Chapter 534: 533. The Grand Scheme is Settled, But the Dust Has Yet to Settle

Chapter 534: 533. The Grand Scheme is Settled, But the Dust Has Yet to Settle



Within the ancestral lands of the Guanzhong Wu Clan, Wu Hailin reappeared, relying on his immortal stele.

The Wu Clan members stationed at the ancestral lands were all startled by this sight.

Their esteemed ancestor, whose strength surpassed that of the Rulu Qiu Li and the Zhongzhou Zheng Yan, was now forced to manifest his stele in the mortal realm. How intense must the battle at the front be?

The recent news from Zhongzhou mentioned that the Great Annihilation Bodhisattva, a formidable enemy, had retreated to the Time Abyss. How could the battle still be so unfavorable?

"Prepare the entire clan, we must head to the Pocket Dimension." Wu Hailin's face was pale, but he remained calm, speaking in a steady tone.

However, the instructions he gave next shocked the surrounding Wu Clan members even more: "Those currently not in Guanzhong should disperse and hide. Endure the temporary storm and do not panic and return to Guanzhong. Seek refuge as far away as possible and act discreetly."

Without waiting for questions from his fellow clansmen, Wu Hailin waved his hand.

Virtuous winds rose from the four directions of the stele, instantly enveloping the entire Wu Clan ancestral lands.

The Guanzhong Wu Clan's scholarly lineage began to shake and change under this influence.

The vast ancestral lands started to shrink, and under the distortion of time and space, the vast heavens and earth seemed to be drawn into the Pocket Dimension.

This was the backup plan Wu Hailin had prepared for the Guanzhong Wu Clan. He had long ago created a separate dimension, ready to accommodate the entire Guanzhong Wu Clan at any moment.

This was the result of his ability to contemplate the inch and the efforts of managing the ancestral lands.

If he were the Scholarly Star Illumination, able to contemplate heaven and earth, he could exercise this ability without being restricted to a fixed location.

However, by doing so, it would be difficult for the Wu Clan's scholarly lineage to remain unaffected.

While it might not be completely severed, it would still be severely restricted.

Therefore, neither Wu Hailin nor the Guanzhong Wu Clan wanted to resort to this unless absolutely necessary.

But in today's battle, for Wu Hailin, there was no other choice.

It wasn't just because he had been defeated by the combined efforts of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion and the Daoist sect. Nor was it entirely due to the death of the Zhongzhou Zheng Yan and the likely demise of the Rulu Qiu Li.

It was also because his defeat meant that his old rival, Yan Aoyun, would successfully ascend another level, surpassing the Confucian Sage King and reaching the realm of the Confucian Sage Master.

Even if Wu Hailin hadn't been defeated by Lei Jun and the others, as long as he couldn't turn the tide and win, it would still be equivalent to a defeat.

Thanks to Zheng Baiyu's sacrificial ritual, Yan Aoyun could take this step within a short time.

Lei Jun and the others didn't need to win; they just needed to maintain the situation, which was equivalent to guarding the door for Yan Aoyun to pass through.

Later, Yan Aoyun emerged from seclusion as the Sage Master, and the outcome was completely certain.

Naturally, the current situation was even worse.

Not only did Yan Aoyun reach the realm of the Sage Master, but the strength of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Daoist sect was also beyond their previous estimates.

Even if the Great Annihilation Bodhisattva returned immediately, it would be difficult to change the current situation in the Confucian Great Thousand World.

The Confucian Old Learning, which had dominated this Great Thousand World for many years, finally showed signs of collapse after enduring successive shocks, and it was difficult for it to continue its existence.

If Wu Hailin could reach the realm of the Sage Master first, there would still be a chance to turn the tide.

But now, he could only seek to ensure the safety of the Guanzhong Wu Clan.

And this had to be done without delay; they had to act immediately.

There was no time to gather and wait for the Wu Clan members who were currently outside.

At this moment, regardless of the main branch, collateral lines, or branches, the priority was to preserve those currently in the ancestral lands.

Based on Wu Hailin's experience dealing with Yan Aoyun, after his defeat, the first thing Yan Aoyun would do upon reaching the realm of the Sage Master would be to head to the Time Abyss to seal and contain its calamity.

With Wu Hailin's keen observation, he could see that the three great Taiwei walls of the Dragon Tiger Mountain were resonating and harmonizing, forming an array that was more advantageous for defending their original position than for overall relocation.

However, if Lei Jun and the others were truly determined, they could still arrive at the Guanzhong Wu Clan's ancestral lands within a short time.

