Chapter 491: 490. The Centennial Birthday (Part 1)

Chapter 491: 490. The Centennial Birthday (Part 1)





Regarding Lei Jun's question, Qing Luan Zhuyin replied calmly, "It's true that our clan brother is in seclusion, striving to break through to the Immortal Spirit Realm, and the Haoyang Holy Master has always been supportive."

Lei Jun nodded slightly, "In that case, I wish Brother Feng Ming success in his cultivation."

Qing Luan Zhuyin responded, "Thank you for your kind words, Celestial Master."

Earlier, Lei Jun had heard from Tang Xiaotang about Feng Ming's extraordinary talent, but his temperament was unassuming and non-competitive.

Although unintentional, from the outcome, he might even be accused of hiding his true abilities.

However, without deeper interactions, the outside world had no way of knowing his true capabilities.

Now, seeing him in seclusion, striving to break through to the Immortal Spirit Realm, not only the outside world but possibly many of the Canghuan spiritual beasts had underestimated him.

Previously, Ge Xuanzhi and Wang Dian Chen had jointly attacked Canghuan, putting it in a perilous situation. Fortunately, Zhao Chanyang from the Kunwu Sect came to their aid.

This incident must have, to some extent, touched Feng Ming.

It might not have made him deeply regretful, but it had clearly prompted him to change his mind.

What he once considered unimportant now seemed necessary.

Since this was the case, he took the initiative and took this step forward.

It seemed a bit hasty, even with a hint of trying to make up for past mistakes. If it were someone else, Lei Jun might not have been optimistic about their success.

With such an attitude, even matters that should have succeeded might fail.

But for Feng Ming, it was different.

Since he had this confidence, he must have a clear plan in mind.

Moreover, the results should be evident soon.

Unlike Lei Jun, who effortlessly achieved success, it wouldn't take too long.

When Feng Ming ascends to immortality, he will likely do so within Canghuan.

Unlike Zhenlong Huaming, Feng Ming doesn't have a strong desire to win, and he has a good relationship with Jinwu Haoyang.

As for the future actions towards Ge Xuanzhi, Wang Dian Chen, and the remnants of the Celestial Palace, it's still hard to predict, but overall, it's good news.

Setting aside all other external factors, Lei Jun, personally, was also looking forward to meeting a pure-blooded phoenix in the Immortal Spirit Realm.

After Qin Caiwei left with Qing Luan Zhuyin, Lei Jun's senior disciple, Zhuo Baojie, also served as a host, first receiving guests at the Dragon Tiger Mountain Ancestral Hall and then leading another group of guests to Penglai to celebrate Lei Jun's birthday.

In a sense, they were also rare guests.

The Great Tang's Dragon Monastery's Venerable Miao Kong.

And the Great Tang's Bodhimanda Monastery's Venerable Ruyuan.

Ever since the relationship between Wang Guiyuan, Fa Qing Monk, and the White Lotus Saint Master Jing Jiu was revealed, the relationship between the Central Plains Buddhist community and the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion quickly cooled down.

Although there were no incidents of monks secretly contacting the Sappho region, it was still quite awkward when they met.

The only one who still maintained a personal relationship with Lei Jun was Venerable Ruyuan.

He was grateful for Lei Jun's assistance when he encountered the Sorcerer Sect's cultivators in the South Wilderness years ago, so he often sent greetings to Lei Tian Shi.

However, he usually did so privately, as an individual, rather than in the name of the abbot of the Great Tang's Bodhimanda Monastery.

It was still surprising to see the two of them coming together, even though they had informed each other in advance.

It was true that the Daoist community was currently thriving.

But nearly ten years ago, Venerable Pu Guang was expelled from Sappho, and he passed away a year ago. Neither Venerable Ruyuan nor Elder Miao Kong had been in contact with him, so it was hard to say whether their current attitude change was related to Venerable Pu Guang and the Thunder Sound Temple.

Lei Jun's expression remained unchanged, and he treated Elder Miao Kong and Venerable Ruyuan with the same hospitality as before, unmoved by honor or disgrace.

After a brief chat, Elder Miao Kong turned to Venerable Ruyuan.

Venerable Ruyuan, being the senior, took the initiative to speak first:

"Celestial Master, Elder Miao Kong and I have come here today with a matter we wish to seek your guidance on. Please forgive our boldness."

Lei Jun replied calmly, "Please, speak freely."

Elder Miao Kong didn't want to put Venerable Ruyuan in an awkward position, so he added, "Celestial Master, we heard that the White Lotus Saint Master Jing Jiu has passed away, and a chapter of karma has been concluded. But we don't know if your views on the White Lotus Sect have changed."

Upon hearing this, Lei Jun understood the reason for the two monks' visit.

They must have heard that after Master Huinyin took over the White Lotus Sect, he had made contact with the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion.

