Chapter 419: The World's Greatest Thunder Master (Part 1)

Chapter 419: The World's Greatest Thunder Master (Part 1)



Chu Kun curiously asked, "According to the ancient Fulu School's methods, breaking through to the Grand Vehicle realm and achieving a greater state of being requires the presence of a grand altar, doesn't it?"

For practitioners of the Fulu School, advancing from the Sixth Heaven to the Seventh Heaven requires the presence of a grand altar.

However, when it comes to breaking through to higher realms beyond the Seventh Heaven, it may vary depending on individual circumstances.

But according to the ancient Fulu School's teachings, after attaining the Three Heavens, each time one breaks through to a major realm, they must rely on the grand altar and invite the Heavenly Patriarchs to bestow the sacred texts.

And now, with the Dahanhan Dragon and Tiger Mountain lineage, the entire mountain gate has shifted and disappeared from the mortal realm.

There were rumors beforehand that Pan Hailin happened to be traveling abroad at that time, hence his absence during those events.

Xu Yuanzhen didn't specifically go looking for him, but as a result, Pan Hailin has become isolated from the ancestral court of the Dahanhan Dragon and Tiger Mountain.

"Although they don't possess the Three Treasures of the Heavenly Master, they do have objects that suppress the mountain gate's fortune, known as the Three Caverns and Twelve Supreme Treasure Texts," Lei Jun speculated.

"If Pan Hailin had carried one or several of these Treasure Texts with him when he left the mountain, perhaps he is now relying on them to further his sacred texts."

The Three Caverns and Twelve Supreme Treasure Texts of the Dahanhan Dragon and Tiger Mountain are not only revered as divine secrets but are also considered rare treasures.

According to legends in the Dahanhan mortal realm, the Treasure Texts are said to be gifts from Heaven itself.

Through the study of the True and Unified Daoist Canon and these Twelve Treasure Texts, the Dahanhan Dragon and Tiger Mountain lineage established their current doctrinal foundations.

Given Pan Hailin's talent, temperament, and position within the Dahanhan Dragon and Tiger Mountain, it wouldn't be surprising if he were temporarily entrusted with one or several of these Treasure Texts.

Chu Kun asked, "Do you recall, Brother, that among these Twelve Treasure Texts, there isn't one that contains the Three Caverns and Three Heavens True Canon passed down by our ancestors?"

Lei Jun nodded.

Over the past few years, messages have steadily made their way back from the Dahanhan mortal realm, allowing Lei Jun and the other Great Tang practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of the situation there.

The Three Caverns and Twelve Supreme Treasure Texts of the Dahanhan Dragon and Tiger Mountain are said to be divided into eight sections.

Among them, there are three texts of the Dou Mu, two texts of the Lei, and two texts of the Huo, along with one text each of the Wen, Dou, Shui, Cai, and Tai Sui, totaling twelve texts.

Lei Jun had previously captured Ma Zongxiang, an elder of the Dahanhan Dragon and Tiger Mountain, who cultivated the two major divine powers of the Dou Mu Four Saints Treasure Text and the Wen Yong Covering the Heavens Treasure Text. The former belongs to the three texts of Dou Mu, while the latter is the Wen text.

In the Dahanhan mortal realm, the various divine powers of the Dragon and Tiger Mountain have now shaken the world for many years.

"It does sound like something reminiscent of the ancient Heavenly Court." Chu Kun fell into deep thought.

He turned to Lei Jun and asked, "Brother, I heard that in the Dahanhan mortal realm, the Great Empty Temple has also been frequently communicating with the demons lately. Is that true?"

"The Great Empty Temple's actions in the Great Tang are indeed related to this. It's not entirely unexpected," Lei Jun replied.

As the surge of spiritual energy in the Dahanhan mortal realm becomes more pronounced, the opposing demonic aura has also been growing increasingly intense.

Numerous demons have begun to wreak havoc.

While the Great Empty Temple may not be able to control those top-tier demons, establishing connections with them and coordinating their actions, with each supporting the other when needed, is enough to put immense pressure on the Dahanhan Dynasty.

