https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-73-73-Not-Letting-Any-Benefits-Slip-Away/12586314/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-75-Having-Your-Cake-and-Eating-It-Too/12586322/
Chapter 74: Seizing the Opportunity, A Hair's Breadth Away
Chapter 74: Seizing the Opportunity, A Hair's Breadth Away
"Mhm, leave this person to me." Xia Bo took the captive from Lei Jun.
He turned to Lei Jun and asked, "On your way back, aside from Tang Xiaotang, have you seen Xu Yuanzhen?"
Xia Bo didn't need to ask about Tang Xiaotang; he had already received news about her trip to the Red Abyss Cave before meeting Lei Jun.
There was no news of Huang Tiandao causing trouble there.
Although Tang Xiaotang's trip had been in vain, the fact that the Red Abyss Cave remained undisturbed was still good news for the Celestial Master's Mansion.
However, Xu Yuanzhen had been pursuing the mysterious powerful being who had ambushed the Celestial Master, and neither of them had been heard from in a while.
Lei Jun replied, "I haven't seen her or heard any news related to her."
Xia Bo frowned, "That mysterious assassin who harmed the Master is indeed despicable. However, during these troubled times, I hope that Xu Yuanzhen will be extra cautious. It's best not to pursue a desperate enemy."
"Who is that mysterious assassin, Senior Xia?" Lei Jun inquired.
Xia Bo shook his head, "We still don't know. We can only wait for Xu Yuanzhen to return and see if she has discovered anything."
With a smile, he continued, "I've heard about what happened at Tianxu Sect. You did well, and Master Tu had many praises for you. Additionally, Chong Qing almost fell into the hands of the demons from Huang Tiandao. It's fortunate that you were there to rescue her."
Chong Qing was Xia Qing's daoist name, and Xia Bo was both her paternal uncle and mentor.
"The victory at Tianxu Mountain was mainly due to Master Tu leading the entire sect in unity. I merely followed the teachings of our sect and acted according to Master Tu's commands," Lei Jun humbly replied.
"Our sect has always taught us to help each other," Lei Jun added. "I believe that if I were in danger, Senior Xia would also lend a helping hand."
Xia Bo smiled and nodded, "What you say is true. However, rewards should be given where they are due. Whether as your senior in the sect or as Chong Qing's paternal uncle, I must show my appreciation."
After a moment's thought, he took out a brocade box of considerable size and said, "You're studying the Dao with Yuan Shi, and you lack nothing. I can't very well give you something too common, but I think this will suit you."
Lei Jun accepted the box, "Thank you, Senior Xia, for your gift. I am grateful for your kindness."
After leaving Xia Bo, Lei Jun opened the brocade box, and it immediately overflowed with spiritual energy.
Before him appeared a huge black pouch, resembling a raindrop, with a diameter of almost a foot.
The surface of the black pouch was dull, but it exuded a strong sense of spirituality.
It carried a faint hint of bloodiness, not putrid but wild and fierce.
[Bear King's Primal Gallbladder]
Lei Jun's heart stirred, and a name appeared in his mind.
"Is this the six-grade opportunity mentioned in the second moderately auspicious fortune stick?"
Lei Jun nodded, securing the pouch safely away.
However, he couldn't help but wonder, "If I hadn't rushed back to Dragon and Tiger Mountain as soon as possible, would I have missed out on this treasure?"
Lei Jun's curiosity grew as he speculated about the five-grade opportunity mentioned in the first moderately auspicious fortune stick that Tang Xiaotang had drawn.
He closed the lid of the large brocade box and then took out the dimensional box that Chu Yu had given him earlier, temporarily storing the large box inside, creating a nested set of boxes.
After organizing his belongings, Lei Jun inquired about the current situation at the mountain gate from his fellow disciples.
Xu Yuanzhen, Yuan Mobai, and Tang Xiaotang were all absent.
Wang Guiyuan and Luo Haoran, however, were on the mountain.
Lei Jun decided to pay a visit to his senior disciple brother, Wang Guiyuan.
"Lei Jun, I'm glad to see you returned safely," Wang Guiyuan exclaimed, his expression shifting from surprise to relief. "If I had known there would be so many incidents after your departure, I would have prepared more items for you before you left the mountain."
Lei Jun smiled, "You already gave me a lot, and I even had some left over to bring back."
The two sat down, and Wang Guiyuan briefed Lei Jun on the current situation on the mountain.
The death of the Grand Master, Li Qingfeng, had undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to the Celestial Master's Mansion.
"It might be a bit disrespectful to the late Celestial Master, but I have to say that it's a blessing in disguise that he dragged the Lin Clan Patriarch to his death," Xia Bo said.
