Chapter 491: 490. The Centennial Birthday (Part 2)

Chapter 491: 490. The Centennial Birthday (Part 2)

But the people from other human dynasties couldn't help but consider... the Great Tang Dynasty.

Even without considering the Longhushan lineage, compared to the Great Han Dynasty, the two Jin Dynasties, the Great Song Dynasty, and the Post-Han Dynasty, the Great Tang Dynasty was still an enormous behemoth.

Not to mention others, just Emperor Zhang Wantong of Tang alone was already a leader among leaders.

If the human realms were to merge, what would become of the other imperial families and dynasties?

Emperor Xiang Sheng of the Han Dynasty and the others couldn't help but pay attention.

In fact, it wasn't just other dynasties and empires in other realms, but also within the Great Tang Dynasty, there were those who eagerly sought communication with the Celestial Master's Mansion in Longhushan, concerned about Celestial Master Lei's opinions on the reunification of the human realms and the stability of the dragon veins across the land.

Old acquaintances, Prince Xun'an Zhang Mu, Prince Changshan Zhang Junhai, and his daughter Zhang Ziyi, came together to celebrate the Celestial Master's birthday while also inquiring about this matter.

"Although the human realms will overlap, the overall area will expand."

Chu Kun said, "As long as Emperor Tang has no objections, each realm can maintain its stability. However, I fear that it will be like the Post-Han and Nan Wu realms, engulfed in war and chaos, with endless battles and killings."

"Emperor Tang and Senior Brother can keep them in check, but what about the remnants of the Celestial Palace and the You Yin, as well as the Great Ming Dynasty?"

Lei Jun: "If all the human realms are united under one dynasty, with the dragon veins and earth's energy concentrated in one place, the imperial art of the Son of Heaven will create an even more powerful emperor. In many ways, it's a double-edged sword, but..."

His eyes flashed slightly, "I sense that someone is keeping an eye on this matter."

Chu Kun: "High Heaven Lord or You Di?"

Lei Jun: "The clues will gradually emerge. Let's observe carefully."

In addition to the Buddhist, Daoist, Confucian, and Martial factions, there were also experts from the Sorcerer Sect who came to celebrate Lei Jun's birthday.

From the Wheel of Rebirth Abyss of the Great Tang Sorcerer Sect, the former Saint Master Feng Gui attempted to break through the Eightfold Heaven to the Ninth Heaven but failed and perished. His position was then taken over by the young Elder Yang Haolong.

Accompanying Yang Haolong was the young Saint Master Wen Xi from Geppo Mountain and the youngest Great Elder Tian Cheng from Yinshan Cave.

The current Saint Master of Yinshan Cave, Hu Hengyuan, was still in seclusion.

Like Feng Gui, he was also attempting to break through to the Ninefold Heaven of the Sorcerer Sect.

Feng Gui had failed and perished, while Hu Hengyuan's situation was still unknown.

Xing Feng, the head of the Great Tang Xuehe Sect, who had already reached the Ninth Heaven, came with Li Ying, the chief of the Wu Li tribe of the Nine Li.

After years of preparation, especially with the efforts led by Li Tianqing, the Nine Li tribe was gradually returning to the light, and their endeavors were beginning to bear fruit.

On this trip, Li Ying didn't require any special arrangements. She traveled openly under the bright sky, first visiting the ancestral court in Longhushan, and then heading to Penglai to meet Celestial Master Lei Jun.

"Congratulations," Lei Jun said.

Li Ying, now facing the people of the mortal realm, was calm and peaceful, "Thank you, Celestial Master, for your care."

Lei Jun: "Not at all, it's mostly thanks to Daoist Brother Li Tianqing's efforts."

Later, Li Ying met Shen Gubing, and she was delighted.

"Daoist Brother Li Tianqing and Elder Li Jin are currently unable to leave the Earth Sea. Please convey our congratulations on the Celestial Master's centennial birthday on our behalf," Xing Feng said with a smile.