Lei Jun hadn't deliberately hidden this information.

Venerable Ruyuan and Elder Miao Kong were curious about Lei Tian Shi's current views on the White Lotus Sect.

If it was previously due to Wang Guiyuan, the situation now seemed different.

As far as they knew, Lei Jun wasn't a selfish person. Aside from the members of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master's Mansion, he still maintained good personal relationships with friends from his early years, such as Ji Chuan from the Shu Mountain Sect.

What about the current White Lotus Sect?

"Prosper in times of peace, uphold justice in times of chaos," Lei Jun replied calmly. "These eight words are simple to say but challenging to achieve. The standards are often difficult to define by a single person, but I aspire to follow this path."

"Aside from that, I have no intention of interfering in the disputes among the Buddhist sacred sites.

I admit that Master Huinyin, the new White Lotus Saint Master, is an old acquaintance, but I have no desire to intervene in the karma between the various Buddhist sects.

I sincerely hope that all the masters will have compassion, which will be a blessing for all living beings."

Upon hearing this, Venerable Ruyuan and Elder Miao Kong remained silent for a while. After a moment, the two monks joined their palms together and said, "Celestial Master, your compassion is a blessing for all living beings."

There was no need to mention the matters related to Wang Guiyuan and Fa Qing Monk.

Elder Miao Kong, representing the Great Tang's Dragon Monastery's Abbot Miaoxin, came to Dragon Tiger Mountain to celebrate Lei Jun's birthday. By mentioning the new White Lotus Saint Master Huinyin, he had already indirectly acknowledged the matter of Jing Jiu's incarnation as Fa Qing Monk entering the monastery for cultivation.

"The Buddhist masters are still quite concerned about the White Lotus Sect," Zhang Hui, who had also come to celebrate Lei Jun's birthday, sighed.

Lei Jun asked, "What is the court's current view of the White Lotus Sect?"

"Zhang Hui said, "With Master Huixin leading the White Lotus Sect, there should be no major issues. If we consider the thoughts of Venerable Miaoxin and Venerable Ruyuan, we can even publicly lift the wanted status of the White Lotus Sect without any concerns."

Given the current situation in the Tang Dynasty, even if this is done, it won't lead to condoning rebellion.

As for the possibility of the White Lotus Sect's future betrayal, the Tang Dynasty can simply issue another edict to abolish them.

If the Tang Dynasty's edicts become ineffective, it would imply that the country is in turmoil and a new dynasty is about to rise, so there's no need to say more.

'For now, let's proceed gradually,' Zhang Hui said.

In addition to the birthday gift, he took out an extra Latitude and Longitude Box and handed it to Lei Jun: "The Celestial Master previously mentioned to my aunt that after Tang Zhenren ascends through the abyss, he plans to go to Kong Sang with her, so I was specifically instructed to bring this item."

Lei Jun nodded and opened the box, revealing a jade artifact inside.

The jade artifact had a unique design, resembling both human bones and Buddhist relics.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Lei Jun bowed. "With this, my fellow disciples and I will have a better grasp of the situation."

After the fall of the Kong Sang Shaman King, the Venerable Wisdom acted swiftly and used the power of Kong Sang, one of the Ten Lands, combined with his own knowledge, to successfully expel Emperor Zhang Wantong and Tang Xiaotang from Kong Sang.

Zhang Wantong was naturally not indifferent to such a situation.

Therefore, over the years, he had made some preparations, ensuring that when he re-enters Kong Sang, he can avoid the same tactics from his opponents.

"When my fellow disciples and I go to Kong Sang, we will rely on the Great Rectifier, Canghuan, and Sappho. We ask for the help of Emperor Tang and other fellow cultivators," Lei Jun said after putting away the box.

Zhang Hui nodded. "Having the initiative in the hands of Celestial Master Lei and Tang Zhenren is extremely advantageous.

When the time comes, we can strike quickly and catch the Celestial Palace remnants off guard.

My aunt will continue to stay in the Great Rectifier, but we still need the care of True Lords Zhao and Bai in Canghuan and Sappho."

Lei Jun nodded slightly. "You are right."

The news of Zhao Chanyang's closed-door cultivation to reach the second level of the Immortal Spirit Realm, with the Dual Radiance Apex of Cauldron Spirit, was currently being kept confidential.

To be precise, Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang had not received definite news but were making speculations.

This way, it would be difficult for the other party to discern the truth, preventing them from acting rashly.

However...

"The Celestial Palace remnants have been too quiet lately," Lei Jun said. "They might be plotting something in Pure Sky and Ling Mountain, especially High Sky Lord, who is likely in closed-door cultivation to recover from his injuries."

As there were no other living beings in Pure Sky and it was temporarily cut off from the world, it was difficult for outsiders to investigate their current situation.

