Chapter 445: 444. After the Great Battle, a Million Gold Coins

Chapter 445: 444. After the Great Battle, a Million Gold Coins

"What are the Han Emperor's thoughts on this matter?" Lei Jun asked calmly.

Chen Xiao replied, "His Majesty the Han Emperor has also had a change of heart after his brush with death. With the current turmoil in the land, the Han Empire is in a precarious situation. The Emperor hopes to maintain stability and prevent the chaos from worsening."

Lei Jun, who had previously interacted with the Han Emperor Xiang Chengyuan during his incarnation as Dongyang Shanren, could now understand his intentions.

Like Han Taizi Xiang Jing, Han Emperor Xiang Chengyuan would also become a part of this world's history.

He had no intention of reclaiming his position as the supreme ruler.

For the current Han Dynasty imperial family, both he and Xiang Jing would only tarnish the family's reputation and prestige.

This was the fourth incarnation of the Han Dynasty, and it had already deeply etched itself into the hearts of the people.

If it had been any other dynasty or royal family, a scandal involving both Xiang Chengyuan and Xiang Jing would likely have resulted in a complete loss of the people's support and a change in the ruling house.

If it had been just one of the father and son duo causing trouble, it might have been manageable, but the fact that they were both playing a double game and creating chaos together was truly suspect and reflected poorly on the imperial family.

Even with the support of Kongsang Ditu, it would be difficult for Xiang Chengyuan to retain his position as Emperor.

As long as he remained in power, the Han Dynasty's reputation would continue to suffer.

Not only did he need to abdicate and pass the throne to a worthy successor, but it would also be best if he never appeared in public again.

At present, the Han Dynasty was maintaining a fragile balance.

Xiang Chengyuan had no desire to disrupt this balance.

Moreover, he and Kongsang Ditu had already heard rumors about the Tang Dynasty court and the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion.

It was clear that neither intended to further involve themselves in the affairs of the Han Dynasty.

The attitude of the Tang Celestial Master, Lei Jun, towards the Han Dynasty's situation was also apparent.

Xiang Chengyuan's decision to step back was in line with the expectations of all parties involved.

From this point on, there would be no more Han Emperor Xiang Chengyuan, only the Great Shaman Xiang Chengyuan.

Xiang Chengyuan asked himself sincerely if, in his youth, when he was at the prime of his life and vying for the throne, he would have been willing to step down.

However, after suffering a major setback at the hands of the Kongsang Shaman King and barely escaping with his life, followed by another recent close call, Xiang Chengyuan's outlook had changed.

He no longer possessed the ambitious and vigorous spirit he once had.

Stepping down and becoming an elder of Kongsang Ditu was something he could accept at this moment.

Of course, this was also considering his current situation.

Although Xiang Chengyuan was severely injured, if he could safely pass this tribulation and quietly recuperate, Kongsang Ditu would gain another powerful expert, one who might even rival Ke Lang.

In that case, despite the wariness and precautions of other forces, it would not be difficult for Kongsang Ditu to establish itself in the Han Dynasty.

Of course, the same problem remained.

In this matter, the attitudes of at least two parties had to be considered.

The Dragon and Tiger Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion of the Tang Dynasty.

And the Sumeru Buddhist Sect.

Although the latter had kept a low profile in recent years, the fact that a foreign martial immortal had emerged from Sumeru was enough to make them a force that could not be ignored.

However, compared to the Tang Dragon and Tiger Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion, their presence was not as strong.

Indeed, the Celestial Master’s Mansion had just annihilated the Han Dragon and the defensive barrier of Xianjing formed by none other than the expert, Zhou Tiandao.

Even now, Chen Xiao, Xiang Chengyuan, Ke Lang, and other Kongsang Ditu experts were still awe-struck by this feat.

After all, they had always faced threats from the Kongsang Shaman King.

As they continued to engage with specialists from the realm known as "Xianjing," it became increasingly clear just how vast the chasm was between their own abilities and those of these seasoned practitioners.

