https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-420-419-Dongyang-Emerges-from-Seclusion-Part-2-/12602149/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-421-420-The-Fake-Intellectual-Lei-Zhongyun-Part-2-/12602156/
Chapter 421: 420. The Fake Intellectual, Lei Zhongyun (Part 1)
Chapter 421: 420. The Fake Intellectual, Lei Zhongyun (Part 1)
Miao Feng, an esteemed disciple of the Han Shu Mountain Sect, stared in amazement as the scholarly figure in the rain cloak walked away.
He caught a glimpse of the man's profile and heard him introduce himself, causing a shiver to run down his spine.
By the time Miao Feng regained his senses, the figure had already boarded a boat and was drifting downstream, out of sight.
He looked around, feeling as if he had just woken up from a dream.
Later, Yu Boyan arrived with Ji Chuan and Wang Jianan in tow.
Before they could ask about the monks from Da Kong Temple, Miao Feng hurried forward and called out, "Brother Yu!"
Noticing his unusual expression, Yu Boyan asked with concern, "What happened? Are you badly hurt?"
"Don't worry, I'm fine," Miao Feng assured him, glancing at Ji Chuan and Wang Jianan before continuing, "I just met a senior..."
Upon hearing Miao Feng's description, Yu Boyan exclaimed, "Dongyang Mountain Man..."
Ji Chuan, who had come from the mortal world of Datang, had also heard of this name, but his reaction was not as intense as that of Yu Boyan and the others from the Han dynasty's mortal world.
At that moment, not only was Wang Jianan agitated, but even the usually calm and collected Yu Boyan, who was expected to be the next sect leader of the Han Shu Mountain Sect, looked disturbed.
"Indeed, there was an overwhelming aura of culture and refinement earlier..." Wang Jianan scanned the surroundings and grew even more excited.
Yu Boyan quickly regained his composure and mused, "With such a profound understanding of both the state and the world from Confucian teachings, as well as the mysteries of Confucian chanting, it seems that it really is Dongyang Mountain Man, Wang Junshi, who has reappeared..."
Wang Jianan took a deep breath to calm his excitement.
During his previous visit to his ancestral land for a memorial ceremony, he and his elder clan brothers had studied ancient texts and gathered clues.
Their clan, the Langya Wang, had been searching for their sixth uncle, Wang Xu, also known as Dongyang Mountain Man, for years, investing countless human and material resources. Now, they finally had some news.
And it was good news.
Dongyang Mountain Man, Wang Xu, was still alive.
Wang Xu had been out of contact for many years, and his life and death were unknown, leading to rumors outside that the Wang clan was looking for his final resting place.
Now, not only was there news of him, but it also proved that Wang Xu was still alive.
Ji Chuan, as a guest, quietly stood by.
He, too, had heard of the great name of Dongyang Mountain Man, Wang Xu.
Hearing that he had reappeared in the mortal world, Ji Chuan's thoughts turned to the impact this would have on the current situation in the Han mortal world.
As Yu Boyan contacted the Han Shu Mountain Sect's headquarters, Wang Jianan also secretly sent a message to the Langya Wang clan.
............................
The current leader of the Han Shu Mountain Sect, Chen Lingfeng, was in seclusion for cultivation.
Some of the elders had left the mountain to fight, aiding the Han dynasty in quelling the demon disturbance caused by Da Kong Temple.
The Shu Mountain Sect elder currently in charge of the situation at Xiaoding was He Yuhang, who had once visited the mortal world of Datang.
Upon receiving Yu Boyan's message, He Yuhang was initially surprised but soon became energized.
If Dongyang Mountain Man, Wang Xu, was still alive, it would undoubtedly be good news for the current Han court.
However, Yu Boyan and the others did not know Dongyang Mountain Man's next move, nor did they understand the reason for his mysterious disappearance back then.
Fortunately, since Wang Junshi did not mind revealing his true self to the younger generation, he probably wouldn't mind the news spreading.
