Chapter 527: Next Generation Grandmaster Candidate

Chapter 527: Next Generation Grandmaster Candidate



“Xing Shixu.”

“Xing Shushi.”

A Martial Arts Academy instructor came forward to greet them.

Beside Xin Beiyuan was a young boy, his eyes full of curiosity, gazing upward at the Three Pure Ones Three Treasures Heavenly Realm among the clouds in the sky.

When someone approached, the boy quickly withdrew his gaze and bowed with Respectful Salutation (or alternatively: Paid His Respects) and Xin Beiyuan.

“Is Xu Shixu here?” Xin Beiyuan asked after the greeting.

Third Division blijft hetzelfde, aangezien het al in het engels was.

Xin Beiyuan nodded, “I’ll entrust this child to you for now.”

The instructors quickly agreed.

The process for receiving disciples at Dragon Tiger Mountain's Daoist Academy was already well-established. The young aspirants who were brought back to the mountain were not yet officially part of Dragon Tiger Mountain. They first had to take refuge in the Three Treasures, lay the foundation in the Daoist Academy, and learn the Daoist rules and rituals, familiarizing themselves with the Daoist scriptures and ceremonies.

The young boy, having been instructed by Xin Beiyuan, followed the two instructors without fear, filled with curiosity.

Xin Beiyuan then headed towards the Third Division.

Alone in the current chief instructor of the Dao Academy was High Achievement Elder Xu Rui, who was on duty. Since he was at the Dao Academy, Xin Beiyuan decided to pay him a visit.

On the way, other Daoist Academy instructors rushed over to greet him, “Master!”

Xin Beiyuan looked at them.

One of them approached and whispered, “I heard, Shixu, that you brought a child back to the mountain to enter the Dao? Congratulations, Shixu, for having a successor.”

Seeing the other's hesitant expression, Xin Beiyuan knew what he wanted to ask.

He didn’t feign ignorance and directly said, “This has nothing to do with the Yellow Heaven lineage. Before the human world's confluence, this child was from the Great Song World, with an ordinary background.”

The other person stammered, “Please forgive me, Shixu…”

Both he and Xin Beiyuan were former Yellow Heaven Dao disciples who had rejoined the current Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion.

He wasn’t obsessed with the Yellow Heaven Dao, but since Xin Beiyuan hadn’t taken any disciples for years, bringing a child back today naturally sparked some speculation.

Xin Beiyuan shook his head, “This child indeed has no connection to the Yellow Heaven lineage, but if there is a true connection, I won’t be bound by such things. Our Senior Grandmaster’s views are well known. Today, even the Yellow Heaven lineage is no longer an issue.”

The instructor replied, “Shixu is right.”

“Just received the news, congratulations, Shixu, for having a new connection.” Xu Rui greeted Xin Beiyuan.

Xin Beiyuan said, “I just brought him back to the mountain to enter the Dao. The next ordination ceremony is still two years away. It will be a lot of work for you, Shixu.”

Xu Rui responded, “Don’t mention it. It’s an honor for our sect to have a new promising disciple.”

Xu Rui had always been listed under the tutelage of Li Zhengxuan, a core figure of the Li family in Xinzhou.

When the Yellow Heaven Dao disciples initially rejoined, they felt somewhat awkward around him.

Xin Beiyuan had always been calm and composed, neither humble nor arrogant, and had always gotten along well with Xu Rui.

This was partly because he, as one of the outstanding Yellow Heaven Dao disciples of his generation, was often compared to the equally excellent Xu Rui.

Xin Beiyuan himself didn’t mind much.

Now, years later, the Yellow Heaven Dao was no longer as sensitive an issue for the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion. When they met, they were no longer influenced by the past, but simply fellow disciples of the Celestial Master Mansion.

“It’s rare for you to find someone who suits you.” The two sat down, and Xu Rui prepared tea for Xin Beiyuan, speaking without any reservations.

Xin Beiyuan said, “His name is Chi Haifeng, with a very ordinary background. I’ve already brought his parents to the town at the foot of the mountain, where they are settled.

I’ve checked his background, which seems clean. Before the human world’s confluence, he was from the Great Song World. We can request a thorough check from the mansion.

Yes, he does have a connection with me. He has the same Ten Thousand Phase Holy Body as I did when I was young.”

Xu Rui understood, “I see, indeed a cause for celebration.”

Xin Beiyuan paused for a moment and added, “Also, I find the child to be very spirited, with excellent and very, very good insight.”

Xu Rui and Xin Beiyuan usually spoke little, but Xu Rui knew that when Xin Beiyuan spoke, it was with purpose.

