Chapter 526: 525. The Water is Too Muddy to Fish

Chapter 526: 525. The Water is Too Muddy to Fish



"Hmm, go and join up with Hua Wei and the others."

Lei Jun flicked his fingers lightly, and a stream of light landed in front of Feng Ting, condensing into a talisman:

"This is my gift to Friend Shen."

Feng Ting took the talisman, and although it appeared illusory, it was a fusion of reality and illusion, infused with heavenly treasures.

Lei Jun did not hide this from his disciples, so Feng Ting could recognize that the treasure, strictly speaking, was half born of heaven and earth and half man-made.

The treasure's original name was Watery Radiance, seeming both real and illusory, existing between being and non-being. After being gathered and collected by a cultivator, it resembled a light veil.

What Lei Jun had infused into the talisman was Watery Radiance as a base, but he had also incorporated some of his own understanding of Daoist methods and refined it.

At present, it was less of a raw material for refining weapons and treasures and more of a semi-finished product.

"Before Friend Shen's seclusion, he had already decided that regardless of the outcome of his tribulation crossing, he would leave the Dawn-Dusk Sword to the Southern Peak of the Shu Mountain Sect."

Lei Jun waved his hand, "Now that he has succeeded, he should start refining a natal treasure of his own, and this treasure might assist him greatly."

Feng Ting replied, "Please rest assured, Master, I will deliver this treasure to the Southern Peak of Shu Mountain."

After bidding farewell to Lei Jun, Feng Ting, Qin Cai Wei, and the others left the Celestial Master Mansion on Dragon Tiger Mountain and headed for the summit of Shu Mountain.

The ceremony was held at the central peak.

Shen Xi's attainment of Great Freedom was a momentous occasion for the entire Shu Mountain Sect, not just a celebration for the Southern Peak alone.

Although the founding ancestor of the Refining Artifact Sect, Bai Mei, was still alive, his actions were too carefree, leaving the Shu Mountain Sect members helpless and often feeling regretful.

Now that Shen Xi had opened the immortal gate and attained Great Freedom, the Shu Mountain Sect in this era truly possessed a powerful immortal expert.

Although Shen Xi was also very carefree in his daily life, the situation was still much better than that of Bai Mei.

Feng Ting and Qin Cai Wei, despite their slightly lower seniority, were personally received by Shen Xi and other Shu Mountain experts, including the Eastern Peak's leader, Zhang Tai Gang, upon their arrival at the summit.

Having received a personal gift from Lei Jun, Shen Xi's eyes lit up when he saw the Watery Radiance that had undergone a "refinement" process.

After carefully examining it for a while, he cherished it and accepted it with great respect, "I am deeply grateful for the generous gift, Elder."

Feng Ting quickly responded on behalf of his master, "Your words are too kind, Elder Shen. I only wish for your cultivation to progress smoothly and rapidly."

Lei Jun's cultivation realm and strength were different from Shen Xi's, who possessed the Universe Light Immortal Body, and Yuan Yuanzhen, who had the Taiyi Body.

However, at his current level, Lei Jun had a profound understanding and insight into the mysteries of time and space.

In refining the Watery Radiance, he had incorporated the principles and realm related to time and its passage.

Shen Xi had the Universe Light Immortal Body, but his cultivation realm differed from Lei Jun's.

Therefore, Lei Jun's teachings held great significance for Shen Xi.

Shen Xi had already decided to leave his Dawn-Dusk Sword to the Southern Peak of the Shu Mountain Sect.

In the Refining Artifact Sect of Daoism, those who attained immortality were known as Great Freedom or Celestial Immortals. They could roam the vast void and cross the starry sea with ease.

At this stage, their divine souls could completely transform from reality to illusion, rendering them invulnerable to the attacks of most cultivators in the world.

In a situation where cultivation levels were similar, only a few special methods could potentially harm a Great Freedom cultivator from the Refining Artifact Sect.

At such a realm, the subsequent refinement of a natal treasure would transform it into a treasure of the vast void along with its owner.

Especially since Shen Xi had dedicated his entire cultivation to the Dawn-Dusk Sword, nurturing and refining it was only natural.