Although Wu Hailin had the support of the ancestral lands, if he were to engage in battle with Lei Jun and the others, it would be difficult to smoothly transfer the ancestral lands into the Pocket Dimension.

As the saying goes, Lei Jun and the others stood on unconquerable ground. If they could buy some time and wait for Yan Aoyun to deal with the Time Abyss before coming, the Guanzhong Wu Clan would still be left with no way out.

Wu Hailin had to make a quick decision and act immediately; he couldn't afford any hesitation.

The Guanzhong Wu Clan, which had stood for tens of thousands of years as the first Confucian scholarly family in the region, was now facing the end of its glorious lineage.

Fortunately, Wu Hailin was meticulous in his actions, and the Pocket Dimension had been carefully prepared and managed by him for a long time.

Therefore, when the entire Wu Clan ancestral lands were moved into the Pocket Dimension, the beautiful scenery remained, and many of the clan members had already relocated and continued to thrive there, still able to support and serve the Wu Clan.

Regarding the changes in the Confucian Great Thousand World, Wu Hailin did not hide anything from the Wu Clan members. After forcibly shrinking and relocating the ancestral lands into the Pocket Dimension, he openly informed them.

The Wu family, having suffered a major blow, quickly stabilized their minds, especially the elders who remained calm and composed.

Due to the previous appearance of the Great Annihilation Bodhisattva, the Wu family began to gather and recall their clan members who were outside, preparing for the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Confucian Great Thousand World.

However, the time was too short, and many direct clan members were still scattered.

The culprit behind all this was not the Great Annihilation Bodhisattva, and the subsequent changes were beyond everyone's expectations.

"Grandfather, it seems that in Zhongzhou, Qilu, and other clans, the current situation..." someone calmly asked after regaining their composure.

Wu Hailin sat down, "The various scholarly lineages and their forests of steles, after this calamity, will likely be decimated, and it's difficult to resist the heavenly disaster."

The Wu clan members all looked dejected upon hearing this.

First, there were the extraterrestrial demons, then the Demon-Buddhist lineage, and finally, the Dragon Tiger Mountain Taoists.

Under continuous blows, the Confucian Old Learning could no longer hold on.

The Wu family's ability to retreat to a corner was already the best outcome in the current situation.

But would they have a chance to return to the Great Thousand World in the future?

"Grandfather, with the Dragon Tiger Mountain Taoists being so aggressive, what should Zheng Beichen do? Should he return to the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands Great Thousand World, or flee to the Demon World?"

The mention of Zheng Baiyu by the Wu family members made their tone complicated.

Whether it was Wu Hailin or Yan Aoyun, even without Zheng Baiyu's cultivation method, they had a chance to reach the Confucian Sage Master realm.

However, with both sides restraining each other, the situation had been dragged on.

But now, with Zheng Baiyu's cultivation method, Yan Aoyun had the hope of crossing that threshold within a short time, and with the help of the Taoists, the old balance was completely broken.

Zheng Baiyu's cultivation had advanced further, which might not be a good thing for the Confucian Old Learning, but Wu Hailin and the others could still rely on the scholarly lineage to influence and restrict the Great Thousand World.

As Yan Aoyun, who had also cultivated in the Confucian Great Thousand World for many years, became a Sage Master, it would be difficult for Wu Hailin to compete with him for the advantage of the geographical location.

Conversely, if Wu Hailin advanced further first, Yan Aoyun would no longer be able to restrict him from harnessing the power of the Great Thousand World.

At that time, if Wu Hailin, as a Confucian Sage Master, were to influence the Great Thousand World, even the Great Annihilation Bodhisattva would not be able to stop him, let alone Yan Aoyun, Lei Jun, and the others.

Unfortunately, it was a move away from victory.

This one move was the difference between winning and losing everything.

Zheng Baiyu himself would also find it difficult to continue standing in the Confucian Great Thousand World.

"Zheng Beichen will most likely not take the risk of returning to the Great Thousand World where the Taoists are active, at least not immediately under the current circumstances."

Wu Hailin slowly said, "He has a conflict with that High Sky Lord, and the rift between them is immense. While they might be able to cooperate, it's uncertain if the High Sky Lord would agree."

Although there wasn't much information available, based on Wu Hailin's current understanding, the rift between Zheng Baiyu and Gao Tian Sui seemed much greater than the conflict between him and the Wu family.

"I once discussed the Demon Capital with him."

Wu Hailin slowly continued, "The possibility of him going there is higher than going to the Demon World."

Among the Wu family members present, only a few who were in the know had their eyes flashing, while the majority remained clueless.

