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Chapter 421: 420. The Fake Intellectual, Lei Zhongyun (Part 2)
Chapter 421: 420. The Fake Intellectual, Lei Zhongyun (Part 2)
Forcing a separation between their spiritual soul and physical body, then capturing only the spiritual soul into the Great Vehicle Realm, that's difficult.
Using the pretext of an unfinished recovery is still the best approach...
Lei Jun, in the guise of Dongyang Shanren, pondered as he drifted along with the current. After passing through Dongting Lake, he turned towards the Great River. Along the way, he would occasionally reveal himself, and news of his appearances would spread.
Under the illumination of the Jade Clarity Cyclic Law Mirror, the number of people coming and going in the vicinity had noticeably increased.
As he approached Poyang Lake, which was close to the Great Han civilization, Lei Jun spotted another familiar face from the Great Tang realm.
"Fang Yu."
His acquaintance was there to conduct an on-site inspection of the official schools in the Great Han Dynasty.
Due to the relatively strong imperial household and the early wisdom and diligence of the current Han Emperor, the Great Han Dynasty had successfully established numerous official schools, with an extensive network that included both provincial and county schools.
After learning about this, Fang Yu made a special trip. He had an audience with the Han Emperor in Chang'an and then proceeded to the grassroots level to observe the schools.
The outcome was difficult to assess.
On the one hand, the Great Han official school network was indeed extensive and boasted a large number of schools.
However, on the other hand, the local schools were mostly controlled by prestigious noble families.
The situation was similar to the initial state of the Great Tang's Imperial Academy.
Even the admission requirements for the local county schools were set extremely high.
Fang Yu walked and observed, but he did not inquire further.
However, it was hard not to associate the initial openness of the Han Emperor with the current state of affairs, which had deteriorated due to his later folly.
Although it was said that the Han Crown Prince was wise, he had always struggled to exert his influence.
Internally, the Han Emperor still held power.
Externally, the Great Han Dynasty faced turmoil and chaos from both within and without.
Although he did not witness the scenario he had hoped for, Fang Yu did not lose heart. He continued to travel and observe.
The accompanying Great Han officials noticed his actions, their gazes filled with a playful hint, but they did not stop him.
Through Lei Jun's Jade Clarity Cyclic Law Mirror, he could see that one of the officials accompanying Fang Yu was familiar.
His name was Fang Junmei, and he had previously served as the deputy envoy to Datong under Ouyang Jingyuan.
As time passed and news traveled, Lei Jun had learned that this man was also quite remarkable.
In some ways, he was similar to Fang Yu.
Fang Junmei was from the Fang family of Jingxiang in the Great Han Dynasty. Like Fang Yu, he had gained a far-reaching reputation at a young age.
However, he was also an outsider within his family, having thrown himself early on into the imperial household.
Compared to Fang Yu, Fang Junmei's reputation in the Great Han was less favorable.
Rumors portrayed him as a sycophantic and obsequious villain, always attending the Han Emperor.
However, as he entertained Fang Yu, he appeared graceful and courteous, his manners impeccable, leaving no room for criticism.
Another young official who accompanied them was expressionless as he watched Fang Yu and Fang Junmei converse.
He also bore the surname Fang, his name being Fang Xiwu, and he was a scion of the Fang family of Jingxiang in the Great Han Dynasty.
The experiences of the Fang family in Jingxiang in the Great Tang Dynasty and the Fang family in Datong had reached his ears.
Seeing Fang Yu and Fang Junmei now filled his heart with complex emotions.
Due to various internal and external reasons, the prestigious families in the Great Han Dynasty had mended their relationship with the imperial court, standing together against powerful enemies.
Therefore, Fang Xiwu was currently working alongside Fang Junmei, entertaining Fang Yu, and they did not neglect any courtesy.
"How is the battle in Poyang Lake progressing?" Fang Yu suddenly stopped.
After observing the lake waters for a moment, he turned to Fang Junmei and Fang Xiwu to inquire.
Fang Junmei also gazed into the distance: "Many elders of the Lin family in Jiangzhou are participating in the battle. The rampaging demons are mostly confined to the southern region of the lake."
Fang Yu asked, "Is there a powerful expert guarding Jiangzhou at the moment?"
Fang Junmei looked out into the distance, and Fang Xiwu responded from his side, "The Dragon Hui Scholar is in reclusive meditation in Jiangzhou."
Fang Yu was aware that "Dragon Camphor Tree Scholar" was the pseudonym of Lin Xiao Yi, who currently served as the head of the Lin clan in Jiangzhou.
He was one of the Great Han Dynasty's top cultivators that the Great Tang Dynasty kept a close eye on. He was considered the most likely candidate to break through to the Ninth Heaven Realm and achieve the 'Calming the Heavens' stage in the short term.
And when Fang Xiwu mentioned seclusion, it essentially meant shutting oneself away from worldly affairs.
The Lin family in Jiangzhou of the Great Han Dynasty was not slacking.