However, Shen Xi had decided to leave the sword to the Southern Peak, to be passed down to future generations.

It was true that the Southern Peak of the Shu Mountain Sect had always been the branch with the fewest treasured inheritances.

Although the Purple-Green Twin Swords were enshrined at the Central Peak, the Eastern Peak, led by the Tang Dynasty lineage, still possessed four treasured swords.

If the Northern Peak, led by the Han Dynasty lineage, included the Nine Heavens Primordial Yang Ruler, one of the six founding treasures, they would have a total of five top-tier treasures.

The Western Peak, led by the Ming Dynasty lineage, and the Southern Peak, led by the Southern Jin Dynasty lineage, had both faced similar difficulties in the past, with unfavorable circumstances in their respective worlds. With a heavy burden, they could only strive to survive cautiously.

However, the Western Peak currently possessed six top-tier treasures, including the Heaven Earth Sun Moon Flask.

The Southern Peak, on the other hand, had only two treasures...

This was still the case even when including one of the founding treasures, the Tai Yi Huaxiang.

The other treasure was the Li Yan Trapping Light Flag, refined by a senior expert from the Southern Jin Shu Mountain Sect. It fully incorporated the mysteries of the Southern Ming Li Fire and was both internally and externally effective. When used, it could assist in refining artifacts and emit light to repel enemies.

Now that the various lineages of the Shu Mountain Sect had reunited, the Tai Yi Huaxiang and the Purple-Green Twin Swords were all enshrined at the Central Peak and would not easily leave the mountain.

The Southern Peak was left with only the Li Yan Trapping Light Flag.

This was partly because, among the various lineages of the Shu Mountain Sect, the Southern Jin lineage had the shortest history since its separation from the human world.

Additionally, during the Two Jin era, their situation had been dire, forcing them to maintain a low profile for an extended period, making it impossible to acquire treasures and opportunities.

Thus, when Shen Xi attained immortality, he decided to leave his Dawn-Dusk Sword behind.

With some nurturing and refinement by the younger generation, this sword would become the Southern Peak's second treasured inheritance.

Just as Bai Mei had done with the Purple-Green Twin Swords, Shen Xi's future use of the Dawn-Dusk Sword would still possess the power of a natal treasure, but it would not be as convenient as a treasure refined by a Great Freedom Celestial Immortal. In the future, even if the sword were lost or broken, it would not affect Shen Xi, but since he had decided to leave it behind, he would not use it again.

He would next, like Bai Mei refining the Milky Way Sword, refine a new life-bound magic sword for himself.

This would require him to invest time and effort, as well as suitable materials.

The specially crafted Waterlight by Lei Jun was precisely what he needed.

"There is one matter I wish to discuss with the Grandmaster."

Shen Xi put away the Waterlight and, while instructing the Southern Peak disciples of Shu Mountain Sect to present a return gift, spoke to Feng Ting:

"I have the intention of stepping down from the position of Sect Master to focus on my cultivation. I must first inform the Grandmaster of this matter."

Feng Ting was not particularly surprised by this.

Earlier at Dragon Tiger Mountain, he had heard his master Lei Jun and his senior siblings discuss this matter.

Shen Xi, with his extraordinary talent, was considered the foremost alchemist in the Daoist sects after the White Eyebrow Old Ancestor, and was the first cultivator to ascend to immortality and open the gates of the immortal realm since the great calamity at the end of the Han Dynasty.

However, he had no particular desire for power.

His personality was similar to that of the old ancestor Bai Mei, preferring to wander the vast seas and ten directions.

When he took over the leadership of the Southern Jin Shu Mountain Sect, it was more out of a sense of duty to his sect and fellow disciples, taking on the burden out of necessity.

His participation in the establishment of the Daoist state of Penglai and his involvement in the human world were also for the survival of his master, Gong Sun Daoqi, and his fellow disciples in Southern Jin.

Now, all those past issues were no longer a problem.

Shen Xi's cultivation had also advanced rapidly.

For him, it was now the right time to step down from the position of Southern Peak Sect Master of Shu Mountain Sect.