He Yuhang immediately sent a message to the imperial capital, Chang'an.
In Chang'an, the Han Crown Prince received the news and immediately instructed the important minister, Ouyang Jingyuan, to leave the city and head south, hoping to establish contact with Dongyang Mountain Man.
Ouyang Jingyuan's second son, Ouyang Bo, accompanied him. Seeing the worry lingering on his father's face, Ouyang Bo asked, "Father, do you think something is amiss?"
Ouyang Jingyuan: "There's nothing amiss with the message from the Shu Mountain Sect disciples. Although Yu Boyan is young, his strength and discernment are extraordinary, so he shouldn't be mistaken.
But according to their account of Wang Dongyang's words, there's something I'm concerned about."
His son, Ouyang Bo, was intrigued: "What did Father notice?"
Ouyang Jingyuan slowly explained: "When Wang Dongyang first met the Shu Mountain disciples, he seemed to be talking to himself, mentioning that he 'woke up too early'."
Ouyang Bo fell silent, deep in thought.
Obviously, both Yu Boyan and Miao Feng found this phrase meaningful, so they specifically recorded it in detail.
Ouyang Jingyuan continued: "Wang Dongyang's prolonged silence over the years is probably not without reason."
The phrase "waking up too early" could imply something significant or insignificant.
Especially after the previous incident with the Wisdom Venerable from Mount Sumeru, everyone had become sensitive to such matters.
Ouyang Bo said, "It's a pity that the Shu Mountain Sect also doesn't know Wang Dongyang's whereabouts after that."
Ouyang Jingyuan: "Let's go and take a chance."
Ouyang Bo: "Will Mr. Dongyang return to the ancestral land of the Langya Wang clan first?"
Ouyang Jingyuan shook his head gently: "Most likely not."
............................
At the ancestral land of the Langya Wang clan, after receiving Wang Jianan's message, they were equally shocked.
However, after waiting for a period, not only did Dongyang Mountain Man, Wang Xu, fail to return to the Langya ancestral land, but they also did not receive any message from him.
This calmed the excited hearts of the Wang clan members.
Indeed, the mere news of Dongyang Mountain Man, Wang Xu, being alive would be enough for the Langya Wang clan to benefit from it.
But now, with the Han dynasty in a state of turmoil, even though the Wang clan had deep roots, they still had to be cautious and careful to avoid making any wrong moves.
The current clan leader, Wang Yan, stood in front of a courtyard.
The courtyard had been unoccupied for a long time, but it was always kept clean and tidy.
This used to be Wang Xu's residence.
An elder of the clan, Wang Jian, joined Wang Yan and reported, "There's still no news of our sixth brother's whereabouts."
Wang Yan nodded slightly: "Thank you, third brother, for going south to investigate. Let me know as soon as you have any definite news, and I will set off immediately to join you."
Wang Jian agreed: "Yes, big brother."
As he was about to take his leave, Clan Leader Wang Yan suddenly gave another instruction: "Ask Qi Lang to go with you."
Wang Jian looked thoughtful: "Qi Lang..."
Qi Lang, whose real name was Wang Bujiu, was one of the most outstanding young disciples of the new generation of the Langya Wang clan.
However, in recent years, there had been some disputes within the Langya Wang clan, and Wang Bujiu had found himself at the center of it all.
"Yes, Qi Lang will go with you," Clan Leader Wang Yan affirmed.
Wang Jian: "Yes, big brother."
"Is there any news of Sixth Uncle?" Wang Bujiu, who had been about to go out, changed his plans upon receiving the instruction.
Wang Jian asked, "Is Qi Lang planning to go out?"
Wang Bujiu: "I originally intended to pay a visit to Fang Jijiu from the mortal world of Datang, but finding Sixth Uncle is more important now."
Wang Jian looked deeply at him and slowly nodded: "Yes, let's set off as soon as possible.