However, the Tang Celestial Master's Mansion had, to some extent, bridged this gap.

"It is commendable that His Majesty the Han Emperor values the welfare of the people above all else."

Lei Jun spoke calmly, "I have long heard of the reputation of His Majesty the Han Emperor and Elder Ke. You are welcome at Dragon and Tiger Mountain anytime."

Chen Xiao bowed and changed his address of the Han Emperor, "His Holiness and Elder Xiang would be delighted to accept the invitation of the Celestial Master."

Later, the holy master of Kongsang Ditu, Ke Lang, secretly arrived at Dragon and Tiger Mountain for a visit.

He carried with him an inconspicuous-looking clay pot.

Within this pot temporarily resided the soul of the former Han Emperor and the current Kongsang Ditu elder, Xiang Chengyuan.

At the moment, Xiang Chengyuan was still very weak.

His main purpose for coming was to pay his respects to Lei Jun, understand his basic attitude, and then return to his recuperation.

Xiang Chengyuan's soul returned to the clay pot to rest and recuperate.

The rest of the matters were left to Ke Lang, the holy master of Kongsang Ditu, to discuss with Lei Jun.

This nine-layered heaven perfected realm great shaman, although rarely involved in worldly affairs, was one of the top experts in Kongsang, known alongside Peng Yu Shan and Yun Qingyan.

However, Ke Lang appeared to be only about thirty years old, with a gentle appearance and a scholarly aura, dressed in Han Chinese clothing. Based on his looks alone, he resembled a great scholar more than a great shaman.

The main purpose of his visit was to ascertain the attitude of Lei Jun and the Tang Dragon and Tiger Mountain.

Naturally, he also expressed the attitude of himself and Kongsang Ditu.

They did not intend to stay in the Han Empire but would instead head north to the border.

The remnants of Kongsang Tianjing were blocked from returning to Kongsang, so their current plan was to retreat to the northern border.

After meeting with Lei Jun at Dragon and Tiger Mountain, Ke Lang would immediately head north to lead Kongsang Ditu in their continued efforts against Kongsang Tianjing.

The portal that connected the mortal planes of the Great Tang Dynasty and the current Han Dynasty was created by the people of Kong Sang Tianjing. In order to directly align the Dragon Tiger Mountains of both dynasties, they naturally chose a portal location in the southern border of the current Han Dynasty.

After the Dragon Tiger Mountain of the Great Tang collapsed the one of the current Han, Lei Jun presided over the reformation of the Daoist methods in the area, effectively establishing a foothold in the lands of Jiangnan.

By journeying north, the people of Kong Sang not only expressed their opposition to the Kong Sang Tianjing but also their intention to yield to the Dragon Tiger Mountain of the Great Tang.

In this mortal plane, there existed a tribe of nomads from the northern wilderness who had been active in the northern border for some time.

Their chieftain was a renowned master who had made a name for himself long ago in this very realm.

In recent years, the current Han Dynasty had been experiencing a surge in spiritual energy, favoring the cultivation practices of immortals. Rumors spoke of a rising generation of young masters among the nomadic tribe.

With the internal turmoil within the Great Han Empire, these nomads watched with keen interest, yet they did not take advantage of the situation to invade Han soil.

Currently, they remained poised, seemingly awaiting the next move of the Great Tang before deciding on their strategy.

Ke Lang's visit to Dragon Tiger Mountain this time, especially in the company of Xiang Chengyuan, could be seen as a gesture of goodwill, indicating that he would not side with the northern nomads to launch an offensive against the Great Han Empire.

Lei Jun was, strictly speaking, rather indifferent to whether the Great Han Empire rose or fell.

In a sense, the imperial family was the greatest of all noble clans.

Xiang Chengyuan and his son, Xiang Jing, had caused the imperial family to lose the support of the people, and Lei Jun found it challenging to maintain his stance.

For now, he was focused on observing the actions of the Xiang clan.