"The Twelve Noble Houses of the Dahanhan have indeed started cooperating with the Imperial Family lately. And recently, more outstanding disciples from these houses have been entering sacred grounds like Pure Yang, Shushan, Putuo, and Xuantian," Lei Jun said.

Chu Kun nodded in understanding.

In this broader context, the outstanding disciples of the noble houses entering these sacred grounds likely have good intentions rather than seeking to cause internal strife.

On the contrary, it reflects increased interactions and improved relations, often presenting a united front against common adversaries.

Chu Kun himself was all too familiar with this dynamic.

When he entered the Great Tang Dragon and Tiger Mountain years ago, it could be considered a period of relative harmony between the Suzhou Chu Clan and the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master's Mansion.

As for the subsequent changes in attitude and the shifting tides, they were the result of the passage of time, the evolution of the situation, and the influence of the environment.

Perhaps, even back then, there were already those in the Great Tang Dragon and Tiger Mountain or the Suzhou Chu Clan who foresaw the impending shift in the grand scheme of things.

However, that did not influence Chu Kun's choices and decisions after he entered the Dragon and Tiger Mountain.

Undeniably, the current situation in the Dahanhan mortal realm has placed immense pressure on the leaders of the major houses and noble clans.

Lei Jun and the other Great Tang practitioners had halted their progress at the Grand Unity Realm, and over the years, they had only visited the Dahanhan mortal realm as guests, refraining from any deeper involvement.

While the Dahanhan practitioners maintained a basic level of vigilance, they didn't feel overly strained.

However, the situation with the Great Empty Temple boldly allying with the demons was an entirely different matter.

Moreover, the Western Buddhist Kingdoms were also a cause for concern.

Even though the Lord of the Treasure Department, Fan Datuo, hadn't reappeared, let alone the legendary Wise and Benevolent Master, their existence still made the major houses and noble clans of the Dahanhan uneasy.

While the Imperial Family treated the Treasure Department as they always had, and there were still Treasure Department experts aiding the Imperial Family, the major houses and noble clans remained wary.

In this regard, the Pure Land Temple, Xuantian Temple, and other major grounds in the Dahanhan shared their concerns.

"With the Treasure Department's dominance, the Great Empty Temple should logically feel like a thorn in their backs, shouldn't they?" Chu Kun asked curiously.

"The Wise and Benevolent Master's condition is unfavorable. If not for that, the Great Empty Temple wouldn't be so brazen. However, there might be other motives behind their audacious actions," Lei Jun speculated.

"While their principles are brutal, over the years, in both the Great Tang and the Dahanhan, they haven't been entirely opposed to cooperation."

Chu Kun gently nodded.

"Later, after things have settled down in Penglai, if there are no other matters at hand, I'll also pay a visit to the Dahanhan mortal realm. But I plan to go in disguise," Lei Jun said.

"Are you going with your original appearance or as someone else?" Chu Kun asked, intrigued.

"Going with my original appearance would still be too eye-catching. While it's fine to go as I am, some things hidden beneath the surface might be harder to uncover, so I intend to go undercover," Lei Jun replied.

During their conversation, Master Jiang Yu from the Pure Yang Palace of the Tang Dynasty and Master Mu Chunyang of the Zhenwu Observatory from the Ming Dynasty were also convening.

Just like when the folks of the Lone Eagle Khanate's Three Springs Palace encountered the Zhenwu Lineage before, the individuals from the Tang Dynasty's Pure Yang Palace now experienced mixed feelings upon meeting the same lineage.

Mu Chunyang, however, remained calm.

He asked for a branch of the Zhenwu Lineage to be transferred to the mortal realm of the Tang Dynasty, and Jiang Yu agreed after contemplating it.

Mu Chunyang said, "There is another matter I would like to discuss with Fellow Jiang. We have a new disciple who joined our sect recently. He shows great talent, but he is still young and inexperienced."

