qis.

On this day, after greeting his fellow disciples, Yuan Mo Bai and Wang Guyuan, Lei Jun retreated into seclusion for a short period of focused cultivation.

The Great Vehicle Dao Scene unfolded silently yet effortlessly, its presence confined to the cultivation room for now.

Within the vast and enigmatic Primordial Universe, Lei Jun sat alone, his legs crossed in deep meditation.

The Profound Spirit Mono Qi seemed to condense into the earth within this universe, solid and sturdy, giving a sense of dimension to the void.

The Three Pure Yang Qis lay buried in the darkness born of the Profound Spirit, akin to spirit pills forged in the grand heavenly furnace.

Primordial dust swirled, and mists of tri-colors flowed.

The Nine Firmaments Heart Thunder rumbled from nowhere, and the Two Extremities Eye erupted violently, spewing vast amounts of primal magnetic force. This force resonated with the primal magnetic star tracks stretching across the vast cosmic starry space.

An invisible, colossal force seemed to tug at the very fabric of existence, pulling at the earth formed by the union of the Profound Spirit Mono Qi and the Three Pure Yang Qis from within and without.

The ground cracked, and the invisible force rose, hinting at a subliminal shift.

In this moment, beyond the solid and sturdy earth, there seemed to exist an endless azure sky as well.

This was the inevitable path that practitioners of the Daoist talisman arts had to traverse to advance from the second to the third layer of the nine-layered realm.

Upon reaching this step, one could not be considered to have truly mastered the third layer just yet.

The newly risen azure sky churned with turbulence and chaos across the five directions.

With a calm and steady grasp of his state, in almost an instant, the recently turbulent heavens within the universe began to settle into tranquility once more.

It seemed that a more formidable will and power had forced this chaos into submission.

That will and power belonged to none other than Lei Jun himself.

And only after the five directions of chaos had completely calmed did a strand of colorful radiance flash into existence.

The source of that radiance was a delicate stream of energy that seemed to interpret the wonders of the five phases of creation.

It reminded Lei Jun of a spiritual object he had obtained in his early years, called the Grand Five Phases Primal Qi, which bore a slight resemblance to what he now witnessed.

However, the differences outweighed the similarities.

This delicate stream of energy was named the Five Primal Spirit Qis.

With the cultivation of the Five Primal Spirit Qis, Lei Jun's cultivation base successfully ascended to another level.

He had officially stepped into the third layer of the nine-layered realm of the Daoist talisman path.

Lei Jun's cultivation journey continued, and he further nurtured the Five Primal Spirit Qis, causing them to become more abundant and robust.

Unlike the gloomy Profound Spirit Mono Qi and the lively Three Pure Yang Qis, the most notable characteristic of the Five Primal Spirit Qis was its steadiness and balance, keeping the four directions and the center tranquil and free of anomalies.

As Lei Jun's Five Primal Spirit Qis grew increasingly abundant, he proceeded to further temper and refine them.

Vast amounts of the Five Primal Spirit Qis compressed inwards, undergoing repeated forging and transformations.

Through these processes, the Qis underwent another metamorphosis.

A five-colored auspicious cloud was born from within the swirling energies.

Though it appeared minuscule at the moment, it already exuded a delicate and powerful aura.

Mortals referred to this phenomenon as the Five-Colored Cloud.

Although it could only be manifested within the Great Vehicle Dao Scene, countless people praised its formidable protective abilities.

For Lei Jun, the cultivation of the Five-Colored Cloud through the Five Primal Spirit Qis was not the end of his journey.

Lei Jun sat in the void, and within the Primordial Universe, streams of energy wove into a colossal Taiji diagram that stood erect behind him.

Lei Jun placed the Five-Colored Cloud at one end and, at the other end, positioned the Pitch-Dark Water Marrow.

Between these two extremes, opposing tendencies emerged and clashed.

Under this influence, the Pitch-Dark Water Marrow began to transform and change.

The colorful auspicious clouds seemed to be the most vibrant and changeable, yet they symbolized the steadiness and unwavering focus in Lei Jun's current cultivation state.

And the Pitch-Dark Water Marrow, which had turned into a singular pure black, appeared lonely and dull, encapsulating the principle that all things must eventually come to an end. It carried a philosophy and state of mind that contrasted Lei Jun's constant pursuit of novelty and change.

However, as the two forces underwent amalgamation, disharmonious notes remained, indicating that the process was not as seamless as Lei Jun had hoped.

Lei Jun pondered this carefully and realized that it was indeed more challenging than when he had merged the Nine Firmaments Heart Thunder and the Two Extremities Eye previously.

The Nine Firmaments Heart Thunder had been a seamless fusion because it corresponded perfectly with Lei Jun's enlightenment, maturation, and state of mind, where life and death interchanged freely, and he delved into the principle of 'above the clear blue skies and below the yellow springs'.

The Two Extremities Eye had also been a perfect match because it corresponded with his long accumulation of primal magnetic force and the principle of 'accumulation before eruption'.

Thus, these had been unique fortuitous occurrences that could not be replicated easily.

However, Lei Jun understood that if he were to completely discard the dark side of the heavenly tome, the spirituality within would correspond perfectly with the Five Primal Spirit Qis and the Five-Colored Cloud.

But he had no intentions of doing so at the moment. Instead, he considered merging the Pitch-Dark Water Marrow with the Two Immortal Bodies to give birth to the other change he anticipated—the Lone Lonesome Water.

Lei Jun was not anxious about this process and continued with his current cultivation regimen and lifestyle, slowly adjusting and refining the Five-Colored Cloud and the Lone Lonesome Water, awaiting the day when he would finally achieve perfection in their manifestation.

This year, he turned seventy-eight.

Counting from when he was brought back to Dragon Tiger Mountain to begin his cultivation journey, exactly sixty years—a full cycle of sixty years—had passed.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end