With the changing situation, the Wu family had reached this point, and there was no need for further secrecy.

The extraterrestrial demons' invasion was generally in a closed state, unlike the Time Abyss, which was unobstructed. Only when the demons were rampant would the barriers in the void appear weak.

It was easy for the demons to enter, but it was not easy for those in the Confucian Great Thousand World to leave.

Therefore, the Confucian Old Learning had the name of the Demon Capital.

"Zheng Beichen has achieved the Triple Immortal Realm of the Martial Immortal, and breaking through space and time is his specialty. Even if he's injured, he still has a chance to pass through the Demon Capital."

Wu Hailin looked up at the sky and slowly said, "He likes to take risks and seize opportunities from all sides. Now that his plans have been disrupted, with a new opportunity, he won't give up."

"I informed him of this matter a long time ago. Although he likes to take risks, he also has the patience to prepare in advance, and over the years, he must have gained some confidence. Let him do his thing."

The Wu family members all agreed, "Yes."

Wu Hailin sighed lightly, "Currently, our clan should focus on self-cultivation, quietly recuperating and waiting for the future."

.................................................

In the Confucian Great Thousand World, Yuzhou.

The Supreme Purity Jade Capital Immortal Bamboo completely severed the life force of the Qilu Qiu family's patriarch, Qiu Li, and flew back to Lei Jun.

Tang Xiaotang, ignoring her own shoulder injury, asked Lei Jun, "How long will it take for you to recover and become an immortal?"

"Is Wu Hailin still alive?" Lei Jun nodded.

"Whether it's his cultivation method, soul, or body, he is far superior to Qiu Li. It's difficult to prevent him from reappearing in the human world through the Immortal Stele of the Confucian Sage Master, which has eternal glory."

Wu Hailin had left behind an unknown number of merit steles in this Great Thousand World, and their locations were hard to predict. Theoretically, he could reappear at any of these steles.

"The more people who read his books and remember his name, the easier it will be for him to reappear, and the less weakened he will be after reappearing. From this perspective, the steles in his clan's ancestral land in Guanzhong have the highest probability."

Lei Jun said.

His gaze turned northward: "However, judging from his actions, no matter what choice he makes, he will act immediately and won't stay in Guanzhong waiting for us to pass."

Xu Yuanzhen was then looking down with interest.

While Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang were talking, both of their gazes also turned downward.

They could sense that the ritual ceremony below had reached its final stages.

If Yan Aoyun’s foundation was not the Contemplative Masses but the Contemplative Past and Present like Zhang Wantu's, the effect of his advancement through this ritual would be similar to that of Xu Yuanzhen, who possesses the Supreme Origin Dao Body, with the transformation of the ages condensed into an instant.

Even so, Yan Aoyun’s current attempt to advance to a higher realm through the ritual ceremony can be considered a swift success.

He had a chance to survive this tribulation, and indeed, he did not perish under the Heavenly Obstacle Tribulation.

The vast literary talent and aura surged into the clouds at this moment.

In the entire Confucian Great World, not just the human realm but also the Earth Realm where demons dwell, was shaken by this event.

The actual disturbance of the universe was not obvious, but the tremors were more deeply felt in the hearts of countless beings.

At this moment, it seemed as if countless specks of illusory light, like flowers falling from the sky, were continuously descending.

In the already talent-rich Confucian Great World, the sense of literary talent became even more abundant.

The originally condensed Scholarly Lineages seemed to freeze at this moment.

Lei Jun, Xu Yuanzhen, and Tang Xiaotang all felt a slight stirring in their hearts.

Above in the sky, the temporal and spatial vibrations were evident.

In the Heavenly Realm, which is already a legend in the Confucian Great World, there seemed to be a faint sign of re-emergence.

The Scholarly Star did not appear in the sky but instead appeared in the human realm below.

In the mountains of Yuzhou, amidst the starlight, a scholar slowly walked out.

He glanced around, already understanding the events that had transpired here.

"Thank you, three Daoist True Lords, for your hard work." Yan Aoyun bowed again to Lei Jun and the others.

Lei Jun smiled and returned the bow with a Daoist salute: "Congratulations, Yanzi, for your profound learning. The Great World is blessed by the appearance of another Sage Master."

Yan Aoyun said, "The Time Abyss is unstable, and the intentions of the Great Annihilation Bodhisattva and the Hundred Eyes Demon Tree are unpredictable. I must return to the Time Abyss first. Please forgive my rudeness."

Lei Jun replied, "Yanzi's concern for the masses is a blessing for the Great World."

He and Xu Yuanzhen, Tang Xiaotang also considered the changes in Yuzhou, so they only temporarily stabilized the Time Abyss and the World's Wound.

