https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-442-Taking-Control-of-the-Tai-Qing-Immortal-Cave-Part-2-/12602441/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-443-442-The-Great-Tang-Master-Pillar-of-the-Han-Dynasty-Part-2-/12602443/
Chapter 443: 442. The Great Tang Master, Pillar of the Han Dynasty (Part 1)
Chapter 443: 442. The Great Tang Master, Pillar of the Han Dynasty (Part 1)
Lei Jun looked at the woman in front of him, her face covered by a hood, and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Zhenren Worry-not of the Spirit Realm. I, Lei Jun of Dragon Tiger Mountain, pay my respects to you."
Regarding this "Granny" who accompanied Qin Caawei, Lei Jun, and Xu Yuanzhen had their suspicions. They believed that she was most likely a high immortal from the Ninth Heaven, who had existed before the Great Calamity at the end of the Han Dynasty. She was a senior ancestor of the Shu Mountain sect who had ascended to immortality long ago.
After witnessing the power of the Purple Microcosmic Sword, they could definitely confirm that she was a Sword Cultivator. However, they were not entirely sure of her specific identity.
Now, facing her in person, they knew that she was the founding ancestor of the Shu Mountain sect who had forged the Purple Microcosmic Sword and the Green Void Sword.
In a distant era, long before the Great Calamity at the end of the Han Dynasty, this founding ancestor of the Daoist School of Artifact Refinement had reportedly ascended to immortality. From then on, later generations of the Shu Mountain sect revered her as Zhenren Worry-not of the Spirit Realm.
Due to the passage of time and the chaos caused by the Great Calamity, many records and messages were lost, causing information about her to be scarce in the present era. To the people of the mortal realm, she had become a legendary figure.
Most people were more accustomed to addressing her by the Daoist name she bore during her time in the mortal realm:
Whitebrow Daoist.
"There's no need for formalities between the Heavenly Master and myself," Whitebrow said with a smile. "If anything, I've been a bother to you these past years."
"Where are my manners, revered Zhenren? Your guidance has been instrumental in Hua Wei's rapid progress in her cultivation," Lei Jun replied.
"Cultivation depends on the individual. The credit goes mostly to Qin herself," Whitebrow said.
Her illusory figure, shimmering with light, retracted back into the wooden sword. "Existing in the mortal realm does come with some inconveniences."
"Please forgive my boldness, revered Zhenren, but it seems that your current state is far better than that of Daoist Zhou, Witch-King Kong Sang, and Wisdom Sage Xumi. Even if you were to remain in the mortal realm permanently, it wouldn't be much of an issue, would it?" Lei Jun asked.
Her era of activity was even earlier than the Great Calamity at the end of the Han Dynasty.
According to the calculation of years, it would be quite astonishing.
However, based on Lei Jun's observations, her cultivation strength had not deteriorated to the extent of being able to adapt to the mortal realm.
On the contrary, she had, to some extent, achieved the desire of powerhouses like Witch-King Kong Sang, Daoist Zhou, and Wisdom Sage Xumi to walk freely in the mortal realm.
"Everyone has their own challenges. I can't say that I'm completely at ease either," Whitebrow said in a calm tone.
Lei Jun nodded slightly, not wanting to dwell on the topic. He shifted the conversation by asking, "Did you know that by taking action this time, you've simultaneously ruined the plans of both Witch-King Kong Sang and Daoist Zhou?"
A hint of laughter could be heard in Whitebrow's voice. "They are somewhat acquaintances. I didn't want things to go too smoothly for them, so I decided to get involved as well."
"Were you also in Kunlun, revered Zhenren?" Lei Jun inquired.
"Indeed. I had a Daoist arena in the Great Red Heaven. I haven't returned there in a long time, and it's probably fallen into disrepair by now. Feel free to do as you please with the Great Red Heaven. I have no intentions of going back there," Whitebrow replied.
She paused briefly before continuing, "However, Zhao of the Pure Heaven should have crossed the divide between the immortal and mortal realms by now, achieving the state of a primordial spirit. He has returned to the Pure Heaven as well."