"My aunt has similar concerns," Zhang Hui said. "But since the Celestial Palace remnants have been managing Pure Sky for a long time, it would be extremely challenging to initiate an attack from the outside, compared to confronting them in other places."

Lei Jun said, "It's best to keep a close eye on them. Accumulating our own strength is crucial. I wish Zhang Jushi a swift achievement of the Five Classics Perfection and the realm of Ascend to High Rank."

Zhang Hui possessed extraordinary talent, and his cultivation progress was incredibly fast. In recent years, he had reached the fourth layer of the Ninth Level of Heaven in Confucian Canon Studies, known as "Yi."

The fifth layer of the Ninth Level of Heaven in Confucian Canon Studies is called the Five Classics Perfection, granting the ability to Ascend to High Rank. It is considered the most advantageous path among various cultivation traditions for breaking through to the Immortal Spirit Realm.

Especially with Zhang Hui's talent, if he could Ascend to High Rank, it would literally mean that his path to becoming a Confucian Scholar Saint would be smoother than that of other Confucian cultivators of the same level.

"Thank you for your kind words, Celestial Master. However, this matter cannot be rushed. I can only go with the flow," Zhang Hui said with a smile.

There was another old acquaintance who came with Zhang Hui to celebrate Lei Jun's birthday.

"Congratulations, Celestial Master," Shen Gubing said with a hearty laugh.

He couldn't help but feel a bit sentimental. "In the blink of an eye, several decades have passed. You're already a hundred years old, and I'm also quite old."

Lei Jun smiled. "Please don't say that. Both you and I are still very young considering our current lifespans."

Changing the subject, he said, "It's better to seize the opportunity than to wait for a specific day. Since we've met today, I have another matter to discuss with General Shen."

Shen Gubing said, "Please instruct me, Celestial Master."

Lei Jun said, "I'd like to observe your Great Thunder Immortal Lightning."

Shen Gubing replied, "That's not a problem."

As he spoke, strands of white lightning began to burst from his body, appearing weak but incredibly condensed and powerful.

This white lightning had almost completely merged and unified with Shen Gubing's body.

In terms of condensation, even a single Thunder Technique at the same level as Shen Gubing's would pale in comparison.

Shen Gubing had been cultivating and refining the Great Thunder Immortal Lightning not for external attacks but to continuously strengthen his physical body.

Now, he was forcing the separation of the thunder and his body for Lei Jun's observation.

For Shen Gubing, who had already reached the Martial Sage level, this was not a difficult task.

Soon, the seemingly weak white lightning began to surge, like a flood, threatening to engulf everything around.

However, due to Lei Jun's limited spiritual power, it was currently confined to a small area.

Lei Jun quietly observed the Great Thunder Immortal Lightning. In his eyes, the light of the Heavenward Sun Central Law Talisman circulated.

With his current cultivation level, insight, and perception, there were hardly any secrets in the world that he couldn't understand.

As he observed the Great Thunder Immortal Lightning, a new Heavenward Sun Central Law Talisman began to form above his head, intertwining with the white lightning.

However, the talisman still looked simple and incomplete.

"Thank you, General Shen," Lei Jun said, fully understanding the situation.

He wouldn't take advantage of Shen Gubing. With a thought, he summoned a Doumu Star Deity Manifestation in the air.

Numerous shimmering talismans flowed like a starry river, transforming into star deities. They didn't surround Lei Jun but hovered in the air.

After condensing and taking form, five-colored thunderbolts simultaneously manifested.

In addition to the purple Yang Thunder Dragon, the black Yin Thunder Dragon, the golden Pure Yang Thunder Dragon, and the silver Pure Silver Thunder Dragon, there was also a white Thunder Dragon.

Then, the five Thunder Dragons merged with Lei Jun's Life Star Divine Law, becoming one with it.

Thus, the Nine Heavens Responding Thunder Emperor's True Body reappeared.

Although Lei Jun's Daoist martial body stood unmoving in its original position, Shen Gubing's eyes lit up instantly upon seeing this.

In the cultivation world of the Great Tang, including places like Canggong, Kunlun, and Sappho, there was currently no existence that could open the Immortal Gate through martial prowess alone.

However, after condensing the Nine Heavens Responding Thunder Emperor's True Body, Lei Jun was even more like a martial immortal than a warrior.

Zhao Chanyang cultivated the Dan Ding lineage of the Daoist school, and his physical body's Life Skill was extremely powerful. Even after merging with his Nascent Soul to form his Divine Soul, he could still manifest a body with martial and divine abilities.

But his style and approach were quite different from that of a martial immortal.

Observing from the side, Shen Gubing found Lei Jun's techniques to be very inspiring, especially since his own martial cultivation had benefited from Thunder Techniques.

Lei Jun waved his hand, and the Nine Heavens Responding Thunder Emperor's True Body moved forward.