Lei Jun: "Thank you for your hard work, Daoist Brother Li and Elder Li."

Although Tang Xiaotang had entered the Earth Sea, she was currently in seclusion, so Li Tianqing and Li Jin couldn't leave the Earth Sea easily.

In a sense, they were also protecting Tang Xiaotang.

Later, the former Great Shaman Zhao Qianran of Ling Mountain, who was now residing in Guizang, came with Sun Li to celebrate Lei Jun's birthday.

Xing Feng had originally intended to ask Sun Li to introduce him to Ling Mountain.

Now, it was impossible to visit Ling Mountain, so he could only visit Guizang.

Zhao Qianran also brought good news for Lei Jun: Huangfu Qi was gradually recovering.

However, he was still very weak and needed a lot of time to recuperate. As for a full recovery, it would depend on fate.

Fortunately, over the past few decades, the spiritual energy in Guizang had gradually recovered, and it was no longer as depleted as before, so Huangfu Qi could stay there to recuperate.

"Please convey my thanks to the Master of Ling Mountain for their birthday gift," Lei Jun said calmly. "If I have the opportunity later, I will visit Guizang."

Zhao Qianran quickly replied, "Celestial Master, you're too kind."

Ling Mountain was currently occupied by Ran Qiao.

Whether it was cultivation level, realm, or strength, Ran Qiao was superior to Huangfu Qi.

It was extremely difficult for Huangfu Qi to reclaim Ling Mountain, and even if the remnants of the Celestial Palace were defeated, the final ownership of Ling Mountain was still uncertain.

At this moment, hearing Lei Jun still addressing Huangfu Qi as the "Master of Ling Mountain," Zhao Qianran breathed a sigh of relief.

As Lei Jun's cultivation, strength, identity, and status continued to change, more and more guests visited him every year on his birthday.

However, these visits became increasingly cautious.

Many times, people like Emperor Xiang Sheng of the Han Dynasty and Zhou Pu, the ruler of the Post-Han Dynasty, wanted to visit in person, but they had many concerns.

It wasn't a matter of being proud of their status but often due to sensitive topics, so they had to leave room for themselves and could only send representatives to visit and communicate.

Only people like Sun Li and Ji Chuan had no reservations.

Lei Jun observed all of this.

But deep down, he remained unaffected.

He neither rejected nor avoided nor catered to these visits.

The mortal world was filled with bustling affairs and constant changes, which were also part of his life experiences and cultivation path.

Compared to the birthday greetings from outsiders, Celestial Master Lei was more concerned about the upcoming New Year.

It was time for another ordination ceremony.

This time, the Celestial Master's Mansion in Longhushan, the Great Tang ancestral court, and the Great Han branch would still hold separate ordinations.

As the second independent ordination after the reunification of the Great Han Dragon Tiger Sect, Lei Jun arranged for his junior disciple, Chu Kun, who had reached the Ninth Heaven, to preside over the Great Han Dragon Tiger Sect's ordination.

For the Great Tang ancestral court's Wanfa Sect ordination, Lei Jun's teacher, Yuan Mo Bai, would come out of seclusion to preside.

"There are many talented disciples, and with a smooth ordination, I believe they will soon advance towards the Middle Three Heavens cultivation level," Chu Kun conveyed to Lei Jun.

Lei Jun said, "For the next Great Han ordination, I plan to have Elder Ma and Elder Fu preside. In your observation, is the time ripe?"

Chu Kun: "I believe there won't be any major issues."

Lei Jun nodded, "That's excellent. This is the foundation for passing down the legacy."

After concluding his conversation with Chu Kun, Lei Jun calmed his mind and continued his cultivation.

Besides constantly refining the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into his immortal essence, Lei Jun also began nurturing his own treasures.

The Eight Extremities Thunder Drum, which originated from Yu Shuo, had now transformed into the Five Penetrating Thunder Drum, corresponding to the five thunders and embodying the essence of the Nine Heavens.

His Primordial Chaos Seal was currently undergoing constant changes, and both its form and the realm of its Daoist principles were gradually becoming more and more like his Seal of Heaven.