Shen Xi was not about to simply leave, nor was he seeking to establish himself as a revered leader like Jiang Yu, the master of Pure Yang Palace.

This was something that Zhang Tai Gang, Chen Ling Feng, Yuan Qing Ci, and others were aware of.

As a result, they were somewhat reluctant to see Shen Xi step down.

However, the number of immortals gradually reduced their involvement in human affairs. Whether it was Daoist cultivators like Lei Jun and Bai Mei, or the shamans, such as Zhao Qian Ran from the Wu Clan who was also striving for immortality, they all intended to focus less on human affairs after achieving their goals, similar to the current Ling Mountain Shaman King Huang Fu Qi.

Shen Xi's decision was clearly the same.

"True Lord's command, I will immediately send a message back to the mountain to inform my master," Feng Ting replied. "However, my master has always said that each sect can handle its internal affairs independently."

Shen Xi: "The Grandmaster's magnanimity is known throughout the world."

He then turned to Qin Cai Wei: "I also wish you, Elder Qin, success in achieving the Great Perfection of the Ninth Heaven."

Qin Cai Wei: "Thank you for your kind words, True Lord."

She had reached the fourth layer of the Eighth Heaven for a considerable time, and in recent years, she had remained calm and focused on her cultivation, gradually feeling that she was ready to make the next leap.

After this visit to Shu Mountain Sect, she planned to return to the Celestial Master Mansion at Dragon Tiger Mountain to attempt breaking through to the Ninth Heaven Great Perfection.

Apart from a few people, no one knew about her relationship with Bai Mei, and the Shu Mountain Sect cultivators present were unaware of the truth.

Qin Cai Wei, of course, would not publicize it.

To be honest, in recent years, she had had fewer interactions with Bai Mei, and without the frequent guidance of her enlightened master, her cultivation speed had slightly slowed down.

However, this did not affect her mindset, and she continued to cultivate calmly.

After receiving Feng Ting and Qin Cai Wei, Shen Xi also welcomed other guests.

Among those who arrived slightly later at the summit, there was Nie Fang, the master of Xuanyi Temple, who was a close acquaintance of Qin Cai Wei.

Young Master Nie was currently in a very favorable position.

Privately, he had successfully resolved the old grudge between his father Nie Zhong Jie and brother Nie Song.

Publicly, he had successfully reached the Ninth Heaven Great Perfection of Daoism. Apart from the increase in his cultivation and strength, this also marked the growing prominence of Xuanyi Temple under his leadership, truly establishing it as the fourth great Daoist sanctuary in this vast world.

After the integration of the human world, the region had become much larger, and the population had increased significantly. Xuanyi Temple was currently thriving and developing rapidly, taking advantage of this favorable period.

For Nie Fang personally, besides continuing to promote the legacy of the Daoist automaton lineage and Xuanyi Temple, he was also involved in the pursuit of the remaining Neo-Confucian scholars from the Ming Dynasty.

With the prosperity of Daoism, the major empires had reached a consensus in this area, causing the Neo-Confucian scholars to gradually decline and begin to cooperate with other suppressed forces.

Previously, there had been Ming loyalists collaborating with the forces of Yuyin, Lian Shan, the Karmic Department of the Vajra Realm, and the nomadic tribes.

"Most of those involved in the Ink Pool Ceremony have been captured or eliminated, but one major figure managed to escape."

Nie Fang, who had also participated in the battle, discussed this with Feng Ting and Qin Cai Wei:

"His name is Chang Chong, apparently a visitor from Yuyin. He was very cautious, and although he was one of the main conspirators, he did not appear at the specific locations where the rituals were set up or activated. He fled as soon as he sensed the danger."

Qin Cai Wei: "I heard that members of the Wu and Chu factions of the former Ming court also appeared. Did they join forces?"

Nie Fang: "It was more the work of Chang Chong, Xiao Jing, and Jadilo, but the leader of the Wu faction, Chao Feng, appeared in person, and the leader of the Chu faction, Zhou Ming Zhe, sent a close confidant."

When the Nie family left the Heavenly Principle and joined the Ming Dynasty, they had allied themselves with Zhou Ming Zhe and the Chu faction.