Merely observing, for the previous transgressions of the Kong Sang Witch King were enough to keep Lei Jun on edge.

However, with the Three Caverns and Three Heavens Supreme Dragon Tiger Immortal Formation unable to be deployed again within a short period and its restriction to the vicinity of Dragon Tiger Mountain, and the closure of the Kong Sang portal, Lei Jun's thoughts, though persistent, were not constantly on his mind.

His conversation with Ke Lang broadened his perspective, especially when learning more about Kong Sang and the Witch King.

Ke Lang also shared some additional information: "The monks of the Xumi Treasure Sect, though they did not enter Kong Sang, may have taken advantage of the chaos to collect some items related to Kong Sang."

Lei Jun asked, "Are these the doings of the Wise and Honored Sage?"

Ke Lang replied, "We cannot confirm what they obtained, but it is a matter that warrants consideration."

Lei Jun nodded slightly, "Thank you, Ke Zong, for bringing this to my attention."

Turmoil engulfed the current Han Dynasty.

Though Lei Jun rarely ventured outside the Dragon Tiger Mountain in the current Han, with the current state of affairs, his presence became the focal point wherever he chose to stay.

Representatives of various factions came and went, each seeking an audience with the Celestial Master.

Even if they could not gain Lei Jun's support, they at least wanted to ensure that they would not be opposed by the Celestial Master and the Dragon Tiger Mountain of the Great Tang.

After Ke Lang and Xiang Chengyuan's departure, a steady stream of visitors continued, including members of the imperial family vying for the throne.

In addition, scions of renowned noble clans in the current Han secretly made their way to Dragon Tiger Mountain, hoping for an audience with the Celestial Master.

Among them, Lei Jun was relatively familiar with Wang Bujiu of the Langya Wang Clan.

The young man had originally remained in the mortal plane of the Great Tang even after the closure of the portal, choosing not to return to the current Han.

However, with the dramatic shift in the current Han, Wang Bujiu had traveled through the portal from the Great Tang directly back to the current Han.

After further exchanges and communications with his elders, Wang Bujiu, as their representative, made his way to Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Accompanying him was Li Tingyu, a rising star among the younger generation of the Suzhou Li Clan, and a disciple of Li Feiyang.

Similar to the Kong Sang Land earlier, the Langya Wang Clan and the Suzhou Li Clan approached this first face-to-face meeting with caution. Wang Yan and Li Feiyang, the leaders of their respective clans, did not come rushing to Dragon Tiger Mountain themselves. Instead, they sent Wang Bujiu and Li Tingyu ahead to test the waters.

Although the Langya Wang Clan and the Suzhou Li Clan had begun shifting their overall strategy in recent years due to the influence of Dongyang's Wang Xu, their reputation still carried the weight of the infamous actions of the Dragon Tiger Mountain sect of the Great Tang.

To the noble clans, Lei Jun and his companions were infamous for their ruthless suppression of the noble clans in the Great Tang and their subsequent pacification of the Five Peaks of Datong.

In this regard, those who had spent time in Datong and the mortal plane of the Great Tang, like Wang Bujiu, approached the situation with relatively more ease.

Li Tingyu, on the other hand, felt a sense of trepidation.

Lei Jun, however, remained calm and collected in the face of their arrival.

He directly delegated the matter to his junior disciple, Chu Kun.

Should Wang Yan, Li Feiyang, and the others come calling later, he would consider meeting them in person. For now, he maintained a passive stance.

In fact, even if Wang Yan and Li Feiyang were to come, Lei Jun's attitude would remain one of passive observation.

After their discussion with Chu Kun, Wang Bujiu and Li Tingyu descended the mountain.

Not long after their departure from Dragon Tiger Mountain, they encountered Fang Junmei, who had arrived from Jingxiang.

Wang Bujiu and Li Tingyu exchanged glances, unsure of how to react.

"It's been a while," Fang Junmei said with his usual calm demeanor as he greeted them. "I hope you are both well."