Currently, the Time Abyss is still divided into the Silver Abyss, Purple Sea, and Golden Shore, and the World's Wound continues to exist. It indeed requires Yan Aoyun to ascend to Sage Master to properly address and resolve the root issues.

Lei Jun and the others then headed north to Guanzhong.

The Wu Clan’s ancestral land was indeed no longer there.

"The approach and methods are similar to what Ye Miquan used in Cangzhou." Lei Jun’s expression was not surprised.

Wu Hailin’s cultivation realm far exceeded Ye Miquan’s, and he had long planned this, so he could complete everything in an extremely short time.

His profound insight and the root bone of Contemplative Inch allowed him to see through minute details and reflect on himself, leaving no traces for others to follow.

"Perhaps when Yanzi comes to carefully inspect, there might be some findings, but it’s hard to say. Don’t pin too much hope on it," Lei Jun said.

Tang Xiaotang looked around, "Indeed, quite a set of skills."

Lei Jun said, "Some of the methods we used against him this time might not work next time."

"We’ll have to come up with new methods then." Tang Xiaotang asked Lei Jun, "By the way, how do you think he compares to Gao Tian Sui?"

During the Time Abyss battle in the past, she was only at the First Level Immortal Realm and had very few direct confrontations with Gao Tian Sui. Naturally, her understanding of him was not as deep as Lei Jun’s, who had defeated Gao Tian Sui in a direct confrontation in the Interming.

"Even if there is a difference in strength, they are on the same level. But to us, Gao Tian Sui is much more difficult to deal with," Lei Jun replied.

Wu Hailin’s profound insight left him almost without flaws, making it extremely challenging to defeat such an opponent.

However, the issue with Gao Tian Sui was that, although he did not intend to, his immortal arts and methods were too unfriendly to fellow Daoist cultivators.

Even with Lei Jun’s abilities, he still needed the help of the Pure Gold Palace and the Heavenly Book to handle Gao Tian Sui’s Heavenly Execution Golden Palace while in the Three Caves Three Heavens Supreme Dragon Tiger Immortal Array, and he could not fully suppress or resolve it.

After that battle, Gao Tian Sui, after so much thought, should have found ways to counter the Pure Gold Palace and the Heavenly Book.

Fortunately, Lei Jun and the others were also continuously improving.

But for them, among the current top Third Level Immortal Realm experts, Gao Tian Sui was more troublesome than Wu Hailin.

In the Confucian Great World, Lian Feng was essentially a scaled-down version of Gao Tian Sui in the Confucian style.

Confucian cultivators other than Wu Hailin and Yan Aoyun would find his Heavenly Law and Earthly Righteousness difficult to handle.

But against the Daoist Immortal Xu Yuanzhen, it was a different story.

"Let’s take a look at what Lian Feng left behind." Xu Yuanzhen casually threw the extinguished green smoke talisman to Lei Jun.

After inspecting it, Lei Jun said, "Gao Tian Sui has severed all connections with this place, but..."

Naturally, combining his profound insight with the Supreme Simplicity Dao Body, he had an unparalleled advantage in talisman making and alchemy, and he wouldn’t leave such a significant weakness for Lei Jun and the others to exploit.

The idea of tracking the other party's whereabouts based on this is quite challenging, but Xu Yuanzhen would not act without a reason. By leaving the talisman, which was used for communication and crafted by Gao Tian Sui, Lei Jun could try to find some advantage from another angle.

"Seems Gao Tian Sui has found a fellow practitioner in this grand world."

Tang Xiaotang rubbed his hands together. "That won't be so easy."

When she was at the First Level Immortal Realm, she had no good feelings towards the Confucian New Learning figures in Yan Zhao, such as Lian Feng and Zhang Zhuo.

At that time, she focused more on advancing to the Second Level Immortal Realm, and although the Confucian New Learning had a tendency to split, it still maintained a united front. Thus, she put those matters aside.

Lian Feng was a successor of the Former Sage Cheng He's lineage.

In the past, the Latter Sage Yan Aoyun was Cheng He's half-teacher, half-friend. Therefore, after Cheng He's untimely death, Yan Aoyun often took care of the New Learning in Yan Zhao.

However, the two sides have grown increasingly distant in recent years.

Now that Yan Aoyun has attained the Sage Master realm, Wu Hailin has withdrawn from the world, and Qiu Li and Zheng Yan have died, the New Learning replacing the Old Learning is an unstoppable trend.

Yan Aoyun may not agree with the old Heavenly Palace's plans, but he might consider the old friendship with Cheng He and spare Lian Feng.