Nie Song was also one of Zhou Mingzhe's direct disciples.

However, they have both passed away.

Nie Fang and Zhou Mingzhe had no personal grudges, but the latter was considered the last great bastion of the Ming Dynasty's Neo-Confucian teachings.

Of course, compared to their conquest of the fortress, Zhou Mingzhe himself would only feel more urgent.

With the confluence of the human world, the national fortune of the Great Ming Dynasty and the literary talents of Neo-Confucianism were no longer in harmony, leaving Zhou Mingzhe with limited time.

He was already of advanced age.

The higher the realm of a Neo-Confucian cultivator, the greater the challenges they often faced in this aspect.

Meng Shaoji also came to witness the ceremony.

On this trip, he represented the Tang Imperial Court. Although he didn't have a deep relationship with Shen Xi, they didn't interact much.

But at this moment, witnessing Shen Xi's ascension to immortality, Meng Shaoji had many thoughts.

Amid the ups and downs of the times, some emerged, but who knew how many were buried.

Meng Shaoji was currently focusing on studying the history of the Ming Dynasty, but he also observed various matters in the human world beyond the Great Ming.

The immense changes in the human world were greatly beneficial to his cultivation, but Meng Shaoji felt more of his own insignificance amidst it all.

Amid such fluctuations, perhaps only a few like Master Lei, His Majesty, and a few others could leap out of the surging currents... Meng Shaoji had many thoughts.

He thought of Xiao Chunhui, who was both his teacher and friend.

Although Xiao Chunhui was in the midst of the surging currents, he remained serene. To delve into and research his studies, he didn't hesitate to leave the familiar and relatively safe Nine Heavens Thousand World, heading towards the Confucian Thousand World to face an even more unpredictable fate.

Fortunately, the recent news that came back was somewhat reassuring.

...

In the Confucian Thousand World.

Xiao Chunhui, who was on the minds of Meng Shaoji, Xiao Xueting, Xiao Hang, and others, was indeed doing well at the moment.

Under the bright spring sunshine, he resided in a mountain courtyard, quietly reading.

As the sun set in the world, the courtyard where Xiao Chunhui lived showed no signs of dusk, and the spring light remained perfect.

It wasn't until he put down the book in his hand and got up to stretch his muscles that the sunlight in the courtyard suddenly dimmed, turning into the evening glow on the horizon.

Xiao Chunhui called for a book boy, "Is there a guest visiting the Master?"

Book Boy: "Yes, the Master of Beifeng Mountain from the Yan Zhao side has come to visit."

Xiao Chunhui nodded slightly.

Beifeng Mountain's Lian Feng was a leader of the New Confucian School in Yan Zhao. He inherited the teachings of the early sage Cheng He, who had passed away early. Like the Later Sage Yan Aoyun, he had already achieved the Three Immortalities and was a Confucian Sage in the Confucian Thousand World, second only to Yan Aoyun in terms of reputation and influence in the New Confucian School.

The Later Sage Yan Aoyun and the Early Sage Cheng He had a harmonious relationship. Together, they laid the foundation for the New Confucian School of the current era, and Beifeng Mountain's Lian Feng had known each other for a long time, and both sides often exchanged scholarly ideas.

However, this was limited to their personal relationship. In terms of public ideology, there were significant differences between them.

Lian Feng advocated a balance between education and law, and he also believed in the words of the ancient sage: "Every five hundred years, a ruler will rise, and among them, there will be a renowned person."

Although he never publicly preached this, Xiao Chunhui had already heard about it. When Gao Tian Sui was in the Confucian Thousand World, he had frequent interactions with Lian Feng.

As a former member of the Celestial Palace, perhaps he had found like-minded companions in this Thousand World.

It was precisely because of Gao Tian Sui's arrival that the rift between Yan Aoyun and Lian Feng grew larger, and their conflict gradually became public.

Even in the midst of the increasingly intense dispute between the Old and New Confucian Schools, a split began to emerge within the New Confucian School.

Yan Aoyun focused his efforts on the Old Confucian School leader Wu Hailin, while in recent years, Zhang Wantu and Lian Feng had more interactions.