"Chixi brother, it's been a long time indeed," Wang Bujiu replied. "It seems like there might be an opportunity for us to gather in the Great Tang in the future.

Fang Junmei smiled, "Of course, of course."

His current situation in the Han Empire was exceedingly unique.

Long ago, he had been the black sheep of his family, offering his services to the court in a cunning and insincere manner. He had served at Emperor Han's side, obeying his every command.

Fang Junmei knew he was not one of those insincere, favor-seeking courtiers.

He was even more aware that the monarch he served was not a tyrant.

Emperor Han's previous actions had been driven by difficult and compelling reasons.

The relationship between the monarch and his subject was a rare one of close friendship, despite their age difference.

Unfortunately, Emperor Han, after a lifetime of struggle, was never able to free himself from the control and schemes of the Kosang Witch King.

Having long lost the glory of his name, he did not get the chance to turn things around and instead suffered a crushing defeat, losing everything in a humiliating manner.

Although the Kosang Witch King did not ultimately win either.

Emperor Han barely managed to keep his life, but it was publicly announced that he had passed away.

Fang Junmei, who was already viewed with disdain by the outside world as a cunning and insignificant person, now faced an even worse reputation and situation.

However, because of this, he completely detached himself from the Han Jingxiang Fang clan and even left the Han Empire, departing from the mortal realm.

Emperor Han, now an elder of Kosang, encouraged him to do as he had done and seek a new beginning in a different world.

Things couldn't get any worse than they already were.

This time, Fang Junmei did not follow Emperor Han to the Earthly Capital.

He wanted to see the world beyond the Han Empire.

Fang Qiong, the clan head of the Han Jingxiang Fang clan, tacitly approved of Fang Junmei's choice.

Compared to the Langya Wang clan and the Suzhou Li clan, which were relatively new and had only recently risen to power in the Han Empire, the Jingxiang Fang clan had a much longer history.

As a result, turning away from their current path was even more difficult.

Even fewer were willing to make that turn.

But for someone like Fang Junmei, who had already brought disgrace upon himself and tarnished his reputation, it was the perfect time to leave the family and try something new.

Fang Junmei had no attachment to the Jingxiang Fang clan.

In the future, he would establish his own lineage, branch out, and walk a different path from the Jingxiang Fang clan.

If the two sides were to meet again in the future, they would show each other no mercy.

Not long after bidding farewell to Wang and Li Tingyu, Fang Junmei climbed the mountain to pay his respects.

Lei Jun also left the guest in Chu Kun's care.

Having interacted with him before, Lei Jun naturally knew that this infamous Confucian scholar was actually quite talented.

However, the fact that Fang Junmei was acting so boldly without any repercussions from the Han Jingxiang Fang clan indicated that there were significant internal disagreements within the clan.

Even later, a descendant of the Qingzhou Ye clan came to pay respects to the mountain.

Lei Jun left all these guests in Chu Kun's care.

However, there was one person he couldn't pass off to Chu Kun.

In the pale negative universe of the Heavenly Book, the dark star "Radiance" flowed like ink.

This starlight belonged to Rahu.

Sitting alone on the third layer of the Huangtian Sect's altar, Kang Ming's expression was solemn.

The previous battle between Great Tang Dragon and Tiger Mountain and Han Dragon and Tiger Mountain had shaken the Huangtian Sect.

This meant that the location of the Huangtian Sect had been exposed.

And not just to one party, but to multiple factions.

This was dire news for the Huangtian Dao.

Although the Huangtian Dao currently had upper-realm cultivators like Kang Ming, if the sect altar were destroyed right now, even if Kang Ming and Chen Ziyang were willing to sacrifice themselves to transform the altar, they lacked the necessary heavenly treasures to do so.

In such dire circumstances, Kang Ming could only take a huge gamble.

He had to find a way to move the entire Huangtian Sect altar away from its current exposed location.

This was the first time such a thing had been attempted in the history of the Huangtian Dao. Even the previous leaders, such as Qingling and Taiping Daoist, had not achieved such a feat.

