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Chapter 522: The Master's Joy (Part 1)
Chapter 522: The Master's Joy (Part 1)
Among the Great Accomplished Sages of the Nine Heavens in the Taoist community, the former leaders of the Shushan Sect's Southern Peak, Shen Xi, and the master of Zhenwu Temple, Mu Chunyang, had both secluded themselves for cultivation after the Grand Taoist Assembly, rarely appearing in the mortal realm.
Influenced by Grandmaster Lei Jun, other powerful Taoists also refrained from meddling in mortal affairs.
However, they continued to eradicate the remnants of the Ming Dynasty's Neo-Confucian rituals and laws.
Yuan Qingci, the Western Peak leader of the Shushan Sect, paid particular attention to this matter.
As time passed since the merging of the mortal realm, the foundation of Neo-Confucianism had become increasingly weak.
The former Great Ming Dynasty had mostly become history.
While some royal descendants continued to plot for restoration, others sought their own paths in different directions.
Similarly influenced by Grandmaster Lei Jun, Yuan Qingci and others acted decisively but not ruthlessly.
During this process, they gradually established connections with some of the royal descendants.
These descendants of the Ming court no longer had the desire to restore the dynasty, but some still hoped for opportunities to advance their personal status or ensure the safety of their families.
In this situation, Yuan Qingci and his associates gradually obtained some hidden information from the other side.
Upon hearing the news, Lei Jun was not surprised: "It seems that after a period of tranquility, there will be some significant actions."
Zhuo Baojie said, "After Master Yuan's confirmation, the information is accurate. It's likely a real event, but we don't know if it's the whole truth. We can't be sure if it's a decoy or a tactic to lure us away."
Lei Jun replied, "Let's wait and see."
Yuan Mo Bai, who was nearby, smiled and said, "Shen Xi from the Shushan Sect and Mu Chunyang from Zhenwu Temple are currently in seclusion. There's no need to disturb them this time. I'll invite Zhang Haipeng, the leader of the Kunwu Sect, to come with us."
Since it was a rare major action, the other side would likely gather a considerable number of people.
The information obtained by Yuan Qingci's group mentioned unusual activities in the Vajra Karmic Wheel Division, possibly involving the direct involvement of its leader, Jadilo, a Fifth Layer Law Body Perfection master of the Nine Heavens Vajra Realm.
Moreover, they had to consider the possibility of other powerful opponents.
Therefore, Yuan Mo Bai invited Zhang Haipeng, the leader of the Kunwu Sect, to join them.
After Zhao Chanyang's visit, Zhang Haipeng had put his worries aside.
Zhao Chanyang's journey to the Time Abyss was a trial and a tempering experience for him, and the same was true for Zhang Haipeng.
With this burden lifted, Zhang Haipeng devoted himself to cultivation, and over the years, his strength had improved. He successfully advanced from the Fourth Layer of the Nine Heavens to the Fifth Layer Perfection, achieving the Five Qi Converging to the Center state of the Taoist Alchemy Cauldron School.
Although it was still unknown whether he could return to the immortal realm through cultivation, his progress was undeniable.
Thus, even though Shen Xi and Mu Chunyang, the two Great Accomplished Sages of the Nine Heavens Perfection, were currently in seclusion, the Taoist community still had a Fifth Layer master of the Nine Heavens guarding the mortal realm.
At the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion, Grandmaster Lei Jun presided over the Three Pure Ones Three Treasures Heavenly Realm, hanging high in the sky and deterring all directions. Below him, numerous high-level elders were growing and maturing, managing the affairs of the mansion.
Both inside and outside the mansion, things were vastly different from the past, and Yuan Mo Bai no longer needed to stay on the mountain year-round as he had before.
"Since this matter involves You Yin and Lian Mountain, I'll accompany my master to see what's happening," Chu Kun also requested to join them.
Grandmaster Lei Jun smiled and said, "Then let's go together, Baojie."
Before the merging of the mortal realm, Zhuo Baojie often represented the Celestial Master Mansion in the Great Ming Dynasty, working alongside other Taoist peers.
Now that he had retired from his position as the Elder in Charge of the Administration Hall, Lei Jun decided to send him with Yuan Mo Bai and Chu Kun.
"As you wish, Master," Zhuo Baojie bowed to Lei Jun and Yuan Mo Bai.
After Lei Jun, Tang Xiaotang, and Xu Yuanzhen successively attained the Dao Profound and ascended to immortality, it was rare for the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion to have three Great Accomplished Sages venturing out together.
When Zhang Haipeng, Yuan Qingci, and others joined them, they felt a surge of emotions.