Wang Xu, who had vanished from the world, suddenly reappeared, creating a stir within the Langya Wang clan. Despite this, Wang Jian and his companions could only sigh inwardly, as they had not received any direct contact from Wang Xu.
......
Lei Jun, having assumed the identity of Wang Xu, an East Yang mountaineer, traveled with ease.
Through Miao Feng and Wang Jiannan, the news of Wang Xu's reappearance spread far and wide.
Although Ji Chuan was present, it was not convenient for Lei Jun to reminisce with him at this time. He could only leave it for another day.
With the Holily Spirit Xuangui and the residual aura thoughts left by Wang Xu in the Rising Sun Bow, Lei Jun could, for the most part, impersonate him without exposing any flaws.
As for acquaintances from the past, especially those who were truly close friends with Wang Xu, most of them were ordinary people, and he rarely interacted directly with fellow cultivators.
Now, after so many years, most of Wang Xu's close friends from the past had passed away.
Regarding the Langya Wang clan and others, Lei Jun had no intention of engaging in deep conversations with them.
In this instance of choosing to take the initiative and stir up trouble, Lei Jun's primary target was not them.
The Jade Pure Heaven's Law Mirror hung high in the sky, its mirror light surveying the four directions to gain prior knowledge.
If there was someone Lei Jun did not wish to meet, they would naturally be unable to see him.
As for encountering fellow cultivators, it would not pose a significant problem.
The concept of "country and the world" of Confucian scholars was quite different from the "divine universe" of Taoist Talisman Sect cultivators. However, with Lei Jun's actions and the assistance of the Holily Spirit Xuangui, there would not be any major flaws exposed.
Generally speaking, the "divine universe" released by Taoist Talisman Sect cultivators seemed like an independently created small universe, almost entirely separated from the inside out, resulting in a nearly complete enclosure.
On the other hand, the "country and the world" of Confucian scholars was in a semi-open state.
While it also created an independent universe, during battles with enemies, it did not necessarily remain completely enclosed. Instead, it often served as a backup for the Confucian scholar, jointly confronting enemies from the real world outside.
When it came to capturing and blocking enemies, the "country and the world" of Confucian scholars fell short of the "divine universe" released by Taoist Talisman Sect cultivators in terms of ability. However, its advantage lay in the fact that it imposed lesser consumption on the cultivator.
The "divine universe" or the Great Vehicle Dao unleashed by Taoist Talisman Sect experts had always been extremely taxing.
If it wasn't for the Taoist Talisman Sect's tradition of communicating with the heavens and borrowing from nature, or for individuals like Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang with their abundant spiritual energy, it would be challenging to sustain for extended periods.
Lei Jun possessed extraordinary comprehension, and his command over his Great Vehicle Dao was impeccable.
Thus, he could imitate the "country and the world" of Confucian scholars, causing his Great Vehicle Dao to also assume a semi-open state.
Of course, the most crucial foundation for achieving a seamless deception was the Holily Spirit Xuangui.
This treasure transformed Lei Jun's Taoist spiritual energy into Confucian literary aura. Based on this, Lei Jun further manipulated his Great Vehicle Dao, causing it to undergo a complete transformation, resembling clear waters and green mountains, specifically tailored for Miao Feng and the others to fall into the trap.
Naturally, the thunder that struck down and killed the Great Emptiness Temple disciples was Lei Jun's own lightning technique, masked by the Holily Spirit Xuangui.
He did not possess the ability to summon wind and lightning by reciting a couple of poems.
The fundamental practice and spellcasting of Confucian cultivators in this world lay in literary talent or literary aura.
Confucian reciters relied on this foundation, communicating with the heavens and nature, thus attaining various mystical abilities.
The poems, songs, and rhapsodies recited did not necessarily have to be of one's creation.
However, whether they could unleash power depended on one's literary talent and innate endowment.
If one's literary talent could support the creation of poetry and prose that rivaled the masterpieces of predecessors, then reciting the works of past masters would evoke the corresponding power.