The sect altar was in harmony with the laws of heaven and the earth's spiritual energy, making it inherently difficult to move like a human.

Fortunately, Kang Ming had acquired a rare treasure during his previous trip to the Han Empire.

When the two outside forces clashed fiercely and canceled each other out, it gave Kang Ming the opportunity to clear away their traces.

Only by eliminating the schemes of others could Kang Ming then attempt his secret method of moving the sect altar.

He succeeded.

Taking advantage of the earth vein's flow, Kang Ming successfully moved their main altar from the East China Sea island to the northeast land.

The situation was somewhat similar to the Great Tang Shu Mountain Sect's treasure, Qingxiaofu, which moved with the earth vein's spiritual energy.

Having suffered losses in the past, Kang Ming had been looking for a way to escape similar threats.

Thankfully, he found the treasure he had been unable to locate in Great Tang in the Han Empire.

However, the Huangtian Sect altar was not like Qingxiaofu.

The movement was not smooth, and it became difficult to move again after one relocation.

After the Huangtian Sect altar stabilized, the overall turmoil and damage it had endured were severe.

Kang Ming sat within the altar, nurturing and repairing the damage it had sustained.

At the same time, he seemed to be awaiting the final judgment.

The location of the Huangtian Sect altar had changed.

But if they could still find a clue, they might be able to locate the altar's new position.

Fortunately, for a long time, there were no signs of anyone else appearing.

The Huangtian Sect altar had a new hidden address.

Kang Ming kept a close eye on the outside world. In the Han Empire, Ji Dao Cheng and Xiang Jing, among others, had all perished, but the Great Tang Dragon and Tiger Mountain remained.

That place filled Kang Ming with complex emotions.

Another matter that gave him many doubts was the Rahu Dark Star.

Through the dark side of the Heavenly Tome, he gained a great deal.

But Kang Ming always maintained a vigilant attitude toward it.

"But... many times, there is no choice at all," Kang Ming shook his head slightly.

On Dragon-Tiger Mountain, Lei Jun calmly oversaw the relocation of the Huangtian Sect's altar to a new site.

Although Kang Ming had done his best to clean up, the talisman imprints left by Lei Jun were not something the other party could erase at this moment.

Lei Jun quite appreciated Kang Ming's technique for moving the Huangtian Sect's altar.

It was just a pity that similar methods could only be applied to relatively simple sectarian altars like the Huangtian Sect, and not to more complex ones like the Wanfa Sect in Datang or the Longhu Sect in Great Han.

However, it still provided valuable insight for Lei Jun.

He didn't mind the Huangtian Sect relocating, nor did he mind leaving the Huangtian Dao alone for the time being.

"Rahu," a piece of information that Kang Ming had provided some time ago, now piqued Lei Jun's interest even further.

This message originated from Kang Ming's excavation of a Great Han Suzhou Chu clan ruin.

In the current human world, the Suzhou Chu clan had long lost its power and influence.

Even the Suyang land was now under the control of the emerging prestigious Li family.

In a Chu clan ruin outside Suzhou, Kang Ming discovered some surviving written records.

Lei Jun, the master of the dark side of the Heavenly Tome, had announced that he sought clues not only about the ancient Talisman Sect but also about those related to the Celestial Palace.

On this trip, Kang Ming made a discovery in the Chu clan ruins—within the incomplete yet substantial length of the literature notes, there was a mention of a person whom Lei Jun had only heard of recently:

Chu Baiyu.

His real name was Zheng Baiyu, and he was known as Master Beichen. He had married into the Chu family.

Combined with the news from Kunlun, the life of this Great Han scholar was quite legendary, filled with constant twists and turns, eventually attaining the status of a Confucian sage. Not to mention that after joining the old affiliates of the Celestial Palace, both his cultivation and status rapidly rose within a short period.