The three who came this time—Yuan Mo Bai, Chu Kun, and Zhuo Baojie—were precisely three generations of successors from the Celestial Master Mansion.
Although Chu Kun was not Zhuo Baojie's master, they were indeed of the same lineage.
Others who saw this couldn't help but feel a sense of awe, acknowledging the abundance of talent in the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion.
As for Grandmaster Lei, he was currently in the Three Pure Ones Three Treasures Heavenly Realm.
Although he had temporarily put away the Jade Purity Cyclic Heaven Dharma Mirror, he could still observe Yuan Mo Bai, Chu Kun, and Zhuo Baojie's journey using the Heaven-Through Earth-Penetrating Talismans and Heaven-Seeing Earth-Hearing Talismans.
In addition to the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion, the Taoist community had other powerful companions, including Zhang Haipeng, Yuan Qingci, Chen Lingfeng, and Yue Xiling.
Yuan Qingci had been active in this area for some time, eradicating Neo-Confucian cultivators.
Although he maintained his composure and continued his activities as before, he had secretly informed Yuan Mo Bai and Zhang Haipeng:
"They have dispersed and are setting up multiple Confucian Ritual Ceremonies in different directions."
Yuan Mo Bai quietly transmitted his voice: "How many specific locations can we confirm at the moment?"
Yuan Qingci replied, "We've identified two, but the number of their people is unclear."
"Although it's somewhat hasty to act without a clear understanding of the situation, since it's a Confucian Ritual Ceremony, it's better to act sooner rather than later," said Chen Lingfeng, the Northern Peak leader of the Shushan Sect.
If they delayed, who knew how far the ritual ceremony would progress and what changes it might bring?
It wasn't entirely reckless, either.
After all, Lei Jun, Bai Mei, and Zhao Chanyang were present.
Although they hadn't involved themselves in mortal affairs in recent years, their very presence provided a sense of security and support for the Taoists.
To put it bluntly, other Taoists could act boldly in the mortal realm.
However, even in such an environment, Yuan Mo Bai, Zhang Haipeng, and others still conducted themselves with restraint, teaching their disciples to avoid arrogance.
Not only were top-tier powerhouses like Gao Tian sui and Zheng Baiyu still alive, but even if there were no rivals left in the world, self-reflection and prudence were essential for personal cultivation.
Nevertheless, Chen Lingfeng's words also held some truth. When dealing with Confucian Ritual Ceremonies, it was generally better to act sooner rather than later.
"What Brother Chen said is indeed true." Yuan Mo Bai turned to Zhang Haipeng, "The two sides have been established, and I will take one side, and Brother Zhang will take the other."
Zhang Haipeng replied, "Good."
Yuan Mo Bai, along with Chu Kun, Zhuo Baojie, and others, immediately followed Yuan Qingci's previous instructions and ventured deep into the mountain ranges in the eastern part of the Northern Border.
As the season approached winter, the Northern Border had already become bitterly cold, and the mountains were covered in snow.
At first glance, the area seemed desolate and uninhabited, with nothing unusual.
The intelligence Yuan Qingci had received earlier only mentioned that the former Ming Dynasty's royal family had provided some supplies to this mountainous area, but the specific situation was unclear.
Yuan Mo Bai, dressed in purple, stood amidst the wind.
Beneath his feet, a seemingly illusory and formless bridge appeared.
The bridge connected heaven and earth, nature, and the netherworld.
Yuan Mo Bai, a Great Accomplished Sage of the Talisman Sect's Ninth Heaven, had cultivated the Bridge to the Profound, and his senses in various aspects had also improved accordingly.
Among his fellow disciples, Yuan Mo Bai was known for his expertise in physical cultivation.
However, the more he excelled in this area, the more he valued perception.
Although he was not as proficient as Lei Jun, Yuan Mo Bai was also skilled in this path, and after achieving the Bridge to the Profound, his intuition in this aspect became even sharper.
After standing on the illusory bridge for a moment, Yuan Mo Bai transmitted his voice to Chu Kun and Zhuo Baojie, "The other party is also cautious about revealing their plans. This place is a decoy, and only a limited number of people are likely to know the real location."
Chu Kun smiled, "But in the end, we've exposed our tracks, which is enough for the Second Senior Brother."
In his hand, a Lei Heaven-Piercing Earth-Transcending Talisman given by Lei Jun, Lei Jun's voice transmitted, "Master, take a look to the east."
Yuan Mo Bai and the others exchanged glances and smiled, without moving an inch from their current location. They immediately set off towards the east.
Between the snow-capped mountains, there seemed to be nothing unusual.