If one's literary talent fell far short of the original author's, then even if one could recite the ancient poems flawlessly, the amount of natural spiritual energy that could be harnessed would still be extremely limited, naturally failing to manifest the full power of the renowned works.
Hence, if the reciter lacked any literary achievements, there was no need for further discussion, as it would simply be a case of mere recitation.
For instance, the current Lei Tian Shi lacked the literary talent to be a plagiarist, so it was just wishful thinking.
Fortunately, his exceptional comprehension in cultivation, as well as the focus of Confucian reciters and Taoist Talisman Sect cultivators on communicating with the heavens and nature, allowed him to pull off a convincing act with the assistance of the Holily Spirit Xuangui.
In the "country and the world," he recited to unleash lightning and strike down the heretical monks of the Great Emptiness Temple, causing literary aura to surge.
In the eyes of outsiders, this displayed superior mastery of both the Confucian recitation and Taoist Talisman Sect traditions, thus solidifying his identity as Wang Xu, the East Yang mountaineer.
"However, I need to be careful not to overdo it..." Lei Jun inspected his Holily Spirit Xuangui.
His spiritual energy was abundant, and his recovery speed was fast due to his cultivation of the Yin-Yang Infinite Star Array.
However, the process of transforming Taoist spiritual energy into Confucian literary aura relied entirely on the Holily Spirit Xuangui.
This transformation process, or the Holily Spirit Xuangui itself, had limitations.
If he pushed too hard, either the Holily Spirit Xuangui would be destroyed, or his Taoist spiritual energy would be exposed.
Fortunately, some groundwork had already been laid during his previous appearance.
"Where has the East Yang Master been all these years, and why has he not shown himself?" The answer given was, "He's been recuperating from his injuries."
Although he had reappeared, he had emerged from seclusion prematurely, and his injuries were not fully healed yet.
This might put the burden of explaining his condition on the Shu Mountain Sect's Miao Elder.
"Let me calculate which Grand Confucian's abilities would be challenging for me to imitate..." Lei Jun pondered within.
Firstly, there was the poetic realm of the Ninefold Heaven Reciters, especially from the third layer of the Ninefold Heaven onwards, where they transcended worldly affairs, which differed significantly from the "country and the world" of Confucian scholars and the "divine universe" of Taoist Talisman Sect cultivators.
Including the yet-to-be-born Neo-Confucianism in the Han Empire, the Ninefold Heaven realm of Confucian cultivation was referred to as "pacifying the world."
There were five classics in Confucian scholarship and five transformations in Confucian recitation.
Similar to the previous seven layers of Confucian recitation, which progressed from entering the spirit to divine inspiration, the eighth layer led to divine transcendence.
Thus, the Ninefold Heaven realm was also referred to as "divine inspiration and transcendence." This was generally how the first layer of the Ninefold Heaven realm was addressed.
Upon reaching the state of divine inspiration and transcendence, one attained the ability to almost entirely transcend the limitations imposed by the heavens.
Even the poetic realm could, to a certain extent, manipulate the opponents' spiritual energy and laws, forcing them into one's poetic realm.
Like the Grand Confucian Liang Zhuo, with whom Lei Jun had crossed paths in the Khanate of the barbarians, this was the case.
The second transformation of Confucian recitation to pacify the world was referred to as "observing the natural order." Its most prominent ability was to simultaneously maintain multiple poetic realms, exerting a long-lasting influence on the surrounding natural order.
And the third transformation was called "transcending worldly affairs."
Upon reaching this realm, the master of the poetic realm could shift from the physical to the ethereal, placing themselves within their poetic realm. They could even forcibly pull the spiritual consciousness of opponents into their poetic realm, causing a temporary separation of the opponent's spiritual consciousness and physical body.
This was not favorable for Lei Jun's Great Vehicle Dao.
Making the opponent enter his poetic realm would be simple.
Isolating and attacking an opponent's spiritual soul is simple.
(End of Chapter)
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