Lei Jun listened to her tone and then said, "From what you've said, it seems that this Zhao Daoist's relationship with Daoist Zhou isn't very close."
"Zhao's relationship with anyone, including those who were once part of the Celestial Palace, can hardly be described as close," Whitebrow's voice echoed from within the wooden sword. "Even back then, when they were both affiliated with the Celestial Palace, their connection wasn't strong."
"Do you know his background, revered Zhenren?" Lei Jun asked.
"Among those who were once part of the Celestial Palace, he turned to the Daoist arts after the human calamity of the Han Dynasty. However, I don't know his true identity or the specifics of what happened back then. I'm curious as to why Radiant Daoist took him in. Only now do I see more of the underlying story," Whitebrow said.
Lei Jun spoke in a soft voice, "I once heard someone mention that the Celestial Palace was the cause of the Great Calamity back then."
"Indeed, that's true. However, I was fond of wandering the realms back then, rarely involving myself in mortal or heavenly matters.
When the calamity struck, I was too lazy to extricate myself. I only took care of what was right in front of me, not bothering with the bigger picture," Whitebrow said nonchalantly.
"Laughter" seemed to emanate from within the wooden sword. "Daoist Zhou has already fled Kunlun. If you thoroughly search his Daoist arena in the Yu Yu Heaven, you might uncover more details."
"Thank you for your guidance, revered Zhenren," Lei Jun said.
He paused briefly before looking towards the mountains outside. "There are disciples of the Han Dynasty's Shu Mountain sect over there. The sect leader of the Han's Shu Mountain, Chen, should be arriving later as well. Would you like to meet them, revered Zhenren?"
The wooden sword flew out unhurriedly. "Let fate take its course. Young people should handle matters concerning their peers."
Lei Jun nodded gently, refraining from further words.
Although this was their first face-to-face interaction, he had already gained a rough understanding of this Shu Mountain sect ancestor's style.
She didn't have as obvious goals and aspirations as Daoist Zhou and Witch-King Kong Sang, and her heart carried fewer attachments.
In the past, she hadn't met with the disciples of the Tang Dynasty's Shu Mountain sect. Now, she held a similar indifference towards the disciples of the Han Dynasty's Shu Mountain sect.
In a way, her prolonged existence in the mortal realm was thanks to Qin Caawei.
Of course, the reverse was also true, as she had helped Qin Caawei more.
If Qin Caawei faced personal danger, she might intervene.
However, when it came to the Heavenly Master's Mansion, she wouldn't be considered an enemy, but it was also challenging to label her as a reliable ally.
The most suitable attitude towards her might be to cooperate when their paths occasionally crossed, as was the case with the events of the Han and Tang Dynasties.
Her strength was indeed remarkable, but back then, before the Great Calamity at the end of the Han Dynasty, she had been a reclusive cultivator who minded no worldly affairs.
One could say that Lei Jun yearned for such a life.
Perhaps one day, after relinquishing the responsibilities of the Heavenly Master's Mansion, he might live like her as well.
With his new position, there were many things that needed to be done.
The grand battle against the Witch Sect in the north was coming to an end, and Chen Lingfeng, the current sect master of the Han Shu Mountain, took care of some matters at hand before rushing south to the Han Longhu Mountain.
This newly advanced high cultivator of the Daoist School of Pill Refinement, together with the sect master of the Han Pure Yang Palace, Deng Lai, paid a visit to the Heavenly Master Lei Jun of the Tang Longhu Mountain.
The current situation of the Han Dynasty could be described as highly unfavorable and chaotic.
The deaths of Han Emperor Xiang Chengyuan and Han Crown Prince Xiang Jing had further exacerbated the instability of the Han Dynasty, which had endured for thousands of years.
The imperial family of Han was facing a crisis of confidence among its citizens, which had not been seen in many years.
Indeed, the mess that Xiang Chengyuan and Xiang Jing had created greatly impacted the reputation of the imperial family.
In the past years, this would have been an excellent opportunity for the noble families to balance the influence and control of the imperial core.
However, Ye Zhao and other heads of the noble families found themselves in a tricky situation to maneuver.