Hearing Xin Beiyuan’s words, Xu Rui was surprised, but more so, he was pleased for the mansion, “Today is truly a great day!”

Xin Beiyuan asked, “Zhuo Shixu’s side?”

Xu Rui nodded, “Yes, a world-class talent.”

Xin Beiyuan noticed the special tone in the other's voice.

Meeting his gaze, Xu Rui also nodded slightly, “Two Pole Divine Body!”

Xin Beiyuan understood.

Not only was the Two Pole Divine Body rare and precious, but within the current Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion and the entire Daoist sect, the Two Pole Divine Body was gaining more and more recognition, even acquiring a special aura.

The reason was simple: the last person to possess a Two Pole Divine Body was the current Celestial Master and Daoist Sect Supreme Master, Lei Jun.

Strictly speaking, the Two Pole Divine Body has existed since ancient times, but no one had reached Lei Jun’s level.

Thus, everyone knew that the special aura surrounding it was due to Lei Master Lei Jun himself, not just the Two Pole Divine Body alone.

However, the appearance of a new person with a Two Pole Divine Body, who had joined the Dragon Tiger Mountain sect and might become a direct descendant of Lei Jun, carried a different significance.

Because Lei Jun was still alive.

Apart from Zhuo Baojie, Lei Jun might personally guide and teach this newly initiated young man.

With the nurturing of Dragon Tiger Mountain, this young man already possessed exceptional talent, and his future prospects were now even more limitless.

"What's your name?" Xin Bei Yuan asked.

Xu Rui: "An Buzheng."

…………………………

After Zhuo Baojie sent An Buzheng to the Daoist Academy, he immediately went to meet his master, Lei Jun, in the Three Pure Ones Three Treasures Heavenly Realm to report the situation:

"A citizen of the Tang Dynasty, born into a military family, but relatively lower-ranking. His family had an elder who followed the Tang army and civilians into the Underground Sea.

As our sect's reputation grows, the An family's determination to seek the Dao becomes stronger.

During the Underground Sea War, Master, you quelled the Corpse Flea King's rebellion, saving many from danger, including the An family elder. Therefore, Master, you are especially revered by the An family.

It was a coincidence that I discovered An Buzheng on this trip. Even if I had misjudged, as his talent becomes more apparent, I believe he would still come to our sect to plead for initiation.

Since I encountered him on this trip, it's a matter of fate, so I took the opportunity."

Lei Jun smiled slightly: "There's nothing wrong with that."

He didn't need to specifically think about going to the Daoist Academy to see him: "Not only does he have the root bone of a Two Pole Divine Body, but his enlightenment is also excellent."

"Master, your insight is like a torch."

Zhuo Baojie nodded solemnly: "As I see it, it should be... Tranquility."

Han Xiao Fei, who was standing close to him, paused in her movement as she reached out to the black and white fur: "Wow, Senior Brother, you've really found a treasure!"

Zhuo Baojie turned around, and without showing any reaction, he helped Han Xiao Fei, who was stunned, to lower her hand: "I also had good luck this time."

Lei Jun smiled: "Then it seems that I, or rather our sect, have better luck."

Zhuo Baojie and Han Xiao Fei were puzzled.

Lei Jun explained: "After you brought back Huajie, your junior, Huawu, also brought back a child with a connection to the Dao. His talent is also excellent, so our sect has double the joy today."

Zhuo Baojie and Han Xiao Fei were surprised, but after they recovered, they were equally delighted: "As Master said, it's indeed a double joy."

Lei Jun sighed.

With An Buzheng and Chi Haifeng, the core foundation of the fourth generation of disciples in the mansion was directly established, and it was very solid, even with the potential to surpass Zhuo Baojie, Han Xiao Fei, and their third generation.

There was less than two hundred years between Lei Jun's generation and theirs.

Throughout history, this gap often equated to a single generation, but due to various reasons, they were eventually divided into three generations.

As long as people can successfully cultivate and gradually fulfill their talents, three generations is just a number, and there's no major issue.

Lei Jun's sigh was due to the fact that this situation was partly because of the times, with the surge of spiritual energy in the heavens and earth, and the confluence of the human world.

On the other hand, it was also because the Celestial Master Mansion on Dragon Tiger Mountain was becoming more prosperous and influential, gradually attracting Daoist talents.

In the early years, Xin Lu from Datong gave up the more suitable Daoist Dan Ding lineage and chose to devote himself to the Dragon Tiger Mountain sect, showing this trend.

With An Buzheng and Chi Haifeng, it became even more apparent.

