https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-6-My-Junior-Disciple-is-Too-Impulsive/12586106/
Chapter 7: The Li Clan and Outsiders
Chapter 7: The Li Clan and Outsiders
The thief's body now resembled a withered stump, stubbornly standing in place.
The lightning that had been deflected by the shield earlier raged in all directions, causing the mountain rocks to shatter and tilt.
With the cliff collapsing, the thief's body slid down with the rubble and tumbled into the stream below.
Lei Jun raised his hand as if to stop the body but ultimately let it be, watching as the corpse drifted away with the current.
He pocketed the black scale and left the cliff, following the river at a leisurely pace as he continued his search downstream.
After searching for a while, Lei Jun encountered his fellow disciples.
"I encountered him upstream and attacked with the thunder talisman bestowed by the High Daoist," Lei Jun explained. "But he managed to escape by falling into the river."
"They found the insider's body downstream," said a yellow-robed Taoist priest approaching them. "And the pill furnace was also retrieved from his possession."
The stolen item in question was a pill furnace from the first branch of the Daoist Academy.
Although it was indeed a valuable item, it was undoubtedly less so compared to the strange black scale that could even withstand the thunder talisman.
At the moment, the best candidate for the six-point fortune mentioned in the upper divination seemed to be that peculiar scale.
"He exhausted his energy and died of fatigue."
The yellow-robed Taoist glanced at Lei Jun. "Everyone who participated in the pursuit and drove him to his end shares the credit, and you are no exception."
Lei Jun humbly replied, "I dare not take full credit. I merely did what was expected of me."
"Mmm. Take the body back to the Daoist Academy," the yellow-robed Taoist instructed as he hurried up the mountain.
The group of Daoist disciples didn't dare to ask further questions.
However, they all curiously looked up at the mountain.
The two previous disturbances had come from different directions—the first from the Daoist Academy at the foot of the mountain and the second seemingly from somewhere higher up.
The disciples whispered among themselves, but for now, they could only gather their group and return to the academy.
Upon their return, they learned that the first branch had been set on fire once again.
"This time, it's really..." Some of the younger disciples had peculiar expressions on their faces.
Lei Jun understood.
The first branch was the exclusive domain of the Li family.
For young aspiring cultivators, being accepted into the Heavenly Master's Mansion was one of the best starting points on their path.
However, if one had to point out an imperfection, it would be that Lei Jun only learned after joining that there were two types of heirs in the Mansion.
Those with the surname Li.
And those without.
In this world, the Heavenly Master's position in the Mansion had no set rules for succession in the earlier years, with each generation passing on the mantle to a worthy heir, regardless of their lineage.
But the last few Heavenly Masters had all come from the same bloodline, passed down from father to son, generation after generation—the now deeply rooted and flourishing Li family.
To be fair, including the current Heavenly Master, the Li heirs had been outstanding among their peers.
Under their leadership, the Mansion had weathered many storms but remained standing, making it one of the most revered cultivation sects in the world.
However, as time went on, the Li family became increasingly high-profile and dominant.
Some of the rules established since the creation of the Heavenly Master's Mansion were still maintained in appearance.
For example, newcomers first entered the Daoist Academy to study and cultivate, and only those who excelled could participate in the grand initiation ceremony and officially ascend the mountain to become true disciples of the Mansion.
Currently, the Li family heirs also went through this process.
However, it was rare for a Li family disciple not to be able to participate in the initiation ceremony.
And the first branch of the Daoist Academy was specifically established for the Li family heirs to receive their initial training and build their foundation.
On the surface, their treatment was the same as that of the other branches, but rumors abounded that the Li heirs were secretly receiving special treatment...
Like the pill furnace stolen this time, which was one of the exclusive tools provided to the first branch.
"Brother Lei!"
Several young disciples from the sixth branch looked at Lei Jun with admiration. "We heard it was you who caught the thief?"
Lei Jun shook his head. "I didn't catch him. He slipped away, but in the end, he exhausted himself to death. So the credit for capturing him is shared by everyone involved."
Brother Zhang from the group sighed. "Although the credit is shared by everyone, the main merit will go to those who took the initiative to pursue and capture him.