At this moment, floating and sinking in the ocean of Nine Abyss True Flame was a green bamboo staff emitting purple and golden radiance.

The nine-sectioned bamboo staff had now astonishingly transformed into ten sections.

Additionally, on the edge of the bamboo staff, there were two streams of qi, one black and one white, intertwining and flowing continuously.

Lei Jun beckoned, and the ten-sectioned bamboo staff immediately flew out of the fire and came before him.

The black and white qi continued to intertwine without pause, surrounding the surface of the bamboo staff, making its originally flickering purple and golden radiance appear hazy.

Lei Jun reached out and took it, then gently rubbed it with his other hand.

After concentrating and pondering for a moment, Lei Jun tossed it back into the emerald fire.

Then, Lei Jun beckoned again.

The Taiqing Eight Sceneries Treasure Cloak also floated into the ocean of Nine Abyss True Flame.

After the Jade Clarity Primordial Chaos Mirror, Lei Jun began to further nurture and refine his other two treasures, the Upper Clarity Jade Celestial Immortal Bamboo and the Taiqing Eight Sceneries Treasure Cloak, which he had used to attain immortality.

The Taiqing Eight Sceneries Treasure Cloak's numerous cloak grasses spread out in all four directions, resembling an angry dragon.

Amidst the hazy rain mist, strands of mighty winds naturally flowed and eventually converged from all directions.

The mighty winds seemed to take on a tangible form, like a screen or a wall.

On one of these "walls" of mighty wind, there was a unique and profound principle and realm, originating from the Vast and Majestic Jade Tablet, from which strands of majestic literary qi continuously flowed.

The remaining seven "walls" were still blank.

Lei Jun waved his hand slightly, and immediately, a Temporal Blade Spirit flew out and landed directly on one of the "walls" of mighty wind.

The Temporal Blade Spirit, shimmering like a river of time, slowly merged into the "wall" of the Taiqing Eight Sceneries Treasure Cloak under Lei Jun's refinement.

After the passage of time and refinement, this blade light, imbued with powerful martial true intent, became the second scenery of the Treasure Cloak.

In the following days, Lei Jun's actions were incessant. He took out the Spirit Mountain Jade Bone and nurtured and refined it, merging it into the third "wall" of mighty wind, becoming the third scenery of the Taiqing Eight Sceneries Treasure Cloak.

During this period, Lei Jun also nurtured and refined numerous other celestial treasures as supplementary aids.

Whether from his previous accumulation or the recent gifts for his birthday from various parties, there were countless rare treasures, all of which became aids for Lei Jun's treasure refinement.

After an unknown amount of time, the Spirit Mountain Jade Bone also became a part of the Taiqing Eight Sceneries Treasure Cloak. Lei Jun then took out another treasure.

It was called the Vajra Sutra Wheel.

It originated from Sumi.

When the Venerable Wisdom was away from Sumi, Emperor Zhang Wantong of the Tang Dynasty led the Tang Dynasty's elite warriors to conquer it, simultaneously slaying numerous Buddhist disciples, including the Master of the Vajra World Lotus Department, Fantuoduo.

As Vimalashita, Jidilu, and others fled and retreated from Sumi, many things were left behind, becoming spoils of war.

This Vajra Sutra Wheel was one of them.

Currently, under Lei Jun's control, the Vajra Sutra Wheel was also refined into the Taiqing Eight Sceneries Treasure Cloak, becoming its fourth scenery.

In the following days, Lei Jun continuously refined various spiritual objects, infusing them into his Taiqing Eight Sceneries Treasure Cloak.

As time passed, summer quietly arrived.

Lei Celestial Master celebrated his one hundred and first birthday.

One day, above the Penglai Sea, a white thunder dragon suddenly appeared, rising and falling, agilely dancing and incredibly swift.

The white thunder dragon made a turn in mid-air and flew back to Lei Jun.