Of course, unlike Xin Lu, An Buzheng and Chi Haifeng's talents were not limited to any particular sect or school. Wherever they went, they were heaven-sent talents.

But on the same day, both of them fell into the Dragon Tiger Mountain's net, which was not just a coincidence, but also a result of various factors working together.

The Shu Mountain Sect and the Pure Yang Palace had similar expectations.

Lei Jun and Dragon Tiger Mountain would not block anyone from joining.

"It's been less than a year since Huarui, your junior, took over as the head instructor of the Daoist Temple Academy. After his three-year term is up, you can go to the Daoist Temple Academy for a term as well."

Lei Jun smiled and instructed: "Since you've thought of taking on a disciple, stay on the mountain for a few years to teach and help them establish a solid foundation. Heaven-sent talents require careful cultivation, but the method of cultivation should be noted."

Zhuo Baojie immediately agreed: "Yes, Master, I will follow your instructions."

He and his junior sister, Han Xiao Fei, took their leave.

Han Xiao Fei quietly approached Zhuo Baojie: "Senior Brother, from what you said earlier, is this An, our junior, definitely human?"

Zhuo Baojie: "Of course."

He glanced at Han Xiao Fei and saw her eyes rolling, so he guessed what she was thinking: "It's purely coincidental."

Han Xiao Fei: "Why are you looking at me like that, Senior Brother? I'm happy for you and Master."

Zhuo Baojie didn't bother to respond.

What Han Xiao Fei was pondering was that if they started counting from Yuan Mo Bai's master, the first generation was human, the second generation was a mountain leopard, the third generation was human, the fourth generation was a mountain leopard, and the fifth generation, An Buzheng, was human again.

It was hard not to suspect that if An Buzheng took on a disciple in the future, would he also accept a panda into his sect?

But they clearly didn't do it on purpose... Er, hold on, everyone else was fine, but there was one person they weren't sure about.

Zhuo Baojie's own master, Lei Jun...

His master was the key link in this chain of human-bear-human succession.

He probably wouldn't have such an idea... Zhuo Baojie couldn't help but silently criticize in his heart.

But in front of his junior sister, Han Xiao Fei, Zhuo Baojie kept his expression neutral and changed the topic:

"It was indeed a coincidence, and it's rare to find a child with overflowing talent and brilliance, and I happened to meet him."

There is a saying that a single tree does not make a forest. However, Junior Sister Han Xiaofei, you have also traveled extensively in the world these years. Have you ever thought of taking on a disciple?"

Han Xiaofei sighed heavily, "Don't mention it, Senior Brother. I've made several trips to Bashu and Hanzhong."

"I've encountered many mountain beasts, but they are all ordinary, albeit adorable. I haven't met one worthy of a spiritual connection."

As she spoke, her gaze shifted to the black and white fur protruding from Zhuo Baojie's Daoist robe.

"Moreover, their fur doesn't feel as soft as it looks. Most of them are rather coarse."

Zhuo Baojie said, "You don't have to focus solely on mountain beasts."

Han Xiaofei replied, "I'm not just focusing on mountain beasts. I've also been looking for the Nine-Jointed Wolf, but I haven't come across any spiritual ones."

Zhuo Baojie quickened his pace, leaving the Three Pure Ones Three Treasures Heavenly Realm.

Han Xiaofei hurried to keep up.

Inside the Heavenly Realm, Lei Jun observed his two disciples' departure with a curious expression.

His third junior disciple, Chu Kun, approached him, "Senior Brother, you were initially considering sending Junior Nephew Hua Jie on a tour of the outside world. Now that he's about to take on a disciple, it seems he'll be staying on the mountain for the next few years."

Lei Jun responded, "It's no problem. It's all part of the training."

Chu Kun agreed, "That's true. Being the head instructor at the Dao Tong Academy is also a significant responsibility. It's an unspoken rule that the successor Heavenly Master should take turns serving in the Official Hall, the Dao Tong Academy, and the Tour of the Outside. Perhaps in the future, it would be better to have them train in all three positions."

Lei Jun added, "There's no need to be too strict. The purpose of training is to develop abilities, broaden one's horizons, and gain experience. If someone is suitable, then it's naturally the best choice..."

Before he could finish, Chu Kun's face already showed a speechless expression. Without any change in tone, he recited, "Senior Brother, I firmly support the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne. My loyalty to your position is unwavering, as bright as the sun and the moon!"

"Senior Brother, you're getting good at answering questions now," Lei Jun said. "Unfortunately, you still don't quite understand. At a time like this, expressing loyalty should be directed at me. How can you be so eager to curry favor with the Crown Prince when I'm still in power?"