At the moment, the Lin Clan of Jiangzhou was attracting even more attention than the Celestial Master's Mansion, and most of the major forces' attention was still focused on Jiangzhou.
This gave the Celestial Master's Mansion a chance to regroup.
Even without the current Celestial Master, Dragon and Tiger Mountain was more than capable of handling their old rival, Huang Tiandao, in a one-on-one confrontation.
Currently, Second Uncle-Master Li Hongyu, bearing the Celestial Master's robe, was facing off against Huang Tiandao's leader, Tai Ping Dao Ren.
Third Uncle-Master Li Ziyang, Fourth Uncle-Master Yao Yuan, Yuan Mobai's master, Yuan Moxi, and Tang Xiaotang were each leading the counterattack in four different directions, successfully pushing back the Huang Tiandao experts out of Dragon and Tiger Mountain's range, restoring peace to the Celestial Master's Mansion.
Fifth Uncle-Master Shangguan Ning was also outside the mountain, coordinating with Yuan Moxi and the others while keeping a close eye on the situation in Jiangzhou.
However, the focus was no longer on the Lin Clan but on the other major forces in the cultivation world.
They were on guard against the possibility of another powerful expert taking advantage of the situation and turning their attention to Dragon and Tiger Mountain.
At the same time, Shangguan Ning also bore the important task of maintaining communication with the Imperial Family of the Tang Dynasty.
The Young Celestial Master, Li Zhenghuan, wielding the Celestial Master's Sword, remained at the mountain gate alongside the Grand Elder, Li Song, to guard the mansion.
Overall, in the counterattack against Huang Tiandao, the Celestial Master's Mansion displayed a certain degree of restraint.
This caution was not solely directed at Huang Tiandao but also to prevent any other forces from taking advantage of their vulnerability.
"How have you been doing during this time, Brother Lei?" Wang Guiyuan asked.
"I've been staying on the mountain, and although I haven't had the chance to confront the enemy directly, the responsibility on my shoulders is not light," Wang Guiyuan replied.
"Oh? What position are you holding, Brother Wang?" Lei Jun inquired.
"I'm guarding the ancestral tomb in the back mountains with several other Shixiong and a Shibo," Wang Guiyuan explained.
"..."
Lei Jun leaned back slightly, once again taking in Wang Guiyuan's appearance from head to toe.
With a solemn expression, Wang Guiyuan said, "Brother Lei, would you like to join us? This responsibility is a heavy burden!"
"Indeed, it is a significant responsibility, and only someone as talented as you, Brother Wang, can shoulder it. As for me, I'll just follow the arrangements of the senior disciples," Lei Jun responded humbly.
Wang Guiyuan sighed, "Brother Lei, you are indeed courageous and proactive. However, with such a task, the risk is also great. Always be cautious."
............
As Lei Jun and Wang Guiyuan chatted, another disciple paid respects to Xia Bo.
"I did not shame my mission, Shishu," Chen Yi, a 20-year-old young man with a handsome appearance, said to Xia Bo.
Xia Bo smiled and nodded, "Well done. You have accumulated a lot of merit and virtue, and you deserve a reward."
He then nodded to a young man standing beside him.
The young man, dressed in a deep red Daoist robe, was a conferred disciple. At Xia Bo's signal, he took out a jade bottle and handed it to Chen Yi. "Chen Shidi."
"Thank you, Shishu Xia, and Shixiong Xia," Chen Yi expressed his gratitude as he accepted the bottle.
The young man's name was Xia Xiushan, and he was Xia Bo's first disciple and also his nephew, sharing the same clan as Xia Qing.
After watching Chen Yi leave, Xia Xiushan looked at Xia Bo with a hint of curiosity. "Shizun..."
"What is it?" Xia Bo asked.
Xia Xiushan lowered his voice and said, "I remember you mentioned before that you intended to reward Chen Shidi with the Bear King's Primal Gallbladder?"
Chen Yi's master was Yao Yuan, and he was usually close with Li Hongyu and Xia Bo as a couple. Thus, Xia Bo took the opportunity to show his support for Chen Yi.
Although there had been some minor misunderstandings in the past, Xia Bo generally appreciated Chen Yi.
"At that time, I wasn't aware of Brother Chen rescuing Chong Qing. I did have such plans, but later, I thought it would be better to let things unfold naturally," Xia Bo explained with a smile.
"It doesn't matter. The way we're distributing the rewards now ensures that each person receives something suitable for them. As for the Bear King's Primal Gallbladder, it's quite rare and precious, so it's a matter of who gets it first. Whoever obtains it can consider it a stroke of fortune. We cultivators should follow the flow of fate and act in accordance with the will of heaven," Xia Bo added.
(End of Chapter)
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