In the past two years, the Heavenly Demons from beyond the realms showed signs of resurgence, slightly cooling down the conflict between the Old and New Confucian Schools.

Wu Hailin and Yan Aoyun temporarily eased their confrontational stance, focusing more on guarding against the Heavenly Demons.

Xiao Chunhui also successfully obtained an introduction from Zhang Wantu and came to study under Yan Aoyun.

However, after the conflict between the New and Old Confucian Schools slightly subsided, the undercurrents within the New Confucian School became more turbulent.

Rumors spread that the Old Confucian School was also not at peace internally.

Later, the book boy came to find Xiao Chunhui again, and Xiao Chunhui followed him to see Yan Aoyun.

Beifeng Mountain's Lian Feng had already left.

Yan Aoyun sat alone in the room.

He looked like a middle-aged man in his forties, with an unremarkable appearance. Sitting in a shabby room, all his literary talents were restrained, making it impossible to tell that he was a Confucian Sage who had reached the third stage of immortality.

"Master," Xiao Chunhui stepped forward and paid his respects.

Yan Aoyun smiled and invited him to sit down.

He didn't mention Lian Feng's visit and, as usual, tested Xiao Chunhui's knowledge. In the end, he smiled and said, "Good, good, your scholarly demeanor is gradually taking shape."

Xiao Chunhui: "This is all thanks to the two Masters."

Besides Yan Aoyun, Xiao Chunhui had always benefited greatly from Zhang Wantu.

In this Confucian Thousand World, there was no Tang Emperor Zhang Wantu to speak of, but rather the Heavenly Blessing Scholar Zhang Wantu. Xiao Chunhui not only didn't mind this but also adapted to the local customs.

"Self-deprecation is good, but if this is the achievement of the two of us, then we should be the ones doing this scholarly work. Obviously, that's not the case now," Yan Aoyun said with a smile.

Xiao Chunhui: "With the Master's talent, various scholarly matters are not difficult. It's just that the Master is always busy for the sake of the people and never has a moment of leisure."

Yan Aoyun: "A peaceful mind is leisure. There's no such thing as being busy."

"Xiao Chunhui: 'The threat of the Demonic Deities Beyond is gradually fading... Master, you will be heading west again?'

Yan Aoyun stood up, 'So it is. Let's keep in touch.'

Xiao Chunhui saw his guest off.

He no longer needed to contact Zhang Wantu.

Regarding related matters, Yan Aoyun would communicate with Zhang Wantu himself, and Xiao Chunhui was not meant to be a bridge between them.

But after Xiao Chunhui returned to his small courtyard, he didn't open his book scrolls again.

As dusk fell, he gazed into the distant sky, sorting through his thoughts.

In the Thousand World of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, since the confluence with the human world, Gao Tian Sui had never appeared in public again, and his whereabouts were unknown.

However, Xiao Chunhui silently pondered, he might have recently been in contact with Lian Feng, the master of Shuofeng Mountain.

...

In the Thousand World of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, Lei Jun also received a notification from his senior sister, Xu Yuanzhen.

Over there, Zhang Wantu had communicated with Xu Yuanzhen.

'Before the dispute between the New Learning and the Old Learning is completely resolved, they probably won't make any major moves,' Lei Jun mused. 'Moreover, even if the Demonic Deities Beyond launch an attack, the Demon-Buddha Lineage will still infiltrate the Confucian Thousand World through the Time Abyss. Although there's a saying about taking advantage of chaos, the situation over there is too chaotic right now.'

Xu Yuanzhen let out a light laugh, 'It's not necessarily completely chaotic beyond control.'

Lei Jun asked, 'Any new discoveries?'

Xu Yuanzhen replied, 'Regarding the so-called return of the Demonic Deities Beyond, we met them face-to-face this time.

They are not from the Demon World, but the corruption and demonic transformation of the Buddhist disciples over there may have the same origin.'

Lei Jun listened to the voice transmitted through the Heaven Penetrating Earth Thorough Talisman, and his eyebrows lifted slightly, 'Is that so...'