Chu Kun raised his hand to his forehead, "Thank you for the guidance, Senior Brother. I'll remember next time."

After ascending to immortality, Lei Jun had indeed planned to step down from the position of Heavenly Master.

Among his peers, Tang Xiaotang had already passed on the position to Lei Jun, making them two generations of Heavenly Masters from the same era. This was a result of various internal and external factors.

Now that the younger disciples had grown, Lei Jun was ready to pass on the position again. Unless there were extraordinary circumstances, he would not consider his peers for the succession.

Although Chu Kun was a suitable candidate in Lei Jun's eyes, Chu Kun himself had no such intentions.

Instead, Lei Jun decided to choose the most suitable successor from the younger generation of disciples, and he did not shy away from choosing his own top disciple, Zhuo Baojie.

In the history of the Heavenly Master Mansion, due to various reasons, the direct disciples of the current Heavenly Master were often the most outstanding among the best.

Especially after the great calamity at the end of the Han Dynasty, when the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was low and cultivation was difficult, the Heavenly Master would often pick the most talented when accepting disciples.

In principle, whoever brought a junior back to the mountain to enter the Dao became their spiritual connection, and naturally became their degree master during the ordination ceremony.

However, exceptions occurred during the special timing of the Heavenly Master's acceptance of disciples.

Throughout history, most Dao Disciples would strive to become the personal disciples of the Taoist Spiritual Leader, and their original Masters would support this.

The personal disciples of the Heavenly Master were the public face, bearing the responsibility of interacting and even competing with outstanding juniors from other sacred lands and famous families.

To some extent, the Mansion would allocate more resources to them, making the strong even stronger.

Although there were exceptions, they were still in the minority.

This was not unique to the Dragon Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master Mansion; it was a common practice for various sects and major families.

Similar situations were also common before the great calamity at the end of the Han Dynasty.

Therefore, adhering to the principle of selecting the wise and capable, in most cases, the new generation of Heavenly Masters often came from the personal disciples of the previous generation.

Initially, there was some controversy due to the Li family dispute in the Dragon Tiger Mountain Heavenly Master Mansion, which eventually led to the decline of the Li family in Xinzhou. However, some members of the Li family were not expelled and remained in the Mansion.

If we trace back, apart from Tang Xiaotang, Lei Jun, Xu Yuanzhen, Yuan Mo Bai, and Chu Kun's grandmaster and great-grandmaster were all from the Li family.

As a result, in the early years, there was much speculation about whether Lei Jun's personal disciples would succeed him as the Heavenly Master.

However, by now, all these concerns had become irrelevant.

The reason was simple. During Tang Xiaotang's tenure, it could be said that the Dragon Tiger Mountain Mansion was rising from the depths. But by Lei Jun's tenure, the Mansion was completely different from the past.

Since the great calamity at the end of the Han Dynasty, the Mansion had never been as prosperous as it was today.

The achievements of the three generations and four Li family Heavenly Masters combined could not compare to what Lei Jun had brought to Dragon Tiger Mountain.

Even if one were to count all the Heavenly Masters from ancient times to the present, those whose influence and accomplishments could rival Lei Jun were few and far between.

Lei Jun's attitude towards the great families of the Tang Dynasty and the Li family dispute was no longer a secret.

Even if he stepped down as the Heavenly Master and no longer involved himself in the affairs of the Mansion, he would still tower above the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths Grand Thousand World.

Thus, in just under a century, the influence and worries brought by the Li family had been thoroughly washed away.

At this moment, in that moment, these six words have never been more fitting than now.

Or, to be blunt, the ancient Talisman Sect is now a sensitive topic for the Celestial Master Mansion in Dragon Tiger Mountain.

"However, Elder Hua Jie, you must remain composed. There will still be some noise from the outside world." After a few lighthearted exchanges with his fellow disciples, Chu Kun's expression became slightly more serious.

If Elder Zhuo Baojie were to take over the leadership of Dragon Tiger Mountain, the challenges he would face would no longer be about lineage and heritage, but rather from two other aspects.

Naturally, the Celestial Master Mansion has never had a non-human Celestial Master.

Secondly, and precisely because of his own esteemed master, Lei Jun, whose influence is too great and achievements too high, whoever succeeds him will face immense pressure.

Furthermore, because Elder Zhuo Baojie is of the Spirit Beast origin, the pressure on his achievements and reputation is even greater.

"During Elder Hua Jie's tenure as the Elder of the Official Hall, some outsiders have already regarded this as a sign."