Lei Jun also had no intention of using today's assistance to pressure him: "Lian Feng was injured by the eldest senior sister and couldn't contact Gao Tian Sui. He likely won't risk going to the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths grand world."

If that were the case, it would be best, and Lei Jun would immediately return to deal with it.

But looking at the other party's appearance, it was clear that they wouldn't change their plans just because Gao Tian Sui cut off communication.

"Yan Aoyun staying neutral is fine. In that case, Lian Feng will stay in the Confucian Forest grand world, hiding himself, making it hard to dig him out in a short time. Let him hide; we'll clean up in Yan Zhao."

Lei Jun spread his palms. "We shouldn't let him 'incite' other students of the New Learning in Yan Zhao, especially to avoid influencing the young people."

Yan Aoyun has attained the Sage Master realm, and Wu Hailin has withdrawn from the world.

For the current Confucian Forest grand world, the overall situation is settled.

But there are still many follow-up matters to handle.

The Confucian New Learning has also suffered significant losses.

Jiao Feiyang was severely injured, and Lian Feng fled.

While Yan Aoyun seals the Time Abyss and the World's Wound, he must also guard against the Great Annihilation Bodhisattva's counterattack.

The current status of the Demon World is unknown, and it's uncertain whether the Great Sun Demon Sage has killed the Hundred Eyes Demon Tree.

Prior to the invasion by the Demon-Buddhist's successor, the conflict between the Confucian New and Old Learning, and the descent of the Great Annihilation Bodhisattva, the Demonic Tribes in the Earth Realm also began to become active.

A few, like the Venomous Centipede Demon Sage and the Ghost Cart Demon Sage, intended to follow the Great Sun Demon Sage to the Demon World for opportunities.

Most, however, remained in the Confucian Forest grand world, causing chaos and suffering among humans.

Thus, the current situation is a real mess.

Although the Confucian New Learning has stabilized the situation under Yan Aoyun, they still need to deal with the demonic chaos before clearing out the Old Learning and the internal Yan Zhao lineage's attempts to revive the Heavenly Palace.

The Demonic Tribes include both cold, cunning individuals and bloody, frenzied ones.

Some of the major demons, intimidated by Yan Aoyun's attainment of the Sage Master realm, will flee back to the Earth Realm in fear, while others will launch their final frenzy.

"The demonic chaos is imminent and needs to be quelled. We also need to be wary of the Mountain Master of Northwind Mountain taking advantage of the chaos in Yan Zhao."

Through Lei Jun's talisman, Zhang Wantu communicated with them: "Zheng Beichen has already found another way out. He might be in contact with the Outer Demons, so we should prevent another large-scale invasion of Outer Demons."

Xu Yuanzhen: "I'll go check it out. I've been interested in it anyway."

Since she said so, Zhang Wantu decided to return to the human world to assist Yan Aoyun with the relevant matters. Going to Yan Zhao would be most appropriate for her.

Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang took a walk in the human world.

With Wu Hailin, Qiu Li, and Zheng Yan gone, they didn't care much about the conflict between the Confucian New and Old Learning. They would just eliminate any major demons they encountered.

"Later, let's meet up on Mount Luofu and then go check it out there," Tang Xiaotang called out.

Lei Jun: "That's exactly what I was thinking."

Now that he had some free time, he had the opportunity to carefully ponder the Profound Origin Purple Energy he had recently obtained and the Sealing Talisman that resonated with it.

After examining it, Lei Jun was lost in thought: "The Supreme Profound Origin...?"

The Profound, the Origin, and the Primordial are the most mysterious and profound realms of Dao, passed down by the Three Pures.

The Ancestral Celestial Master of the Dragon Tiger Mountain lineage once listened to teachings at the feet of the Dao.

It was then that the Ancestral Celestial Master achieved the only Postnatal Ultimate in history.

Lei Jun carefully studied the Profound Origin Purple Energy and understood why he had a different feeling when he first obtained this treasure.

This treasure points to the "Profound Origin" in the "Supreme Profound Origin."

The reason the Sealing Talisman resonated with it is that this talisman seems to have a subtle connection to the "Supreme Profound" in the "Supreme Profound Origin."

However, the Sealing Talisman itself does not point to the Supreme Profound.

The true artifact that contains the related profound secrets is more likely to be in the Heavenly Realm of the Demon World.

But that place is currently occupied by the Demon Dragon Imperial Lord, who is not inferior toHas the Demon Dragon Imperial Lord already discovered the Supreme Profound treasure... Lei Jun pondered.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end