After a moment of contemplation, he said, 'If that's the case, we should be more cautious. The Hundred Eyes Demon Tree was originally the Thousand Hands Thousand Eyes Venerable, a Golden Body Third Stage Buddhist disciple.'

The Thousand Hands Thousand Eyes Venerable must have had a significant problem to give others an opportunity to take advantage. Otherwise, even if it were a Cave Profound level immortal or Buddha, they could suppress or kill him, but they wouldn't twist him into such a state.

But as a lesson from the past, it's still worth being vigilant for those who come after.

Xu Yuanzhen nodded, 'Yes, no harm in that. Later, when we have a chance, we can take a closer look.'

Lei Jun understood, 'Senior Sister has already made plans for the Cave Profound Subtle realm? What about Junior Sister?'

Xu Yuanzhen said, 'Xiaotang has already entered seclusion. Our paths are different, and I'm not in a rush right now. This period is a good time to research something else.'

Lei Jun said, 'Best wishes for your success. That place is not peaceful. If there's a need, come back first, or we can send someone over.'

After ending the communication, Lei Jun sat in the Three Pure Ones Three Treasures Heavenly Realm, deep in thought.

Later, a beam of golden light suddenly flew into the heavenly realm.

Within the golden light was a five-colored true phoenix. Compared to a real phoenix, this one that flew into the Three Pure Ones Three Treasures Heavenly Realm looked exactly the same on the outside, but its demeanor seemed somewhat urgent.

Upon entering the heavenly realm and seeing Lei Jun in deep thought, the phoenix immediately retracted its wings, afraid to make any more noise.

'Why are you always transforming into this form nowadays?' Lei Jun asked.

The phoenix, rather unbecoming of its image, shrunk its neck, 'Senior Brother has been getting along well with Feng Ming, the Saint of Wind.'

As she spoke, her body transformed from the five-colored true phoenix into a slender and graceful figure in purple robes—Lei Jun's second disciple, Han Xiaofei.

After regaining her human form, she respectfully bowed to her master.

For a moment, Lei Jun felt a mix of emotions.

The Saint of Wind, Feng Ming, admired Zhuo Baojie, and Lei Jun was naturally aware of this.

But his second disciple's idea was quite unique.

In order to take advantage of her senior brother's situation, she also transformed into a phoenix to seek closeness?

However, Han Xiaofei's sudden visit to her master was obviously for another matter.

After the formal greeting, she immediately spoke with urgency, 'Master, Senior Brother... he might be getting a disciple!'

Lei Jun smiled, 'That's wonderful news!'

Even without the Jade Purity Heavenly Law Mirror, he could now roughly observe the world. Moreover, Zhuo Baojie also had his talismans.

Although Lei Jun didn't intend to keep everything in the world under his watch, and he wouldn't constantly monitor his senior disciple, he naturally sensed this matter of Zhuo Baojie taking a disciple.

However, he would only be aware of it and wouldn't interfere or inquire further unless there was a significant issue.

But knowing this news made Lei Jun quite sentimental:

Was he about to become a grandmaster?

As Han Xiaofei came to deliver this news, Zhuo Baojie was returning to the mountain, bringing a child to the Dao Child Academy at the foot of the mountain, while he himself headed to the Three Pure Ones Three Treasures Heavenly Realm to meet his master, Lei Jun.

Entering the Daoist Academy didn't guarantee becoming a true disciple of the Celestial Master Mansion through the ordination.

But as the first disciple of the contemporary Celestial Master Lei, Zhuo Baojie's first time bringing someone to the mountain

- struggling

- biting lip

- panting

- resisting

- biting

- tearing

- pain

- hot

- warmth

- pleasure

- moan

- climax

- trembling

- crying out

- release

- afterglow

- cuddling

- whispering

- soothing

As Zhuo Baojie's first time bringing someone back to the mountain, it immediately became news.

Coincidentally, on the same day, another high-achieving elder of Longhu Mountain, Xin Beiyuan, returned from his travels and also brought back a child.

Upon reaching the Daoist Academy and hearing that Zhuo Baojie had arrived just before him, Xin Beiyuan was surprised.

But after the initial surprise, he quickly regained his composure and also handed the child he had brought back to the Martial Arts School.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end