Chu Kun sighed lightly, "Although the number is not large, there are still some whispers. They say that if Elder Hua Jie wishes to take over the leadership of our sect, he should establish even greater achievements to gain the respect of the masses."

The reason for his sigh is that many of these voices are not malicious attempts to stir up trouble within the Dragon Tiger Mountain sect, but rather sincere concerns.

On the other hand, some negative voices argue that even if Elder Zhuo Baojie takes over, he would merely be a mouthpiece, and the true Celestial Master would still be his master, Lei Jun.

"If Elder Zhuo Baojie acts solely for the sake of fame and recognition, eager to prove himself and deliberately being different, then I truly would not consider him for the leadership of our sect."

Lei Jun smiled, "Let nature take its course. If it's time to move fast, then move fast. If it's time to be steady, then be steady. Once everything is in order, and his cultivation and talent are sufficient to support the sect, his reputation will naturally gather. If so, he is the most suitable choice. Why should we not choose him? In the past, I supported my junior sister in succeeding Qingfeng Celestial Master. But if it were my master, I would never feel that it was unsuitable."

Chu Kun thought for a moment, "Hmm, I was thinking too much in this regard. Elder Hua Jie's current state of mind is very stable, and only in front of you, Elder Lei, does he show a bit of his former self. I believe that after he takes over the sect, he will still be able to move steadily forward."

Lei Jun said, "Some of the root causes of the controversies are no longer within him."

Speaking of which, this matter is somewhat related to Lei Jun being his master, and it even involves Tang Xiaotang.

Tang Celestial Master stepped down in less than thirty years.

Lei Celestial Master's term was also just a few decades.

As of now, the combined tenure of the two Celestial Masters is not even a hundred years.

Unless there is a major unexpected event, their terms are too short.

Historically, such a situation would only be possible if consecutive Celestial Masters perished in a great disaster.

Lei Jun, however, does not mind this.

He would not resign early just to show that he is not attached to power, but now that there is a qualified successor, he truly has no attachment to the position of Celestial Master.

After stepping down, he will not interfere too much in how Elder Zhuo Baojie conducts himself.

This includes Elder Zhuo Baojie's term.

Although Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang's terms were short, if a fixed term system is established after Elder Zhuo Baojie, it may even become a regular alternation every few years.

Lei Jun is pleased to see this, but he does not mind if future successors follow his example or not.

However, in the hearts of many outsiders, they secretly hope for a longer wait.

Not to mention that Lei Jun has already ascended to immortality, even if he hadn't, after a few hundred years or even a hundred years, the Celestial Master Mansion would surely have more talented individuals emerge, and there would be more suitable candidates to succeed the Celestial Master.

Earlier, the main competitors for Elder Zhuo Baojie were Qin Cai Wei, Xin Beiyuan, Xu Rui, and Zhang Xiongxian.

In recent years, with the rapid growth in cultivation of Han Xiao Fei, Cheng Rongrong, and Feng Ting, different voices have gradually emerged.

Hmm, well, Elder Han is generally good at interacting with others, but for those who know her, there is still a sense of unease.

Additionally, due to various reasons, her presence among the lower-level cultivators, both inside and outside Dragon Tiger Mountain, has always been somewhat lacking.

As for Cheng Rongrong, being a Spirit Beast like Elder Zhuo Baojie, there is no need to say more.

Instead, it is Lei Jun's junior disciple, Feng Ting, who has caught the attention of many.

Although Feng Ting is low-key, he is steady, capable, and has astonishing talent.

The path of cultivation becomes more challenging as one progresses, requiring more time to accumulate.

Currently, there seems to be a large gap between his cultivation and that of Elder Zhuo Baojie, but if the time span is extended to a hundred years or more, this problem will undoubtedly become less significant.

As time goes by, similar figures will continue to emerge, and it is not surprising that even more remarkable individuals will appear.

People like An Buzheng and Chi Haifeng are currently unknown to the outside world, but that does not prevent others from making similar judgments.

"Hua Ting himself has no intention in this regard, so there is no need to force him."

Lei Jun spoke, "My daily teachings are meant to prevent him from becoming overly one-sided and drifting further apart, not to forcefully impose restrictions on him to change his nature.

If I must speak of it, the path one takes is chosen and walked by oneself. If he truly insists on going his own way, others need not say more. Of course, Hua Ting is not such a person.

Since this is the case, how can we burden him with an extremely heavy responsibility? He can certainly bear it, but what's the difference between that and a shackle?"

Chu Kun nodded slightly, deeply understanding this point.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end