But with Yuan Mo Bai's ability to traverse the Bridge to the Profound, he successfully located the target following Lei Jun's instructions.
As a disciple, Chu Kun took on the task of determining the location. After confirming the direction, countless talismans poured down like a galaxy, covering the snow-capped mountains, blocking spiritual energy, and revealing the true form of the protective restrictions—a Buddhist radiance enveloped the area.
Chu Kun's talismans struck with overwhelming force, breaking through the layers of Buddhist restrictions like a flood breaching a dam.
Under the Buddhist radiance, a Confucian ritual ceremony was unfolding.
The dense ink stirred, forming an ink pool.
As it rippled, the sound of a zither seemed to emanate from within.
The zither music continued, and the ripples on the ink pool's surface disappeared, turning calm. The pool's surface became as smooth as a mirror, and within the mirror-like surface, a scene seemed to be reflected, like a still painting.
The interplay of movement and stillness contained profound mysteries, blending various Daoist principles and realms into one, making the ink pool seem like a separate heaven from a distance.
This heaven merged with the real human world, gradually blending into one.
The scene reflected in the ink pool became increasingly rich, not limited to the snow-capped mountains in front of them, but as if it wanted to incorporate the entire Nine Heavens and Ten Earthly Realms.
Around the ink pool, numerous Confucian ritual instruments shone brightly.
However, the people guarding the ritual ceremony on the sidelines were not Confucian cultivators.
A group of Buddhist monks wearing green-lined robes and a group of martial artists in exotic attire stood by.
Leading them was a tall monk, the master of the Vajra Realm's Karmic Wheel Division, Jadilo.
Another man, even more robust than him, was Wujiehan, who had previously risen from the Northern Border of the Great Ming Dynasty.
Wujiehan was seated atop a massive Azure Dragon Gale Beast.
The Northern Border's exotic tribes had once ruled the Central Plains.
They shared the same origin as the exotic tribes who established the Four Great Kingdoms in the human realm of the Great Song Dynasty, but due to various reasons in the human realm, they eventually developed differently.
The riding and martial arts lineage had once flourished in the human realm of the Great Ming Dynasty, reaching its peak alongside the rise of the Great Qian Dynasty.
Compared to other martial arts lineages, the riding lineage had always emphasized the external cultivation of the soul.
Wujiehan, following the path of light cavalry, possessed a perception and scouting ability that clearly surpassed other martial saints of the same realm.
The moment the Buddhist radiance covering the snowy mountains was detected from the outside, Wujiehan also quickly discovered Yuan Mo Bai, Chu Kun, and others who had removed their concealment.
Jadilo, a Great Accomplished Sage of the Ninth Heaven, reacted even faster than him.
With the Outer Lion Seal's perception, Jadilo immediately sensed something amiss.
Chu Kun's talismans poured down like a galaxy, breaking through the Buddhist radiance that obscured the surroundings. Jadilo didn't hesitate for a moment and made a swift decision, "Retreat!"
Although their side was also strong in numbers and had many experts, Jadilo had no intention of engaging in a contest with Yuan Mo Bai, Chu Kun, and other Great Accomplished Sages of the Talisman Sect.
What would winning achieve?
The Celestial Master Lei Zhongyun was currently not very involved in human affairs.
But who could guarantee that Lei Zhongyun would remain unconcerned if they fought for life and death?
Moreover, they were here for the Confucian ritual ceremony, seeking secrecy and hoping for success.
Now that they had been exposed, regardless of the outcome of their battle, the ritual ceremony could not continue.
Jadilo and Wujiehan had no intention of continuing to entangle with Yuan Mo Bai and the others, and they immediately retreated.
The contingency plan had been discussed in advance with Xiao Jing, Chang Chong, and others.
In the face of the worst-case scenario, Jadilo and the others left without hesitation.
As they departed, the ink pool, which had been calm as a mirror, began to ripple again.
The reflected world ceased to exist, and for a moment, it seemed like the heavens and earth were about to be destroyed. An extremely powerful force shook the area, ready to explode in all directions, sweeping through the heavens and earth.
Wujiehan seized the opportunity and rode the Azure Dragon Gale Beast, moving at an incredible speed, as if distance didn't matter, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
But just as his figure moved, a purple figure suddenly appeared before him.
A young Daoist in a purple robe blocked Wujiehan's path.
Wujiehan steered the Azure Dragon Gale Beast to the side to avoid the young Daoist, but he was still intercepted.
The young Daoist in purple stood on the illusory long bridge, and his movements were light and casual, appearing slow but actually fast.
(End of Chapter)
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