Jiang Yu responded, "We are all disciples of the Dantinger clan, and it is proper for us to assist one another. I might even seek advice from Master Mu in the future, so please do not stand on ceremony."

Mu Chunyang continued, "Like Fellow Jiang, this disciple also possesses a pure yin body."

Jiang Yu exclaimed, "Congratulations to the Zhenwu Sect for gaining such a tremendous heir!"

It seemed somewhat ironic that a pure yin body had joined the Pure Yang Palace, but where Yang reached its peak, Yin was born, and the Pure Yang Palace had its own methods of cultivation. Jiang Yu was not one to let talent go to waste.

However, if it were a lineage of the Ming Dynasty's True Martial Sect, it would save some trouble.

While cultivators possessing purely Yin physiques found it impossible to cultivate pure Yang flame, they encountered no issues in cultivating the genuine martial Heavy Water technique handed down by the forebears of Zhenwu Clan. These two abilities complemented each other flawlessly.

Upon hearing this news, Lei Jun and Chu Kun were also filled with emotion, as the world was vast and full of talented individuals.

The divergence of history had created different mortal realms, which to some extent, made the human race even more prosperous.

With a larger population base, it was highly likely that more related talents would emerge.

Due to the previous decline in celestial energy, cultivators had faced difficulties, causing some talents to be buried and unnoticed.

However, in this new environment of surging celestial energy, talented individuals were flourishing.

From what they currently understood, the Ming Dynasty's mortal realm was thriving with a larger population compared to the Tang Dynasty.

Although the True Martial Sect (Zhenwu) had been restricted by the study of ritualism in the Ming Dynasty, as the first sacred site of the Daoist sect, its foundation remained profound, and exceptional talents continued to emerge.

However...

"The former head of the Shu Mountain Sect in the Ming Dynasty, Master Yuan, and Fellow Li recently sent news. They are curious about the new head of your sect, Wei Jingyi. What kind of person is she?" Lei Jun asked Mu Chunyang when they met again.

Mu Chunyang's expression was calm as he replied, "I arranged for some of my disciples to go to the Tang Dynasty without the knowledge of Wei and the others, so they are unaware of their departure from the mountain gate."

Upon hearing this, Lei Jun, Chu Kun, and Jiang Yu understood.

Mu Chunyang had tried to break through the door to the Ming Dynasty's mortal realm with Liu Chong earlier and had also accompanied Chen Yu and others on their expedition to Sumeru. He had been diligent and dedicated throughout the journey.

However, he was clearly dissatisfied with the current state of ritualism in the Ming Dynasty's mortal realm.

He solely placed importance on the preservation of the Zhenwu Lineage, hence he displayed no dissatisfaction.

He also silently gave his consent to the palace's covert efforts to entice and weaken some of the leading figures of the Zhenwu Sect.

But in places where Wei Jingyi and the others were unaware, Mu Chunyang had his own plans and had already accumulated a batch of promising seedlings.

In this regard, the Ming Dynasty had not wronged him. He had indeed turned a blind eye to Han Qingtao and the existence of the Daoist Country in the Ming Dynasty's mortal realm.

Mu Chunyang did not support the Daoist Country, but Han Qingtao and the Daoist Country might have an impact on the ritualism of the Ming Dynasty.

The ritualism suppressed and influenced the various lineages of the Daoist sect to varying degrees. However, the Daoist sect of the ritualism was relatively less affected due to their divine powers, which mostly manifested in artifacts and treasures.

Of course, Han Qingtao and the Daoist Country in the Ming Dynasty's mortal realm had now become history.

For Mu Chunyang, there was no loss, and the current situation was even better than expected.

However, as he had previously said to Lei Jun,

"Indeed, with the instability of the Ming Dynasty's regime and the turmoil in the land, the ritualism's control and suppression of other Daoist sects in the Ming Dynasty are not as fierce as before. It is indeed a good time to take action."

But if they were to make a move now, it would inevitably benefit the various powerful demons in the four directions of the Ming Dynasty, making it convenient for them to ravage the Ming Dynasty's rivers and mountains.