Above Lei Jun's head, there was a mysterious and ancient divine ability talisman, emitting white thunder light.

As the thunder light surged, the white thunder dragon was nourished by it, growing even more robust.

"Hmm, the initial signs are good," Lei Jun nodded slightly upon seeing this.

After observing and comprehending Shen Quibing's Great Thunder Immortal Thunder, Lei Jun had already grasped its mysteries and deduced a brand-new divine ability talisman.

The resulting divine ability manifested as a thunder dragon.

This was the seventh thunder law he had mastered.

However, just like the Jade Pivot Immortal Thunder and the Immortal City Divine Thunder, the current refined divine ability could not transform into a deity clad in armor and holding sharp weapons, like the Nine Heavens Thunder Ancestor, the Mysterious Sky Thunder Ancestor, the Pure Yang Thunder Ancestor, and the Pure Yin Thunder Ancestor.

These three thunder laws were not Lei Jun's innate divine abilities.

Although he had successfully condensed the divine ability after ascending to the immortal realm, it was still weaker than his innate divine abilities.

The reason Lei Jun contemplated the Great Thunder Immortal Thunder was due to other considerations, preparing for the future.

The current state was already sufficient.

All that was needed was to continue gradual improvements and refinements, constantly removing the dross and retaining the essence.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, Lei Jun suddenly felt a stir in his heart, and a smile appeared on his face.

He stood up and, unusually, left Penglai.

Feeling his Dao essence and immortal aura dissipating into the mortal realm, Lei Jun didn't mind, enjoying himself as he wandered through the mortal realm's landscapes.

Upon entering the Earth Sea, he dissipated and disappeared.

Although Lei Jun felt slightly weaker than before, the Yin-Yang Infinite Star Brilliance was insufficient to make up for it in a short time, but he remained calm.

He looked at the dim underground world before him, silently meditating and healing himself, patiently waiting, and even had the thought to take care of the Shadow Peace Seed that he had instructed his disciples to plant here.

After an unknown amount of time, the entire Earth Sea suddenly began to shake.

The next moment, in the usually dim Earth Sea, a rare burst of intense light erupted.

However, the dazzling light flashed and disappeared in an instant.

Along with it, the violent tremors in the Earth Sea also vanished.

But immediately, unrestrained laughter rang out, growing louder until it echoed throughout the Earth Sea, even reaching the human worlds of the Great Tang and Great Song.

"I succeeded!"

In the distance, a figure gradually emerged from the dim underground world, blurry at first, making it difficult for Lei Jun to discern her clearly for a moment.

As the ethereal airflow around her body spontaneously subsided, the tall and graceful figure of a Daoist nun in a purple-gold robe appeared, as if illuminating the underground world once more.

"Congratulations, Little Senior Sister, on your ascension to immortality through the Abyss," Lei Jun smiled and bowed slightly towards her.

In a daze, they had already known each other for over eighty years.

Back then, one was in her twenties, and the other was eighteen.

"Looking back now, I'm already over a hundred years old," Lei Jun sighed with a smile.

Unlike when he chatted with Shen Qu Bing about this topic, Lei Jun now had a different mindset.

Tang Xiaotang waved her hand, "Stop, I'm not there yet!"

Lei Jun raised a finger.

Tang Xiaotang turned her head away, refusing to look at him.

At this moment, the figures of Li Tianqing and Li Jin appeared in the distance.

As they approached, they congratulated Tang Xiaotang together, "Congratulations, True Lord of God, on your ascension to immortality through the Abyss."

Tang Xiaotang chuckled, "Thank you, fellow cultivators, for your protection these past days."

"Not at all, True Lord is too kind," they replied, then turned to Lei Jun, "With the Celestial Master present, we pay our respects."

Lei Jun said, "You've all worked hard."

He looked at Tang Xiaotang, "Little Senior Sister?"

Tang Xiaotang smiled, "No need to look at me, we can set off anytime."

With a flip of her hand, a treasure pearl appeared, constantly shifting between clarity and obscurity: "I've been waiting for this day!"