Since it wasn't merged with Lei Jun himself, this martial body couldn't unleash its full power, but it was perfect for sparring with Shen Gubing.

With Lei Jun's assistance, Shen Gubing felt like he had gained immeasurable benefits in a short time.

Lei Jun specifically asked him to stay in Penglai for a while longer to cultivate in peace, while he continued to receive guests from all directions.

Most of the guests stayed at the Celestial Master's Mansion in Longhushan, the ancestral court.

Only a select few were allowed to go to Penglai to meet the Celestial Master in person.

The representative from the Great Song Realm was none other than Chai Bin, the elder of the Pure Yang Palace.

On this trip, he specifically brought gifts and greetings from Zhu Junjie and Qi Yicheng.

The Great Song Realm had just been restored, and everything was in a state of post-war recovery.

Whether it was Zhu Junjie from the court or Qi Yicheng, the new head of the Pure Yang Palace, they were both too busy to come, and they repeatedly asked Chai Bin to convey their apologies to Lei Jun.

"No need to worry," Lei Jun said.

"It's just that Elder Zheng of your sect passed away, and I also feel regretful," Lei Jun added.

Chai Bin quickly replied, "Before his passing, Master Zheng had said that the restoration of the Great Song Realm was greatly indebted to the Celestial Master and his fellow cultivators. We, the younger generation, also look up to the Celestial Master and Master Zheng as our role models."

"You're too kind," Lei Jun said.

Although the Celestial Master felt that the overall process had its flaws, looking back, Tang Zhenren's plan had basically achieved its intended purpose.

Elder Zheng could be said to have left a lasting legacy in the current Great Song Realm.

In the eyes of the people, although it was the celestial light that severely wounded the Wolf Khan Zhuoligetu, it was Elder Zheng's palm that shattered the opponent's heavenly spirit, completely defeating this last top-tier expert of the alien race.

It was not the Golden Khan Ang Qin Fu but the Wolf Khan Zhuoligetu that made this story somewhat regrettable.

However, with Zhuoligetu's death, the alien race no longer had a chance to rise again in the Great Song Realm.

That battle could be considered a decisive one, marking a turning point in the years of conflict in the Great Song Realm.

The fact that Elder Zheng, with his lower cultivation, had taken Zhuoligetu down with him made this ending even more legendary, ensuring that Elder Zheng would leave his name in history.

At the same time, it also left a rich legacy of honor for the Pure Yang Palace in the Great Song Realm.

With the current flourishing of the Daoist sects, the Pure Yang Palace in the Great Song Realm had more room to recover and regain its vitality.

As for Chai Bin's attempts to get close and gather information, Lei Jun saw through it but didn't mind.

It wasn't just him; many people had come to gather information.

The representative from the Nan Jin royal family, after much effort, finally obtained the consent of Shen Xi, the head of the Shu Mountain Sect, and accompanied by Li Jin, an elder of the Shu Mountain Sect in Nan Jin, they hurried to pay their respects to the Celestial Master.

Ouyang Jingyuan, a high-ranking official of the Great Han Dynasty, asked Yu Boyan, the youngest Eighth Heaven elder of the Shu Mountain Sect in the Great Han, to accompany him to congratulate the Celestial Master on his birthday.

From the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the first minister under Zhou Pu, Chancellor Geng Yuanyan of the Post-Han Dynasty, asked the elder of the Zhenwu Temple to introduce him, and he hurried to congratulate the Celestial Master.

Geng Yuanyan was one of the few Eighth Heaven great Confucian scholars in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.

As far as Lei Jun knew, Geng Yuanyan should be the cultivator with the highest cultivation in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.

Zhou Pu's actions were very different from those of the other rulers and emperors of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.

His own talent was one of the top Confucian cultivation talents, but he cultivated martial arts.

However, he was not a gentle and modest person; on the contrary, his methods were quite decisive and even ruthless.

At the same time, he also emphasized balancing literary and martial arts, reducing the bloodshed and killing.

As the first minister of the Post-Han Dynasty, Geng Yuanyan put aside his many responsibilities and took the initiative to come as a representative to congratulate the Celestial Master on his birthday. The reason was the same as that of the representatives from the Great Song, Nan Jin, the Great Han, and Bei Jin.

They all wanted to clearly understand the Celestial Master's views on the human dynasties after the human realms merged.

Although Lei Jun had made a statement at the Daoist sects' alliance, the various dynasties and kingdoms were still worried.

Their concerns were not about the Celestial Master or the Celestial Master's Mansion in Longhushan.

Lei Jun's actions in recent years had continuously indicated that he had no intention of imitating Gao Tian and the remnants of the Celestial Palace.

Under his leadership, the Celestial Master's Mansion in Longhushan maintained a peaceful and reclusive stance, rarely engaging in expansion.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end