The threat of the Kongsang Witch Sect and the Great Kong Temple had been eliminated.
But the more formidable Tang Longhu Mountain had replaced the previous Han Longhu Mountain.
In addition, the Xumi Buddhist Sect remained a constant presence.
On top of that, the Han noble families themselves were facing internal strife.
"The sect master of the Han Shu Mountain, Chen Lingfeng, spoke with a nod: "The master of the Han Longhu Outer Sect, Xiao Xuan, and some members of the Xiao family, have been secretly infiltrated by the Kongsang Witch Sect's Tianjing branch."
Chen Lingfeng and Deng Lai's expressions turned solemn.
Xiao Xuan had passed on the position of the sect master of the Han Longhu Outer Sect to Xiao Jing from Datong.
Besides Xiao Jing's superior strength, there was also the intention to let her take the brunt of the storm.
However, Xiao Jing also harbored the thought of sitting back and watching the tiger fight. On the eve of this great battle, she had departed for the remote north to face off against the barbarians, thus removing herself from the conflict in the Guanzhong Plain.
In the midst of the great battle, besides Han Crown Prince Xiang Jing, the newly renowned scholar-official, Xiao Xuan, was also secretly stirring the pot, intensifying the bloodshed.
But to the Kongsang Great Witch, the outcome of victory or defeat mattered little.
What was important was that there was bloodshed, and many casualties.
They had smoothly achieved their goal.
However, the situation took a drastic turn, completely transforming into something else.
Xiang Jing, after his roundabout journey, met his end at the hands of Lei Jun in the Taiqing Du Rendongtian of the Han Longhu Mountain.
Xiao Xuan, along with Yun Qingyan, Jue Xiang Monk, Jue Fa Monk, and others, had been eradicated.
Even though Xiao Jing and other members of the Han Longhu Outer Sect had swiftly distanced themselves, their situation remained awkward.
Just as the Long Outer Sect was in this predicament, so were the Langya Wang and Suzhou Li families, each harboring different intentions.
The noble families of Han were unable to unite and speak with one voice in the current situation, thus failing to exert pressure on the imperial family of Han.
In the face of such complexities, the Han Dynasty, from top to bottom, ultimately chose to compromise and stabilize the immediate turmoil.
Regarding the massive blunder caused by Xiang Chengyuan and Xiang Jing, they could only try to cover it up for the time being.
To cover up such a disgrace, there were people and places that they inevitably had to face.
First and foremost, the Tang Longhu Mountain Heavenly Master's Mansion, and even the cultivators of the Tang Dynasty, could not be bypassed.
If the Tang cultivators were to make any significant moves at this time, the already shaky Han Dynasty would truly face an uncertain future.
"His Majesty the Tang Emperor has no intentions towards the mortal realm. I, Lei Jun, and my fellow disciples, also have no desire to dominate over the mortals."
Lei Jun spoke calmly: "The Three Caverns and the Twelve Upper True Treasures will remain with the Longhu Sect and the Taiqing Du Rendongtian, here in the Han Dynasty. I shall temporarily reside here, focusing on the internal affairs of our Han Dynasty branch, and shall return to the Tang soon.
However, for the sake of peace among the mortals, I hope for tranquility in this realm, and even in the face of disputes, may the common folk be spared from harm."
Deng Lai took a deep breath: "...Heavenly Master's compassion is a blessing to all mortals."
The old Daoist had a slightly complex emotion.
Compared to the other party's pretentious display of superiority, Deng Lai actually preferred for the Tang Daoist Sect to have a top expert permanently stationed at the Han Longhu Mountain.
The Xumi Buddhist Sect, though seemingly quiet this time, always invited wariness.
Furthermore, while the Kongsang Witch Sect had suffered severe damage, it wasn't entirely without lingering threats...
"The Kongsang void has sealed shut, but that Witch King still lives."
Chen Lingfeng, the sect master of the Han Shu Mountain, spoke slowly: "And there's another phenomenon to note. Before the Kongsang void sealed, numerous Witch Sect cultivators escaped and entered the mortal realm.
They are not from the Tianjing branch but... from the Kongsang Di Capital."