After that, he not only caused a huge setback to the Suzhou Chu clan but also became a core key figure among the old affiliates of the Celestial Palace, ranking just below the High Celestial Lord and alongside a handful of others.

After the Great Han calamity, it was rumored that Zheng Baiyu had perished, unlike the High Celestial Lord and the others who were sealed within the Jade Fall by Tian Rui, He Ying (the previous life of Zhang Wantong).

But according to Kang Ming's findings, in the handwritten notes of the Suzhou Chu clan that predated the Great Han calamity, Lei Jun discerned some unusual clues.

The notebook manuscript was in tatters, with pages missing and torn.

But one of the remaining contents caught Lei Jun's attention:

"Zheng Baiyu once sought out the Jiuli tribes living in the Earthsea, a place perpetually shrouded in darkness."

The record was simple and brief, and the recorder didn't seem to attach much importance to it.

But Lei Jun couldn't help but remember one thing.

Long ago, a great scholar entered the Earthsea and profoundly influenced the Jiuli tribes who lived there, causing them to change the names of their nine tribes.

Names like Tan Li, Lu Li, and Ju Li seemed to invite comparisons with star names like Greed Wolf, Lu Cun, and Ju Men.

And Zheng Baiyu was often associated with the stars, be it his given name or his self-proclaimed title of Master Beichen.

If Zheng Baiyu was indeed the scholar who influenced the Jiuli tribes to change their names, then the rumor of his death during the Great Han calamity might not be true.

Previously, Lei Jun had carefully inspected the Earthsea, and the related clues eventually led him out of that realm, through the ancient Song human world, and to Youyin, one of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, much like the Earthsea itself.

Whether Zheng Baiyu was still alive or had been reborn like Zhang Wantong, there was a high possibility that he was connected to Youyin.

However, solid evidence regarding this matter was still lacking.

It was even unknown whether Zheng Baiyu had found the Earthsea in the first place.

But at this moment, Lei Jun had a strong intuition that his guess was correct.

Regarding the old affiliates of the Celestial Palace, in addition to the Jade Fall, Youyin was another place that warranted attention.

After pondering for a moment, Lei Jun calmed his thoughts and focused his mind, continuing with the task at hand.

Aside from overseeing the revision of Taoist law in Great Han's Dragon-Tiger Mountain, Lei Jun never neglected his own cultivation.

Although the situation in the Great Han Dynasty was unstable, the various forces had begun to clarify their positions, allowing Lei Jun some peace of mind.

With his newfound free time, he carefully studied some of the spoils of war he had obtained earlier.

The Taqing Duzhen Grotto Heaven, of course, deserved special mention.

By slaying Xiang Jing, Lei Jun acquired two remarkable treasures.

[Witch-Gold Blade]





[Return to Origin Bottle]





The former was Xiang Jing's ultimate move, a blade of exceptional sharpness and sturdiness.

More importantly, it carried the curses of top experts from the Wu Clan's Zhu branch, inflicting invisible injuries on enemies that were difficult to dispel.

However, when faced with Lei Jun's Taqing Bajing Baosuo, it failed to display its true power.

When used in attack, as long as it drew blood, the victim would likely perish.

Its material was also extremely tough, making it ideal for aggressive assaults.

As a Taoist cultivator, Lei Jun found it challenging to directly wield this treasure from Kongsang, which originated from the Wu Clan.

However, its sturdy nature could be of use to Lei Jun as a Yuanmagnet Flying Blade.

As for the other treasure, the Return to Origin Bottle, it was the white jade-like bottle-shaped artifact that Xiang Jing had used to absorb spiritual energy and attempt to collect the Heavenly Master Seal. It appeared fragile but was, in fact, incredibly profound.

This treasure was not crafted by Xiang Jing or Ji Daocheng but originated from Zhoutian Daoist.

The treasure had once been suppressed by the Heavenly Master Seal.

Afterward, Lei Jun carefully inspected it, removed some remnants of its previous owner, and then put it to use.

This was a bona fide Taoist talisman from the ancient Talisman Sect.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end