https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-419-The-World-s-Greatest-Thunder-Master-Part-2-/12602140/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-420-419-Dongyang-Emerges-from-Seclusion-Part-2-/12602149/
Chapter 420: 419. Dongyang Emerges from Seclusion (Part 1)
Chapter 420: 419. Dongyang Emerges from Seclusion (Part 1)
Lei Jun, disguised as Wang Xu, the master of Dongyang Mountain, quietly passed through Datong and entered the human world of the Han Dynasty.
Outside the spatial gateway connecting Datong to the Han Dynasty's human world, elite Han troops were stationed, led by none other than Left General Yin Ming, with whom Lei Jun had crossed paths before.
Despite the initial encounter where Yin Ming was briefly detained by Lei Jun in Datong, their final parting could still be considered amicable, and it certainly didn't leave a sour taste in either party's mouth.
Thus, due to Yin Ming's familiarity with the matters concerning the Tang cultivators, earned from his numerous dealings with them, he was specifically stationed outside the gateway to Datong by the imperial court's decree.
Over the years, aside from the early incident involving Xu Yuanzhen's solitary entrance into the Han human world, which caused some embarrassment for the Han court, the overall interactions between the Tang cultivators and the Han court could be described as amicable and respectful.
Both sides had also frequently exchanged personnel, fostering a mutual relationship.
However, with the recent developments in the Sumeru incident, which had far-reaching implications, the entire Han human world fell into chaos. The Han court focused its efforts on quelling the unrest, and interactions with the Tang human world naturally lessened.
Nonetheless, according to Lei Jun's knowledge, the Tang human world had just recently dispatched a new batch of people to the Han human world.
Rumor has it that it was led by Fang Yue, the chief instructor of the Academy.
He had heard that the Han Dynasty had a well-developed system of government schools that spread across states and counties, so he wanted to observe and learn from them.
The fact that Fang Yue, rather than another Tang official or a member of the imperial family, was leading this delegation gave the trip a peaceful overtone, ensuring that the Han court and its ministers would not develop any unusual thoughts during this sensitive period. At the same time, it also demonstrated the Tang Dynasty's concern for the Han situation.
Those who accompanied Fang Yue were mostly representatives from the sacred cultivation sites of the Tang: Shushan Sect, Chunyang Palace, Putuo Monastery, and Xuantian Temple.
After sending Qingming Sword to Penglai, Ji Chuan returned to the Tang Dynasty and then represented the Shushan Sect of the Tang in visiting the Han human world.
As for the representative from Chunyang Palace, it was none other than Yu Yichen, the new rising star who succeeded Yue Xiling and Jiang Yu.
Among the three heavens' cultivators, he was the youngest, but he had already served as a high-ranking elder in the Chunyang Palace of the Tang for nearly two decades.
When the Chunyang Palace of the Tang first sent disciples to visit the Han human world, Yu Yichen was among them.
Fang Yue and his entourage first headed to the Han capital, Chang'an, to pay their respects to the Han Empress before dispersing to their respective destinations, including the Chunyang Palace and Shushan Sect of the Han.
Lei Jun, however, had no need for such formalities.
Under the protection of the Taqing Bajing Baoshan and his own Tianxing Lu, Lei Jun's current cultivation base was strong enough that he could pass through the spatial gateway without causing any noticeable disturbances in the void realm.
Therefore, even though Yin Ming and the others were stationed at the gateway, they were none the wiser to Lei Jun's arrival in the Han human world.
Lei Jun arrived quietly, keeping a low profile. After leaving the gateway, he immediately set off toward his destination.
There were a few main tasks he had set for himself on this trip. First, he wanted to personally investigate the former site of Longhushan of the Han and understand the situation there.
Pan Hailin, the proud disciple of Longhushan who had not chosen to seclude himself from the world, might also provide some clues.
Second, he wanted to pay a visit to Kang Ming, Chen Ziyang, and the others who had gradually established their foothold in the new Huangtiandao.
Third, he intended to inquire about the Han Wu Clan and their relationship with the Kongsang Great Witch.
Lastly, he wanted to understand the Han Dakuang Temple from an insider's perspective.
There might be some hidden secrets behind their rampant activities in the Han human world.
There were a few ways Lei Jun could approach these tasks. He could conduct discreet investigations, or he could stir up a commotion and draw out those he sought. In the latter case, he might have to rely on his identity as the master of Dongyang Mountain to act openly.
However, before that, Lei Jun chose to keep a low profile.
His first stop was the ruins of Longhushan.