Aside from their head, Lin XiaoYi, who was in seclusion, the rest of their top experts were mostly out fighting, rushing to the southern region of the lake to confront the invading demons who took advantage of the turmoil caused by the Great Empty Temple.
"The northern waters of the lake seem amiss, there might be demons lurking there. We must be vigilant," Fang Yu said softly.
Fang Junmei kept his gaze on the distant lake waters and replied, "Since you are our guest, how about we head north first?"
"Calming chaos and slaying demons is a duty that transcends borders. Since I happen to be here, Fang is willing to lend a hand," Fang Yu asserted as his scholarly aura began to stir.
As they conversed, violent waves began to surge in the distant lake waters, and a fierce demonic aura rose from within.
In the next moment, a giant fish with two tails and four wings leaped out from the lake depths. Its body was massive, resembling an elephant, while the smaller ones were the size of cattle. They charged towards the shore in hordes, their momentum menacing.
Fang Yu's body was enveloped by a scholarly aura, but he did not release it immediately. Instead, he first condensed it without dissipation.
Although they faced a formidable enemy, Fang Junmei and Fang Xiwu's attention was drawn to the side by Fang Yu.
This Tang scholar was a cultivator of the Confucian Chanting lineage, and he had already attained the 'Out of the Body' stage.
The so-called 'Out of the Body' stage was when one's scholarly aura and literary grace fused with one's innate talent and literary prowess, resulting in a profound transformation that enhanced all aspects.
Fang Yu's body was currently enveloped by a tangible scholarly aura. He had not released it yet, instead condensing it without dissipation.
There was a unique marvel to his cultivation. When faced with a formidable foe, most cultivators would immediately unleash their aura.
However, Fang Yu's aura had a distinct characteristic. Instead of releasing it outward, he first condensed it without dissipation, forming a tangible axis mundi and axis terrae.
The two axes intersected, causing the surrounding space to distort and transform, as if the very fabric of reality had changed. The spiritual energy in the surroundings became extremely active.
Fang Yu's cultivation had a wondrous aspect to it. Instead of directly releasing his scholarly aura, the axis mundi and axis terrae he established benefited not only himself but also those around him, including Fang Junmei and Fang Xiwu.
Taking advantage of the dual-tailed black fish's approach, Fang Yu first established the axis mundi and axis terrae. There was no sign of him releasing his aura, but the next moment would be the most violent eruption.
"Oh, for a heaven-defying sword, to cross the sea and slay the great whale!"
His voice rang out as he recited, and a torrential rain of sword energy descended from the heavens, as if it had solidified into a tangible form. It rained down, covering numerous dual-tailed black fish.
Countless black carps were shot and killed, their blood instantly staining the lake's surface.
As the waves rolled, an extremely gigantic black carp with two tails emerged, resembling a small island in the lake.
Malicious demon qi and evil energy surged, colliding directly with the spiritual energy gathered between heaven and earth.
However, Fang Yue's talent remained unwavering, and his overflowing sword qi further merged and transformed into a brand-new phenomenon in mid-air, forming a giant sword that could cleave the heavens and split the earth. As the gigantic black carp leaped out of the water, the sword descended upon it with perfect timing, fulfilling the phrase "cross-sea beheading of a giant whale." In an instant, the carp's rock-like massive head was split in two.
Fang Xi Wu took a deep breath as he witnessed this display.
Regardless of his opinions about Fang Yue and the human realm of Datang, he had to admit at this moment that Fang Yue's strength surpassed others by a large margin.
Fang Jun Mei's eyes also flashed with admiration as he praised, "Well done, Brother Duan Feng. Your movements are as graceful as the clouds, and your qi flows like a rainbow, leaving me in awe."
Fang Yue himself, however, remained expressionless, his eyes fixed on the churning lake surface.
"Be careful!" he shouted.
Even faster than his warning, a huge black shadow emerged from the lake, its size surpassing that of the previous gigantic two-tailed black carp.
It was a giant turtle with a fiery red shell.
As the giant turtle surfaced, it resembled a fiery red island that had appeared on the shore of Poyang Marsh.
Rolling heat waves swept through, and the lake water around the "island" was almost completely evaporated by the scorching demon qi.
The evil aura transformed into raging flames that quickly engulfed the shore.
Fang Yue didn't even have a chance to utter a word, let alone recite an incantation.
But even without his action, a series of continuous mountains seemed to appear out of thin air.
They appeared illusory at first, but in the blink of an eye, they became solid, just in time to block the giant red turtle's attack.
The Confucian art of reciting incantations had three levels of transcendence and four levels of forgetting. At the third level of the eighth heaven, one could achieve the mystical state of forgetting intentions.
Without the need for conscious thought or recitation, for a certain period, poetry would flow naturally, responding to stimuli and manifesting instantly.
As long as one reached the fourth level of the Recitation lineage, forming a poetic heart, where one's belly was filled with the essence of poetry and prose, a cultivator could invoke and manipulate the spiritual energy of heaven and earth without uttering a word, thus fending off enemies.