Therefore, Mu Chunyang would not make any moves.

In the Ming Dynasty's mortal realm, he was still considered a "dead man."

Going forward, in addition to continuing to secretly seek out and cultivate those with a connection to the immortal way, he would also take the opportunity to travel to other worlds beyond the Ming Dynasty's mortal realm.

Jiang Yu, the master of the Pure Yang Palace of the Tang Dynasty, made a suggestion that caused Mu Chunyang to fall into deep thought.

In addition to the mortal realms of the Ming and Tang Dynasties, it was certain that there were still many descendants of the Dan Ding sect in the Han Dynasty's mortal realm and the mortal realm of that foreign khanate.

Similar to today's meeting between the Dan Ding sects of the Ming and Tang Dynasties, future interactions could be further expanded.

Moreover, it was not just the cultivators of the Dan Ding lineage.

In the current situation, the orthodox lineages of the Daoist sect in all mortal realms could try to join hands and advance together.

Mu Chunyang guessed that even if this was not the idea of the Tang Dynasty's Celestial Master, it was at least influenced by his way of thinking.

Mu Chunyang already knew that not only the Shu Mountain Sects of the Tang and Ming Dynasties but even the Pure Yang Palace sect of the Tang Dynasty had received the talismanic edict of the Tang Dynasty's Celestial Master.

Lei Jun did not require his True Martial lineage to have similar offerings to establish themselves in the Tang Dynasty's mortal realm.

However, it was almost certain that they would revere the other party as the leader of the Daoist sect of the Tang Dynasty going forward.

Fortunately, from what Mu Chunyang understood, that Celestial Master Lei seemed to have attained the true essence of inaction, rarely issuing orders.

Mu Chunyang did not mind this, but uniting all the Daoist sects of the various mortal realms would obviously not be achieved overnight.

He was also concerned about another rumor he had heard in the Tang Dynasty's mortal realm.

There was also a Dragon and Tiger Mountain lineage in the Han Dynasty's mortal realm, and it was a lineage of the ancient Talismanic sect that was not on good terms with the Dragon and Tiger Mountain of the Tang Dynasty.

Sure enough, the ancient Fu Lu School had a legacy of inheriting the Nine Heavens, which indicated that there was likely a presence above the Nine Heavens backing them.

The Tang Dynasty's Celestial Master's Mansion in Longhu Mountain was currently thriving, but the Han Dynasty on the other hand, was a source of instability for them.

For the Daoist lineage that was now united with the Celestial Master's Mansion in Tang at its center, this was also a hidden danger.

However, although Xu Yuanzhen had previously entered the Han Dynasty's mortal realm, that Celestial Master of Tang seemed to have always been nonchalant about it...

Mu Chunyang could see this, but as the matter involved an internal power struggle within the Fu Lu lineage, it was not convenient for him to say much. All he could do was to wait and see how things unfolded.

Thus, the situation was the same for the Great Ming's Master of Zhen Wu Temple, Lei Jun, who now had to turn his attention to some internal problems within the Dan Ding lineage of the Daoists.

Fortunately, neither the Zhen Wu Temple nor the Pure Yang Palace were affected.

Instead, it was in the mortal realm of that foreign khanate.

Little Senior Sister Tang Xiaotong was unable to enter the Sang Gate, and she had also lost track of Li Yuanheng, which put her in a foul mood.

Thankfully, she found some solace in that foreign khanate's realm, where she found happiness in other aspects.

For instance, she was about to be endorsed by the remaining Pure Yang Palace successors in the Great Song Realm as their new master.

Of course, to be precise, it was her alias, Elder Zheng Chen, who was going to be endorsed.

Speaking of the Pure Yang Palace lineage in the Great Song Realm, their days had indeed been rather bleak in recent years.

They had suffered losses early on when they aided the Great Song Dynasty in their defense against the Golden Khanate.

Especially among those casualties were Pure Yang Palace cultivators who were indifferent to the doctrine of the 'Way of Man'.