Back then, the main peak of Longhushan in this human world, along with numerous disciples, had retreated into the Taqing Doudian Dongtian, as if the most majestic and beautiful peak had been erased from the mountain range, leaving the area in disarray.
To this day, the terrain there still looked peculiar.
Lei Jun, who was still far away, released the Yuqing Zhoutian Fajing that he had specifically brought to the Han human world, and it rose into the sky.
Suspended high in the sky, the Yuqing Zhoutian Fajing surveyed the surroundings, transmitting various scenes to Lei Jun without interruption.
At this moment, his vision seemed to be overlooking Longhushan from a distance.
The mirror light shifted northward, slightly to the west, crossing the turbulent river.
There, Lei Jun could see a familiar city—Jiangzhou.
In the Han human world, out of the former Five Surnames and Seven Noble Houses, the Chu Clan of Suzhou had perished early on, leaving the remaining six noble houses.
Among them was the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou.
As expected, due to geographical proximity and various other reasons, the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou and Longhushan of the Han had been entangled in a bitter rivalry for many years.
With the Han court's strength and the might of Longhushan, bolstered by the ancestral master's bestowal of a divine manual, the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou had been suppressed by Longhushan for a long time.
The Fang Clan of Jingxiang, located upstream of the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou, did not restrain Jiangzhou like their counterparts in the Tang, but instead supported them.
All of this changed with the disappearance of Longhushan.
However, even without Longhushan, the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou did not find relief.
With Longhushan no longer holding back the pressure from the south, the Han Dakuang Temple began its northward expansion.
The four great demons also became more active.
The Lin Clan of Jiangzhou found themselves facing these threats directly.
Including the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou, the current prominent clans of the Han, along with the court and the various holy land sects, were united in facing their common enemies.
Lei Jun, through the Yuqing Zhoutian Fajing, scanned the surroundings of the former site of Longhushan and found no other unusual circumstances.
He himself walked through the mountain range, his hands behind his back, observing his surroundings casually.
Even though several years had passed, Lei Jun could still vividly recall the scene of the Dongtian rolling back and swiftly devouring the majestic immortal mountain.
"Hmm, there have been quite a few people coming and going over the years, conducting their investigations," Lei Jun nodded slightly.
Even now, the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou had arranged for their disciples to keep watch in this mountain range.
Longhushan was always on their minds.
However, they were unable to detect Lei Jun's presence.
Although many people had come and gone in the past, none of them had made any new discoveries.
Lei Jun's greatest discovery here was that his senior sister, Xu Yuanzhen, had once left something behind.
As the Taiqing Ducheng Cave Heaven was not reopened, Xu Yuanzhen's arrangements remained quiet and unchanged.
Her talismans were deeply hidden, and those who came and went were none the wiser.
Lei Jun surveyed his surroundings, deep in thought.
He felt that something was amiss.
Not that something had been added, but rather that something was missing...
He turned once more, leaving a few talismans of his own.
Watching as his talismans vanished without a trace, Lei Jun quietly left the place.
Far away in the mountains, there was a member of the Lin clan from Han's Jiangzhou, hiding their presence and observing the old site of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, but they were none the wiser.
Having left the old site of Dragon-Tiger Mountain behind, Lei Jun traveled east towards the overseas regions.
In the distant and vast ocean, there was an isolated island.
The island seemed desolate and inhospitable, its strange rocks and harsh conditions deterring even passing sailor ships from wanting to dock there, instead opting for islands with better conditions.
But in Lei Jun's eyes, all of this was an illusion.
On the small island, a special illusion created by talismans and rituals enveloped it, hiding a whole different world within.
The Huangtiandao, which had originated from the Tang realm, had now firmly established itself in the Han realm.
Their new sect, was located right here.
It had been established by Han Wuyou...
Due to the sect's uniqueness and necessity, even in the Han realm, the Huangtiandao kept its location confidential, with only a select few core high-level members knowing its exact whereabouts.
At this moment, the current Huangtiandao leader, Kang Ming, was in the sect quietly cultivating.
Lei Jun arrived unnoticed. After a brief glance, he had a general idea of Kang Ming's cultivation progress.
Whether it was the Daoist pill-refining sect’s cultivation or the talisman-making sect’s cultivation, he had reached the eighth level of the Nine Heavens.
Today, another heavyweight figure of the Huangtiandao, Chen Ziyang, had returned to the sect.
"Leader," he greeted Kang Ming with a slight bow.
After returning the bow, the two sat down. "How was your trip, Brother Chen?" Kang Ming asked.