However, doing so would inevitably reduce the power of magical techniques and supernatural abilities.
But upon reaching the third level of the Confucian Eighth Heaven and attaining the mystical state of forgetting intentions, one could still unleash the full power of their techniques and abilities without speaking.
The mountains blocked the raging flames, and it was only then that Fang Xi Wu found the opportunity to speak:
"The Blazing Island Turtle King! How did this demon manage to cross Poyang Marsh so easily and appear here? We didn't detect any signs of its approach."
This was a great demon comparable to a human cultivator at the Ninth Heaven realm. It had been active in the Southern Wasteland and rarely ventured north.
Yet now, it had almost reached the edge of the mighty river.
Demonic fire raged in the sky, burning fiercely and emitting a series of explosive sounds.
The mountains manifested by Fang Yue's literary splendor, which harnessed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, began to crumble under the assault of such a formidable foe.
Facing such a powerful enemy, he didn't have the opportunity to recite an incantation.
However, empowered by the three mystical states of forgetting objects, forgetting qi, and forgetting intentions, he immediately generated infinite sword qi once more. It converged in mid-air, transforming into a giant sword that cleaved the heavens and fell upon the Blazing Island Turtle King.
The great demon slightly retracted its neck, and although the giant sword struck with force, causing sparks to fly, it failed to inflict harm on the demon's body.
Compared to the raging demonic fire, the demon's sturdy shell was even more disheartening.
Lei Jun had not seen Fang Yue in action for a while, and he was thoroughly enjoying the display. Suddenly, his spiritual sense stirred, and his gaze shifted to Fang Jun Mei beside him.
The latter was using some means to conceal his figure as he quietly moved to the side.
This was not a technique of Confucian cultivators.
"This is an interesting discovery..." Lei Jun thought to himself.
As he pondered, he picked up the Rising Sun Bow that was by his side.
On the shore of the marsh, Fang Jun Mei was fully focused, silently moving to the side and unleashing a sword strike.
Unlike other Confucian cultivators whose sword qi was dense and oppressive, Fang Jun Mei's sword qi was condensed into a beam, aimed directly at the demon's eyes.
However, the Blazing Island Turtle King, despite its massive size, was extremely agile. It slightly tilted its head, causing Fang Jun Mei's sword qi to miss the vital spot.
Without wasting any time, Fang Jun Mei immediately withdrew.
The great demon seemed to let out a cold laugh as it crushed the surrounding embankments of Poyang Marsh. Without fully emerging from the water, it half-crawled onto the shore, its scorching flames spreading toward the land, threatening to engulf Fang Yue and the others.
Before Fang Yue was a surging tide, holding back the flames. His figure retreated slightly.
With this retreat, the axis of heaven and earth that he had established collapsed, and he would need a short interval before he could reconstruct it.
The rampant demonic fire gained the upper hand and grew more intense.
Just at that moment, a dazzling beam of light suddenly shot over from the distance.
The light was concentrated and struck the Blazing Island Turtle King's neck as it was about to retract.
The great demon let out a muffled hum, its head shaking the heavens and the earth. However, halfway through the motion, the sound turned low and muffled, as if it had been forcibly stifled.
Its massive body scraped along the lakeshore as it slid backward.
The radiant light seemed endless, continuing to strike without pause.
The Blazing Island Turtle King's enormous body was almost pierced through on the spot.
The great demon struggled painfully, shifting its body to the side to dodge.
The lake water seemed to have been dried up by its heat, but as half of its body was still submerged, it quickly became soaked again.
Nevertheless, the light that had pierced its body triggered thunder and fire from its wound, continuously burning and scorching its insides.
Its massive body writhed in agony, resembling a collapsing mountain and a splitting earth.
As they watched the great demon's desperate struggles, Fang Yue, Fang Jun Mei, Fang Xi Wu, and the others were all astonished.
Their gazes followed the beam of light to the distant river, where a small boat was approaching, still some distance away.
The boat glowed brilliantly, and even with Fang Yue and the others' eyesight, it was like staring directly at the sun, leaving their vision filled with a blinding white light.
As the light faded slightly, they could finally see clearly.
At the bow of the boat stood a middle-aged scholar wearing a cape. In his hand was a giant bow that still shone dazzlingly.
Connecting this with some recent rumors they had heard, Fang Jun Mei and Fang Xi Wu simultaneously held their breath.
"Dongyang Mountain Man, Wang Xu."
The middle-aged scholar sailed his boat closer and waved his sleeve at the Blazing Island Turtle King.
In the eyes of Fang Yue and the Great Han group, the void of the world seemed to tremble, as if a country and a world were unfolding, capturing and absorbing the great demon.
Within that world was a chillingly sharp sword qi.
The rampaging great demon disappeared in the blink of an eye.
The demonic fire extinguished, the oppressive heat in the air dissipated, and the malicious demon qi vanished without a trace.
PS1: 7k5 chapter
PS2: Today's writing is so slow, but I finally managed to get it out. Sorry if anyone had to wait too long.
(End of Chapter)
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