Those of us guarding the pass and the intersections remained stationary and were only secondary contributors. With so many people sharing the credit, there won't be much left for each person."
The commotion lasted until the middle of the night, and everyone was exhausted, but they still couldn't disperse and rest.
Later in the evening, several true disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion, clad in apricot-yellow robes, arrived at the Daoist Academy to interrogate the group of Daoist disciples individually.
Although they didn't reveal much information, Lei Jun could discern that the matter concerning the thief's accomplices was not a trivial one.
However, after the interrogation, the Daoist disciples were released one by one and allowed to return to their quarters.
Lei Jun went back to his small courtyard and took out the pitch-black scale once more, carefully examining it in greater detail.
Perhaps it was designed for convenience, allowing even a first-level Qi Refining cultivator like that thief to use it, or perhaps it was to leave no traces behind, but there were no traces of anyone else's spiritual power imprinted on the scale.
Lei Jun infused his own spiritual energy into the pitch-black scale, causing a faint glow to appear on its surface.
In his mind's eye, a luminous image appeared, resembling a dragon and a horse, combining majesty and grace, and exuding an air of profound mystery.
The textbooks at the Daoist Academy included illustrations and descriptions of spiritual beasts, auspicious beasts, mystical demons, and magical creatures from all over the world.
Thus, Lei Jun instantly recognized that the luminous image was that of a spiritual beast—the Dragon Horse.
So it was the scale of a Dragon Horse... Lei Jun nodded slightly.
He tried to infuse more spiritual energy into the scale, just as the thief had done.
Immediately, the scale began to glow intensely, and the massive shield reappeared.
However, his spiritual energy was rapidly depleting, and the consumption rate was extremely high.
Lei Jun stopped his actions, and the radiant light gradually faded away, leaving only the pitch-black scale in his palm, silent and enigmatic.
"A six-point fortune, indeed a remarkable treasure for protection..." Lei Jun nodded first, then shook his head.
Unfortunately, what he needed the most right now was an item that could assist in his cultivation, increasing his progress and reducing the difficulties he faced in his training.
Otherwise, at his current rate of improvement, by the beginning of next year's Conferment Ceremony, he would only reach the tenth layer of Qi Refining at most and would fall short of achieving the twelfth and final layer.
He hoped that if there was another opportunity to choose his path, it would help enhance his cultivation further.
Of course, a protective treasure was undoubtedly useful.
Safeguarding one's life was akin to safeguarding one's path.
Without life, cultivation would be a moot point.
Aside from life-threatening situations, even injuries could set back one's cultivation due to the time required for recovery.
Lei Jun carefully kept the treasure and went to bed.
The next day, after he woke up, washed up, and had his breakfast, he prepared to attend the morning classes.
The first person he encountered was Wang Guiyuan.
Lei Jun: "Senior Brother Wang?"
Wang Guiyuan: "Last night, you were originally with Senior Brother Gao?"
Lei Jun: "We separated midway during the chase. When the Daoist Academy caught fire, Senior Gao took a few disciples back to capture the thief's accomplice who set the fire. The rest of us continued pursuing the thief."
Wang Guiyuan remained silent for a moment.
He glanced around, his gaze shifting to the side, but he lowered his voice as he spoke:
"Senior Brother Gao and the others... something happened to them."
Lei Jun: "............"
"To be precise, it's not just Senior Brother Gao and the few disciples he took with him." Wang Guiyuan nodded slightly. "Some of our other fellow disciples were also involved."
He walked in front, with Lei Jun silently following behind him.
After a long while, Lei Jun asked, "Here on Dragon and Tiger Mountain?"
Wang Guiyuan nodded lightly.
Lei Jun: "Senior Brother, did something happen at the Mansion on the mountain last night?"
Wang Guiyuan didn't immediately answer Lei Jun's question. Instead, he spoke earnestly, "Lei Jun, my next statement may seem presumptuous given our brief acquaintance, but I believe that as cultivators, we should refrain from acting impulsively and recklessly. In many situations, safety should be our top priority, and a cautious approach is best."
Lei Jun: "I understand your concern, and I agree that your words make sense. However, many things in life are simply unpredictable before they occur."
(End of Chapter)
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