"The four new divisions are all developing well and have stabilized," Chen Ziyang replied.
His voice dipped slightly lower. "The funding from the Han's Qingzhou Ye clan has decreased compared to before."
"As expected," Kang Ming acknowledged.
After the disappearance of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, the Huangtiandao was still considered a heretical sect by the Han Empire due to various reasons.
Including the Ye clan of Qingzhou, influential Han families were actively repairing their relationship with the imperial family.
Naturally, their covert funding of the Huangtiandao was not as substantial as before.
However, with the Han Empire's primary foes being the Dakuang Temple and the Four Great Demons, they had no spare capacity to eradicate the Huangtiandao.
Hence, the Huangtiandao was able to continue its operations.
Although external funding had decreased, the turbulent times presented more opportunities for the Huangtiandao.
Especially when it came to displaced commoners, it was advantageous for the Huangtiandao to absorb and develop new followers.
"How is Qin Shidi doing?" Chen Ziyang asked.
"Qin Shidi has started his closed-door training. Although I don't know the exact timing, I believe he has sufficient confidence to overcome the tribulation between the sixth and seventh heavens," Kang Ming replied.
Chen Ziyang breathed a sigh of relief. "In that case, our sect will have one more high-achieving elder."
It had been over a decade since they arrived in the Han realm, and due to confidentiality concerns, they had proceeded with caution.
Even though their scale was still limited, the new disciples had not yet matured. Fortunately, among those who had come from the Tang realm, several had emerged after years of dedicated cultivation.
The spiritual energy of the Han realm was surging, and the environment was gradually becoming comparable to that of the Tang realm.
Once the new disciples of the Han realm matured, the sect's situation would undergo a massive transformation... Chen Ziyang thought to himself.
As he was deep in thought, he suddenly realized that the sect leader, Kang Ming, seemed slightly distracted.
Seeming to notice Chen Ziyang's gaze, Kang Ming snapped back to the present moment.
"Is something the matter, Brother Chen?" Chen Ziyang asked softly.
Kang Ming's distraction stemmed from the fact that as his cultivation improved in recent years, he vaguely felt that something about their sect was slightly amiss, but he couldn't pinpoint the issue.
Noticing Chen Ziyang's confusion, Kang Ming didn't elaborate further. He simply said, "Just recently, we received news from the Tang realm. The Human Dao Country has been utterly annihilated this time."
Over the years, Chen Ziyang had also heard bits and pieces of news, knowing that the Human Dao Country had a foundation in the legendary Penglai, one of the Nine Heavens, and that Huang Xuanpu was merely one of their many leaders.
Although the Tang realm's Human Dao Country had been destroyed, there were other peak experts within the Dao Country.
But at this moment, as he heard Kang Ming speak of it, Chen Ziyang silently sighed. He now knew that Penglai had fallen, and many of the Human Dao Country's leaders, who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Huang Xuanpu, had also suffered heavy casualties. Penglai had changed hands.
"Lei Zhongyun entered the path a hundred years ago, and he alone swept through Penglai, claiming it as his own. Penglai now belongs to him," Kang Ming stated.
Chen Ziyang was aware that Kang Ming had additional secret sources of information, and their accuracy was remarkably high, but he refrained from prying further.
Hearing Kang Ming speak of the Tang realm's affairs, Chen Ziyang couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
He raised his head to look at Kang Ming.
Kang Ming's expression was calm. "We focus on our own matters."
"Yes, Leader," Chen Ziyang replied.
At this moment, Lei Jun was within this new sect of the Huangtiandao.
Just like before in the Tang realm's Qiongxi Snow Mountain, Lei Jun had not destroyed this new sect.
On the contrary, he was helping to reinforce it.
He didn't take a single thing, but instead, he left something of his own behind.
However, Lei Jun hadn't directly integrated his spiritual talismans with the sect.
Because even before his arrival, he had sensed that the sect had already undergone slight changes.
Chen Ziyang's cultivation was insufficient, so he remained oblivious to these subtleties.
Kang Ming's cultivation surpassed that of Chen Ziyang, and the strength of his spiritual consciousness also held unique qualities, thus allowing him to vaguely sense the anomalies, yet he couldn't discern the truth.
At this moment, Lei Jun looked up.
Above the heavens, there seemed to be a faint line of spiritual light descending, connecting with the sect.
Lei Jun found it challenging to even perceive this faint spiritual light.
Under the radiant glow of the Jade Pure Heaven's Round Mirror, one could only discern that this line of light originated from beyond the heavens.
(End of Chapter)
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