This latest development caused the Han cultivators to be cautious, even slightly slowing down their previous rapid pace.
At the tail end of the grand battle, it had turned into a cruel slaughter between the remnants of the Tianjing branch and those from the Di Capital.
After Tang Xiaotang struck down Yun Qingyan and numerous other high-level cultivators from the Tianjing branch, she took a breather and no longer kept a tight watch on them.
Compared to the remaining Witch Sect cultivators like Peng Youshan and others, the newly emerged Li Yuanheng drew her attention.
Without her taking the lead, the Han cultivators could only slow down their pursuit.
Across from them, Peng Youshan of the Tianjing branch, despite being injured by Tang Xiaotang, still possessed the foundation of a Ninefold Heaven Five-layer Descended Witch.
But Peng Youshan could only flee for his life, unable to lead the remaining Tianjing remnants to counterstrike.
For the Earthly Di Capital had sent out their witches, and their leader was a Descended Witch of the Ninefold Heaven Five-layer cultivation, Ke Lang.
Ke Lang had also participated in the grand battle surrounding Chang'an but had left midway to return to Kongsang.
Now, as the situation stood, Ke Lang was pursuing the injured Peng Youshan, but the intricacies of this pursuit kept the Han cultivators on edge.
"According to Fellow Tang from your sect, there has been a precedent of an expert from Kongsang Dizhou being corrupted by the Witch King and then ambushing her."
Chen Lingfeng's expression turned solemn. "In this great battle, the Han Emperor and Kongsang Dizhou joined forces, yet they still couldn't escape the Witch King's grasp. This truly makes one apprehensive about the true nature of Kongsang Dizhou."
With the Witch King of Kongsang still at large, there were currently two experts at the fifth layer of the Nine Heavens Perfected Realm in the human world of Han—Ke Lang and Peng Youshan.
On the other hand, the Han Empire's side had suffered tremendous losses. Emperor Han Xiang Chengyuan, Crown Prince Han Xiang Jing, the Patriarch of Han Longhu Mountain, and even the Abbot of Dakasa Temple, Monk Juexiang, had all exhausted their strength in this battle.
In addition, many experts such as Yang Zhe, Xiao Xuan, and Monk Juefa had fallen.
The rare appearance of Wang Xu, the hermit of Dongyang Mountain, had raised concerns about his current condition, as he had not shown himself at all during this crisis.
Although there were newly emerged experts like Chen Lingfeng and Lin Xiaoyao, the Han cultivation world still felt insecure.
If they had to choose between the Summit Buddha Sect and the Heavenly Master's Mansion of Tang, Chen Lingfeng, Deng Lai, and the others would undoubtedly choose the latter without hesitation.
Especially after interacting with Lei Jun, the Heavenly Master of Tang, in person, their determination only grew stronger.
Their only concern was the fragile state of the Han Empire. Any slight disturbance could disrupt the balance and trigger another great war, which made them hesitate and reconsider their actions.
"Before I return to Tang, I will contact the people of Kongsang Dizhou for a face-to-face discussion," Lei Jun said.
"We appreciate your efforts, Heavenly Master," Chen Lingfeng and Deng Lai said respectfully.
After a moment of hesitation, Chen Lingfeng inquired about the incredible sword technique that originated from the Purple Micro Cosmos Sword and had ruined the Witch King of Kongsang and Zhou Tianyuan's plans.
The practitioner of that sword technique must have been an incredibly powerful cultivator, and their subsequent disappearance without a trace made them even more intriguing.
"I'm also quite curious about the identity of that expert from your sect," Lei Jun replied calmly, his expression unchanged.
Since Bai Mei didn't seem inclined to reveal herself, Lei Jun didn't press the matter further.
Although Chen Lingfeng didn't get an answer, he felt somewhat relieved, as Lei Jun's previous statement had assured him and Deng Lai, easing their concerns.
It might seem strange, but the Heavenly Master of Tang had now become the pillar supporting the stability of the Han Empire.
However, in the ancestral land of the Lin Clan of Han Jiangzhou, which was situated opposite to Han Longhu Mountain, the clan members were feeling anything but calm.
(End of Chapter)
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