During this process, the Southern Red Emperor, Li Hang, had accomplished a great deal of unification work.

And by the time the Great Song Dynasty was utterly annihilated, most of the remaining Pure Yang Palace cultivators were adherents of the doctrine of the 'Way of Man'.

It was only until the exposure of Li Hang's identity and the existence of the Great Song Realm's 'Way of Man' that chaos erupted within the Pure Yang Palace once more.

The opposition was already insignificant.

Fortunately, Elder Zheng Chen had descended upon them.

With Elder Zheng leading them, the remaining cultivators could finally stand against Li Hang and the 'Way of Man' adherents.

However, Elder Zheng seemed rather unreliable, disappearing from time to time to indulge in the mortal realm.

Nevertheless, after enduring the initial hardships, the remaining Pure Yang Palace cultivators finally received good news.

Li Hang had perished, and many key figures of the 'Way of Man' in both the Great Ming and Great Song realms had met their end in Penglai.

"Elder Zheng Chen" had also returned to the mortal realm.

The Pure Yang Palace in the Great Song Realm finally embarked on a thorough purge against the Great Song 'Way of Man' adherents.

Although, in the context of the era of that mortal realm, this was but a small part of the bigger picture.

As the only remaining elder of the Nine Heavens within the Pure Yang Palace in the Great Song Realm, many supported Elder Zheng to lead their sect.

Tang Xiaotong hesitated rarely, but on this occasion, she wavered a little.

In her words, she had once been the Master of Longhu Mountain, but she had never been the Master of the Pure Yang Palace.

However, as she was not a true successor of the Pure Yang Palace, it did seem a little inappropriate for her to assume the role of Master...

What finally convinced her was the fact that although the Pure Yang Palace in the Great Song Realm currently had few members, internal strife had once again surfaced.

One faction leaned towards allying with the remnants of the Great Song citizens to continue resisting the Golden Khanate and other foreign powers.

The other faction, however, believed that the Golden Khanate had a high chance of ascending to above the Nine Heavens, and their governance more closely resembled that of the Central Plains Emperor, differing greatly from the rule of foreign khans like the Canglang Khan and the Bailu Khan. As the Golden Khan now carried the Mandate of Heaven and entered the Central Plains, it was the will of Heaven, and the path of cultivation required one to follow the way of Heaven.

The two factions were locked in an irreconcilable dispute.

And naturally, Elder Zheng Chen, or Tang Xiaotong, had no intention of submitting to the Golden Khan.

In such turbulent times, only Elder Zheng stepping forward could suppress the chaos.

The already tumultuous Great Song Realm, or the foreign khanate realm, became even more chaotic.

The Great Ming Realm was in a similar situation.

To be fair, the officials and subjects of the Great Ming Dynasty had worked diligently, and many of the rebellions had already been pacified.

The unstable Great Ming Dynasty was now slightly more stable than before.

However, the two biggest sources of unrest remained unaddressed.

One was the havoc wreaked by the Great Demons.

The other was the large-scale rebellion instigated by the White Lotus Cult in Qingzhou.

To a certain extent, these two were hard nuts to crack.

And they were the two challenges that the Great Ming's doctrine of rites was yet unable to overcome effectively.

Thus, the Great Ming court found themselves in a particularly tricky situation when dealing with these two issues.

The good news was that although the Great Ming Dynasty had suffered a crushing defeat in their previous expedition to Mount Sumeru, they had successfully inflicted heavy damage on the northwestern foreign powers before entering Mount Sumeru.

Hence, despite the internal and external troubles of the Great Ming Dynasty, the northwestern foreign powers were unable to launch another southern invasion due to their weakened state.

On the other hand, because the Great Ming Dynasty had previously suppressed the Gate of Guixu, the opening of the Gate of Guixu this time did not result in top-notch Great Demons from the Guixu Realm entering the Great Ming Dynasty through the spatial gates and causing further chaos.

Without new enemies, the high and mighty elders of the court could slowly deal with the White Lotus Cult and the indigenous Great Demons.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end