Although it wasn't as dramatic as Lei Jun's sudden ascent, Tang Xiaotang had accumulated for many years in the fifth level of the Ninefold Heaven, specifically preparing for her post-ascension cultivation. She was already well-prepared for many things.

Therefore, while others needed a gradual process of adjustment, for her, it was merely a matter of crossing the final heavenly chasm, opening the Immortal Gate, and taking a single step to surpass everything.

"On the other hand, you've come from Penglai to the Earth Sea, do you need to rest?" Tang Xiaotang asked.

"It's fine," Lei Jun replied.

He then spoke to Li Tianqing and Li Jin, "Later, on the Earth Sea side, Elder Li and the rest of you will need to take charge, to prevent any adverse effects."

Li Tianqing had already been informed, so he nodded calmly, "Everything is prepared, the Celestial Master and True Lord Tang can rest assured."

Lei Jun then notified Tang Emperor Zhang Wantong, White Mi in the Saha world, and Jin Wu Haoyang in Cang Huan.

Zhang Wantong and the others were all on alert.

As Lei Jun communicated, Tang Xiaotang chuckled, holding the Eight Extremes Obscure Pearl in one hand and raising the other hand flatly upwards, spreading her fingers.

At this moment, her body seemed to transform into an invisible Qi, and from a distance, she appeared almost transparent, especially in the dim Earth Sea, making her even more enigmatic.

Above her, numerous shimmering talismans appeared, instantly forming a vast talisman array.

As the array rotated, it directly drew in the spiritual energy from the four directions of the Earth Sea.

The rolling dark mist gathered towards the array, and as it accumulated, it transformed, changing from black to white.

For over a year, Tang Xiaotang had been in seclusion here, not only preparing to open the Immortal Gate but also constantly studying the Eight Extremes Obscure Pearl and making adjustments based on the conditions of the Earth Sea.

With her thorough preparation, she now executed her plan effortlessly, and everything fell into place.

Thus, the black mist transformed into white mist and, after gathering and flowing, formed a portal-like existence.

However, the portal remained closed.

Until Tang Xiaotang reached out and touched the portal.

At this point, invisible power expanded in all four directions.

This was Tang Xiaotang's Chaoyuan Pearl.

However, it was her Chaoyuan Pearl after ascending to immortality through the Abyss.

After the battle at Kong Sang, Venerable Wisdom, although unaware of the details, had a vague sense that Tang Xiaotang might have taken something from the Kong Sang Sea Valley.

Through spiritual perception, he felt that this object was crucial.

Therefore, although Venerable Wisdom didn't know the truth, he didn't ignore it but continuously reinforced Kong Sang.

Even when Tang Xiaotang was in the ninth level of the Cave God realm, with the Eight Extremes Obscure Pearl in hand, she couldn't break through the Kong Sang portal.

But now, with her own cultivation transformation, the Tai Chu Yuan Jun's law image also changed.

Although it still expanded outwards, it was formless and featureless.

However, this expansion seemed slower than before.

The truth was that it appeared slow but was actually fast, and at the same time, it was continuous and endless.

Tai Chu's Qi was formless and quality-less, but at this moment, as it expanded, it seemed to fill a vacuum, containing contradictions and an inexhaustible, profound, and irresistible power.

The "portal" was blasted open!

At this moment, Tang Xiaotang raised her hand again, and the surface of the Eight Extremes Obscure Pearl alternated between clarity and obscurity, then rose and flew into the opened "portal."

The intertwining light and darkness formed a path-like existence, constantly extending forward.

"Let's go!" Tang Xiaotang called out to Lei Jun and stepped into it first.

Lei Jun nodded to Li Tianqing, Li Jin, and the others, then his figure rose, stepping into the mysterious "portal" and onto the wondrous "path."

The void before his eyes shifted, and the scene stabilized in an instant.

A chill enveloped Lei Jun, and the heavens before him seemed filled with endless desolation.

"This is Kong Sang," Tang Xiaotang said beside him.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end